The Waterworld Mermaids Proudly Welcome Avery Flynn

 “I do believe I can arrest you for looking at someone like that. You’ve got to be breaking some indecency laws.” 

Taking a deep breath, she recovered her bearings. Mostly. “You’re out of your jurisdiction, sheriff.”

A Dry Creek Bed, Avery Flynn

 

I read a lot of new authors in 2011 but one of my favorites was our very own Avery Flynn. I was first introduced to the town of Dry Creek, Nebraska in Up a Dry Creek and I’m thrilled to announce the sequel, A Dry Creek Bed is available now! I highly recommend both books and I’m not just saying that because Avery is offering a New Year’s hangover cure gift basket to one lucky commenter (U.S. only) today.  

In the meantime, I had the pleasure of interviewing both Avery and Hank Layton, her main character and, dare I say hunky, sheriff of Dry Creek. Welcome Avery and Hank!

 

Kerri: Avery, congratulations on A Dry Creek Bed, the second book in your Dry Creek series, being released this week! Where did the inspiration for the Dry Creek series come from?

Avery: Well with a hot couple like Beth and Hank, who wouldn’t be inspired? I think just about everyone grew up with a golden boy like Hank – and in Nebraska you can’t get more blessed than being the quarterback of the Nebraska Cornhuskers when they win a BCS championship. But Hank grew up, graduated and now not everything in his life is as perfect. Not that Beth Martinez would believe that. She’s loved Hank for most of her life but as the geeky best friend of his little sister, he never gave her a second look, except for that one summer … What? Hank why are you giving me a dirty look? Fine, fine I’ll skip that part, folks will just have to read about it in A Dry Creek Bed.

Kerri: Hank, what do you think of Avery’s series so far? Are you okay with her telling your family’s story?

Hank: Everyone in Dry Creek pretty much knows everything about us any way what with small town gossip, so what’s the big deal about a bunch of strangers knowing it? Of course, I had to skip a lot of Up a Dry Creek. No one should have to know exactly what their baby sister is thinking about – and doing with – a man. I just pray mom never read it.

Kerri: Your mother, Glenda Layton, seems thrilled with Avery’s books. She expressed her desire to have a grandbaby soon to show off all over town. Thoughts on marriage and children, Hank?

Hank: God love her, that woman is obsessed with grandkids. I can’t wait to have kids of my own to toss around the football and teach the intricacies of avoiding a blitz when the game is on the line. Course first I have to meet the right woman.

Kerri: So you still believe in marriage even with your previous divorce?

Hank: I thought we agreed not to go there. Wasn’t that in the pre-interview agreement?

Kerri: Okay, okay, stop giving me the evil eye. I was just asking. Speaking of men, Avery… what’s your favorite kind of hero to write about?

Avery: I’m all about the alpha heroes, but let’s be clear alpha does not mean asshole. There is a difference, just like beta does not equal wimp. Think John McClane from Die Hard and you’ve basically got my favorite type of hero.

Kerri: Let’s turn back to family. Hank, your sister Claire went through a really rough time not too long ago. How’s she doing?

Hank: Claire? She’s doing great, thanks for asking. She’s working with an architect drawing up plans to rebuild The Harvest Bistro and is hunting down a big old bar to replace the one lost in the fire. Jake relocated to Dry Creek so that has her happier than a pig in mud. Of course, now mom is watching her like a hawk wanting to know when the wedding will be. Poor girl.

Kerri: Speaking of Claire, her best friend, Beth Martinez, has been seeing her own share of trouble lately out at her grandparents old house. As both the sheriff and a family friend, are you doing anything to help?

Hank: What trouble? Beth hasn’t said anything to me about that, but you can be sure I’m going to find out.

Kerri: (wincing) Well, the gossip down at Margaret’s Bakery is that you and Beth had a little thing back when she was in college. Care to comment?

Hank: What the hell kind of tabloid interview is this? Avery, you vouched for the Waterworld Mermaids? (grumbles incoherently) That all happened a long time ago. Today, I can barely get Beth to say two words to me especially after that kiss at Claire’s party … oh hell, that’s off the record. Got it?

Kerri: (ignoring that last comment) This last question is for both of you. Any New Year’s resolutions for 2012?

Hank: Nah, I’m not a believer in resolutions. Of course, finding the right girl and settling down would be nice.

Avery: My resolution is to finish the Dry Creek novels this year with books three and four in the series. One of my super smart Waterworld Mermaid sisters (Kerri-Mermaid bats eyelashes) recommended I write a novella about how Glenda and Bob Layton fell in love and so I’ve added that to my list of things to get done as well.

 

Well, no matter what either of you decide to do, I wish you both a happy and prosperous 2012! Thank you so much for joining us!

Remember everyone, check out Avery’s new book here and her awesome website here. And leave a comment below for a chance to win a New Year’s hangover cure gift basket (U.S. Only) from Avery.

 

A Dry Creek Bed, by Avery Flynn (Available Now)

Dry Creek County Sheriff Hank Layton is the stuff of dreams. Nasty, steamy, delicious fantasies that leave Beth Martinez weak-kneed and desperately wanting the man she can never have. 

Hank can’t stop thinking about Beth to the point where he’s afraid of becoming permanently bowlegged. And even though the sexual tension between them is thick enough to trip over, she runs every time he chases. 

But when a mysterious developer forces her neighbors off their land, Beth becomes the one person standing between the scoundrel and millions of dollars. Only Hank can help her uncover the truth. Together they risk their lives exposing decades-old secrets and learn that everything is not as it seems in their rural Nebraska town. 

 

 

Why I HATE Marketing Journal Entry #2: My Website and Jetlag

This morning I don’t hate marketing as much as I hate jetlag, but that’s a story for another post…

I got back from Hawaii Tuesday night around 11 p.m. after several months, okay, I meant to write weeks, but I’m letting the slip-up stay because it provides an accurate take on how well my brain is functioning this morning. But yeah, Hawaii was fantastic, and I’ve got photos galore and stories to tell, and maybe even a book or two out of the experience, but what does my vacation have to do with marketing outside of the fact that mentioning it makes me happy?

Well, while I was away, my website designer (the good folks at Limb Design in particular Mr. Corey Chow) was busy working on my website. So I wanted to share a few things you might find useful.

The first question though might be do you even need a website and what does an author’s website look like these days? Well, most of them are built with the blog approach. So, when I say website, think blog with extra pages:). For those of you (and you know who you are) who don’t have a blog or website, but want to create a blog/site, or are looking to make changes to an existing site, you may find some tips here you can use. Especially if you’re looking to get it done quickly, while controlling cost and quality. Also, many of you may have ‘marketing’ on your New Year’s resolutions list. Except it might read something like ‘learn to tweet’ or ‘post more regularly on my blog’ or ‘I’ve got to get a Facebook account’. And if you’ve got good news to share like you have a new book release, or a first book sale, or a new branding look to introduce, you need marketing.

I’m going to plug WordPress now, but I think it’s okay since the Waterworld Mermaids’ blog was created right here in WordPress – land (Thank you Mermaid Alethea and that’s Alethea Kontis, by the way, who has a great website using WordPress!)! And yes, I’m building my site in Wordpress, too. And duh, I didn’t know until a few months ago that WordPress had templates for websites but Corey, my designer, suggested it as a cost effective approach to launching my new author’s site.

Although I’ve been working on websites in my day job for years, I learned recently that there are companies (lots of them) who have created affordable website templates and per my designer, WordPress is the BEST right now for offering variety, ease-of-use and flexibility, especially when on a limited budget. How limited? The layout I’m using for my new site cost me $35 (see link below).

http://www.mojo-themes.com/item/melee-minimalistic-wordpress-theme/demo/

And it was one of 9 pages of website templates at mojo themes that can be customized any number of ways…see link below:

http://www.mojo-themes.com/categories/wordpress/

If you’d like to give me some feedback on the graphics that have been created by Corey for my new site, please stop by my blog today and let me know what you think.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering why I want a website since I’m still unpublished. Easy. I’m an optimist, and today’s marketplace is demanding that authors have a brand identity in place (and a following doesn’t hurt either, especially for first novels).

Now don’t be shy, ask questions, scoff, or share what you’ve learned about creating your blog and/or website. Yes, you’ve got to write the best book you can write and then get an editor, agent or self-publish, but the bottom line is you’ve still got to market it. So what do you think about blogs and/or websites for published and/or unpublished authors?

(And also, Happy New Year!)

Season of Change

I’m an overachiever. Yep, I’m admitting it. And if you don’t believe me just ask my husband—it drives him crazy. I tend to organize and make lists, heck even my extensive movie collection is alphabetized and categorized by genre. Not kidding. My books would be too if I could talk my husband into building me more bookshelves. Maybe when the basement is finished?

Every year for the holidays I wind up making a giant list of what needs to get done, then when I accomplish it… I celebrate for about thirty-seven seconds before making another list, and then another. So in truth I probably got the important stuff done way back with the first list but then I spend my holidays killing myself to achieve more and more, and only wind up making myself crazy.

But this year was a little different, I got sick right after Thanksgiving and I’m still recovering. I’ll just say that bronchitis sucks and I found out the hard way that you can actually tear muscles in your chest wall from coughing. Not fun! But being sick has taught me several valuable lessons and helped shape my New Year’s resolutions this year as well.

1. Priorities

What’s important and what’s not. Spending time with family and friends is important; having everything “perfect” is not. I mean really, is the house going to fall down if it doesn’t get vacuumed? Apparently not. And besides, there is no such thing as “perfect”, and even if there were, “perfect” would look different to everyone. Writing is also a priority I have been denying myself. Don’t get me wrong I write but it is usually in fits and surges where I write for like ten hours a day for a week and then not at all for a few days, then pull a couple of all-nighters. By the way, I don’t recommend this writing style to anyone. I have to stop scooting writing down on the old priority list and make time for it everyday. You know the drill, sit down and write a good story, the rest will take care of itself. To be successful you have to show up everyday and you have to work hard, but I know it’s worth it because nothing worthwhile ever comes easily. Come on, if it were easy to climb Mount Everest, everyone would do it.

2.  Friends And Family

Friends and family have always been important to me but since my dad’s sudden death last December this point has really been driven home. Once the people you love are gone there is no going back so it is important to love the people in your life well NOW. Not tomorrow. Not next week. It is important to forgive perceived wrongs, to send a card or pick up the phone to tell someone you are thinking of them, to look up that old friend you were thinking about, and above all treasure today.

3.  Unclutter

Not just getting rid of the clutter in the attic or the basement (Lord knows mine currently need attention) but also throwing out what is not working in life and incorporating more of what is. I think it is always important to reassess, figure out what is important to you and go after it. Like writing for example, I have to stop putting obstacles in my path, sabotaging my own success. I need to stop being afraid to go after what I want and just do it. No more excuses. I have to stop running the other way by switching which story I’m currently working on when I hit “the wall.” It’s time to pick one story and finish the damn manuscript come what may.

4. Live Healthier

Hi, I’m Dana and I’m a diet coke addict. I could also stand to cut back on the junk food and move more. I love writing, but it’s kind of a fat girl sport. When I’m writing, I’m sitting on my butt behind a computer and let’s be honest, that does not lend itself to exercise. I need to force myself to get back to a regular exercise routine and eat the salad not the cookie currently calling my name from the pantry, and take the walk instead of sitting down with a book when I’m not writing.

Now you’ve heard some of my New Year’s resolutions–my promises to myself. Me, yelling at me to get it in gear and make better choices. I would love to hear some of yours.

I wish you all a 2012 full of health, happiness and writing inspiration.

Happy New Year’s Dedications

Welcome back to the pond everyone!  I’m honored to have the first blog spot of the New Year!!   Beings this is the first post of 2012, I thought for sure it would be a great idea to write about our resolutions.  I’ll be honest; my first resolution was to be less judgmental.  Then I spent the day at Arlington Cemetery and found it impossible not to be in judgment of those around me who couldn’t put down their cell phones while on the sacred grounds, or couldn’t wait until later that day after they’d left the tomb of the Unknown Soldier to tell all those hilarious, laugh-inducing jokes to their buddies.  Oh, and those who apparently had no clue what the “Silence and Respect” signs posted all around President Kennedy’s gravesite meant.

Since I couldn’t stick to that first resolution, I came up with a second one.  To be more thoughtful of others.  I like this one.  I can do this one.  And I can tie it into both writing and music.

In order to kick start this New Year’s mission, I’m spending today thinking about you all, and then dedicating a song to you by my favorite band, Depeche Mode.  I’ve started with my fellow mermaids and then if you’d like to join in on the thoughtfulness parade, leave me a comment letting me know how you’re feeling today and I’ll come up with your DM song dedication! All songs written by Martin L. Gore.

Princess Alethea: “Little Soul” You recently mentioned letting our inner lights shine through.  This song has you written all over it!

Avery: “A Question of Lust” Two words for you: Claire and Jake from your fabulous Up a Dry Creek novel!  They would never let what they’ve built up crumble to dust…

Dana: “Here is the House”  When I hear this song, I can’t help but think of your short story, Garden of Knight, and Grandma Emily and Great Aunt Margaret’s home where so much happened to Gemma.

Denny: “Stripped” On the surface, with words like metropolis and breathing in fumes when we kiss, I instantly think of your hip, urban writing style.  But also, as my critique partner, I appreciate the underlying message of this song which is to strip things down so the truth can be seen better.

Kerri: “Precious” Those writers as special as you deserve to be taken care of.  Period.  And with a splash of glitter just for good measure.

Kim: “Get Right With Me” Ever since I read your “Things You Love to Hate” post, I have appreciated your spunky sense of humor.  This song tells it to us straight with cleverness and subtlety—just like you!

Loni: “I Am You” With this song’s chants about dark obsession and hearts bound by chains, I think of two things that remind me of you…your Wanted: One Ghost story and your love of Sherrilyn Kenyon and all things paranormal!

Masha: “It Doesn’t Matter Two” This is such a powerful and well-written Depeche Mode song.  A little harder to explain, but your wonderful intensity and way with words reminds me so much of it.

P.H.: “Little 15” This song not only honors you but your audience.  I smile when I think of those who will escape into your writing someday!

Robin: “Dressed In Black” When Martin L. Gore writes that it’s all there to see if we’ll only give in to the fire within, I’m reminded of the time you said you love the push and pull of attraction, whether it’s acceptable or not.  Fearless and refreshing, just like you.

Susan: “I Feel Loved” This is one I cannot explain but it comes from my heart.  There is just something about you, Susan, that makes us feel at ease–loved, if you will.

So Happy 2012 everyone!  Don’t forget to tell me how your day is going so I can hook you up with just the right song!  And feel free to share your resolutions if you’d like!

 

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays!

The Waterworld Mermaids are busy drinking eggnog and decorating their magical lagoon with twinkly lights. They wish everyone a very safe and happy holidays and a glittery new year!

We look forward to returning on January 3rd! 

Just Show Up

It takes a brave man to swim in the mermaid pond but I think today’s guest is up to the task. Derek Dodson has a Master of Education in professional counseling, and was a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for a number of years working with at risk kids and families. He is an accomplished musician (guitar/bass), has a number of black belts in martial arts and is knowledgeable in Chinese, Okinawan and Japanese weapons. Derek has been a college athlete, a rodeo rider, fought as a semi pro kick boxer, and even worked as a bouncer in some really bad bars when he was working his way through grad school. This has probably come in very handy as Derek is also married with four—yes, you heard me right—FOUR beautiful daughters.

And did I mention he also writes romance?

Derek has published several “forgettable articles and lots of academic crap” in his areas of interest, as well as written music and poetry. He began writing fiction a wee bit more than a year ago and is taking that on like he does everything else—full steam ahead. Today he’s here talking about the long road to mastering any skill. Take it away Derek…

The past 30 or so years I have had two great loves in my life beyond family, martial arts and music. During these three decades, I somehow managed to complete a couple of college degrees, get married, raise 4 kids, and change careers three times. All through the demands of job, school and family, I found time for the two pursuits I love the most. Martial arts and music. Certainly there were breaks during times of illness, births, etc., but for the most part, I continued to show up.

Teaching has always been a favorite activity, and with the many years I’ve invested in my two hobbies, I am now viewed as a bit of an authority by some. I think maybe it is just because I am getting old. Over this span of time I can’t tell you how often I have heard people say they wished they could do martial arts or play guitar, but they don’t have the time, talent, money, etc. They often go on to opine about how gifted/talented/blessed/unique I am. BS.

In Geoff Colvin’s excellent book, Talent Is Overrated He lays out all the research done thus far around the topic of talent as it relates to things like business, science, music and other arts. What he so convincingly shows is there is NO evidence for what we call talent when it comes to these interests. What the research does show is those who are considered “talented” in their field are individuals who have a single-minded focus on their one activity to the exclusion of others.

One of the books Colvin cites is Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell takes a close look at the habits of those who are highly successful in their field. He is most often quoted for coining the 10,000 hour rule. That is, mastery of most subjects require approximately 10,000 hours of focused practice.

As a novice writer, I am swimming in a sea of amazingly talented people for whom writing seems to flow as effortlessly as breathing. Since I have chosen romance, most of these uniquely gifted people are women. Being active in two local and two online RWA chapters, attending over a dozen online workshops, and reading several of the “must have” books on the topic, I have come to a conclusion. Writing is no different than anything else.

The reason I am surrounded by this chorus of amazingly talented writers is because you ladies put in the time and work your butts off. Jobs, kids, spouses, PTA, etc., all pull you in different directions. Still you find the time to write. The 10,000 hours is no guarantee of success, as there are other factors involved when it comes to publication. However, the self pub world has exposed us to wonderful writers and to those who haven’t reached the 10k mark yet.

Perhaps there is some hope for me as a writer, as I spent 500 words to basically say “just show up”. I would love to hear what others think.

 

 

 

Megan Hart Swims with the Mermaids

The moment I walked by the shelf and was stopped in my tracks by the beautiful, haunting cover for Megan Hart’s novel, Precious and Fragile Things, I knew I had stumbled upon something special.  I was not leaving the store without that book.  That was last year’s New Year’s gift.  This year’s will be Megan’s upcoming January 1st release, All Fall Down.  The thing I admire most about Megan and her writing is that she’s refreshing and honest and not afraid to go where the story needs to go—beginning, middle and end.  Oh, and did I mention she’s a fellow Depeche Mode fan?  Yep, she’s just sort of fabulous like that.  Without further ado, let’s welcome Megan to the pond!

Getting a tattoo of your favorite band, or any tattoo for that matter—a yes or a no?

I’m all for tattoos, but I’d caution anyone thinking of permanently marking their bodies to make very, very, very, VERY sure that what they decide is something they can live with forever. 🙂

You strike me as a girl who may have a soft spot for the darker things.  So…in Phantom of the Opera, would you have chosen the Phantom over Raoul?  Why or why not?

Hmmm. I’ll admit, I’m only vaguely aware of the Phantom of the Opera’s plot points, so I can’t say for sure I’d pick the Phantom. I do have a soft spot for the darker things, no doubt on that. But I’m also practical. Not so sure I could stand living in the catacombs or sewers, or whatever…!

While writing Precious and Fragile Things, (I’m being careful not to put a spoiler in here.) did you ever consider things ending differently between Gilly and Todd? 

No. There really was no other way for it to end.

Are the processes any different for you between writing your mainstream fiction and romance? 

Not really. I approach them the same way, how am I going to tell this particular story. What is important about it. What do I need to include (or not!) to tell the story in the best way possible.

How do you feel about happy endings? 

I think they’re great! But not always realistic or truthful. Or necessary, really. Not everything has to be tied up in a perfect package to be meaningful. Sometimes we learn more from things that end badly.

Do you have a favorite constellation?

I guess I’m partial to the Little Dipper since it’s the only one I can really ever pick out. But I always can.

What was the last book you read that you’d recommend?

I just finished Hourglass by Myra McEntire about an hour ago, and really enjoyed it. I re-read The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub just before that, and I would always recommend it.

What is your favorite Depeche Mode song and why?

That’s a tough one. I love so many of them. I really like World in My Eyes because it’s very sexy. The entire Violator album is. I guess you’d have to ask me if there’s a Depeche Mode song that is NOT my favorite, really. And I can’t say there is!

I love the warning on the back of your erotic novel, Passion Model.  That being said, is there any topic you would feel uncomfortable writing about?  If not, kudos to you!

I wouldn’t write about degradation. I like a little D/S in my fiction, but not of the “grovel at my feet you worm!” sort. I’m just not into humiliation. I think it would be a tough stretch to get me to incorporate any sort of super hardcore kinks or fetishes in my erotic writing, too. Beyond that, I don’t think I’d limit myself too much.

What can you tell us about your upcoming novel, All Fall Down, to be released January 1, 2012?

All Fall Down is the story of Sunshine and her three children, who are told to leave the commune where she was raised by her mother just before the entire commune commits suicide at the request of its leader. Sunny ends up living with her biological father and his wife, who desperately wants children but discovers getting what you want can be worse than not.

 

***Megan, you’ve made many a mermaids’ day by stopping by our pond today!  Thank you so very much!  I absolutely cannot wait to pick up All Fall Down in ten days!!!!  Happy Holidays!

Find out more about Megan and her fabulous fiction here.

 

 

 

Happy Solstice!

I love this day of the year. THIS, more than January 1st, is my New Year’s Day.

The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year, followed by the longest night. (Thus the Yule Log, to light the darkness and keep evil spirits away.)

But what this means ultimately is that after tonight, THE DAYS START GETTING LONGER.

Winter is so difficult. Many of us love the darkness (especially those of us who suffer from migraines), but it’s tough to fight those Circadian Rhythms that tell us to be tired when it starts getting dark outside. It feels like 10pm, but it’s only 6:30. You know what I’m talking about.

Then there’s SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and the general depression that the holidays bring to a lot of people…its a tough time of year, folks.

Today I would like you all to take a minute to yourself and light a candle. If you don’t have a candle handy (silly person), then sip a cup of tea/cocoa/coffee and close your eyes. Take a deep breath. And think about your inner light. What is it that makes you happy in this world? What makes you smile every time you see/hear/smell it? What memories keep you going? What inspires you? How do you inspire others?

We all have lights inside us that shine brighter than any Yule Log. What we have to remember — as I learned from growing up in the South — is to not “hide that light under a bushel.”

Take this day to remember how amazing you are. And, f you are so inclined, take a moment to remind someone in your life how amazing they are, as well.

Happy holidays, everyone!

xox
Princess Alethea Mermaid

Holiday Blues

I must confess:  I’ve not been in the holiday spirit AT ALL this month.  I’ve been the queen of not enjoying celebration.  I dial the radio away from Christmas music.  I proposed not having a tree at all this year.  It all just seemed too much, too involved, too wearing to contemplate doing it again.  And it will all have to be put away at New Year’s and that’s tiring too!  Bah, hum-bug!  I see other people having a wonderful time, dressing up, handing out presents, making merry, and I just feel sad.

Now, before you get all sad yourself and turn away…  at this writing, the tree is up, the stockings are hung, the garland is twined, the wreaths are on the door.  I’ve addressed half a dozen cards.  I’ve done all my shopping, except for a gift for MyMerman.  I even made a batch of Christmas cookies last night and was bad enough to eat them for breakfast this morning.   If this isn’t Christmas spirit, it’s pretty dang close.  All I need is some Christmas lingerie, some spiked hot chocolate, the Christmas giftie I know is under the tree (because I saw him tell the girl to wrap it) and MyMan back at home from the wilds of his weekly travels.

I wish I had more time to make a better post, but there are presents to wrap and get in the mail before the lingerie and hot chocolate can come out.  But I’m also scratching my head and wondering how I managed to move from “cancel Christmas” to “how much can I get done by…?” and “oh wouldn’t it be fun if?”

So tell me, friends:  How do you get yourself to move from the supreme pout to the willing embrace of a task that has you scared and running?  Not just Christmas, but any job – like writing?  How do you pin yourself down and do the work when you would really rather be out doing almost anything else?

(ps, I do not know this pouting child, she was a lucky find in a google search and I wish her the very happiest Christmas ever.  All the other photos in her family’s flickr stream show her as a happy little girl. The photo was marked ‘public’ and I used it. Do we want a post on privacy here?)

 

Santa Baby . . . .

“Santa baby, slip a sable under the tree, for me
I’ve been an awful good girl
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Think of all the fun I’ve missed
Think of all the fellas that I haven’t kissed
Next year I could be oh so good
If you’d check off my Christmas list”

Okay, I don’t think I’ve been all that good (a girls gotta have some fun!) but I don’t think that my particular Santa will mind all that much . . .

Now, if you’re anything like me, you’ve been racing around figuring out what to get for other people and maybe neglected to think about what you might get from the man in the snazzy red suit.

For me, the ultimate gift would be this guy, Alex O’Loughlin, under the tree . . . but I think I need to be a much better girl next year! ; )

So, this is a list of a few things I would love to see – and might actually find – under the tree.

I’m a huge Vera Bradley bag fan and have carried nothing else for 20 years – yep, since I was two years old! Since I never know when the writing bug will strike, I carry my net book, Lil’ Red, with me everywhere.  I think I would look really stylish with this bag to carry it and all of its accessories in . . .

 

I also want a massage.  Not a quick head a shoulders massage in one of those tacky chairs at the mall. No sireeee . . .  I want a one and one half hour massage on a table with piped in sperm whale mating call music recorded by Enya.  I want the hot stone therapy as well . . .I want my husband to have to come and get me because I’m incapable of driving myself home.

And, if I’m aiming for the box seats, I want a multi-book, huge advance book deal with Nora Ephron begging to make the movies. And, of course, Alex O’Loughlin would want to star in them and I’d have to be on set everyday . . .

Okay, now that I’ve spilled the secrets only known by Mr. Claus . . . tell me what you whispered in his ear . . .

Robin