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Thursday, March 29, 2007:
One of my favorite things....
....is the movie "French Kiss" (1995) starring Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline.... Plot Synopsis: Kate (Meg Ryan) and Charlie (Timothy Hutton) have a perfect life planned out before them: buying a house, marriage, kids, the whole works. Kate's fear of flying keeps her in Canada while Charlie goes to Paris for a medical convention. While there Charlie is smitten by the lovely Juliette (Susan Anbeh). He calls off the wedding with Kate and she nervously boards a plane to get him back. She ends up sitting next to the petty French thief Luc Teyssier (Kevin Kline). He hides a stolen necklace and smuggled grape vine in her bag to get it through customs. Her bag is stolen, the necklace is lost and Kate and Luc head to Cannes to find the necklace and get Charlie back. Along the way, Kate and Luc begin having feelings for each other which changes the course of their lives.  Sounds a bit like a romance novel, huh? I LOVE this movie. It's not a classic, won't ever win any awards, it's a bit clunky and uneven in places, but it hits me right in the marshmellow fluff heart whenever I watch it. It's the one guilty pleasure that I never get tired of. No matter how many times I've seen it, I still get all melty - I mean, that kiss on the train alone is worth the entire movie. Plus, I like Meg Ryan, and Kevin Kline is a sexy bad boy Frenchman in this movie, so it works for me on a lot of levels. And seeing Jean Reno in a light-hearted role after his stint in "The Professional" is a lot of fun. How much do I love this movie? Whenever I'm flipping channels and I come across it, that's it - I'm incommunicado for a couple hours. Okay, more like 1 1/2 hrs. I have the VHS and the DVD, so if I ever need a fix beyond cable, it's covered, baby. And I don't even bother fast-fowarding - I like to watch the whole damn thing, beginning to end. It totally works for me. Do you have a guilty pleasure? And that would be??? Labels: "French Kiss", guilty pleasures
posted by Stacy~ at 3/29/2007 07:34:00 PM
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Tuesday, March 27, 2007:
An extra-terrestrial is accidentally left behind on Earth and is befriended by a young boy and his brother and sister. As Elliot attempts to help his extra-terrestrial companion contact his home planet so that he might be rescued, the children must elude scientists and government agents determined to apprehend the alien for their own purposes...which results in an adventure greater than any of them could have imagined.
It's true. I've never seen it. I used to say that with embarrassment, but now, almost 25 years later, is it even something that I should see? I thought Drew Barrymore looked adorable as the little sister, and of course, E.T. himself is rather cute, in a rather bit of an ugly way. But now, with special effects and technology and all that, I'm wondering if it'll just seem cheesy and outdated, and I'll end up not liking it. What popular classic have you never seen? Do you ever plan to watch it?
Labels: E. T., movies, never saw
posted by Stacy~ at 3/27/2007 07:36:00 PM
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Monday, March 26, 2007:
Something fun, to waste time...
All your answers need to start with the first letter of your name, and you can't use the same word twice!....Go! Your Name: Stacy 1. Famous singer/band: George Strait2. 4 letter word: same3. Street name: Sycamore Street4. Color: scarlett
5. Gifts/presents: scarf
6. Vehicle: Sonata
7. Things in a Souvenir Shop: snowglobe
8. Boy Name: Steve
9. Girl Name: Sarah
10. Movie Title: "Serendipity"11. Drink: scotch
12. Occupation: sketch artist
13. Flower: Sunflower
14. Celebrity: Jessica Simpson
15. Magazine: SELF 16. U.S. City: Sacramento17 Pro Sports Team: New Orleans Saints
18. Fruit: strawberry
19. Reason for Being Late for Work: sleeping!
20. Something You Throw Away: straw
21. Things You Shout: Shut up!
22. Cartoon Character: Spiderman
23. Tree: spruce
24. Restaurant: Steak 'n Shake25. Foreign Country: Switzerland26. Emotion: sadness27. TV show: "Survivor"
28. Animal: seal
29: Dog Breed: Samoyed
30: Author: Jill ShalvisYour turn.... Labels: for fun
posted by Stacy~ at 3/26/2007 08:13:00 PM
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Thursday, March 22, 2007:
There are days when I think: why do I blog? And then I start reiminiscing about some of my posts and it's like "Oh, yeah. Nothing better than "hearing" myself ramble in print". Doesn't matter much if it's interesting or not, it's just something I can do because it's all about me. But another reason is that none of my "real" friends - you know, the ones I hang out with at work or at their house or at the bar - read romances, and this is a nice little place to chat about my favorite type of books, even if I'm just talking to myself. I need that outlet, because I am obsessed with romance novels. Seriously addicted. But happily so. I have been to the bookstore twice in the last two days, and each time I left with a book. I seem to be in my contemporary phase, having purchased ones by Jill Shalvis and Sasha White. Now the point is, they're romances. These are the books that I love more than any other, and I have shelves packed beyond capacity to prove it. I'm looking at my Linda Howards, my Suzanne Brockmanns, my Janet Evanovichs, and I am remembering bits and pieces from many of them with great fondness. I LOVE them, sometimes so much I want to be sucked right into them. My heart has ached with the desire to be a part of these worlds, yet knowing outside of my imagination, it can never be realized. But the hope doesn't go away, and I continue to look for the next unforgettable love story, the one that will capture my attention and hold on tight. On Tuesday, I went to a B&N that was out of my jurisdiction - in fact it was quite far from home - just because I felt the need to be in a bookstore. Oh, how wonderful the smell of books is! I didn't look at one romance. Nope, instead, I wanted to see what I was "missing". I randomly meandered through the aisles, stopping here and there, or actually going down a full row and grabbing every book that caught my eye. I must have been there an hour, and it was one of those experiences that makes you happy just because you're doing what you love best, which in this case is looking at books. I had no plans to buy anything, and I didn't, yet I reveled in the texture of the pages, the smell of the ink on the page, the hint of Starbucks coffee in the air. The music department was playing a hypnotic mix of music, some jazzy, others catchy yet soulful ballads, and in that hour, there wasn't anywhere else I wanted to be. I also learned that as much as I think I should be reading intellectual and thought-provoking fiction, it is just not my cuppa tea. Where am I eventually going with all of this? Nowhere specific, other than to say that loving to read is a beautiful thing, and it doesn't matter what captures your attention, what calls your name, as long as you're emerged in a good story, it can truly be a little piece of heaven on earth. For me, it's the romance novels, and has been for over 20 years. I know that it is a love affair that will never die, because it is too much a part of me, and I will gladly nurture it for the rest of my life. How do you feel about books? Labels: reading books
posted by Stacy~ at 3/22/2007 08:52:00 PM
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Sunday, March 18, 2007:
Wnner of "The Perfect Stranger"
The lucky winner of Alison Kent's book, 'The Perfect Stranger", is.... JODI! Labels: contests, winner
posted by Stacy~ at 3/18/2007 07:50:00 AM
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Wednesday, March 14, 2007:
Alison Kent has "The Perfect Stranger" for YOU
As many of you already know, author Alison Kent is doing a cool blog contest, and I was lucky enough to be included in the fun. She was even gracious enough to grant me a mini-interview :) In order to be entered into the contest, all you need to do is leave a comment between now and noon CST on Saturday, March 17th - St. Paddy's Day - and a random drawing will be held for a copy of Alison's latest book, "The Perfect Stranger", which is due out March 27th. Good luck! ************ SA: You write romance but do you consider yourself a romantic, or someone more practical? Do you believe in Love At First Sight? Alison: I think I'm more practical, though I want to be a romantic, and I hope they're not mutually exclusive! I don't live with my head in the clouds where life is beautiful all the time, but I like to pretend that I do. I once had a friend tell me I analyze things too much, and I'm definitely a list maker, so I do have a ridiculously wide practical streak. But I don't let that counter the idealistic part of me. And I'm not sure if it's love, but I definitely believe in chemistry at first sight, that connection that has no explanation. SA: Do you have a favorite hero of yours or one that stands out above the rest? Alison: It's got to be Patrick Coffey from INDISCREET, my January 2004 Blaze. He came out of nowhere when I was writing BOUND TO HAPPEN, and that hero, Ray Coffey, Patrick's brother mentioned him. He never went away, and I finally had to give him his story. Kidnapped by Caribbean pirates and held hostage, only to return and fall for an older woman and have the original threat follow him? I loved that story. Loved it. And am still amazed I wrote it! SA: What is your favorite type of heroine? Alison: For me to love a heroine, whether I'm writing her or reading about her, she has to have what my husband calls "snap." She's in the moment, aware of what's going on around her and in the world, doesn't live only in her head, has a real life with friends and interests that make her a whole person. And then when the hero enters her life, that whole grows even larger and complete in a way she'd never imagined possible.
~Thank you Alison ~
************* “I’ve already recommended you to my customers, but I’ve just thought of some others who I’ve turned on to Cherry Adair, Suzanne Brockman, AmyFetzer, Cindy Gerard…the women writers who construct great adventurenovels with fierce romances attached…that I’ll have to turn them on toyou, too.” — Lee Ann Daugherty, Romance “Mistress”, Waldenbooks #1393, Elizabethtown, KY *************
Some like it hot. The men and women of Alison Kent’s sizzling SG-5 series like it hotter. In this all-new novel of steamy suspense, the jungle is the only place wild enough for a hotshot helicopter pilot and a renegade rich girl with one hell of an agenda…
Bachelor parties are fun, as long as you’re not the poor sap getting hitched…or slipped a Mickey and waking to discover you just became the poor sap. Not to mention that your "wife" is pregnant, and if you don’t go along to her village to meet the in-laws, the nice police comandante will be muy unhappy. Just another day in the life of helicopter pilot J. Jackson Briggs? Not so much. His Smithson Group gig wasn’t supposed to be dangerous, but the the woman who drugs him, then knocks him out, then drugs him again certainly is. She also may or may not be a nun. She’s definitely a lying, scheming, lethally gorgeous…American. Jack’s light years from believing the story Jillian Endicott gives him about her noble cause in the sweltering wilds of San Torisco, but he knows one thing: he’ll get the truth—and plenty more—from her, one way or another…
Being an Endicott of the Boston Endicotts taught Jillian plenty about the haves vs. the have-nots—and made it easy to choose sides. But there’s nothing easy about her mission in San Torisco, and things only get harder when Jack Briggs is thrown into the mix. Six-foot-three of big Texas mouth and big…other things…Jack’s pegged her as a bored little rich girl. Hey, he can think what he wants, as long as he does what she wants. Do unto others what needs to be done—that’s Jillian’s motto. Problem is, Jack knows how to push her buttons from minute one—and the closer he gets to pushing her over the edge, the more she wants him to…
Now under dark velvet cover of jungle nights, two rebels with a cause are going deep—and falling hard—for the perfect stranger…
********* Excerpt from "The Perfect Stranger": A price on her head.
The woman had a price on her head.
Someone wanted Jillian Paige Endicott to die.
His lungs aching to burst, Jack jetted off the sandy rock bottom of a river so clear he could see the wrinkles on his wrinkles. He surfaced, spewing and sputtering and shaking like a dog, shivering as he slicked his hair from his face.
The water had loosened most of the scab on his nose, leaving a patch of raw skin. Should he survive this nightmare, he would never forget the hell of it thanks to the souvenir he’d be sporting for the rest of his life.
Good thing chicks dug scars.
His reflection on the water's surface mocked him with the same ugly mug he'd been living with for thirty-nine years—the one he avoided looking at in the mirror when he took a pee in the mornings, shaving blind when he bothered to do more than buzz an electric razor over his face.
Leaning back, he kicked his feet and floated naked atop the lazily drifting water, running his thumb over the gold ring that still weighed down the third finger of his left hand, a reminder that he was here against his will, and that if he tried to leave there was a hella good chance he would never see a dollar of his pension.
He knew all about facing death, seeing death, causing death, and he wondered how Jillian felt knowing the government of the country she had dedicated her life to serving had marked her to die.
Doesn't it sound great?
Labels: Alison Kent, contests, Perfect Stranger
posted by Stacy~ at 3/14/2007 09:22:00 PM
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Monday, March 12, 2007:
Racism in Romance: authors have their say
Reader Karen Scott is going to be posting responses from a survey she put out to African American authors about racism in romance. The posts will go up over the next several weeks at her blog. You can check it out here. Labels: erotic romance, racism, survey
posted by Stacy~ at 3/12/2007 06:06:00 AM
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Sunday, March 11, 2007:
"Blood Secrets" by Vivi Anna (March 2007)
ISBN-10: 0373617585
ISBN-13: 978-0373617586 Caine Valorian and his Otherworld Crime Unit crack all the unusual cases before any humans take notice. When a young woman is found ritualistically murdered it's his team of professionals with paranormal gifts who must stop the nameless evil stalking the streets. But the toughest case of Caine's 200-year career gets even harder when a new member, Eve Grant, is assigned to their unit. Not only is she green and eager to impress, she's human.
As they sink deeper into the workings of the case, Caine's attraction to the alluring Eve is causing his blood to boil. And with war brewing between species, the all-consuming passion between a human and a vampire won't be the only thing to spill on the city's mean streets.—
Vivi Anna has taken the paranormal to a different yet intriguing level in this sexy new Nocturne series. I was not looking to get into yet another book about vampires, but when I read that the idea was inspired by one of my favorite t.v. shows - CSI - I couldn't resist checking it out, and boy am I glad I did. If you've ever watched the show, then you know it's about a team of forensic investigators who use evidence and science to solve crimes and murder cases. It's a fascinating process, and each individual has their own special talents that come in handy while working on a case. Vivi Anna has taken the concept of CSI, mixed it with some paranormal elements to make it uniquely her own world, and the result is a city known as Necropolis, a place that houses secrets and mixed races, with little to no interaction with humans. Now that's about to change. When a woman is killed in Necropolis, drained of all her blood, Caine Valorian knows things could get really ugly. And it does, especially when the politians get involved, and Caine and his team are forced to work with a liaison from another lab in order to solve the case. Yet not just any liaison, but a human one. Eve Grant has volunteered for the job, not having a clue what she's up against, and now can't decide what's more dangerous: dealing with vampires, lycans and witches, or her overwhelming attraction to Caine. But she must put all that aside to help solve a murder before there any any more victims. Working together brings Caine and Eve closer, and their feelings inevitably become stronger. Caine can see she's beautiful, and knows her scent intoxicates him, but her intelligence and dedication to the case earn his respect and admiration. Eve knows she was attracted to Caine from that first moment, but behind his reserve is a man of strong passion and honor, one who's been hurt in the past and doesn't wish to go back to that place. Will they be able to settle their differences to be together, or is the gap just too big to overcome? Boy, where do I start? I love the whole concept of the book, the different species and their special strengths and weaknesses. I like that Caine isn't a brooding, depressed vampire who tries to control Eve, but instead is more reserved, though passionate about his work, and who respects Eve just as much as he's attracted to her. I like that Eve had to prove herself to the team, and did so with her brains and her bravery. Once she realized just how vulnerable a human is in Necropolis, she didn't disregard the danger and go off on her own to investigate, which made me like her even more. I can't wait to learn more about the other members of the team: Jace, a Lycan with a hot temper and territorial issues, Lyra, a witch who talks to her dead grandmother, Kellen, a bad boy who works with explosives and ballistics, and who claims to throw a hell of a party, not to mention Gwen, Mahina, and Givon. The cast of characters is diverse, and I want to know more about each and every of them. Plus, Vivi has left a few questions about Eve and Caine unanswered (at least I think she has), so I'm hoping we'll see more of them and how their relationship progresses. She's definitely left me wanting more! You can get "Blood Secrets" here, and check out Vivi's site for the latest releases. Labels: Blood Secrets, reviews, Vivi Anna
posted by Stacy~ at 3/11/2007 05:47:00 PM
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Friday, March 09, 2007:
A little Friday inspiration...
Fighting off a dang cold but seriously think I'm losing the battle since it's almost 2 am and I have to get up for work in way too few hours. Boy will my co-workers be loving me today...or not. Finished "Lover Revealed" today but don't think I'm gonna post a review - I know there are already plenty of them out there anyway. It was good, though not as memorable as Z's story. So many unanswered questions, and I really wish we could have seen a bit more of the previous couples together, especially Z & Bella. There are brief moments, but not enough to satisfy me. Sigh. I can be such a demanding reader *g* Any big plans for the weekend? I just want to go see a movie and hang with my girlfriends, maybe have some martinis and eat stuff that's really bad for me. The weather is finally(!) cooperating, so hopefully all the snow will be melted and spring can make a much needed appearance. I miss the smell of lilacs and the budding trees. It's my favorite time of year. Well kiddies, I'm gonna try and get some sleep. Hope you all have a great Friday and an even better weekend :) Labels: hottie, ramblings
posted by Stacy~ at 3/09/2007 01:37:00 AM
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Tuesday, March 06, 2007:
***Passing this info along*** Hi,
I just took action to stop one of the worst wolf massacres in decades -- and I hope you will, too.
It's easy to help. Just go to the website below to take action:
http://action.defenders.org/northernrockieswolvesThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed to strip wolves of crucial Endangered Species Act protections in the Northern Rockies. Such a plan would allow Wyoming and Idaho to move forward with plans to eliminate as many wolves as possible within their borders.
Please help me save these magnificent animals. Tell the federal government to maintain federal protections for gray wolves by sending a message at the website below:
These wolves are in trouble. But, together, I know we can save them. I hope you'll help...
Thanks!
Labels: Defenders of Wildlife, wolves
posted by Stacy~ at 3/06/2007 05:59:00 AM
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Monday, March 05, 2007:
Aspiring writers: it's the Brava novella contest!
The very cool Lori Foster started the contest as a way to open the door for those who had a passion for writing. Past winners include Sylvia Day, Erin McCarthy and MaryJanice Davidson. I am a huge fan of Brava, having most of the Bad Boy anthologies. They've introduced me to some fabulously talented authors. High quality stuff. Now, the 5th Annual Brava Novella contest is looming on the horizon. So for all you aspiring writers out there, go forth and create! Deadline: midnight central time Aug. 1, 2007 through midnight central time Sept. 30, 2007 Maximum length: 750 words Theme: reunited lovers Reward: entry read by Kensington Editorial Director Kate Duffy Good Luck! Labels: Brava, writing
posted by Stacy~ at 3/05/2007 05:41:00 AM
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Sunday, March 04, 2007:
Nickelback rocks the house!
(Go here for a sample of Nickelback's latest album) I hadn't been to a concert in ages; in fact looking back, it had to have at least been over 5 years ago, but when my friend Becky asked if I wanted to go see Nickelback here in Chicago on March 2nd, I didn't hesitate to say "hell yes!" The main concern was making sure her sister got here from Wisconsin since she had the tickets. It's about a 4-hour drive, but the weather conditions left snowdrifts as high as the window of her car, so good thing she left home early, and didn't forget the tickets. Parking for a concert is always a nightmare because you always have to pay too much money and it takes forever to get out of the parking lot. But Becky had a friend that lived not too far away from the Allstate Arena, so we parked in their yard and walked to the concert. It wasn't that bad, though it was snowing and really windy, but thoughts of the concert kept us energized. We found our seats right away - damn, is it just me or are the seats getting smaller and smaller? I swear I barely fit in them, and while I've got a bootie, it's not the biggest on the planet. But the seats in front of us were empty, so we put our coats across them and got ready for a hell of a time. (Note: groupies are some of the scariest-looking people in the world. I saw lots of women who looked so injected with plastic and collagen they made Frankenstein look normal). First up was Breaking Benjamin. I've heard of a few of their songs, but didn't really know the words. That was okay cuz they still sounded great. That's one of the risks about new bands - a lot of times they sound horrible when they play live, but these guys put on a decent show. They played about 7 songs, then gave it up to the second act. I was much more family with Three Days Grace. Again, these guys sounded great, and amped up the energy level a bit more than BB. The lead singer definitely had charisma and I can see these guys going places. About halfway through their set, the people who had the seats in front of us showed up. There were about 8-10 of them, all couples in their late 20's, late 30's who looked as excited to be there as a Stepford community. I kept wanting to tell them that they made a wrong turn on the way to their church social. No offense to people who go to church, but this group looked like they were they were there under duress. But who cared about them when finally, FINALLY, with a loud explosion, shooting sparks and fire, Nickelback was rockin' the house! OMG, did they put on such a fabulous show! Starting out with the contagious rock song "Animals", they had the whole place (minus the church group) up on their feet and having a blast. I loved every minute of it - the heat, the energy of the crowd, the efforts the band made to provide the audience with beer *g*. My throat hurt from screaming my head off in approval. And I didn't have one drop of alcohol - just running on adrenaline and awesome music. I highly, highly recommend you go if you get the chance. These guys were awesome, and I really want to go see them again, like now. Are you a groupie? Do you have a favorite band? What's the best concert you've ever been to? Labels: concerts, Nickelback
posted by Stacy~ at 3/04/2007 07:35:00 PM
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Thursday, March 01, 2007:
Foster/Castell reader & author get-together
It's that time of year again....to register for the 3rd annual Reader/Author Get-Together in West Chester, OH! JUNE 1ST - JUNE 3RD ~A portion of the book fair proceeds will benefit the YWCA Battered Women's Shelter~ - Meet authors Lori Foster, Dianne Castell, and more! (Check the
updated list online) - Meet your online reader friends face to face.
- Gab sessions, prizes, gift baskets, casual photo ops (bring your camera!),
meet-the-author round-tables, pajama parties, used book trade, and more! - Book Fair: Get the newest releases signed by your favorite authors!
- For unpublished authors there will be opportunities to have your work critiqued
by pubs, your questions answered, networking, etc...
guests editors are: Cindy Hwang from Berkley Rose Hilliard from St. Martins guest agents are: Jennifer Schober from Spencerhill Associates Roberta Brown from Brown Literacy COOL NEWS: Check out Lori's site for a "special announcement" regarding a 2008 Berkeley release! Having gone for the last two years, I highly recommend this event. Seriously, you will have a fabulous time. It's a relaxed, casual environment that allows you to chat with some of your favorite authors, visit with on-line friends, and discover some really great books. The event also benefits a very important cause: YWCA Battered Women's Shelter. All around, it's a wonderful experience. So what are you waiting for? Sign up today! Labels: Dianne Castell, Lori Foster, reader/author get-together
posted by Stacy~ at 3/01/2007 07:19:00 PM
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