My Mother Wants to Visit My Blog

And No, this is not my mother! Photo taken by me in London at Thames River Festival 2007.

My seventy-five year old mother wants to visit my blog, but she's afraid. She claims that I am a wild woman (people, I'm not wild, I just like pretty men and I write paranormal, near-future, urban fantasies that can border on the erotic and features pretty men). I don't think she's opposed to the pretty men part - I certainly doubt it since she's on marriage number four and snagged her latest cutie eight years ago and swears she left the best for last:) But her real fear - or two fears - is that in some way shape or form I'm blaspheming (okay, maybe I am, can't really tell, don't totally know what it means) or I'm writing about her. Why or why would she think I'm writing about her? Could it be fear? Guilt? Lack of trust? Or simply that she realizes she'd make a damn good scary character? lol! No, I know why. But I'm not going to go into here - I'll leave it as a big reveal for one of my character's in my next book...

Also, if she does drop by: I had to post this in order to move my last post, featuring Shemar, down a spot - his bare torso scares some people, you know?

It Must Be Wednesday and That Means...

Yes, it's Wednesday and that means it's time for another pointless post about my favorite Shapeshifter - Shemar Moore.

This week he's about to venture into a new dimension, or maybe just a parallel plane where he is not the only one of his breed. There, he meets a woman from Earth who must navigate the perils of this new time zone, while controlling her desire for this freak of nature...

Okay, I found this photo and just said 'WHY?' I mean come on, yeah, you know you got it, but seriously, let's not take flaunting it to such a obvious level (except you know I love it!).

Anyway, seriously. Yes. I did write seriously. Shemar is still in the lead as the main contender for my bad boy anti-hero who will be the bone of contention in my next urban fantasy.

The heroine has yet to be fleshed out, but I've got time before National Novel Writing Month kicks off November 1. Yes, I'm doing it again. Hopefully, I won't fail again (this is year three), but with my polishing of the current manuscript about to swing into even higher gear - I'm anxious to start a new story (desperate in fact). I've been working on this current book almost daily since the end of June. But keep in mind that means I've been polishing and fixing and fixing and polishing since then. I'm up to 53,000 total words, knowing it will be 80,000 at least. So maybe the game plan should be ti finish it in November? Okay, that could be the goal...

Okay it's almost time for So You Think You Can Dance - which thankfully airs an hour before Criminal Minds - where you can find said ShapeShifter (photo shown above) at 9:00 p.m. Eastern...:)...

Are You Watching Flashforward or Three Rivers?

Cast photo from Flashforward on ABC Thursday nights at 8 p.m. Eastern.

Are you watching Flashforward on ABC? If not, do it, and do it now. It’s based on a novel, loosely based, according to Wikipidia, on Flashforward written by Robert J. Sawyer, a Canadian science fiction writer, in 1999. I won’t recap the synopsis of the book, but instead of following the scientists, the TV show follows the common man, or as common as TV likes to make man. A cop, a doctor, lawyer, FBI agents, ambulance drivers, children, etc. So far, in its first two fabulous episodes, we are mesmerized, at least I am, by two FBI agents played by Joseph Fiennes and John Cho. We're also intrigued by the premise, which uses a disaster to pull in the audience to the characters' plight. And although there is some grumbling about it's similarity to  ABC's Lost, it appeals to me much more than Lost ever did (I couldn't get through the first season). I don't think Lost ever knew the identity of its bad guy, and this show knows exactly who the villain is...and that makes a difference in how you write characters and create conflict, I think. (Anyway, this blog post is not about the reasons I couldn't watch Lost.)

In a nutshell, Flashforward is about the world’s population going unconscious at the same time for two minutes, but they dream, or see, their futures – six months in the future to be exact, in fact I think it's April 29 (isn't that sweeps?). The glitch for some is that they see nothing, while others see life-altering scenes, or then there’s the guy who was in the toilet, which just cracks me up. 

            

Anyway, I'm going to keep watching because it started out so good, so expect me to write about it again (whether it continues to thrill or disappoint). And speaking of disappointment? My biggest disappointment – Three Rivers with Alex O’Loughlin. 

I’ve had a thing for Alex O’Loughlin since Moonlight. I was/am one of his rabid fangirls as some like to call us, and absolutely adored Moonlight (even if it was mediocre vampire fare). But as rabid as I am, I won’t be watching Three Rivers much longer, not unless it gets a complete overhaul. No decent characters to care about – they look pretty in their tight bright blue stretchy, pull-over doctor uniform tops (yes, seriously).

But I could have endured all sorts of nonsense if Alex was acting his ass off, which he isn't. He looks bored, his acting is boring, and the script is without passion. The reason people watch medical shows has nothing to do with procedures (yes, CBS, you can’t make a procedural doctor show, why?)…it’s because everyone gets sick and what the viewer cares about is the conflict of the doctors – between the doctors, their families, their lives, their goals, their loves and hates, and folks, it’s clear, CBS has no clue how to put together a character driven show! So I hope this one dies fast, so Alex can find another show. Oh! I just read that Alex could have been on NCIS-LA? That show is damn decent, but I’m not sure he would get along with L.L. Cool J, you know what I mean? lol.

            

Finally, I had an absolutely amazing weekend, which I needed desperately, for reasons too self-indulgent to list here. However, having a blog already crosses a few self-indulgent lines, wouldn’t you say? Nonetheless, I did have a superior time in Philadelphia, and am settling in – mentally and physically – for a few changes in the way I approach doing the things I do – but that’s not the point here. I want to write about how lucky I’ve been. By making a commitment to writing, I’ve been able to meet in person and on-line some of the most generous writers on the planet. I believe it’s the nature of our demon – having to write – that makes interpersonal connections so important.  

On the other hand, when I mentioned my weekend to a friend, he made the point that the successful writers – book or TV - I've met, in particular, don’t need to be critical, snippy or unkind in general.  Success is their friend and their enemy, and just as I appreciate a weekend away from the day-to-day, they appreciate an opportunity to meet people who are as in love with what they do as they are. Okay, I get that. Common ground helps fuel relationships. But I’d like to think the women and men I’ve met who write are so much in love with what they do that they can’t help but give off the most positive energy and good vibes possible. And I like that!

My Immortal: Shapeshifter Part II

Yes, I'm providing you with a glimpse into the world of my next hero (after I finish the current WIP). The inspiration for the hero of this marvelous new paranormal romantic suspense is the one and only Shemar Moore. If you don't understand or know what I'm talking about - you'd better ask somebody! Okay?

This man's beauty is mesmerizing. I mean, seriously? How does this happen? Yes, I know the deal in terms of procreation, but this man's looks are just - well, I'm convinced, he's a shapeshifter.

I've posted a little on this theory in an earlier post, but it keeps coming back to haunt me. I also recently visited another author's website and she had an entire page devoted to the men, all actors, who inspire her male heroes. I loved it. So I decided to start one of my own, but currently I'm stuck on Shemar - the Shapeshifter.

In other news! I'm excited beyond belief. This weekend I'm attending Phauxcon and the special guest for the weekend is the marvelous, best-selling author, L.A. Banks.

This is the cover art for L.A. Banks' latest addition to her The Vampire Huntress series.

I haven't read all of the books, I'm actually starting with the first one - but did read a lot of The Hunted - book three - but since I write in this genre I haven't read that many vampire stories - do you think that's odd?

Okay, I'm off to dinner, but first to the bookstore so I can get her to sign copies of her books!!!!!