Finally, some new TV

Lost premiered last week (yay!) and after that a new show called Eli Stone.

I loved it!

I especially loved Jonny Lee Miller who I've had a crush on since he played Edmund on Mansfield Park (even though I think Edmund is Jane Austen's wimpiest hero), but JL played him sweet and vulnerable and I was totally into him.

But back to Eli Stone.

The show has a great premise: A hot-shot, slightly jaded attorney starts having hallucinations. Really funny ones. Like seeing George Michael-singing-in-his-living-room-type hallucinations. Everyone thinks he's crazy. He goes to an accupuncturist (a really great secondary character named Dr. Chen that I hope is in every show) to try to fix him. But it doesn't work. Then he finds out that he has a brain aneurysm, which maybe explains the hallucinations. Or does it? Cause Eli starts to think maybe he's a prophet (although he doesn't believe in God) which could be another type of hallucination on its own....

His visions tell him what sort of cases he should take and he begins a quest to become a better person. It's a great set up. Loretta Devine plays his mouthy secretary and the show is set in San Francisco, so it's got great visuals.

Plus, I love love seeing British actors play Americans. I'm not sure why, maybe it's because it's the reversal of the ol' fake accent thing (you know, where you fake a British accent) so it's funny to think of them rehearsing an American accent, which of course, doesn't sound like any sort of accent to us... But you get my drift.

Oh, and Eli also has a semi-evil fiance (at least I think she's evil) so there's a romance conflict. I mean, he can't stay with her, right?

I'll have to keep watching to find out.

A thousand Thank you's

I'm finally crawling out of my NyQuil haze to take stock of everything that's happened in the past few days. But I still have to pinch myself to believe it. I'm going to get published! And best of all, I get to write another Bunco book!

When I sent The Church of Bunco off into the publishing void I built a little cocoon around my heart. I let the story go. I let Kitty and Steve go (hero and heroine) even though their story wasn't completely finished. I had to. There was no use writing another book about them because if I didn't sell the first one, then what was the point of another one? This defense mechanism worked pretty well through the holidays. I started another manuscript, only to abandon it after a few weeks in favor of another story. I was just getting my groove into the new plot, when the call came that I'd sold. And that's when I realized just how much I would have hated to have never finished Kitty's story the way I wanted to. I'm just so flippin happy and thankful about that;)

I'm also really happy and thankful that I can breathe again and that my voice sounds almost normal.

And last but not least, I want to thank everyone who took the time to congratulate me. You made me feel like a rock star!

I sold!!

The Church of Bunco sold in a 2 book deal to Wendy McCurdy at Berkley! Woo Hoo!! I couldn't be happier. It was my turn to blog at The Title Wave today, so I spilled the details (in an uncharacteristically long blog) here!

I've been tagged

It's not the first time. But I decided that today I would play. I mostly don't play Blog tag because, frankly, there aren't that many interesting things to know about me (if you keep reading, you'll see what I mean).

Here's the rules:

Link to the person who tagged you;Leave a comment on their blog so that their readers can visit yours;Post the rules on your blog;Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog;Tag 7 random people at the end of your post;Include links to their blogs;Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Okay, here goes:

1. I was born in Cuba and Spanish was my first language.

2. I detest most types of condiments (mayo, mustard, salad dressing, etc...) If a food can't stand on its own, it doesn't deserve to be eaten.

3. I almost didn't make my First Holy Communion. Sister Pius (yep, that was her name) caught me making "fun" of the mass during one of our many rehearsals in the blistering central Florida heat of May. After a few tears and numerous recitals of the rosary, she gave in and let me do it anyway.

4. I once confessed to a priest that I'd robbed a bank. I was 7 and none of my sins seemed very exciting to me, so I thought I'd make one up. He was speechless (but still made me say the rosary as a penance).

5. In every "test" I take, I come up as a Left Brained person. Huh?

6. My first car was an orange Pinto with a white vinyl roof. Despite the many exploding Pinto jokes (you'd have to have lived through the 70's), it was probably the most reliable car I've ever driven.

7. Despite 3 & 4, I'm probably the most rule driven person ever. If it says not to walk on the grass, then I don't (mostly).

Okay, now that that's over with, according to the rules I'm supposed to tag 7 people. I tag: Gina, Debra, Ruth, and Lucy. Yes, I know that's only 4, but see number 7 about me.

Love in the time of Global Warming

I actually thought this might be a good title for a book. At least, Leon, the cashier at Walmart thought so. But it was shot down by my fab cp Mel. Louisa (other fab cp) never got a chance to shoot it down, as I quickly came to my senses and crossed it off my list of TTBA (Titles to be announced) before ever mentioning it to her.


But as the title implies, I do have to wonder if the earth's thinning ozone has something to do with all the weirdo-ness going on out there.

I'm referring to my obsession with all things ala Tom Cruise. Those who have known me awhile know how I feel about Tom (Just ask Rhoda and Erin. PS- My locker still looks the same as when you 2 "decorated" it 3 years ago). I love Tom as an actor (Jerry Maguire and Rain Man are 2 of my favorite flicks) but let's get real. Tom is becoming almost as weird as Michael Jackson. Tom first came to my notice way back when he did "Risky Business". His dancing underwear scene was hilarious. But as cute as I found Tom in his tidy whities, I have to admit my Gay-dar went into overdrive. I won't even begin to speculate on all the rumors of Tom being gay, or bi, or whatever. That's between him and Mimi, Nicole, Penelope and Katie...



What I do find fascinatingly bizarre is the supposed rumor from the unauthorized biography of Tom written by Andrew Morton (same guy who wrote the stuff on the Royal family) who claims that:



1. Tom is the # 2 guy in the Scientology Church and his "mission" (should he chose to accept it) is to recruit David Beckham.



2. The Church of Scientology is blackmailing Nicole Kidman to keep quiet about Tom by threatening to expose a series of "sex" tapes they have on her.



2. And best of all, that Suri Cruise is NOT Tom's long awaited bio-child after all. Morton claims that Suri was conceived with the frozen sperm of L. Ron Hubbard. OKAY. This is the one that I actually Don't believe.

I mean, really.


Is it the heat that's doing this to us?

My Un Resolutions

I love the New Year. It's a time for beginnings, but I mostly love it because it means Christmas is over, and while I love Christmas (or at least the idea of it) every year it seems to become more and more stressful. This year was no exception. It was my turn to work Christmas, and while I usually don't mind, it was a very depressing 3 nights (I'd violate Hippa laws if I got into it any more than that). I'll just say I'm glad it's all over.



Which brings me to the dreaded New Year's resolutions. I mentioned a few resolutions to my cps, which I do hope to keep- like trying to write 2 books this year (instead of the usual 1 or less). But as for other resolutions (which for me have always been about trying to change something about myself) I refuse to make any. Mainly because I fail year after year to keep them, which in turn only adds to my Catholic guilt in making me feel like a total loser. I've decided instead to make this the year of the Un Resolution.


So this year, I give up trying to diet. I'll eat when I'm hungry, thank you. Ditto for trying to keep my finances in order (that's what Mike Geraci is for), or trying to be more organized. If it hasn't happened after 48 years, it isn't going to magically happen overnight simply because it's January.



I am going to try a couple of new things. I'm going to journal (in the beautiful leather-bound book Mel gave me) and learn how to use the awesome Canon camera I got for Christmas. I've never been interested in photography before, but I'm completely obsessed with the Canon commercials featuring Maria Sharapova and her little dog Dolce.

Watch for future uploads of Maria Geraci and her little dog, Chewey:)

It's Party Time!

The Knight Agency is throwing a party! Everyone is welcome and there will be free give aways. Don't miss it! It starts at 12:30 pm EST today. Here's the link that will take you to the chat room: TKA Party.

On another cheery note, my good friend and fellow American Title 2 finalist Gina Black's book The Raven's Revenge came out last week. I just started reading it and it's fabulous. It's available now from the The Wild Rose Press. Isn't the cover gorgeous?

Worth staying up for....

I love finding new authors to read. So when I was browsing through my local Borders a couple of weeks ago and spotted Forget About It, by Caprice Crane, I thought, why not?

I was more than pleasantly surprised. What a fun read! To make it even more interesting, the author is the daughter of Tina Louise. Remember her? Ginger from Gilligan's Isle? I sooo loved Ginger. Mary Ann and her pigtails made me puke. But Ginger. I mean, there was glamour. Forget that they were on a deserted tropical island. Ginger had plenty of blue eyeshadow and sparkly sequined gowns to last a lifetime of being marooned.

I can't recommend this book enough. Next time I hit the bookstore I'm going to pick up her first book, Stupid and Contagious. Great title, huh?

Fed Ex that Puppy!

I mailed off my Golden Heart entry today. Woo Hoo! Afterwards, I called Mel to celebrate and while we were talking, it occurred to me that this friggin contest has so far cost me almost 100 bucks- $50 for the entry fee, $21 to run off copies at Kinkos, and another $20-something bucks to fed-ex the package to Houston.

Of course, I could have probably saved at least 10 bucks if I'd mailed the thing anytime other than the last minute.

Why I waited till the last minute, is a Freudian mystery. I finished the manuscript almost 2 months ago, so I could have had it in snail mail, no problem. But I concluded a long time ago that I'm somewhat of a thrill monkey. Not the kind who likes roller coasters. The kind who likes waiting till the very last second to turn something in. Plus, I think a part of me was hoping that I'd be ineligible for the GH. But alas, no takers yet. As of today I've received 4 rejections from publishers on The Church of Bunco.

But I'm not discouraged.

I love that story, my cps love the story, and my agent loves the story. One publisher is very interested and my agent has yet to hear from the six or other so editors that still have it on their desk, so there is massive hope in the air. Keeping my fingers crossed!

I'm Not a 9-1-1 Girl

Honestly, I function really well as a nurse.

And I've never shied away from the occasional kid's emergency of broken bones, etc... But there's something about fire that brings out the worst in me.

So last night we had our first real cold weather of the year. 50 degrees is cold in Florida. I was feeling pukey and was laying down on the couch, when I decided that a nice little fire would help soothe my stomach. Mike was still at work, so I yelled for the 16 year-old to emerge from his room and his Guitar Hero to make me a fire. (This consists of bringing in a Duraflame log from the garage) Now, 16 year old is enchanted with anything that produces a spark so he is more than happy to do my bidding.

The chemically treated log immediately set off a beautiful and warm looking little fire. I was content to simply lie on my couch and watch it, until I realized the room was getting smoky.

Crap! The chute (right word?) was closed.

I ran and tried to open the chute. But of course, the chute was friggin hot (as there was this nice little fire blazing) so I couldn't open it. I grabbed for the fireplace instruments, all which proved totally useless in helping me get this chute open. The 16 year old was trying his hardest to open the chute, and my oldest was tossing Morton's salt onto the flames in hopes of extinguishing it.

"Call your dad!" I yell pathetically. "He'll know what to do!"

Mike Geraci's advice consisted of this, "Maria, calm down and open the chute."

Yeah. Easier said than done. Now the fire alarms are going off. Lot of help you were, Mike Geraci.

But it's good to know those fire alarms work.

At my wit's end, I grabbed a large pot from the kitchen, filled it with water and tossed it into the fireplace. Yes! Half the fire extinguished. One more potful of water and my fire was out. Of course, now my living room was filled with smoke and my fireplace was a mess, but I didn't have to call 9-1-1 because my living room was on fire.

The funny (or not so funny) thing about this is that this exact same thing happened to my parents last year.

They really ought to put warning labels on fireplaces for us Floridians.

My Friends Can Write

It's Day 5 of my mini-break from work and I'm almost converted back to being a day person. I've slept, read, caught up on some tv and even have some color in my cheeks. I really have to find a way to keep this mini-break going...

Last night I finished reading Kate's new manuscript, Simply Sinful (soon to be pubbed by Kensington). Wow. It's fantastic. Better than fantastic. And even though I'm not completely sure a couple of the sexual positions are doable (Kate says they are, and I'll take her word for it) it's one of the best, most emotion filled erotic reads ever. I can't wait for the first book Simply Sexual to come out. I only got to read 3 chapters of that one, but my appetite has definitely been whetted.

A couple of weeks ago, I finished Terri Garey's debut book, Dead Girls Are Easy. This one is another wowser. I especially loved the voodoo scenes. Very spooky, yet, funny too. I want to know who comes up with Terri's titles. She has some great ones. A Match Made in Hell, and If You've Got It, Haunt It are the follow ups to Dead Girls.

And now, last but not least, I'm reading fellow AT sister, Gerri Russell's Warrior Bride. I'm only a few chapters in, but already I can see why Gerri is making a name for herself in historical romance. I'm totally drawn in to these characters. The hero, Wolf, ( very sexy name for a very sexy guy) is exactly my type of hero. Mysterious, quiet and all alpha male. I'm having to pace myself on reading this because I'm determined to savor every bit of it. It's been awhile since I've read a medieval I could get into.

What Would Jane Do?

So yesterday was my Birthday. I always feel so blessed (for lack of a better word) to have such great friends. My phone rang off the hook yesterday with well wishers. Thanks everyone!

Mel sent me this very cool Jane Austen doll.

Isn't she awesome looking? (okay, and just a tad bit scary, too) LOL.

She's sitting in a place of honor in my writing closet so I can look up at her for inspiration. Would would Jane Do? Or Write? or Say? is the new mantra of the week.

I'm off for a week now from the House of Horrors (aka: Labor and Delivery). We've been incredibly busy at work lately. Don't these women know that Oct/Nov are low birth months?? Apparently not, as they are coming in in droves. I was supposed to fly out to Texas to visit Rhoda, but I cancelled and I feel like a shit for doing that, but I'm literally exhausted. After spending the last few weeks working, doing kids' activities, and polishing up my manuscript to send out, I'm so sleep deprived I'm not sure what sleep is anymore. Last night I took some Tylenol PM and that helped. I slept for about 6 hours (the longest I've slept in one cycle for weeks). I plan to spend the next 6 days cleaning my pigsty of a house, gearing up for the holidays, sleeping, and reading Kate's fabulous new manuscript. Woo hoo!

Have You Voted Yet?

Voting has been going on for the past 2 weeks in the newest American Title Contest. Round One ends tomorrow, so don't forget to put in your two cents worth! Go here to vote.

On another note, it's my turn to blog on the Title Wave Blog where I talk about best one liners. Go check it out:)

The Best New Shows

Now that the new TV shows are out, I've found a few I definitely have to add to the DVR schedule.

First, there's Dirty Sexy Money. Before I knew a thing about this show, I decided I was going to have to watch. I mean, with a title like that, how could you not have a hit? I was pleased to find that the show's star is Peter Krause, who starred in one of the best TV shows of all time, Sports Night. I nearly cried when Sports Night was cancelled. Honestly.

So back to Dirty Sexy Money. It's about a family of mega millionaires called the Darlings. The patriarch (Tripp Darling) is played by Donald Sutherland. And Nick (Peter Krause) is coerced into becoming the family's lawyer. It's funny, sexy and yes, at times, dirty. I think my favorite character so far is the Reverend Brian Darling. He takes the phrase "I hate you!" to new heights.

Next is Pushing Daisies. This was another show I was immediately drawn to by the previews. It looked campy and fun and the lead guy was cute, so I thought, why not?

The premise is this: Ned (cute guy, or also known as Lee Pace) can bring back the dead with a single touch. The hitch: If he touches them again, they die. And if he doesn't touch them again within a minute, then someone else dies in their place. Ned works as a piemaker in his shop called, The Pie Hole (don't you love it?). Things get complicated when a PI discovers Ned's talent and blackmails him into bringing back murder victems long enough to discover who killed them to collect the reward money. Things get real-l-l-l-y complicated when Ned brings back his first love, Chuck (I know what you're thinking, but her real name is Charlotte. It's not that kind of a show...). Of course, he can't touch Charlotte, or she'll die again, permanently. Talk about romantic conflict!

I've watched the first two episodes of Private Practice. It hasn't totally sold me yet, but I'll keep watching. For awhile. Another good show is Journeyman. Although I'm ticked off that they showed one episode and then didn't have another new episode the next week. Haven't the marketing people heard of striking while the iron is hot?

Following Mel's Lead

I've decided to sweat with Sven.

Every once in awhile, Mel comes up with a great idea (okay, more than just every once in awhile). We're going to power write though the next 3 months.

While my agent is shopping around The Church of Bunco, I'm going to be working on my next non-bunco book. It's tentatively titled, "He Loves Me Not". So far, I've finished up a couple of chapters and I think I see a direction. Hopefully, the muse will be kind and stay with me:)

My goal is to have the rough draft completed by Jan. 15.

Whew

I finally finished my manuscript, The Church of Bunco. CP's have read it and approved and it went to my fab agent, Deidre Knight last week. Hopefully, I'll hear that she approves too. I should hear something by the end of the week (fingers crossed!)

I learned so much about my writing process with this story. I used to think of myself as a plotter, but the plotting is what actually got me in trouble and delayed my finishing it for so long. Once I let go and just let myself write, the story sort of wrote itself.

Sort of :)

I'm working on a blurb for the query letter. This is the version I have so far:

Kitty Burke lives for Thursday nights. That’s when she, her two best friends, and the rest of the Bunco Babes of Whispering Bay, roll dice, drink frozen margaritas, and catch up on all the gossip in their small north Florida town. Kitty is thirty-five and the only Bunco Babe who’s still single; not that she hasn’t tried to find Mr. Right. But Kitty’s version of the ideal man is Crash Davis, the character Kevin Costner played in her favorite flick, Bull Durham. And men like Crash Davis don’t exist in real life. But that’s okay. Kitty has everything she needs in her bunco group. If Susan Sarandon can worship at the Church of Baseball, why can’t Kitty worship at the Church of Bunco?

When Kitty meets Steve, she finally finds a guy who curls her toes. Too bad her closest friends don’t approve. Steve’s three failed marriages make him more a candidate for a Jerry Springer episode than potential husband material. Kitty decides to go against her best friends’ advice and dates Steve anyway. What they don’t know can’t hurt them, right? But it’s Kitty’s heart that’s on the line when she finally learns that woman cannot live by bunco alone.

I just didn't Love it

I almost died when I woke up this morning (about 3 am-but that's what happens when half the time you sleep days and work nights...) and discovered it was my turn to blog on the Title Wave Blog. I mean, crap, I haven't had time to blog here, but I can't diss on my fellow AT 2 sisters, so I had to come up with something. I frantically looked around for some inspiration. Found none, and opened up my email.

Aha!

Multiple emails asking me to judge the Golden Heart contest again. Instant blog material.

In a nutshell, "I just didn't love it" is what I learned from judging last year. The full explanation behind that is in my Title Wave Blog. Go check it out:)

American Title 4 already!

It's hard to believe that it's already time for the American Title 4 contest to get under way. Go check out Theresa Meyer's interview with Dorchester editor, Leah Hultenschmidt on the Title Wave blog. She's got some interesting things to say.

Oh, and if you haven't already read it, make sure you read Mel's first author blog over at the HEA Cafe. As usual, my girl does not let down.

My Big Fat Cuban Baby

That's the title to a book I might write in the future. The fact that I DID have a big fat Cuban baby (Kevin weighed 9 lbs) makes it almost seem autobiographical, but I think it has potential. My friend Sybil actually came up with it :)


Of course, I can't write anything new until I finish the revisions on "Church". I got stalled out when I tried to make it into a series. Just like me to think of a series when I haven't even gotten the damn thing published yet, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. Now I'm having to go back and add back all the stuff I'd put in originally because a book has to be as best as you can possibly make it. Plus of course, you know I have to add in some more stuff as well. But at least I'm listening to some good music when I do it. Go check out Colbie Caillat's Coco album. It's awesome.



Next week I'll be off to Cancun with the family. I'm taking my iPOD and my laptop with me and hoping I'll come back with a polished manuscript I can give to my cps.

Check this out

I'm being a blog pimp today and telling you to go to the Title Wave Blog. Ruth Kaufman has done a great interview with Anna Campbell, the author of Claiming the Courtesan. I had the opportunity to first meet Anna during the National RWA conference in Atlanta last summer. She had recently sold on auction to Avon (!!!) and was on cloud nine. I met up with Anna again in Dallas this month and she's so incredibly sweet and warm. A real bundle of energy and just so inspiring!

In Which Maria Shows Out

If white girls have hissy fits, and black girls "show out", what do nice Cuban girls do? Personally, I kind of like the term 'show out'. It really describes what I did better than hissy fit. And besides, hissy rhymes with prissy, and I'm definitely not prissy.


The Friday before I went to Nationals, my husband decided we had to buy a car. We knew we had to get a new car by the end of summer, and Mike Geraci decided that the Friday before one of the busiest weekends ever, was the perfect time to do it. So we set out with a blank check (from the instution we had gotten our pre-approved loan from) and hit the car dealerships in Tallahassee. I had narrowed my choice down to 3 minivans. The Toyata Sienna, the Honda Odyssey and the Nissan Quest. As Mike repeatedly said, "This is your car, honey. Get what you want." Translation: Get you want as long as you get the Toyota. (Mike Geraci's first car was a Toyota and he has a thing for them).



After doing a preliminary search at the Nissan and the Honda dealership (really to humor me) Mike led me to the Toyota place.



"Now here's a minivan," Mike says, admiringly. "It's the #1 minivan for reliability according to Consumer Reports."


I nod silently. The fact that I'M the one who told him this doesn't stop him from repeating it over and over. The salesman also has a case of parotitis, as he also feels compelled to repeat this statistic over and over as well.


I tell the saleman that I want a 2007 Sienna with a DVD player with the cordless headphones and I that I don't want to pay over $30,000 (Mike and I had agreed on this price earlier). At first, he looks at me like I'm crazy, but after sighing heavily, he nods and says something to the effect of "I think we can work something out."


We then test drive the Sienna, and Mike and I both think it drives just dandy. We're now ready to deal. After spending another half hour convincing the salesman that we do not want to finance through Toyota, we get to the haggling phase. All of a sudden, the "we think we can work something out" becomes more like, "well, it's unrealistic to think you can get the best selling, most reliable minivan on the market for the unreasonable price of $30,ooo. Oh, and the DVD player? No way. That will cost an extra 2,000 bucks. "


Up until now, Mike Geraci and the salesman have been doing all the talking. So I interject with, "But I want the DVD player. And I don't want to pay over $30,000."


The salesman barely glances at me and says, "You can get one at Sam's for way cheap and plug it into the cigarette lighter."


"But I don't want one you plug in the cigarette lighter. I want one with the screen that comes off the roof and the wireless headphones."


By now, the "Finance Manager" has come to help out the salesguy in explaining to us that we're being totally unreasonable in our demands. He goes over the list of the options in the car, including a $1000 option that includes road side assistance.


"Why do I need to pay $1000 for road side assistance? I can get AAA for 50 bucks a year. Besides, isn't this the 'most reliable minivan on the market'"? I ask, making quote marks with my fingers.


Finance Manager and Salesguy now begin to look at me with hostility and throw Mike Geraci sympathetic looks.



Mike Geraci sees the strom brewing and smartly shuts his mouth.


"Ma'am," says Finance Manager, "I don't think you understand the price breakdown."


"Oh, I understand all right. You guys are full of bullshit." I glare at Salesguy. "What's the first thing I said to you when I came on the lot over 2 hours ago? I said I wanted a 2007 Sienna with a DVD player and I didn't want to pay over $30,ooo and you said we could work something out."


This flusters Salesguy to the point of muteness.


Mike is now trying to hold back his laughter.


Finance Manager looks aghast as if he's never heard a woman say bullshit before. "Ma'am, I don't want to get short with you."


Short with me??? Is this guy serious?


I'll leave the rest up to your imagination, except to say that I calmly explained to them that they had wasted over 2 hours of my time and that I was the customer and I wasn't going to settle for anything less than what I wanted at the price I wanted to pay and that I was very happy they were selling the Most Reliable, Best Selling Minivan ever and that I'm sure they could find another chump to sell it to.


With that, I nodded to Mike Geraci, who jumped from his chair to silently follow me out to our car.


"Wow," Mike says, looking a little turned on. "I never knew you had it in you."


Really? Considering we've been married almost 22 years and his nickname for me is "Mal Genio" (sp?) ('bad tempered one' in Spanish) he should have known.


To make a long story short, I took my business 30 minutes north to Thomasville, Georgia, where the lovely George from Thomasville Toyota sold me a 2007 Sienna WITH a DVD player for $ 6,000 LESS than the price they wanted in Tallahassee. I soooo want to drive my new minivan past the Tallahassee dealership and stick my tongue out at them. But I'm much too polite for that.

Back from Dallas

I haven't unpacked the suitcase yet (and much to my hubby's chagrin, it might stay that way for awhile) because I have a whole new spurt of writing energy I have to work out. yay!

If you want to see what I did in Dallas, check out the Title Wave blog. Also, check out Blogging National for links to more conference buzz.

helloooooo

And y'all thought I was bad about not posting frequently...

Maria...where are you????

Facelift, anyone?

My high school reunion is coming up next month. My goal was to lose about a thousand pounds before the big day (cough, cough) but somehow, time has crept up on me and that hasn't happened yet.

A couple of the guys I went to high school with live here in Tallahassee, so we had a little "pre-reunion" and met for lunch last Saturday. Jeff, on my right, is a political cartoonist. You can check out his blog here. And Bill, on my left, works for the state doing something very important with Grants. In case you're wondering, I'm 5'6", and yes, Bill did play on the basketball team. He also had a great 70's 'fro going back then, so you can add a few more inches to his HS height. He was a pretty imposing figure on the courts, I'll tell you that.

Jeff posted the above picture to our Yahoo Reunion site. Although, he did promise Bill and I he'd photoshop it first (adding in more hair, shaving off a few lbs, etc) He couldn't shave off any lbs, but he did manage to take off a few years

Ah! The beauty of photoshop!

Everything's bigger in Oregon...

Cuz that's where the sexy cowboy on the left is from:)

My wonderful chapter (yes, it's mine) RWA Online has started a program of Book Reviews and I was lucky enough to score a free copy of Kate Pearce's newest book.

I can't say enough great things about it. It's well written, fast paced and suffice it to say that Ms Pearce once again lives up to her nickname of "Naughty Kate".

Word of warning: Expect to stay up late once you start reading!

WHERE HAVE ALL THE COWBOYS GONE?
by Kate Pearce
Review by Maria Geraci

While on a business trip to Vegas, Lauren Redstone falls into the lap of sexy cowboy Grayson Turner. When he offers to buy her a drink, Lauren ends up getting more than just her thirst quenched. After a wild night of passion, Lauren wakes up married to the hunky, mysterious cowboy from Oregon. Grayson might be Lauren’s ideal roll in the hay, but she has no intention of permanently roping herself to a man who might turn out to be as domineering as her father. Determined to keep Lauren as his bride, Grayson convinces her to give him two weekends to prove to her they’re compatible in every way possible.

From the stables of an Oregon ranch to the streets of San Francisco, Ms. Pearce weaves an erotic tale of two soul mates who must overcome the machinations of their interfering families and the modern day conundrum of juggling two busy careers. There’s never a second in the book that you don’t root for exactly that to happen.

Lots of steamy sex scenes and an absolutely to die-for-hero will have you whistling Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy long after you’ve finished reading this elegantly written, fast paced story. Don’t miss it!

Where Have All The Cowboys Gone? is available for pre-order at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

I'll tell you who I want

Okay, I'm showing my dweebness again, but I can't help it. I'm totally hooked on the NBC show, "Grease, You're the One that I Want". Tonight is the big finale. I started watching a couple of months ago when the show premiered. I loved the premise- A national talent hunt for 2 unknown actors to play Danny and Sandy in the upcoming Broadway revival of Grease. Like American Idol, viewers have been voting for their favorites and it's narrowed down to 2 Sandys and 2 Dannys. Tonight, we'll find out who wins.

My money is on Laura and Max. Both of them were huge uonderdogs in the beginning. At first, I loved Chad (but then who didn't?), but Max has totally won me over as Danny. And I just can't see anyone now but Laura playing Sandy.



Laura (This girl can sing!)


Ashley (adorable, but has an irritating voice)







Max (not so hunky, but absolutely riveting to watch on stage)




Austin (hunky and cute, but missing something)

Synopsis help

I know I've been a bad blogger lately. I've been trying sooo hard to get the rough version of my ms polished enough to let my cp's read it that I've been neglectful here. But I had to pop in today and recommend this great site. It's the Happily-Ever-After Cafe, a blog written by RWA Online's pubbed authors. Claire Delacroix is offering a free synopsis workshop right here. Claire's workshops are always wonderful, so if you need synopsis help, this is the place to go!

Thank You, Geek Squad!

Wednesday, I had my own personal Geek out to fix up my new laptop. Poor Jane. Her owner is computer challenged. In my giddiness to get my new computer up and running, somehow I must have uploaded my software wrong. Or got my settings wrong. Or something. I only know that Jane had a two month long cold that is now much better thanks to Tim from the Geek Squad. In less than 45 minutes, Tim had Jane up and running laps. Which means I can access the internet again and blog, and everything else!

So I finally posted a blog on the Title Wave site about Perky the Duck, my newest inspiration.

Tagged!

Okay, so Mel, or whatever she's calling herself these days, has tagged me on one of those cutsie name game things. I'm really trying to do housework today, so of course, this came in perfect.

1. YOUR REAL NAME:
Maria Geraci

2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (first three letters of your name, plus izzle)
Marizzle (Personally, my REAL name sounds more gangsta)

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three of your last)
Mger (sounds like a Scottish growl)

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (fav color and fav animal)
Red Dog (Isn't that a soft drink?)

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, Street you live on):
Eugenia Milestone (yes, I'm the new bitch matriarch of Pine Valley. Phoebe Wallingford look out!)

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name, first 3 letters of mom’s maiden name)
Germaher

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (favorite color, favorite drink)
Red Cuba Libre (Sounds like it should be a movie starring Jack Black)

8. YOUR IRAQI NAME: (2nd letter of your first name, 3rd letter of your last name, any letter of your middle name, 2nd letter of your moms maiden name, 3rd letter of your dad’s middle name, 1st letter of a sibling’s first name, last letter of your moms middle name)
Dear God, the directions on this one are enough to make my head spins. Oh well, here goes:
Argeicz

9. YOUR STRIPPER NAME: (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/body spray)
Chance (this might be my favorite one!)

10. YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother & father’s middle name)
Okay, I take that back, this is definitely my favorite: Lydia Moises

Sadly, it's now time to go back to the housework...

All my friends are getting published!

I love the title of my blog! The last few months have been an absolute whirlwind of good news for so many of my friends. Now, I just have to catch up on all the good reading!
I finally finished The Historian. It was a great book, and really rich in detail, but not a fast read for me. I started reading it back in November and only finished it a couple of weeks ago. (I do have the Holidays to blame for some of that slow reading, btw) As Mel can attest, I didn't know much about vampire lore (you mean they're undead?) until I read this book. Watching Dark Shadows as a kid apparently didn't educate me enough. I hear Elizabeth Kostova got a cool $2 million advance on the book and that it's being made into a movie. I'll definitely want to see that.

But I'm rambling here. Back to the point of my blog, because unfortunately, I don't know Elizabeth Kostova. The Warrior Trainer is finally out! You might remember that Gerri's fabulous book was the winner of the American Title 2 contest. I just got my copy and can't wait to sink my teeth into it.


Another wonderful read out is Kate Pearce's Antonia's Bargain. I read an early version of this and can't wait to read the finished results. The cover is absolutely gorgeous!

It's all about attitude, baby

Here's a little ditty my sister sent me this morning via email. It was sent to her by her friend, Liz Hienkle, who has been waging a successful batttle against breast cancer. It brought a smile to my face, and I hope it does the same for you:

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today?" So she did and she had awonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head."H-M-M," she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today?" So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on herhead. "Well," she said, "today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail." So she did and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head."YEA!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix my hair today!"

Attitude is everything. Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
Live simply,Love generously,Care deeply,Speak kindly.......Leave the rest to God.

For more on positive attitude, go check out the Title Wave Blog. Yeah, Ruth!

WOO HOO!

I'm so happy, I could burst! My wonderful friend and cp has just sold her first book! No, I take that back. She's just sold her first TWO books! Here's where you can read all about it. Way to go, Mel!!!

Introducing Jane and getting rid of the Holiday Blues

I have a new laptop! It's silver and shiny and best of all, it works! I've decided to name her Jane. Yes, I know it's rather cheeky of me. But I might as well channel the best, right?

After almost an entire month of no computer, I'm thrilled to be writing again. But now I'm trying to make up for all the time I've missed, and the rest of the world is trying to do Christmas...

Which brings me to the second part of my post. The Holiday Blues.

Did you know that this is the most stressful time of the year for women?
I heard that little statistic twice last week. Once, on the radio, while I was taking the kids to school, and then later that day while I was hanging more Christmas decorations in the house and watching Regis and Kelly.

I admit, I'm no Rachel Ray, Martha Stewart or Jennifer Crusie. But I'd like to be. Of course, all these self-expectations tend to make one rather critical of oneself and that can only lead to one thing. The blues. Lucikly, there's nothing better to cure the blues with than a good book or movie.

Here's a story written by the talented Ellen Peters that's sure to cure any holiday funk. Best of all, it's a short, quick read. Perfect for the Holiday season. I have to admit, though, I did shed a tear. But's its the good kind of tears (the kind you get with a Happily-Ever-After!)



Ava Carrolton has decided to make her own fate this holiday season. Tired of being alone and hoping to find love, she finally agrees to date the dashing and persistent owner of the department store where she works. Who wouldn’t enjoy spending time with a man who looks like a GQ model? But, she has one misgiving. She doesn’t feel The Spark with Mr. Debonair, so how is she to know if he’s The One?When Ava literally bumps into Noah Shepard, every girl’s definition of The Boy Next Door, they form an unlikely friendship. As they bond, Noah seems to transform through Ava’s eyes. His thick frame glasses and shy stutters fade away, while a knight in shining armor emerges. Will Ava choose excitement and security with the handsome store owner, or a lifetime of making snow angels with a man who’s anything but ordinary?

Snow Angels is available at The Wild Rose Press. I promise, it won't disappoint!

Just a few days left to vote!

I've been a really bad blogger lately. But I have a good excuse. My computer crashed over a week ago. I thought it'd be fixed by now, but apparently, it's dead. Beyond any computer CPR.

Just writing those words makes me cringe.

Luckily, my writing is backed up.

Which brings me to the point of my post. Other people's writing. There's less than a week left to vote on round 2 of the American Title 3 contest. This round features Best Hero and Heroine description. Take a minute to go to the RT Site and vote.

Oh, and on a wonderful note, go to the TITLE WAVE blog for some awesome news on Gerri Russell's The Warrior Trainer!

The day the squirrel ate my hambuger

I've been dissing my own blog.

The reason for that is simple. I've been multi-tagged by both Mel and Lucy to come up with 5 interesting things about myself and I've been avoiding writing that post like the plague. I honestly can't think of 5 really interesting things (not that I can write in a blog, anyway). So, I'll just tell you one not so interesting, but very important thing that happened to me early in life.

When I was four, a squirrel swooped down from a tree and stole my McDonalds hamburger.

It changed my life.

But for this story to make any sense, I have to go back to the beginning:

First of all, you wouldn't know it from looking at me, but I'm a really finicky eater. Ask my friends, I drive them crazy. As a kid, I never ate mayonnaise, mustard or ketchup. Or any sauce or condiment of any kind. It just weirded me out. So whenever we went to McDonalds (which was the greatest treat in my mind at age 4) my mom or dad had to wait in line while they cooked my "plain" hamburger. This always made me feel a little guilty, since the rest of the family had to wait. But, oh well.

The day of the Great Squirrel Incident (yes, that is still how it's referred to by my family), we took our food and went outside to this little picnic area in back of the McDonalds. I took a bite out of my hamburger, and as all 4 year olds tend to do, ran off to play.

My mother warned me. "Don't leave your food unattended!"

But I ignored her.

A couple of minutes later, a large, beasty looking squirrel swooped down onto the picnic table, plunged his razorlike fangs into my McDonalds hamburger and carried it off.

I was mortified.

I cried.

I begged my parents to go into the McDonalds and order me another plain hamburger.

"No. But you can have mine," said my mother, offering me her hamburger, dripping and laden with all sorts of nasty looking condiments.

I sniffed and raised my chin. "No, I'd rather starve," I said. (or something along those lines)

sigh...

You can tell that I pretty much had the Cuban version of an Ozzie and Harriet sort of upbringing when I tell you that this was one of the most traumatic events of my childhood (along with the whole mammals and breastfeeding thing). But, I learned a lot about myself that day.

1. Sometimes, I'm just too subborn (aka stupid) for my own good.

2. If you don't listen to your mother, something bad will surely happen.

And most importantly, watch out for lurking squirrels. They might look cute, but they're really rats in disguise.

At last!

An episode I can finally sink my teeth into!

As sad as it was losing Mr. Eko, I was a little relieved to see the show is getting back some of it's oomph. From the moment Lost premiered 2 years ago, I've been an ardent fan, but lately, I felt like the show was slipping.

I was so disappointed in the Season opener. Please, writers, no more wimpy Jack scripts! I used to love Jack, but they are totally ruining him for me. If he falls for Juliette's pleas, I'll have no respect left for him whatsoever. (I totally agree with Sawyer's instincts on this one-Blondie is not be trusted)

Still, I had to keep giving the show another try. And each episode got a little bit better, but last night, I was totally blown away. THIS is what I want! A show that will leave me wanting more! I cried at the end of last night's episode and I don't ever remember crying during Lost. Not even when Shannon or Boone died.

Now I have to admit, I'm a little pissed that next week's show is the Fall Season Finale. That means no more Lost for another couple of months. I really hate when networks do this. Instead of Lost, they're going to sub in a new show to try to get us hooked. Grr....

On a sad note, I've heard rumors that Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is going to be cancelled. Yup. It's Love Monkey all over again, damn it.

blog hijack!

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Done!

Well, not quite, but almost.

I finished the first rough draft of The Church of Bunco!

Honestly, I thought it would never get finished. I'm such a plotter, and this book refused to be plotted. I tried. I really did. But like some character from a Stephen King novel, the story took on a life of its own and just laughed and flipped me the finger whenever I tried to force it a certain direction.

I can remember when the idea for the book first came to me. It was in Reno during the RWA conference. A bunch of us had gone to Circus Circus to eat dinner and I was wearing my special Bunco bracelet (a silver flexi kind of thing that has little martini glasses and dice charms hanging off it). I remember sitting in the taxi cab and playing with the little charms and thinking about my bunco group and it all sort of came rushing out.

That night, while spewing the idea out to Mel, she helped me come up with the title (which also pays homage to my sort of love-affair-obsession with the film, Bull Durham).

So while it's far from readable, it has a beginning, a middle, and an end. I actually know what happens now:) I figure it will take about 2 months to come up with a readable copy to give to my fabo cp's, but I'm so excited (and more than a little relieved!)

American Title 3 starts today

Flavia and company are back at it today as Romantic Times Book Reviews Magazine kicks off the American Title 3 Contest with the Best First Line.

But it's not their opinion that matters. It's yours. It's the voters who decide who will win the contest and become the next American Title winner and have their book published by Dorchester.

Over the last ten days, the American Title 2 finalists have been posting interviews with the AT 3 finalists on the Title Wave blog.

It was a hard choice to make. The entries are all fabulous. But I picked one and voted. It's simple, just go here, read the entries and vote. Voting will continue on until October 29. Then the two entries with the lowest votes will be eliminated and a second round will begin.

Good luck to this year's finalists!

ER Scare

I had just settled into work the other night when I get a call from Mike Geraci. That, in itself, is a little scary. In the 21 years we've been married, I can probably count the number of times my husband has called me at work on one hand.

Mike: Hey (said weakly)
Me: Oh my God, what's wrong?
Mike: (long pause) I'm in an ambulance. They're taking me to the ER.
Me: What happened? Were you in a wreck? (breathing a sigh of relief. If he was in a wreck, then it must not be too bad if he can talk on the phone, right?)
Mike: No, I just got a little dizzy and they're bringing me in.

Translation: His blood pressure was sky high and he almost passed out.

Now, my husband has never been diagnosed with high blood pressure. But, he also hasn't been to the doctor in the past year. He's one of those men who only goes to the doctor when he's on his death bed. So apparently, his BP has been creeping up and now it's slapped him in the face. The fact that he drinks a pot of coffee a day, is about 30 lbs overweight, and runs 5 miles one day, then does nothing for 2 weeks. has finally caught up to him. Not to mention all those cigars he smokes on the golf course. And except for the cigars and the pot of coffee (I'm just a half a pot a day girl) I'm guilty of all the above and more.

So, Mike's little ER scare has been a big wake up call to us both. We aren't as young as we used to be. We have 3 kids, a huge mortgage payment and college and braces... and you get the rest.

Time for the Geracis to make some big lifestyle changes.

PS. The only bright note in the ER visit was that, luckily, I had a book with me! (I keep the current book I'm reading in my bag at all times, cuz, you just never know) Anyhoo, I finished "Ex and Single Girl" and I loved it! After Mike had been given all these drugs, he went to sleep for about 3 hours while we waited for test results to come back, and I think I would have gone crazy if it wasn't for having something great to read. Proving yet again, that romance writers do make a difference in the world, right?

Stewie: You know, that novel you've been writing?

Stewie teases Brian about the novel he's never finished... after 3 years.

Who Will Be Next?

In less than 2 weeks, the American Title III contest will be in full swing. For those of you who don't know, American Title I was won by Janice Lynn and her fabulous Jane Millionaire. And in January, Gerri Russell's The Warrior Trainer will hit the bookshelves.

Starting in just a few days, the Title Wave blog will run exclusive interviews with the American Title III finalists. Check out these awesome titles:

Lindsey Brookes - OPERATION: DATE ESCAPE
Kim Howe – ONE SHOT, TWO KILLS
Meretta Pater – RISING SIN
Jenny Gardiner – SLEEPING WITH WARD CLEAVER
Judi Fennell – BEAUTY AND THE BEST
Sally Stotter – DARE YOU
Raz Steel - PASS THE KRYPTONITE
Linda Thomas-Sundstrom – BARBIE AND THE BEAST
Cathy Pegau - HAUNTED
Kate Carlisle - THE KAMA SUTRA CHRONICLES

I wish all the contestants good luck!

And on a more personal note: KIA progress: 10 pages yesterday (woo hoo!)

Kristen asked me what KIA stood for (great question, btw). The KIA marathon is in honor of a former RWA Online member, Kia Cochran, who died of breast cancer. And since October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it's the perfect time to host it.

Starting the KIA

Okay, so I was supposed to start the KIA (RWA Online's fabulous yearly marathon) yesterday. Due to being out of town, however, my page count so far is zip.

Hopefully, that will change starting today. I'm determined to plunge forward with the rough draft of my current wip, Church of Bunco. I'm about 150-160 pages from THE END.

I can do it. I know I can. I just have to insert butt in chair and keep it there. I blogged about writing marathons on the Title Wave blog, so I have to do it. Right?

A Freudian Moment

So I was talking to Mean Bitch Mel the other day. "Then I need to segue-way (sp?) to the next scene," she says.

"You need to what?"

"I need to segue-way."

"What's that?" I ask, my palms beginning to dampen.

"Maria, you know, segue-way."

"Uhm, I've never heard that word before."

"You're kidding. You've never heard the word segue-way?"

Oh, God. It's Fifth Grade all over again...

Seque-way back to 1969... I'm sitting in 5th grade Science class at Ascension Catholic School. It's mid-afternoon. It's hot and humid, because this is central Florida. Sister Immaculata (yes, that was her name) was writing characteristics of mammals down on the chalkboard.

Mammals have hair on their bodies... Mammals are warm-blooded... Mammals give milk to their young...

I raise my hand. "Sister?"

"Yes, Maria Palacios?"

"I think you made a mistake."

Beedy nun eyes stare me down. "Oh?"

"Yes, sister. We're mammals and we don't give milk to our young. We have to feed our babies out of bottles."

A huge collective gasp erupts. I slowly look around the room to see 29 pairs of 5th grade eyes looking at me in horror. My best friend shakes her head and looks on in sympathy.

What? What have I done? I ask myself, sliding down in my seat.

Sister ignores my question and keeps writing on the chalkboard. Thirty minutes later, the bell rings and Sister asks me stay after class. The sweat is pouring down my back as she hands me an envelope addressed to my mother. The entire bus ride home no one looks at me.

I give the envelope to my mother, certain that I'm about to be expelled for some crime against God and mammals. My mother reads the note from sister, then pats her bed and asks me to have a seat. She then gives me the "talk". Mortified, I find out that, uhm, yes, all mammals do give milk to their young, along with a whole bunch of other stuff I'd never even knew was possible. (note: I grew up in the Cuban household version of Leave it to Beaver...)

I trudge to school the next day wishing that I was a better actress, because my mother wasn't fooled by my dramatic coughing fit that morning. Gradually, all the kids forgot about it. But I never asked a question in class for the rest of 5th grade. Or 6th, for that matter.

Of course, that was 36 years ago and I really don't give a rat's ass what someone thinks if I don't happen to know something and have to ask. But it's funny, how the physical reaction is still there. Which of course, means that deep down, I must sort of care.

Since Mel and I had this conversation, I've heard the word segue or segue-way used at least 3 times. Which leads me to wonder... Am I really that unobservant? Or is this some sort of world plot against me?

What were they thinking??

I'm so disappointed in Macho 1 and Macho 2 (That would be JP and Ozzy of the Hispanic Team in this season's Survivor) They actually threw last night's immunity challenge so they could vote out poor Billy. There they are on the left, gloating.

Now, don't get me wrong. Poor Billy needed to go. He was on the lazy side and couldn't keep up in the challenges. Plus, he never really fit in with the other 4 members. As Billy put it, he fits in more with the heavy metal culture, than the Hispanic culture. But at this point in the game, it's all about numbers. Cecelia and Cristina realized this ( of course, they did. They are women) But Macho 1 and Macho 2 are thinking with, well, I don't know what they're thinking with, but it obviously isn't the grey stuff on top.


The fun twist to their evil plotting is that they were stupid enough to send Yul (of the Asian team) to Exile Island. Since the Asian team is kicking some major butt all around, they figured they would send the strongest member to Exile Isle to "weaken" him. Of course, it took Yul all of about 3 seconds to find the Immunity Idol. Ha! I can't wait to see the looks on the Macho boys faces, when Yul pulls that one out.

On a brighter note, last night's premiere of The Office did not disappoint. Not one bit. It was hysterical!

Imperfection, Thy Name is Hero

For the longest time, if asked who my favorite romance hero is, I've always responded the same way: Justin Alistair, the Duke of Avon. The devilishly imperfect, cold-hearted, arrogant, pleasure-seeking, revenge-obsessed hero of Georgette Heyer's, These Old Shades. I even quote the book in my RWA Online signature, because it's one of the best romance lines I've ever read.

The line comes in the final scene where Justin is trying to convince Leonie (the heroine, who also happens to be his ward) that he isn't the right man for her by cataloguing all his weaknesses. His reputation is damanged, he's never been faithful to one woman, he's selfish, weak, spoiled, he's too old for her, etc... He then finishes this little speech by telling her she's worthy of a better husband than he.

"I would give you a boy who might come to you with a clean heart, not one who was bred up in vice from his cradle."

"Ah, Monseigneur, you need not have told me this! I know-I have always known, and still I love you. I do not want a boy. I want only-Monseigneur."

"Leonie, you will do well to consider. You are not the first woman in my life."

She smiled through her tears. "Monseigneur, I would so much rather be the last woman than the first."

Sigh... at this point in the book, I'm crying. No matter how many times I've read it. Because despite all of Justin's calculating schemes to use Leonie as revenge against his worst enemy, in the end, he risks everything, gives up everything for love. And in doing so, wins me over every time.

Which brings me to The Taming of the Duke. I've just found a hero who can light a candle to Justin Alistair. And coincidentally enough, he's also a duke (maybe I have a thing for dukes?) I don't know how Eloisa James pulled it off (well, I do know, because she's ridiculously talented), but she did. She made me fall head over heels in love with an alcoholic duke with a protruding gut. Doesn't sound too romantic, does it? But Rafe Jourdain, Duke of Holbrook now has a place alongside my beloved Justin as Favorite Hero.

The Taming of the Duke is the 3rd in the sisters series and we meet Rafe right away in book one, Much Ado about You. Now, I liked Rafe instantly from the beginning. He's a big teddy bear of a guy who dutifully embraces his guardianship to 4 young women he's never set eyes on. But he's also an alcoholic. And Eloisa doesn't pull any punches here. He's let himself go, his estate go, and while he still manages to keep it all somewhat together, he's not the sort of confident Regency buck we're used to having as heros in our historicals. Everytime Rafe takes a drink, we cringe. We never know exactly what's going to come out of his mouth.

Other than the fact that both Justin and Rafe are dukes, slightly older (Justin is 40, Rafe is in his late 30's) and both men fall in love with their younger wards, I wondered how two men, who seem so different on first glance, could both be so appealing to me. Rafe is slovenly and unkempt. Justin is so meticulous in his appearance, that he almost comes off as foppish (almost!). Rafe could care less what society thinks of him, Justin is all about image. Rafe's self esteem is rock bottom, while Justin thinks the stars revolve around him.

But on deeper examination, and on all the levels that count, I find both men very similar. And more importantly, they embark on a character arc, that in the end, reveals the true man deep inside. And it's that lovely character arc, done so subtly, and so well, that makes me fall in love.

Both my heros are uncomfortable in their role as duke-Rafe, obviously more so, while Justin's discomfort with his title is more subtle, but it's there. And both men eventually grow into their noble roles, taking on the responsibilities of the title they were born into.

Rafe uses alcohol as a crutch, while Justin uses his need for revenge. In the end, both give up their crutch. Partly for the heroine, and partly because they have to. The crutch just doesn't work anymore.

And lastly, and most importantly, both men go the ultimate distance for love. Justin sacrifices his need for revenge, letting Leonie's needs come first. He tells her he isn't worthy of her, that she deserves someone better than him. But of course, in Leonie's mind, there is no one better (smart girl!) Rafe must battle the bottle and his low self-esteem in order win Imogen's heart. He thinks so little of himself that he woos her in the guise of another man. But ultimately, to win her, he must do the thing he fears the most--reveal himself completely, with all his faults and all his vices.

Both men have to grow into the man that the heroine sees deep inside, or as screenwriting guru Michael Hauge puts it, into their essence (If you didn't go to his workshop at Nationals in Atlanta, make sure to listen to the tape. He was fabulous!)

And that's what I think is ultimately the most satisfying part for me in a romance. Seeing that imperfect man grow into the man the heroine needs him to be. The man the heroine "sees" from the beginning and loves and knows is there. It's that journey of self-discovery that makes me sigh, cry, laugh, etc... because without it, the romance just isn't complete.

I found my Steve!

I was having a terrible time putting a face to the hero in my current wip. I always give my characters "faces" and here I was, halfway through the rough draft, and still no face for my most important character. My hero! So after a lot of inspiration and help from my friends over at the Title Wave blog, I finally found him.

Dermot Mulroney, who, coincidentally, I've always found a little wooden, but no more. Now that I've "given" him my hero's personality, I'll never think of him as anything but Steve!

I can almost smell Fall...

Only 3 more days and 14 more hours left till Survivor!

Bursting my bubble a bit, I've just been informed by Mel and Erin (who shall both, henceforth, be known as The Traitors) that they aren't going to be watching Survivor this season. I don't believe it for one second. Erin says it conflicts with Grey's Anatomy, but GA comes on at 9, and Survivor comes on at 8. So what's the problem, Erin?? And Mel, well, she'll cave in. I guarantee it (insert wicked laugh here).

This Tuesday is the premiere of Dancing with the Stars. I got hooked on it last season. I can't wait to see Jerry Springer make a total fool of himself on national TV. Oh, wait. He's already done that on his own show.

Highly recommended--from one of the Traitors, that is-- is Studio 60. (She got the pilot show from Netflix ) It's scheduled for Monday nights, which is good, because my Thursday night DVR recording schedule is getting pretty full.

Then of course, there's The Office and a few more shows that I absolutely have to watch. But, it's beginning!

And on a slightly different note... Today was my day to blog on Title Wave. Go check it out. I need some help with my hero!

I'm almost there!

Yeah, right.

How many times do you fudge exactly where you are? I do it all the time. My kids are sooo on to me.

"Mom, where are you? Practice was over 5 minutes ago."

"I'm right at the corner of John Knox Rd and Meridian." (or at least I will be in about 5 minutes)

"Hmmm.. okay."

In the opening scene of the movie Sideways, the lead character is just getting out of bed when he tells his friend he's almost there... this goes on while he showers, stops by the local coffee shop, is on the freeway with no traffic, etc... It's a funny scene and it really rang a bell with me.

My nephew Ryan and I discussed this little phenomena on the drive down to Destin last weekend. He's says its a product of cellular phones and our fast paced lifestyles. We're in constant communication with each other which makes us feel accountable for our every move. What do you think?

Off to the Beach

It's been a rough week, but today, we're heading to the beach!

Growing up in Melbourne, Fl, I always took the beach for granted. I mean, everyone went to the beach everyday, right? Ha! After graduating college, I moved to Arizona. The mountains were breathtaking and the weather was almost perfect. But there was a part of my soul that longed for the water and the sand, and yes, even the humidity. Hard to imagine, but true.

Now I live just 2 hours from some of the most beautiful beaches in the US. Today, we're heading out to Destin, where we'll do a side trip to Seaside. That's where The Truman Show was filmed. My entire family (parents, sister, hubby, nephews, kids) will all be together to celebrate my dad's 74th birthday tomorrow. I can tell you in advance, that a good time will definitely be had by all!

Happy Labor Day everyone!

Go Ass over Titties

That's what Helen Mirren was hoping not to do as she walked on stage in her big heels to accept her Best Actress Emmy for her fab role in Elizabeth I. And she succeeded brilliantly. I adore the woman. Love everything she does. And she's not only a great actress, but she also knows how to give a great acceptance speech, too.

I'm not one to really watch award shows (except the Oscars, those I watch religiously) but I caught enough of the Emmys to know what was what. And it was actually a pretty good show if you could stand all the interruptions from the friggin commercials.

I was thrilled to see that The Office won for Best Comedy. Finally! A show I love gets recognized. Usually, when I really like a show, it just gets canceled, a la Love Monkey.

One of the highlights was the reunion of the original Charlie's Angels to give a tribute to Aaron Spelling. All 3 ladies looked wonderful, as you can see by this pic. Kate Jackson gave the best speech of all and even made her fellow angel, Farrah, shed a tear. It was for me the best moment of the show. Very nostalgic and by the camera sweeps of the audience, most of them were moved too.

Without doubt, the fashion disaster of the night was Candice Bergen. If gowns have a title, then hers would be: Rodeo meets the Emmys. What the hell was she thinking? Or rather what was her dresser or whoever puts her together thinking, because I refuse to believe that the wonderful, beautiful Candice actually put this look together.

Another Emmy low point was Stephen Colbert being beat out by Barry Manilow. But we won't even go there.

All in all, though, a good time was had by all. Now I'm just ready to get the new television season under way.

Just 2 and a half weeks till Survivor!

What are the networks waiting for??

Are Jim and Pam finally going to get together?

This is a question I've been agonizing over all summer. And I've finally reached my breaking point. I need NEW episodes of The Office!

And what about Jack and Sawyer and Kate? Is Michael really going to just sail away and leave them in the hands of the Others?

School has been in session now for over two weeks (at least in this part of the country) so why can't we just officially call an end to summer and get the new tv season under way? I don't watch a lot of tv, but what I do watch, I'm hopelessly addicted to.

Like Survivor. Finally! September 14 begins a new season. The buzz is that for the first time, the teams are going to be divided by race.( ? )Yeah, that was my initial reaction, too. In the past, they've split up the teams according to sex, but this race card thing is new. Supposedly, there will be 4 tribes made up of 5 people each- a Caucasian team, an African-American team, an Asian team and a Hispanic team. Should be interesting, huh?

I blogged too soon

It's official.

Pluto is dead.

Apparently, the Scientific right or left? won today and Pluto has been kicked out of the Solar System (as a planet that is). So My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine... (nothings, I guess)

Much Ado about Pluto

I have a confession to make. I'm one of those people known in the political arena as a persona non grata. In other words, I'm a political Moderate.

When I was younger, I was a die hard Liberal (as all good college kids, should be). Then I started working and paying taxes and entered what I call the "House buying and Kid Birthing years." This was during that time we lovingly called Reganomics. So I did what a lot of people of my generation did (secretly begged Jimmy Carter for forgiveness) and became a die hard Conservative.

Now that I'm a little older, I've swayed back (forgive me Ronald) into that grey sphere, that lovely no man's land known as Moderatism. Both loved and despised by the Right and Left, we're stuck somewhere in the middle. Which brings me to my subject: Pluto.

Just like a lot of people around the world, I've been watching the Pluto debate with much interest. As Stephen Colbert of the The Colbert Report says, "A thousand science projects hang in the balance!" By the way, I find that man so damn funny, and as a result, more than just a little sexy... but I digress.

So as someone who is constantly ribbed for her political "blandness", her "moderate-middle-of-the-road- politics", it cracks me up that the Pluto debate has become a victim of what I like to call Scientific Moderatism. Yup. The Scientific die hards on both sides lost out. When you don't like the definition of something, then make up another one. Of course, now that Scientific correctness means we will have to add 3 more planets to the solar system. My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas, is no more. Poor kids. How the heck are they going to add Charon, Ceres and best of all, Xena 2003 UB313 to that little science class mnemonic device?

Decoding Rejection

Louisa is over at her blog decoding rejection letters. This first one is a doozy!

I need more books...

like I need a hole in the head. But who cares? I'm going to buy more anyway.

Next on my TBR list is The Red Hat Club by Haywood Smith. Lucy recommended it, and I've always wanted to read it. But then I realized that I don't have it! So, despite the fact that I have piles of unread books lying around, I need to make a trip this weekend to Books a Million and get it. Along with a few more books that I simply must have. Meanwhile, I'm eating up Eloisa James' Kiss Me, Annabel (so far- fantastic!)

It only took me nearly a month (lots of interruptions), but I just finished reading The DaVinci Code. I know, I'm like the last person in America to finally get around to it. I liked it. It was a well-paced interesting read. Although I do have to say I feel just a tad bit betrayed by Dan Brown.

Warning: Spoiler about to take place.

I loved the fact that Sir Leigh turned out to be The Teacher. It was a great twist. However, after being in Rhemy and Sir Leigh's deep pov many times, I can understand why once upon a time, people were so upset with Agatha Christie that they threw her out of the Mystery Writer's Club. (At least I've heard that this insult was done to Agatha, but don't quote me or anything) As a reader, if you're in a character's deep pov, shouldn't you be privy to what that character knows? I could have dismissed that, except for the scene where The Teacher murders Rhemy by putting crushed peanuts in his brandy (diabolical, wasn't it?). Rhemy never once thought of The Teacher as anything but that, never spent his last minutes thinking about him as Sir Leigh, etc... Sybil (my friend from work) says that only a writer (that would be me!) would think that way. I don't know. But it was a good lesson in how not to do something, although since The DaVinci Code made a zillion dollars, I suspect not too many readers were as prickled about that as I was.

On a humorous note, at least I find this funny, and I suspect that Mel will too, I actually emailed Louisa instructions last night on how to add a "What I'm Reading" sidebar to her blog. Yes. Me. The most technically challenged woman in the modern world is actually dispensing computer advice to others. Scary, isn't it? But Kristen helped me with this and she made it so easy that even I could do it, so I have every faith in the world that smart Louisa can too.

In which Maria talks about murdering her Darlings...

Not my three flesh and blood ones (although some days that idea can seem appealing) .

Today was my turn to post on the Title Wave blog. I never know quite what to say, but after spending last week trying to polish up the first 100 pages of my current wip, it wasn't too hard to come up with a topic.