Mar 17, 2010 | Books, Contests, Life, Writing |
Hey, y'all! Life has sure been busy the last few days, let me tell you. Yesterday, I had wonderful intentions to write all day. Didn't happen. First, there was the emergency trip to Sherwin Williams to buy paint samples. Then there was the curtain lady from JCP who came to try and sell me custom curtains (this is what happens when you go to a home show and sign up for stuff without thinking about it too much). The curtain appointment took 3 hours — and we were only talking about TWO windows!
After she left, it was back to Sherwin Williams for more samples. Then I had to wait at home in case the painter came by to see what I'd chosen (but I still hadn't chosen!). Once my hubby got home, it was back to Sherwin Williams a third time for more paint. I bought 7 samples yesterday, and finally made a decision. The painter is relieved, I'm sure. Tomorrow, he starts painting. Whew, who knew choosing paint was so hard?
This morning, as if yesterday wasn't busy enough, another guy from the Home Show came by. This was for a yard service and termite control. Since Hubby and I suck at yard care (weeds, fertilizing, etc), we really wanted to see what this would cost. Totally reasonable, so I signed us up. And for the termite control too.
(I didn't buy the curtains, however, if you were wondering. Though the fabric was beautiful, I have a hard time with $2500 for curtains for two windows — tall windows, to be sure, but still.)
This afternoon, I have to go pick up the paint that the painter is ordering this morning. And somewhere in all this mess, I have a book to finish. I'm seriously getting cranky about it too. Because I figured out a plot problem and fixed it, and now it's time to move forward. But my motion was on hold for household things, which has really frustrated me.
The best part of yesterday, however, was getting my North American author copies of The Prince's Royal Concubine. I wasn't expecting them so early, but when I saw the UPS man, I knew that's what it had to be because I hadn't ordered anything recently. So you know what this means! To celebrate, I'm giving away a copy today on the blog. Leave a comment and tell me about the best book you read recently. (Does not have to be mine, btw.) Or you can tell me about how life got in the way of something you were doing. 🙂
Update: using the handy dandy Random Number Generator, the winner is Jayme! Jayme, please email me your contact info and I'll get the book out to you ASAP! Thanks for all the comments, y'all! I enjoyed hearing about the books you like, and about your little life detours. 🙂
Mar 7, 2010 | Promotion |
I created a Fan Page! If you're on FB, come on over and become a fan. I hope to put more info about my books and events there, plus there's room for discussions, etc. I still have a regular FB page, and will continue to use that as well. But I think the Fan Page gives me more options for the future, so I want to get it going now. I'd love your participation! Come on over and post a note, start a discussion, comment on the books, etc!
Hope to see you there. 🙂
Mar 4, 2010 | Photos, Research, Travel, Writing |
For the writers amongst you, I've put the links to my series on how to write a Harlequin Presents in the sidebar. Scroll down to the “For Writers” category, and all the posts are listed there to make it easier to find in future. Hope you enjoy. 🙂
I'm still buried in this Russian book, but things are looking better. I was browsing the web for images for my inspiration file, and I came across these that I want to share with you. (Yes, these were taken by talented photographers who are not me.) 🙂
I believe this is from the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, but I'm not quite sure. (It might also be from the Smolny Convent.) Years ago, and I won't say how many, ahem, I had the privilege of traveling to Russia. We flew to St. Petersburg first (still called Leningrad, if that gives you an idea), and spent 3 days there before boarding an overnight train to Moscow, where we spent another 3 days. It was an amazing trip. The palaces are beautiful, and the landscape was prettier than I expected it to be. Fortunately, we were there in May, and it was quite warm. It also never got fully dark at that time of year.
This next picture is of Peterhof, Peter the Great's palace on the Gulf of Finland. We got to tour it, and I have a photo of me standing on one of the bridges over the canal with this palace in the background. It's an amazingly beautiful place, full of gilt and art and antiques. My hero also has a palace, but it's not this grand. And of course he had to buy it back from the State after the fall of communism. But looking at these photos gives me an idea of what his palace is like, though on a smaller scale.
This is the Winter Palace, also known as The Hermitage Museum. It's a gorgeous palace on the banks of the Neva river. We spent hours wandering through the galleries. I see this photo as representing my hero's home. The Winter Palace is actually quite grand and vast, but this small slice of it makes it look like it could be a grand house on an estate somewhere. I especially love the snow capped trees.
More info on the Winter Palace here.
I love finding photos for inspiration. It's one of the most fun parts of beginning a new book. Thank heavens for Google! You can have photos at your fingertips and start writing about a place you've never been in a matter of hours. Yes, I've been to Russia, but I've never been to Argentina (The Devil's Heart, July 2010 UK) or the Arabian desert (Kept for the Sheikh's Pleasure, Sep 2010 UK). As much as I'd like to go to these places for real, I'm grateful for the tools that bring them to my fingertips. Even with Russia, it's been a long time and I needed a refresher.
Mar 2, 2010 | General, Life |
It's snowing again in Alabama. It's March, people. Snow does not fall in Alabama in March. Did someone upstairs not get the memo? I'd have loved this snow, scant though it is, in December. That's when it's supposed to snow. But this is Alabama, and it doesn't really snow here.
Except now. Why now? Why, when I want warmth and sunshine, do I have to put up with more snow? At least the weekend forecast is supposed to be sunny and 60s. That's more like it! We're accustomed to 60s in March. (We're accustomed to them in December too.) Can I please have my normal weather pattern back, dear El Nino?
Aside from the snow making me grumpy, I'm working on the latest book. Yes, it takes place in Russia. Yes, there is snow. I'm rather sick of snow.
In other Chez Harris news, I believe I'm going to have to track down and terrorize a misbehaving cat any minute. Nimitz, the evil beast, is yowling. Which wouldn't be a bad thing, if he were a normal cat. But destruction usually follows on the heels of the yowling. He likes to get on my hall table and knock over pictures. Or he'll open cabinets and crash around through the pots and pans. Then there's his fascination with the fireplace. And yes, he's actually tried to get into it while the fire was on. That's why I keep a handy dandy squirt bottle available. It'll either keep him out of the fire, or douse him once he's set himself ablaze. 😯
So, today it's snow, writing, and flaming cats. What about you? Anything interesting going on?
Feb 25, 2010 | General, Television |
Some years I watch American Idol, and some I don't. This year, Hubby wanted to watch it so we started at the beginning and we're still watching. And I have to say, after Hollywood week where I thought they really did have some awesome voices picked out, it's been pretty blah. NO ONE knocked it out of the park on either night. There are some talented kids, and much Idol left to come, so anything can happen. But though I like some of them a lot, I don't have a lot of hope this will be a stellar year.
I hate, hate, hate having to listen to FOUR judges critiques. And I have no idea how this show will survive without Simon. Prickly though he is, he seems to be the only one who hears the truth. I usually agree with him, though not always (he wasn't big on David Cook to begin with a couple of seasons ago, and I loved David from the start).
I think I've finally figured Idol out, though. Maybe you already knew, but it hit me last night what the show really is. It's a very expensive, very flashy karaoke contest. In 8 years (not counting this year just yet), they've only found two really viable stars who are still relevant today. Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood still make hits, and they aren't in danger of their careers fading anytime soon. You could even argue that Chris Daughtry and Adam Lambert will continue to shine (I really think Adam will), and though I still have hope for David Cook, he hasn't launched out of the mid-list singers yet.
But what about all those talented kids who were in the top 12, or the top 24, who you never hear from again? Apparently, a good voice is a dime a dozen. It's that extra something that takes them above the level of really awesome karaoke singer. And very, very few of them have it.
America gets into the drama of the season, the stories, the idea that someone's life will be forever changed by winning this contest. But then next year rolls around and we forget, or lose interest, in the previous year's winner (and all the finalists). This is entertainment, pure and simple. It's not really about launching a superstar — because the chances the winner will be a superstar aren't great. Taylor Swift is a superstar (not that I understand it), and she didn't need a contest to get her there. Miley Cyrus. The Black-Eyed Peas. Beyonce. Lady Gaga. The list could go on.
Whatever the reason, those singers have that something that Idol contestants, with rare exception, lack. I'll keep watching, because it's entertaining, but at least I know not to expect greatness anymore. This is the finest karaoke on the planet, but that's pretty much all it is.
