Five Women I Wanted to Be When I Grew Up

Okay, so I borrowed the idea from a Facebook quiz. It's still fun! (The idea, not Facebook. That's not fun, it's an addiction. Not to mention a huge time suck. But if I wasn't talking to 3660 of my nearest and dearest friends on Facebook, I'd have to be writing. 'Nuff said.)

The quiz got me thinking because of course there were TV people I wanted to trade places with when I was growing up. Marcia Brady, for one. Even though I never actually heard a real person utter the word 'groovy', she did seem like the epitome of coolness.


And of course when the butt-kickin' women of Charlie's Angels appeared, it was difficult to choose just one as a role model. I most admired Kate Jackson's more cerebral character (looks fade, brains are forever) but there was a part of me that envied Jacklyn Smith's looks. My list, so I put them both on there, although I have to admit I never aspired to have my own clothing line at K-Mart.


Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman outfit always made me cringe a bit but hey, she could fly. That would come in handy. Although when the Bionic Woman came along I was totally fickle and switched my allegiance to her. She was like an incognito superhero, all the cool powers (okay maybe she couldn't fly but she had a heckuva vertical) without the wedgie from WW's tight panties and skirt.


And Mary Tyler Moore...who wouldn't want to turn the world on with their smile? She was the girl next door, charming and courageous...why she went to seek her fortune in Minneapolis!




Doris Day always seemed like the perfect woman. Engaging, cute, with a smile the heroes ultimately found more devastating than the femme fatales.

Wait, there was also That Girl, Marlowe Thomas... I'm already over my five. And I'm sensing a pattern here. I obviously aspired to be cute and perky. With the powers to leap tall buildings with a single bound and beat up bad guys at will. I can't say that I grew up to be any combination of the characters on my list but my characters have many of these qualities. Makes me wonder about the effect my early television watching had on my story-writing.

Who are the five women on your list? Did you ever want to trade places with someone else, just for a while? Was there someone you didn't even know that influenced you when you were growing up?

Welcome Pam Crooks, Her Cattleman, and His Unsuitable Wife

What a privilege it is to be here this morning, standing in the shadows of this great group of authors! Gosh, there’s Kylie and Cindy--we’re practically neighbors--and ohmygawd, Debra Dixon! Deb, your Goal, Motivation and Conflict is my Bible. I’ll always believe it was your book that helped me land inside the Harlequin Historical powerhouse--and, of course, there’s Kathleen who I’ve known for a really long time, and . . . okay, enough babbling.

I’m here to talk about my new book, right?

The Cattleman’s Unsuitable Wife is my twelfth western romance, and it’s starting to hit the store shelves as we speak. Up to now, I've written about longhorn cattle, mustangs, a thoroughbred race horse, Gypsies, mercenaries, a female outlaw, and a nun on the run.

I've never written a word about sheep.

That's what this new story is about. Sheep. So I had to do some reading on the woollie creatures, and the research has been surprisingly interesting.

For instance, did you know one sheepherder can handle 3,000 sheep all by himself? With the handy assistance of his dog, of course. Compare that to 6 or 7 mounted cowboys needed to ramrod a moving herd of 1,000 head of cattle.

I also learned sheep tend to have an assortment of, well, annoyances. They're unpredictable, defenseless and in need of constant tending. Here are a few examples:

**Sheep feed at odd hours of the night, which forces the herder to round them up again--in the middle of the night.

**Should a stray sheep find itself bogged in mud, he just stands there. Doesn't make a sound. He waits patiently to be rescued--or to die.

**If a young, frisky sheep rolls playfully in the grass, he can't get up again. His legs are short and light, and he can't get the momentum. He'll need help to get on all fours again.

**If a ewe or wether (had to look this one up--it's a young castrated male) wades into water, and its fleece is long, he becomes too water-logged to climb out. Again, he'll need help. Or drown.

**Bleating sheep means life is normal. When sheep are terrified, they make no sound at all.

**Adult sheep will stand in silence while a wolf snatches a lamb. No attempt is made to save the poor thing. The lamb, I mean.

**Young ewes are often indifferent mothers. If she fails to recognize her newborn, she'll wander off, clueless that the baby needs milk. Again, the sheep herder must help.

Historically, cattlemen despised flocks of sheep on the range. They believed, at least at first, that the woollie animals had sharp hooves that cut and trampled the grass, and that the cattle refused to graze where sheep had earlier trod because of the smell they left behind. Many a range war was fought because of the cattlemen's determination to dominate the range and rid themselves of the mutton-punchers.

And so my new story goes--with a hero who is a cattleman and a heroine who tends sheep with her father. It’s a pairing rife with conflict, and though I didn’t intend it at the time, The Cattleman’s Unsuitable Wife has turned into the first book of a trilogy. The second book will be The Cattleman’s Christmas Bride in the Cowboy Christmas anthology, slated for release in October, 2009, by Harlequin Historicals. Then, to wrap things up, my current wip which will be out sometime next year.

So do tell. Have you ever had a pet who did the darnedest things? One who didn't have a clue about the most basic things in life? Who was always and forever getting into trouble and needed to be rescued?

I did.

We took in a deaf Boxer a few years ago. She was a sweet thing, but ver-ry difficult to train and discipline because she couldn't hear us well. Which may or may not have anything to do with her compulsion to eat rocks. And then throw them up. At 3:00 in the morning.

Dang, I hated seeing those rocks on my carpet in that pile of vomit--and I have no idea why she ate them in the first place. I never once saw her do it--but she nosed around our landscaping and swallowed them whole, without fail.

That's my tale--I'd love to hear yours! Take a minute to tell us, and you'll be in a drawing for a copy of The Cattleman’s Unsuitable Wife! (By the way, if you’re a western romance afficionado, visit us at Petticoats & Pistols!)

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Kathleen On New Books and Old Stories

Yesterday was my granddaughter's birthday. Today it's Sam Beaudry's. In celebration I'm blogging on two sites today. Over at Wildflower Junction, AKA Petticoats and Pistols I'm giving a little background on how the new book came to be and I hope we'll be talking about favorite themes in romance. If you read the excerpt from IN CARE OF SAM BEAUDRY either on my website or at Amazon, you'll probably be able to guess one of my personal favorites. By the way, check out our Reading In the Fast Lane in the sidebar for more summaries of our current books. We'd love it if you used the links to Amazon from the little shop in our trunk. (No junk. No kidding.)

Sam Beaudry is a contemporary romance set in Montana, which makes it a Western, and Sam is Metis, which is a mixed-blood of Cree/Chippewa/French/Scots descent, or some combination thereof. This story has little to do with Ameican Indian issues, but many of my books do. American history fascinates me, but for obvious reasons I'm particularly interested in Native American history and cultures. I just watched the third in PBS's five-part American Experience series called "We Shall Remain" . It's about the Trail of Tears, but unlike so many documentaries on the subject, it's dramatized with a fine cast (including Wes Studi) and it focuses on the Cherokee fight for self-determination prior to their forced removal from the Southeast. While most documentaries depict the tragedy of that forced march and show the Cherokee as pitiful victims, this show gives the Cherokee their due as an independent people holding out against great odds and negotiating in a government-to-government relationship. When the United States Supreme Court handed down its decision that the U.S. government could not legally remove the Cherokee and take their land, President Jackson simply defied the decision. In the end, those who stayed behind had to renounce their Cherokee citizenship if they wanted to remain on their land.

The program "reads" more like a movie than a documentary, and one of the drawbacks of the format is that it's hard to tell how much of the dialogue comes from a screenwriter. But there are voice-overs reading from the writings of some of the principles. One anecdote was about the machinations going on in Congress over the proposed removal of the people. New England representatives were generally opposed. One congressman actually killed another in a duel. Cherokee leader John Ross wrote at the time: "As soon as they bury their illustrious brother, Congress can get back to dealing with us savages." Typical Indian humor.

I think I've been influenced as much by historical fiction as I have non-fiction. A good novel will send me looking for more facts. More details. More perspectives. I've generally had very positive response to the kind of story I like to tell--cross-cultural love stories in which the past often touches the present--but every once in a while I'm accused of having an "agenda." When that happens I'll step back and have myself a serious think. What do I really know, and what right does a non-Indian really have to write this story?

What I really know--because I've been a first-hand witness for almost 40 years--is that Indian self-determination is as much of an issue now as it was in the 1830's. I know that my readers are mostly non-Indian women who are much like me, and I know that my stories have served as a conduit for them in some small way. We've done a very poor job of teaching this aspect of American history in our schools, but every once in a while you get a book or a documentary or a movie that actually sheds some light on the whole of our history. It's important because we're still tromping through other people's homelands and turning everything upside down and inside out without appreciating the natives' right to self-determination, without knowing much about their culture. In other words, without respect. Hence, we tend to repeat the worst of our history. And we have to know that the people have yet to recover from the havoc we made in Indian Country. A few big casinos on a few tiny, well-placed reservations doesn't cut it. This is something we must own as Americans who continue to benefit from the policies and procedures of our forebears.

The last two parts of "We Shall Remain" are about Geronimo and Wounded Knee. I'll be watching. I know that the repercussions of Wounded Knee are still felt in the Dakotas today. I've written about various aspects of the incident in a couple of my novels. To this day American Indians suffer the highest infant mortality rate and the highest rate of teen suicide in the country. These are not just statistics. They are the lives of someone's child, brother, nephew, friend. I know because the Eagle family suffered one of each of those losses last week. I mention this only because I believe in the Lakota prayer, "all my relatives." It's been the major lesson of my life, and I hope that comes through in some my stories.

What's your general take on history? What aspects of the past particularly touch your personal present? Can you recommend some great historical fiction? Movies? Documentaries?

I'll send one random commenter a book from my backlist. Check the excerpts on my website.

Be sure to drop in on Pam Crooks tomorrow, right here in the convertible!

GUEST - New author - Kathryn Magendie

Debra here…Please help me welcome one of Bell Bridge Books’ newest Southern authors. I got my partner-in-crime, Deborah Smith to ask Kathryn Magendie some questions about her brand new book (see below) and how she feels about writing. While Kathryn had been published in print and online magazines as well as wearing the hat of co-editor of The Rose and Thorn Literary Ezine, TENDER GRACES is her first published novel.

(By the way, TENDER GRACES is a beautiful and unflinching look at how we find our way home. Gorgeous writing.)

How much of you is in your protagonists Virginia Kate? Or Virginia Kate in you?

I wish I were more like Virginia Kate. She has a quiet studied way about her. She isn’t as chaotic and jittery as I am; even when she thinks she’s being jittery she really isn’t when compared to me. Besides, she has really great hair and I have this blob of brown stuff sitting on my pea-head. Tender Graces is fiction, but anytime you write a family saga, how can you not have events or thoughts or feelings or shadows of your own life, even if they sneak in there subconsciously (as some things did!)? But, Virginia Kate is so much her own person—I wish I knew her in real life. I’d like her. And I would hope she’d like me.

When your reader turns the last page of Tender Graces, what do you want them to take away from the experience?

I first want them to sit back and go, “Ahhh….” and feel a moment of completion and peace. I want them to feel Virginia Kate’s releasing. Then, I want them to feel regret that the story is over and that they must put down the book. I want regret to gnaw at them so much, they’ll pick up the book and read it again, and then email me and ask, “When are you going to finish the second book? Hurry up!” Yes, all that would be nice.

How important is the writing life to your sense of well-being?

When I do not write, I become anxious and a bit depressed. The body never lies. The body knows what I need, and it knows I need to write. When I do not work, when I try to flit around and do other things, my body lets me know in no uncertain terms that I best get back to it or I’ll continue to feel “off” and uncomfortable. I am extremely lucky I live in a quiet cove at Killian Knob in Maggie Valley, smack in the Smoky Mountains, that allows me the serenity to do what I love most. This is my dream life.

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?

No, I don’t think so. Well, my mom says I talked about it when I was young and that my teachers thought my creative writing and reading skills were above the average student. I won a first place award in junior high school for a short story, and in high school my creative writing teachers encouraged me to do what I suppose I did well in—creative writing. But, I don’t have a moment in my memory when I knew this was what I’d do and how it would be My Life, my wonderful life. It was always about The Book. Books and libraries were my sanctuary, my love, my joy. I can’t imagine a world without libraries and books. I shudder to think of it; don’t you?

What are you working on now?

I’m working on the second book in the Virginia Kate Sagas. Virginia Kate is a woman around my age, and in Tender Graces she looks back at her life from about six years old to about sixteen. In the second book, she is looking at her life from college age to probably in her thirties—we’ll see where that goes. I also have another novel set here in the Western North Carolina Mountains….that one will wait for its right time, because for now, Virginia Kate has the loudest voice in my head.

If you write, what do you want the reader to feel when they close the book you’re working on right now? Readers let us know which books broke your heart because the pages ran out and the book was over!

WINNERS!!

First of all, I'd like to thank the authors for entering out little contest. You are all winners! :) But....drum roll please...Cathy McDavid with Real Men Sell Bras is the queen of the day. Personally, I think she was unbeatable. Cathy will be receiving a gift card for her 'trouble.'

As for our wonderful readers, Serena has been chosen for a gift card also. Please email me, Serena, at lgreiman@earthlink.net, and I'll send you your prize.

Thank you all for your comments. They made my day, although my pointy-boobed lady was a litttttle disappointed she didn't get more votes.

Worst Cover Contest

As I may have mentioned a time or ten, winter’s been long, hard and kind of grumpy here in the Northland. And I need some time to play and laugh and poke fun.

So…for your viewing delight, I hereby present RWTTD’S WORST COVER CONTEST.

Below you will find some fine examples of how good books go bad, each submitted by the author. Please peruse the pictures and let us know who you think has the absolute worst cover. The winning/losing author will receive an Amazon gift card, as will one commenter/voter.

#1
#1 I believe this little number is a strong contender. Real Men Sell Bras, was a 2003 title written and submitted by Cathy McDavid. You are a brave and much appreciated woman, Cathy.















#2 Trish Morey tells us that The Spaniard's Blackmailed Bride, “has morphed into Love Bites. He's so cross eyed he can't even see those choppers closing in.”

Point taken.










#3 Karen Templeton affectionately calls this the Pepto-Bismol Lady cover. Apparently, the protagonist is supposed to be holding a baseball mitt in her hands, but general consensus is that it looks like a large chunk of German Chocolate cake.

Yummy.



#4 C.S. Chatterly, author of Incorrect Spelling, says she thinks her smurf-like hero looks as if he may be on crack.

Maybe, but he has great abs, and sometimes a girl can't ask for more than that.









#5 This novel is titled MEDICINE MAN. According to Cheryl Reavis, the hero was a twenty-something Navajo 82nd Airborne paratrooper. Perhaps in different light, he would actually look Navajo...or twenty-something, but our intrepid author still seems to believe the model might have been someone’s balding brother-in-law who just happened to be in need of a job. She would like to mention that she likes the flowers in the background. Though, of course, they had absolutely nothing to do with the book.














#6 The Greek's Virgin in Hebrew probably translates as The Greek's Extreme Makeup Collection. It comes complete with nanna's crochet table cloth and coasters that double for head wear.

This is another of Trish Morey's notable entries.















#7 Oh look! Olive Oyl with a martini, sitting on a...television, I believe.

Thanks, Julie. This one made me laugh out loud.













#8 In the Hebrew version of A Virgin for the Taking, Trish tells us, her heroine looks as if “she's been taken by alien hairdressers and spat out again, sans her clothes.” Our intrepid author also spoke of some kind of dead animal hanging from protagonist's ears.

Hmm, dead animals. Check.


#9 This entry is our own Michele Hauf's. Personally, I don't see the problem here (please note other entries) but apparently she finds the hero less than heroic. (Oh please, remember the blue smurf cover?)

Although Hauf's name was spelled wrong on the spine, and that's enough to make any author a little miffed.










And for #10 I submit my own My Desperado done in Norwegian. Being the equine fanatic that I am, I always wanted a horse on one of my covers. This book cured me of that desire. I also no longer want people.


There you have it. Eight lovely entries for your consideration. So have a vote, and tell us the truth, after seeing these strong contenders, how important are covers when you make your book purchases? Have you ever bought a novel because the cover was fabulous? Have you ever bought one because it was hideous? Or, have you, as an author, ever gotten one that made you cry? Be brave, my friends. After all, I’ve shown you my horse-rearing-on-the-guy’s-head cover.

'Nuf said.













www.loisgreiman.com

Debra – The Essential Kindle Romance Collection or “Build A Blog” (You help.)

I have one. I love and adore it. Once I finish my TBR stack, I won’t buy paper books unless I can’t get the title for the Kindle. And then…I’ll probably think twice. I thought this feeling might wear off, but it’s been a couple of months now. I’m still rabidly pro-Kindle.

Harsh, huh? I’m part of an ownership group for a small publisher. We publish paper books and we’ll keep publishing in that format as long as readers want them. We also publish in Kindle, other ebook formats and audio. Not to mention most of our books are in large print from Thorndike or Centerpoint.

But my reading experience is now electronic. I need to build my romance library for the Kindle. Why? Because I looked today and my Kindle is all fantasy. Partly because I’ve been acquiring fantasy lately and partly because a beloved author is going to have a new book in a series coming out and I have to “reread” the old books so I can jump right in.

Still, I love romance. So…my Kindle is sad.

I need you. What is the “essential Kindle library” for a romance reader? I’m heading to a desert island and I need a list. (Not really, but play along.) I’m going to update this list from the comments. Tell your friends to come give me their recommendations. Let these books be the MOST beloved. Let’s try and limit to four. (Yeah. Aaannd right.)

Remember! The list will grow through0ut the day. Published authors have to add ONE book from their backlist. Which book is special? It’s hard to choose, but choose you must.

ESSENTIAL ROMANCE BOOKS THAT SHOULD BE ON EVERY KINDLE: (multiple votes are in bold)

A Place to call Home – Deborah Smith
A Rose For Maggie – Kathleen Korbel
Agnes and the Hitman – Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer
Ain't She Sweet – Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Bad To The Bone – Debra Dixon
Blue-Eyed Devil – Lisa Kleypas
Charming the Prince - Teresa Medeiros
Codename: Princess – Christina Skye
"Crazy" series – Tara Janzen
Crazy For You – Jennifer Crusie
Dead Until Dark – Charlaine Harris
Devil’s Cub – Georgette Heyer
Duncan's Bride – Linda Howard
Flowers From the Storm – Laura Kinsale
French Twist – Roxanne St. Claire
From This Day Forward and Tryst – Elswyth Thane
Good Time Girl – Candace Schuler
Heaven Texas – Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Highland Warrior - Monica McCarty
Hot Target – Suzanne Brockmann
How To Knit A Wild Bikini - Christie Ridgway
Hummingbird – LaVyrle Spencer
Into Danger – Gennita Low
Kill Me Twice-Roxanne St. Clair
Kiss Me Deadly – Michele Hauf (it's free at Amazon!)
Lord of Scoundrels – Loretta Chase
Lord of Ice – Gaelen Foley
Lord Perfect - Loretta Chase
Mackenzie's Mountain – Linda Howard
Masquerade – Susan Carroll
Miracle on I-40 – Curtiss Matlock
Mr. Irresistible – Loretta Chase
Mr. Perfect – Linda Howard
My Lady Notorious – Jo Beverley
No Place Like Home – Barbara Samuels
Nobody's Baby But Mine – Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Now You Die – Roxanne St. Claire
Once & Always – Judith McNaught
One Perfect Rose – Mary Jo Putney
"Only" series - Elizabeth Lowell
Outlander – Diana Gabaldon
Over the Edge- Suzanne Brockmann
Pleasure for Pleasure – Eloisa James
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austin
Romancing Mr. Bridgerton – Julia Quinn
Romeo & Juliet - Shakespeare
Saving Grace - Julie Garwood
Shelter Mountain – Robyn Carr
Show No Mercy – Cindy Gerard
Sugar Daddy – Lisa Kleypas
The Bad Baron's Daughter – Laura London
The Crossroads Cafe – Deborah Smith
The Duke - Gaelen Foley
The Grand Sophy – Georgette Heyer
The Last Bachelor – Betina Krahn
The Last True Cowboy – Kathleen Eagle
The Rake and the Reformer - Mary Jo Putney
The Tiger Prince – Sandra Brown
The Wicked Lover - Julia RossThese Old Shades – Georgette Heyer
Till the Stars Fall – Kathleen Gilles Seidel
To Sir Phillip With Love – Julia Quinn
To The Edge- Cindy Gerard
Too Much Temptation- Lori Foster
Venetia – Georgette Heyer
Walking After Midnight – Karen Robards
Welcome To Temptation – Jennifer Crusie
White Lies – Linda Howard

So…what are you waiting for?? I need your help. Which books should I buy for my Kindle Romance Collection?

Wednesday's Winner...

Janga!

Please e-mail kathleen.eagle@comcast.net with your choice from my backlist (available on my website) and your snail mail info.

Thanks for all the great children's book title. Look how much fun we had yesterday with Where the Wild Things Are.

Now, read above and help Deb decide about that Kindle!

Kathleen Celebrates Earth Day

I have a full schedule today. As usual reading and writing are front and center, kids and family at the heart. I have a book due to my publisher in a month, so I'll be working on that this morning. Tonight we kick off a new class at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. Conveniently enough it's called "Book In a Month," and we've never taught it before. I've never done it before, but I know how I would do it if I had to.

Oh, yeah. I have to. Should be an interesting trial by fire. I'll keep you posted.

Between the writing and the teaching, I'll be paying my regular "Book Nook" visit to my granddaughter's first grade class. Last time we read Library Mouse. The night before we'd made mouse ears for everyone out of pipe cleaners. The story is about a mouse who lives in the library and writes little books, so we also made blank books and handed them out to everyone, just as Library Mouse does at the end of the story. My girls love to make books. (The older one is helping me read. That's the little one looking this way.) That's exactly what I did when I was their age. (Actually a little older. These kids are way ahead of me.) My first fiction featured a girl who solved mysteries with her cat.

Today is Earth Day, so we chose a couple of books about critters. We'll do some masks first, and then we'll let the wild rumpus begin. We're also donating a book to the class library called It's Earth Day. I'm one tree-hugging, Birkenstock-wearing, hippie-at-heart Boomer who never forgets Earth Day. Ah, 1970. The year I graduated college. The year I got married. The year I started teaching two of the three R's. Full circle--back to reading and writing.

A big part of the legacy we bibliophiles give our children and grandchildren is surely born of the books we loved as children. Let's say we're giving a baby shower for a dear friend's first child or grandchild, and guests are to gift the child with 3 wonderful children's books. Which ones will you bring? I'll draw one name from today's comments and offer that person a book from my backlist--winner's choice.

I'm celebrating the birth of a new book baby. Sam Beaudry's due date is April 28, but I see that he's already in stock at Amazon. If you're of a mind to check him out, we'd love it if you'd take our sidebar link (right) to our Amazon shop, Reading In the Fast Lane. The first couple of pages are available on the listing. You can find a few more tidbits on my website. But here's the cover blurb:

Keeping the people of his Rocky Mountain hometown safe is Sheriff Sam Beaudry's top priority. But his quiet life suddenly comes under scrutiny when a young stranger shows up at the door of his mother's store, claiming that Hilda Beaudry is her grandmother.

Maggie Whiteside has never known a man like Sam--the kind a woman and her young son might truly count on. But their budding relationship will be put to the test when his past rides into town on a Greyhound Bus. Now Maggie must decide for herself who Sam really is. As for Sam, how much of his battered heart is he willing to risk?

This book is the first in a trilogy. One Cowboy, One Christmas follows in December.

Seeing is believing. Or NOT.

I probably need a new publicity photo. But my last photo session was so traumatic. . .

The photographer I used had all the latest digital equipment and after the sitting I was ushered into a room with a sofa and a movie screen. . . and forced to scrutinize my photo at 9000 magnifications. !!! Nobody should have to look at their own pores, chin hair, and developing wrinkles at 10,000-foot-woman size! The sofa was obviously there to catch customers who faint from horror. The guy asked if I wanted him to "take care" of those lines around my eyes and maybe smooth out my skin tone and make my teeth whiter.

I left reeling. It took two iced Vente no-fat triple-shot caramel no-whip macchiatos and the sacrifice of batallions of miscellaneous cookies to make the horror dissipate

But it's not just me. The pressure is on everyone, everywhere to look better than they actually do. Take Katie, here. Perky, adorable, sweet, believable, earnest anchor of the CBS news machine. She who should be counted on to give us the Truth. . . as in "the facts, m'am." CBS apparently felt she needed a digital nip and tuck and the photo on the right, below, was the result.

When this came out, it was quite the story. They had slimmed Katie's waist. Without her permission or even knowledge! They blythely doctor her image, then expect us to believe that they won't doctor the "news" she gives us. Maybe I'm making too much of this. . . but even in confessing that they doctored the photo, they didn't tell the truth. Waist? Yeah. And arms. And chin. And whitened her teeth. And got rid of a few age spots on her hands. See for yourself!

You know, don't you, that many courts of law now refuse to accept photographs or video as evidence? The only photos routinely allowed are those from the crime scene investigators themselves. Every other image is considered potentially altered. How much of what we see can we count on to be real these days? How sure can we be of what we know and don't know?

I'm guessing we really went to the moon. . . because that was back in 1969 and they didn't have digital correction then. Still, some people say the whole lunar landing thing was shot in a studio. But, that "alien autopsy". . . I'm starting to think that might have been a fake. And all of those pictures of microbes and sea life in National Geographic. . . who's to say those aren't just the brainchild of some nerd in the basement with good computer equipment? And stars. . . I mean, do you ever really look at the night sky? Did you actually see Haley's comet when it came by in 1986? Neither did I. This is supposed to be a picture. . .

See what I mean? It looks like somebody spilled paint and tried to wipe it up. And I'm starting to worry that some of my favorite hunks and starlets might not be quite so. . . desirable.

And if you really want to see depressing, check out this unretouched photo of Faith Hill from her Redbook cover. jezebel.com/gossip/photoshop-of.../heres-our-winner-redbook-shatters-our-faith-in-well-not-publishing-but-maybe-god-278919.php

Sigh. When they have to "improve" Faith Hill, we're all in trouble.

Getting serious for a moment. It used to be that a photograph was a moment captured in time. . . actions and images caught and stored as memory. Dependable. Lasting. For good or for ill.

It seems that we've traded "certainty" for "possibility" in our lives. Everything is possible. . . but everything is also open to revision. Memories, ideas, actions, and images can all be modified with the click of a button or the slide of a mouse. That's a lot of power at our fingertips, but that freedom comes with a price. And a responsibility: the burden of vigilant skepticism. Who do we trust to tell us the truth? Do we recognize the truth when we hear or see it?

Okay. . . this is what happens when I stay up writing waaaaay after midnight.

Back to my original problem. To airbrush or not to airbrush?

Is it better to look great in print and on line and risk disappointing people in person, or to just bare it all and let people see all the glorious human flaws from the start? Considering that there may be a bias against "aging" writers, is it wise to let the gray and crow's feet show?

What about you? Have you ever met or "encountered" a celebrity in person that shocked or disappointed you? Who/what do you trust these days to tell you the truth? What are your trusted sources?

It’s that time again.

We’ve no doubt had this discussion before but I’m not going to let it stop me from bringing it up again. It’s that time of year when the grass starts greening up, the finches return to their pretty lemon yellow and my thighs threaten to make an appearance in shorts.

It’s always that cold hard visual that gets me thinking about exercising. I think about it a lot. Someday, I’ll actually do it. Probably not today. Soon though. Really.
But the deal is, I’m the queen of procrastinators – especially when it comes to exercise. I can talk to myself until I’m blue about all the benefits – health and appearance wise – of good old fashioned exercise but I just can’t get my ‘perk’ factor high enough on the meter to really get into the full swing of things.

For instance, several years ago I decided it was time to ‘Sweat with the Oldies’. I was committed so I went out and bought good old Richard Simons’s workout video. Nine months later, I ripped the cellophane off that package. I read the box notes. I took the tape out of the box. I set it beside the VCR player. Clearly, I was making progress.
But it was a full month before I actually stuck that sucker in the slot, got into my workout clothes and was ready to rumble. Well, not rumble exactly. I worked like a dog through the first 30 minutes of the tape, felt pretty good about myself too until Richard tells me in his chipper peppy voice that, "Now that we’ve warmed up, let’s get started!”
My jaw dropped along with my heart rate that I’d worked up to a rather clipped speed during the freaking warm up. I had thought I was almost done and here, we hadn't even started. Forty minutes later, I was done in. Turns out I was in abysmal shape. I really needed to exercise. So I did. Faithfully for almost a year. I was looking good, too. I was toned and slimmer and darn proud of my progress.
And then it happened. The same thing that always happens. I petered out. Yup. Just dropped the ball. I don’t know why I do that. Well, yeah. I do. I should have mentioned right off that I don’t like to sweat. It’s just icky. I try to avoid it at all costs.
Which brings us back to my problem with exercise. Which I really am thinking about starting again – even though I know I’ll eventually find some excuse NOT to do it. But jezz, if my thighs aren’t motivation enough then I don't know what it’s going to take to get me primed and going again. So you know, I bought a new DVD player last week. And I bought a new exercise tape – Get Fit with Maxim and Juliana and Edeta from Dancing With The Stars. I’m hoping that Max won’t let me down. I want thighs like Juliana’s. I want abs like Edeta. I also want to be 5’10”, weigh 110 pounds and answer to the name of Heidi Klum. It ain't gonna happen. But I sincerely DO want to get fit.
So what about you out there? Am I alone in my struggle? And if not, what do you all do to motivate yourself? I need pointers. I'll even use them ... soon. Really..

Are you a Follower?

Have you noticed we feature a Follower on random Fridays? It's an opportunity for some of our frequent blog visitors to write their own post and tell us a bit about themselves. It's fun learning more about all of you!

But here's the deal: Blogger has made some changes and it's harder to contact you Followers now because it doesn't always list a an email link and it's often difficult to research and find that email from your screen name alone.

So do you want to blog on one of our Follower Fridays? Then email Michele at toastfaery@gmail.com and let her know. She'll take names and get you scheduled. Come on, Followers, we love hearing from you!

Winner!

I Heart Book Gossip is the winner of Dane and Hart's Taking Care Of Business! Please email Michele your snailmail address at toastfaery@gmail.com.

M

Fun Stuff Friday

We've nothing planned for today so I thought I'd put up a bunch of links to some fun stuff.  You know, those fun time-wasters that tell us SO much about ourselves.  [wink, wink]

The first one is totally me—the Shape Picture Test.  All you do is pick a shape.  Mine says, in part, I do not mind being alone for extended periods of time; I rarely become bored.  Oh yeah.

The Food Personality Test attracted me only because it involved cake. (Though I am a brownie.)

What Season are you?

How can you resist the How Sexy Are You quiz? I gotta admit, I only scored 'slightly sexy'. Hey! We can't be sexy all the time, now can we? A girl's gotta keep that mojo under wraps for when she really needs it. ;-)

This one is interesting. Are You a Psychic Vampire? Only one question per screen, but it goes quickly.

I couldn't resist the Nerd test. (Pick the first one in the upper left called The Nerd Test.) I've always thought geeks were cool and nerds drool. I ended up 'somewhat nerdy.' I'll take it.

Okay, those are just a few to waste your time. Anyone got any other links to fun stuff? Come on, it's Friday! Let's goof off!

Michele, your slightly sexy, somewhat nerdy Rider.

UPDATES:

Arkansas Cyndi adds these great links:

 LOL Cats

LOL Dogs

You've Been Googled

So my daughter IM'd me this evening. Here's a bit of our conversation:

Daughter: I have a new man!
Me: Nice. Send a pic.
Daughter: (sends a picture)
Me: Cute. What's his name? Where does he work? How long have you known him? How old is he? Why does he look like he's smiling too hard?
Daughter: Mom!
Me: Ok, just give me a name.
Daughter: (sends name)
Me: Are you sure that's the correct spelling?
Daughter: Mom, you are so not doing what I think you're doing.
Me: Erm...
Daughter: Are you Googling him?
Me: You know it.

Technology rocks, doesn't it? I mean, ten years ago, heck, even five years ago we couldn't have a conversation over the computer with a loved one and at the same time get pictures to go along with the chat. And we wouldn't have been able to go online and do a background check on the new beau either. My daughter expects it now. I Google all her boyfriends. She even spells out the last name the first time she gives it to me, just to be helpful. What disturbed me though, is that there was no trace of her new guy online anywhere. No history. No presence. Not even on Facebook. So I'm like 'he so erased his serial killer past'.

Daughter: Mom!
Me: Hey, you never know.
Daughter: He's nice.

Me? I'm just happy she also told me where he works, because technology aside, if all else fails, the hubby and I plan a search and snoop mission to that store. Hee.

But this phenomenon is not limited to the daughter's guys. I Google everyone. Seriously. If I get an email from a reader or author I've never heard of—I'm off to Google. If I've been introduced to someone over lunch or at a meeting, I remember the name, then Google them.

Does that make me as creepy as the guy with no online history? Or just curious and a careful parent?

So what about you? Do you Google people? Do you think it's fair to enhance your judgment of a person by what you find about them online? (Notice I said enhance your judgment. Any info online must be taken with grains of salt and added to what you learn upon meeting the actual person and talking to them.) Does absence of an online presence concern you? (It could go either way; not much interest in online networking or like I said, a reason not to be found.) Have you ever been Googled? Is it a norm nowadays to be Googled as part of the job interview?

And when did Googled become a verb? I like it. I use it that way. Had an editor rewrite a sentence recently so I did not use it as a verb. Fooey. I changed it back. ;-)

Michele

Guests: Megan Hart and Lauren Dane

Welcome two fab chicks to the convertible today!

Thanks to Michele and all the lovely ladies of Riding With The Top Down for having us here today. We thought we’d talk about what it was like to write our recent release, Taking Care of Business, out now from Black Lace (and the sequel, No Reservations, due out this fall!)

Annnnd…live from IM, it’s a direct transcript of our conversation!

Lauren Dane: So, what's it like to write with someone as uber-fabulous as Lauren Dane?
Megan Hart: It's pretty awesome, especially when she talks about cupcakes. My favorite part about working with LD is that she has the same sense of humor as I do, so we can get up to hijinks together. Also, I like to refer to her as LD, and talk about her in like, third person even when I'm talking TO her. Like now.
Lauren Dane: It could suck to work with another person. It has sucked in the past. So when you do a group project it's sort of like it was back in ninth grade. You don't want that girl who looks at her split ends all class long.
Megan Hart: Or the one who has to be led by the hand.
Lauren Dane: The one who ate paste until the 6th grade.
Megan Hart: The one who put the dead bird in her locker "for later."
Lauren Dane: heee! Or that one boy who picked his nose a lot. Okay, we're tangenting. Shocking!
Megan Hart: Now that we're done with No Reservations, though, we don't really even have an excuse for it.
Lauren Dane: Yes, IM can be a huge help when you're doing a joint project. You can check in really quickly, trade snippets of text back and forth. Oh and talk about boyz and stuff.
Megan Hart: Well, sure, we always have to talk about boyz. It's part of the job.
Lauren Dane: RESEARCH
Megan Hart: One of the best parts about writing together was getting to talk about boyz. Because we both like sort of different "types."
Lauren Dane: We do. We both have types in a big way, but we don't have to share since we don't usually go in for the same thing. And by share, I mean in a purely imaginary way since Gerard Butler has that paper that says I can't get closer than 500 feet.
Megan Hart: Haha! You can have Gerry. I'll take Keanu, my second husband. One thing we DO share, though is the passion for writing hot, passionate romance with deeply emotional P.O.V. Oops, I said passion twice.
Lauren Dane: RED PEN
Megan Hart: EDIT THAT OUT OMG
Lauren Dane: NO! Wear your shame! Okay, back on topic - for Taking Care of Business, we both wrote separate short novels because originally that's how we'd planned to package the book. But our editor had something else in mind and asked us to write it as a single story. So we did our separate stories and then used a Google shared doc to bring it all together. That last part was sort of a pain because of compatibility issues and weird formatting, but I think the book turned out really well. The next book, No Reservations, we planned differently from day one. We took every other chapter, had a rough outline of how each character arc would go and we went back and forth.
Megan Hart: And for that one, the WRITING was a little more difficult, but the editing was a snap, whereas TCOB was the opposite. And by difficult, I mean it was still like, the easiest book I've ever written.
Lauren Dane: LOL! The best thing about these books is that an author doesn't always have purely fun projects to work on with their besties. These books were different from my normal routine, but really, totally stress free. I know Megan feels the same as I do about the big stuff like deadlines, etc. So the big stuff was not anything I needed to worry over. Yes, I don't know that I'd do this with anyone else, LOL
Megan Hart: Yeah, ditto. Though of course the potential is always there to have it turn into a huge, frothing ball of seething fury with your writing partner. It's sort of like rooming with your best friend from elementary school when you go away to college: you either end up not speaking or coming out of it engaged. I'm happy to say, LD and I are engaged.
Lauren Dane: Wheee! We're engaged. So this is it really. We wrote a contemporary so we didn’t have to build a world. We just had to keep the story moving in a direction we could both work with, which was easy since at the end of TCOB we said, "Kate and Leah should totally go to Vegas. How can we get them there?"
Megan Hart: And we just took it from there! And we should mention, of course, that we came up with the original idea while standing in line at RT. I wonder what this year's RT will bring us.
Lauren Dane: Heh! Yes, this whole thing sprang from our friendship, which kept it fun and easygoing when it could have gone the other way. We knew the deadlines, we worked them into our schedules and we wrote. It was surprisingly easy and really fun and I'm thrilled the book shows that. Or I think it does, LOL.
Megan Hart: I think it does, too! And it was fabulous fun. And, of course, not based on anything that ever happened in real life.
Lauren Dane: Not ever. No way.
Megan Hart: Okay! Let's wrap this up...we are Dane/Hart, we do a Discuss over at www.danehart.com so stop on over if you want to watch us in action. Or find us at our individual sites, www.meganhart.com and www.readinbed.net and www.laurendane.com. We'll be at RT again this year, so if you'll be there, make sure to say hello!
Lauren Dane: We're having a workshop on writing with your BFF and not killing her as well as a reader party with loads of swag so consider yourselves invited.
Megan Hart: But please don't hug me.
Lauren Dane: she wants lots of smooches. On her face. Be sure to caress her face.
Megan Hart: ERGGGG!
Lauren Dane: should we do a contest/giveaway?
Megan Hart: sure!
Lauren Dane: okay, how about one lucky winner gets a copy of Taking Care of Business sent directly from Barnes and Noble?
Megan Hart: Sounds good to me. We’ll pull one commenter by Friday, April 17th to win a copy of the book!

Time for a New Style?

What is it about spring? We clean and put in gardens, we vow to lose weight and go shopping for bright colors. We clean out our closets and have garage sales. And we change our hairstyles.

I'm dying, dying I tell you, for a new cut. I'm even ready to quit--shh!--coloring!! But I'm feeling my age, more than ever, limiting the styles I'm considering. I like this one on the left, but I wonder if it wouldn't involve too much putzing, not to mention make me look older.

For most of my childhood, I had long hair. I could show you some chilling pics of me with my hair in braids, but we won't go there. After my senior high photo, I chopped my hair to my shoulders and from then on it kept getting shorter and shorter and shorter. By the time I had my first job out of college, my hair was, at best, a few inches long.

I kept it short for many, many years. Through the young mother stage of my life it seemed the easiest thing to do. Then, when my kids were older and less time-consuming, it finally dawned on me that I'd probably have short hair as an old lady (How many 80 year olds have you seen with nice long tresses?) and since I wasn't getting any younger it was time to grow it out a bit. Coloring helped too, giving my fine hair more texture.

But it's been long long enough! I'm ready for a change. And I'm seriously ready to stop coloring. I'm going au naturele. Really. I swear. After my high school reunion this summer, that is!

So I started looking into new styles for gray hair and I ran across these tips for graying hair from the Prevention website (although I think the tips can be used with any dramatic change in appearance):

Step 1: Go Gradually
Wait until your roots are at least 60% silver before giving up your dye job, so your new gray hair hue will look symmetrical and natural as it grows in, suggests colorist Jennifer J., owner of Juan Juan Salons in Beverly Hills, CA. But don't give up color altogether just yet. "The contrast in texture and tone as your hair grows can look unkempt," she notes. During this phase, which can last up to a year, get a do-it-yourself highlighting kit or ask your colorist to weave in a few fine highlights or lowlights (darker streaks) to add dimension and blend in roots.

Step 2: Consider a New Cut
Cropping your hair above your collarbone during the in-between period will lessen the contrast between silver and pigmented strands. Layers can also help camouflage multiple hues. "A choppy cut looks youthful and helps hide your roots," says Jonathan Gale, a colorist at the John Frieda Salon in Los Angeles. When your gray has grown out, don't regress to a matronly 'do. "For gray to look glamorous and chic, your cut should be contemporary," says Mark DeVincenzo, creative director at the Frédéric Fekkai Salon in New York City. To enhance silver strands, which absorb light, making your mane look dull, style hair straight (use a flatiron or a dryer and a round brush) to promote shine. Once your hair is completely white, talk to your stylist about adopting an above-the-shoulder, layered style that provides movement and softly frames your face.

Step 3: Pick Silver-Specific Products
When hair turns gray, the protective cuticle thins out, which can make strands coarse and prone to breakage. Keep tresses soft and healthy by doing the following:

• Choose a moisturizing shampoo to soften and smooth gray hair and make it appear more lustrous.
• Wash hair with a formula geared for gray once a week to counteract yellowing caused by sun, pollutants, hard water, and smoke. But don't overdo it: Many of these products contain a blue tint that can cause a purplish cast.
• Apply a clear gloss or glaze monthly on gray hair to coat the cuticle and boost shine.
• Opt for gels and mousses that are clear: The dyes in colored stylers can tarnish gray hair.

So what do you think, good tips or not? I don't think I'm yet 60% gray, so this has me reconsidering. And here's a pic of Blythe Danner at 60+, nary a gray hair, and she looks gorgeous.

Does/should age limit the hair styles women choose? What's your favorite style? Is there a hair style you wish you could wear, but for whatever reason can't? Ever go for a really drastic change? Did it turn into a disaster or the best thing ever?

Modern Day Pirates

I don't know what it is about human nature that makes us romanticize outlaws. A look at film lists suggests it's not a purely American quality. But for whatever reason people are drawn to the violent among us, even if we have to weave a fantasy about the people, their lives and motives. Perhaps because we're looking through the rose colored glasses of distance, time, or both. But Americans did it with Capone, the James gang, Bonnie and Clyde. . . the list is endless. Films and historical romances certainly have done their part when it comes to romanticizing the pirate.

Admittedly, I find the this version of the pirate to
be. . .well. . .wildly romantic. Maybe because the characters are invariably depicted by hot virile men who any woman in her right mind knows she could be *the one* to make him see the error of his ways. Consider Clark Gable in Mutiny on the Bounty in the picture on the left.


Or the incredible Errol Flynn in Captain Blood:

And of course, everyone's favorite pirate (what IS it about Johnny Depp??? Sigh.) Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Carribbean:





Somehow, of course our fantasies tend to gloss over the real habits of pirates, which was the business of robbing, raping, pillaging and plundering. Our films and books weave stories of dark heroes with noble causes, or at least deeply flawed men who can be led to do the right thing, if only for their own reasons. They end the story being better men, if not completely changed, for having done something for the greater good.

Recent news shows us something far different. One wonders what Hollywood filmmakers would make of the Somali pirates who have been preying on ships in the Indian Ocean. Somehow they even managed to hold off the US Navy Destroyer sent to assist in the situation.

The reality of modern day pirates comes with sticky issues like terrorists at sea, armed with automatic weapons who will kill the hostages they hold because they lack the moral parameters the rescuers operate within. And if you're like me you watch the news, fascinated in spite of yourself at the complete disconnect as fantasy collides with reality. It's like being transported into history, two hundred fifty years past, when cargo ships and pleasure crafts sailed the seas at their own risk. And there's no way to romanticize the motives and actions of these modern day pirates.

FBI hostage negotiators rush to the scene to bargain for the release of captives. And gangs of pirates come to the assistance of a fellow ship under seige, while the host country offers them asylum and funding in return for a portion of the riches they bring back. Part of me sits here shaking my head, thinking, "You can't make this stuff up."

But in the end, of course, my mind turns to stories. And how we as writers romanticize many things for the enjoyment of readers. When we do it well, our readers close the book and sigh, completely satisfied. But have you ever read a book or seen a movie where reality intrudes on the fantasy? Ever watch a western and wonder what those cowboys really smelled like after a week on the range :) Or think you'd probably want to bitch slap that perky heroine if she lived next door to you? Or strangle the strong silent hero who has to have every word pried out of him? Are you able to completely set aside reality in a really good story?