tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178403482024-03-08T04:14:16.145+01:00Everyone Needs A SpareLorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.comBlogger189125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-50400448621762877182010-09-13T02:07:00.003+02:002010-09-13T02:13:49.032+02:00Unreliable narratorLast month, my local RWA chapter had a little bit of free time during our meeting. So we did a writing exercise. We were supposed to write about a narrator who was either more or less than they purported to be, and give hints as to their reality through settings, dialogue, etc. In other words, an unreliable narrator. <br /><br />My results were kind of quite a bit out of my normal writing - 1st person, male, about a topic that's not particularly romancy at all. And my blog was looking so lonely and neglected, I figured I'd toss it up as a mini free read. Mind you, this is totally rough and unedited. I ran spell check and that's about it. *g*<br /><br />***<br /><br />I’d gone out on the roof for a cigarette at a time that wasn’t my official break. Right there, you know I’m no stinking hero, right? <br /><br />Heroes don’t sneak away from their desk because they think they might slam their manager’s head in the desk if they changed the font on our mailers for the fifteenth time. That morning. (Yesterday, he thought comic sans was the best font ever and wouldn’t be swayed. Until he saw papyrus.) <br /><br />At a little past nine thirty the door to the stairwell swung shut behind me. <br /><br />I was still fishing my lighter out of my pocket when I saw her. <br /><br />I didn’t even know who she was. Jimmy and I had spent plenty of time over lunch talking about the hot chicks at the company and I was pretty sure we knew ‘em all. <br /><br />This one would have been pretty hard to miss, after all. She was blond, for one thing, and I like blondes. A lot. Little china-doll features, with a button nose and big blue eyes. Only problem was the nose was red at the tip and her eyes were almost completely bloodshot.<br /><br />I couldn’t see her legs where they dangled over the edge of the roof, which was a shame. I’m a leg man. Her rack was nice in the tiny-strapped top she wore. It looked like she was ready for a night of clubbing rather than working at Struthers and Brant, Inc. <br /><br />I sat beside her. It’s not like there’s benches up there. Just flat, stinking asphalt. <br /><br />She looked at me, and I couldn’t help but see that her eyes were welling up with tears. From the looks of her pink-splotched cheeks, she’d been at it a while. <br />It was either head it off or spend my whole illicit break listening to sobs. And really, who wants to deal with that? “Rough night?” I asked.<br /><br />She sniffled. Turned her face out over the street. I know we were twenty stories up, but you’d have thought someone would have noticed her before. Then I wouldn’t have stumbled into this crap. <br /><br />Her shoulders lifted. “Not great.”<br /><br />I stuck my cig in my mouth finally. Wrong side first. Tar flecked across the tip of my tongue. I yanked it out and flipped it. The lighter did a weird little shake and jump as I tried to light it. <br /><br />I pushed out a slow breath and tried again. Hot rough smoke burned down my throat. Thank God. <br /><br />Always need a smoke to deal with crying broads. <br /><br />“You know, the Denny’s on fifth is a much better after-club stop.” I blew smoke out into the wild blue yonder, then swallowed. A weird lump had taken up residence in my throat. I needed to quit the damn things. “The hash browns are damn good. Sop up any extra booze.”<br /><br />Her lashes blinked so rapidly I thought they were waving at me. “I didn’t drink anything.” Her shoulders lifted in that same shrug. “Well, I didn’t think I did.”<br /><br />“But?” Weird. I didn’t think I had that in me, that soft soothing tone. Ma had gotten right pissed at me plenty of times for not showing enough sympathy to her cat, Mr. Whiskens. <br /><br />“But I woke up out here. And...” Her voice broke. <br /><br />I didn’t much figure I should touch her, though. <br /><br />She shuddered. “I hurt,” she said in a voice so quiet I could barely hear it over the rush of wind and the pigeons swooping nearby. <br /><br />I took another drag of my smoke. “There’s only one thing to do about that,” I said. “We’ll take you to the doctor’s.”<br /><br />“Yeah?”<br /><br />I nodded. Really, if she needed that pointed out, it seemed the least I could do. “Yeah.”<br /><br />She scrubbed a hand over her face. The cloudy dazed look finally slipped away. She turned her pert ass and brought her legs over to the safe side. She shook a little as she stood. <br /><br />At the door to the stairwell, she stopped. Looked at me. Her eyes were still watery. “I was gonna jump.” <br /><br />I held open the door. “I know.”LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-17781764158925533512010-07-22T16:20:00.002+02:002010-07-22T16:34:04.997+02:00Jazz Baby's new reviewSo....Kinda empty in here, isn't it? And I have no one to blame but myself. The longer you leave a blog alone, the harder it is to come back. You (or at least I) feel like whatever you post when you come back has to be epic. Funny. Interesting in a way that says "Look, this is why I was gone so long! I was preparing this perfect post!"<br /><br />I wasn't preparing something perfect. Obviously. ;)<br /><br />But, look! I got a lovely review from <a href="http://sonomalass.vox.com/library/post/im-jazzed-baby.html">Sonomalass</a>. That's definitely worth posting for. *pets pretty-pretty review* Even better, I popped her iPad's ereader cherry. I think that's probably the closest I'll get to an iPad for a long, long time. (The ones I fondle at Best Buy don't count because they let just anyone pet them. They're slutty like that.) <br /><br />Anyhoo, if anyone does happen to be floating around here looking for me, I'm on <a href="http://twitter.com/LorelieBrown">twitter</a>. Actually I'm on twitter a lot... Like, a LOT. Feel free to hunt me down.LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-60313088996910809242010-05-12T02:12:00.002+02:002010-05-12T02:20:03.840+02:00Fuck mediocrityA lot of stuff has dropped on my head the past two days. Separately, any one of them would be a bummer but all together... It kind of proved too much for me. <br /><br />I kinda broke down this afternoon. (Don't worry, this is no sappy-poor me post.) <br /><br />The word that kept pounding in my head was mediocrity. That I'm a mediocre mother, a mediocre housewife, mediocre in my attempts to re-join the workforce. A mediocre writer. <br /><br />But you know what? Fuck that. Mediocre can lay down and die. And if it won't be so polite, I'm going to kick it into submission. I'll stomp it with steel-toe boots, if that's what it takes. <br /><br />I'm not psycho. I know I can't be awesome at everything. So here's what I've chosen:<br /><br />I'm going to be an awesome mom. Whatever it takes. I'm already a good mom but I'm going to power into the strata.<br /><br />And I'm going to be an awesome writer. Practice and craft and dedication and determination. Above all, determination. <br /><br />I WILL do this.LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-89413327592508071942010-03-15T15:42:00.002+01:002010-03-15T15:47:41.918+01:00Winner!I'm a spaz. I'd forgotten I'd kicked this old beast of a blog back into movement and more than that offered prizes. That I said I was going to announce on Friday. <br /><br />In my defense, I've been sick and blerghish since Thursday. *looks for sympathy* *crickets* Yeah, yeah, suck it up and give out the book, lady. ;)<br /><br />Thanks for playing everyone. Makes me feel loads better about myself. For the record, I do use Google Alerts. But, I dunno, I guess I don't trust a bot....Never said I was fully logical, did I? The good news is that I'm on the mend - I haven't googled Jazz Baby since Friday! I'm so proud of myself. Heh.<br /><br />With no further ado, the winner is: <br /><br />Ina!LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-59597288093772954962010-03-10T05:41:00.005+01:002010-03-10T17:31:23.536+01:00My mind is beyond lost....with contest!Man, has it been a whirlwind couple of weeks. Jazz Baby came out last Tuesday (OMG, I've been a published author for more than a week? Really? You promise?) and I've had a couple lovely reviews, and an <a href="http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2010/03/08/the-dear-author-intro-interview-lorelie-brown-author-of-jazz-baby/">interview at Dear Author</a>. Monday night I got to spend a fun couple hours chatting with The Blackraven in preparation for<a href="http://theblackraveneroticcafe.blogspot.com/2010/03/guest-author-in-spotlight-lorelie-brown.html"> today's interview</a>. Plus I've been hard at work on my next book. (Gawd, so hard at work. The book is chugging along, but more like a loaded down freight train working its way uphill than like the bullet train I wish for.) Also, my husband was away on business last week, so I had a bit of single-parent-itis going on. <br /><br />But really? Where has my time gone? It's been sucked up by the searching. Google owns my soul. It's a sickness, really.<br /><br />And any author who says they *don't* spend their first week of their debut book searching all possible combinations of their name and title (because I seem to have a delusion that thinks I will get different results depending on which order I google them in) is lying. Or a sorceress with skills that I would kill to know. There's something a little voyeuristic about reading comment trails about your work, but I can. Not. Stop. <br /><br />Would you like a chance to win a free copy of Jazz Baby, in the digital format of your preference? In the comments, tell me something that'll make me feel less like a freak. What do *you* obsess over? You've got til Friday.LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-32666451553616898352010-03-09T15:22:00.002+01:002010-03-09T15:27:36.385+01:00Winner!I am incapable of saying "we have a winner" without it sounding in my head like those guys who announcing boxing. It's a sickness.<br /><br />Any-hoo, the winner of the fabulous<a href="http://lisabea.blogspot.com/"> LB Gregg</a>'s <a href="http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/shop/product.da/catch-me-if-you-can">Catch Me if You Can</a> is s7anna! Congratulations! S7anna, go ahead and email LB so she can send you your copy. I'm sure you'll have fun; it's a great book that's already rocking the MBAM charts. We're so proud of LB. :DLorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-90466438135661540202010-03-04T19:09:00.013+01:002010-03-05T06:37:32.873+01:00Opposites - With Prizes!A second blog in a week? How very, very shocking! But when <a href="http://lisabea.blogspot.com/">Lisabea</a> and I decided to hook up for a fun little list game, it couldn't be avoided. Don't get used to it or nothin'. ;)<br /><br />Ok, so Lisabea is also known as <a href="http://www.lbgregg.com/">LB Gregg</a>. That'd be the fabulously talented LB Gregg, I mean, whose newest release is <a href="http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/shop/product.da/catch-me-if-you-can">Catch Me If You Can</a>, which also came out Tuesday, along with Jazz Baby. But really, we're at the opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to what we write. Jazz Baby is a heterosexual historical. Catch Me is a m/m contemporary. <br /><br />It's like chocolate and peanut butter. You wouldn't *think* they go together, but it turns out amazing.<br /><br />In honor of our opposite-ish-ness, I present you with my top five "Opposites Attract" examples. <br />Margaret & Mr. Thornton in the BBC’s miniseries of North and South.<br /><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Y-IWJQEnqHlbilIM4_XPD4UyUm2Vd5tLvV6voWINFTc7wAaBdIEw_W0f_NkT_LVREcfKipZph9oWel-9Uw0qUUUM4iUGSPtv70s8s0OH5i-QXd2RpVEkgxKDwfGlhK2TalTv/s1600-h/1348767088_16c821e923.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 185px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Y-IWJQEnqHlbilIM4_XPD4UyUm2Vd5tLvV6voWINFTc7wAaBdIEw_W0f_NkT_LVREcfKipZph9oWel-9Uw0qUUUM4iUGSPtv70s8s0OH5i-QXd2RpVEkgxKDwfGlhK2TalTv/s320/1348767088_16c821e923.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444844291013766402" /></a><br />There’s rough at the edges yet sexy Mr. Thornton who’s brought himself up from nothing. And prissy, pampered Margaret who almost misses the amazing man right under her nose before finally pulling her head out of her – oh, wait, am I projecting again?<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LB Gregg: You're one of those 'crusaders' aren't you? Where's KristieJ? I'm telling you the real hot piece of man flesh in that movie was Higgins, people</span>. <br /><br /> <br /><br />Han Solo and Princess Leia in Star Wars<br /><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsrTtiAIwlNQAyVV9LflzdzZPLduN-QFnj99P5fVmgmU6MKHWFTcvdFomX3fj5wdRmWab8jurFhLh02uEaB8Co37803B3cjLA0vR288LDMAACogZV17rBrjYX6FCxFeXbPtdr/s1600-h/han-and-leia.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsrTtiAIwlNQAyVV9LflzdzZPLduN-QFnj99P5fVmgmU6MKHWFTcvdFomX3fj5wdRmWab8jurFhLh02uEaB8Co37803B3cjLA0vR288LDMAACogZV17rBrjYX6FCxFeXbPtdr/s320/han-and-leia.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444844474846007810" /></a><br /><br />If anyone reading this does not know who Han Solo and Princess Leia are, I am really, truly never speaking to you again. *flounce* But I will deign to describe them, just for the pure fun of talking about Han Solo. Ah, Han. Smuggler, mercenary and all around smart mouth. Princess Leia, the crusader and resistance fighter determined to save her universe. “I love you.” … “I know.” That should be asshol-ish and it IS but that’s not gonna stop me from sighing every time.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LB: Word. I can't even go slash here because I love Carrie Fisher. </span><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br />Judd & Brenna in Nalini Singh’s Caressed by Ice<br /><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNE6xtjCDaGrzg6wtmLRTXDbJzbRVI_LeZXpuH9igb58euZpXleh3RHsoLGXZ9zh0ztF0zbr-Q33eJqBeObJ0FuTu7RiwPJhyQcUSI_qhtysQ-8TF9w0i6y72olZmzd89zk_D/s1600-h/images-1.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 81px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNE6xtjCDaGrzg6wtmLRTXDbJzbRVI_LeZXpuH9igb58euZpXleh3RHsoLGXZ9zh0ztF0zbr-Q33eJqBeObJ0FuTu7RiwPJhyQcUSI_qhtysQ-8TF9w0i6y72olZmzd89zk_D/s320/images-1.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444844685437224386" /></a><br /><br /><br />Judd is both a victim and proponent of Silence in Singh’s Psy/Changeling world. He’s so powerful and full on bad-ass that he’ll kill with his mind if he doesn’t keep himself under insanely tight wraps. Brenna is a wolf shifter – she embraces her animal nature and has a wildness of spirit that Judd simply can NOT stay away from, despite knowing the risks. If he’d grow up a little bit, I think Chris Evans would make a great (hawt!) Judd.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6oWBv8AT-IL8vYSRO6rmpw-TZOmDCDtDqcwVaKG1W25B6ACgv0Hqx1k6XT4buHlQGBbpvs7XnvAmWbTefbyJn8xUGI2MkOkRFjpT7OfUa_3eFT0-ATF-bNbb7Lrlw_69j5_5/s1600-h/chris_evans_towel.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 218px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6oWBv8AT-IL8vYSRO6rmpw-TZOmDCDtDqcwVaKG1W25B6ACgv0Hqx1k6XT4buHlQGBbpvs7XnvAmWbTefbyJn8xUGI2MkOkRFjpT7OfUa_3eFT0-ATF-bNbb7Lrlw_69j5_5/s320/chris_evans_towel.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444844824103119090" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LB: I think Chris Evans could butter my toast any time. Judd/Brenna? YES This is my hands down favorite of Nalini's books (that I've read to date).</span> <br /><br /> <br /><br />Sarah Fielding & Derek Craven in Dreaming of You, by Lisa Kleypas<br /><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6tk8IBdYPqr5HNHzlKKDCwzvohCUlSXWTG6iIRZ1LOZAjVnVdqCShpUcBDUZ2GeYWa4DVLd6Ot6OHtB4gX-JP8WSJyBcRZDzG2J5namPt_5w8vOp-gy-HaDSPFdznNaFwp5t/s1600-h/dreaming-of-you.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 319px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6tk8IBdYPqr5HNHzlKKDCwzvohCUlSXWTG6iIRZ1LOZAjVnVdqCShpUcBDUZ2GeYWa4DVLd6Ot6OHtB4gX-JP8WSJyBcRZDzG2J5namPt_5w8vOp-gy-HaDSPFdznNaFwp5t/s320/dreaming-of-you.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444845010098772802" /></a><br /><br />Sarah Fielding is another prim and prissy miss, but she’s no prude, at least. When she meets Cockney bastard (in all meanings of the word) Derek Craven, they’re perfect for each other in a way no one else would. Funny thing? When I googled for images of Derek Craven, Richard Armitage comes up. It’s the John Thornton thing. Hot, self-made guy in an ascot. Rawr.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LB:Ok this is one of my top five romances of all time. Kleypas has a clean/dirty theme throughout this book that breaks my heart. ::melt:: Derek Craven is THE man. Richard? Uhm....he's okay.</span><br /><br /> <br /><br />Opposites Attract by Paula Abdul<br /><br /> <br /><br />The dude’s a cartoon AND a cat! You can’t get much more opposite from Paula.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6ByNROf8v-Q&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6ByNROf8v-Q&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />LB: Is he a shifter? Because I could see that working</span>. <br /><br />Wanna see LB's list? Then head on over to <a href="http://lisabea.blogspot.com/">her blog</a>. <br /><br />Plus, you can be entered to win a copy of Jazz Baby AND a copy of Catch Me if You Can if you comment at both posts. And to sweeten the pot (heh. It's a pun. Heh.) I'm tossing in a box of See's Candies' Chocolate and Vanilla Lollypops. Yummiest opposites I can think of!<br /><br />Just drop a comment here about your favorite opposite pairing to win a copy of LB's book. And then head on over to her place and comment there to win Jazz Baby!<br /><br />ETA: Winners will be announced Monday at Noon, Eastern Standard Time!LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-11009757101810596892010-03-02T22:25:00.004+01:002010-03-02T23:04:32.429+01:00Jazz Baby is officially out!I has a book. I has a bright, shiny book. It's not quite pettable though, since it's an ebook. I'll have to wait 'til early 2011 and the paperback version before I can hug it and squeeze it and call it George. Having to wipe off my computer screen 'cause I keep petting it is getting a little tiresome. <br /><br />But still. A book. <span style="font-weight:bold;">MY</span> book. That I labored over for a LONG time. It's all sparkly and going out to the world at large. Even better? People actually seem to be liking it. Shocking, I know! I've already collected a couple reviews that I'd like to hug and squeeze as well.<a href="http://kbgbabbles.blogspot.com/2010/03/jazz-baby-book-review-lorelie-brown.html"> Katiebabs gave it an A-</a> and called it "an excellent, well written romance that comes across somewhat literary in its telling." <a href="http://thebookpushers.com/2010/03/02/arc-review-jazz-baby/">E at Bookpushers gave it 4.5</a> out of 5 stars and said she was "immediately drawn into the world of speakeasies, and undercover agents."<br /><br />Here's the blurb: <br /><br /><blockquote>Of all the juice joints he had to bust, this one had to be hers…<br /><br />In the world of illegal speakeasies, Kate Kirkland has her life running smoother than a Model T. Maybe moving the family bar into the basement wasn’t the best choice for her alcoholic brother, but Kate’s making them a living—until a local gangster tries to expand his territory. Right into her bar.<br /><br />Luckily Micah Trent, her handsome and too-suave bootlegger, is ready and willing to offer her a helping hand. If Kate can bring herself to accept it. Since sharing one sensual dance to seal their deal, she can’t ignore the delectably wicked way he makes her feel.<br /><br />Micah is keeping secrets of his own. He’s a Prohibition Agent, sworn to shut down the gin mills and distilleries that keep illegal booze flowing. Kate’s speakeasy is next on his list—right after he uses her as bait to catch the gangster hunting her.<br /><br />But even if Micah and Kate can maneuver their way through the gangsters’ dangerous underworld, will their love survive the trial by fire?</blockquote><br /><br />Sound good? It can be purchased at either <a href="http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/shop/product.da/jazz-baby">My Bookstore and More </a>or <a href="http://www.booksonboard.com/index.php?BODY=viewbook&BOOK=652238&v=buynow">Books on Board</a>. *hint hint, nudge nudge* Also, tune back in here Thursday for a special contest I'll be running with <a href="http://lisabea.blogspot.com/">Lisabea</a>, also known as LB GreggLorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-69530854238869840802010-02-21T05:56:00.003+01:002010-02-21T06:21:53.143+01:00A playlist!My current wip has a play list. This is a little unusual for me - I often have a particular type of music I listen to while writing a certain project, like I listened to a lot of blues & jazz while writing Jazz Baby. (Duh.) But a specific set of songs? That's different. <br /><br />I figured I'd inflict a selection of them on y'all. :D 'Cause sharing insanity lessens it. <br /><br />First up, a haunting unwilling love song: Loving You Against My Will, by Gary Allan. <br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dV6yuFx5T9w&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dV6yuFx5T9w&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Next, we've got the song that kind of pinpoints where the hero's at in the beginning, The Weary Kind. As a bonus, Ryan Bingham's purty darn cute: <br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zelvaxvTaUk&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zelvaxvTaUk&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />I think of my heroine when I hear this one, but I'm not sure why. It's a wistful, lonesome song, and my heroine isn't at all the type to wander around and mourn the end of a relationship. I Go Walking After Midnight, by Patsy Cline:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Sm3s5C6VoO4&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Sm3s5C6VoO4&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />There's several Johnny Cash songs on the list, but here's only one. Folsom Prison Blues: <br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/N5Ts4M3irWM&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/N5Ts4M3irWM&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Another where the story of the song has little to nothing to do with *my* story, but the tone fits. :) And look, it's Ricky Shroder in the video! (Apparently he directed it as well. Huh. Didn't know that.) Whisky Lullaby, by Brad Paisley and Allison Kraus:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dYub1neLZmA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dYub1neLZmA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />So, anyhow, I bet you can guess what *type* of romance I'm writing, can't ya? ;)LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-32903078279590719862010-01-31T05:04:00.002+01:002010-01-31T05:07:16.836+01:00Jazz Baby has a cover!Ta-da:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58wt4T7AmFQMPF6u3X0V3AHfyoQCKSbiCQNy-Z2EsphVjUjvShbGsoMM9mMOx9lhEsD2pNH4NCWqfmE4lo0atXHEwiUoTtnwoLWtEoL4nsA4iUe3466xa42cOQHd-KkCVPHmu/s1600-h/Jazz+Baby+300+dpi.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58wt4T7AmFQMPF6u3X0V3AHfyoQCKSbiCQNy-Z2EsphVjUjvShbGsoMM9mMOx9lhEsD2pNH4NCWqfmE4lo0atXHEwiUoTtnwoLWtEoL4nsA4iUe3466xa42cOQHd-KkCVPHmu/s320/Jazz+Baby+300+dpi.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432750421927505698" /></a><br /><br /><br />I'm so stoked. I think it's got a whole silver screen feel, which just rocks. And she looks like she's totally in control, so that's appropriate. :D<br /><br />Opinions?LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-44778153741013288912009-11-28T00:41:00.004+01:002009-11-28T01:36:52.670+01:005 QuestionsMemes! I <3 memes. Especially when I have sadly neglected my blog....they're an easy road home.<br /> <br />This one came by way of<a href="http://sarahf.livejournal.com/544119.html"> Sarah</a>, so let's have at it.<br /><br />If you'd like to play along, leave me a comment saying "Resistance is Futile."<br /><br />* I'll respond by asking you five questions so I can satisfy my curiosity.<br />* Update your journal with the answers to the questions.<br />* Include this explanation in the post and offer to ask other people questions.<br /><br /><br />1. You write historicals: do you wish your brain would let you write contemporary or a different historical era?<br /><br />Actually, my brain does let me write other eras. :) I have my 1920s set book coming out in spring, Jazz Baby, but that's not the only period I've written. I've done some contemporary shorts, and I have an 1880s set novel with which I'm still not happy with the ending. I'm writing a 20s novella right now, but I think after that will be a contemporary full-length. <br /><br />I do wish I could be a little more mainstream. The 1880s book I wrote? It's a western, when the general consensus is that westerns aren't selling well, and there's nary a cowboy in sight. It's all miners. And there's no gunslinging. And one of the biggest secondary characters is a whore. *sigh* I think I am just a little broken. Sometimes I think it'd be easier if I could write a couple Lords and Ladies. Maybe a debauched Duke or two.<br /><br />2. What's your favorite flower and why?<br /><br />Porcelain ones. Or metal, or ceramic. Just not a living, green type that I'm expected to keep alive. It doesn't work, and then I end up all disappointed with my black thumb, and I worry about disappointing whomever gave me the plant. <br /><br />Or I could say any that my husband randomly brings me. He's been known to give me flowers just for the heck of it, and I absolutely adore that about him. <br /><br />3. Do you think your husband is The One for you or fouls you have married someone else?<br /><br />I'm not sure I believe in the ideal of The One. Shocking, for a romance writer, I know. I kinda think that each person, as they go through life, usually meets a few people that they could make a loving, satisfying and fulfilling life with. The One kind of negates the hard work that is marriage. <br /><br />That being said, yes, I think marrying my husband was the right choice. We've made a good life together and I think it'll only keep getting better.<br /><br />4. Do you WANT to be able to write full-time?<br /><br />God yes. Making a living off my writing one of my goals. I've gotten a taste of it lately, and even with working the stay-at-home gig at the same time, I'm liking it. I imagine it'll only get better when the littlest one's in school. <br /><br />5. What's the best thing about your husband's deployments?<br /><br />Spinach & mushroom pizza. <br /><br />To be a little less specific, not having to choose between cooking a full meal (with meat. He's always got to have meat. The more often it's red, the better) or going out to a full-service restaurant. When it's just me and the boys, I can get away with making them fast choices, and I can have non-normative food. <br /><br />Oh, and being able to watch Pride and Prejudice as often as I want.LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-51966878903920842702009-10-10T05:00:00.002+02:002009-10-10T05:08:07.563+02:00Arrival!We made it. All alive and in one piece. Four days on the road, two adults and three kids in a truck. Three nights in hotels. The second night was in the teeniest effing motel I've ever set foot in. Two full beds, both right up against the wall and with only a foot between them. <br /><br />Now tho? Swank suite. Nice. And I've already got a five page printout of available rentals in the area. In something like size 8 font. I need a highlighter.<br /><br />Randomly, did you know Arizona didn't participate in Daylight Savings Time? I'm going to have to look up why, but it makes some sense - this was never a particularly agrarian region. <br /><br />I think my brain's too shot to be interesting right now. By the third day, I thought the Rio Grande drained into the Pacific side. *sigh*<br /><br />I'd say it was time to go to bed, but I have rental houses to Google.LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-70239409442611763902009-09-30T16:38:00.002+02:002009-09-30T16:44:00.841+02:0048 hours.....A few days ago, I gave the toddler boy Golden Oreos for a snack. (Well, he got the pack out of the pantry, and looked up at me with huge, adorable eyes, while waving the cookies, until I opened them.) A little later, I cruise on by the table to check on him. He'd popped open all the cookies and licked the cream out.<br /><br />That's my boy.<br /><br />We are T-minus-holy-fuck-it's-a-matter-of-hours until moving time. In good news, my mom is in possession of my (hopefully fixed) netbook and will be over-nighting it to me. So I can stress less about our finances, since I run everything off Microsoft Money on that computer, and will be able to get back to normal soon. Yay! <br /><br />Then it's just a matter of surviving four days in a truck with three kids under 8, a dog, and the husband.<br /><br />Pray for me.<br /><br />Or wait for me along I-20 with chocolate and wine.LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-20657006101627146342009-09-23T14:27:00.004+02:002009-09-23T14:33:56.085+02:00Pity party - everyone's invited!I've been having car trouble for a little bit. Nothing huge, mostly an annoyance - the car doesn't like starting on the first go. It wants me to approach it slowly, give a couple tentative overtures first. So I booked in an appointment on Friday, no big.<br /><br />I got stuck in the Starbucks parking lot for almost 20 minutes this morning. <br /><br />This morning, I also realized I signed up and paid for a luncheon on Friday. My day off. <br /><br />Oh, and I also dumped coffee on myself this morning, dousing myself from chest to knees. Nice.<br /><br />Suffice it to say, I don't think this is my morning. <br /><br />If I had the leave time -- oh, and less to do -- I'd go home and crawl back into bed. Wouldn't even turn the tv on, since I'd be sure to see something appaling with the way my luck seems to be going. No eating or drinking, either. I'd be sure to choke on it. *headdesk headdesk*<br /><br />Music. I need music to cheer me up. (And for the drive coming up, too.) Anyone got suggestions?LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-90588052887412217492009-09-17T14:28:00.005+02:002009-09-17T14:42:55.624+02:00Jeeze, just calm down already!We're moving. In almost exactly two weeks. ("Go West, young man, go West!") The Army gave us exactly 32 days to get everything done. We'd had word of the change of station coming, but no paperwork, so no way to get a move on. <br /><br />Now we're trying to get everything done. In less than a month. Holy god, pray for me and pass the chocolate.<br /><br />As I told a friend, this ain't my first rodeo - but that doesn't mean happens without effort, either. <br /><br />I resorted to a big ole To Do list a week ago. Wrote up two pages. Lists seriously are my last resort - when I know I have six million things crashing down on me and I must get them all done *now* as in yesterday. (When I was in the army and a lowly Specialist, my E7 boss left me in charge for three weeks. All I remember from that period are lists. And lists.)<br /><br />The thing is, most of the items on those pages are things I cannot possibly control. Things to be done once we get to Arizona. Appointments that haven't come up yet. Things that are fully out of my control. (Fruedian typo - I skipped the "my" at first. Yep, outta control, for sure.) Things I need to "holy crap, just freaking let go of it already before you drive your damn family MAD!" about. <br /><br />And so far? Ain't working.<br /><br />P.S. I was over at <a href="http://unusualhistoricals.blogspot.com/2009/09/scandal-william-randolph-hearst-marion.html">Unusual Historicals</a> yesterday, talking about William Randolph Hearst and Marion Davies.LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-83222515566604099872009-08-24T21:59:00.002+02:002009-08-24T22:19:28.403+02:00"I ain't got nobody"So while I was on my butt with a tooth brush, scrubbing my kitchen floor, I had some time to think. (Did I mention this project took three hours? And I have another section left to do tonight? Seriously. Cream colored tile and grout. What was I smoking to agree to that?)<br /><br />When I wasn't performing my scullery maid duties, I was reading Jami Alden's <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6006313.Kept">Kept</a> and one thing snagged my attention. <br /><br />For the record, let me say that I enjoyed the book. Derek, the hero, was pretty sexy and Alden managed to redeem Alyssa from the whole party-girl image without resorting to the whole "but she wasn't <em>really</em> a bad girl" thing. Hate that. Alyssa really had partied, and been to rehab, and by the time the book starts she's already a year into fixing up both her image and her life. <br /><br />But one the thing that kept niggling at me. <br /><br />Oh, wait: <br /><br /><em><strong>AHOY! HERE BE SPOILERS!!!!</strong></em><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />By the end of the book, Alyssa had <strong>no one</strong>. No support. No family. Only one friend important enough to make a kinda-appearance in the book. (She texts the friend to borrow a beach house.)<br /><br />She starts with a father, a half-sister and an assistant who all seem to make up a somewhat shaky foundation for her life, but at least it's something. She also has a mother, but mom's a deathly ill and remains off-camera the entire book.<br /><br />Alyssa has a not-great relationship with her father, but they're working on it. In fact, to the reader, it seems apparent that she and pops are right on the cusp of significant relationship growth. And then he's offed in, like, the third chapter. Holy baby jebus. The reader knows by about a third in that the heroine's assitant is actually a resentful bitch and helping the bad guys get her, but Alyssa doesn't find this out until about two thirds of the way in. The half-sister's dramatic reveal as one of the central, orchestrating baddies is a last-chapter surprise.<br /><br />See what I mean? By the end, the heroine's entire infrastructure for her life has been systematically dismantled piece by piece, until she has literally nothing and no one left but the hero. She even essentially loses her job, though she manages to have created a new, better one by the epilogue. It got me thinking about Old Skool Romances, and how they'd start out with the heroine orphaned and fleeing from her diabolical Uncle or something similar. <br /><br />Is this an intentional choice on the part of certain writers? "I'll cut her adrift and that'll make the h/h bond that much stronger." Or is it just how everything happened to shake out? Has anyone out there done this to some of their heroines? And if so, why? <br /><br />(There's no judgment in this, just a kind of craft-oriented curiosity. [It's very seldom lately I can read a book and completely turn off the craft radar.])LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-75488583181529516082009-08-24T01:56:00.004+02:002009-08-24T02:01:00.967+02:00triumph!I have cream color tile in my kitchen and dinning room. (And cream colored carpet. With three boys! God help me.) For nearly three years, it's been the bane of my existence. No matter how many times I mopped, that damn grout never came clean. I hit it up with Ajax and a scrub brush, cleanser and sponge. None of it worked. I'd nearly given up hope, and seriously considered having the grout replaced.<br /><br />Turns out, given an entire bottle of bleach, an old toothbrush, and a roll and a half of paper towels, I<span style="font-weight:bold;"> can</span> clean the grout!<br /><br />If anyone knows of a better method...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Don't tell me unless you're also providing a time machine so I can get three fucking hours of my life back. Thanks.LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-49929636965634357492009-07-27T16:13:00.005+02:002009-07-27T22:24:37.126+02:00My pretties may not be your pretties....As a result of my husband's gun hobby, I find myself in gun stores way more often than one would expect, knowing me. About a week ago, the husband and I stopped by his "bookstore." I first went into the pawn shop next door (around here, there seems to be a rule that where there's a pawn shop, there's a gun store) and scored a cheap copy of Deadwood Season 2. Win!<br /><br />So I went back over to the gun area and hung out with the husband as he poked around and oohed and aahed over things. Romantic suspense writers take note: How's a 100 round magazine for a 9mm pistol sound? Insane, right? It's weird, this double-drum shaped thing. Look it up. <br /><br />Anyway, the owner of the place is a pretty cool guy. Ex-Special Forces, a bit of a smart ass. Apologizes to me when he cusses. It's funny. He comes over to DH and me to show off some hand stippling he did on a .45 pistol. (Turns the whole hand grip and the barrel into non-slip. It's prickly in the hand, but not irritating.) <br /><br />Owner sees my not-exactly-brand new copy of Deadwood and we exchange some "So Awesome!" Then....oh, then....he pops the question: "Do you want to see my Colt Single Action?"<br /><br />Yes, please!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvKeZtkP0wWs5u37RlURCBII4nMktpLDlap5fEEAbproL0nGY1xalkJ-ylf9Zz8h_HW3nFWGPph_JIwQ4KQih01sbzHnfCvYhhsPqeUbP8McP4cqga2zRZ04MQfXCppFpHV6m/s1600-h/400px-ColtSingleActionArmy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 154px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvKeZtkP0wWs5u37RlURCBII4nMktpLDlap5fEEAbproL0nGY1xalkJ-ylf9Zz8h_HW3nFWGPph_JIwQ4KQih01sbzHnfCvYhhsPqeUbP8McP4cqga2zRZ04MQfXCppFpHV6m/s320/400px-ColtSingleActionArmy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363234420131433826" /></a><br /><br />Naturally the history geek in me went Whheeee! But more than that, the gun itself was surprisingly elegant in my hand. I'm only 5'3" and of relatively small build. But I could hold it easily. The recoil might break my wrist, but hey, aim low and it's all good.<br /><br />One thing I hadn't noticed when I'd seen pictures of Colts before - the swirly/smudgy looking area on the casing. Here, a close up of it:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9i2kpMiy204gKoUJTtHPAoFGvtJYkMKEMQzqFaC398YO8UAHc4uNsw9EhvXzowMfLC4jIHpwEyW3Y3OjZm9267vjuHC2oXGiWpSdHmXSVC6UfD_XVLAUcW0s918D6V45M5Uq6/s1600-h/Colt%2520Single%2520Action%2520Army%2520008.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9i2kpMiy204gKoUJTtHPAoFGvtJYkMKEMQzqFaC398YO8UAHc4uNsw9EhvXzowMfLC4jIHpwEyW3Y3OjZm9267vjuHC2oXGiWpSdHmXSVC6UfD_XVLAUcW0s918D6V45M5Uq6/s320/Colt%2520Single%2520Action%2520Army%2520008.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363237388910341394" /></a><br /><br />That's not just a sign of age, or poor care (both of which I'd thought based on pictures.) It's intentional, the result of mixing alloys to harden the casing. And more than that, it's pretty in person. I'd almost go so far as to say beautiful. Just one more example of why book and internet research doesn't always cut it. <br /><br />And yes, this is all filed away for future writing. :)LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-34305530910936211802009-07-23T22:05:00.003+02:002009-07-23T22:39:22.016+02:00RWA NationalsI promised this yesterday, didn't I? Ahem. Whoops. Just think of it as a delightful extension to the expansive RWA Nationals Conference.<br /><br />Over all, I'd have to say it was an incredibly different experience than last year. That's not to say either was better or worse than the other, just....different.<br /><br />Last year, I was goggle-eyed and focused on sucking in all the knowledge possible. This year, I felt a lot more laid back and I'd have to say my focus was on doing all the network I possibly could. <br /><br />It was so wonderful seeing old friends, especially my roommates <a href="www.CarrieLofty.com">Carrie Lofty</a> and <a href="www.AnnAguirre.com">Ann Aguirre</a>. And I met quite a few people in RL that I'd only known previously from the web. Most surreal experience? Having my name recognized a couple times by people I didn't know - once as a result of Twitter, and once from my involvement with "<a href="http://documents.scribd.com/docs/faqpugsezsbgyypsv66.pdf">The Italian Gourmet-Baby-Food </a>Baron." (And she did <em>not</em> say "Oh em gee, wtf did you make her a valium addict for?" Was honestly nervous about that.)<br /><br />Get this - to some people, I'm considered seasoned, and a pro! Who the hell have I managed to kid so well with this act? I met several wet beind the ears women who haven't even finished books, and one whose story was still "in her head." She hadn't even started writing yet, and had still shelled out the cash to go to Nationals, just to see if she <em>wanted</em> to write. More power to her, but I can't even fathom doing that. <br /><br />The absolute best, best, best part of the whole trip? Meeting my editor, the fabulous Lindsey McGurk. We had an appointment for Friday, but I ended up actually meeting her on Thursday evening, at a party for <a href="http://tessadare.com/">Tessa Dare</a>. (Her debut is an OMG amazing book, btw. It's still sitting on my night stand 2 weeks after I finished it, simply because I like having it near. What's that tell you?) I ended up staying way longer than I intended to at the party, because I got wrapped up in a discussion on digital publishing with some really smart women - of whom Lindsey was one. We still met the next morning, as well, and I walked away with a boatload of stuff to consider when starting my next work.<br /><br />But before that, I've got to come up with a synopsis for my current WIP, 'cause my Friday meeting with a Harlequin Blaze editor netted me a partial request. (While this is great, I'm plagued by the self doubt that I think pushes most of us writers to do better every work. <em>Only a partial?</em> I asked myself. Last year I got a full request...but from a different editor.) Now I'm 600 words into the synopsis and I think I've covered only about 20 pages of the book. Not good. Back to the grindstone it is. Oh well. To paraphrase: easier to edit crap than edit nothing.LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-10366586942834729932009-07-22T03:29:00.003+02:002009-07-22T04:05:47.446+02:00Mi Vida Loca (Did I spell that right?)I'm not sure I can explain how effing wild the past three weeks have been. <br /><br />Good news first: I got an offer on my 1920s romance from Samhain.<br /><br />OMG, right?<br /><br />Naturally, I jumped on that bad boy with both feet. I have so much respect for Samhain, and the writers and editors that work there, it's insane. <br /><br />I'm going to be an e-published author come March or April. And it'll be out in print in early 2011. I'm going to hold one of my books in hand. <br /><br />For me, that's not a goal but a milestone. Another step in the road of a long career. The joy is hard to express.<br /><br />Otherwise, I've had some craziness going on. My husband had ankle surgery. Minor stuff, and actually something he needed to improve his every day quality of life. We have yet to see if it's actually done what's needed, though. The bad news attached to that is our moving date's moved back. Currently we're looking at October, but who knows, really. It's the Army. There's no guessing. So we're stuck in a sort of limbo.<br /><br />But tomorrow, RWA Nationals round up!LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-69192837711235671122009-06-23T13:44:00.004+02:002009-06-23T13:58:57.951+02:00Ok, so maybe I am.(Don't tell anyone I'm actually blogging twice in a row. It'll be our little secret.)<br /><br />Last night, the husband and our two oldest boys got it in their heads to go picking through a couple old boxes of pictures. They came across some of mine from middle and high school. (They're really bad-picture gold. If I remember to bring them in to work to scan, I might post one or two.) Giggling, my 8 year old tells me I was a nerd. <br /><br />I shrugged and told him there's nothing wrong with being a nerd. (I restrained myself from saying, "The Geek shall inherit the earth." It was a stretch. I was proud of myself.)<br /><br />A few minutes later, he holds a picture up and says, "See? You look like such a nerd."<br /><br />"I don't get what's nerdy about that one." I took the snapshot and examined it. "I'm in your father's barracks room, and I'm even wearing his t-shirt." I squinted at the picture, tilted it a little to the side.<br /><br />"What are you doing?" the husband asked.<br /><br />"I'm trying to see what book that is in my hand."<br /><br />"God," he laughed. "You really <em>are</em> a nerd."<br /><br />(For the record, it was Send No Flowers, by Sandra Brown.)LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-59217915621044729462009-06-22T00:39:00.000+02:002009-06-23T14:01:22.433+02:00Damn, they got me goodI swept in the door after work, arms filled with junk food for the family. As I handed out chicken nuggets and fries, the husbandly type told me I had a book on the counter. Sweet! I was only expecting one book, <a href="http://www.victoriadahl.com/">Victoria Dahl'</a>s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Start-Me-Up-Victoria-Dahl/dp/0373773900/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245710845&sr=8-1">new one</a>, and it even came a day earlier than the shipping estimate. With the husband going out tonight for his volunteer firefighter's meeting, I'd have a solid couple hours of quiet to read.<br /><br />I sat down on the couch with my food and the Amazon package and zipped open the tab. It was the wrong book! Even worse, it was a book I already had and had read dozens of times, so it wasn't like I was getting a freebie. (For the curious, the book was The Gunslinger, by Stephen King.) <br /><br />I cussed and moaned, and the husband commiserated, asking what I'd have to do now. "Email them, tell them what happened," I said. "They'll probably just send another."<br /><br />I was pretty bummed. Glumly, I bit into my hamburger - which had evil pickles on it, even. Obviously this wasn't turning out to be my night.<br /><br />I became aware that the oldest child was hovering over my shoulder, smirking at me. I looked at him. He looked at my bookshelf. Back and forth a few times. Finally, I got up. Inspected the shelves. (It took a minute, I've got stuff double and triple stacked on there.)<br /><br />There, on its side and bottom out, was Start Me Up. They'd switched out the books!<br /><br />What brats I've got in my life.LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-3538409395091761202009-05-29T14:38:00.005+02:002009-05-29T17:15:59.683+02:00Every so often. . .. . . I need a reminder of what I already know.<br /><br />As some of you may or may not know, I got to write "The End" on the rough draft of my newest WIP not too long ago. But because I'm a member of the "shitty first draft" club, that doesn't mean I'm done. Not by a long shot.<br /><br />Even though it was rough, I booted it off to my crit partners (who I <3 with enormity) and they filled my head with all sorts of nooks and crannies to flesh out.<br /><br />And yet I've still been picking at it. Focusing on teeny things rather than the big picture issues I need to address. Mostly, I couldn't get past the rewrite I needed to do of the opening scene. There's stuff I didn't "discover" about the hero until mid-way through the book, and I need to layer that in too. But it wasn't moving. I'd write four words, then delete three of 'em. Couldn't figure out what was wrong.<br /><br />Then I saw <a href="http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2009/05/number-one-thing.html">this post</a> on Kristin Nelson's blog this morning.<br /><br />She been at BEA and participated in a Pitch Slam. About the entries, she says, "most opening scenes had nothing at stake."<br /><br />Well, shit. That's what's wrong. <br /><br />Now, see, I know that. I <em>know</em> you have to start when everything changes, when there's important stuff going on. But somehow I accidentally wrote my opening as a "look, we're in the Old West" scene. Crappity. Oh delete, how I loathe and love thee.<br /><br />Hopefully I can get to the editing with a quickness now.LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-77189936136371831482009-05-26T16:38:00.002+02:002009-05-26T17:32:17.314+02:00These people breed?My oldest kid's sick. Flu bug apparently, because he's puking up and got a fever. I'd say poor dude, but he's been granted special dispensation to hang out in my room all day to avoid the toddler menaces. <br /><br />But I called the advice nurse at my clinic, on the recommendation of my boss, who was all "Ack! Swine flu!" (I was more "Huh. If he needs a doc appointment, I get out of work for a few hours.") <br /><br />Nurse: Has he kept any fluids down?<br /><br />Me: Well, I left for work at seven, but before that, no.<br /><br />Nurse: Is anyone home with him?<br /><br />Me: *blink. blink. wha-huh?* Yeah. His nanny.<br /><br />'Cause even if someone was that bloody stupid, they'd admit it? "Oh, sure, I left a vomiting 8 year old with little self control home alone. Thought it'd make a great slap-stick adventure, ya know?"LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17840348.post-75732531293603549902009-05-20T17:28:00.002+02:002009-05-20T17:59:35.527+02:00"Cheating" heros?I've always maintained a hero who sleeps with someone other than the heroine doesn't bother me, dependant on the situation. Primarily, the hero/heroine aren't "together." They're not dating, they're not screwing, they're especially not married. A hero who's just met the young, dumb ingenue at a ball, then visits his long time mistress that evening? Doesn't bother me. A hero who thinks his love is lost forever and futilely attempts to bury his pain in the arms of another woman? ::::cough:::DerekCravenAnyone?::::cough::: It's all good.<br /><br />Being in love doesn't render a man's dick un-inflatable for all but the magical hoo-ha. Sorry, but it's true.<br /><br />(On a tangent, how much would I totally love seeing the reverse of this? A heroine who meets the hero, but still keeps an appointment with her regular fuck buddy that night? Oh the brain melting possibilities of that.)<br /><br />Which brings me to my current reading, a historical romance. Early in the book, before there's any real connection between h/h, the hero mentally references having recently been to a brothel. No biggie, I'm fine with that. A third of the way in, the h/h are developing a bit of a relationship, but it's not *that* deep. A couple kisses, heavy flirting, that's it.<br /><br />The heroine catches the hero coming out of a brothel, and even sees him in the arms of his hooker of choice. The next day, she confronts him about this and tells him how it hurt.<br /><br />And he is absolutely fucking dismissive of her. He apologizes <em>once</em>, and by the very next page is flouncing off, calling her frigid and unforgiving for not letting it go already. Did you catch that part about how this was <em>less than one page</em> after the apology? He runs away to war, and the next time he even thinks of her (like 15 pages later) his ONLY thoughts revolve around how he wished they'd had a chance to bang. Not one speck of care about her emotional or mental state, or even regret that she'd been hurt, at the very least, even if he didn't regret screwing the hooker. <br /><br />You know what, dude? Take your toys and go home. I don't care. I would take a "cheating" hero over one who's disdainful of the heroine any fucking day. <br /><br />I don't know that I care where the mighty wang goes. But I can never, ever believe in an HEA for a relationship without respect.LorelieLonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15220062855253889790noreply@blogger.com1