September with the WNP...and, Name That Hunk

The September issue is up at the Wet Noodle Posse ezine, featuring a column by yours truly about The Top Ten Grammar Mistakes for Writers. (As if I'm an expert; but Trish let me write it anyway. She only had to make two edits!)

Since I've got nothing else to say, let's try another Name That Hunk.

This one's probably too easy (heck, I thought my Deadliest Animal trivia was hard...), but it's nice eye candy anyway.

September with the WNP...and, Name That Hunk

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/september-with-wnpand-name-that-hunk.html

The Deadliest Creature?

I saw the news story that the fossil of a vicious prehistoric whale has been discovered. Apparently, the whale grew only to about eleven feet, but had teeth one and a half inches long. Sounds like he was a nasty little thing--little meaning relative to average whale-size.

When I was reading about that, I found a list of the Top 10 Deadliest Animals and started reading through it.

Number Ten surprised me: the poison-dart frog, which has enough venom to kill 10 humans. And I thought frogs were cute!

But rest of the list wasn't too surprising:

9. The Cape Buffalo, which charges its prey and predators head-on with over 1500 pounds. Yeah.

8. Polar Bear

7. Elephant

6. Australian Saltwater Crocodile

5. African Lion

4. Great White Shark

3. Australian Box Jellyfish (enough toxins to kill 60 humans)

2. Asian Cobra (50,000 deaths a year)

Until I got to number one.

The Number One Deadliest Creature is responsible for over 2 million deaths a year. A tiny, tiny thing.

Any guesses?

The Deadliest Creature?

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/deadliest-creature.html

Ooops. Katie Caught in the Act.

It's come to light that a recent "professional" photo of Katie Couric, which is printed in CBS's WATCH! magazine, has been airbrushed to make her look 20 lbs thinner. (Good grief, where's an airbrush when you need one!)

Katie claims she didn't know about the airbrushed picture until she saw it, and says she likes the original better. "Because there's more of me to love."

Yeah. Right. I'm guessing she's just bummed they got caught making such an obvious change.

Ooops. Katie Caught in the Act.

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/ooops-katie-caught-in-act.html

Chime In and Help a Frustrated Artist

The witty and talented Megan Frampton (no relation to Peter...she claims) mentioned her opinion of the sexiest song the other day (amidst several other items).

That got me to thinking. It's about time I made a new mix on my Rhapsody playlist, and I'd like to make one of se-exxy songs because I'm getting ready to start a new project. I need to be in the mood, you see.

So, name one I should put on there. Just one. C'mon, you can do it!

I've already got "Use Me" by Bill Withers, courtesy of Megan. And my favorite sexy song, "Everybody Here Wants You" by the late great Jeff B.

So what else do I need on there if I want to get in the mood?

Chime In and Help a Frustrated Artist

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/chime-in-and-help-frustrated-artist.html

Retro Tuesday: '80s TV Movie Heart Throbs

When I was doing my poll about classic stories a few weeks ago, I got to thinking about The Scarlet Pimpernel, and the movie version I'd seen back in the Glory Days (the '80s), and so I put it near the top of my Netflix queue.

My Music Man and I watched it the other night, and thoroughly enjoyed it. While he was admiring the young Jane Seymour (who, of course, played Marguerite), I was getting an eyeful of Anthony Andrews.

Anyone remember him? He did a fabulous job as Sir Percy Blakeney, but his most famous role was that of Sebastian in Brideshead Revisited. He also went on to play Ivanhoe in the TV movie version of that classic.

Mr. Andrews is still tapped for TV movies. In 2000, he played Mr. Murdstone in David Copperfield (I believe it was a BBC or A&E version), and he was cast as Dr. Moriarty in a version of Sherlock Holmes in the 90s.

That got me to thinking of other TV-movie heartthrobs. They seem to be breed of their own, don't they? They don't usually get very far beyond their television movies, at least as far as acting goes.

There was Andrew Stevens, too, who at the time I liked better than Anthony Andrews. Stevens played Philip Kent in the TV versions of The Bastard and The Rebel.

Speaking of which, weren't those great books? I read them first in 8th grade, but reread them again when I was in high school and taking American History...and wow, did they all make so much sense at that point!

I reread them again in college, and I think I'm about due to read them again. I loved those family sagas (Belva Plain, John Jakes, the Wagons West series, and of course, my all-time favorite: Roberta Gellis's Roselynde Chronicles). I wish they'd come back. My favorite character in the whole Kent Family Chronicles was Gideon Kent in The Americans. I would have liked to see a movie of that one!

Anyway, as far as TV movie heartthrobs go, I can only think of one who made it beyond the small screen flick to the big screen. There may be others, but the one who comes to mind for me is Orry Main, from North & South--Patrick Swayze.

Any others you can think of? Who do you remember as one of those '80s TV movie stars?

(and, sink me! if there isn't a bit of a discussion going on over at Dance Chica's about The Scarlet Pimpernel book, which I haven't read, yet, but enjoyed lurking on the discussion anyway...)

Retro Tuesday: '80s TV Movie Heart Throbs

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/retro-tuesday-80s-tv-movie-heart.html

Udderly Horrible

Last Friday, I was dragged against my wishes by my three darling children to see Barnyard, the latest animated attempt at an Incredibles- or Cars-like masterpiece of humor for children perfectly mixed with humor for adults.

It was an atrocity from the very beginning. I'm not even going to try and write a fair review, because in my opinion, it doesn't deserve even that.

I could probably have dealt with the predictable sappy plot, and the attempt at trying to please the adults as well as the children (there was exactly one scene, of perhaps 10 seconds, that made me laugh) if it weren't for the male cows.

With udders.

Yesirreee. Male cows. With udders. With nipples that trembled and shivered and vibrated much too realistically with every movement. We got a lovely closeup of this quartet of nipplage during a particularly ridiculous scene where said male cow (the star of the movie, no less) is surfing down a mountain with his cohorts.

I wanted to leave right then, but I was stuck there for the next 60 minutes of trash.

Ugh.

So I write this as a warning to all of my friends with school-age children: no matter how much they beg, borrow and plead--and even if they are perfect angels the whole week you are trying to finish your book under deadline (which is how I had the privilege of going): don't take them.

Save yourself.

Udderly Horrible

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/udderly-horrible.html

Gotta get this tee!

I think I'm going to have to get a t-shirt to let International Astronomical Union know how I really feel. I'm leaning toward this one...but here are some other options.

Gotta get this tee!

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/gotta-get-this-tee.html

The befuddling of the mindset of the Class of 1985

You've probably seen the Beloit College's Mindset List--the list put together about this time every year that tells us about the generation that is starting college this year.

It's disconcerting for someone from, say, the Class of 1985 to see things like:

11. A coffee has always taken longer to make than a milkshake.

25. Phantom of the Opera has always been on Broadway.

43. They are not aware that "flock of seagulls hair" has nothing to do with birds flying into it.

It just makes us feel old.

But aside of feeling every creaking bone and joint, I got to thinking about the mindset of the people like me, who started college in the mid-80s, and the fact that this week alone, two major things have happened to tilt our world.

The Mighty Have Fallen
Those of you who know me well won't be surprised in the least to know I was not too broken up when Tom Cruise got fired this week. I think the guy's a good enough actor, but lots of his actual movies (ie, plots) have been the pits--and I'm not even going to mention his extra-curricular activities.

My Music Man has refused to see a Cruise movie since we sat through the first Mission Implausible, as he calls it.

I actually liked Top Gun (what hot-blooded gal of my generation didn't?--and if you're out there, please, weigh in!), mainly because Cruise's character reminded me too much of this guy I had (and still have) the major hots for.

(Is this the appropriate time to come out of the closet and admit I've never seen Risky Business?)

Despite his long, downward spiral in the last year, I'm still surprised that one of the biggest heart-throbs and box office stars since my teen years has actually bit the dust.

(Heh heh heh. Another '80s reference there...get it? And think about who sang that. And why that's appropriate in TC's case.)

Will there be another chance for Tom Cruise to take back his crown? I'm thinking...No.

He and Mel Gibson are going to have to form a self-help club for '80s heart-throbs that self-destructed in the Summer of 2006.

Why Don't You Pick on Someone Your Own Size
Ever since I was in grade school, I've had a soft spot for the planet Pluto.

It was so lonely and far away, and so very small. It was the underdog of the solar system.

And now some very mean people, most likely emboldened by Paramount's canning of Mr. Cruise, have also fired Pluto.

Talk about being discombobulated! Not only are Tom Cruise and Mel Gibson no longer welcome in Hollywood...but the whole solar system has been turned on its ear.

My whole world has shifted.

The befuddling of the mindset of the Class of 1985

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/befuddling-of-mindset-of-class-of-1985.html

A good excuse

Zeek asked: "Who is Gerard Butler?" What a great excuse for a Friday post, huh?

Gerard Butler was The Phantom in Webber's The Phantom of the Opera movie. He was the hottest guy in Timeline, the one who stayed back in time. He was the guy in Tomb Raider 2. He was Dracula in Dracula 2000. And there's more...but those are the highlights.

A lovely Scottish actor with fabulous legs, a helluva mouth, and a hot bod.

Now, Zeek, if you haven't seen any of these movies, I recommend Phantom for the angstiest, broodingest hero ever!

A good excuse

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/good-excuse.html

To Cliffhang or Not to Cliffhang...

I got to thinking the other day about cliffhangers.

I think there's a time and a place for them. For example, at the end of a chapter. That's good.

What's even better is, at the end of a chapter, but then the following chapter picks up in a different scene, with someone else's point of view, leaving you hanging by your little fingertips for at least a bit longer.

Those are good, right?

What about a cliffhanger at the end of a movie? (Can you say Empire Strikes Back? POTC Dead Man's Chest?) Or book?

The famous Janet Evanovich (I can't remember which number), where Stephanie Plum opens the door to...someone...and invites him in and we don't know who it is until the next book. Which came out a year later.

What about that kind of cliffhanger, where it's not so much related to the action (ie, the Big Bad's been foiled, at least temporarily, but in relation to a subplot, like the romantic relationship arc)?

Do you like that? Does it work or annoy you? (I was fortunate in that Evanovich situation, for I came late-ish to the Plum series, and the book that followed that was already in print and ready for me to pick up, so I can't comment with any real authority.)

Rosario mentioned a Kathy Reichs book that left the reader with a similar cliffhanger (Grave Secrets). I haven't read either of the books she talks about, but I wondered if this is becoming a trend.

Another friend of mine read Death Takes a Honeymoon by Deborah Donnelly, and she complained angrily that the book ended with a cliffhanger in the middle of the action!

So, what do you define as a cliffhanger? When does it become annoying, or an obvious marketing ploy to get you to buy the next book, see the next movie? When does it work?

To Cliffhang or Not to Cliffhang...

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/to-cliffhang-or-not-to-cliffhang.html

Blogger Hates Me.

Okay, so everything's all mucked up with the Name that Hunk guesses.

So the answer is Gerard Butler, guessed immediately by Diane Perkins. (No surprise to me, or anyone here, I'm sure.)

Here's the real pic:

Blogger Hates Me.

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/blogger-hates-me.html

Name That Hunk.

I'm celebrating today because I finished my latest book and it will shortly be winging its way to my editor.

So, just for fun...name this hunk!

Name That Hunk.

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/name-that-hunk.html

Retro Tuesday: '80s Lyrics Quiz #4

Here we go again. You know the drill...

1. Caught up in the action I've
been looking out for you
2. An invisible man sleeping
in your bed
3. But somewhere sometime
when you're curious, I'll be back
around
4. I know her love is true but
it's so damn easy makin' love to you
5. Oh mother dear we're not
the fortunate ones
6. And incidents arose from
circumstance
7. You know I like my girls a little bit older
8. You always live your life never thinking of the future
9. Now we're sharing the same dreams, and our hearts can beat as one
10. She don't need a man's touch
11. She'll get a hold on you, believe it
12. You're everywhere, but you're so hard to find
13. You want your percentage, but I'm the fool paying the dues
14. No April rain, no flowers' bloom, no wedding Saturday within the month of June
15. There's a skeleton chokin' on a crust of bread

Answers posted later today.

Retro Tuesday: '80s Lyrics Quiz #4

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/retro-tuesday-80s-lyrics-quiz-4.html

Jana blogged about my book.

And I'm practically in tears. Happy tears. Blown-away tears. Joyous tears.

Go see.

Jana blogged about my book.

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/jana-blogged-about-my-book.html

The ARCs are coming!

I'm getting bound galleys and have enough to spare for three reviewers (whom I haven't already promised them to)...the first three to contact me gets'em.

Send your request by email, please, and I'll get them off to you as soon as I get my hot little hands on them!

Email: cgs at colleengleason.com

EDITED: They're gone! Thanks so much for all your interest. I may have some more ARCs later, so if you're interested, do drop me a line.

Also, I plan to give away some copies of the book in December, so stay tuned!

The ARCs are coming!

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/arcs-are-coming.html

O, Gothics! Wherefore art thou?

Does anyone miss those good old gothic romances like I do?

The ones where the young (usually orphaned, usually destitute) girl has to move into a big, old (usually creepy) house and there are strange goings-on. And two men. Yes, the good ones always have two men.

I love romances as much as the next romance reader, but as I've gotten older, I've always thought why--why only one man? Why can't she have two? Or even three? (Vicky Bliss has three men after her in Trojan Gold. And my own Victoria Gardella has three very strong men that she contends with in The Rest Falls Away....)

Which is why I like the gothics. The two men usually fit one of two stereotypes: the tall, dark, brooding, often-sarcastic guy, and the handsome, charming, often-blond one.

We're supposed to think the blond guy is The One, because he's so kind and charming. But it's really the brooding guy who saves the day. Sometimes the blond guy is the villain, even. But other times, he's just Not the Right One.

I miss those books. I devoured Barbara Michaels' modern gothics--and still do, still reread them all the time. Why aren't there more books like them now? Is it because there are two men, and in the romance novels world, you're supposed to know who the hero is right away? ('cause in a good gothic, you don't. Not until you're well into the book, and even then you might still not be sure. Michaels' The Love Talker almost had me fooled till the very end.)

I must admit, when I first saw Star Wars at the tender age of...nine or ten, I guess...I fell for Luke Skywalker (the blond, charming guy). (I can't believe I'm admitting this in public!) I was really ticked when Leia said she loved him in Empire Strikes Back instead of Luke. It took me until I was in high school before I "got" Han Solo (the dark, sarcastic one).

But now I understand and love the heros that kind of sneak up on you. I'd like to see more of them. I know there was a line of gothics awhile ago--Candleglow I think it was called, and I did really enjoy Christine Feehan's two that she wrote for the line (Lair of the Lion and The Scarletti Curse), even though they didn't have the two requisite heros. They were lush and sexy and gothicky and suspenseful, and I enjoyed them nevertheless.

And Eve Silver's Dark Desires was very gothicky in tone and setting, and you weren't really sure the hero was a good guy (well, because he was the hero, you knew he had to be...but he was luscious anyway). I really enjoyed it...but there was only the one hero. (I guess I have a thing for letting the gal have a choice, already!)

But why? Why don't we have any more traditional gothics being published? I hear people talk about how much they loved them....but no one's publishing them. (Or am I missing them?)

Maybe they wouldn't be published in romance, then. Maybe they belong, as Barbara Michaels' books do, in the horror or thriller section.

What do you all think? Any Barbara Michaels fans out there (besides you, Rosario!) Am I missing some good gothics?

O, Gothics! Wherefore art thou?

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/o-gothics-wherefore-art-thou.html

Sunday Moanin' Poll

Wake up sleepyheads! I'm looking for some feedback for an article I want to write for the monthly RWA journal. I've got a poll I'd sure like your thoughts on...you can pop over there and vote on my LiveJournal page, if you would be so very kind.

Comments are welcome in either location. Thanks in advance!

Sunday Moanin' Poll

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/sunday-moanin-poll.html

Neato fateado!

Jaye found this: it's a program that makes "word clouds" out of your website. You can order a t-shirt with the image on it. I might just have to do that.

I made an image from my book website, and this is how it turned out. I love it!

Neato fateado!

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/neato-fateado.html

Busy, busy, busy

I've been so busy the last few days getting ready for our annual family road trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (the U.P. as the natives call it), I haven't had time to think about updating the blog.

Well, I've thought about it, but haven't done it. I'm trying to focus on getting as much of my book finished before leaving, plus laundry, cleaning out the van, cleaning the house, and all the other stuff you know that has to be done before we leave.

We leave tomorrow for a week, and it's a 9-hour road trip, with three kids, a husband, and a dog. I'm so looking forward to it.

Actually, I am. I've been traveling to the UP since I was born, every summer, to visit my grandma and grandpa, and every year when I leave, I wonder if it will be the last time I'll see them. My grandma turned 90 on July 21st, and my grandpa will be 89 in August.

This is my maternal grandmother that we're visiting, and although we've always lived at least 9 or 10 hours apart, she's played a special role in my life. A wonderful seamstress, she used to make us pajames every Christmas when we were younger. (I still have the last flannel nightgown she made for me...and I still wear it.)

She also made my prom dress for my senior prom...it was a lovely evening gown with a plum satin overskirt that merged up into a boned, strapless bodice. In the back, the satin overskirt split up the middle to the back of my waist and under it was frothy lavender lace. I wish I had scanned my photos so I could show you all a picture of it. It was gorgeous!

Then, when I got married, my grandmother and my mother made my wedding dress. I helped too, just a little ('cause I can't sew--too impatient). My mother and I had gone to try on dresses all over until we found the one I wanted. Then my mom took careful notice of the design, fabric, etc., and she and my grandmother made the dress exactly as it appeared in the store. My job was to sew little tiny pink satin "centers" into the rosettes of the Alencon lace that covered the entire dress--which was a simple sheath with a super-long cathedral train, made only of Alencon lace. It was beautiful.

When I was pregnant with my first child, the very first piece of clothing I got for her came just weeks after I announced the pregnancy. My grandmother, at that time 80 years old, had sewn and then hand-embroidered little flowers, birds, bees, and hearts all over this little precious jacket. I cried.

(It's a really blurry picture, but the only one I have with me and the kids and my grandma.)

Now my grandma lives in a skilled nursing facility attached to the hospital in the town she's from. She's actually happier than she's been in years, though her memory is more than quirky--which is the reason she had to move in there. Her husband, my grandfather, still lives in the house they've always lived in. He is another story, and he deserves a post all his own...but I'll save that for when I get back.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the trip, but at the same time, I know that as we leave to come home, I'll cry as I always have, wondering if it's the last time I'll see one or both of them.

Busy, busy, busy

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/busy-busy-busy.html

We're not laughing at you, Jeff Bezos...we're laughing with you!

Now that Amazon is offering grocery items, there really is no reason to leave home.

Why, you can even have milk delivered to you, via the friendly world at Amazon. In fact, so many people have found this so convenient, Amazon's been overrun by reviews about this heretofore mundane kitchen item.

Here are a few choice samples, but there are 480+ other reviews, many of which others have found helpful in making their milk-purchasing decisions.

Summer Milk, August 9, 2006

Reviewer:

Sean Davis - See all my reviews

Heat Index today: 112 degrees

Result: Milk was a bad choice!!!!!!!!

oh wow, August 8, 2006

Reviewer:

billy pinko "billy pinko" (Utah) - See all my reviews

This is the sexiest milk I have ever had. This milk is silky and perfect in every way. I felt real nourishment after I drank this milk, and you know what I mean. Marvin Gaye must have had a lot of this milk, and his special lady-friend too.

My hat is off to these cows. Actually, everything is off to these cows. This is naked, wonderful milk.

A Social Tsunami?, August 8, 2006

Reviewer:

Silicon Valley Bob "bob41116" (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Does selling milk over the Web mean that our nation's next generation of illegitimate children will be fathered by the FedEx man?

Okay, so I'm just waiting to see the reviews for condoms.

We're not laughing at you, Jeff Bezos...we're laughing with you!

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/were-not-laughing-at-you-jeff.html

One book...

I'm swiping this meme from Rosario (my new best friend, because she's the only person of my acquaintance who's also read the Vicky Bliss books and she's been quoting the best parts back to me...).

One book...that changed your life
The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker.
This is a book that every woman should read. It's written by a famous personal security expert--he's worked with everyone from Olivia Newton-John and Cher and other celebrities, to non-celebrities, rape victims, violence-in-the-workplace victims, etc.

This book is about how we have an innate ability to sense when things are "off," that we have this deep-seeded instinct for danger (women often call it intuition), and how, if we listen to it, it will can help us to protect ourselves from all sorts of dangers.

I wrote an article for the Wet Noodle Posse ezine about some of de Becker's information. Read this book.

One book...that you've read more than once
Well, you all know by now that Night Train to Memphis is the first one that comes to mind, although I've reread many others.

One book...that you'd want on a desert island
Uh...How to Survive on a Desert Island? No, wait...I've got it...The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook.

One book...that made you laugh
Anything by Jennifer Crusie, J D Robb, Elizabeth Peters or Susan Elizabeth Phillips...but since I have to pick one book...I'll say It Had to Be You by SEP.

One book...that made you cry
It's a kids' book called The Littlest Angel by Charles Tazewell. It's a Christmas story about a little boy of age 5 who becomes an angel, and who just doesn't fit in up in heaven; so one of the angels kindly goes back to earth to get the treasure box the little boy had hidden under his bed...and what's in that box, and how happy he is, and what happens...well, I bawl everytime I read this book to my kids; it gets so that my husband sits there and chuckles at me because I can never get through the story.

The kids are always asking me why I'm crying. I can't explain to them why it moves me on so many levels.

One book...that you wish had been written
The books that I wish had been written, I've written, or intend to write. :-)

One book...that you wish had never been written
Um...Harry Potter, so I could have written it? (just kidding)
I can't think of any books that I wish hadn't been written!

One book...that you are currently reading
The Virgin's Lover by Philippa Gregory

One book...that you've been meaning to read
Why Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold S. Kushner


So? What about you?

One book...

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/one-book.html

Retro Tuesday: '80s Lyrics Quiz #3

Here we go...answers posted in the comments section later today.

1. You're like the sun chasing all
of the rain away
2. Everyone you meet, they're
jamming in the streets
3. I'm not internationally known,
but I'm known to rock microphone
4. Every time I see you falling,
I get down on my knees and pray
5. We'll take your car, yes we will, we'll take your car and drive it
6. I said to my reflection "Let's get out of this place"
7. Easy ready willing overtime
8. The five years we have had have been such good times
9. Didn't know how lost I was until I found you
10. People of the world today are we looking for a better way of life
11. You in that dress my thoughts I confess verge on dirty
12. I'm about to lose control and I think I like it
13. Write it on a pound note, pound note
14. We are strong, no one can tell us we're wrong
15. Out on the road today, I saw a deadhead sticker on a Cadillac

Retro Tuesday: '80s Lyrics Quiz #3

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/retro-tuesday-80s-lyrics-quiz-3.html

It's pretty bad when

you call up your mechanic, give him your name, he immediately recognizes you and says, "Which car is it?"

Argh.

Out and about in town with my three kids, enjoying a Dairy Queen treat after a trip to the library...and our 1997 Caravan dies. Just kind of sighs into nothingness. The radio's still on, so's the air conditioner and the power locks and windows work, but the accelerator, brakes, power steering don't. I try and try and try to start it again; no dice.

We get it towed to our favorite mechanic (we have three cars; two are older and the third one we just made the last payment on today!) and my Music Man went to try to start it, and it starts. No problem.

I'm not surprised. I expected it, 'cause the exact same thing happened exactly a year ago. We got it towed, the car dealer went to look at it, and it was fine.

Unbelievable.

It's pretty bad when

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/its-pretty-bad-when.html

Blogging at the WNP today...

I kept my theme of "comfort" and considered the kind of music I tend to gravitate toward during certain moods or tasks...and included a lovely piece of eye candy just for fun.

And just to prove that I'm slowly coming out from under the rock that I live beneath, I'll post this pic of the delicious Gerry Butler in Dracula 2000, which I just watched last night. (Unbelievable that I, a vampire author and Gerry fan had no idea this movie existed until last week.)











Thanks Heather. I'm still fanning myself!

Blogging at the WNP today...

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/blogging-at-wnp-today.html

Walk softly and carry a big purse.

I love big purses. I've been carrying one the size of a billboard since becoming a mother, and even now that all of my children have been past the diaper/ bottle/bib/ change-of-clothes stage for years, I still haven't given it up.

The bigger the better.

However, as Stephanie Plum will no doubt agree, a big purse can be hazardous to one's lifestyle. I may not be fumbling for a gun in the bottom of my purse, but that elusive quarter, lipstick, pen, safety pin, stick of gum, dollar bill, checkbook, cell phone, book weight, ring of keys...you get the picture...can really corrupt the smoothness of my day.

So I recently cleaned out my purse. I'm not going to bore you with the items I found in there, but suffice to say, they were plentiful...and most of it useless, outdated, crumpled, or unrecognizable.

(Especially those receipts they print on the shiny paper nowadays; the ones where the ink wears off or fades after a month or two...I wonder how the IRS views these kinds of receipts--they become fairly worthless after awhile, so is that a good thing or a bad thing for someone trying to find as many writeoffs as possible?)

But I digress.

Anyway, I had recently read somewhere that Hilary Clinton uses these little mesh pouches to organize the contents of her purse, instead of a wallet. One for credit cards, one for cash, one for ID, etc. They're color-coded, thus making each item easy to find, and I thought, in the spirit of trying to become less of a fumble-around-at-the-cash-register kind of gal and more of a quick- draw-speedy-checkout-customer that the people in line behind me appreciate that I'd give it a try.

So today, I got the four I had ordered, duly organized my stuff, and realized I need about three more little mesh bags...but that'll come later. I'm going to give it a try and see how it goes.

When's the last time you cleaned out your purse? What did you find? And if you have any organization tips for the big-baggers like me, will ya share?

Walk softly and carry a big purse.

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/walk-softly-and-carry-big-purse.html

TGIF: Comfort Reads

So I have an entire box of (free) books that just arrived from National, a looming deadline, and three children underfoot because our babysitter quit (that's the topic of another post), plus a week's vacation planned in a week where I won't get any work done...and last night I picked up Trojan Gold, by Elizabeth Peters--a book I've read at least ten times.

I blame Rosario for this. We got to talking about the Vicky Bliss series, by Elizabeth Peters, which is my ultimate, all-time favorite group of books (four; five if you count the first one, which isn't nearly as fun as the ones with Vicky and John Smythe, and six if you count John's cameo appearance in yet another Peters book).

Rosario mentioned that she was rereading the series (which officially begins with Borrower of the Night, but it's not one of my favorites, even though it gives some good backstory), as she often does, and I jumped on that bandwagon, 'cause I do too.

And I started thinking about it, and why--I've read these books, particularly the last two, countless times; there are no surprises!--and I realized that they're my Comfort Reads. I know what I'm going to get, I know how they're going to make me feel, and I love the characters.

It's like chicken soup, meatloaf, apple pie, chocolate, fried chicken, pot roast. Comfort food. Comfort reads.
So what's up with these books that I keep coming back to?

Vicky Bliss is like a chick-lit detective before there was chick-lit. The books are written in her wry, witty first person voice, and she is a gorgeous blond Minnesotan (who self-deprecatingly talks about how she looms over most men due to her Scandinavian genes) with a doctorate in Art History, who lives and works in Germany.

She gets involved in adventures in Rome (Street of the Five Moons), Denmark (Silhouette in Scarlet), Bavaria (Trojan Gold), and Egypt (Night Train to Memphis). She's got men attracted to her like crazy, especially in Trojan Gold and Night Train, but her heart belongs to an antiquities thief!

These are mysteries with an over arching love story, and while they aren't romances, as Rosario says, the declaration of love in Trojan Gold is one of the best ever. And Night Train, the last (so far) in the series, is one of the most romantic stories I've ever read, even though it's not a romance.

Peters downplays the love story, keeps it so subtle, covered under wit and disguised by action and mystery, with extremely literate writing, that when it actually bubbles to the surface, it's so much more effective than many romances that are pure love stories.

Sigh. I just have to revisit Vicky and her friends. And if you're looking for a good read, try the books. I've listed them in order above.

And so now that I've babbled on yet again about these books, tell me...what are your comfort reads, and why?

TGIF: Comfort Reads

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/tgif-comfort-reads.html

Colleen & Esri take on the Supremes

Just had to post this pic...it's me and my WNP buddy Esri, aka Kiki Clark, singing "Where Did Our Love Go" at Gilbert's in Atlanta at the conference.

Don't we look like serious rock stars? (It's a good thing you can't hear what I sound like...seriously, it's a wonder Esri wasn't putting her hands over her ears! I'm such a bad singer that my Music Man once told me not to sing to the baby [when she was a baby], because I'd ruin her ears.)

Colleen & Esri take on the Supremes

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/colleen-esri-take-on-supremes.html

Who's the techie in your house?

A recent survey by Oxygen Network found that three out of four women would take a plasma TV over a diamond solitaire necklace...and about the same number would take a high-tech cellphone over a pair of designer shoes.

Hmm. Can't say I'd blame them.

In the same survey, 59% of women agreed that "women are more tech savvy than they give themselves credit for" (only 38% of men agreed with that statement about themselves).

But only 35% of women say "my family and friends rely on me for help with technology" while 54% of men say the same.

I can relate to the minority there, 'cause in my house, I'm the techie. Despite the fact that my Music Man has a degree in Computer Science from a prestigious university, he hasn't touched a computer in more than fifteen years. (Well, maybe once or twice when I was away from home and had to walk him through the process of emailing me a document or something like that. But that's it, unless it has to do with sound systems. Then he's got it all.)

I've done everything from set up my own wireless network, rebuild a computer, set up a wireless music sound bridge between the computer and the stereo system, and keep us up to date on all the tech stuff.

I'm certainly not an expert, but I know enough to be dangerous, and I also have a network of a few good friends I can call if I get stumped (Tim, Brian--you out there?). My brother used to give me a hard time when I'd call him with computer questions (he's a major geek, works for Oracle), citing "User Error"--until he realized that when I called him with questions, they were things even he wasn't sure how to fix. So now he doesn't rag on me about it.

So, what about you? Plasma TV or diamond necklace? Cool new phone or designer shoes? Are you the techie--and if you're a woman, do you find that guys don't take you seriously when it comes to your knowledge of technology?

Who's the techie in your house?

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/whos-techie-in-your-house.html

Oh crap!

I'm eagerly awaiting Nora Roberts's Circle Trilogy, which will be released back-to-back for three months. Apparently, it has vampires and gods and a whole slew of paranormal stuff going on.

Unfortunately, I learned it also has an evil vampire named Lilith.

Guess whose book(s) feature a vampire queen named Lilith.

You got it!

(sigh)

I shouldn't be surprised; Lilith is a common enough name in the demonology world. Legend has her as the first wife of Adam, or sometimes as a witch. Some cultures describe her as a night demon that harms young boys. Sometimes, she's also portrayed as the concubine of Satan.

In my books, Lilith is the daughter of the first vampire, who, in my mythology, happens to be Judas of Iscariot.

So, I'm interested in finding out how Nora handles her and what she's like compared to my Lilith.

But damn! Is that a bummer or what?

(Maybe my Lilith can challenge Nora's Lilith to a mud-wrestling match!)

Oh crap!

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/oh-crap.html

August issue of the Wet Noodle Posse eZine is up!

(from the Wet Noodle Posse newsletter...written by the talented Kiki Clark)

Consider this your August reminder. You have one month to do the following: Eat watermelon. Enjoy sprinkler mist on your bare legs. Wear a straw hat with a sunflower on it. Slather yourself in a coconut-scented sunscreen and instantly remember your last beach vacation. Drink something in a frosty glass with fresh peppermint in it. Use the excuse, "It's too hot to clean."

What does it mean when your boyfriend doesn't want you to see other men…friends? Do you give up lunches with Jerry and power walking with Bruce, or tell your beau to take a hike? Dr. Debra explores the reasons your boyfriend might want to be your only male friend, and what you can do.

Women are looking better, longer. It's true. Delle Jacobs, who always looks fabulous, gives you her personal secrets in make-up, hair color, and fascinating new skin-care products. You may not look twenty anymore, but you can still look great—especially since you're too smart to get sucked into tube tops this time around.

Noodler Theresa Ragan is all about the fun. She thought reading was fun, so she started writing for fun, and even though the publishing industry doesn't make writers skip around shouting, "Whee!" she's still having fun. Read about Theresa's writing journey, and why she enjoys horses' heads in her car.

Horse… Pony…tails! Ponytails! (Sometimes these segues are tough.) Fresh from the triumph of her Summer Sandals craft article, Priscilla Kissinger returns to show you how to make matching ponytail holders! Whip out the pinking shears and sparkly fabric, gals. It's time to get that hot hair off your neck with some cool style!

Kids and moms are already wandering the aisles of Target and Wal-Mart, mulling over which is cooler: Spiderman or Superman? The red bean-bag chair or a furry purple ottoman with storage? Whether your kid is in kindergarten or college, Pam Payne has Ten Tips that will take the trauma/drama out of back-to-school and make the experience fun (Yes, fun!) for both parents and kids.

School lunches can be problematic. Do you fork over money and wonder what your kid is eating, or try to get her excited about peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches? Luckily for you, the Noodlers have come up with a cornucopia of packed-lunch ideas. Categories include Quick-and-easy, Vegetarian, and Gourmet. Don't forget the note!

Who has summer holidays in January? Our own Noodler from Down Under, Trish Morey! Trish and her family recently visited the North Island of New Zealand—land of everything, from glossy cities to the towering mountains that gave Lord of the Rings its chilly visual splendor. We hear Aragorn has started his own winery.

Losing a child is a parent's worst fear. When SuperHeroine Lauren Spiker lost her daughter to cancer, she created something out of that loss — a foundation called Melissa's Living Legacy and an online informational and support site called TeensLivingwithCancer.org. Learn how this amazing mother helps kids live to fight another day.

Writers dream of publishing their first book. When they do, reality sometimes comes as a shocking surprise. Janet Mullany interviews published authors on First-Book Syndrome. You may be lucky enough to someday see your title on the cover of a real book. What happens then?

Four out of eleven Noodlers agree, sleeping in is their favorite Saturday morning activity. But what about those other seven? Hint: Vacuuming gets a mention, Sudoku does not. Go figure.

WetNoodlePosse.com -- Be good to yourself or else!

August issue of the Wet Noodle Posse eZine is up!

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/august-issue-of-wet-noodle-posse-ezine.html

Retro Tuesday: A Fish Called Wanda

When I was at the RWA conference, I attended Erica Spindler's talk about her career and how it progressed through speed bump after speed bump until she became a New York Times best-selling author. She's a fabulous speaker and a wonderful lady, and I enjoyed the workshop and her wisdom.

During her speech, she made a comment about fan mail, and brought up an interesting "rule" for writers that I've heard bandied about more than once: don't kill the pets. Especially dogs.

Ms. Spindler mentioned that a writer friend had written a book in which a protagonist had a cat, and lived in an apartment. In the story, the apartment burned down, and the writer never mentioned whether the cat had made it out alive. The author got letters asking about the cat, wanting to make sure it had survived.

I've heard this kind of feedback before, and not just with romance novels. Apparently it's okay to write about serial killers and child kidnappers (although I personally can't read books in which a child is hurt or abused or anything like that--even Nora's Carolina Moon almost lost me because of the girls who were killed), but don't, whatever you do, kill the dog. Or the cat.

Which is why I find it interesting that A Fish Called Wanda (see, I was getting to my point!) is such a brilliantly funny, romantic, engaging movie...even though those poor doggies all meet their end!

Perhaps it's because Ken (played by Michael Palin) takes the pressure off us--we know he'll do anything to keep Wanda (the fish, of course), and the dogs, and any other creatures alive--so we don't have to worry about it. He has his revenge in the end!

And, actually, I think the movie saved itself from becoming a PETA target--not only because of Ken, but also because of how the doggie deaths were filmed.

Originally, the remains of the dogs included fake innards (gleaned from a nearby butcher, apparently) spread around the ground next to the bodies...but in the preview screenings, the audiences didn't like that. (No surprise there.) So, they re-shot the scenes with obviously-fake dog bodies.

Whew.

Unfortunately, that's not an option for a writer--we have to keep the pets alive no matter what.

So...does that bother you--pet deaths in a book? What else upsets you?

And if you haven't seen A Fish Called Wanda, hie thyself to Blockbuster, or to your Netflix queue and get it. It's a joy to watch, and the cast is fabulous.

Retro Tuesday: A Fish Called Wanda

http://colleengleason.blogspot.com/2006/08/retro-tuesday-fish-called-wanda.html