Yep, I'm at it AGAIN...

Y'all know how damn indecisive I am. My ever-changing blog layout is proof enough. It's something I'm trying to work on--seriously. My mama must not have loved me enough or some other psychobabble. Just kidding, of course, Mom. :(

Anyhow, while Jolie a fine and dandy name, and I am not giving it up because I still need an alter ego with which I can be sassy online and protect my true identity, I just wanna be me, too. I'm not exactly ready for a pen name anyhow, so there's no point to being someone I'm not, not that I'm even sure I want to be someone else once I do write something worthwhile *big breath*.

So, for the purpose of just cutting the crap already, I'm moving to a new blog, using my own name. Well, my own first name anyhow (again, that whole protecting my snarky ass thing).

Here's the link. Come visit me there if you want. Or wash your hands of my sorry behind once and for all. Your call.

:)

HALLELUJAH!

'Tis the day, people! Another semester down and only one more to go! Woohoo!

Since I'm failing to find the exact words to express my glee...I'll simply leave you with this...

Happy weekend, y'all. :)

I Feel Old!

Today, Oldest Kid turns 9 years old.

Where the hell did that time go?

Seriously, it seems like just yesterday that I went into labor with the little squirt, petrified of the pain and all that jazz, worried he'd be really small because he was 3 weeks early, and worried I'd have to settle for my MIL as my labor coach, because Hubby was working out of town and my mother was a basketcase. Thank goodness, Hubby made it in time and Oldest Kid was a little 5lbs. 13oz., but healthy as can be. Oh, and it labor wasn't all that bad with him. Now, my daughter, she's another story, but I digress...

I just can't seem to wrap my mind around the fact that I have a 9 year old child. Yes, I know how old I am...I know the numbers add up and all that. But, holy crap, I have a child that will be shooting a gun in 3 years (12 years old in WI). He'll be driving a car in 7 years. And I'll have to worry about girls somewhere in the middle. It's just...unfathomable. I mean...I certainly don't feel old enough to have had a child almost a decade ago.

Gawd. It's pretty freakin' depressing. I mean...I'm a mom. And not a young one anymore either. For cripes sake, my kid is halfway to gone and I feel like he just got here. Sigh.

I can only imagine how I'm going to feel next year when he turns 10. It'll be worse than turning 30 myself, I just know it. :(

Mom or not, do you ever take a step back, look at your life, and disbelieve that it's your own? Do you ever have a hard time grasping the reality of your age and how much time has gone by since you were actually as young as you feel you are? Reassure me, people!!

My, OH, My...

Lookie who I found last night while searching for new music to write to?






Uu-uuu-uuu-hhhh-hh-hhhhh... (that's me shiver orgasming in my seat :), BTW).

I know I'm a bit of an odd duck when it comes to my taste in men--at least the ones I use as inspiration when writing, because Hubby looks nothing like this guy...or any guy I've ever used as hero material--but this guy--Rich Luzzi of Rev Theory--just freaking does it for me. Ripped? Check. Crazy hair? Check. Bad-ass ink? Oooh, yeah. Sexy as hell voice? Holy hell, yeah. Click here to hear for yourself.

And, no, I don't just like him because he's hot. I actually heard the song first--when watching another hot guy, Randy Orton of WWE, who you may or may not know epitomizes male perfection in my book, arrogance and all. Sigh. I can't help it. I'm just a slave to tats and muscles and raw, sexual naughtiness. Don't pretend you don't have your own weaknesses. :P

Anyhow...the point of this whole post is that, while I don't know what I'm going to write on break, I now know who my hero will be modeled after. I'm thinking I should stick with what he's good at and make him a musician (then I have more reason to keep listening to Rev Theory, too), but I haven't cemented it yet. Cabana boy maybe? Masseuse?

Sigh.

Holy Long-winded!

Long time, no see...er, blog...huh? Seems I disappeared into the great unknown for awhile. Okay, so not really the unknown...but homework and kids and work all that jazz. You know...life. :)

Anyhow, I apologize to anyone who might have actually been concerned, though, come on...you know how shitty I am about blogging. It's more likely that something's wrong with me if I actually blog, like say, more than once a week. Or a month. Whatever. Just want to clarify that all is well in Jolieland. I've got a week left of school before break and, sweet Jesus, am I ever looking forward to it! Not sure exactly how long I'll be off--I'm thinking close to five weeks--but rest assured, I will be enjoying every second of it.

That said, I'm hoping to get a lot of reading done between now and next semester (my last one, I might add, thank you very much ;) ). And when I say a lot...I mean A LOT. Like half my TBR. Er...at least a quarter of it. Okay, more like an eighth, considering what once was a single shelf of books is now two...with about half that many laying around on the floor of my bedroom. Hey, I've been busy. And I'm addicted to buying books. I can't help it. And besides, it could be worse, could it not? I could be an alcoholic, drinking margaritas all day long, right? Hmm...that actually doesn't sound that bad, does it? :)

I'm also thinking about trying to write again. I say 'trying' not because I was struggling (I know...ROFLYMFAO), but because I just didn't have time. And I know...according to one Mr. Stephen King...a writer that does make me not. Or however that's supposed to go. And while I could go on and on about my plans and my excuses and whatnot, nobody really gives a shit (or at least...I'm not any different than anyone else with my trials and tribulations, so y'all can relate on some level, I'm sure, to why I've pushed writing aside for awhile). And you probably know, too, how damn hard it is to stay away from something you love so much. Pain in the ass that it can be sometimes. And that, my friends, is why I'm thinking I need to spend a little time on the horse again during my break. Might not get anything done. Okay, probably won't get anything done. But words are words, are they not? Someday they've gotta add up to something, right?

So, I haven't decided what I'm going to write yet. I think a novella maybe...something short and sweet. Something that won't be dogging me--hopefully--once January 12 and the winter semester rolls around. I'm also thinking of a Christmas setting too, because, hello, there's inspiration all around me right now. That said...I'm also thinking of doing my own version of NaNo since my time is limited. How nuts is that? I mean, really? I haven't written in months and I'm thinking of setting myself up against a pretty steep challenge right off the bat. But, as I said above about the words adding up...someday I've gotta succeed too, right? :)

And now that I've written probably the longest blog in the history of this blog...I bid you adieu. I won't make any promises, but my guess is that I'll probably be a tad better about blogging for the next few weeks. So...come back and feel free to poke sticks at me. I'll probably need it. :)

Much love...

It's Official...

Well, maybe not quite, but pretty darn close. Close enough that I can brag anyway...that my baby is no longer a baby!! She's a big girl now and she's got the Dora underoos to prove it!! Happy dance, happy dance...

This is such a bittersweet day for me. I've been waiting for her to overcome that last "baby" milestone and potty train, since she's my third and final bambino. I couldn't wait for this day, knowing that all the baby days would be behind me FOREVER. But now that it's actually here...it's kinda sad. Don't get me wrong--I'm still super stoked that I've bought my last pack of diapers. But potty training Kate signifies the irrevocable end to the baby years in my life. Oddly enough, this is a bit more sad to me than getting my tubes tied. LOL Obviously, even if I wanted to do the whole breastfeeding and midnight wake-up cries and diapers all over again, I couldn't. But I just never expected letting go of Kate's early toddlerhood to be this...well, depressing.

Before you know it she'll be driving and wanting to exchange Dora for Victoria's Secret. And while I have two sons, both of whom are older than Kate, it's her I'm really worried about growing up. She's such a little witch now I can't even imagine her at thirteen and sixteen. She's going to drive me to drink, that girl. I just know it.

Anyhow, I digress. :) Please keep us in your thoughts tonight, as we're flying sans Huggies tonight for the first time ever. And stupid Mommy didn't think to put her in jammies that she could pull up and down easily in the middle of the night (she's wearing zippered footy jammies) if she should actually wake up and have to go (not holding my breath on that one though--I'm expecting screams of wetness at 3 am). Just send all your mommy mojo my way, will ya?

Am I Crazy?

After changing my mind approximately ten gazillion times, I am now a Human/Social Services and I will graduate after I complete a required internship, which I plan on doing next summer (so I don't have to drive a ton in the snow and all that). So, the past couple of weeks I've been trying to figure out where I could do the intership (I live in the boonies) and, well, there aren't a ton of options. Or at least not many that appeal to me. I'd really love to work in the county office, but, alas, I live an hour and a half away from the county seat and that's just not going to happen. :( The only real options I have close by are nursing homes and, to be honest, the elderly are just not my thing, not to mention all the Medicare hooplah I'd have to muddle my way through.


So, I was searching online last night (hoping to broaden my horizons) when a job posting for a local business I'd completely forgetten about popped up, nearly knocking me off of my stool. This place is absolutely perfect for an intership, as I'd get lots of exposure to several different areas of the social services field. This place is also less than a half hour away. Oh, and did I mention that, if I got a job there, I'd be a federal employee with better than decent wages and benefits up the wazoo? Sounds great, right? It is...if I can get past the fact that it could be potentially life threatening.

See, this place is for delinquent teenagers from all over the country, some of whom should be in prison for crimes they've committed (though some just had really shitty home lives, too). There are even more guards than staff at this place. Get the picture?


The craziest thing of all? The more I think about trying to intern there and potentially getting a job when all is said and done, the more excited I'm getting. I've met a few of the girls who've been there when I worked at the OB/GYN office and, while it's obvious that they were "rough around the edges", they seemed to be fairly decent. I think I'd actually enjoy working with these kids. It could potentially be a very rewarding job.


Am I crazy to think this could be the place for me? I'm really hoping that I'll end up with a job wherever I intern, so I want to make sure I make the best decision possible when choosing. What do you think? Would a place like this scare the crap out of you? Or would it challenge you?

45 Days To Go...

Until I'm done with this semester of school. Sigh. I thought I had less, so realizing this is pretty darn depressing. But, alas, there is nothing I can do, except make the best of it, right? Oh, and maybe finish up my online math class early. That would cut down on some of my anxiety. Maybe. :(

Anyhow, I got a major bug up my butt to write today (cranking the radio while driving always does that to me), but then I talked myself down. I would inevitably become frustrated beyond belief...again...if I even tried to dig in right now with everything else I have on my plate and I just don't want to do that to myself. I feel like I've come such a long way from the hair-pulling, near hatred for writing that I felt earlier this year. I am really looking forward to having some time between semesters...in only 45 days...to get back into things. At least for a little while. I don't want to ruin that time before it's even started.

So, I know I'm not the only one out there who has taken time off from writing to live in the real world. If you've done it too, how long were you on hiatus? What got you back into the game? Did you think the time off was to your benefit or your detriment?

Oh where, oh where...

Has my little life gone? Oh where, oh where, could she be? :(

Seriously, what the heck is going on around here? My alternate life in cyberspace has nearly completely disappeared. I mean, I am hanging on by a teensy weensy little thread here. I feel entirely out of the loop. I haven't logged onto forums I used to "haunt" religiously. I obviously haven't been blogging (as you can tell). Needless to say, I haven't written a single word (of fiction, for leisure) in God only knows how long. Gah. Just...gah.

The thing that gets me is that fall is my absolute favorite time of the year and it's almost come and gone right before my eyes (I live in Northern WI, y'all--I saw snow flakes floating around a couple days ago). I LOVE to write in this kind of weather. I feel most inspired to do so when it's cool and fresh outside. Granted I usually prefer to write more...goody-two-shoes kinda romance in the fall (the whole nurture/nesting thing, I guess), but, hey, something would be better than nothing, right?

But, alas, there's not point in doting on things I can't change and right now I can't change to fact that school, work, kids and "real life" have got me completely...well, tangled up. :P I don't know if I'm coming or going lately. And, at the moment, I'm sick. With the normal cold/congestion crud notorious for popping up this time of year. I feel like I've been in a fog for like...the past three months. Okay, so maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but seriously...I've been quite dazed and confused for a good week.

Sigh. There's that pointless doting again, huh? Time to quit, right? :(

I'll change the subject by asking what you all have been doing lately. I haven't been blog hopping in forever, so how about throwing me a bone and just filling me in here? Pretty please...

'Charmer' Review

Just a quick post to let y'all know that we're reviewing Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips at Girls on Books right now, as the end of the month is upon us. This month, in honor of our Charmer review, I'm giving away a copy of the book to one lucky commentor. So...get your tush on over there to comment. You really do not want to miss out on this book, if you haven't read it yet. It's absolutely wonderful and a definite keeper. :P

Yup...

I completely zoned out last week's goals blog.

Okay, so I didn't really 'zone' it out. It was more of an avoidance act. Because, as usual, I didn't meet any of my goals from the previous week and why the heck should I continue blogging about things we all know I'm not going to do? I had good intentions, but I wouldn't be me if I actually followed through with them. And, yes, I do realize that's not something to gloat about.

Anyhow, as with the 30 Days of Blaze, I'm putting the writing goals on standby, too. Because, as happens every semester, I can't bring myself to write when I'm in school. It's not that I don't have the time--I do. Plenty of it. I'm just using too many of my brain cells on studying and whatnot to be able to put forth a creative effort with words. Instead of torturing myself with guilt over not writing, I'm just going to just take a step back and keep my focus on my classes. As guilt-free as I possibly can. :)

And that's all. Sorry for such a boring blog, but--you guessed it--I've got homework on my mind. :P

Hope y'all are enjoying the beautiful fall weather!! I'm hoping to get out this weekend to take some pictures of the all the colors. I'll try to post some of the pics here...

BRRRRR!!

My furnace died. And it's really cold here. Okay, so it's not snowing or anything...yet, but it's only about 40 degrees outside and 60 inside. That's about 15 degrees colder than I like (though I've compromised with the hubster, so it's usually only about 70 degrees inside during colder weather).

My nose is running. My hands are like ice and my fingers are achy and showing signs of arthritis (at 29. Gah.). The little hairs on my arms are standing up and have been for the past two hours, in a frozen state of buttass cold shock. And the guy (the only one way out in BFE) can't come to look at the furnace until tomorrow. Which means not only am I gonna freeze my ass off tonight, but so are the kids and that. Does. Not. Make. Me. Happy. GRRRRRR!!!

So, I'm gonna sleep with the boys and move Kate into bed with Daddy. I mean, I know I can be a real hardass mom sometimes (most of the time), but I just can't stand the thought of them shivering when the temp drops down to 50 in here tonight. :(

So, this'll be us...apparently with a foster kidlet as well. :)

A Little Change

To clarify that we don't only read romance at Romantic Bites, we've changed our name and our URL. You can now find us at Girl on Books (http://girlsonbooks.wordpress.com/). Or you can click the banner below. Don't forget we hold a contest every month and September is my turn to give something away. Come on over and check it out. :P

Hey...

Check this out if you're an aspiring writer. Of course, it's not the end all, be all, secret to success or anything, but it's always nice to read about the struggles and successes of pubbed authors. I think the advice on setting goals is awesome (not that I do so well with setting goals, but you know...).

Oh, crud...

It's Friday morning and, oh, um, well, I haven't posted my Wednesday night goals. :(

Heck, I don't even remember what goals I set for last week, but I'm pretty sure I didn't meet them. Again. Gah.

This week though, dagnabit, I am going to do as I say! I have the next four days off, so there is no reason I can't knock off a few goals.

So...that said, this week I'm going to:

• Write. A lot. I changed a major plot idea and now I have to essentially start over on my WIP. That's a bit disheartening, but I'm trying not to let it deter me from getting back on the horse. (Damn, I fall off a lot, don't I?)
• Outline my WIP to the end, so I have some direction.
• Help Moira get out of the rut and back into the groove with K&D.
• Clean my bedroom closet. (Now that I write that, I remember I had it on my list last week, too. LOL Oh, well. :P)

FINALLY!

So, I'm a little late getting to this because life's been freakin' crazy the past couple of weeks, but better late than never, right? ;)

It's official, folks. My writer pal Rachel, who finished a book, found an agent, and sold in record time, can finally talk publically about the fantabulous book deal she got last spring. Let me tell you, it was quite humbling to crit for her (not that I really had any work to do LOL), because the girl is crazy talented and, let me be quoted as saying, she is 'the next big thing'. ;) Her story is amazing and her ride has been wild. I am sooooo proud of her and if you're an aspiring writer, you're guaranteed to be inspired by her story. :)

Wednesday Night Check-in...

Just to tell you that I essentially "checked out" last week. I only accomplished two of my five (I think) goals. And that cake I mentioned when stating my writing goal? Well, considered smeared all over my face now, because I wrote a whopping 1500 words since last Tuesday night--a far cry from my 9k goal. :(

Yes, I know I've been busy--school starting, new job, getting the kids ready for school too...--but geez. I'm pretty bummed that I didn't get more done. I sure hope this week is better. So, that said...here we go.

This week's goals:

• Reach the 50% mark with my WIP, which means I need 10k this week. Hmm. That's a pretty steep goal, but I'm not going to decrease it. Just gotta try, right?
• Get ahead on homework (Ch 3 & 4 for DP, Ch 4 & 5 for BM) and rewrite Bio notes.
• Clean out my bedroom closet.

And that's it. I'm not going to go too overboard only to slack off again and just get deeper and deeper in the hole. :)

Sniffle

Tonight was my first night at the new job. And my piggies are killing me. Okay, my legs in general are killing me. Seriously, I don't think I've been on my feet for nine straight hours in years. Probably since the last time I waitressed and even then I probably sat down for a few minutes to snag dinner or something. Not tonight though. And it wasn't even busy really, but I had to be on my best behavior since I was training with the manager.


Gah. I'm wiped. I'm actually kinda afraid to go to sleep because I don't know if I'll be able to walk in the morning. :( Yeah, I know I'm being dramatic, but *whine* I really hurt. And I really want one of these.

And one of these...

Oh and one of these, too, preferrably at that location.

Sigh.

What?!?!

Woman Jailed for Unpaid Library Fees

What a waste of time, taxes, and gas money! Don't get me wrong--I think this chick shoulda paid up, considering she only owed $30 freakin' dollars--but a warrant and cuffs? Come on! (Okay, I'll admit I'm from WI and know people who live where this woman does, so maybe it hits a bit closer on my annoyance radar than it might yours. :P) But...just...gah. How dumb.

Anyhow...news in the world of Jolie is that today is my last day of babysitting for a living! I'm counting down the hours until MARGARITA TIME!! I'm making a pitcher, I'm starting early, and I'm not quitting 'til it's all gone. I might not last that long LOL, but I'm sure as hell going to try. :P

I might also note that my blog may be quiet for the next couple of days as I really get cracking on my goal list and get ready for class again on Monday morning. Not sure what kind of blogging routine I'll fall into after that, but I can't imagine it'll be to different than it is now--just random, completely pointless, vomituous (is that even a word?) purging sessions that don't mean anything to anyone but me. :)

So, have a great weekend and the next time you see me, I'll be gloriously (*looks heavenward*) children-who-aren't-mine free. :P

Well...

I got a job. As a waitress. In a place that I worked at while in high school and on and off in college. The first time around. :(

Yeah. I pretty much took a step back in time. Heck, I'm even doing the whole college thing again to go right along with the burger-slinging. But, while I'd love to work some place more glamorous--and more fitting to my education--it just wasn't happening. And I can't afford to wait around until something more ideal comes along. My husband thinks it's funnier than hell, but he is seriously glad for the extra money that'll be coming in. Again while I wish the job were a bit better--okay, a lot better--it's super close to home (I could walk if I was ambitious enough) and I'll be making more than I would at an office job, considering tips and whatnot. Oh, and it's part-time, which means...MORE TIME FOR WRITING! Score! LOL

I'll find out my schedule for the next couple of weeks tomorrow, so keep your fingers crossed that I get some decent shifts. :)

This Week In Goals

Inspired by Betty who was inspired by Moira, I'm going to make a point of blogging my weekly goals, probably every Wednesday night. Complicated story, but as of next week, Wednesday will be like my Friday night, which is usually when I really start to dig into writing for the week. So for the purpose of being publically accountable, we'll consider Wednesday night the beginning of my writing week. :) (And, yeah, I know it's only Tuesday right now. I'll get officially on track next week. :P)

So, anyhoo...my goals this week are:

• Reach 23k in my WIP by Wednesday night. That's 9k in seven days. Cake, I tell ya, cake.
• Finish crit for CP. I want to finish it before I get bogged down with school, which begins on Monday. DONE!!
• Get a jumpstart on the group review book this month for Romantic Bites. Um...wait. I think we're reviewing next week, which means I'll have to do more than get a start on it--I'll have to finish it. Eek.
• Read the first chapters of the books for my upcoming classes. (I know it's not writing related, but, hey, it needs to get done. :P)
• Email CPs/writing friends whom have been very patiently waiting for responses from me. For like...weeks. :( DONE!!

And that'd be all, I think. I better not add anything else or I'll be setting myself up to bomb my goals on the first week. :(

So, tell me...what goals have you set for yourself lately?

Meet the Cast

I wanted to do this differently. I wanted to be all organized and tell you all about the main characters in my new WIP--you know, all their conflict and their quirks and their shoe size... But, well, I don't know that stuff yet. Which is really odd for me. I'm just kinda flying by the seat of my pants with this and learning more and more about them every time I sit down to write. However, after playing around online yesterday and not writing more than...700 words?...I found nearly perfect pics of my H and h. Okay, so I had something different in mind for the hero (I wanted him to have spikey hair), but then I saw this pic and fell in love. Seriously. I can't stop looking at it. I even printed it out so I could stare and drool. For motivational purposes, of course. :) But anyhow, without further ado...

Meet Bryony and AJ (last names yet to be determined). Aren't they gorgeous? I know, I know...too perfect. But...I'll flaw them up somehow. Maybe Bryony will have a sixth toe or something. And AJ...hmm. How about I give him a forked tongue? Wait, no...that could be considered an asset, couldn't it? ;)

Bryony...

AJ... Eddie (antagonist)...

Ruth (foil/reflective)...

Almost Forgot

I'd like the thank the lovely Moira Keith for her creative genius--my new header. :)

What would I do without you, chica? :P xo

ROFL

Okay, I love this song. But I'm so glad that I didn't see this video until about two minutes ago or I think it would have totally ruined the song for me. 'Course, I was 10 when the song came out and I probably would've thought the video rocked. :P Anyhow, it strikes me as pretty damn funny now. The part where the chick mouths 'I love you' to Eric from the other car and he get's all Dana Carvey/Garth Algar? OMFG. I almost peed my pants. Don't even get me started on the hair...

But seriously, the video aside, I love this song and stole the title of it for my WIP. The title I really liked is already on a Blaze in my TBR pile and 'Make Me Lose Control' is probably out there somewhere too, but I'm not looking or it'll burst my bubble.

ETA: I couldn't quite put my finger on it yesterday, but Eric Carmen reminded me of someone. I finally figured it out!! CLAY AIKEN!!! ROFLMFAO...

Er...

I am hereby suspending '30 Days of Blaze'. I'm writing again and, if you're a writer too, then you know that anything that's not life-threatening gets pushed to the side when the words are flowing.

So, that said...it's back to the WIP for me.

Happy weekend, y'all!

A Little Fun

Here's a Wordle for my currenty WIP...

30DoB-Day 4

Well, I'm four days in and already behind. In fact, I only read 15 pages of the new book. I have a good excuse though...

I'm totally getting into this new story I have. Actually, I've written quite a bit in the past two days. For me anyhow. And I just don't want to stop for anything. I know I should probably slow down and take my time, make things easier on myself in the long run as far as editting goes, but, damn, this story is pulling me in. I haven't had one fall into place so well in...maybe ever?

So, forgive me, if I get behind on my promised reading. A girl--or rather, a writer--has to prioritize, doesn't she? :)

30DoB-Day 3

I'm running a bit behind today. I could lie and say it was because the kids had me tied up and pulling my hair out (well, they did have me doing that), but really I just hadn't finished yesterday's book until a bit ago. :( I actually wrote last night instead, if you can believe it. Not a lot. Only four pages worth. But it's not half bad and I'm really liking this new story. I think it has a lot of potential and I can't seem to stop thinking about it. Of course, bad me...I didn't write down any of the ideas I had today. Hopefully they'll come back to me when I sit down to write later on.

But, anyway...on with the show. MY WILDEST RIDE by Isabel Sharpe. Pretty good book. I absolutely loved the heroine, who was probably one of the most flawed heroines (if you really consider mistakes we've all made, in some form, genuine flaws) I've ever read in a Blaze. She had some serious issues and her conflict with them was legit. I would have reacted the same way she did, which I can't say is typical--I tend to get irritated by characters more than I sympathize. I loved the hero, as well, but I felt he lacked in the personal conflict department (heroine aside). His only issue, again, non-heroine related, was easily resolved and really posed no major conflict for him. But, I suppose, Blazes are--or rather can be--more character than conflict oriented. Again...the sex was fabulous, but in a very down-to-earth, normal people kind of way. I loved that, just like I did the last book. It gets tiresome reading about multiorgasmic sex, when, in reality, that's not the norm. Or, at least, if it is...don't tell me. ;)

So, tonight's pick is...(let me go to the pile and grab)...FIRE IN THE BLOOD by KELLEY ST. JOHN.

Ooh, a paranormal. Haven't read a para Blaze in a while and, come to think of it, I don't know that I've ever read Kelley before, so...this should be interesting. Oh, it's about a firefighter, too. What the heck? I really have to get on the stick with my firefighter stories. Or at least the one I've rough drafted already. Sigh.

Anyhow...you know the drill. I'll be back tomorrow...

30DoB-Day 2

So far, so good...I'm on schedule still. Granted, I'm only one day in, but, hey, every day counts, right? :P

I finished FLASHPOINT last night, which was really no big feat because it was a very easy read. And pretty good, too. I felt it lacked a bit in the action department--something I took for granted, the book being about a firefighter and an EMT--but the tension, chemistry, and ultimate coming together (pun fully intended) struck me as uber realistic and completely endearing. It was the little things about Zach and Brooke's relationship, like the teasing and the hugs, that sold me. Oh, and the while the sex scenes were hot, Jill never used a single "c" word to describe anatomy, which is a first for me with a Blaze. The sex scenes focused so much on the emotion of those moments that sexual description wasn't even needed, which is the way it's supposed to be. (Making a note to refer to this book when writing my own sex scenes.)

The next book I've pulled, by closing my eyes and simply grabbing is...MY WILDEST RIDE by ISABEL SHARPE.

Oh, yay. I've been meaning to read this one, because, if rumors are true, Isabel and I both live in WI. Okay, I just looked her up and she lives in Milwaukee, which is on the opposite end of the state from me, but I still feel as though we're kindred spirits of some sort. ;) As with today, I'll let you know what I think about the story tomorrow (or maybe this afternoon, if I finish early) and I'll pick my next read.

30 Days of Blaze

I got my new shipment of Harlequin Blazes today. It's the 11th in the my year's subscription, which was the prize I received for being one of three winners in Harlequin's Ultimate Secret contest last September. You can read the entry here if you'd like, but note it's under my real name and somewhere along the way, my opening sentence went missing. :( (FYI...the sentence was--should anyone want to actually read it--"Life as Carmela Winfield knew it--for the last eight months anyhow--was about to end.")

Anyhow, upon stuffing my new books onto my bookshelf, I realized I had A TON of unread Blazes staring back at me. Well, a ton might be an exaggeration...it's actually 32 books and I'm pretty sure I have about 5 tucked in inconspicous places around the house, only partially read, as well. Of course, I have a bunch of other books on my TBR shelf, too, but not nearly as many belonging to the same category or the same genre.

So, taking into consideration that I want to write Blaze (I know I've battled this repeatedly, but I truly think in my heart of hearts this is what I want. If you're someone I've whined and cried about this to--about what my voice is, etc.--I'm sorry. You can slap me if you'd like. *grin*), the fact that I can easily read a Blaze in a day, and that I want to start writing again once I ditch this babysitting gig, it seems like I really ought to get cracking on all of those books, doesn't it? :)

Now, I know I'm notorious for flaking on my goals, but I'm going to set yet another. I'm going to read a Blaze a day for the next 30 days, reviewing them at my whim and/or picking them apart to help sharpen my understanding of the category, which will hopefully make my next, impending attempt at writing more successful.

So--deep breath--tonight I'm going to begin...and hopefully finish...(picking randomly from the pile here)....FLASHPOINT by JILL SHALVIS.


Damn, that's ironic. I was so pissed when I got this book and realized someone was already onto the firefighter series idea I'd had last November with my NaNo story, which would have been the first of three firefighter books. But I've since gotten over my jealousy--I love Jill and couldn't hate her for too long ;) . I know this will be a fabulous book and I can't wait to dig in and let you know all about it tomorrow.

Hugs...

Getting Down To Business. Again.

So, I begin another semester of community college in two weeks. TWO WEEKS!! Holy crap, this summer went by fast. As did all of my goals...that is, they went quickly by the wayside. :( I seriously got nothing done this summer. Nothing. Oh, wait... I did write 11K of a new novel over a weeks time, but I lost interest in that just as quickly as I'd gained it. But, I digress...

I have my stack of new books sitting right beside me and, strangely enough, I'm anxious to dig in already. One might think that I'm so excited because the end is nearing for me. But... I changed my major AGAIN and I have no idea how long it's going to take me to finish now. I'm waiting to hear about my 'graduation audit', which will tell me what I still need. Fingers crossed that I won't lose a whole semester's worth of electives because they don't meet my new major requirements. My husband will have a shitfit if that's the case, because he's more than ready for me to get a job. Which I'm still looking for, BTW, but without much luck.

So, because I have this sneaky suspicious that I'm going to be an unemployed student (and mother and wife) for awhile, I'm guessing I might have some time to write. Hahahahaha. I know. I'm forever saying that, but I never get anything done. But seriously. If all I'm doing is school work and my normal houseslave stuff, I should be able to get something done writing-wise. If I don't, well, then something is just wrong.

Since I don't really want to start reading my new textbooks yet (because that'd be really lame and also because I'll probably forget what I've read in two weeks time), I'm going to pull out my craft books and CDs again to 'refresh' my memory. And that's probably what I'm going to be blogging about for the next couple of weeks, so bear with me. :)

Anyhoo, I must be off. My Monday morning cleaning awaits...

That Damn Indecision Again

So I've changed my layout yet again. That makes about twelve times in the past two days. :( I can never be happy with anything for more than two minutes. Frankly, my husband is lucky to have held my interest as long as he has. ;)

Back to the layout, though... I know it's not all pretty and girlie like one might expect from me, but something about it...calls...to me. The outdoor images remind me of scenes I've seen around here in the fall. And the chair seems very "readerly" to me. And I am a reader as well as a writer (wannabe anyhow). So...we'll give this one a whirl for a bit. See if it wears out its welcome before the day is through...

BTW, I'm trying to come up with a more interesting way of blogging. It may or may not include a schedule of some sort (I know...haha. Me on a schedule. What a joke.). Change is making its way into my life, slowly but surely and I hope that it allows me some more time to play around with things here. I'll keep ya posted...

Tell Me I'm Beautiful...

:) I stole that directly from Moira McTark's Samhain release Nothing Stays in Vegas, which was great, BTW. I mean, you know you've read a good story when you recall bits and pieces of it and think, "What movie was that from? Man, I've gotta see that again." Er...and it wasn't even a movie. ;)

Anyhow...I have a new blog layout as I'm sure you can see. Way down at the bottom of the page is a link to the fabulous Lena's blog (or you can just click here). She does some great work, but the trick to downloading is having Firefox and doing all of your copying, pasting, etc. in it, as well. As with any free template, there are some glitches. I can change fonts and colors and whatnot as I wish, but I have to log in repeatedly in order to see my 'New Post/Customize/Log Out" bar at the top of the screen. Otherwise...I love it.

And now I'm off to cut the lawn. I'll be back to fix my sidebar later tonight. :)

Christmas in July

Yep, it's Christmas at my desk right now. I'm writing a short story that I'm hoping will find a home this year, but I realize I'm a little late getting into the game with the holiday season being only 5 months away (gasp! Isn't that nuts?). It doesn't really matter to me if it is too late (which I won't know until I sub it), because, holy whah, is listening to Xmas music therapeutic! I had a whopper of a headache not that long ago and I was anxious to the point of squirming in my seat. But a little Faith Hill and Where Are You, Christmas? later, I feel like I've had a few glasses of hot, spiked apple cider. Heck, this is some pretty cheap emotional therapy. I'm disappointed I didn't think to do this before!

Anyhow...this story is calling me, so back at it I go. If I finish before I leave this weekend (hubby's cousin is getting married and Middle Kid is the ringbearer), I'll post an excerpt. My very first excerpt! :) Until then...hope you're having a great week! If not, I swear...dig out the holiday tunes and all will be well in no time! :P

I Need...

ONE OF THESE!!

Or all three. Whatever.

Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of a gourmet coffee shop within the next 25 or so miles, so I'm going to try to make my own. I found this recipe online here.

ICED MOCHA LATTE

1 1/2 cups strong hot brewed coffee
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons chocolate syrup, such as Hershey’s
1 cup ice cold milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Handful or so crushed ice
Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for garnish
1 small piece semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, for garnish

I'm not sure about the brown sugar. Think that's really necessary? I don't. I'm gonna skip it. I'll let you know how it turns out. :)

Do you have any fabulous at-home coffee recipes you're willing to share? I've only gotten into the coffee thing over the past couple of years or so and even then I only allowed myself to indulge when I'd be out and about shopping with my mom and little sis. So, I'm kinda wet behind the ears, so to speak, about all the fancy schmancy kinds of drinks out there. Throw a few at me. I'll give 'em a try and maybe, just maybe I'll be able to blame YOU for my next addiction. Wouldn't that be fun? :P

Still Waiting

For news as to whether I'll be getting a job or not. :(

I'm kinda bummed. Especially after dealing with the zoo animals (aka the kids) this morning. Realistically, I couldn't start until the end of August anyhow--and they (being my prospective new bosses) know this. So...there really isn't any hurry on them calling me back. But...I'd really like to know. So I can make a really funky countdown calendar (I'm thinking like an Advent calendar with chocolate :) ) and celebrate the hell out of every day I get through. But, alas, I'll just have to be patient. Good things come to those who wait, right? :)

Oh a positive note, I'm writing again. Okay, so I haven't written for a couple of days, but I wrote a ton on Sunday (more than 6k!! Go me!!). It's been virtually impossible considering the monkeys swinging off the chandeliers and what not. :( I'm hoping for a super productive weekend again and my ultimate goal is to have the rough draft finished by the middle of August so I can let it sit and simmer a bit while I settle into another semester of school. Then maybe have it edited and off to CPs by mid-October so I can start something new for NaNo (OMG, can you believe I'm talking about NaNo already? Wasn't the last one, like, just yesterday?).

Anyhow, that's all that's new in my neck of the woods. What's going on in yours?

The Scoop on NGTCC...

The Romance Divas annual Not Going to Conference Conference will make you feel a bit less deprived! Amazing workshops, a star-studded guest list and awesome giveaways, all on the Diva forum! Don't miss it!

Coordinated by Seeley deBorn!

Here's a bit of a schedule update for the Q&As and Workshops...

Wednesday, July 30

Paula Guran, Editor, Juno Books
Q&A on Creating Kick a** Heroines

Laurie Rauch, Editor, Samhain Publishing
Workshop on What Happens After the Contract (aka Editors are People Too!)*


Thursday July 31

Joyce Hart, Hartline Literary
Q&A on Inspirational Romance Stories and the Inspy Market

Sandra Schwab, Historical Romance Author
Workshop on Historical Accuracy and Anachronisms

Friday, August 1

Yolanda Sfetsos, Author of Guarded by Stone
Q&A on Paranormal and Urban Fantasy World Building

Katie MacIver, KatieDidDesign
Workshop on Website Design and Color Selection

Saturday, August 2

Joey W. Hill, Erotica Author
Workshop on Plotting Erotica and Erotic Romance

Rhonda Stapleton, Editor and Author
Workshop on Style and Voice

Excited yet?

How about if I list some door prizes?

• What Gwen said" mug donated by Gwen Hayes
• 3-chapter critique of a YA by Simon Pulse author Rhonda Stapleton
• 3-chapter critique of a YA, chick lit, or rom com by Golden Heart Finalist Amanda Brice
• An ebook of your choice from Nell Dixon's backlist
• An ebook of either Second Sight (paranormal romance) or Dragons' Choice (fantasy romance - dragon-shifters) from Debbie Mumford
• Ten dollar Amazon gift certificate from Jodi Henley
• Lush stuff from Seeley deBorne
• e-book copy of Chasing Shadows from Erin Richards
• Paperback copy of Iron Horse Rider OR Smiling Eyes from Adelle Laudan
• Book thongs from Angeleque Ford
• 3 chapter critique from Sela Carsen
• winner's choice of ebook copy of "Not Quite Dead" or "Heart of the Sea" by Sela Carson
• e-book copy of HEATWAVE by Eden Bradley
• e-book copy of BREAKING SKYE by Eden Bradley
• a box of goodies, trade and paperbacks, bath products candles, etc... All for a fun and relaxing home spa day treat. courtesy of The Midnight Moon Cafe
• 1 download each of Natasha Moore's Samhain books, The Ride of Her LIfe and The Passion-Minded Professor
• a copy of "Painted Soul" by Mary Quast
• e-book copy of HER CINDERELLA COMPLEX by Jenna Bayley-Burke - Samhain
• e-book copy of PAR FOR THE COURSE by Jenna Bayley-Burke - Samhain
• e-book copy of FOUND by Jenna Bayley-Burke - Wild Rose Press
• e-book copy of NIGHT OF INSPIRATION by Jenna Allen - Phaze
• e-book copy of ON AGAIN by Jenna Allen - Phaze
• $10 gc to Amazon from Kendal Corbitt
• ebook Vampire Oracle: Harmony by MG Braden

Plus a lovely bar of wonderful Chagrin Valley hand made soap, Caramel Pralines jar candle, handmade jewelry, Tarot readings, a Lush box for European Divas/Dudes, a $10 fictionwise gc and much more!

New Diva Release

Maggie McCleary’s departure from her life as a cat burglar had been a choice. Her return was not. She can't deny the erotic thrill of the work. Now, with her father Sam held captive, she must pull one last job and that old excitement is getting the better of her.

Flush with success, she stands before the open safe but a strong voice and steel grip from her past brings her back to reality, and she gives in to the surge of desire. Trevor is the one who got away, or rather the one who deserted her, leaving their life of crime behind. But if the old thrill is back, so is the old flame, along with an attraction that never died.

He is the lead detective charged with trapping the famed cat burglar, Sam McClearey, but he wasn't expecting to find Maggie again. Determined to protect her at any cost, Trevor takes her into his own form of protective custody, agreeing to help her find her father’s kidnappers. As they work together to smoke out those shadowy figures trying to frame her, desire flares between them, setting Maggie's world reeling. Trevor left her broken hearted, and now it seems he loves someone else. But neither can deny the passion consuming them, and Maggie knows she must find the kidnappers to get her own life back. With single-minded resolve, Trevor vows to protect her even if he has to keep her under lock and key, or follow her through every escape attempt to keep her safe.

Available now!

I'll also be reviewing An Unwilling Thief at Romantic Bites on Friday, so come on over and check it out! Don't forget about the July contest!

Not Going To Conference?

Check out the "Not Going to Conference" Conference at Romance Divas! :P

Girl Friday

Rather than randomly posting reviews at Romantic Bites, we've decided to go to a schedule to make things easier and it turns out my day will be Friday. :P This week I'm reviewing Sophie Kinsella's Remember Me? (big surprise since I've talked about it enough,huh?) so stop on by and check it out. And don't forget to comment so you get entered into the July contest for a $40 online B&N gift card!

So, I've Made The Decision...

After months of dancing around the inevitable--my disgust and hatred with doing informal, at-home daycare--I've finally decided to call it quits. Of course, the moms of the kids I watch don't know it yet and they won't until I've solidified a new job for myself, but my time as a Kool-Aid and hot dog wench is slowly but surely dwindling.

My plan (or my hope) is to have a job by the time school starts at the end of August. I'll only be working part time, which will get me out of the house (halleluiah!) three days a week and will also end up paying me slightly better (double halleluiah!). I'm kinda bummed because obviously I won't be able to run over to the computer to jot down any fantabulous ideas I might have story-wise during the day, but I think in the long run, getting out and not having kids under my feet all the time will help my creativity or lack thereof.

I am so excited. :P I mean, my job won't be anything super exciting (if I get the one I'm shooting for), but it's close to home and it's flexible, which is important for me still having two semesters of college left and still having little kids of my own.

And that's all. :) Hope y'all are having a great Thursday. Anyone have superawesome plans for the weekend? Anyone have a 'going back to work' story you want to share?

And We're Back...

To sum up my weekend away in one word...meh. While it was...okay...it wasn't nearly as fun and relaxing as Memorial Day was. The park was so packed (quiet, though, if you can believe it), that we couldn't look away from the kids for a second without worrying about them wandering off into someone else's campsite and eating all their food (I swear they ate nonstop!).

The only exciting things that happened all involved my middle kid. The first was when our 120lb. Lab took him (40lbs) for a walk...er, slide...down the middle of the gravel road. Surprisingly the road rash wasn't too bad, but you'd have guessed the poor kid had been gutted by the amount of screaming he did. But as if that wasn't bad enough, he fell out of our pop-up camper that night, too. Yeah. Fell out. Somehow the little shit managed to get his feet down between the cushion and canvas. He broke the bungee rope thingy that holds the canvas tucked in place under the camper and slipped right out. I woke up to him screaming (lucky me...we were sharing a bed) and when I went to reach for him, all I got was a hand and his head...no body. Needless to say, I woke up hubby and made him go outside to get the poor, dangling, nearly beheaded kid. In his underwear. No way was I going out there because the morning before someone found cougar tracks on the beach. (Cougars might be all normal for you...but they were supposedly exterminated from our area a hundred years ago. Of course, they'd have to show up again when my kid decides to play Houdini in the middle of the night. All I could think of the next night was what would have happened if said cougar was perusing our campsite at the same time my kid did his partial disappearing act. Gah.)

Anyhow...the good news is I finished Sophie Kinsella's Remember Me? and I absolutely loved it. A bit slow going at first, but it ended up being fabulous and I'll of course be reviewing it at Romantic Bites within the next few days. :)

So, how was your 4th? Do anything fun? Have anything good to drink? I've got a story about what I drank this weekend, but I'll save that for later in the week. It's rather funny. Or at least in my drunken stupor, I thought it was pretty damn funny. Hehe...

Review at Romantic Bites

I've reviewed Good In Bed by Jennifer Weiner at Romantic Bites. You can click here if you want to, to go read it. But, really, all you need to know is that you HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK! Hands down my favorite in a very long time.

And, BTW, I'm out for the weekend now. I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th! Hugs...

A-Campin' We Will Go...

So, we're camping again this weekend. But while I was absolutely dreading the adventure on Memorial Day, I am pretty excited about this trip. I'm not much for roughing it in general--I like to pee without having to worry about spiders, thank you very much--but I've decided that spending days out in the middle of the woods, out of the house, away from the phone, away from work...is pretty much the best thing ever. I mean, I'm more or less stuck in the house, I'd say, about 24/6 with kids, both my own and the ones I watch. It's no wonder the walls feel like they're closing in most days! I need space...and air...and quiet. Even if it means cringing in fear and whimpering like a baby every time I have to pee.

Anyhow, since I didn't get a lick of writing done last time and I think I might have read a whopping four pages, I'm downsizing my goodie bag this weekend. This time, instead of toting the Alphie, a bunch of paper and all my favorite pens, and seven or so books, I'm only bringing with me the two books in this post, Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella and The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen. I just got both in the mail and I've yet to read either of the authors, though I'm excited as heck because both have gotten some fabulous reviews, and frankly, after a year or so of reading a bunch of crap I mistakenly thought I wanted to write, I could use some quality, you know?

I'm wondering if you've read either of these authors? These books perhaps? What'd you think? Will I be glad I brought them along or would you recommend I grab another book or two as back-up?

Thanks! Hope your Fourth of July weekend is as fabulous as I plan on mine being!

Pimpin'...

...my girls at Romantic Bites!!

Can I just say that Betty, Moira, and Rowan are coolest bunch of cats in, like, the whole world? Okay, well at least the forty-eight contiguous States. I mean, I imagine Alaska's pretty chilly and then there's my sexy, cool as hell dream man Raoul Bova in Italy (let me just think he still lives there, 'kay? Otherwise y'all might have to pass the hat to bail me out of jail for stalking).

Anyhow, I digress... If you haven't checked out Bites yet, I give you permission to click here right now and leave my blog so you can see for yourself. These chicas are down to earth girls, just like you and me, who love to read and aren't afraid to give it to ya straight. 'It' being their opinions, of course.

So, seriously...go check it out. Oh, and did I mention that the Bites girls will be giving away a little something, something in July to commemorate the new blog? Well, we are. And it's gonna be awesome. Stay tuned, or rather keep clicking, for the details.

Review at Romantic Bites

My review of Kiss of Fire by Deborah Cooke is up at Romantic Bites.

Take a gander on over...

Mosaic Me...

A little glimpse into who I am... Who knew I was so colorful. Haha...

So, I stole this idea from another blog. (Okay, I stole it from my old blog, but it was so fun I had to do it here, too.) Here's what you do:

Enter your answers to the following questions into Flickr Search and choose an image from the first page of options. Copy the image addy into Big Huge Labs Mosaic Maker (after you format your columns and rows and whatnot). Copy the whole mosaic when done and paste to your blog. Don't forget to grab and paste the HTML code also. Credit and all that jazz. Now go forth and mosaic yourself. :P

1. What’s your first name?
2. What’s your favorite food, right now?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. What is your favorite drink?
7. What is your dream vacation?
8. What is your favorite dessert?
9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. What is one word that describes you?
12. What is your Flickr name?

My credits... 1. Jolie, 2. Grilled Veggie Panini, 3. Ponte vecchio, 4. Fall reflections, 5. imghenryfc5, 6. Tipsy, 7. Red boat - Venice, 8. a little too sweet, 9. "Timemachines", 10. Before the sunset, the kids play in the sand, 11. marble{licious} ........, 12. there's nothing better than summer

Welcome...

To my new and hopefully improved blog. I figured a new name deserved a new layout. Stay tuned for more, including my former identity, in the near future.