Nov 4, 2008 | General |
Today, for the first time in my life, I will be voting in person. Since the very first election in which I was eligible to vote, I have always voted absentee. My ballot came in the mail, an official looking document wrapped in several layers of brown envelopes. I checked the boxes and sent the ballot back. After a lifetime of military absentee voting, today I will be standing in line (and I will stand there no matter how long it takes) and finding out whether I pull a lever or punch a button or whatever. I truly have no idea. And I'm looking forward to it!
Voting is an amazing right we have in this country. Exercising it should be a top priority. It's easy to think your vote doesn't count, but it does. One way or another, it does. And remember, if you don't vote, you really shouldn't complain about how things turn out if you don't like the result. So go make sure your voice is heard!
Nov 3, 2008 | Fun, General, Life |
I had a blog post written, but an unscheduled trip made me change my mind. See, my post was a bit cryptic and slightly whiny. Something happened last week that made me stop and think about a few things. And I was feeling hurt and irritated and wanted to whine. Without divulging the issue, of course. It wasn't really a big deal, but it bugged me.
And then on Sunday, we took an unplanned trip to Nashville.
See, Saturday was an author event, a reader's luncheon in Birmingham that was simply fabulous. I got to hear the wonderful and inspiring Christina Dodd speak, and I got to visit with fellow Pixie Chick Louisa Cornell. I received an engraved heart box, balloons, and a cake from my Southern Magic chapter mates for my first sale. More awesomeness. And I got to hang out with two of my friends and fab authors, Kira Sinclair and Kimberly Lang. (They forced me to overeat in a restaurant called Brio's.)
But as fun as all that was, I was still feeling whiny. Until Nashville. Why? I think because the Nashville trip had nothing to do with writing, publishing, reading, etc. Nothing to do with my JOB. It was a spontaneous trip with my hubby and parents. So spontaneous we didn't leave until 1:30 on Sunday.
We were at the Bass Pro Shop (yeah, the men wanted to go) by 3. Mom and I headed into the mall and had a blast going through the stores. I tried on a pair of Christian Louboutins that were on sale for the RIDICULOUS price of $118. Too bad they didn't fit because I have never, ever seen Louboutins that low.
We hit Ann Taylor, Liz Claiborne, and several shoe stores. I bought nothing. When the men finished picking out lures, baits, and whatever other kind of weird things men love to shop for, we went to a restaurant called Aquarium and had dinner while watching fish swim around in a 200K gallon tank. Too cool.
It was soothing, it was spontaneous, and I didn't think of writing or publishing for hours. I loved it. On the way home, I blew $25 on lottery tickets. I came home feeling much better than I did when this weekend began. Sometimes, it's the unscheduled trips that give you a new perspective, or give you exactly what you need to recharge.
Where's your favorite place to go when you need a recharge? Or what's your favorite thing to do? Shopping? Dinner with friends or family? Long walks or drives?
Oct 31, 2008 | Books |
I have just learned that SPANISH MAGNATE, RED-HOT REVENGE will be an August 2009 release in the US as well as the UK!! Yay!!
Oct 31, 2008 | Fun, General, Life |
Did you decorate for Halloween? I have two pumpkins, uncarved. I bought candy. I think that's good enough. 🙂 What about this place, hmm? It's in West Virginia. There are over 3000 pumpkins, and a group of volunteers carves them (ya think?). You can read more about it here.
When I was a kid, I used to look forward to Halloween so much. I didn't live in a suburb, but in the country. My mom had to pile us into the car and take us driving around the countryside for candy. These days, kids have such safe choices — neighborhoods banding together, malls, churches, etc, that hold Trick or Treat for kids. I think that's great.
Indeed, Halloween has turned into its own season now. The decorations, parties, greeting cards, etc. It goes on and on. When I was a kid, costumes were chintzy — K-Mart or Wal-Mart things with those horrible plastic masks that you couldn't see through or breathe out of. I can't remember any of the costumes I had. I do remember one I threw together though.
I wanted to be Samantha from Bewitched so much. My mother had this flowing black coat that made me think of Samantha's coat. I borrowed the coat, and a blonde wig (not that I wasn't blonde already, but my hair didn't look like Sam's). I think I wore a pair of my mother's shoes (they were too big, naturally). That was my costume, LOL. I imagine I looked seriously odd, but I was happy.
What was your best costume ever? Will you be dressing up for Halloween today? What was your favorite Halloween candy? I loved candy corn, though I can't stand the stuff now. 🙂
Oct 30, 2008 | Books, Reading |
I read a lot of books I love, and I don't usually talk about them because there are review blogs that do a much better job than I can. But last night I started a book I could NOT put down. Marjorie M. Liu's Tiger Eye. It's the first book in her Dirk & Steele series. I'd been hearing about this series for a long time, and I finally decided to give it a try. OMG. Could. Not. Stop. Reading.
I didn't finish. Alas, sleep became a necessity, but tonight — must finish. This book is different than anything I've read lately. Not a vampire in sight! And this was a debut novel back in 2005. Holy sheesh, the woman's power with words! I saw her at RWA in San Francisco a few times, but I hadn't yet read any of her work. Good thing, because I might have stammered in awe. 🙂
What gives this book the page turning quality? The words, yes. But also the style. There's a question on every page that you want the answer to, often quite desperately. (This wouldn't work if you didn't care about the characters.) That's what I hope to do with my writing. To make the reader care and to ask questions to which she simply must know the answers. It's a continual learning process, but I do hope I've succeeded.
Have you read any really fabulous books lately that knocked your socks off? Or do you have a favorite author who always delivers? (I have those too, but I love branching out. I also have Kresley Cole on the TBR pile. I've never tried her, so I look forward to it.) What's the best book you've read lately? The most unusual book?
