Passing of a Legend

I'm so sad that Paul Newman is no longer with us. He was always one of my favorite actors and at the very top of my list of favorite celebrities.
He used his celebrity to set a great example for others. This handsome, talented man did what so few mega-rich Hollywood actors do - he set up charities, he dared to have a political voice and he stayed married to the same woman for half a century. As a philanthropist, he helped raise more than $200 million for various causes.
When I see celebs and company execs buying more and more for themselves, outdoing one another and living in the lap of ostentatious luxury, I cringe. They could all learn a lot from the example set by Paul Newman.

A Monster is Eating my Dining Room

Every November, my RWA chapter, Central Florida Romance Writers hosts a huge multi-author signing at a local mall to benefit the Adult Literacy League. Usually we have more than 20 Romance Authors from the state and the Romancing the Holidays signing draws some media attention and hundreds of readers. For the last two years, I've been one of the organizers of this endeavor, as well as a signer.
This year, I've added to my duties by taking on the task of putting together the amazing goody bags we give out to the first 75 customers at the event. These are the most amazing goody bags ever and usually have at least 3 autographed books, hundreds of bookmarks, pens and other promo items inside. Now, assembling the bags is an almost overwhelming task that requires half a dozen volunteers working for several hours. Before the bag stuffing day, though, these books and promo items arrive in my mailbox (or more often at my door since my mailman can't fit all the boxes and packages in the mailbox) for months leading up to the signing. From there, I move them into my dining room since that's where we assemble the bags. With the bag stuffing party weeks away now, my dining room had now become more boxes of stuff than furniture. The corner where I stash the items has grown into half the room and I now realize, the room's been eaten by this tremendous promo monster.
Not that I'm complaining. I'm glad to help other authors promote their work and even more thrilled for all the donated books. So, if you happen to have any extras of your books sitting around gathering dust, why not ship them over to me where they will be put to good use. While you're at it, throw in a bunch of bookmarks, magnets or pens singing your books' praises! If you have anything you'd like to send, please leave me your email addy in the comments or you can email me from my website.

MeMe from H#ll!

This is all Katie's fault. So here it is: The world's longest Meme. For those I tag, you must add a question.
1. What is your occupation? Romance Author and House Frau

2. What color are your socks right now? Don't wear them

3. What are you listening to right now? Disturbia (Rihanna - by way of DD's computer in the next room!)

4. What was the last thing that you ate? sugar free jello with cool whip

5. Can you drive a stick shift? Nope

6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Pink

7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My sister, Ruth

8. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Of course

9. Favorite drink? Cosmo

10. What is your favorite sport to watch? Gymnastics

11. Have you ever dyed your hair? Oy - yes. Won't do it again until I see a few grays

12. Pets? 2 cats that I love dearly

13. Favorite food? ice cream

14. Last movie you watched? Young at Heart (Documentary - highly recommend)

15. Favorite Day of the year? Have to say my birthday

16. What do you do to vent anger? Yell - yikes - I'm telling all my well-guarded secrets!

17. What was your favorite toy as a child? Barbies

18. What is your favorite, fall or spring? Spring

19. Hugs or kisses? Hugs

20. What kind of pie? Pumpkin

21. Living arrangements? A house

22. When was the last time you cried? Um - during my last (and every) period - no reason, just felt like the thing to do.

23. What is on the floor of your closet? Shoes, a plastic tote full of gifts for future use

24. Favorite smell? baby powder

25. What inspires you? news stories, movies

26. What are you afraid of? flying

27. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? cheese

28. Favorite car? Jag

29. Favorite cat breed? Ragdoll

30. Number of keys on your key ring? 2

31. How many years at your current job? 3 1/2 since I actually held one

32. Favorite day of the week? Saturday

33. How many states/provinces have you lived in? Two

34. How many countries have you been to? 14

35. How much do you love "Knowing Me, Knowing You" by ABBA? I like it - don't love it.

36. The name of the first person you kissed (romantically)? Jay (better known as Terror - don't ask)

37. Are you the oldest child, youngest child, middle or only? Youngest

38. What is your favorite TV series currently still on? Mad Men

39. What is your favorite book right now? Patty Jane's House of Hair by Lorna Landvik

40. How many children do you have? 2

I tag: Macy and Mimi

Funeral for a Friend

No, I'm not talking about a person, but DD's beloved cockatiel, Terri. She found Terri outside about 4 years ago, a recent escape from somewhere nearby, we were sure. DH came to the rescue and ushered the frightened bird into a box and brought her inside.

Problem: We already had a (very aggressive) cat. So, Terri became DD's personal pet and was given a large cage in DD's bedroom, from which the cat was forever banished. Eventually, we let DD get a companion bird and all was great. Until last night when poor DD went into her room and found Terri stiff on the floor of the cage. The tears seemed to go on forever. And you know if you are a mom, that rips your heart out, even though it's a natural part of having pets. I put myself in her shoes and thought about my dear kitty. I think I'll cry for weeks when she goes.

So, this afternoon, we will have a funeral after school for Terri. DH is researching Bird Funerals on Google so he has a jumping off point, so to speak.

Some of these life lessons sting more than others. Think I may have to break the diet and have a good, stiff drink prior to the ceremony!

I Love Routine

Sounds awfully boring, doesn't it? But my kids have gone back to school and the days have again taken on a regular routine. The good news is, with them out of the house each day, I've gotten back to my writing schedule. In the past few days, I've completed more than 7k words on my new novella, a steamy contemporary with a little mystery set in Savannah, where I recently vacationed.
I was barely chugging along on my previous WIP when I realized it wasn't going where I wanted it to. So, I abandoned it - maybe for a while, maybe for good, who knows. What it came down to was my lack of enthusiasm. And heaven knows if I have no enthusiasm for a story, neither will an editor!
Have you ever just walked away from a manuscript in progress? Or a book you were reading, for that matter? My take on it is - why should I waste my time?
On another note, a NYT bestselling author who purchased The Kitten Club several months ago at a book signing, dropped me a note last night. She said she found the book poignant, a lovely story and even gave me a quote to use on brag pages for future books. I was honored to have such high praise from an author of her caliber.

Building an Ark

Heading into the third day under the nearly-stationary Tropical Storm Fay has me ready to start gathering animals two by two! I think enough tree limbs have fallen onto my roof to start a decent sized boat, judging from the overhead clunks I hear at least once every hour. It's amazing how depressing endless days of rainy gloom can be. But the weather has me thinking of mood and atmosphere in my writing. Weather is something many writers tend to overlook on occasion, myself included. But atmospheric conditions can add a lot to your story by setting a certain mood, creating obstacles for your characters and bringing the reader into the scene more. Movies are good at using the weather to create mood and feeling. When I think of a few dark movies, they often were set in rainy places like Seattle or foggy cities like London. Cold, snowy settings lend themselves to scary stories.

What about you? What sort of weather pictures do you paint?

Disasters of the Head Kind

Yesterday was a rollercoaster of day! First, DD decides she wants to highlight her beautiful dark blonde hair and make it closer to platinum. Now, I've highlighted it before (I worked in salons for many years and knew how to do this - sort of). But she complained it wasn't blonde enough last time and didn't last nearly long enough. So, we buy a kit and then she says she doesn't want it done the same way. So I agree (foolishly) to paint it on in layers without the cap. She leaves it on too long and lo and behold, she's platinum (mostly) blond. Problem - her coloring doesn't work with it and she burst into tears, pronouncing, "I hate it!" On the advice of my hairdresser (who does know what she's doing) we go to Walgreens and get a no peroxide box of dark blond/light brown color and apply that. Well, the hair is back to it's original color, but it feels like burnt straw. Lesson learned.
Now this whole thing was traumatic enough, but no, the day wasn't over. DH takes her to her high school orientation and sits beside a woman who farts all night as they listen to the entire staff give advice and proclaim the superiority of the football team. While they're gone, I eat a stuffed olive and feel something really hard in it. I take it out of my mouth and discover I've lost about a third of one of my molars! So unfair since I am neurotic about my dental hygiene.
Now if I haven't mentioned it before, I'm the world's biggest chicken when it comes to seeing the dentist. But he gets me in this morning and before I leave my house, I take a nerve pill (I save them for special occasions like this) When I arrive, I tell every person I encounter in the parking lot, waiting room and in the office that I want all the Novocaine they have in the place. The dentist laughs, but I tell him I'm serious. He gives me 4 shots and then drills for what seemed like hours. When the temporary crown was finally in place, I breathed a sigh of relief. Until I get the bill.
Can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to my book signing at my home base mall tomorrow. I can't take any more unexpected disasters of the head!