Archive for June, 2007
The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes
a novel by Jennifer Crusie, Eileen Dreyer, Anne Stuart
I wrote this review in three parts. Somehow it just seemed fitting. I posted parts one (my opinion as a sister) and two (my opinion as a writer) on my blog, which is HERE. Go read that if you want to.
This is part three, which is deliberately general to avoid spoiling it for those who have not yet read the book:
My opinion as a reader:
I found myself thinking as I read this book: Oh, yes, if people really could do magic, this is what it would be like. If people could be transformed by love, this is how it would feel. If sisters could gather and control their power to achieve a common goal, this is what would happen.
This book made me believe, however briefly, in the possibility that magic exists and true love will triumph and witches do indeed walk among us.
I am grateful to these three writers for this charmingly playful and inventive work that blows apart the stereotype of the paranormal genre as one defined and limited by the staid old triumvirate of wolves and cats and vamps, oh my. For showing us that magic does not have to be flashy and larger than life to be potent and effective. For demonstrating that the simple act of casting a spell can be evocative and elegant, sensuous and mysterious, and so elementally powerful. And for showing us, with humour and finesse and bunnies, the many ways magic and love can go wrong before they come together in a way that is so right.
I loved all the characters, especially the men (gimme a break, these guys are hot), but Xan was my favorite. What a delightful villain. Insatiable greed tempered by oddly twisted moments of compassion. Ruthless power flawed by mistakes of distraction. Pure evil mitigated by the suggestion of simply misguided motives. There is aching vulnerability in the portrayal of how the fear of aging and threatened loss of power results in destructive desperation. And, without giving too much away, how defeat can be open to interpretation and resurrection.
This book is a magnificent gift to the fans of these three writers, as well as to fans of captivating story-telling and damn good writing. I give it the highest recommendation I am capable of giving a piece of fiction: I plan to re-read it.
The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes: There’s magic in this book.
[Note: For those who are new to the B&G and were directed here by another blog, if you want to leave a comment, click on the title of the post to do so. Just one of our many little quirks.]
[Further note: Since GP was nice enough to tell me I didn’t have to wait my turn and gave me permission to stomp all over her previous post, I’m requesting comments here be limited to this book and its authors only. You want to talk about something else, go do it over there. Yes, really. Have at it.]
June 30th, 2007
With the recent sad events in CB lives, I got to thinking of childhood celebrations. Food, of course. Birthday? Christmas? Thanksgiving?
My own favorite birthday food was Mama’s spaghetti and canned spinach and garlic bread. No, in Florida during those times fresh vegetables were unacceptable.
But the meal I remember best was my brother’s birthday parties. He was at least 16 and had friends that could eat mountains of food. He wanted shrimp. No prebreaded shrimp in those days. So my mother would go to the fish market and get at least 5 pounds of shrimp, also lobster for me. Huh? Florida. Anything from the ocean wasn’t that expensive yet. So there she sat for hours in the kitchen, deveining and delegging and breading 5 lbs of shrimp. Cutting mountains of potatoes into French fries. Deep fat frying was the thing in those days. No one had ever heard of healthy eating.
Oh, that was good. I love shrimp. But I LOVE lobster. Mama wasn’t good at all on cakes. So we must have had lemon meringue and chocolate meringue pies. Her 2 desserts. All those boys would gather around the table, along with my father, mother, other brother, and me. Eat, joke, laugh, eat, eat, eat. Well, I drooling now.
How about your favorite childhood meal?
June 29th, 2007
So you know that I went on this whirlwind tour in May, right? I had the greatest time! We drove to Ohio for the wedding of my sister-in-law, and The Man and I both participated in the wedding. Our two youngest girls were also involved, as flower girls. You can read more about that wonderful day here. While that was a lot more fun that I can even explain, there was more to be had during my extended time away from my home. See - I got to meet some CherryBombs!
First, we drove from Ohio to Oklahoma, by way of Kansas. We took the Kansas detour (only slight) so that I could finally meet Charity face to face. Some of you know Charity from the review site, some from JCF, and some from when she sneaks in the door here and orders a margarita. Well, my family dropped in on her family, and it was just a blast. Her family welcomed us with open arms. Our girls played together like they’d been friends for ages. Two of them look so much alike they could almost pass for twins. Our husbands spent the time doing ‘man things’ like cutting wood and talking about plumbing (the house kind, so get your minds out of the gutters. Yeah, you - over there!) After being friends with Charity for over a year, including phone calls and e-mails, a book review site and critique partners, and gifts and more gifts, you’d think we knew each other pretty well. And honestly, that’s exactly how it felt. We just seemed to fall right in to this ‘thing’, where we were practically finishing each other’s sentences. Plus, we brought each other books. It was amazing.
But that’s not the only CB I got to meet. While in Oklahoma, I also got to meet Marcia from OK. We met at the mall in Tulsa. I knew her from her big smile. She knew me because who the heck else would drag six kids to a mall? I already knew that I liked Marcia from the blog. She’s always got great things to say, always chimes in with just the right amount of “poor baby” laced strongly with “do you need a shovel?”. Basically, Marcia was just a wonderful friend that I hadn’t actually met yet. Can I tell you that I was totally blown away by her? Here’s what she did…
Do you see all of that CB love that Marcia sent my way? I cried when I saw it. I mean, really. I cried. I was overwhelmed. The Man even commented on how incredible it was. If you’re wondering what was in the beautiful basket, I will tell you. It was filled with flamingo straws, a beautiful CB candle holder (with many of our fave sayings written on it), a teapot, a “princess” jewels case, a CB shovel, dark chocolate M&Ms, and a MOOT SIGNAL. Yes, she made a Moot signal, just for me. Take a peek:
Are those not the cutest things you’ve ever seen?
Not only did Marcia make me this wonderful basket full of CB love, she also made up a box of “fun things” for my kids, full of magnets and crayons and little games that they could play to keep quiet and stay alive. I’m not sure if Marcia had any idea that she was actually saving the lives of four of my six children when she gave us that little travel box, but I am positive that it is exactly what she did. For if they had not had those wonderful play things, I surely would have killed them all dead and tossed their bodies from the bridge of the Mississippi River. And all of you “perfect parents” who are even now shaking your heads in disgust? Well, I invite you to travel 3600 (yes, THREE THOUSAND, SIX HUNDRED) miles in a van with six children aged 5-15, and one husband that broke his glasses one day before the trip, thereby making you the default driver of most of those miles. When you have completed your journey, I’d like to know how many of the kids are still with you!
Seriously, the trip was not bad. We saw a great wedding, met some old friends for the first time, met a wonderful new friend, missed a good friend by less than a minute and a mile in Memphis (Memphis, where we were almost arrested in the Welcome Center, thanks to the baby touching the foot of Elvis. If you are ever in the Memphis Welcome Center, heed the warnings that say “DO NOT TOUCH THE STATUE OR ALARM WILL SOUND AND SECURITY GUARDS WILL SURROUND YOU AND THREATEN TO ESCORT YOU TO THE STATE LINE IN THE BACK OF A PADDY WAGON!!!”) I learned a lot of things on that trip. One of them is that if your youngest daughter is dressed up like a princess and performing flower girl duties in a wedding, make SURE that she goes to the bathroom right BEFORE the wedding march, because it’s not going to be good otherwise. Another one is that Johnny Depp looks good to women of all ages, including my friend, my 15 year old daughter, AND my 7 year old daughter, not just me (or probably ME either. No, it really NEVER gets old. 
). Never stop for gas at midnight in Columbus Ohio, unless you want to be hit up for money by no less than three vagrants.
But the best lesson I learned? This place that I take for granted so often, this place full of wonderful women (and a few terrific men!), this place where I come to laugh and escape from the problems of everyday life - this place is full of “real” people. They aren’t just “IIFs” to me anymore. I’ve met so many of them (JenT, CMS, Penny, RSS, McB, CC, jenb, Mo, Marcia, Charity), that I don’t even think of this place as “full of strangers that I’ll never meet anyhow” anymore. This place is full of real people that go out of their way to bring joy and laughter to my life. Marcia didn’t have to make me that CB Love Basket, and she sure the heck didn’t have to pack up travel toys for my kids, but she did it anyway. That’s the kind of person she is. That’s the kind of person every single one of you are that have e-mailed me this past week, sending your love and support to McB. It’s an amazing community that we’ve created here, and I’m very proud to be part of it. Beyond that though, I’m just so freakin’ glad you guys are on MY side.
It’s nice to know that if I ever need you, if I really really need you, I can just send up the Moot Signal and people will show up with shovels. And thanks to one of you, I can loan out a shovel, AND actually shine the Moot Signal.
So the discussion question for today? Nope. I don’t have one. Just talk amongst yourselves. Enjoy the new post. Try to remember that the people that hang around in this Bar & Grill are amazing people that have their own lives, but if you are lucky, very VERY lucky, you will get to meet some of them one day. And if you don’t, send me an e-mail. I’ll loan you my shovel.
AND my Moot Signal!
June 25th, 2007
I’ve been hanging around with a young man named Andy who is just about the biggest bundle of energy I have ever met. He talks in a very odd sing song way that most kids have out grown by his age. It’s an odd combination of simple sentences and run on sentences. He has added some interesting stories to my week, well, him and his dog Noah, a plush pound puppy who has to go outside every hour so he can “use the grass.” I had a few things happen to me this week that I’m going to share, in the style of Andy.
I have a mosquito bite. It’s on my neck. It is in one of those folds that I did not have twenty years ago. Every time I move my head the mosquito bite gets squished or pulled. It itches. Rubbing alcohol has not helped. I would like to use drinking alcohol but it is only Wednesday. It is also only June. It is hot. It is so hot I do not want to sleep inside. This is why I have the mosquito bite. I slept on the back porch. In the swingy chair. It is the most fabulous chair in the world and I love it and sit in it and sleep in it and, oops, got to keep it PG13 so anyway, the chair. It is lovely and I enjoy my chair. My dog sleeps beside me. I listen to the radio on the porch and read a book by lantern light. That is why I got bit by the mosquito. She likes the light of the lantern. I agree with her, it is pretty. I do not agree with her that I taste good. I remembered the mosquitos like the lantern light so I sprayed nasty harsh chemicals on my arms and legs. This was a good thing to do. I do not have any mosquito bites on my arms and legs. I did not spray any harsh chemicals on my neck or face. This was also a good thing because I did not die from the harsh chemicals. It was also a bad thing because I have a mosquito bite on my neck. Mosquito bites are bad things. You can die from them. I had West Nile two summers ago and I know these things that is why I use nasty harsh chemicals and make sure I don’t get bitten by the mosquitos. I did not use enough nasty harsh chemical last night and now I have a bite. The bite itches. I wish it would go away.
I have mice. The Fella says it is because I leave the back door open for the dog to come in and out. I do not like the mice. I wish they would go away. The do not want to go away so I pretend that I am the Great Hunter and I kill the mice. I get out my gun and I shoot them- bang bang yur ded- Not really. I take the scaredy cat way out and use poison. This is the second time today I have talked about poison. I do not want you to think I am a person who would poison another person. I would not do that. I do not mind poisoning icky things. What category do ex-boyfriends fall in? Are they people or icky things? And then the mice dies after it eats the poison. And they never have the courtesy to die in the back yard where I will never see them until they go flying in confetti sized pieces from the lawn mower. They die in my bedroom. At the foot of my bed. For me to step on. This is why mice are icky things. I have never had a boyfriend die at the foot of my bed for me to step on. I guess this means ex-boyfriends are not icky things. I did have one I wished would die. Does that make me the icky thing? Okay, I did not really want him to die. That would have made his grandmother sad and she was a very nice lady. But I did wish that he would be involved in a very bizarre automobile accident and the steering column would sever and the sharp piece of metal would sheer off a piece of his anatomy that he was very proud of. How do I know he was proud of it? He like to show it off to all of the girls. That would have made his grandmother sad but I don’t think she would have been as sad as I if had wished him to die.
The amazing thing about Andy? He is able to get through all these words, and more, on a single breath. No, that isn’t the amazing thing about Andy, it’s impressive, but not amazing. The amazing thing was that I met him for the first time Monday afternoon and that same day I just about got pushed to the ground when he came charging across the room and threw himself at my legs and said, “Love you!” That is the amazing thing about Andy, he is going so fast, often in his own world, and he still has the capacity to say I love you. A good lesson. So, even though I am going 90 to nothing this week, and I am in my own odd world, I would like to take a moment to calmly and quietly charge at each of you from across the room, throw my arms around your knees and yell, “Love you” before I charge back to my own world.
June 20th, 2007
My publisher announces they are claiming Chapter 7 and as of July 2nd, they will be closing the website.
I’m numb and in shock. But I thought you all should know since you all have been my biggest supporters.
This is very distrubing news for all authors with Triskelion because of royalty payments and rights to books. I’m not going to get into the details because I’m just way too emotional about it right now. Besides, I’m trying to get ready for a trip away with my hubby.
And yes, you can poor baby me all you want. I’ll take it this time.
Thanks for buying the book, and no, I probably won’t see the royalties since they are going chapter 7. The best I can hope for is my rights back and to sell to someone else.
Must think positive.
Yeah, right.
June 20th, 2007
Just incase there is soneone out there that hasn’t bought the book yet - there is the link.
http://www.triskelionpublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=1660
My DH is not a writer. My DH is not a reader, unless it’s about a golf club or hockey. He doesn’t read fiction. Never has and probably never will. No, he has not read the book. He’s read parts of it. I’ve read him parts, but has not ready anything of mine all the way through and I’m not insulted or upset by this. It would be like asking me to read an 800 page book on the “art” of putting. Yes, my husband read an 800 page book on putting, just putting, nothing else. Yeah, we are an odd match, but it works.
Now, I’ve always been a ready, at least since he’s known me. He would laugh at me when I brought a book out on the boat. Well, I hate fishing, but I enjoy my husband’s company, so fishing I did, with a book. He fished. I read. Life is good.
So, one summer day sitting at the lake listening to the water gently lap against the break wall, I set down the book I had been reading….A GAME OF CHANCE by Linda Howard and I thought to myself I could right a book. This was before I had a laptop and we didn’t have a computer at the lake, so I packed up the kids, put then in the car and drove to Wegmans (the local grocery story) where I picked up another book, a few grocery items and a notebook and a pen. Later that night, after the kids went to bed, I opened up my notebook, took out my pen and wrote “What if everything you thought you didn’t want, was exactly what you needed and it had always been right in front of you.” And then I decided that RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU would be the title. And since I had a crush on the life guard at the pool club and his name was Jared, well that was my hero’s name. Blake just popped out at me. So, Jared Blake. There you have it. I’ve always liked Ryan for a girls name, and I married an Irishman, so there you go - Ryan O’Connor. Two very cool names. I then wrote down what they looked like and what they wanted and where they thought they wanted to go. Then I drew a line and wrote - end of book here - the end up together. Funny, little did I know I was dealing with GMC back then. I then mapped out a little time line, a basic plot. In the first draft - Jared was moving home, not moving away and he’d been shot on the job, but the idea was the same - he was gonig to have to save Ryan.
The big joke in my first draft with my critique parters was a line from the movie GHOST that was said by Whoppie Goldbergs character. “Molly! You in danger girl.” This was because I kept putting Ryan in dangerous situations - well, Ryan kept putting herself there and my critique partners said it made her look stupid and un heroic, and it did. But I am totally digressing here.
So, I wrote a basic outline and went to bed. This was in July. By September I had completed my first draft. I then typed the whole thing into the computer where I figured that Jared wasn’t moving back home, but away. Conflict baby! So, I fixed that and by October I thought I was ready for other people to see my book, but I hadn’t told anyone I had written one. Not a single soul. Nope. No one.
So, one December morning I sat at the table watching my husband read the newspaper and eat his breakfast, as he does every morning. He glances up at me and says,
DH: “Um, what dear?”
JenT: “Um, well, I wrote a book.”
DH: “Huh?”
JenT: “I wrote a book.”
DH: “What do you mean, you wrote a book? When?”
JenT: “In my spare time.”
DH: “You don’t have spare time, and if you do I need to fix that.”
JenT: “Try it buster and you a dead man.”
DH: laughs and starts reading the paper again.
Jent: “Really, honey. I wrote a romance novel.”
DH: “Did you write about what we did last night.”
JenT: “And if I did.”
DH: “Then all my friends will be jealous as hell.”
JenT: “They already are jealous as hell and I really wrote a book and I want to try and get published.”
DH: “Good luck with that.”
JenT: “Then I need a couple hundred dollars to join a few writers groups.”
DH: “Good luck with that.”
JenT: “I’m serious.”
DH: “Just like you were serious about going back to school and that lasted two semesters. Just like you were serious about buying the dance stuido, which lasted maybe five minutes… shall I go on?”
JenT: “Well I’m serious about this.”
DH: “And I’ll believe it when I see it.”
JenT: “But can I join these groups and there are a couple of conferneces I want to go to.”
DH: “As long as it’s a mini fortune and the traveling doesn’t conflict with my business travel, go ahead.” He puts his nose back in the newspaer.
JenT: “I’m serious about this.”
DH: “Let me know when you sell a book.”
Fast forward three years to my DH’s 40th birthday.
JenT: “Honey! come here quick.”
DH: “If you’re having computer problems again, fix it yourself.”
JenT: “No it’s nothing like that. Someone wants to buy my book!”
DH: “Huh?”
JenT: “You remember, what I’ve been doing for the last few years. Well, an e-publisher wants to publish it.”
DH: “So, I guess this writing thing is kind of here to stay, huh?”
JenT: “Yep.” I’m near tears, near giggles, near god only knows.
DH: “Cool. I’m married to an author and I’m the inspiration for everything she writes and if it’s in the book, we did it.”
JenT: “It’s good to dream dear, sometimes they come true.”
Well, the conversation might be off a bit, but I have a pretty damn good memory. So there you have it. That’s how my book got to be.
Feel free to discuss and ask me anything. It’s weird to know you all are reading it, and maybe even discussing it amongst yourself, but it’s werid in a cool way.
Thanks to you all for your love and support.
June 18th, 2007
http://www.triskelionpublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=1660
That there is the link to buy my e-book. Make sure you click on the type of download you want since there are four choices. Then after you follow the checkout procedures, just click download and then save it to your computer. If there is a problem you actually 4 tries to download it before you have to send them an e-mail that there is a problem. I’ve down loaded the PDF and it works just fine. Yeah me.
I’m numb. It’s a very surreal moment for me. I’ve laughed. I’ve cried. I’ve screamed and I’ve searched for the pee cup (hint hint CC - where’s my cup? Do I have to belly dance to get it or something?)
No idea if I did the book cover right or not - but if I did, well there you go.
Also, feel free to go write a review on the Triskelion website. I’d love that.
On Monday I still plan on posting. I’d like to share with you some funny stories about what went into the process of writing this book - because there are a few “JenT moments” that happened along the way and I thought that would be fun.
Thanks everyone!
CB’s are the best!
June 15th, 2007
Just have to sneak in here real quick before Jen’s big announcement. She won’t care.
I received an email the other day from a person who had done an internet search for some specific lyrics — that search led him to a comment I made on this blog back in March about an ABC song book my sisters and I had as kids.
He said, in part, “My mother used to sing that to us “kids” oh, long about 50 years ago, and I’ve been trying to find the words to that tune now for about 25 of those 50.”
He then asked whether I could provide the rest of the lyrics. Well, my memory is pretty good but it isn’t perfect. I only remembered about half the words. But my older sister’s memory is amazing. She remembers everything. She remembers things from when she was six months old. She probably remembers things from before she was born. Hell, she even remembers things that never happened.
But I digress. I had a lot of help from my older sister and from my mom who, it turns out, still has a copy of the book. The original was damaged in a flood many years ago, which also destroyed the music-maker thingy inside, but they managed to salvage enough to make a copy of it.
So, the rest of you go find something else to do for a while. John and I are going to take a little trip down memory lane, evoking the distant resonance of the sweet pure sound of mothers singing to their babies.
Here you go, John. I sure hope it’s the right song:
There was a little man learned his ABC’s
He learned to say them all through the XYZ’s
A is for an apple red
B is for a baby’s bed
C is for a circus clown who’s upside down.
Now listen little man and you can not fail
D is for a doggie who wags his tail
E is for an elephant
Pulling up a circus tent
F is for a froggie sitting on a log
Now G is for giraffe with his neck so long
And H is for a horse who is very strong
I is for an ice igloo
J is for a juggler too
K is for a hop hop hopping kangaroo
Now L is for a lion of kingly look
And M is for the music that’s in this book
N is for a nanny goat
Dining on a petticoat
O for ostrich grand, the biggest in the land
Now P is for a pig with a curly tail
And Q is for a quaint bird that’s called a quail
R is for a robin red
S for Santa on his sled
T is for a tiger skin to wrap you in
U is for umbrella in sun or rain
V for violin with its sweet refrain
W for wolf alone
X is for a xylophone
Y for yarn and Z for zebra in the zoo
Now, say them little man: A-B-C-D-E
F-G-H-I-J-K, L-M-N-O-P
Q-R-S and T-U-V
W and X-Y-Z
Don’t you see you’ve learned to say your ABC’s?
Published by Mattel, Inc., Hawthorn, CA
title, MUSICAL ABC’S
illus. by Louise Day; music arr. by Ted Duncan, AMSA; lyrics by Golda Duncan
publication date not available (front cover missing)
June 15th, 2007
It started with HeWroteSheWrote. I popped in every few days back in the beginning when it was first launched. I was a lurker. Laughed aloud a few times but didn’t really comment until the Moot Signal that the two Christinas put me in charge of at the NEC conference. Most of you know where it went from there and how we all got here.
Actually, it may have started with ArghInk but I wasn’t addicted at that point. I’d had a few tastes but was able to turn away. I didn’t need a daily fix.
The dueling blog led me to Bob’s blog. Then Literary Chicks. Then JenT’s blog which quickly gained momentum - Bryan, MCB,BCB,RSS,CC,Cherrybomb Ideas(hey Lori, want to update that?)ZaZa, Mary Stella, Btuda, and now I’m looking at nineteen blogs a day, not including my own. Which I started because Bryan double dog dared me(not exactly but he did use some peer pressure which given my addiction I was powerless to resist)
This excessive behaviour has led a friend to ask me if my sex life was alright(the visit to the Kinsey Institute was responsible for that), prompted me to buy better bras(thanks GlamourGeek) and forced me to engage in math(but my eyes didn’t bleed so it’s all good)
My fear that this would all cut into writing time has for the most part been put to rest. The writer blogs I visit have taught me about craft; the reader blogs have taught me about story. And all of them have inspired me to write with more heart, and often.
I’ve met some fantastic imaginary friends, learned more about latin declensions than I ever wanted to, and discovered that in the darkness there are cherrybombs.
My name is CMS and I embrace my addiction.
June 13th, 2007
Ask and ye shall receive. ;+) Louis emailed me some pics almost as soon as I asked for them. Thanks, Louis!
According to Louis’s description, this first one was “taken about two years ago…flora on left has grown and blocks view of ‘Crest Nature Conservancy’…area was burned over in Cedar Fire.”
And here is the fauna to go with the flora, “the resident road runner stretching his/her wing.”
Which was probably just after this…
Even Speedy Gonzalez needs to catch a ride sometimes. ;+) That last pic is actually from the yard of a writer friend who lives near Palm Springs. The roadrunner is real. The turtle is Memorex. Is anyone else old enough to remember those ads???
And horsies! DW and DS, also!!!
“This is our two year old mare…Desert Juelle…”
“DW and DS4 with Gabrielle at the hitching post. DS4 has cut his hair since this was taken.”
Update: Ack. I posted too fast. Here are more lovely pics for our enjoyment.
Palo Verde tree/bush….planted one and seedlings sprouted at bottom of slope. Taken in 05 but this year is even larger.
Views coming onto the “Five Acres”…quarter mile from the road…
There now. I even checked my email to be sure I got them all before reposting. /;+)
I don’t think I’m stepping on anyone else’s post with this, but if I am, my apologies.
June 11th, 2007
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