I got tagged by Keziah.

So, what am I currently doing? (FYI - I’m writing this post 2/15/06 10:35pm though it may not post until later).

Currently…
current clothing: Pink plain pajama pants and a blue Disney World tee shirt (I’m stylin, let me tell ya).
current hair: Yes, I have some. It’s brown, clean and in a pony tail.
current mood: Eh?
current refreshment: Water.
current annoyance: The Hubster.
current avoidance: Laundry.
current smell: I don’t like smells, they give me a headache. I prefer clean and/or Febreze.
current thing you ought to be doing: Writing.
current thing or things on your wall: In my office there’s a poster of my book cover, Cork board with random crap, First Sale Certificate from my local chapter.
current IM/person you’re talking to: No one.
current jewelry: Wedding Ring.
current book: I’m in between books at the moment. Next is going to be Bound and Determined by Shelley Bradley.
current worry: I hope the skiers don’t fall.
current favorite celebrity: Uh, the US men’s olympic ski team?
current obsession: The Olympics - what, one track mind? Me?
current love: Curling!!! (OK, how about watching curling with The Hubster.)
current longing: Ice cream would be nice.
current disappointment: The US mens curling team lost against italy.
current lyric in your head: Shhh. Nope, don’t have one.
current music: As in right now? Uh, the Olympic Theme as the Olympics go to commerical.
current favorite book: Not a book, a series, but I just got the latest Dark Hunter book and Deep Blue, part of the PAX books.
current favorite movie: Current and always favorite: The Mummy.
current wish: That my current book would finish itself overnight.
current happy thing: I didn’t fall down a hill while trying to ski (nor did I crash while lugeing).
current undergarments: *blush* Tinkerbell underwear.
current desktop picture: A black and white picture of some rocks and clouds and stuff (it’s one of the pictures that comes with a Mac).

I’m not going to tag anyone specific, but I hope some of you will play. So what are you currently doing?

Yeah!

I got my shipment from Amazon yesterday!

I hadn’t realized it had shipped yet so it was like an extra special treat.

I got Unleash the Night (finally), Jewel of Atlantis, (yay!), Deep Blue (I’m so loving the PAX league books), Forbidden Magic (I’ve heard great things about it), and Dark Lover (I’ve heard so much about this one that I couldn’t pass it up).

Amazon was having their little special with buy 3 books get the fourth one free. But all of the books were $7. So if you buy 4 then it’s $21. Then of course you have to buy another one so you could get the free shipping.

So now my TBR pile is even more out of control. And I haven’t read anything this month because I’ve been so obsessively worrying about my current WIP. And I’m running out of time to complete Angie’s TBR Challenge for this month.

Bound and Determined is practically begging for me to read it.

Not to mention that I just want to relax for a little while…

I’ll be away for the weekend, but have some posts lined up for you anyway. Don’t forget to come back on Sunday for my second author interview. This one is with Liquid Silver Books author Vanessa Hart.

So, what are you reading?

OK, sorry this post isn’t going to be all pretty and, you know, not neccessarily in paragraphs but I just gotta get it down before I forget.

April - please send me your addy since you got the “choo choo choose me” question right. I’ve got a little present for you (FYI probably won’t go out ’til Monday as I’ll be away this weekend).

Yes, I’m going to be away this weekend. Going to Pittsburgh for my Mom’s Birthday. It’ll be my first time in the ‘Burgh since the Superbowl. I’m hoping the sheer insanity hasn’t died down yet just so I can get some pictures.

Laundry is done.

Book is not.

Have to finish getting stuff together for my taxes and get them in the mail (to the accountant, not the IRS - you think I do this stuff myself?)

I have a bunch of contest entries that need my attention. I’ve skimmed enough to know that they’re really good but I still have to take the time to actually judge them. I almost think it’s easier when they suck.

And Yahoo seems to finally be letting me post messages again so I have a bunch of loop stuff to catch up on.

CNBC is showing Olymipic curling everyday at 5. Snowboard Cross apparently didn’t make it to prime time even though it totally looks kick ass and was on at 6 this morning (so I missed it). Yes, I’ve got Olympic Fever.

And…I got a bunch of books from Amazon yesterday (that’ll be a post for this weekend) and I don’t have time to read them.

So what’s on your to do list for the rest of the week (Or today which is when mine has to be finished)? *whimper*

Sorry, I slept in a bit and then forgot to blog.

So, the Hubster brought me flowers last night. Apparently there were some girls selling them near the bus stop.

Here’s the thing: I don’t like flowers.

Flowers make me sad. I like plants (though I tend to kill them) that are still, you know, alive.

So, my husband brought me flowers (knowing full well that I don’t like them) so that I’d have to tell people and he’d look so sweet and romantic.

Damn him.

I made yummy Turkey Shepards Pie last night for him. Really tasty. And he actually likes Shepards Pie.

And just for fun, here’s some pictures of the snow from the other day.

This is when it started snowing Saturday night.

This is what it looked like Sunday morning.

And an impromptu blog contest.

I’ve got a little present for the first person to correctly answer the following question in the comments section.

What does it say on the Valentine that Lisa Simpson gives Ralph Wiggums on a Valentines episode of the Simpsons?

And for everyone else, are you celebrating V-day? Did you get anything for your sweetie? I did, but I don’t except it to arrive for a few more days - same with the last minute thing he got me.

I’m making the Hubster Turkey Shepards Pie for dinner, so that’s his gift. Especially since I got sick sitting in the cold yesterday (thanks for the warm wishes - ha, get it, warm - yesterday. The power finally came on at about 2 so 14 hours without heat).

Happy V-Day!

Last night at about 11:30 part of the power went out again.

Once again, it included the heat. It’s still not back on.

Have I mentioned that last night was the coldest night we’ve had yet this winter? It’s down to 58 degrees now. That’s a far cry form the balmy 70 it usually is in my apartment (perhaps it seems warm for some but utilities are included in rent - I should put it up even more, lol).

Like before, some things work and others don’t. Computer works but not the light in my office. Nightlight in the bathroom works (as does hot water, thank god) but not the overhead light.

Apparently the stove only gets a little bit hot as I’ve been trying to boil water for close to a half hour now.

So, if you need me, I’ll be huddled under some blankets until the heat comes back.

I posted last week that I was going to start a new feature here at Emma’s Ramblings and that was going to be author interviews.

My first victim-I mean interviewee-is Kendra Clark.

Kendra’s first two releases came out in January. Spirit Warrior is available from Triskillion publishing and Hot Winter Nights is in the Winter Wishes Anthology. She’s got a March release from WCPTorrid Kiss Me Sweetly as well as a Changling Hot Flash coming soon. Her Torrid Twisted Tale Sleeping With Beauty comes out in August.

Kendra also happens to be my CP, which means she’s got excellent taste in friends. And it also means I can say that I’ve read ALL of her work. She’s got a really unique voice and her stories are not your usual run of the mill stories.

And I did mention that they questions might not have anything to do with writing, right?

What’s the strangest character name you’ve ever come up with (either
used or abandoned for something more reasonable)?
Omeltechl. To me, Aztec names are difficult to pronounce, however I wanted to keep the names authentic to the culture. I’m branching out though, because I’ve run out of names the readers can halfway pronounce ;)
(Emma’s Note: I beleive I’ve never spelled this this name the same way twice)

If you could spend a week anywhere in the world where would it be AND
what’s the story you’d write about it?
Italy. I’ve always wanted to ride on the gondola while listening to Italian music. I’m sure I’d research more Italian myths, like the Werewolves from there and expand on that. It would give me a more vivid picture of the scenery and buildings.

If you could have dinner with any author either living or dead, what
would you eat (oh and who would you eat with)?
Shakespeare. Without a doubt. What we would eat would depend on whether he’s coming into my time period or I’m traveling into his. I think if he came here, I’d introduce him to Pizza and chocolate. I think he could take something as un-poetic as a pizza and write words of splendor about it.

If you built a pyramid of all the romance novels you own, how tall
would the pyramid be and what book would be on top?
It would be a lot shorter than if you’d asked me 2 months ago. I donated three garbage sacks full to the local library. Now it would be about 5 feet tall. I have several books that would be on top. On the very top would be Dance with the Devil by Sherrilyn Kenyon. It’s the only romance novel I’ve ever read where I cried. Technically, I’m not a crier, but I couldn’t help but tear up as I read Zarek’s journey.

What do you prefer, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU or Law & Order:
Criminal Intent?
I don’t know. I’ve never seen any of them I think I would probably enjoy Special Victims Unit the most. Sounds more specialized and indebth. (Emma’s Note: I’m sorry, I can’t be friends with Kendra anymore.)

If you could only watch one movie again for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The remake of Sabrina. I like the older version with Hepburn as well, but Julia Ormond can truly show the depths of her emotions through her expressions. Plus I love a Cinderella story.

If you were a Bond Girl what would you want your name to be?
Danielle Defleur. It just sounds cool and reminds me of a flower. HEH!

What’s your favorite animal at the Zoo?
I thought about lying and saying a tiger or another dangerous animal so I could look cool, but I guess I’ll tell the truth. It’s the giraffes. I love their long necks and how they’re just content to eat grass and pretty much do nothing else. I guess I envy that.

Do you have any tattoo’s? If not, where would you get one and what
would you get?
God tattooed me. I have a distinct birthmark on my upper left thigh ;) Seriously, if I were to get a tattoo I would get it on the small of my back, that way if I got tired of the symbol I had chosen, I wouldn’t have to look at it everyday. I would probably get a dagger or something Warrior-like.

Can you roll your tongue? Touch your tongue to your nose? Do any
other bizarre tricks with your body?
YES! I can roll it both ways and curl it up into a loop. I can’t touch the tip of my nose though. I can make a fist and pick up things from the floor with my toes, but other than that, nothing out of the ordinary.

Or why I prefer to stay inside.

Last night we had to go to the grocery store. We were seriously out of food, and while we were going to go out for dinner, we still needed food.

Friday night isn’t the best time to go to the grocery store, I’m aware of that, but when you gotta go, you gotta go.

The parking lot was already a mad houses with people walking down the middle of the road and letting their kids dart in and out between parked cars.

We went inside and shopped. I must have gotten hit by carts or kids or people at least 10 times. And even though THEY hit ME, I was the one apologizing every time. And then there were the people who had their carts SIDEWAYS accross the aisles so that no one else could get by.

I said “Excuse me,” but all I got was a ditry look. And they didn’t move.

As you can guess my blood pressure was just about at the boiling point.

They grocery store was out of milk (WTF?) and we had to wait in line for about a half hour. (Did you know they sold little mini bags of mini-marshmallows as a snack food?)

I was very cranky with a terrible headache by the time we got to the checkout. And then the checkout woman didn’t even greet us. I said “Hi.” She grunted back at me.

I ran the hell out of that store leaving the Hubster to pay. I was both livid and incredibly sad at the same time.

When did everyone start to suck?

Why do people not recognize the fact that there are other people in the world besides them?

I have to stop now before I get all upset again. But I have to say, I like living in my online world a hell of a lot better than the real one. You all are much nicer.

I haven’t been around much because beleive it or not, I’ve been writing.

I have no idea how much as it’s been all by hand and honestly, I’m afraid to count. I don’t want anything to get in the way of my flow.

So, I haven’t necessarily been posting on blogs or commenting where I should.

But interestingly, when the writing is going well I fell like the posts I do post elsewhere (on message boards or yahoo or wherever) are more intelligent.

There may be less of me, but I look smarter. And I always like looking smarter.

Here, check out this link. It’s a Valentine’s Day article that several people in my chapter participated in. The title is a bit on the unfortunate side but I think it’s a good article, actually, I think it’s hilarious.

So, what are your plans for the weekend?

I’ve been struggling a lot lately with the writing. The WIP that I wanted to have finished at the end of January is still not finished, is about half way finished. I’ve been lucky if I’ve been getting a couple of paragraphs per day.

What have I been doing? Blog hopping, web shopping, procrastinating.

I’ve tried turning off the email and actually closing my web browser, but it’s just too easy to turn it back on. And I do it without even thinking.

So today I picked up a notebook, plopped on the couch and wrote A TON!!

Isn’t it strange how a simple change of medium can make me so much more productive. Hopefully this will be much more final once I type it in, too, because I can edit as I go.

I’m pretty sure this is how Gena Showalter works. And she’s obviously brilliant so I figure I can’t go wrong with her system.

What things have you tried that you’ve found boosts your productivity?