Musings of a Louisiana Liar

New Location

2011-02-04T08:17:00.001-06:00

Clearly, I haven't posted in forever. I don't want you guys to think I've abandoned you, because I haven't. But I have had to trim down on my daily blog posting in order to have more time to write books.

I post every other Monday at the Killer Fiction Writers blog.

You can always visit me at my author website and I'm building a new website for writers that will offer you information on the business of publishing. Please visit me there as well.

Thanks for reading!

Jana DeLeon

In Case You Were Wondering...

2008-11-14T16:28:00.003-06:00

No, I haven't disappeared, and I apologize for not filling you all in before now.

I have an old spinal cord injury that has resulted in a pinched nerve in my back. You'll never guess what makes it hurt the worst - you got it, typing.

I've been in therapy for about four months now to straighten my spine and try to relieve the pressure. Unfortunately, until further notice, I have been asked to abstain from all typing that isn't absolutely necessary. Since I'm a technical writer at the day job (and that sorta pays the bills and provides me health insurance) and I have two books releasing next year, my blog was one of the casualties.

I DO post every Monday at Killer Fiction Writers. If you haven't checked it out yet, please do. It's a blog of five fabulous humorous mystery writers. You're guaranteed to have a good time.

And look for my next book, TROUBLE IN MUDBUG, on 1/27/09. It's the first in the GHOST-IN-LAW mystery/romance series.

I hope to be back soon!

Killer Fiction

2008-05-12T11:14:00.001-05:00

Posting at Killer Fiction today - check it out!

Monday Morning

2008-05-05T09:41:00.000-05:00

Hi guys,

Today's my post at Killer Fiction. I'm sharing my shoes story with everyone, so hop over there and check it out if you'd like.

Have a great day!

Monday Morning

2008-04-28T06:14:00.001-05:00

Today's my Killer Fiction post, so check it out.

Also, I posted a great interview on Killer Fiction yesterday with mystery author, Wendy Roberts!!!!!! Don't miss it.

Busy Week

2008-04-24T09:22:00.003-05:00

Sorry I haven't been blogging regularly, but it's been a really busy week! I've been working overtime on my book, and was just about to release the new accounting guide at work when I discovered product had changed the branding on the software and now every single screen shot has to be redone - at least two days worth of cutting and pasting and resizing and mumbling and cussing and groaning. Lovely.

And if that wasn't enough, my air conditioning doesn't work. Ugh. It was hot last night and humid so I turned on the AC, but after two hours it hadn't even lowered the temp by a single degree. So I shut it off. No sense paying more for being hot. So AC man comes tomorrow - yeah! But I think I've decided that new houses have far more issues than existing ones.

On the good news front, I am continuing on my thin, sexy bitch journey but ran into a bit of a problem. I've apparently lost a lot of weight and fairly fast so the other day I noticed my thigh (which is much thinner now) jiggles. HORRORS!!!!!!! I was just about to decide that there was no alternative in life but to be fat and taut or thin and jiggly, so I did what anyone does in an emergency situation - I googled.

I found out that if you lose weight rapidly, the skin takes a little time to catch up, so that's part of the problem (I hope). The other thing is weight lifting. I need to lift weights and get some more muscle. More muscle = less jiggle.

So I bought a home gym and some home gym installation guy is coming Saturday to set it up. So that will give me a treadmill, home gym, aerobic dvd's and a big living room to do them in. I have absolutely no excuses for not getting thin.

So how's your week been?

Busy Weekend - Busy Week

2008-04-21T07:39:00.002-05:00

I had a busy weekend but a productive one. Hung out with friends, did yard work, worked on my book and a whole host of other things. I have a busy week at work too since this week I am officially releasing the new accounting training guide I've been working on for 3-4 months. Yahoo!

Today is my blog day at Killer Fiction, so check it out. I'm taking Microsoft to task and you won't believe why.

Milestones

2008-04-18T06:30:00.003-05:00

Life is full of milestones, some good some bad, but all of them signify progress in a journey. Well, I have reached a mini-milestone in one of my journeys and am thrilled to announce that as of today

I have lost 50 pounds!!!!!!!

I'm still not ready for a bikini, but hell, how many people really are? But I'm feeling soooooooo much better and for the first time in years, I don't mind having to shop for clothes. Of course, I'm trying to buy the bare minimum to cover me until the next size down as I have no intention of stopping at 50 pounds, but hey - at least I don't cringe walking into a clothes store any more.

So it's a great day and I'm positive it will be a great weekend!

Hope you all have a great weekend too!

Shoulda Stayed in Bed

2008-04-16T10:17:00.002-05:00

You know you've had one - one of those days you should have just stayed in bed. Well, of course, part of my problem is that I was up late last night writing so I slept in a bit this morning. So of course, my entire morning routine was thrown off by my slumber. So I rushed to get ready for work then headed outside to play ball with Bogey then dashed back in to fix me a protein shake for breakfast. Downed the protein shake, grabbed my stuff and headed to work.

Got to work and set about generating and printing a training guide I wrote that is being QA'd today (quality control analysis). Set the 200+ document to print, had a conversation with the Business Analyst for the product, then was about to go to the printer and pick up the doc that I needed for a 10:00 meeting and realized I had never taken off my "playing ball with Bogey" shoes and put on my work shoes.

This was not good.

We are fairly casual at work but I think bright blue and white neoprene Nike hiking sandals might be pushing the envelop. I panicked. I couldn't go through an entire day wearing business casual and hiking sandals. And I had a meeting in 30 minutes!

So I did what any red-blooded American woman would do - I hauled ass to Walmart and bought a pair of shoes. Managed to complete the entire transaction in 13 minutes. That has got to be a new record for shoe-buying. They are kinda cute but not overly comfortable, but then what do you expect for $13. So I figure I'll just leave them at my desk......just in case.

So - you ever had one of those moments?

Beautiful Monday

2008-04-14T09:57:00.002-05:00

Hi guys! It was a beautiful weekend here in Texas and it's a beautiful Monday too!

Check out my post at Killer Fiction.

Later!

Good Morning!

2008-04-07T07:13:00.001-05:00

Good morning, everyone! Today's my post over at Killer Fiction, so check it out - it has conference rules for all to follow.

See ya tomorrow!

Fabulous Friday

2008-04-04T10:20:00.002-05:00

It's Friday!!!!! It's been a busy week, but my new accounting training guide is ready to go for content review on Monday - yeah!!!!! Four months of work in a neat 200+ page document. Very exciting.

Today, I'm on an official vacation day, one because my power went out last night and I woke up late, and two b/c I was planning to take a half day anyway and since the power pulled a fast one, I just decided to go ahead with the full. Why, you ask was I taking a half day off. Well, b/c this weekend is the DARA conference, Dreamin' in Dallas.

So tonight is the booksigning and tomorrow is the conference. And you know what that means - girl's weekend!!!!!! My friend Cindy will be here at lunch and spend the night tonight and tomorrow and Cari will meet us tomorrow morning for breakfast and to attend the conference, and will spend the night tomorrow night. Always a good time! Tell me what's better for a writer than hanging out all weekend with a bunch of writers?

Hope you all have a great weekend too!

House Cleaning

2008-04-02T06:36:00.002-05:00

I'll be the first to admit - I'm not domestic. I don't really cook (and can't without a recipe), I don't sew (but I have a nifty little tool that puts buttons back in with plastic), and I really don't like to houseclean. Unfortunately, it is a necessary evil. So Saturday, I started the big clean and realized why I don't like doing it - because I'm too easily destracted.

Now my house is fairly small - 1800sf - and it's just me, the dog and the cat, so it doesn't get really messy. So this should be a fairly simple and speedy process, right? Nooooooooo. Take for instance, I started with the master bath, which was going well until I had to deal with trying to get the dirt and grim out of my incredibly slow-draining tub. Finally deciding I'd been standing in water while I showered long enough, I headed to the store to buy some Liquid Plumber and wala - the tub was fixed.

Then it was on to the master bedroom, where I was doing good until I got to dusting the dresser that my tv sits on. And that's when I remembered that something was wrong with the hook up I'd done for the DVD player and the colors were all wrong. So what do I do - pull the dresser out, break out the instruction manuals and spend 45 minutes rewiring the DVD player to the tv.

So you get the picture, right? And rest assured, I tried to block my closet out of my mind entirely or I'd still be in there.

And then on Sunday, I couldn't stand the clothes situation any longer. You see, I've lost some weight recently and have changed clothes sizes - 2 to 3 clothes sizes depending on the designer. Now, I have smaller clothes in storage containers because I always figured on losing the weight and didn't want to get rid of them as they're all cute and fun and a lot of them have matching shoes. But every morning when I'm trying to get ready for work, I had to dig longer and harder to find something that didn't fall off.

So I tackled the closet on Sunday. Ugh!

You KNOW you can't just check the size and discard an article of clothing. All clothes run different so that means I had to try on darned near everything! Do you have any idea how long that takes?????? Well, I can give you an idea - I watched Season 2 and half of Season 3 of the X-Files while doing it. But miracle of miracles, my closet is finally cleared of all the bigger sizes. Now if I just get all the smaller ones out of the storage containers - and ironed (double ugh), I might have something to hang in there again.

And for any of you who think I might be exaggerating the extent of my woes, here's a photo of the "removals" that are waiting for a friend to dig through them and take what she wants. Mind you, this photo does NOT include the 5 garbage bags already full and ready for donation.

Titles

2008-04-01T05:32:00.002-05:00

Anyone who's been around the publishing industry (or authors) for a while knows that there are certain thing beyond our control. Two of them are book covers and book titles. Now you can try to throw your ideas in the pot, but there's no guarantee your publisher will use them. I've been lucky so far to have three good titles and they've all stuck, and I must say (totally without bias) that Dorchester does the best covers on the market.

So imagine my surprise when I read a news article about the book that won this year's Oddest Book Title Competition. Heck, I didn't even know there WAS a competition for oddest book title, but I guess it makes sense.

The winner this year is a self-help book (probably appropriately) entitled IF YOU WANT CLOSURE IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP - START WITH YOUR LEGS

You have to smile. If you're interested in seeing some of the other past winners, check out the article.

Muggy Monday

2008-03-31T06:58:00.001-05:00

It's humid here in Texas - been raining. Guess we're bringing in April, but hey, the flowers like it.

Today's my post over at Killer Fiction, so check it out and have a great day!

Writers & Pets

2008-03-26T09:22:00.005-05:00

One thing I have discovered as I meet writers is that almost all of us have pets. In fact, a lot of writers are huge animal lovers. I'm not exactly sure why that is, but it's definitely more than a trend.

I have my own personal baby, and that's my Sheltie, Bogey. Bogey is the perfect dog - he stays in the house all day while I'm at work and doesn't bother a thing. He likes to play - God we play ball and play ball and play ball....well, you get the idea. But that's a good thing because I've been walking him every day and that way we both get some much needed exercise.

So today I thought I'd share some Bogey pics with you, so you can see my "child."

This is Bogey doing one of his favorite things - playing in the sprinkler.

This is Bogey in one of his preferred sleeping positions. You gotta love a dog who's that comfortable perched on the back of the couch.
This is Bogey as a baby - is it any wonder I had to have him??????

Description

2008-03-25T10:04:00.002-05:00

As a writer you're always looking for the best descriptive terms - the ones that bring a powerful image into the mind of your reader. Well, yesterday someone sent me this link to a call played on a radio station. What does this have to do with description - well, this guy has some of the best description I've ever heard - and it's damned funny to make it even better. If you can listen to this and don't have a clear mental image of what happened, then you have no imagination at all.

So check it out - and fair warning - you should NOT be consuming liquids while listening!

Kickin' Off the Week

2008-03-24T06:37:00.001-05:00

Good morning, everyone! I hope you had a great Easter!

Today's my post over at Killer Fiction, so check it out. I'm talking about things you should never see in church.

Have a great day!

Critique Groups

2008-03-20T06:42:00.003-05:00

Since I've been writing (and especially after I sold), I got a lot of questions from other writers about critique groups/partners. Until recently I wasn't a member of a "group" per se in that the group didn't meet regularly and discuss/plot/critique. My critiquing up to that point had been by email or phone call - especially since a couple of the people I critique with are in another states.

I've been asked what makes a good critique partner/group and when to know you need a new group, etc.

To me the answer is easy - a good critique partner/group takes the time to learn your style and voice and doesn't try to change it with their advice. The group should NEVER tell you how to write your book - EVER! They should instead tell you where your technique went faulty or was missing altogether - where your plot fell apart - inconsistencies in your story - when they don't have a connection to a main character - when they are confused by the story.

Most importantly, and the thing that is often missed by cp's is that they should tell you what you're doing RIGHT and encourage you to do more of it. Every missed opportunity for your voice to shine is a missed opportunity to wow an editor or an agent.

Granted, these are only a few of the things you should be thinking about when selecting or continuing with a group or partner, but your career is on the line here - thinking you might hurt someone's feeling should be the very last reason you continue with a group or partner that's no forwarding your career.

Leroy

2008-03-17T06:11:00.001-05:00

Today's my post over at Killer Fiction, so check it out. I talk about the reason I made my journey from corporate training to technical writing. ie Leroy

Have a great day!

Vacation

2008-03-11T06:52:00.002-05:00

I've been doing a lot of decorating at the new house - painting the walls lovely shades of turquoise and placing my seashell decor everywhere. It looks very serene and pretty and I'm loving it. And the reason I love it so much is because I am a beach junkie. There is simply nothing I find more relaxing than sitting on a beach with a beer and a book. In fact, I can stay there all day.

My family used to vacation to Destin a lot - which has beautiful beaches. I've always wanted to go to Hawaii and maybe now someday I will.

What about you? What's your favorite vacation spot?

Monday Already

2008-03-10T06:25:00.002-05:00

Jeez, is it Monday already????? Busy weekend - had girl's night Friday night which was fab - we ate Mexican, then headed back to the bachlorette pad for wine, cookies and this absolutely sinful homemade candy (my thighs salute you, Cari). Saturday morning we had a leisurely breakfast then went shopping where we tried to work off some of the candy.

Sunday I did laundry, cleaned the kitchen, grocery shopped and organized the garage. Very exciting!

Today's my post day at Killer Fiction, so hop over there and leave a comment on your favorite tv series.

Have a great day!

Weird Weather Redux

2008-03-07T07:55:00.002-06:00

Well, just when you thought it was safe to plant flowers, it snowed again in Dallas. That's twice in one week. What in the world???????

In other news, the Ghost-in-Law edits are going fine and I'm really pleased with what I have so far. I've sent the first third out to my critique partners and can't wait to see what they think.

Also, I got an offer for foreign rights for UNLUCKY. So looks like it will be published in Dutch along with RUMBLE. I wonder what they'll do with the covers.

I've got a big weekend planned - girl's night tonight with my cp's, then shopping tomorrow and I'm still painting - fun, fun, fun!

Well, must run and write some technical documentation - I'm knee deep in a training guide for accounting software - riveting text. :)

Have a great weekend!

Weird Weather

2008-03-05T05:42:00.002-06:00

Okay, so we all know Texas has weird weather sometime - but come on. On Sunday I was wearing capris and a t-shirt and it was in the 70's, then it snowed Monday night. Now even for Texas that's a little weird. And did I mention that people in Texas can NOT drive in snowy/icy weather. They think appropriate driving means hitting their brakes when they're ON the bridge - jeez.

This weekend was a busy one for me. I painted on Saturday and my living room is looking fabulous. It's a light shade of turquoise and looks great with all my light furniture and the seashell decorations. It's very serene and pretty. Then my parents came over on Sunday and my dad installed a couple of ceiling fans for me and raised a couple of light fixtures so that you don't have to be 3 foot 2 to walk underneath them - what are builders thinking???????

As part of the separation of property, I took one dog and one cat with me, so no more six animals to take care of, but I've got the Sheltie and he's living the life of Riley now. He gets to stay inside with the run of the house all day and I have to say that he's been great! Not a single thing bothered and no accidents. He's such a wonderful dog. Plus he gets treats and walks and to play ball every single day - on weekends, more than once or even twice. For anyone who lives alone and feels lonely, my advice is to get a dog. He's the best company. Always happy, never complaining, easy to please.

I got back into my writing last week and since I'd been off for so long, I had to go back to the beginning and start re-reading/editing what I had already written. I'm happy to say that I REALLY like what I have. I think this book is going to be one of my funniest yet and can't wait to see how it ends. Sounds kinda strange for the author to be saying that, huh, but the reality is, I tend to come up with better twists and ideas as I write than I ever could when producing a synopsis. Thank God my fabulous editor knows it will all work out in the end. :) I love ya, Leah!

Oh, well, I must run and get some work done. My new schedule seems to include rising at 4-4:30 am and falling asleep on the couch around 7-8 pm. But hey, that way everything is done before I go to work so no down side really.

Have a great day everyone!

Back from Beyond

2008-03-03T05:37:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone! I'm finally back. I posted at Killer Fiction today, explaining my absence, so hop over there and check it out.

Thanks so much for all my regulars who sent me personal emails. They were definitely appreciated!

Absent for a While

2008-01-28T17:20:00.000-06:00

I'm so sorry that I haven't been blogging on a regular basis. I am in the midst of a personal crisis and need to take some time off. I truly appreciate all the emails I have received from regular readers expressing their concern. I am still here but not feeling like posting at the moment.

I will be back in a couple of weeks or so. Thanks again for all the emails!

Jana

Many Apologies

2008-01-07T00:04:00.000-06:00

Many apologies for not posting in FOREVER. I've been in holiday whirl and am just now coming out. Today's my day over at Killer Fiction so check it out! It's another story that you just can't make up and I think you'll enjoy it.

Movie review and a GCC tour tomorrow!

A Christmas Video

2007-12-23T17:43:00.000-06:00

Okay, so it's not commercial and it's not spiritual, but it did win an Emmy. If any of you are SNL (Saturday Night Live) fans, you've probably already seen it. If you haven't, then please enjoy this absolutely hilarious rendition of an 80's band singing a song about the perfect Christmas gift for a woman (according to the man, of course). It features Justin Timberlake, who apparently has an enormous sense of humor in addition to being a talented singer.

I couldn't get the embedded object to work, so please take a hop over to this url and watch the video. Enjoy!

I've posted my Christmas animal pics over at Killer Fiction, so check it out and everyone please have a

VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

On the Run

2007-12-19T11:46:00.000-06:00

Late post today - I'm running from job to job trying to finish before our departmental Christmas party. Then I have a cp group meeting tonight (our first official), so yea!

My good friend and fabulous author, Ally Carter, put a post on her blog Monday about self-publishing that I think all aspiring writers should read. So please check it out. I promise, it's worth the time.

See ya tomorrow!

Tuesday Movie Review

2007-12-18T09:11:00.000-06:00

Today's movie review is for the new release I AM LEGEND. This movie starred Will Smith (who is one of my favorite actors) so I had high hopes for a good flick. Unfortunately, I came away somewhat disappointed.

The plot of this movie was not outstanding, and while Smith is a great actor, not even a great actor can hold up a movie with a weak plot. The plot was one that has been done - over and over. Some virus escapes and kills most everyone, but those it doesn't kill turn into some sort of monster type creatures. The creatures almost always have issues with sunlight so that the movie can do all the scary night scenes. Then there's the one character (Smith) is is immune to the virus and it's their mission to find the cure, save the world, etc. Not exactly breaking new ground here.

So the plot was weak. The ending sorta hacked me off, first for being anti-climatic and also just annoying. Smith's acting was great but not enough to keep me overly interested in a poorly written script.

My final thoughts: Rent it. Don't pay premium

Cold Monday

2007-12-17T09:02:00.000-06:00

Well, it's still cold here in Texas - a new miracle that we've actually had cold weather for almost a week. And in December, imagine that?

Today's my post day over at Killer Fiction, so check it out. Tomorrow I'll be back with a movie review of I AM LEGEND.

Fast Friday

2007-12-14T09:01:00.000-06:00

This is going to be a fast Friday post, mainly because I'm running late. You see, last night I came home from work and thought I would relax for a moment. Well, I ended up falling asleep in my chair (hubby was on the couch asleep) and we woke up around eleven. Then of course, I'd slept too long so my body thought it was morning and there was no way I was going back to sleep again - neither was my husband. So we did what any couple who can't sleep and has no kids does at midnight - we went to Walmart to buy Bounce because I ran out last time I did laundry.

Got home and finally went back to sleep around 3, so I'm starting a little late this morning.

Had an interesting thing happen at Starbucks - I was in line at the drivethrough and when I pulled up to the window, the guy said the lady in front of me had paid for my coffee - it was part of a "pass the cheer" campaign they were doing and then he asked me if I wanted to pay for the guy behind me. So I did and found out I was the 12th person in a row to "pass the cheer." Kinda a cool idea. And if you've never seen the movie "Pay It Forward," you should.

Oh well, off to work. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Make Me Laugh

2007-12-12T08:10:00.000-06:00

Who doesn't love a good laugh - okay, well maybe depressed people or those martyrs that everyone hates to be around - but for the most part, laughing is therapy. So yesterday, I finished up the class I shouldn't have been teaching and headed back to my desk. I needed a break from people and questions (even though my students were very, very nice). It's just that whole introvert thing. Performing just takes it out of me.

So I'm back at my desk and thinking that I could really use a laugh and something from my past came to mind - The Farting Preacher. Now, if any of you missed seeing this debacle when it made the rounds, I think you should see it now. This yahoo preacher is actually from my area, and even without the gassy add-ins, he's hilarious to watch. So take a peak and see if the farting preacher makes you laugh. I found it yesterday, fired up the headphones and giggled for a good couple of minutes. Felt much better the rest of the day.

So without further ado - The Farting Preacher

Farting Preacher 2 - The funniest bloopers are right here

Short Post

2007-12-11T08:40:00.002-06:00

It's a short post today with essentially no content. I am teaching another damn class - yes, I said damn and that's how I feel since I really shouldn't be teaching this class at all. SOMEONE didn't stick to our agreement, and if there's any justice in the world awful, bad things will happen to her.

But anyway, you don't even want to get me started in on bitching this morning or I'll never stop. The bad thing about training is that I had no opportunity to write yesterday morning at all. So this morning I crawled out of bed at 5:00 in order to get some writing done before class. The good news is, I managed 7 pages before having to leave for work! That's a banner day when you consider I only had 2 hours to do it.

So the new book is moving right along, which is good. I haven't bought a single Christmas gift yet, probably bad. And I haven't sent a single Christmas card and probably won't, probably bad. I never seem to have the time. But I swear, now that I'm home permenantly and have next year to work on it, I'm logging people in my new address software so that I can spit out Christmas mailing labels next year and send some card.

What about you? Shopping all done? Christmas cards mailed?

Christmas Hero

2007-12-10T07:41:00.000-06:00

Today's my post over at Killer Fiction. It's a very important post today, reminding people of something they sometimes forget during the holiday season, so please check it out.

Back tomorrow!

Fantastic Friday

2007-12-07T09:06:00.000-06:00

It's a fantastic Friday here in Texas. Of course, the weather is totally buggy. It's supposed to be 80 degrees here tomorrow - hello? It's December? Then it's supposed to drop to something stupid either Sun/Mon, like in the 40's. It's no wonder you can't shed a cold.

In other great news, I've gotten a proposal for my latest new venture past my agent and she actually said it was "near perfect." Keep your fingers crossed that I have good news to announce in the coming months.

Last night I had an absolutely fabulous time. My good friend and New York Times Bestseller Author (isn't it totally cool to say that?), Ally Carter, was in town for a talk/signing, so we got together for dinner. I haven't seen Ally in a little over two years so it was a lot of catching up, talking about writing, talking about life, talking about most everything as we occupied space at Red Lobster for roughly 4.5 hours. Ally is a wonderful person in addition to being a great writer and very smart, so I really enjoy talking with her. A great time was had by all - hey, there's those yummy biscuits and this cookie stuffed with chocolate served with vanilla ice cream - yum.

Busy weekend for me - I have a lot of tinkering with stuff to do and a little laundry and the big job is cleaning my pool. Not that I'm going to swim but sitting in the hot tub might be nice if we get out of the 80's. :)

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Thursday Morning Movie Review

2007-12-06T07:25:00.000-06:00

For the record, I have tried and tried to format this post this morning but blogger apparently wants everything run together in one big messy lump (sigh) Thanks, blogger for making it so difficult to read this blog.

Movie seen - Enchanted.

The story of this movie goes that the princess is in her fantasy land and waiting for love's true kiss from her prince. The prince finds the princess but before they can marry and kiss, his evil step-mother throws the princess down a well and sends her to a place where "there are no happily ever afters." ie New York City

This movie could have been stupid, and it probably should have, but I have to tell you I LOVED IT! And not only did I love it, my husband loved it too! There were times we were both laughing out loud, and Amy Adams, the actress who plays the princess, was absolutely priceless in her portrayal of a Disney princess. She was perfect. If any of you grew up watching Disney movies, then you will definitely appreciate the authenticity the directors and actors achieved in this not-quite-Disney sort of production.

The plot was great and entertaining. The actors were superb and the story kept me laughing. Altogether, it was fantastically done and I highly recommend it.

Check out a movie trailer!

My final review: Might just be my favorite movie this year!

Quick Post and Book Winner

2007-12-05T09:20:00.000-06:00

Quick post today - I'm running behind and am mucho busy.

Ann M - you have won a copy of Wendy Robert's REMAINS OF THE DEAD. Please email me your mailing info. And if you'd like for me to hold off sending until you're back in the country, please let me know. My email address is jana (at) janadeleon (dot) com

Tomorrow is movie review of Enchanted. Have a great day, everyone!

Friends with Books

2007-12-04T09:19:00.000-06:00

Today is official release day for my good friend and fabulous author, Wendy Roberts!!!!!! Congratulations, Wendy, and here's wishing you mucho sales!

Wendy has conceived a terrific mystery series, featuring a forensic cleaner who sees ghosts. Can't imagine a problem with that setup can you????? Especially when the cleanups she works on features people who didn't exactly leave this world by natural causes.

I have the pleasure of reading this book prior to publication and the priviledge of providing a cover quote and have to say - it's fantastic! Great concept and I totally see this series making it a long, long time.

So without further ado, here's the cover for REMAINS OF THE DEAD. And the series is very cleverly called A GHOST DUSTERS MYSTERY. How cool is that?

I absolutely love the cover.

Did I hook you? Is your interest peaked? Well, I can certainly help you there. Why don't you visit Wendy's website for a peek at an excerpt, or maybe her blog for a peek at Wendy in real life. Or if you just want to buy the book, Barnes and Noble is always happy to oblige.

And just to make things more interesting, I'll be giving away a copy of REMAINS to one lucky blogger. Just post here or at Wendy's blog and I'll announce a winner tomorrow morning. Hey, you can't beat that for a Tuesday morning!

Have a great day everyone!

Happy Monday

2007-12-02T21:23:00.000-06:00

It's a bright and beautiful Monday morning! Of course, it's hot again here in Texas - hell, it wouldn't be December if it wasn't 80 degrees at least once. (sigh)

I didn't win at Nano again this year - but I am happy to report that I DID write a little over 25k words for the month which I'm really happy about.

Today's my blog over at Killer Fiction, so check it out.

Friday & a GCC Tour

2007-11-29T17:24:00.000-06:00

It's a glorious Friday. Why glorious, you ask? Well, mostly because Saturday is DARA (Dallas Area Romance Author)'s official Christmas breakfast/meeting, and if that's not fun enough my cp's and I are having a mini-party Friday night, complete with queso, crackers, cookies, brownies, wine and other goodies at the Homewood Suites we've reserved for the night. It will be a great time of talking shop, eating, drinking and sitting in the hot tub. Now, what, I ask you, can be wrong with that, huh?

I'm bringing you a GCC tour today for debut novel THE DEPARTMENT OF LOST & FOUND by Allison Winn Scotch. The buzz for this novel is huge, with all sorts of cool mags (Cosmo, to name one) and reviewers offering up great comments. This is definitely one I will be picking up.

Natalie Miller has just had the worst day of her life. But it didn’t start out that way. After all, she’s on her way to the top. She has a bright future ahead of her and is using her determination and smarts to get her—and the senator she works for—where they need to be, regardless of whom they step on along the way. Passing lukewarm bills to please the constituents and leaking stories to the press are mere checkmarks on Natalie’s to-do list. And that’s the way she likes it.

Until, on the very same day, her doctor gives her the shocking news that she has breast cancer and her boyfriend dumps her, leaving Natalie to question everything she knows.

So she decides to take on her cancer the way she does everything—with steely determination. But as she becomes a slave to the whims of chemo, her body forces her to take a time out. She gets a dog, becomes addicted to The Price is Right and, partly to spite her counselor’s idea to keep a journal, Natalie embarks on a mission. She is going to track down the Five Lost Loves of her Life and figure out what went wrong.

Unwittingly, Natalie’s personal challenge to see why good things come and go—and what responsibility she has in it all—forces her to look at her life in a new light. Everything comes under question—her relationship with a mother who drives her crazy, the friendships she could nurture more tenderly, and her knack for pushing away the very people who want to be there for her the most. There’s a wedding, a reunion with the Man Who Got away, and an encounter with Bob Barker himself that helps her face her fears and change her life.

As one character says, “It’s funny, isn’t it? How the thing that cancer changes the most isn’t your breasts or your hair or anything at all on the outside. What it changes is everything else instead.” And just as Natalie uses her bout with cancer to discover what is most important to her, this heartwarming debut will encourage readers to take stock of their own lives.

LET'S CHAT WITH ALLISON:

Your main character seems to have a lot in common with you. You’re both ambitious and stubborn. How is she/he different from you?

It’s so funny, writing fiction, how people assume that because you wrote a character, that you somehow must BE a character. Certainly, I identify with Natalie, my headstrong protagonist, and her voice and personality came easily to me. Her competitive streak and desire to win definitely resonated with me as well, and yes, while I’ve never been sick enough to worry about my mortality, I’ve also been in situations in my life in which I’ve wondered how on earth I would piece things back together, much like we all have. But that said, that’s probably where our common ground ends. Natalie has a mother who isn’t terribly warm, and since The Deparment's publication, I’ve always felt a wee bit sorry for my own mom because she is supportive and nurturing, and I’d never want anyone to assume that the character I created was based on my mother! Natalie also has a difficult time making the distinction between winning at all costs and winning for a purpose, and I’d like to think that I know the difference: I don’t delight in anyone else’s misfortune and believe that there’s room enough in the world for all of our success. This is something Natalie has to learn along the way. And she also discovers that the things that make life fruitful – friends, family, a confident sense of self – don’t automatically land in your lap, and that chasing down success rather than these aforementioned blessings won’t fulfill you. My life is rich in so many ways, and I’m lucky enough to appreciate the wonderful balance that I’ve achieved, whereas again, for Natalie, this is something she’s yet to learn.

I know you blog yourself over at Ask Allison. (Http://allisonwinnscotch.blogspot.com) Why do you blog and does it feed you or take energy from you?

Well, I started Ask Allison about a year and a half ago, partially as a promotional tool for my upcoming book release but also partially because I wanted to counter the Miss Snarks of the world and offer some insight into our industry from a writer’s perspective and a kind one at that. Don’t get me wrong: Miss Snark provided invaluable information to so, so many readers and writers, but I’m not a huge fan of dismissing people or making them feel like idiots. We all started out as newbies at some point, and man, I’ve certainly asked my fair share of beginner questions, so my blog hopefully informs and educates without belittling anyone. These days, I’m not just answering questions, I’m chatting about anything and everything related to writing and my life in general. And you know, it both feeds me and takes energy away, if that makes sense. The truth is that I’m super-busy and some days, I just don’t feel like blogging. I mean, on my list of things to do, that just falls completely off the paper. But then I realize that people are reading and learning and engaging in a dialogue (including myself), and that’s why I do it…and that’s the part that fills me up.

Tell us about how Natalie comes full-circle in the book and how it relates to your own life.

It’s funny: on the surface, The Department is a book about a young woman who gets cancer, but to me – and to many readers, so I’ve been told – it’s about much more than that – it’s about a young woman who is trying to figure out her life, what’s important, what’s not, what her purpose is, whom she loves…all of those big questions that so many of us wrestle with as we forge our way to adulthood. And certainly, as I was crafting Natalie’s story, a lot of my own experience rattled around in my mind. For example, Natalie decides, as part of her quest for self-awareness, to track down the five loves of her life and ask them what went wrong. And while, um yeah, I’ve never specifically tracked down my exes, I have thought long and hard about those relationships – sometimes I still do – and have tried to grow from those experiences and reflect on how they helped make me into who I am today. Additionally, Natalie unpeels her life, much like an onion, until she sheds all of the layers that protected her from who she really is and who she needs to become. And I think a lot of us can relate to that – I tried on several career hats until I found my groove as a writer – and I’d think, like Natalie in the book, that just because we make a wealth of mistakes, that this doesn’t mean that we can’t correct our course or be granted eventual happiness. That’s the beauty of life, and of, I hope, this book.

Scotch has contributed to American Baby, American Way, Cooking Light, Family Circle, Glamour, InStyle Weddings, Men’s Health, Parents, Prevention, Redbook, Self, Shape, Women’s Health and Woman’s Day, among others. She lives in New York with her husband and their son and daughter.

CHECK OUT JUST A FEW FABULOUS REVIEWS:

"A great way to kick off your summer reading. Editors' choice." – Redbook

"Smart and well-written.” - Marie Claire

"Too good to pass up. You'll laugh a lot (and cry just a little) as Natalie rebounds from the big C and reinvents her life." – Cosmopolitan

"Scotch handles the topic of cancer with humor and hope, never dipping into the maudlin. The changes and realizations that the characters make are profound and moving. An impressive debut." – Booklist

"A bonbon of a book." - Publishers Weekly

ARE YOU CONVINCED??????

Visit Allison at her website, her blog, and buy the book!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Christmas TV

2007-11-28T19:55:00.001-06:00

Okay, I give up - Thanksgiving has come and gone, so I guess it's officially okay to get buried in Christmas cheer. A rare event has occurred at my house this week - I've actually watched a decent bit of television. Of course, I'm actually at home these days and I have a raging respiratory infection, but hey, who's counting those things?

So I noticed while surfing the tube that all the Christmas shows are starting to play - you know, all the fun stuff that you waited for every year when you were a kid. Unless, of course, you're young enough to have owned the dvd and watched it on your own television in your own room - in which case, you are far too young to be listening to the rants of a middle-aged woman. But let me explain for a moment how things were - you see, back in the old days, the "good" shows only came on once a year (Christmas stuff, Charlie Brown Halloween/Thanksgiving, The Wizard of Oz), and you either caught it or you missed out. And I REALLY mean caught it - like as in live. There were no VCR (until much later) and definitely no way to pause live tv or rewind.

So I was trying to decide exactly when I should break out my videos and start my traditional once-a-year watching party. Do I sneak them in when my husband is working, or do I torture him with my childish pleasures? I'm thinking torture is in order for the Christmas season. :)

Then there's the issue of what to start with and do you save the best for last. And I have all the good stuff, all the way from Rudolf to that kid that will shoot his eye out with a bb gun. And let's face it, who doesn't love How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the original, not that horrid other version)? But I think my all-time favorite is The Year Without a Santa Claus. I simply love Heat Miser and Cold Miser, and yes, I can indeed sing both of their theme songs. Now see, that's information that you definitely needed.

So what's your favorite Christmas show??????

Back in the Saddle

2007-11-25T23:12:00.000-06:00

Well, the glorious four-day is officially over and it's time to get back in the saddle. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Today's my post over at Killer Fiction, so check it out.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

2007-11-21T09:13:00.000-06:00

Writer's Space

2007-11-20T07:42:00.000-06:00

If you're a writer then you hear a lot about the tools of the trade - computer, writing books, organizations, a highlighter, whatever. And a lot of discussion is usually over office space. People are of so many different opinions as to what works and doesn't and they all seem to contradict each other. Some feel that you need some glorious writing desk with a huge window and a clear view of trees, birds, the ocean....whatever you have access to. Stephen King says to pick a corner of a room and put your desk up against a wall facing it rather than in the center. He says in the center of the room, you are king and focused on yourself and your space. Up against the ugly wall, you are put in your place and can concentrate on your writing. Hmmmmm. Interesting.

What I've found is that one place doesn't work for me at all. It's changing places that makes me the most productive. Now some might argue that that's because I spent so much time traveling and had no choice but to write in different places, and that might have reinforced the behavoir, but it's always been there.

The reality is, ever since I got my Alphasmart several years ago, I became the roving author. I love the cafe writing in the morning (everyone who reads me regularly knows that one), but if my husband is working a late night, you might also find me at the local Waffle House, sitting at the counter, drinking coffee and pounding away on the keyboard (mostly while coveting those new blueberry waffles they have).

And that's not the end of it. At home, I'll take my laptop and travel within the house. I might work on the couch or the chair or the kitchen table or in bed. If the shadows are right, or I'm editing (and the weather permits), I might sit outside.

Some people swear they have to be "grounded" to a place and their productivity is better, and I can understand that. It's a mental game. You sit in one spot and eventually the mind learns that when you go to that spot, it's to write. That way, the mind will turn "on" more quickly each time you sit and reinforce the idea of writing in that spot.

But it doesn't work that way for me. I guess I'm just a wanderer. I find the different locations spur my creativity. What about you?

Do I Have to Get Up?

2007-11-19T07:02:00.000-06:00

I didn't want to get up today. That's actually kinda odd for me because I'm one of those sickening morning people. But today, I have to teach an accounting class (part of my transfer agreement) and I really don't want to. Plus, it's a holiday week, so while everyone else at my company will be winding down and taking it easy, I'll be performing. Yuck.

Today's my blog over at Killer Fiction, so check it out and pop back in here tomorrow for a movie review.

Glorious Friday

2007-11-16T07:33:00.000-06:00

It's a glorious Friday here in Texas - why, you ask? Well, because the state finally wised up, realized it was approaching winter, and had the decency to give us a cold front. So when I woke up this morning, it was around 40. Of course, it is supposed to be 70 by afternoon (sigh). And people wonder why they stay sick with colds and sinus problems. But hey, I was able to come home from work, open the windows and cool my house down. Totally saving the utility cost since the hubby and I like it COLD.

It's also a glorious Friday because tomorrow is the day Verizon comes and gives me FIOS. What is FIOS? Well, for anyone who doesn't know (or hasn't seen the commercials), FIOS is basically the second coming of the internet. It's a connection speed faster than lightening and it's slowly rolling out to different area around the country. I cannot wait!

In other news, my official weigh-in was this morning and I've lost another 3 pounds! So let's here it for no traveling and bringing your lunch. It's simply amazing what can happen if you have the ability to graze all day on healthy foods and drink some water.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Things Heard in a Cafe

2007-11-15T06:57:00.000-06:00

It's Thursday - whoot! And I have to say that this week is going very fast. I think it's a combination of being on a roll with my writing and loving my new job. The only shame is that I have to revert back to the old one and teach a class next week - yuck! But it was part of my transfer agreement - I teach the Dallas workshop for Nov and Dec if they don't have coverage. And of course, they don't have coverage. But at least I'm not traveling to do it.

I had an extraordinary week with the writing so far, although I'm sorta taking this morning off from rough draft to take care of some business stuff for writing and run an errand. BUT, I got five pages done on Monday, TEN on Tuesday, and eight yesterday, so I am almost at my weekly goal of five a day anyway. Not that I'll be taking tomorrow off, but I'll be shifting gears. I've been working on another proposal for another line/publisher - a non-mystery, category idea. If I get news on it, I'll let you know.

So starting tomorrow - or probably today at my lunch hour - I'll be shifting gears back to Ghost-in-Law, in the hopes that I can finish and get it in early. That would be fabulous!

So I was working in my cafe yesterday and there was a guy talking that just made me want to laugh. I was sitting in the very back (because my favorite server worked in the back yesterday) and that's usually where groups congregate - pulling tables together and having church/work type "meetings" over breakfast. So the group meeting next to me was a bunch of carpet cleaners and here's the conversation I overheard:

Carpet Cleaner Boy is stating how angry it makes him that people don't want to hear the truth about their carpet and what needs to be cleaned. (My guess is they really don't like to hear about the cost, but CCB is young and sort of stupid, as you'll see). So he goes on to say:

"I don't get it. If you go to see your dentist an he's like 'why aren't you eating right and exercising' and 'you need to take vitamins,' you don't get angry and complain - heck you pay him to tell you that then leave."

Hmmmm - DENTIST? When's the last time your dentist talked to you about diet and exercise?

And why exactly is CCB so intense over carpet? It's not war or famine, and I'm pretty sure that unless you have an extreme case, it can't kill you. Not to mention that it's a heck of a lot easier to replace than your teeth.

So then the server says something about being conservative and CCB says he doesn't know the word - which may have been literal - but I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt. So apparently for him, cleaning carpet is the ultimate in thrills and entertainment. Can you imagine what would happen if he got to INSTALL it?????

And I hear this sort of conversation all the time - people so obviously wrapped up in one small aspect of their lives (and usually a fairly unimportant one in the big scheme of things), and I have to wonder if they have it so much easier than the rest of us that are walking around in a three-dimensional world of layers and technicolor.

What do you think?

Terrific Tuesday

2007-11-13T10:13:00.000-06:00

Why is today so terrific - well, I got my stitches out yesterday!!!!! You know what that means - it means that for the first time in ten days, my armpit has actually seen soap and deodorant! And since Texas decided to pull a usual and heat up to 85 degrees yesterday in the middle of November, I am especially glad for my return to hygeine.

In other news, I am on a roll with my writing and actually got out ten pages this morning before work! Whoohoo! I think I've finally hit my stride.

In even other news, I lost 4 pounds last week on my first official "I'm no longer a traveling trainer" diet. Whoohoo times 2!

So in keeping with my new way of eating, I am looking for good recipes for easy stuff to cook. And casserole/crock pot dishes are especially appreciated. I am one of those people who can eat carbs/sugar, but not fat, so whatever the recipe, it should be low in fat or at least be able to be made that way (and still edible). So anyone got a good one-dish meal they can recommend?????

Another Monday in Dallas

2007-11-12T08:50:00.000-06:00

Well, it's Monday morning and I'm still in Dallas - whoohoo! My laundry is still caught up and I managed to clear about 100 emails from my account this weekend. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Today's my post over at Killer Fiction so check it out. I'm giving away a signed copy of UNLUCKY for those who play along in my game of the day.

Have a great one!!!

Friday and a GCC Tour

2007-11-09T06:28:00.000-06:00

It's Friday, glorious Friday! I am always happy when Friday rolls around but this week, I'm not just dying for it. Why, you ask. Well, it's because of my new, wonderful, fantastic job! I have to report that my first official week on the new job was heaven. I know I'm a creative type (I write fiction for goodness sake), but I am also a huge geek. And I love logic which means software is my friend. So now I sit around all day, playing around in software and writing about it. The only thing that could be better is if I sat around all day writing my fiction. And if it ever pays enough, I'll consider it.

For the weekend, I have the Dish network people coming - again - to "fix" my satellite. Of course, they haven't fixed it the last 5 times they were here, but hey, what's another waste of my Saturday to them? And I was SUPPOSED to have new internet installed but they screwed up too and now I have to wait another week. I'm not impressed with the service so far. (sigh)

Today, I'm leaving you with a GCC tour of Jackie Kessler and her release THE ROAD TO HELL, the second book in her HELL ON EARTH series about (get this one for unique) a succubus named Jezebel who runs away from Hell, hides on earth as an exotic dancer and learns the hard way about true love. For those of you who love a good paranormal (which in my opinion lends toward urban fantasy), you should definitely give Jackie a try.

And before I tempt you with the book, I'm going to tempt you with the fabulous contest she's running on her website. Check it out - you could win an iPod Nano or a Shuffle!!!!!!!! And now, more about THE ROAD TO HELL and Jackie Kessler.........

The second book, THE ROAD TO HELL, is about how Jezebel—now the human Jesse Harris—has to return to Hell to save the lives of those she loves…and somehow make sure it’s not a one-way trip. (If she’d known love was this tough, she never would have turned her back on lust.)

Jackie answered a few interview questions for me and I thought you'd enjoy her answers:

How did you research stripping? Books and google? or did you have to experience stripping to be able to write about it?

Contrary to popular belief, I did not work my way through college by stripping at a local gentlemen's club. I read tons of books, written by and about exotic> dancers. I watched STRIPTEASE (and fast forwarded to the dance scenes). I watched HBO's G-STRING DIVAS. And I visited a strip club and took notes. My Loving Husband, who completely supports my research, accompanied me. (But he politely refused my offer of me buying him a lap dance.)

So, you've weathered the release of your debut novel with grace and aplomb---How is the publication of a second novel different?

More stress! :) Actually, I did a lot more promotion for the second book -- I launched an entire campaign to encourage people to Hit the ROAD. (Plug! Plug! Check out my website for details...and you could win an iPod Nano!) Have I mentioned that I'm learning the subtle art of bribery?

Your book is shelved in romance, but it has elements of urban fantasy. can you explain how having a sort of hybrid of genres helped or hurt you as you tried to market your book?

It was a surprise to me that my novel was bought and marketed as a paranormal romance; I'd written it as an urban fantasy. So I had to learn a lot about the romance genre and market -- and I was thrilled to discover just how passionate and loyal romance readers are. They are also more inclined, generally speaking, to read urban fantasy novels than fantasy readers are to read romance novels. So the battle for me is convincing devoted urban fantasy readers to take a chance on a book with the word "romance" on the spine. );

Reviewers Love It:

"Kessler's sizzling sequel to paranormal debut Hell's Belles puts ex-succubus Jezebel--the now-mortal Jesse Harris, a dancer at a strip club--stage center again. For a month after waking up in a hospital, the former 4,000-year-old, fifth-level succubus who used to seduce humans to claim their souls has been living a happy mortal life in New York with a devoted boyfriend, New York vice cop Paul Hamilton. So when Alecto, a Fury from hell, arrives and demands she return to hell to help Alecto's sister, Megaera (Jesse's former best friend who betrayed her), Jesse balks. Much of the rest of the book is spent convincing her to change her mind, with each sexy escapade topping the last, until (among other things) the demons go after Paul, and Jesse has to "pull an Orpheus." Kessler's raunchy blend of heaven, hell and eros makes for a wild thrill ride, and hot, tough-talking Jesse has gumption and sass." — Publishers Weekly

"Kessler's sassy heroine is back with the scorching-hot book two of the Hell on Earth series. A sharp-tongued succubus writes in first person, telling a deliciously wicked story that mixes romance and humor with dark urban fantasy. The combination of supernatural elements with the mundane realities of life in the big city keeps things real. This is one helluva read--put Kessler on your must-buy list." — Romantic Times (4.5 stars)

So What About the Author - Here's What Jackie Reveals:

Some kids want to grow up to be doctors, or movie stars, or political assassins. Me, I wanted to draw comic books. Not Archies, either—superhero comic books. Maybe it was all the heavily muscled guys in spandex…

Around the time I was 15, I realized that as much as I enjoyed drawing (note that I’m saying nothing about the quality of those pics), it was a lot of fun putting words in the characters’ mouths. I didn’t know the term “fanfic” back then, but I started writing stories about the X-Men, Alpha Flight, and the Teen Titans. Didn’t do anything with those stories, other than horrify my mother. She asked why I couldn’t write nice stories, you know, about bunnies. Nope—me, I wanted to write about power. About magic. About hot guys in spandex. And about beating those guys bloody and senseless. (In retrospect, maybe I really did want to horrify my mother. Hey, not my fault. When I was a kid, I busted her doodling on the cover of New Teen Titans Number 6. Argh!)

So maybe it’s ironic that the book I wound up writing had nothing to do with overly muscled men and everything to do with scantily clad women. (Well, temporarily scantily clad.) Oh, right, and demons.

I live in Upstate New York with my Loving Husband, two Precious Little Tax Deductions, two cats, and 8,000 comic books. For more about me, please visit my website. And remember: love your inner demon.

Buy Jackie's book at Amazon or B&N and have a great weekend!

Hump Day

2007-11-07T12:52:00.000-06:00

Just a quick post to let you all know I'm still out here. I'm just busy with the new job - which I love!!!!!! And I'm doing Nano, so busy, busy writing.

For those of you who've never heard of Nano, check out the website. Might be something you want to consider.

Have a great Hump Day!

New Job - New Armpit

2007-11-04T21:30:00.000-06:00

Today's my official post over at Killer Fiction, so check it out.

Two things in my personal news today that I'd like to cheer about:

1. I officially start my new job as a technical writer. So now I'm a writer at both of my jobs. And neither require me to board an airplane on even a semi-regular basis.

2. I had armpit surgery on Friday (if you don't know where I'm going with this one - believe me, you don't want to). So now I have a 1.5 inch incision that I can't get wet until the stitches are removed. I'm not even going to launch into what I think about an armpit that can't be bathed properly and can't have deodarant, but I guess I'll survive.

Have a great Monday!

Thursday Movie Review

2007-11-01T07:47:00.000-05:00

Sorry, I sorta bailed on yall yesterday - well, not sorta - I guess I just did. There was a really valid reason though. I was on a roll with my writing and lost track of time, so by the time I got to work, I had to rush off to class and just didn't have time to blog. Hey, you can cut me a break if I was on a writing roll, right? Those things are sacred!

So I promised a movie review this week and here it is. The movie was 30 Days of Night.

Is this not a creepy picture????? The premise of this movie is really good - vampires from Romania (who are centuries old) have discovered a tiny town in Alaska where the sun is completely gone for 30 days. So essentially, they can conduct a full-time buffet.

Some things were silly (it's horror), and they left off some of the more recognized aspects of fighting vampires (crosses, holy water, etc), so maybe we were supposed to just "get" that the town wasn't religious - I don't know. But the vampires were creepy and they made these creepy sounds. While certainly not the best plotted or written script, the movie just worked and I loved it.

My final recommendation: If you like horror, this one is worth the price of admission!

Release Day!!!!!!

2007-10-30T08:44:00.000-05:00

It's release day for UNLUCKY!!!!!!

I can't tell you how happy I am that it finally arrived and along with a contract for TWO MORE BOOKS!!!!!

So you'll be seeing more of me, Louisiana, mysteries, and quirky secondary characters.

If you visit your B&N, Borders, etc this week, please drop by and tell me what you find - how many copies, placement. Authors love to have this information, but it's kinda hard for us to personally check on every bookstore in the country. So we kinda rely on you guys to help us out.

Thanks so much for everyone's support this year! I've had a lot of fun with this blog and have met some great people in the process. Here's looking forward to another fabulous year in 2008!

(BTW - I'll have to put off movie review until tomorrow - must run off to class)

Have a great day!

Last Monday As A Trainer

2007-10-29T08:02:00.000-05:00

Today's my last Monday as a trainer. Unfortunately, I'm actually training this week and it's not going to be an easy one. Figures, right? They're trying to kill me on the way out the door.

Oh well, by next week it will all be water under the bridge.

Today's my blog day at Killer Fiction, so check it out. I'm giving away a signed copy of UNLUCKY - which releases tomorrow!!!!!! And this month is my gift basket giveaway, so I'll be drawing for that tomorrow.

Check back on my regular blog tomorrow for a movie review - finally, a horror movie worth seeing!

Good News!!!!!!

2007-10-26T11:49:00.000-05:00

This just in -

I have officially accepted an offer from Dorchester for my next two books!!!!

I have no details as of now, but will get back to you with them when I can.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Thursday in Dallas

2007-10-25T07:27:00.000-05:00

Well, it's official - I am off the road!!!!!!

In case any of you don't watch the news (like me), my last trip was supposed to be to San Diego, but they're having a bit of a problem with fire. So the training was cancelled and I took over my boss's class here in Dallas. Next week is my last week altogether, then I embark on the third career of my life. It seems sort of weird but I guess it just means I've got options, right?

Next Tuesday UNLUCKY releases and I am so far behind, I don't even know what to do next. I need to order bookmarks and bookplates and I need to make more booklets and send them to bookstores. I need to do a newsletter - I haven't since last year (see, I told you I was too busy to spam you), but I might need to send one now to remind everyone of UNLUCKY. I need to come up with a grand prize for drawings and other prizes and we're having a party at my house for book launch in November but I haven't made a guest list, selected food, shampooed the carpets or arranged to board the dogs.

Calgon - take me away!

Anyone old enough, will get that reference.

On the good side, I am making strides in getting things done. Actually living in your own house seems to make a difference. I haven't had to go buy underwear in a month or so. :) Of course, I still have two completely packed suitcases in my bedroom - one of these days I'll get those clothes out and to the dry-cleaner, but I don't want to rush things.

AND, I was just thinking today that the holidays will be on us in a flash! I don't know about you, but I love Christmas. I like when the cities decorate and put out all the lights and this year, by God, I'm putting a wreath on the grill of my SUV. What about you? What's your favorite holiday and do you decorate it up?

New Phone and a Movie Review

2007-10-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

Since I'm changing jobs at the end of the month, I had to get a new cell phone. The old one was with the company plan and since I'll no longer be traveling the country (yea!) the company won't pay for the phone any longer. Oh well, so sad. So my husband and I took a trip to the mall on Sunday where I got my brand new magenta razr. It is too cute and once I figure out how to use it (which I figure will be around 2009), I'll be in good shape.

In an aside, for those of you who know how I have absolutely no luck with traveling, I want you to know that my last trip is scheduled to leave tomorrow - for San Diego. If you watch the news, you're probably laughing your butt off about now. If you don't, then google San Diego and forest fires and you'll get the picture.

Saw a movie on Sunday. We saw The Heartbreak Kid

I have to say, I think I've decided that I didn't really like this movie. I mean, I guess it was sorta funny if you like watching someone be tortured, but apparently I don't. Not to mention that there were a couple of plot issues that would never, EVER happen from a legal stand point. And since they were necessary to carry the flailing storyline, it seemed like really weak writing to me.

Ben Stiller's character was flawed and not in a good redeemable way. I just simply didn't like him pretty much from the beginning and couldn't stand him at the end. The "wife" was a train wreck and I never understood why he jumped in that before looking. Basically, the story just didn't ring true for me and the elements didn't hold together.

If you want to watch a funny actor do funny movies, try Steve Carell. He's hilarious and I can't wait for his next movie to come out.

My final rating: If you insist on watching it, please wait and rent it.

Two More Weeks

2007-10-21T20:48:00.000-05:00

Well, Monday is the start of my second to last week as a trainer. Today is my Killer Fiction blog posting day, so hop over there and check it out. And check in here tomorrow for a movie review.

Have a great day, everyone!

Armpit Redux & a GCC Tour

2007-10-19T09:28:00.000-05:00

I know you've all been waiting with baited breath to know what happened with the surgeon and my armpit. I'd like to say - HA, I finally get what I want. Apparently what I have is a wax sack that needs to be removed and he can do it with a local, a scapel and some tweezers. So in a couple of weeks, the saga of the armpit is officially over. I know you are as relieved as I am, if for no other reason than to not read about it on my blog.

Today's GCC tour is brought to us by Renee Rosen and her debut novel EVERY CROOKED POT.

In her unforgettably heartwarming debut, novelist Renée Rosen brings the coming of age story to a whole new level of sensitivity, depth and humor. EVERY CROOKED POT goes beyond typical teen angst to reveal a quirky, lovable main character whose struggles and triumphs speak volumes on what it means to love oneself in the face of insecurity, self-consciousness.

Nina Goldman is the youngest of three growing up in Akron, Ohio in the 1970s. She and her siblings must cope with their eccentric, larger-than-life father Artie, a dreamer and schemer who commands constant attention with his outrageous antics and mortifying behavior.

As if growing up with Artie as a father isn’t difficult enough, Nina also faces another issue. Born with a hemangioma, a disfiguring birthmark covering her right eye, Nina constantly tries to look “normal,” and spends hours experimenting with makeup and Veronica Lake hairstyles designed to hide her bad eye. When none of those things do the trick, Nina finds herself riding in laundry dryers, appearing on TV, and navigating a host of other hilarious escapades, all in the name of fitting in.

Nina’s spirit never falters in this endearing story about a captivating misfit, her peculiar family, and the lengths to which a girl will go to feel loved by her family, friends, and ultimately herself. In this autobiographical novel, Rosen conveys a message of hope and belonging to all people who feel “different” in a world where everyone else belongs. With a profound message and a cast of irresistible characters, EVERY CROOKED POT is sure to become a classic in the hearts and minds of readers everywhere.

PRAISE FOR EVERY CROOKED POT:

“… a beautifully nuanced tale about an extraordinary family and an even more extraordinary young woman. Not since Myla Goldberg's Bee Season has a first novel so deftly captured the complexities, joys, and frustrations of daughters and their families. It's hard to believe this is a debut – Rosen's voice is already as good as it gets. Keep an eye out for this rising star." - Sara Gruen, New York Times #1 bestselling author of Water for Elephants

“In a debut novel that could easily have been published as a…memoir, Rosen looks back at the life of Nina Goldman, whose growing up is tied to two pillars: a port-wine stain around her eye and her inimitable father, Artie. The birthmark, she hates; her father, she loves. Both shape her in ways that merit Rosen's minute investigation....” - booklist (starred review)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Renée Rosen worked in Chicago as an advertising copywriter and freelance writer and consultant. She has studied with Susan Minot, Carol Anshaw, and the Pulitzer Prize winning novelist, Michael Cunningham. She has contributed to many magazines and newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, Complete Woman, DAME Magazine, Publishers Weekly, and Chicago Magazine. Renee grew up in Akron, Ohio and now lives in Chicago where she is hard at work on a new novel.

Visit Renee at her website, her blog, and buy the book!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

The Armpit Saga

2007-10-17T08:55:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm back to the doctor today. Yep, you guessed it - the "alleged" infected hair in my armpit has not gone away. So now I get to see a surgeon about removing the hair. Have you ever in your life heard of so much hoopla over a darned hair?????

Anyway, I'm pretty sure I could have avoided this entire situation if I'd just lost weight. Why, you ask. Well, because my regular GP is always pushing weight loss. Not that I disagree, mind you, I DO need to lose some weight. But if you listened to him, weight loss would solve everything like stress, joint pain, gerd, and global warming. In fact, I'm fairly certain that the Cowboys would have beat the Patriots on Sunday if I had only dropped a few pounds before the game.

I keep hoping (in the far, far reaches of my fantasy mind) that the surgeon is just going to say "well, hell let me just take that out with a razor and a pair of tweezers and we'll be done with it." Quite frankly, if I had the means to biopsy the removed tissue, I would have seriously considered doing this myself. The oncologist charged a $577 office fee for the five minutes he spent with me to tell me he wasn't impressed. God only knows what a surgeon will charge to actually remove a single hair. Thank God for insurance.

I'll check in tomorrow and let you know if I have to schedule major surgery for a hair or if I managed to convince him on that razor/tweezers thing.

Where are you Martha?

2007-10-16T08:51:00.000-05:00

I have one of those Martha Stewart sort of questions - or Ms. Manners - or whoever makes the "rules" about appropriateness.

God only knows why I even think of these things, much less go to the trouble of repeating my thoughts and asking others opinions, but here goes:

I did a literacy event on Sunday. It was at a local hotel - not five-star but more upscale than a regular Hampton Inn. So I went to the ladies room and as I was using the restroom, I noticed that the toilet paper at the end of the roll had been folded to look like fans. So then I got to wondering, is it considered bad manners if I don't fold the toilet paper back? And good Lord, how long was that going to take?

So, opinions? Anyone just think I'm crazy for asking...........you don't have to lie. :)

Embarrassing Moments

2007-10-15T10:10:00.000-05:00

Today is my Killer Fiction blog day and I'm sharing an embarrassing moment for all of you to enjoy. So hop over there and check it out. And have a good laugh!

I Am a Junkie

2007-10-12T08:49:00.000-05:00

NEWS FLASH (since I have been in a cyber hole and missed it yesterday):

My friend, Ally Carter has hit the NYT Bestseller list at #8 with her book CROSS MY HEART AND HOPE TO SPY.

I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am for Ally. MAJOR congratulations!

I have to say it - My name is Jana DeLeon and I am a Starbucks Junkie.

I tried to avoid it. I once actually believed that there was no way that a coffee was worth $5.00. I was wrong. I can admit it now. Mind you, I try to control my Starbucks urges. Let's face it, if I drank the coffee as often as I'd like, the monthly cost would add up to car note on an economy vehicle. So I try to limit. But for the past few days, I've been dragging and there's a Starbucks on the corner right before my office, and I was weak. So two days of Venti non-fat seven pump vanilla lattes for me.

I had a similar reaction when someone told me the price on Krispy Kreme donuts and thank God there's not one of those near my office. My jeans could not take all the pressure that would create.

I have a busy, busy weekend, so I anticipate lots of coffee being had. Not the Starbucks variety, at least not at Starbucks, but I do buy they coffee grounds for my house. So what have I got going on???? Well, this is a list of the things I have to do:

1. Create, print and assemble 170 booklets for mailouts.
2. Sign approx 100 cover flats for mailouts.
3. Ship books/promo items to people/stores I've already made promises to.
4. Take my dad to dinner for his birthday (mind you, this involves approx 4 hours in round trip driving to their house out in Mineola TX)
5. I am doing a literacy event on Sunday called Buns & Roses, so I have to dress up, be nice, make money for charity and sign books. (There will also be coffee there) :)
6. For Buns & Roses, I need to put together gift bags for everyone who will sit at my table. That means actually buying something to go in the gift bags (I bought the bags last Sunday) and decorating the gift bags. I thought it would be a fine idea to buy plain colors and put stickers on them to personalize - what the heck was I thinking??????

And that's just the have-to's. There's a list of other items I ought to do, but somewhere in there sleeping and eating comes in. Oh well, no one said launching a book was easy. :)

Have a great weekend everyone - and good luck with your own to-do list!

Thursday Morning Movie Review

2007-10-11T08:30:00.001-05:00

Saw a good movie last weekend - The Kingdom, starring Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner & Jason Bateman.

It had a decent plot and a good portrayal of what is going on in the middle east and the difficulties for Americans to get things done. In this case there was a terrorist attack on an American base and a lot of people were killed. An elite group of FBI agents go in to try and gain information to find the terrorist, which is not exactly an easy thing to do when you're not allowed to touch anything or leave the compound.

Foxx finally forms a bond with a local policeman and the two of them press issues until the Americans are allowed a full-scale investigation.

This movie had plenty of action even if the plot was somewhat predictable. There were a couple of times I think they attempted that huge poignant moment and came up a bit short, but not so short that it was sad. Unfortunately, there were no huge "Wow" moments in the film - you know, those scenes so powerful that it makes you want to cheer.

Take A TIME TO KILL for example (and if you haven't seen it, run out RIGHT NOW and rent it) - you cannot help but feel overwhelmed with strength and emotion when Samuel L. Jackson yells in court "Yes, they deserved to die and I hope they burn in hell!" Wow! Really!

So no wow moments, but what this movie did very well and I enjoyed a lot was the humor set into a tense situation. It's only very clever writing that can pull it off. Jason Bateman had a lot of humor lines and Jamie Foxx did his share also.

Altogether the movie was entertaining and worth the price of admission.

My final review: Worth seeing and I'll probably buy it.

Suspicions Confirmed

2007-10-09T06:22:00.000-05:00

Well, it's officially - I am now certain that American Airlines is trying to give me a nervous breakdown before I change jobs. Yesterday I embarked on my second to the last trip. Arrived at the airport a bit early so I could check email, get a water, etc. There were two gate changes before I could even drag out my computer but at least these were in the same terminal - granted opposite ends, BOTH TIMES, but still the same terminal. The third gate change was not. So the exhausted group headed for the train, changed terminals, walked some more and finally arrived at what we hoped would be our final gate.

We just didn't realize exactly how long we were going to be there.

The plane was a little late, but only 10 minutes or so - no big deal. So they load us all up and we are ready to leave, but we don't leave. Finally, they decide to tell us that the front wheel is broken and they're fixing it. Well, GOOD! I'm thinking we need the front wheel, but was it really necessary to load us up and fix it while we were there?

2 hours later, they let us off the plane to go get food since this was SUPPOSED to be a short flight and there was no food on board. I headed to McDonalds and grabbed a burger. It was officially the time we should have landed in St. Louis. A sum total of 3.5 hours after boarding, the wheel was finally working (at least we hoped), the paperwork was finally completed (and according to the pilot, this took longer than fixing the wheel) and we were airborne.

Once again, I say and mean it whole-heartedly - THANK GOD FOR FIRST CLASS UPGRADES!

The good news is, I had Cheesecake Factory last night with a trainer friend, Todd, who just happened to be training at the same center I am this week. So I guess the day wasn't a total loss. After all, there's no discounting the Cheesecake Factory for fixing what ails you.

I swear, guys, once I come off the road, I'm going to have a whole new life. I might have to come up with other things to blog about. But in the meantime, I figure I've scared you all off of flying on a regular basis. :)

Monday Morning Blues

2007-10-08T06:46:00.000-05:00

Lord, I didn't want to get up this morning! And I'm usually a morning person but ugh, I think I could have sleep at least another hour or so. Of course, I have to get ready, pack up and head to the airport again today. This is the second to last trip, though, so pretty soon, you won't have to hear my travel bitching. Never fear, I'm sure I'll come up with something else to bitch about. :)

This morning is my regular post over at Killer Fiction, so check it out.

I'm giving away an ARC of UNLUCKY there today!

Friday and a GCC Blog Tour

2007-10-05T07:23:00.000-05:00

It's Friday and I'm as soon as I get home tonight I will be one trip down on my remaining three trips until I am officially off the road - whoohoo!!!!! I have to say that this trip has been one of the most entertaining as far as location goes. Why, you ask. Well, let's start with directions that tell you to exit the airport and turn on CR-W (for those of you urbanites, that CR stands for County Road). This particular CR took me through farmland - miles of it - along with the accompanying corn fields. For a moment, I thought I had been asked to star in Children of the Corn 3 - Grab the Trainer.

I am in Madison, WI, for those of you wondering and I swear there was a whole big downtown when we flew over but apparently it was easier to get where I was going to drive through the cornfields. I had to laugh because after miles of corn, I was relieved to finally see a blue sign advertising a gas station and an Arby's. Civiliazation! Even more interesting is the town I'm in - Middleton (I think). There is new construction everywhere and the most interesting thing is you'll have ten acres of office building and ten acres of shopping with corn fields in between. No lie. It's like you're driving and there's an office building, then a cornfield, right in the middle of this growing metropolitan area. I wish I had my camera. It looks totally bizarre.

Oh well, enough about corn and travels. Here's a GCC tour for you and I hope you all have a great weekend!

Today's GCC tour is brought to us by Judy Merrill Lawson with her release ALL THE NUMBERS. Check out the book!

“How much do you love me?” Daniel asked his mother. “I love you all the numbers.”

Recently divorced and navigating the uncharted territory of single parenthood, Ellen Banks is a tough but loving teacher and a devoted mother to her two sons, Daniel and James. When they take their summer trip from their home in Madison, Wisconsin to their best friends’ lake house for weekend, she has no idea that her life is about to irrevocably change. While Ellen sits on a nearby dock, a teen on a jet ski shatters their perfect day when he hits James. Suddenly Ellen is faced with decisions that are every parent’s worst nightmare. Life support, organ donation. And then, a funeral. A grieving sibling who blames himself for the death of his brother. A distant ex-husband, friends and family who don’t know what to say or how to help, lawyers, judges and policemen—none who can make the hurt go away. Healing the empty space in Ellen’s heart and soul is almost too much to bear. But she is determined to see justice done for her son, and to heal the deep wounds in her family. All the Numbers culminates in a highly charged trial which, in an unexpected turn, leads Ellen and Daniel to a new beginning.

About the Author:

Judy Merrill Larsen teaches high school English in St. Louis, Missouri, where she lives with her husband and their five children. She says that the novel came about because of her fascination with how ordinary people recover from extraordinary events and how love makes us vulnerable, and how very isolating yet very human, the desire for revenge can be. Whether she has seen something in the news or in fiction, she has always wondered about the lives of people in the aftermath. The choices they make. The holes they fall into and then how—or if—they claw themselves out. From the medical details to the intricacies of Wisconsin law, and courtroom procedures, Larson says the research was as challenging as the writing. As she says of her main character, “none of us is a super hero, but we can all choose to be heroes in our own lives. Ellen Banks, in All the Numbers, ultimately makes just that choice, by choosing to live on.” Larsen holds a Master’s Degree from Washington University. She is currently working on her second novel.

Praise for the Book:

“Judy Merrill Larsen’s All the Numbers is sure to join Judy Guest’s novel Ordinary People, and Jacqueline Mitchard’s The Deep End of the Ocean as one of the most talked-about books of its time. This powerful story of tragedy, grief, and redemptive love haunted me long after I read the final uplifting yet heartbreaking words.”—Cassandra King, author of The Sunday Wife

“[A] compelling debut….Larsen depicts a mother’s year of grief and recovery with a
sure and honest voice.”—Booklist

Judy Merrill Larsen will be reading from and discussing All the Numbers at:

Left Bank Books in St. Louis, MO on August 9
Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop in Brookfield, WI on September 25

In addition, you can hear portions of All the Numbers the week of September 18 on Wisconsin Public Radio’s Chapter-A-Day program

Here's a link to buy the book!

Harlequin Closes Lines - Again

2007-10-04T06:18:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm sure you all heard the news that Harlequin is closing lines again. This time it's Next and Everlasting that take the bullet. This seems to be a regular occurance at H/S and I can't help but wonder when they're going to figure out why.

Let's start with they don't jump on a genre bandwagon until it's pulling out of the station. Look how long it took the Nocturne line to start and let's just all hope (for the authors sake) that it's not next. But that's not the case with Next and Everlasting. They are both women's fiction lines. One a shorter contemporary type book and the other a family saga type book.

So why did they fail??????

I think the second problem H/S has is their target audience and their expectations. Let's face it - H/S has long established themselves as a ROMANCE publisher. And if you take a look at the lines that have cut production (RDI) or cancelled altogether without combining with another line (Bombshell), the one thing they had in common is that they weren't romances. Ultimately, I think that's where the biggest problem comes in.

H/S can advertise all they want but if a reader sees the H/S logo, I think they're expecting a romance. Mira seems to be doing all right, but I've spoken to several people who didn't even realize it was a division of H/S, so maybe that's why.

So what's the solution? I don't know. It seems no matter how they advertise, the expectation of readers lends toward the usual. But with H/S distribution abilities and overall readership, it is a sad commentary that they can't get something other than straight romance to work.

I'm very sorry for all the authors who will lose their jobs over this and once again reminded that in this business, nothing is permanent and diversifying can be a lifesaving event.

Fall Has Arrived

2007-10-03T09:15:00.000-05:00

Well, apparently fall has officially arrived in Texas - it's raining. That's pretty much the only way we know. Of course, it was raining when I was trying to drive to the airport this morning so what is usually a 40 minute drive became a 2 hour one. I SOOOOOOO cannot wait to not do this anymore.

I was thinking about marketing stuff last night and organization and all the other things I'll actually be able to do when I'm in one place and don't have an entire room of dirty clothes to deal with and I decided I need some sort of mailing list program that will store all my mailout addresses and allow me to categorize them by type - like mystery bookstores, Waldens, Louisiana, etc. That would allow me to easily print up label that I need since I send slightly different things to different audiences.

So anyone heard of such a beast?????? I know I could do an internet search and probably get 10,000 hits (4 of which would be valid), but I was sorta hoping my blog readers would save me some time. :)

Also, I'm thinking about contest ideas for UNLUCKY and quite frankly my creativity is way low. So any ideas for a cool big prize would be appreciated. For big I mean a couple hundred dollars limit on one prize if that gives you a range. So what would you like to win??????

And to kick things off:

ANYONE WHO POSTS ON MY BLOG THIS WEEK WILL BE ENTERED TO WIN AN ARC OF UNLUCKY!!!!!!

So post away and good luck!

Busy Tuesday!

2007-10-02T10:38:00.000-05:00

First off - Happy Launch Day to my friend Ally Carter!!!!! Today is the release of her second in the series of fabulous YA books about the Gallagher Girls Spy School. I loved the first book and will definitely be stopping tonight to pick up the second!

Sorry, I'm late posting today, but I had a doc visit to get refills on every medication known to man. :)

Okay, so yesterday I told you I might have some personal exciting news to announce today and I do. No, it’s not another sale – not yet anyway, but I’m thrilled about this news also.

I have accepted a new position in my company! So, I’m not in the least bit sad to say that as of November 5th, American Airlines and Hilton Hotels will have to limp along without my weekly presence.

I am transferring to the Documentation department where my new job will be writing the training manuals. Is that perfect or what????? I’m very excited to get back to a regular schedule of clean underwear and knowing what time zone I’m in.

So only one more month of traveling stories then it’s back to a regular 8-5, sitting at the same desk – doing the same thing all day. Nirvana!

I’m going to leave you today with a joke. I don’t normally post jokes, but my mom sent this and it was so darned funny, I couldn’t resist. In fact, it was apparently so darned funny that my mom got ahold of it in a round about way from a preacher. :) Enjoy!

I was at the mall the other day eating at the food court, when I noticed an old man watching a teenager sitting next to him. The teenager had spiked hair in all different colors: green, red, orange, and blue. The old man kept staring at him.

The teenager would look and find the old man staring every time. When the teenager had enough, he sarcastically asked, "What's the matter old man, never done anything wild in your life?

The old man did not bat an eye in his response, "Got drunk once and had sex with a peacock. I was just wondering if you were my son."

Do I Have to Get Out of Bed?

2007-10-01T06:27:00.000-05:00

Today is one of those days that I REALLY did not want to get out of bed. Can someone please call in dead for me???????

Unfortunately, I have important business to conduct this morning at work, so I can't skip out. And hopefully, I'll have some good personal news to announce later this week.

Today is my blog day at Killer Fiction, so go take a peek.

Have a great week!

Relieved

2007-09-27T05:32:00.000-05:00

Well, the moment I've been waiting for finally happened and I'm happy to say, I am enormously relieved! My Romantic Times review came in and UNLUCKY got 4 1/2 stars. Yeah! Here's the quote:

"With original, smart and comedic writing, DeLeon delivers a three-dimensional hero and heroine, a community of offbeat secondary characters, a complex and intriguing plot with a hint of the paranormal and a fascinating peek into the world of casino poker."

Romantic Times is such a big deal and I am soooooooo thrilled to have gotten another 4 1/2 star review. I always worry until this comes out.

All of this, of course, takes me right back around to having another release coming up, which makes me think of marketing, which makes me go huh? I wish someone - anyone - could pin down an effective marketing plan for writers but it just hasn't happened. It's simply too hard to quantify.

I try new authors because they're recommended or I've just come across their book and the back cover copy appeals to me.

What about my blog readers? Does book marketing work for you and if so, what kind?

Always An Adventure

2007-09-26T06:06:00.000-05:00

I know some of you think that flying is always an adventure, and that might be true, but sometimes the adventure is sort of lame. Like yesterday, for instance. We boarded the plane on time pulled away from the gate, got in line to take off, and apparently, that's when things went to hell in a handbasket. The radio system in Kentucky went down and they had no way of communicating with planes over their airspace. Since a ton of flights are routed that way, that meant we were all grounded until someone could make the radios work. This took over 2 hours, then there was the backlog of grounded planes to handle. So we sat on the runway for over 3 hours - doing nothing - just sitting. What an adventure. Ha!

And the worst part was, we were one of the lucky planes. Over 100 flights that didn't get away from the gate were cancelled over this fiasco. And once again, I must say "Thank God for First Class upgrades!" At least I had a semi-comfortable chair, chocolate chip cookies and drinks. So I took the time to call my mom and work on my taxes. Altogether, it was a thrilling afternoon spent in a hot plane on the Dallas runway. Oh, did I mention that the air conditioning doesn't really work on planes unless they're in motion??????? Yeah, it was beautiful.

These are the kind of adventures I could do without.

Which makes me think about writing. Someone once told me that fiction was life but with all the boring stuff removed. How right they are. Can you imagine writing a heroine sitting on a runway for 3 hours? Fine if it's a hijacking or something, but if she's doing her taxes and talking to her mom, who the heck wants to read about that.

I mean sometimes we have our characters eat and shower (although even my shower scenes tend to have some action), but we don't cover everything they do. I don't recall ever having a character brush their teeth, but I'd like to think they have. My characters also never go grocery shopping or stop to fuel their car. It's life but with all the boring, normal stuff removed. Which is interesting when you think about it because I'd be willing to bet that most of our real lives is the boring normal stuff. So what do you figure - 5% adventure, 95% boring normal?

Back in Dallas (for a minute, anyway)

2007-09-25T07:11:00.000-05:00

I'm officially back from vacation and had a great time! Well, except for the sunburn part. What the heck was I thinking????? Hell, I have a pool I haven't had the chance to get in all year because of my ridiculous traveling schedule (and then it rained most every weekend), so I don't have my good base tan like normal. And I thought I'd just sit out in the sun for two whole days????? I get the idiot award for the week. Lucky for me, I have silvadene (sp?) - essentially, magic cream that cures burns. It's left over from my own motocycle days. So in a couple of days, I'll have a really nice tan. :)

Of course, I barely got in the door yesterday and you guessed it - I'm out the door again today. No rest for the weary. And I sooooo miss getting on airplanes. Ha!

On the writing front, I turned in my revised proposal to my agent last week, so hopefully I'll have good news before we all age and pass away. This industry is sort of hurry up and wait - just in case any of you have been in a coma and hadn't noticed that part yet. So I'm going to get back to working on my gothic today, and that means switching gears.

Those of you who write in multiple genres, how do you switch gears? So much of life is a mind game, so I was wondering if I anchored myself to something (think hat, or stuffed animal, or coffee mug) different for each genre, would my mind then know I'm wearing that specific hat? I know this is all very new age for a southern Baptist, but hey, I'll try anything if it means writing better/faster/more efficient. So any advice - anything you've used that you think work? Any of you tried anchoring?

Last Day of Vacation

2007-09-24T07:50:00.000-05:00

Today's my last day of the mini-vacation. I am sunburned and tired, but had a good time. We fly back around lunch, so we'll back back at the house late afternoon.

I'm happy to report that the United States absolutely, positively STOMPED all other countries and won the Motocross des Nations!!!!!!! It was way cool to be at such an event (it's only been held in the US one other time and that was 27 years ago)

My official blog is at Killer Fiction today, so check it out. My regulars have already heard the story, but I thought others may like to hear my terrorist story. :)

And SUPER congratulations to one of my regular blog readers, Tori Lennox, who won a prize basket over at Killer Fiction!!!!!

Friday About 30 Minutes Early

2007-09-20T23:27:00.000-05:00

So it's not quite Friday yet, but I'm getting my post in now because tomorrow I'll be at the airport bright and early. No, I'm not doing a training - I'm actually taking a vacation. Okay, a mini-vacation since we'll be back Monday.

My husband and are are traveling to Mechanicsville, MD to the home of world famous motocross track, Budds Creek. Those of you who've known me for a while know that I met my husband Rene because he sold me my motocross gear. Motocross was where we spent all of our free time back in our younger, thinner, more free-time having days.

This year, Budds Creek is hosting the Motocross des Nations. That's essentially the Olympics of motocross. The top three riders from all countries compete in one giant race for international placement. It's been almost 30 years since the des Nations has been held in the US.

Finally, something good has come of all my travel - I traded in airline miles, hotel miles and rental car miles, so this trip (travel wise anyway), cost a whole $10. There's still food and tickets to the event, etc., but still $10!!!! How cool is that?

So I'm posting early because I'm still awake because I had to work late to wrap things up, pick up dry cleaning, polish off my proposal (again) and send it back to my agent, print out driving instructions and do laundry so that I could pack a bag. So it's way past my bedtime, but I had a lot to do. I'll sleep tomorrow on the plane.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

What Ever Happened to Funny?

2007-09-19T07:07:00.000-05:00

So my latest proposal is in the second round of "works" and getting ready to go back to my publisher for a re-review. Right now, the market for "funny" seems to be flailing about and that depresses me. Not only is it hard to find a buyer for a humorous romance, but apparently women's fiction is the same way. Everyone wants dark and brooding.

So why the big switch? Used to, people LOVED funny.

Now, I know my blog readers love funny, or they wouldn't read me. But what do you think is going on in the marketplace? Lord knows, life is difficult enough without depressing myself with a book. So why is everyone hell bent on sad stories of miserable lives?

Anyone...........?

Posting Early......or Late

2007-09-17T20:48:00.000-05:00

I'm posting early this time - or late, depending on how you want to look at it. I am on an East Coast training so I'm an hour behind (mentally and physically) and my training starts earlier than usual this time, so I'm figuring I'm not gonna want to get up in the morning, so I'm posting Tuesday's post tonight.

So I'm in Greenville, SC and I have to say it has one of the prettiest downtown areas I've ever seen. Huge old trees and a whole mile or so of historic buildings that are all converted into restuarants or shops. It's great for walking, so I walked some this afternoon to find lunch. Had excellent barbeque then went in search of a nail salon. I was sadly in need of a nail fix and will not have any time to do it when I return to Dallas. So I figured if I had to fly out early (it was the only flight available), I might as well do some Jana maintenance. So I found a nail salon and had a manicure, fill, pedicure and an eyebrow wax. If only they could have filed my 2006 tax return, I could have caught up with everything right in that one spot. Ha.....but it sounded good, right?

So as I was perusing downtown, I kept scouting for a restuarant. I usually stay at Hampton Inns and they have the continental breakfast and all, but sometimes it's all about custom cooked eggs. And I figured since they have this fabulous shopping/eating area, there's bound to be breakfast, right?

Apparently not.

I never spotted anything and the hotel clerks confirmed my suspicions. Even worse, there was one restuarant that teased me momentarily until I looked at the hours of operation. And get this - it's called the ________ Cafe.

Cafe???????

Did anyone tell the good people of Greenville that cafe means coffee, which to me means breakfast????? But nooooooooooo, they don't open until lunch. So I am confused. I thought places that served lunch only were tearooms and places that served breakfast were cafes. Places that served all day (or lunch/dinner) were restuarants and places that served 24/7 were the Waffle House.

Did I miss something?

Pass the Coffee - PLEASE

2007-09-17T08:40:00.000-05:00

It's Monday morning and I am at the airport and I am sooooooooooo not awake yet. Even worse, in an hour or so, I get to board one of those noisy small planes and fly in cramped up space for a couple of hours to Greenville SC. I hope the weather is decent there, as I have not even checked.

Today's my official posting day at Killer Fiction, so jump over there and check out my blog!

Have a great day, everyone!

Fantastic Friday!

2007-09-14T08:11:00.001-05:00

I'm so excited that it's Friday! I fly home tonight from Denver. Back out on Monday to South Carolina, but I don't even care. It's still a couple of days in my own bed.

I got good news yesterday - I accepted an offer for the Dutch rights to RUMBLE ON THE BAYOU. My first foreign sale!!!! Whoohoo!!!! I had been afraid that the southern humor wouldn't translate to other countries and I might never sell anything, but looks like I got a little bite anyway. I can't wait to see the cover.

I'm going to leave you today with a GCC tour brought to you by Toni McGee Causy and her release BOBBIE FAYE'S VERY (VERY, VERY, VERY) BAD DAY. I will definitely be getting this book - today if possible because not only is Toni from my neck of the woods, she's writing about Lake Charles, LA, which is where I went to college - literally the city next door! Too fun!

Bobbie Faye Sumrall is a dead-broke Cajun living in a broken-down trailer in Lake Charles, Louisiana. When criminals demand Bobbie Faye's Contraband Queen tiara-- the only thing of her mama's she inherited-- in exchange for her good-for-nothing brother, Bobbie Faye has to outwit the police, organized crime, former boyfriends, and a hostage she never intended to take (but who turns out to be damn sexy), in order to rescue her brother, keep custody of her niece, and get back in time to take her place as Queen in the Lake Charles Contraband Festival (think Mardi Gras, with more drinking and pirates). Luckily, she knows how to handle guns, outwit angry mama bears, drive a speedboat, and get herself out of (and into) almost every kind of trouble. If only that pesky state police detective (who also happens to be a pissed off ex-boyfriend) would stay out of her way . . .
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Toni McGee Causey lives in Baton Rouge with her husband and two sons; a Louisiana native (and Cajun), she has nearly completed a double masters at LSU. She's placed in top tier screenwriting contests, published many non-fiction articles and edited a popular regional magazine. To support her writing addiction, she and her husband Carl run their own civil construction company. Bobbie Faye is the first in a three-book deal with St. Martin's press on a pre-empt; the chaotic, rollercoaster thriller world of Bobbie Faye owes much to Toni having way more experience than she'd like to own up to in the world of trouble-shooting, disaster-prevention and survival.

PRAISE FOR BAD DAY:

“Causey doesn't miss a beat in this wonderful, wacky celebration of Southern eccentricity.”
-- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“This hyperpaced, screwball action/adventure with one unforgettable heroine and two sexy heroes is side-splittingly hilarious. Causey, a Cajun and a Louisiana native, reveals a flair for comedy in this uproarious debut novel.”--Library Journal (starred review)

“Move over Stephanie and Bubbles you've got major competition tracking north from the Deep South. Bobby Faye might have had a very bad day but Toni McGee Causey is going to have a very good year. With Causey's debut novel (A Griffin Trade Paperback Original), Bobbie Faye's Very (very, very, very) Bad Day, Bobbie Faye Sumrall is out to capture both the hearts of spunky women everywhere and the minds of men ready for a challenge.”-- Deadly Pleasures

“It's about time women had an Amazon to look up to… Bobbie Faye is a hurricane-force heroine who makes this novel the perfect adventure yarn.”-- The Tampa Tribune

“This is an action comedy novel that will delight fans of the Ya Ya/Sweet Potato Queens genre. The pacing of the book will take your breath away.”-- The Advocate

“If you like Janet Evanovich, if you’re looking for a lot of unlikely action (when is the last time someone you know escaped a burning boat by lassoing an oil rig?), or if you’re simply having a bad day, go out and find Bobbie Faye. She’s an outrageous hoot.”-- The Times Picayune

“There are many things to love about this book --- the plot, the pacing, the dialogue --- but my own favorite element is the characterization… But if you want a short description of this great novel, think Die Hard in the swamp. And Bobbie Faye? She's a titanium magnolia.”
-- Bookreporter.com

I know you're all intrigued, so here's the scoop: Visit Toni at her website, and buy the book!

Please Send Me to Friday

2007-09-13T08:02:00.000-05:00

This has been a very long week. Of course, it hasn't helped that I'm doing a two-fer this week. First a training in San Diego and now training in Denver. I feel like I've been shuffling through airports for a year. And we're not even going to talk about the changes in weather. Yesterday, it was actually warmer in Denver than in San Diego. And of all places, I believe my hometown of Dallas was cooling than them both on Monday.

I know my blog readers are from all over. Has your weather been strange this year? In Dallas we went from 3 years of drought to so much rain people were flooded out and some dying. And last winter we had snow - several tines. Not huge accumulation, but you've got to realize that snow is definitely not a common thing in Dallas.

The weird summer makes me wonder what's in store for us for winter.

Reviews

2007-09-12T09:36:00.000-05:00

I'm reaching that point in pre-release state where reviews will start to trickle in. This is always a scary time, but so far, things have been good. Explaining why reviews mean so much to authors is difficult because it's one of those things that can't be quantified into sales. In other words, no one can prove that great reviews lead to higher sales. So why do we agonize over reviews so much?

I think it's a combination of a lot of things:

1. We still believe the reviews will effect sales. I mean, there must be people out there who read a negative review and don't buy the book. One lost sale is not just one sale. One lost sale that might have loved the book and told ten friends and then they told ten friends, etc. could actually translate into hundreds of lost sale. Yikes!

2. We are so scared that people won't like our work and place too much importance on the reviews. After all, someone already published the book. It's probably not 100% stinky or no one would have bought it, right? God I hope so. I like to think that for every book I don't like, there are still thousands of people that the book is the best thing they've ever read.

3. Good reviews validate that we are writers and can really write. Now why we're looking for validation from a bunch of people who usually aren't writers or industry professionals, I don't know.

I think the whole thing boils down to fragile ego. Our books are part of us - our feelings, our thoughts - and when people put them down, it's personal no matter how hard you try not to let it be.

And that makes any artistic pursuit (in my opinion) the hardest jobs of all.

Old News

2007-09-11T07:56:00.000-05:00

Well, I had a nice long post today that the computer ate. Now of course, I don't have the time or the inclination to repost so you're stuck with nothing until tomorrow. Except this thought - sometimes I REALLY hate so-called technology!

Monday Movie Review

2007-09-10T07:50:00.000-05:00

Today's my official posting day at Killer Fiction, so don't forget to read me there too!

The movie is Halloween, a Rob Zombie remake of the old classic.

Saw this one last weekend, actually, but I'm just now getting around to posting about it. In fact, I saw two movies, but I'm going to blog my standard fare - the horror movie.

I have to say that I kinda like this and I don't usually like remakes. Zombie took some liberties with the original script that I think worked. He built in some backstory, showing us exactly what "set off" Michael Myers as a crazy person, and had a decent plot for why he came back to his hometown.

Of course, there was a couple of stupid woman (or technically, girl) scenes. I simply don't understand when the killer is on your front porch and strangling someone, why you run back into the house instead of ducking underneath him and running down the street toward the police and fire trucks at the end of the block - but hey, I guess it all makes for good terror.

My final rating: Definitely worth a view if you're a horror fan and liked the original.

Mega Busy

2007-09-07T10:30:00.000-05:00

I'm mega busy today, so this is just a short blurb to tell you all that Barbara Vey, a Publisher's Weekly blogger, has blogged about UNLUCKY today. Hop on over and check it out! I'm always mega-geeked when people love my books and Barbara is a super-cool lady that I've had the absolute pleasure of hanging with at two conferences this year. Be sure and post - we want to make sure Barbara is around for a long time.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Something Nice

2007-09-05T08:45:00.000-05:00

I only have a moment before class, but I wanted to share with yall something that made my day yesterday. I was rushing around (as usual) for the past several days - working on both my jobs over the holidays, seeing family, trying to get more household stuff in order, etc. And by Monday night, I crashed. Tuesday morning, I rushed in to work because I had to be in class by 9:00.

When I left work that day, it occurred to me that my car was almost on empty the day before and I had forgot to stop for gas that morning. Realizing I'd probably made it into the office on fumes and was darned lucky I didn't get to walk, I knew I'd have to stop for gas on the way home, even though I was already running late and really, really didn't want to stop.

So I hopped into my vehicle and started the engine, looked at the display to see the damage, and my car was full of fuel! When I'd crashed on the couch the night before, my wonderful husband had gone to fill up my gas tank for me. I hadn't even noticed until that evening and what a great surprise. I know it seems like such a small thing, but it really, really made my day.

Happy Labor Day and a GCC Tour!

2007-09-03T10:19:00.000-05:00

Happy Labor Day, everyone! Today's my regular posting day over at Killer Fiction so pop over and check out my recant of my interesting week with medical professionals. It's sure to make you renew your medical insurance policy.

Today, I'm bringing you a GCC tour by Laura Florand and her release, BLAME IT ON PARIS.

Eleven o’clock on a Friday night. The seamy, sex-obsessed center of Paris. I balanced over a Turkish toilet in a tiny bistro, one stiletto heel propped against the wall to make some kind of writing table out of my knee, trying desperately not to touch anything around me as I wrote an invitation…. Thus begins BLAME IT ON PARIS, Laura Florand’s hilarious and moving true story of a French-American romance between two people, two families, and two cultures.

What does happen when you put a small-town Georgian in Paris and a handsome, sophisticated Parisian in small-town Georgia? Especially when two huge families, one French and the other American, decide it’s up to them to further this romance. The Parisian’s family wants Laura to learn how to prepare snails, while Laura’s family keeps serving Sébastien Mad Dog 20/20 as good wine. How will true love survive?

Praise for BLAME IT ON PARIS:

“Hilarious…A fun, frothy tale for anyone who has ever conjured up a dashing handsome foreigner to sweep her off her feet. Readers will be happy to live vicariously in Laura's French fairytale.” –Booklist (Aleksandra Kostovski)

“A frothy French confection.” –Publishers’ Weekly

“Laura Florand offers up an outsider’s oddly inside view of Paris, and she does so in a narrative that is by turns witty and touching, but always charming. Best of all, she turns the tables and lets us see our own culture through the fresh, French eyes of the man she loves. Do yourself a favor: Read this book.”--Joshilyn Jackson, best-selling author of Gods in Alabama

“A fabulous romp from Paris to Podunk and back again. Loved it. Laura Florand’s reluctant heroine is adorable, and her perfect Parisian amour can wait on my table anytime.”--Haywood Smith, New York Times best-selling author of the Red Hat Club series

“A romantic, hilarious soufflé of a story! Move over, Bridget Jones. Charming and laugh-out-loud funny.”--Deborah Smith, New York Times best-selling author of A Place to Call Home

Recommended reading by Marie Claire (November 2006) and Complete Woman (February 2007).

About the Author:

Laura Florand is a native of the Deep South who began travelling the world when she was seventeen, backpacking solo through Greece. She went on to win a Fulbright to Tahiti and then to study French literature at Duke University. In addition to the year in Tahiti, she has lived in Madrid and Paris. Now a senior lecturing fellow at Duke and a new mother of one, she divides her time between North Carolina, where she also leads a Tahitian dance group, and France. For more information, please see her website and buy the book!

Louisiana Ghost Story

2007-08-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

My mom sent me this and I couldn't resist passing it on to my blog readers. This sounds like characters in one of my books. I hope you enjoy this Louisiana Ghost Story:

This happened about a month ago just outside of Cocodrie, a little town in the bayou country of Louisiana, and while it sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock tale, it's real.

This out of state traveler was on the side of the road, hitchhiking on a real dark night in the middle of a thunderstorm. Time passed slowly and no cars went by. It was raining so hard he could hardly see his hand in front of his face. Suddenly he saw a car moving slowly, approaching and appearing ghostlike in the rain. It slowly and silently crept toward him and stopped.

Wanting a ride real bad the guy jumped in the car and closed the door; only then did he realize that there was nobody behind the wheel,and no sound of an engine to be heard over the rain. Again the car crept slowly forward and the guy was terrified, too scared to think of jumping out and running.

The guy saw that the car was approaching a sharp curve and, still too scared to jump out, he started to pray and begging for his life; he was sure the ghost car would go off the road and in the bayou and he would surely drown! But just before the curve a shadowy figure appeared at the driver's window and a hand reached in and turned the steering wheel, guiding the car safely around the bend. Then, just as silently, the hand disappeared through the window and the hitchhiker was alone again! Paralyzed with fear, the guy watched the hand reappear every time they reached a curve.

Finally the guy, scared to near death, had all he could take and jumped out of the car and ran to town. Wet and in shock, he went into a bar and voice quavering, ordered two shots of whiskey, then told everybody about his supernatural experience.

A silence enveloped and everybody got goose bumps when they realized the guy was telling the truth (and not just drunk).

About half an hour later two guys walked into the bar and one says to the other, "Look Boudreaux, ders dat idiot that rode in our car when we wuz pushin it in the rain."

Attitude May Be Everything......

2007-08-29T07:42:00.000-05:00

......but where does it come from exactly?????

Attitude is a huge part of developing a character from a story. In fiction, we must have a reason for our character's beliefs, fears, desires, etc. And we write the backstory to support it.

But exactly how much of what we are do you think comes from dna?

Take for instance the optimist versus the pessimist. Is it a learned behavoir or an inherited one. Nature versus nuture - the age-old argument. I think I have an answer to this one and it's because of my cat, Marie, that I've come to this conclusion. But first, a little backstory:

Marie and her brother Vinnie were part of a litter of feral kittens found under an air conditioning unit at my husband's job. Thank God he managed to give away the other six before he got home with the last two. They were about five weeks old, cute and fluffy, and mad as hell. They spent the vast majority of the first week hissing and spitting until they finally figured out that we had: a) indoor plumbing (litter box), b) opposible thumbs which open cat food, c) cool toys which we would drag around the floor, and d) warm laps to curl up in.

These kittens were so young when we got them that they literally came "off the teet" so to speak. They were nice and fat, like kittens should be, and in great overall health according to our vet. Now, I am of the belief that you do not attempt to feed cats at a certain time of the day, because 1) they will haunt you with their mewing if you try it and 2) a happy cat uses their litter box. So I've always subscribed to the theory that you leave a bowl of food out all the time. It's been that way since the beginning. Granted, I switched to the healthy weight management variety when bellies started to sag a bit, but the bowl is still out and has food 24-7.

So Marie is quite literally an animal that has never once known starvation or doing without, but she exihibits an interesting behavoir - she is the bowl monitor. If she can see an empty spot in the bowl (like in the center when they've all eaten from the middle and not the sides), she will raise absolute hell until you cover the spot. She will walk in front of you bawling, curve in between your legs trying to trip you and once, she even threw herself against the first door not wanting me to leave.

Apparently, for Marie, the bowl is always half full.

So my cat is a pessimist. I truly think that she believes if the bowl is not full when we leave the house that she may starve. Mind you, 9 times out of 10, when she pulls this stunt and you fill the bowl, she only looks at it then walks away. It's never about her wanting the food THEN, but she must be planning for something - a kitty apocalypse, maybe?

So what do you think: pessimism versus optimism - nature or nurture?

Ugh - Monday

2007-08-27T07:55:00.000-05:00

So sorry I disappeared last week. I have come down with laryngitis from too much drainage from too horrible of allergies and I had to be in class Thurs/Fri - not as a teacher but a student, which is certain death to me. I can't stand being in class. I'd rather read a book and take an exam than listen to someone talk. So I did a day and a half of tax law comingled with affordable housing law (riveting text, I can assure you), then I took a test on Friday evening.

Since I was feeling so horrible, I barely got up in time to make it to class, much less blog. I'm back to that not breathing while I sleep thing and it seems that I never really fall asleep well until about the time it's time to get up. Typical. So I didn't have time to post.

So now it's Monday and my voice is almost completely gone. I can whisper........but it's not even good enough to call the dogs. Of course, my regular doc is not open on Thurs/Fri, so I had to wait until today to even call for an appointment, then hope I can even get in.

Today is my official blog day over at KillerFiction, so go check out my post if you want a good chuckle.

On Writing Something Different

2007-08-22T10:11:00.001-05:00

So I mentioned a couple of weeks back (I think) that I was going to try writing something different. Now, I'm not giving up humorous, contemporary, romance/mystery hybrids, so don't be alarmed. I just want to write something in addition to them.

What I settled on was something I love to read - the gothic. It is still a romance and a mystery, still set in Louisiana, but with gothic setting, storytelling and tone. I simply LOVE a good gothic book or movie. Did any of you see The Others with Nicole Kidman - fabulous example. And setting gothics in Louisiana is so easy - a haunted old mansion tucked far away in the bayou, with creepy cyress trees and hanging moss and thunderstorms and voodoo curses and well, you get the picture.

So I named some of the things I feel make gothics but I wanted to get opinions. Do any of you read gothics or watch the movies? If so, what elements do you feel are necessary to make a gothic a gothic????

Tuesday Movie Review

2007-08-21T07:39:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: Patrice checked in!! They are still in Jamaica, but are safe! Thanks for all the prayers and well-wishes.

Good morning, everyone! And thanks to all of you who stopped by Killer Fiction and posted. You're now entered to win the prize pack (which is fab).

Before I get started on my movie review today, I wanted to ask a favor of all my blog readers - I have a good writer friend, Patrice, and she and her husband were on vacation in Jamaica when the hurricane hit. As of today, I still haven't heard from her, so keep her and her husband in your thoughts and prayers along with all the other people in the storm's path. I'll let you know as soon as I hear something.

Today's movie is a remake of the old Invasion of the Bodysnatchers and is called simply The Invasion. It starred Nicole Kidman and the incredibly sexy Daniel Craig (new James Bond). I thought this movie was pretty good. It didn't break any new ground, but the acting was solid. It didn't have quite the creep factor I hoped it would have, but for the life of me I'm not sure how to get more either.

The premise was the same as the old movie - alien life form is introduced into human body and takes over, making humans non-emotional walking wax figures. Nicole Kidman plays a woman racing to find her son - who has been abducted by his now-alien dad. The son happens to be immune and is the key to creating a cure for the alien invasion.

My final rating: It's a good rental, but I wouldn't pay full price

Draggin' on a Monday

2007-08-20T07:32:00.000-05:00

It's Monday and I'm dragging! My flight on Friday night was cancelled, so I didn't get out of NY until Saturday. By the time I got home, I was really only interested in resting so we didn't do much of anything. Saw a movie on Sunday, though, and I'll give you a review tomorrow. Heck, I think I've seen about ten movies lately and haven't review a single one. Oh well, maybe I'll get to all of them one day. :)

Today is my official blog day over at the Killer Fiction Writer's Blog, so come over and visit. If you haven't had a chance to check out the contest info, please do so. There's an opportunity to win books from the KF Writer's, including ARC's of not yet released books - and yes, UNLUCKY is included in that contest. So hop over to our blog and check out my Monday post and the contest.

More tomorrow!

TGIF in New York City!!!!

2007-08-17T05:06:00.000-05:00

Conversion workshop yesterday was not a smooth sailing adventure. In fact, it was one of the worst ones I've worked. All kinds of issues and if that didn't make it bad enough, the CompUSA training center is two stories below street level so you can't get a phone signal. So if I needed to call for help, I had to go up to the store where employees kept fussing at me for standing in their way. It was a whole lot of fun. Started early, short lunch, finished waaaaayyyyyy later than schedule. And just think - I get to do it all again today!

My flight is late tonight (of course), but the good news is - after this flight, I will be in Dallas for the next three weeks. Thank you Jesus! I might actually get all my laundry done. I might actually eat something besides restaurant or fast food. I might get my cats to remember me. Hell, I might get my husband to remember me.

In a bout of really good news, I want to announce that the Killer Fiction Writers are giving away prize packets of our books (some of the ARC's), so you have the possibility of being one of the first to read some of our new releases. Details for contest wins are on our website, so check it out and go for a win!!!!!

Well, I must get off of here and to my packing. I've enjoyed my NY stay (although I haven't bought a thing), and the food has been good (although the place I ate last night didn't have Coors Light?????) Today for lunch, I am going to HAVE to get a hotdog from a street vendor. Haven't done that one yet but it sounds great!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Awake in New York

2007-08-16T05:01:00.000-05:00

Well, I made it to NY yesterday. Had to wake up at 4:00 am and head to airport by 5:00 am, but I got here. The flight was actually on time so I was thinking I had earned some mercy. Until the guy in the middle seat got on the plane. He weighed at least 400 lbs (and I'm NOT exaggerating). Like I needed to lean sideways any more with my back already bad. I simply don't know why the airline doesn't make these people buy two seats, but then I guess from his point, why should he? He just paid for one and took half of mine and the other guys. Thank God I had the aisle seat!

I arrived around 11:30 and hailed a cab to Dorchester. Took a tour of the offices and had lunch with my fabulous editor, Leah Hultenschmidt. Publishing offices are a writers/readers dream. There's bookcase and shelves and countertops and desks all stacked/filled with books. It's like a personal library. Lunch was a little French restaurant where we both had skirt steak and it was great. After lunch we walked to the other end of the block to try and figure out where my hotel was (it was supposed to be close) and had a good laugh when we found my hotel literally on the same block as Dorchester - just at the other end. So I had like a 100 foot walk from the Dorchester offices to my hotel.

The hotel is very European and the room and bathroom is about the size of my kitchen at home. But then what did I expect for $350/night in Manhattan? The bed was reasonably comfortable, and compared to that LA bed, it was like floating on air. Once I checked in, I headed back out and walked up 5th Avenue (did I mention my hotel is on 5th Avenue). You'll be proud to know I didn't buy anything.

Around 4:00 I stopped by CompUSA and met the other trainer (I'm here assisting another trainer with a large conversion), and we dropped off her bags then headed to a pub where we proceeded to drink our weight in beer. But hey, no one's driving, right? We finished up at the pub, visited a drug store for hairspray, then went back to our hotel. I crawled in bed at 9:00 - early, I know, but I'd been up since 4:00 am.

So that was my first day in NY. Today I start software conversions with the clients. Pray for me.

Things I Really Don't Like

2007-08-14T08:44:00.000-05:00

If you read my earlier post, you know that I had a massage for back/neck/shoulder problems this past weekend. Well, I was also completely out of warranty on pedicures, so I had to have my toes done or switch to winter boots - there was no other alternative.

Now, understand, that I am ticklish, so I don't really like pedicures much to begin with. But it's a hell of a lot easier than painting my own toenails, so I suffer through it. The part that I really don't like is when they think that part of a pedicure should be massaging you. Okay, I just paid for a massage by trained professionals and I don't want one from someone who's not. Especially if I just had a massage the day before and am already bruised from that one. Especially if the nail tech giving the massage on my legs, is too busy talking and not even looking down while she's squeezing the hell out of my legs on the exact spots where I'm already bruised.

I really don't like having to tell someone to pay attention to their job, either. Or point out that if the purpose of the massage is to relax me and it's supposed to feel good, then they're in the negative. You're hurting me and now not only am I not relaxed, I'm irritated that you don't even pay attention to your job. Either do something 100% or don't play at other people's professions.

So anyway, I am annoyed with my nail techs and have been for a while, so looks like it's time to find a new one. (sigh)

Tomorrow I am on the road again. I have an early flight - 7:00 am. (ugh) The only good part is I'm going to Manhattan and will be there early enough to pay a visit to the Dorchester offices and meet some of the employees that I haven't had a chance to meet before. And if the flight is on time, I will get a chance to have lunch with my fabulous editor, Leah. So although it's a rushed trip (I'm back on Friday) and I will have to get up around 4:00 am tomorrow to make my flight, it will all be worth it.

By the way - since I will be up at 4:00 am tomorrow, I'm just guessing I won't be blogging until Thursday. So see you then!

Monday Morning Blues

2007-08-13T07:58:00.000-05:00

Well, it's Monday morning again. The good news is that I got out of LA a little early on Friday. The bad news is, I had the worst seat on the plane, after having the worst hotel room ever and I totally threw out my neck, shoulders and lower back between the two. By the time I got home I could barely walk and couldn't bend or turn my head. My wonderful husband, Rene', booked me for a two-hour deep-tissue massage on Saturday to try and get me back upright. I wish I could say I enjoyed it, but I would be lying. Now, granted, it did help, but deep tissue massage is not for the faint of heart. Essentially, I feel like I was "jumped in" by an LA gang.

The good news is, the shoulder, neck and back are getting better. The bad news is, I get on a plane again Wednesday. (sigh) Let's hope it gets better fast!

I have good news today: I am part of a new website and blog community made up of all the Dorchester mystery/hybrid authors! Check out our website and our blog and please visit often because we plan guest bloggers and contests!

Have a great Monday!

Finally Friday

2007-08-10T07:03:00.000-05:00

I have to begin my Friday with an apology to Ellen Meister because I blogged the wrong version of her book the other day. The release I should have been blogging is her PAPERBACK release, not her hardback. So even better news for my blog readers. You can pick up Ellen's fabulous book for a lower price. Here's the cool PB cover, so you know what you're looking for and a new link to Barnes & Noble to buy the book!

Today's my last day of training in Los Angeles. That's means my last day of going to bed at 7:30 pm and waking up at 4:00 am. Woohoo!

The hotel I've been staying at is a total pit. On the first day the toilet wouldn't flush, now it won't stop running. Last night the bathtub clogged (it also has a drip) so I got to listen to the drip hit the clogged water all night. The walls and floors are so thin that you can hear everything and the bed is so hard that I've done most of my sleeping in a recliner - which is not much more comfortable. I have an enormous crick in my upper back and shoulders, so I'm certain I'll be getting a massage tomorrow. Of course, that's AFTER I arrive home at approx 1:30 am.

And bummer of all bummers, apparently there was an earthquake here Wed night and I slept through it. I've always wanted to experience one and God knows, I'm not moving here. So there was my chance and I missed it all. Of course, with the construction quality of the hotel, I might have mistaken it for the woman in the room above me walking.

Went shopping yesterday after class and you'll be happy to know that I still managed to keep myself from buying shoes. It's a damned good thing I did a carryon. If I had checked baggage, things might not have gone so well. But I did make one purchase and it was a hell of a deal.

I bought hair.

I know what you're thinking - why don't I just grow some. Well, I'm trying, but I've only managed six inches or so in more than a year. I would really like to have long hair but can't do glued or braided extensions either because my hair is so fine it would ruin it. So I found this hair place yesterday that has those clip in extensions - real hair - so it can be colored, curled, etc. I looked into this in Dallas and the best price I found was $750. Not so in LA. In LA, where everything is fake, apparently really good hair sells for $150 for a 7-piece set.

Whoohoo! Now, as soon as I get girly enough to figure out how to put it in, I can have long hair. I can't wait to get home and play with it.

Okay, must run now and get some work done on the new wip. Only another 40 minutes until 6:00 am when the cafe opens.