In honor of the two-night Hawaii 5-0/NCIS:LA crossover event
on TV, my friends Kim and Renee and I decided to visit our local NCIS office
for a photo op.
Thanks to Kim who took all these photos.
Tuesday, May 01, 2012
Happy Lei Day
Aloha. In 1927, poet Don Blanding created Lei day here in
Hawaii. And it was Grace Tower Warren who penned “May Day is Lei Day.”
Thanks, Kim, for getting us leid :-)
Sunday, April 29, 2012
BATTLESHIP, the movie experience
I knew I was going to watch this movie when I first saw the
previews. The Pearl Harbor, Oahu, HI, location. Taylor Kitsch and Alexander Skarsgard. Explosions. Action. Sure,
I was in. Imagine my surprise and
excitement when I heard there was going to be a free preview screening at the
Pearl Harbor movie theater. I made plans. I told my island friends, Renee (see
her write-up here) and Kim (who couldn’t make it). I called the babysitter and
talked the husband into coming, too.
The box office opened at 4pm. Four hundred lucky people were
going to get a ticket. After having circled the block a few times (“Where the
hell is this place?”), I made it to my spot in line shortly after 1pm. There
were a dozen or so people in front of me. I had a good time chit chatting with
Renee about writing, romance tropes and movie clichés until around 3pm, when
someone mentioned that active duty soldiers had to be in uniform to be seated
for the movie. There was conflicting information, so I asked someone at the
theater and sure enough, active duty personnel was required to wear their “nice”
uniform. I called the husband who wasn’t thrilled. Turns out, part of his good
uniform was at the dry cleaner’s. We weren’t happy. I was really bummed and disappointed.
(So was the babysitter.)
Someone said Rihanna might be in attendance. I didn’t
believe it. Yes, she’d been on island, touring Navy facilities, so it was a
possibility she could show up. Truth be told, Rihanna being there or not being
there did nothing for me. I told Renee I wouldn’t mind getting a good look at
Taylor Kitsch. Renee would have preferred Alexander Skarsgard. I admitted I’d
had a really bad teenage crush on Peter Berg way back when.
After more waiting and me getting lucky with parking for a
second time that day, we finally made it inside the theater around 5pm and
waited some more. Oh, and wouldn’t you know it, there was at least one soldier
in his everyday BDUs. My husband totally could have come! I was MAD.
Shortly after 6pm, an official announced we were running
late because Peter Berg was on his way. Yay! Excitement! Maybe I should have
worn a nicer shirt? Sexier underwear? Different shoes?
In the few minutes we had left, Renee taught me how to use
the camera on my phone. I’m so tech savy and hip …
Finally, the big moment. Peter Berg. It was awesome seeing
him on stage. He was gracious and funny. He said the movie would be loud and
oh, hey, “I brought some friends.” Out comes Rihanna. She’s very cute in
person, but still does nothing for me. Out comes Taylor Kitsch and I’m in fan
heaven (look, Laurie, it’s Remy Lebeau!!). Peter Berg introduces Brooklyn
Decker (the obligatory blonde love interest), then makes Renee’s evening and
has Alexander Skarsgard come out on stage. We clap, we go nuts. We love it. When,
last but not least, Lieutenant Colonel Gregory D. Gadson,
a real-life Army hero (Hooah!), was introduced to the crowd, I didn’t know who
he was.
Each of the actors had a chance to express their
appreciation and wish us a good movie experience. I’m glad I learned how to use
the camera phone. [Thanks, Renee, for allowing me to borrow a few pics from your site.]
Finally, the movie.
I enjoyed the movie a lot. I can recommend it. Peter Berg
didn’t lie; it was LOUD, very LOUD. It was awesome to see Hawaii front and
center. And I totally agree with Renee that BATTLESHIP obviously honors our
military men and women and their sacrifices. We cheered and clapped like only a
military audience can. We laughed and gasped and nodded in the right places.
This was why I wanted to watch the movie at Pearl Harbor; the experience is
totally different when you’re in the room with 400 people who do this kind of
action-hero stuff for a living (whether first-hand or through the family member
experience).
The movie: I liked it. Don’t let the first few slow minutes
turn you off. We get to know everyone and their circumstances pretty quickly
and in come the aliens! Yes, they show up a little quickly, it’s only been a
few years since the message was sent, but hey … Taylor Kitsch is thrust into a
reluctant leadership position. He does comedic action very well (the chicken
burrito stuff was pretty funny; I’m still chuckling). In case you were
wondering: Rihanna did a great job.
Kudos to her.
Berg’s use of the ships as characters, not props or
background, was an excellent choice. While the movie is naturally Navy-centric
(those boys look good in their Whites, no doubt about it), there were a few
Marines out on Kaneohe and real-life hero, Army vet COL Gregory Gadson who’s a West
Point graduate and lost both legs above the knees in Iraq in 2007.
The Battleship-the-game scene was well fitted and placed,
thought I have my doubts about younger audience members ever having played the
game.
The geeks did their comedic stuff just right. “Acquiring
courage” may become my new catch phrase.
Hopper being recruited by the Seals at the end was a nice
little touch, too. I hope he goes for it.
What may have gotten lost a bit, it only occurred to me
after the movie, was the fact that the aliens were not the aggressors. Their
considerable firepower and destructive might was brought to bear in defense.
All in all, a LOUD, fun pre-summer blockbuster that requires
a certain amount of suspension of disbelief but has a killer soundtrack, great
FX, solid acting, real-life vets and the best ship “skidding” scene ever.
Stick around until the credits have rolled, there’s a bonus
scene.
PS. To the critic who suggested the a bunch of veterans just
hanging out at the Mighty Mo was an out-of-left-field deux au machine moment:
dear Sir, those gentlemen actually do hang out at the Mo on a daily basis, they
wear nametags that say Volunteer, they chat with the tourists, they reminisce,
and if you let them they’ll tell you stories from their day in the Navy.
Sunday, April 01, 2012
Review: TWISTED, a Tracers novel by Laura Griffin
TWISTED was my first Laura Griffin book, but she’s by no means a new author. According to her website, her Tracers novels follow “an elite group of forensic experts who help homicide cops and cold case detectives solve the most unsolvable crimes.” I thoroughly enjoyed this offering in her series and will check out her backlist. I was quite happy with the killer (never thought I’d say that) and completely on board when he was caught and in handcuffs. Naturally there was a twist and it worked for me; it was obvious things were not as they seemed, but Griffin did a good job of keeping me on my toes.
Allison, the rookie detective, was a believably flawed character. Green and new, she made mistakes and struggled with the demands of her job. I liked that she knew she was the token women on the force, which to her was a fact of life and small town realities, not some feminist cross to bear. She knew she had to prove herself as an investigator. Her professional and personal attraction to Mark, the seasoned FBI veteran, was completely in character, but I didn’t feel like the two had any romantic chemistry.
Mark in turn was attracted to Allison’s idealistic qualities and her fresh-faced attitude, which hadn’t yet been tainted by years on the job. Her stubbornness, both professionally and personally, intrigued and impressed him. His initial refusal to act on his feelings made sense; he knew he was living out of a suitcase and didn’t want to make Allison a notch on his traveling belt. Again, I could totally see his attraction, but didn’t feel any romantic chemistry. His character didn’t seem nearly as fleshed out and multi-dimensional as Allison’s. Clearly the man had no life and only lived for his job, which makes giving him dimensions all the more difficult, but that made his epiphany and final decisions less convincing.
Twisted was a superb mystery. I definitely enjoyed the suspense and had a good time getting to know the Tracers, but felt underwhelmed by the romantic aspect of the novel.
On a side note, I was completely intrigued by Ben Lawson, the beer T-shirt wearing boy genius cyber sleuth at the Delphi Center and one of the Tracers. I hope he gets his own book. If he does, I’m pre-ordering.
B
Allison, the rookie detective, was a believably flawed character. Green and new, she made mistakes and struggled with the demands of her job. I liked that she knew she was the token women on the force, which to her was a fact of life and small town realities, not some feminist cross to bear. She knew she had to prove herself as an investigator. Her professional and personal attraction to Mark, the seasoned FBI veteran, was completely in character, but I didn’t feel like the two had any romantic chemistry.
Mark in turn was attracted to Allison’s idealistic qualities and her fresh-faced attitude, which hadn’t yet been tainted by years on the job. Her stubbornness, both professionally and personally, intrigued and impressed him. His initial refusal to act on his feelings made sense; he knew he was living out of a suitcase and didn’t want to make Allison a notch on his traveling belt. Again, I could totally see his attraction, but didn’t feel any romantic chemistry. His character didn’t seem nearly as fleshed out and multi-dimensional as Allison’s. Clearly the man had no life and only lived for his job, which makes giving him dimensions all the more difficult, but that made his epiphany and final decisions less convincing.
Twisted was a superb mystery. I definitely enjoyed the suspense and had a good time getting to know the Tracers, but felt underwhelmed by the romantic aspect of the novel.
On a side note, I was completely intrigued by Ben Lawson, the beer T-shirt wearing boy genius cyber sleuth at the Delphi Center and one of the Tracers. I hope he gets his own book. If he does, I’m pre-ordering.
B
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Review: THE NIGHT IS MINE, The Night Stalkers, by M.L. Buchman
I loved this book. A military romance about elite helicopter pilots written by a man? That was all I needed to know. I was immediately intrigued and Mr. Buchman didn’t let me down. THE NIGHT IS MINE is the first book in a four-book series (because there’re four seats on a Black Hawk helicopter) featuring “women pilots who fly for the immensely secretive, real-life U.S. Army SOAR.” The next book is scheduled for August later this year and I’m preordering.There were a number of things that really worked for me here. I loved all the technical, military details that dealt with SOAR and the helicopters. Fair warning, though, if you’re not a closeted helicopter enthusiast, there is a chance the flying stuff may be a tad much at times. I loved that Emily knew she could be an overbearing bitch when pushed. She didn’t make it this far in a male-dominated field by playing nice and remaining polite at all times. I really enjoyed the idea of her being grouchy and sweaty and less than feminine. Buchman had a great handle on her. Emily’s references to “guy speak” were spot on.
I have read a review that suggested Emily may have been too good at what she did to be a believable character. I disagree. Buchman made it very clear right from the start that Emily and Mark were the best of the best, the elite in their chosen profession. Clearly they overachieve; they live and breathe their jobs, but then they work in a field where second best puts lives in danger.
The elite pilot becoming a gourmet chef may have been a bit of a stretch but completely in character; Emily would never not be good at what she chooses to do (excluding feminine social interactions and girl talk).
Mark’s exasperation and attraction fit perfectly. The two of them had great romantic chemistry and elevated this page-turner into a scorcher.
No book is perfect, though. I could have done without all that waiting around in The White House, especially on Mark’s part. In fact, the whole Washington/White House angle almost required more suspension of disbelief than Mark and Emily borrowing Black Hawks for training and the story started to veer sharply off the military path. Luckily, by that point in the story I was too invested in the characters and completely ready to read on.
The one thing I didn’t get was the First Lady on her oriental rug. On a rug? There was no more comfortable place in the entire White House still within Emily’s range?
A
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Have a grand weekend
Ivy and I took my new friend Kim of SOS Aloha (link) fame up on the offer to spend some time at Bellows beach yesterday. Bellows is easily one of my favorite beaches. The sand at Bellows is like powder. You don’t need beach shoes to protect your feet and it’s not usually crowded. Ivy had a great time, first at the playground and then in the sand. She’s a fearless little creature, let me tell you.
It was a bit overcast at first, but that just means no immediate sunburn :-)
I hope wherever you are, your weekend got off to a good start as well.
It was a bit overcast at first, but that just means no immediate sunburn :-)
I hope wherever you are, your weekend got off to a good start as well.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Going home
This is the 1,092 ft-long nuclear-powered supercarrier USS Stennis. Earlier today The Stennis left for San Diego, CA. You see the soldiers manning the rails? You spot their family members accompanying them on this “tiger cruise,” the last leg on their way home from deployment?
It’s quite an awesome sight.
It’s quite an awesome sight.
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Sunday, February 05, 2012
Letter in response to RWI excluding same-sex novels from Magic contests
Dear Jackie,
I’ve been thinking about how to politely word this letter to you about your decision to exclude same-sex books from your chapter’s contest, but the truth is I hope you receive so many e-mails that it’s impossible for you to read them all. I also hope you forward them all to your uncomfortable judges and that you’ll find the courage to ask the same uncomfortable judges to exclude themselves from the judging process.
Here’s the thing: if you’re uncomfortable reading romance, don’t be a romance novel judge.
I took the liberty of having a look at your 2012 MTM Rules & Information page. Three things popped out at me immediately.
“…our only requirement is that they are regular romance readers.”
You know that adage “you get what you pay for?” Clearly, making literacy the only requirement for your judges may not have produced a high caliber pool of volunteers to choose from. I’m guessing you tried to keep it simple to include as many potential judges as possible. Ironic that your attempt at inclusion led to such exclusion, isn’t it?
“They tell us which categories and what “heat” level they prefer to read, so our entrants’ books get into the hands of people who might give them the most favorable rating.”
And when a few of them indicate that they are uncomfortable with same-sex, you go ahead and change your rules to exclude and discriminate, rather than telling the judges that they may not be a good fit for you? I sure hope none of the angry letters you’re no doubt receiving attack these judges for their discomfort level, it is their right to feel as they do, but this is 2012 and we should be above such blatant discrimination. Think of it this way: if your judges said they felt uncomfortable reading about Latinos, would you put “No Hispanics” up on your website?
“Our final round judges are chosen for the diversity of their romance reading interests.”
Diversity? Hmm … Do I even need to go there right now? There’s nothing diverse about “man + woman,” when “woman + woman” and “man + man” are excluded.
Sincerely,
N.L. Gassert
I’ve been thinking about how to politely word this letter to you about your decision to exclude same-sex books from your chapter’s contest, but the truth is I hope you receive so many e-mails that it’s impossible for you to read them all. I also hope you forward them all to your uncomfortable judges and that you’ll find the courage to ask the same uncomfortable judges to exclude themselves from the judging process.
Here’s the thing: if you’re uncomfortable reading romance, don’t be a romance novel judge.
I took the liberty of having a look at your 2012 MTM Rules & Information page. Three things popped out at me immediately.
“…our only requirement is that they are regular romance readers.”
You know that adage “you get what you pay for?” Clearly, making literacy the only requirement for your judges may not have produced a high caliber pool of volunteers to choose from. I’m guessing you tried to keep it simple to include as many potential judges as possible. Ironic that your attempt at inclusion led to such exclusion, isn’t it?
“They tell us which categories and what “heat” level they prefer to read, so our entrants’ books get into the hands of people who might give them the most favorable rating.”
And when a few of them indicate that they are uncomfortable with same-sex, you go ahead and change your rules to exclude and discriminate, rather than telling the judges that they may not be a good fit for you? I sure hope none of the angry letters you’re no doubt receiving attack these judges for their discomfort level, it is their right to feel as they do, but this is 2012 and we should be above such blatant discrimination. Think of it this way: if your judges said they felt uncomfortable reading about Latinos, would you put “No Hispanics” up on your website?
“Our final round judges are chosen for the diversity of their romance reading interests.”
Diversity? Hmm … Do I even need to go there right now? There’s nothing diverse about “man + woman,” when “woman + woman” and “man + man” are excluded.
Sincerely,
N.L. Gassert
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Honda Commercial Fail
Facts first: I have been married for nearly twenty years. I have three children. I drive a Honda (and I love it).
But what’s up with the new “leap” Honda CR-V commercials? Who came up with those? And can you get your money back, Honda? Seriously, this is 2012, and you’re insinuating that life ends after marriage and baby!?
The two commercials that I’ve seen are the baby question and the marriage proposal. In the baby question, the man (after having been told by his female partner that she’d like a baby) stops to consider all the things he wanted to do before having children: See the Northern Lights in Alaska, built an attack robot and go spelunking with his friends.
The first time I saw the ad, I didn’t think much of it. I turned to my husband and asked, “why can’t he go to Alaska with his baby?” My husband, wise man that he is, just shrugged his shoulders. We’ve lived on two continents, travelled countless airline miles, survived typhoons and one earthquake and somehow managed to do it with kids!
Then came the marriage proposal, which made even less sense. The woman who was asked turned to the camera to let viewers know that there were so many things she wanted to do first. Like hike with her friends, learn to play the drums and finish her short film.
Seriously? I can understand that a new father may not want to go exploring deep dark caves with a baby. It’s certainly not an activity that lends itself to bringing kids, but short films and drums? Northern Lights?
What’s up, Honda? What makes you think people can’t still have fun and adventures after they tie the knot? What’s with the bucket list? Your life isn’t ending. Fun isn’t over. On the contrary.
These commercials would have worked much better if the people turned to the camera, told us what they wanted to do in life and embraced the notion of doing it with loved ones and a family. Just think how much more awesome those Northern Lights are through the eyes of your toddler and in the arms of your partner.
But what’s up with the new “leap” Honda CR-V commercials? Who came up with those? And can you get your money back, Honda? Seriously, this is 2012, and you’re insinuating that life ends after marriage and baby!?
The two commercials that I’ve seen are the baby question and the marriage proposal. In the baby question, the man (after having been told by his female partner that she’d like a baby) stops to consider all the things he wanted to do before having children: See the Northern Lights in Alaska, built an attack robot and go spelunking with his friends.
The first time I saw the ad, I didn’t think much of it. I turned to my husband and asked, “why can’t he go to Alaska with his baby?” My husband, wise man that he is, just shrugged his shoulders. We’ve lived on two continents, travelled countless airline miles, survived typhoons and one earthquake and somehow managed to do it with kids!
Then came the marriage proposal, which made even less sense. The woman who was asked turned to the camera to let viewers know that there were so many things she wanted to do first. Like hike with her friends, learn to play the drums and finish her short film.
Seriously? I can understand that a new father may not want to go exploring deep dark caves with a baby. It’s certainly not an activity that lends itself to bringing kids, but short films and drums? Northern Lights?
What’s up, Honda? What makes you think people can’t still have fun and adventures after they tie the knot? What’s with the bucket list? Your life isn’t ending. Fun isn’t over. On the contrary.
These commercials would have worked much better if the people turned to the camera, told us what they wanted to do in life and embraced the notion of doing it with loved ones and a family. Just think how much more awesome those Northern Lights are through the eyes of your toddler and in the arms of your partner.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Review: DARKER AFTER MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian
DARKER AFTER MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian, Midnight Breed Series, book 10
I really liked and enjoyed this book, but I didn’t love it. Clearly Lara Adrian is doing something right, though: DARKER AFTER MIDNIGHT is book 10 in her popular series after all. I understand that the book was meant to be the last in the series, but Adrian was contracted for two more, which may begin a new arc with the younger characters or next generation.
If you like tall warrior-vampires who wear black and live in secret compounds, then this book, and series, is for you. If you’re into vampires shuttered away during daylight hours who protect the fragile peace between humans and the predators who’d like to nibble on them, then you’ll enjoy Adrian’s books.
I did.
The issues I had with this book partly stem from the fact that I haven’t read the nine books preceding DARKER AFTER MIDNIGHT. It’s tough to write the tenth book in a series about a tight group of people without having a new reader trip over unknown characters left and right. Keeping the warriors and their mates straight almost required post-it notes (especially since they seemed to travel in packs and rarely step out in ones or twos). I was far more interested in the two protagonists, Sterling Chase and Tavia Fairchild, than their friends and family, but I understand that fans of the series want to reconnect with “their” characters.
The two characters that did stand out to me were Rio, because he was physically flawed (no small feat when surrounded by all these awesome males) and Gideon, the geek (I can’t help it, I’m attracted to a man’s mind). I’d love to read Gideon’s story, but I’m afraid he’ll switch into warrior mode and then just become one of the many.
Now there’s a fresh take on vampires I’d love to see developed into a new series: the geek who rescues his damsel from behind a keyboard. Naturally he’ll be tall and handsome, but I’d really rather not have him wear black or combat boots.
One thing that didn’t work for me was the Bloodlust. Throughout the book Chase struggles with his addiction to blood. Bloodlust to a vampire appears to be what binge-eating is to a human. Afraid he won’t be able to stop feeding (and thus killing the blood donor), Chase choses to starve himself instead. This didn’t work for me at all. The willpower versus appetite struggle is a classic, of course; as is the vampire’s fear that he’ll hurt an innocent. This classic trope is sliding into cliché territory. As the majority of dieters know, the easiest way to avoid binging is to have regular snacks.
When Tavia finally convinces Chase that he needs blood, he immediately beats himself up for not stopping after a few swallows. Come on, buddy, you’ve been shot (repeatedly) and knifed and starved and bled, of course, you’re thirsty.
Chase wasn’t the first to almost succumb to Bloodlust, which made me wonder why these guys didn’t have a system to deal with the occasional overwhelming need/want for blood. If you don’t trust yourself to stop feeding before killing the donor, bring a buddy who’ll stop you in time. You’ve been around for a few hundred years, and you know how important it is to not leave corpses in your wake, but you haven’t secured a regular source of food yet?
I had no issues with Dragos, the villain. He was the standard megalomaniac out to rule the world. I skipped a few of his pages. Since DARKER AFTER MIDNIGHT is the climactic book in the series, Dragos finally met his match, i.e. he was ashed. The ending worked for me, but I have a feeling regular readers and long-time fans of the series would have liked to see a grander end to Dragos. It was too quick, too easy, too over and done with.
All in all, I did enjoy this book. The writing was flawless. Lara Adrian knows what she’s doing, no doubt about it. It’s difficult to dock her points for world building events that were set in motion many years ago in book 1 of the series when vampire angst over feedings wasn’t cliché yet.
B+
I really liked and enjoyed this book, but I didn’t love it. Clearly Lara Adrian is doing something right, though: DARKER AFTER MIDNIGHT is book 10 in her popular series after all. I understand that the book was meant to be the last in the series, but Adrian was contracted for two more, which may begin a new arc with the younger characters or next generation.
If you like tall warrior-vampires who wear black and live in secret compounds, then this book, and series, is for you. If you’re into vampires shuttered away during daylight hours who protect the fragile peace between humans and the predators who’d like to nibble on them, then you’ll enjoy Adrian’s books.
I did.
The issues I had with this book partly stem from the fact that I haven’t read the nine books preceding DARKER AFTER MIDNIGHT. It’s tough to write the tenth book in a series about a tight group of people without having a new reader trip over unknown characters left and right. Keeping the warriors and their mates straight almost required post-it notes (especially since they seemed to travel in packs and rarely step out in ones or twos). I was far more interested in the two protagonists, Sterling Chase and Tavia Fairchild, than their friends and family, but I understand that fans of the series want to reconnect with “their” characters.
The two characters that did stand out to me were Rio, because he was physically flawed (no small feat when surrounded by all these awesome males) and Gideon, the geek (I can’t help it, I’m attracted to a man’s mind). I’d love to read Gideon’s story, but I’m afraid he’ll switch into warrior mode and then just become one of the many.
Now there’s a fresh take on vampires I’d love to see developed into a new series: the geek who rescues his damsel from behind a keyboard. Naturally he’ll be tall and handsome, but I’d really rather not have him wear black or combat boots.
One thing that didn’t work for me was the Bloodlust. Throughout the book Chase struggles with his addiction to blood. Bloodlust to a vampire appears to be what binge-eating is to a human. Afraid he won’t be able to stop feeding (and thus killing the blood donor), Chase choses to starve himself instead. This didn’t work for me at all. The willpower versus appetite struggle is a classic, of course; as is the vampire’s fear that he’ll hurt an innocent. This classic trope is sliding into cliché territory. As the majority of dieters know, the easiest way to avoid binging is to have regular snacks.
When Tavia finally convinces Chase that he needs blood, he immediately beats himself up for not stopping after a few swallows. Come on, buddy, you’ve been shot (repeatedly) and knifed and starved and bled, of course, you’re thirsty.
Chase wasn’t the first to almost succumb to Bloodlust, which made me wonder why these guys didn’t have a system to deal with the occasional overwhelming need/want for blood. If you don’t trust yourself to stop feeding before killing the donor, bring a buddy who’ll stop you in time. You’ve been around for a few hundred years, and you know how important it is to not leave corpses in your wake, but you haven’t secured a regular source of food yet?
I had no issues with Dragos, the villain. He was the standard megalomaniac out to rule the world. I skipped a few of his pages. Since DARKER AFTER MIDNIGHT is the climactic book in the series, Dragos finally met his match, i.e. he was ashed. The ending worked for me, but I have a feeling regular readers and long-time fans of the series would have liked to see a grander end to Dragos. It was too quick, too easy, too over and done with.
All in all, I did enjoy this book. The writing was flawless. Lara Adrian knows what she’s doing, no doubt about it. It’s difficult to dock her points for world building events that were set in motion many years ago in book 1 of the series when vampire angst over feedings wasn’t cliché yet.
B+
Saturday, January 07, 2012
2012
I’m starting 2012 with a few changes. First of all, and this is the most important change for sure, I’m writing again. My creative drought is over! And I’m not just talking about putting words on paper, no, I’m back all the way: I scribble in my little notebook when I’m stopped at a red light, because I heard a snippet of conversation that needs to be remembered; I’m in the shower far longer than necessary (sorry, honey) plotting various character moves; I prowl the house in search of left-over Halloween candy in my kids’ rooms and wonder what my protagonists bad habits are; I research colorblindness by messing with the controls on my computer screen (too afraid to mess with the TV; what if it gets stuck that way?) . I’m generally busy thinking writing-related thoughts – some of which even make it down on paper.
Secondly, I’m letting my Sisters in Crime membership lapse. I think the local chapter died a quiet death. I’m not even sure. There wasn’t an e-mail. The website hasn’t been updated. I’m sad. I was a founding member of this chapter and I met some great people that way. We had awesome guest speakers, too. Neil Plakcy was scheduled to visit early on, but he had to cancel his Hawaii trip. Luckily, I found my fan courage and e-mailed him.
I will join the local chapter of Romance Writers of America instead. I’ve always heard good things about the local chapter and their guest speakers and workshops. I still think of myself more of a (bad) mystery/thriller/suspense writer, but that’s just denial: I’m romantic suspense all the way. There, I said it.
I’m looking forward to meeting other writers in a social setting. Being cooped up in the house with a toddler gets kinda lonely.
Thirdly … I’m leaving that one open for later. I’ll try to keep doing what I did in late 20111: drink less soda, exercise more (I do enjoy riding the bike to school in the mornings), watch less TV, get back into a solid writing routine and finally, finally finish that second book. If I’m not getting it done in 2012, I’m skipping book 2 and moving on the book 3 (I was going to threaten a different course of action, but it seemed a bit harsh and really, I’m going to finish).
Also, I just signed up for the Urban Dare. I thought it’d be great to do with the husband. I even talked him into it. But our wonderful babysitter is still visiting family and friends on the mainland and there’s no one to watch Ivy. So I asked my friend Rafi instead. I’m totally intimidated by her athletic ability, but I’m sure we’ll have fun.
I’ll find something the hubby and I can do. What about skydiving? …
Secondly, I’m letting my Sisters in Crime membership lapse. I think the local chapter died a quiet death. I’m not even sure. There wasn’t an e-mail. The website hasn’t been updated. I’m sad. I was a founding member of this chapter and I met some great people that way. We had awesome guest speakers, too. Neil Plakcy was scheduled to visit early on, but he had to cancel his Hawaii trip. Luckily, I found my fan courage and e-mailed him.
I will join the local chapter of Romance Writers of America instead. I’ve always heard good things about the local chapter and their guest speakers and workshops. I still think of myself more of a (bad) mystery/thriller/suspense writer, but that’s just denial: I’m romantic suspense all the way. There, I said it.
I’m looking forward to meeting other writers in a social setting. Being cooped up in the house with a toddler gets kinda lonely.
Thirdly … I’m leaving that one open for later. I’ll try to keep doing what I did in late 20111: drink less soda, exercise more (I do enjoy riding the bike to school in the mornings), watch less TV, get back into a solid writing routine and finally, finally finish that second book. If I’m not getting it done in 2012, I’m skipping book 2 and moving on the book 3 (I was going to threaten a different course of action, but it seemed a bit harsh and really, I’m going to finish).
Also, I just signed up for the Urban Dare. I thought it’d be great to do with the husband. I even talked him into it. But our wonderful babysitter is still visiting family and friends on the mainland and there’s no one to watch Ivy. So I asked my friend Rafi instead. I’m totally intimidated by her athletic ability, but I’m sure we’ll have fun.
I’ll find something the hubby and I can do. What about skydiving? …
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