Thursday's Winner!

ktzmom wins a copy of Michele's KISS ME DEADLY! Please send me your snail mail address at: toastfaery @ gmail.com (no spaces).
Congrats!

Sow's Ear For Some, Silk Purse For Kathleen

Bourne Ultimatum worked for me. Totally.

I've been thinking about this all week, and I decided to offer a counterpoint to Deb's view (Monday). We've been talking about vampires most of the week, and behind the scenes the vamp-lover Riders have fretted about the possibility of vamp overload. No worries here. I'm not a vamp fan, but it's fascinating to see how it works for other people. It's all about that suspension of disbelief phenomenon. It's so much fun when it totally works, and sometimes you can't even explain why. All you know is that for a brief time you were somewhere else.

Action-adventure is not my favorite fare, but a good a-v movie is worth the price of the big screen. Bourne Ultimatum will lose a lot on your TV, no matter what kind you have. I don't read many a-v novels, not a Ludlum fan, but I'm going to guess that this movie is not the same animal as the book. This is a different experience. It's heavily visual, and it's the camera work that makes it so. This is not "jiggly" or amateurish like Blair Witch. It's masterfully crafted. I'm thinking of paying the price a second time just to study that aspect. You saw strong images in the midst of motion--things catching your eye as you're moving. Those sequences drew me into an immediate, exciting experience in a new way. It was, for me, a ground-breaking kind of movie.

If you're looking for a relationship story, this isn't it, but I thought it was interesting that the women served to ground the story. They were human. They had the courage to see the truth about the "company men" who would serve the organization at all cost. They were the ones who cared about people and had a conscience. But this movie is all about action and suspense. It slowed down in the "command post" scenes, where the intelligence agency gone amok was able to watch the hero as though he were an ant in a glass farm. I did think there were political points well made--unchecked power leads to Big Brother. But that was a sidelight to the suspense. It had me on the edge of my seat, heart pounding, hands gripping whatever was handy. Fun stuff!

Casino Royale not so much. Now, this was a nice shot. Lovely shades of blue and beefcake. And I did enjoy the tender moment in the shower. But this movie was way too long. I knew it was too long because I was aware of real time. If it was working, I wouldn't be.

I had several problems. One, Bond is nothing if not suave, and Craig's Bond falls short in my book. He's nicely put together, and he does moody well, but he's no Sean Connery. Two, the big competition between hero and villain finally came down to a poker game. It was boring. Bond is no Maverick. And finally, the foot chase through the construction site made me laugh. Didn't work for me. Couldn't believe it. In my mind both men had broken all their bones by the time it was finally over. I don't care if they were gold medalists in the Decathlon. And that was the difference between Bourne and Casino for me. It wasn't a choice. It was getting sucked in and not getting sucked in.

I'll take a book over a movie most days, and I really love movies. But few movies explore relationships in a way that satisfies the way a good novel does. On the other hand, I don't think I could get the same physical, visual experience from the printed page that I got from Bourne. It took the movie experience to a new level for me.

What do you think? What are the differences between camera and pen? There's a place for both, but is it enough to keep both alive? Will books and movie theaters still be around in 2050?

My what a gorgeous brain you have, vampire

Sure, I know what you're thinking. You were just here yesterday and we talked vampires, and now today it's bloodsuckers again? What, has the convertible been carjacked by bloodsucking fiends?

Don't worry. I switched days to blog with another rider, so didn't plan on two vamps in a row. But you can handle it. And I'm all about promoting my latest release! But we're going to talk something even better than vampires. Today, I'm all about brains. :-) [mwahaaaaa ha ha!]

So I have a confession to make. My first published book was about vampires. And KISS ME DEADLY is the third book I've published featuring a vampire. Believe me, I get some weird looks from some of my friends. And strangers.

So how much do I subscribe to the whole fangs and blood and undead devotion stuff?

Not so much.

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE paranormal romance. And vampires. On the written page. But I don't particularly care to meet one in a dark alley, if you can dig that.

So why write about them? And how can I write about something that doesn't appeal to me in real life?

Well, the why is because I enjoy fantasy and paranormal stories. I like that little something extra beyond a straight romance that would normally have no supernatural element to it. I like the idea that there are things out there we can't explain, and never will be able to explain. And yeah, i can totally get behind the image of a sexy, brooding vampire who lures women in with promises of undying love. Just as long as he doesn't bite ME.

And as for the how, well, that's easy. I think all writers tend to fall in love with their characters, or at the very least, their heroes and heroines. So how do I fall in love with a vampire on paper? Easy. It's because my vampires are more than creatures. There's a real person behind the fangs. There is a man who may have lived a life as a mortal before he was changed. He had adventures, love affairs, and emotions that connect him to the human experience.

I have a tendency to give my heroes and heroines a part of myself. Some hobby or interest or fascination that is mine. That's how I really connect to the words on the page. If there's something that means a lot to me woven into the history and very soul of my hero, then I can fall in love. Because I understand him. We relate on a certain level.

So, to the brains! I love brains. Well, the brain. I think it's a gorgeous hunk of gray matter. It's fascinating. It's intricate. It is us. And we'll never in our lifetimes, or a gajillion lifetimes to follow, ever completely figure the brain out. Cool, huh? My favorite part of the brain is the medulla oblongata. Don't you just love that term? Say it with me: medulla oblongata. I love the way my tongue has to dance to pronounce it. It acts as sort of a bridge from the spinal column to the brain, and you can find it at the back of the brain. It rocks. One of my favorite Xmas presents last year was a poster of the brain, given to me by my daughter. I laminated it. :-)

So brains and vampires? Well that's where the fun part of writing KISS ME DEADLY came in. I made my hero, Nikolaus Drake, a brain surgeon so I could incorporate my love for the brain into the story. And it made me fall in love with Nikolaus because we were both interested in the same thing. When researching brain surgeons I realized that I'd chosen the perfect profession for a vampire, too. Intelligence, arrogance (a bit of a God-like complex) and the ability to work around lots of blood are just a few of the qualities that would fit either to a T. Of course, my hero isn't a practicing surgeon now. He was forced to abandon his practice after an operation to remove a brain tumor from him left him with a tremor in his hands. Which led him on a downward spiral, and eventually put him in a position to be attacked by vampires one night, and well...the rest should make for a fascinating read. Or so I hope you'll want to pick up my latest, and give it a try.

'Twas brains that made me love that vampire!

All right, corniness aside, what was one of your favorite romance heroes? Did you fall in love with him because there were things about him you could relate to? Who or what is one of the most surprising heroes you've fallen for? (Someone you never expected to like.)

I'm feeling like I need to give away an autographed copy of KISS ME DEADLY! I'll draw one commentor's name and post the winner here on Friday morning.
M

Wednesday's Winner!

meljprincess, come on down! You're the next—er, you're the winner of an autographed copy of Cynthia Cooke's RISING DARKNESS. Please send me your snail mail address at: toastfaery @ gmail.com (no spaces).

Congrats!

Guest Blogger: Cynthia Cooke

I want to welcome Cynthia Cooke to the convertible today! She's a great friend, and if she wrote book #2 in the Dark Enchantments series that started with my book, Familiar Stranger, last month.

Gothic Castles

That’s what I think about whenever I look at the cover of my latest book, RISING DARKNESS. There are two very different castles in this story, making me want to take a trip to England, Ireland, and Wales all the more. My daughter asked me the other day what I wanted to do before I died, and visit England was tops on my list. What’s on the top of yours? I’m not all that interested in London. I want to go out into the countryside and tour mazes, old crumbling estates, spooky graveyards, to breathe in the past.

When other people look at the cover the first thing they notice is the hot guy. Yep, love the cover for that too! He is hot, and better yet, he’s a vampire. I was having dinner the other night with a neighbor who read an advance copy of my book. He was surprised vampires are so sexual. That got me thinking. Is it just women who become totally seduced by the image of a vampire on the screen, or the strong forceful embrace between the pages of our favorite vampire books? My husband says no, men also find the whole vampire experience seductive and the actual biting of the neck the ultimate climax. Gotta love that guy! ;-)

When I think of all the vampires I’ve loved, they were all sexy as hell. How could my neighbor be so surprised? Then I started thinking about who were my favorite vampires. That was tough. Lestat will always be number one with me. I think absorbing so many of Anne Rice’s stories through the years about Lestat running amok causing trouble and losing his heart, has earned him favorite vampire status.

Although that new hottie on Blood Ties is something else, I don’t need to follow the show’s sometimes painfully simple plots. I just need to stare at him. And I’ll admit I thought about him, and what he had that turned me on while I was creating Damien my vampire hero of RISING DARKNESS. I might be a little biased, but I think Damien is sexy as hell, too.

Who is your favorite vampire? (movie or fictional) And which vampire turns you on? And what is it about him that you just can’t resist? Share your deepest vampire desires and I’ll pick one winner from those who comment today to receive a signed copy of RISING DARKNESS. Then you too can fall in love with Damien and long to visit England to see what or who you find in those dark gothic castles.

Cynthia
For pictures of the Cadre castle depicted in the Dark Enchantments series, visit my website! And check out the Dark Enchantments blog where the characters are posting!

Dog Fighting: Say What?

I apologize in advance. This is a disturbing topic. If you'd prefer not reading about it, let alone thinking about it, don't. I have another post following this one dealing with something much lighter.

I hear about people doing awful things and it never fails. I find myself thinking it can't get any worse than this. Then it does. So, of course, when I first heard the news about Michael Vick being charged and ultimately pleading guilty to dog fighting charges, I was flabbergasted.

Beneath the tint of my rosy glasses I wasn't even aware something so barbaric was becoming popular. Why would a person, any person, do this? What joy could someone possibly take from watching two dogs kill themselves?

Especially this guy. He should be at the top of the world. He's the quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. Their face. Their star. A guy who signed a 10 year, $130 million contract back in 2004.

I don't even want to think about the cold blooded attitude it would take to train a dog to kill. And don't kid yourself. Pit bulls might be bred as fighters, but the people who do this consider it a sport. They're competetive about it. They don't just want their dog to kill. They want their dog to be the best at killing, the strongest, the fastest, the most brutal. So they can win. Apparently a lot of money.

I can't even fathom it.

So who's to blame? Obviously, first and foremost, Vick, who apologized by saying, "What I did was very immature. That means I need to grow up."

Huh? I honestly don't know what to think about that apology. I'm inclined to believe he's only sorry because he got caught. But what happens if he doesn't grow up?

What about the coaches, managers and team owners of professional sports teams? What responsibilities do they have with regard to the morality of their players?

What about collegiate athletes? The training grounds for our pros. It seems you can barely turn around without hearing about rapes, drug abuse, or other misconduct.

What about us? The fans. For turning a blind eye to our favorite team's/player's indiscretions? For requiring our sports teams to win above all else?

Basically, what I have are alot of questions and not a lot of answers.

What do you think?

Helen

Waning Summer and Rising Panic

I know. Summer’s short all over the world, but when you live in a place like Minnesota it seems particularly fleeting. We have a lot of outdoor living to cram into the three very brief months. So every August, or at least since my oldest child started in kindergarten thirteen years ago, it’s been the same thing for me. I panic. My mind buzzes with all that I should have been doing in June and July. Summer’s coming to a close and I haven’t done as much as I’d wanted to do with the kids or on house and yard projects.

This summer’s been a particularly difficult one for me to cram things in because I had a book deadline and a daughter with one foot—who am I kidding?—one leg—oh, all right—all but her little pinky finger firmly out our front door. Now I’m faced with only one week before my son heads back to junior high and my daughter prances off to her freshman year of college.

I have to admit, that looming college thing makes these remaining few days all the more bittersweet. With my daughter wanting to spend every last minute she can with the friends she won’t see for several months, I’m all but chopped liver. I’m afraid the only time I can hope to share with her will be short and hopefully sweet. Maybe one more family dinner with her favorite meal or at her favorite restaurant. Possibly one more shopping excursion for those last minute dorm room supplies.

So I’m at a bit of a loss. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to make this last week at home with my college-bound daughter special? How can we send her off with a smile on her face and courage in heart?

Time with my son will be less harried. Although he heads back to school next week, we'll have several more weekends before the weather turns nasty. Still, I'm curious. Does anyone else share this same end-of-the-summer panic, or am I'm an obsessive loon?

What are some things you make it a point to fit in over summer, with or without kids?

Helen

Debra - MONDAY MORNING REVIEW & RAMBLING

Here's the review. BOURNE ULTIMATUM - not so much.

Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, plus other actors you've seen before but might not be able to put a name to a face.

To issue an ultimatum you'd have to write it down or even speak some words. Bourne's never been really big with the dialogue. This movie is following the pattern--awkward silences with meaningful looks. Not that you actually KNOW the meaning but you get that it's supposed to speak volumes. You know, if I wanted to work that hard to piece a story together, I'd rather have a book. The movie seems to be mean-spiritedly sparse. Heaven forbid they take more than a millisecond to wallow in the moment, any moment.

There really isn't a hard-to-follow plot, but you really keep hoping you've missed something and that all those looks mean...something deep.

The camera work drove me nuts. They decided it would fun to use the jiggly hand-held camera to give us an up close and intimate feeling anytime someone dared attempt dialogue. I tried to push as far back in my seat as I could to see if distance would make the darned movie easier to watch. Again...not so much.

Brush up on your speed reading because if you expect to get the clues and the "meaning" from the documents they flash you, you'd better be able to read at jiggly-quick speed.

I swear you don't learn a darned thing, don't resolve a darned thing. Okay. His real name is David Webb and he was in some super secret assassin training program. ::blink:: ::blink:: Well, that was certainly worth my $ 7. There is one other tiny detail that he learns that I won't giveaway, just in case you don't see it coming a mile away.

Plot summary: Amnesiac is willing to kill anyone he has to in order to claim his real identity and discover what the assassin training program did to him.

Um...how is that different from the first two movies?

Anyone who's watched the previous movies will have assumed that Julia Stiles' miniscule role of logistics person in the 2nd Bourne meant we'd see more of her in this, the third installment. Well, you really only saw her a miniscule bit more. And by the way, I thought she was rockin' the first hair style you see her with in this movie.

Here's the entire "romance/relationship" part of the movie. Pay attention. I don't want you to miss it. Here it is, the dialogue we've all been waiting for her to say to the amnesiac when he wonders aloud why she's helping him, putting her career on the line and knowing that the CIA is coming after him with a wicked nasty enthusiasm. She says...DRUM ROLL PLEASE!! "You weren't like the others. It was hard for me. With you." ::pregnant pause:: then, "You really don't remember do you?"

And??? And??? ...nothing. Geez!! Why bother ?? Why introduce elements that go nowhere?

Maybe I'm being too harsh. Maybe the brilliant thing about this move is that you get to make up your own movie as you go along. Nothing more is explained so feel free to make up your own backstory for the characters. (No, I have not read the books and shouldn't have to if I'm watching a movie.)

There are zero surprises. Lots of action by stunt men and doubles. Typical ending. (Oh my gosh!!! Is he dead or not???????)

Oops, that was a spoiler. (Yeah, like you didn't see that coming? Please. They showed us clip after clip after clip of him been near drowned/tortured in training by being held underwater and you think there is any mystery when he's shot and falls from a tallish building into NY harbor?)

I didn't hate the movie (surprised, huh?), but I left the theater wishing I'd gone to see something else which would have given me a story with a beginning, middle and an end. Or a movie with a character arc. Or even a movie where the main character has actual conversations.

I like action adventure as a genre. I do. Promise. Loved THE RUNDOWN with the Rock. RIDDICK with Vin Diesel. CONAIR with Nicholas Cage. DIE HARD with Bruce Willis. THE ROCK with Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage. CASINO ROYALE with Daniel Craig.

But Bourne was not a thinking woman's BOND and had none of the wink-at-camera, over-the-top fun of a Bond. Or maybe I'm really just cranky because the camera is constantly jiggling and you're trying to figure out why the heck that document they're jiggling on screen is important and what the heck it SAYS.

I didn't consider the plot more sophisticated than a Bond plot. Less complicated? Sure. But not more sophisticated. It's still pretty broad strokes. "Stylish" but broad.

So, what's your pleasure? Bourne or Bond?

How hard do you like to work while watching a movie?

Do you like the immediacy and intimacy of the jiggly camera?

Lookin' good, by Susie

Go to this website:

http://www.iwanexstudio.com/

Go ahead, it's safe, I promise. It's a top-flight photo retouching studio, and if you go to their portfolio page, you can click on celebrity photos, then roll over them and see what the photos looked like before they fixed them.

My first thought was: wow, I want them to work on me. The difference in some of them is amazing. And then it was like a kid's "which one is different?" game, trying to pick out exactly what they did to each picture.

But I have to say, it does make me a little uncomfortable. No wonder some young girls have a wierd idea of what female beauty is! I when you think that the BEFOREs were probably taken by talented photographers, after hours of work by gifted makeup artist and hairdressers and stylists . . . NOBODY can look like that. Nobody. Skin goes to flawless with the click of a mouse. Notice how they make a little roll around Beyonce's middle disappear, how they sharply define the waist of the already-thin Eva Longhoria.

I think it'd be awfully fun to have them do this to you once. But jeez, it's hard for normal people to live up to. Heck, people who are paid to be gorgeous aren't even close, apparently, if they need that much work done.

I'm not a person who thinks about how people look very often. (Anybody who sees me in my normal life knows that I don't worry about it much.) And I don't have daughters. But it does seem to me it'd be good for us all to see what the beautiful people really look like. (My husband was never so disappointed as when he sat by a very famous model - like, in Sports Illustrated - on a plane once. He didn't believe who she was until she showed him a picture.)

I'm betting we'd all be a lot less worried about our own flaws.

Susie

What a difference 10 inches makes

:-)

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

I bet you're not.

Sorry, but I'm not talking that sort of 10 inches today. (I'll save that for another day. Promise.) Today I'm talking hair. My hair. And the sudden, refreshingly freeing lack of it.

You see, I cut my hair last week. Walked into a salon, plunked down in the chair, and said 'Cut it all off'. And they did. 10 inches of it. And let me tell you, I've never been happier.

A little background on me and my hair. I believe I was born into this world with long, luxurious locks. Or at least as close to it as can be. I've had a love/hate relationship with it since day one. I love it when it's not in my eyes and no one is trying to style it. Tied back in a ponytail so I can feel the heavy swish of it against my neck and shoulders? Bliss. I hate it when it must be manipulated to make me look presentable to the world.

Since I can remember, my mother has always fussed with and styled my hair. Always. Always, there were the straight-cut bangs. You have a high forehead she'd say you need bangs. And always the curls. This first pic? I was two. And look at that. Freakin' curls and styling and bangs. And we're talkin' mega amounts of Aqua Net hair spray. I think I inhaled enough chemicals in my first few years of life to preserve this old body forever. And let me tell you, oh ye who are but a few decades upon this earth, we didn't used to have curling irons and blow dryers and styling sprays. Oh no. We had curlers. And I've suffered through curlers for more days and tearful nights than a kid should.

It starts with the plastic jar of pink Dippity Do. Mom washes my hair, slathers on gobs of the pink stuff, then rolls it up on a plastic curler, which is usually secured with a sharp little plastic pick strategically placed to poke into your brain. Then, comes the pretty pink scarf to cover the whole monstrosity, and 'My, doesn't that look pretty?'. Not. The pink scarf was just a dupe to make me believe it wasn't going to be so bad. But have you ever tried to sleep in curlers? The kind with the sharp little plastic teeth that dig into your head all night, and in a corpse-like position with your head stiff so you won't accidentally roll over and stab your ear with a curler? Not easy. But that's how it was before blow dryers became an affordable, easy method to drying one's hair, and curling irons could create an instant style.

So nice hair was necessity when I was growing up. I know it was just because my mother fancied herself a stylist, and look at all that hair she had to work with. A mother's dream! Check out this pic. Mom was so proud of her work, she insisted the picture be focused on my hair. I think they added the mirror at the last minute when someone decided that maybe they should include the kid's face for posterity.

And here's another of the long locks. I can't even go into the skating costume. Besides a plastic ice cream bucket full of curlers and a never-ending supply of Dippity Do, Mom also knew how to sew. The horrors. And the polyester. Oy.

Anyway, here I am now. Forty-two years old (almost; B-day's this Saturday). I've had long hair since birth. I've been complaining about said long hair for a good decade. But always a wistful look from the hubby keeps me from cutting it.

Well, I finally just did it. Didn't tell anyone. Didn't over think it. Just drove a straight line to the salon, and took off my glasses so I couldn't witness the shearing. And you know what? I. Am. Happy.

But here's the funny thing. I'm not going to post a 'now' pic, because after 10 inches was taken off, I'm not thrilled with the style. It's not me. It's very boyish, and needs some fine tuning. I suspect I'll return to the salon within the month to get the 'final version'. But you know, right now I'm so utterly thrilled to be done with the hair I can't even be bothered with the fact that it isn't quite right. I am liberated! I am becoming more bold. I am learning not to second-guess myself so much. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut. Trust your intuition. Take the leap and go for the ride.

So what have you done, that you've put off forever, and when you finally did it, it changed you? Physically or mentally? Did you learn to take more chances? To listen to yourself? Or do you have something you wish you dared do, but keep convincing yourself you probably shouldn't?

Just to report: When you cut off 10 inches or more, you can donate your hair to Locks Of Love, which I did. So beside the blissful feeling of lacking hair, I also got a feel-good kick knowing something I didn't need anymore could be put to good use. Now that 10 inches will make a wonderful difference to someone else's life.

Michele

NAKED!!

by Lois Greiman

Let’s talk about being naked. Or streaking…

You remember streaking. At least, if you were around during the ‘60s and ‘70s you do. Maybe you heard of someone dashing naked through a super market grand opening. Or, perhaps, if you were a rebel, you even paid someone to zip through your high school commencement ceremony.

Remember the scandal? The excitement? ‘Oh my gosh, someone’s NAKED.’

And isn’t that strange? I mean, nudity is, after all, our natural state. Nevertheless, people get really worked up about it. In fact, I’m told it’s one of our most common nightmares. What’s that all about? Makes you wonder huh?

So I’m asking you (as I’ve asked innumerable other people--it’s one of my favorite parlor questions) what would it take to convince you to run naked across, say, the parking lot of your local shopping mall. Okay, I know, you’re going to say, ‘there’s no way I would do that. Not for love or money.’

But really? Seriously? Let’s just think about this. What if there were a million dollars at stake. You could buy pretty much any property your little heart desired for that kind of cash. Or…what if I were standing here offering you, say, a hundred grand for a few minutes of public nudity? What then? A hundred thousand’s a lot of money. It could probably pay off the mortgage, cover any foolish credit card debt you’ve incurred, and maybe still give you a little walking-around money. Then again, to me, five thousand’s practically a fortune. Would you do it for five thousand actual, in-your-hand dollars?

What if the location changed? What if you could be assured no one would recognize you? What if you could wear a ski mask? I asked my horseshoer that question--granted--strange question--but I spend a lot of boring hours with my horseshoer. Anyway, he said if he could have a mask he wouldn’t be wearing it on his head. He also said that, years ago, he would have done it for a six pack and a ten dollar bill. But he couldn’t run as fast anymore.

So, what about you? If you could cover your face, would you do it? Would you have done it ten/twenty years ago but not today? Would it be preferable to be seen naked by people you know or by people you don’t? Would family be better or worse? Maybe if your loved ones got a cut of the cash, they’d be willing to keep the car running while you careen through the parking lot in your birthday suit. Or would you be in danger of being disowned? On the other hand, maybe they wouldn’t have to disown you--maybe you’d drop dead of embarrassment before you ever saw them again.

How bad would it be? I mean really, we just wear clothes because everyone else does, don’t we? Or is it the fear of sticking to vinyl that keeps the garment industry hustling?

Fortune telling. . . not what it used to be.

Have you gotten a fortune cookie lately?

If not, prepare for disappointment.

Judging by my experience as a woman devoted to take-out foods, the fortune-cookie people have gone soft on the future. No more "You will meet a tall, dark stranger with a bushel of money; be sure to befriend him." No more "Wealth is in your future" or "Good things are coming to you soon" or "Sing and rejoice, fortune is smiling on you." They're not about your fortunes at all!

Now it's all limp, squishy philosophy that could have come from a Self-improvement Step-a-day calendar: "You have a warm and generous nature," "The arts fill the soul with joy," "Integrity is more to be desired than gold," and "Business is full of uncomfortable decisions," and "You appreciate life."

Hey, if I wanted self-help advice, I'd talk to my relatives. I'm looking for the FUTURE here. And I'm getting nada. If I were of a more political and paranoid nature, I'd say we're being fed this stuff in order to demoralize us and prepare the way for a Chinese takeover of Nabisco. But since I'm NOT paranoid or delusional or any of the other stuff they say I should take medication for. . . I prefer to believe the cookie makers are just too cheap to employ good old fashioned psychics and telepaths the way they used to. And who suffers? We do. . . the almond cookie munching public.

What we need is a fortune cookie willing to tell it as it's going to be. We need Truth with a steady eye on the future: "Check your 401K; your broker just bought a new boat" and "Your mother-in-law will develop amnesia" and "You will slip and fall while on a tour of Trump Tower; contact a lawyer now" and "Future generations will write songs about you" and "That ugly painting you bought at the garage sale will turn out to be a Picasso" and "Your grandson will be President. Really. No kidding."

But I suppose truth does have it's down side. Who'd want to get a fortune cookie saying: "A dogpile will claim your favorite shoes" or "Your brother-in-law will never pay back the loan" or "Your car was assembled on a Monday; prepare for astronomical repair bills" or "Your editor will have a miracle pregnancy at age 50" or even "Congratulations. Your teenage daughter will soon present you with a grandchild." Talk about your mixed messages.

What do you think? Is it better to be forewarned and forearmed? Or to go forth into the future in blissful ignorance?

I confess, I have a fortune cookie fortune taped to the monitor in my office. I've gotten it at least four times and the fourth one I decided to take seriously and took it home to read and revere. It says: "Your past success will be overshadowed by your future success." I'm banking on that one, because it came from the old days when fortune cookies really foretold your fortunes.

What about you? Got a fortune cookie fortune you kept? In your wallet or tucked behind the driver's license in your billfold? Was it good luck? What did it say?

And what "fortune" would you LOVE to get and BELIEVE?

Keeping it Cool with Christie

"Can I be blunt on this subject? If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that. Reading is the creative center of a writer's life."
--Stephen King

As it hits the nineties in SoCal (and our utility bills are so high that we never turn on our A/C) I couldn’t agree more with Stephen King. These are the dog days of summer and I’m finding it a teense hard to be creative with anything more than ways to get the hair of my dewy (sweaty) neck. So I’m reading…and feeling virtuous about it as well. It’s the creative center of a writer’s life!

Recently I’ve been invited to a couple of book-cataloging/social sites, Shelfari and Librarything. I find both so appealing! But keeping up with them is time away from turning the pages and it’s stuffy by the computer in my office…

I’ve read outside the romance envelope a lot in the last couple of weeks. A friend lent me Water For Elephants. It feels like a cross between HBO’s Deadwood and Carnivale and I enjoyed it…except for the fact that the opening of the book gives away something that I think would have been better left until the end. I’m still scratching my head over that decision. The scene that is shown could have stopped a couple of pages short of where it did and still be intriguing without being a spoiler.

Hi, I’m Christie Ridgway and sometimes I read true crime. Is it just me, or does anyone else who reads this genre often feel like a sinner? (I also sometimes feel this way after watching too many Law & Order SVU repeats in a row.) I just read The Good Wife by Clint Richmond, a true crime story about the murder of this very virtuous woman in Texas. Fascinating situation, though I wish there had been more insight into the motive of the murderer.

As I continue enjoying my summer reading wallow, I thought I’d pass along this list from Booklist (a publication of the American Library Association). It’s their top 10 romance fiction reads from September 15, 2006 until this coming September.

Adieu, My Love. By Lynn M. Turner. Avalon.

Agnes and the Hitman. By Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer. St. Martin*s.

Billionaires Prefer Blondes. By Suzanne Enoch. Avon.

A Distant Magic. Mary Jo Putney. Del Rey.

The Landlord’s Black-Eyed Daughter. By Mary Ellen Davis. Five Star.

Let’s Misbehave. By Lisa Plumley. Zebra.

Rough and Ready. By Sandra Hill. Berkley Sensation.

Soul Song. By Marjorie M. Liu. Dorchester.

Tempting. Susan Mallery. HQN.

Virgin River. By Robyn Carr. MIRA.

Some I’ve read already (and enjoyed!) while others I’ll be looking for. What about you? Can you recommend any of the Booklist reads or is there something else you use to distract you from the hot summer weather? (I'm talking books here, I've got the ice cream covered!)

Play Along With Kathleen: Go Granny, Go Granny, Go Granny, Go!

What's it like to have a grandmother who hasn't quite grown up?

Ask my grandchildren. My toys probably outnumber theirs, and I'm talking Toy toys. I've taken my share of ribbing from one or two fellow riders about my rather large doll collection. Vintage Barbies are among my faves. I only had two when I was a kid--a ponytail and later a bubblecut--and a few outfits. Now I have more than 50, and a good share of the clothes, circa 1959-1971. Back in the day, you didn't get too many "storebought" fashions. You got a few "mommy-mades" and a pile of scarves for the purpose of stylin'.

It's that stylin' experience that comes in handy on hot summer afternoons when the the grandgirls are tired of the Bratz (What idiot came up with that lame excuse for a doll, anyway?) and depressed by another round of raking through the toybox for the latest recalls.

"Darlings, come to Grandma. Let me show you what we played with back in the old days. A scrap of cloth, a box safety pins, and knot here, a tuck there, and presto!"

Here's part of my stash of lacy stuff, shiny stuff, drapey stuff, lots of tulle--mostly from the remnant table at Joanne's. Hair clips and bobby pins, elastic, a plastic hairband, maybe a birthday princess crown. The girls love to see Nana's "dress-up bag" come out of the closet. Because look what you can do!



Oh, yes, even at 3 and 5 these two have a passion for fashion. Forget Bratz. We study Project Runway. The Knot wedding fashion features you can get On Demand. (We love Vera Wang.) Most of the fabric remnants we used here are about a yard's worth. And tulle is cheap and very useful.

We do princesses, movie stars, dancing girls, glam queens...




And brides, of course.

I'm always looking for creative ways to entertain the grandchildren. Imagination, thy name is woman! What's your favorite young-at-heart way to make magic?

Another NEW puppie .....

Yes, that’s right. One puppy wasn’t enough. Weak moment #2. But my dh is so convincing. “Wouldn’t it be just as easy to housebreak 2 puppies as one?” was very effective. “They’ll be such good buddies and play so much with each other it will free up your time,” also made sense at the time. (I think I’d had a Marguerita)

So I actually bought this line of blarney and now the deed is done – without nearly enough protest from this writer who is rapidly lagging on her deadline because, well, gee, it’s NOT easier to break 2 at a time and they may play well with others but they get into twice as much trouble too.

Any hoooo, here’s the scoop. Lexie (a black and white English pointer) joined the family 3 weeks ago. Just look at that face! She’s 2 months old now and between her and Margaret who is 3 months, I’m not getting a lot of anything done - which explains the hurried post and the lack of inventive banter. Possibly several sleep deprived nights better explain it.

And I really had forgotten. Puppies are like newborn babies. They pee, they poop, they puke – not necessarily in that order. Lovely images, I know. Welcome to my life.

Okay, but here’s the upside. They. Are. So. Adorable!! I’ll let the photos speak for themselves and let you decided just how foolish I really am. As you can see, little Miss Margaret is growing and still as cute as a button.

Anybody else out there give in to someone or something and wonder where their head was at the time? What does it take to push your ‘okay, I give in’ button and when was the last time it happened? And how’s it working out for you now? Please tell me I’m not alone in these weak moment. And while you’re at it, please tell me that I will get a full night’s sleep in the very near immediate future.

Fun Video

Click on the link to see a cute VIDEO my DH sent me the other day.

What do you think you'd do in a similar situation?

Helen's Happy Hour

I'm celebrating. Thanks for joining me.

I just finished my NASCAR book, PEAK PERFORMANCE, and sent it off to my agent yesterday. This was the first book I've written under contract, and the fastest I've ever written. 280 pages in four months and I'm 2 weeks ahead of deadline. More importantly, it's a good book. Not bragging, just very, very, very happy!

So, in keeping with my post today on underwear :) here are a couple fun drink recipes:

Pink Panty Pulldowns
2 parts Vodka
1 part Sprite
2 parts Pink Lemonade

Or maybe you'd prefer a Bikini Martini?
2 oz Vodka
1 oz Light Rum
1 tsp Sugar
Juice of half a Lemon
1/2 oz Milk

Maybe a White Satin Martini is more your style.
1 oz Tia Maria
1 oz Galliano
1 oz Double Cream

I haven't yet tried these recipes, but anything withDouble Cream's gotta be good. I found a recipe for a drink called Lady Liberty in a Thong, but it seemed a bit much.

Anyone else have a drink recipe to share? Better yet, something else we can celebrate this happy hour? Cyber toasts are good for the soul.

Don't forget to occasionally hit your refresh button to get an update on comments. Maybe we should look into a chatroom?

A Different Kind of Personality Test

Helen here and first off, a disclaimer. What follows is by no means a legitimate personality test. If that’s what you’re after, I’m truly sorry, but you’re at the wrong blog site. This personality test means absolutely nothing. I made it up. And since my undergraduate degree is in accounting, I wouldn’t place any stock whatsoever in the results.

So what kind of personality test is it, you ask? Well, have you ever thought about what your choice of underwear says about you?

The possibilities occurred to me last week as I did something I’ve never done before. I went to a well-known department store and splurged on a selection of designer underwear, all on clearance of course.

I bought boy shorts, string bikinis, hip huggers, and, yes, the dreaded thongs. Silks, cottons, stretchy synthetics. White, black, hot pink, and plaid with lace. I went for it. So what does that say about me? Probably that I’m going through a mid-life identity crisis, something you don’t need to do because you know what kind of underwear you like best!

So here’s my take on the whole underwear personality thing. I apologize in advance to all of our male readers for taking an entirely feminine point of view. Men’s underwear is, well, men's underwear.

Briefs or Bust.
This woman is all about comfort or ... maybe ... could it be ... too lazy to change habits? You buy what you grew up wearing, what you’ve been buying your entire life. Keeps things simple. Then again, in defense of all brief wearers everywhere (and I do have several in my dresser) you could be the type of person who doesn’t give a damn about trends. Comfort comes first. Either way points to risk aversion. Am I right, or am I right?

Must Match Maven.
Have you EVER known a woman whose bras and panties always match? Those cute, sexy prints for both bottoms and tops? This is carrying what our mothers said about wearing clean underwear in case of a car accident to an extreme. She’s either screaming, “Perfectionist!” at the top of her lungs or, “I wanna get laid!” Which one sounds more fun to you?

Lace, Lace and more Lacey Lace.
Can you say high maintenance? She's the girly, girl. The most fashion conscious of us all. Needs a separate closet just for her shoes, and she gets regular manis and pedis, too. No, I’m not jealous. Mmmm, okay, I am.

All right, let’s wrap this up.

Boy shorts.
The athlete. Duh.

Hot Colors Hot Times.
Pay attention to me. Me, me, me!

Thongs.
My jeans are so tight I can’t pull them on with out my panties riding up on me. Whaa! You have no cellulite to contain and are more than happy to tell the world. Okay, you caught me. Jealous again.

God, am I in a bitchy mood today, or what? Wait a minute. I just bought a couple thongs!

Interestingly enough, I read somewhere that men actually think panty lines are sexy. Makes them wonder about what’s under those clothes and automatically turns them on. Make me wonder why I go through all this trouble.

Did I miss anything?

Oh, yeah. The riskiest one of them all. Going Commando. You wear nothing proudly. You're my hero, but you do a lot of laundry.

So, did I get anything wrong, right?

What’s on your butt today?

Oh, and don't forget to stop by later today for Happy Hour!

Christie's Monday Morning Review: NO RESERVATIONS

Catherine Zeta-Jones (Kate), Aaron Eckhart (Nick)

Director: Scott Hicks (Hearts in Atlantis, Snow Falling on Cedar, Shine)

Warning! =Very slight= spoiler in this brief plot summary: The life of Kate, a control-freak chef, (Zeta-Jones) overturns when she must care for her orphaned niece and deal with the charismatic and carefree new chef who not only invades her restaurant kitchen but also—maybe—her heart.

Perfect set-up for a romantic comedy/drama, yes? I’ve been looking forward to this movie since I caught the first teaser on TV and immediately called my friend, Barbara Samuel (aka Ruth Wind) because we were both in the final death throes of books with heroines that are chefs. (An aside, I can’t tell you how often friends and I are working on books that we will surprise ourselves when we find out they have parallel or similar elements.)

Back to the movie. I loved the scenes of a working, upscale restaurant in NYC. I worked as a waitress in high school and Surfer Guy (my dh) was a bartender in grad school, so I don’t have a very romantic notion of food service. Been there, done that, smelled the moldy-bleachy bar mats. But there was something about the way the movie depicted the speed of the workers and their focus on the presentation that made me rethink my aversion to a job that means you work when most everyone else is off. (I had my share of Christmas Eve shifts, you see.)

The situation for the Zeta-Jones character and her niece was heartwrenching. Some wonderful touches when the little girl moves in her menagerie of stuffed animals and is politely horrified by the non-kid-friendly food that her chef-aunt presents her at mealtimes. However, because the Zeta-Jones character is so rigid and controlling with her emotions, the moments of aunt-niece interaction took a long time to warm up. Yes, it was intentional, but it made me like the Zeta-Jones character less.

The relationship between the hero and heroine was one of those fun, he-listens-to-blaring-opera-and-she-likes-quiet kind. Nick wore her down and seemed to genuinely like and admire chef Kate. He knew the niece from the inside-out because he was still much of a kid himself. I bought that Kate needs a guy like that.

So, there was a lot of potential here, but as I complained about with the last romantic movie I reviewed (Music & Lyrics), the screenwriter just didn’t get the beats of the story right. We romance authors really understand what moments need to be shown on screen for us to believe in the big pay-off at the end. Hollywood should talk to us! This movie seemed like a scattered selection of scenes about likeable people in a touching situation…but the story beats weren’t presented in an order and with the kind of depth that creates a truly memorable movie that makes me sigh at the wonderful happy-ever-after.

It was okay for a hot summer afternoon, but waiting for it to come out on DVD or even on TV wouldn’t be a big loss.

So, what about you? Seen the movie? Have thoughts on romantic comedy/drama and Hollywood? Feel in any way romantic about restaurant work?

p.s. On imdb.com, it says this is a remake of a 2001 charming German movie titled “Mostly Martha.” I’m thinking to see if I can find that to watch.

Happy Hour: Tuesday, August 14th

Happy Hour anyone?

Stop by after 4pm on Wednesday, August 14th, for happy hour, cyber style. Chit chat, commiserate, tell stories, with or without the libations.

All that fun and you don't have to worry about driving home!

Debra - A MORAL DILEMMA

One of the nice things about life as a self-employed person is that you can work late when you need to work and sleep in when you need to recover from work.

I need to sleep in a lot. My productive time is often late in the evening. Even after midnight. The house is quiet. The phone is quiet. The animals are quiet. (2 cats. 1 dog.)

My hubby has a corporate job so he's up at the crack of dawn, walking the dog, checking his business email before he goes to work. (You know the type.) We have a routine. He likes the house and fresh newspaper to himself in the morning. I like to sleep. Everyone's happy.

Until last week. I'm up late Wednesday night. No worries. I have a cushy Thursday to sleep in because I'm not leaving town until Friday morning. Great. Game plan in place.

I thought.

At the crack of dawn (slightly before 7 a.m.) there arose a clatter. I did not get up to see what was the matter. The dog raced down the hall, jingling her tags. I heard my husband walk heavily through the room. The footsteps stopped at my side of the bed.

"Honey, we have a moral dilemma." (see photo)

I pried open my eyes to find a tiny (and I do mean tiny) black kitten in hubby's hand. I looked at the pile of bones that was masquerading as a kitten, flung off the covers and said, "There's really no moral dilemma now is there?"

We are programmed to protect the young. I was guessing 4 weeks old. The vet said he thought 5 weeks but not more. She was emaciated. Had 2 kinds of worms and a $80 vet bill.
This picture was taken Wednesday night, the day before her 6 week birthday. By then she'd had good food for a week with yummy Goat-a-Lac formula.

Her name is Lucky. (Uh...not my choice.) Hubby is very attached. I think this is actually the first baby he's ever rescued. She was crying piteously from tall monkey grass as he passed on his morning walk. He almost walked away because he couldn't see anything. Then the grass moved. He picked her up, carried her home, thinking he had a moral dilemma.

But he hadn't been raised by my mother, who's motto regarding animals is this: "If it can crawl in here, it can stay." So now, since last week, when the animals are quiet late at night, the count is 3 cats, 1 dog.

How about you? Had any thorny moral dilemmas lately?

I took a quiz about my moral/political/ethical style. Here's what they said:

You are focused on social inequity in your daily life. You have a higher tolerance for ambiguous reality models. Your moral system is highly based on greatest good or utilitarian principles. You have a higher than average self-image and an above average need for social interaction. You have elevated spatial analysis skills. Your long term memory systems are more widely distributed in your brain than the average person. You exhibit an elevation in awareness of social ranking. You are strong willed.

I'm not sure...but I think they called me a snob who can think her way out of a paperback and wouldn't leave the wounded behind unless it was really really necessary for world peace.

Girl's choice: Who's your freebie?

I'm talking sex today. Or what it is we secretly crave. We need a good girlie chat with giggles and averted glances from one to the other. So pull up a chair and let's whisper...

I just finished watching Unfaithful, starring Diane Lane. I'm starting a new book, and I have a vision of Lane in my head as the heroine, so I wanted to watch something she had been in. I saw this movie years ago, and decided it had one of the most awesome sex scenes I'd seen in a while. Sure, the wife was cheating on her husband. But that first encounter, paralleled by Diane sitting on the train remembering everything she had just done with the sexy young man, was delicious to watch.

But it was a cautionary tale, both to husbands and wives. Girls, be faithful, or you might lose all trust from your husband. Guys, don't be going around bonking your wife's lover on the head with a crystal ball! It can only end badly, I tell you.

But back to the sex. See, the movie got me thinking. Do you have a freebie? You know, that one person, who, if they come knocking on your door, or run into you in an abandoned train station, you're allowed to have sex with them, despite the wedding ring on your finger or the fact you're committed to someone else? It would not be considered an affair. It's a freebie, no strings attached, you walk away from the encounter completely sin-free.

Now, your freebie can't be that cute guy down the block or an old boyfriend from college. In order for the concept of the freebie to work, that person is usually a celebrity. Someone out of your reach. Someone who frequents your fantasies (and they are only fantasies, girls, if they don't come true). Someone unattainable.

And yet...well, you just never know.

I know, I'm asking you to confess your freebie. But be bold! Let's have some fun. We all know we love to gaze upon a handsome man, we like to go to movies and enjoy watching them stride across the screen. We all have aspirations for our freebies. And aren't they safer than an actual affair?

My husband and I have discussed this. And yes, I think the whole idea of it is that you do discuss it with your significant other. You let them into that hidden side of you. That's the fun part. And no, you're not allowed to get upset over your partner's choice of freebie. Anyway, mine used to be Michael Wincott. And he still maintains freebie status, though I've added a few more to my list. The deal is, that if Mr. Wincott shows up on our doorstep and begs for me, I'm gone. (Not forever, just long enough to well, you know.) Sorry, that's just the way it works. You may look at him and wonder, what the heck? But he's mine, and I have my reasons, girls. The hubby has already been warned. He's cool with it.

So, I know 'the freebie' is singular, and doesn't imply 'more than one', but cut me some slack. I've added a few other choice selections (all husband approved): Christian Bale, Jonathon Rhys Meyers, David Belle. (No, Johnny didn't make the freebie list; he's on an entirely different list, and no, I'm not going to explain that one.) :-)

But a girl can't put too many guys on her list. The less the better. And who wants to have to fight them all off when they show up with roses and champagne, eager to seduce me? (Okay, so that part could be lots of fun, but no, I shall restrain myself from encouraging such a scenario.)

So let's talk freebies. Toss out the name of yours. I promise I won't tell.

Yesterday's winner

Amy S. wins a copy of Samantha Hunter's PICK ME UP! Amy, please email Michele with your snailmail address at: toastfaery @ gmail.com (no spaces).

Congrats!

Guest blogger: Samantha Hunter

10 Guilty Pleasures….

Who doesn’t have them? The cover on my August release, Pick Me Up, reminds me of a few, and since the book is part of Blaze’s Forbidden Fantasies mini-series, I thought guilty pleasure was a good topic to blog about. You know, the little goodies in life that always come to us with the initial thought “oh, I know I shouldn’t, but. . . .”

Here are ten of mine in no particular order… Is it bad that I have this many? LOL


1) Afternoon naps. On weekends, these are completely legal, but every now and then I doze off in my chair while working on a weekday afternoon (is this a bad sign? LOL), and enjoy one on a Tuesday. Why is it that nap sleep is the best sleep in the world?

2) Fritos. Those simple little corn chips that are loaded with salt, trans fats, and absolutely no redeeming nutritional qualities whatsoever except that they are the best tasting chip on the face of the earth, especially when you get several and smush them all together while eating them. I crave Fritos, but I only indulge now and then. There are several foods I could fill in here, but for some reason I always feel extra naughty about Fritos.

3) Daytime TV. I almost never, ever watch TV in the daytime – who has time? But now and then I crash, and I’ll watch something on cable or DVD for several hours. Only happens maybe 2 or 3 times a year. The last time I watched 5 episodes of The Pretender back-to-back, while eating Fritos.

4) Michael T Weiss (from The Pretender). I have my list of standard hotties (dh knows, so I don’t have to feel to guilty), and MTW tops the list. Here’s his picture, and that probably explains everything, yes?

5) Reading my own books. I’ll own up to it, I love my own books. I got caught up in reading my own galleys last week. When I get author copies, I usually will sit down and read one cover to cover.

6) Reading other people’s books. Life is so busy, that yes, reading at all has become a guilty pleasure. Spending several hours with a book, more than the 30 minutes or so I can usually fit in before bed, is a real treat.

7) State Fairs. I am a huge fan of the New York State Fair, and this year I’m also attending The Big E, the New England Six State Fair. It’s a veritable fest of guilty pleasures, the fatty, sugary treats everywhere, the crowds, the concerts, the vendors, the fun. I suspend every bit of guilt I have an enjoy.

8) Kitchen goodies. Beautiful bowls, powerful blenders, nifty knives. I am remodeling my entire kitchen at the moment, and that’s a real treat, but I love buying nice kitchen equipment from the simplest item to expensive appliances. I just bought the in-drawer block for my Henkels knife set and a new Braun Blender that’s supposed to make great crushed ice for drinks. ;)

9) Reality TV. Man vs. Wild tops the list right now, but I enjoy Dirty Jobs, Age of Love, Survivor, The Amazing Race, and have watched many others. If I could only watch one kind of TV, it would be reality TV. I don’t know why, I just love it.

10) Blogging. Oh, sure, it’s for work, it’s to stay connected to other writers and readers, it’s for promotion. . . .that’s all the stuff we tell ourselves, but we know the dirty truth: it’s just plain fun. It sucks up time that we probably should be doing other, more responsible things, but hey, that’s what a guilty pleasure is for, right?

There are probably more, some completely unmentionable, but enough about me. What are some of your guilty pleasures? Share, and I’ll choose from someone who comments to give away a copy of my Blaze Forbidden Fantasy, Pick Me Up, so it can be one of your guilty pleasures. ☺
Samantha