Please welcome debut author Niki Daninger...

Please join me in welcoming my long time friend Niki Daninger. Her debut anthology Bewitching Desires was released October 1 and is available now at Barnes & Noble, amazon.com and iTunes.

            iTunes                       Amazon.com                       Barnes & Noble

Welcome Niki. First of all, congratulations on your debut book, I’m so happy for you, you’ve earned it.  Tell us a little bit about the anthology.

Thank you so much!

The anthology revolves around a coven in Savannah GA. Each story works as a stand-alone but every writer has a character that is a member of the coven and we must reference the Halloween meeting. From there, our stories can twist, turn, overlap or not. That was left totally up to us and I must say, it was great fun fitting my story in with the others.

How did these two characters come to you?

Well, originally, I turned down the offer to be a part of this project. I’d never written a short before and I did not think I could write anything in such a short amount of time. That night however, an idea struck me, and as I lay in bed, the whole story of Micah came to me. By morning, I had names, a plot and a timeline.

Micah seems like a handful. I’ve heard some authors say that it can be hard to uh, keep their characters “in line” so to speak. Did you run into that with him?

Actually no, he might be a selfish character but he was a breeze to write. I’ll be honest though, I do soooo much preparation before I write that I rarely get back-talk ;)

I am a huge paranormal fan, what drew you to this genre?

I grew up reading fantasy and some Sci-Fi. I think it was a natural progression to move to Paranormal. It’s like fantasy but in more ‘realistic’ settings. I can still write about magical beings and situations but I don’t need to create entirely new worlds.

Are there any authors in particular that have influenced you or your writing style?

I can’t say anyone has influenced my style (at least not consciously). I can’t think of a single author that made me say, ‘I want to write like they do’, but I have certainly been influenced to write in general. I could list a few but I’m going to give you my #1… Melanie Rawn. Her Dragon Prince series is the first set of books that made me want to live in another person’s world. I wanted to be one of her characters or meet them. Her world was alive and colorful and I wanted to create something that made others feel that way.

Any advice that you have for aspiring authors?

Yes, avoid procrastination – at all costs! Seriously, if you have something you need to do, get it done, don’t let it hang over you, needling its way into your thoughts. Do the laundry or clean the bathroom or check those emails. Then, give yourself some writing time and don’t let anything distract you.

Thanks so much for joining us. Bewitching Desires is available now for only $0.99 on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com, you can also read the first chapter on Watt pad. Just click here. 

This is rough and by rough I mean, I wrote it and I left it. Be kind.

20 years ago…

She had no idea how long they had been making out on his bedroom floor, but she could see light filtering through the blinds so it must be morning. He pulled away and began alternating licking and biting his way down her neck adding to her growing collection of hickies. She inhaled sharply as he touched on a particularly sensitive area and she plunged her fingers into his long curling hair to guide him where she wanted him next. She wrapped her legs around his jean clad ass and pushed his erection into to her panties making them both groan.

She knew that he was the one she would give her virginity to. She also knew that she wouldn’t be the first girl to do so, but she didn’t care. She loved him; she would love him forever; even though he had no idea.

The bedroom door opened and they turned their hooded eyes to the door breathing heavy. “Sorry.” Their friend Bobbi said and closed the door.

He turned his face back to her and stared into her eyes. His eyes were ice blue except for a small dot near the bottom part of the iris that appeared to be black. Extraordinary, unique, unforgettable. He adjusted his hips and she closed her eyes on a groan. When she opened her eyes again he was still staring at her, so she ran her index finger along the swollen edge of his bottom lip. He quickly pulled her finger into his mouth and gently held it between his teeth, using his tongue to play with the tip of it.

He released her finger and said, “I’m glad we haven’t had sex yet, that way when we do it’ll mean something. It’ll be special.”

She knew in her heart it was true and pulled him down to kiss him again.

17 years ago…

They sat together in her car while the 2^nd movie of the double feature played at the drive-in. They spent more time talking and eating popcorn than they had actually watching the movies, but she didn’t care, she was just happy to be spending time with him again.  She couldn’t even remember why they had stopped seeing each other; it seemed as if they just drifted away from each other. Not that they had ever been in a “committed” relationship. He had never officially been her boyfriend, but he had been in her heart. Sitting here with him now she realized that she had never stopped loving him. She wasn’t surprised though, they had never stopped being friends and just looking at him still made her heart thump in her chest.

Their lives had gone in separate directions. They had grown up and apart. She was getting ready to move out of state, to the other side of the country and apparently he was getting ready to find his future wife. This was probably the last time she would ever see him. She drank in every detail. His curly nutmeg colored hair, it had grown out a little bit and was now a several inches below his shoulders, his tall wiry frame, and those devastating eyes. She still saw him staring at her with those remarkable eyes in her dreams.

“I think I’m just ready to settle down and start a family.” He was saying

“Don’t you think you’re a little young for that?” she asked with a smile.

“Maybe, but it’s what I want.”

“Do you have someone in mind?”

“No, not yet.” He looked at her with a lopsided grin. It made her knees go weak. Thank goodness she was sitting down.

“Marry me.” She said. She didn’t even know where it had come from. Did she mean it? Yes, she realized. She did.

He laughed, “Don’t joke.”

“Who’s joking?”

“Stop it. You’re just humoring me.” He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

She just smiled at him and focused on the movie. Not sure if he was letting her down gently or if he really believed she was joking.

9 years ago…

She sat at the bar as she watched her friend pull a couple of beers for customers. “Bobbi, he auditioned for my husband’s band! Do you know how bad that would be?” she wailed and she put her head in her hands. Every time she closed her eyes she saw those ice blue eyes.

“You’re sure it’s him?” Bobbi asked as she wiped down the counter.

“Yes, I’m sure. When Eddie asked him if he knew me do you know what he told him?” Bobbi shook her head as she poured her another shot of tequila. “He said, ‘Dude, I never slept with her’.” Bobbi threw her head back and laughed. “This is NOT funny!”

“I’m sorry, but it is. Did he think Eddie was going to beat him up? You guys haven’t been together in years.” she laughed even harder, wiping tears away from her eyes with the bar towel.

“You’re not helping.” She said and shot the tequila back in a quick efficient motion.

Bobbi sobered. “I’m sorry I just don’t know what to say. Everyone has a first love, yours just seems to keep coming back to haunt you. Besides, isn’t he married to that Karen chick? Or was it Sharon? Shannon?”

“Apparently divorced.” She shook her head and laid it back down on the counter. “What am I going to do?”

“Pray he doesn’t join the band. Your marriage will never survive it.”

3 years ago…

What am I doing here? She thought to herself sitting in the back of the dark heavy metal bar drinking a beer. Why do I still come to these shows? She sighed as she watched Eddie on stage making the teenie boppers go crazy, all ages shows were the worst. She knew he was cheating on her, knew he thought he was being slick about it even though she could see the skank from her table. She wasn’t even sure she cared anymore. This is what her life had come to, a joke of a marriage with a joke of a man. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. Marriage was supposed to be fun and romantic and full of give and take and love. There seemed to be plenty of give in her marriage, it was just all one sided. She didn’t expect perfection, she knew better than that, but there had to be something better than this.

She watched as Eddie fell to his knees on stage and got right in the face of the skank, so close that she wrapped her arms around his neck and gyrated to the beat with him. That’s it, I’m out of here she thought and stood to head home. That’s when she saw him, standing at the bar with his arm around some girl’s shoulders ordering drinks. She froze in place and her stomach fell to her feet. She felt her skin get hot and her face start to tingle. She was NOT going to have a panic attack. Was she? Could this night get any worse? He turned to face his “date” and she watched as his thumb caressed her cheekbone and his eyes twinkled with mischief before he bent his head to kiss her. Memories that she had tucked away in a dark corner came flooding back to her. The feel of his hands touching her face as he pressed delicate kissed her eyelids, her forehead, and her cheeks before he took her mouth. Apparently it could get worse. She had to get out of here. There was no way she could sit here and watch her husband flirt with the skank and the love of her life appear blissfully happy with someone else.

She wound her way through the crowd and to the exit keeping her head down and her eyes on the floor. She was making a quick getaway until she bumped into someone and sloshed their beer down the front of her t-shirt. “Shit!” she exclaimed and jumped back. “I’m so sorry, let me buy you another beer.” She said as she reached into her back pocket to grab some cash and looked right up into his ice blue eyes. Fuck. She didn’t know how long she stared at him before recognition dawned in those eyes. His eyebrows went up and he started to say something, before he could she shoved the money at him and bolted for the door.

Present Day…

Elizabeth Donovan lay on her back starring at the living room ceiling from her second hand couch in her laundry day underwear. Single life is the way to go, she thought to herself. If she didn’t want to do the laundry until midnight, she didn’t have to. If she wanted to have cold pizza for breakfast and cereal for dinner she could. She could lie around in her ugly underwear all day, hell all weekend if she felt like it and nobody would say a word. The world was her oyster to do with whatever her little heart desired. Her stomach growled. Apparently she desired something to eat.

She sat up and looked at her ridiculously large and loveable black lab mix Jake lying on the floor. “You hungry Jake?” Jake lifted his head and groaned. “I know, I don’t want to get up either, but there are bodily functions that must be dealt with.” She stood up and headed to the kitchen as Jake laid his head back down and went back to sleep. She opened the refrigerator and stared at a gallon of milk, some orange juice that appeared to be going through a life change and a loaf of bread. Okay, one downfall to the single life, no one else went grocery shopping. “How about a pizza?” she asked Jake. He groaned. “I agree, it sounds like a plan.” She sat down at her computer and ordered a large works pizza online and headed to her bedroom to put on clothes before the delivery guy showed up.

30 minutes later the doorbell rang and she was starving and ready to be seen by the outside world. She had her brown hair pulled into a pony tail and cut off shorts and a tank top to cover up the laundry day underwear. Dressed enough, she answered the door. “Hi Tony.”

“Hi Beth. How are you tonight?” Tony  asked

“Good. The food fairies didn’t come again while I slept so you could very well be saving my life. Jake’s too.” At the smell of pizza Jake lumbered to the door and was giving Tony a thorough sniffing.

“We do what we can.” He grinned handing over her pizza.

She handed him money to cover both the pizza and a healthy tip, she always over tipped people who brought her food, said her goodbyes and went inside to stuff herself silly.

Three pieces of pizza and a stomachache later she sat on the couch staring at her laptop. Social media, what an amazing creation and incredible time suck. She had somehow managed to waste several hours of her day liking other people’s posts, catching up with old friends and playing as if she were a real live farmer. Hours of her life she’d never get back.

Jake had taken to sitting patiently by the front door alternating from staring at her to staring at the front door. It was as if he had an alarm clock in his head and knew when it was time to go for a walk. “Alright, alright, alright.” She said. She started to get up when her laptop played the notification sound. “Just a minute. I promise.” She sat back down, looked at her screen and realized that she had a new message. That was odd, she hardly ever received private messages. She clicked on the icon and there was in fact a message, but it was from someone she didn’t know. She was getting ready to delete the message when a name popped out at her, Robbie Nelson. Hi Elizabeth, I was asked to pass along a message to you from Robbie Nelson. He wants you to text him. His number is…

“Holy shit.” She sat back on her couch and closed her eyes. Robbie Nelson. His ice blue eyes came to her instantly. His beautiful face hovering above hers as he said all the right things that a young girl wanted to hear. She shook her head, stood up and grabbed the leash. “Come on Jake. Let’s walk that man right out of my head.” Jake wiggled with delight and then sat down, ready to be leashed.

Back In The Saddle Again, So To Speak

Tonight I dug around my house and found all of my writing materials. I must admit, it was a search. I knew I had left all my stuff in a breast cancer shopping bag that I bought at Safeway for a $1.00 donation. I looked in my closet, I looked under my bed. I went outside and looked under the seats of my car. I found the breast cancer bag, but it was empty. I searched the garage, well as much as a quick glance around can be called searching and I asked my son if he had seen any of it. No luck. I was beginning to panic, so I went out to the garage again and did a slightly more thorough "search" and what do you know? I found it. In a completely different but exactly the same breast cancer shopping bag. Phew! I was sweating for a minute there.

So I sat down and pulled out all of my papers and started sorting through them. I found my printed out document for Jack & Carly and with it was a note from my friend Vera who I asked (over a year ago) to read what I had so far and give me her feedback. I did this knowing she would be brutally honest with me, she wouldn't spare my feelings. If it sucked, she would tell me, and that's what I needed. The good news? She said the only thing she hated about it was that it wasn't complete. *snoopy dance* She gave me a list of items that she either had questions or comments about. It's a good list. She caught things that I didn't pick up on and she caught things that I knew in my head and just didn't bother to share with the reader. Important stuff!

So tonight I sat down and went over her notes. I'm not going to tell you what they were because I'm vain and I don't want you to know what mistakes I made, I want you to think I'm BRILLIANT all by myself. Don't tell Vera. Going over her comments and questions had me looking over parts of the story that I hadn't remembered I wrote and questioning where sections were that I was pretty sure I had written. I guess I must have taken them out.....I dunno, but it got me back into the spirit of my story and I'm very psyched.

I have scenes running over and over my head. The characters are screaming to be heard and I can't type fast enough to keep up with them all. I have to remind them that I do need to sleep and work. Dammit.

So in the spirit of Jack & Carly and all that they mean to me I wanted to share with all of you that I am back in the saddle. Or maybe it's the computer chair, but either way I'm back on the write track again. Get it?

Dreams

"There are people who put their dreams in a little box and say, 'Yes, I've got dreams, of course I've got dreams.' Then they put the box away and bring it out once in awhile to look in it, and yep, they're still there. These are great dreams, but they never even get out of the box. It takes an uncommon amount of guts to put your dreams on the line, to hold them up and say, 'How good or how bad am I?' That's where courage comes in.” ― Erma Bombeck

So I've become a person with a box of dreams. I don't quite know how it happened, but there it is. A box. It's not even a pretty box. It's plain and paper bag brown. It's not very heavy, which is surprising. With all of the things that it holds you think it would weight a ton. Turns out dreams don't weigh very much, it's the product of dreams that carry the weight. A dream is only a thought. Sometimes fleeting, sometimes constant, but it's nothing substantive, not until you put it into action.

I've decided to take one of my dreams out of the box and put it into action. I was sitting down with a friend of mine tonight and I was looking through my previous blogs for a specific entry, which I didn't find, and I saw all of the ideas that I had swimming around in my head, the summaries that I had put onto paper. It's my dream to write. It's my dream to be published. It's my ULTIMATE dream to make enough money writing to be able to do it full-time. So why is it that I can't seem to find the time to do it? Why is it that I push it aside? I can admit that sometimes it's just because I'm lazy. I work 6 days a week and on my one day off I like to sit around and vegetate or watch football, or baseball, or Arrow. I mean really, who can't get behind a couple of hours of Oliver Queen? But that's not what I dream of. Okay, it's hardly what I dream of. Sometimes I dream of Oliver Queen, but I swear it's not often.

So, that's what I'm going to do. Stop dreaming and start acting. I want to finish at least one story this year. Even if it sucks. I have a variety that I could choose from. Jack & Carly, Megan, the actress & the bodyguard, the murder mystery. I just have to finish one of them. It doesn't have to be ready to send out to anyone, just complete. Baby steps.

Dear Greyhound Bus Lines,

Three weeks ago I bought a ticket from Glendale, AZ to Flagstaff, AZ to depart on Sunday, October 6, 2013 at 5:10 p.m.. Your e-mail verifying my ticket said to be there an hour before the bus departed so I arrived at 4:00 p.m. and sat in your disgusting, dirty station for over an hour after I checked in. When the bus arrived, admittedly on time, the bus driver proudly announced that he only had 4 seats available, while my college bound daughter was the last person to get on the bus, but not the last person waiting for the bus, she was told she had been misinformed there were actually only three seats left.

When I asked the bus driver what I should do about this, seeing as how she needed to be back to school in time for her classes the next morning, he pointed to the guy at the ticket counter and said, "take it up with him". Excellent!

The very nice kid behind the ticket counter informed me that there was a bus leaving the Phoenix station at 11:30 p.m. and arriving in Flagstaff at 2:00 a.m.. Seriously? You want me to drive to another station and risk my daughter being dropped off in the middle of the night?!? I don't think so. So, in that case we'd just have to wait until the next bus that came on Monday at 10:45 a.m., or something close to that.

Just so that I'm clear, I bought a ticket for a seat on your bus that arrived to the station without enough seats to accommodate every person who was waiting on it.

While I was on the phone today with your customer service department I was informed that Greyhound Bus Lines works on a first come, first serve basis. Apparently buying a ticket does not guarantee you a seat until your ASS IS SITTING IN IT! So buying your ticket 3 weeks in advance and arriving an hour early at the station doesn't actually do anything unless your willing to push people out of the way to get on board.

So, thank you very much for refunding my completely useless ticket and wasting over an hour of my time waiting for a bus that couldn't accommodate my needs.

I just thought you should know that the business that I had pretty much guaranteed you for the next 4 years is now gone. Exxon is thrilled.

Sincerely,

I will never spend money with your lousy company again!

It Came to Me in a Dream

Looking back on the weeks that followed the discovery of my husband's affair I can see how I might have landed myself in this holding cell.

I told everyone.

I told my mom, "I'm gonna run that bitch over with my car."

I told my best friend, "There's already body damage to the front end. Who's to know?"

I even told my therapist, who promptly asked if she needed to call and warn her she was in danger. "I don't know." I had said, "Do you think it might give her pause?"

How was I to know someone else would actually run the dumb tramp over?

The thing is I wouldn't actually run her over. At least I'm pretty sure I wouldn't, but when I said those things I was venting. You know, I'm so mad I could kill her. You don't intend to. They're just words. At least they're supposed to be. Apparently someone meant them, but I swear it wasn't me. Honest!

I've never had an idea for a mystery before. I'm still working out the details, but here is one more idea to go into the book of "One day I'm going to be a writer".

Divergent by Veronica Roth

For those of you who visit often, not that I post all that often, you know that I don't typically review books. It's not my thing. I don't feel like I have a knack for it, but every once in a while I read a book that I just MUST share with all of you for one reason or another.

I found the book Divergent on Goodreads.com. It came up as a recommendation and I thought the artwork was pretty awesome so I put a hold on it at my local library and waited. Eventually my request was granted and I received my audio copy of Divergent by Veronica Roth.

The first few minutes into the story I realized that this book was YA. This is what I get for not reading the summary thoroughly. I don't read YA. Okay, I rarely read YA, but the reader had a great voice and I figured I'd give it an hour.

Divergent is the story of Beatrice Prior. Beatrice lives in a dystopian society in Chicago with her mother, father and her brother in the Abnegation faction. In Beatrice's world every person has a faction. A faction is the part of society that you live in. There are five factions, Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). Every child at the age of 16 chooses a faction to which they dedicate their lives. Beatrice has to make a choice. She can either stay with her family and pretend she belongs or choose a new faction and be the person she truly believes she is.

Beatrice makes a decision that surprises everyone and embarks on an initiation process that will show her exactly what kind of person she truly is. But she must protect herself. Beatrice has a secret that could get her killed if the wrong people found out.

Her journey brings new friends, dangerous enemies and a love interest along the way.

I don't want to give too much away, but this is an amazing book. Beatrice is a strong interesting character who I found myself rooting for. The supporting characters are just as good and keep the sub plot moving along. I never know what I'm going to get with YA, but this book was really well written and I think all ages would enjoy it.

I was excited to get my hands on the next book to see what happens in the series but it's not out yet. Insurgent comes out in May 2012.

I hope you will all pick up Divergent by Veronica Roth. Tell her I sent you! ;)

Struggling Reader

My goal today is to write 2,000 words, so instead I decided to write a post. I'm a procrastinator. I can't help it

So most of you know that I have set a goal to read 100 books this year. So far, I'm on track. According to Goodreads.com I am four books ahead of schedule. I'm impressed.

Thanks to Goodreads.com, I have found several new to me authors. Some of them I just love. Kristan Higgins. Love her. Karin Slaughter. LOVE HER.Sue Ann Jaffarian. LOVE HER! Thenthere are other authors that I have found that I won't mention cuz that's rude. Let's just say that I have stopped reading 3 books so far this year, THREE BOOKS, that I just couldn't get into for one reason or another and a fourth book that I pushed my way through because I was determined not to stop reading a fourth book.

I'm beginning to wonder if it's just me. What is my problem? One of the books that I stopped reading was by one of my favorite authors. It was just getting too freakin' weird for me. Says the girl who reads paranormal and fantasy. *sigh*

Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever gone through a spell where you just kept picking books that you couldn't get through? Is there a cure? Am I not going to reach my goal this year because I can't finish a book any more? WHAT'S GOING ON????

I also wanted to mention that part of my 100 books this year is to not reread any book that I've read before. Ever. What have I done?

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. Andof course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries! This week's Library Loot is at Marg's.

My library card is maxed out, so to save you all from the gigantic list I'll only list a few. You can thank me later. ;)

Black Ice by Anne Stuart

Living paycheck to paycheck in Paris, American book translator Chloe Underwood would give anything for some excitement and passion--even a little danger. So when she's offered a lucrative weekend gig translating at a business conference in a remote chateau, she jumps at the chance to

shake things up.

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver. Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. Using the techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate all of life's ordeals.

The Boy Next Door by Meg Cabot

Gossip columnist and single New York City girl Mel lives lives in the most exciting place in the world, yet she's bored with her lovelife. But things get interesting fast when the old lady next door is nearly murdered. Mel starts paying closer attention to her neighbors—what exactly is going on with the cute boy next door? Has Mel found the love of her life—or a killer?

Crazy In Love by Lani Diane Rich

Flynn Daly is turning thirty. And thirty is the age where she has to, gulp, get a job. Not just any job, but a job working for her real estate magnate father, a man who's tired of supporting his daughter through her many careers. So when their great-aunt Esther Goodhouse, proprietress of a historic inn nestled in Nowhere, New York, dies, Flynn finds herself smack dab in the country, contending with a hotel staff that's unsure of their new boss, a scruffy, sexy ex-policeman named Jake Turner who's convinced that Esther's death wasn't as natural as it seemed, and the ghost of Aunt Esther herself, who starts showing up in Flynn's dreams and undoing all the personal touches that Flynn tries to make to her new home.

Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze

Crossroads Crisis Center owner Benjamin Brandt was a content man—in his faith, his work, and his family. Then in a flash, everything he loved was snatched away. His wife and son were murdered, and grief-stricken Ben lost faith. Determination to find their killers keeps him going, but after three years of dead ends and torment, his hope is dying too. Why had he survived? He’d failed to protect his family.

Now, a mysterious woman appears at Crossroads seeking answers and help—a victim who eerily resembles Ben’s deceased wife, Susan. A woman robbed of her identity, her life, of everything except her faith—and Susan’s necklace.

The connections between the two women mount, exceeding coincidence, and to keep the truth hidden, someone is willing to kill. Finding out who and why turns Ben and the mystery woman’s situation from dangerous to deadly. Their only hope for survival is to work together, trust each other, and face whatever they discover head on, no matter how painful. But will that be enough to save their lives and heal their tattered hearts?

Can I be a good writer?

I have been debating about whether or not to continue on with my dream of writing. Life keeps getting in the way and I have thus far been unsuccessful in my endeavor to finish a story.

I don't want to go into all the why's and how for's of why I'm not getting anything done because it's very personal and I don't feel like sharing quite that much with the entire world wide web; however, it's been on my mind. What makes someone a good writer?

Do you have to be able to wax poetically like say, Jane Austen? Do you have to be able to scare the bejeebers out of someone like say, Stephen King? Do you have to be able to write a best seller like say, Danielle Steel or John Grisham? I don't think so. I think that as long as you have a story to tell and a pencil (or writing implement of your choice) and paper you can write.

One of my favorite writers is Erma Bombeck. She left us way too soon and took her talent and her humor with her. She had a way with words that always brought a smile to my face or a tear to my eye. I'd like to share with you all some of my favorite Erma Bombeck quotes and one column. She reminds me that we don't all have to be Charlotte Bronte to be a writer.

I hope you all enjoy these as much as I do. Here's Erma....

“Housework can kill you if done right.”
― Erma Bombeck

“Sometimes I can't figure designers out. It's as if they flunked human anatomy.”
― Erma Bombeck

“No one ever died from sleeping in an unmade bed. I have known mothers who remake the bed after their children do it because there is wrinkle in the spread or the blanket is on crooked. This is sick.”
― Erma Bombeck

“Cleanliness is not next to godliness. It isn't even in the same neighborhood. No one has ever gotten a religious experience out of removing burned-on cheese from the grill of the toaster oven.”
― Erma Bombeck

“My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint.”
― Erma Bombeck

“There are people who put their dreams in a little box and say, 'Yes, I've got dreams, of course I've got dreams.' Then they put the box away and bring it out once in awhile to look in it, and yep, they're still there. These are great dreams, but they never even get out of the box. It takes an uncommon amount of guts to put your dreams on the line, to hold them up and say, 'How good or how bad am I?' That's where courage comes in.”
― Erma Bombeck

“When God Created Mothers"

When the Good Lord was creating mothers, He was into His sixth day of "overtime" when the angel appeared and said. "You're doing a lot of fiddling around on this one."

And God said, "Have you read the specs on this order?" She has to be completely washable, but not plastic. Have 180 moveable parts...all replaceable. Run on black coffee and leftovers. Have a lap that disappears when she stands up. A kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed love affair. And six pairs of hands."

The angel shook her head slowly and said. "Six pairs of hands.... no way."

It's not the hands that are causing me problems," God remarked, "it's the three pairs of eyes that mothers have to have."

That's on the standard model?" asked the angel. God nodded.

One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, 'What are you kids doing in there?' when she already knows. Another here in the back of her head that sees what she shouldn't but what she has to know, and of course the ones here in front that can look at a child when he goofs up and say. 'I understand and I love you' without so much as uttering a word."

God," said the angel touching his sleeve gently, "Get some rest tomorrow...."

I can't," said God, "I'm so close to creating something so close to myself. Already I have one who heals herself when she is sick...can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger...and can get a nine year old to stand under a shower."

The angel circled the model of a mother very slowly. "It's too soft," she sighed.

But tough!" said God excitedly. "You can imagine what this mother can do or endure."

Can it think?"

Not only can it think, but it can reason and compromise," said the Creator.

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek.

There's a leak," she pronounced. "I told You that You were trying to put too much into this model."

It's not a leak," said the Lord, "It's a tear."

What's it for?"

It's for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness, and pride."

You are a genius, " said the angel.

Somberly, God said, "I didn't put it there.”
― Erma Bombeck, When God Created Mothers

I take it back. Jason O'Mara is Joe Morelli

I owe Jason O'Mara an apology. When I heard he has been cast as Joe Morelli I was not a happy person. When I was waiting for the movie to start, I was prepared to be disappointed in Jason O'Mara as Joe Morelli.

Jason, I am sorry. You rocked Joe Morelli. The whole time I was sitting in the theater I just kept thinking 'he's channeling his inner Mel Gibson. Holy crap, he's so amazing.' So, while I haven't enjoyed anything else that you've done, not due to your acting, due to content, I hope they turn the Evanovich books into a series of movies and you get your chance to just be amazing.

That's all. Happy Hump Day!

Losing Weight is Hard

So as I mentioned before, I've signed up for Weight Watchers. I've been on it for two weeks, but have only gone to one meeting. Why you ask, cuz I couldn't print out the temporary card cuz my printer is a piece of crap. It doesn't get any more honest than that.

The woman who runs the 50+ lbs to lose meeting is a success story. She has lost over 135 lbs and kept it off. HOLY CRAP! Now she's a Zumba instructor and rocks the house. She's a petite hard body and I'm totally jealous. Over 135 lbs!!!! Did you catch that?? How freaking amazing is that???

Anyway, I went to my first meeting and it was PACKED. All the regulars said, "you can tell it's January," which of course means come February this room won't be so full. Damn resolutioners. There were so many people in this meeting I was shocked. I brought a book in case I was bored before we got started. Silly me. One of the big topics at this meeting was setting realistic goals. Don't set your goal for 100 lbs., set it for 5% of your weight. Don't set a goal of working out every day, set a goal of working out three days a week. Things like that. So this lady sitting in front of me says that she has set a goal of walking five days a week. I'm thinking that's very motivated of her. She has a tape workout that she's going to be following and she's psyched. So, she's decided on what kind of exercise, she's decided on how many days a week, she has her walkman and her tape all ready to go. I'm thinking she's done good. I'm proud of her. And then this little blond Chiquita pops up and says "all that's great but she didn't say how long she was going to be walking every day." I leaned over the lady next to me and whispered, "I don't like her."

Don't misunderstand, I know she was trying to be helpful. Ensure that all of the goals were actually met etcetera but couldn't we just give the lady a little kudos for being and thorough as she was? I mean this was her first week too. I thought she did a splendid job.

So throughout this meeting the little blond Chiquita keeps popping up with comments. She has a comment on everything. She's apparently been doing this for a while. She's SO GOOD that she's set up an eating plan for her boyfriend AND she doesn't have to use the e-tools cuz she's just plain fabulous. The meeting is only 30 minutes long. She's killing me. It's all I can do to keep my mouth shut and let her speak.

Finally the meeting ends and all of us newbies stay behind for the "Starter Meeting". I'm really interested. I think I can do this. This is why I signed up for meetings. I need to hear from people every week who are making this system work for them. I need encouragement and I need someone to answer the questions I have. Like, what do I do instead of pasta??

How are your resolutions coming along?

BTW, I signed up for GoodReads.com, loving this site.

100+ Books in 2012

I didn't get to 100 books last year, I blew it. Again. I only reached 70 books, not that it's a bad number, it isn't, but it's not 100. Last year I think I hit 75 or so. I am determined though, I'm going to do it again. I will hit it this year. I will. My husband has decided to keep track of how many books he's reading this year too. I think he's just curious.

Also, I have a question for all of you. On my sidebar I list the books that I am reading and listening to as well as a book that I recommend. Do you guys ever look at that? Be honest.

If you want to join the 100+ books in 2012 just click here. Come on, join the fun!

Eating Healthy is Hard...and expensive....and...

For my own health I have decided I want to lose 80 lbs this year. There. I said it out loud. Sort of. In order to do this I joined Weight Watchers. I have used Weight Watchers before but only briefly. There was a family crisis, I went off track and never got back on. I'm going to be better this time.

I went to the grocery store and got healthy snacks. Quakes, Rice Cakes (great with hummus and peanut butter), pop chips (SUPER YUM), salad stuff, frozen "diet" entrees for work lunches, you know, "healthy" stuff. It cost me a fortune. What's up with that? Thank goodness the lettuce was on sale.

I'm sure there's a better way to do this and am open to suggestions.

What are you doing for your health?

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year to all of you. May the best of your past be the worst of your future.

This year has been a tough year for me personally. There's been issues with my mom and her sister (aka my aunt) which has made things difficult, my dog passed away, which still brings me to tears, I am still searching for a F/T job and I've other personal issues that I am not going to be discussing on the world wide web. It's been a rough one, but I've made a decision, those things are now in the past. I'm going to leave them there.

This year I'm going to try to let go of the past, not an easy task for me, and move forward. Make new strides in my life. Control only what I can control and learn how to accept what I cannot.

What about you? Anything you want to make happen this year?

Best wishes to all of you. I hope you have a safe and prosperous new year. May 2012 be all it can be for you and yours.

Devastating Loss

It has been two weeks today (Friday) that I put the best dog in the whole world to sleep. My Feliz. I am finally able to talk about it for a few minutes without breaking down into tears (she says while her eyes fill).

I had a dog as a little girl, a black lab, her name was Miss "E". Cute right? I wanted to name her Missy, but my parents had another idea. She was a great dog, but ultimately she wasn't mine, she was my mom's dog.

Feliz was "my"

first dog. He was a black lab/chow mix. He was wonderful and beautiful and I would appreciate it if you would all indulge me and let me share our story with you.

In 1999 I decided it was time to get a dog. I'd had a dog growing up and even though my husband wasn't necessarily on board with the whole "dog" idea, I was ready to own a dog. My own dog. Who would sleep in my bedroom, not my moms. I'm not bitter, really. I knew I didn't want a puppy. I had a full time job and didn't want to deal with having to house train a puppy. I wanted a dog. A young dog. A young black lab. I started my search online. I searched for all of the non kill shelters in my area

who had websites. Most of them post their available dogs online with photos. I just wanted to adopt them all but knew my husband would

never go for that idea. (See? I do know limits)

I looked online for weeks unable to locate the perfect dog for me and then one day, there he was. It was a picture of a brown lab looking up at the camera and into the sun. He was beautiful and I knew he had to be mine.

That same day I called the Arizona Animal Welfare League and asked about the dog in the photo. Turns out he wasn't brown after all, must have been the reflection of the sun, he was indeed a black lab mixed with chow. He was 1 1/2 years old and he had been with the shelter for over a year. They had rescued him from the pound where he had been picked up walking the streets of downtown Phoenix. He had severe burns on the pads of his feet from the heat of the Arizona summer streets and there was no telling how long he'd been a stray. Did I want to come down and meet him? My answer was absolutely.

I took my 4 year old daughter, my best friend and her toddler son down to the shelter to meet Feliz. He could have cared less. Feliz showed absolutely no interest in us whatsoever. He just kept walking up and down the line of the fence watching what everyone else was doing. I wasn't offended. I came back that weekend with my husband who he also ignored unless he was giving him a cookie and we decided to take him.

As I was walking up to the office with Feliz to sign the papers and get all the goodies that come with adopting a dog that has been in the shelter for more than a year (obedience training, leashes, collars, good stuff) I noticed that the staff kept asking me "Are you adopting Feliz?" and looking at me like someone just died. When I got into the office I had to ask, "What is wrong with this dog?" The response was "Nothing. Why?" and I told her how everyone was looking at us like the walking dead. She shook her head and said, "Feliz doesn't really have a use for people." I then shook my head and told her, "He's been locked up in a kennel for over a year, I wouldn't have a use for people either." She smiled at me like I was kinda dumb and we filled out the paperwork.

Feliz drove home with us sitting in the back of our Nissan truck (with a camper shell) firmly seated in my husband's lap. We got him home and he ran through the front door, into the back yard and was the most loving and attentive dog a person could have asked for. It seems all he needed was someone to love him. Who doesn't?

When I took him back to the shelter for his obedience classes, the trainer Sam said if she didn't know for a fact he was the same dog, she would never have guessed it. Does a heart good to know that

you've made a difference in someones life.

Feliz lived with us in harmony (less the chewed shoes) for over 12 years. He was a loyal and loving animal and we all miss him very much. I still look down expecting to have to step over him when I get out of bed in the mornings, but he isn't there. I miss him every time I look down the hallway and he isn't laying on his bed. I miss him when I get out of my car and he isn't whining at me from behind the fence. I miss him every time we eat dinner and he isn't in my face begging for food.

A couple of days after Feliz passed away my vet sent me a card. It had a beautiful poem on it and I only hope it's true. I thought I'd share it with all of you.

The Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Life Style Change

I'm getting old, er, um, I mean older. Older. That's what I meant to say. I have noticed that I'm getting some lines around my eyes and a deep one in between them. This sucks.

I've also come to the conclusion that this weight that I keep carrying around isn't going anywhere unless I kick it out. This sucks.

I've decided to make a "life style change". I can't call it a diet, I cheat on diets, so it's a "life-style change". I need to health myself up. I was thinking about it and if I lose weight it'll drop my blood pressure and help with my stress level. Doing one thing will accomplish multiple items. WHO KNEW?????

So I ordered my Zumba Exhilarate (from zumbafitness.com) because it's the only form of exercise that I like. It doesn't feel like exercise, really, except that you get hot (YUK!!!) and sweaty (DOUBLE YUK!). I expect it to be at my house on Tuesday. I went to the grocery store and didn't buy any ice cream products what so ever. I skipped the sugary cereal and bought Special K and bananas to put on top. Last night I made enough salad to take some for lunch every day this week. I'm trying.

Wish me luck. My lack of will power has made the Guinness Book of World Records.

Have you made a life style change? How'd it go?

The Kind of Author I Want To Be

I'm on a Nora Robert's trilogy kick. I've just finished listening to The Key Trilogy and I'm working my way through my favorites. In case you're wondering, and I know you are, my favorites are as follows in no particular order: The Key Trilogy, The In Garden Trilogy, The Sign of Seven Trilogy, Three Sisters Island Trilogy and The Gallagher's of Ardmore Trilogy. I think that's most of the trilogies she's written. Hmmmm.

That's the kind of author I want to be, where my reader's love my books and read them over and over again. When I was reading Key of Light I couldn't wait to get back to it and when I finished it I missed the characters in between books. I actually put off reading new books so that I could read this series. Is that normal?

There are other authors that I feel this way about. J.R. Ward is one of them, I've re-read the entire BDB series with the exception of Phury's book. I've re-read Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. I plan on re-reading Stephanie Bond's Carlotta Wren series (LOVE THEM ALL) and I have read my Jennifer Crusie books so many times that I've had to replace them. Lisa Kleypas, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Toni McGee Causey, I could just go on and on, but I won't.

What is it that these writers have that makes their stories so incredible and real that I want to read them over and over again? This is the kind of author I want to be. Any ideas on how to get there? (No smart comments about finishing a book either. Just sayin'.)

Stories Keep Coming . . .

Why is it that the stories keep coming to me even though the writing process hasn't been part of my life for many many months now?

I was at work the other day, cuz I have to do that instead of write, and the song Candle In The Wind came on my player, you know, the one by Elton John, anyway, for those of you who don't know, I am a huge Marilyn Monroe fan. I'm not sure fan is the right word. She intrigues me. Everything about her life and death. I find her fascinating. So, while this song is playing I'm thinking about all the things that I have learned about her from the many many different books that I have read. How the public perceived her, how other actors perceived her and then how she perceived herself.

Wouldn't ya know it, a story came to mind. It's a story about an actress who has finally popped into the Hollywood scene. She's blonde, has a beauty mark, curves that would wreck a Ferrari and a type-casting problem. She's played the stupid high school girl, a porn star and the bimbo more times that she can recall. Her agent assures her better roles are right around the corner. She's thinking about switching agents.

Her adoring fans are numerous but there's one in particular who stands out. He's stalking her. The serious worry began when the creepy deliveries to her home started. Her agent has hired her a bodyguard until this gets worked out.

The bodyguard is a hard body retired SEAL. (I think) He's sure the actress is an idiot and can't believe he's been stuck babysitting her. Sure she's nice to look at but he prefers women who can think without smoke coming out of their ears.

The actress thinks her bodyguard is a thug who couldn't think his way out of a paper bag. She's pretty sure her agent was scraping the bottom of the barrel for this loser.

These two are stuck with each other 24/7 until this whole mess gets resolved. What could possibly go wrong?

That's it. Thanks for letting me share. One day this might be a complete story. Think it will be before I retire?