My summer project: I'm going to make a Book Trailer

Never mind that my techno knowledge borders on the ridiculously inept. Hey, 8 years ago while driving in my car I decided I was going to write a book. It wasn't easy, and my first attempts were awful. I mean really really awful (Just ask my first crit partners). But I had an intense drive and once I found my niche and my voice, got really lucky and got an agent, everything fell into place. So if I can write a book and get published I can make a 60 second book trailer. Right? I am woman. Hear me roar.

What made me decide to do a trailer? First off, I'm an extremely visual person. There's nothing like actually seeing something with your own two eyes to drive home a point, which makes book trailers a great marketing tool to hook someone like me. I've bought books that I never thought I'd be interested in after watching a trailer. Plus, I had a trailer for my first book Bunco Babes Tell All and I think it helped generate some good buzz. Thank you Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe!

Now, since my marketing budget is extremely tight, I'll be making this little gem on a shoestring budget. Like as close to free as possible. And since I have no idea where to start I'll be surfing the Internet for help trying to get an idea of what works and what doesn't. Check out Whitney Moore's blog Book Trailers Love or Hate? I agree with what she says. A book trailer should not be a movie trailer. It shouldn't strip the reader of their imagination.

Stay tuned as I fumble my way through the creation and production of what I hope will be an awesome trailer that will have readers salivating to read my upcoming December release, The Boyfriend of the Month Club.

And in case you missed it, here's the trailer for my first book.

The Popcorn Dialogues!

I've been a huge fan of Jennifer Crusie ever since I heard her speak at the RWA conference in New York some, oh, I don't know, 7 or 8 years ago. My friend Rhoda and I had just started writing and it was our first conference and JC absolutely wow'd me. Welcome to Temptation and Faking It and Bet Me are among some of my favorite books. So add JC to another favorite of mine (romantic comedy movies) and you have a winning recipe.

Jenny and her partner in crime, Lucy March (better known to most as Lani Diane Rich) have started a new blog called The Popcorn Dialogues. The purpose of the blog is to analyze and discuss romantic comedies. There will be a podcast involved, some twittering, and lots of good ol' back and forth discussion. Think of it as film class with Jenny Crusie.

Every Friday starting June 4, they will take one movie (all voted on already on Jenny's blog ARGH INK) and slice, dice, and dissect it to see what works and what doesn't. The movies start in chronological order from the 30's to present. Let me tell you, this is so up my alley. There is nothing I like better than taking something apart to see why it works or why it doesn't (just ask Mel.)

Coming June 4, It Happened One Night with Clark Cable and Claudette Colbert. The hallmark film of romantic comedies. I can't wait!

Why you should never get your 100 lb senile dog in the shower

Grrr... The Powers that be, The Man, Big Brother, whatever you want to call him, has apparently decreed that The Office clip showing Ryan talking about Woof! had to come down. I just hate that. Don't they know that any publicity is good publicity? I guess not. I guess they want to keep their funny clips to themselves. Oh, well, that's not exactly what I meant to blog about.

Note to everyone out there: NEVER put your 100 lb plus dog who is 12 years old (which means he's a zillion years old in human years) and slightly senile into your shower. I usually wait for Mike Geraci to come home before bathing Charlie. A professional groomer has been out of the question for the past 3 years because...well, let's just say Charlie gets too jittery around strangers now so we do it ourselves. He has horrible dermatitis and is on steroids. You get the picture. Poor baby has to have a bath.

But I can't lift him in the tub and he can't get in there himself, so I thought the shower was a most excellent option. Until that is... poor Charlie lost his um... bowels. In a most liquid way all over the place while he was still lathered up. Which meant not only was my barefooted, already wet self swimming in it, I had to stay in it longer to rinse him off. All while my 10 lb Daschund, Truffles, stood on the other side of the shower door howling her lungs off convinced Charlie and I were having too much "special time." I am on my 3rd bleaching of the shower stall. And Mike Geraci is still laughing. Next time, it's his turn to wash the dog.

Social networking 101

In my day (yeah, I know...) social networking meant talking to someone. As in face-to-face. Or picking up the phone and calling them. I remember the first time I heard the phrase, just like the first time I heard the phrase foodie which left me kind of clueless until someone filled me in (as in social networked with me). So a foodie is someone who likes to eat? Yeah, count me in. Of course the term means a little more than that, but you catch my drift.

So everyone is doing it these days (get your mind out of the gutter I'm still talking about social networking) and it seems that each day, I hear about more ways to network. There's websites of course, and blogging, and Facebook (which I love a little too much, I think), Twitter, Tumblr, and lots of others.

As an author, it's also a great way to hook up with people who are interested in your work. I have a Facebook account that I started when I wanted to connect with old friends and it's awesome. I love seeing my friend's kids' prom pictures and the anniversary trip to Hawaii, etc... but I started getting a lot of requests from people I don't know, people who want to connect with me as a writer. So I saw the wisdom in starting a Fan page, where people can "like" me. It's so Sally Field-ish of me, but I have to admit to really digging that term. I've also tried Twittering, and while I do enjoy it on occasion, it's brevity leaves me cold and I hate the "am clipping my toenails" kind of twitters.

So apparently, there's a new social network website out there called Woof! (he he) If you're an Office fan (or even if you're not) check it out.

I'm now off to do some commercial networking at Target...

Sex and the Austen Girl

Having just finished the revisions on The Boyfriend of the Month Club (yay! I cannot tell you how relieved I am) I am now in the mood to celebrate. This will involve reading, relaxing, and a bit of housework thrown in for good measure only because my house is so damn dirty right now it cannot be put off a second longer. But I digress...

If you haven't read Lauie Viera Rigler's novels- Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict and Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict, then you're really missing something. I read both books in one sitting. Loved them. And now, Babelgum has produced a web series based on the books, titled Sex and The Austen Girl. Follow this link to watch it. It's just a few minutes long and funny as all out. Thanks, Marilyn Brant for turning me on to Laurie's books!

http://www.babelgum.com/5003878/sex-and-the-austen-girl-meeting-men-episode-1.html

Best Acceptance Speech ever

Has it really been 15 years since Emma Thompson's fabulous Golden Globe acceptance speech for her screenplay adaption of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility? I remember watching this on t.v. and thinking "I want to be Emma Thompson!" Or at least, as clever as Emma Thompson.

Today is the monthly meeting of the Florida Panhandle Romance Writers and I'll be leading an interactive dialogue workshop, so in preparation I've been thinking a lot about dialogue. It made me dig up this awesome little gem of a speech. It's absolutely perfect.

Travel Insurance, good idea or not?

The jury is still out on this one. I have never in my life bought travel insurance on a domestic airline ticket. Mainly because the price of most airfares seem pretty reasonable and it seems silly to spend an extra 25 bucks or so on a ticket that you're trying to skimp on. So why a couple of months ago I bought travel insurance on an airline ticket from Tallahassee to Nashville, I really can't say. I think mostly it was due to the fact that the ticket cost me almost $500. Yeah. Traveling anywhere from Tallahassee sucks. But I still wouldn't want to live anywhere else, so that's that. I bought my ticket and pretty much ignored the email that came along with it from Access America (my new corporate BFF or enemy- verdict to be determined in 7-14 days).

Then, the rains came. And Nashville and the Grand Opryland Hotel were flooded and suddenly the RWA (Romance Writers of America) conference I was scheduled to attend there in late July was cancelled. I waited, along with a couple thousand other writers to see where the conference would be moved to. Orlando! Wow. Okay. My second home town (I grew up in Melbourne). I cringed (just a bit) when I heard that the conference would be held at the Swan and Dolphin Hotel at Disney World (not that it's not a lovely hotel and conference center) but as a native Floridian, I tend to get tired when all people associate Florida with is Mickey Mouse. But hey, the rat has been good to Florida tourism (as opposed to say, BP oil) so I'm not harping on Mickey and his friends. The hotel is lovely, the conference will be awesome and as long as a hurricane doesn't come along, we'll be in business:) It's a bit early in Hurricane season, so we should be fine. Okay, back to the travel insurance. Now that the conference will be in Orlando, I don't need an airline ticket. I can drive to Orlando faster than it takes to get through airport security. So I go into my saved email and find the Access America post and actually start to read my policy. And somewhere between the pages I begin to think that I have pretty solid grounds to get all my money back and believe me, an extra $500 sounds pretty good to me right now. So I put in my claim, forward all the information they ask for and wait my 7 days to see if I'm approved. I even spoke to a very helpful agent on the phone who aided me with the process.

So, yesterday the 7 days were up. I got on the Internet to see the status of my claim and of course, I couldn't tell what it was from the information provided, so I called the 1-800 number and spoke to another helpful agent on the phone who was also very polite and helpful in telling me that my claim has been pushed forward another 7-14 days. Humph. Okay, I'm not in a hurry, but I'm beginning to get suspicious. Being the patient person I am, I will give them the benefit of the doubt.

Stay tuned...

Newest Emily Giffin comes out today

And according to the email I rec'd last night from Amazon, my copy is on the way. I can't wait to dig in and start reading!

HEART OF THE MATTER

Tessa Russo is the mother of two young children and the wife of a renowned pediatric surgeon. Despite her mother’s warnings, Tessa has recently given up her career to focus on her family and the pursuit of domestic happiness. From the outside, she seems destined to live a charmed life.

Valerie Anderson is an attorney and single mother to six-year-old Charlie---a boy who has never known his father. After too many disappointments, she has given up on romance---and even, to some degree, friendships---believing that it is always safer not to expect too much.
Although both women live in the same Boston suburb, the two have relatively little in common aside from a fierce love for their children. But one night, a tragic accident causes their lives to converge in ways no one could have imagined.

In alternating, pitch-perfect points of view, Emily Giffin creates a moving, luminous story of good people caught in untenable circumstances. Each being tested in ways they never thought possible. Each questioning everything they once believed. And each ultimately discovering what truly matters most.

Spending money on a good cause

I've always loved the semi-oxymoronic (if that's not a real word, then it is now) thought behind spending money to save money. Especially if in the process the money you've spent to save, helps a good cause.

Every year, NY Times best selling author Brenda Novak holds a month long online auction with proceeds benefiting Diabetes research, a cause that's near and dear to her heart (her son has juvenile onset diabetes). I've always sort of watched the auction from afar, but this year I've decided to throw my hat in the ring. There's a terrific AuthorBuzz package worth over a thousand bucks that I plan to bid on (don't go bidding against me now!) as well as a few other things I have my eye on.

If you're a writer or a reader there are scads of deliciously lovely things (like editor and agent critiques, autographed books, etc ) to bid on. Go check it out.

Happy Mothers Day!

First, I'll be here.

Then, I'll be here. Yum!

And lastly, I'll be here.

Have a Happy Mothers Day, everyone!

I'm stalking Emily Giffin

Seriously. I love that she has a blog on her new website and that she's giving out so much scoop on the Something Borrowed movie. It's got an awesome cast. With Kate Hudson as Darcy (how perfect is that?) Ginnifer Goodwin as good girl Rachel and John Krasinski as Ethan (love love love that!) it promises to do the book justice. I'm thinking they must be combining both Something Borrowed and Something Blue for the movie, since Darcy and Rachel's story isn't finished in the first book.



Now, if only Sophie Kinsella would blog more frequently, I'd stalk her too. But apparently she just had another baby, so I can't give her any grief there. I just finished her latest novel, Twenties Girl. I absolutely loved it. I laughed, I cried, and I was so sorry when it was over. I really think this is Kinsella's best novel and that's saying a lot for me because I've loved them all.

Happy Anniversary to Me

One year ago today my debut novel Bunco Babes Tell All hit the shelves. It's been a whirlwind year, full of ups and downs and lots of in-betweens. As cliched as it sounds, I wish I knew then what I know now. Ah, well. If I could go back in time I would tell myself the following things:

1. The sales numbers at Amazon.com change hourly. And daily (somewhere around 6:30 am) for Barnes and Noble (although the sales number at B&N do occasionally fluctuate through out the day- not sure why it does this sometimes). No amount of mental telepathy can lower your figures. Trust me, The Great Maria has tried this and failed.

2. Learn to take compliments well and ignore the snide remarks. You have no idea how hard it is for me to take a compliment but I'm learning.

Reader/fan/friend: "I loved your book!"
Old Maria of a year ago (and of course you know I don't mean old literally): "Really? I think the scene on page 242 could have been a little tighter, though. Don't you think?"
Reader/fan/friend: Blank stare.
New and Improved Maria: "Thank you! I love my book too!"

Reader/fan/"friend": "Wow, there sure is a lot of sex in your book!"
Old Maria: cringe
New and Improved Maria: "I know, isn't it great?"

3. Don't sweat the small stuff (I didn't make this one up). I repeat: Don't sweat the small stuff.

And there you have it. I can only hope this time next year I'll be even smarter.

How beautiful is this?

Will someone please make this and serve it to me in bed on Mother's Day? Tomorrow morning will be fine too.

I ripped this saliva inducing pic off Pioneer Woman (who else?) Although the recipe is actually from Savory Sweet Life and can also be found here at Tasty Kitchen. The demo pics are almost as delicious as I'm sure the French Toast is.

Give me a choice of any breakfast food and I'll almost always go for the French Toast. I think it stems back to my Girl Scout days (5th and 6th grade were the best "girl" days of my life). I can remember going camping and making French Toast, not this version, of course, but a pretty damn good one for an open camp fire. Good times :)

Win a copy of Simply Insatiable

My good pal, Naughty Kate is celebrating the release of her newest "Simply" book by doing a give away. Go to her blog right here, leave a comment, and you could be the proud owner of this hot new erotic romance. My copy should be coming from Amazon in the mail any day and I can't wait to read it. Kate simply never ever disappoints.

SIMPLY INSATIABLE

Forgiveness and seduction are important rules in SIMPLY INSATIABLE’s game of love and surrender. Lives are changed and old hurts are mended. Simply one of the best erotic historical romances this spring; SIMPLY INSATIABLE is too marvelous to read only once. Blaize and Jane’s story is a keeper! 5 Blue Ribbons, Romance Junkies

No fantasy is too wild for Madame Helene’s Pleasure House—a brothel in Regency England where forbidden desires are more than welcome…

The most scandalous passions…

Lord Minshom is known throughout London for embracing every illicit longing—the more scandalous the better. When his estranged wife, Lady Jane returns with an ultimatum he flatly refuses—even if it means she will turn to other men. Forced to watch Jane flirt shamelessly at the House of Pleasure, Minshom is enraged…and excited. The innocent girl he wed at seventeen has transformed into a voluptuous woman who still ignites a scorching hunger within him…

Are always the most pleasureable…

After seven years apart from her husband, Jane is now ready to settle their differences and start afresh. But when she is reunited with Minshom, his attitude infuriates her—and she is determined to teach him a lesson. Yet even as Jane accepts the attentions of other men, it is Minshom she truly wants. For she alone knows how to satisfy all of his wicked needs…

Seriously, this should be outlawed

It's that good. Talenti gelato is my own personal crack cocaine. The frozen food aisle at Publix is where I score.

In my revision madness, I made myself a little goal. For every chapter I progress, I get a spoonful of gelato. Trust me, this method is working. Of course, I might not have anything left in my closet to wear, but the manuscript is coming along beautifully.

Still Revising...

I know it's hard to see but here's my story in a nutshell. Or rather, on a poster board.

I've been revising The Boyfriend of the Month Club for some time now. Mel has given up asking me if I'm done because she knows she'll just get a snicker over the phone. Done? Not yet. Although I am getting so very close. I think I'll be done by Sunday, which means I'll be turning it in on Monday to my very patient editor at Berkley.

I'll be popping champagne corks, that's for sure. This book has almost kicked my butt! And while my butt can certainly use some serious kicking, I'm pretty much exhausted. But exhilarated at the same time. This book has 4 major subplots to the overall plot and all of them have to sync together perfectly. Back to writing for now...

Covers I'm drawn to

If a picture tells a thousand words then what does this one say?

It's no secret a good cover can do wonders for a book. The cover gods can be cruel, or they can be kind, or they can be indifferent. Every author prays for the kind cover gods- the ones who wave their magic and give you a cover that not only represents the spirit of the book you've written, but one that will sell books!

I've long been a fan of Joshilyn Jackson. If you haven't read Between, Georgia or Gods in Alabama then you're really missing something. Above is the cover for her upcoming novel. Love the title! Love the cover! Can't wait to read the book. The cover gods have been good to Joshilyn.

The road to publication

Yes, sometimes I really think it's actually the yellow brick road, going in all directions with detours and nasty witches and monkeys trying to get you. But finally getting there and making all your dreams come true makes the trip worth while.

My friend Leigh Duncan is celebrating her debut release, The Officers Girl over at Everybody Needs a little Romance. Leave a comment and you could win a copy of the book.

Leigh is also going to be right here in Tallahassee at my local Books-a-Million signing copies of her book on May 2 from 2-4 pm. She's also graciously agreed to give a workshop to my local RWA chapter Florida Panhandle Romance Writers at our monthly meeting on June 12. If you're local (or not so local) and want to write, are considering writing or just love romance, consider joining our group. We have a blast! Here's a short blurb on Leigh's workshop:

The Once and Future Author, is an inspiring look at the long road to publication and the shortcuts Leigh found helpful in achieving her goals. In her workshop, Leigh shares the ways her life has changed since “the call” and shows why it’s never too late to pursue your dreams.

Happy Easter, Happy 101

My good friend, Marilyn Brant, author of the fabulous According to Jane, and I do mean fabulous, if you haven't read this book, go do so now, gave me a Happy 101 award for my blog. Thank you, Marilyn! As I understand it, I have to list 10 things that make me happy and pass it along to 5 other bloggers.

Here goes:

10 Things that Make Happy:

1. A hot cup of coffee in the morning. Fresh, preferably Starbucks, with one Splenda and a dash of half and half (because honestly, a stale cup of black coffee would just make me sad).

2. Anything that has to do with my kids (as long as they are not whining or asking for money.)

3. Low humidity (if you lived in Florida, you'd agree)

4. Finding a new exciting author to read (Marian Keyes- not new, but new to me and Sarah MacLean- her new release Nine Rules to Break when Romancing a Rake is fabulous! I loved it!)

5. Spending a quiet evening home alone with my husband.

6. Playing Bunco with the Bunco Broads of Tallahassee.

7. Having lunch with a friend.

8. Talking to my sister Carmen on the phone.

9. Gossiping with Mel.

10. Hitting the New York Times Best Seller list (hasn't happened yet, but I can assure you I think this will make me very happy.)

11. Going to the Beach. (I know it was only supposed to be 10)

And (drum roll, please) Happy 101 gets passed along to:

1. Melissa Francis
2. Louisa Edwards
3. Kristen Painter
4. Kate Pearce
5. Marianne LaCroix

So have a happy and Blessed Easter everyone!

Dude, you are not my target audience

I've been wanting to write this blog for a long time now. Several things have stopped me. One, the subject matter revolves around something negative. And two, I don't want to write a sour grapes post. Yet, as I approach my one year anniversary (May 5!) as a published author I feel that I've learned so much about this business, about myself and my writing, and about other people, that I have a legitimate reason to post about the subject matter. Plus, the blog is called Writing Romance in the Closet and it's my blog and I can write what I want:)

One recent cold night in January, I came home from a party, happy with the world and ready to write. I figured I could squeeze in at least 2 hours before it was time to fall asleep. As my usual habit, I opened up my computer and checked my email first and found that there was a new review for Bunco Babes Tell All on Amazon (I have a Google alert for such things). It was my first one star review. Bummer. But the shocker part was that the review was from the Sacramento Book Review and the reviewer had given Bunco Babes Tell All a really good review when the book came out so this new review made no sense. Until I figured out it was for the wrong book. The review was clearly meant for Bunco Babes Gone Wild. The reviewer compared my book to Judith Weiner's Best Friends Forever (they meant to say Jennifer Weiner) called my book trashy, etc... Something didn't add up, so I set out to investigate. I looked up the review on the Sacramento Book Review site and found out that indeed there had been an error. The review was meant for Bunco Babes Gone Wild and to my relief, the reviewer was not the same women who reviewed Bunco Babes Tell All, but someone completely different- a man.

Still... it bothered me. Should I bring this up to someone at Sacramento Book Reviews attention? I'll take the one star for Bunco Babes Gone Wild, but I hated that it was listed in the wrong place. After some deliberation and whining to writing friends (Mel and Louisa) I decided to let it go, but I'll admit, for a time, it paralyzed me. All I could think of when I sat down to write was that review. Then a few days later, the review (now with Jennifer Weiner's name spelled correctly) started popping up all over the place. The reviewer posted it on his own review site with the blog title : Shameless. Then a couple of days later, another Google alert popped up on my email. This one with the title "What's the worst book you've ever read?" Um, yeah, you guessed it. Dude jumped in with Bunco Babes Gone Wild (he's gotten the title right now too.) Of course, I have to say my Bunco Babes were in good company. Twilight and The Great Gatsby and a mirage of wildly popular books were also listed under worst books ever read.

So while this wasn't exactly the place I wanted any book of mine listed, it was the push that made me think that as a writer, I've made it! I have written something that another person on the planet truly hated. But I've also written something that other people have written to tell me they loved. I once heard Jennifer Crusie say that she despised 3 star reviews. She'd rather have a one star because it meant that someone was really moved by your work. In a negative way, yes, but you made someone feel something and that's what art is all about. Evoking emotion. Good or bad, it's so much better than indifference.

When I first met my editor last summer she casually let drop that one of the things she liked about my writing was my raunchy sense of humor. I must have looked surprised because she quickly added, "that's a good thing." I'll be honest, I like my raunchy sense of humor too. And if as a reader, you don't, then that's okay. My target audience is largely women, like me, who enjoy a fast paced, contemporary book with a little sex and a few laughs. A book that focuses on things that are important to women- like friendship and family and love.

So after some time has passed I've learned to put the whole thing in perspective. I'm grateful that a book review site like Sacramento Book Reviews took the time to read both my books and post a review, so thank you for that. Without people reading and reviewing your books, you're dead in this business. But I can't let a bad review guide me in my writing. I have to write to my target audience. Which is me.

Note to self: Avoid cliches

Still working on revisions for The Boyfriend of the Month Club, which I plan to have finished within a few days. Hopefully. Yes. I will (this is me talking to myself, pumping me up). I still have to change up a few scenes, then take one final look at the manuscript, sweep out the repetitive words, cliches, and unnecessary passages. In other words, put my manuscript on a diet and have it come out a lean, mean, fighting machine. Hmmm.. that sounds suspiciously like a cliche.

Meanwhile, I had a really nice weekend. Busy, but nice. Oh, and I read my first Marian Keyes novel a couple of weeks ago! Won't be my last, though. I absolutely have a new author to add to my list of favorites.

Casting call

Tall blond and handsome (I blogged about this once). It's one of the most popular hits on my blog. Don't know if that's good or bad, because I'd really like the hits to be all about me and my books, but beggars can't be choosers, so what the hell. I'll take it.

Speaking of which... revisions for The Boyfriend of the Month Club are coming along. Changing up a secondary character, even one that's only in the book a few times really does mess up the flow and I'm finding that the book has taken on a slightly different flavor. It's still the same story, but with an altered spice. I like it. I think my editor was really on target here.

As I tweak the story again (and again) I find myself thinking (daydreaming) who would play the major roles if it was ever made into a movie. When I first thought of the character of Joe (my sexy, but commitment phobic dentist) I thought of Curtis Stone. But when I actually started writing Joe, Curtis didn't really fill the part anymore and Joe suddenly became Chris Evans (Harvard Hottie). Chris is slightly younger than Joe's character, but only by a few years, so by the time the movie is made he'll be perfect for the role. Hollywood, are you listening?

My new blog look!

I absolutely love it! Thank you, Tara at Author Web Designs by Tara. I wanted to change up the look of my blog but keep it in sync with my website (which will undergo a few minor cosmetic changes as well over the next few months) and I think Tara did a fantastic job. I absolutely love looking at my covers on the header.

Now back to cleaning house in prep for the Termite man...

Revisions, Termites and undereye bags

So I heard from my fabulous editor WM last week. She really liked the manuscript but wanted a secondary character from the first chapter changed up. She felt he was too cartoonish, which, after some consideration, I agreed with and have made the necessary changes. I think he definitely reads more realistic now and I'm actually excited about the direction his character has gone. The thing is... now I have to go in and change him up in the rest of the manuscript, which means more minor rewrites and since I write at the pace of a snail on Benadryl that means I've got some work to do.

Plus... the Termite inspector (renewal of the termite bond is critical in Florida) is coming this week. He was supposed to come tomorrow but I rescheduled for Wednesday, because just like the when the cleaning lady comes (not that I have a CL at the moment) but I just can't have him come into a dirty/messy house, which means I'll be cleaning house all day tomorrow. Which leads me to my current under-eye-bag situation. No surprise here since lack of sleep and age are creeping up on me. Used to be I could get away with almost no sleep and still look decent. Those days are long gone. So I found this puppy at Target the other day. I love Soap and Glory products, almost as much for the packaging as anything else. So far, I'm not sure if it's any better than slathering hemorrhoid cream under your eyes. Not something I've ever done, but have been tempted to do in the past. The jury is still out...

The Kiss!

I'm a huge fan of The Good Wife. Really, great great T.V. Plus it stars the yummy Josh Charles who I fell in love with in Dead Poet's Society (one of my favorite all time movies).

I have to admit, the premise turned me off at first. Politician (played by Chris Noth- another excellent reason to watch) cheats on his wife with prostitute, does a mea culpa to the press, with wifey looking on in supportive terse moment (Julianna Marguiles- who I have a girl crush on now thanks to the show). Politician gets arrested for misusing government funds (swears he's innocent! Yes, he shagged prostitute but he used his own money to do it. Can't anyone get anything right?) and gets thrown in jail. Long story short, instead of kicking Mr. Big and Horny to the curve, wifey stands by her man. I'll admit, it's probably not what I would do, but hey, life is complicated. Now wifey is the bread winner and working at big time law firm where her ex-college sweetheart (Yummy Josh Charles) is now her boss. Add in a fabulous supporting cast- Christine Baranski and the absolutely fabulous Archie Panjabi and it's the best hour on T.V. as far as I'm concerned. Oh, and in recent episodes Alan Cummings has come on board as a deliciously cynical political advisor. I can't wait to see what they have in store for his character.

Last Tuesday, the moment I've been waiting for all season long finally arrived. The kiss between Alicia and Will (Julianna and Josh, or wifey and boss). Yes, I guess you could say it was wrong. She's still married to Mr. Big and Horny, but hey, life is complicated.

Up, Up in the Air, and Avatar

So I've caught up with 3 of the nominated Best Picture Oscar nominated movies this weekend.

Last night Mike Geraci and I went to see Avatar at the AMC theater. I had hoped I'd get a chance to see it on the big screen since this seemed like the kind of movie that had to be seen there first, complete with 3D glasses. Despite the fact the movie has been out since Christmas, the theater was packed. James Cameron must be laughing all the way to the bank.

I'll be honest and say that I wasn't looking forward to seeing this movie, so I went into it a little prejudiced. For some reason (probably because I've been living in a bubble since October) I thought the movie was about a video game. Where I got that idea from I have no clue. But it's not. It's basically Dancing with Wolves with Blue people and a lot of special effects. The first 30 minutes or so I was bored out of my mind. To the point that I took off my 3D glasses because there was no point to them. Then the movie took off and the special effects were absolutely unbelievable. Mike Geraci turned into a little kid. If I had a dollar for every time I heard him say "cool" under his breath, I'd probably have enough money to take us to the movies again (tickets for this show were $13 bucks a piece). The movie was way too long, the story was a rip off, but the special effects make the $13 ticket totally worth it.

Up in the Air. I should have liked this one more than I did. I really love Jason Reitman. Juno and Thank for you Smoking are great films and while the cast of Up in the Air was terrific, the film suffers from a horribly sagging middle. The George Clooney/Vera Farmiga romance, while believable, took second fiddle to the George Clooney/Anna Kendrick relationship, which for me, was the best part of the story. Actually, anytime Anna Kendrick was on the screen, the movie came alive. I didn't understand from the short clips they showed at the Oscars why she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, but after seeing the movie, I get it. She was a terrific antagonist to George Clooney's protagonist, and while I did feel for the George Clooney character, she was the character I was actually rooting for during the film. One funny bit was a cameo by Danny McBride (Eastbound and Down). Just looking at this guy makes me laugh.

Now to my personal favorite of these 3 films. UP! All I can say is that this is not solely a kid's film. It's a movie for everyone and I loved every second of it. I cried, I laughed, I cried again, and I want the DVD so I can watch it whenever I want. If you haven't seen it, go rent it!

Bunco for Charity

Last night I played Bunco with the MOPS (that's the acronym for Mothers of Preschoolers at Killearn United Methodist Church). They had the brilliant idea of sponsoring a fundraiser for their group by playing Bunco. One of the leaders of the group (Beth) had read Bunco Babes Tell All in her book club and contacted me to see if I wanted to play. Well, of course I did!

I have to say, the whole thing was a lot of fun and so well organized! There were probably about 14-16 tables of women playing, some of whom had never played Bunco before, but the whole thing went off smoother than a baby's behind (one woman even had her 12 week old baby with her and still managed to play- best baby ever). There was a $10 cover charge per player and there was also a silent auction going on during the evening. Great way to raise money, have fun, and meet new people.

On another note, look what I got in the mail! This fabulous glass was sent to me by Liz, a friend of my sister's who read my books and was invited to her first Bunco party last week. Liz was a winner and she sent me the prize. Love it! (I'm starting a collection). In case the picture is too dark, the writing says Bunko Babe 2010. Thanks, Liz!

The Hurt Locker

In an attempt to rectify my shocking lack of Oscar 2010 knowledge I began with the simplest movie to watch. The one that was On Demand. I expected that I would probably like or at least be interested in The Hurt Locker, a film about an EOD (explosive ordinance disposal) unit based in Iraq. One of the most interesting trivia about the film is that it was directed by a woman, Kathryn Bigelow, who by the way, is the first woman ever to win for Best Director. yay! (And about time).

This isn't the sort of film you'd expect to be directed by a woman, because it's a guy's kind of movie- war, exploding bombs, lots of testosterone slamming in the air. But I have to say, I was absolutely riveted from the first second. The story takes off when a new Sargent (played by Jeremy Renner) comes to the 3 man squad. He's the sort of brash, dangerous, risk-taking protagonist who on the surface seems doomed to bring the squad down. But he's a complex character and I really grew to root for him, even when he did stupid things. There are cameos in the film by Guy Pearce, Evangeline Lilly and Ralph Fiennes. It's gritty and makes no pretense that war is anything but dirty business.

One of the "fun" things about watching this movie was of course, Mike Geraci. His sideline commentary, I have to say, in this case, actually added to the film's experience. I'm always amazed at the stuff he comes up with. Although I have to say it's a little scary to realize just how much your husband really knows about explosives.

Oscars!

I love love love love movies and I love watching the Oscars. It's like being a kid again and getting to crash your parent's grown up party for a few minutes- a sneak peek into a glitzy glamorous world.

I'm ashamed to say that this year for the first time ever I saw NONE of the nominated films. This is partly due to the fact that I've been under deadline since October and most of the films nominated all come out in one swoop drop at the end of the year, so I have some catching up to do.

I loved the duo hosting gig done by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin (It's Complicated was the one and only film I saw during the holiday season. It was cute and uncomplicated, so it was a pleasant no-brainer).

Highlights of the night? Gerard Butler. Yummy. Sandra Bullock looked beautiful. Penelope Cruz did too.

Films I most want to watch after seeing the show: Nine, The Hurt Locker, Up in the Air, Precious.

Films I least want to watch after seeing the show: Avatar, The Blind Side (although I'm sure I will probably watch them both.)

I've heard Avatar is so-so from almost everyone who's seen it (including my kids). The Blind Side, on the other hand I've heard is awesome. But really, who did the trailer for that movie? Because it's the awful trailer that puts the movie further down my to-be-seen list.
unknown voice: You're changing that boy's life."
Sandra Bullock: "No, he's changing mine."
Cringe worthy dialogue to be sure. The movie has to be better than than, though. Right?

One last thing. Can someone in charge of the Oscars please start them a little earlier? I finally went to bed at 11:30 and they weren't even close to coming to the big ones. I set my DVR with the 30 minute extra time thing and it still cut off at Best Actor. Grrr....

Round One goes to Me

I finally turned the manuscript that won't stop writing itself in to my editor this week. A huge sigh of relief was let out by all. Mostly by me, of course. And probably by Mel, who's been urging me for weeks to just turn the damn thing in. Of course, she's listened to me whine incessantly about it. How it just wasn't "done" yet, how it needed just a tiny bit more tweaking, how in the eleventh hour I've discovered *one* more loose end that needs tucking back in. I joked that I'd wake up one morning and find that instead of a word doc. on my laptop, my manuscript had grown hair and nails and teeth and fists and was ready to beat me up. In the end, however, I won round one.

As I sit back on day 3 of the waiting period (this is the excruciating period in which I wait to hear from my editor to see what she thinks of the book) I'm already thinking of ways to sharpen the plot. Because the book sold on synopsis, I had to pre-plot the book, something I think is important to do, because I need direction. But pre-plotting isn't written in stone and the last half of the book turned out to be very different than the original idea I had in mind. Once you start writing characters, giving them dialogue, they take the book over and there's not much you can do about that except go along for the ride.

Meanwhile, I'm taking a much needed break from the manuscript to do things I haven't had time to do. Like clean house. Catch up on emails (I have millions) and read:) I've already read the first 2 books in Madeline Hunter's awesome new series- Ravishing in Red and Provocative in Pearls. Loved them both. And have also read Kristin Higgin's newest The Next Best Thing. LOVED IT. I'm currently reading Table Manners by Mia King which has been on my TBR pile for months now. Next is Louisa's book On the Steamy Side. (can't wait) and then I'm going to try a new author for me, Julie James. Her new release Something About You has gotten some great reviews and I've wanted to read her for awhile now.

And in some extremely exciting news, Jim and Pam are having their baby tonight! I'll be glued to my telly, that's for sure.

On the Steamy Side

Yay! There's no more waiting because On The Steamy Side hits bookstores today! This is Louisa Edward's 2nd book in her Recipe for Love series and it promises to be just as romantic and funny as Can't Stand the Heat the book that introduced us to all the wonderful characters at Market, the upscale NY restaurant at the heart of the books. I had the privilege of reading a rough draft of the first few chapters a while ago and it was absolutely fantastic.

On The Steamy Side

She’s Never Met A Man So Mouth-Watering
When Lilah Jane Tunkle fled her dull life in Virginia for the bright lights of New York City, she didn’t expect to wind up a nanny to a gorgeous celebrity chef’s ten-year-old son. Working for the delectable Devon Sparks is a sure-fire recipe for disaster, especially after Lilah gets a tantalizing taste of his perfectly seasoned kisses . . .

And He Can’t Resist Her Down-Home Spice
Devon’s not sure he can handle one more surprise ingredient in his life—he left his popular TV show, his culinary reputation is on the line, and now the son he barely knows is back for seconds. Lilah’s Southern sass is supposed to keep the boy in line, but soon enough she’s teaching Devon a thing or two about homespun food . . . and turning up the heat.

Knight Agency agents answer your questions

Do you have questions about current trends? Concerned your writing resolutions for the new year fallen to the wayside? Well have no fear, agents Lucienne Diver and Nephele Tempest are hosting our February online chat, and they are ready to guide you to success.

From the best writing habits to keep yourself on track, the number one qualities in a query that truly impress an agent, how to stand out at writers' conferences, and beyond -- they've got ALL the answers to your publishing questions.

Additionally, to celebrate the upcoming Valentine's holiday, we will be giving away TONS of books by some of our most beloved romance authors.

When: Thursday, February 11th @ 9pm ET
Where: TKA's chat room**:
Do you have questions about current trends? Concerned your writing resolutions for the new year fallen to the wayside? Well have no fear, agents Lucienne Diver and Nephele Tempest are hosting our February online chat, and they are ready to guide you to success.

From the best writing habits to keep yourself on track, the number one qualities in a query that truly impress an agent, how to stand out at writers' conferences, and beyond -- they've got ALL the answers to your publishing questions.

Additionally, to celebrate the upcoming Valentine's holiday, we will be giving away TONS of books by some of our most beloved romance authors.

When: Thursday, February 11th @ 9pm ET
Where: TKA's chat room**: http://client1.sigmachat.com/sc.php?id=115545
How To Chat: Enter any combination of username and password. Login.
**Your computer must be Java enabled to chat.





How To Chat: Enter any combination of username and password. Login.
**Your computer must be Java enabled to chat.

Bid on shoes for a great cause

My good pal, Marley Gibson, author of the fabulous Ghosthuntress series is auctioning off a never before worn pair of Stuart Weitzman black pumps on EBay right here. The original selling price for these lovlies is $376. All proceeds will go to the Salvation Army's efforts in Haiti. If I wore size 7s I'd bid myself, unfortunately, my foot is ahem, slightly larger.

I love my Kindle, But

I don't pretend to know all the ins and outs of the recent Amazon/MacMillian brouhaha. I'm way too deep into revision mode on Boyfriend Club to come out for more than a few seconds of air, but when I'd heard Amazon had pulled the buy buttons on MacMillian books in order to teach MacMillian a "lesson" (I guess) I had to sit up and notice.

I'm not published by MacMillian, but that's not the point. What happens to one publisher can easily happen to another publisher and as well as being a writer, I'm a consumer, and I have a huge vested interested in how all this plays out. Of course, as of yesterday, it was reported that Amazon has caved into MacMillian's demands and the whole riff is over.

Where the new Apple I-Pad (tee hee) comes into all this is interesting. Competition is good. It's the American Way of life. It's consumerism at it's best. Take it away, and we become, well, Russia.

So in my simplistic way of looking at things, this is what I have to say:

I don't care how many e-readers are out there. The more the merrier.

If a publisher wants to charge 15 bucks for an e-book then let them. It's up to me as a consumer to decide if it's worth it or not.

Price control on e-books is not a bad thing. No one wants to see bookstores and real live books that you can hold, touch, feel and smell go away.

I received a Kindle for my birthday last November and I'm currently reading Pieces of Sky (great western romance) on it. It's instant gratification at its best and for me an alternative way to do what I love most- read. Since buying it, I've bought two print books that I'd originally bought on my Kindle because I loved them so much and I wanted to reread them in the best way possible, by flipping live pages.

I love my Kindle, but it's no substitute for the real thing.

Ravishing in Red

Still working on the manuscript... Every time I think Boyfriend Club is almost done, there's more to do. But I stand by the conviction that good writing is good re-writing and I want this book to rock like an earthquake. So this weekend, I'm totally going without any distractions. I won't even be answering the phone, unless it's to call Mel, who I have to confer with several times a day. I'm sure she's completely sick of me and my book. Too bad for her (insert evil laugh in here).

When I finally turn in this manuscript, I'm going to treat myself big. One of the things I'm going to do is read Madeline Hunter's new release Ravishing in Red. Isn't that a great title? MH is my favorite historical romance author. The book trailer is so yummy it makes my mouth water.

4 and 1/2 stars!

Andrea at The Romance Dish gave Bunco Babes Gone Wild a very tasty review and 4.5 stars. Yay! You can read about it right here. She's also giving away a copy of the book, so make sure to leave a comment!

The Boyfriend of the Month Club cover!

So I know it's a little premature, since the book doesn't come out till December, but I just can't keep it in any longer. I have a cover! At least I have a preliminary cover. I really hope nothing changes because I really just love this look so much. It captures everything about the book.

Here's a sneak preview of the unofficial back cover copy:

Stud? Dud? Stick in the mud?
Are all the good ones taken?

At thirty, Grace O’Bryan has dated every loser that Daytona Beach has to offer. After the ultimate date-from-hell, Grace decides to take matters into her own hands and turns her dwindling book club into a Boyfriend of the Month Club, where women can come together to discuss the eligible men in their community. Where are the real live twenty-first century versions of literary heroes such as Heathcliff and Mr. Darcy?

Could it be successful and handsome Brandon Farrell, who is willing to overlook his disastrous first date with Grace and offers financial help for her parents’ failing Florida gift shop? Or maybe sexy dentist Joe Rosenblum, who’s great with a smile but not so great at commitment? Unfortunately, just like books, men cannot always be judged by their covers…

Things I have to be thankful for

Thanksgiving is ten months away (or 2 months ago, depending on on how you see things) but I woke up this morning bright and early, thankful for so many things.

1. I am thankful that everyone in my family is alive and well. My 16 year-old daughter totaled her car yesterday morning on the way to the school. About ten minutes after she walked out the door I got a call on my cell phone from her and I just knew she'd been in an accident. It's been raining for a couple of days straight with some severe flooding in town and I've cringed every time she's gotten in the car. The good news is no one in the 3 car accident got hurt. And the accident wasn't her fault;) The bad news is that now we have to get a new car, but I'm not complaining. The alternative scenario is too scary to think about.

2. I'm almost done with The Boyfriend of the Month Club. It's rough and needs polishing, but I think I'm going to make my deadline. Yay! Plus, I got to see an unofficial sneak peak at the cover and all I can tell you is that the Cover Gods have been very very good to me.

3. Today I have my FPHRW meeting. I love these meetings. I always get so revved up. Plus, honestly, I need to leave the house. This hermit/writing thing is not good for me.

4. I have a hair appointment Monday morning, which means my kudzu growing roots will go bye-bye.

5. And lastly, I recently received this very nice review for Bunco Babes Gone Wild from the Chicklit Romance Writers.

So life is good.

Turn in your Hilton Honor points to help Earthquake victims

This morning, after seeing yet another front page of the horrendous devastation done by the earthquake in Haiti, Mike Geraci turned to me in disgust and said, "Why it always the poorest people in the world always get the shaft?"

I wish I had an answer to that.

Because I'm writing like a fiend right now, I'm pretty much ignoring my email. But I had to open this one. It's brilliant. For every 10,000 points you turn in, Hilton will donate $25 to the Red Cross Haitian relief effort. I don't know if other companies are offering similar deals, but it's a fantastic idea. I turned in all my points (which I rarely even remember to ever use anyway). If you're a member of the Hilton Honors program, all you'll need to provide is your name, your HH act number and how many points you'd like to donate (in increments of 10,000).

Dear Hilton HHonors Members: Help the Earthquake Victims in Haiti.

Hilton HHonors® has partnered with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to help victims affected by the January 12th earthquake in Haiti. If you would like to support the effort we have arranged for HHonors members to be able to donate points to support relief efforts. For every 10,000 points you donate, we'll send US$25 to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. If you would like to join us in supporting the victims of the earthquake in Haiti by donating points please visit us here.

Mold-A-Rama!

Ah, there's nothing like the feel of a freshly made warm plastic toy in your hand. Put one up to your nostrils, and it even smells like summer vacation. And fighting with your sister in the back seat of the family car (no seat belts required) and drinking icy cold RC cola out of a glass bottle.

One of the best parts about writing my new book has been the research. If you're old enough to remember Mold-A-Rama machines, then you might get a kick out of knowing that one of these ancient puppies is featured in my new book, The Boyfriend of the Month Club, a romantic comedy due out December, 2010.

A lot of the action in the story takes place at Florida Charlies, an old fashioned Florida tourist trap. Although Florida Charlies is a figment of my imagination, it's modeled after the dozens of roadside stops and attractions that were so popular in Florida during the 1960's when I was but a wee thing. And the best part of a lot of these places were the Mold-A-Rama machines. For about a quarter, or maybe 50 cents, you could watch this strange space-age looking machine make a wax figurine just for you. My favorite was a bird figurine from Busch Gardens (Tampa) which I understand now has some of these almost antique machines still in production. MOSI (Museum of Space and Industry in Tampa), and the Tampa Lowry Park Zoo as well as the Miami zoo are also just a few of the other places that still have working Mold-A-Rama machines.

Once I get my book done and my website revamped I'm going to dedicate a section to some of the research I did. I know, nerdy, of me, isn't it? But I just can't help it. These things were just so much damn fun. Almost as much fun as writing about one of them.

The Help

I've been meaning to write this post for a while, but being that I'm in the middle of a book deadline, I'm lucky to be brushing my teeth right now (okay, I do brush my teeth several times a day, it's washing my hair that's taken a sideline). I know there are writers who don't read while they're in deep writing mode, but I'm not one of them. It would be like asking me to stop breathing. I simply can't. I mean, there has to be some kind of break in the day, and I always, always, always, read before going to sleep at night.

A few weeks ago I read The Help (a book that has intrigued me from the moment I first heard of it). I loved it. Absolutely loved it. I cried, I laughed and I mostly marveled at what a fantastic writer Kathryn Stockett is (which means I desperately hate her, of course) Seriously, Kathryn, if you're listening, you make me want to be a better writer.

THE HELP

Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women--mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends--view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.

Contest Winner!

Just to dispel any crazy notions out there, I'm still alive. With a January 25th deadline for my next book, I've been hibernating in my writing cave aka closet every spare second I can get. The new book is coming along well (hopefully that's not a delusion), although I always despair that it's never good enough and that my editor will hate it. I'll let you know next month how that goes;)

So last month I ran a review contest. Congratulations to Terri D of Lexington Park, Maryland! She won a $50 gift card to Borders, a book bag from Books-A-Million (cuz I like to share the love) and all the books you see pictured above (some of my very favorite reads!)

Thank you to all of you who entered and to all of you who have taken the time to write a review of my books, especially during the busy holiday season. It really means a lot!

Dishing up some Romance

Today I'm over at The Romance Dish, talking about... reading during the holidays again. And I'm giving away another book, so if you don't have a copy of Bunco Babes Gone Wild, head on over here. You might be a lucky winner.

Like I say in my post, I'm trying hard not to stress over all the holiday stuff still left to do. But it's hard. I'm a woman. Stress is my middle name.

Blogging at Night Owl Romance

Today, I'm over at Night Owl Romance, where Bunco Babes Gone Wild was selected as a top reviewer pick! I'm blogging about reading during the holidays and will be giving away a signed copy of Bunco Babes Gone Wild. Don't miss out! It's all right here.

No disappointment here

I pretty much wrote Bunco Babes Tell All while listening to Colbie Caillat's debut album Coco. I really didn't think she could surpass the quality of that album. Most sophomoric attempts are disappointing. I was so glad to discover I was wrong. Breakthrough, her newest album is just as good as Coco. Maybe even be better. I just know that as I'm writing on my wip Boyfriend of the Month Club, the songs are helping stir up my artistic juices. Especially now where I'm at an impasse and wondering if I should stick to the synopsis I sent my editor or go in another direction?

Something is telling me the other direction might be better. But yet... Argh. Not sure. Maybe listening to Fearless a few more dozen times might jiggle something.

Meanwhile, I have my Florida Panhandle meeting today at noon. It's our Christmas party. It's raining catfish and doggie treats outside and I hate going out in the rain but the party should be fun. Plus I've been cooped up writing for too long!

Contest!

Want to have lots of reading ahead in the New Year?

You could be the winner of a $50 gift certificate to Borders PLUS a bag full of some of my favorite books. If you've read Bunco Babes Tell All or Bunco Babes Gone Wild, write a review and post it online. It doesn't have to be long or overly flattering- (I want your honest opinion!) Post your review on a website like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, etc. You'll get 1 contest entry for each review. For example, if you write a review for Bunco Babes Tell All on Amazon.com, that's 1 entry. If you write a review for Bunco Babes Tell All on Amazon and Goodreads, and a review for Bunco Babes Gone Wild at Amazon, Goodreads and Barnes & Noble, that's 5 entries! And a better chance of winning.

If you've already written a review for one of my books, perfect. Just let me know where it is and that you're interested in entering the contest.

To enter, send me an email at mariageraci1@gmail.com with the word "Contest Entry" in the subject line. Tell me where the reviews are, and it's that simple. Contest ends December 20.

Good Luck!

It's On

It's December 1 and you know what that means. Only 24 days left till Christmas and only 54 days left until I turn in my next manuscript. Mama's got some work to do.

Thanksgiving in Orlando was wonderful especially since my sister did 95% of all the cooking, cleaning and decorating. I helped, I really did, but she had almost everything ready when we got there. I did bring this delicious flan cake (half-flan half-cake, all delicious) but I can't take the credit for making it. Mike Geraci bought it from a co-worker's wife who's selling them. It was absolutely fabulous!

Don't laugh... oh, and a great review!

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Truffles, the sweetest (dumbest) dog in the world will turn 1 next month and she is still not house broken. Maybe it's me. I don't know. I've had dogs before, but I've never met one so stubborn. All I know, is that she's going to be left with a pet sitter for the holidays and we can't have all that peein' going on. It's just not acceptable. So she's now in doggie diapers. Yes, laugh. Poke fun all you will. Believe or not, I think she actually likes them. Sigh...

Here's a picture I snapped seconds after the first one. Where did the weird little white ball come from? I went to the Ghost Alpha Team workshop here in Tallahassee last year and we discussed these white balls. Most of them are flukes, but some of them... well, I won't talk about what some of them are. I just know there are no ghosts in the Geraci household. Unless, it's a dog ghost. Maybe it's the ghost of an ancestor of Truffles who is here to shame her into being housebroken. Hey, a girl can dream, right?

I'm spending the day cleaning and packing for our Thanksgiving trip to visit family. I hope everyone has a wonderfully blessed and healthy Thanksgiving tomorrow!

On a happy and thankful note, I will leave you with this awesome review I rec'd from Night Owl Romance. Bunco Babes Gone Wild was a top reviewer pick! You can read the entire review right here.

"I found this story to be as funny and charming as the first in this series, Bunco Babes Tell All. You don’t have to read both to enjoy either, you just have to sit back and start reading." Terri, Night Owl Romance. 5 out 5

Book signing!

Saturday I did a book signing event at The Bookshelf in nearby Thomasville, Georgia. Located on Broad St in the downtown area, it's everything you'd want a bookstore to be- personable and quaint with great service.

Saturday was cool and overcast, a perfect day to walk around the shops, browse, and buy (books, of course!)

I got a kick out of this sign. Apparently, The Bookshelf was originally a bowling alley. Fun, huh?

I have to say, of all the book signings I've done so far, sitting in this chair was my absolute favorite. Comfy leather with a pillow for my back!

Book signing in Thomasville

Tomorrow I'll be in nearby Thomasville, Georgia (nearby to me, that is!) signing copies of my latest release Bunco Babes Gone Wild. The Book Shelf is an independent book store located in the middle of historic downtown. If you're in the area, stop by!

Book Club Fun

Tuesday night I attended my friend Debbie's book club meeting. Debbie's the blonde standing next to me wearing the glasses. She's also the friend who took the author photo that's in the back of my books.

Her group read my debut novel Bunco Babes Tell All. What a nice group of ladies! I thoroughly enjoyed meeting them, drinking wine, eating good food, and talking up my favorite subject- books! Besides my own book, we discussed books they'd read and books my own book club had tackled (like The Time Traveler's Wife). The Help has been on my TBR pile for a while now and after hearing how much this group loved it, is going to the top (after I turn in the manuscript due in January, that is.)

At the end of the evening, I surprised them by giving them all copies of Bunco Babes Gone Wild and Debbie's hubby took this very nice pic of us.