2 of my favourite words...

BOOK SALE!

I made quick stop at Chapters on the weekend to pick up Karen Marie Moning's newest book, just to discover they're having a Buy 3 get the 4th Free sale. Well hot damn! Life doesn't get much better then that.

There was no way I could turn that down with the price of paperback these days. So I also grabbed an anthology, and Julia Quinn's newest. Now since technically I wasn't paying for the 4th I figured why not try someone new. So after much picking up and putting down I finally decided on a book by Alexis Morgan. Never heard of her before, but her book looked good.

Now for the best part, the book was better then good. I really enjoyed it. Read the damn thing in less then 24 hours. It's titledDark Protector and has all the things I like best is a book.
Tortured heros, strong heronines, quirky habit, a bit of sci/fi paranormal spice, well written and I'm hooked. Like really hooked.

Apparently this is the first of a series of book about the Paladin. A race of immortals that protect the world as we know it. The trick to the Paladin's is not to kill them but to make sure they stay that way. They aren't undead; they just don't stay dead.

Click on the title to find out more about it but it was a perfect summer read. My only complaint is while looking up the web addy on Amazon I noticed that the books release date is TODAY! You know what that means; I have a LONG ass wait till I get my hands on the second in the series. Oh well at least I have another author in my list of books to watch for.

Of course this got me thinking. Wouldn't is be a better idea to release a couple of books pratically back to back? Say 2 months apart. Especially if you are a new author? Of course that means haveing 2 books done before approaching an editor. Hell I'll be happy when I get ths one done. *G*

But if you did have a couple books ready and a third on the go I would imagine that releasing them close together would help build a readership yes? If they really like your books then they would be willing to wait and less likely to forget about you while waiting for the next?

But then I already mentioned that I will watch for Ms Morgan's next so perhaps it is just my impatience colouring my opinion. Also I am not thinking of this like a publisher. I'm sure they would be more worried about the first flopping and then the second comes out and they both sit there. Perhaps it more about the publisher wanting to make sure that the author sells before they invest in them.

Nah...I'm just impatient.

A funny thing happened on my way to the 100G mark

Wow I really am having a busy month! It's the 22nd already, the girls are finished school for the summer at the end of next week. Holy damn things better slow down cause the weather just got nice and I don't want summer flying by! It obviously hasn't been that interesting cause it took me ages to think of something to gab about here. Must have been meeting Sherrilyn that did it. Everything else paled in comparison *G*

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On a HAPPY!!! note the girl missing in the post below has been found. I don't know all the details but all that matters is that she is back with her family. Tragically not something that always happens, I can't put into words how relieved I am for the family and her parents.

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So I had an interesting moment while writing. I get a rare quiet moment to work on my book and figure 20 minutes is better then nothing. So there I am working on a scene that I know need to be done and in my mind's eye suddenly a man turns around and it's one of the main heros. Shocked the hell out of me, I wasn't planning for either of them to be there actually, neither of the boys are due to meet the heroine again till a few scenes later.

I was going to delete it when suddenly it dawned that having him there made sense. It also made a situation a chapter later (that I thought was painfully awkward)easier. It was like all the pieces suddenly fell into place and made sense. I got the rush like "maybe I can do this after all".

August is only 9 short weeks away. The end of that month is my own personal deadline. I want to be working on a query for September and shiping it out to potential editors before the end of the pagan year. This adventure started at the beginning of the year with NaNoWriMo in November. I want to start the next year with a writing frenze on my next book.

A parents worst nightmare.

From what I understand time is the most critical part of finding lost children.
Please visit this link and have a look at the young lady pictured. You never know you might have seen her.

A totally WOW day!!!!!

After devouring all her books over the past year I actually met Sherrilyn Kenyon today. I like to pride my self on being down to earth and not getting star struck...yea well that went out the window. I was bloody nervous LOL

Wow, Sherrilyn is one of the sweetest people on the planet. Today's signing was great. Chapter's had set up chairs for everyone and she did a bit of Q&A before the signing. I was in the front row and hubby was in the back with the girls. Everytime I looked at him he would mouth "Ask a question" Damn wouldn't you know it I couldn't think of a single one LOL.

Everyone did the typical trying to get her to spill something about the upcoming books. All she would say is that the dream hunter books would be out in Jan/Feb and we would meet Ash's heroine in one of them. But we already knew that. Right now she is concentrating on the Lords of Avalon series. She also told a few really funny stories about her family and kids. It was so much fun. (Paz that is your book she is signing in the picture)

It's amazing how down to earth she is and how she tries to maked everyone feel special. I did speak to her and I think that it was English I was speaking but I'm not sure. *G* She is just so sweet and huggy. That's another awesome thing about her. I got two hugs from her *G* I'm a huggy person too so I loved that. I'm sure I made a complete goober of myself but she was nice enough to pretend she didn't notice. She's really tiny too ;o)

There were a couple of the loop writers there. Jaqs, Isis and Desari to name three. It's been ages since I've done any loop writing that I feel a bit out of it. Still it's nice to now have a face behind the characters.

I would have stayed longer if the hubster and kids hadn't been chomping at the bit to get out of there. Considering they had been waiting for 2.5 hours I couldn't bitch too much. Yes I did try to convince him that it might not be a good idea for them all to come, but he got it in his head that we could make a day of it. I think the last time we went downtown T.O. as a family was 3 years ago when I got tickets to a Jays game.

We took the kids around downtown Toronto for some sightseeing and a subwayride back to the car. I actually saw the AG again just down the street fro Chapters, but she was having lunch on a patio (with Jacs) and I refrained from making more of a goober of myself. It was a close call

The worries never end....

For yet another informative post, click here

Damn Angela Knight is one smart cookie. She may not post often but when she does I always learn something knew about the craft and publishing industry and end up reading it more then once. Same can be said for Morgan Hawke

For me I think there is a saying that a little knowledge is a bad thing. I'm still going to write my story the way I want and hope that the publishing houses 'get it'.

I did sit in on a chat last night with literary agent Deidre Knight of the Knight Agency. She was answering everyone's questions and seems very appraochable. LOL I bet her in-box was crammed with submissions this morning. Not that I blame anyone. If my book was ready I would have sent a query in in too.

It's all so damn intimidating. Of course I could just wait to worry about it when my book is finished but why would I do something like that? *G*

One more thing off my mind....

I love it when I get something accomplished that has been on the back of my mind. Case in point, I had a rather important exam I had to write for work. Between scheduling delays on the part of head office and my own procrastination I have had this hanging over my head for a couple years.

Today I wrote it.... If you noticed the mushroom like cloud over Toronto that was me in the process. I don't think I bombed it, in fact I came out of the exam feeling positive. Kiss of death. Anytime in school when I thought I did well it usually turned out to be the opposite. LOL

Funny how anyone can ask me a question at work and I don't have a problem answering it. Write it down, slap the term 'exam' or 'test' at the top of the paper and I blank out. Strange huh?

I'm just glad it's finally over. I didn't realize how much it was bugging me until I didn't have to worry about it any more. At least for another 4-6 weeks when I get my test results back.

From humble beginnings

Welcome to FeyRhi Estates!
Located on the North Shore of Lake Ontario
Projected volume for 2007...oh half a bottle at best


Ok I'm just kidding I'm not really starting a winery although that is one of my favourite daydreams. Being an accomplished (multi published), successful writer and owning a vineyard. I could write while overlooking ripening grapes. *sigh*

Hey you never know right! That's what dreams are for. Mine just happens to be a bit of the far fetched side but not completely unatainable. Although I'm gonig to have to sell a whole lots of books to be able to afford a small vineyard on the St David's Bench (my favourite Niagara appellation)
This is a 2 yr old Pinot Noir vine that I was given while on conference. If memory serves it was Henry of Pelham that donated them to us. (One of my favourite Niagara wineries!) This one is all mine though, it won't do much this year but should grow like mad next. Vines don't produce grapes till the third year.

I was actually learning how to plant vines like this one in their (Pelham's) vineyard last Wednesday. We were planting Riesling, whish means the 2009 vintages will contain juice from the grapes I planted *G* Ok stop looking at me like that, I think it's cool.

I am still kicking my self for not bringing my camera. It was such a busy day, We were at Coyote's Run in the morning, off to Brock university for a WCO presentation on the new Niagara Appellations. Had a BBQ lunch there then my group was off to Pelham. That was the best part of the day. Planting vines is not easy work. Opposite to what you might assume, grapes grow best in crap soil. The vineyard soil is rock hard and mostly red clay. It was still fun though. The brothers are a great bunch of guys and are so down to earth. It is a must stop on any winery tour.

I suspect that many of you might be getting the same glazed look on your face as my brother does when I slip into wine mode so I'll stop here. He was teasing me last night that I look the same when we he starts on about rad techs and nuclear power.
*snore*

Long time no see!!

Contrary to the way it has looked, I did not drop off the face of the planet *G*

Although I nearly choked when I saw how long it has been since I posted here last. My feet may still be planted firmly on terra firma but damn time is flying.

Last week I was away on our yearly conference. I can't say it was difficult staying in a gorgeous hotel, having a bed all to myself with maids to make it in the morning and not have to worry about dishes and laundry for 4 days. I was still glad to get home though, well until I saw the condition of the house then I was ready to go back.

It's a really busy week filled with fun tastings and winery tours blended in with mind numbing head office 'powerpoint' presentations. You can almost hear the collective groan with that flashes on the screen. By the end of the week I wish that someone still did presentations with the old fashion flip chart and markers.
I'll spare you all the deatils today, since it would make this post incredibly long. Besides it gives me something to gab about all week.

I am going to skip to one of the coolest parts. During one of the presentations Thursday afternoon I got to try a 1970 Ruffino Ducale Oro Chianti Classico Riserva. Yup you did the math right. It was a 36 year old wine. That is the oldest vintage I have ever tried so far. I was amazed at how well it was still drinking. We were doing a vertical so there was also the 1980, 1990, 1999, and 2001. I will admit I'm not a huge Chianti fan to begin with but the experience ment a lot to me.

It is very possible that shipping from Italy may have throw it off. Lets face it; wines approaching that age don't travel well. Aldofo Folinari who was presenting was telling us that they had done a tasting on the 1955 vintages the week before last at the winery and it was still drinking well.

There was also the 1999 Lodola Nuova Vino Nobile di Montepulciano which was very nice and my partner in world domination *cough* I mean friend/coworker/roomate loved. For me it was the 1999 Greppone Mazi Brunello di Montalciano that had me in rapture. 'Delish' is a complete understatement. I'm tempted to launch into a full tasteing note but...oh why not.

Raspberry, black cherries, milk chocolate, coffee and sweet herbs on the nose, with a rich, fleshy/chewy palate and good acidity. It did have some grippy tannins on the finish, to be expected considering the young age, but they were balanced with the fruit and acidity. The fruitcake finish went on for ages. I loved it! Just typing about it now has my mouth watering again LOL

There is so much more to tell but I'll fill you in as the week goes. There is one very good thing about powerpoint presentations. When they get too mind numbing I tend to daydream. Wonderful state for a writer. I may not have bumped up my word count any but I did get some backstory written. Building up the story about Amaryllis' mother was a big sticking point for me; that has aided in fleshing her out. I also got some spacifics about Thanatos' and Hypnos' characters and how they live/react to a contemporary setting. I have no idea if any of this wil actually make it into the story but at least they will give the characters a bit more depth.

Happy Victoria Day!!!

So ends the fist long weekend of the summer. The Victoria Day holiday otherwise known as the May 2-4.

For those of you who are not Canadian and might wonder why it is also referred to as the 2-4....how many bottles of beer in a case?

Yes this is a major party weekend for many teenagers. Traditionally spent in various campsites around the country with many cases of beer. Due to this influx of acholic beverages and the resulting extravagence; there is always a drinking ban in any provincially owned park. Not that it ever stopped us. We just got creative sneaking it in and drinking it.

Of course as an adult those days are behind me. Being so early in the season this weekend is often cold, windy and rainy. Which is fine if you are an intoxicated youngster, as an adult you couldn't pay me enough to sleep outside in weather like this.

So now I have joined the ranks of parents who all chip in and purchase mounds of fireworks to set off for all the kids. Bundled up in sweatshirts and wintercoats with hats and blanket over our laps. The kids are up way to late because it takes that much longer to get dark enough but once all the dads start venting off thier pyrotechnic fantasies everyone has fun.

Of course tradition is tradition so my girlfriend and I were armed with a large glass of red wine. Purely to help with the cold of course *G*

How to make a Hero....

I've been contemplating what exactly makes a hero and what characteristics I hope to instil in my own characters. I have 2 male and 1 female lead in my current work. As if writing realistic romance isn’t hard enough I have to throw in a ménage dynamic on my first attempt. (sheesh)

I really hope that by the time it is all said and done I will have created three distinct personalities that can’t live with out the other. I want them to be balanced both, complimenting and contrasting with each other. Not an easy task.

Who will brood? Who is the comedian? Who is wounded? Who is dominant? Can all three have all of these with out blending into each other? Ugh nothing worse then getting to the end of a story and the leads are a putrid shade of grey.

There are all sorts of heroes (of the romantic type) and I'm sure they have all sorts of specific literary titles but since I didn't take college literature I don't have a clue what they are. My atrocious spelling will often have people wondering how I ever passed high-school English. But I digress...

I was watching “Swordfish” earlier this evening and, aside from the fact that “Stan” is played by Hugh Jackman, (yummy!) what sells this character for me is his devotion to his daughter. The fact that he will go to any length to make sure he can protect her. That got me thinking about what other quirks have endeared some fictional men to me.

“Hellboy” (Ron Pearlman) is another favourite character of mine. With him it is all about acceptance. He wants to be accepted for what he is, at the same time tries to change his appearance so he won’t look as different. He accepts his heroine for what she is and doesn’t want her to change even though she doesn't want her talents.

“John Shaft” Samuel L…..need I say more? Ok aside from the physical. The man is a born protector. He is all about stepping in to help the oppressed. He is the perfect badboy in a good way

“Jack Callaghan” (Bill Pullman) Who didn’t fall in love with the brother from “While You Were Sleeping”? Ranks high on the sweetness factor but there is the fact that he is falling for a woman who he thinks is his brothers fiancée. That gives him a nice hint of bad boy in my opinion.

Now I realize I am completely simplifying these characters and their stories. I’m also picking out one part of their personalities, but it is the part that made them memorable for me. There are many more but these are the one that came to me immediately.

Feel free to share your favourites, both male and female, in the comments *G*

What do you mean you're not Immortal?!

I had the most wonderful conversation with my granny on the phone tonight. It's funny how we are similar in that she and I switch topics constantly and the other can always keep up. We talk a mile a minute and tend to be a bit loud. We gabbed for at least 2 hours, Honestly my ear was numb by the end of it. *G*

After all that I am suddenly left with the realization that I may not have that many more phone marathons with her. Not that I think that anything will happen to her anytime soon, but just something about the tone of the conversation. It wasn't morbid or anything but it was there in the background. It was like she wanted to remind me that she won't be around forever. To be honest I'm left feeling a bit unsettled.

I guess there is a part of me that just thinks of her as immortal. She has always been there. The same house and same phone number for as long as I can remember. To think of it otherwise is too foreign to comprehend.

I spent weeks in the summer there with her and my grampy. She took me to see ET and pretended not to notice as I sobbed my heart out. (Even as a kid I didn't like crying in front of people) She took me to see the musical "Annie". (the movie)
I saw my first live-on-stage musical with them (Pirates of Penzance) Then they took me to my first grown up dinner in a fancy restaurant. (meaning no burgers on the menu) I had crepes and remember really enjoying them but can't remember what kind they were. *G*

With all hope, my children will have some wonderful memories of her as well. Granny Ann turns 81 this weekend and I have been gently reminded that she is mortal.

Looking for a new religion?

This is the funniest thing I have ever seen and a perfect response for something I have issues with as well. I do not believe the government has any right to ask what religion an individual worships/believes in. It's none of their business.
Now before I get fully on that soap box here is a clever way around it when filling out your censis form.

Some 20,000 Canadians worship at the altar of Yoda

canada.com
Published: Tuesday, May 13, 2003

OTTAWA -- May the Force be with you. And also with you. Amen.

An astonishing 20,000 Canadians declared themselves to be followers of the religion of Jedi, the guardians of peace and justice in the Star Wars flicks, Statistics Canada reported Tuesday in the latest, and final, data to come from the 2001 census.

Will the holy trinity one day be replaced with "in the name of Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker?''

Not likely, says Denis Dion, a 44-year-old produce manager from just outside Vancouver who circulated an e-mail urging anyone who wanted to have fun with Canada's census to identify themselves as Jedi when asked about their religion.

In the blockbuster George Lucas sci-fi films, Jedis are depicted as holy warriors who use the powerful strength of "the Force'' to overcome sinister elements. Unfortunately some Jedis use the Force for evil instead of good, but ultimately the virtuous Jedis prevail.

When asked if he was a practising Jedi knight, Dion replied: "Well some people claim I am.''

He and some friends who volunteer at the Canadian Ski Patrol in Vancouver had been talking about their love of all things Jedi when they came up with the idea to see how many Canadians would be willing to tell Statistics Canada they too were followers.

"We all get along very well ... and it's strange but we all watch Star Trek and Star Wars,'' said Dion, who had thought only he and his free-thinking ski-patrol buddies would agree to poke fun at the census.

The Jedi membership drive was his way of thumbing his nose at the government for asking what he feels is an inappropriate question.

"My religion is my issue, not the government's,'' Dion said.

The Jedi gag is the latest in a global census trend that has left some statisticians red-faced as the number of Jedis has eclipsed some centuries-old religions.

In the U.K., for example, there are more Jedis than Jews. Nearly 400,000 people identified themselves as Jedi in the 2001 census. Only 260,000 said they were Jewish. The Jedis seemed to be concentrated in England and Wales.

Just last year, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that more than 70,000 people named Jedi as their faith.

The high response rate can be traced to an e-mail that told people the government would be forced to recognize Jedi as an official religion if enough people identified themselves as followers.

"Whether Jedi becomes a new category in the classification will depend more on other criteria, such as the existence of a formal organization structure rather than the number of responses,'' John Struik, Australia's census manager, said at the time.

Half the Jedis in Canada were in B.C., with the rest in Ontario and Alberta.

Statistics Canada didn't report the number of people who responded Jedi in tables listing response rates for other religions, saying that their analysis did not include the "media-driven'' response, in part because the sample was so small. However, statisticians did when asked produce tables showing a much smaller number of Rastafarians, Scientologists and Satanists.

Derek Evans is the director of the Naramata Centre just north of Penticton, B.C., which is affiliated with the United Church of Canada. He understands why young people may be drawn to the Force.

"It's part of a journey of a young man discovering the powers that rest within himself and how he can access it for his own strength and nurture, or of the people he cares about, through focusing his intentions on good,'' said Evans.

"I think that's what most great religious traditions teach us.''

Frustrated with organized religions, increasingly secularized young people are willing to experiment with spirituality, said Rabbi Yosef Wosk, director of the interdiscipline program in continuing studies at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver.

"You're getting many, not all, of the experiences that you would get through a religion in so-called non-aligned spirituality through Star Wars, the X-Men, the Matrix and Lord of the Rings,'' said Wosk.

Evans had never heard of anyone practising Jedi but "might check it out if I knew where you could go to get the training.''

Although it began as a unique way to "spoil his ballot,'' Dion says the exercise has cemented his belief that if Jedi was recognized as a religion, "I'll be there with bells on.''
© The Canadian Press 2003



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Yes, yes, yes I'm going to go write now *BG*

An overcast drizzly morning

While I would never say I live a 'normal' life (really who would want to anyways? Boring!) I think we may have gotten back to, or as close to it as possible.

Hubster finally god a job, thank the gods! He started yesterday. Today is my day off. If you don't realize what that means...

I am all alone right now.

The house is silent except for the cliking of the clothes rolling around in the dryer and T.C's occasional yeowl. Peace has return to my life. A chance to write with out interruption of any sort. What am I doing?

Procrastinating! LOL ok so some things never change.

I have so much to do, Teaghan's birthday is at the end of the week. The Sparks/Brownie advancement ceremony is tomorrow. I haven't seen the floor in my laundry room in weeks, not to mention the state of my bathrooms. Add to that the fact that if I don't get some serious work done on this book it will never be finished and I will not be an author when I grow up.

Of course all those things aren't going away and they will still be waiting in another half an hour. For a little while longer I am enjoying the quiet.

I wish this tree looked like this all summer. It's so pretty right now, the robins nest is hidden in the middle of a big clump of flowers. They must have hatched earlier then I thought because I saw a small one swoop into the tree earlier today. Must have been a practice run. Not to mention that T.C. has been sitting on the window ledge watching the tree while licking her chops. Silly kitty, it's not all you can eat wings night.

I had to take a picture of this; it cracks me up. You can see where hubby skipped over the birds nest. He said he'll wait a few more weeks before checking to see if they have all left the nest. What do you want to bet he waits till the end of the summer just to be safe. Big softie.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's out their including my own.
(Although I don't think she reads this but just in case.)

My favourite part of this day are the gifts the girls made at school for me. I don't need anything else because nothing can measure up to those. This year I got a decorated flowerpot that has a pen with a flower stuck to the top of it and a styrophome cup covered in foil with a bunch of 'forget-me-nots' growing in it. I was thrilled with both, as I can never find a pen when I need one and I love little flowers.

Also there are the big construction paper cards with hand prints all over them and little poems and 'I love you's. Ryleigh drew hearts and kisses all over hers Teaghan's had written "I (heart) U fume The winbe ubuve U" I love you from the wind above you.

I'm not sure what they are called but she had written a sentance for every letter in
the word MOTHER.

Mom who loves
One hero
Terrific MOM
Hogs the computer
Eats chocolate
Reads books for moms only

I wasn't sure of the Hero part but she said that was when we were up north, when the bear came out of the woods and I grabbed her hand and saved her.

Well that was a few years ago and the story has stretched in her imagination a bit. A baby bear did come out of the woods and we all ran in the house in case the mom was near by (she never came out of the woods) and while I did grab Teaghan's hand it was her Uncle who scooped her up and ran for the house (I was carrying Ryleigh)

Anyways I figure they have gotten a free ride from the next while 'cause it's gonna take a lot to get me angry at them after this. LOL

It's.......

No this post has nothing to do with Monty Python, although it should because I feel it's important to have a bit of random silliness in life. Stop one from becomeing too serious. Don't look at me like that I am serious, once in a while...when I really have to be....and only for as short a time as possible because I find it particularly painful.

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Katharine Hepburn You scored 7% grit, 33% wit, 38% flair, and 28% class!

You are the fabulously quirky and independent woman of character. You go your own way, follow your own drummer, take your own lead. You stand head and shoulders next to your partner, but you are perfectly willing and able to stand alone. Others might be more classically beautiful or conventionally woman-like, but you possess a more fundamental common sense and off-kilter charm, making interesting men fall at your feet. You can pick them up or leave them there as you see fit. You share the screen with the likes of Spencer Tracy and Cary Grant, thinking men who like strong women. Find out what kind of classic leading man you'd make by taking the Classic Leading Man Test.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 0% on grit You scored higher than 71% on wit You scored higher than 40% on flair You scored higher than 52% on class

Link: The Classic Dames Test written by gidgetgoes on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

71% on Wit?? See I knew I was a smartass. Katherine Hepburn is one of my favourite classic actress' my other favourite being Audrey Hepburn (no relation, I looked it up)

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Life has been hectic as hell lately. I just feel as though I am running a day behind and can't seem to catch up. Even when of my regular customers asked me how I was today..I gave him my standard "Great, How are things with you?" He just paused and said "No really are you ok?"
"I'm wiped." I might have said more but I started yawning. LOL.

So it will be to bed early for me tonight, actually as soon as I am done here I am heading up, already I can hear the soft yowling of my pillow....Oh no that would be my cat who has gone into heat and wanders around the house between 4:30 and 5:00 in the morning for the last 3 nights yowling.....

"mmmeeeeoooowowwwwwwww mmmeeeeerrrroooooowwww"
over and over

Don't get me wrong I love my cat but if she keeps it up I'm gonna lock her in the laundry room. Can't wait till she gets fixed. Should put an end to it I hope.

On the writing front I am working on my meme projects. My current WIP has hit a snag so I'm hoping that this will jump start it again. You would think with 3 main character's it wouldn't be hard to find someone to say something. Besides quoting Monty Python at me.

Just a bit of tech stuff

I've had this picture on my computer for ages. So long that I don't even remember where I got it from. I'm just posting it here so I can use it for my profile. There might be an easier way to do it but I haven't figured it out.

Pretty cool idea...

Thanks to Scott Oden I have a kicker of an exercise that should drive me insane but hopefully help when it comes to fleshing out characters and plots and just general ideas and such.

He completed a meme through the eyes of his character Memnon. That got me wondering if that was something that might help when suffering writer's block. A way to get your brain back on track and perhaps find out what is important to your character and the story. I was thinking that perhaps if you used it in a more freewriting manner who knows what your subconscious might blurt out?

The meme simply involves a few very simple questions or statements that really force you to think about the answers...or perhaps it would be better to write down the first thing that pops into your head and then expand a bit on it later. Have to try it out both ways for two different characters and see which I find works better.

I am:
I want:
I wish:
I hate:
I miss:
I fear:
I hear:
I wonder:
I regret:
I am not:
I dance:
I sing:
I cry:
I made:
I am not always:
I write:
I confuse:
I need:
I should:
I start:
I finish:

I'm sure someone has come up with this idea before me, I just wish I had thought of it sooner. If you have done this before or have another exercise that you find helpful then please feel free to comment on it. *G*

I survived....

Monday night and I survived another practice. Mainly because I avoided the evil dragon boat with it's demonic chief. *G*

Still had a good workout but I don't feel as if I have torn every tendon in my body. Although I have this strange pain in the back of my thigh about half way between my butt and the back of my knee. Hurts like hell but only when I try to move it. No doubt I strained a muscle but I am more proud of the lack of pain in my arms. That means I kept better posture tonight. LOL Of course we'll see how I feel in the morning.

It's just so beautiful out on the lake, after a long haul and the driver yells "Let it ride!" That means take your paddle out of the water and coast for a bit. This time of year the sun is just starting to set as we finish up our time on the water. Too bad I can't take a notebook out into the boat with me. I'm sure I could come up with a few ideas in that moment....once I managed to catch my breath.

Yes another quiz!

Yea not much of a surprise this one....

What Kind of Novel Should I Write?

ROMANCE! - Love, sweet and tender, aggressive and compelling. You have a story of romance burning in your heart. Happily Ever After is a given, but you will tear their hearts asunder before your Hero and Heroine gain True Love's embrace. Nora Roberts and Jane Austin are your guides.

Take this quiz!

Okies confess what did it suggest you write? Feel free to past it to the comments I don't mind *G*

Speaking of new authors.

Picked up great book last night called "Braless in the Buick" by Jenna Leigh (*cough*click on her name*cough*)

It is her first book and I really enjoyed it. It's a fun read with great characters. You can't help but love her neighbors LOL. You should check it out it's worth it.

Favourite Tub Toys

We all have them.

No I'm not talking about certain things that I know some of you are thinking of. *ahem* (that is another post for another time)

Books that you reread a hundred times. Perhaps it's one of the characters that you could relate to or just the story appealed. The ones you take into the tub with you when you don't have anything new. That is the one real drawback to ebooks if you don't have a palm reader. You can't take them in the tub. Although even if I had one, which I don't, I wouldn't want to risk dropping it into the water and damage it.

But I'm drifting again.

Last night I headed into my tub with my Theory of Deadman CD, Julie Garwoods "Mercy"; Julia Quinn's "How to Marry a Marquis", Sherrilyn Kenyon's "Born to be Bad" and Lyn Kurland's "This Is All I Ask" and my cranberry- orange candles.

I don't usually read all the books I bring in with me but sometimes I'm not sure what I am going to be in the mood for. Last night I only ended up reading Mercy. It's a great story with lots of fun backstory and fillers that add to the characters.

Had a great soak, sang along with the CD, drank a coffee spiked with Amarula, got hubby to cover my back with muscle cream after and I was out like a light. *G*
Thankfully I was able to get up and going with a bearable amount of groaning this morning.

Oh well at least if one of my characters in a future book takes up rowing I'll know what it feels like.

I can't be the only one that practically packs before going to have a bath, what do you like to read/listen to while soaking?

I hurt.

A lot.

After gushing on and on about how much I enjoy dragonboating, I though I should warn anyone reading, before you jump in, that I can't wait until I am in better shape.

Right now I am in agony.

The ache is like an "I" on my back. Across the sholders, down my spine, and across my lower back from hip to hip. My upper arms are hurting as well which means I wasn't keeping the proper postition during pratice. No shit.

The boat I was in had a vast majority of veteran paddlers. I'll be careful not to make that mistake again. Find the rookies, stay with the rookies. So the leader made sure everyone got a work out. Myself I almost fell out of the boat due to sheer exhaustion after a half an hour.

The beat he had us working to was a good solid pace for about 5 minutes to get out into the open then a few lengths of 20 easy 10 hard and ran a couple fake races, and a few figure 8's.

Then hell decended when he had us doing...10 easy,10 hard,10 easy,20 hard,10 easy,30 hard,10 easy,40 hard,10 easy,50 hard then a break. I tried to take a drink of water and my arms were shaking. LOL Then we had to switch sides and do it all again. Even the vetrans were saying they were wrecked after all that.

There was a moment when it all fell into place, my timing was on, my positioning was perfect, I was in what I call THE DRAGON ZONE! Of course as soon as as I realized it I starting thinking too much about it and it all fall apart and I had a hard time getting back into sync.

Normally I would have a good soak but when I got hom hubby informed me that something was wrong with the waterheater. The pilot light was out and he couldn't get it lit again. waaarrrggghhhh. So today everything is tight but I have to say that I slept like the dead last night. Called the repair guy this morning and he had replace a thermol cup link or something like that. Did some yard work, not too much but I was afraid that my back would tighten up too much if I did nothing.
Tonight I'm planning a nice hot bath with nice smelly salts and the meanest muscle relaxing type cream I can find. I use to use "Tiger Balm Red Hot" but that doesn't do the trick any more so maybe time to go to white hot? It would match the feeling I already have back there *G*

Dragon Boats

My newest obsession, even if it made my back feel as though there were a thousand white hot needles stabbed into it. *G*

So my original thought was to join the GirlGuide boat and do 1 race this summer for fun. My girlfriend (and fellow sparks leader) has already joined the Lively Dragon and made me promise not to crap out on her. Dammit! Despite the rebellion from my out-of-shape back muscles, and the plethora of whining I will do on this blog, I really had fun.

I orginally thought that Dragon boating was like canoeing but on a grander scale.
eerrrtt Wrong!
They have their own style of paddling. In truth you use very little of your arm muscles. According to our coach 'if your arms hurt at the end of practice, your doing it wrong'. All the power for your strokes come from your core body. (back, chest and tummy)

I'll try my best to describe it. (If you are paddling with the water on the right side of the boat)
To start you lean forward, angling body, extending your arm over your head to grip the top of the paddle and your other arm is straight holding on about 3/4 way down the shaft. (ok anyone who giggled at the word 'shaft' you can stop. ~I couldn't be the only one)

Stab paddle into the water, anchor arms, and sit up pulling the paddle with you. Lift paddle straight out of water (no 'J' strokes) with left hand, push shaft forward with right hand, lean forward, stab paddle in to water and continue.

Now as you do this you have to remember to keep syncronised with the paddler in front of you and the person screaming with the drum at the front of the boat. Did I fail to mention that there are 20 paddlers to a boat? With that many people the energy level vibrating around you gets so high! It's amazing.

So my next practice in Monday night and my 1st race is on May 27th. Personally I'm hoping that will all this work my abs may look a sight better by the summer then they do now LOL

If someone finds my week, can you tell me where it went?

The past 7 days have managed to absolutly FLY by. I know it happens when you are having fun but apparently being busy as hell has the same effect. So far this week I have...

~visited a friend I haven't seen in over 10 years (hi mucka!!)
~had my first dragon boat practice (and 2 days of a very stiff back)
~worked in the store 3 days got ready for the biweekly wine release this weekend
~got 90% of my laundry done (that lasted 1.5 days now I have a hill on the floor again)
~attended monthly vintage tasting
~regular weekly 'Sparks' meeting
~worked an Australian Wine tasting in Toronto
and
~had the beginnings of 'the talk' with my daughter (that was terrifying) we managed to get the basics down and the fact that you need a seed from both mommy and daddy to make a baby. Thank the gods she didn't think far enough to ask HOW the pieces find each other. That bomb will hit anyday now I know it. No doubt while we are standing in line at the grocery store.

Now I'm not sure if I need a large glass of red wine or just go to sleep.

The Australian Wine event was in the Distillery District. I had never been down there before and I was an hour early, thinking that the traffic would be worse. I wish I had gotten there even earlier. I wandered around the place with my notebook, had filled 4 pages of notes before I knew it.
(Here is where I insert that I cannot stress enough to carry a notebook with you at all time because you never know when inspiration will strike)
This place was fasinating, I'll have to transcribe my notes to see if I can give you a feel for the place. The pictures on the website don't do it justice, especially if you go down some of the smaller walkways between buildings.

I swear I have another book on the back burner of my thoughs, unless I can use this place in one of my current ideas....hhhmmmmm

OK have to get tough with myself again LOL I'm off to write, the one thing I haven't gotten enough done on this week. So glass of wine, a few thousand words and then some sleep. Don't have to work till noon tomorrow so I can hang in my jammies for a bit in the morning. WooHoo!!

I've been tagged!

I got tagged by Paxa to answer a couple questions about myself. So here we go.

20 Years ago
I was in highschool (when I wasn't skipping class), used a bottle of hairspray a week on my hair, listened to Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Metallica, thought my black, fringe, leather jacket was the 'cats ass' and had a massive crush on a boy named Jason, but was too painfully shy to ever let him know.

10 Years ago
I was working as a waitress in a bar/restaurant, routinely stayed up till 3-4 am and slept till noon. Quit smoking for the second and final time. Got engaged and took a trip to Florida with friends.

5 Years ago
My children were 1 and 3 years old which means I hadn't had an uninterrupted nights sleep in years and was working part time in a liquor store. I also discovered the wonderful world of RPG's and started doing a bit of writing.

1 Year ago
Writing on a daily basis. Had met lots of great cyber-buddies. Working as a Product Consultant in a liquor store. We were thinking of selling our house and buying one with a bigger backyard.

1 Month ago
Turned 35, writing almost everyday, was obsessing over contests and storylines, still working as a P.C.

Yesterday
Did house cleaning during the day, worked the afternoon shift and picked my stepmother up from the airport in the evening.

Today
Joined a bunch of families to pick up garbage in our area for Earth Day, Cleaned the kitchen, did a load of laundry, and went to visit a friend who I haven't seen in at least 10 years.

Tomorrow
Relax in the morning, do a bit of writing, work on the mountain of laundry downstairs, take the girls swimming and have my first practice with the Dragon Boat team I joined.

In the next minute I am tagging....

I can only think of a couple people that I don't remember seeing something like this on their blog....

Bob Farley
Scott Oden
Michele Armstrong
Adeline
Destinie (lol your have to get bloggin now!)

Happy Earth Day!!!

Go on you can do it.
Find a bit of green space around you, Take a garbage bag and clean it up a bit. It doesn't take much, just a little of your time. If everyone did a little bit it would add up to something big.

A bunch of families, ours included met this moring and tackled the ravine that runs through this part of town. Our local crossing guard arranged it and made everyone chocolate chip banana muffins, how sweet was that!

The city provided big yellow garbage bags and good blue gloves for everyone to wear.
The warm summer like weather of late abandoned us but that was ok. We trucked out there anyways. Thankfully it was drizzling and not out right pouring. After an hour the girls started complaining that they were freezing so we headed home for hot showers and better yet, hot chocolate.

It will never be finished at this rate.

I've decided that I have to get tuff with myself. That means a determined cutback on allowing myself any forms of procrastination. Day dreaming about when I am an official author has to stop...well at least cut down a bit.

I made a comment on Scott Oden's blog about what gives me the GEM's (green eyed monster). For me it is hearing about how people are able to balance more then one writing project. Don't get me wrong, I think they are all the more amazing for it and wish I could do it too. I have a hard enough time staying focused on one.

Then I actually started writing another one! What, was I nuts?

So the Regency WIP counter is gone. The story and characters are still here and pressing for attention but I'm taking Scott's advice and concentrating on one project at a time. When I reach my goal, it will be kinda like a reward to continue on with the next project. There is also the added bonus of not having to start with a blank screen.

What I have started doing is while I work on the first one' I keep a seperate window open. That is for when ideas insist on forcing their way to the surface. I jot them down, point form, purge them and then focus back on my current work. So far so good. *fingers crossed*

My muse has lousy timing...

Yesterday was gorgeous, Today is gorgeous. Apparently the weekend is going to suck rocks. Why you might ask? Because I have it off!

Perhaps I'm a bit self absorbed today
(what do you mean the world doesn't revolve around me?)

Hubby and I wandered around one of the garden centres in town and made up a list for what we need for around the house. As long as my lottery numbers come through then there shouldn't be a problem paying for it all. But we did pick up some grass seed and a couple packages of bulbs. Now I have grungy fingernails but in a couple months I should have some kick ass planters out my window. I love planting stuff, and occasionally they actually grow too.

Now I'm in the mood to write and I am so tempted to phone in sick to work, I mean take a "Mental Health Day" *G* I'm on afternoons and the thought of leaving while the muse has finally found some time to hang with me is very frustrating. I won't though 'cause I am an idiot with an overblown guilty conscious. But I do plan on hiding in the back with my notebooks and seeing what kind of ideas I can come up with.

I may have to go in there but that doesn't mean I will actually do what I am saposed to if I can scam my way out of it. Besides my evil ass(t). manager is working the same shift. So the more time I can spend with out looking at his bald head the better.

Being an avid knitter I find this poster particularly inspiring. I think it's the big, long.....scarf.

Like Mother, Like daughter

My youngest has inherited my sense of fun and love of painted toenails. The more boring and normal the colour on my fingernails the more bazarre and outlandish the colour on my toes.
The tatoos are fake and her idea.

Hoppy Bunny Day!!

I hope the bunny was good to everyone out there. My little ones are currently tearing around the backyard with their cousins. Hopefully working off a massive sugar rush. I am enjoying a bit of post turkey mellowness and have commandered my little bro's computer to knock off a bit of a blog.

While Easter isn't really a holiday I celebrate, I do enjoy the emjoy the excuse to get together with my family. I took a last minute trip up north this weekend for a fly-by visit. My sister-in-law cooked up a massive amount of food for everyone. Delish! expecially since I didn't have to cook it *G*

My youngest brother couldn't get the night off work, so I took a big dish of dinner and dessert down to him. At least I got a chance to visit with him, and secured a promise that he will be by in the morning for coffee.

Personally this is what I think holidays should be about. Less fussiness over religion and more attention on family. That's what I enjoy about them.

Just sit your damn butt in the chair and write!!

So I have a new meter added to my blog. My Regency meter. Apparently my brain has declared mutiny and no longer wishes to concentrate on my paranormal project. Why you might ask? Beats the hell out of me? Scares me even more.

I decided that this was going to be my year. I will have something finished and submitted somewhere by the end of December. That is my goal. We are 4 months in to the year and all ready the small negative voice in the back of my head is wondering is this is yet another delusion of grandeur?

I read other people work and it is so well written, funny, entrancing and I wonder what am I even doing attempting to tackle a novel? There is no way I could ever churn out something of that quality.

I do have cyber buddies who have read my work and enjoyed it but those pieces have been short amounts. A paragraph here. A page there. Do I have what it takes to finish a full length book? Can I keep a reader’s attention for over 200 pages?

To top off this massive attack on insecurity, I just stalled out in the middle of my first major project. What the hell? I have the basics written from beginning to end. What is left is filling in the gaps, fleshing out the characters. There are some pretty big holes and bumps that need to be fixed, and yet my brain has changed gears.


Gone is the contemporary paranormal mindset. Hello Regency England

I’ve been avoiding reading that time period in hope of keeping such thoughts at bay.

I’m not going to get anything done if I keep starting projects and not finishing them. (I might have developed a habit of that in my life)

I thought that perhaps a break would be a good thing. Let me look on it with fresh eyes in a couple weeks. Perhaps I have been obsessing about it too much and need some objectivity? I hope that is all. I just feel like I should have something done by now.

Could it be? Dare I say it out loud?

No I had better not comment on the weather. If I do then it is sure to snow next week. All I can say is that if the weather report is correct then tomorrow is going to rock and it is my day off!!!

I will admit I don't have any plans to write. I'm going to be out in my garden, cleaning it up getting it ready for all the strange things I will do to it this year. For those that don't know, we just bought this house at the end of last summer. The beds at the front of the house are home to a bunch of huge bushes that pratically hide half of it. Also there are all these pieces of dark bark they were useing for ground cover. UGH!

I need colour and wierd looking flowers. Gotta feed the creativity.

Tomorrows plans also include my helping hubby trim down the crab apple tree. Hmmm that should be interesting. I predict many curse words and my saying "Just a little more to the left"

I cannot wait till the tree blooms. It was so pretty last year in May. I'll post a picture of it as the flowers don't last long. They fall off and the crab apples grow. Then the apples fall off and feed all the rabbits in the neighborhood *G*

I'm just so thrilled to have a couple days that are going to be on the warm side. It is such a blast to my creativity. I zoned completely out on the drive home from work today. Window rolled down, music way too loud, cruising down the highway just creating scenes in my head. On my current WIP you might ask? NO my brain couldn't be that co-operative but I do have some really interesting ideas for one of my historicals.

Another though occurred to me today, on a completely different topic. The sizes on my hubby's and my pants are almost identical, just reversed.
His buys a 34waist/30inseam (I buy him 32 so he doesn't look like a dork if they shrink)
MY pants are a 30waist/34inseam. Wierd huh? He is still taller then me by an inch despite my legs being longer. Just one of those odd thoughts that hit me.


Any Miami Ink fans? (Tuesday nights on TLC.)

I love that show. Hubby gave me the oddest look when I admitted to having a 'thing' for Ami.

Don't care what he thinks, that man has to have a starring role in one of my books. Not sure which one yet but all that badassed attitude is just begging for a stong woman to stand up to him and drive him nuts. *BG*

It's a cartoon kinda day

Yesterday was a gorgeous, warm day. I mean like 20c warm. Sunny with a couple dark rain clouds that drifted in, dropped rain and then left. Where was I, at work of course. I'm home today and what is the weather today?

CRAP!

Cold, overcast, it's snowing/raining for peete's sake. Blech. Bummed me out completely, sucked my will to live and every creative force that resides in the right side of my brain.

Ok I think I may be done whining.... no guarentees.

Oldest kidlet is home with a cold so I have spent the day curled up on the couch with her wathcing a never ending stream of cartoons, Gotta tell you my favourite one is Disney's Weekenders. It's funny, intelligent, silly without being overly stupid. The characters Tino, Lor, Tish and Carver are all very different but still manage to be best friends. I wish they would release this show on DVD so I have a fix.....I mean let the kids watch it when ever they want.

I'm off to find a warm cozy spot, with a cuppa and my ancient laptop and crank out a few more words on my book. I realized the other day that mentally I pretty much have it written....well as far as I know what I want to add and where I want them to go, before they get to where they went.
I'm hoping all the details will fall nicely into place as I write.

I've learned so much of the writing process while doing this book. All the little things that I took for granted when reading a good story. Dialogue tags (my evil nemesis), Keeping it flowing smoothly, keep the historical stuff to a minimum so the reader doesn't get bored.

I swear I will have read this book a thousand times before it's finished.

There are a couple scenes that I moved to the end of the book because I wanted to build up the intensity before jumping into them. One thing I have found VERY tricky is describing my main character. The first real description of her is in the second chapter and through the eyes of another character. I really should describe her sooner then that but I just can't figure out how to fit it in. The first chapter is a fairly emotional scene and trying to work in a physical description just seemes to take away from everything else that is going on. Maybe I'll work on that tonight and see how it goes. It's one of the things that is bugging me the most.

Later Days!

Skipping Memories

Today's blog will be short but sweet. I'm so incredibly behind where I wanted to be with my wip, I am determined to catch up. I find that blogging helps engage the right side of my brain and gets my fingers warmed up to type....at least that is what I keep telling myself.

Earlier today I was looking through some books and websites for fun things for the girls to do at Sparks this week. We're having a Canadian theme where the girls will be learing a bit about each of the provinces & territories. What seemed like a good idea at the time started looking overwhelming when trying to fit it all within a 30 minute time limit.

Thankfully I found a book I got ages ago with some fun Canadian skipping rhymes. The good thing is that they are really catchy, the bad is that I can't get them out of my head!!! AARRGGHH

Inken Tinken wildlife
Lost your horse in Yellowknife.
Inken Tinken gander goose
Rode instead a hairy moose.
Inken Tinken moose got stuck,
Took a Tuktoyaktuk truck.

Taxi Max from Halifax
Had a fleet of Cadillacs.
Filled them up with lobster snacks
Wrapped in farmer's almanacs.
Sent the snacks off with a fax
To pay up all his income tax!

Those are two of my favourites, and should get them jumping around a bit and wear off some energy. I hope.

I must have known hundreds of skipping rhymes when I was a kid, If I try real hard I might remember one or two now. I'd love to teach them to my girls, they seem to repeat the same one over and over. (Cinderella kissed a snake)

Hmmm I wonder if I can still skip double dutch?

Daniel, Nathaniel, Hawkeye..all mean YUM!

Ever have a movie that has such a profound effect on you that long after the movie is finished it is still with you?

A perfect example for me is “Last of the Mohicans” with Daniel Day Lewis.
(I should add here that if you haven’t seen it this post does contain spoilers, you’ve been warned.) I was flipping channels last night and came across it playing on APN. I don’t know what it is about that story, perhaps I was a settler in a past life. Maybe I loved a warrior and lost him or he lost me? But as soon as I start watching it I have to finish it. There is not turning it off before it is over.

I’m usually pretty good about keeping my mushiness under control for most of the movie. But when Hawkeye grabs Cora and demands that she submit to the Huron warriors and to do what ever she is told. To just survive and he will find her...right before he leaps through the waterfall. *sigh* One of my all time most favorite romantic movie moments. I couldn’t say exactly why. A combination of events? The desperation of the situation or the promise that despite the odds he will be back? Or the idea of his loving her that much?

Then at the end of the film when Alice and Uncas die. I could be flipping channels and come across that scene second before it happens and by the time Alice throws herself off the cliff I have a steady stream of tears down my face. The credit are rolling and I’m still crying-every time!

I’ll be honest I have never read the classic (although it is on my list of books I WILL read before I die.) so I don’t know exactly what was going on between Uncas and Cora’s sister but I always like to think that there was more to their feelings for each other then is ever shown on screen.

While Hawkeye and Cora share an intense passion, I like to think that Uncas was more careful around Alice. Perhaps not to scare her or unsure of his own feelings. A longing for something he wants but cannot have. Then runs to save her when Magua takes her. The result is his engaging in a fight he cannot win and Alice’s suicide after witnessing his death. The tragedy of their death and unrequited love, squeezes my heart every time.

Gods I’m getting sappy in my old age.

So allow me the adolescent moment to say that Daniel Day Lewis is so hot in this movie.
I don't normally think of him as a sex symbol. His films are usually such intense dramas. Not my cuppa, but in this one.... he makes me break out in goosebumps. Completely doable fantasy material. All that wavy hair softens the angles of his face and lets not forget all the warm sunsets, and candlelight that make him look so tanned. Then you see him in a movie like “A Room with a View” and you can’t believe it’s the same man.
Two different characters, Hawkeye’s passionate all consuming kisses, compared to Cecil Vyse and his awkward, cold meeting of lips.

How does the man convey so much in a few seconds of movie time? Although it is his work through out the movie leading up to that exact moment, guess that is what makes him such a wonderful actor.

For me Nathaniel/Hawkeye is a perfect model for one of my historical characters. I just can’t decided whether he would look better in a kilt and leather boots wielding a broadsword or a tight pair of breeches and gleaming Hessians pointing a rather deadly looking pistol. Shirts optional in either case. *BG*

So spill, what are some of your favourite leading men or movie moments?