Mermaids & Friends: Avery Flynn

Kerri Carpenter, Mermaids & Friends, , , ,

Guess who’s back in the Lagoon today? That’s right, it’s our very own Avery Flynn. Yay! *Throws Glitter!* (Man, I’ve missed throwing glitter at Avery!) Anyhoo, Avery has a new book out and she stopped by to share an excerpt and get everyone entered in a $500 – that’s what I said, $500 – giveaway.

I won’t take up any more time. Welcome back, Avery Flynn….

Hola Waterworld Mermaids! The lagoon is looking awesome, I don’t mind if I do dip a toe back in. 😉

Thanks so much for letting me swim with you and share an excerpt from my latest, This Year’s Black. It’s the second in my Killer Style series, but don’t worry it can be read as a stand alone. It’s about a private investigator who only wears black, Allegra “Ryder” Falcon, and her client, Devin Harris – an ex-MMA fighter turned fashion guru who just happened to have an amazing one night stand with Ryder before she blew him off. Now they have to work together to find an embezzler.

Here’s the excerpt! This Year's Black

If she hadn’t run a background check on Devin, Ryder would have sworn he’d grown up, like her, in the working class neighborhoods of Waterberg, far from the ritzy urban enclaves of Harbor City. Talk about being dead wrong. Even if she had a hundred dollars for every pasta noodle she’d eaten in her life, she wouldn’t put a dent in his trust fund.

Devin cleared his throat, never pausing his pounding on the keyboard or bothering to look her way. “You’re staring.”

Yeah, so damn hard her eyeballs were about to fall out. Blinking rapidly, she straightened in the bucket seat and picked an invisible piece of lint from her black chiffon tank top while running through a mental list of shitty ex-boyfriends to remind herself of why she needed to stop ogling her client. No matter how hot he was.

“I was wondering how a white-bread, private-school-attending, eating-Sunday-brunch-at-the-club dude like you ended up with a healthy start to a tattoo bodysuit.” There. That should put him on the defensive.

His fingers paused on the keyboard. “Ten years as a carny.” The clickity clack revved back up to full speed.

Score one for the rich kid. “Tilt-a-Whirl?”

The clacking ceased. He leaned back in his seat and arched his neck from side to side in a move natural to every jock she’d ever dated. Next, he rolled his shoulders under the perfectly-tailored shirt and leveled a heated gaze at her. Appraising and full of dark promise, the look made her clothes too tight to contain her suddenly aching boobs, and her lungs too small to hold the proper amount of oxygen.

“Kissing booth.” He turned his attention back to his laptop.

Years ago, Ryder’s mother had warned her never to poke a bear with a stick. While she’d always remembered her mother’s advice, she hadn’t taken it then and she wasn’t going to now.

Big, grumpy bears didn’t scare her. She liked hearing them growl.

Ryder tsk-tsked. “Funny, I figured you for a big draw at the dunk tank.”

His fingers froze.

A shiver of anticipation danced down her spine. Picking a fight with a client might not be the smartest move, but it was so much better than sprinting across the aisle and jumping his bones at five thousand feet. The butterflies in her stomach disagreed, but what did they know about anything?

Oh yes, there is trouble ahead for Ryder and Devin! 🙂 Now I’m going to swim on over to that cute mer-bartender but before you join me be sure to enter the This Year’s Black $500 Escape giveaway! (See below.)

This Year’s Black by Avery Flynn

“Incredible writing with witty humor and scorching sex scenes. This Year’s Black belongs at the top of everyone’s TBR list.”– New York Times bestselling author, Gina L. Maxwell

A fighter since birth, Allegra “Ryder” Falcon would rather trade in her all-black wardrobe for head-to-toe hot pink than let anyone ever see the cracks in her tough exterior. But one night with a stranger changes everything.

Devin Harris may have given up his MMA fighting dreams for high fashion, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t always in control. So when someone embezzles millions under his watch, he isn’t going to let the private investigator working the case go it alone–even if she is the woman who blew him away in bed and then blew him off.

Just when it seems like it couldn’t get any hotter between Ryder and Devin, the case takes them to a tropical paradise where the danger increases. From the catwalk to the pineapple fields, they have to work together to track down the missing millions before the thief finds–and kills–them.

About Avery:

Avery Flynn has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip. Find her here: Website, Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook page, Facebook profile, Goodreads, BookLikes

Rafflecopter Giveaway

 

Renovating Your Book

Dana Rodgers, mermaids, Revision, Writing, , , ,

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.

My husband and I spent ours working on our basement. Thank heavens my husband is a very handy guy because we have spent the last several months finishing our basement. It has been a long arduous task involving framing, insulating, dry walling, tiling and painting. After a long weekend of sanding and painting, my back is locked up tighter than Fort Knox and, sadly, I’m only halfway done painting the doors, windows and trim moldings.

As I labored away yesterday, it dawned on me how many parallels there are between building something and the writing process. Whether you’re finishing a basement, building a skyscraper or writing a novel it’s always important to start with a strong framework. Without a solid foundation your building or your story will fall apart.

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Next you run the wiring and plumbing, which is kind of like weaving together the plot threads that drive your story forward. This is what makes your reader turn the page. If you fail to tie all of the plumbing together you turn on a faucet and nothing happens. Or you run all of the electrical lines, but forget to tie them into the junction box, so when you flip the light switch, no lights come on. This can also happen in a story when an author has lots of great story elements but forgets to tie them together so the reader knows what is going on and why it’s important.

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Next comes walls. Just as you have to watch out for bows and seams when hanging and taping drywall, you have to be careful as you layer one event on top of another in building your plot. If you aren’t, you could wind up with a story full of inconsistencies, elements that don’t make sense or a sagging middle that doesn’t encourage a reader to keep turning pages.

IMG_4424 photo 2

Once your structure is complete, it’s time to add the finishing touches like paint, tile and carpet to tie the space together and make it inviting. In much the same way, rewrites and edits tie your scenes together and give your story seamless flow. This is the place I’m at now, both in the manuscript I’m working on and my basement. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Susan Mermaid Does Makeup

mermaids

Susan-Mermaid-avatarDoing makeup on a group of male teachers – peers – who’ve never been in a theater production is a test of character.  The poor devil who gets his first “makeover” is in for a big surprise.  For me, a theater major and makeup artist for school plays in past years, it’s routine.

Over and over, they insisted the idea was outrageous.  Up to the point of hearing they would be on the receiving end of a foundation-laden sponge, they were thrilled with the idea of being in a play.  Memorize lines?  Check.  Stage direction?  Check.  Costumes?  Definitely check.  Costumes are fun! We get to pretend! We’re gonna be somebody else for an hour and fool our students into believing in our make believe for the afternoon!

And then…

Makeup?  Whoa.  No.  Not me.  You’re not doing this.  I am offended!  How could you tamper with this perfection?

Yeah. Like this.

You better not make me look like a girl!

In the end, they had to trust me.  One by one, they had to man up and (ack, ack) submit.

There were four Seniors in the cast, all veterans of high school productions.  They were the pros.  They understood.  They didn’t fight.  They threw themselves in the chair and got made up with not a whimper.  NOT ONE.

The grownups?  Oh, the bitching. The moaning.  The absurd SHOCK when they saw their reflection after ten minutes in my hands.

Foundation, powder, eyeshadow, blush. Lots of foundation, across the face, over the ears, down the neck, even on the head (many of them are going bald and the glow from their domes is… not attractive onstage).

requiring makeup on all sides. $$$

The final hurdle for every one of the men was the lipstick.  I had to touch their mouths with color – brilliant, extreme color.  It is an intimate, threatening part of the ritual, probably the hardest moment of the makeup routine, and absolutely necessary.  Only then would they be allowed to look at themselves in the mirror.

And react.

You made me look like this?

After the first “client” had done the walk of shame (“you look like a girl!”) the others knew what had to be done.

Submit.

And I realized – this is writing.  All the preparation, the denial, the angst, the sheer terror of putting yourself “out there” and allowing others to see you and your work, is part of the writer’s job.

Man up.  Pull up your big girl panties.  Get a grip.  Stop with the whining already.

Do your job. 

But remember – it’s better with lipstick. SusanMermaid

Refilling Your Creative Well

mermaids, Motivation, Pintip, ,

When the Waterworld Mermaids blog first started three years ago, I wrote a post about the Artist Date and my hobby of making bento box meals for my kids. For those of you who don’t remember, Julia Cameron defines the Artist Date as apintip time used to nurture our inner artist and a way to refill our creative well. (THE ARTIST’S WAY, 20-21).

In the past few weeks, I have found myself in desperate need of refilling my well. Lots of things can suck your creativity dry, some writing-related and some not. Health issues, money problems, fatigue, and the loss of a loved one, to name a few. Rejections, revisions, and less-than-stellar reviews, to name some others.

Whatever your reason, if you find yourself in need of an Artist Date, here are some suggestions:

1. Plant a garden. Buy some potted plants, seeds, soil, planters and dig in. Get your hands dirty. Nurture your plants, day after day, and revel in the pure joy of growing something.

2. Get a mani/pedi with your daughter, niece, or neighbor’s kid. Pampering yourself at the salon is a treat in and of itself. But experience it anew through the eyes of someone who’s not used to such an outing. I guarantee you’ll gain a fresh appreciation for something you may have been taking for granted.

3. Go fruit-picking — and make a fresh fruit pie. I believe strawberries are in season at the moment, but blueberries, cherries, and blackberries are coming right up. My personal favorite is raspberry pie — but regardless of flavor, let that freshly-picked taste burst in your mouth. There’s nothing quite like it.

4. Flex your creative muscle — in an area outside of your comfort zone. If you’re a writer, dance. If you’re a dancer, paint. If you’re a painter, make some music. In particular, I would suggest going to pottery painting studio, where they have all the equipment you need and you just pay for the cost of a certain piece. I have spent many relaxing hours creating fun, moderately attractive pieces at these places.

5. Go out to dinner — at a new restaurant, or better yet, in a cuisine in which you’re unfamiliar. What better way to stimulate the senses by trying something utterly new? And if you can taste yummy food while you’re at it, even better. Best of all? Invite a friend along for the outing, someone who connects with your creative self, and before you know it, your well will be overflowing.

So what do you think, mermaids and friends? What suggestions do you have, or what fun Artist Dates have you been on lately? Please share! I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Using and Abusing the Mermaids

mermaids

Okay Mermaid gals and beloved visitors, I’m letting it all hang out.  I’ve taken off the make-up, the Spanx (for those who remember one of my previous posts) and the Wonderbra.  I stand before you in my all unglory.  What in the heck I’m talking about, you ask?  Here goes.

In a spurt of insanity, I’m putting my first 300 out for commentary.  Myself and an unnamed Mermaid are taking a Margie Lawson class and unlike the unnamed Mermaid, I’m confused.  I’ve been getting such contradictory advice on my opening paragraphs that I have decided to take my confusion to the Mermaids.  Who better to help?  So I’ve included two versions.  Version #1 was the original opening.  However, a few editors didn’t love it.. said not to start with an opening sentence.. give a bit of the character.  So I created a quick infodump.  However, the peanuts from Margie’s class didn’t like the infodump and said to start with the opening sentence.

Any and all thoughts are welcome, including but not limited to:  1) one version works better than the other, 2) both versions suck, 3) who is this?, 4) go back to where you came from, you illiterate foreigner.   (Just a few suggestions.)  So, my friends, have at it.  All thoughts are welcome.

VERSION #1

“My client is not a pimp.” Jessie Parker’s voice flew like a well lobbed arrow through the judge’s chambers.  “She’s a victim.”

The man seated to her left shifted in the leather chair, like a lizard finding a more comfortable perch before striking its prey.  He brought his hand to his mouth and gently cleared his throat.

Jessie dug her thumbnail further into the pockmarked pencil.  By now, she knew when assistant district attorney Jack Stanton cleared his throat, he wasn’t trying to evict a frog.  He was readying for a fight.

“Your honor,” he began, with the usual, this conversation is beneath me, drawl.  “Teri Willis has been arrested four times for prostitution.  The last time, arranging the meet.”

He stopped speaking.  It was like he knew his words were dipped in platinum.  Like it was beneath him to form a cogent argument.  Like his mere presence was argument enough.

The judge slipped his gaze toward Jessie.   Rebuttal?  He wordlessly said.

“The evidence is circumstantial and the witness unreliable,” she said.  “True, Ms. Willis has been arrested more than once for prostitution, but that does not make her a pimp.”

Her nail ventured back into the pencil.  Her cuticles, like her writing implements, looked like they’d been manicured by a barracuda.  It happened when she got nervous.  A leftover habit from her party-girl self she had yet to punt to the pavement.

She was about to continue her soliloquy when she heard something akin to a hiss.

Either someone indelicately snorted or the judge had a snake under his desk.

She zeroed in on Jack.   And there it was.  A hint of smirk, almost indiscernible beneath a granite slab of jaw.     Suspended somewhere between the Roman nose and irritatingly perfect cleft.

So that’s how it was going to be?  A speedy graduation from mutual unease to derisive snorting?

Their interactions have always been apprehensive.  As public defender and states’ attorney, it was natural they had a mutually wary relationship.  Except it was more than that.  Jack Stanton had it in his power to build or break her future.  Thank God he had no clue.

VERSION #2

Jessie Parker’s life began with a bad date.

Some would argue it began when her mother’s egg granted entry to the sperm of a never-to-be-mentioned man.

But to Jessie, it was on the eve of her seventeenth birthday, on the cusp of what was to be a very bad date, when her life truly began.

It was after that date she stopped dying her hair putrid shades of rainbow.  Stopped wearing skirts the size of napkins.  And stopped skulking with deadbeats.

And started studying.  Hard.

But since her bad date had the misfortune of taking place during the middle of junior year, no amount of round-the clock cramming could make up for eleven years of slack.  And so, off to community college she went.  From there, a four year university and then law school.  Not bad for first in her family to finish eighth grade.

And that’s how she found herself in the office of the public defender.  Helping those who didn’t wish to help themselves.

“My client is not a pimp.” Jessie flew like a well lobbied arrow through the judge’s chambers.  “She’s a victim.”

The man seated to her left shifted in the leather chair, like a lizard finding a more comfortable perch.  Before striking its prey.  He brought his hand to his mouth and gently cleared his throat.

Jessie dug her thumbnail further into the pockmarked pencil.  By now, she knew when assistant district attorney Jack Stanton cleared his throat, he wasn’t trying to evict a frog.  He was readying for a fight.

 

Bumper Stickers: The Original Tweet!

Kimberly MacCarron, mermaids, ,

What do bumper stickers and tweets have in common? Lots! If you think about it, the similarities abound. In both forums, we try to get across our political affiliations, religious views, environmental stances, professions/hobbies and personal pet peeves into a compressed form of communication. And likely, nobody really cares. The ones who don’t like your words, will have unfavorable responses in one of two ways. If it’s on Twitter, they’ll tweet back their opposing views or unfollow you. If they’re behind you at the red light, you’re lucky. They’ll just give you the finger as they fly past. If you’re unlucky, you’ll be parked and discover your car has been keyed. Either way, you get a reply or response. Congratulations!

Here are some of the ways bumper stickers and tweets are similar:

Character limit: Clearly you can’t write a whole story on the back of a bumper. Just as Twitter limits you to the communication equivalent of a quickie, so does a bumper sticker. It’s a sound bite, people. It’s just enough to give the random stranger online or behind you at the stop light a flavor of who you are. Or who you PRETEND to be.

Clamor for attention: Just as there are those who try to shock other drivers and passengers, there will be those online who like to say things merely for the attention. It’s annoying. Generally these people have multiple bumper stickers or they clog up your twitter feed with senseless information. When I’m on the road, I generally pass a car quickly if they have too many bumper stickers. Otherwise my obsessive-compulsive side will have to read every sticker. Same goes for Twitter. I’ve had to unfollow people who tweet too much. Not everything is important! Your interesting stickers/tweets are ignored due to the flooding of distracting information.

Just a bit distracting. Will need to unfollow.

Just a bit distracting. Will need to unfollow.

Self-promotion: From Mary Kay to personal businesses, cars advertise their companies. Twitter is a social media bumper sticker. Promote yourself in 140 characters or less! Make your characters count. Hashtag if you have to.

Trending topics: Just as Twitter has a section for what’s trending, so do our bumpers. From political statements to environmental issues, we like to discuss what’s trending in our world today. Sometimes our cars are older, and the issue that was trending years ago is merely a joke now. Example: political candidates who lost eight years ago.

Pointless observations: When people discuss their sandwich choices or how many cups of coffee they’ve had to drink on a particular day, it bothers me just as much as random statements on the back of a bumper.

Follow the Leader: On Twitter, we simply click a button to follow someone, and it’s our choice. On the road, you might get stuck behind someone who’s advertising his or her life, and you still have to follow them, regardless if you agree with personal statements on the bumper. Just the same as on the road, sometimes on social media, you end up with a random follower who may not have your best interests at heart.

Retweeting and Replying: We can retweet with a one-second click. With bumpers, it’s the same. In the case of sports teams or schools, people basically retweet their bumper stickers with every soccer ball sticker or school emblem. Hey, look at us! We’re part of the same cool group. In the case of replying, the two mediums are different. On Twitter, you can have a private conversation with your friends for the whole Twitter community to enjoy. I actually find this incredibly annoying when it goes on for too long. If you have social media, I’m pretty sure you know how to text. When people start slapping stickers on their cars as a direct response to someone else’s sticker, then we’re going to have problems. Trying to chase down the original bumper is going to be hard. Same thing with tweets. Sometimes I get half of a conversation, and I’m like, “Huh?”

TMI: I don’t understand why people like to share too much personal information. Nowadays, the back of your car can identify BY NAME the kids in your family via stick figures. Stickers proudly announce the sports they play and the schools they attend. It’s like a welcome wagon to pedophiles, kidnappers and burglars. Your life is advertised for every literate criminal who has access to the road. The same can be said for Twitter. We announce when we’re out of town with the family. We post pictures and tell when we’re expected home. Hello, robbers? Welcome to my empty home. For those interested, please google crime from bumper stickers. It’s a very real thing. Not only do criminals use the information they gather, but prosecutors can do the same thing during an investigation.

Actual Twitter Bumper Stickers: This goes along with the one above. There are now bumper stickers with twitter addresses so you can get even more personal information about the driver. Criminals used to have to work harder. Now, we’re making their jobs so much easier. Not only are they privy to where your kids go to school and every activity you enjoy, but now they can also immediately access what you think online. And if you’re so willing to put it all out there via the back of your van, I’m thinking you’ll be doing the same on social media. Where will it end? Just say no!

The value of discussing bodily functions: This is never-ending humor. Whether it’s on the bumper or a tweet, fart jokes never get old. I have read them via both mediums. I’ve seen the bumper sticker that says the driver is speeding because he/she has to poop. I haven’t seen the tweet yet from anyone I follow, but I’m sure if I search it with a hashtag, I’ll find it. #Fart #Poop #AlwaysFunny?

Lazy evangelism: I’ve seen the bumper stickers about God. I’ve read the tweets about Him as well. Listen, people. In the forty-five seconds a sinner is at the stop sign behind you, he or she is not going to get saved. I can promise you that. They aren’t even going to remember the verse when they get home. And a tweet’s not gonna do it either.

I love quotes. I have documents full of inspirational quotes and witty sayings. There are times when I read something on my twitter feed, and it makes me smile or laugh or think. There are even bumper stickers that do the same.

I’ll end today’s rant with fifteen of my favorites:
1.   WELL-BEHAVED WOMEN SELDOM MAKE HISTORY
2.   DON’T DRINK & PARK. ACCIDENTS CAUSE PEOPLE
3.   WHERE ARE WE GOING AND WHY AM I IN THIS
HANDBASKET?
4.   I LOVE ANIMALS. THEY TASTE DELICIOUS
5.   HORN BROKEN. WATCH FOR FINGER.
6.   BEER…HELPING UGLY PEOPLE GET LAID SINCE 1842
7.   I DRIVE LIKE A CULLEN
8.   GUESTS WHO KILL TALK SHOW HOSTS—ON THE LAST GERALDO
9.   EMBARRASSING MY CHILDREN—A FULL-TIME OCCUPATION
10. THIS VEHICLE PROTECTED BY ANTI-THEFT STICKER
11.  IF YOU CAN READ THIS…YOU ARE PROBABLY PULLING ME OVER
12.  SOME GIRLS CHASE BOYS. I PASS ‘EM.
13.  MINDS ARE LIKE BOOKS. THEY ONLY WORK IF THEY’RE OPEN
14.  TV IS GOODER THAN BOOKS
15.  NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS MOVIE

Favorite hashtag on Twitter? #WeNeedDiverseBooks

Do you love or hate bumper stickers and Twitter? Or do you love one and hate the other? Rant away if you’re so inclined. Or just comment with your favorite bumper sticker. We all have them. Even those of us who claim to hate them.
And by the way, feel free to follow me on  Twitter. 🙂  As I don’t have any bumper stickers on my van, you’ll be bored following me on the road though.

Effort = Results

Kerri Carpenter, , , , ,

Happy Month 5 of The Sparkle Plan, my made-up diet and wellness plan. What’s the Sparkle Plan? Check out the inaugural post here. (Short version: I set off to lose weight and feel better about myself by setting small monthly goals to help me achieve larger goals.)

As reported last month, I had a very hellacious couple of weeks of traveling and being so busy that I didn’t know what the heck was going on. And yes, I ended up gaining weight from it. However, after my Month 4 post, my brother offered me some advice. I’m going to share it with you now.

  1. Drink lots of water.
  2. Avoid sodium because it makes you feel icky and retain weight.
  3. Don’t snack unless it’s a banana, almonds or something healthy.
  4. Prioritize your own health over everything else. Work out first thing in the morning even if it is just walking for 30 minutes.
  5. Get as much sleep as possible.
  6. Eat fish or chicken and vegetables. Avoid steak and pasta.

“Keep this in mind – walk as much as possible. It adds up over time. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, park far away from the store. All that stuff matters over the long term. Don’t worry about short-term results. Do the right things and good things will happen.”

He ended with, “Always invest in yourself first. You deserve it.”

Here's a picture of me and my wise brother.

Here’s a picture of me and my wise brother.

This advice came at the exact right moment and I really needed to hear it. Item #4 particularly resonated with me because even though I hate admitting this, I’ve gained about 15 pounds since August. Why?

I got my dog, Harry, last August. Yes, we go on long walks, but these walks don’t get my heart rate up (except when we go into unexpected interval training while chasing after a rogue squirrel.) I haven’t been able to get into an exercise routine because I feel guilty leaving Harry all day at work and then coming home and leaving him again to go to the gym. Even though I know I need to exercise.

So with my brother’s advice in mind, I made some changes. I go to bed earlier, even if it means DVRing my favorite TV show instead of watching live. I go to the gym both weekend days when I have more time. During the week, I run twice – but instead of using the treadmill at the gym, I run around my neighborhood. That cuts my time away from Harry in half. Two other days, I do weight and ab workout DVDs at home. Harry even joins in by standing on my stomach during crunches or dive-bombing me from the couch.

Well guess what? This effort has paid off. I’ve lost 9 pounds this month! Woo-hoo! I’m so proud of myself and I’m already feeling better!

Let’s chat in the comment section. Do you make yourself a priority or (like me) do you feel guilty taking time for yourself?

*I am not a doctor or anything close to a doctor. My brother is also not a doctor. While I happen to think we are both brilliant and I know our mother would agree, take our advice with the knowledge that I majored in English and theater and my brother majored in business. Also, we both hate sick people. Always consult your own physician before embarking on any fitness or eating plan.

I’m in New Orleans at RT Convention!

Denny S. Bryce, mermaids, , , , ,

New Orleans has one of the most intriguing and unique neighborhoods in the USA–The French Quarter. It  only encompasses a few blocks, but it attracts millions of tourists every year. This is my 10th trip to New Orleans, and I am excited this trip is all about reading and writing romance! Here’s a brief pic-spam from my first day and a half at RT.

My first RT Convention has  started  with a bang. I hung out with Cherry Adair and met debut authors Stella Barcelona and Tina deSalvo – and visit Tina’s website for more information about  Friends Fight Together.

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Those are raw oysters, but look at the gigantic oyster in the middle – it’s like the Godzilla of oysters!

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 And yes, that is Ms. Avery Flynn herself, taking a bite out of Godzilla and texting about it!

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Monday I was sitting on a bench in the  hotel lobby and ended up meeting a few dynamic historical romance authors (three of whom are alumni Golden Heart Finalists!) From left to right (First Row): Erin Knightley (who I met at RWA Orlando and who took this group selfie!) and Heather Snow and Second Row from left to right: Jade Lee, (moi), and Elizabeth Essex (who has cool luggage tags:). 

photo 5

 

Today I’m spending a few hours with Cherry Adair and Avery Flynn (and likely a few hundred others:) for Ms. Adair’s day-long workshop entitled Pre-Con Intensive Plotting Program. (So excited!)

Are you at RT? Find me @dennysbryce and include the hashtag #RT14!

A Supernatural Experience

Dana Rodgers, mermaids, , , , , ,

photo

This year we decided to do things a little differently for Christmas and birthdays. Instead of purchasing something that would get lost, broken, pushed aside, or donated later in the year we decided that we would give our kids experiences that will hopefully stick with them for a lifetime.

Our youngest is really musical and almost came unhinged when she discovered that The Piano Guys were coming to the Warner Theatre in March, especially since cello is her primary instrument. For those of you unfamiliar with The Piano Guys, look them up on YouTube; they have their own channel. One guy plays a cello and the other a piano. They write their own arrangements of popular songs, often combining them with classical music, and then create fun videos with stunning photography. So anyway, we got VIP tickets and took Brenna. I cannot even express how thrilled she was.

Our older daughter chose Supernatural Con 2014, which took place last weekend. This was the first year that Supernatural Con has ever come to the east coast, and we were lucky enough to have it right in our backyard – Washington D.C.! Ryan loves Cosplay and Conventions so Supernatural Con was right up her alley.

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Richard Speight, Jr. was a hilarious Master of Ceremonies and Friday kicked off with panels by Osric Chau (Kevin Tran), Kim Rhodes (Sherriff Jody Mills), Corin Nemec (Christian Campbell), Gil McKinney (Henry Winchester) and Chad Lindberg (Ash). My favorite was the personable and hilarious Kim Rhodes. She was so nice when I ran into her in the bar and then later at autographs. Friday night also had an 80’s themed Karaoke Party with a ton of the cast participating. It was a blast!

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Saturday kicked off with a panel by Osric Chau and Gil McKinney, followed by a panel with Sebastian Roche. And let me just say, that man is just as crude and cheeky in person as he is as Balthazar on the show.  There were also panels by Richard Speight, Jr. (Trickster), Matt Cohen (Young John Winchester), Rob Benedict (Chuck Shurley/Carver Edlund) and Misha Collins (Castiel). There was a costume contest, which my daughter participated in. She didn’t win, there were some crazy good costumes, but she got a stock photo of Jensen Ackles.

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Misha Collins also hosted a live Stageit.com webcast airing two of his TSA (Transportation security Authority) web series. The TSA movie shorts were hilarious and the money raised during the event went to Random Acts, a charity Misha feels strongly about. As a bidding incentive Matt Cohen agreed to take his shirt off if the event raised enough money. Let’s just say, that boy has a rockin’ body! There was absolutely no reason for him to be breaking out into a visible sweat as the numbers climbed. 🙂

Saturday night we attended The Saturday Evening Cabaret starring the band Louden Swain (Rob Benedict is the lead singer) and many of the Supernatural cast members. The Cabaret was a great concert and some of the highlights included Osric Chau and Gil McKinney each singing a solo. They were all crazy talented but Gil was a voice major in college and in addition to being even better looking in person—I’m not sure how that’s even possible—holy crow can he sing! And then we hit the exclusive after party where I danced with Osric Chau and hugged Matt Cohen. So. Much. Fun!

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When it was all said and done, Ryan and I had met a ton of the cast members and gotten autographs from Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, Misha Collins, Osric Chau, Kim Rhodes, Gil McKinney, Sebastian Roche and Matt Cohen. We took pictures and danced, laughed and met some new friends, including Jen McKinney who is responsible for most of these lovely photos as I left my camera on the counter at home. Grrr… But the best part of the entire thing was spending time with my daughter one on one.

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Tickets                        —                    $678.00

Hotel                           —                    $314.00

The smile on my baby girl’s face – ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS!

The Book Prop

Books, Carlene Love Flores, , ,

Mermaid CarleneGood morning fishy friends!

Have you ever had that moment when an item in a book is woven so well into the story that it adds another dimension to the reading? I have. It’s what my post is about today. The book prop.

Here’s where I divulge a creepy secret about myself in the hopes that others (that’s you guys) will share and therefore make me feel slightly less creepy. 🙂 I can be a little obsessive when it comes to these book props. For example, I might own a pink nightgown just like the one Grace wears in Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Fantasy Lover. It might have been really hard for me to find just the right one, like Grace’s, and I may have scoured several stores to find it. But I love the way her hero Julian makes her feel when she’s wearing it. And yes, I want to feel that too! I also might have searched far and wide for the perfect bottle of fragrance as described in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight. You know that whole Edward scent of milk and honey and cinnamon and cloves? Turns out Bath & Body works has bottled that perfection up into a handy pillow mist which for a while was all you could smell if you entered my house. (Until hubby caught on, that is, and asked that I cut back.) Last one … I cannot walk past a cherry flavored lollipop without thinking of one of Olivia Cunning’s rockers from her Sinners series. I believe it was in Backstage Pass when one of the guys is trying to overcome an unhealthy addiction and his manner of doing this is that he’s now addicted to all things cherry flavored, especially the suckers. I’ll let your imagination take over there … rockstar, cherry, lollipop. 😉

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Grace’s Pink Nightgown from Fantasy Lover and Edward Cullen bottled up as pillow mist!

So my secret is out. And guess what? It turns out those of us who love a good book prop aren’t alone! I asked a few of my author friends to share and I’m so GRATEFUL they did! Let’s see what theirs are:

Mermaid Alethea Kontis~

My favorite book prop is a tiny velvet bag of marbles the publisher gave me as a promo for Neil Gaiman’s Coraline.  I opened my hand, dumped out the three blue marbles, and shrieked a little. “Have you read the book?” I asked the sales rep. “Did you realize you were handing out the souls of dead children as promotion?”

Still my favorite.

Connect with Alethea for all things books HERE!

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Romance Author S.J. Maylee~

The Bottom Burner drink served in the butt glass from Cara Bristol’s Body Politics.

I love it because it’s cheeky and leads the hero and heroine into one of the hottest scenes I’ve ever read.

Wanna see it? Click HERE!

Wanna chat books with S.J.? Do that HERE!

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Romance Author Lynne Silver~

My favorite book prop are the charms that Kaleb Krychek buys for Sahara in Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh. He buys her one charm on each of her birthdays and they each represent something of her. It’s so romantic which of course he denies, being encased in Silence as he is.

I know Lynne’s always up for book talk so go find her HERE!

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Thank you so much ladies for sharing those! And now I put the proverbial ball in YOUR court! What are your favorite props, items, doo-dads from books you’ve read? Something in the story or something out in the real world related to the book. For the record, I could have written a week’s worth of posts about Dark Hunter items! Okay, go!