Holly Hobbiest

Come chat with me at Fictionistas today about hobbies!

Alphabet Meme

I found this over at Travis Erwin's blog. Seemed as good a way as any to start Monday with.

A:Accent: Not that am I aware of. If you've heard me speak, do you think I have an accent?

B:Breakfast or no Breakfast: Breakfast is a must. I wake up hungry. Usually oatmeal or some kind of egg thing.

C:Chore I hate: Folding laundry. It's killing me slowly, one sock at a time...

D:Dog or Cat: Three fabulous cats. They keep life interesting. Seriously, when was the last time you crawled under a bed to rescue a lizard?

E:Essential Electronics: Laptop and TV. But laptop first.

F:Favorite Perfume: When I worked for Christian Dior, I was a diehard Poison fan. Now I mostly go for lighter florally body sprays.

G:Gold or Silver: Gold. I'm blonde. It works for me.

H:Handbag I carry most often: My limited edition Coach bag. I have others I like but changing them out seems too much like work, so I don't do it often.

I:Insomnia: Usually happens when I'm reading a good book and don't want to stop.

J:Job Title: SAHW? Stay At Home Writer

K:Kids: Best when they belong to someone else.

L:Living Arrangement: Fab house on the water (canal) with a pool. I'm a happy camper. My house is my castle!

M:Most admirable trait: I'll fight for my friends. Literally, if necessary.

N:Naughtiest childhood behavior: While babysitting my brother, refusing to let him eat anything in the house because I told him he was adopted. He isn't.

O:Overnight Hospital Stays: Never.

P:Phobias: Spiders, deep water I can't see through, being buried alive.

Q:Quote: "Scared money doesn't win." My dad.

R:Reason to smile: Have you seen my cats?

S:Siblings: One brother. Three years younger.

T:Time I wake up: Usually 7ish. Or when the cats stand on me.

U:Unusual Talent or skill: I'm sure I have one somewhere...

V:Vegetable I refuse to eat: None

W:Worst Habit: Procrastination

X:X-rays: Lots of mouth stuff, due to the orthodontics and oral surgeries I've had done.

Y:Yummy Stuff: Cookies and cake are a weakness. Plus, salty things.

Z:Zoo animal I like the most: Anything in the big cat family makes me happy. I could watch the leopard at our local zoo for hours. Especially when they give him an ostrich egg.

Feel free to play along!

Caturday!

I have a chapter meeting today, but this is what I'd rather be doing:Scooter lounges better than I do. But then, as a cat, he's had more practice. For more fun with animals, check out Barbara Vey's Saturday post.

General Update on Things

So. I haven't been writing as much as I'd like of late. Basically because I am easily distracted and prone to procrastination. Trust me, it's not because I've been too busy doing housework. *sigh* I have been reading, though, so that's something. I guess.

As of yesterday's 5 pages, I'm back to writing, feeling motivated and encouraged to push forward. What caused the change? I did. I made myself sit down and write. I spoke to myself in a stern voice (in my head, not out loud) and just made myself do it. The time for slacking had passed. My WIP is a great book. It deserves to be written, the story told, the characters grown. What was I waiting for? Someone else to come along and write it? Writing is my job, I need to act that way.

After all, books don't write themselves, do they? And all books, good, bad, ugly, are written the same one. One word at a time. There is no magic formula, there is only writing. Day after day, until the work is done.

That is all. Stop slacking. Go write. If I can do it, there is great hope for everyone.

Thursday Chocolate Fix

I've had brownies on the brain a lot lately. Perhaps because one of my recent Saveur magazines feature several To Die For brownie recipes that are just begging to be tried. Here are the two I'm most likely to make. If you try them, let me know. Or if you have a tried and true brownie recipe, share!

Nick's 'Supernatural' Brownies

Fudgy and moist, these brownies (shown on the bottom) are made from a recipe that appears in Chocolate: From Simple Cookies to Extravagant Showstoppers by Nick Malgieri (HarperCollins, 1998). 16 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1⁄4" pieces 4 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1⁄2 tsp. fine salt 1 cup flour 1. Heat oven to 350°. Grease a 9" x 13" baking pan with butter and line with parchment paper; grease paper. Set pan aside. 2. Pour enough water into a 4-quart saucepan that it reaches a depth of 1". Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Combine butter and chocolate in a medium bowl; set bowl over saucepan. Cook, stirring, until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside. 3. Whisk together eggs in a large bowl. Add sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt; whisk to combine. Stir in chocolate mixture; fold in flour. Pour batter into prepared pan; spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 30–35 minutes. Let cool on a rack. Cut and serve.

Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies

A version of this recipe accompanied an interview with the actress Katharine Hepburn in the August 1975 issue of The Ladies' Home Journal. This brownie recipe (shown in the middle), which calls for the smallest amount of flour, produces incredibly chewy bars with a full but mellow chocolate flavor. 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate 1 cup sugar 2 eggs, beaten 1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup roughly chopped walnuts 1⁄4 cup flour 1⁄4 tsp. fine salt 1. Heat oven to 325°. Grease an 8" x 8" baking pan with butter. Line the pan with parchment paper; grease the paper. Set the pan aside. 2. Melt the butter and the chocolate together in a 2-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir to make a smooth batter. Add the walnuts, flour, and salt; stir until incorporated. Pour the batter into the baking pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40–45 minutes. Let cool on a rack. Cut and serve.

I laughed until I cried

It's Wednesday. We all need a laugh. Get yours here.

Then get back to writing. You know it's the write thing to do. (See what I did there? Write? Right? I know, your money's worth and then some.)

Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend

Come on over to the Fictionistas and see what confessions this ginormous diamond has pulled from me!

Confession Monday

I am a junkie.

A software junkie.

See, I got two new programs recently - one that makes movies, like Windows Movie Maker, only with more bells and whistles and no freeze-ups, and a new program for editing photos.

I like them both very much. Which probably explains why I spent the weekend making trailers for books I have not yet written and fan videos for songs I like. It's a sickness, I know. But I must write today. I must. I have to atone for my time wasting somehow.

So...what's your Monday confession?

PS. I have that new Blogger follower thingy installed, so um, FOLLOW ME! lol

Caturday!

For the first minute or so, this video seems pretty inane, but keep watching. Trust me when I tell you it's worth it. If you don't laugh, you're probably made of cardboard and hail. You're welcome!

@ Yahoo! Video

This video just needs to be watched. So watch it. This could be me someday...

Death By Keyboard

Recently at Romance Divas we were discussing how many of us kill off people in our books and of those of us who do, how many people die per book. (In my current WIP, I'm probably going to top out at 5 dead, by such means as beheading and loss of blood.)

The results were rather interesting. "Bloodbath" - meaning 12 or more people - was the most popular answer. Apparently, Divas like to snuff characters right and left.

Do you kill people off in your books? If so, how many? And what's your preferred method of de-lifeing them?

Can I go back to bed yet?

I spent half an hour this morning chasing Max, our youngest cat, around outside in my pajamas (braless) and socks - which were soaked through the first moment I stepped onto the grass.

Apparently, he pushed through a part of the screen in the lanai and decided to spend his morning chewing through the landscaping. Baaaaad kitty.

I had to slide the safety door over the cat door because as soon as I brought him back in, he immediately escaped out to the lanai and did it again.

Now he's crying at the sliding doors and looking at me like I am The Worst Mother ever.

I need a nap. It's not even 8 am.

Tagged!

Thanks to my writer friend, Jennifer Shirk, I've been tagged to list "six unspectacular quirks about me".

Here are the rules:
Link to the person who tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
List 6 unspectacular quirks you have.
Tag 6 bloggers by linking them.
Leave a comment on each person’s blog to let them know they’ve been tagged.

Here are my quirks:

1. I cannot abide hair in my hairbrush. I clean it constantly.
2. I like the smell of cat breath.
3. I could eat soup every day. I don't. But I could.
4. I wear flipflops 99% of the time when I go out, but at home, I always wear socks.
5. I read about 1000 words a minute with grade A comprehension and have since 8th grade.
6. I can't make coffee to save my life. Seriously, I make horrible coffee. It's my one flaw. Hah!

I'm not tagging anyone, but feel free to play.

Bored?

If you're looking for a way to procrastinate, try this:

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

As for me, I'll be writing today. I had a big story break-thru yesterday that will get me through at least another 4-5 chapters. Yes, I own writing again. I may be persuaded to rent or lease small pieces.

Are you writing today? The correct answer is yes.

My Interview with Supermodel Carol Alt!

I recently conducted a phone interview with supermodel Carol Alt (you might remember her from last year's Celebrity Apprentice) about her new book, THIS YEAR'S MODEL. You can read the interview over at Fictionistas today and if you comment, you register yourself for a chance to win her book! The book is a straight forward look at the modeling industry in YA form and uses many of Carol's truly interesting experiences within the pages. It was a fast, fun read and I definitely recommend it.

What are you waiting for? Get on over there!

Is it Monday already?

Wow. Monday. Already.

Is it just me or did that come fast?

I need a Tuesday button on my computer. Wouldn't that be cool? If only. What button would you like to have on your computer?

I have craploads to do, but I won't bore you with the list. At least not right now. I might change my mind and decide to bore you later.

Caturday!

Today's Caturday combines two of my favorite things: cats and cake. If it only included shoes, we'd have a trifecta. Enjoy!

Blog Round Up

An agent talks about what phrase you shouldn't use in your query.

Another agent discusses "the perfect book."

10 tips for writing a better blog.

The Rejecter talks about getting your money back for bad books.

Not sure where to put commas? What to italicize and what not? Check here.

My vote for hero of the year goes to this guy.

And lastly, a Last Lines contest!

Don't forget to write today, people! Those pages aren't going to write themselves, no matter how long you procrastinate. Get going! Ignore the pain and push through. You'll be happy you did.

Fabulous Free Workshop Starts Tomorrow!

Kick A$$ Characters By Authors Who Know How To Kick A$$September 12-13 at Romance Divas

Featuring:

Bob Mayer
Lori Avocato
Maggie Price
Lindsay McKenna
Barry Eisler
Linnea Sinclair
Larissa Ione
Merline Lovelace

Want to know how to write authentic action, suspense, law enforcement, and military romance? Ask authors who know firsthand! Romance Divas is hosting a 2-day workshop with some of the hottest names in the genre. It will take place at the Romance Diva Forum. All are welcome. To get access to the forum you will need to register by entering the site and clicking on Forum.

And The Winner Is...

The winner of the caption contest by random selection is...

Abigail McKenley!

So Abigail, please email me your mailing address at kbrunori (at) yahoo (dot) com and I'll get Roxanne St. Claire's signed trilogy out to you!

In other news, today needs to be a big writing day. I've been doing more research than writing lately, but I've come up with a few GREAT ideas that will really move the book forward. I'm hoping for 8 - 10 pages.

Today looks like a dim, rainy day thanks to bands from Ike. Perfect for writing! What are you doing today? Anything interesting going on?

38 Going On 13

Yesterday, I had an emergency trip to the orthodontist. Read all about it over at Fictionistas!

Monday Words of Wisdom

Steve Berry's 8 Rules of Writing from the Maui Writers Conference, Honolulu, September 2008 (courtesy of Writer's Digest)

At the 2008 Maui Writers Conference, bestselling thriller writer Steve Berry says there are eight key rules that all writers must know and follow:

1. There are no rules. You can do anything you want as long as it works.

2. Don't bore the reader. You can bore the reader in a sentence, in a paragraph, by misusing words, poorly choosing words, using the wrong length, etc.

3. Don't confuse the reader. Don't misuse point of view. Don't do too much at once.

4. Don't get caught writing. Don't let you, the author, enter the story. (E.g., "And he never would see Memphis again." How would anyone other than the author know that the character would never see Memphis again?)

5. Shorter is always better. Write tight. It makes you use the best words in the right way.

6. Don't lie to the reader. It's OK to mislead, but don't lie. If you say the character's motivation is A and it turns out to be B (and you haven't foreshadowed it at all), the reader will feel cheated.

7. Don't annoy the reader. Don't use names that are hard to pronounce or write choppy sentences throughout the entire book. It keeps people from getting close to your characters.

8. You must tell a good story. Bad writing can be forgiven with a good story. A bad story with the most beautiful writing cannot.

Caturday Caption Contest!

Caption Contest!!!

It's been waaaay too long since I've done one of these. You know the drill: leave your caption for this pic in the comments section. I'll pick a winner on Wednesday. And what will you win?

Roxanne St. Claire's Bullet Catcher trilogy: First You Run, Then You Hide, Now You Die!!! SIGNED! All three! Yes, I know, I'm verra generous. This is why you love me.

Get captioning! And feel free to send your friends over too. (Or link to this contest on your own blog.)

Rain, Wind and Hanna

Tropical Storm Hanna is swinging past us at the moment, bringing higher winds than expected and buckets of rain. Fun, fun stuff. Not.

So what are some good rainy day activities, besides the writing I have planned that is. What do you do on a rainy day?

I have to meet some friends later at our local bookstore and while I'm not looking forward to going out, I never pass up a chance to wander through the stacks and see what's new. So besides the rainy day stuff, what are you reading? Anything you want to recommend?

Chrome, Anyone?

Has anyone out there downloaded the new Google browser Chrome? Besides me, that is. I realize with anything new there's a learning curve, but so far I'm not blown away. It's both responsive and unresponsive, intuitive and not. Great description, huh? lol Sorry.

Anyway, if you're using it, tell me if you like it or not. And maybe how long it takes you to get the swing of it.

I think I'm headed back to Firefox. What browser do you normally use?

Work Day

Today the writing begins anew. I'll have the house to myself for at least 3 days, so that should mean lots of pages. At least 15 but I'm hoping for more like 20 or 25.

I'm also hoping to get some cardio in today. Like 15 minutes on the elliptical. I'm so much more productive when I'm exercising.

Lastly, I have at least two loads of laundry to fold and put away. Ick. Laundry makes me sad.

But this makes me happy! I found the theme song for my current WIP. Hope you like it! (I don't know much about Bionicle - I just picked the video in order to share the song.)

Pranks For The Memories

I'm over at Fictionistas today talking about pranks. Come play or I'll tp your blog.

Happy Birthday Dad!

My parents are here visiting and today is my dad's birthday. He's coming up with all sorts of things he wants for presents, but I'm trying to explain to him that gift ideas need to come sooner than the actual day of the birthday.

Anyway, they leave tomorrow so the writing will begin anew then. My goal for this month is 125 pages. What's your writing goal for September?