Buckle Up

My birthday is coming up very soon (Why yes, I am only 27 and have been for a few years now) and usually on this day I take a little time to reflect on my life. I like to think of it as a kind of yearly evaluation of where I’ve been and where I’m headed.

I’m exactly where I want to be or at least pretty far along the road there and not a lot of peeps can say that. I have a great family, a good job, and I’m following my dreams. The drive so far hasn’t been a straight one. There have been a lot of twists and turns, a few detours maybe, but I like to think I took the scenic route.

Norway

Italy

San Francisco

The road travelled is just as important as the destination and so far it’s been pretty damn awesome. I’ve made some great friends, learned more than I could possibly have imagined, and realized the harder the writing gets…the more I love it.

So fasten your seatbelts, and let’s take it up on two wheels. ‘Cause I’m just getting started.

Finally Friday and Memorial Monday

Maybe it's just me but this week has been abnormally long.  Waiting for a three day weekend may have played a part, but an earlier work schedule didn't help either.  None of that matters now because it's FRIDAY!!!

And this is going to be my theme song all weekend:



I wish.  Not combing my hair is a serious possibility though. 

I'm actually going to be writing every spare moment on my b-nip (best selling novel in progress), spending time with the family, and maybe if I'm feeling especially ambitious...paint my bathroom.  Oh yeah.  I feel your envy. 

This weekend is also about remembering those loved and lost who fought in defense of our freedom.  Brothers and sisters, moms and dads, who won't be at the barbecue this year because they gave their life so we could live a better one. 

We will remember.

Friends Flashback

I still don't think blogger has it all together and because of this I am seriously behind!  I have so many blogs to read and leave sarcastic comments on...

Remember the awesome friends you had from high school and/or college?  Will you ever have better friends than those? 

Let's hope so.

 The chainsaw was a nice touch.

This was done with a permanent sharpie.  He has the bestest friends EVER.

 You've been smurfed.

 Captain Morgan?

 I'm a big girl.

And let's hope they don't post your late night mistakes like these friends did.

Have a great weekend!!!!  (But don't pass out.)

FlashBack: Drive-Ins

Drive-in Movie Theaters were so much fun when I was a kid/teenager and you could count on every little country town having at least one (like sonic or walmart).  They are still around today but few and far between, the majority of people preferring stadium seating and air conditioning to lawn chairs and mosquitos. 

We would pack a cooler full of sodas and snacks, maybe even order a pizza to take with us and eat in the fresh air, since there are no rules against bringing in your own food and drinks.  If you forgot your lawn chair, the hood of your car and a blanket did just fine.
It makes me sad to think generations to come might not be able to experience the magic of movies under an enormous star filled sky.  Somehow it made the adventures on screen seem more possible.

Am I the only that misses Drive-Ins?  Have you ever been?

Have a great weekend and a happy Mother's Day!

Suck It Up

Let's get real for a minute.  Most of the sucessful people we admire today were once just like us.  They had parents who made them clean their room, they went to school, and they dreamed of one day making it big doing whatever it was that made them happy. 

The difference is...they didn't give up.  They believed it would happen and they went for it.  So the next time you feel like throwing in the towel on your dreams, think of what the world would be like if these people had done the same.



 Brad Pitt before he became Angelina Jolie's wife.

 The Beatles before the bangs and Yoko.

Albert Einstein before the crazy hair and obsession with math.

 Robert DeNiro before he was cool.  Who am I kidding?  He was always cool.

 Eminem (Marshall Mathers) before he rapped his way to fame as Slim Shady.

Oh, George.  I see why your biggest dream was to be HOT.

 Madonna when she was still 'Like A Virgin'...sort of.

And my favorite.  Stephen King before he became the Master of Horror.  Isn't that Freddie Krueger's shirt?

If these people could do it, then so can we.  So suck it up and get back to work!

Have a great weekend!!!

J-Love?

What would Jim say?




I can't help but love her.  I realize there has been talk about a few strange things she said, and jokes made regarding some random self help book she wrote...but I cover my ears and chant nanannananna.

She will always be Melinda Gordon to me.  Helping spirits to cross over, crying each time with disturbing ease, and never having a bad hair day. 

Please don't ruin this for me.

Happy Good Friday!  Although every Friday is a good Friday in my opinion.

High School Me

High School me wasn’t shy. I was belligerent, aggressive, and always ready with a sarcastic quip in any situation. But it wasn’t motivated by confidence at all. I was painfully self conscious like most teens my age, only I hid it beneath a layer of attitude.

Maybe I still do.

But even then I was a storyteller. I met my husband when I was eighteen. In getting to know each other, I explained the scars I have with elaborate stories of gunfights involving rival gangs and a knife-fight challenge that I clearly won. The truth pales in comparison, although I still maintain being shot by your brother with a BB gun can be considered a gun fight.

I don’t want to forget that girl. I liked her and I hope she can live on in the stories I tell now. I hope as adults we aren’t trying to force our teenagers to be who we want them to be and instead are giving them room to be who they choose to be.

And here’s a little Three Doors Down with a song that pretty much sums it all up for me.




Happy Weekend!!

Flashback: Indecent Proposal

Remember the movie Indecent Proposal? It starred Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson, and the forever fine Robert Redford.

Set in Las Vegas, it was about a seemingly high roller (Robert Redford) and a married couple who in a desperate attempt to save everything they own, decide to try their luck at the games. When they lose, Robert Redford approaches them with a proposal…one million dollars for one night with the wife.

It was sappy, some of the acting was just plain bad but the premise was awesome and it sparked conversations in every household, whether you watched the movie or not. Would you be willing to let your wife spend the night with someone else for a million dollars? Would you be willing to save your family by spending the night with a stranger?

My thoughts…if he looked like this:

I would sacrifice myself happily.

This…

Not so much.

Of course, my husband empathized with Woody Harrelson and stared with disgust at Robert Redford throughout the show. He told me very seriously there was no way he could ever get over something like that and would absolutely never agree to it.

I didn't doubt a word.

But I couldn’t help but wonder if the situation were reversed and someone offered me a million dollars for a night with my husband, what would I say? We have had our bad years and our good ones, as anyone married for a long time can testify too. The one thing I have learned is money has nothing to do with being happy; you have to do that for yourself and for each other. So, as I looked at my husband of many years, the love of my life, the father of my children, I can tell you quite honestly and without hesitation…I would pimp him out for half that.

Those kids aren’t getting to college on their own.

What would you do?

 

TLS/Repost: Death and Taxes

I am fried from staying up to read The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker in one awesome, tension filled sitting.

Can I just say that I was so into it, my legs actually hurt? All the running through woods, climbing stairs, and sprinting through tunnels, (not to mention the sword fight) left me physically exhausted. In like a good way. If you haven't read this book yet...what are you waiting for? It's awesomeness knows no bounds.

Moving on: This is a blog post from January of 2010. It's a little later than I would have liked and some of you may no longer need this information but just in case, here you go. Have a great weekend!

Death and Taxes

The two inevitable things in life. It is tax season and if you're like me, you want to get a jump on it. So I thought I would impart a little wisdom to the masses.

Aspiring writers...listen up. You can claim your writing expenses on your taxes even if you are NOT published. If you have actively been pursuing a writing career, and can show query letters (via post or email) with the replies you have received, then this is proof that your writing is not a hobby. You can write off all expenses that you have incurred in pursuit of your dream.

A few examples are:

Reference/Writing Books
Postage
Writing Group Fees/Dues
Mileage to and from conferences
Paper/Ink/office supplies
Computer software/hardware
A portion of mortgage/utilities (if you have home office)

Check into it. If you have your taxes done by a service, make sure to bring all of this up. If you do them yourself, you can fill out a Schedule C to send with your 1040 tax form.

In this economy, every little bit helps. I hope this helps you.

Friday Flashback: Bakin’ Your Book

In 9th grade I almost flunked Home Economics. For our semester exam, we were divided into groups and given a recipe to create without supervision. My group received a recipe for No-Bake Cookies.

Not having a clue has never stopped me from taking charge of a situation and this time was no exception. I appointed myself the leader and ordered everyone to follow my instructions to the letter.

We threw all the necessary ingredients into a large bowl. Then I read the fine print that stated we were supposed to boil it part way through. It was too late to fix so we decided to wing it and attempted to freeze them solid (my idea). Our No-Bake Cookies came out a lumpy mass of sugary chocolate goo.

We (me again) tried to save the day by forcing all of our classmates, using alternate methods of threats and begging, to eat our goo and say it was the best thing they ever tasted.

Our teacher didn’t buy it.

Neither will your readers.

You can have all the right ingredients for a bestseller but if you don’t use them properly…your novel may end up a big lumpy mass of goo. I’m not saying you have to follow a set of instructions to the letter; there is always room for originality. Throw some nuts in if you want, and don’t be afraid to give us a surprise or twisted ending. But plot, pacing, and believable characters remain the foundation of any great book recipe.

Just be careful…this isn’t 9th grade and you can’t threaten to beat up all your readers if they don’t love it.

Friday Flashback: Second Thoughts/Second Guessing

We all have second thoughts or second guess our choices (like that spicy chicken sandwich for lunch, why?).  It's only natural to dream about the road not taken.  Some decisions we may find out later were the right ones, and others if we're lucky...we get a second shot at.

Deciding to write again a few years ago was definitely the right decision for me and I will continue to feel that way no matter what the future holds.

In retrospect, not starting that blog completely devoted to Damon Salvatore and calling it 'I'd Be Yo Ho' was probably the right decision too.  But I may never know.

Whatever choices you made in the past or intend to make in the future, make sure to consider the consequences and be prepared to live with them.  Try not to waste too much time reflecting on what might have been and instead concentrate on what could be.  

Until someone invents a time machine.  Then all bets are off.

Have a great weekend!!

Friday Flashbacks: Best Post Ever?

If you have never clicked on the ‘Stats’ button within the settings of your blog…you are seriously missing out. I usually don’t bother but curiosity got the better of me and I peeked. It shows you what your most popular post is over the last week, month, and even the life of your blog. It just might surprise you.

So I give you my blog post that received the most views EVER. I’m not sure whether it’s because of my awesomeness or the fact that the word ‘porn’ is in the title…

Posted on September 7th, 2010

Tuesday's Take: Porn or Art?

The new cover of Rolling Stone was released on September 2nd and it showcases a few of my fav people.

Warning...explicit pic:

Helllllooooo...

These are the stars from True Blood from left to right:

Alexander Skarsgard-Eric
Anna Paquin-Sookie
Stephen Moyer-Bill

These aren't your momma's vampires, or your little sister's. They don't go to high school, they don't sparkle, and they are most definitely not vegetarian. They also don't spend a lot of time pondering the morality of eating people.

From what I can see in this pic, not a thing has been air-brushed. The show is on HBO after all so it's not anything we haven't seen before. Just not together.

This cover has caused a lot of controversy. Some say it's no more than cheap porn, a way to boost ratings. Other's view it as art and a perfect depiction of what the show is about.

I studied it for hours...research of course. I gathered opinions...

My husband said sure we could blow it up and hang it on the wall but it really doesn't go with our furniture.

My boss said that maybe I shouldn't have it as wallpaper on my computer because he was sure it was sexual discrimination of some kind...he just wasn't sure towards who (Peeps for Clothes?).

So you tell me...Porn or Art?

And does it make a difference that Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer were married last week? I bet Alexander Skarsgard is a close friend...

Enjoy and Happy New Year!!!!!

Friday Flashback: Co-Workers Loved and Lost

Crazy Sales Girl, how I miss you. You claimed to be psychic and set up a webcam to watch your teenage son all day long. Then had to be told that your ratted hair and torn sweats were not appropriate office attire but I didn’t care. Your psychic abilities should have warned you that having your boyfriend call you in sick for an entire month would eventually lead to your dismissal. I will never forget how you spoke in a different accent every time you paged someone over the intercom. Thank you for the laughs.

Tourettes Guy, where are you now? Your abruptly screamed obscenities and outbursts of rap songs were the highlight of my day. You were my mentor, my compadre in crime. If only you had not told the wrong co-worker to **** themselves, you would still be here to take the blame whenever I felt like emitting a cursitude…or two.

Bulimic/Addict Girl, what can I say? I don’t really miss you but it is slightly more dreary without you wandering around offering everyone ‘vitamins’…that look suspiciously like Vicodin to my untrained eye. It is much nicer in my part of the office without the sounds of your heaving from the restroom next door. How could you have known that stealing office supplies and groceries from the break room would be the final straw for management? Who knew they had a final straw anyway?

Know that you are missed and your replacements are boring, pale shadows in comparison. I will strive to carry on in your absence as best I can…a shining beacon of eccentricity in your honor (except for you, B&A Girl, cause that’s just nasty).

Live Long and Prosper. Peace Out.

Friday Flashback: Regrets

Flashbacks give us a chance to revisit the past and examine our actions (and hairstyles, WTF?). When we are writing a story, we can invent the sort of past we want for our characters. It can be exciting, horrific, or just plain boring depending on how we want that character perceived by the reader.

If only we could do this with our own lives. Do you look back at your past and have any regrets? Wish that you could have done anything differently? Or would you do everything exactly the same?

Do you wonder if you made different choices, even small ones, would your life would be better? Worse? Would you be the same person? If you hadn’t kissed Tommy Dixon, maybe you would be rich and famous today.

I jokingly said the other day that I should have married for money. I don’t believe it, of course. I like who I am and it took all the mistakes, bad choices and good ones, to arrive at that feeling. Money does not make you happy, although I heard a comedian say that it can buy you a Wave Runner and no one can be unhappy on a Wave Runner. So maybe money can rent happiness for a while but it can’t buy a permanent fix.

Sometimes I regret not returning to writing sooner. Maybe I would have been happier sooner or further along in my career. Or maybe I would have just worked at it longer. I’m not saying that I couldn’t have been a better person at times, a better parent, and a better friend. But our past is what makes us who we are and it’s better to accept and move forward, than regret and dwell on what could have been.

Do you have any regrets?  Let it out and then file them here: 

Have a great weekend!!

Friday Flashback: Chuck-Struck

No one can compete with the bad-assness of Chuck Norris. He has been kicking butt since the 70’s and even those who aren’t action junkies still know who he is. At one time he was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. But he was never an actor who played a tough guy, he was a tough guy who played an actor.

He is ex-Air force, an honorary Marine, Tai Kwon Do Black Belt Grand Master, and now…a Texas Ranger.

After years of playing one on Walker, Texas Ranger our governor Rick Perry, in his supreme wisdom, decided to award Mr. Norris with this distinction. It has only been given to two others, John Wayne and George Bush Sr.

Texas Rangers are and always have been the guys who step in when local law enforcement cannot or will not maintain law and order. These guys are the last American cowboys and if they ever come after you…give up. Because they won’t.

It only stands to reason they would give this honor to Chuck Norris. But in case you still aren’t convinced, here are a few facts you may not know:

When Chuck Norris does a pushup, he isn’t lifting himself up, he’s pushing the Earth down.

Some people wear Superman pajamas, Superman wears Chuck Norris pajamas.

And…Chuck Norris does not read books, he stares them down until they tell him what he wants to know.


Courtesy of http://www.chucknorrisfacts.com/

Congrats to you, Sir. May you continue to kick ass until your ass kicks on you.

Friday Flashback: Learning the Hard Way

Over the years I have learned a few things. I would now like to pass along these nuggets of wisdom in the hopes that you, my bloggy friends, will benefit from my experiences and maybe avoid making some of the same mistakes.

Never lick a steak knife.

If your brother hits you, don't hit him back. They always catch the second person.

Don't wear polka dot underwear under white shorts.

No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.

You shouldn't compare yourself to others - they are more screwed up than you think.

No matter what happens, somebody will find a way to take it too seriously. Don't let it be you.

You cannot make someone love you. All you can do is stalk them and hope they panic and give in.


And finally, please remember that we are all responsible for what we do...unless we are celebrities.

Have a great weekend!!

Friday Flashback: Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live is an American tradition.  It was, and still is, a jump start to the big leagues for a lot of celebrities.  But for most of us, it was just a great show where you got all your jokes.

And most of your news:

For the longest time I thought this dude was President:

But then this guy won the next election:

Although this little man put up a helluva fight:

These guys were insane and I loved them.

But we all have to grow up and move on.  Sad...but true.  I hardly know these new people now:

And I am forced to get my news from a more serious source:

Sometimes it's hard to be a grown up.  Have a great weekend!!!

Friday Flashback: Halloween

Halloween History

Halloween is on October 31st, the last day of the Celtic calendar. It was originally a pagan holiday to honor the dead. It was referred to as All Hallows Eve and dates back to over 2000 years ago.

Halloween culture can be traced back to the Druids, a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. Roots lay in the feast of Samhain, which signifies "summers end" or November. Samhain was a harvest festival with huge sacred bonfires, marking the end of the Celtic year and the beginning of a new one.

The Celts believed the souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages at night. Since not all spirits were thought to be friendly, gifts and treats were left out to pacify the evil and ensure next years crops would be plentiful. The Celts would also dress up in costumes to prevent the spirits from recognizing them as human. This custom evolved into trick-or-treating.

Tricks instead of Treats?:

• Ring doorbell and say "canned goods or meat."

• Get dressed up, knock on door. When person answers, put candy into his bowl.

• Dress up in a hospital gown and walk around at night saying "They think I'm crazy, but I'm not. They deserved to die. They can't take me back, etc, etc."

• Toilet paper your own yard and accuse someone else of doing it.

Happy Halloween!!!!

Friday Flashbacks: I was Harry Potter

When my son was little, I read to him every night. I had heard of the Harry Potter books of course, but I was not particularly interested. My son was too young to really understand them and I was definitely too old. Plus, they didn’t have any vampires in them so what was the point?

My curiosity finally got the better of me. You can only hear how awesome they are before you have to see what the hype is about. I bought the first book in paperback, not wanting to invest too much into them. We nestled in my son’s bed and he was asleep by page three. I was not.

I stayed up until 1:00 in the morning, until the last page was read, enthralled with the magic of another world so compelling that I never wanted it to end.

I lived in a cupboard under the stairs. My uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia made no effort to hide the fact that I was a burden they didn’t need or want. Discovering I was a wizard and had lost my parents in a horrible act of magical violence was just the beginning. I attended a school of witchcraft and wizardry, and became the youngest Seeker in a century to play on the Gryffindor quidditch house team. I stood in a field with players surrounding me on flying broomsticks and listened as a roaring crowd applauded me for catching the golden snitch and winning the game.

I found two of the very best friends a person could ever have, and they helped me face the evil wizard who killed my parents, and defeat him. He didn’t die but he got the message that I would not be taken care of easily. Returning to my Aunt and Uncle’s house didn’t seem quite so bad now that I knew where my real home was.

My world of soccer games, and cookie dough fundraisers had disappeared. I was Harry Potter…until the last page.

Then I wasn’t.

Friday Flashback: Teen Truth

All of us who write YA, Middle Grade, or any genre really, have been asked the question ‘why do we write what we do?’ I know I have popped off a quick answer without thinking too hard on it. I might have said the voices in my head belong to an angry teenager most days so it made sense to write YA. Or that it was the most fun or…whatever. But that’s not entirely true.

Some of us look back on our teen years with a rosy recollection of prom dates and pep rallies but you know that’s not how it really was, at least not all of the time. That was just what floated on the surface for the rest of the world to see. It was the mask we wore. Most of the time it was painful, confusing, terrifying, and…if we were lucky…punctuated by short flashes of pure joy.

Another blogger wrote once of ‘a joy like pain’. I will never forget it. That feeling is like an old friend. It still visits once in a while, when I look at my child or I see my husband unexpectedly in a crowd, but never as often as when I was a teenager.

Many teens spend those years being afraid of being too…anything. Too tall, too short, too fat, too thin, too smart, or too stupid. We want to stand out as special, and blend in at the same time. We are just finding out that our parents were right. Life isn’t fair, and every part of us wishes we had the power to change that.

But mainly it’s about choices. We just didn’t know it at the time. Every choice moved us farther along the path to where we are today. Even the little ones. Sleeping with Tommy might not have been the smartest choice but it helped shape who I am. Fighting his ex-girlfriend might have been stupid but she became my best friend and we stay in touch to this day (Tommy is married with four daughters-that is sooo punishment enough).

The truth is…I write YA because it’s about a time in life when anything is possible. You are teetering on the edge of fantasy and reality, between being a child and becoming an adult. One foot is still in a world of Santa Clause and monsters under the bed…and the other is making college plans and future career decisions.

The world is spread before you like a buffet of what ifs.

All you have to do is choose.