The Jazz concert

Last night my husband and I went to a jazz concert in the village church. To tell you the truth, we had no idea what to expect. The poster said 'Grand Concert de Jazz!' It featured trumpet, saxophone, and vibraphone; and went on to say they played jazz and afro-Cuban music. Well, I love salsa, so I wanted to go. We settled in our seats (the little church was packed, actually) and the band introduced itself - the band leader and trumpetist was very funny. (And a vibrophone is a sort of electric xylaphone, which I didn't know) Anyhow, they warmed up and started off with 'White Christmas.'
They had background music and played over it - so that it sounded just like a big band. They played things like 'The Girl from Ipanema', 'Tristiana', 'Favala', and... my mind just went blank.
Anyhow, it was nice. The trumpet player was excellent, and I love the saxophone. The thing was the 'White Christmas' intro. They hit some off-key notes and I got a serious case of the giggles and had to hide it by pretending I'd had an allergy attack. Then about fifteen minutes later, because of the damp in the church, I did get an allergy attack, so I spent most of the evening buried in my Kleenex. Luckily I was sitting half hidden behind the statue of the Virgin Mary, so I didn't bother anyone. My husband, who I had to drag to the concert, and who'd insisted on sitting right next to the door in case he wanted to bolt, LOVED the music and tapped his feet all night long to the rhythm. Two of our neighbors sat next to us, Jean-Jacques who owns the manor down the hill, and Jacques, my friend Patricia's husband, who is a doctor, and who loves music - any kind of music. I really wanted to hear some salsa and blues, but it was mostly band music. They did play 'When the Saints go Marching In' at the end, and we all went out into the night marching and clapping. It was a lot of fun, actually.

Rain

I like rain when it falls gently on the windows and soaks into the garden, dipping the roses heads, heavy with water, and depositing sparkling droplets on the wide, water-lily-like leaves of my nastertiums. Today the air is misty with rain. The church is shrouded in a gray drizzle, I can hardly see the steeple. I'm going to go make myself another cup of coffee and get some work done while my daughter is asleep...

I got a very odd e-mail this morning. Odd because I am now on someone's mailing list I didn't expect to be on, and odd because it was a really old, bad, dirty joke. So now I have to revise my opinion of this person and wonder why I have suddenly appeared on the mailing list, and how I can tactfully get off it. Since it's a business contact, I don't want to block the mail. But since it's someone I rarely hear from, and who I can call on the phone, it shouldn't matter if I do block the e-mail. Decisions, decisions. This is the second time this has happened. I write a business letter and suddenly get put on a social e-mail list that mostly deals in bad jokes. I have a very particular sense of humor. Jokes I think are hysterical are like this one:

Rumsfeld bursts into the oval office to give George Bush the news that there has been a terrorist attack in South America and that there are three Brazilian people dead.
Bush is very upset and sits with his head in his hands for a couple of minutes, until he finally looks up and asks,"How much is a brazilian?"

Or this one:
I was asked to run a marathon. I said, "Piss off".
They said "come on, it's for spastics and blind kids.
"Then I thought ... fuck, I could win this ...

Anyway, it's something I'll have to think about.

The end of trick or treat

It's autumn and the sky is pale gray. We were outside cutting the hedge and piling brush up to burn. I'm planning a huge bonfire for Halloween. My daughter wants to have a party. It used to be that the village had Halloween here. They invited the kids to dress up and go trick or treating. That was about three years ago, and it lasted only two years
My twins took care of that. The second year they dressed up as terrorists and took all the candy from the people before the crowd of kids came. The French, not having a clue what trick-or-treating was, just handed out whole bags of candy. And the rest of the village kids (about twenty of them, all grouped together) got to each house and found there was no more candy.
I have no excuse for the twins. I also had no idea what they were up to. They dressed (one in army fatigues and one as a black ninja - both with masks and carrying water-squirt guns) and left the house before Julia did. (a small witch with a huge, black wig) The village kids milled around the village square then went off trick-or-treating - and only a very few houses hadn't been raided by the twins.
Once the candy collected, the twins went around terrorizing the small dog and goose population in the village, creating much noise and havoc. They squirted each other and the neighbor's windows, and generally made a nuisance of themselves. They probably were much less bothersome than the teens in the US - from what I see on TV they use eggs, shaving cream, and set things on fire. The twins simply took all the candy and squirted water on everything that moved.
But the mayor and the village fête committee decided that was enough, and banned Halloween. So, we have to have a private Halloween party in our garden. I have a month to plan it. And since the twins are now in college, I may even have enough candy to go around.

Golf

I don't know anything more frustrating than golf.
Well, maybe writing. Or raising kids. Or having your car break down. OK, there are other things more annoying. But for sheer 'I want to take this club and wrap it around your neck' frustration, golf takes the cake. One minute the balls are sailing right on target, the next they are swerving right or left, or plowing through the grass in front of you.
My husband is a golfer. He usually plays off a 5 handicap. He's also very patient and has good advice. But when your ball has just taken a dive into the lake on your left, the last thing you want to hear is, "You lifted your head up."
Smiling and muttering under my breath, I tee up and swing again. This time the ball careens off a nearby tree and disappears into the rough. The rough is what is next to the fairway. The fairway is where you want your ball to go. The rough is, as its name implies, rough. And balls that fall in there usually vanish forever.
And my husband says, "You're swinging too fast. Slow down."
Slow down? What I want to do is scream. Instead I clench my teeth, smile, (after all, it must be torture for him to play with me) and I tee up a third time and hit a perfect shot down the fairway.
"Well, that's better." Hubby smiles.
I wish I knew HOW I DID THAT. But I have no idea. That's golf. Some shots are great, others are in the lake. And in two weeks I have a tournament. Argh!

in the news this morning

I was reading the news this morning and stumbled upon this little tidbit:

"...It may be the oddest tale to emerge from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Armed dolphins, trained by the US military to shoot terrorists and pinpoint spies underwater, may be missing in the Gulf of Mexico.
Experts who have studied the US navy's cetacean training exercises claim the 36 mammals could be carrying 'toxic dart' guns. Divers and surfers risk attack, they claim, from a species considered to be among the planet's smartest. The US navy admits it has been training dolphins for military purposes, but has refused to confirm that any are missing."

It goes on to say that the US navy won't confirm anything, but a scientist working on the project is worried. My advice - don't go SCUBA diving in the Gulf for a while. (And this is another interesting bit of news that goes with this - a good friend and fellow writer works for the dive and rescue in association with FEMA. He was supposed to go to the coast, was called the day after the hurricane Katrina, and then, mysteriously, his mission was cancelled. Was it because sending SCUBA divers in would be dangerous because of the dolphins?

For more news on the killer dolphins, go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1577820,00.html

rubbers and such

I was over posting at Daisy Dexter Dobb's blog and she was saying how some countries had funny words for things, and I remembered this story. It was pretty embarrassing so I bet some of you will think it's funny. I wrote it into one of my books (The Argentine Lover) which just goes to show that you can die of embarrassment and use the story as a whole chapter in a book someday.

My now-husband-then-boyfriend and I were in England and we needed to get a pack of rubbers. He had to play polo that day, (good excuse - he wasn't about to go buy them, the big chicken) so I went with three of my girlfriends. We found a drugstore, and I (already red-faced) leaned over the counter and in a quiet voice asked for a pack of rubbers.
The woman chirped, 'Small, medium, or large?'
As my friends were standing nearby, I was in a dilemma. Large, and they would forever be eying my boyfriend with envy. Small, and I would get the pitying looks. Medium seemed a safe choice. When the salesgirl handed me the package I had a fit of hysteria that got us all kicked out of the drugstore. In England, rubbers are the plastic pants for babies that fit over cotton diapers.

Good news and bad news

Well, the good news is my car can be fixed, so I am happy to report that I will have a car by next week.
The bad news is that my social butterfly scene has been curtailed as hubby has his car and I have none. (I have my bike, but I don't think I'm up to a fifteen mile trek this afternoon.)

I was at the gym this morning and so I'm feeling a bit stiff. Our teacher seems to think we're able to bend like pretzels. I stare at my toes. I know I can touch them (with my legs bent, crouched over...) but no! Straighten those legs! Now, grasp your ankles (huh? How about I grasp my knees?) And touch your toes. (Well, in my dreams.) She also decided that we needed to work out our arm muscles today. So now I'm sure of it - I have absolutely no arm muscles. How that lady in front of me kept turning her arms in circles when my whole back and shoulders had dissolved into burning pain I don't know. I was so jealous - she must have been sixty and had these nice flat shoulder, back, and arm muscles. I comforted myself with the thought that she must have been a farmer's wife and lifted cows all her life.

I will now go outside and admire the nicely mowed lawn. It's a beautiful sunny day, and since I have no car and my social scene has evaporated, I will try and get some work done!

The Social Butterfly is Moi

Well, I've been invited to two teas and a lunch for next week, and there is a jazz concert at the church on Saturday I'm planning on going to, as well as the inauguration of the watchtower in our village (soon to be Place Jean le Gros) by a historian who is coming to give a speech at the village on Saturday morning.

It makes my desk calendar look positively busy, with lots of little colored stickers (I use them to mark important events. For example, 'gym, Thur. morn. 9 am' has a yellow sticker on it, and 'Sophie - café' has a pink sticker on it) And there is an orange sticker that moves from day to day, so I know which day we are at a glance. (Today is Wed. 21 and there is a blue sticker with '14:30 sculpture, Julia' on it, and a yellow sticker with 'English lessons, C&D')

Now the big question for a social butterfly is is, what to wear? For the inauguration at the village square, a canvas skirt and woolen jacket seem 'de rigeur', and a hat would be nice. I have a little tween cap that will be perfect. For the jazz concert, something warm, because the church dates from the 9th century and there is NO heating. A big shawl and some black wool pants would be all right. And for the teas - I will have to put on my beige skirt and wear a gray cashmere sweater and a string of pearls. Yesterday I had on my son's green army pants and an old sweat shirt - but I was cleaning house.

Oh, I forgot to mention the lunch at Lynn's house - we're planning to have a lady's get-together after the gym next week. Let's see - that should be a green sticker. And I'll be wearing my jean skirt, a pink and gray sweater, and pearls, of course.
The social butterfly is Moi.

the two sides of my brain

I have no idea how it happened, but I started writing two books at once.
The first one is outlined down to the chapter titles and has the characters and story all plooted out, although that means nothing in the long-run - outlines tend to die writhing in agony in my books.
The other book just sort of happened as I sat down and opened a blank word Doc. It's coming along quite nicely, thank you, although I have No idea where it's headed. So far the heroine is lying face down on a gravestone after imploring the aid of a certain Capt. Black Jack, pirate extraordinaire - hung until dead aged 31.
Now the strange thing about these tow books is that both have heroes named Jack. So obviously I will have to change one of them. (Capt. Red Roger?) Oh dear. The possibilites with this name are endless.
In the outlined book, I planned lots of fun, inventive love scenes. So far the hero and heroine are not showing the slightest interest in each other. I have tried, through dialogue, to get a spark lit, but to no avail. I may have to resort to councelling, or have the heroine look elsewhere.
In the book with the pirate, he's dead, and yet his interest in the maiden sprawled across his gravestone is almost palpable. I hadn't planned on his avid interest. I should have known better - in book one the hero has only been dead for a year (oh, didn't I mention he was a zombie?) and in book two the hero has been out of commission for over a hundred years...men being real prats about waiting, I really should have seen it coming.
*sigh*
Anyhow, the book I was going to send to EC will certainly end up a YA book at the rate things are going, and the pirate book that I thought would entertain kids will certainly end up at EC where there are big red warnings about not letting kids near the books.
My brain is definitely two-sided. I just hadn't realized how different the two sides were until now!

The Walrus and the Carpenter

The Walrus and the Carpenter

The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright --
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.

The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done --
'It's very rude of him.' she said,
'To come and spoil the fun!'

The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky:
No birds were flying overhead --
There were no birds to fly.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand:
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand:
'If this were only cleared away,'
They said, 'it would be grand.'

'If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year,
Do you suppose,' the Walrus said,
'That they could get it clear?'
'I doubt it,' said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.

'O Oysters, come and walk with us!
The Walrus did beseech.
'A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach:
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each.'

The eldest Oyster looked at him,
But never a word he said:
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head --
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.

Out four young Oysters hurried up.
All eager for the treat:
Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat --
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn't any feet.

Four other Oysters followed them,
And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more --
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low:
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.
'The time has come,' the Walrus said,
'To talk of many things:
Of shoes -- and ships -- and sealing wax --
Of cabbages -- and kings --
And why the sea is boiling hot --
And whether pigs have wings.'

'But wait a bit,' the Oysters cried,
'Before we have our chat;
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!'
'No hurry!' said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.

'A loaf of bread,' the Walrus said,
'Is what we chiefly need:
Pepper and vinegar besides
Are very good indeed --
Now, if you're ready, Oysters dear,
We can begin to feed.'

'But not on us!' the Oysters cried,
Turning a little blue.
'After such kindness, that would be
A dismal thing to do!'
'The night is fine,' the Walrus said,
'Do you admire the view?'

'It was so kind of you to come!
And you are very nice!'
The Carpenter said nothing but
'Cut us another slice-
I wish you were not quite so deaf-
I've had to ask you twice!'

'It seems a shame,' the Walrus said,
'To play them such a trick.
After we've brought them out so far,
And made them trot so quick!'
The Carpenter said nothing but
'The butter's spread too thick!'

'I weep for you,'the Walrus said:
'I deeply sympathize.'
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.

'O Oysters,' said the Carpenter,
'You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none --
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.
-- Lewis Carroll

And that's what happened at the UN summit - where the US and Bolton
managed to eat up all the oysters - arms control and global warming among them.
That's what happens when the world's richest nation is run by someone with no grip on reality.

my workspace

I'm not sure what my workspace says about me. That I'm disorganized, that I can function in a real mess, and that I love clocks and calendars, I suppose.
My favorite clock is the digital one my dad gave me this summer. I'm dyslexic, so I can't read regular clocks (I can, but I can't just glance at it - I have to take my time and figure out what side of the twelve the big hand is...) So this digital clock is great. There's one at the corner of my computer too, and I'm constantly checking them.
I also love calendars. They help keep my schedule somewhat organized. I have three calendars within view - a huge desktop one that I can scribble on, one from Rome that my friend Juliet gave me, and one from Ellora's Cave, with the 'guys' on it, and what makes it fun is that I've Met these guys, so I just love it. I also have a rugby man calander hanging in the kitchen, but that it just for looks. Also in the kitchen is a 6 mos. wall calendar that I use for the school holidays and such.
On the desk are my computer, my printer, a polo trophy full of pens, a wicker basket full of 'stuff' and my three address books. On one side is a magnetic bulletin board with photos stuck to it, an the other are three shelves; one with papers and files, one with books, and one with my floppy disks, my bookmarks, and my stuffed unicorn.
Also on the desk and in no particular order are: a CD rom about dinosaurs and some fossils, a small box of paperclips, my digital camera, a roll of masking tape, my sunglasses, and a pack of tarot cards.

scatterbrain

Sometimes I have trouble focusing. (My kids would tell you this is untrue - they claim I have trouble focusing everyday.) But I digress...
It would be nice to have a one track mind. However, I usually find myself thinking about three or four things at once, and doing at least two chores at the same time. It has something to do with a horror of wasted time - if I sit down to write, I have to know that the house is clean (or at laest on its way to clean) the washing machine is running, the dishes are put away, and my clothes aren't all over the floor in the bathroom.
Then I have lists running though my head. Dog food. Don't forget to mail the package for Alex. My editor is expecting the edits back from Paradise Earth - ASAP. What if the hero in my next book couldn't get it up? (OK, the thought did cross my mind - but I write romantic comedy, remember) etc., etc.
That's how my mind works on most days.
And then there are the blessed days, when I can close everything off around me - the TV, the neighbor's very annoying barking dog, my laundry...and concentrate on the story inside my head. On those days, I can write from dawn to dusk. I can sometimes write twenty pages when I'm on a good day.
I wish there were more of those good days. I'm writing a book now and it's funny and sweet and everything I love...but today is one of my scattered days.
The neighbor's dog is barking, I have to help my daughter clean her room, and my car broke down so I have no transportation. The village 'lawn sale' is tomorrow and tonight there is a barb-b-cue and fireworks on the village square - so they are setting up a tent and everything is happening right in front of my house. (And of course I have to watch.)
And I just realized I was blogging.

a timeline

(Though I didn't write this thing, it's worthwhile seeing it the event you find yourself being swayed by the GOP noise machine):

Friday, August 26 GOV. KATHLEEN BLANCO DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY IN LOUISIANA: [Office of the Governor] GULF COAST STATES REQUEST TROOP ASSISTANCE FROM PENTAGON: At a 9/1 press conference, Lt. Gen. Russell Honoré, commander, Joint Task Force Katrina, said that the Gulf States began the process of requesting additional forces on Friday, 8/26. [DOD]

Saturday, August 27 5AM - KATRINA UPGRADED TO CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE [CNN] GOV. BLANCO ASKS BUSH TO DECLARE FEDERAL STATE OF EMERGENCY IN LOUISIANA: "I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that supplementary Federal assistance is necessary to save lives, protect property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a disaster." [Office of the Governor] FEDERAL EMERGENCY DECLARED, DHS AND FEMA GIVEN FULL AUTHORITY TO RESPOND TO KATRINA: "Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency." [White House]

Sunday, August 28 2AM - KATRINA UPGRADED TO CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE [CNN] 7AM - KATRINA UPGRADED TO CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE [CNN] MORNING - LOUISIANA NEWSPAPER SIGNALS LEVEES MAY GIVE: "Forecasters Fear Levees Won't Hold Katrina": "Forecasters feared Sunday afternoon that storm driven waters will lap over the New Orleans levees when monster Hurricane Katrina pushes past the Crescent City tomorrow." [Lafayette Daily Advertiser]
9:30 AM - MAYOR NAGIN ISSUES FIRST EVER MANDATORY EVACUATION OF NEW ORLEANS: "We're facing the storm most of us have feared," said Nagin. "This is going to be an unprecedented event." [Times-Picayune]
4PM - NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES SPECIAL HURRICANE WARNING: In the event of a category 4 or 5 hit, "Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks, perhaps longer. . At least one-half of well-constructed homes will have roof and wall failure. All gabled roofs will fail, leaving those homes severely damaged or destroyed. . Power outages will last for weeks. . Water shortages will make human suffering incredible by modern standards." [National Weather Service]
AFTERNOON - BUSH, BROWN, CHERTOFF WARNED OF LEVEE FAILURE BY NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER DIRECTOR: Dr. Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center: "'We were briefing them way before landfall. . It's not like this was a surprise. We had in the advisories that the levee could be topped.'" [Times-Picayune; St. Petersburg Times]
LATE PM - REPORTS OF WATER TOPPLING OVER LEVEE: "Waves crashed atop the exercise path on the Lake Pontchartrain levee in Kenner early Monday as Katrina churned closer." [Times-Picayune] APPROXIMATELY 30,000 EVACUEES GATHER AT SUPERDOME WITH ROUGHLY 36 HOURS WORTH OF FOOD [Times-Picayune]

Monday, August 29 7AM - KATRINA MAKES LANDFALL AS A CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE [CNN] 8AM - MAYOR NAGIN REPORTS THAT WATER IS FLOWING OVER LEVEE: "I've gotten reports this morning that there is already water coming over some of the levee systems. In the lower ninth ward, we've had one of our pumping stations to stop operating, so we will have significant flooding, it is just a matter of how much." [NBC's "Today Show"] MORNING - BUSH CALLS SECRETARY CHERTOFF TO DISCUSS IMMIGRATION: "I spoke to Mike Chertoff today - he's the head of the Department of Homeland Security. I knew people would want me to discuss this issue [immigration], so we got us an airplane on - a telephone on Air Force One, so I called him. I said, are you working with the governor? He said, you bet we are." [White House] MORNING - BUSH SHARES BIRTHDAY CAKE PHOTO-OP WITH SEN. JOHN MCCAIN [White House]
11AM - BUSH VISITS ARIZONA RESORT TO PROMOTE MEDICARE DRUG BENEFIT: "This new bill I signed says, if you're a senior and you like the way things are today, you're in good shape, don't change. But, by the way, there's a lot of different options for you. And we're here to talk about what that means to our seniors." [White House]
LATE MORNING - LEVEE BREACHED: "A large section of the vital 17th Street Canal levee, where it connects to the brand new 'hurricane proof' Old Hammond Highway bridge, gave way late Monday morning in Bucktown after Katrina's fiercest winds were well north." [Times-Picayune]
11:30AM - MICHAEL BROWN FINALLY REQUESTS THAT DHS DISPATCH 1,000 EMPLOYEES TO REGION, GIVES THEM TWO DAYS TO ARRIVE: "Brown's memo to Chertoff described Katrina as 'this near catastrophic event' but otherwise lacked any urgent language. The memo politely ended, 'Thank you for your consideration in helping us to meet our responsibilities.'" [AP]
2PM - BUSH TRAVELS TO CALIFORNIA SENIOR CENTER TO DISCUSS MEDICARE DRUG BENEFIT: "We've got some folks up here who are concerned about their Social Security or Medicare. Joan Geist is with us. . I could tell - she was looking at me when I first walked in the room to meet her, she was wondering whether or not old George W. is going to take away her Social Security check." [White House]
9PM - RUMSFELD ATTENDS SAN DIEGO PADRES BASEBALL GAME: Rumsfeld "joined Padres President John Moores in the owner's box.at Petco Park." [Editor & Publisher]

Tuesday, August 30 : 9AM - BUSH SPEAKS ON IRAQ AT NAVAL BASE CORONADO [White House] MIDDAY - CHERTOFF FINALLY BECOMES AWARE THAT LEVEE HAS FAILED: "It was on Tuesday that the levee-may have been overnight Monday to Tuesday-that the levee started to break. And it was midday Tuesday that I became aware of the fact that there was no possibility of plugging the gap and that essentially the lake was going to start to drain into the city." [Meet the Press, 9/4/05]
PENTAGON CLAIMS THERE ARE ENOUGH NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS IN REGION: "Pentagon spokesman Lawrence Di Rita said the states have adequate National Guard units to handle the hurricane needs." [WWL-TV]
MASS LOOTING REPORTED, SECURITY SHORTAGE CITED: "The looting is out of control. The French Quarter has been attacked," Councilwoman Jackie Clarkson said. "We're using exhausted, scarce police to control looting when they should be used for search and rescue while we still have people on rooftops." [AP]
U.S.S. BATAAN SITS OFF SHORE, VIRTUALLY UNUSED: "The USS Bataan, a 844-foot ship designed to dispatch Marines in amphibious assaults, has helicopters, doctors, hospital beds, food and water. It also can make its own water, up to 100,000 gallons a day. And it just happened to be in the Gulf of Mexico when Katrina came roaring ashore. The Bataan rode out the storm and then followed it toward shore, awaiting relief orders. Helicopter pilots flying from its deck were some of the first to begin plucking stranded New Orleans residents. But now the Bataan's hospital facilities, including six operating rooms and beds for 600 patients, are empty." [Chicago Tribune]
3PM - PRESIDENT BUSH PLAYS GUITAR WITH COUNTRY SINGER MARK WILLIS [AP] BUSH RETURNS TO CRAWFORD FOR FINAL NIGHT OF VACATION [AP] Wednesday, August 31 TENS OF THOUSANDS TRAPPED IN SUPERDOME; CONDITIONS DETERIORATE: "A 2-year-old girl slept in a pool of urine. Crack vials littered a restroom. Blood stained the walls next to vending machines smashed by teenagers. 'We pee on the floor. We are like animals,' said Taffany Smith, 25, as she cradled her 3-week-old son, Terry. . By Wednesday, it had degenerated into horror. . At least two people, including a child, have been raped. At least three people have died, including one man who jumped 50 feet to his death, saying he had nothing left to live for. There is no sanitation. The stench is overwhelming."" [Los Angeles Times, 9/1/05]
PRESIDENT BUSH FINALLY ORGANIZES TASK FORCE TO COORDINATE FEDERAL RESPONSE: Bush says on Tuesday he will "fly to Washington to begin work.with a task force that will coordinate the work of 14 federal agencies involved in the relief effort." [New York Times, 8/31/05]
JEFFERSON PARISH EMERGENCY DIRECTOR SAYS FOOD AND WATER SUPPLY GONE: "Director Walter Maestri: FEMA and national agencies not delivering the help nearly as fast as it is needed." [WWL-TV]
80,000 BELIEVED STRANDED IN NEW ORLEANS: Former Mayor Sidney Barthelemy "estimated 80,000 were trapped in the flooded city and urged President Bush to send more troops." [Reuters]
3,000 STRANDED AT CONVENTION CENTER WITHOUT FOOD OR WATER: "With 3,000 or more evacuees stranded at the convention center - and with no apparent contingency plan or authority to deal with them - collecting a body was no one's priority. . Some had been at the convention center since Tuesday morning but had received no food, water or instructions." [Times-Picayune]
5PM - BUSH GIVES FIRST MAJOR ADDRESS ON KATRINA: "Nothing about the president's demeanor. - which seemed casual to the point of carelessness - suggested that he understood the depth of the current crisis." [New York Times]
8:00PM - CONDOLEEZZA RICE TAKES IN A BROADWAY SHOW: "On Wednesday night, Secretary Rice was booed by some audience members at 'Spamalot!, the Monty Python musical at the Shubert, when the lights went up after the performance." [New York Post, 9/2/05]
9PM - FEMA DIRECTOR BROWN CLAIMS SURPRISE OVER SIZE OF STORM: "I must say, this storm is much much bigger than anyone expected." [CNN]

Thursday, September 1 8AM - BUSH CLAIMS NO ONE EXPECTED LEVEES TO BREAK: "I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees." [Washington Post]
CONDOLEEZZA RICE VISITS U.S. OPEN: "Rice, [in New York] on three days' vacation to shop and see the U.S. Open, hitting some balls with retired champ Monica Seles at the Indoor Tennis Club at Grand Central." [New York Post]
STILL NO COMMAND AND CONTROL ESTABLISHED: Terry Ebbert, New Orleans Homeland Security Director: "This is a national emergency. This is a national disgrace. FEMA has been here three days, yet there is no command and control. We can send massive amounts of aid to tsunami victims, but we can't bail out the city of New Orleans." [Fox News]
2PM - MAYOR NAGIN ISSUES "DESPERATE SOS" TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: "This is a desperate SOS. Right now we are out of resources at the convention centre and don't anticipate enough buses. We need buses. Currently the convention centre is unsanitary and unsafe and we're running out of supplies." [Guardian, 9/2/05]
2PM - MICHAEL BROWN CLAIMS NOT TO HAVE HEARD OF REPORTS OF VIOLENCE: "I've had no reports of unrest, if the connotation of the word unrest means that people are beginning to riot, or you know, they're banging on walls and screaming and hollering or burning tires or whatever. I've had no reports of that." [CNN]
NEW ORLEANS "DESCEND[S] INTO ANARCHY": "Storm victims were raped and beaten, fights and fires broke out, corpses lay out in the open, and rescue helicopters and law enforcement officers were shot at as flooded-out New Orleans descended into anarchy Thursday. 'This is a desperate SOS,' the mayor said." [AP]
CONDOLEEZZA RICE GOES SHOE SHOPPING: "Just moments ago at the Ferragamo on 5th Avenue, Condoleeza Rice was seen spending several thousands of dollars on some nice, new shoes (we've confirmed this, so her new heels will surely get coverage from the WaPo's Robin Givhan). A fellow shopper, unable to fathom the absurdity of Rice's timing, went up to the Secretary and reportedly shouted, 'How dare you shop for shoes while thousands are dying and homeless!'" [Gawker]
MICHAEL BROWN FINALLY LEARNS OF EVACUEES IN CONVENTION CENTER: "We learned about that (Thursday), so I have directed that we have all available resources to get that convention center to make sure that they have the food and water and medical care that they need." [CNN]

Friday, September 2 : ROVE-LED CAMPAIGN TO BLAME LOCAL OFFICIALS BEGINS: "Under the command of President Bush's two senior political advisers, the White House rolled out a plan.to contain the political damage from the administration's response to Hurricane Katrina." President Bush's comments from the Rose Garden Friday morning formed "the start of this campaign." [New York Times, 9/5/05]
9:35AM - BUSH PRAISES MICHAEL BROWN: "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job." [White House, 9/2/05]
10 AM - PRESIDENT BUSH STAGES PHOTO-OP "BRIEFING": Coast Guard helicopters and crew diverted to act as backdrop for President Bush's photo-op.
BUSH VISIT GROUNDS FOOD AID: "Three tons of food ready for delivery by air to refugees in St. Bernard Parish and on Algiers Point sat on the Crescent City Connection bridge Friday afternoon as air traffic was halted because of President Bush's visit to New Orleans, officials said." [Times-Picayune]
LEVEE REPAIR WORK ORCHESTRATED FOR PRESIDENT'S VISIT: Sen. Mary Landrieu, 9/3: "Touring this critical site yesterday with the President, I saw what I believed to be a real and significant effort to get a handle on a major cause of this catastrophe. Flying over this critical spot again this morning, less than 24 hours later, it became apparent that yesterday we witnessed a hastily prepared stage set for a Presidential photo opportunity; and the desperately needed resources we saw were this morning reduced to a single, lonely piece of equipment." [Sen. Mary Landrieu]
BUSH USES 50 FIREFIGHTERS AS PROPS IN DISASTER AREA PHOTO-OP: A group of 1,000 firefighters convened in Atlanta to volunteer with the Katrina relief efforts. Of those, "a team of 50 Monday morning quickly was ushered onto a flight headed for Louisiana. The crew's first assignment: to stand beside President Bush as he tours devastated areas." [Salt Lake Tribune; Reuters]
3PM - BUSH "SATISFIED WITH THE RESPONSE": "I am satisfied with the response. I am not satisfied with all the results." [AP]

Saturday, September 3: SENIOR BUSH ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL LIES TO WASHINGTON POST, CLAIMS GOV. BLANCO NEVER DECLARED STATE OF EMERGENCY: The Post reported in their Sunday edition "As of Saturday, Blanco still had not declared a state of emergency, the senior Bush official said." They were forced to issue a correction hours later. [Washington Post, 9/4/05]
9AM - BUSH BLAMES STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS: "[T]he magnitude of responding to a crisis over a disaster area that is larger than the size of Great Britain has created tremendous problems that have strained state and local capabilities. The result is that many of our citizens simply are not getting the help they need." [White House, 9/3/05]

All in all - the elements of disaster and neglect pile up in damning evidence against a man who has never cared about the people of the United States - he has only cared about his oil business and getting revenge on Saddam Hussein.

And on a really scary note - the creepy, creepy Carlysle Company is now in charge of WMD creation in the US. http://www.sfbayview.com/091504/ucregents091504.shtml
Please, Please America - get rid of this company NOW before they take over the earth.

They're so much better off now...

Well, it seems the US has its own Marie Antoinette.
In true, "Let them eat cake" style, Barbara Bush cheerfully tells the press that the refugees are no worse than before, because they were poor to begin with. And now, of course, everything is looking up.
A sock anyone? Or more rope?

"...While touring the Houston Astrodome, where thousands of Hurricane Katrina refugees have been huddling, Barbara Bush said they didn't have it so bad because, heck, they were poor to begin with. "What I'm hearing, which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay in Texas," she was quoted as saying in an interview on National Public Radio. Thousands of hurricane refugees were sitting on or near their green army cots, perhaps thinking of lunch, presumably waiting to be fed something hearty. Anything but cake.
"Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality," Barbara Bush said.
And here comes the fastball over the middle of the Democratic plate: "And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them."
At least she didn't ask them to sing and dance.
But I'm sure it's working out very well for them.
How often does something nice like a hurricane come by and change your life so you can hang out with thousands of others in the Astrodome and have Barbara Bush say it wasn't so bad, because you were poor anyway?..."

Courtesy John Kass at the Chicago Tribune

Time

Gym class starts today, and I'm happy to be going back to work out (and hopefully work off the extra pound summer sloth-ing brings) I also go to yoga on Tuesday nights to straighten out the kinks from my back. I've always had back pains until I started yoga - so now I go regularly.
I'm waiting to hear back from my editor about the last installment of Paradise Earth. I sent her the finished product - but in a very rough draft form, as I wanted some imput about it. My crit partners are all busy this summer, and I didn't want to post it through my online crit group as it means I'll have to do some critting in return and I haven't got the time. (the truth about having critiques done is that you feel guilty if you can't return the favor - and some authors send you whole books and never critique anything back...so it's a hard balance to strike. )
I have a crit partner I really love, she really criticises, which is sort of the whole idea. Some people are afraid to hurt your feelings. I understand that - but if you want to progress, you have to learn to take some advice. You also have to learn which advice to take, and which to leave. It's a question of too many cooks spoiling the soup.
And then the book goes to an editor and you learn what real pain is like...

Frank Rich pulls no punches

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/04/opinion/04rich.html

This is quite a vitrolic article - Frank Rich pulls no punches, comparing New Orleans to the Titanic and castigating Bush for leaping into a plane for one person (Schiavo) while waiting two days on vacation while an entire city drowned.
I have to admit, he made my day.

Maureen Dowd on New Orleans

Maureen Dowd is my hero. She has an acid wit, a sharp tongue, and a straight-to-the-point style of writing that gets her ideas across in few words. It's sad that she has to comment on such a tragedy of errors to make her point. But she's right about everything. Moaning that 'It couldn't have been forseen' is ridiculous when everyone knows it was one of the three worst case scenarios possible for the US. For years there have been documentaries, studies, shows, and papers written on the eventuality of a hurricane hitting New Orleans. Not a possibiliy. Something that would happen eventually. Like the volcano looming over Naples, like the faultline running through California--those are all things that will cause a disaster someday...and everyone knows it.

That isn't any comfort to the survivors of this hurricane who have lost everything. I don't see the people in LA starting some mass exodus because they live in an area that can literally fall into the sea one day. New Orleans was as good as its levees - and the money ear-marked to repair them and strenghthen them got moved to other places--like a bridge in Alaska, from what I read. If that is true, then the federal government should be tarred and feathered, like in the good old days when politicians had to answer for their acts.
Luckily, people are generous. There are offers to help from all over the US and all over the world. old Europe has donated reserves of oil. All the writing organizations and publishing companies I work for are trying to find ways to help. Donations are coming in from everywhere. And Maureen Dowd is telling it like it is.

Allergies

Angie posted that her daughter is dairy allergic, and how hard it was to give her a varied diet. I remember when my twins were allergic to dairy and had to have soya products. Thankfully they grew out of them. I have grown in and out of different allergies all my life. They are Such a pain. But dairy allergies are pretty common. I think Chinese and oriental foods have very little dairy in them. My uncle said he had no milk or cheese for the five years he lived in China. I just watched a program on Indian cooking and there was no dairy in there, except for the clarified butter they use in many dished. Otherwise they use coconut milk for sauces and plain vegitable oil to cook with. Most of their dishes are vegetarian. I loved seeing them make the rice pancakes - and the fish curry with coconut made me Drool!
Getting hungry here. Must be time for lunch!
My son has asthma and is allergic to a few foods. The twins were dairy allergic for more than a year. And I just this year developed an allergy to strawberries (I never liked them much, so it's no big loss) But now if I eat one I get a terrible pain in the back of my throat and head. Isn't that wierd??
One of my favorite romance heroines had an allergy to peanuts. I remember that stood out in the book. Allergies are also one way to make a character more unique and memorable. Notice I said Character - I can't for the life of me remember the book or the plot, lol.

A Prayer for New Orleans

I'm shattered by the devestation in New Orleans and the surrounding cities. The plight of the people living there is desperate.
I'm also sending a prayer for Jamie Joy - she designed my website. Her home is New Orleans, a city I visited once and fell in love with.
The refugees from the hurricane are like refugees from a war zone. They have lost everything and need our help. Another website has posted that the American Red Cross is the best place to send donations. Please don't hesitate to contact them.

Luck and writing

I wonder if luck exists, or if you make your own luck?

Well, that's my deep thought for the day!

The weather report says there are thunderstorms coming this afternoon. So far it's sunny and bright so I'm heading out the door for a while to spend some time in the garden. I have a few projects for today: vacuum and mop the floor, clean the entrance way, and change the sheets. But that will all wait until it starts to rain! I also have to finish a novella I've started and finish writing an outline for a book I'd like to write.
...thoughts about writing...Usually I write an outline for my books. It makes writing them easier, and it makes synopsis's and query letters easier to write as well. An outline consists of a chapter by chapter description of the book. (each chapter condensed into about a paragraph) with the major action and plot. It's also easy that way to check that there is a plot - conflict - a resolution - and character developement. That said, outlines are flexible. The plot can change and the characters develop differently than first imagined! That's what makes writing so interesting for me, but I do need that first outline to head me in the right direction and help keep my writing clean and clear.
...More thoughts about writing....
I was just editing one of my books the other day and noticed Another Alliteration! They seem to plague my writing. In every book I find one - and it usually cracks me up. One went: 'A wave of whispers washed over the watching women' - another was with each word starting in 'S'.
I used them on purpose in 'My Fair Pixie' - they can be very funny. (and I always hope I catch them in edits if I didn't mean to use them!)

virgins

Someone described the 'perfect' heroine as a 25 yr old veggie-virgin-rights' activist who'd never been kissed. I was drinking my coffee when I read that, and managed not to choke. Because, after all, everyone is entitled to their opinions. I suppose that the story of a 25 yr old virgin with tendancies towards empassioned preachy prissiness would really entertain some people. Especially if she discovered a passionate liking for bondange and ended up as Masterful Mistress M. at the end of the book. (dressed in black vinyl because she is still a veggie and won't wear leather.) (She doesn't realise her whips are made of leather, but we won't tell her that.)
But I digress.
I like books where I can identify and sympathize with the heroine. In the vamp post below I explained this. But the post about the virgin also got me thinking. I have a couple virgins in my books. (The Argentine Lover, Princess Lily, Diamina...) and Diamina waits until she's married to her beloved Lyo before giving in and giving away her virginity. So, maybe I am overreacting. Maybe more people than I imagined would think a 25 yr old virgin veggie with activist tendancies would be the perfect heroine. Would you?

Vamps

I read a series this summer all about a gal who falls in love with a vamp. It's cute and campy and tongue-in-cheek - everything I like about a book. It's also preachy and vaguely annoying at times. I could tell who was going to die. The character drank. Or he was gay. Or he participated in an orgy. Those characters died. The heroine, a spunky bartender who can read minds, was fresh and fun...and everyone fell in love with her. Everyone loved the heroine. Her boyfriend the vamp. Her boss. Her vamp boyfriend's boss. The boy next door. The dog next door. Hell, everyone loved her. And I couldn't for the life of me figure out why. Sure she was cute and spunky (heroines are called kick-ass but it basically means spunky.) but she was nothing special. I don't even know if I'd want her as a friend, which is kind of my criteria for really liking a heroine: 'Would I want to hang out with this person?' If yes, then I really like the heroine. For the hero it's a bit different. It's more: 'If he asked me on a date would I laugh in his face or go out with him?'
Anyway, this gal gets a regular infusion of vamp blood from various vamps which boosts her stregnth and gives her a 'glow'. I guess it must be that glow. Anyhow, I read the series and liked it OK. Just OK, not loved it, or even hated it. I liked it. And that, I guess, is the kiss of death.

Back home again

I've been gone all summer, and with hardly any internet connection.
First I was in NY with my family, and then I went to Spain. My husband was working there, and my daughter and I accompanied him. We stayed at a hotel with a fabulous pool, right near the rock of Gibralter. It was very hot, and there wasn't any internet at the hotel, so I really couldn't get my e-mail or post. But it was nice and relaxing. Not to say I didn't work. I took my laptop and got half of the next installment to Paradise Earth done. It's called 'Appocalypse', and it's pretty cool, if I can say so myself! I am also in the middle of edits (as usual). This summer I edited three books (when I say I edited, I mean my editor edited and I made the corrections, lol) and I still have one book to go. It will be coming out at Cerridwen Press and I'm pretty excited about that.
OK, I have to get back to edits, or I'll never finish.
I will be blogging more regularly now. Sorry about the vacation.
:-)

on the road

Vacation is here, and I'm in NY visiting with my family. I grew up in this sleepy little town, and it's both reassuring and nice to see how little it has changed. A lot of my school friends still live here, and the bank is still in the same historical building. Because the village is a historical village - it is protected from being built up. Not so around my dad's house, which used to be the only house down in the hollow. Now houses are springing up nearby, there are lots plowed up and for sale in what used to be a meadow, and there is talk about draining the wetlands. (I hope that comes to nothing - it's a great place for wildlife) But despite the building, or perhaps because of it, we are seeing lots of wild animals that I never saw while growing up there. A bobcat, a flock of wild turkeys, and several families of whitetail deer live in my father's property. I hope they are here to stay.

Looking cool this summer

It's going to be Hot in Europe this year - the weather report from the official sites are announcing a hotter than usual summer, so everyone is gearing up to beat the heat.
There are few air conditioners here, but there are portable ones for sale. And there are fans. Since there are few bugs, windows stay wide open to catch the breeze, but when the sun hits, the shutters close. So what to wear? This year Indian cotton is in, as are Indian type skirts, sandals and loose, flowing dresses. Shirts and dresses sparkle with sequins and beads, and even make-up is shiny this year. My newest eye-liner has gold-sparklys in it. Very chic. Ethnic is in. Preppy is out. The brighter the colors, the better the look. Flower and paisley prints are everywhere in Paris. And in the shops, Brazilian style bikinis have started to make their appearence. The bottoms are skimpy, without being strings, and the tops are colorful triangles often beaded or sequined. Hot on the beach are the mis-matched bikinis - a solid bottom with a bright print top. Toss your beige, white, and navey blue clothes and go for orange (the season's hottest color) lime green, fuschia and buttercup yellow. Forget drab...this summer's coolest look is Brilliant!

STEPS IN OVERCOMING MASTURBATION

This essay is attributed to the late Mark E Petersen of the Church of Jesus of Latter Day Saints. I lifted it from Mrs. Giggles' (www.mrsgiggles.com) excellent blog 'The Toilet Bowl'.
My husband is trying to stop smoking. I thought I'd use this and substitute the word smoking for masterbation. What do you think? At any rate, it's a riot to read, and the part about wearing tight clothes to bed that are hard to take off was frankly exciting. (I can't wait to try it!)


STEPS IN OVERCOMING MASTURBATION by Mark E. PetersenCouncil of the 12 Apostles
Be assured that you can be cured of your difficulty. Many have been, both male and female, and you can be also if you determine that it must be so.
This determination is the first step. That is where we begin. You must decide that you will end this practice, and when you make that decision, the problem will be greatly reduced at once.
But it must be more than a hope or a whish, more than knowing that it is good for you. It must be actually a DECISION. If you truly make up your mind that you will be cured, then you will have the strength to resist any tendencies which you may have and any temptations which may come to you.
After you have made this decision, then observe the following specific guidelines:
A Guide to Self-Control:
Never touch the intimate parts of your body except during normal toilet processes.
Avoid being alone as much as possible. Find good company and stay in this good company.
If you are associated with other persons having this same problem, YOU MUST BREAK OFF THEIR FRIENDSHIP. Never associate with other people having the same weakness. Don't suppose that two of you will quit together, you never will. You must get away from people of that kind. Just to be in their presence will keep your problem foremost in your mind.
The problem must be taken OUT OF YOUR MIND for that is where it really exists. Your mind must be on other and more wholesome things.
When you bathe, do not admire yourself in a mirror. Never stay in the bath more than five or six minutes - just long enough to bathe and dry and dress AND THEN GET OUT OF THE BATHROOM into a room where you will have some member of your family present.
When in bed, if that is where you have your problem for the most part, dress yourself for the night so securely that you cannot easily touch your vital parts, and so that it would be difficult and time consuming for you to remove those clothes. By the timeyou started to remove protective clothing you would have sufficiently controlled your thinking that the temptation would leave you.
If the temptation seems overpowering while you are in bed, GET OUT OF BED AND GO INTO THE KITCHEN AND FIX YOURSELF A SNACK, even if it is in the middle of the night, and even if you are not hungry, and despite your fears of gaining weight. The purpose behind this suggestion is that you GET YOUR MIND ON SOMETHING ELSE. You are the subject of your thoughts, so to speak.
Never read pornographic material. Never read about your problem. Keep it out of mind. Remember - "First a thought, then an act." The thought pattern must be changed. You must not allow this problem to remain in your mind. When you accomplish that, you soon will be free of the act.
Put wholesome thoughts into your mind at all times. Read good books -- Church books - Scriptures - Sermons of the Brethern. Make a daily habit of reading at least one chapter of Scripture, preferably from one of the four Gospels in the New Testament, or the Book of Mormon. The four Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - above anything else in the Bible can be helpful because of their uplifting qualities.
Pray. But when you pray, don't pray about this problem, for that will tend to keep [it] in your mind more than ever. Pray for faith, pray for understanding of the Scriptures, pray for the Missionaries, the General Authorities, your friends and your families, BUT KEEP THE PROBLEM OUT OF YOUR MIND BY NOT MENTIONING IT EVER - NOT IN CONVERSATION WITH OTHERS, NOT IN YOUR PRAYERS. KEEP IT OUT of your mind!
The attitude of a person toward his problem has an affect [sic] on how easy it is to overcome. It is essential that a firm commitment be made to control the habit. As a person understands his reasons for the behavior, and is sensitive to the conditions or situations that may trigger a desire for the act, he develops the power to control it.
We are taught that our bodies are temples of God, and are to be clean so that the Holy Ghost may dwell within us. Masturbation is a sinful habit that robs one of the Spirit and creates guilt and emotional stress. It is not physically harmful unless practiced in the extreme. It is a habit that is totally self-centered, and secretive, and in no way expresses the proper use of the procreative power given to man to fulfill eternal purposes. It therefore separates a person from God and defeats the gospel plan.
This self-gratifying activity will cause one to lose his self-respect testimony becomes weak, and missionary work and other Church callings become burdensome, offerins.

travelogue

I love to travel. I love finding new places, meeting new people, and seeing new sights. So it's with great pleasure I tune into Wyn's travel blog and read about her travels.
http://travelthroughhistory.blogspot.com/
I'm reading about Eleanor of Aquitaine, and was amazed to see that although living in the twelfth century, she travelled extensively through Europe and the Orient, even going on the Crusades with her first husband, the king of France. Eleanor was a thoroughly modern woman living in an age where things were changing rapidly. Her influence on that time is not negligeable (She married two kings, was kidnapped twice, went on the Crusades, and raised seven children!)

Have fun reading Wyn's travel blog, and if you would like to know more about Eleanor of Aquitaine, there are some wonderful books (both fiction and nonfiction) available.

More about love and sex

I just read a post by a well-meaning romance author. Sure sex is all right (she reasures us) but romance is all about love, and love is bigger than sex. (she goes on to say).
And all the poster-people after her hurry to agree that yes, love is not sex, and that their idea of love is (one person's words here) "a child bringing flowers to her mother".
I guess it's time I spoke up. Romance books are fine without sex. They are fine with sex. It makes no difference to me, as long as I know what I'm getting when I buy it. But to say that romance books don't NEED sex is absurd.
Love and sex go together when it's about a couple - and a romance book isn't about mother-love, or sister-brother love. And even if love is bigger than sex (agreed, agreed!) sex is a pretty darn important part of a relationship - and a healthy, loving relationship with great sex is far better than a loving relationship with terrible sex, or having one partner afraid of sex, or hung up about sex, or having been molested unable to equate sex and love. So, maybe romance books with sex can have their place too - a place to express the wonder and excitement of sex. A celebration of sex. It's about time human beings loosened up about sex and equated it with love and romance, don't you think?

expressions of love

What is the link between breastfeeding and homosexual couples holding hands in public? Both make people 'uncomfortable' and both are expressions of love. In our society, it causes less of a stir to be seen carrying a gun than nursing your infant.
Movies show murders all the time, and the RWA (romance writer's of America) says nothing about romance books with murder in them (romantic suspence) while books with sex in them are causing a storm in a teacup.
What is it about our society? We can't show expressions of love, but we are invited to show expressions of violence!
Why is violence accepted and tolerated, while sex, love, and breastfeeding one's child are not? Isn't sex more productive (pardon the pun) than murder? Isn't a baby at one's breast more inspiring than a gun strapped to one's shoulder? Why can't gay couples hold hands? Why should any expression of love be frowned upon? You can't tell me that 'Jesus said gays and sex are sinful.' He never said that. God never wrote any of that on the ten commandments - (the only thing that came straight from God, not invented by man i.e. - the bible, koran, etc.)
God said (and he was very clear) "Thou shalt not kill." What part of that does mankind have a problem understanding? Why do so many people get so upset with love and kindness, sex, breasts, and babies, and yet they make sure gun lobbies keep their power and will watch films with their kids in which several people are killed and maimed. (The same people wince when two women kiss.)
I think that we have to re-educate ourselves. Common sense has deserted us. Perhaps it's overcrowding - nature's way of keeping the population levels down: war, violence, intolerance. It is certainly easier to shoot a stranger than to kiss one. Personally I prefer the saying 'Make Love, not War.' It's way out of date, conjures images of hippies and psychadelic flowers. But at least it's an expression of love, not violence. And I'd rather live in a world where expressions of violence are frowned upon, while love rules.

To join or Not to Join

That is the question.
I've joined the new RWA chapter for erotic romance. It's a great place to be - nobody has a hissy fit when you mention the word porn, and everyone is working together to try to bring erotic romance into the respected world of women's fiction. I do like the new chapter, but I'm not crazy about being part of RWA. Why? Well, for one thing, they don't seem to really want erotica to be a part of their group. You have to understand that erotica encompasses a huge array of genres and writing, just as romance does. Some is midly erotic, while some is so hot it scorches your eyeballs. Some writers proudly proclaim they write smut, while others will only owe up to writing 'erotic romance', and still others (you know who) think they write porn for women. So, it will be interesting to see behind which banner the chapter will march. They've called it Passionate Ink - because apparently RWA won't accept a chapter with the word erotic in it. To me, this is called 'getting off on the wrong foot'. We write romance but it is so explicite that it's rated R or even X, and it's for the Over 18 crowd. If the RWA accepts us, it will have to do so on those terms. Sugar-coating won't work. Another idea would be to make a whole new organization - Erotica Writers of America (EWA) instead of RWA. It makes sense when you think of the Horror writers' association, the sci-fi and fantasy org. and the Children's writer's association - each of which is very helpful. (I belong to several writing orgs and they can be helpful)
At any rate, I will be happy to join the RWA as soon as they show they are happy to have me join - until then, I will continue to support my new chapter and look forward to seeing what happens in the wonderfully wild world of romance writing.

Let's Procrastinate

I have been so lazy lately. The weather has a lot to do with it - who wants to sit inside when the sun is shining and the breeze is stirring the lace curtains, making shadows dance across the tiled floor? The shadows whisper 'Come play outside! Come for a walk!' So I have to get up and go into the garden. And then, I have to check the flower beds. Are the nettles coming back? Should I get my gloves on and pull them out? Are the nastertiums growing yet? When will the climbing rose start to bloom? So I walk through the garden, down the path, into the orchard, and then back to the steps, all warm from the sun. How can you walk by stone steps and not sit on them for a while? Little lizards dart up and down, bees drone by, and then I feel like having a cup of coffee outside. One of life's pleasures is sitting on sunny steps sipping coffee. So, being a hedonist, I go make some coffee. My dog, who follows me everywhere, plops down at my feet and leans against my shins. I scratch her ears, her tail thumps. The sun shines. It's a perfect day for doing nothing, except maybe pulling a few nettles from the ground!

Sudoku

http://www.griffiths-jones.co.uk/sudoku/index.html

I just posted a wonderful, witty post about my new rage, SuDoku. Unfortunately, the gods of the blog have decided to drive me crazy, and so I hit the wrong button thus destroying my excellent post.
In all fairness, the gods probably didn't have a lot to do with it. I just got done mowing the lawn, and my hands are kind of numb because of the vibration of the lawn mower so it's hard to type. But I had to tell everyone about SuDoku, a Japonese numbers game. It's a lot of fun, it's tricky, and it takes both logic and creative thinking. So far I've done five, goofed two, and finished three, including a 'hard' one. :-)
Above is a link to get you started on this relaxing (but time consuming & surprisingly addictive) game.
Have Fun!

Tagged!

Scott Oden has tagged me to take part in another blog exercise.
I've never been tagged so I'll probably mess this up - but here goes:

Total number of books I own: I can't count them all. Suffice to say I have three huge bookcases stuffed with them, in multiple layers, plus the ones vying for space in various cupboards, drawers, and shelves. Not to mention the hundred of electronic books as doc, pdf, and lit files in my computer!

Last Book I Bought: 'Guns, Germs, and Steel' by Jarod Diamond.

Last Book I Read: 'Angelica' by Sharon Shinn. I got it in St. Louis and she signed it for me. I finished it when I went to Germany this weekend, and I loved it.

German Booklover Conference

I'm off to Germany today for the German Booklover conference -
www.booklover.de
It's a lot of fun,and this is the third time I've been there so I know most of the people there. It's also a small conference, not overwhelming like RT. I'll be sharing a room with Kris Alice, a promotions manager, so hopefully she'll give me lots of tips about promoting my books. (I'm so bad at that!)
I'll be back Sunday! Have a great weekend everyone!

Short stories

My first love in writing was short stories, and I still love to read them. I love poetry too, and lyrics for songs. A lot of people ask me how to write a book. I usually tell them that it's good to start by writing short stories. On my samanthawinston.com website I have a section marked short fiction where I have posted a couple of my stories, and on my jennifermacaire.com website, in the links section, is a whole list of my short stories that you can read on the web.

Today re-read a book of short stories by one of my idols, Ray Bradbury. (R is for Rocket)
Are there any short stories that you particularly loved? I remember reading 'The Scarlet Ibis' when I was in school - and it's stayed with me all my life.

New Publisher

Cerridwen Press opened its doors last night. It's part of the ellora's Cave press, but not erotic - it's mainstream and genre fiction. I wonder how it will do. I'm interested because they have two of my books under contract, 'The Pirate Lover' (which I had titled 'Ranger's Woman' but it was too close to another title and got changed, and personally I think it's not that great, but I was the one to find that one too...I really suck at titles.) And Angels on Crusade, a reissue of a book that had been out for about 6 months at NBI before that publisher folded (taking all my royalties with it, I may add...) I really like Angels on Crusade, and I hope it does well there. It's a gritty book about a time traveller sent back to the 12th century to save the crown of France.
Here is the site: www.cerridwenpress.com - they are taking submissions for all genres. Right now they are e-books, but will switch to print in a short time.
Another book of mine, Virtual Murder (science fiction - under my real name, Jennifer Macaire) will be coming out in print as soon as I get the print contract off. I have been lazy about getting to the post office, but I've been very busy lately too! It's over at Loose-Id, www.loose-id.com a very professional publishing company that puts out (IMO) some really well-written, interesting books.
Next week I'm off to a conference in Germany. I'm looking forward to that one - it's much smaller than RT, and so I won't feel so lost! My publisher, Ellora's Cave, will be there too. Conference website: www.booklover.de

spring cleaning

I just spring-cleaned. And when I clean, I clean. I deserve a break. The house is spotless. I took it apart, scrubbed and polished, and now everything is like new - even the keyboard is all clean and shiny.
So, after that thrilling post (I'm sorry, but there's nothing else to report - the cleaning lasted all day and it's not over! Tomorrow: Kitchen & bathroom!

Tarot Cards

Do you or don't you believe in the tarot?
I tell myself I don't - but I have two decks of tarot cards - one I've had since I was thirteen. I read fortunes at the RT conference for a charity - to raise money for the troops. It was fun - but I was amazed at the number of people who took it seriously!
At any rate, I got a book proposal out of it, so I'm hard at work writing a chapter by chapter outline, and then the first ten pages, to send to the woman who asked me for that.
The tarot definitely opens doors - whether or not it's magic is up to debate.
Personally, I believe in coincidences.

Veni, Vidi, Party!

I went, I saw... and I partied !
One thing I hadn’t realized about the Romantic Times convention – it is one big party from beginning to end.
One thing I wished I’d done: The Early Bird Tour, which shows you the city the convention is in, and also introduces you to people outside the hectic, party atmosphere.
One thing I loved: meeting so many wonderful people.
One thing I hated: Not getting enough time with everyone on a one-to-one basis. In fact, you are almost always surrounded by a crowd. Publishers, agents, booksellers, readers, helpers, writers, and cover models all mingle and there is no barrier between the public and the show. For example, I was thrilled to be able to meet Kathryn Falk in person. Before I went to RT, I imagined that I would only be able to see her from a distance, but she mingles with the crowd – easy to talk to, and gracious.
The parties begin from the moment you sign in. There are evening cocktails, breakfast brunches, and gala dinners. At the Ellora’s Cave “What’s Your Fantasy?” party, I saw harem girls, slaves, naughty school girls, elves, fairies, dragon queens and more. Heather Graham’s Vampire Ball from Oz featured a play, with Heather and Beth Ciotta singing a duet at the end that brought tears to my eyes. (Beth and Heather both have amazing voices!) And the Mr. Romance contest was won by the sizzling, sexy Andrei Claude, nicknamed ‘The Maltese Cat’ by his friends for his feline good looks and the fact he’s from Malta. There was the Regency ball, with elaborate costumes, and the Toga Party, which had the best music…lots of dancing…and a Karaoke that lasted until the wee hours!
Ellora’s Cave had quite an impressive showing with over twenty authors present, and nearly all the staff! They arrived in their glorious bus, which was definitely worth a look. Ellora’s Cave offered a get-together breakfast for everyone at EC to get acquainted, and even their calendar cover models showed up and munched on croissants and eggs with the rest of us! Speaking of cover models – the women at the convention just loved them and the guys were all fantastic. I have rarely seen such a nice, professional bunch of models – bravo fellows, I vote for all of you!
One thing I regret not having – a picture of me surrounded by cover models. Another regret is not having the time to go to all the panels. They were overlapping, not clearly announced, and in small, noisy rooms. My panel was very small—as a matter of fact, I was the only author on my panel to show up. Luckily Mary Mancusi and Debbie Federici helped out and we ended up having a lively discussion with aspiring authors about ‘How far is too far in YA flirting and sex?’. Those same aspiring authors sought my out at the book-signing on Saturday and bought my books, so I can definitely recommend being on a panel at RT for an author. But during the panel we were often interrupted by the loud noises from the ‘Wild and Wacky’ party next door, and the fun lured many out the door, I’m afraid to say! A huge thanks to Maryanne Mancusi for helping me out - go get her book, 'A Conneticut Fashionista in King Arthur's Court' - it's a blast. I know - the title it too long - but trust me, the book is fabulous!
One thing I was glad I did: sign up to be a helper. I didn’t do much – not as much as most of the ‘Busy Bees’ – but I did get the chance to meet Kevin Beard, who is the behind-the-scenes organizer of the RT convention. I don’t have enough good things to say about Kevin, he does an amazing job keeping everything running smoothly, and his staff of volunteers, including his son, are just terrific.
So, I am no longer a Romantic Times Convention Virgin! It was hectic, confusing, exhilarating, and exhausting. I’ve learned much, but most precious to me are the memories I have of the people I meet. I hope to meet them again, and to count them among my friends.

Off to RT

Well, I'm off to the convention!
I am looking forward to seeing everyone - let' s see:
plane ticket, check, purse, check, passport, check, bag all packed, check, presents, check, chocolate, check! (Double check)
I will write a full report when I get back!
Hugs,
Sam

what is porn, mommy?

No, I haven't heard that yet from my daughter - but I expect I will someday. What should I reply? For me, it's best to refer to the dictionary. You want to know what a word means, dear, look it up. Pornography, material intended to tittilate and stimulate sexually. Well, that doesn't sound so bad, does it? Unfortunately, like the word 'religion', the word 'porn' seems to embrace a wide variety of ideas. Most people when they hear or read the word 'porn', see triple XXX's and raunchy, tasteless pictures of nekkid guys and girls (and why not some animals thrown in too?) Men, when they hear the word porn are more apt to grin than women, who will frown. So even your sex will decide how you interpret that word. But let's get back to the dictionary definition. What is the matter with it? Well, for one thing, it doesn't conjure up the soft porn world of women's erotica - in fact, to get that, you have to put the word 'soft' in front of it. When you put the word 'hard' in front of it, you get a whole new world, one that probably borders on the illegal in most states.
So what do I mean when I say, 'I write porn for women'? Well, as a woman, I have a different vision of porn than men. What titillates and excites me isn't going to work for a male audience. Women are more sensitive to atmosphere, to the story surrounding the sex, and - a vital point here - the reasons why the characters are having sex.
But there is sex in my books. Graphic, fun, sweaty, sticky, bouncy, (because as someone so deftly pointed out, turbulence can be a good thing) and did I say graphic? Yes. There is no doubt that taken out of context, my sex scenes would be rated X, or sometimes two X's, depending how many characters I have interested, lol. There are sex toys in my books, and the descriptions leave nothing to the imagination. My books are for adults, and I would be extremely uncomfortable thinking that underage girls and boys could get them; So I am grateful to my publishers who have ratings and strict warnings about that on their websites.
At any rate, when I say I write woman's porn I am not hating my work, as some sensitive souls have said. I am celebrating the real meaning of porn. The one in the dictionary. You should read it sometime.

The Convention!

Would you believe I'm packed already??? I am so nervous. Mostly because I'm already star-struck. I'm going to meet authors who's books I've read and loved, and maybe even get to talk to them!! I'm even nervous about meeting my roommates, lol. I have been in admiration of Ann Jacobs for so long...and I'm going to share a room with her! (OK - I know I sound like a doofus, but I can't help it. I'm really excited by all this!) I'm going to meet my editors, my author friends, readers who are on my lists (people I've been dying to meet for years!) So of course it's starting to really sink in now. I'm off to RT. Can't wait. Will write all about it. (Promised a friend an article about it for her newsletter - so I have to take notes, lol.)
I wish I had a digital camera. I must be the only person without one.
(I'm so nervous!!!)
(I think I have to unpack and repack a couple times - just to make sure I didn't forget anything.)

No longer a virgin...

A virgin romance reader ( http://tqof.blogspot.com/ ) read my My Fair Pixie and comments on erotica, women's porn, and literature as a guilty pleasure. I loved getting his take on the whole scene - (he's a lit major and voracious reader, but he was missing one genre...romance.) Read his comments and see if you agree!

(plus it's fun getting a man's take on the genre - but keep in mind he read a really raunchy novella, not a full-length romance novel.)

Leos

I just posted at a blog and re-read what I wrote, and decided I sounded horribly pedantic.
Does that happen to you? You want to respond to a question, and you come off sounding like Miss Manners zeroing in on a person who reads someone else's mail.
Is it because I'm a Leo? Leo's are supposed to be egotistical, so that means we think we know better than anyone else (just ask my kids - this is so true) but I don't necessarily want everyone to think I'm egotistical. Even though, according to my horoscope, I can't help myself.
It's not that I think I know better than everyone else, it's just that, well, faced with a question I feel obliged to come up with an answer.
Instead of an egotist, I prefer to think of myself as an epicurian. I'd like everyone to relax and have a good time - and not bother about what other people think or tell you to do.
(This excludes my kids, who still have to listen to me.)
Leos are also supposed to be good dancers, which is Not true, and they are supposed to be party people - and a party has always been my idea of one of Dante's innermost circles of Hell. I think (reading horoscopes here) I'm a lot closer to my Chinese horoscope which happens to be a Rat.
(How can I be egotistical and admit to being a Rat?)

I'm still laughing

http://porktornado.diaryland.com/albumcover.html

and there's this one too:
http://porktornado.diaryland.com/covers2.html

bookmarks

I just got my bookmarks today - they didn't come out the color I expected, but they are very pretty, and I have 500 of them, so I can spread the joy.
Actually, I have to stuff one bookmark into 400 bags at the RT convention. I figure that will pretty much wipe me out for the entire convention, lol. I get in Wed. night, around 5 pm. I have to go straight to the conference room with my bookmarks, because there is an Ellora's Cave party that evening, and since these are the Ellora's Cave bags, no one will be there after 7 pm, so I have to hurry.
The theme of the Ellora's Cave party is 'What's your Fantasy?' I was thinking of going as a naughty school girl (mostly because it's an easy costume to throw together - who doesn't own a white shirt and a tie?) But then I heard other authors going as naughty school girls, and thought I didn't want to be part of a class. I am stuck here. Any suggestions? I know it's supposed to be my fantasy, but that's silly - because my fantasy would be a viril pirate (thought you'd like that Wynn, lol) or a rough and tough cowboy - (or a polo player...lol)
So I have to dress up like someone else's fantasy, obviously.
Which would be...........?

So many books

So little time!
I have a TBR pile a mile high - and I am in the middle of a really good book. I also just finished critquing a novella a friend wrote and I just loved it - she wrote it in first person, and I have to admit that I like that POV. When it's done well it draws the reader in. It's also unusual to have first person in romance and erotic romance novels, so it's refreshing when I find a book written that way. I also like to skip around in genres - reading romance, mystery, historical fiction and science fiction / fantasy books. Do most people like skipping around? Or do you stick with one favorite genre?

Vampires VS Werewolves

As Jessica in 'My Fair Pixie' so succinctly points out - "What's so romantic about a centuries old stiff?" Of course, Sebastian has his good points. He looks good in black, he can't hog the mirror, and he's not underfoot all day long. He's easy to feed, and if Jessica ever gets to the point where she wants to murder him...he turns to dust and she can just vaccume him up.
But vampires are on the top of the list when it comes to romance novels. They are strong, the ultimate debonair, and being so old, tend to be incredibly cultured and witty. (So why they go after bimbos is beyond me...)
Werewolves are next on the list of incredible heroes. The call of the wild. The man/beast, or the beast within the man just barely controlled by the heroine. Werewolves have their bad points too - they shed, for one thing, and that doggy smell when they get wet can be a real turn off. But who can resist a man with such a wild streak in him?
Which is your choice? Vampire....or Werewolf?

porn for women

On another blog a reader wails to her hubby that she's reading Romance, for God's sake, not porn for women. Hubby chuckles and rolls his eyes. Yeah sure. What's the difference?
What's in a name? A rose is a rose...as the saying goes. So romance, especially the hot and sticky kind I write, is woman's porn. Well, I will be the first to admit it's a Hell of a lot closer to porn than literature, if you're thinking in classic terms. Also: (and this has been hashed and rehashed until it's stale) in the dictionary porn is not a derogatory word. It's become synonymous with magazines you wouldn't want anyone in your family hiding under the bed, or dark, smelly cinemas full of men wearing raincoats and fedoras.
I write my erotica books to entertain, to titillate, and for a good, fun read. But I have no illusions that my books will end up somewhere on a 'must read' list of classics. And how would you describe this 'must read' classic: 'The Story of O'? Porn for women is the first thing to come to mind. Admit it.
So let's not be hypocrites. Romance books are fun fluff - and what is wrong with that?

a writer's bravery

I have worked on a book for two years, and now that it's just about finished, have come to the conclusion it's good for the trash bin. Am I upset? Not really. What upsets me is being blind to the book's faults for so long.
Actually, it won't get thrown away, not completely. But it needs Major revisions, and the best thing to do would be to take it apart at the seams, toss away everything I don't need and that doesn't advance the story, and start again from the bare bones.
I'll do that in September. Right now I'm going to work on a science fiction novella and finish that (my editor at Changeling Press will be So happy she doesn't have to harass me for six months, lol) And I also have the sequel to a YA book I need to start working on, because I'm going to be really brave and say that my book 'Horse Passages' (due out in December 2005) is going to do extraordinarily well, and my publisher will beg for a sequel.
I truly think that one must be brave in this business. How else can one throw away two years of work with a shrug?

Hubba hubba hunk!

Oh my. I just love the face of the guy on my new cover for Revelations.
He's sooooo...perfect.
When you write a book, you have the characters in your head and you see them perfectly. Then you get your cover and it's not always what you thought your character looked like. (I mean, that's fine by me - never judge a book by its cover etc. etc.) But this guy's face is even Better than I imagined my hero - so how's that for a compliment?? (click over onto my site to check out the hunky cover at www.samanthawinston.com

And if you like judging books by their covers, trot over to this site:
http://www.likesbooks.com/coverballot/2004/CO.html
and vote for your favorite best, (and worst) covers of 2004.
OR - http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/C12/
Where really awful covers get hysterically trashed.

2,000 pages!

I received several requests for the full Iskander series. (Now a trilogy) So, blithely I called Ann and asked her to print up and send it out, and let me know how much I owed her for the trouble.
Did you know that the 2,000 page trilogy takes up a whole box and weighs 25 pounds? That's two-thousand pages. Twenty Five pounds. I'm praying the delivery boy doesn't drop it on anyone's foot. I can't imagine that would make the agent / publisher feel any more kindly toward the book. Has anyone else (besides Diana Gabaldon) sent off such a mammoth to their agent? I'm wondering what the agent I sent it to will think.
"I'm sorry - there must be a mistake. I didn't order a washing machine." Or, "I can't believe she sent the WHOLE thing."
(a request for a full means the whole thing, right?)
I'm wondering if the agent will be at the RT convention, and if, in that case, I should seek her out and apologise abjectly, or avoid her altogether.
Maybe she has a particular slush pile reader she hates and she will gleefully point to the refrigerator-sized box and say, "Read this by Monday'. This same monster has gone to several publishers as well, but for some reason, I imagine publishers are more equipped to handle half-ton deliveries than agents. (Boxes of books arrive all the time at the publisher, right?)
I hope I haven't committed a literary 'faux pas'. At any rate, I certainly owe Ann a great deal - paper, ink, postage, and some new shoulders...

Technology

I posted twice, and the internet ate it!
Technology is working against me today. :-(
Well, it's nice out, so I think I will go garden - there is suddenly so much to do now that spring has finally appeared!
I did post about writing, but since the post got eaten, I lost my inspiration, lol.
Inspiration is a fragile thing, it can evaporate like steam from a kettle. (Or like a post eaten by the internet!)

Promotion

I am just starting a book, and have another book coming out in April, and another (My Fair Pixie) that just came out last week. All three are novellas, but they need as much promotion as a full length novel. So, I'm out there promoting. Last night I spent 6 hours online at a chat loop reading fortunes and giving prizes as part of my promotion for 'Pixie'. And next week I'll have to think of something to promote Revelations (The Tarot worked pretty well - maybe I'll try that on another list, but not so many hours - it wiped me out. I've been sleeping all day.)
Promoting includes announcements: Online, on my chat lists, on my newsletters (I have three) and on my website. It also means trolling other lists I don't usually hang out on and posting 'Promo' posts (which most people skip - so I don't know if they are that effective.) *sigh*
It means going to conventions, which I like. I have one coming up end of this month (and I still don't have my bookmarks - Grrrr) and one in May in Germany, which is a lot of fun. (And a helluva lot cheaper than the RT convention. Shheesh. Don't they know authors are on a budget???)
Well - as long as I'm promoting - head over to www.ellorascave.com and get a copy of My Fair Pixie!

Beginnings

I am going to start on the last book of the Paradise Earth trilogy, Appocalypse. (God I hope I spelled that right, lol)
I have the synopsis written out, and my next step is a loose outline (it's a novella, so a tight outline might strangle it) and decide who the main character will be.
The first book starred Adam and Evan and the second book featured Sharkey. This book's hero is an angel called Freya. (this is subject to change, lol)
At any rate, beginnings are both daunting and exciting. I love starting a new book.
:-)

Silver star!

Well, I got a silver star award from JERR! (Just erotic romance reviews!)
I'm so excited - it means a lot to me, and I just had to post part of it!
I also wanted to say that for a writer this sort of award is Very Important. It's what keeps me writing, it's proof that the months spent writing and the months editing were all worth it. It also makes me want to start writing again - so thank you Miaka!



"...It was my absolute pleasure to review two of Samantha Winston's books for this edition of the newsletter and while I loved both, this one was my favorite. My Fair Pixie was completely absorbing, wholly stimulating and totally hilarious. This was the most fun I've had reading a story in a long time. Ms. Winston has a talent for creating characters that grab your attention and capture your heart. I usually don't expect to feel such an attachment to characters in a book but Sebastian and Jessica were an absolutely adorable couple, one that I wish I knew in real life. Their solid devotion to each other was awe-inspiring despite terrible and seemingly insurmountable odds. Jessica was a spunky heroine (of course since when are pixies not spunky?) and was willing to go to extremes to impress those who didn't want to see her with Sebastian. Sebastian was charming, sexy in a way that only a vampire can be, and an all around stand up guy. He was willing to commit social suicide, as well as risk the ire of his domineering mother and the rest of his clan to be with his soulmate.The sex between Jessica and Sebastian was mind-blowingly erotic. I never thought I'd be so aroused by spanking, but Ms. Winston makes it seem like something I need to add to my arsenal. There were several scenes between these characters that made me reconsider the wisdom of reading the story away from home.Outstanding, amazing, a story I will read again and again are all words I would use to describe this book. There isn't one thing I didn't love about My Fair Pixie. It would be tragic if Sebastian and Jessica didn't appear in other Samantha Winston stories. I will certainly remember these wonderful characters for a long time to come. For all these reasons, I found My Fair Pixie deserving of the Silver Star Award."
Miaka Chase

The Kiss of Death

I said in another post how essential editors are. And it's true. But you have to trust your own judgement sometimes, and sometimes you will be in conflict with your editor. There is no easy answer to resolving the conflict - I'll say that probably Most of the time the editor will be right - but here is one experience I had, and it convinced me that I should stand up a little more for my writing.

I had an editor who read my book and loved it, then worked on it extensively with me - calling me (over here in France) brainstorming with me, giving me her ideas, and taking out things that she idn't like personally...)I was flattered and didn't know better, so I went along with it. The editor put in a lot of her ideas. Afterwards the book came out and did all right.

But I read it again, and it just looked flat to me. The parts in my book that I thought were strong displeased the editor and she had me cut them - not because they slowed the story or anything - but because she didn't like them. It's hard to explain, but she made the book bland. After that I've been leery of brainstorming books with editors. I'd rather they just concentrated on editing. Sometimes it's better to have something that someone will either love or hate, rather than risk ending up with something that everyone likes...
Likes is the kiss of death.

Rain

Back to bad titles, but it is raining out!
I am reading Scandalous Spirits by CJ Scott and it is very cute. I wish I had more time for reading, but I've been busy lately with my own books. I finished edits for Revelations, (4 all together - which is pretty normal) Now it's at the proofreaders, but my editor Maryam is terrific and usually finds ALL the nits. (I can't believe that twice I screwed up on the possessive of pluriel nouns, and I left out a couple 'the's' too.) Argh. It's not as if I don't know - but when I'm writing I often just don't Think, lol.
Again, thank goodness for editors!!

The Owl Festival

Yesterday was the Owl Festival. Every year the bird watching society hosts a day for bird watching, ending with an owl walk at night through the woods. It's quite fun, with crafts for the kids, a small exposition on local birds, and a picnic dinner. We have lots of owls about. There are the tiny screech owl, the barn own (that the French call 'the White Lady') and lots of others. The barn owls are quite common. Two nest nearby our house. I see them often, and once they woke me up by tapping my windowpane in the middle of the night! I pulled open the curtains and came face-to-face with two huge barn owls. I don't know who was most startled. One flew away, but the other stayed and stared at me until my husband sat up and asked what I was doing.

"Hush!" I said, but it was too late. The owl spread his wings and glided away. They looked like two fat, stuffed, children's toys with large, heart-shaped white faces. I don't usually see them so close up, but I do see them at the golf course when we play during the evening. My husband and I love to golf, and as he gets home from work late, we usually start around 7pm. In May and June, it doesn't get dark until at least 10 pm, so we golf late. And the owls love to pounce on mice our balls hit into the rough have startled. The owls usually follow us as we make our way along the quiet course. We're often the only ones on the course at that time of night, and it's defintely my favorite time to play golf!

FOG

It's as thick as pea soup this morning. My daughter and I walked to school and it was like being wrapped in cotton - sound muffled, cars nearly invisible except for their lights, the roofs of houses trunciated, only the tree trunks in sight - their branches lost in the mist. I like fog.

The first time the twins saw it, they were four. They stepped out the front door, stopped on the top step, and frantically started to rub their faces. They thought the problem was with their eyes! They misheard me, and called it 'Frog' for the longest time. "Mommy, it's frog out!" they would shout. We'd just moved from sunny Florida (where I've yet to see fog) to France in the wintertime. Fog wrapped the world in a white cloak, and my sons put their arms out in front of them when they walked.

I look out the window, past the sheer white curtains, and see just the judas tree out front. All the other trees are invisible behind a wall of mist.

Keep your fingers crossed for me! I just recieved a request for a full from a literary agent. I will type up the cover letter this morning and send it to Ann, who has generously offered to print up my mammoth manuscript and send it off. (I really owe her one!! Thanks Ann!!) From France, postage is terribly high, and a thick sheef of paper weighs quite a lot.

Spring

It's been in the seventies here and balmy. I've been outside mostly - when it's nice like this I sit on the back steps (they're stone and soak up the sun) and I watch the back yard. My dog tries to get me to come play with her, but it's too nice to just sit and relax in the sun.

My forsythia is about to bloom, and there are yellow and white narcissis blooming at the foot of the south wall. My neighbors planted asperagus the other day down by the river. But the judas tree is still bare, and winter can come back any minute.

March is a fragile spring, we can get frost until May here, so when it is warm I like to spend most of my time outside. (And now that I have a bike, it's even more fun!) My daughter and I took advantage of the dry weather to ride over the back roads and into the fields. The farmers are already shaking their heads and talking about a drought - it seems we've had a dry winter and the water tables are very low. Dust rises from the fields in great clouds when the tractors pass, and in the sunshine, it makes it look like late August here.

Done!

I finished Book Two of Paradise Earth, "Revelations" yesterday. Typed the last paragraph and wrote 'The End' - and went looking for chocolate.
Gasp! No chocolate in the house!!!
(That's my reward for a job well done)
I sent "Revelations" off to my editor, and now I'm going to finish "Charm for a Unicorn". Much work in perspective, as it's only halfway done.
And then on to book Three in Paradise Earth - title undecided still.
An author's work is never done!

BIAW

I decided to do the book in a week writing exercise - starting today. So the posts will be shorter!
It's over here if you are interested:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Worlds_of_Pleasure/?yguid=182273618

Hugs,
Sam

Letters from Africa

I got two letters today from Kenya. They are from the boys I'm sponsoring for secondary school. I heard about them from Patricia Crossley, who does missionary work in Africa, and who writes the most amazing posts about her adventures there. She mentioned that primary schools in Africa are free, but that secondary schools cost money, and that most children cannot afford them. In a country where a salary is 75 cents a day, school is a luxury. Often it's best the child learns a good trade, but even trade schools are expensive. And bright, scholarly children often find themselves out of school and in the fields digging ditches.

Well, I wondered how much it could cost to sponsor a child so I asked Patricia. She told me that for only 50$ a month I could send a boy to boarding school where he would be clothed and fed. That seemed such a small sum that I asked to become a sponsor. I've always argued that education was the best way to help the poor, and here was a chance for me to really help. So this small sum is sending two boys through secondary school. Aberny and Saisi are my new friends. I didn't think I would be so touched when they wrote to me, but their letters and photos are now pinned to my desk where I can see them.

Aberny and Saisi write amazingly well in English. Saisi "hopes I am fine - as fine as can be"; and Aberny will be learning French and has promised me a letter in that language soon. Both are bright, over-achievers, intent on getting good grades and making something of their lives. I'm looking forward to seeing these young men grow and succeed in their undertakings.
Maybe even some day I will go and visit them in Africa, and I hope that some day they will be able to come and visit me in Europe.

Snowy day

I'm still busy with the cartoons for France Gallop, so I haven't been writing. My time travel book came out with Loose Id, it's a Highland Fling! After drawing for two days straight my hands really started to ache, so I took a break this afternoon and went for a long walk in the snow.

It was very nice - we went through the forest on an old trail that winds up around the village. We also had a snowball fight, and I ended up with snow down my neck! (don't you Hate that?)

Then I surfed for a bit on my sites and lists, and read some of the latest EC and Loose Id releases (I love e-books - instant gratification!) I stayed up too late reading though and aside my aching hands, my eyes are tired! LOL - that's what I get for reading too much!

It's supposed to snow some more tomorrow, and I hope it does. I'm so tired of the rain.