Project 501

I haven't done a Project Runway wrap up in a while due to the holidays, but it's time to get back to it!

Last night's show was decent, if not a touch snooze-inducing. Just when you thought Chris (the hefty costume designing drag queen) and Christian (the little anime twit come to life) were going to get into it, they don't. Bo-ring! Although Chris's comment that someone needed to give Christian a bottle and put him to bed was classic! I like Chris more all the time, even when his designs are not so fabulous.

Last night's challenge was sponsor by Levi's. Let's recap the outfits, shall we?
Sweet P did this number originally as a wedding dress. I swear, that girl needs to get her head off the commune. A patchwork denim wedding dress? Yikes. Anyway, she wisely took Tim Gunn's advice and shortened it. Now? Very wearable. So cute for summer, don't you think?
This is Jillian's coat. Shocker, I know, since she just did a coat last week. That coat was crave-able, this coat? Looks like a bad 4-H sewing club project. (Not that my denim book bag looked anything like this coat, but it might have if my mother hadn't made me stick to the pattern.)
Christian can't stop calling the clothes he designs "fierce." Is this fierce? Well, I guess if making your crotch look square, your torso boxy and your shoulders Dynasty-licious is fierce, then it works. Otherwise, this is a no for me.
Chris was so close with this one. If only he'd done something different with that neck wrapping bit and fixed the frayed seams. Christian, take note - see those shoes? That's what fierce looks like.
Ricky won this week! Which of course meant we had to watch him cry about 12 times. I'm really over his tears and his hats. However, this outfit rocks. Hard. He even styled it well, channeling a little pre-crack Amy Winehouse with the hair and make-up. Nicely done, Mr. Tammie Faye of the fashion world.
Once again, Rami pulls off an impeccable garment. Actually, he could sew burlap sacks into bicycle shorts and I'd be happy so long as I got to look at him. He's a delicious dish, that Rami.
And, the snoozer - I mean, loser. Victoria made herself a coat to go home in, because that's exactly where this trench coat mess took her. Gosh, Victoria! I thought you had so much more potential. But this? Yuck.

Would you wear any of these? I would!

Not My Usual Subject

I'm in love with a candle. I know, this is kind of an odd topic for a writer's blog, but lately, I've been burning this vanilla lime Yankee jar candle while I work and I swear the scent of it helps me work better. Am I nuts?

It just smells so good - it's kind of a fresh scent because of the lime. I feel like it helps me focus. (Except, of course, when one of my cats has to jump up on my desk, sniff the burning candle and singes off a few whiskers.) I have edited a nearly 500 page book in about five days while burning this candle. Coinkydink? I think not.

Am I alone in this? Do you burn scented candles while you work? Have you ever tried it? Do you think it's possible scent can help you focus and be more productive?

Fabulous Auction!

Charity Silent Auction on Romantic Inks
Did Santa leave you cold? Romantic Inks has just the thing to warm you up!

RI is going to help send some lucky aspiring author to the 2008 RWA Conference and we’re looking for your support! For our Silent Auction we’re offering fabulous books including books from many genres, critiques from authors who will make your toes curl, web designs and even promotional space. Take a look at the list we have…
Romantic Inks Auction

Bidding begins January 20th! Check it out, blog readers. There's some good stuff to be had for not a lot of cash.

Monday, Monday...

It's been chillyish in FL lately. And by chillyish, I mean I wore my fabulous (faux) fur to church last night. Yeah, that cold. Today I'm making soup - a lovely chicken & barley stew to get me through the week. I love soup (and chili)! Not only does the house smell great, but it's good for you. I could eat soup every day. Sometimes, I do.

Writing-wise, I'm hard at work editing the first book I ever wrote in hopes of giving it new life. I love the story, but I worry I'm too close to it. Fortunately, two fabulous divas volunteered to beta read it for me. My goal today is to edit 70 pages. It's doable, I just need to get on it.

Lastly, I need to get my booty back into exercise. My goal for that today is 15 minutes on the elliptical. Not much, I know, but still better than nothing. Maybe I'll throw in some abs and some push-ups. If it were warmer, I might go for a walk. Do you try to squeeze exercise into your day? What kind do you do?

You Know You Want One

In case you can't read the shirt, it says "Ferret Out Plagiarim" - I know, it rocks hard. Get one here. Or browse the boutique for a few other styles. Looks like perfect conference-wear to me, don't you think? I bet Nora would even sign it.

What's Your Pleasure?

Today's burning question is for you, the blog reader. (Which is basically all of us.) What topics interest you most when you're blog hopping?

*personal anicdotes

*book reviews

*writing topics

*celebrity gossip

*pics of hot guys

*food-related topics

*fashion-related topics

*scandalous topics (ie: the recent plagiarism kerfluffle)

If you really want to be helpful, feel free to rank these in order of reading interest. Thanks!

Five Servings A Day

Since the start of the new year, Hotrod and I have been really trying to eat better. Yeah, I know a lot of people make that a resolution, but we've really been doing it. Of course, I'm doing all the cooking. Shocker.

We've been eating oatmeal and fresh fruit for breakfast every morning - something Hotrod really grumped about at first. Lunch is a big salad, or a veggie & bean soup, or like yesterday veggie-stuffed portabella mushrooms and brown basmati rice. Dinner is usually something similiar. Last night, for a treat, I made brown rice pudding with soy milk. Hotrod not only ate it, but liked it. Wow!

I'm doing my best to buy organic when I can, to make sure all our grain products are whole and to keep the fridge stocked with fruits and veggies for quick snacking. I'm also buying free-range and/or meats raised without antibiotics. Which basically means we're not eating that much meat any more, and when we do it eat it, it's chicken, shrimp and occasionally buffalo (I've found some safe beef but not that much). I do still buy fish, because I think for the most part the benefits outweigh the bad.

Anyway, it's been interesting. Hotrod and I both agree we feel better, although the weight loss has been a little less than I'd hoped for. Ah well. At least we'll be healthier. Have you kept up with your New Year's resolutions? What were they?

Fun, Writerly, Stuff

Fun:

Gemma Halliday is running a hot bachelor auction! Check it out here.

Writerly:

If you don't think MS Word is the perfect writing tool, maybe one of these is programs for you. Both have free trial downloads. I'd love to hear what you think if you try one of them out!

Scrivener - for Mac users
PageFour - for Windows users

Stuff:

Newsweek carries another take on the Cassie Edwards plagiarism scandal. (And for some really exciting news, Romance Divas will be interviewing the plagiarised author, Paul Tolme, in the very near future.)

Also, a friend and agency sister, Maureen McGowan, has finaled in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest!! Apparently, there were over 5,000 entries and there are 800 semi-finalists and Maureen is one of them! Woohoo!

Please consider voting for her FABULOUS entry here. Thanks!

Tag, I'm It

Maria tagged me, so here goes:

The rules:

Link to the person who tagged you;
Leave a comment on their blog so that their readers can visit yours;Post the rules on your blog;
Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog;
Tag 7 random people at the end of your post;
Include links to their blogs;Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

7 Random Facts About Kristen Painter:
1. Kristen Painter can start a fire using only water.
2. Kristen Painter knows Victoria's Secret but has promised not to tell.
3. Catwoman wears Kristen Painter pajamas.
4. Kristen Painter once won a game of Connect Four in three moves.
5. Kristen Painter is the leading cause of lesbianism.
6. Kristen Painter can divide by zero, but chooses not to.
7. If Kristen Painter was Santa, all good girls would get diamond-crusted shoes under the tree.
8. Kristen Painter is the reason Waldo is hiding.
9. If you spell Kristen Painter in Scrabble, you win. Forever.
10. When Kristen Painter was a baby, she took candy from adults.

I tag: Mel, Louisa, Deidre, Lucinda, Erica, Maria, Sela

A Writer's Work Is Never Done

How often have you discovered that even when you think you're done with a story, you're not?

For me, this seems like a constant. Guess I should just figure I'm never really done with a story. Recently I revised 115 pages in two different books, then edited a 29 page synopsis down to 8 pages. (The first version was a originally single-spaced, which is why it went to 29 pages when double-spaced.)

What have you worked on recently?

Dinner, Anyone?

In my defense, I had not been in the kitchen in some time when I walked in and found this beast on my range. I think Scooter has some secret weird desire to become dinner. Besides laying on the range, he also cries to get into the oven. We have a double oven, you can see it there on the side. He'll sit in front of the bottom one, pawing at it and mewling until you open the door and let him get in.

I love my furbaby, even if he is a little mental. And if you come for dinner, I promise to clean.

Mostly.

Madam President, Get Real

According to several sources, like the AP and this one, RWA president Sherry Lewis doesn't think Cassie Edward's plagiarism is "clear-cut" and that concerning the whole issue about whether or not CE's plagiarism is actually plagiarism, Ms. Lewis says, "...I’m not qualified to make that assertion.”

You look like a reasonably intelligent woman. I'd bet good money you can read just as well as I can. (It might even be a prerequisite for becoming an RWA president.) Try it. Read through the various posts on this subject available all over the web. See what you think then. And please, don't let RWA come out of this looking like a group of foolish, ignorant women. Please.

I don't normally get too involved with crap like this, but this has got my Sicilian up. How hard is it to say if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck it must be a duck? There is still time to make a statement and do the right thing.

Now That's An Author Photo

TOKYO (Reuters) - With her dyed-brown long hair and tight designer jeans, Shoko Tendo looks like any other stylish young Japanese woman — until she removes her shirt to reveal the vivid tattoos covering her back and most of her body.

The author of “Yakuza Moon,” a best-selling memoir just out in English, the 39-year-old Tendo says that police efforts to eradicate the gangsters have merely made them harder to track.

“The more the police push, the more the yakuza are simply going underground, making their activities harder to follow than they ever were before,” she told Reuters in a recent interview.

Police say full-fledged membership in yakuza groups fell to 41,500 last year, down from 43,000 in 2005, a decline they attribute to tighter laws against organized crime.

“They’re being forced into a corner, their humanity taken away,” she said. “All the things they used to do for a living have been made illegal, so life has become very hard.”

Being a gang member is not illegal in Japan, and until recently the gangs were known for openness. Their offices even posted signs with their names and membership lists inside.

Gangs cooperated with police, handing over suspects in return for police turning a blind eye to yakuza misdemeanors, but this broke down after organized crime laws were toughened in 1992.

Read more at Reuters article “Gangster daughter sheds light on Japan underworld” (Image from Reuters)

*****************

Has anyone read this book? I think I'm going to have to look for it now. Talk about ink! Wow, that's a major tattoo. How cool is it that she wrote the book and posed for the cover?

Blog Round Up

Another author gets tapped for plagiarism.

The ongoing debate about an agent also being an author, by a former Berkley editor.

An agent's take on what not to do in a query.

More from another agent on queries, email vs. snail mail.

2 Down, 48 To Go

I'm sick with a cold that doesn't want to leave, which sucks, but on the bright side, it's given me a lot of time to read. As a result, I've finished The Life of Pi and another book, A Thousand Splendid Suns, the follow-up book to The Kite Runner.

Both had a lot of similiarities. Both deal with oppressive circumstances that have no real escape. Both feature terrible tragedy, but end on a brighter note. Ultimately, I'd have to say The Life of Pi edged out A Thousand Splendid Suns by a few points. It's just a story unlike anything I've read before.

Next up, a change of pace. Cara Lockwood's The Scarlet Letterman, a YA. What are you reading?

Reading In The New Year

The holiday season brought me a grand total of approx. 22 new books. They weren't all presents - some were won in contests, some came from publishers seeking reviews, one was borrowed from my Dad.

The one I'm starting with was a gift from my brother and his wife - The Life of Pi. Has anyone read this? I've been wanting to read this book for the longest time so when I unwrapped it, I was thrilled! It's like my brother read my mind.

Some of my writer friends have the goal of reading 50 books this year. I think that's a good number. I'll let you know how #1 turns out. What are you reading or looking forward to read? Did you get books as gifts? Give them as gifts? Talk to me!

Back To Reality

Okay, it's official, the holidays are over.

Life - writing, blogging, dieting and such - begins again tomorrow morning.

*sigh*

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?