I very rarely double post..but I had to do it!

Got my book trailer uploaded to Youtube FINALLY!!! Please watch and tell me what you think!!

A Bitch Named Karma~Book Trailer

My PSA for the day...

Friends don't let drunk friends go to the bathroom alone.

I was at an after Christmas party a few days ago. It was held at a venue downtown..a club sort of place where concerts are sometimes held. The party had a DJ spinning 90's tunes and there were two performers: an ACDC cover band and Tone Loc. My good friend wanted to go to celebrate his birthday (which was on Christmas), so a bunch of us went. It was only $20 a person if you bought your ticket before a certain date. Oh and it included open bar from 10 till 2.

We had a fantastic time- dancing and belting out the lyrics to the songs we jammed to in high school. Drinks were flowing and going down quite nicely but we are a pretty responsible bunch and know our limitations. We make sure there are DD's and everyone gets home safe.

And I was never so thankful for my fantastic girlfriends as I was when I stood waiting in line in the bathroom. From under one of the stalls you could see a women, obviously extremely plastered, who was sitting on the floor. Half her butt crack was hanging out. Then she layed down.

Now if you've never been to something like this...imagine for a moment, a public bathroom, disgusting enough on it's own, but now people are spilling drinks. The floor is sopping wet with a mix of liquor and who knows what else. I was completely grossed out when the hem of my jeans got all wet...imagine that all over your body. Yuck...gross...hand me a gallon of hand sanitizer.

So anyway, this girl is laying on the floor and she's crying. She sits up and she's obviously trying to open the door and she can't. Her shoes came off...so now she's barefoot. Those of us on the outside are now trying to help her. One girl somehow gets in and is helping her. I go to the bathroom and leave.

But the whole time I'm wondering...where the hell are this girl's friends??? There was no one there with her.

So my advice this New Year's Eve...please....don't let your drunk friends go to the bathroom alone...you just never know when they'll end up alone on the floor crying.

Have a fun and safe New Year's Eve celebration! And be responsible!!

Got my Sony Reader!! Yay!

Hubby outdid himself this year and presented me with the Sony Reader Pocket for Christmas!

I'd played with them in the store, but honestly, I was not really prepared for how cool it would feel to hold one in my hands...not attached to a cord or a stationary post in the store. It felt so nice!!! :)

Of course I right away bought my editor's book...the one I'd been wanting to read forever!! And then I ran into trouble. The Sony software is HORRIBLE!! With some extremely helpful advice, I downloaded a different program and now I am up and running! Haven't started reading anything on it yet though....still have some library books I need to finish!!

So I need to know all your best tips and tricks and the best ways to save on ebooks!! My editor sent me a link to Harlequin...they're giving away a bunch of free ebooks! I was so so excited to have a bunch of books uploaded to my Reader! Please share your experiences with the Sony Reader, regular or pocket edition. I read mostly great reviews on it....a few bad ones...but you can't please 100% of the people 100% of the time.

The story left me quite unfulfilled....

I worry about this in my own writing.

Last night we watched Public Enemies...a movie about John Dillinger, played by a sexy Johnny Depp. Normally movie or books about crime and violence are not my thing...but I have a curiosity and affection for stories of days gone by. So even though I knew the movie wasn't exactly my cup of tea, I wanted to watch it.

But I was disappointed for a couple reasons.

First of all, the movie started in the middle of the story. John was being hauled off to jail after being on parole for only 8 weeks- he had spent the 9 years before that in this same prison. He seems to have gotten himself sentenced on purpose and breaks out his buddies. He continues with his bank robbing with the aid of the friends he made while in the slammer. But I am left wondering what the heck happened between his parole and where the movie started. You do find out later that the original prison sentence was for stealing $50 worth of groceries....but I want to know why he started robbing banks. The movie only chronicles the end of his crime career and life. The movie ended and I never got a sense of why he did what he did. I wanted to know what those 8 weeks were like....I wanted to know more of his story...not just the end of it.

And the other part that disappointed me was the romance part of the story. So incredibly unbelievable. Basically he sees this woman in a bar (or whatever they were called in the 30's), goes up to her, asks her to dance. They leave and go to a restaurant....he tells her who is and tells her he wants her to come with him and he'll take care of her for the rest of their lives. This is the point where I say...what the??? I am a romantic through and through...I write romance.....and I often use the "love at first sight thing" in my stories....but seriously?? This was just too quick, too easy.....too unbelievable for me.

I know this is a true story and maybe that is how it all really happened...but I walked away wanting much more than what this movie gave me. I truly hope my stories never do this to my readers!

Is absolute truth always the best policy???

I'm referring to book reviews today.

I belong to Goodreads and really enjoy keeping track of books I've read and sharing my thoughts, reading what others have to say and see who agrees with me and who doesn't. I used to be brutally honest....no point in sugar-coating stuff like that. And as a reader, I think that is necessary. Writers need that stuff...they learn from it...well...at least I do.

But as a writer??? Hmmm.......is honestly really the best policy??

Someday my books will be out there for the world to enjoy and scrutinize and I know not everyone will adore my stuff, I know bad reviews will happen. Can't please everyone....and this business is more subjective than any out there.

But what if other writers see me on Goodreads and read my reviews and OMG what if they see I wrote a not so pleasant review of their book??? Or just in general....should a writer be saying negative things about other writers' work??

Here is where I struggle once again between being a plain Jane reader and a writer. The reader in me wants to be honest, the writer wants to be pleasant.

What's your pleasure?????

Today I'm talking about pleasures....the guilty kind! This time of year we relax into all kinds of guilty pleasures from sugary treats, to corny holiday movies and that hippopotamus song.

You're probably singing it in your head now, aren't you???

"I want a hippopotamus for Christmas, only a hippopotamus will do..."

But anyway....I'm here to question why these silly things are considered "guilty" pleasures. The definition for guilty pleasure is: something one considers pleasurable despite feeling guilt for enjoying it. Often, the "guilt" involved is simply fear of others discovering one's lowbrow or otherwise embarrassing tastes, rather than actual moral guilt.

If someone feels pleasure from something...if someone enjoys something...why should they feel guilty about it?? If the pleasurable activity is not hurting anyone...then why not be proud?? There is so much in this world that is depressing and very un-pleasurable. I'm not going to waste any time feeling guilty for liking what I like.

So come on...share you pleasures!! Any of them...I won't make fun of you!!!!

Me...here are a few of the simple things in life that bring me true joy and I don't care who knows!!

New Kids on the Block (and those of you who know me, know I have NO problems what so ever shouting to the world that I am a huge Blockhead!!)
All 80's music
Boy Bands: Backstreet Boys, N'Sync, LFO, 98 Degrees, OTown
Patsy Cline
Dirty Dancing
America Pie Movies (only the three with Jason Biggs...not all the ones that followed)
Scrapbooking
Chick Lit and Romance Books (and I like the sexy scenes too!)
Dancing with the Stars
All My Children
Disney World
Celebrity Gossip Mags

I will add more later when I think of them!!

This will be my last post before the holiday!! Have a wonderful week!!!!!

It's OFFICIAL!!! I'm beginning this journey!!

I received an email from my editor today...yep...round 1 of copy edits!!!!

I am beyond excited for this!! Yes, this all started months ago when I had a "Congratulations" email in my inbox. But now is when it REALLY starts! She told me she loved it and did the entire edit in seven days time!

And she prepared me for what lays heads. I know it's not gonna be all compliments and adoration...I know a ton of work is in my immediate future. But the work will be worth it. This time....editing is getting me where I want to go...it's not just endless work that might get me somewhere. And I have a professional to guide me along the way!

She'd like it back by Jan. 15th...yeah...not a problem! I'm lucky in that I get a solid 3 hours a day while my son naps. Plus, the way I'm feeling right now, it may be all I want to do over the next few days! I say that now....I haven't even opened the file yet. She already warned me that there will be times I will call her names and close my laptop.