I Heart March Madness

Since I'm still frantically trying to finish Love is Grand, I haven't had much time to think about writing a blog. I wish I were one of those super-organized people who writes several at a time and schedules them to post on certain days. Alas, I am not one of those people. I will never be one of those people, and you know what? I'm okay with that.

For those of you who are wondering how Love is Grand is coming...I think it might end up being my favorite so far. (I say that with each book though, so don't put too much stock in that!)

Anyway, let me just say that I LOVE this time of year! The start of Spring, those first deliciously warm days, and the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Yay!Although college football is still my favorite sport to watch, the tournament is my favorite sporting event. I know, I'm weird!

Yep, I fill out brackets (I have a few--and this year they're all busted...) and watch every game I can. I've been this way since I was in junior high school.

My all time favorite moment...Duke beating Kentucky at the buzzer in 1992. I was (and still am) a huge Duke fan. I actually have this game on video tape from way back in the day! Go ahead and judge me, I don't care! That particular Duke team--with Christian Laettner and Bobby Hurley is still my all time favorite team. And Coach K is on my list of people I'd invite to my dream dinner party. (Nancy Reagan and Paul McCartney are also on my invite list)

Every year, one of my favorite things is the video montage after the final game. One Shining Moment--and yes, I tear up every time, even if I don't even have a particular team I'm rooting for. (and I am not too happy about Jennifer Hudson's version of the song replacing Luther Vandross...for no reason except that I don't like change! ha!)

So...for your viewing pleasure, here is a clip of that most awesome buzzer-beating shot, followed by an old school "One Shining Moment" from that same year! Basketball fans, enjoy! Non-basketball fans--sorry! :)

Midnight Musings

Okay, it's actually past midnight, but who's counting? These days, time seems to mean nothing to me--I'm finishing Love is Grand and am as likely to be writing at 3 a.m. as I am at 3 p.m. When I get it turned in, I plan on sleeping non-stop for a few days. And watching the 4 new episodes of Grey's Anatomy I have saved on my DVR. (yay!)

So this is going to be a jumble of things I've been thinking lately. Perhaps if I get them out of my head, I'll be able to better write my book!

Here goes:

1. The Bachelor finale: Oh, Jake--I had such high hopes for you. But you let me down. Honestly, you disappointed me in the very beginning, like on the very first night when you sent home most of the girls who actually seemed to have brains. But I digress. Best wishes to you and Vienna. I give it 6 months.

2. Along those same lines: The Bachelor: Jason and Molly's Wedding...Seriously? That much money for a wedding and there isn't a rain plan? Come on. As an event planner, I am totally offended. You can't convince me that there wasn't a canopy available or at least someone could've held one of those handy clear umbrellas (were those sponsored by Macys too?) over poor Molly's head. Designer dress. Ken Paves himself did her hair. And ABC made her stand out there in the pouring rain. Whatever. Overall, they seemed happy though, so that was nice. And wasn't it great to once again get to hear the phrase "star-gazing amazing" in reference to Molly's eyes...ha!

3. Not to stay on this reality kick, but Dancing With the Stars...I'm loving the lineup! Kate! Evan! Brenda Walsh! Need I say more? I'm calling Evan for the win though. You read it here first.

4. Zumba. Okay. I took my first Zumba class on Sunday afternoon. Except that the main teacher wasn't there so it ended up being a hybrid zumba/belly dancing/hip hop. This was a most hilarious experience. Although I did learn the whole routine to Michael Jackson's Beat It, which has been a secret lifelong dream of mine... Monday I tried again--wanting to experience a "real" Zumba class. Nope. This time the teacher came to class and apologized for not having any choreography for us. We free styled. You know the African Anteater Ritual from Can't Buy Me Love? It was something like that. (By the way, I love that movie...a pre-McDreamy Patrick Dempsey as nerdy Ronald Miller. Sigh.) And today when I woke up, I could barely walk, so maybe it was a good workout after all...

5. In writing news...Love is a Battlefield is now available on Kindle!

6. In more writing news...you can now read a sample chapter of Love is Monumental on Amazon! It releases in May!

7. One more story and then I'm through, I promise... Last week, my e-mail account was hacked. Or spammed. Whatever you call it. Unbeknownst to me, strange e-mails went out from my account to EVERYONE in my address book. I've had the same e-mail address since 1997. I haven't really cleaned out my address book since then. Which means e-mails went out to all kinds of people. People I don't necessarily keep in contact with anymore. Ex-boyfriends. Their families. Old bosses. Former co-workers. High school friends I haven't seen in years. And on and on. And on. Fun times. Needless to say, once the problem was fixed, I cleaned out my address book.

Okay. Break's over! Back to writing.

Instead of a song of the day, here's a clip from Can't Buy Me Love! Enjoy!

Under Pressure

I absolutely love the Olympics! Winter or Summer--it doesn't matter. There is something magical about the games for me. Here are people who've devoted themselves to a particular sport--they've made sacrifices in order to compete with the best in the world.

Such great stories come from these games. Tragedy and triumph. People who, for a moment, have the attention of the whole world. Sometimes they excel and succeed--and sometimes they don't.

I've competed at things my whole life. Tee ball, softball, basketball, cheerleading, and the list goes on. I know how it feels to be victorious. And I know how it feels to be the last batter--the one who could keep the game going--and the one who strikes out.

As I've gotten older, I've learned that sometimes my biggest competition is in the form of my own negative thoughts. As a writer, self-doubt creeps in all the time. Sometimes I sit and dwell more on one bad review than I do on ten great ones. Maybe we want to believe the worst about ourselves, I don't know.

In the Olympics, we see athletes who face harsh critics--sometimes it's from the media. Sometimes it's from a fellow competitor. Sometimes it comes from an entire country.

And yet, they go out there and do their thing. Some of them crack under pressure. They have one shot and they blow it. I hate watching it because I know we've just observed something that will haunt them forever. A fall on the ice. A missed goal. A ski jump gone awry.

But I love seeing their faces when they know they did it. When they stick the landing. Or land the triple axle. Or make the goal. They've silenced their critics. And proved to themselves that what seemed impossible is possible.

I'm under my own kind of pressure this week as I try to finish up a book that's due in March. And it would be easy to break under the pressure. Honestly, there are moments when I want to throw my computer out the window and run away. :) But I'm not going to do that. Because sometimes your dreams really do turn into reality. Just ask Evan Lysecek, Lindsey Vonn, Shaun White or Apolo Ohno.

The song of the day is Chariots of Fire...

Love, Actually

So, it's Valentine's Day. Hmm. I'm not exactly a fan. And it has nothing to do with the fact that I still check the "single" box. I feel about V-Day the same way I feel about New Year's Eve. It's one of those holidays that seems forced.

Can this be true? Is it right for someone who writes romance novels to not be a fan of Valentine's Day? :) Well, let me make a confession...I didn't set out to write romance novels. It just sort of happened. Somewhere along the way, I started to realize...every story is a love story. Sure, they might be disguised as suspense. Or mystery. Or fantasy. But more often than not, there is a love element in there. Sometimes it isn't romantic love. But love, nevertheless. Which is how I came to write about love. Because that seems to be the central theme in our lives when you strip everything else away.

So that gets me to thinking about L-O-V-E. So many different kinds of love. Such a tiny little word with so many different meanings...

I love God. And my family. And my dogs. And my new Prada purse. I love sleeping in. And my friends. And Peppermint Mochas from Starbucks. I love clean sheets. And my DVR. And when I write "the end" and hit send. I love college football. And hot summer days. And being snowed in.

And I don't love any of those things in exactly the same way.

So, even though I'm single--and from what I'm seeing on Facebook and Twitter, single people are supposed to resent being reminded of love today--well I don't! Love is wonderful. Love is powerful. I may not have romantic love in my life right now (anyone know any nice, normal, single guys? haha!) but I have lots of love in my life. And, as any good romance heroine, I have the hope that true love is right around the corner.

So no matter what box you check today, I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day, celebrating the love that is in your life!

Song of the day...The Power of Love by Huey Lewis--I thought it was fitting!

Roller Coaster

No wonder I always feel like I'm on a roller coaster! I just found out that Love Roller Coaster was the #1 song when I was born. So it's the song of the day. :)

Last year in honor of my birthday, I made a list of 33 things about me that most people don't know. This year, I'm going to stick to 10.

Here are 10 more things that make me "me"...

1. I'm left handed. I think this helps with the creativity. It doesn't help in handwriting, peeling potatoes or using scissors.

2. I have an aversion to feet. Except for cute baby feet.

3. If I could only eat one meal forever, it would be chicken fingers with honey mustard sauce.

4. Someday I want to take a road trip across America. Just some good music and the open road--sounds about perfect.

5. I'm still sometimes surprised when I see my name on the cover of a book. Seems like a dream.

6. I have a really good memory. As in, there is a chance I could tell you what happened on a given day in a given year--what I wore, where I went, who was there, etc. It drives my friends crazy. I can also still remember my high school cheerleading routines and every Makin' Music performance I was ever in from college.

7. I still believe the best is yet to come.

8. I know this will make me sound old fashioned--but sometimes I miss the way things used to be. Simpler. Slower. Technology and innovation are both good things, but I miss Mayberry.

9. That being said, I still love my DVR.

10. Last one! Hmm. Okay. If I could, I would stay up all night and sleep all day.

If you were reading this blog last year, you know that I dreaded turning 33. Well, I have to say that I actually had a wonderful year. My first 2 books releasing, several fun trips and a gigantic leap of faith when I stopped working full time to write. 33 ended up being the best yet. I'm hopeful that 34 will be even better!

Random Ramblings

Okay. I know I should probably do a blog post about my recent book signings in Mississippi. Or maybe about the new series proposal I just sent off to my editor so everyone can cross their fingers and toes that it gets a green light. But no. Instead I have to get a few other things off my chest...

1. The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love.
Where to start? I admit that I am totally hooked on this show each and every season. My take on this season...Jake is going to walk away alone. I don't think he has a good crop to choose from, but they certainly provide for some wonderful entertainment.

2. The end of college football season.
Although I am an SEC girl, I have to say that I was really cheering for Texas in the National Championship. And I totally believe they would've won if Colt McCoy, hadn't gone out at the very beginning with an injury. And kudos to Colt for such a wonderful post-game interview. Here's a quote from Colt: "I never question that God is in control. Whatever happens, I know I'm standing on the Rock."

3. How much I love hot water.
My hot water heater busted over the weekend. It takes some time to get that replaced. I had to go to a friend's house last night to take a shower where I was reunited with hot water. Briefly. Hoping to have hot water again very soon!

4. The Wii Fit.
This was one of my Christmas presents--actually I got it for myself with the money my dad gave me for Christmas. My little Wii person is a little shorter and rounder than I would like. And I think the groaning noise it makes when I step on the balance board is a little harsh...

5. My desire for a snow day.
Yep. I want one really big snow. The kind that you can get out and play in. Then I want to immediately fast forward to Summer.

6. My birthday.
It is coming up. 10 days. Birthdays are starting to freak me out a little bit. Better than the alternative though.

7. Justin Timberlake at the Telethon for Haiti.
I go back and forth on being a JT fan. But his performance of "Hallelujah" was incredible. Go now and get it from iTunes.

8. American Idol.
I don't like the auditions. Why do they make fun of people who've clearly been made fun of most of their lives? Not cool, AI, not cool. I am ready for the nonsense to be over and the real competition to begin.

9. Board games, my love of.
My family is a game playing group. We are always looking for new games to play and I have officially found my FAVORITE GAME EVER. It is called "Things" and is just the most fun! Even my grandma loves it!

10. Red carpets.
I'm a sucker for awards shows. I love watching to see what everyone is wearing, what they're going to say from the stage and who wins what. But what I don't like is actually watching the red carpet interviews on E. The questions just seem so awkward.

Okay. I feel better now. Just had to get a few things off my chest. :)

And because this is a random post, how about a random song? One of my favorites...When the Stars Go Blue. This version is by Bono and the Corrs.

2009, you were a good year...

I've never been one to go out and celebrate on New Year's Eve. I remember in 1999, when everyone I knew (seriously, every single person) was doing something big to ring in 2000, I opted to stay home. With 2 great movies (Shakespeare in Love and Sliding Doors--and I know it is weird that I remember which movies, but I can't help it, I remember lots of unimportant details) and a Domino's Pizza (thin crust cheese).

And lots of people called me right before midnight to try and get me to say I was sorry for not agreeing to go out, but I was happy where I was.

For me, the turning over of a new year is more of a reflective time. I don't like the forced cheerfulness and the over-emphasis on having the best time of your life. If that's your thing, then by all means, enjoy, but the best time of my life isn't going to happen at some party or random club at 11:59 on December 31.

I probably sounds like an old stick in the mud. :)

Some might call me crazy for wanting to hold on to 2009 for as long as possible, but I want to squeeze each and every second of it. Big things happened to me in 2009. It was a fantastic year!

Just a few highlights:

• Holding copies of my first two books in my hand for the first time.


• Seeing those books in stores for the first time. I still have to fight the urge to take pictures of them on the shelf (and usually end up caving and photographing).


• Traveling to Washington D.C. and the Grand Canyon for research; traveling to Denver for a writing conference; traveling to Charm, Ohio, for a book signing.


• Book signings: I participated in 6 signings this year!


• Hearing from readers who enjoyed the books! This came in the form of letters, e-mails and reviews.


• Along those lines, one of the biggest blessings of 2009 was meeting so many wonderful people--fellow authors and readers. You guys rock!
  

I'm hopeful that 2010 will be just as wonderful! These aren't necessarily resolutions, but here are a few things I hope to accomplish in the new year:

• Get a new book contracted. Or a new series. :)


• Become reacquainted with my old friend, the gym! It's been far too long.


• Change my diet. I am ashamed of how unhealthy my eating habits are. If I could just add some fruits and veggies I'd be happy.


• Come up with fantastic marketing for my May and October releases.


• Go on a trip that is in no way related to books, research or work. In other words, take a vacation!


• Get rid of a lot of "stuff"--I have way too much and want to downsize. Maybe I'll never really be a minimalist, but I can try!


• Finally figure out how to balance life, work and writing. I'm afraid this might mean adjusting my schedule to where I get up early and go to bed at a decent hour...

Okay, I could go on and on, but will stop. Perhaps I should do a mid-year check on these goals to see how I'm doing!

No matter how you choose to ring in 2010, I hope it is wonderful!

Song of the week...my favorite version of Auld Lang Syne by Mairi Campbell & Dave Francis.