Back from Atlanta
Conference in Atlanta (RWA) was amazing! I was able to meet authors I’d tried (and failed) to meet last year – including Sherrilyn Kenyon, PC Cast, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I caught up with old friends, chatted with my wonderful agent, and met my editor for the first time (she’s adorable). The RITA awards were a blast. Congrats to all the winners and the finalists. Kudos to you all.
I came home with more books than I have shelves for, and memories for a lifetime. Thought I’d share some with you here. Just click a photo to enlarge it!
Look for more photos to be posted during the week.
Enjoy!
This n That
I’m soooo ready to head to RWA in Atlanta. Getting to see the hundreds of wonderful women, scattered across the country, that I normally only get to speak to on email is worth the stress of buying clothes, packing, getting the family ready etc. Did I mention we’re traveling in a tour bus? (The rock n roll kind, not the Greyhound sort)
OOO yeah. What fun!
FESTIVAL – Victoria Barrett
Victoria Barrett
I have to admit to reading Festival a few years ago, so this is not a recent read for me. But that should say something about it’s memorability factor. I came across the book while looking for another here on Amazon and was immediately reminded of how much I loved Festival. There are so many fresh elements to this romance. For example, the hero and heroine fall in love before they ever meet face to face. Telephone calls…sexy telephone calls, allow them to get to know one another and enjoy each other’s good qualities before physical factors come into play (What a nice change!!)A time-travel and romance saga is the best description for Festival. I highly recommend it.
Look for Victoria, who is currently writing under the name Vicki Hinze
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN – DEAD MAN’S CHEST
I finally got my Jack Sparrow fix and went and saw Dead Man’s Chest on July 9. Although I have to admit, in this one, Orlando Bloom had as much of my attention as Johnny Depp, probably because he spent a good deal of the movie wet (yum!).
Ok, will say right up front…. FINALLY! A sequel that’s even better than the original movie! I laughed in 60% of the scenes. The fight scenes were so inventive (and funny!) and the special effects were incredible.
The cliffhanger ending didn’t even bother me. Just gave me something else to look forward to next summer!
Tristan & Isolde
What are we watching tonight?” asks the husband, settling into his recliner just after the kids head to bed.
“Tristan and Isolde,” I say, laying down on the couch, Diet Dr Pepper at the ready.
“What’s it about?”
I shrug. “Not sure. I think it’s a medieval romance …. kinda like what I write.”
“Cool.”
Only…it’s wasn’t like what I write, and now, I’m praying husband doesn’t think I pen novels where WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD, STOP READING NOW IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED THE MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
…………..THE hero dies, and the heroine is married to another man. Sigh. Tragic love.
Apparently, Tristan and Isolde is the myth that sparked all the Arthurian legends. I believe it. Very similar story lines. Arthur, the king, weds Guinevere, whom he adores. She, on the other hand, is in love with Arthur’s trusted man, Lancelot. In T&I, Mark, the king, weds Isolde, whom he adores. She, on the other hand, is in love with Mark’s trusted man, Tristan. It ends in noble tragedy, yada yada.
What did I come away with? James Franco is stunningly beautiful, though I don’t believe that’s true of every movie I’ve seen him in. But in T&I, his eyes steal a bit of your soul. He’s devestatingly cute.
And for those of you wondering, no… Romance novels do not end in death and misery, and heroine’s are not likely to be wed to another man whilst bedding the man of her heart!
12 Sharp – Janet Evanovich
I got my Plum fix. Jolly good times. Way more detail as far as the Ranger/Morelli/Stephanie triangle in this book.
Here’s a quick break down of the synop. Stephanie is stalked by a woman who claims to be Ranger’s wife. Ranger’s suspected of murder and kidnapping. The sexual tension spikes a dozen times, and, once again, we’re left wondering……
I thoroughly enjoyed 12 Sharp. Had only one issue with the big “reveal” scene at the end where the “whodunnit” and why is explained by the bad guy. His reason for not killing Stephanie right away seems a bit contrived. But who cares. I don’t read these for the mystery. I read it for Ranger/Morelli/ Stephanie, and this one just ups the ante on that scenario.
Dreamwork Monday
