Lovely photography by Jen Fariello

Jen Fariello is one amazing photographer! She is also sooooo sweet and easygoing. I'm so happy to have met her at the Workshop earlier in the month!

It's me! (plus beautiful models Gina and Julie in center photo)
Thank you, Jen!
Photo credits: Jen Fariello
For Elizabeth Messina's A Lovely Workshop
Dress: Sarah Seven and Claire Pettibone
Hair: Erin Skipley
Makeup: Lauren Napier

Memorial Day Charcoal: Links To Get You Cookin'

The Georgia Bulldogs Softball team will take on the Washington Huskies tonight as the Women's College World Series opens up in Oklahoma City. The game will air at 9:30 PM (EST) on ESPN2. Good luck to the team as it tries to continue it's hot streak against the nation's No. 1 team.


The Sporting News released it's preseason Top 100 on last week and the Georgia Bulldogs football team came in at No. 27. 


The NCAA is closer to announcing the findings of their investigation against the Southern California football and basketball teams. I'll believe it when I see it and I cannot believe that it has taken this long in the first place—ridiculous.

This writer feels that the SEC needs to beef up it's non-conference schedule. I agree but the SEC isn't the only conference with a cupcake addiction so, perhaps, he needs to give this advice to the Pac-10, Big 12, and Big Ten as well—just a suggestion.  


The president of Boise State University takes issue with the athletics over academics model that seems to be creeping into the college football philosophy. He feels that there is too much emphasis on the player and not the student and that is a problem. I see his point but, at the same time, when a player signs on with a big-time program as a highly-touted recruit, he is well aware of the perils of such a decision. Scrutiny will be a part of that equation and, it's possible, that his Boise, ID residency doesn't give him the proper perspective. He may dislike the emphasis on the "student" part of "student-athlete" but schools don't sign players just for their book smarts—they are trying to win football games. 


Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't take a moment to honor the great veterans and current soldiers who fight and risk their lives to keep us all free. Thank you to all the servicemen and women who sacrifice so much for us on a daily basis—among that group, I can count a member of our very own family who serves proudly in the USMC.  Happy Memorial Day!

 

Georgia RB Duo Will Try To Eclipse 2009 Success

At the start of 2009, Richard Samuel was thought to be the guy who was most capable of running the ball. However, it was apparent after just a few games that he was not the guy that Georgia needed—enter Washaun Ealey—and the dynamic of the running game appeared to change for the better.

His ability to be mix both power and speed proved to be a nice compliment to Caleb King’s overall skills and the Georgia run game finally seemed to find some ground as the season progressed.

The tandem of Washaun Ealey and Caleb King proved was every bit as effective as hoped and the pinnacle of their ability to work successfully together came in the Dawgs season-ending triumph over Georgia Tech where the two combined for 349 yards rushing. Ealey and King pushed each other to do well and they finished the year with a combined 1,311 yards on 239 carries (an average of 5.4 yards per carry).

If Georgia can duplicate that production in 2010, there will be little need for Aaron Murray to play hero and Georgia could be well on their way to reigniting the smash mouth brand of football that fans are accustomed to seeing in the SEC.

That said, smart money will be on opposing defenses loading the box with eight-man sets to stem the rushing attack. After all, with a freshman quarterback standing under center, a defense is better served to focus its energy on rattling him than succumbing to the long grind of a running game where eating clock and time of possession play a significant role.

Can King and Ealey overcome the increased attention their jersey numbers will receive or will they wilt under the pressure of expectation?

The chance of success, at least for 2010, seems good if the offensive line can remain consistently effective. There were times last season where it was frustratingly out of sync and completely ineffective.

In the game against Arizona State last year, fans watched flabbergasted as the line  failed to block effectively in short-yardage situations. Even more perplexing was the way in which they were at times completely dominated at the point of attack—leading to many a jail break situation on former quarterback Joe Cox.

The line will need to play with more toughness and fire than they did in spots last season or the chance of Georgia being anything close to effective in the SEC will be significantly decreased.

Georgia has plenty of offensive talent present and with the emergence of both Orson Charles and Rantavious Wooten as quality receivers, the passing game has nowhere to go but up if Aaron Murray executes as expected. That being said, if they cannot  establish the run, it will be much ado about nothing.

In the end, King and Ealey are both talented enough to keep defenses honest and mixing in the specialized talents of both Carlton Thomas and Dontavious Jackson should keep the ground game diverse.

So, honestly, it just comes down to whether or not both Caleb King and Washaun Ealey are up to the challenge of becoming a bigger focus than they were in the early-going last year.

If they can rise to the challenge, stay healthy, and continue to run as well as they did during the spring when pushed by each other, they should flourish. If that does happen, then the offense should perform well in 2010. 

The Power of Positive Reinforcement by TM Hunter

The Power of Positive Reinforcement
by T. M. Hunter

Anyone who follows my blog or has seen my various articles on the web would know that I’m a big proponent of setting goals as a means to get jump-started on your writing and to keep it flowing. There are those who see goal-setting as bringing far too much structure into what is considered a creative endeavor.  I see it differently, and have a feeling there are many would-be writers out there who struggle with getting words out on the page just as I have in the past. They feel disappointed in themselves for being unable to accomplish what they want to get done, and these negative feelings feed upon themselves, which only propagates the issue farther. Six or twelve months later, you’re still looking to get your first draft finished or maybe even  the first page of your novel.

In my own situation, thus was born the goal-setting life, and I have a feeling it will help any other struggling writer out there.

Of course, I’ve written other articles on setting goals, including tips on how to set them, but one thing to remember is that writing is primarily a mental activity. As such, it’s important that we should not only set our writing goals but we should give ourselves rewards when we complete them. Now this isn’t to say a person should set themselves up on a Caribbean cruise when they finish the first draft of their novel (although if anyone wants to buy me one for when I finish my third Aston novel, I won’t object). But as always, with anything there should be rules, and so your rewards for completing your goals should adhere to the following three guidelines:

1. Your reward should be something you don’t already receive on a regular basis

I’ve seen many people steer away from this precept when they reward themselves. In fact, while sitting down to write this article, a writer friend of mine told me to turn off Twitter until I finished. Although I did as he instructed, returning to Twitter won’t in fact be my reward, because ultimately (though I hope it will encourage me to finish) I’ll receive that ‘reward’ eventually whether I complete my task or not. The same goes for those who go out to dinner after they finish the first draft of a story or novel. Unless you never go out to dinner otherwise (which would be rare in this day and age), that isn’t really considered a true reward because you receive it other times when you aren’t accomplishing your goals.

Be inventive. What is something you never (or almost never) get to do? Set that up as your reward, and then bask in the glory of being able to do it when you’re finished.

2. Your reward should fit the goal that you completed

I mentioned before that a person shouldn’t set themselves up on a Caribbean cruise when they complete the first draft. Again, it seems fairly obvious, but the opposite can also be true. What if you finished the final draft of your latest novel and sent it off to your first batch of agents? That’s something that doesn’t happen all too often, so it deserves a larger reward than say, finishing your word count goal for the month. You wouldn’t want to go out to a fancy dinner alone (although maybe you never get to go out to dinner). The intensity of the reward is what’s important for tasks that are monumental, and usually rare, because it’s all about forming a habit. Finishing a short story, on the other hand, might just end up with a reward of a special ice cream treat (assuming you don’t go out for these all the time), since it’s something that can be accomplished fairly quickly and easily for most.

And of course, when you begin completing the same goal (a word count goal for the month, for example) over and over, it’s time to set your goal higher in order to receive the same reward. One  might ask why they couldn’t just scale back the reward, but the mind will begin having no incentive to reach the goal any longer, and the habit will begin to fade.

And of course, maybe you can book your (and my) Caribbean cruise once you sell the movie rights to your novel.

3. Your reward should be something positive

Yet one more obvious statement (it’s beginning to  form a trend), but one would be surprised how many people will use a negative consequence to spur them to complete a goal (such as removing yourself from  personal contact with friends and family until you’re finished with a story). Although punishing oneself until a task is completed may actually get the task at hand accomplished, the mind seeks to have positive sensations when forming and maintaining habits (which is why it’s so hard for addicts to quit). If your task was accomplished through negativity, your mind won’t form a lasting habit. Although it may serve as a start, and momentum will carry you for a while, ultimately the old habits (not accomplishing your goals) will return. So, make sure you earnestly seek out a positive reward and your habits will both form and last.

So there you have it, three solid guidelines for setting up rewards to go along with your writing goals. I hope they prove as useful for you as they have for me. Have a great time, everyone, and enjoy those rewards along the way.

***

T. M. Hunter has always had a fascination with interstellar travel, earning a B. S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Kansas. Twice a top ten finisher in the P&E Readers Poll for his short stories (2007, 2009), his book HEROES DIE YOUNG earned Champagne Books’ Best-Selling Book of 2008 award. FRIENDS IN DEED is his latest novel. For more information, including links to his published short stories and novels, please visit AstonWest.com. You can also find T. M. Hunter on Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace as well.

BACK...and way more focused!

i finally finally finally got the internet set up on my room laptop and am now able to write ALOT more often than i used to. if there are any topics/issues/concerns/questions about relationships that anyone wants discussed let me know and i will do my best to get to every single one...

Hot Jennifer Lopez Pics, Wallpapers & Photo Gallery

Birth name : Jennifer Lynn Lopez
Also known as J.Lo
Born : July 24, 1969 (1969-07-24) (age 40)
Origin The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Genres Pop, R&B, hip hop, dance-pop, Latin pop
Occupations : Actress, singer-songwriter,
record producer, dancer, fashion designer,
television producer, model, choreographer,
entrepreneur, Miami Dolphins part-owner
Years active 1986–present (acting)
1997–present (singing)
Labels Epic (1999–2010)
Def Jam (2010–present)
Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969[1]), often nicknamed J.Lo, is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, fashion designer and television producer. She is the richest person of Latin American descent in Hollywood according to Forbes, and the most influential Hispanic entertainer in the U.S. according to People en Español's list of "100 Most Influential Hispanics".[2] She parlayed her media fame into a fashion line and various perfumes with her celebrity endorsement. Outside of her work in the entertainment industry, Lopez advocates human rights, vaccinations and is a supporter of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. She subsequently ventured into acting and gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller Money Train. Lopez's first leading role was in the biographical film Selena (1997), in which she earned an ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress. She earned her second ALMA Award for her performance in the 1998 film Out of Sight. She then starred in the romantic comedies such as The Wedding Planner (2001) and Maid in Manhattan (2002). Lopez had bigger commercial successes with Shall We Dance? (2004) and Monster-in-Law (2005).

Hot Jennifer Lopez Pics, Wallpapers & Photo Gallery

Birth name : Jennifer Lynn Lopez
Also known as J.Lo
Born : July 24, 1969 (1969-07-24) (age 40)
Origin The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Genres Pop, R&B, hip hop, dance-pop, Latin pop
Occupations : Actress, singer-songwriter,
record producer, dancer, fashion designer,
television producer, model, choreographer,
entrepreneur, Miami Dolphins part-owner
Years active 1986–present (acting)
1997–present (singing)
Labels Epic (1999–2010)
Def Jam (2010–present)
Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969[1]), often nicknamed J.Lo, is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, fashion designer and television producer. She is the richest person of Latin American descent in Hollywood according to Forbes, and the most influential Hispanic entertainer in the U.S. according to People en Español's list of "100 Most Influential Hispanics".[2] She parlayed her media fame into a fashion line and various perfumes with her celebrity endorsement. Outside of her work in the entertainment industry, Lopez advocates human rights, vaccinations and is a supporter of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. She subsequently ventured into acting and gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller Money Train. Lopez's first leading role was in the biographical film Selena (1997), in which she earned an ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress. She earned her second ALMA Award for her performance in the 1998 film Out of Sight. She then starred in the romantic comedies such as The Wedding Planner (2001) and Maid in Manhattan (2002). Lopez had bigger commercial successes with Shall We Dance? (2004) and Monster-in-Law (2005).

Marketing Your Book and Yourself, Part II

“So that’s it? I set up a blog and a webpage and I’m done marketing my book?”

Hell, no.

In addition to a web and blog page, you will also need to establish an author’s account on some of the various social networking sites (SNS) available on the Internet. Facebook, My Space, and Twitter are the most common ones, although there are dozens of SNSs available. Set up profiles on as many of these networking sites as you want or on the ones where you feel you can have a greater presence. A great website for the serial social networker is Ping.fm, which allows you to post to numerous networking sites simultaneously. Just bear in mind that Ping should not be used as an excuse to establish a presence on every SNS available, because the more time you spend maintaining these sites and networking means the less time you spend writing.

You will also want to join a few forums and chat groups to make your name known throughout the community. I suggest a mix between those directed primarily to writers and those frequented by fans of your genre. A good place to begin is Goodreads. This site is dedicated to writers and readers and maintains numerous chat groups that span all genres. Beyond that, do your research and check out various forums/chat groups until you find a few where you feel comfortable and enjoy the discussions. As with the social networking sites, moderation is the key.

“Cool. I love Facebook. I have a couple of dozen zombie pets that I’m taking care of.”

You’re missing the point. Your goal is to market your book, not to steal your friend’s zombie rabbits or create photo albums of your last trip to Europe. Always remember that you need to market yourself as much as your book. The best way you can accomplish that is to establish a reputation as a reliable expert in your genre. Although it’s important, don’t use these sites just to talk about yourself and update people on your latest writing project. Discuss the latest books and movies in your genre, provide links to other sites that are of interest to you and may be of interest to your readers, offer the latest news in your genre or the publishing industry, or maybe write a series of blogs on how to get published. And don’t get discouraged if you don’t have a thousand followers at the end of the first week. This is a slow process, so be patient. If you market yourself correctly and give it time, slowly but surely you’ll build up a following of fans who will want to read your book, who will tell their friends to read it, and who will eagerly await your next novel. (NOTE: Gary Vaynerchuks's Crush It!, available from Amazon, provides an excellent step-by-step approach on how to achieve this.)

There are two important things to keep in mind when blogging and networking. First, always use your writing name when posting. While it might be fun to call yourself zombiebunnies on Facebook, it makes it almost impossible for your fans to find and follow you. Second, avoid controversial subjects and flame wars with fans and colleagues. This is one of those instances when bad publicity is worse than no publicity. If you take sides on political issues, militantly support certain causes, or publicly and consistently lambast a colleague as a hack who can’t write for merde, you run the risk of losing major portions of your fan base.

Finally, there are other things you should do to market yourself and your book:

-- Book signings. These are your most important venue for building your fan base. And don’t limit yourself just to book stores. General book and genre conventions are also a big draw for fans. Of all the horror conventions I’ve attended, authors are among the most popular celebrity guests. John Lamb, author of the Teddy Bear Mystery series, once told me that he sells almost as many books at teddy bear conventions as he does at book signings.

-- Guest blogging: These are vital for new authors to get their names out in the public domain. There are many established blogs that allow aspiring or first-time authors to guest blog on their sites. I am indebted to Dawn's Reading Nook for allowing me the opportunity to talk about my writing and the industry on this site. Patricia's Vampire Notes once posted an interview with me, and Raven Kelly - Vampiress has posted my author’s bio as well as a link to my book. I’ve made several new friends and fans thanks to their generosity.

-- Look for every opportunity you can find to get your name out there. See if you can convince your local radio and television stations or newspapers to interview you as a hometown celebrity. Try and arrange virtual book tours (which is especially important if you’re an e-book author) where you have chat room discussions on various forums. Spend the time and effort to create a video trailer for your book that you can post to YouTube. Donate autographed copies of your book to charity events, or do book signings at such events with all the proceeds going to that charity. These are just the proverbial tip of the iceberg. There are dozens of things you can do to publicize your book, all of which inevitably increase sales.

Well, that wraps up my blog series on how to get published. Any questions?

“Yeah. You just described a hell of a lot of work to go through to be a mid-list author. Why would anyone in their right mind want to write for a living?”

Good question. Let me answer that… next week.

FINAL BLOG: Why Would Anyone in Their Right Mind Want To Write for a Living?

Welcome Author Rie McGaha

Can you tell us a little about how you started writing; was it something you have always wanted to do?

 I was born a writer and have done it since I learned to make letters. My parents say that I began telling stories long before I could write, and as a child I wrote all kinds of little tales for friends and cousins. I was in the 8th grade when I wrote my first "real" story. It was a historical western about a woman from the east who travels to the wild, Wild West to teach school in a small town and falls in love with the sheriff. I wish I still had it because I'd love to see how my 13 year old brain worked out the romance!

Who or what has been your biggest influence as a writer?

 I think it's been some of the classic authors like Theroux, Fitzgerald, Steinbeck, and many others. Modern authors like James Patterson, Stephen King, Sherrilyn Kenyon, and Karen Marie Moning are great influences. As far as people I know, Jill Noble, (Noble Romance Publishing), has been one of the biggest influences I've had. She has literally taught me the business of writing. I also have a great group of author friends who are not only great authors in their own right, but also the ones I can go to with questions and get honest answers--sometimes too honest, but that's what I love about them!

Your work is very popular with readers and reviewers; how does it feel to have such positive recognition for your work?

 Is it? lol That's flattering. I just hope I can provide a few hours of enjoyment for people, take them away from real life for a while and drop them into a fantasy that will leave them feeling a little better than they did when they began.

What do you consider to be the key elements of a great story?

 That depends on genre of course, but basically, the story line has to be intriguing, moving, and one the reader can relate to. Also, it never hurts to have a hunky-dunky hero and a fiesty, beautiful heroine!

Could you tell us a little about how you develop your characters? Who has been your favorite character to write? The most challenging?

 My characters tend to write themselves. The voices in my head begin and the characters come to life, as real as any actual person I know and that makes it very easy to write them. A fave character? That's like asking me which of my children is my favorite. I don't really have favorites, but if I had to pick one, it would be Lucian in Deadly Dreams. He was also the most challenging. Lucian is gorgeous, but he's also the bad guy. I wanted to make the readers understand him, but also hate him. And I think I succeeded because I've been told he gives everyone nightmares!

Please tell us about the projects you are currently working on; what can readers expect to see in the coming months?

 Oh my. Ancient Blood,  as you know this is a werewolf story and the sequel to Blood Line, which comes out May 31, 2010 from Noble Romance Publishing. On June 15, 2010 I have a short story called Winter's Night coming from Untreed Reads, and I'm excited about this because this is my first non-romance story. On July 26, 2010 the second book in the My Soul To Keep Trilogy, Caleb, is coming from Noble Romance Publishing, followed in August with the third book, Arion, and on September 10, 2010 Closure is coming from Champagne Books. In the meantime, I am contributing to The Wine Diaries by William Maltese. My husband, Nathan and I will be touring local Oklahoma wineries, sampling and writing about the wines made here. Most people aren't aware Oklahoma produces wine, but they are my favorite wines and I've wanted to write a book about them for some time, so when this opportunity presented itself, I jumped at it!

   

   I also write two monthly columns for The Pagan & The Pen. The first is called The Eggshell Effect and is about domestic violence. The other is called What Women Want/What Men Need and deals with the many nuances of the battle of the sexes. 

Where can readers find out what's new and how can they contact you?

   Everyone is always welcome to drop by my website and leave a comment or question on the guestbook. http://www.riemcgaha.com  If anyone would like to email me, (I always answer my email), rieanswers@gmail.com

What is your favorite movie of all time? The one where you can watch it and still get affected at the same spots each and every time? There's quite a few actually. My all time fave has to be It's A Wonderful Life, the b&w version of course. There's an old western called China 9, Liberty 37 that I can watch over and over, but I think it's out of circulation or the title changed, I haven't been able to find it anywhere, or at least not the original version. I found the G version and it's just not the same. But I can watch the romantic comedies over and over and never tire of them!

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 5 things would you have with you?

   My husband. My laptop. Rum. Rum. Rum. 

What is your favorite way to relax after a hard day working and writing?

   Refer to last three items on previous question! LOL 

What is the one era you would love to go visit and why?

   I am a huge American history buff and I would love to see this country before the white man arrived. I would also love to visit ancient Egypt, Scotland, and Ireland. 

What is one historical figure you would love to chat with and why?

Abraham Lincoln. I have always loved American history and Mr. Lincoln is a man who made a real difference in this country and I'd love to pick his brain! I'd also love to chat with the founding Fathers, Martin Luther King, Jr., Hadrian, Mary Queen of Scots, and my list goes on.

     

Out of all your books, do you have a favorite one? If not, then which one is closest to your heart?

  Yes, I have a favorite and it's currently in the hands of a publisher as I wait to see if it's going to be picked up. It's called Cross The Line, and it's set right after the Civil War.  

What is coming from you in 2010? Anything you want to do a shout out about?

   Right now I'm concentrating on Ancient Blood since it's next up for release. I have a contest going on and everyone who enters wins a copy of Blood Line, and I'm also giving away an Ancient Blood T-shirt and a poster signed by me! This contest is very easy to enter, and readers can go to my website and click on the Ancient Blood tab, or the direct link is www.riemcgaha.com/ancientblood.htm 

EXCERPT: (http://www.nobleromance.com/BrowseListing.aspx?author=8)

     Ancient Blood by Rie McGaha

Ireland was her destination, where she would visit her beloved Colin's final resting place—the last place she'd been before making the choice to remain in human form. Now that she'd decided to live again, she would begin here, as well.

Ganda traveled by ship. She wasn't up to giving flying a try. Not just yet.

As the Irish coast came into view, her hands shook. She took a deep breath as she took in the stunning sight. The rocky shores, the lush, green valleys shrouded in mist—shimmers of rainbows formed by etches of sunlight gave the land an otherworldly, magical quality.

Although, all those thousands of years ago, the land hadn’t been called Ireland and hadn’t been populated either. She and Colin had loved the place for that very reason. The island had been their paradise where they were alone and in love. As Ganda disembarked from the ship and stepped onto the dock, a pang of loss filled her. Though the island had changed, there was a familiarity to this place that felt welcoming.

Thoughts of Jessie filled Ganda’s mind. What would she have done without her dear friends who had helped with the travel arrangements? The ticket for the ship, the hotel, all the reservations made from Jessie's laptop computer, everything had been set up for Ganda before she left the states. She checked into her hotel, staying only long enough to shower and change. When she’d finished dressing, she returned to the lobby, where the doorman hailed a cab for her. She handed the driver the address and settled into the seat, gazing out at the passing landscape as they sped toward the country.

The cabbie pulled into the cemetery drive and stopped. Ganda asked him to wait. Hesitantly, she emerged from the cab and walked across the grass, a gentle breeze caressing her face. Her hands shook violently; she slowed her pace. Inhaling deeply, she held her breath for a moment, then exhaled slowly as she stood before the gravestone and read the inscription. Her husband's name, Colin . . . next, the eulogy, Beloved husband of Ganda . . . the date of his death but not his birth was carved into the stone. So old, she thought, and weathered by centuries of rain and wind. Kneeling, she placed her hand on the stone, tears rolling down her face.

"Oh, Colin, I've missed you so very much. So many years have passed, but I feel as if you left me only yesterday. I tried to join you my love, but . . . ." She sighed. "I guess I didn't have the strength. I hope you know how much I love you. Then and now."

She rose, kissed her fingertips, then pressed them to the stone. "Till we meet again, my love." She turned away and returned to the waiting cab.

Twigs & Honey on Facebook.... umm... finally!

photo credits: Aimee Jobe Photography
Haha!
I've always been the one to say, "I'm never joining facebook" and I finally got enough nudging that I started one up for Twigs & Honey. I think I was most dreading the random people from the past trying to track me down. SO, if you're a fan of Twigs & Honey, a friend, a family member or supporter, visit the new facebook page. Please! I was halfway joking with the hubby that I'm such a facebook loser right now with such a small number of fans (but great fans!!)... it makes you feel like you're in high school again. Anyone agree? I guess some things never change, but I hope to get more unique posts on my facebook wall. There are some great images from Aimee Jobe Photography and more!
Become a Twigs & Honey fan HERE (and help me not feel like the high school misfit again!). :) :) :)
Full url: http://www.facebook.com/pages/twigs-honey/130877813592906?ref=ts
*bonus points if you spread the word!
For Elizabeth Messina's A Lovely Workshop
Dress: Claire Pettibone
Hair: Erin Skipley
Makeup: Lauren Napier

ARe and Smart Bitches Summer Give Away-CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT

 
All Romance E-store and Smart Bitches have teamed up to have a Sizzling Summer Giveaway this Summer. The details are as follows:

From ARe Newsletter:

Summer and romance reads go hand in hand, and ARe has joined with Sarah from Smart Bitches, Trashy Books to bring you the hottest reads for this season with Smart Bitch Sarah's Sizzling Summer Book Club.

Here's how it works... 

Sarah will announce her book club picks about every two weeks throughout the summer on SBTB and (here's the best part) All Romance ebooks is offering a 50% rebate on every one of Sarah's book club picks. When you purchase the club pick book on ARe or OmniLit, the rebate will be applied to your account in eBook Bucks at checkout. 

After about 2 weeks, Sarah will host live chat sessions to discuss the book. The chat times will be rotated so those in different time zones can participate. Sarah is taking suggestions for July so leave a comment on her blog or email her at sarahATsmartbitchestrashybooksDOTcom.

Get out the iced tea, because at Smart Bitches and ARe, it's gonna be one hot summer!

 

Click HERE for all the details and more.

 

The Lady's Bulldogs/Football Links for Friday (5/28)

Damon Evans was not happy with UGA team sports this past season and didn't mind saying so at a recent meeting hosted by the King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort on St. Simons Island. Evans didn't point the finger but it was clear that the targets of his ire included both the Georgia Gym Dogs and the Diamond Dawgs—both of which had off years based on past seasons. Evans message rang loud and clear—get your act together. I'm personally still hoping to see Suzanne Yoculan come out of retirement.

Phil Steele is obviously sipping the same brand of crazy Cognac as Lou Holtz  because when he releases his Top 25 rankings in the 2010 issue of his trusty college football preview guide, he has Oklahoma No. 1. It's further proof of just how weak the Big 12 truly is because the only other team in that conference worth having a conversation about in 2010 is Texas. Could Oklahoma be the team to beat in 2010? Yes, but as long as Bob Stoops is the coach, I like Texas' chances to spoil their comeback train.

ESPN, the Georgia Bulldog hating network that it is, has another poll out right now ranking college football's most prestigious jobs. Well, less than 4,000 votes were in at the time of this posting and Georgia ranks dead last according to John Q. Public. I guess ESPN isn't the only Bulldog Hatin' posse. For the record, I think Georgia is worthy of a Top 10 nod.

Pat Tillman, the former Sun Devil who was killed while serving in Afghanistan in 2004, has been elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

This guy ranks SEC coaches who he feels are the biggest jerks (or as he actually put it, a--holes) in the SEC. He's apparently got an axe to grind with the UGA faithful to honestly place coach Richt at No. 9 because "dancing in the endzone, running a pretty loose ship, and living in Athens all cause him to at least come of as a bit of an a--hole"...really? Although, on another note, I absolutely agree with his No. 1 pick.

Georgia QB Aaron Murray Hopes To Erase All Doubts In 2010

Aaron Murray is going to be the guy for the Georgia Bulldogs this season. For better or for worse, Mark Richt has hitched his wagon to the young phenom from South Florida and has made it clear that he’s got a ton of faith in his ability to lead the team back from the disappointment that plagued them last year.

That said, now that the fans know who to direct their concern towards, they have commenced with the worrying about all the reasons why Murray might not be able to get the job done.

After all, isn’t that what fans do?

It’s not meant to be mean-spirited, in most cases, but it’s the nature of the beast to question a kid who’s never taken an SEC snap. I’d be concerned if you didn’t wonder a little bit—after all—this isn’t Brown University (as much as President Adams would love for others to think as much), this is the University of Georgia where football is king and everything else is a distant second.

With that in mind, I felt the need to address a few of the most common gripes that I have heard lately and address them with what information I do have at my disposal. I won’t be able to quiet the doubting beasts within all those who read, but perhaps I can cool a few frayed nerves.


He’s injury prone, how do we know he won’t get hit hard in game one and then—blam—there goes our season?

Aaron Murray is not injury prone. His leg was broken during a game in October of 2008. He recovered quickly enough from that to lead his team to a State Championship in December of his senior season.

As for the shoulder issues he endured last season, chop that up to fatigue from not having thrown as much between December 2008 (the last game of his high school career) and March 2009.

Tendinitis can appear as a result of overuse and Murray made his worse by trying to continue throwing instead of resting the injury for a week or so as he likely should have done. His arm was not yet strong enough to withstand the workload that he was introduced to once he arrived at Georgia—plain and simple.

His decision to play through the pain cost him valuable practice time and was a major part of the reason why he was not seen on the field last season—despite the trouble Joe Cox suffered on the field.

He’s completely recovered from it now and will attest to his arm being stronger than it’s ever been thanks to the strength and conditioning program at Georgia. It should not be a recurring issue for him at this stage of his development and he hasn’t had any troubles since that time.


He’s going to wilt under the pressure of playing in the SEC. Look how poorly he played at G-Day, what will he do once he really gets in front of a big crowd?

No doubt everyone has heard the reason behind Murray’s poor G-Day performance: He was nervous.

There is no way to guarantee that Murray won’t suffer any game day jitters when he plays his first home game in front of 92,000+. No one can say for certain that he won’t buckle a little bit under the pressure of an SEC road game. There is no way to know what will happen until he’s in the situation.

Here’s what can be said: 1) he knows the playbook, 2) he’s got two stellar backs running behind him, 3) he, potentially, has one of the best offensive lines in the nation to throw behind, and 4) he’s got A.J. Green and Orson Charles to catch his passes.

Will he make mistakes? Yes. Will he make a bad decision here and there? Maybe. Do either one of those things mean he won’t be a good quarterback in 2010? Absolutely not.

Save the worry for the time it matters; game time. Otherwise it’s just a negative assumption based on very little evidence.


He’s only starting by default. Won’t the lack of competition make him less likely to be effective on the field?

Hutson Mason will be on campus Monday (May 31st) and Christian LeMay (2011) has named Georgia his leader and is currently out recruiting skill position players as we speak. So, any one who believes that Aaron Murray is about to rest on his laurels because he assumes his quarterback job is “secure”, has the wrong idea.

Georgia may be a bit undermanned at the QB spot this season but that ends in 2011. Murray will have to be lights out this season in order to start next spring at the top of the depth chart and the last thing he’s expected to be is complacent where job security is concerned.

He’s ready to prove that he’s worth that “it” factor label that he’s been tagged with so far by both coach Richt and coach Bobo. He’s not looking to take advantage of this opportunity at all.

The Georgia Bulldogs are ready to blaze a more fortuitous path with Aaron Murray at the top and, like him or not, he’s the man that fans need to place their hopes in—I, for one, like his chances of making it happen in 2010 and can easily say that I am excited to see what he can bring in 2010.

Blast From The Past: Just Another Silly Gator Fan

Just another well-educated student from the University of Florida. I hope that "Corch" Meyers is proud to have her as a part of his fan base.



Don't worry though, Corinne, you still weren't as bad as this:

I got a Creative Blogger Award!

I got to thank Linda La Roque for this honor. I am flattered and awed by it and would like to thank the academy...err wait..this isn't the awards show. *pouts* Oh all right, then a big thanks to Linda for this.

Now my instructions are as follows are to give you 5 truths and 1 lie about myself, or 5 lies and 1 truth. I've 1decided to give you truths.

To make this interesting, I'm having a contest. The prize is a $10.00 gift certificate to All Romance E-books.

To enter, become a follower of my blog and leave a comment identifying my one lie about myself. Correct entries will be entered in a drawing. The cutoff time is Monday May 31st at midnight. The winner will be announced on Tuesday June 1st around noon EST (USA time). This is open to international readers as well.

Ok now onto my truths and lie. portion of the segment. *grins*

1)My favorite Cheesecake is from Cheesecake factory and it's White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle.
2) I live with a boytoy of my own and two kids.
3) I am huge reader and have 4 bookcases packed with paperbacks and hardcovers.
4) I love fairies so much I told my kids when they were young a birthday fairy will leave a present for them on their big day.
5) My favorite actor is Neil Patrick Harris.

Ok now I get to bestow this prestigious award onto seven bloggers and they are:

1) Tilly Greene's Hot Thoughts
2) Amber Skyze
3) Viki Lyn
4) Moonlight, Lace & Mayhem
5) Cynsights Blog
6) Lynn's XtraOrdinary Romance
7) Romance Lives Forever

Now I look forward to hearing your guesses into my truths and lie. Thanks Linda for this wonderful award. :)

WRITER'S WRITE...WRITING PARTNERS FEUD

THOU STRONG SEDUCER, OPPORTUNITY
By
Angelica Hart and Zi

As the writing tandem of Angelica Hart and Zi we confront the omnipresent obstacle of credibly selling seduction. The action of the artful lure of lust and love is and can be difficult. The line of demarcation between sensuality and erotica is hazy. The following is a piece from our manuscript in progress, It May Be Love. The writer of the e-mail was a man wanting to seduce, his heart was pure, his motivation honest, yet were his techniques apt, effective, or foolish?

Morning. The world of weather appears to have given wonderful, at first, it a light gentle rain. Not so wonderful later, so I read until I sat to write to you. The coffee is being shared alone, wish I had a smile to share with it, yours. The room is silent but for the ticky-tack of my keyboard, ticky-tack, sticky keys. The A and S keys. I have been writing steamy stuff lately. Why? My thoughts are with you. I hope this finds you well.

John Dryden wrote, “Thou strong seducer, Opportunity!” John knows seduction, yet, so few see the opportunity before them. I contend that they miss the moment. So few understand seduction, I see it, feel it, but can I create it? The best I can do is try. Kudos Johnnie boy. Your beautiful eyes are my opportunity to dream, no, not John’s but yours, silly!

You are my possibility
My friend to be
My muse
My paramour
My future
You are my possibility
And I am profoundly
Pleased.

“A wise man will make more opportunities then he finds.” was given to us by Francis Bacon, neither a pig nor a women but a man who has a healthy vision on how to challenge life. I am a glass half-full man and see optimism as my greatest quality, maybe my second. You can be the judge one day.

I see sun when it rains
Light in the dark
I feel dawn rushes
I know good
And adore it
Ugly is ignored
For beauty transcends all
I see possibilities.

Pollyannaish? No. Nor cynic. Edward R. Murrow said of optimism, “Someone who tells you to cheer up when things are going his way.” That is the essence of a cynic. I think of you and become showered by the waterfall of possibilities. Drenched in the orange glow of what if.

The ‘iron hot’ strategy from James Howell’s words, “strike while…” is how most look at opportunity. John Clarke wrote, “Make hay while the sun shineth.” Don’t ya just love a word with a –th. Churchill’s spin was, “Make hell while the sun shines.” which supports this narrower view of opportunity. I differ with these men. I see opportunity as a more wonderfully larger thing. Opportunity is boundless, enriched by imagination.

As a child I was told
Have lemons make lemonade
As an adult I say
Have a life… live brightly.

Now, is our chance to discover, to take sojourns to ideas and ideals. The method to facilitate the quest for the self-actualized being is captured in one thought; risk it all. The grand way to find the greater joy our lives can offer; risk it all. A way to grow in oh so many ways… wink-wink!

Sincerity bleaches white
The browns of dishonesty
The you of me is beguiling
The me of you… reconciling

I look at it this way. When it rains cats and dogs; you’ve a new pet or two. I’ve reached that age where I understand and I enjoy the simple things. Life is good, so I just look for it.

The point, yes, I’ll move toward it.

Aristotle puts it simply, “A friend is a second self.” After reading your words I felt a wonderful connect. One I would be foolish to let past without discovery, so you are my opportunity, my possibility, and I sincerely thank you. You are becoming my friend.

I look at you
And see me
Looking back
At yourself.

I’d like to see your eyes, feel your smile, and discover you.

The afore piece was designed so the man might via his email seduce. When we construct a manuscript and the plot device is seduction we never know if we’ve been successful. Of course we seduce the whomever we intended, we designed it that way, but do we touch the reader. We are writing temptation so we want to tempt. It is the reader whom we ultimately feel we have to move. Enticing allure was the staple of Shakespeare, but required one to be a student of the obscure. We feel it must be both real and overt, universally intriguing, yet precisely perfect for the characters and, yes, we stumble.

Is it innate insecurity on our part? Great query. No! Neither of us are insecure about seduction nor our writing. It is the delicate fabric of it and the diverse nature of it that brings us struggles. One character might find apt fascination with a shy stoic man whereas another craves a virile dominating sort. Translating that and bringing it beauty is our duty to readers. There are no formulas. The plot and essence of the characters created dictate the tools available to us. Our constant boggle is that within our plots do we excite and please the reader. We are inspired to make the seduction believable, maybe the seducer likeable, the tease sexy and personal to the reader, but mostly to bring an honest twitter to anyone who lets our words unfold before them. We want you to believe a shy man a stud, and want you to want him. It is easy to make a stud a stud.

We see love, also beauty in that love, and all that for every person. Naive of us? Not at all.

This is Zi saying that I want you… to read!

SNAKE DANCE
The Story:

On the planet Starling wRen defies her heritage so she can be with VeIper, an outcast bent on freeing his species from ethnic cleansing. Mong, a slayer, quells their ambition as he plots the subjugation of wRen and the death of VeIper.

EXCERPT:

With lithe movement he followed that scent, in wavy patterns slipping one way then the other catching it at its greatest strength. Coiled, flexed, and slowly rose ever so little as not to be seen, and saw for the first time in his short life something that gave him a shiver to his soul, rattling, and he noticeably trembling. This was not chills of fear, no, but a far different emotion. The full magnitude of this he could not discern but it was there like tiny flickers of fire bursting under his skin.

There captive in his gaze was a female, white and peach toned, similar to others yet nothing at all alike. She stood out against the natural background of color as if apart from it, and yet she somehow was all of it. Her face held an intricate balance of beauty and emotion. It was as if you could see the swirl of them real and raw with no apology for them. Her body held the lushness and enticement of her kind, but the enticement was somehow different. It was as if her curves had been sculptured just for his hands; as if her breasts and buttocks would fit perfectly into his palms; as if her flesh would respond instantly to the trace of his fingertips and as if her lips would curve into his with perfection. Their fingers would entwine naturally, the tender spurt of her pulse would match his


We'd love to hear from anyone interested in what we do. Anyone who writes us at angeliahartandzi@yahoo.com and leaves an s-mail address, we will send you a gift and add you to any future mailings.

Angelica Hart and Zi
KILLER DOLLS
SNAKE DANCE
CHASING...CHASING...CHASING ~ July 2010
angelicahartandzi@yahoo.com
angelicahartandzi.com

Champagne Books
http://www.champagnebooks.com/

France!

I have so many people to get back to and a ton of work, but I have loaded a bunch of photos from France into a new flick folder HERE.
There will be many more from Elizabeth Messina's Workshop, but for now, here are some I snapped from our little adventure. There is not much reason to the order:

Photo by Leah MacDonald

View from the Eiffel Tower

Delicious crepes filled with nutella and bananas on Rue Cler.

The hydrangea clips in my hair were a lovely gift from the talented Diane of DK Designs. She makes those lovely blooms by hand from clay! Be sure to get in touch with her if you're interested in a set. She also made a gorgeous floral arrangement for our home and I'll be sure to post pictures soon.