Thirteen Reasons I'm Celebrating!

Thirteen Reasons I'm Celebrating! 1. My BIG Cover! Isn't it incredible?! I just about swallowed my tongue when I saw it, and I'm still not sure it's going to make it to publication -- Photobucket has already pulled it a couple of times. We'll see if MySpace pulls it -- if so, I'll have to ask the cover artist to draw panties and a bra on her or something. *grin* 2. BIG Temptation's got a release date: December 17, 2008! 3. Carnal Harvest has gotten THREE 5-something (stars, pixies, bookmarks) reviews so far! Unlike Seniorella, which didn't receive a 5-star review until a year after release. It got 4.5's across the board until a few weeks ago. 4. Carnal Harvest also got a 1-star review! Woot! I've been dreading my first bad review and I'm glad to finally have it out of the way. It wasn't a big review site or anything, just one reader's opinion. She said it was one long sex scene, and I was like, "Uh, yeah..." That lady obviously does NOT like my style, so I hope she doesn't waste any more of her money on my books. 5. Alien Overnight was back on Amazon's erotica bestseller list for a brief time again last week -- over a year after its print release! I was a verra happy girl. 6. My 7yo daughter won a trophy! First place in the fire department's Fire Prevention poster contest -- over about 45 second-graders in three schools. Her teacher had just been telling me at parent-teacher conferences last week how creative Jana is -- guess she knows whereof she speaks. *grin* Unfortunately, now 9yo Erin is depressed to be the only kid in the family who hasn't won a trophy. She is, however, the first to be advanced a grade for reading (she's in her 5th grade cousin's class), so I tried to buck her spirits up with that accomplishment. 7. My son completed the football season! And he's almost as happy as I am that it's over. His team finished with a 500 season, handily winning the last game over a previously undefeated team. The other team was so over-confident, they didn't bother warming up or practicing during the hour that games were running behind, and when they all lined up face-to-face for the coin toss, their eyes widened and they said, "Gee, if we'd realized how big you guys are, we'd have been practicing!" Guess they learned their lesson... 8. My son was in his first (and second) parade! And I was very proud of him. On the downside, I volunteered to parent on one of the buses and boy, did I regret it. I was the only adult on that bus -- the band director was driving the instrument van and my son was on the other bus with the well-behaved kids. Miserable little bastards. I also had to play the bad guy after the parade, when the band director told the kids they could all walk down and watch the college band play a few songs before awards were presented. These are junior high kids, and they were rowdy and inconsiderate -- spectators were actually complaining about them, but the band director was totally oblivious. If you didn't know better, you'd think she didn't even know them. She never once called on them to behave. Another parent reported to me that even normally nice kids act outrageously in her class because she has zero backbone and therefore zero control. This woman never once acknowledge my presence there -- never said hello, never said thank you, nothing. Think I'll be lending her a hand ever again? I think not. If I do, it will be ONLY for the kids' sake. 9. My son played in the pep band for the first time! That was fun -- I can't remember the last time I went to a high school football game. (Oh yeah, I can -- it was when I was in high school. :D) And our team won, taking first place in the division. 10. My mother isn't coming today! Yeah, she was supposed to. It's only a reprieve until next Tuesday, but I'll take what I can get -- it gives me that much more time to get the house clean. 11. The refrigerator is SPARKLING clean -- and I'm responsible! I tell you, when you open the door, it's so bright and immaculate, you can hear angels singing. (Oh, did I mention there were pickles in there that expired EIGHT years ago...?) 12. I'm really enjoying my BodyPump and Zumba classes! I no longer live in fear they're going to yank me out and send me to remedial classes. I haven't really lost much more weight because I've been eating too much -- something about the cooler weather makes me really hungry, BUT... 13. I'm now wearing SIZE 16 jeans!!! I haven't worn size 16 since I WAS 16! Woo-hoooo! And it's not just a fluke sizing thing -- I bought several different pairs in different brands and styles. Yay me! So what do YOU have to celebrate?

Thirteen Songs On Enemy Overnight's Soundtrack

Thirteen Songs On Enemy Overnight's Soundtrack Elaina's topic at Romance Divas gave me an idea for today's TT. I now have a deadline for finishing EO, which has actually given my muse a huge jumpstart -- thank God. (He really needed a kick in the ass.) I've been ripping the old stickies off my plot board (it's so outdated, the characters' names are wrong, LOL!) and listening to this soundtrack and brainstorming and trying to finally get the puzzle of Enemy Overnight sorted out. I told you I'm a puzzler, didn't I? That means I just toss out scenes in my books willy-nilly and figure out how they fit together later. I've got 45K+ worth of scenes and have been tearing my hair out for a year trying to figure out how they fit together so I could finally finish the story. And I'm discovering that some of the pieces to this puzzle were actually tossed out in Alien Overnight. I really need to read it again to see what else I'm missing. Anyway, things are finally starting to come together, thanks to my much-needed deadline. Why do I have to have that kind of pressure to finish a novel? No idea, but there you have it -- I need a deadline. And a soundtrack, apparently. Here's EO's: 1. How You Remind Me by Nickelback -Shauss has got a little bitterness going on. 2. Almost Lover by A Fine Frenzy - Meanwhile, Jasmine's got the angst thing going on. 3. Falling Down by Duran Duran - Her life sucks and is about to get worse. 4. Mad World by Gary Jules with Michael Andrews - It's really not fair of me to throw so much shit at one heroine, is it? 5. The Sacking of Trelawny from HPIV Soundtrack by Nicholas Hooper - There's a black moment lurking in this song -- I just have to dig it out. 6. Next Contestant by Nickelback - Yeah, Shauss is all about attitude and possessiveness, but he's got a rude shock coming. 7. Fight for All the Wrong Reasons by Nickelback - And he doesn't mind a good fight. 8. Lost by Michael Buble - But Jasmine needs more. 9. Hurt By Christina Aguilera - She's got all kinds of angst, and it's not all about Shauss. 10. What Goes Around by Justin Timberlake - Oh, the tangled web we weave... 11. Hero by Chad Kroeger with Josey Scott - I think Shauss will come through for her, don't you? 12. Hungry Like the Wolf by Duran Duran - Those aliens are kinky! 13. Since You've Asked by Dan Fogelberg - You know there's gotta be soul-deep love in there, right? So what's on your WIP's soundtrack?

Piercing the Veil at EC -- Check It Out Today!

Piercing the Veil, the long-awaited second book in R.G. Alexander's Veil series, releases today at EC, and baby, you need to read it 'cause it's filled with everything I love in a novel -- tortured heroes, a lovable heroine, and hot menage sex! Here's the blurb:

Twins Hawk and Val are Fianna warriors under the vengeful curse of a scorned goddess. Following the prophecy in the Book of Veils, they search for the one who can help them retrieve the Claiomh Solais before their enemies get the chance. Their quest leads them to Linnea. One touch and there can be no doubt that they have found their match. But will she accept them once she knows the truth?

Linnea is no one special. So why is she on the run from evil faeries and her egotistical ex? Why is she suddenly spending time in the company of dragons, druids, and one kinky Viking with a split personality? All she knows is she has to keep her daughter safe from those who hunt her, and her heart safe from another betrayal.

To protect one gifted child and all of humanity from the dark god that seeks retribution, they must learn to trust each other. To have a future together, they must find the perfect balance.

Jasper Has Left the Building

I'm actually kind of sad about it -- he's really a sweet, friendly little cat. But a strange confluence of events has led to Jasper's return to our foster-daughter's house.

First, Erin came down with a horrendous allergic reaction last night. I'm talking the whole nine yards -- wheezing; puffy, itchy eyes; hives; and she sneezed until she broke into a full-fledged nosebleed (twice). I had to strip her bed and wash everything, clean and vacuum her room, and banish Jasper to the yard with the rest of the cats.

Then this morning, Margo called. Her son (a.k.a. The Demon Spawn), already upset over losing Jasper, was inconsolable because his classroom hamster was found dead. (I'm assuming it died of natural causes, as opposed to being beaten to death with a ladle like his last hamster was).

Anyway, Margo asked if we would mind terribly if she asked for Jasper back. Yay! My girls were worried about Jasper having to sleep outside, and I think Jasper was pretty worried, too. He was in my son's window well this morning, scratching at the screen and trying to get in. When I opened the door to take Randy and Jana to school (Erin slept till noon, she was still so zonked from the reaction and the Benadryl), he zipped right into the front room. Randy had to chase him down and bring him back outside.

So, while it was an interesting experiment, and while it's nice to know that even Mr. Robin's hardest, fastest rules are made to be broken, Jasper the Cat is history.

Not that it gets Mr. Robin out of paying to have the cat neutered -- it costs half as much here as it does in the city Margo lives in, so Jasper had his equipment decommissioned late this afternoon at our vet's (and got some vaccinations, as well). Mr. Robin will pick him up and return him from whence he came tomorrow morning.

So long, Jasper...

It's Official...

Yep, Mr. Robin came home last night with a cat. An indoor cat. My nine-year-old daughter Erin and our foster daughter ganged up on him, batting their lashes and whining "Please!" until he caved. What a freakin' pushover!

Of course, he put a couple of stipulations on it: 1) Jasper (the cat) has to stay in the basement (Riiiiiiight -- like that'll happen) and 2) the first time Jasper leaves his calling card anywhere but the litterbox, he goes outside with the rest of the cats.

Mr. Robin is already wondering WTF he was thinking -- he's going to have to pay to have Jasper neutered in the next few weeks. No doubt that'll be more of a vet bill than he's ever paid for a single animal -- and we can't even slaughter him! Well, we could, but he wouldn't even make a meal, much less fill the freezer.

The Price of Fitness

I attended my first BodyPump class today, and I have one word for you -- Ow!

God, as stiff and sore as I am now, I can't imagine how I'm going to feel tomorrow. I intend to get up and take the kids to school, then walk my usual 5 miles at the track, but we'll see.

Oh, and of course the Demon Spawn and his Young Apprentice are coming tomorrow. It's going to be a long, painful weekend...

Nickelback's Releasing an Album -- On My Birthday!

Nickelback's finally releasing a new album on November 18th -- WOOT! I KNEW Chad loved me! The first single, If Today Was Your Last Day, will release September 30th. Guess who'll be glued to the radio that day...?