Books for the Holidays

Whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year, or even for birthdays, consider buying books for gifts. They last, they’re thoughtful, they’re fun, and they offer great value for money spent. Consider a ten dollar paperback; what other entertainment venue, for ten dollars, is going to offer you hours of pleasure?

On that topic, I found a wonderful website, Books for the Holidays

Here, you’ll find book buying suggestions galore, and you might even find a little ‘elf help’ if you’re having trouble figuring out what books would suit which recipients. And for those who know an independent bookstore that they love, they’ll help you plug it!

The genius of Chuck Lorre

Chuck Lorre is the creative mind behind hits like Cybill, Grace Under Fire, 2 and a Half Men, and my current favorite, The Big Bang Theory.

All good enough, but his real writing brilliance comes out in an unexpected way… vanity cards.

The only constant in life is change.

Everything keeps on changing.

April 2010: This is my testament to the fact that change can be a good…. VERY good… thing.

I’ll have lots of news to offer soon – actually tomorrow, April 30th – but I have lots to report and lots of good stuff to look forward to!

~::~

December 23rd, 2009: And the winds of change keep on blowing. I shiver as I sit at my computer typing this, because I’m still not sure what the change is, or how it will ultimately affect me, but change blows on regardless, a wind that is rattling me to the core. My life, my career… it’s all changing. Good or bad? I guess we’ll see.

In 2010.

As I mentioned below, in another post, publication of books 2 and 3 of the Lady Anne series have been put off until next year. I’m disappointed but philosophical; s*%t happens.

Change…. even this last bit has changed. I have stuff to report about Lady Anne and publication, but I’m leaving it until 2010.

On a happier note, I’ve begun a new blog to follow my reading passion, cozy murder mysteries. Check it out: http://cozymurdermysteries.blogspot.com/

Stay tuned!!!!

Just to start the madness…

Okay, so here is where I reveal my madness. You’re either going to laugh hysterically, like I do, requiring adult diapers of the ‘Super Strength’ variety, or you will think I am, excuse the English expression, barking mad.

The Jingle Cats are my secret (not secret now) obsession.
So before I start with the Christmas music… (it’s too early!!!) here are the Jingle Cats with ‘Waltz of the Flowers’

So shudder, weep uncontrollably, rip your ears off your head… or laugh until you piddle.
BTW, no one else I know understands me on this, and thinks this is part of my decline into inevitable rubber room seclusion.
Oh, and just in case you’re wondering, you can now purchase a Jingle Cats DVD as well as the CDs, at http://jinglecats.com/

Not that I’m shilling for them, or anything.

Sunday Funny

All right, so this post is ONLY for cat-lovers.

I seriously want to adopt this kitten! It is sooo cute. (Can you tell I’m a cat person?)

I think it’s a Scottish Fold, judging by the ears.

Everybody watch and go aaaaaaw!

You have to stick around to the end for the purring; the little guy has quite the motor.

Taylor Swift on CMA awards show… Georgian period dress?

Deep in the third draft of my WIP, (Lady Anne and the Ghost’s Revenge) I still took time out to watch the CMA (Country Music Association) Awards Wednesday night. I’m not a huge country fan, but enjoy occasional tunes, particularly because country songs are adept at story-telling. Listen to Brad Paisley’s ‘Waitin’ On A Woman’ or Trace Adkins ‘You’re Gonna Miss This’ for those exquisite slices of life that tell a tale.

But the awards show had an interesting bit in it, Taylor Swift singing ‘Love Story’ (no, not that Love Story). But on stage with her were dancers, dressed in reasonable modernized replicas of late Georgian era clothes, sweeping gowns with cutaway sections to show petticoats of contrasting cloth, and men in breeches, velvet jackets and white silk stockings.

And then I looked up on YouTube further, and found her lovely video. Beautiful (not authentic, completely, but lovely nonetheless) costumes. They won’t allow embedding, but here is the url:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXKAzgBMWxc

How much fun is that? Of course I get the reference, some kind of ‘anytime’ fairytale feel. Lovely, and just thought I’d share!

Remembrance Day – E-mail the Troops!

On this day of remembrance for those soldiers who gave everything for freedom, and a celebration of those who made it out alive and returned to their loved ones (my father was one of those who came back from WWII) it behooves us to think of those who are serving right now.

I wish I’d paid attention in science class.

For those who think historical romance writers don’t do enough research, I think I can disprove that theory.

Mired in rewrites, I am spending waaaay too much time on research of nebulous little niggles that no one else will notice in the long run, but that are going to drive me bonkers. I find myself hung up on the weirdest details.

Cockeyed Optimist

Sometimes it’s difficult to be an optimist. Life is not always a bed of roses, but beyond the hardships we all face – and I’m talking about the real hardships, like people we love becoming ill – reading the newspaper is enough to convince you that the world is full of angry, negative, cruel people. And worse. Shysters steal from pensioners, sickos kill helpless puppies, pathetic scumbags abuse children and the elderly.

But the world is full of good people.