Posted by: Author | August 11, 2010
Wordless Wednesday
Posted in Wordless Wednesday | Tags: Cristiano Ronaldo, FIFA, Real Madrid, wordless Wednesday
Posted by: Author | August 10, 2010
Request for Re-Write
My historical story is getting some attention- I’m glad as I was told by a chapter member that it would never sell- I got a re-write request from an editor last night and I have also received a request for a full at National RWA conference – that editor said one of the other editors at her company would be very interested in it. It seems I need to add some more historical detail to it as well as descriptions of places. The editor in last night’s email said the dialogue was “snappy.” I like that she thought so. I love good dialogue and feel great when someone compliments mine.
As to the historical part, the funny thing is, I made a real effort to not make too much of it “history” as I didn’t want to bore my potential readers. Shows what I know, huh? I love the era of this story and have a ton of knowledge on it so it should be a cinch to fix. I hope so, anyway.
I’m glad to be transitioning from straight rejections to re-write requests. I hope this progress continues and that I’m due for the “call” soon.
Posted in Writing | Tags: historical romance, Ireland, National Conference, Redemption for the Devil, RWA
Posted by: Author | August 8, 2010
Salt, the Movie (spoilers ahead)
I went to see Salt with two of my friends and I enjoyed it as a escapist movie but have to say that there was pretty much ZERO realism in the thing. I had to call bull s**t several times in the course of the movie. There was even a point where I said, “if she gets up again, I’m leaving.” – That’s a quote from my son from when we watched the fourth Die Hard movie and the Asian woman kept coming back for more beating. This was kind of like that movie in a lot of ways.
One of the men acted totally out of character at the very end in the helicopter. How can you be a “by the book” law officer all through the movie and then at the end, betray that? I’m all for twists in movies and I like the one involving Liev in this one, but that last thing the dude in the helicopter did was just wrong. For his character, that is. AND another question? Didn’t the film makers realize just how cold the Potomac River is when there is snow on the ground? How fast people could freeze in that water?
My main reason for going was Liev Schreiber. He is such an amazing actor, I could watch him in the worst of movies. He is very mesmerizing on screen and I just think he’s fantastic. This film was no exeption. He was spot on. So, for fans of Liev who can set aside their bull s**t factor, I say, “go see it.” But, if impossible tricks annoy you, stay away.
Posted in Random thoughts | Tags: Die Hard, Liev Schreiber, Movie, Salt
Posted by: Author | August 6, 2010
Friday Facts- August 6, 2010- Jai Alai
I am a big fan of names. I like to take note of names of towns on exit signs. It’s interesting to see the crazy names people come up with to name their cities. My friends know about this quirk of mine and on the way home from RWA conference, Leigh pointed out to me a sign at an exit that said Jai Alai. Because my brain is full of arcane crap, I explained that it was not a town but a game similar to racquetball. Her reply: that would be a great Friday Fact. So, here we are, it’s Friday and here’s your fact. All credit goes to Leigh for this one.
Jai Alai was first played in the Basque region of Spain. It originated from people throwing a ball against the church wall as a fun past time. It grew from there and the first games were played in the United States at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair and the first fronton was built in Miami in the mid 1920s. The arenas where they play are called frontons. The game is played with a very hard ball called a pelota and the ball is caught in a curved net with a handle called a cesta (Spanish for basket).
Jai Alai means Merry Festival in Basque. The game is very similar to racquetball in that one side serves and the other must catch it in the basket and fling it back to the wall. The ball must be in play all the time. No holding the ball in the basket. The balls get up to very high speeds. The highest clocked speed was 188 mph. Since the ball is harder than a rock, don’t you know that could break your bones if it hit you at that speed? Since the balls are so hard and hit the granite wall so hard, a ball lasts about 20 minutes in play before it splits.
This sport draws quite a number of gamblers and seems very exciting to me. Much more so than a staid game of tennis.
Cesta
Posted in Friday Facts | Tags: Basque, Friday fact, Jai Alai, Miami, RWA, Spanish
Posted by: Author | August 5, 2010
Another RWA Conference Story
About a year ago, a group of seven friends from the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Romance Writers of America founded a blog called “The Southern Sizzlers.” Check it out: http://southernsizzleromance.wordpress.com/ We are an eclectic bunch and one of our first commenters that was not one of us was Danica Avet from Houma, Louisiana. She seemed like a cool chick from her comments and from our reading of her blog.
You know how sometimes you think you’ll like someone you met on the internet and then you meet them in person and you wonder “who is this person and how did she/he have me fooled?” and you don’t mesh in real life?
Well, I’m thrilled to say that did NOT happen here. I met Danica in person for the first time in Orlando and it was like I’d known her forever. She was wicked cool in person- maybe even more so than I thought she’d be. I think we’ll be friends for a long time to come (unless, of course, she thinks I’m that person I talked about in the last paragraph). I don’t think she thinks that since I’m pretty intuitive about stuff like that AND she never looked at me like I have three heads.
Here is a picture of her- When she gets her first contract, I’ll be interviewing her here. Stay tuned. and in the meantime, read her blog: http://danicaavet.wordpress.com/
Posted in Random thoughts | Tags: Danica Avet, National Conference, RWA
Posted by: Author | August 4, 2010
Wordless Wednesday
Posted in Wordless Wednesday | Tags: tiramisu, wordless Wednesday
Posted by: Author | August 3, 2010
Back from RWA National Conference
Am still semi comatose and not really in a witty mood but I thought I’d share my favorite parts of RWA #10. My friend, Cynthia Eden, won not one, but two, Prism Awards- Best Paranormal and Best Novella. These are the awards given by the Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal Chapter of the Romance Writer’s of America. She was so excited to win one, much less two. I teased her about her “bookends.”
Here she is with one of them: and she may not look excited, but she was!
Cynthia Eden
Another highlight was meeting Leanna Renee Hieber, who wrote The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker. I really liked this book. She won two Prism Awards as well. One for Best First Book. and one for Best Fantasy.
Here she is with me:
- Jillian and Leanna
The first person I saw when I went to my room was one of my favorite writers, Lauren Willig. I didn’t want to act like a crazed fan so I didn’t speak to her then. I did end up behind her in line at one of the book signings and spoke to her then and told her how much I enjoyed her books- she writes a series about the Napoleonic Wars and spies. Great stuff. She was signing her latest on Saturday and I got an autographed copy even though I already own it. She is a very warm and open person. Check out her website: http://www.laurenwillig.com/– I am sad that I didn’t get a photo of her.
I will post more stories as soon as I wake up a bit more. Still in recovery for the lack of sleep!
Posted in Books, Random thoughts, Writing | Tags: Cynthia Eden, Lauren Willig, Leanna Hieber, National Conference, RWA
Posted by: Author | July 30, 2010
Friday Facts- July 30, 2010- Dolphin v. Dolphin Fish
I was going to give you all a scintillating post about deodorants and the various uses of same. There are two chicas here that have a disease I have named Deodorant OCD. One just puts it on several times a day and has bottles stashed everywhere: her car, her desk, her purse, etc. The other is much more a connoisseur she has different bottles for different outfits. It depends on no sleeves, sleeves or the heat level. I planned to interview these ladies in depth for their recommendations but, alas, we got too busy. So sorry, I had to pick a new topic since I didn’t get that interview done.
Staying at the Dolphin Hotel in Orlando for RWA conference and one of the hot topics of conversation is what kind of Dolphin is on the roof of the building as well as on the lobby fountain. It is clearly not a “Flipper” Dolphin and it sure doesn’t look like a mahi-mahi which is a dolphin fish. I thought it looked kind of like a carp but on further reflection, I think not.
A dolphin like Flipper is a mammal and not a fish. It is very intelligent and is able to communicate with humans. They have been used for therapy with children with Asberger’s and austism to help them learn to communicate. I also read an article recently regarding Dolphins and diabetes.
A mahi-mahi or dolphin fish is a fish. Cold blooded and not intelligent. A nice dinner, but not much interaction with children and probably have nothing to do with helping anyone other than to a full tummy.
So, the question- what kind of sea critter is the Dolphin Hotel trying to pass off here? Opinions?
Dolphin- the mammal
mahi mahi
Posted in Friday Facts | Tags: Danica Avet, Dolphin, Dolphin hotel, Friday fact, Leah Fields, mahi mahi
Posted by: Author | July 29, 2010
RWA Conference
I made it in one piece to the RWA conference although I DID think I was gonna die on the plane. My immediate thought was “I don’t want my life to end this way, to die for romance is too much like Mariann Dashwood’s hope to die for love in Sense and Sensibility. (Thank God she lived so she could marry Col. Brandon- Alas, that will not be my fate). We had to route through St. Petersburg to get to Orlando to avoid a storm in the atmosphere. The plane was like a bucking bronco a few times. People screamed which doesn’t help a thing. AND at one point, I actually felt/saw the plane make a 90 degree turn. That was freaky, too. But I made it.
Made two new friends on the shuttle- Shaye and Leigh from Toledo, Ohio- two really cool chicas. Convincing them to come to Silken Sands Conference in 2012.
Got to hang a little with my friend, Sayde Grace, a little more with my friend, Cynthia Eden and a lot with Leah Fields and Danica Avet. Ate dinner w/Leah and Danica and had a great milk shake.
Went to the Literacy signing and got three books there. The marvelous Heather Graham was on hand. So nice. One day, I’m going to make it to her New Orleans event.
Attended launch party for Elisabeth Naughton’s new book which was great fun but hot in the room with all the women yakking. Won a book. But so did about 15 other people. Maybe everyone won?
Posted by: Author | July 28, 2010
Wordless Wednesday
Posted in Wordless Wednesday | Tags: guess where I am?, romance novels, wordless Wednesday
Jillian Chantal 