Merry Christmas, Y'all!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Supermodel Dog is back (you'll remember her as Pilgrim Dog) to help me wish you all a Very Merry Christmas! And I'm proud to announce that Supermodel Dog's secret identity is a secret no more - she's the proud owner of best-selling author Roxanne St. Claire! That's right, faithful reader - this is a celebrity dog! Supermodel Dog's real name is Pepper. Just Pepper. A dog of her rare good looks and photographic talent needs only one name.

All silliness aside, have a blessed Christmas. Peace on earth, goodwill to men!

Project Snozzberry

Word on the street says tonight's Project Runway will be a sweet treat. Stay tuned!

Brrr!

It was cold here yesterday. Like, actually cold, not just chilly. It was 39 yesterday morning and only warmed up to about 55 during the day. My Floridian blood couldn't cope. I piled on the layers and made a massive pot of chili. (Which was de-lish!) I also drank lots of hot chocolate and coffee. I had socks AND slippers on. Still froze half to death.

I know, I know, I'm a bit of a weather wimp. What really worries me is that we're headed up to my parents for Christmas. Where the highs will be mid to low 40's. My father has already warned me to bring my fur (faux, not real) coat because he swears the thermostat will not be turned up past 68.

I'm doomed, aren't I?

Holiday Party Online - With Presents!

Hey y'all, stop by the Knight Agency chat room at 12:30 today for an awesome holiday party with tons of giveaways! It's going to be a blast! There's sure to be lots of authors, readers and general holiday cheer.

Click HERE for all the details.

Diva Withdrawal?

Thanks to our craptastic hosting company screwing up the Romance Diva forum, we're currently without a workable forum while they (we think) try to repair it. Or not. It's pretty hard to tell since their customer service sucks monkey butt.

In the mean time, feel free to catch up on the diva madness, share a brag, get some support - you know, all the diva goodness there is - at our temporary Yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romancedivas2007/

Thanks for your patience while we deal with idiots.

Project Makeover

First of all, let me say thanks for all the condolences offered. Means a lot to me. Now, on to the show...

Project Runway this week was all about transformation. The challenge was to make an outfit out of the favorite clothing of a woman who'd recently lost a large amount of weight - the women pictured are the actual women used in the challenge. I think the least amount one of them lost was 59 pounds, some as much as 100 or more. This should be a reason to celebrate, right? Except when you look at the outfits, you wonder if the designer understood that. This is just okay for me, doesn't knock me over with excitement, you know? I mean, it looks like something you could get at Target or maybe even Walmart. Just ordinary clothes.

This is big giant NO. Granted, it started life as a long velvet tank dress, but how is this better? Hey, the 80's called, it wants its mother of the bride dress back.
For me, this should have been the losing outfit. It's ghastly. Hello, this woman just lost 100 pounds, why do want to put her in layers and a ruffled jacket that ends at her hips? Call attention to every woman's least favorite body part much?
This is cute. I would totally wear this. I give this dress an A+.
Another great, sexy outfit. I would totally buy this top. I do think the leggings make it a little 80's a-go-go, though. I would pair it with straight leg black dress pants - that would rock!
This dress got its designer kicked off. Now, you might not think it looks that bad, but keep in mind his starter outfit was a heavily beaded, pearled, sequined, laced wedding gown. And this is what he came up with. I can describe this dress in one word: mumsy.

Okay, this is sort of cute, but who thought black stockings was a good idea with this? Seriously? It makes this dress look like a mullet. Party from the waist up, business from the waist down. Stick to bare legs and strappy sandals with an outfit like this.
Another cute, cute dress that's actually styled well (bare legs and strappy sandals anyone?) but didn't win. I'd wear this. Would you?
I'm not crazy about this outfit. I think it looks cheap. I hate that the top is sheer enough that the waistband of the pants shows through. A touch tacky in my book.
Anyone else channeling Olive Oyl here? Popeye must be designing this year...

This is the winner. Cute shirt, but all he did for the jeans was take them in and crop them. Not much of a redesign. Whatever. I'm still waiting for this show to get interesting, although this week's episode was better than the last few have been.

Still watching? What's your take on the designers?

No Blog Today

My sister-in-law's dad passed away suddenly yesterday from a heart attack. This was a man in his 50's with a real love of life who had once run the Boston marathon.

Prayers are welcome at this difficult time.

Is it Monday already?

I'm wiped. It's been a long weekend. Saturday was the TARA Christmas party in Tampa, then yesterday after church Hotrod and I headed to Orlando to meet his family at Disney for Mickey's Christmas Celebration or some such thing. Basically, for a slightly reduced ticket price we got to be in the park from 4ish until midnight. Which we were. Which is why I'm so beat. It's an hour drive home.

I did get a great pic of Cinderella's castle all lit up in Christmas lights though. (And some of the fireworks, which were SO awesome.) Not to mention the two main reasons we were there...

A Historical Day

Today is a very special day, for two reasons. One, it's Pearl Harbor day.And two, five years ago on this date, Hotrod and I said "I do."

Project Wake Me When It's Over

I hate to say it, but this season's Project Runway has been one big snoozefest. Mostly, I think the fault lies in two things: A. The designers picked to be on the show are almost all established and working in some sort of related industry. For this reason, they're all playing it rather safe. There's no craziness, no just-out-of-design-school need to prove themselves. No real fire. B. The challenges they're being given are kind of lame.

Take this week's, for example. They were divided into 3 teams of 3 and given 3 previous fashion trends that are now fashion don'ts and told to remake them. Um...for the most part, these fashion don'ts weren't really something any of us wanted to revisit, were they?

The winning team, who had overalls, poodle skirts and something else I can't remember, came up with these three outfits. Very nicely made. I might actually wear the dress.


The worst two outfits of the night are the following two. The first one got its creator kicked off. Odd, huh? Especially when you look at the satin crapfest that follows it. I can describe that outfit in one word - NO. Granted, the first dress might be a bit "meh", but the designer's fashion don't was shoulder pads. What else was he going to do with them? Make a hat? At least the dress has an air of elegance about it. Unlike the other one...
In this second outfit, the designer had underwear as outerwear, cut outs, and neon. And his outfit basically looks like it belongs on a futuristic hooker. Wow, way to reinterpret those fashion don'ts!

Please Project Runway, get some good challenges! What ever happened to the days of making clothes from plants or trash? Why not have the designers make a wedding dress? Or just a fancy dress? We like to see that stuff, not be reminded of all our previous fashion sins. Do you agree? Are you as unimpressed with this year's show as I am?

Charmed, I’m Sure

A little note from Candy Havens:

It’s difficult for me to believe that I just turned in my fifth book, “The Demon King and I,” in five years, and now “Charmed & Dangerous” is coming out in mass market on Dec. 4. I still remember sitting on my bed at two in the morning, the night before my very first meeting with an editor. Another writer friend told me I needed to have more than one idea to pitch to the editor, and I was frantically trying to make something up.

It was a strange feeling when I finally wrote about a character who had been dancing around in my head for some time. I’d just heard that “Buffy” was going off the air, and I was angry with creator Joss Whedon for not going one more year. In retrospect they ended at the right time, but back then I was mad. What would I do without my weekly dose of “Buffy?”



That night before the meeting I put pen to paper and created a character who had the attitude of Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) but the power of Bad Willow (Alyson Hannigan). She would use that power to protect important people, and to save the world. I can’t remember how I came up with the idea for the prime minister, but I wanted a really powerful, cool leader. So of course I had to make one up. (Smile)

That one-page synopsis became a book just a few months later, and crazy stuff happened along the way. A love triangle between Sam, Bronwyn and Sheik Azir developed out of thin air one day. Azir met the Prime Minister in what was supposed to be an information finding expedition, but as I described Azir, I fell for him. Funny how that happens when we least expect it.

The powerful wizard Garnout came from the need for Bronwyn to have some sort of mentor. I love Garnout. He’s one of my favorite people. I also wanted to create my dream town. A place where magic abounds, but overall people are friendly with one another. And of course, great food can be found on every corner in Sweet, Texas.

Even though I’ve moved on to new characters that crazy witch Bronwyn is still dancing around in my head. I sometimes wonder if I’ll ever run out of stories for her, and I hope to write many more. It still freaks me out a little when I realize these funny stories have turned into very real books. I’m so grateful to Bronwyn and to all the adventures we’ve had together. - Candy Havens

Favorite Christmas Treats

These are a few of my favorite Christmas treats:

1. Holiday color M&M's - yes, I know they don't taste any different, but they're so festive and pretty. Eating the Christmas colored ones seems less like a cheat.

2. Eggnog - but only in small doses. Too much and I lose my love of it quickly. Unless it's homemade - for some reason, that goes down easier.

3. Cookies - so many varieties, so little time. I love all cookies. Sugar with thick icing especially. And those peanut butter ones with the Hershey kiss in the middle. And good ole chocolate chip. And M&M cookies, with the Holiday colors, of course.

4. Ham - Ham is good eats no matter the time of year, but Christmas seems about the only time when I get my fill. We rarely have it otherwise. Bacon would be a subset of this treat, but not as special since we have it more often. Mmmmm...ham.

5. Hot cider - the perfect thing for when you come in from playing in the snow. (Obviously not here in FL.) I talked to my mom this morning and she said they have fat flakes drifting down - warm up the cider!

6. Mashed potatoes - See ham. Love them, rarely eat them. Holidays are all the excuse I need. Plus there's butter involved. What's not to love?

7. Panettone - like Italian fruitcake, but more cakey and less chopped gross candied fruit. So good with coffee. Leftovers make an awesome bread pudding.

8. Godiva chocolates - somehow (maybe a Christmas miracle) a box of these always ends up in the vicinity during Christmas. I adore Godivas, but hate to share them. I know, I need to work on my Christmas spirit.

9. Cheese - another thing that seems to show up in abundance around Christmas, maybe because cheese and crackers is such an easy snack to hold off the ravenous crowds trying to eat dinner before it's time. Behold! The power of cheese!

10. Meatballs - Not a traditional Christmas treat, but when Christmas includes my dad, there are bound to be meatballs. And let me tell you, my dad's meatballs...you'd kill for them. They are little balls of meaty heaven on earth. Sicilians just know how to cook, what can I say? The fact that meatballs usually means pasta is also involved is not to be overlooked.

What are your favorite Christmas treats? Anything out of the ordinary? I'd love to hear about it.

Random Thoughts

I don't really hate Mondays, but how cute is that picture? Mondays aren't that terrible, really. After all, they mean a fresh start to a new week. How bad can that be?

I'm doing what I hope is my last and final Christmas shopping trip today. Then the wrapping begins. Ick. I don't like wrapping at all.

I dreamed about Jerome Bettis last night. Do you think that means I'm watching too much football?

I have so much to do in the next two weeks, I don't know where to start. Christmas functions to attend, presents to deliver, ornaments to make, cat accessories to buy (for the road trip), presents to wrap, packing...this time of year is so stinkin' busy! But I've resolved to fit some writing in there somewhere.

How do you balance the holiday madness with writing?