Angels Vs. Demons Blog Hop Event!

Which do you prefer?????

There's something totally sexy about an angel...always doing the right thing, always knows what's best. But a demon, the bad boy, that's completely hot! Making his own rules, no concern for consequences.

Not sure I could really choose. Guess it would depend on what I wanted him for. ;)

And now for the PRIZES!!!!!! EVERY person who comments on my post, and comments on every pother blog participating, will be entered to win one of the GRAND PRIZES!!!! Which are:

A Kindle Touch

or

A $60 Amazon of B&N Giftcard

Awesome, right????

And everyone who posts on my blog, AND follows me, will be entered for my own giveaway!! A $10 gift card to Amazon or B&N!!

To enter, you MUST post a comment WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS!!!! Very very important. If there is no email address, you will not be entered.

Make sure you hop around and visit all the other awesome blogs participating!! TONS of great prizes to be won!! And every post you make is entered for the grand prizes!

Here is the link to the list of participants! I can't get the Linky to work :(

Angels and Demons List

Chick Lit Challenge Review!! Two Days Til Mrs.

I read the first book in this series, 2 Days Til Sundae, which ended with a mini cliffhanger and I needed to read what happened next. So much so that I bought the sequel immediately on my Kindle and read the beginning. I liked the first book and was excited for the next chapter in Cat and Fynn's life.

The book was pretty good, though there were times I kinda wanted to slap Cat. I guess it's just me and sometimes I have a hard time identifying with people/characters who care too much what other people think. I know I was like that at one time, but have matured and moved past it. So I know many other readers can identify with a character like Cat, but not me.

But the book was very entertaining and there was always some kind of trouble Cat was getting into...which made for some really funny scenes. But her troubles always seemed to be solved quickly.

Here is the link to Goodreads!

Museful Monday!!!! Putting the cart before the horse??

Today I am over at Sandra Sookoo's blog, Believing is Seeing, for Museful Monday!! Come stop by and see what I'm talking about today!!

The New Dallas!!!! And a lesson on backstory :)

Oh yeah...I watched the new Dallas. I never watched the original. My parents were huge fans, but us kids had to be in bed before Dallas came on. But I do remember that opening song...and boy did it send chills up and down my spine when I watched the new Dallas the other night!!

With some of my favorite shows ending and being canceled lately, and the lack of decent TV (meaning, good fictional shows with talented writers...not reality crap), I've really been craving good shows. I love a great soap opera....I want sex, drama, a few laughs. I wanna be sucked in and emerged in a fabulous fictional world. And Dallas is exactly that. Plus some really hot guys!! I've been a Jesse Metcalfe fan since his first appearance on Desperate Housewives. And though I thought Josh Henderson was cute when he was on DH too....he is so super sexy now. I've never been into bad boys, but Oh My! I am loving me some John Ross Ewing!! I think he's my favorite so far!!

Anyway, the second point of this post (after all my gushing over the story and hot guys) is the backstory. Now, like me, there have to be thousands of viewers who did not watch the original series. I don't know every character's story. I only know tiny bits and pieces. I mean, really, who DIDN'T know JR was shot in the 80's?? So the writers have a huge challenge in front of them. They need to bring new viewers up to speed, and also remind old viewers what happened 20 years ago. But the story needs to start in the here and now and draw people in to what's happening now...no time for too much filling in.

And so far, I think the writers have done a great job. I know enough of what happened years ago to not be completely lost. I still have a couple questions that I hope will be answered soon, but the show has already pulled me in enough that I am intrigued with the present and not so much the past.

So, anyone become a new fan of Dallas like me?? Any old fans watching the new show? What are your thoughts??

I tried to get the Dallas DVDs but my library did not have them :(

Twitter Giveaway!!!!

This week I am giving away a signed paperback copy of A Bitch Named Karma!!

All you have to do is Tweet the hashtag #IWantKarma to be entered to win! US only, sorry :( Entries must be in by Thursday 6/21 at midnight EST and I will draw a winner on Friday via Random.org.

Thanks! And pass it on!!!

Control and letting it go.

I used to be far more of an anal person than I am now. I liked things how I liked them. I liked to do what I wanted when I wanted and where, etc...

But when I became a mom, I learned to let some of that go. As any parent can tell you, babies and kids have their own schedules and you need to somewhat adapt to them. But you also have to be ready to change plans at the drop of a hat or make new ones, be ready to come home if you're out, and basically be ready to do things differently than you'd planned. Being an ultra planner like myself, it was hard at first, but being a parent made me relax...whereas other people it does the opposite. Many people become anal when they have a baby. I learned to take things a bit slower and adapt.

But I did still let a lot of things bother me. Until about a year or so ago. All of a sudden, it hit me...total lightbulb moment. There is so much in life that I have absolutely zero control over. So why was I making myself nuts worrying about them? Why did I stress myself out??

I do what I can with the things I can control...but everything else.....whatever. I can't control other people's actions. I can't control other people's feelings. All I can do is do my best to be a good person. Life is unpredictable and there are never any guarantees with anything. Things change. People make mistakes. Unforeseen things happen. It's not worth the aggravation and stress to let them bother me.

NYC Part 2! With photos!

If you missed part one, click here!

Quick recap...I decided to attend an agent/editor luncheon to pitch my new book. It was hosted by the Long Island Romance Writers. So we made a little weekend getaway out of it! My last post is all about the luncheon! This one is all about the family fun!!

After leaving the luncheon, we crawled through traffic to get to Coney Island!

Someone didn't want his picture taken!

We went on lots of rides and hubby and I even rode the Cyclone. That coaster is a deathtrap...seriously. I am a huge roller coaster nut, but I seriously feared for my life on this one. But, we can at least say we did it. We rode other, safer, rides and played some games. Dinner was at Nathan's on the Boardwalk.

Had to show off her game winnings.

And while we waited for dad to get our food, we were treated to a lovely sight.

So so pretty!!!

Then we played on the beach.

Lighting was kinda weird then, so this is kinda dark.

We decided to leave before the fireworks, just so we could navigate back to our hotel in semi-daylight. We got some decent rest so we could wake up bright and early for our big day in Manhattan!

After breakfast at the hotel, we took the PATH train in to the World Trade Center, where we met up with one of my oldest friends who now lives in Manhattan- our tour guide for the day! We'd wanted to see ground zero, but it's all fenced off as they are working on the memorial. We moved on to one of the oldest building in NYC, a church, and it's cemetery. I've always been intrigued by old cemeteries!

Then we walked through City Hall Park.

She loves to pose in pics for me.

We then walked through Chinatown and Little Italy and had lunch there.

So cool that they close off the streets.

Next was 5th Avenue and all kinds of fancy stuff.

You're fired!

Lots of cool toys!

Awesome stuffed animals.

We walked through Central Park...such a gorgeous view!

Then we headed to the American Museum of Natural History! Kids loved it!

Really cool dinosaur skeletons!

Had to see Rockefeller Center! That's my hubby and son at the top of the pic!

And Times Square. Could just sat there and people watched for hours...the bright lights and excitement!

Stopped at the Times Square Toys R Us! So so awesome...better than FAO Schwarz.

One last shot of Times Square before we headed to Crumbs Bake Shop for some fancy cupcakes.

So, as you can see, we really shoved a lot into our one day. Our feet definitely felt the affects of it. I wouldn't doubt that we walked at least 10 miles. But we had a really great time and I look forward to our next trip to NYC! 

New York....concrete jungle where dreams are made.....

Alicia's Keys' voice played through my head as we walked around Manhattan this past Saturday. The city is really as gorgeous and fantastic as movies, music, and books make it sound. And embarrassingly, I've been a NY state resident my entire life and this is really my first time in NYC.

The main purpose of this weekend whirlwind trip was a luncheon hosted by the Long Island Romance Writers. They do it every year, bringing together lots of agents and editors to chat with and pitch your book to. It's all casual and relaxed.....or as relaxing as one can be coming face to face with the people who can make or break your publishing dreams! LOL!!

Today's post will focus just on the luncheon..and later in the week I'll post about the fun me and my family had and all we squished into one day!

Our weekend started with a 2:30 am alarm, and we backed out of our driveway at 3:10...ten minutes off schedule. But really that didn't matter. We made it to Long Island around 10, after being stuck in a little bit of traffic. I had been worried about a lotta bit of traffic...but I'd worried for nothing. Better safe than sorry. Hubby dropped me off at the inn where the luncheon was held at about 11:30 and he took the kids to lunch and to see Madagascar 3. 

I sat and waited, since the luncheon didn't start til 12. A few people trickled in and finally we could go in. But of course there was a snag...they didn't have a lanyard and badge for me. I was on the list, but no tag. While they looked, I went into the room and was immediately handed a glass of champagne. Soooo needed that! I snagged a seat at a table next to one of the agents I wanted to talk to, then went back out to the lobby. They found my lanyard and I felt more relaxed. 

I kinda stood around...not sure what to do. I am not very outgoing all on my own and sometimes it takes a little bit for me to relax and find the courage to just start talking to people. Then my friend Nicole Zoltack arrived. Yay! A friendly face! We chatted and the editor from Ellora's Cave came up to talk to us. Unfortunately, neither of us write erotic romance, but it was still nice to chat with her. Another writer came up and introduced herself to us, then introduced us to one of the agents she had talked with. SUPER nice. I knew beforehand she was not really a great fit for me and my book, but she said to send it anyway...it might be good for someone else in her agency. 

I split from my friend..as she wanted to talk to someone, so I chatted with the editor from Entangled. I just wanted to introduce myself. I did a pitch with the Romance University for Entangled last week and they requested it. So we chatted about that a little bit. Then lunch was announced. Food was tasty!! In between courses I got to chat with the agent sitting next to me. She thought my book sounded interesting, so she asked me to send it to her. YAY!! While waiting for dessert, I got up and mingled around, and chatted with another agent...another request!

Now I do know that agents often request material at these things....it's far harder to say no to someone's face....so I do take all this with a grain of salt. 

Anyway, the keynote speaker was great- Angela James from Carina Press. After she finished, the luncheon was pretty much done, but agents and editors mingled more and there was another opportunity to talk to them. I chatted with another agent who I knew was not exactly right for me, but while she did her introduction before lunch, she mentioned that other agents in her agency were looking for romance..and to come chat with her to find out more info. So I did. She referred me to another agent!! YAY!! 

And lastly I chatted with the editor there from Sourcebooks...who happens to also be the editor of one of my RWA chapter mates! Told her about my book and she said to send it over, though it might not be quite right for her. 

Overall, it was a really great event. I chatted with everyone I wanted to and had a decent number of requests. Fingers are crossed that one of these requests leads somewhere!!

Why is it wrong to escape into a book?

I know some people think it is a waste of time to read fiction. There's nothing to learn. The brain isn't stimulated.

Well, I completely disagree.

No, the purpose of fiction is not to learn facts, but I sure as hell learn a lot when I read it. If I'm reading a book about a rancher, I learn a little bit about what it's like to work that job. If I read a book about a fashion student, I learn a little bit about design and clothing. If I read a book about a football player, yeah, I learn a little more about something I knew nothing about before reading the book.

And yes, all of these scenarios are books I have recently read.

My point is that fiction does not have the main goal of informing it's readers, but the readers sure do learn something.

I read fiction for entertainment and escape. I like to forget my daily life and lose myself in another world. When I read Lone Star Trouble, it was real fun to "travel" to Texas and "meet" some people who raised cattle, got dirty, and worked hard. I never knew so much about vintage clothing until I "met" Lizzie Nichols in Queen of Babble and it was really interesting. Made me wanna peruse some yard sales for fabric treasures. And as a girly girl, it was super interesting to immerse myself in the world of a female high school quarterback in Catching Jordan.

I read for pleasure and entertainment....and if I learn something too, great. I don't think it makes me a less of a person because the books I choose to read are filled with imaginary people. As an author I know how difficult it is to create and imaginary world and do the research necessary to also make it realistic and believable.

My thoughts on 50 Shades of Grey

Let me start by saying I have not read the books at all...I can only go on what I've heard from friends and fellow authors I know who have read them. And what I've heard is pretty darn mixed. Some adore the books...best thing they've read in forever and it's really spiced up their sex lives. Others say it's okay. And still others say it's so repetitive they can't get through them. I know I will never read them. It's just not my thing. I adore romance, and erotic romance too-- even the kinky stuff! But I am just not a fan of BDSM. Not gonna get into it right now...email me if you want my reasons :)

Anyway, I think the 50 Shades phenomenon is doing wonderful things for the erotic romance genre. The books are introducing readers to a new-to-them genre. I know many who are already asking "What do I read after reading 50 Shades?" And I have a list of authors I recommend. These wonderfully talented authors will sell many more books because of one woman's success and I think that's a great thing. Twilight did the same for all those great YA and adult paranormal writers out there.

My hope is that it's success also affects all genres of romance. I don't write erotic romance, but my stuff is pretty spicy!

I think the publishing world runs on cycles. The trends in books, just like fashion, come around every so often. It seems as if the paranormal trend may be waning and a new trend is upon us. Who knows where the industry will flow to next!

Recital weekend is over.

I don't know if I ever mentioned it on here, but I dance. I've been doing it for years. I started when I was a kid and did it for a while, but quit. Mainly it was because I just was not having fun anymore. I remember being yelled at in class for not doing something properly. But when I was 21 I got the crazy idea to start taking classes again. And 13 years later, I'm still doing it. I even danced through two pregnancies! I'm not kidding when I say I danced on a Tuesday night and then went into labor and had my baby on the Friday of that same week. Actually, I did that with BOTH pregnancies! Of course I had to take it easy in class, but I still went to class every week and did what I could. The stretching was great for my body! :) And proudly, with both babies, I only missed 2 weeks of classes! :)

I take an adult jazz class, and yes, we do recital! Over the years I took some other classes too- a jazz class with younger girls, which I also went to competition with, and lyrical. One year I even did a jazz duet with my sister in law. I just love to dance. Wish I could do more now, even at 34 years old. I love performing in the recital.

Friends of mine have joined the class with me, and over the years they have come and gone and some are planning to come back when their lives slow down. There is still one friend who dances with me. But along the way I have made lots of great friendships with the ladies in my class and with the teachers at the studio.

My daughter dances too. Started when she was 3. This was her 6th year. She is even in a competition class :) We're talking about next year and I think we can maybe afford to let her take two classes. The hard part is deciding which to take.

Here is our class picture this year! I'm on the right on the floor! :) We danced to Barracuda...but a remade version by Fergie!