Et Cetera

I posted at Romancing the Blog this week. Please check it out if you haven't already done so.

You've probably figured out that when I'm not blogging here, I'm busy writing. I'm pleased to say I'm getting back into the writing groove, which is nice, considering the number of works in progress I have. Now you know why one of the things I bought at RWA was a magnet that reads:

Finish the #%&* Book!!!

It helps that a few of my coworkers and I have started an informal writing group. We share some of our writing every day. It's nice, and it helps me stay motivated.

In book news, I'm getting excited about some upcoming releases, including Nalini Singh's Caressed by Ice. Speaking of which, I did this fun meme.

Which Psy-Changeling Hero Is For You?

Your Psy/Changeling Hero: Dorian

Strong, angry and wounded, Dorian has the lethal grace of a leopard and the seductive charm to melt even the hardest heart. But Dorian walks in the darkness and to reach him, you might have to give up everything - can you love that deeply, trust that much?Find out more about Dorian and the series at http://www.nalinisingh.com/
Take this quiz!






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Of course, I've been doing some reading. I just need to figure out which books to write a review for. One of these days, I'll finish my review of the last Harry Potter book . . .

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.

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?

Tagged

I've been tagged by Megan and Sybil.

1. When did you first start blogging and why?
The sidebar helped me answer this one. I started blogging in September of 2004. I discovered blogs through Laurie's blog, and started branching out from there. For me, blogging appealed to me in a way message boards didn't. My plan was to have a dual focus on books and scrapbook pages, but the latter kind of fell by the wayside. Ah, well.

2. What don't you talk about?
Politics and religion. I don't talk about the former because I'm not very interested in politics. As for the latter, it's just a private part of my life that I'm reluctant to put out there for public consumption. I think I've mentioned it on my blog twice. I did get a kick out of the woman at Suzanne Brockmann's Target Tampa event who asked if I could get excommunicated because I read romance. Uh, no. LOL!

I also don't go into detail about where I work. I have complained about my job more than once and have talked about my work hours. But only one or two of you know the name of the company I work for; even then, I've told people in person, not by blogging the information. This is deliberate. Not because it's a bad place to work, although it has its moments like any other workplace. But I don't want to bring people here who either work for the company or who are looking for information about it. I'm here to talk about books.

3. Are you and your blogging persona the same person?
I'm not a different person at my blog, but I don't reveal everything about myself either. I guess I'd say that blog visitors see me but not a complete picture.

4. How do you use blogging to build friendships?
I wouldn't say that I blog to build friendships, but it's happened through the process. I've been visiting some people's blogs for years now, and you get to know people a bit through that process. I've really enjoyed it, and it's always fun to meet people whose blogs I visit.

5. How would you describe your writing style?
Hmmm. Well-edited? Ha ha. That's what happens when you're a writer and editor--it's not something I can compartmentalize.

What is the opposite of snarky? I'm definitely not a snarky blogger, and people who know me in person know I have more of a sense of humor than is evident on my blog.

I'm not tagging anyone this time because I'm getting ready to leave for my trip and don't have time to see who hasn't been tagged. Be prepared next time, though . . .

Five Questions

When I saw this on Angie's blog, I thought it would be fun to participate. The rules:

I answer five questions that she asked me, here on my blog. Then, if anyone out there is interested in answering five random questions of my choice, on their own blog, post here and I will ask you five questions in turn.

So, these are the questions from Angie, along with my answers.

1. What's the best thing about being an author?

I might be reading too much into this question, but I'm going to share what I like about being a writer and being an author, because they are slightly different in my mind.

As a writer, I love moments when a character says or does something to surprise me--that's when I know they've come to life for me. I also enjoy hearing about lines that make readers smile. There's one line in Office Relations that everyone who offered feedback said made them laugh. It's a nice feeling to write something and have readers respond the way I hoped.

As for being an author, that's still a new feeling that at times doesn't seem real. Right now I'd say that seeing a cover with my name (well, pen name) on it ranks up there pretty high. I also love finishing and submitting a story.

2. What has changed about your life since you started writing?

The biggest thing that has changed is the way I spend my time. I used to spend a lot more time on the internet. I still probably spend more time online than I should, and I'm working on that. But I don't just hop online anymore. I have to decide how it will fit into my schedule.

Time for reading has also declined, as has writing on this blog. Not because I don't enjoy it, but because time is finite, and I've had to make choices.

I've also had to make room in my life for my characters. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but they become real people to me, people with stories to tell. I keep a notebook with me all the time because I want to be ready when an idea comes to me.

3. What's one thing you'd like to change about your life?

I wish I were more brave socially. I'm such an introvert, and it's much easier when I come home from work to collapse at home or maybe go out with family or friends. It's like I have a certain amount of energy each week for social interaction, and once it's gone, it's gone. That energy is often used up at work, sometimes by Wednesday or Thursday. Once that happens, any desire to go out disappears completely.

Since I'm being honest, I'll say that I've sometimes wished I could go back in time and tell the Alyssa in her 20s how much easier it was then to meet intelligent, single men with common values. I didn't take advantage of college and church singles group activities, and I wish I had. I've never been a confident dater, but it's much more challenging now that I'm in my mid-30s.

4. What one food could you eat every day and not get sick of it?

Ice cream. I don't eat it every day, but I eat it more often than I should. Which might help explain my weight gain.

5. Where do you see yourself a year from now?

Doing many of the same things I'm doing today--writing, reading, blogging. Hopefully I'll have made some progress on the weight-loss and dating scenes as well.

Now it's your turn. Leave a comment here if you want me to ask you five questions. I'll tailor the questions to you. Then it will be your turn to answer them on your blog.

Four

I'm very belatedly responding to Keishon's tag. It's been a busy week, so I decided to complete this over the weekend.

Four Jobs You Have Had in Your Life
My first job ever was at McDonald's. Eek!
In college, I worked as a sales clerk at Casual Corner (a clothing store).
After college, I taught English at a local community college.
Right now, I am a writer and editor at a craft-selling company.

Four Movies You Watch Over and Over
The Lord of the Rings trilogy (sorry, but I'm counting this as one)
Pride & Prejudice (the latest version)
Memento
The End of the Affair

Four Places You Have Lived
Salt Lake City, Utah
Provo, Utah
Manhattan, Kansas
West Jordan, Utah

Four TV Shows You Love to Watch (You might see a theme here)
Medium
Unsolved Mysteries
Cold Case Files
The Investigators

Four Places You Have Been on Vacation
New York City
San Diego
Tampa
Reno

Four Websites You Visit Daily
Kinja, to check out whatever blogs have been updated
E-mail Account #1
E-mail Account #2
Romance Divas

Four Favorite Foods
Ice cream
Pizza
French bread
Donuts

Four Places You'd Rather Be Right Now
In bed, asleep
In England
Being proposed to by a multimillionaire
Finishing my latest story (better get writing)

Worth of a Blog

From Laurie's blog.

My blog is worth $19,194.36.
How much is your blog worth?

Eerily Accurate

BLUES are motivated by INTIMACY, seek opportunities
to genuinely connect with others, and need to
be appreciated. They do everything with
quality and are devoted and loyal friends and
employers/employees. Whatever or whomever
they commit to are their sole (and soul)
focus. They love to serve and will give
freely of themselves in order to nurture
others lives.

BLUES, however, do need to be understood. They have
distinct preferences and occasionally the
somewhat controlling (but always fair)
personality of a confident leader. Their code
of ethics is remarkably strong and they
expect others to live honest, committed lives
as well. They enjoy sharing meaningful
moments in conversation as well as
remembering special life events (i.e.,
birthdays and anniversaries). BLUES are
dependable, thoughtful, nurturing, and can
also be self-righteous, a bit worry-prone,
and emotionally intense. They are like
sainted pit-bulls who never let go of
something once they are committed. When you
deal with a BLUE, be sincere, make an effort
to truly understand them, and truly
appreciate them.


What Color Are You?
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This Doesn't Surprise Me

The Noble Princess

You are just and fair, a perfectionist with a
strong sense of proper decorum. You are very
attracted to chivalry, ceremony and dignity.
For the most part you are rather sensible,
but you are also very idealistic.

Role Models: Guinevere, Princess Fiona (of Shrek)

You are most likely to: Get kidnapped by a stray
dragon.


What Kind of Princess are You? - Beautiful Artwork (Original Music is BACK!!!)
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Note to self: Avoid stray dragons.

Anticipating My Death

You will be smothered under a rug. You're a little
anti-social, and may want to start gaining new
social skills by making prank phone calls.


What horrible Edward Gorey Death will you die?
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Resolution

This is a good one, especially if keep having debt issues.

In the year 2006 I resolve to: Sell myself on ebay. Get your resolution here

Seven Things

I was tagged by Megan a while ago, and I thought I'd do this before 2006.

Seven Things To Do Before I Die:

1. Go to England. I've wanted to go for years; why have I managed to go all over the US for book signings and can't make it to England?


2. Get married.


3. Lose weight (again).


4. Have one of my scrapbook pages published in a book or magazine.


5. Have my name on a project I write instead of being anonymous.


6. Learn to ice skate.


7. OK, I'll fess up. Have one of my stories published.

Seven Things I Cannot Do:

1. Stay organized.


2. Go anywhere without a box of tissues (at least right now).


3. Stop reading.


4. Enjoy cooking.


5. Cut my hair short (I like it long).


6. Get out of debt (although I keep trying).


7. Stay ahead of my laundry.

Seven Things That Attract Me To My Best Friend (there's no significant other at the moment):

1. Her sense of humor.


2. Her intelligence.


3. Her interest in knowing what I'm doing.


4. Her analytic mind.


5. Her kindness.


6. The way she makes me laugh.


7. Our inside jokes.

Seven Things I Say (or Write) Most Often:

1. Anyway


2. In other news


3. Hmmm


4. Your point is?


5. So


6. Hell


7. Shit

Seven Books (or Series) I love:

1. In Death series by J.D. Robb


2. Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris


3. Team Ten series by Suzanne Brockmann


4. Contact by Evelyn Vaughn


5. Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson


6. Better Than Chocolate by Jennifer LaBrecque


7. See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson

Seven Movies I Would Watch Over and Over Again:

1. Lord of the Rings (the first one especially)


2. Persuasion


3. Memento


4. The End of the Affair


5. Unbreakable


6. Pride and Prejudice


7. Signs

Seven People I Want To Join In (Be Tagged)

This meme has been going around so long I'm not sure who still hasn't done it. If you haven't been tagged and would like to do it, consider yourself listed here.

28 Things about Books

I'm joining in the book meme that has been going around lately. I ended up with 28 things.

1. I examine books very carefully when I buy them to make sure I am getting the copy in the best condition.
2. When I buy a new book, it usually doesn't look like it's been read when I finish it.
3. I love having autographed copies of books. When it's an author I really like, I am willing to pay shipping to get an autographed copy.
4. I'm willing to try books based on reading a review or blog entry that interests me. It doesn't have to be a positive review, either, as long as the description of the book gets my attention.
5. After attending last year's RWA, I hesitate before buying books because I think, "Will this be sold at the next RWA signing?"
6. I always have one or more (usually more) books with me because I worry I'll get stuck without something to read.
7. I love getting packages of books to review, but I procrastinate writing the reviews. (Is this a sign that I should take a reviewing hiatus?)
8. I've been known to buy books based on their covers.
9. I have an insane number of books, although I'm getting better at going through them occasionally to weed them out.
10. There are probably more than two dozen authors on my auto-buy list.
11. I started taking too many books with me on vacations because I once took too few.
12. I usually read in bed although I bought a chaise to sit on while I read.
13. I have a spreadsheet to track the books I read each year. I write them down in a notebook, then enter them into a spreadsheet every few months.
14. I use a little basket to hold my bookmarks.
15. The books I've started but haven't finished go into a separate pile. I keep hoping I will be motivated to finish them.
16. I don't usually read ahead or read the endings first. On rare occasions when I do, I end up putting the book down for a while afterward. For whatever reason, reading ahead means I end up losing interest.
17. I used to have a hard time not finishing a book no matter how much I disliked it. Now, I have several partly finished books that I'm hoping to finish eventually (see number 15).
18. I've been late for work, family events, or meeting friends because I was in the middle of a good book.
19. I often tell myself I will read "just one more chapter" even though I know I'll usually end up reading three or four chapters.
20. I'm one of those readers who stopped reading Julie Garwood and Judith McNaught when they switched to contemporary romance/romantic suspense.
21. I used to read Regency romances and little else, but now I have to be in the right mood to read a Regency. I think I overdosed.
22. I can't read in a car because I get car sick. I can read during a flight. I think this developed out of necessity; I don't really like flying, and reading helps the time pass faster.
23. Wuthering Heights is the only book I've ever thrown against a wall. I was in high school at the time.
24. As a general rule, I don't enjoy books with babies or children in them. There are always exceptions, of course, but I don't seek these books out.
25. I cringe when I read books where the heroine has long hair and cuts it very short. This is probably because of a traumatic haircut I received in the 9th grade. I still haven't gotten over it and can't see myself getting a short haircut.
26. I shelve my books alphabetically under the author's last name.
27. When I really like a book, I prefer having it in hardcover, although I would rather have paperback than a book-club edition hardcover.
28. I want to have books in a series in the same format. It completely frustrates me to have part hardcover and part paperback with the In Death series. And I'm not getting rid of the hardcovers (see number 27).

Middle Earth

I couldn't resist this one, which I saw on Larissa's blog.


Numenorean


To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
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All About Me

I was tagged by Sylvia and have spent a little time each day on my responses. Some of them have been surprisingly difficult to answer.

Three screen names that you've had:
Alyssa, AlyssaH, Thracian.

Three things you like about yourself:
I'm creative, loyal, and can be funny.

Three things you don't like about yourself:
Sometimes my humor gets a little too sarcastic, I hold grudges, and I'm impatient.

Three parts of your heritage:
I inherited my tendency to go gray early from my mom. I also got my thick hair from her, so I guess I can't complain. I inherited bad eyesight from my dad.

Three things that scare you:
Spiders, dark parking lots, certain segements of Unsolved Mysteries.

Three of your everyday essentials:
Diet Vanilla (or Cherry) Coke, my car, a jacket or sweater.

Three things you are wearing right now:
Cream sweater, blue jeans, brown shoes.

Three of your favorite songs:
"Bring Me to Life," Evanescence; "Lucky," Bif Naked; "A Thousand Years," Sting.

Three things you want in a relationship:
Attraction, affection, understanding.

Two truths and a lie (you guess which is which):
I wish I were out of debt, I have an entire room for my scrapbooking supplies, I am confident around men.

Three things you can't live without:
Books, my camera, scrapbooks.

Three places you want to go on vacation:
England, Minnesota (because my best friend lives there), Hawaii.

Three things you just can't do:
Advanced math, cook anything complicated, repair anything on my car.

Three kids' names:
I don't have kids so don't spend much time thinking about it.

Three things you want to do before you die:
Publish something that has my name on it (my writing for work never has a byline), get married, have a house that's almost organized.

Three celeb crushes:
Orlando Bloom, Joaquin Phoenix, Ciaran Hinds.

Three of your favourite musicians:
Sting, Loreena McKinnett, Evanescence.

Three physical things about the opposite sex that appeals to you:
Eyes, smile, buff arms.

Three of your favourite hobbies:
Reading, scrapbooking, watching Unsolved Mysteries.

Three things you really want to do badly right now:
Win a million dollars, eat ice cream, sleep.

Three careers you've considered:
Astronomer, singer, writer.

Three ways that you are stereotypically a boy:
I don't cook, I played basketball in high school, I don't spend a lot of time getting ready in the morning.

Three ways that you are stereotypically a girl:
I have long hair, I love poetry, and I like to talk about feelings.

I've Been Tagged

Nicole tagged me, so here I go.

1. Delve into your blog archive.
2. Find your 23rd post (or closest to).
3. Find the fifth sentence (or closest to).
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions. Ponder it for meaning, subtext or hidden agendas.
5. Tag five people to do the same.

My twenty-third post is about Suzanne McMinn's Her Man to Remember. The fifth sentence:

Instead of getting a peaceful resolution, Roman sees a woman who looks like his wife, Leah.

As for meaning, this sentence is part of my summary of the book. Subtext and hidden meaning: if someone is just looking at this sentence alone, she might wonder why a woman who looks like Roman's wife wouldn't give him a peaceful resolution. She might also speculate about why Roman wants a peaceful resolution. Was he expecting one? Gotta love looking for hidden meaning.

I'm tagging: Angie Pedersen, Renee, Rosario, Sybil, and Sylvia

Edited to say that I'm a dork. I counted back 23 posts rather than referring to post #23. Sigh.

My Answers and Contest Winner

Wow, so many people entered my latest contest! I'm pleased to announce a winner, whose name was drawn by my coworker. The winner is . . .

Robyn!

Congrats, Robyn! You've won an autographed copy of Eloisa James's Much Ado about You!

And now, here are my answers. Would I . . .

• Date a younger man? Yes, but I prefer older men. Still, I wouldn't say no to a younger man unless he was considerably younger. Or just immature.


• Relocate for a job? Geez, this is a tough one. I would have a tough time doing it, but depending on the offer, I wouldn't rule it out.


• Do high school over again with the knowledge you have now? You couldn't pay me to go back to high school, even with the knowledge I've gained since then.


• Adopt a child if money were no object? Yes, if there were a man in the picture, too. I don't want to be a single parent.


• Abandon your responsibilities to travel? While I'd enjoy traveling, I'm very much a homebody and would have a hard time with constant traveling. Abandoning my responsibilities would be a tough one for me, too.


• Go back five years in time if you could and do things differently? Yes. There are definitely some things I'd do over.


• Delete your blog? Sorry, Maili, I didn't mean to hit a nerve. I won't say never, but I can't imagine a reason I would do this deliberately.


• Find a job in an entirely new field? Yes. I don't know what one, though.


• Marry someone you didn't love? My initial response is to say no, so I'll go with it.

Thanks again to everyone for participating!

Would You?

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about what I want and what I would do if I weren't too afraid, too cautious, etc. Some things I would do; others I wouldn't. It's provided food for thought, anyway. Here's a list for you.

Would you:

• Date a younger man?


• Relocate for a job?


• Do high school over again with the knowledge you have now?


• Adopt a child if money were no object?


• Abandon your responsibilities to travel?


• Go back five years in time if you could and do things differently?


• Delete your blog?


• Find a job in an entirely new field?


• Marry someone you didn't love?

So, what are your answers? Post them here, and I'll enter you in a contest for an autographed copy of Much Ado about You by Eloisa James. (If you want to respond but don't want to be entered, just mention that in your comments.) I'll draw a winner (and post my answers) on August 15.

My Mythological Form

I saw this quiz at Angie's blog. The results might help explain my love of vampire romances.


You are Form 9, Vampire: The Undying.

"And The Vampire was all that remained on the blood drowned creation. She attempted to regrow life from the dead. But as she was about to give the breath of life, she was consumed in the flame of The Phoenix and the cycle began again."

Some examples of the Vampire Form are Hades (Greek) and Isis (Egyptian). The Vampire is associated with the concept of death, the number 9, and the element of fire. Her sign is the eclipsed moon.

As a member of Form 9, you are a very realistic individual. You may be a little idealistic, but you are very grounded and down to earth. You realize that not everything lasts, but you savor every minute of the good times. While you may sometimes find yourself lonely, you have strong ties with people that will never be broken. Vampires are the best friends to have because they are sensible.

Which Mythological Form Are You?
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Just Call Me Elinor

This is a bit of a surprise, actually.



You scored as Elinor Dashwood. As Marianne's older sister, Elinor lives at the other end of the emotional spectrum. She rarely reveals her intense feelings and is more concerned with being honest and loyal than having what she deserves. Even though her intentions are pure, she sets herself up for loss by constantly placing other people before her own needs. Overall, Elinor is gentle and rational but is just as capable of radical emotions despite her withholding them as her sister.

Which Jane Austen Character are You?
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I'm not sure I'm that selfless.