Blog

Between Holidays

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:13:00 -0500

I hope all of you out there had a nice Thanksgiving. Mine was great. I got to spend some time with my brother, who came down from New Jersey. He raved over dinner, and his actual comment was, “I haven’t had a meal this good in ten years!” He’s a bachelor, so you can understand where he’s coming from. We had ten people for dinner then played a musical game and watched Michael Jackson's 30th anniversary special (the one with Usher and N’Sync and Chris Tucker).

On Friday, determined to avoid the psychotic shoppers, I stayed in the house and wrote. On Saturday I wrote for a few hours at Atlanta Bread. Now that I’m solidly into the beginning chapters of my new work in progress, it’s flowing nicely. When that happens, it doesn’t matter if it’s a holiday weekend, I must write.

I did as much research as I could online until I hit a wall. Normally, I would love to personally visit most of the locations in my stories, but this one is the exception. As I mentioned before, Someday at Christmas is the story of a young woman who dances in one of Atlanta’s strip clubs.

I did as much research on the “gentlemen’s clubs” for which the ATL is so well known, but eventually I hit a brick wall. Reading tourist reviews and complaints from disgruntled patrons only goes so far, so I decided to call on a few men I know to see if they had ever frequented any of the city’s strip clubs and if they’d be willing to answer my questions about what it’s really like. So far three of them have agreed, and I can’t wait to get their answers back.

The other project I’m working on now is starting the query process for my last manuscript, Hollywood Swinging. On one hand, I feel good about it, because it’s proof that I’ve successfully completed, revised and polished another manuscript. On the other hand, it means that the rejections will begin rolling in. Any working writer can attest that it’s a frustrating process yet a necessary one if you’re determined to get your work out into publishingland. To be honest, I’ve become numb to the rejections. They don’t upset me – just annoy me. Submitting is kind of like playing a game of Russian roulette. You don’t know which letter contains the magic bullet, but you’re hoping this bullet does hit you.

My inspiration is thriller author, Joe Konrath who, after receiving over five hundred rejections, has gone on to become successfully multi-published and recently had some amazing success selling his previously unpublished stories on Amazon Kindle.

In between these two holidays, I plan to do as much writing and submitting as possible. I refuse to give up.

"The only sure way to be a failure is to stop trying." - Unknown

WIP and Food Prep Wednesday

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:18:00 -0500

This week I finished Chapter Two of Someday at Christmas, and I'm loving this story. Here's the meter as of yesterday:

I spent most of the day housesitting for my sister and working on a short story (excerpted from one of my early manuscripts) for Love Stories magazine,

Hopefully I can get a few pages in while I'm cooking today. Everyone is coming to our house, but they're all contributing to the menu. All I'm doing is the turkey and dressing, corn pudding, sweet potato souffle' and two pistachio cakes.

Since my mind is in the culinary arena this morning, I'd like to leave you with this thought ...

The case for real whipped cream:

Cool Whip

A delicious blend of sugar, wax, and condom lube.

Water

It's the main ingredient. But like any whipped product, Cool Whip contains a high percentage of air. At 41 cents per ounce, you're buying mostly water and air for just over twice what it would cost to whip real cream yourself.

Natural and Artificial Flavorings

Cool Whip doesn't really taste like much, but Kraft's recipe for blandness is a trade secret. That means the company doesn't have to disclose the specific flavorings.

Corn Syrup and High-Fructose Corn Syrup

Sugar by other names. Corn syrup is mostly glucose. High-fructose corn syrup is corn syrup treated with amylase and other enzymes, which together help convert glucose into fructose. A diet high in fructose is known to make lab mice fatter than other diets, so keep your research animals away from

Hydrogenated Coconut and Palm Kernel Oil

Cool Whip needs to feel like whipped cream in the mouth without actually being, you know, made with cream. One cheap, reliable way to replicate the texture is by using semi- solidified plant oils. The best method of solidifying plant oils: Bubble high- pressure hydrogen through them. Of course, if not done completely, the result is trans fat. These days, Kraft avoids that.

Polysorbate 60

Polysorbates are made by polymerizing ethylene oxide (a precursor to antifreeze) with a sugar alcohol derivative. The result can be a detergent, an emulsifier, or, in the case of polysorbate 60, a major ingredient in some sexual lubricants.

Sodium Caseinate

Also common in powdered non-dairy creamer, this protein derived from cow milk helps oil and water mix.

by Patrick Di Justo

WIRED MAGAZINE: ISSUE 15.05

Now that's a case for REAL whipped cream ...

Enjoy your friends, family and food and have a wonderful Thanksgiving! No matter what you're going through, if you're alive and breathing then you have a lot to be thankful for.

I want to take you into the holiday with a little music:

My Dream Christmas List

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:56:00 -0500

Last night I spent some time working on Christmas shopping lists and plans for this coming weekend. Hubby and I are usually standing in the dark on line somewhere on the morning after Thanksgiving, and we always come home with some great bargains.

I had to laugh when I saw that Wal-Mart's (my second home) ad was leaked to the press on Saturday.

http://www.bvonmoney.com/2009/11/18/black-friday-walmart-ad-2009/

This year the retail giant is trying a different tactic. If you're a die-hard Black Friday shopper, you might want to read this.

http://news.holidash.com/2009/11/11/walmart-moves-black-friday-to-thursday/

My entire family is tightening its collective belt again this Christmas and keeping our gift exchange under $40 per person. But if I had my choice, this is what my ultimate Christmas list would look like:

Amazon Kindle

Leather Kindle Cover

8-GB iPod (I think 10,000 songs will be sufficient)

Wii Fit w/EA Active Games

Pink Digital Camera w/pink case

Alphasmart Neo (so I can give my old one to a writing friend)

Red HP Netbook

What's on your dream Christmas list?

WIP Wednesday

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:31:00 -0500

Someday at Christmas is coming together faster and easier than I expected. I wrote a scene yesterday that I laughed all the way through. It's great when that happens! Here's the meter:

I'm rushing to get out of here this morning. I have to drive a friend to the doctor, so I'm taking my Alphasmart with me. I can write while I wait for her.

Fun Friday (kind of ...)

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:43:00 -0500

Today I’m departing from my typical Fun Friday entry, because I realized I never gave a review of J.R. Ward’s latest release when I finished reading it. Her new book, Covet, is the beginning of a new series for the paranormal author.

When I discovered Ward two years ago, I had never read a paranormal romance and had a real aversion to the idea of vampire stories. By the time I finished Dark Lover, the lead book in her Black Dagger Brotherhood series, I had discovered my new favorite author.

Unfortunately, I didn’t feel as strongly about Covet. Perhaps it was because I had seriously fallen for the brothers and their fascinating stories. Or maybe it was due to the fact that the characters in this story don’t have the detailed history with unique customs and language. I’m not sure.

At first I wasn’t sure if I would read this one simply because, as a Christian who knows the Word of God, I wasn’t too thrilled with the idea of a book about “fallen” angels, but my curiosity got the best of me.

Of course, Ms. Ward’s idea of what constitutes a fallen angel isn’t biblical. First of all, I never understood where people get this crazy idea that angels are dead people. The Bible tells us the angels are heavenly beings created to minister to humans. It also tells us those angels that fell from Heaven with Satan became the demons who serve him. They are the enemies of God’s people.

J.R.’s fallen angels are merely people who died and were sent back to earth with an assignment to “save people’s souls.” Okaaay, I can go with that for 500 pages. At least they are the good guys and they are fighting the demons.

I loved Vin DiPietro, one of the heroes. He’s a real Alpha hero – sexy, tough, and rich. Jim, the angel, wasn’t as strong a character as I would have liked.

Another thing I liked about Covet was how J.R. incorporated characters from her previous books that readers will recognize. In fact, the heroine, Marie-Therese, worked in the nightclub owned by Rhevenge, the sympath vampire. She brings in other characters for “cameos”. Only her fans will recognize them.

Normally I don't give ratings on this blog, but I will this time just for the sake of comparison. Whereas I would have given each of her first six books an A+, A- or A, I have to give Covet a B-. I am thoroughly convinced that Ward can't write a "bad" book. Covet was good enough for me to read the next installment in the series, but I’m really waiting for vampire John Matthew’s story which comes out in February 2010.

WIP Wednesday

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:13:00 -0500

There's nothing I love more than starting a new story. Some writers talk about how they hate facing the blank page, but meeting new characters, learning about their lives, dreams and goals is way more fun to me than typing The End.

Yesterday morning I uploaded the first chapter of Someday at Christmas to my critique group, and I can't wait to hear their comments -- good or bad. In general my heroines usually share my morals and my world view, but this time around I wanted to write a heroine who has a job I would NEVER do (even if I were young, skinny and totally hot).

Tamyra is an exotic dancer, and her reasons for choosing this line of work are central to the plot. Needless to say, since I won't be visiting any of the Atlanta "gentlemen's" clubs first-hand I've been doing a LOT of research on the clubs, finding online interviews with women in the field, and watching scores of videos from pole dancing classes. It's fun and educational.

Today the meter looks like this:

No NaNo ...

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:27:00 -0500

The National Weather Service is predicting an average of 3-5 inches of rain for the Atlanta area later today and tomorrow thanks to Hurricane Ida down in the Gulf.

Needless to say, we have had enough excess water in the ATL, but the good thing about those dark, dreary days is they send me directly into the writing zone.

Yesterday I read that 150,000 are doing NaNoWriMo this year. I admire anyone who takes on the challenge and can come up with a readable first draft of a manuscript in thirty days, but I can't write like that. Personally, I've never been one to cram. Didn't even do it when I had to study in school.

My m.o. is the old Scout motto -- be prepared. I write all the time. Every day. Weekends. Holidays. With a few exceptions, of course.

Have a great writing week!

Fun Friday

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:22:00 -0500

Since it was another perfect, sunny 70 degree day in Atlanta, I decided to find a new place to hang out and read my research material for Someday at Christmas.

Thanks to a very nice man at the Fayette County Recreation Department, I discovered a beautiful spot called Starr's Mill right on Highway 85. Here's where I spent a couple of hours today:

Here's a little history on this scenic spot from http://www.times-herald.com/Local/Starrs-Mill-a-popular-attraction-643159

"Starr's Mill, just a few miles north of Senoia, is probably one of the most famous -- or at least the most-photographed -- sites on the old McIntosh Trail, featured in numerous magazines and even in the Reese Witherspoon film "Sweet Home Alabama."

But even though a mill was located at the site from a very early period, when Creek and Cherokee Indians were still living in west Georgia, the current structure isn't nearly so old.

The mill changed hands three more times in the 20th century. This mill -- the building which still exists today, built on the foundation of the original burned mill -- operated until 1959, using a water-powered turbine, instead of a wheel, to grind corn and operate a sawmill.

The Starr's Mill site also included a cotton gin and a dynamo that produced electricity for nearby Senoia.

The Fayette County Water Department has owned the site since Feb. 1991. The county has used the millpond as a drinking water source since 1994 and has repaired the building's foundation and painted and fixed the roof."

Great day ...

My New Office

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:30:00 -0500

I have mentioned many times that I do my best work away from the house, and Atlanta Bread Company is one of my favorite places to write. They offer free WiFi (which I don't need for my Alphasmart), but it makes the store a hot spot for meetings and studying.

If you write, you know how important comfort is. The ergonomics of the furniture are a major consideration. Something about the design of the benches and height of the tables at the Fayetteville ABC were perfect for me, but I have also worked at the Morrow and Peachtree City locations where they did a total remodel last year. The wooden benches are gone -- replaced by padded booths with a pendant light over each table. The booths also have high backs, which cuts down on distraction, and there is a half-wall separating the seating areas.

When my friends in Fayetteville announced that they were closing on Sunday night and reopening on Tuesday morning so they could remodel, I was thrilled.

Yesterday I spent three hours at the newly redecorated ABC. They're really going to have a hard time getting rid of me now.

This is kind of what the old decor looked like:

This is the new look.

This booth in the bottom left corner is my new home. Headed out again in about an hour ...

Fun Friday

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:43:00 -0400

GOD CREATED CHILDREN (AND IN THE PROCESS GRANDCHILDREN)

To those of us who have children in our lives, whether they are our own, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or students, here is something to make you chuckle.

Whenever your children are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God's omnipotence did not extend to His own children.

After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve. And one of the first things He said was, "DON'T!"

"Don 't what?" Adam replied.

"Don't eat the forbidden fruit," God said.

"Forbidden fruit? We have forbidden fruit? Hey Eve, we have forbidden fruit! "

" No Way! "

"Yes way! "

"Do NOT eat the fruit! " said God.

"Why? "

"Because I am your Father and I said so! " God replied, wondering why He hadn't stopped creation after making the elephants

A few minutes later, God saw His children having an fruit break and He was ticked! "Didn't I tell you not to eat the fruit?" God asked.

"Uh huh," Adam replied.

"Then why did you?" said The Father.

"I don't know," said Eve.

"She started it! " Adam said.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"DID NOT! "

Having had it with the two of them, God's punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own. Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.

If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give children wisdom and they haven't taken it, don't be hard on yourself. If God had trouble raising children, what makes you think it would be a piece of cake for you? THINGS TO THINK ABOUT!

1. You spend the first two years of their life teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend the next sixteen telling them to sit down and shut up.

2. Grandchildren are God's reward for not killing your own children.

3. Mothers of teens now know why some animals eat their young.

4. Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said

5 The main purpose of holding children's parties is to remind yourself that there are children more awful than your own

6. We childproofed our homes, but they are still getting in.

ADVICE FOR THE DAY: Be nice to your kids. They will choose your nursing home one day.