Embarrassing Moments. Oh…and it’s Release Day!

Ah, embarrassing moments. I’ve had my share of them, let me tell you. There was the time I got stuck in a restroom in India. Yeah, India. I could not for the life of me get the cubicle door open, there was no way to climb under or over it and every other woman who came in couldn’t speak a word of English LOL. There was the time I headed to an interview, running really late, only to realize I still had my slippers on O.o. Then there was the time I was in Toronto preparing for a big presentation, ironing my ONLY clean business blouse when I burned a huge iron pattern onto it. And that’s nothing compared to the time I— Wait, you probably don’t need to know that one J.

Did I disclose all this to make myself look like an idiot? Well, I hope not! Hopefully, it provides some examples of someone being human. Granted, ‘being human’ probably doesn’t happen to others as often as it happens to me, but it’s what makes us unique, individual, gives us our personality, our quirks, like building blocks to who we are today. As a writer, it’s critical to create characters readers can relate to and people relate to others they can really identify with. Someone who is gorgeous and perfect and rich and successful and never makes a fool of themselves isn’t necessarily a sympathetic character, isn’t necessarily one a reader will like. Characters need flaws, weaknesses, traits that set them apart. Sometimes they need to make mistakes, react the wrong way, do something foolish or unpredictable. It not only makes a character more relatable so a reader will want to root for their happily ever after, sometimes it provides a great opportunity for plot interest.

I’ve used embarrassing moments or characters behaving badly in some way in my books before. Not necessarily to create a funny or shocking scene in of itself, but to build a realistic character. In my latest release, RISE OF HOPE, my hero is a real gem. At first J. He’s moody, surly and downright rude. Of course, it’s part of who he is, a product of his upbringing, how he handles truths he might not be ready for, but underneath it all he has a core of integrity that’s unshakeable. In other words, he’s redeemable, but I had fun playing with how much of a jerk he could really be. Below is an excerpt from RISE OF HOPE and Seth being, well… Seth:

  “First… Tell me…who am I to you?” she demanded.

  His gaze flew back to hers, held, heated.

  Who are you? What are you? What am I? What does all this mean?

  Yeah, he might not have given her the answers she was looking for or done it well, but at least he could have tried to field those questions. But did she ask those? No. She was sharp, really sharp. It figured. She asked the one thing he couldn’t answer, didn’t want to think about and wasn’t ready to face himself.

  “You’re a job,” he bit out. “I’m helping you escape. I’ll deliver you somewhere safe and make no mistake, I’ll protect you with my life, but you’re a job.”

  Nothing more. He thought it, but couldn’t get the words out. For sure she’d know he was lying. And who the hell was he trying to convince anyway?

So, come on. I showed you mine, now you show me yours J. Share one of your own embarrassing moments, you know, to make sure I don’t look like an idiot here on my own. To celebrate the release of RISE OF HOPE TODAY one lucky reader who comments on my blog will be randomly selected to win...a $25 gift card to an online ebook store of choice. I'll keep it open through Wednesday 11:59 pm Eastern. Good luck!

Is that...? *squints* No, it couldn't be...

H A P P Y   M O T H E R ' S   D A Y !

If you're a Mom I hope you have a wonderful, wonderful day and get adequately spoiled. If not, well I know you've got a Mom, so have a great day regardless of how you decide to spend it. I saw this and had to share LOL. Look closely :). Is that...? No, it couldn't be. Could it? ENJOY!!

Ah...January? Where are you?

Did you blink and miss it? I must have. January just flew by for me. Perhaps it was because I took a spur of the moment vacation and the hope that I could settle into a routine again after the madness of the holidays just flew out the window. Anyway, it's a brand new month, I have no trips planned (that I know of yet :)) and I'm ready to sink my teeth into something new. I turned in my latest book yesterday. Sigh and yay!! It required me to lock myself in my writing cave to wrap it up. The waiting and nail biting begins, but what to work on now? There are so many characters vying for my attention. I could pick up Cole's story from PAY UP. When I started to write that book, I hadn't intended to leave an opening for another story, but Cole just became so real. And I have just the woman for him :)! I could go back to an idea I had in January. It did distract me from my book at the time and it's nicely laid out. It's got a hot military guy :). I could browse my ever bulging "ideas" file. There's some great stuff in there. OR I could run with a shiny, new, exciting idea that struck me this morning. Decisions, decisions... So much to write, so little time!

What I've Learned Skiing this Week

So, I've been in Colorado this week skiing with the kids. They'd never even seen snow before, so it's been very much a special time for them. Surprisingly, they've all taken to skiing so I feel future ski vacations could be in our future *groan*. Unfortunately, there are other things I would prefer to do, but I'm a firm believer in being able to learn something from any situation, so I'd like to share what I've learned this week:

• Everything somehow looks "magical" covered in snow. Even the dumpster out back of the hotel looks picturesque with a dusting of snow. Of course, I don't have to drive in it or shovel it!
• Snow really is cold. Now I know why I live in Miami.
• You really can never have too much chapstick.
• Skiing is indeed like riding a bike. The problem is, I was never that great at riding a bike :).
• You will fall. It's just a matter of time. Especially if you strap on a pair of skis.
• No matter what you do, your hair is going to look like crap anyway, so don't bother.
• I might be in reasonable shape, but man, I'm really unfit. I hear a new year's resolution coming on...
• Skiing is like eating crab. It's a lot of effort for not very much pay off, particularly if you don't absolutely love skiing...er crab.
• If you look good, you ski better. OK, not really, but you might feel better about having to do it LOL.
• Skiing is something you have to have a passion for. I'm actually a pretty solid intermediate skier. I even went down a black run yesterday. Of course, hubby tricked me into it. I'm just not driven to it, not like every other person here seems to be.
• I'd really rather do something else. Like write!

Naming Characters

It always fascinates me to hear how other writers work, how they write and what happens during their creative process. One of the things I always wonder about as I start a book is where the character's names came from. I think it's because I know where mine do--from everywhere and anything and sometimes from nowhere and nothing! That makes sense, right? LOL. I'm one of those people who'll scan the credits of a TV show or movie for interesting names, look at the contributors list in magazines, gosh I've even been known to scan my kid's school contact list! I have a number of baby name books as well. One of them has 20,000 names in it! It's the one I used to name my kids, so it's kinda special.

Sometimes I'll just hear a name somewhere or I'll see it and I'll file it away for later. That's what happened with Rio from PAY UP. I've had that name identified as one I would use eventually for a long time. I just needed the right guy. I actually have a document that lists possible names and I usually look at it before I start a book UNLESS the story has started with a character so strongly, that the name is already there. It happens like that sometimes. The character will just pop into my head, fully formed and already with a name. I'm sure it's something from my subconscious, but it sometimes feels like it's come from thin air. Occasionally, I'll be developing a character profile and I'll get to a certain point and the character suddenly 'becomes' someone. It happened that way with Jillian from PICTURE THIS. Jillian is not a name that would have normally gotten my attention, but when I created her profile, she just 'seemed' like a Jillian. To me, anyway.

I try to pick names that are easy to pronounce and wouldn't have a reader wondering how they sound, but past experiences also come into play. There are particular names that have connotations and associations that would make it impossible for me to use them for heroes or heroines. It might be people I know, family, those from the past that have too many echoes (positive or negative) that would prevent me from relating to them enough to write them. I also have this issue sometimes as a reader. If there's a book with a name that I too readily associate with a living person, it can make it challenging to really engage with that character and become invested with them. Of course, a good writer telling a great story can usually get me past that.

So, readers...do you really care about character names, one way or the other? Would other writers like to share how they name their characters?

2010...it's a wrap

2010 was an amazing year for me. I became published for one, realizing a dream, even if it was a fairly new one :). I gained a tremendous amount of experience with the craft of writing as well as understanding how the publishing industry works. Sort of LOL. And I made wonderful friends, some I've never even met in person!

So...2010, what did you teach me?

• Writers are just so friendly & supportive towards other writers. It really is an amazing community to be a part of.
• I really can tell people that I write hot & steamy romance and the sky won't fall in. Really :).
• I'm a bit lazy. Yep, I can term it being a perfectionist, I can call it procrastinating, but I have a tendency to be lazy if I can get away with it. There. I said it. The first step is recognizing the problem, right LOL?
• I actually like blogging and social networking. Who would ever have guessed that?
• Publishing is a changing and evolving industry and it doesn't look like that's going to stop anytime soon.
• Marketing and promotion is a bit of a crap shoot. You never really know what works or doesn't. You kinda make the best educated choices you can and hope for the best!
• Sadly, the romance genre is still looked down on by people in the 'literary world' and the public in general, despite the incredible sales figures.
• Writing is hard and it's work and it's solitary. Even though I love it and intellectually I knew it was hard, I think you have to live it to really get that on an emotional and spiritual level. It's not for everyone.
• Being published feels just as amazing as I thought it would.

I haven't firmed up all of my goals for 2011 yet, but thought I'd share the highlights of my thinking for the coming year:

• Read more! My reading has really dropped off lately and I feel like it could have an impact longer term. I'd like to get back to my favorite authors. I've missed them. The good news is that there is a huge backlog waiting for me.
• Attend the RWA Nationals conference in NY, possibly RT and probably RomantiCon. There's nothing quite like networking (aka partying) with other romance authors.
• Turn in 4 - 5 ebooks - hot & steamy contemporaries!!
• Finish 2 category length manuscripts that are in progress.
• Flesh out the outline for my first paranormal series and draft the first book. This story just won't give me any peace, so I have no choice.
• Revamp the look & feel of my website and blog. It's long overdue, right?
• Add new segments on my blog. Stay tuned!
• Query agents.
• Stop dicking around so much on the Internet :).
• Become Twitter Queen. Well, perhaps not queen, but at least use it more effectively. See point above ;).

Happy New Year to everyone!! Wishing you a year filled with good health and happiness and much reading--romance, of course!

Tis the season to...

I love this time of year. It's full of fun and hope and optimism for the coming new year. Things are shiny and new and oh so special. It has a magic and a mysticism to it, especially if you have kids and can live it through their eyes. I love in the States how the entire period from Halloween through New Year is just called 'the holidays'. It seems you get through one celebration and then you're immediately looking forward to the next one. It's a wonderful, wonderful time, although my hips could certainly do with a break! This year we're spending our time at home and have no family visiting. Yay us :)!! I think it'll be really nice.

My most favorite part of this time of the year though, is looking forward to the new year. It's time to reflect on what's been accomplished, think about goals met (or not LOL) and start to firm up objectives and wishes for the coming year. I've always believed that you can do anything, be anything if you want it badly enough. Possibilities are endless and opportunities abound. The only limitation is yourself. It's why entering a new year is always so exciting for me. It's almost like the slate is being wiped clean and you can start fresh all over again. It's just up to you to make it happen.

So, while I'll be thinking about my goals and what I want to accomplish for 2011, what's YOUR favorite part of the holidays?

Just...Thanks

Although I've lived in the US for many years, Thanksgiving is still a bit of an odd holiday for me. I didn't grow up with it as a child, it wasn't ingrained in me through those informative years so I do feel a bit removed from it in a way. We still celebrate it fully and fairly traditionally, but I take it as an opportunity to really think about how fortunate I've been and what I truly have to be thankful for.

So, what am I thankful for?

• A happy marriage, when so many are in disarray or fall apart these days. 
• Healthy kids, when so many others are fighting terrible sickness and disease.
• My own health (knock on wood).
• That we have food on the table and never have to go hungry when so many around the world fight for every scrap they can get.
• That I have the luxury to pursue my dream of being a writer and author when so many don't get to experience their dreams.
• The fact that I have readers! I'm so very thankful that my books have been well received, have gotten great reviews and the reader comments I've seen just...ROCK!

So, what am I doing on Thanksgiving? Hubby is in full feast mode and is cooking a Turducken. Yep, that's a chicken inside a duck inside a turkey. Should be...interesting :).

For those of you celebrating the holiday or those just taking the opportunity to think about the things they're thankful for like me--Happy Thanksgiving!

What are YOU thankful for?

Writers, Professionalism and...the Internet

There's been a lot of discussion about this topic lately on loops, forums and blogs. It's a topic that each and every writer, aspiring to be published or already published, should take into account when they post anything on the Internet--on any of the social networking forums and media. That stuff says around forever, you know? What people say and how they say it, reflects on them (and that could be a positive or a negative thing). I'm regularly amazed at what some people post and the language they use. We all constantly hear that the first thing an editor or an agent does when they're considering a submission seriously, is to Google the writer. Really? You want an editor or agent to see that? What is out there on the Internet is sometimes the only way an editor or an agent can perform a 'compatibility test' if you will. How easy is this person to work with? How reasonable? How professional?

Me? I try not to post anything I wouldn't have issue with anyone seeing. I try to strike a balance between providing insight into me as a person so that people can get to know me better, but not revealing too much information, if you know what I mean :). I consciously try not to post anything of a religious or political nature. I believe everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and why should I feel the need to push mine onto anyone else? They're not relevant to my books anyway. I do my best not to offend anyone. Sure, I write hot and steamy romance. Some consider it 'erotic', but I think I can still have a professional persona, I don't have to 'live up to' that moniker. I want this to be a long term career, after all.

Now, in the spirit of believing in free speech and everyone being the master of their own destiny, people can post anything they like, of course. I just hope they've thought through clearly all the possible ramifications and that it's a conscious choice. If so, that's fine. If not, oh-ho!

Is it just me or do others see this as well?

Almost finished another one...

I'm polishing my latest WIP to turn into my editor. Actually, I've been doing that for ::cough:: quite some time. Really, I should have been done with it by now. Really. I know I'm a perfectionist when it comes to certain things--things that really matter. And my books and stories really matter. I like to tweak until I'm wringing just the right amount of emotion out at a particular point, until I'm satisfied I've represented the hero and heroines feelings well enough, until I have the thread of passion and tension just right. I know all that, but it's more than just trying to make the story as good as it can be. I have an idea about the 'feel' of a book when I start. It's hard to describe, but I'm aiming to create that certain 'tone' I have inside my head and it's quite different for each story. Sometimes it takes awhile to get that just right. I have a hard time letting go of my characters and their stories as well. I write heroes I could fall in love with and  heroines I can relate to, that I can cheer for. I do extensive character maps on them and they become three dimensional. I yearn to give them their happy ever after. I need to be able to turn in a story that can do justice to them, you know? Sometimes it's an effort to say "I'm done", leave their world and move onto the next story hammering away in my brain.  LOL Yeah probably sounds like I need therapy, right? Anyway, PLAY ME is almost done :). Gabe and Lily are an unlikely couple (on the surface), but oh so right for each other. I can't wait to share them with you!

I'm up on Amazon and...a teaser excerpt from my WIP

I noticed over the weekend my latest book, PAY UP was up on Amazon! WOW. For me, it's the closest thing I can imagine it would be like to see my physical book sitting on a shelf at a book store (or at Target, whatever - I'm not fussy :)). I'm not exactly sure why I get so excited seeing my books out on these sites. Perhaps it's because they're sharing virtual shelf space with best selling authors, authors and books I read. Perhaps because I know it means it's that much more accessible to readers. Perhaps because it's just another form of validation on this path to becoming a successful author. Regardless of the specifics...it's just way cool! I'm on Amazon!

In between looking at my covers on 3rd party book sellers ;), I thought I'd provide an update on my WIP. PLAY ME is coming along nicely and should be finished any day now. I'm really pleased with how it's turned out. Gabe is an hot alpha hero, enough to make any society princess take notice, but things aren't always what they seem. It's a story about chance and what can happen when two people on completely different paths find themselves thrust together. Will they continue on as before or...just go for it? I thought I would share a snippet from the page I'm currently working on:

    “Show me your vibrator.”
    “What?”
    Lily was pretty sure she’d passed the point of being able to pretend any kind of worldly sophistication, but she thought she’d give it one more shot just the same.
    “Um…what makes you think I even have one?”
    He smiled. It was wicked and full of knowledge.
    Yeah, that was probably a fail.

Where's Kaily?

Until recently, I'd never even heard of a blog or virtual book tour, but that's exactly what I'm having during the month of July to promote my first book! Some of my guest spots will be on the blogs of other writers I've connected with online, amazing and generous writers who are willing to help a 'newbie'. Others will be as a result of an organized tour by folks who know what they're actually doing!! It's exciting and terrifying all at once because I'm basically selling myself. Of course, I've done this to some degree my entire professional life, but this is somehow different, more personal and it means so much more because of that. I'll post the details soon and probably beg for support!

I've also been quiet on the blogosphere front recently. I'm online challenged at the moment. I'm on vacation, camping, with 4 kids and no wifi access! I'm trying to make my 3G iPad act like a laptop but it has it's limitations LOL. It feels like I'm missing a limb. I also have withdrawal because I have characters in my head pissed because I'm not writing anything down. I've been doing a lot of 'mind planning' but it's only going to cut it for so long! I get back June 25 and I'll be itching to get back into the swing of things!!

Out of the mouths of babes

OK, so I haven't done one of these posts in awhile and I had such an 'interesting' conversation with my 4 year old daughter last night, that I just had to share. This is the twin of the one in the last 'out of the mouths' post - the one where we learned just what Cinderella really says to the prince. Anyway, the conversation went like this:

"Mommy, how old are you?"
"I'm 41."
"That's old."
"Not really. You're only as old as you feel, baby."
"Your boobies are big."
Where do they get these words? "Ah, well, yeah, I guess they are."
"They look fat."
"They're not fat. Not exactly. Your ... boobies will get big too when you're older."
There was a pause. Her head tilted to the side. Her little brain was processing all of the information and I just knew it. A gem was coming.
"When I get old and fat, can I wear all of your clothes?"
Yep. There it was!

Out of the mouths of babes...

If you could eavesdrop on a conversation between Cinderella and the Prince, what do you think they would be talking about? I thought I would get my chance to find out when I came across one of my 4 year old daughters playing pretend with her Disney figures. The Prince had muttered something I couldn't make out to Cinderella. And what would you think would be an appropriate response from Cinderella? Well, according to my 4 year old it was, "Are you shitting me?" LOL Did I mention she's only 4?  Mmm, wonder where she got that from?

I'm ruined...

As a reader, that is. I'm now convinced of it. I've written on this blog before about how much my own reading has fallen off - and not just because I'm busy writing. I recently finished the latest release from a NY Times Bestselling author. I like her books - no, I love her books. I like the way she writes, I like her characters and she's certainly a 'I'll buy any book with her name on it' author for me and will remain so. I was really looking forward to reading this book. It was good, but not great and I don't think it had anything to do with her writing or the quality of it. It was me. All me. I've changed as a reader because 18 months ago I wouldn't have questioned the over-reaching secondary plot, I wouldn't have raised any eyebrows at the rapid POV changes, I wouldn't have felt disappointed at how/when conflicts were resolved, I wouldn't have thought some of the plot devices were predictable and I wouldn't have even considered the pacing of the book. I didn't even know what most of that stuff was! So, what gives? Is there anyone else out there that has experienced a changed reader experience? Am I really ruined as a reader?

Why I Love Forums

I never thought I would. I really didn't think I'd click with this whole social networking 'thing' either. I come from the IT industry, but social networking? Please! Not for me, I thought. I started my blog last year as a kind of experiment. I wanted to see if I could actually get into the routine and discipline needed to maintain the thing. I wanted to see if I could come up with anything remotely interesting to say, because, what would I actually write about and who would care anyway? I wanted to see if it was something I'd have to force myself to do. Well, surprise, surprise! I found I actually enjoy it. Who would have thought? I give it to myself as a reward if I meet a certain goal for the day. In addition to blogging, I've discovered forums. Of course, I always knew they were there, but I thought 'what benefit could I really get from them'? I'm fairly self sufficient after all. They have an obvious educational value, a support value, a networking value, and a promotional value. They have all that, but the thing I love most about them? They're BLIND. I don't necessarily mean the annonymity of them, although that's part of it. I mean they're blind to social status, geographic location, cultural differences, economic situation and age. People come together with common interests, desires, dreams and aspirations and - connect. OK, maybe I'm kind of late to this party, but better to finally arrive than never get there at all, right?

I still don't know what to say ...

Unfortunately, I haven't gotten any wiser since the last time I mentioned this. What the hell do you say when someone asks you any of the following:

• What do you do for a living?
• What are you doing these days?
• Where do you work?

This writing romance (and hot/erotic type romance specifically) is so far removed from what I used to do that I still can't get past the thought of telling anyone from that past life. I was in the corporate world, a very conservative corporate world, and very high up the management chain. Most that I worked with were men and I would like to maintain those professional relationships. You never know, right? Coupled with the fact that I have no real validation that I'm any good (I'm not published yet, but working feverishly towards it) it's kinda hard for me to proclaim 'I'm a writer'. And what happens when I've tried that out? Well, then the next two questions are pretty predictable ' 'What do you write?' & 'Where can I find your books?' NOW, what to say? I have to say when a guy asks me I've used the response 'I write woman's fiction'. That pretty much ensures their eyes glaze over and they change the subject, but I can't do that forever and women seem to want to know all the specifics. It sounds so lame to say 'I'm not published yet but working towards it'. I just get the nods as if 'oh, she'd got a cute little hobby going on.' Is it just me? Am I paranoid, overly cautious, completely neurotic or just a coward?

I got a Kreativ Blogger Award!

Yay! OK, I have to admit, I'd never seen this before and had no idea what it was, so I had to look it up.  It's been doing the rounds for awhile. I get to thank the person who bestowed it on me, reveal 7 interesting things about myself (that might be a stretch) and then pass it on to 7 other bloggers. So, here goes:

Thanks Cari Quinn! Cari is a fellow Sagittarian who seems to be writing the same type of material as me. Well, not exactly the same - she's published, after all! We stumbled across each other on the boards. Cari published her first novel last year and if you want hot and steamy (and I mean HOT and STEAMY), you can check it out here.

7 things about myself? I decided to list things that people would likely not know about me (even if they kinda 'knew' me):
1. I grew up in the Australian outback, or close enough to it for it not to really matter. Yeah, that makes me Australian!
2. Everyone complains all year about the weather in Miami, Florida but I LOVE it. There's something about the humid weather and palm trees that tricks the mind into thinking you're perpetually on vacation. Well, almost.
3. I'm the mother of identical twins. They're 4. It's fascinating, aggravating, joyous, aggravating, special and rewarding, and you guessed it, aggravating! I'd like to think I'll have enough material one day to come up with a unique twist on the twin story line.
4. I have a thing about frames. Picture frames. Just the frames. I really think it's an addiction. I just seem to collect them but never get around to actually putting anything in them or hanging them up, but I can never have too many!
5. I've never cooked a meal in my life. When we were renovating our kitchen, someone once asked me - 'Are you getting a gas or electric stove?' - and I'm like - 'I'll have to get back to you on that.' I've never been interested in cooking and don't see that changing anytime soon.
6. My first job out of university? I was a computer programmer. My, how far I've come :).
7. Last year I did something scandalous and daring. I hired a professional photographer to take pictures of me. What's daring about that you ask? The pictures were...well, naked!! I had them made into a coffee table book for my husband for his birthday. I look back at them and still wonder, where the hell did I get the nerve to do THAT? BTW, the book is nowhere near the coffee table!

Now, for my nominations. They're blogs that I look to for inspiration, for a laugh, for their educational value or just because they seem to be on the same path that I am and I can relate (plus they don't appear to be already nominated) LOL:
Jackie Ashenden
Wendi Zwaduk
Hetal Pinal
Waiting for the Call
Romy Sommer
Dee Tenorio
Donna Alward

ENJOY!

2010! Bring it on!

I love New Years. OK, I love most holidays, but this one deals with reflecting on the past and looking forward to a (possible) new beginning, of making new promises and setting new goals and with renewed hope of meeting them. It's an exciting time for an unpublished writer looking forward to much success in 2010. I thought of sharing my goals and aspirations specifically but instead wanted to share the words of some best selling authors (an eclectic bunch to be sure), that have really resonated with me as I think about the coming year and what I want to accomplish. Enjoy!

"My advice is not to wait to be struck by an idea. If you're a writer, you sit down and damn well decide to have an idea. That's the way to get an idea." Andy Rooney

"Don't quit. It's very easy to quit during the first 10 years. Nobody cares whether you write or not, and it's very hard to write when nobody cares one way or the other. You can't get fired if you don't write, and most of the time you don't get rewarded if you do. But don't quit."  Andre Dubus

"You have to follow your own voice. You have to be yourself when you write. In effect, you have to announce, "This is me, this is what I stand for, this is what you get when you read me. I'm doing the best I can - buy me or not - but this is who I am as a writer."" David Morrell

"A genuine creation should have character as well as be one; should have central heating, so to say, as well as exterior lighting." James Hilton

"Write. Rewrite. When not writing or rewriting, read. I know of no shortcuts." Larry King

"A best-selling book usually follows a simple rule, 'It's a wonderful story, wonderfully told'; not, 'It's a wonderfully told story.'" Nicholas Sparks

"You have to have the three D's: drive, discipline and desire. If you're missing one of those three, you can have all the talent in the world, but it's going to be really hard to get anything done." Nora Roberts

"I don't believe one reads to escape reality. A person reads to confirm a reality he knows is there, but which he has not experienced." Lawrence Durrell

"In truth, I never consider the audience for whom I'm writing. I just write what I want to write." J. K. Rowling

"I know what women want - and that's to be flung across a man's saddle, or into the long grass by a loving husband." Barbara Cartland

Happy New Year and here's wishing everyone much health, happiness and success in 2010! Bring it on!

The Worst Gift EVER

I've gotten some interesting ones over the years and this year overall I did pretty well I have to say. My husband even bought me a brand new, totally ergonomic (with a zillion adjustments) desk chair! How cool was that? Hopefully, I can put it to good use in 2010! Someone else decided to give me a box of Godiva chocolates. How could they? Now, on the surface, it sounds sweet and thoughful, not to mention delicious. Right? It is - BUT this box has 105 chocolates and is 2 pounds, 11 ounces of sugar!! It took me awhile, but I finally figured out this box has over 7,000 calories! What were they thinking? It's not like I really obsess about my weight or what I eat, but 7,000! Here's my dilemma - should I eat them as fast as I can to just get rid of them or should I spread it out, savoring them slowly and try and minimize the impact to the hips? Of course, I didn't consider throwing them out or giving them away :). What's the worst gift you've ever received?