So, when do I have to start worrying about wrinkles?

I see these commercials all the time telling me that I can buy products that would make me look ten years younger. I don’t really need to look 18, so I figure I don’t need this stuff yet.

But then, once I actually get a wrinkle won’t it be too late?

There’s commercials about mini facials, and peels and facelifts in a bottle. Do I need that stuff? If I start now does that mean I’ll never get old?

I’m very concerned that I should be buying this stuff and just don’t know it.

Do you think he worries about wrinkles?

So, how was everyone’s weekend?

Mine was good. In New Jersey visiting the newly returned BIL!! It was great to see him, though the whole in-law house thing was ugly. They’re having their house remodled so can you say dusty? Expecially for someone with allergies (like me) it was not a fun time.

Luckily we didn’t have to spend that much time at the house. Spent a lot of time at my brother-in-laws future in-laws. So what are they to me? Ah, I guess just nice people that got us out of the dusty house.

And now it’s time for another week.

I don’t know what I’m going to do without the Olympics. They’ve pretty much ruled my life for the past two weeks!

I’m going to be getting around a bit this week.

Wednesday - Little Red releases!

Thursday - I have an author day at the Love Romances ebook club.

Saturday - I’ll be at FAR Chatters (I think all day-ish) with fellow WCPT author (and CP) Kendra Clark.

And now I have to get myself into editing mode.

And finally, but super importantly, go congratulate Steph. She sold to Blaze!!

So, what’s up for you this week?

Today’s author is another fellow LSB author, Darragha Foster. Her book, The Orca King has been on my TBR pile for what seems like ever. Unfortunately I’ve only had a chance to peek at it. And I’m certainly not giving away any secrets now!

What do you prefer, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU or Law & Order: Criminal Intent?
SVU. I lust after Munch and Finn.

If you could only watch one movie again for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Conan the Barbarian. I’d just close my eyes and listen to Basil Poledoris’ FABULOUS score.

If you were a Bond Girl what would you want your name to be?
“Whip” or “Stilletto”

What’s your favorite animal at the Zoo?
Butterfly exhibits [Emma’s note: I’m actually terrified of butterflies so we won’t be going to the zoo together any time soon. Although I’m thinking the answer should be whales!

Do you have any tattoo’s? If not, where would you get one and what would you get?
Not yet. My daughter and I are going to get matching tattoos on the back of our heads, base of the skull. Eye of Horus (Egyptian Eye).

Can you roll your tongue? Touch your tongue to your nose? Do any other tricks with your body?
I can roll my tongue. I can wiggle my nostrils. I can whistle through a pinpoint hole in the roof of my mouth.

If you were stuck in the dark, didn’t have a flashlight and couldn’t have sex, what would you do?
I don’t need light to type. :) Touch typing is my friend.

Stealing from James Lipton (Inside the Actors Studio), what’s your favorite word? Your least favorite?
I’m fond of the phrase, “holy smut.” I do not use the word ‘Hate’.

Do you play an instrument? Well? What and for how long?
Piano and flute. years. neither very well. i can sing, however! i have big lungs like “Meat Loaf.”

If you could win an Olympic medal what sport would it be in?
Archery.

If you were a tree, what kind would you be? What kind of flower?
I would be a sacred oak if a tree and wisteria if a flower.

Thanks for sharing with us, Darragha!!

I was really freaked out about not getting this months TBR challenge (a new to me author) finished. How pathetic that I couldn’t even read one book this month? It’s a good think I padded a little bit in January.

But then I finished the first draft of the Book from Hell and decided to do a little reading

Angie’s TBR Challenge Book:

Title: Bound and Determined

Author: Shelley Bradley

Year published: 2006

Why did you get this book? I like Shelley. She’s the VP of Passionate Ink.

Did you like the cover? It’s actually kind of creepy. I really liked it when I saw it online or on Amazon or something, but up close it’s kind of creepy. He looks like Colin Farrell and she looks like she’s about 14.

Did you enjoy the book? Yeah. It was good.

I generally prefer to read books in all one sitting, but since I’ve been so busy this month I had to train myself to read more sporadically. So to me some of the book seemed a bit - jumpy, but I think that’s because I’m not used to reading a bit at a time.

Was the author new to you & would you read her again? Obvioulsy new to me and I’m already waiting for Strip Search, the sequel.

Are you keeping or passing on? I keep everything. And I would like to give this book a second chance one time when I can give it my whole attention.

Anything else? The book is definately on the hotter side, but I was expecting it to be like Kensington-Aprodesia-put-a-warning-on-the-back-of-the-book-hot. So a warning for anyone looking for boundry pushing erotic romance - this isn’t it.

I’d even say this is on the low end of the erotic romance heat spectrum. But it’s still a good book.

Then, yesterday morning I didn’t want to do work and I was leaving in a few hours so I picked a smaller book to devour, I mean read, Suzanne McMinn’s Deep Blue.

I’m so in love with the PAX books. Cade and Sienna’s story was great, but I have to say I still like the first PAX book (The Beast Within) the best.

But seriously, if you like paranormal romantic suspense, you should pick up these books. Asside from the occasional Blaze these are pretty much the only category books I read anymore, and they definately stand up to their longer counterparts.

I had to get up early this morning to take a shower since they were shutting off our water again today.

So, I’m pretty tired, especially after staying up late to watch the Olympics - women’s figure skating is kinda boring. Except when Dick Button starts being mean. That’s when the fun starts!

So, I think I already told you but I’m off to the in-laws this weekend. Off to the Garden State. Did you know that it’s some sort of wacky supernatural phenomenon that if you’re driving in New Jersey and put your car radio on scan (or maybe seek I never remember which one is which) it only takes one cycle through all the stations to find a Bruce Springsteen song?

NJ loves their Boss.

And usually only 2 circuits to find Bon Jovi.

Crazy stuff I tell you.

So, what excitement do you have planned for the weekend?

I’m done!!

Yes, I worked my tail off yesterday and the Futuristic That Might Kill Me is now FINSIHED. Well, more or less. Mostly less since it still needs the final scene and lots of edits.

But still, just having the first draft done is such a tremendous weight off of my shoulders.

Anyway, I’ll probably be using most of today to catch up on the stuff I’ve been ignoring, clean my desk, etc.

I’m off for the weekend again, this time to NJ. And I’ve got another author interview on Sunday. This time it’s LSB author Darragah Foster.

I finished Bound and Determined this morning, too! Yay! I’ll have a little review on that tomorrow for Angie’s TBR Challenge.

Finally, I’m blogging over at Torrid Temptations today so come by and say hi. Do you know how people “see” you online?

Everyone else, share your happy news today!!

Ok, I don’t mean plot as a verb (to plot) I mean plot as a noun (the plot of a book - the story, if you will, but well, I don’t).

See I think “story” and “plot” are two different things.

Story, is easialy sum-up-able, plot, not to much. Let me deomonstrate:

The story of Little Red is about a woman who gets lost in the woods and meets the Big Bad Wolf (I almost wrote “meats”, hee hee).

Now I’m thinking maybe Little Red shouldn’t be my example ’cause now I’m going to tell you the plot (more or less):

The plot is that Scarlet gets lost in the woods, she gets her suitcase stolen, a guy comes and saves her, (…), they have hot sex, (…) they live happily ever after.

There, see the difference (suddenly I’m reminded of the part of 10 Things I hate about you when they’re at the party and Joey Donner is showing them all the difference between modeling for swimsuits and underwear but it’s all the same)?

I’d venture to say that all of my books have good stories. Plots? Eh. Plot is that stringing together of scenes that when I’m finished hope goes together in some significant way.

I’ve realized this whole thing while working on the FurutiristicThatWillKillMe (FTWKM).

See before I started, I did plot (verb). But I realized that I plotted the the story not the plot. For instance part of my outline is “They go to island to save brother.”

I don’t know how they get to the island, or what they do once their there to actually save him.

Saving him is part of the story. How they do it is part of the plot.

Yes? No? Anybody rabidly agree or disagree? Like I said this came to me the other night when I was sick and exhausted. Still after 2 days it still makes a bit of sense to me so I’d love to hear what other people think.

***
I also have no hot water. Again.

***
Go Congratulate Larissa. She got THE CALL!!

Taxes are in the mail!! (Well, to the accountant anyway).

And I went to the grocery store, too. Got just enough stuff to get us through the next four days. Then it’s off to New Jersey for the weekend.

I’m still working on my post on “Plot.” What can I say, thinking is hard work for me.

So, is everybody else watching the Olympics? I’ve got the fever…olympic fever. I mean, who knew Ice Dancing could be so exciting?!?!

And we’ve been watching curling every night. It’s on CNBC every night at 5. Did you know a curling match/game/whatever lasts 3 hours? Each team has 75 minutes to complete the game which adds up to 3 hours. Seriously, I know more about curling than anyone (besides actual curlers) needs to know. And I still have no idea what’s going on half the time.

The Hubster is hilarious. He sits and yells at the TV, telling them that they made bad throws or that they should have done something else. He has no idea what’s going on eaither, really (though he claims that he does - he’ll come home arguing with me).

And have you heard about the naked curling calendar? (Picture at the bottom of the post). That cracks me up.

I actually think the coverage is pretty good - much better than in years past. As far as I can tell, between all of their channels, they’re showing pretty much all of the sports. But my favorite is the “Olympic Moment” with Jimmy Roberts every night on NBC.

Did you know that only 6 (now 7 I think) medals in the Winter Olympics have ever been won by countries in the southern hemisphere? And the first one was a skier from New Zealand in 1992 (their only one, the rest belong to Australia).

Women’s ice skating start tonight. Eh. I don’t know if any of you have been watching Olympic Ice on USA, but it’s really a funny show. I don’t know if an hour of figure skating analysis is neccessary every day, but Dick Button is one grumpy old man, and he’s entertaining. As is the Canadian gold medalist in pairs from last Olympics (David somethingorother), he’s funny.

Anyway, what’s your favorite Olympic sport? Or do you have any Olympic fun facts to share?

The thumping music was back last night, damn it. I pounded on the wall and he turned it down but I could still hear it. I’ll slip a note under the door sometime today.

***

I have to finish this book this week. It’s already to the point where it makes me want to cry, and unfortunately I thought of something last night that may or may not work, but it would add a lot more pages. I think I have to go with it though because if I don’t it’ll just look like a cop out.
Did I mention that this is the book that was supposed to be finished by the end of January?

***

I working on a post about “PLOT.” It made a ton of sense to me last night when I was totally exhausted but not I have to try to make sense of it during the light of day, so look for it tomorrow.

***

My BIL is back from deployment!!! He came back early to go to gun school or something but his ship is still making their way home to port. We’ll be heading to the inlaws this coming weekend to welcome him home. Did I mention that the inlaws house is half torn up? And I have a book to finish?

***

Happy President’s Day!! And Happy My Mom’s Birthday!!

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Look over in my sidebar —-> See my pretty new cover for Spring Fling? Isn’t it beautiful? I love it. Oh, and I finally got around to moving One Hot Hour to the “Available Section.”

I did tell you all it was available, right? I’m really happy with this story, plus it’s under $3 so if you buy it and don’t like it (which I’m sure you won’t) you didn’t waist too much money. Come one, what are you waiting for?

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So how was your weekend and what does your week hold for you?

Vanessa Hart is a fellow Liquid Silver Books Author. Her most recent book is called Heart of a Solider.

I admit that I’ve yet to read the book (unfortunately) becuase I’m killing myself with my current WIP but it is in my TBR pile.

But here’s a blurb:
On her way to her best friend’s wedding, college student Stacy Webber is transported to 1963 West Germany, where the U.S. Army suspect her of being a Soviet spy. She’s put under the guard of Douglas Lee Bradley III.

He worries that his sudden, explosive affair with the woman he’s supposed to be guarding could jeopardize his shot at Officer Candidate School. He doesn’t understand a lot of what Stacy says but is drawn to her imaginative tales of the future. She just wants to get back to her own century and needs Brad to help her. She doesn’t expect to fall in love with him. Once Stacy uncovers the reason for her time-jump, she faces a terrible secret that affects Brad’s life. Will Brad’s future be saved if she sacrifices her own?

Doesn’t that sound awesome? I can’t wait to read it.

Anyway, onto Nessie’s interview…

If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
RED!

What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Kroger Lite Cherry Cordial. If you’ve never tasted it, imagine delicious vanilla with broken up chunks of chocolate-covered cherries mixed in. Yumm-oh!

If you could be any animal, what would it be?
My poodle, Ginger, because she gets everything she wants and has a life of luxury!

If you were a super hero what would your power be? What would you do with it?
I would be a healer. I wouldn’t be able to create immortality or anything God-like, but I could ease suffering. I love that scene in one of the Star Trek movies where Doc gives a lady a pill and she grows a new kidney. I’d like to do that!

Choose a word to describe a sunset. Why did you pick that word?
Flaming. Because the perfect sunset is fiery reds, oranges, and pinks. It’s like a brief flash of Arches National Park or Flaming Gorge.

If someone were to make a movie of your life, who would you want to play you?
Goldie Hawn!

What’s your most embarassing moment?
There are so many! I think it’s the time I accidently posted a private e-mail to a loop in which I complained to someone about my critique partner. I groveled and begged her for forgiveness. She said, “Don’t worry about it. I know we’re friends.” To this day, I love her and feel blessed to have her for a friend. I’m a lot more careful now about e-mails, too!

Is there a skill that you don’t have but wish you did?
Many! I wish I were more athletic. I such a klutz!

If you had to choose from eternal youth, endless wealth and a year’s supply of dog food, which one would you pick?
If I had to re-live my youth on an eternal basis, I’d probably kill myself! *LOL* I have endless wealth already (no, not money. The stuff that matters, like love, family, good friends, free country, comfortable home…). So the only choice left to me is the dog food. Please make it Science Diet Adult!

If you could obliterate the career of one musician, who would it be?
Oh, that’s ugly. There are many musicians of whom I’m not fond, but I’d never wish their careers to be obliterated on my account. I just choose not to listen to them. [Emma’s note: Okay, now I feel bad about this question but in my defense I got it from an icebreaker question website. I didn’t come up with it myself. Honest!]

And here’s her most recent cover: