Twisted Fairytale

So after a somewhat productive writing night Saturday, I turned off the computer at say, 2am to crawl into bed. I knew I had all day Sunday and then Monday AND Tuesday to finish this WIP. I was psyched!! Making great time. The thought crossed my mind for a brief second: I can actually do this! In an alternately perfect world, I wrote like a fiend Sunday, got to bed late, woke up at about 2pm on Monday, wrote a bit more, and by midnight I was finished! RIGHT ON TIME for my deadline!

This, however, is not a perfect world. When will I learn that things just don’t work that way? *shakes head* So here’s the real story. After I hit the hay Saturday night, I felt strange. Had some really sharp stomach pains that stretched up to the bottom of my chest. I figured it was lack of sleep. It’d been three days since I really snoozed properly. So, I was looking forward to bed. Ha! Yea, right. I was up about two hours later, in the bathroom, my head flung over the toilet like I’d just had one too many margaritas. Let’s just say I sat on the bathroom floor for the rest of the morning. I saw the sun rise through the living room window. Hubby was great. He came and spoke to me, tried to keep me distracted. Brought me water to prevent dehydration, although I hardly sipped it. In the end, we both fell asleep for a little while, him sprawled out in front of the bathroom, me on the bathroom floor. Romantic, huh?

As you can probably imagine, there went my Sunday. I spent most of the day between sleeping and dry heaving, since my stomach was nice and empty by this point. It took absolutely all my strength. In fact, my neck and shoulders still hurt. Who knew vomiting required so much physical exertion?

So, to put things plainly, my deadline is tomorrow and of course, I’M NOT DONE. Ha ha. And isn’t that just typical. Which means I have to get to it. I’m trying to think positive. Maybe I just lost like 5lbs. *shrugs* It’d be a good way to start the new year.

I’ve reached 42k on my WIP. The little story that was really, in my mind, only going to be no more than 25-30k has taken on a life of its own. Why does that not surprise me? I have no concept of short when it comes to writing. It’s either a one parter/flash fiction type short, or it’s novella/category length. For some inexplicable reason I can’t do anywhere in between. Could it be because I talk too much?

When I talk I tend to babble. I’ve been eying my WIP carefully to make sure I’m not just babbling, taking up space for the heck of it. Honestly, it wasn’t supposed to meet any large word requirement. My publisher would have been happy with 20k. So I think it’s just the life of the story. It’s sprouted wings, so to speak, and wanted to be told this way. Who am I to argue? I only end up with a migraine when I argue with my characters.

These two in particular (my hero and heroine) are quite the pair. They make me laugh and shake my head at their antics. Just when I think they’ve outdone themselves, they do something even more ridiculous. It’s amusing, really, how they’ve completely taken over the pages. I like them far more than I imagined I could. The first few glimpses of them to my CPs seem to be positive as well, so that makes me feel good.

I had a dream last night that reminded me why I’m doing this, why I’m killing myself to make this happen. In my dream, my book was at my bookstore. And my co-workers had read it and were telling me they really enjoyed it. They were even recommending it to some of the shoppers. In the end, the feeling of holding it in my hands and having people tell me they really loved the character, in particular *this part and that part* made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Accomplished. It was a great dream.

My deadline for it is on Tuesday. New Year’s! I’m close. Really close. In fact, as of last night, I hit the climax. Now it’s a matter of putting them in a huge pickle and daring them to get out of it. And there’s this scene at a train station that I’m supposed to make happen, but I’ve yet to decide just how I’m going to do that. I’m going to scour Youtube for a few scenes from old movies and see just what an action scene in 1940-50 was supposed to look like.

So anyway, wish me luck guys. Cross those fingers and toes. I’m at the home stretch. I’m almost there. I just have to persevere a few more days. I’m emotionally and mentally exhausted. Wouldn’t it be great if I could finish the story BEFORE the deadline?! That’d be something else. lol Let me not get ahead of myself.

I hope you’re all having a great weekend!!!

P.S. Image in honor of Cora Zane’s HILARIOUS kitty shots. They always make me laugh.

Things That Make Me Jolly:

1. Dinner with Friends.
2. Going to the Movies
3. Late Night Sleep Overs (that involve wine and lots of laughs).
4. Alone Time with the Hubster (watching Wedding Singer and playing Rummy, ha ha)
5. Watching A Christmas Story (it never stops being funny. “You’ll shoot your eye out!”)

Things that Make me Feel Non-Jolly (or ready to pull out my hair)

1. Crazed shoppers (who don’t think twice about bodily harm in order to grab a gift someone might return anyway).
2. The Gift Card Fiasco- (as it will forever be known). EVERYONE and their mother came into work today to use their gift cards. That’s usually not a problem, except half of them had STARBUCKS gift cards. We are a B&N Cafe. We DONT accept Starbucks giftcards. Sheesh. If I had to say that one more time today, I thought I’d pop a capillary.
3. Cranky Days when NOTHING goes right. (See also, Today. *le sigh*)
4. Working on a Deadline with a story that won’t cooperate. (*loses a second capillary*)

I think it’s a good sign that the positives outweigh the negatives. It means I haven’t succumbed to the dark cynical anger that bites at me this time of year. Not yet anyway. There’s still a little bit of merriment left in my heart. Ha ha.

I hope you all enjoyed your families and friends. I know I’m thankful for mine.

You know what? Add one more thing to my Jolly list.

• The people I work with. I really love my job. And the people I work with make it a great place to be. Thanks guys. (Melissa, I know you might be reading this, so just know that this especially includes you. Thanks for today. Sorry I was such a grouch. Ha ha) *HUGS*

I finally went to see it tonight! I’m so glad that I did. Will Smith most definitely delivers a gut wrenching performance. There’s something terrifying about the prospect of being the last person in the world. A sort of paranoid loneliness that I have a really difficult time dealing with. Watching some of the scenes were painful, but they were a testament to his acting ability. In fact, it proved what I’ve known all along. Even with a great plot, it’s the memorable characters that make a good story.

I was so much more enraptured by Smith’s character and complexities, that although the movie plot was interesting and at times shocking, I kept obsessing over what would happen to him. I’m going to have to check out the book. My interest is peaked.

Happy Friday all!

I admit it, I’ve been scheming. But it’s a yummy little trick I’ve got up my sleeve. I plan to hold a fun game/contest come January. There are going to be various prizes, including gift cards, a free copy of my book Cinematic Royalty, and other great things (which I won’t mention so that I can keep the suspense going!! *Are you dying to know?*
I can tell you a little bit about it. It’s called Enigma, and it was the brainchild of two of my closest friends. *waves at Cam and Mary* They used it back when they had a forum all their own. It was usually a week long event. With tons of intricate puzzles, games, word jumbles, avatars, music clips, etc. The ideas were truly endless. It was always so much fun. We haven’t done it for years now. But I thought, how neat would it be to resurrect it!

So here it is, in a more condensed version. At least this year. *insert evil laugh here* If it does well however, I may expand it. So keep your eyes out. This is going to be quote a thrill ride.

In the meantime, I’ve broken 35k on my WIP and realized that an older WIP is pretty good. So I’m editing it and polishing and then I plan to finish it and see where it goes from there.

Sometimes, characters do the strangest things. They dance around each other in circles, stubborn and insistent on keeping to their usual habits. They’re terribly afraid of change. And even when they notice that the change is good for them, they fight it. In my current WIP, the hero is finally realizing that the heroine is a force to be reckoned with. Smart, witty, and great in a pinch. She improvises like the best of them and she has a sharp eye, which is helpful in the P.I. business. He likes that about her. But he doesn’t like that he likes it.

Still, it doesn’t change the fact that he finds her intriguing, that he wants to spend more time with her. Despite himself (and better judgment), he lets her trail along on all sorts of trips she shouldn’t. She feeds off of the adrenaline. Loves the danger and excitement. And he loves when her eyes sparkle. *awwww* So, he decides that when he goes to his victim’s funeral to scope out one of the major suspects, she could come with him, to better back up the ruse. Plus he has a sexy little black dress he wants her to wear….

Funerals as first dates? I think I’ve gone from ‘romance’ to weird in ten seconds flat. These kids do the darndest things.

On another less morbid note, there is a very exciting book release today with my publisher, Freya’s Bower. She’s a fellow Diva, (and an overall sweet lady). Miss Teresa D’Amario! If you’re looking for something to read this Christmas season, trust me when I tell you she won’t disappoint.

SHEWOLF – Teresa D’Amario
Freya’s Bower
December 18, 2007

A dangerously spirited heroine and a sexy hero combine to make one whirlwind of a read. Teresa D’Amario has crafted a fun, steamy debut! ~ Larissa Ione, multi-published author

Teresa D’Amario has crafted a dynamic romance layered through with passion, provocation, and a mutual respect that is rare between fictional heroes and heroines. I’m especially in awe of this debut author’s SheWolf – Anna sparkles with satisfyingly feminine strength! ~Emily Ryan-Davis Author of the Dragon Queen series

Blurb:
A small town veterinarian has a big time problem. She’s not human.

Plagued as a child with an extra-sensitive sense of smell, strength, and eyesight, Anna Callaway always thought she was special. But she didn’t understand how special until she met Kieran Hunter.

He insists they are True Mates, but he’s not human either. He’s wolven.

Kieran is a protector of his race. No longer the Alpha of his pack, he spends his time searching out and punishing any who may reveal their race to humans. While patrolling, he finds two wolven about to kidnap Anna. He battles to protect her, but is surprised to find himself drawn to her in a way he never expected.

The couple must learn to deal with their differences before they can address their similarities. But when three men kidnap Anna, she must decide if she is to embrace the wolven way of life, or return to her quiet existence. And whether to abandon the man who claims her as his True Mate.

About the Author -

Teresa comes from the time of too many hours of Dark Shadows and Star Trek, and when she read her first paranormal romance, it was like coming home. Less than a year later Teresa completed her first full length novel, followed by several others. SheWolf is her first published novel, but with many more to follow. She lives in NC with her husband and two dogs who believe they are her children. **Shhh. Don’t tell them different.**

Isn’t that cover fabulous too? Freya’s does a great job with their coverart.

I have tomorrow off, so I’m going to try and blitz my WIP to see if I can do about 2k tomorrow. The closer to the end I get, the better. I’m guessing 4-5 more scenes. But I’ve been saying that for over a week and had trouble doing anything. So maybe if I get to bed early tonight, I’ll have a chance. WISH ME LUCK! *crosses fingers*

EDITED TO ADD:

By the by, this is the reason I originally wrote a 1940s-50s romance. Pictures like this: and 

I’m a huge K.Heigl fan, but these pictures just made me giddy. One of the original inspiration photos for Cinematic Royalty character Bridget Philips:

 

She looks fabulous in vintage.

What a relaxing Sunday. After last night’s nor-easter which really became more of a snow/sleet storm, hubby and I spent the day at home. I was able to *gasp* sleep in until nearly 1:30pm. Ha ha. I’m such a lazy bum, I know. But I feel so much better after sleeping.

Then again, last night I went to bed ridiculously late trying to work on my WIP for Freya’s. It’s probably why I needed that much sleep. It’s coming along. I’m currently at 33k. However, it’s being stubborn. It’s so close to completion but it never gets there. I feel like it’s dragging, which in turn is making me crazy. I’m desperate to finish. The deadline is looming and I feel like I’m drowning the closer I get to it. *sigh* I hope I get this done in time.  I’ve been killing myself trying to work on it.

It’s already getting late tonight and I’m going to have to wake up early for work tomorrow. But I figured I’d come in here and say hello to everyone. Hope you all had a great weekend.

Image by: Robert G Woodring.

I’m always stunned when an actor can capture a person’s depth so thoroughly. The little nuances, complications that take a character from two dimensional to well rounded. While doing my blog rounds I came across a blog about Moonlight, over at one of my favorite hangouts, the Midnight Moon Cafe. It’s one of those shows I constantly forget about, but when I watch it, I’m drawn in, each and every time!

The last episode I saw, Fever, nearly did me in. Mick, sick from being in the sunlight all day, desperate to feed. Then suddenly… Beth offers herself. *shivers.* Such a sexy scene, intimate, without being sexual. In that way that secrets are, between two people who want each other but know they can’t be together, who don’t let themselves. The final scene was amazing.

So, suddenly, I wanted to see more. I’d been a while. I was sort of hungry for Mick St. John. Alex O’Loughlin plays him so well. A perfect mixture of vulnerability, hidden beneath cool confidence and forced detachment. But whenever Beth is around… despite how cool he acts, he can’t hide the way his eyes look at her. That need, that desire, that softness. She softens him beautifully and he’s all the more gorgeous for it. Alex plays that so smoothly, it’s all one and the same with Mick’s characters. It never seems out of character for the cool, sexy vampire to suddenly give her that shimmering smile. Like she’s the only thing that matters. That’s ever mattered.

I missed this episode, but this little preview of the major events was just what I needed to get me hooked again. Have a little taste of Moonlight. Look at the final scene here, where Beth goes up the stairs. The look on Mick’s face. Goodness, Alex can do no wrong in my eyes. The man is just gorgeous.

HAPPY WEEKEND EVERYONE!

It’s snowing outside. A LOT. In fact, it’s been snowing since 10am. It’s cold but it feels good. A good night to crawl up with some hot chocolate. I should do some writing tonight, however, I’ve been plotting/arranging scenes so I did get SOME stuff done. And I’m feeling a little sluggish, so I need a good night’s sleep, or I won’t be able to function.

Work got out early today because of the bad weather. Not early enough for me to go home early… but early enough that the closer only stayed about 2-3 hours. I learned a thing or two about closing, which was nice. I’ve never seen it done before. Corny, maybe, but I liked it. Ha ha.

*EDIT* I’ve been writing this entry for the past like thirty minutes or so. I opened my notebook to tell my friend about my scene outlines, etc. Looking at the bits of dialogue inspired me. So, I’ve been writing. Ha ha. Sorry. My A.D.D. distracts me.

Read any good books lately? I’m itching for a new read. I’ve been reading lots of YA, particularly fantasy/sci-fi stuff. I think my new story idea is going to be considered YA, so I’ve been trying to do research to get a sense of what’s out there and what’s allowable. Not that I don’t love it. YA is fresh and exciting to read. Unlike Adult Romance, there’s something reckless about it. Youth? Freedom? Not sure. But I really like it. I think I might do well in a genre like that. It’s a thought.

By the way, while googling myself, *ha ha, that sounds so dirty* I found a review for Cinematic Royalty that I’d missed!! It’s from TwoLips Reviews. I got four out of five lips! *yay*

“Cinematic Royalty is a wonderful tale… I fell in love with this book and highly recommend it!”

If you’re curious about the rest, check it out: here. It’s my third review so far. It’s hard to believe people out in the big bad world are actually READING my story. Surreal and amazing.
Happy Thursday peeps!

L. G., the newest member of my family!

It stands for Little Guy, although hubby has taken to calling him Little Gangster. *shakes head* Isn’t he adorable? A little shy, but, that’s ok. He’s on my lap in this picture. Looking up at his mommy with loving eyes. *Only to go hiding under my dresser again* Hopefully he’ll warm up to us soon enough.

I apologize for not blogging yesterday. I was in a foul disposition and figured I wouldn’t come and ruin your day. I did however make the blog rounds and left comments. So, I didn’t forget about you all!

I hit 30k on my WIP. *weak pom pom swish* Only problem is, now I’m stuck. I have no clue how to wrap this story up. Wait, let me rephrase that. I know what has to happen, where it’s leading, I just have no idea how to make that happen. Make sense? I talked it out a bit. I know there’s going to be a train station involved. One of those good old fashioned ones. And maybe a chase, cause heck, those are fun. But it’s all still pretty vague right now.

On a random front, *fangirl squee*, the leads in the upcoming Twilight movie, based on Stephenie Meyer’s series of the same name, have been cast. It seems Edward will be played by HP star Robert Pattison, and Bella will be Kristen Steward. I had a few issues with her casting… but his… I’m strangely ok with. I’m excited to see what comes of it. That series is like crack, so… yea. I’m looking forward to it along with the millions of teenage girls around the world, all crying because Gaspard Ulliel is out of the running. Ha ha.

So let me go and do some cleaning/writing before I have to fall back into bed tonight. One more pic of L.G. for good measure.

Aww…