Still no Internet connection (I'm at the library right now)...they're supposed to be sending a technician out sometime today. But if you've sent me an email in the last 3 days, chances are I haven't gotten it. So I'm not ignoring you, I promise.
Interestingly, though, my house is clean, my school paperwork is up to date, and I got a full 8 hours of sleep last night...
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Monday, April 06, 2009
Today, a Time Out
Wow, you don't realize how dependent you become on Internet service until you don't have it, right? Ours has been intermittent since last week, and since I don't know when it might boot me off again, I'm taking today off from posting anything substantial. Hope I'll see you here tomorrow!
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Entwined
"When a relationship dies do we ever really give up the ghost, or are we forever haunted by the spirits of relationships past?" ~Sarah Jessica Parker
Don't know if I mentioned this or not, but I'm back at work on Entwined, the very messy romance/women's fiction/literary fiction piece I started back in November. I left it alone for a while, but since I'm almost 50K words in, I figured it deserved some more attention. My goal is 90K words when all is said and done. Of course, I have no idea if I can get there, but we'll see.
I do still love the story, and the interesting thing is this: I have done very little plotting on this one, which is unusual for me. Rather, I am simply writing and adding scenes as they seem to unfold...which has shown me some interesting stuff. Yesterday, for example, there was this whole scene with a ghost in it. I had thought about putting in some paranormal stuff (just, yo know, to REALLY make it hard to pigeonhole, genre-wise), but this scene just showed up out of nowhere.
And it was pretty cool.
Fave Line (from the ghost scene): "At the very edge of his attention, he hears Natasha calling his name, but she is far away, and the shadowy young woman is here and sad and in desperate need of comforting."
Don't know if I mentioned this or not, but I'm back at work on Entwined, the very messy romance/women's fiction/literary fiction piece I started back in November. I left it alone for a while, but since I'm almost 50K words in, I figured it deserved some more attention. My goal is 90K words when all is said and done. Of course, I have no idea if I can get there, but we'll see.
I do still love the story, and the interesting thing is this: I have done very little plotting on this one, which is unusual for me. Rather, I am simply writing and adding scenes as they seem to unfold...which has shown me some interesting stuff. Yesterday, for example, there was this whole scene with a ghost in it. I had thought about putting in some paranormal stuff (just, yo know, to REALLY make it hard to pigeonhole, genre-wise), but this scene just showed up out of nowhere.
And it was pretty cool.
Fave Line (from the ghost scene): "At the very edge of his attention, he hears Natasha calling his name, but she is far away, and the shadowy young woman is here and sad and in desperate need of comforting."
Saturday, April 04, 2009
We Can't Keep it on the Shelf...
"You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them." ~Desmond Tutu
So this is cool: my mom went into her local bookstore (our hometown) the other day to pick up My Mom is my Hero and mentioned that I was a contributing author AND that I had other books published under a pen name as well. The girl working at the desk asked for one of my titles and then went over, picked up One Night in Boston, and said, "You know, we can't keep this on the shelf."
((Grin))
Then my mom told her about the upcoming release of One Night in Memphis and that they should have a book signing there. I promptly told my mom she should become my publicist!
So this is cool: my mom went into her local bookstore (our hometown) the other day to pick up My Mom is my Hero and mentioned that I was a contributing author AND that I had other books published under a pen name as well. The girl working at the desk asked for one of my titles and then went over, picked up One Night in Boston, and said, "You know, we can't keep this on the shelf."
((Grin))
Then my mom told her about the upcoming release of One Night in Memphis and that they should have a book signing there. I promptly told my mom she should become my publicist!
Friday, April 03, 2009
The Joys of Home Ownership
"There ought to be a room in every house to swear in." ~Mark Twain
You probably think I'm going to rant about the never-ending projects that come with owning a home, right? True, it seems like there are a zillion. And just when you finish one, another pops up and waves a hand saying "Me, me! Time to tackle me next!"
But no, this blog post about home ownership speaks directly to the joys of installing a home alarm system. Oh yes, this is what we did this week.
When we bought our home 3 years ago, it had a system already installed. Not having ever lived in a house with an alarm, and not really having a lot to protect (sorry, kitties), we never got it hooked up. Fast forward three years, and we've since accumulated a few more things and also discovered that the economy has driven up the crime rate, around here anyway. In fact, our neighbors were robbed a few months back. Our house sits up off the road, so we figured it was time to bite the bullet and have the system turned on.
Minor snag: it took 2 days, rather than the promised 1, to fully install and hook up everything. After that, though, things seemed relatively simple: read the book on how to understand the keypad, program in a code, press a few buttons and secure the house for the night.
Major snag: at 2 am that first night, the alarm went off. Nothing like a horrifically loud siren to jar you out of a complete sleep! We both ran around the bedroom like lunatics until we realized we could punch in the code to turn it off. (Meanwhile, the poor cats were almost traumatized)We searched the house and discovered that one of the sensors had gone out. I suppose it was a relief to know that the company called within 30 seconds to make sure we were OK...embarrassed, but OK.
The following morning, we set the alarm (bypassing the one zone that had gone out) and left the house for work. I said to hubby, "You know, let's just wait for the 30-second delay and make sure it doesn't go off again." Sure enough, 31 seconds after we walked out the door, the alarm went off. (I'm sure our neighbors love us by now).
Since then, we've had a repair guy come out and check and test everything...and so far, no further problems. But I figure it's only a matter of time. Sigh. Yeah, gotta love home ownership!
You probably think I'm going to rant about the never-ending projects that come with owning a home, right? True, it seems like there are a zillion. And just when you finish one, another pops up and waves a hand saying "Me, me! Time to tackle me next!"
But no, this blog post about home ownership speaks directly to the joys of installing a home alarm system. Oh yes, this is what we did this week.
When we bought our home 3 years ago, it had a system already installed. Not having ever lived in a house with an alarm, and not really having a lot to protect (sorry, kitties), we never got it hooked up. Fast forward three years, and we've since accumulated a few more things and also discovered that the economy has driven up the crime rate, around here anyway. In fact, our neighbors were robbed a few months back. Our house sits up off the road, so we figured it was time to bite the bullet and have the system turned on.
Minor snag: it took 2 days, rather than the promised 1, to fully install and hook up everything. After that, though, things seemed relatively simple: read the book on how to understand the keypad, program in a code, press a few buttons and secure the house for the night.
Major snag: at 2 am that first night, the alarm went off. Nothing like a horrifically loud siren to jar you out of a complete sleep! We both ran around the bedroom like lunatics until we realized we could punch in the code to turn it off. (Meanwhile, the poor cats were almost traumatized)We searched the house and discovered that one of the sensors had gone out. I suppose it was a relief to know that the company called within 30 seconds to make sure we were OK...embarrassed, but OK.
The following morning, we set the alarm (bypassing the one zone that had gone out) and left the house for work. I said to hubby, "You know, let's just wait for the 30-second delay and make sure it doesn't go off again." Sure enough, 31 seconds after we walked out the door, the alarm went off. (I'm sure our neighbors love us by now).
Since then, we've had a repair guy come out and check and test everything...and so far, no further problems. But I figure it's only a matter of time. Sigh. Yeah, gotta love home ownership!
Thursday, April 02, 2009
One Night in Napa Has Release Date!
"You write to communicate to the hearts and minds of others what's burning inside you. And we edit to let the fire show through the smoke." ~Arthur Polotnik
I just got the good news from my Samhain editor that One Night in Napa has an e-release date of July 21, 2009! Even better, here's the official blurb, to whet your appetite:
Can anything change in twenty-four hours? Can everything?
Journalist Grant Walker has one chance to salvage his job and his relationship with his domineering father. Terrorists have kidnapped a fading film star’s son, and Grant has scored the first interview with the grieving mother. Even better, a new twist has just arrived on the scene—an illegitimate granddaughter who hasn’t been heard from in seven long years.
It’s the story of a lifetime, and all Grant has to do is deliver.
After discovering a terrible secret about her birth, Kira March left home vowing never to return. With her father kidnapped and her grandmother cracking under media pressure, it’s up to her to find and destroy all evidence of that secret. Trouble is, a reporter has weaseled his way into the house looking for answers—and he isn’t leaving until he gets them.
Yet as the hours pass, Kira finds herself falling for the very man who could destroy her. And when Grant comforts her in the wake of a midnight tragedy, he remembers why it’s a bad idea to get emotionally involved with an interview subject. Especially when the family name is on the line.
Ooh, I love this story. Now I can't wait to see the cover!
I just got the good news from my Samhain editor that One Night in Napa has an e-release date of July 21, 2009! Even better, here's the official blurb, to whet your appetite:
Can anything change in twenty-four hours? Can everything?
Journalist Grant Walker has one chance to salvage his job and his relationship with his domineering father. Terrorists have kidnapped a fading film star’s son, and Grant has scored the first interview with the grieving mother. Even better, a new twist has just arrived on the scene—an illegitimate granddaughter who hasn’t been heard from in seven long years.
It’s the story of a lifetime, and all Grant has to do is deliver.
After discovering a terrible secret about her birth, Kira March left home vowing never to return. With her father kidnapped and her grandmother cracking under media pressure, it’s up to her to find and destroy all evidence of that secret. Trouble is, a reporter has weaseled his way into the house looking for answers—and he isn’t leaving until he gets them.
Yet as the hours pass, Kira finds herself falling for the very man who could destroy her. And when Grant comforts her in the wake of a midnight tragedy, he remembers why it’s a bad idea to get emotionally involved with an interview subject. Especially when the family name is on the line.
Ooh, I love this story. Now I can't wait to see the cover!
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Congrats to the Prize Winner!
"April 1. This is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other three hundred and sixty-four." ~Mark Twain
A big congratulations to Mary Ricksen, the winner of the Small Press Month Giveaway!!!
Thanks to everyone who left comments all month long. Stay tuned for the next giveaway (hint: it might just involve one of my two books coming out at the end of April...)
And Mary, email me at allieb@allieboniface so I can get your prize(s) off to you!
A big congratulations to Mary Ricksen, the winner of the Small Press Month Giveaway!!!
Thanks to everyone who left comments all month long. Stay tuned for the next giveaway (hint: it might just involve one of my two books coming out at the end of April...)
And Mary, email me at allieb@allieboniface so I can get your prize(s) off to you!
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