The inside scene at a romance writers conference

One of my favorite authors, Elizabeth Peters, wrote a murder mystery set at a romance writers convention. Die For Love is a tongue-in-cheek, hilarious poke at the business with a good, solid mystery behind it. It stars one of her regular heroines, Jacqueline Kirby, a sexy, red-headed librarian who decides to write a romance novel and attends the conference for a write-off.

However, Ms. Peters, who, while she writes some of the absolute most romantic books (and my very very all-time-favorite book), isn't a romance writer...and she got a few things wrong.

First of all, the book was written in the '70s, during the time our industry was known for writing those infamous bodice-rippers.

And secondly, ours is a conference, not a convention--the difference being the conference is for those in the industry (writers, agents, editors); while a convention is for the fans of the industry and is open to readers as well. (Romantic Times has a convention every year, and although I haven't attended, I'm thinking there might be more pink and lace and tulle there. Definitely more cover models.)

Here's the inside scoop at a romance writers' conference...

Things you might experience:

• All the ladies' rooms turned into mens' rooms. (Check the signage, though, before you blast in, 'cause they usually leave one or two in the hotel for the guys.)
• All the hotel bars filled with imbibing romance writers, agents, and editors from the time they open till the time they close.
• A special table set up in the conference area for attendees to ship home boxes of free books they received at the conference.
• Little to no eye contact on first approach to a new person--instead, everyone is looking at boob-height to see what your badge says (who you are, whether you're published, if you've made your first sale or are a Golden Heart or RITA finalist, etc.)

Things you won't experience at the conference:

• Lots of women dressed in flowing caftans with boas, glittering jewelry, and/or gloves.
• Lots of pink.
• Bunting, tulle, lace, satin, feathers, etc. No, no, no. Only in the workshop sessions focusing on historical costume, thankyouverymuch.
• Clouds of perfume. (No one wears it, because, can you imagine 2000 women enclosed in small rooms, elevators, bars, and even ballrooms, each wearing a different scent?)
  
• Fabio, or his successors.

(Damn.)

The inside scene at a romance writers conference

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/inside-scene-at-romance-writers.html

T-shirts, karaoke, and RITAs, oh my!

I'm back from the Romance Writers of America National Conference, and boy am I dragging! My voice is hoarse from all the yelling and singing and loud bar-talking, but I am elated. I had a fabulous time, hanging out with some of my dearest friends in the world--and making many new ones.

I never did get a good pic of me in the t-shirt, but I do have one of my daughter before she went off to camp, wearing one, so I'll post that. Got lots of compliments on the shirts--I actually had four different ones that I wore throughout the conference; all the same design, but printed on a tank top, baby doll Ts, and also on a cap-jersey-sleeved shirt. (Official members of my street team--or, as I call it, my SWAT Team, each get to pick which style they want...)

It was so great to see my Wet Noodle Posse sisters! We only get to hang out once a year, and this was the best so far (despite the fact that many of us were missing). To the right here is a pic of us singing karaoke at Gilbert's in Atlanta--they were so friendly and accommodating to us and our large party. We're singing Addicted to Love in this pic (that's me in my Venator tank top, Esri, Anne Mallory, Stef Feagan, Pris, and Mary Fechter), and decided that should be our theme song. After all, we are romance writers.

(By the way, it's not that I can sing--any of the Noodlers will tell you that--I just like to get up and pretend I can. And they let me! More than once!)

My new friend Keirin belted out some great songs, too, and also Stacy, who sang The Angry Woman Song (Alanis Morrisette's You Oughta Know), and we ate and drank and were merry.
On Saturday night, the Noodlers cleaned up on the RITA awards, winning in every category we finaled in except for one. This is me and Stef Feagan, who writes hilarious romantic suspense novels about Pink, a CPA who ends up getting herself involved up to her neck in murder and mayhem--and sexy guys.

Stef won the RITA (which is an Oscar in the romance writers' world) for her first book Show Her the Money. She won Best First Book and I, who happened to be sitting directly behind Nora Roberts during the ceremony, screamed in her ear, at the top of my lungs, when Stef's title was announced. You see, it was because of Stef and this particular book that the Noodlers came to be called The Wet Noodle Posse, so when she won, we all felt like we'd won too.

Diane Perkins (writing as Diane Gaston) also won a RITA for The Reputable Rake (yum), and Dianna Love Snell won for her first book Worth Every Risk. I am so happy and proud of my Noodly sisters!

Okay, so now that I've spilled on some of the conference stuff...let's move on to something we were debating about one night at the bar. I'd been reading a gossip column (did I mention I'm addicted?) and the columnist was talking about who women dress for--other women or for men.

In other words, if you're dressing to go somewhere special--or even not so special--who are you more concerned with dressing for, men or women? Do you pay attention to style, accessories, etc., in order to get women to stop and look and say--"Damn, she looks great!" or would you rather attract the attention of the men? (I think that's more like dressing to show off your body, as opposed to putting yourself together well.)

One person mentioned that she dressed for women--and if her husband ever gave her a compliment on what she was wearing, she'd turn right back around and change, 'cause she knows he's a regular guy and has no idea what looks good and what doesn't.

Hmmm. Maybe that ought to be my rule of thumb too.

T-shirts, karaoke, and RITAs, oh my!

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/t-shirts-karaoke-and-ritas-oh-my.html

Gone Fishin'

So I'm off to the Romance Writers of America's National Conference in Atlanta for the rest of the week. Should be lots of fun--schmoozin', meetin', learnin', noshin'....

This is the one time a year I get to see some of my best friends and get to be surrounded by 1700 people (mostly women) who love to read and write as much as I do. It's going to be a lot of fun.

I'll be back on Monday...so while I'm gone, you can tawk amongst yer-selves. Here are a couple of conversation starters for ya...

1. What's up with Suri Cruise? Why haven't we seen her?
   
2. When will Britney dump K-Fed?
3. Is You, Me, & Dupree worth seeing?
4. What did you think of Lady in the Water?

Okay, that's it. See you when I get back!

Gone Fishin'

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/gone-fishin.html

Pre-Conference Lazy Blog Post

I'm running today getting ready to leave for the RWA conference, so I'm taking the easy way out...but it's a good laugh for a Monday.

Found this on my favorite tongue-in-cheek celebrity website, Pug Bus. Looks like we writers have even more competition than we thought!

Courtesy of Postcards from the Pug Bus

Britney Spears to Write Children's Book [Update]
By Chip Hilton
Jul 21, 2006, 08:14

MALIBU - Despite the demands of motherhood, Britney Spears still intends to finish a children's book this year; after that she plans to write one. An editor at Hyperion Books for Children in New York confirmed that Ms. Spears book will tell the story of S.P., a baby who acquires magical powers after being dropped on his head by his evil nanny.

Rumors began circulating more than a year ago that Ms. Spears was having pregnant thoughts.

"Britney Learning to Write" screamed the cover of US Weekly over a photo that showed Ms. Spears with a copy of How to Write a Best-Selling Children's Book under her arm asking directions to the checkout counter in an L.A. Borders.

Ms. Spears denied the story, claiming she had bought the book "for a friend," but the following week Star magazine printed a picture of Ms. Spears leaving a Staples office supply store with several reams of computer paper. Then Choc, an Italian publication, paid $250,000 for a titillating shot of Ms. Spears sitting on the balcony outside her suite at the posh Le Merigot Hotel in Santa Monica wearing nothing but a laptop computer.

According to Leon Gonzales, Ms. Spears' recently fired Kabbalah coach, she originally wanted to write her autobiography, "but she was intimidated by vocabulary. Britney's too much of an artist, though, to have somebody ghost write a book for her. That would be almost as bad as lip synching. So she decided to write a children's book because she already knows a lot of two-syllable words."

In other news, former child star Haley Joel Osment, 18, stunned the world when he was involved in an accident while driving an eleven-year-old car.

© Copyright by the author (not Colleen), who wishes you to know this article was made up out of half cloth.

Pre-Conference Lazy Blog Post

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/pre-conference-lazy-blog-post.html

Chocolate is the new black.

I went shopping yesterday (trying to find something to wear with my new shoes for the cocktail party I'm attending on Friday), and everywhere, everything that's fashionable was chocolate brown.

(Obviously my website and blog fit in perfectly, no?)

Smooth, rich chocolate brown--from sienna to cappuccino to dark chocolate to bronze. I love it all.

It's a great color for me personally, and a girl can only have so much black without getting too gothy. I like black, but I love this chocolate color.

I was talking to the saleswoman at Parisian (where I found the perfect dress to go with my shoes. Guess what color it is.) and she told me, when I commented, that yes, it's going to be here for awhile.

I'm delighted. It's a lot better than that neon green or mustard that was popular a few years ago (I couldn't wear it), and although I like pink (which is now being shown with the chocolates), it's not my best color.

And...*drum roll* my Gardella Vampire Chronicles promotional t-shirts are none other than chocolate brown with hot pink printing on them. Can you say stylin'?

As soon as I get them in my hot little hands, I'll post a pic. If not, those of you at RWA will get a sneak peek, 'cause I'll be wearing them all over. I'll be the one in the tee that says "Born Venator" on the front.

And what, you ask, is a Venator? Well, to quote my dear friend Diana, "You'll have to read the book to find out. "

Or....buy me a drink in Atlanta. A cosmo or two is bound to loosen my tongue, right, Diana?

Chocolate is the new black.

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/chocolate-is-new-black.html

"Nobody puts Baby in the corner."

I was flipping through the channels last night, looking for something that both my young girls and I could watch, and I landed near the beginning of Dirty Dancing.

I haven't watched it for awhile, but of course, I remember seeing it and being pleasantly surprised at how much I loved it when it first came out.

But that was twenty years ago, and in looking back, I could never believe that a character who looked like Patrick Swayze did would ever fall for a character named Baby, who looked as odd as Jennifer Gray does.

But, damn, if the movie was better than I remembered it being! And as a storyteller, and a romantic one at that (plus just coming off the horror of watching Failure to Launch), I was ready to tear it apart.

The thing is, I bought into it. The chemistry between Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Gray was so hot and so believable...and him falling for her actually worked for me. It made sense the way it was portrayed, and rang true that he needed someone like Baby (ugh, I can barely type that name) after being used by all the pampered, rich women.

The dance scenes were awesome, even to this critical watcher. I wanted to fan myself during the "Sylvia and Mickey" scene. Whew.

Interestingly enough, that particular scene wasn't intended to be filmed; it was a warmup scene for Patrick and Jennifer--they were just goofing around. But it turned out so well that the director kept it in. Thank goodness.

Same with the giggling scene, where he trailed his fingers along the inside of her arm down alongside her breast and she keeps laughing--that, too, was an accident that they kept in. Patrick was as frustrated in real life as he appears in that scene.

I must say it was a pleasure to watch a bare-chested Patrick Swayze dance like he was dancing. Reminded me again why I love good shoulders on a guy!

I definitely recommend watching this movie--especially if you haven't seen it in awhile and think it's way too cheesy to see. It is, but it's good cheese--like Brie or Camembert, as opposed to Processed Cheese Food. Or that Party Cheese you squirt from a can.

Even though I can barely stand to watch Jennifer Gray and the strange way she moves her mouth when she talks (like she just left the dentist and her mouth's still numb) and her beady little eyes, Patrick more than makes up for it. And of course, the late, great Jerry Orbach plays Baby's father perfectly.

Seeing it last night more than made up for the disaster of Failure to Launch from earlier this week.

(And by the way...I think that line "Nobody puts Baby in the corner" is the most ridiculous line in the movie...and I'm not alone. So did Patrick Swayze. And he had to actually speak it! Poor guy.)

"Nobody puts Baby in the corner."

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/nobody-puts-baby-in-corner.html

We have a title!

At last! A title for my erotic Phantom of the Opera book.

It's taken us months to come up with something that works, and finally we've arrived at:
Unmasqued: An Erotic Novel of The Phantom of the Opera.

The book will be released August 2007 in trade paperback, and I'll be writing under the name Colette Gale.

Woohoo! Can't wait to see what they do with the cover.

We have a title!

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/we-have-title.html

The worst movie I've seen in a long time.

So, I'm a Sarah Jessica Parker fan, for the most part (except for those pig-like squealy noises she makes when she's startled or excited), and I think Matthew McConaughey's nice to look at (I particularly liked him as eye candy in Sahara), thus I figured Failure to Launch would be a fun romantic comedy with a good-looking guy to admire.

Wrong.

I can't remember when I sat through a worse movie. The dialogue was horrible. The story line even worse.

I mean, giving CPR to a mockingbird? Being bit by a dolphin and then being dragged around in the ocean? An aging Terry Bradshaw naked??

And even Matthew Mc (who I'm still not sure isn't gay) came across as a kind of oily, insincere guy in all of his scenes with the girl. I mean, he takes his dates out on yachts that aren't his, and pretends they are. More than once.

There was no chemistry between SJP and MMc at all. There was no way I believed they were falling in love.

And the ending, with the "intervention" and all the video monitors...give me a break.

I was so disappointed. I didn't expect When Harry Met Sally... or 50 First Dates, or anything along those lines. But I certainly didn't expect it to be as bad as it was.

Were there any redeeming factors, you ask? Well, I thought Zooey Deschanel's part as SJP's quirky, blunt roommate was kind of cute (except for the mockingbird CPR), and since I loved him in National Treasure, I was pleased to see Justin Bartha playing Zooey's love interest and requisite computer geek. I thought Bradley Cooper looked as slimy as ever (he was best in Alias, in my opinion.)

So, no, not too many redeeming factors.

Did anyone like that movie? What's one of the worst movies you've seen recently?

The worst movie I've seen in a long time.

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/worst-movie-ive-seen-in-long-time.html

'80s Lyrics Answers...#2

Decided to post the answers in the comments section of the quiz itself. Saves room and keeps the blog looking a little neater, eh?

'80s Lyrics Answers...#2

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/80s-lyrics-answers2.html

Retro Tuesday: '80s Lyrics Quiz #2

Round two, here we go:

1. He's the one that makes
ya feel all right
2. Are you happy, are you
satisfied, how long can you
stand the heat
3. I think I thought you were
someone else
4. I tried my imagination but
I was disturbed
5. I tell you one and one makes
three


6. I'll be stretching my mouth to let those big words come
 right out
7. And though she will mess up your life,
 you want her just the same
8. You can listen as well as you hear
9. Think of the tender things that we
were working on
10. They gave you life and in return you
gave them hell
11. Knew he must've been about seventeen
12. I am the maker of rules, dealing with fools
13. Can't get food for the king
14. Step on a crack, break your momma's back
15. Her hair reminds me of a warm, safe place where as a child I'd lie

(answers posted later tonight)

Retro Tuesday: '80s Lyrics Quiz #2

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/retro-tuesday-80s-lyrics-quiz-2.html

The wimpification of Will Turner

After seeing Pirates/Dead Man's Chest and reading my Top Ten Reasons Cap'n Jack won't Get the Girl, Diana wrote:

But can I just RANT for a moment, having finally seen this film today? WHY DID THEY TURN WILL INTO A PUSSY?

Dude, what was up at the end when he was like, "elizabeth, I shall help you find the man you've been cheating on me with!"

No, Will! Don't!

And then Mary wrote:

As for Will, I think he's feeling as betrayed by Jack as by Liz.

So.

Has Will been emasculated, converted from Hero-Material into a pansy? A disposable third-corner-of-a-love-triangle?

Or is it a case of true luuuurve....whatever she wants, he'll get for her (even if it kills him to do it) 'cause he wants her to be happy?

Or (and this gets my vote) does Will want to pull Captain Jack out of the belly of the Kraken so he can kick his ass for trying to steal his girl and sending him off as a sacrifice to Davy Jones?

The wimpification of Will Turner

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/wimpification-of-will-turner.html

Which comes first: the shoes or the dress?

Usually, when I have to find (read: buy) something for a special event, I pick out the dress first.

But yesterday was a first for me. I was shopping for something completely different (sneakers for my son) and I saw a pair of shoes that I had to have. I have nothing to wear with them, but I bought them anyway since I have a wedding this weekend, and the RWA National Conference in little more than a week. I figured I could find something to go with the shoes.

So...how does it work for you? The dress first, or the shoes? Or some other accessory--scarf, wrap, necklace...?

(PS: that's my precocious five year old daughter modeling the shoes in question.)

Which comes first: the shoes or the dress?

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/which-comes-first-shoes-or-dress.html

Eagerly Anticipating...

Now that Pirates of the Caribbean II is out, and Cars, and The Devil Wears Prada, and Superman Returns, and a few other much-anticipated summer movies are out; and the new Janet Evanovich, and the new Nora Roberts hardcover (which I will be dashing out to get today), and the new Julia Quinn and Kim Harrison...

I'm feeling like summer's on its downhill cycle. We've peaked, and now we're on an easy slide to September.

But wait! There's more! Some of my most eagerly-awaited releases are still to come.

First, my dear, dear friend, Diana, who is as witty and sharp as they come, has her first book hitting the shelves on Tuesday--to much well-deserved fanfare. Secret Society Girl: An Ivy League Novel is about a young woman attending an Ivy League School who is invited to join one of those secret societies that were only for men...and included such members as John Kerry and George Bush (either one; take your pick).

I had the pleasure of reading it months ago and it's a fun, witty, smart read that I couldn't put it down...and I couldn't be more thrilled that it's finally going to be out there. (Plus, Diana's giving away prizes on her blog every day until Tuesday.)

Secondly, I've been waiting for years for the release of Alan Moore's and Melinda Gebbie's Lost Girls series. It's the beautifully illustrated and written erotic story of a grown-up Alice in Wonderland, Wendy (from Peter Pan), and Dorothy Gale (each of their stories). About ten years ago, the first two comics were released, and I purchased them as soon as they came out...but then none of the others were ever completed.

Moore changed publishers, got involved in other projects, and finally, now, Top Shelf Productions is releasing the entire collection in gorgeous leather bound volumes. I pre-ordered months ago, and expect to have them in my hands some time in August. After ten years, finally!

(Weirdly enough, when I first met Diana, she was writing a book called The Lost Girls, which I loved--all the way down to her heroine's name [Kix].)

Third...the final installment in Lisa Kleypas's Wallflower series. Can't wait to get my hands on that baby.

My jury's out on whether You, Me & Dupree is going to be worth a viewing at the theater or a wait-for-Netflix option...I really like Kate Hudson, and Owen Wilson is usually pretty good. So I'm debating.

What else are you waiting for, during the months of blockbuster releases?

Eagerly Anticipating...

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/eagerly-anticipating.html

Top Ten Reasons Cap'n Jack won't Get the Girl

10. Because Lord Norrington saw her first.

9. Because he'd rather get Will Turner?

8. Because that would end the franchise after only three episodes.

7. Because in Mickey Mouse-world, the princesses always get their princes (and none of them have gold teeth).

6. Because Cap'n Jack has better pirate fashion sense than Elizabeth does.

5. Because cool pirates don't throw hissy fits and handfuls of sand when things don't go the way they think they should.

4. Because, as his father always says, "You can't always get what you want."

3. Because it's a bit difficult to woo a gal when you're in the belly of the Kraken.

2. Because Elizabeth just doesn't get the importance of conserving rum, even when stranded on a deserted island.

...and the number one reason Cap'n Jack won't get the girl...

1. Because no way, no how, will we believe that Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner are the secret twins of the most evil man in the Empire.

Top Ten Reasons Cap'n Jack won't Get the Girl

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/top-ten-reasons-capn-jack-wont-get.html

A bit of a booksigning rant

In the last week, I've attended two booksignings from well-known, best-selling authors. Both of them write books that are in a popular series, although they write in completely different genres.

Both authors were doing a "talk" as well as a signing because they were well-known (in their genre) and already had a readership established; thus it was a formal event with a session preceding the signing.

Each experience, from my point of view, was very different. One of the authors arrived on time; the other arrived 30 minutes late. One of the authors was dressed in business casual; the other much more casually.

At one of the bookstores, as soon as I walked in and approached the table (in the front of the store) where all the books by the guest author were displayed, the bookseller walked up to me. I hadn't read any of this author's books, but had driven especially to the store for the signing because I was interested in reading at least the first in the series.

I explained to the bookseller that I was looking for the first book in the series because I hadn't read any of them. She helped me figure out which was the first, but then she handed me the author's new book (a more expensive one than the mass market paperback of the first book), which was several books into the series, and informed me that "You can't meet X Author unless you buy the new book."

I was taken aback.

Apparently, I couldn't sit and listen to the author, nor have her sign a book, unless I bought the one she was promoting.

It wasn't as if it was crowded or standing-room only; there were maybe five or six people there. Lots of empty chairs. Like it would have hurt them if I sat and listened to her talk and had her sign my book.

I ended up not buying any of that author's books, unfortunately, because that whole situation felt very uncomfortable.

I did speak to the cashier (as I was checking out and buying other books) and explained what had happened and asked if that was a store policy, an author policy, or a publisher policy--something that had never happened to me before.

The cashier didn't know; but he said it definitely wasn't a store policy.

So for some reason, this author lost a potential new reader because of the way the signing was handled. I felt snubbed.

On the other hand, the other author signing that I went to was very pleasant. I had been reading this author's series all along, but there were many people who brought bags of previously-purchased books for her to sign, and while others bought the first or second in the series--and they were gladly autographed, complete with a personal conversation with the author, after a nice forty-minute Q&A session. (And dare I say with fair confidence that this second author is more well-known than the other one.)

So there...am I missing something here? Was I being too sensitive, feeling snubbed? Should I have bought the book anyway? Is there a point, when an author becomes "big enough" that they can and should put their own ground rules around a signing?

A bit of a booksigning rant

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/bit-of-booksigning-rant.html

'80s Lyrics Answers...

Here they are! (And here's hoping they leave an earworm or two in your brain...)

1. Suckin on chili dogs outside the tastee-freez 
  (Jack & Diane/JCougar)
2. I've done no harm, I keep to myself
(Who Can it be Now?/ Men At Work)
3. There's a freeway runnin' through the yard
(Free Fallin' / Tom Petty&Heartbreakers)
4. I've seen a million faces and I've rocked them all
 (Wanted:Dead or Alive/Bon Jovi)
5. You mom threw away your best porno mag
  (Right to Party / Beastie Boys)
6. Can you hear them? They talk about us, telling lies, well that's
no surprise (Our lips are Sealed / Go-Gos)
7. One that won't make me nervous, wonderin what to do
(A New Drug /Huey Lewis & News)
8. Are you more than hot for me, or am I a page in your
 history (book) (Straight up/Paula Abdul)
9. I can hear you comin' I know what you're after 
 (Lunatic Fringe / Red Rider)
10. And it's true we are immune when fact is fiction and tv reality
(Sunday Bloody Sunday/U2)
11. Don't go around breaking young girls hearts (Billie Jean/ MJackson)
12. I've got my back against the record machine (Jump / Van Halen)
13. You take me by the heart when you take me by the hand
  (Mickey/ Toni Basil)
14. A cloud appears above your head, a beam of light comes
shining down on you  (I Ran / Flock of Seagulls)
15. I'm lying in the rain, but I never wave bye-bye
(Modern Love / David Bowie)

'80s Lyrics Answers...

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/80s-lyrics-answers.html

Surprise Plug!

Sybil at The Good, The Bad, and the Unread blog has a lovely post about my book over there!

How cool is that?

Thanks, Sybil!

Surprise Plug!

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/surprise-plug.html

Retro Tuesday: '80s Lyrics Quiz #1

Well, Music Man and I decided at the very last minute not to attend the Foreigner concert on Saturday (we found out that Lou Gramm wasn't singing...which meant that it really wasn't going to be Foreigner), s0 there went a blog entry.

Instead, in honor of those guys, here's the first in a series of '80s Lyrics Trivia.

Name the artist and song that each of these lyrics are from. (None of them are from the exact same artist.)

1. Suckin on chili dogs outside the Tastee-Freez
2. I've done no harm, I keep to myself
3. There's a freeway runnin' through the yard
4. I've seen a million faces and I've rocked them all
5. Your mom threw away your best porno mag
6. Can you hear them? They talk about us, telling lies, well that's no 
   surprise
7. One that won't make me nervous, wonderin what to do
8. Are you more than hot for me, or am I a page in your history (book)
9. I can hear you comin, I know what you're after
10. And it's true we are immune when fact is fiction and TV reality
11. Don't go around breaking young girls' hearts
12. I've got my back against the record machine
13. You take me by the heart when you take me by the hand
14. A cloud appears above your head, a beam of light comes shining 
    down on you
15. I'm lying in the rain, but I never wave bye-bye

(I'll post the answers Tuesday night.)

Retro Tuesday: '80s Lyrics Quiz #1

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/retro-tuesday-80s-lyrics-quiz-1.html

But why is all the rum gone?

Jack Sparrow, being a pirate of the Caribbean, came by his fascination with rum honestly. Since rum originated in these islands, being nothing more than a fermented byproduct of sugar cane harvests, it's no surprise that it's his favorite beverage of choice.

And indeed, not only was Cap'n Jack a fan of the beverage--it evolved into quite a commodity once the British privateers began to trade on it. In fact, it became so much a part of sea life that the British Navy allotted a "tot" of rum per man per day until 1970!

Legend has it that after Horatio Nelson's victory at Trafalgar in 1805, when he also lost his life, the commander's body was placed in a casket filled with rum in order to preserve it until they could get the man back to England.

However, upon return to his homeland, the casket was opened and there was no rum! Apparently, holes had been drilled in the bottom of the casket in order to leak out the rum for the men to drink.

Which means they also drank his blood, all mixed in with the rum.

I figure there's got to be a vampire story in there somewhere!

But why is all the rum gone?

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/but-why-is-all-rum-gone.html

One hot kiss

Hooo boy. That's one hot kiss between Elizabeth Swann and Cap'n Jack.

Mmm-hmm. Methinks things aren't quite as cut and dry as Mr. Turner might think.

And pay attention to that compass and where it points, me lads and lasses. Pirates III is going to be very interesting.

Very interesting indeed.

One hot kiss

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/one-hot-kiss.html

Blogging at the WNP and in honor of the Grand Opening...

Today's my day, so drive your mouse on over and check out my post on writer collages at the WNP blog.

And...yay! because of course, tonight at midnight, Pirates of the Caribbean II opens! Can't wait to get me some Cap'n Jack.

Ahhh...fond memories of POTC I...
Jack Sparrow: [after Will draws his sword] Put it away, son. It's not worth you getting beat again.
Will Turner: You didn't beat me. You ignored the rules of engagement. In a fair fight, I'd kill you.
Jack Sparrow: That's not much incentive for me to fight fair, then, is it?

Which one of Captain Jack Sparrow's bizarre sayings from Pirates of the Caribbean are you?

Hee! You are Jack's "You have to find yourself a girl, mate ... you're not a eunuch, are you?" speech. You're quite a bit sex-crazed, and you assume that everyone else is as horny as you are. Get it on as soon as possible so that you can join the rest of us on Planet Earth ... I'm sure you'll have a good time doing so.
Take this quiz!

Blogging at the WNP and in honor of the Grand Opening...

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/blogging-at-wnp-and-in-honor-of-grand.html

Sigh.

I don't know how she did it, or why it happens, but somehow, some way, Elizabeth Swann gets to kiss not only Will Turner but also Captain Jack Sparrow in Dead Man's Chest.

How? How can this be? Apparently, Keira Knightley has more pull than I thought possible. Lucky her.

Isn't she supposed to marry Turner in this movie?

I mean...if I had the choice, I'd be hopping along with the Cap'n instead of that pretty boy Turner. No question.

So she must have done some pretty pleading to get that turned around.

Sheesh. Now I'm really counting the days until Friday.

Sigh.

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/sigh.html

Head Games

Okay, '80s* music fans, don't tell me the title of this post doesn't bring back some rockin' memories! How about the earworm I had going through my head last week: "Blue Morning, Blue Day...can't you see things my way?"

I've had Foreigner on my mind lately; and funny enough, as we were sitting at dinner last night, my Music Man said, "Foreigner's playing at the State Fair next week. We ought to go see them."

I almost jumped out of my chair--it was so odd that he should have brought them up when that band had been in my mind so much lately.

So we're going to try and get tickets, just because...well, they make good music. Or they used to. I've never seen them in concert, and it would be fun. (This from a girl who was dragged kicking and screaming to see KC & the Sunshine Band and The Village People about eight years ago and had a total ball. And who is just now willing to admit it.)

I loved the album cover for Head Games...and I'm not embarrassed to admit that I didn't get the fact that the picture was in a "head" until just recently. Some of the titles of the songs are hidden on the cover (Dirty White Boy for one, Double Vision for another).

I heard about this episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force in which they find this magical "Foreigner belt"--which turns the lyrics of Foreigner songs into...well, reality. Like Cold as Ice turns one of them into a frozen statue, Dirty White Boy makes someone act like a redneck...etc. Double Vision is another obvious one, as is Hot Blooded...but I can only imagine what Urgent would do. Or Head Games.

Very interesting. I find it rather odd, being a teen of the '80s, which is now becoming the roots of today's pop culture and providing the background for wayyy too many commercials.

In fact, last fall, I was playing pool with a couple of younger guys (at least ten years younger than me) and a song came on the jukebox. It was a cover of an old Heart song (I think it was What About Love), and of course, I recognized it right away but not the artist.

The guys knew the artist, of course, because it was a new release...and we argued for ten minutes about who was the original artist--which of course I knew because I'd grown up with that music! It took a phone call to someone they knew before they believed me. And it happened a second time that night, too, with another '80s single (can't for the life of me remember which one--maybe Walking on Sunshine) that had also been remade. So I've been feeling odd about the fact that my music is so old that it's being remade...or that it's the background for new commercials.

But in a way, it's also cool...'cause it's a neat reminder of things past.

So...which Foreigner songs should I shout for at the State Fair? Which is your favorite?

And which '80s band would you like to see a reunion tour for this summer?




*Yeah, I know this album came out in '79...but close enough.

Head Games

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/head-games.html

My article is up

at the Wet Noodle Posse site. I wrote about how writers make collages to help flesh out their ideas.

(And there are a whole host of other articles there too...including the Top Ten Reasons Why You Don't Want to Be a Celebrity.)

Check it out. And have a great weekend. Take a moment to remember why we have a holiday this weekend, okay?

My article is up

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/07/my-article-is-up.html