I had pie for breakfast.

That title has nothing whatsoever to do with this post except that I'm purging my guilty conscience and I couldn't think of anything else to call this. I don't know if that's because I'm tired this morning, my brain's on hiatus or just what.

Yesterday was just sublime. If you are stumbling onto my blog for the first time, yesterday I was able to meet with six other fabulous women who happen to live in Southern California and who all read romance and blog. I think that's pretty darn incredible, fascinating and crazy all at the same time.

I mean, isn't it sort of crazy to feel like you really know someone just from reading their blog? I have to admit I DID feel that way meeting everyone yesterday. I had already met Nikki and Wendy, of course, but it was wonderful to meet Lori, Rowena, Daphne and Holly for the first time. There's a sort of instant rapport because we knew, for instance, that Holly had just purchased a new car. We knew pretty much what everyone had been reading and what authors they liked. Like everyone knew that I was still in a snit over LOVER UNBOUND. Don't worry I'll let it go...eventually. Anyway, that sort of instant connection wipes out those usual first moments when you meet someone new and are trying to initiate conversation. I didn't notice any of us skipping a beat. Hugs and chatter all around.

Meeting all these wonderful women was so much fun. While I know each of us have busy and full lives I can't help but hope we are able to get together again in the near future. I took not a single picture yesterday, so we will have to rely on the others to post theirs. Wendy has a post up about yesterday with a picture.

I want to publicly thank Holly, Lori, Nikki (& Kira), Wendy, Daphne and Rowena for a wonderful afternoon. When's the next one?

SoCal

Guess where we were yesterday? Yes, we went to Disneyland. We had one of those rare days where we were all off the whole day so we grabbed it for some family time. We had lots of fun and the park was fairly quiet until around 8 p.m. when all the date-night couples came. I loved all the decorating Disney did for Fall and who doesn't love Jack Skellington at the Haunted Mansion?

As a result my feet are a little worse for wear this morning. So I'm trying to decide whether or not to go swimming before the big meet up today with the other SoCal bloggers. Yep, you read that right. Today is the BIG DAY.

Now, the kind of decision I like to make is trying to decide which place to eat while enjoying the company of some real cool chicks. Of course that will be after we meet and shop at one of my favorite bookstores. It's nice to know the toughest decision I'll be making today is whether or not to eat at YARD HOUSE and choose from this menu or CHEESECAKE FACTORY and this menu. These are the sorts of big time head scratchers I can live with.

Between the trip to Disneyland and the SoCal meet up I'm feeling pretty darn good this morning. So, for your viewing pleasure, and in celebration of my good mood, check this out. Love the movie, get a kick out of Jack Black and I'm all about the "conversation stimulator". Sue me, the song makes me happy.







In case you were wondering or missed it the first time around. Here's our group.

Holly
Wendy
Nikki
Lori
Rowena
Daphne
Rosie

TEMPTED coming to a theater near you...

Okay TEMPTED is a book, so IT won't be coming to a theater near you, but maybe a fabulous video trailer pimping the book might. As all the regular visitors here at NOBODY ASKED ME know I'm a big Megan Hart fan. I loved DIRTY and became even more of a fan with BROKEN. Both books are from the Harlequin Spice line. As you can imagine, I'm looking forward to this coming January when Ms. Hart will be releasing her third Harlequin Spice, TEMPTED.

Right now Megan is running a contest for bloggers and those real creative types who can create video trailers. You can win some pretty cool stuff like this:

YOUR VERY OWN, personally autographed copy of TEMPTED. Did I mention it's due out January 2008 from Harlequin Spice? ;-)

Autographed copies of some of Megan's other books.

$100 gift certificate to Amazon.com. Wow!!!

Below is Megan's book trailer for TEMPTED. She has also been posting the video trailer entries like this one on her blog. So not only can you win cool prizes, lots of people will get to see what a creative Soo-per Geen-yus you are!










You can also go here and watch Megan's video diary telling you all about the contest, or go here and you will find the written details for the video trailer contest.

So you with me so far? Good.

Okay, so I've known about the video contest for awhile. I read and watched Megan's blog post back on September 8th. However, somehow I missed the blogger component of the contest. Don't ask me how, especially with a signed copy of TEMPTED on the line. Anyway, the good news for me was that besides the video trailer there was another way to win a signed copy of TEMPTED.

The FIRST TEN BLOGGERS who post the contest information will get a signed copy of TEMPTED when the books become available to Megan some time in the next few months. Everyone who posts after the first 10 will go into a drawing for a signed copy. Can you guess why I rushed to get this posted on my blog? I'm so glad Anne had it up on Let's Gab. Whew! Wailing, whining and FOMO (fear of missing out) narrowly diverted.

Here's all you have to do:

1. Post all the info from this post on your blog (can use the links if the videos won't embed on your blog).

2. Email Megan: Tempted @ MeganHart.com (no spaces) with the link to your blog/post to let her know you posted it.

I don't know enough about video trailers or the process to enter one of those, because believe you me, if I did I'd be hard working at it. Having enjoyed DIRTY and BROKEN so much I have my fingers crossed about getting a signed copy of TEMPTED.

So what are you waiting for? I know a lot of you who visit here liked DIRTY and BROKEN too. Go post. Go create. I'm going to go make some popcorn so I can watch all your cool videos.

LOVER UNBOUND by JR Ward

LOVER UNBOUND by JR Ward









I finished reading this book last night around 9 p.m. I'm writing this about an hour after finishing the book uncertain if this is the right frame of mind to be putting my thoughts out there in cyber space. I figure if I change my mind I can always hit the delete button. You feel me? ::eye roll::

To be perfectly clear here I've enjoyed the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I think DARK LOVER will always be my favorite to a certain extent because it was fresh take on an old theme. Vampires. I was riveted to this new world created by the mysterious J.R. Ward. I wrote a pretty good review of the book when it came out. I wrote reviews for the second and third books as well. You can check them out here if you are so inclined.

Did I notice the name dropping of expensive clothes, cars, booze, shoes and the like? Sure. I absorbed it as being a part of Ms. Ward's writing voice and style for this particular series. It didn't stop me from wanting to read the books.

Did I think while reading subsequent books in the series that the BDB was so far superior to the hated enemies the Lessers that to even classify the Lessers as enemies to the mighty warriors was laughable? Well, yes, I did, but that didn't stop me from enjoying or wanting to continue to read the books either.

I didn't seem to find the heroines as wimpy and wishy washy as many readers did. I liked 'em just fine. I'm sort of a sacrificial lamb to my relationships sometimes so I get women who do that. As a steady diet it can be debilitating, but for a work of fiction I can deal with it. So that didn't stop me from reading the books.

When my two least favorite people in the series, Marissa and Butch, got a whole book devoted to their relationship I still like a lemming bought a copy of LOVER REVEALED and read it. Not being particularly interested in the H/H didn't stop me from continuing to read this series.

You know where I'm going with this right? I do believe Ms. Ward has succeeded in disillusioning me as a fan permanently. I'm so ticked off with the last 50 pages of LOVER UNBOUND I could scream. In actuality, I did sort of scream. I cannot believe the choices Ms. Ward made to give Vishous and Jane their happy ending. After 458 pages of multiple characters, storylines, obvious bread crumbs for future books I was infuriated with her choices at the end. I was flat out flummoxed by what she chose to do and how she used the Scribe Virgin whose presence, character and power seems to change from book to book to serve whatever story or plot bind Ms. Ward finds herself in. Yeah, color me royally ticked off.

For all the people who follow the series and have enjoyed it, you'll want to read the book like I did. Ordinarily I try to steer people away from reading a book that I found less than satisfactory, but if you've been a fan you're going to have to read the book to be convinced how unbelievable those last 50 pages are. Unbelievable. Contrived. Unsatisfactory. I think there was a huge missed opportunity here and to say I'm disappointed is an understatement. The reviews I've skimmed have been pretty restrained in comparison to the outrage and betrayal I feel right now. But I'm afraid all BDB fans are not going to believe it unless they read it for themselves. Let me offer my sympathy in advance.

Moo Moooooo...

It's okay I admit it. I'm one of the thundering herd that made their way to a bookstore yesterday and purchased LOVER UNBOUND by JR Ward. I want to read Vishous' story. There I said it. My name is Rosie and I like the BDB books. I almost can't wait to see what I think about this one knowing it's gotten some mixed reviews. I mostly skimmed the few reviews I've seen because I don't want to be influenced by anyone else's take on the book.

Besides LU I also purchased:

LESSONS OF DESIRE by Madeline Hunter
AIN'T MYTH BEHAVING by Katie MacAlister
DEMON'S KISS by Eve Silver
DEVILS ON HORSEBACK:NATE by Beth Williamson (ebook from Samhain)

MacAlister is hit or miss with me, but when she's on I really enjoy her books especially the dragon series. HOLY SMOKES is due out in November and I'll be purchasing that one for sure. I've liked most of Madeline Hunter's books and was sort of excited about this release because I've been on a historical kick. I've also been in the mood for a western, so I decided to try Beth Williamson after looking at her westerns at Samhain for about a year now.

I still haven't read the ARC of the Lynn Viehl book EVERMORE yet. If you are a fan, as I am, you probably think I'm crazy. I actually think I'll crack LU first. EVERMORE is my ace in the hole. Knowing it's there waiting for me (personally signed no less) makes me feel warm and fuzzy. A little kooky maybe? Cuz, I'm not taunting...really I'm not.

So...

Just a few quick things. I'm writing this early Tuesday morning and I have to go to an early morning meeting at work. With the boys both in full swing at school and the first quarter coming to an end I'm low man on the totem pole for computer time these days.

My response to everyone's comments on yesterday's blog posted from Anonymous. That cracked me up. I don't even know how that happened. I thought I was signed in. Anyway, if you were wondering...

So, last night was the first night of the new TV season here in the good ole U.S. Beanie convinced me to watch a few minutes of THE BIG BANG THEORY. At least I think that's the name of it. It's a sitcom on CBS. I did laugh a couple of times which is pretty amazing because I think most sitcom humor is lame. This show, at least last night, seems to have some decent writing. It doesn't really have any "names" in it and it will be really something if it gets enough viewers, but I thought it was funny enough to mention. Ironically, since GG and I don't watch much TV I wonder if I'll ever see it again. :)

Okay, a show of hands now. Who watched HEROES? Shmoo thinks it's getting too complicated. I reminded him we were all over the map for several episodes last year, but he doesn't want to work so hard to figure things out. Beanie, my superhero and comic book geek is all over it though. Nathan's back with no wife, no kids? BTW, someone tell me, because we had a big debate here, whose reflection did he see in the mirror in the bar?

Sadly, I can't think of another program I want to see this season. My boys might try to convince me to tune into a couple of things, but for the most part I'd rather read.

Speaking of reading. Shmoo and I will be making a trek to the bookstore after school and work today so I can snag LOVER UNBOUND. Lots of mixed reviews out there in Romancelandia, but I have to see for myself. At least I'm going in without big expectations.

I have to admit I'm quicky getting addicted to not proofreading before I press 'PUBLISH'. No time to do anything this morning anyway. Here goes...

Don't I KNOW you?

I finished THE LEOPARD PRINCE by Elizabeth Hoyt the other night which is book two of Ms. Hoyt's Prince trilogy. I read SERPENT PRINCE before I read LEOPARD PRINCE which was out of sequence, but it didn't matter a jot. They were both very satisfying reads meaning that I got what I was expecting after reading several good reviews around Romancelandia. Sometimes after reading lots of good buzz I build the book up too much and get disappointed. Not so this time.

Closing the cover on THE LEOPARD PRINCE I started thinking about what really grabbed me about Ms. Hoyt's books. I realized that what I identified with most was the "knowing" or recognition the lovers had for one another. You know what I mean don't you? That feeling when you meet someone and recognize or "just know" they are going to be a part of your life? That "Ahhhhh. Yessssss." moment? Have you ever met someone and just felt like they were a perfect fit like two puzzle pieces interlocking or the right pair of shoes? Just made for you. This doesn't only apply to romantic relationships either. I've felt this way when I met people who became dear friends as well.

The recognition the characters have for one another in both THE LEOPARD PRINCE and THE SERPENT PRINCE is subtle. My favorite kind. There's unspoken respect and admiration between the H/H. Ms. Hoyt's stories unfold with the hero and heroine knowing they connect. Longing to be together. Working to be together sometimes overtly, sometimes covertly. But they both know and feel the connection. They recognize the importance of the other person to their life and well being. They know that what ever came before they met is over. They both acknowledge, mostly through internal dialogue, that their lives will be different regardless if they end up together or not.

Recognition. Knowing you've met "the one." Not in a big melodramatic way, but in a deep wondrous and sometimes painful way. I just love that stuff, don't you? Because falling in love is as torturous as it is wondrous. Terrifying and exhilarating. Delight and despair. Falling in love is rarely a peaceful experience whether you take a fast train or a stroll.

The heroines in all three of Ms. Hoyt's books are intelligent and struggle to be independent. Realistically none of them have a real desire to buck or live outside society no matter how much they might disagree with the limitations of their times, 1760 England. No matter how much women were suppressed, Ms. Hoyt's books recognize and acknowledge how disastrous it would be to live outside society's stricture...especially for a woman. It's a pet peeve of mine when a book has a female character decide to flout the society or historical time period she's in and the writer has no consequences for those choices. Even in our more (supposedly) open society and time period people are very judgmental and unforgiving of those who are "different". Can you imagine what it would have been like 150 years ago? In England?

I enjoyed THE RAVEN PRINCE (first book) very much for its originality even though I procrastinated reading it due to references to a fairy tale in the title and the blurb. I bought THE LEOPARD PRINCE when it came out and set it aside in my TBR despite all the good things I read about it. Then THE SERPENT PRINCE came out. As frequent readers here know I started the book and put it aside and read a couple of others. When I picked it up to give it another go last week I couldn't put the darn thing down. Thankfully I had THE LEOPARD PRINCE on hand to follow it up.

I'm sharing this with you because I want you to know that if you have these books don't procrastinate like I did! You'll find good solid characters you can care about. A reasonable conflict in each of them, although I would say her books are very character driven. The H/H are equally strong without seeming out of place in their historical setting. There's plenty of romance and sizzle too. So go on...give them a try. If you are like me and enjoy escaping into a good historical once in a while, you won't be sorry.

Excerpt THE RAVEN PRINCE
Excerpt THE LEOPARD PRINCE
Excerpt THE SERPENT PRINCE

Verdict In

Hopefully this ends the Shmoo Tales for awhile. A very reserved Shmoo came home 5 minutes before curfew. He'd changed clothes because he went over to a friend's house for a party after the dance. Friend's parents were home but apparently it didn't stop the cops from arriving on the scene shortly after Shmoo left. Shmoo got text messages from several kids who had just left or were stuck at the party when the po-po showed up. He left the party early because he said he didn't like it. Of course since he told me about the police I asked him what was going on... It was a huge relief to know that he left of his own accord and didn't partake. Yes, I know some of you may think I'm naive, but I have one older son and five brothers. I'm sure the kid came home clean.

Needless to say, he was glad he and GF#2 weren't there when the boys in blue arrived. I'm sure he'll hear all sorts of melodrama about those events today.

GF #1 didn't show up at the dance. He danced quite a bit with GF #2 who really isn't his GF but who decided last night she likes Shmoo. ::eye roll:: Wow! Like we didn't see that coming.

It's a wonderful day in neighborhood...

Going...Going...Gone!

HOMECOMING 2007

Praise be the kid is on his way. He was running late and was a most uncooperative photo subject. Can you see Emily in the background of the second photo? I don't know who was more a PITA getting a few photos taken. Crikeys!

You have all been so nice and sweet with your comments about the continuing saga that is my Shmoo. Truthfully raising him has been very challenging. While he can be delightful and a joy to spend time with one on one, sometimes, like during picture taking tonight I wonder if aliens have stolen my child. The arms folded was my idea so he isn't angry in that one...he was still somewhat cooperative. Take a look at the second one after we chased Emily from the room and tried to get Shmoo to smile. Yeah...not a happy camper. He'll be sorry when I put them in his scrapbook. Right?

He'll laugh call ME crazy and tell everyone how nuts I was about taking his picture WHEN HE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A DATE. Yeah, that's the big crime. Apparently there's some obscure rule in the Mother Manual that says 'thou shalt not take photos of your son before a big dance if he doesn't have a date.' Any one else hear about that rule?

Further Tales of Shmoo...

We've got a busy day around here today which will be capped off when we send Shmoo off to the Homecoming dance this evening. It seems like every day his plans have changed. Fortunately I have practice with this sort of thing and we waited until last night to let Shmoo know what exactly he was allowed to do and would be doing. Why is it the kids always think all the regular rules for where they can drive, where they can go and what time they have to be home don't apply for a big dance? Shmoo actually asked to stay out until 3 a.m. Uh, yeah, no way. As he tries to negotiate a later time I put mine back a half hour each time until he finally sees the light and goes with the first curfew time (1 a.m.) which is an hour later than his usual time anyway.

Of course he slyly mentioned spending the night at his pal's house. You know the pal we've never met or heard of before this week? Whose parents we don't know? Yeah, that negotiation was short and sweet. "You can't spend the night out anywhere." Surprisingly there hasn't been any real heat or push to get his way. I've come to realize that this is his way of being able to tell his friends he asked and his parents said 'no'. It also means he probably didn't really want to do whatever in the first place.

I'll try to do a quick update about the GF situation with Shmoo because GG is telling me to get my butt in gear if we are going to swim this morning. I'm procrastinating because it's 58 degrees outside right now. Gonna be a chilly swim.

Anyway, I ended up having my chat with Shmoo about the two young ladies in his life. Turns out he and GF #1 (from the other school) are just friends because she wants to be able to "hook up" with other guys if she's so inclined. Apparently last Sunday when he went over to her house he found out that she made out with another guy at her Homecoming dance last Saturday. Of course, Shmoo wasn't too happy about that. He said he knew something was going on because she was acting weird. She finally did confess all to him and Shmoo came home early last Sunday and started the whole, "GF probably isn't going to my Homecoming." saga.

So he's trying to maintain some dignity and act like he can deal with this, quoting here, "like an adult" and decides he can still be friends with GF #1. So, GF #1 is at our house for dinner this past Wednesday and I'm thinking how weird it is they are both going stag to their individual Homecoming dances if they are a couple. Of course I didn't know all the back story yet. Now that I do I can't imagine having the chutzpah to go to a guy's house and eat dinner with his parents after I've made out with another guy. More puzzling is why my son thinks this is acting like an adult. That's a whole other chapter and conversation that he's definitely going to have to have with his Dad.

You know what's difficult? GF #1 isn't someone you'd meet and think of as a girl who's either desperate for male attention, trying to make a BF jealous, or a skank ho type. She's cute, intelligent, has good manners and seems like a really sweet girl. I'd question Shmoo's veracity if I hadn't heard her talk about wanting to go to her own Homecoming stag so she could be with her friends. Turns out the flirtation with the guy she made out with has been brewing since school started. Too complicated and too much melodrama for me.

So GF #2? She's at the house Thursday evening for a couple of hours and last night they went to the Homecoming football game together. Tonight he's picking her up for the dance, BUT they aren't going as a couple because she really likes someone else. I think Shmoo just wants to show GF #1 that what she did doesn't bother him...which of course isn't true at all. He seems fine though. Although I don't think we will be hearing about or from GF #1 any more. This seems to have been a transition week. Shmoo did say GF#1 sent him a text saying she might go to his Homecoming with a girlfriend she knows that goes to the school. That really set him off. Several blazing texts later he's pretty certain she won't show.

What next? I'm exhausted after all that and I still have to live through today. I didn't proof read this because now GG is pacing. Gotta go swimming!

Flare Up

Warning...I'm about to do a bit of a whine. You won't hurt my feelings if you run for your life right now.

I'll make this short and sweet but after feeling pretty fabulous for several months my rheumatoid arthritis is apparently in a flare period. I say "apparently" because I try to talk myself out of it and tell myself I'm just having a bad day, or I didn't get enough sleep last night, or my latest reason is that I've over done the swimming. But since the weekend I've just been achy all over all my major joints are sore and swollen. My back and ribs feel like someone has been playing the xylophone on them.

Consequently, I feel tired and cranky. GG is so sweet to me. He made me hot tea last night. Earlier he told me I was crazy to sit in front of the computer when he would make me a nice hot water bottle for my back and tuck me up in bed with tea. My boys know the signs when I'm feeling bad. Shmoo asked me right after school yesterday if I was feeling okay because I was so quiet. Obviously I'm not the reserved contemplative sort of Mom. I'm the Nosy Nora loud "Wass Up!" sort of Mom. This could be why Shmoo tells his friends I'm crazy. Maybe?

I'll probably read this later and wish I'd shut my yapper. What the heck. That's what 'Edit' is for. Am I right?

Completely off subject and my whine fest... Shmoo was home yesterday afternoon with a new girl. Not "the girlfriend". I'm not sooooo out of the loop that I don't know that dudes and babes can be friends. There's a lot of that going around. I'm not completely clueless. However, I still know the difference between friends and, well you know, the other stuff. And believe me, there was plenty of the other stuff going on yesterday. So, I'm thinking maybe that's why he's not going to Homecoming with the GF who goes to the other high school. The cute little chickadee who was here yesterday goes to his school.

Since I'm posting this at midnight I haven't had a chance to have a talk with Shmoo on ethical behavior. It won't be the first conversation we've had on the appropriate way to treat a young lady, but I want to be sure he's not being a jerk to the other girl. That would not make me happy at all. ::sigh:: Maybe I can talk GG into having that chat. I'm feeling so ornery that a conversation with the ever-contrary Shmoo might not be a good idea right now.

I think I'll take GG's advice for once. But don't tell him it was his influence okay? Besides, I managed to make it through and write a post didn't I? Bed, a hot water bottle and tea sound really, really good about now.

I'm not proof reading this. God knows what it says... See you on the flip side.

Randomness...

We finally have all the stuff (meaning clothes, shoes, tie, shirt, vest) done for Shmoo for his last Homecoming Dance. Now Shmoo's girlfriend goes to a neighboring high school. She went stag to her school's Homecoming dance last weekend. She bought another dress and was supposed to go with Shmoo to his Homecoming this weekend. They decided (after we ordered the corsage mind you) that Shmoo would go to his Homecoming stag as well. No. They aren't fighting. Everybody's happy. Well, except me. I don't get this. Don't you want to go to a dance with a date? What am I missing here?

Beanie, has taken off like a comet at his new higher paying job. He's also got 2 A's and B going this semester in college. He's not a horrible student, but since he started college he's been falling more along the line of C's than A's or B's. So, yay...that's good news. He just finished a big project for...um...dang, I can't remember which class. Speech II maybe? Anyway he's thrilled because he got an A. Of course, his girlfriend was over most of the weekend helping him. :) I keep telling her she's setting dangerous precedents, but she's young and in love. She'll learn. I hope. Of course, my son, ever the charmer, told her that he comes from a family of strong women and that's why he loves her. Poor unsuspecting sweetie eats it right up. Although I have to say, for the most part she has him pretty well trained. God knows I did what I could, while I could.

I finished THE SERPENT PRINCE last night. A really good book. A few small things bugged, like Lucy running home to Papa, but overall I really liked it. I'd read the RAVEN PRINCE and appreciated its originality and must say that opinion remains strong after SP as well. So, instead of reading EVERMORE like I said I was going to, I went to the TBR and pulled out THE LEOPARD PRINCE and have started reading it. I love when I have another book to glom when an author is really working for me.

What's everybody else reading?

It goes like this...

Reading has been going pretty well. I knocked out the EC Sheedy book KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE and the single author anthology SUGAR & SPICE by Leda Swann. I'm currently finishing THE SERPENT PRINCE by Elizabeth Hoyt.

For some reason the first time I peeked into THE SERPENT PRINCE it didn't really snag me like it has since I've picked it up to read again. Must have been the mood I was in because I'm really enjoying it second time in. I do love a well written historical. The best thing Ms. Hoyt has going for her, in my ever so humble opinion, is her ability to write a woman true to the historical times she lives in and have the character still be original and fresh. That's not easy to do especially when one has read as many books about 19th century England as I have.

I've skimmed a couple of reviews for LOVER UNBOUND by JR Ward. It hasn't deterred me from wanting to buy a copy and read it. I'm also looking forward to snatching up Madeline Hunter's LESSONS OF DESIRE next week. Then before you know it October is here and THE COURTESAN'S DAUGHTER by Claudia Dain and MINE 'TIL MIDNIGHT by Lisa Kleypas will be out October 2nd. Isn't it great that there's always something to look forward to when you read?

Finally in a bit of puzzling contrariness, as over the freakin' moon as I am to have the ARC of EVERMORE by Lynn Viehl I've barely cracked it. I don't want to start it because I don't want it to be over. If that's not nuts I don't know what is.

Counting the Days

So my pretties it's only 11 more days until the So Cal blogger meet up. If anyone out there reads romance novels and is interested in meeting with us at noon on September 29th. Let one of us know and we will forward the details to you. The more the merrier. My email is RnG1180@aol.com.

By the way, I took one for the team and checked out the crepe place. While the crepe was pretty darn good, the venue is a teeny tiny place. Like walk-in closet sized. I don't think there's room for seven of us to sit, eat and talk for any length of time. So be thinking about where else you want to eat.

Here is the group that has confirmed they will be there:

Holly
Wendy
Nikki
Lori
Rowena
Daphne
Rosie

Start Spreading the News!

As found here.

Hell's Eight
Bloggers are you ready?

(readers can win an arc by entering my .net site contest starting 10/1/07)

My first NY Western Historical series is releasing from SPICE in just over one month. It's a super-hot, fast-paced romance with a strong heroine, a hero to die for, and a happily ever after that will touch your heart. Like my Promise series, Hell's Eight probably is not what a reader thinks of when they think Western Historical, but each of these stories is a slice of life rich with emotion, spiced with passion, and filled with moments I hope will make your heart twist. The men of Hell's Eight are unpredictable and fascinating. They're definitely a law unto themselves, as wild as the West in which they live. Determined, and single-minded, they've planned for every contingency that could complicate their goals except for the one they never saw coming: the extraordinary women that will capture their hearts.


Read an excerpt

Think you're ready?

Okay, here it is, your chance to win one of the six ARCs of Caine's Reckoning, first in the Hell's Eight series.

The goal of this contest is to spread the word far and wide of the upcoming release of Caine's Reckoning.

To enter:

1. Copy and paste this post on your website, blog, MySpace, or wherever you wish, including a link to the excerpt.
2. Once you've completed #1, email SarahMcCartyContest @ Gmail.com (no spaces) with the link to your site and you are entered. It's as simple as that.
3. If you are the lucky winner of an ARC, simply be ready to read the book and review it during late October. You can review it on your blog, MySpace, online websites like Amazon, etc.

That's it.

Blog. Email. Read. Wait till the last couple of weeks of October. Review.

To enter, EMAIL me at SarahMcCartyContests @ gmail.com (without the spaces), with:

1. Caine's Reckoning ARC in the subject line.
2. The link to your post about the ARC contest.
3. Your name and address.
4. Where you intend to review the book.

Contest (open to US and Canadian residents) closes September 30th, 12 midnight, EST US.

Good luck!

A day

I had a great day with my guy yesterday. We got up early and did our lap swimming at the new pool across the valley. This is a place we will be able to lap swim year round. Our local rec pool will close the end of September and the place we went yesterday is new. We wanted to check it out to see if it would be worth the 40 minute round trip to keep swimming. It turned out to be a very well done facility especially since it's a community rec pool. To sign up was only $2 and it's $2 per session unless you sign up for 15 and then the price drops to $24.95. We think it's a pretty darn good deal and are happy we took the time to check it out.

After a fairly decent workout we decided to hit Starbies. Not that you particularly wanted to know but I feel compelled to share with you that I swam 36 lengths yesterday morning. A new recent high. No where near what I did in my 20s, but I'm pretty happy. Anyway, we both had a latte but took a pass on the bakery stuff because it looked a little sad. Anybody else notice that the more stuff Starbucks adds to the food menu the scarier some of it looks?

Once we were home I was lamenting having to do chores instead of enjoying the beautiful day. You don't have to hit GG with a sledge hammer. (Well, truthfully sometimes you do, but not yesterday). He decided to take Shmoo and I out to breakfast. We didn't leave Beanie home like Cinderella. He worked graveyard and was sleeping. My sister, who was out doing her own work out, called and joined us. We had a nice leisurely meal and were able to chat and catch up while GG and Shmoo were off in their own world and conversation.

Here's the good part. When we got home again we set Shmoo and Beanie (who was awake again) to doing a few of their regular weekly chores. I was still whining about not being in the mood to do mine. My sweetheart just smiled at me with those dimples of his and said, "okay". It surprised me because even though I'm the list maker he's the focused on-task guy. It made me very happy when he said it, I can tell you that.

No big adventure ensued. We just drove a bit to a place where we could walk and window shop. I hit quite a few mens' stores looking for a black and silver vest Shmoo wants to wear to the Homecoming dance. I found one. $75. Didn't buy it. Call me crazy but $75 for a vest he'll probably only wear once? I think not. I told Shmoo about it this morning and he wasn't disappointed at all. In fact he confirmed he'd probably only wear the vest once. I think he's going to see if he can find one to rent at the tux place.

Yesterday turned out to be a nice slow-mo sort of day spent with GG. During our window shopping we, of course, hit a couple of book stores. I was happy to find EC Sheedy's new book KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE. Then we had a fairly early dinner (did you notice no mention of lunch?) and came home. Once at home both boys were out for the evening. One to work and one on a date. Blissful quiet evening at home only sporadically interrupted by GG's need to know the USC v. Nebraska score.

Of course this means a few more chores to do today and probably a few more shoved into the junk room day otherwise known as my Monday, but having that nice day yesterday was worth it. Don't you just love that sort of unexpected and unplanned day?

It's That Time of Year

We will return to our regular programming when I complete shopping with Shmoo for senior year Homecoming dance. Shopping with a teenaged daughter has to be easier than it is finding the right tie and pin-stripped slacks with Shmoo. Oh and how can I forget the time spent in conversation about doing a fade in his buzzed hair while Snoop Dog raps about "south side" from the car stereo via the ever present iPod? Anybody got a sharp stick?

ONE SEASON ENDS AND ANOTHER BEGINS

Nope I'm not talking about summer turning into autumn. Although with temperatures still in the 90s autumn is taking its sweet time to visit southern California. Thank goodness the mornings and evenings are cooling off now. I love the warm weather, but we had a very warm summer without much respite. I'm ready for a season change.

As frequent visitors here know I don't watch very much TV because I usually read in the evenings, or blog hop, or write blogs, lots of things but not a lot of TV watching going on here. The men in my life on the other hand always seem to have a TV on somewhere. Sometimes more than one TV. We have sports, music videos, lots of Comedy Central, CSI and Law and Order re-runs. Is it a wonder I don't watch much TV?



Anyway last night was the season finale of one of my favorite shows, RESCUE ME. Yeah, it's pretty much just the one show I try to catch every week. All other TV watching (recent documentarys included) is all by accident while GG is clicking relentlessly through the stations looking for something to watch, which drives me crazy by the way, especially when he's trying to entice me to watch something with him and just won't land on one program and stick with it. Aiiiieee Carumba!


Fortunately even though my current favorite show is ending tonight I read in the paper this weekend that the new season of HEROES begins on September 24th. Just a week and a half away. It's so very nice for the networks to plan things so nicely for me like that. I'm very appreciative. I don't think I could handle trying to keep track of two programs at once. Something might explode in my head. I continue to marvel how there can be so many channels on TV and I find so little to like. Although I still like watching movies. Movies uninterrupted by commercial breaks that is. So yay for HBO, STARZ, AMC, TMC and all the other networks that provide movies old and new without commercials.

Is there anything in particular you are looking forward to watching this new TV season? The only other show that mildly interested me was JOURNEYMAN because of that guy from ROME is in it. There's something about him. I looked him up. His name is Kevin McKidd. That deep voice of his is very appealing to me. I might check that one out. Other than that na-da. Shmoo is intrigued by the clever promos of IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA. Anyone a fan?

JADED

Off and on there's discussion about whether or not because we read so much we become more difficult to please and jaded. I think this is probably more likely to happen to those of us who read one specific genre almost exclusively.

GG and I were talking about this over the weekend. Since I've been on a reading binge, so has he. In fact he asked me to give him a book to read. Now normally he reads military, courtroom suspense, or westerns. However, he gets a kick out of reading one of my books every now and then. Surprisingly, in the last two weeks he's read DANGEROUS LOVER by Lisa Marie Rice and he just finished FORCE OF NATURE by Suzanne Brockmann. I can't remember his reading two of my books back to back before...ever.

FORCE OF NATURE was the second Brockmann book he's read. He liked the book well enough. He sort of rolled his eyes a bit over Jules and Robin's love story but he wasn't put off by it at all. He wanted more action! Hands down he liked DANGEROUS LOVER better for it's spiciness and the alpha male. My sweet, kind, considerate husband thinks he's an alpha male. Yeah...NO! But let's keep that between us. It makes him happy to believe it and it amuses me to no end.

It's fun hearing his reactions to books because he's a more eclectic reader than I am not to mention a news junkie so he always has an interesting perspective to offer me. Of course, the drawback is I don't think the book has been written that he thinks has too much sex and not enough story. Oy!

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that sometimes when we talk amongst ourselves I think we are a little jaded. My theory goes something like this. Because we read such a high volume of books maybe we don't savor and appreciate a book that someone who reads less frequently might. Or, because we read so much we have higher expectations. Either way, those of us who are prolific readers are discriminating and hard graders I think. That's why having a discussion with someone who reads our favorite genre so infrequently is so much fun. And interesting. And, uh...stimulating.

Meanwhile since GG's on a roll he asked me for another book. I wanted to give him THE HOLDING by Claudia Dain because Jane at Dear Author said Ned liked it. But alas my copy is in one of the tubs in the storage shed and way too much work to rescue. So I'm thinking of giving him HIGH NOON by Nora Roberts or CROSSROADS CAFE by Deborah Smith. I don't think he's ready for FAIRYVILLE by Emma Holly, do you?

What do you guys think? Is there a favorite book of yours that your DH or brother or Dad or best male friend read that I need to be handing over to GG? What would you recommend?

Remembering...

I can never write the date September 11th without thinking of that morning six years ago. Just can't do it. Couldn't bring myself to write about anything else for today either. I saw a couple of TV programs over the weekend that have me thinking a lot about 9-11-2001.

GG and I watched SHUT UP AND SING on HBO. It's a documentary about the Dixie Chicks that spans from 2003 to 2006. While I consider myself to be a fan of the Chicks, I wasn't so sure I wanted to watch this documentary since it chronicles what happened to them after lead singer Natalie Maines made her comments about Gee Dub-yah back in 2003. Frankly, I had mixed emotions about what she did and said. Not because I disagreed with her, but maybe the time and place weren't appropriate for those comments. Like I said, mixed emotions.

Even so, I can hardly believe the fall out or how personally people took her remarks. I don't believe her comments were planned or calculated back then. I do think Ms. Maines, contrary to what she'd have people believe, does think twice about what she says now. Ironically, how true her words are today. Many Americans are just as disgusted with Bush and his administration today as she was bold enough to say four years ago.

What is totally preposterous to me is the country western music station owners reaction to it. It's hard not to believe the Bush machine didn't call in some favors and lean on people to ban the Chicks' music. No. I'm not crazy. See what you think when you watch the video. The documentary also puts a face on what it was like for the Chicks to continue to perform when they were receiving hate mail and death threats. Could you stand up on a stage for 2 plus hours exposed to your most vicious enemies and perform? *gulp!* This is why I would never want to be famous. No way, no how. Not that I have to worry about that. : ) People judging you all the time? What you wear. What you say. All day. Every day. No thank you!

The second thing that has me thinking about 9-11 was just a part of a documentary we caught on PBS about conspiracy theories about the two towers and the events relating to the security of the buildings in the weeks before the suicide plane crashes. Pretty freaky stuff. Even parts of the 9-11 report give one pause. Don't you feel like we never REALLY know the facts about stuff like this? I feel like I'm always sifting through information to find some core of truth that speaks to me and makes sense. Surely to God we can do better with all the technology available to us and figure out what really happened? You'd think so, wouldn't you?

I'd like to go to bed at night and believe we have the means to protect our average citizens. I think about the thousands of people who died six years ago whose deaths impacted even thousands more people. Children who lost parents. Parents who lost children. Husbands their wives. Wives their husbands. It's just too huge to comprehend. Do you realize we will soon be surpassing (I didn't check the number today so I'm not sure) the number of people who died on 9-11 with the number of soldiers who've been killed in Iraq? I grieve, grieve, grieve for every family who's lost someone. Five years people, five freaking years of this war. Bring our soldiers home, damn it!

So I'm thinking about a lot of things. Grateful for my life and that my loved ones are safe. But mostly thinking about that day six years ago and remembering...

Evermore by Lynn Viehl

Words don't begin to describe my joy. I found out this morning that I won an ARC of EVERMORE on Ms. Viehl's blog PAPERBACK WRITER. I really, really like this series and am absolutely in raptures to have the next book. If you are interested in what I've had to say about the other books in this series, just click on the Lynn Viehl label below. EVERMORE is scheduled for release in January 2008.

If I was wearing a skirt I'd fling it up in the air and twirl I'm so happy.

Bless me Father for I have sinned...

So for months I've been buying books like there's no tomorrow. I've been reading but in August my reading was dismal. Dismal not because I was in a funk but because I was either too dang busy or too dang tired to read. Well, after making a declaration to read, read, read I can't stop! I've finished Jo Goodman's IF HIS KISS IS WICKED and Emma Holly's FAIRYVILLE.

I have to say Ms. Goodman is an excellent writer. I'm left with the impression of her thoroughness in her story telling. She also does an excellent job creating full characters. My big 'but' is that the story did drag a bit for me in places. Just not enough going on. However, it was never so slow I wanted to put it down or not finish. Which was smart because the last third picked up very nicely and it ended up being a very satisfying read.

FAIRYVILLE...what to say. Very erotic and Holly at her very best especially with the men. I, as I've said many times, am not a big fan of the fey and fairy stories (or ghosts). Not that Ms. Holly particularly cares what I think, but I would have loved this book and been shouting about it every where if it were a straight up contemporary erotic novel. But Emma Holly fans don't despair. If, like me, you are unsure about the whole magical mystery tour part of the book let me assure you that the story takes place on a human plain, even if the town is called Fairyville, Arizona. The story sets a brisk pace and the characters were interesting, at least they were to me.

As we speak I'm more than half way through Laura Lee Guhrke's BREATHLESS. I was very torn about stopping to blog hop and write a post but I've been neglectful the past couple of days and with over 100 posts to read I decided to check out the blogosphere and catch up a bit. Besides I needed to give my eyes a rest and, you know, sleep maybe.

It's hard not to feel like a contented glutton. Is there such a thing? Especially after reading Holly's post about moderation I have a bit of the guilts about all my reading. I ate doughnuts today too. I haven't done that for ages. Oh and I didn't swim. Although this was the first Saturday lap swimming was available, so I won't make a habit out of skipping, okay? Uh, what else? Oh yeah, I only did two loads of laundry.

So that's it. That's my confession. For my penance I think I'll read only ONE hour before going to sleep. What do you think?

Read and Reading

Raise those arms and steeeeerrrrreeeeetch! Feels good, no? Yeah I'm stretched out, relaxed from lap swimming and all caught up on my blog hopping. I feel so balanced and happy because I'm reading every day again. Right now I'm reading Jo Goodman's IF HIS KISS IS WICKED. Only 50 pages in and I'm hooked pretty good.

I have, however, surrendered to the fact that I now read more than one book at a time. It's snuck up on me little by little. GG just asked me the other night if this was the 3rd or 4th book I was partially through. He thinks I've put the books down because I didn't like them. Au contraire! I just see another book in my TBR and like a toddler with a short attention span pick it up and start reading.

Although I did read CARESSED BY ICE straight through. As previously mentioned that is one rockin' good book. Anyway I thought I'd do a quickie review of the other books I read over the Labor Day weekend and the books I'm currently reading.

MY IMMORTAL by Erin McCarthy. This is nothing like any of her other books. Damien du Bourg is in service to a demon for his "gift" of immortality. Marley Turner comes to New Orleans looking for her sister. This isn't one of her humorous tongue in cheek books. Straight up dark paranormal. I liked it very much and hope she keeps writing in this vein. As I've noted previously in reviews, I like when the characters are struggling with internal issues that make me examine moral issues in my own life. Good solid read.

DARK POSSESSION by Christine Feehan. Yes I bought it. Hardcover no less. I have to say this branch of the Carpathians who live in the rain forest are a bit intriguing to me. Ms Feehan certainly has pushed my curiousity buttons about the eldest of the DelaCruz brothers, Zacarias. This is the second eldest, Manolito's story. No real new ground broken here just another chapter and entry into the saga. At the very least this is a much better installment than the horrendous and plotless DARK CELEBRATION.

THE PRICE OF DESIRE by Leda Swann. Someone somewhere in the blogosphere mentioned liking Ms. Swann's erotic novels. So I gave this one a whirl. This was a very well done version of formerly wealthy young lady having only one thing to barter to keep she and her four siblings from starvation. No trite story here. Elements of realism, sorrow and heartbreak that go with leaving your respectability behind make this a cut above other books of this type. I will definitely be looking for other books by Ms. Swann.

FOR HER PLEASURE by Maya Banks. I'd read a couple of Ms. Banks ebooks. One I liked and one I didn't. While in reality this is one book it's broken into three parts almost giving it an anthology feel to it. This is a spicy read and I have mixed emotions about it. Some of it was very good and some of it not so much. Not a lot of depth here. What you see is what you get. If you are looking for a sexy romp with a bit of plot this is the book for you.

Here's the books I've started and haven't finished yet:

TANGLED UP IN YOU by Rachel Gibson

BREATHLESS by Laura Lee Guhrke

THE SERPENT PRINCE by Elizabeth Hoyt

THE DEVIL MAY CRY by Sherrilyn Kenyon

I don't have any particular problems with these books. In fact I was enjoying both BREATHLESS and THE SERPENT PRINCE but I just got distracted by another new shiny book. I've never had so many books started and in limbo before. New experience for me. I'm hoping to catch up and finish them over the next week. Then I'm feeling a hankering for some westerns coming on. I'll have to crack open my tub and see what I've got languishing for me to read. Seriously? I can hardly wait.

Blog Post...Blog Hop...Blog Post...Blog Hop

Tonight something had to give and I'm afraid visits to all your wonderful worlds got the short straw. Mostly because I riding a pretty great reading high because I just finished CARESSED BY ICE by Nalini Singh.

Good book. Read this excerpt and see what I mean.

I mean this was a really good book. I actually think this is a case where a writer and the series are getting better with each book. The world building continues and the depth of thought to the characters and what it means to be changeling, human and Psy in this world are very well done. Full bodied characters. While this world is a complex place operating on many levels the writing is clear and concise. I couldn't wait to turn the pages because it was just so engaging.

My favorite thing in the world is where there is plot enough to present an intriguing story for the characters to ride and yet the characters and their personal growth and internal battles are the focus of the story. Ms. Singh accomplishes this beautifully so I was in my bliss reading this story.

I'm anxious for February 2008 to see what new surprises Nalini Singh has up her sleeve for all of us. Good book.

Back to Basics

Off and on I note that people post what they've read during the month. I've toyed with posting my monthly reads. I waver all the time. After all, if I post everything then you'll know all my secrets! You'd know all the politically incorrect reading I do. Scary that. I'd feel so...so...exposed! So, have to give more thought to whether or not this will be a regular thing. Of course you'd never know if I disclosed all my reads ...now would you? ;-)

As I've wailed and lamented over the past month I didn't read much, 6 books in August. There were also 3 e-books I'm too lazy to go look up. So really 9 books total. When you compare that to the 39 I read in January it seems positively shocking. Well it was to me anyway. I like to stay in the 15 to 20 book range. I feel nice and balanced in my life when I do that and it also means I didn't stay up too many nights and got too little sleep.

Odd assortment this past month. Without further ado...here's August 2007:

Dangerous Lover by Lisa Marie Rice
Tied to the Tracks by Rosina Lippi
A Reason to Believe by Maureen McKade
The Northern Devil by Diane Whiteside
Tanner's Scheme by Lora Leigh
Coming Undone by Susan Andersen

In case you were wondering, I had a wonderful and relaxing weekend. I did make it out of my jammies and even made a trek to my favorite BORDERS. As many of you have probably read and heard we are having extremely warm and humid weather here in SoCal. It was 111 degrees when we were at the book store. I've never been so grateful to walk into an air-conditioned room in my life. Anyway I found just about everything I was looking for.

Here's my haul:

Driven by Eve Kenin
Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh
The Price of Desire by Leda Swann
My Immortal by Erin McCarthy
For Her Pleasure by Maya Banks
White Heat by Cherry Adair
Me & Mr. Darcy by Alexandra Potter
Fairyville by Emma Holly
If His Kiss is Wicked by Jo Goodman

Yes, I purchased more books than I read the whole month of September. Well if you don't count the ebooks. I'm happy to report though that I read four books over the weekend. Isn't that absolutely fabulous? I'm soooo happy to be reading again.

Now if I'm really getting back to basics I should get a review or two up this week. One can hope.

Labor Day and the L O N G weekend...

Don't hate me, but I have a long weekend every week because I only work Tuesday through Friday. Of course it throws me off each and every week because when I go in to work on Tuesday I always feel like it's Monday and it takes the whole week for the days to sort out again. Then, of course, it starts all over again. Yeah, yeah I know, "cry me a river" , right? What a wanker you're probably thinking. Okay, I'll own that I'm wanking a bit, but did you ever stop to think what would happen if you had an extra day off each week? Huh? Well for me it goes something like this.

Lately it's sucked because I was still getting up at 4:30 (that's A.M.) to start dropping people off to their car pool, school or job. When you have an extra day off the natives seem to think you have time for extra stuff. Extra stuff for them. Carting said natives from place to place falls under this category of extra stuff.

Fortunately, this past week we sort of returned to normal with the carting around being reduced to a minimum. However, now Mondays seem to have ended up being like the room in the house where you just shove everything until you have time to go through and sort it all. Yeah, Monday is my junk drawer/room. Everything I don't have time for the rest of the week I try to get done on Monday. So, I get to loathe Mondays for a completely different reason than it's the start of the work week. It's the day all the chores I like least have to get done.

Before you ask I'll own up and say, "Yes, I had a list." BUT, after I started reading it I got sort of freaked out and overwhelmed. So, I culled a few important things from it, made a shorter list and threw the rest of the list away. Aren't you proud of me? Well, I'm proud of me. Time was I'd gird my loins and attack that list!

Some of my regular visitors might be surprised that I threw one of my lists away knowing, as you do, how I love all things list-y. You may be wondering why I'm not battening down the hatches and forging ahead. Then again, you might be a lot smarter than I am and figured things out. That damn list was ruining my Monday! Monday, a day when Shmoo can drive himself to school, GG drives his car pool, and Beanie has his own car. All of which translates to, Rosie can be alone in the house, stay in her jammies all damn day and read if she wanted to. Yeah, I'm a little slow on the up-take sometimes, but when I get it, I REALLY get it. So, I'm working on having a no-list Monday. A sort of Monday Moratorium on Lists.

This Monday being the Labor Day holiday is going to be a big help getting the Monday Moratorium on Lists rolling. The men in my life will gladly and enthusiastically help me to avoid doing chores. The 'No Chores' is a subject Beanie and Shmoo not only excel at but work to convert others to their way of thinking. I'll give a token resistance because they will expect it. Then, I'll pretend to think it over and rattle off a couple of things that need to be done. After that I'll look like I'm giving serious consideration to their arguments of how I need to relax and enjoy life more. (Yes, they are shameless little cretins, my boys.) And finally, reluctantly, I'll (gleefully) give in. No chores. No list. Heh, heh! I wasn't always a Mom you know.

I dunno. Is it a little weird that I have to trick myself this way? Or that I get such a kick out of taking my boys for a cerebral joy ride? Hmmmmm...