Christmas Magic

I'm pleased to be part of the Reading Adventures Blog Advent tour. Today is my installment.

For some people, it's the Christmas tree. For others, it's Christmas caroling. The one thing I need to put me in the holiday spirit is going out to see Christmas lights.

As much as I love putting lights on the tree, I love it even more to see the lights in the neighborhood. Sometimes people string up a few lights above the house. Others have several houses that follow a theme.

I took my nieces and nephew out to see the lights one Christmas, and it was a charming experience.





I love stumbling across Christmas lights by accident. A few years ago, I heard that there was a house with "cool lights" in a nearby neighborhood. So I went looking, following curving roads. It took me 10 minutes of wandering to find it.



Christmas lights. Pure magic.

Hope you have whatever makes the holidays magical for you!

Taking Sides

Lisa Kleypas fans are apparently dividing into two factions: those who prefer Derek Craven from Dreaming of You, and those who favor Sebastian from Devil in Winter. I've read both books, and I can say I genuinely like them both. As for who sticks in my mind? Sorry, Sebastian fans.

I choose Derek.

Eight

I'm horribly late in responding to being tagged, but I'll go with the better-late-than-never principle. The rules:

• Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
• People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
• At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
• Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

Here goes:

1. I'm having a serious case of writer's block. I'm starting to work past it, but it's tough going. I like having written better than writing. I wonder if that's true of all writers? It's kind of like exercise, I guess, which is always better once finished.
2. I've changed my mind about MySpace. When it first became popular with authors, I didn't see the point. Now, though, I know my page has helped people find my stories who wouldn't have done so otherwise. I don't know why, but I'm not going to question it.
3. My house is a black hole when it comes to library books. So far this year, I've had to pay to replace two, and overdue books are common. This week, I broke the cycle by finding a DVD. It only took me a week and a half to locate. Ha! It doesn't seem to matter. I've put four more books on hold at the library today. Obviously, decluttering is an ongoing process for me.
4. Speaking of clutter, I have hundreds of scrapbook pages that I need to put into albums. My problem: I need more shelf space for my scrapbooks. I may go to the newly opened Ikea and see if I can find anything that will work.
5. I watch a fair amount of TV, but most of the time I watch programs I taped. I'm not familiar with most shows on right now. The only one I make a point of watching is Medium.
6. I'm not losing weight even though I've been exercising. Frustrating. I'm trying to watch what I eat a bit more than usual (gotta take baby steps), and we'll see if that has any effect.
7. I love getting mail. I think this is a holdover from the days when I was requesting autographs through the mail, but it still something a part of me looks forward to all day, even though I get mostly bills these days.
8. I collect magnets when I go on trips. I always get one (or two or three) to commemmorate my travels.

I'm not going to tag anyone, because I've seen it go around so much I'm not sure who's left. If you want to do it, please do! Then comment here and let me know.

Grieving

I've been reading some of the buzz about the upcoming book in Karin Slaughter's Grant County series. I'm not sure I would call myself a fan of the series since I've only read one book--Indelible--but the book, and one character in particular, stuck with me. I've since bought three of the other books in the series (one is even autographed), though I haven't read them.

So when I read about two readers' responses to the newest book, I decided to read the spoiler at Slaughter's site before reading any other books in the series.

What I read broke my heart.

Even as I write that, it sounds a little crazy. I read the book almost three years ago, and I definitely don't have the emotional attachment that long-time readers have. On the other hand, it says something to me that I grieve so much over something that happens to a character I read about three years ago. Slaughter writes memorable characters, no question. But I doubt I'll ever read another of her books.

As a writer, I understand the need to write about things and events that readers might not appreciate. I get that. I also get that I am not her target audience, because she's going someplace I, as a reader, can't follow.

Weird Year

This is apparently a weird year for me medically. First, it was my appendix. Now I've got pain in my lower abdomen. I have a doctor's appointment later this month, but at times it's so bad I find it difficult to function. It really makes me appreciate the times when I'm feeling good. I'm feeling OK right now, but it comes and goes.

In other news, I'm doing my best to save my lawn this year. It thinned out a bit last year due to lack of watering. I'm trying to stay on top of it this year. Luckily, it's rained the past several days, so I haven't needed to do much work.

I'm also in the process of going through my books. They are taking over my house, so I need to sort through them and keep only those I may read again. We'll see how that goes.

Healing

I had an allergic reaction to my anti-nausea medicine that sent me back to the emergency room. Benadryl is my new miracle drug. I'm doing better, sitting up for longer periods, and feel like I'm slowly getting back to myself. I appreciate your good thoughts and wishes. They mean a lot to me.

I've closed the latest contest for entries, and I'll be sending Megan a list of questions to answer shortly. Come back to read her answers and learn who won the contest.

Adventure

I've been known to disappear from the web a while, but this time is a bit different. Last Friday at 2:00 AM, I drove to the emergency room. Later that day, my appendix was removed. I was in the early stages of inflammation, and I'm recovering, but I'm not back to normal, and I imagine I won't be online again for a few more days. Just wanted to explain where I was.

I'll be fine. Really! And the contest will close when I get back.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Hope you're enjoying the holiday. If you're headed off somewhere fun, stop by Romancing the Blog before you go to read a post from me.

And don't forget to enter the latest contest! You know you want to.

Coming soon: a review of Innocent in Death.

Whole New World

I've been looking for ways to reduce my expenses, and I discovered that it costs less for high-speed cable internet than to have a phone line plus dial-up service. So, tonight I installed my new internet connection. After years of slow access and long download times, I have only one thing to say.

Damn, it's fast.

In the News

I'd nearly forgotten the fact that I was interviewed at the 2005 literacy signing in Reno. Then I got this e-mail.

Dear Friends,

We are thrilled to announce the world broadcast premiere of "Who's Afraid of Happy Endings?" on Bravo! Canada, this Thursday, March 8th, 2007 at 8:30 pm ET.

"Who's Afraid of Happy Endings?" is a witty and dynamic new documentary that explores the world of romance fiction.

March 8th is also International Women’s Day - and we think that's a great day to celebrate this popular art form.

To view an exclusive preview clip of "Who’s Afraid of Happy Endings?" or for more information please check out http://www.gapc.com/.

"Who’s Afraid of Happy Endings?" chronicles three romance writers: Kelly Boyce, an aspiring writer from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, who makes her first pitch at a Romance Writers’ of America (RWA) Conference; Kayla Perrin, a contemporary romance author from Hamilton, Ontario, whose shift into erotica could propel her into the mainstream market; and Kathryn Smith, an historical romance author, now living in Connecticut, who has her sights set on the best seller lists as she delves into the “dark side” of paranormal romance.

"Who’s Afraid of Happy Endings?" also features interviews with some of the brightest stars in the romance fiction world including NY Times best selling authors Jo Beverley, Jennifer Crusie, Eloisa James, Debbie Macomber and Nora Roberts!

We would like to thank the people who shared their time, wisdom and support during the making of this documentary. Even though we were unable to include everyone we interviewed in the final film – your enthusiasm and spirit infuse every single frame.

To all of our American-based friends – we promise to keep you posted about a U.S. broadcast date. And to our Canadian friends - we hope that you’ll watch our documentary and tell everyone you know!

Please feel free to forward this e-mail and the attached electronic postcard to others.

Sincerely,
Joanna D’Angelo and Christine Alexiou
Co-directors/Co-writers

P.S. Check your local listings or log onto http://www.bravo.ca for specific times in your viewing area.
___________

WHO'S AFRAID OF HAPPY ENDINGS?
A one hour documentary about the world of romance fiction
by Joanna D'Angelo, Christine Alexiou & GAPC Entertainment
WORLD PREMIERE BRAVO!
CANADA
THURSDAY MARCH 8, 2007
8:30 PM ET

Will my interview be in it? I'm not sure. Possibly not. Unfortunately, I don't live in Canada. Any Canadians out there planning to watch and/or tape this program? I'd love to find out if I end up in it.

Stuck

Did a little blog surfing last night, and I stumbled across a few reviews for the latest book in a popular series. This reminded me that I've read only #1 in the series and haven't read any more. And that got me thinking--there are several series I've stopped reading because I'm stuck somehow.

Black Dagger Brotherhood
I read J.R. Ward's Dark Lover and loved it. I own Lover Eternal--an autographed copy, no less--but haven't even started it. Why? I'm not sure. I think it's partly because I've seen so much written about them that I wonder whether they'll live up to the hype. Not sure why I'm concerned, since I enjoyed Dark Lover, but oh well. There's also the cliffhanger aspect that I'm not too fond of. I imagine I'll get back to the series sometime. I'm just not sure when.

Harry Potter
I bought book #6 within days of its release but haven't read it yet. At first, it was because I didn't want one of my favorite characters to die, and I figured it was his time. Turns out I was right. I still haven't read the book, but a coworker let that one slip. Now I'm not reading it because of the rumors that Harry will be killed off in #7. I may get to it . . . or not. We'll see.

Troubleshooters/Team 16
I love Suzanne Brockmann's books but stalled completely once I hit Breaking Point, Gina and Max's story. I didn't love the direction the couple took in Gone Too Far, so I've been reluctant to read Breaking Point. I've picked up the book half a dozen times but keep putting it back on the TBR shelf. I've considered skipping that book and moving on to the next one, but haven't had luck with that, either. One of these days, I'll start reading Breaking Point, and once I do that, I figure I won't stop. Until then, there are so many TBR options . . .

Anyone else have a series they've stopped reading not because they stopped liking the series, but because they are stuck somehow?

Busy . . .

I'll be announcing the contest winner in the next week or so. In the meantime, I'm a little busy with this.



It's very good so far.

Flair

I'm still among the living; I've just been taking a much-needed break from blogging. I've been doing some fun reading. :)

My priorities have shifted a bit. I'm doing the exercise thing, a little writing and reading, going out with friends. After seeing Office Space, I started collecting pieces of flair. Here's one of my latest finds.



I like it. :)

Good Finds

I went to a nearby mall this week for the first time in ages and discovered a used bookstore there. Their romance section isn't big, but I found a few treasures:

• Mary Balogh: A Chance Encounter
• Joan Wolf: The Rebellious Ward

Not only do these books look new and unread, they were .99 each. I nearly wept with joy.

Things I've Learned This Week

It's tough to go back to work after a three-day weekend. (I already knew this, but I learned it again.)

When I tell myself I need to eat healthier, I can't stop thinking about food.

It would be way cool if I could travel while sleeping the way I did in my dream. When I woke up into my dream, I was in Canada. I avoided the whole luggage, jet lag thing. Nice.

Good intentions don't change the fact that there isn't enough time in a day to do everything. Prioritizing is required.

Finish writing the sex scene before exercising. It's tough to get back in the mood after 20 minutes of aerobics.

Back from the Doctor

Lots of health and other blah blah. Feel free to skip.

I had my appointment with the doctor today. It was as I thought--diet and exercise are at the top of the list. In fact, he emphasized exercise, and suggested five or six days a week. My next appointment is in two months, and my goal is to have lost six to eight pounds by then. He says this is doable even with my current (bad) diet if I add the exercise, but he advised making some common-sense decisions about the diet as well. I'm already starting to do that.

The doctor had me get on the scale so he knew where we were starting. I asked him not to tell me; I figured it would be a bit discouraging, although I know about what I weigh.

I'm already planning ways to reward myself for meeting intermediate goals. Since I'm avoiding the weight issue, I'm instead going to focus on clothing size. I figure I need to drop three sizes to get to the size I was all through high school and college. Now I'm thinking of things I can reward myself with each time I drop a size. It won't be ice cream. Books might well be on the list.

Crossroads

I hadn't intended to drop off the face of the earth. The main thing I can say about this month is that things are a-changing. After a few days of not hearing from the doctor about my test results, I called the doctor's office and learned that my doctor is out for back surgery. Yikes! So the doctor on call reviewed the test results and had his assistant call me.

The bad news is that there is an issue. The good news is that it's one I think I can do something about. I have an appointment on Tuesday, so I don't have details, but my internet research turned up the same thing I expected: I need to change my life, starting with exercise and a change of diet.

Any change is difficult, but these will be good in the long run. It would be nice not to be tired all the time, for one thing. I've started walking and will continue to do so every day. It's a good start.

This month I've also learned about some restructuring at work. With some companies, this is a polite term for layoffs. That's not the case for the company I work for. In this case, restructuring is restructuring. I don't love change, but I hate being in limbo, which is where things will be for a few months until the dust settles and we figure out who's going where. There may be a few opportunities for me if I decide to pursue them. Ah, decisions.

What all this means is my energies have been focused elsewhere. Most of my online stuff has been slipping through the cracks. I haven't written a review for TRR for almost two months. I did manage to post a column at Romancing the Blog and was pleased to see it received some comments. Still, I need to think long and hard about accepting any any more responsibilities. And about whether I should keep the ones I have.

As for reading, I find myself turning to my comfort reads, which now include Kelley Armstrong as well as Rachel Gibson, and Julia Quinn. I've read a few new books, too, and hope to post short (possibly very short) reviews sometime.

What are you reading?

Interesting . . .

I saw this on Cindy's blog and thought I'd check out the definition of my name in the dictionary. It's interesting.

Alyssa [adjective]: Benevolent to a fault 'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

I've dropped off the radar a bit more than usual lately. I've been coping with writing issues and potential medical issues. At the moment, I'm waiting for the results from some medical tests; I should hear something early this week. It's interesting how one's focus changes when health issues are pressing.

My doctor mentioned the test as something that would rule out a few possibilities. It's quite possible that the end result will simply be that I need to change my diet, which could definitely use some improvement. Still, the wait is nervewracking, so I've been trying to distract myself with reading and shopping. For the most part, the distraction is working, but I still have moments of panic. Then logic sinks in and I go back to being OK.

Distractions are still nice, however. Yesterday I went used bookstore prowling, which I haven't done for a while. I found a number of books for people in my book trading group. Does that make me benevolent to a fault?

Brain Dead

My apologies for vanishing once again. I decided to post the rest of my RWA experience at the blog of my alterego, mainly because it's more writerly in nature. I still have two days left of the conference to summarize, which I hope to do this week.

Last week was a bit hectic. First, I ended up needing some serious car repairs--I knew the grinding sound when I hit the brakes couldn't be a good thing . . . Then, I transcribed a few tapes for a freelance gig, since the car repairs won't pay for themselves. The only problem with that is that my weekend was not much different from any other day of the week. Man, I'm tired.

Once I recover, watch for reviews of Angel with Attitude and Bad Boys of Summer, two of my literacy signing purchases.

Packing

On Tuesday, I'm off to Atlanta for the RWA book signing and conference. Now I'm packing, and I'm having dilemmas. No, I'm not worried about the clothes or shoes. Instead, I'm fretting about the books. It's always about the books, right?

The signing is Wednesday night, and I need to bring enough books to tide me over until then. Plus, I also need to bring five books to get autographed at the signing. I'm chafing about that limit. I'll probably bring 15 and hope I have enough time to run up mid-signing and get them all signed. As if I want to be making multiple trips to my hotel room during the signing, but I'd probably be sorry if I didn't bring them.

So, which of the hundreds of books I haven't read should I bring with me? And which books should I bring for autographing? Ah, decisions . . .