A while back Shana posted a really sinful blog about candy and favorite candy. When I commented, I mentioned that a while back El Guapo and I went on a tour of the Jelly Belly Factory in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. It wasn’t like we went up to the area just to do a Jelly Belly tour. In fact, we were actually about 40 miles North of Chicago to go to Six Flags. His company hosts an annual excursion to the park, including a one-night stay in an area hotel.

And THAT is how we found out that there was a Jelly Belly factory nearby. It was a brochure in the hotel. Since it was only half an hour away, and since for some strange reason I kind of like going on factory tours (I’m the weird one of the Jaunties, okay), we decided to go. When we got there, parked outside was this:

It’s the Jelly Belly Beatle and I knew it was going to be a good day.

Once the doors opened, we moved into a fantastic room full of candy. It was like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory… without much chocolate. Tubes of Jelly Bellys, piles of bags of candy. They were all around, shiny and colorful. And then, the tour began. Which was sort of weird, since it’s just traveling by a little tram all around a warehouse full of Jelly Bellys. It took us from television screen to television screen, which showed how they make Jelly Bellys and other yummy candies.

It was actually all very interesting. Who knew how they put that candy shell on? Or how they make those Christmas tree taffies (note: they make them HUGE and then stretch them until they are small). And afterward we got bags of Belly Flops from the store (Belly Flops are the mistake beans, ones stuck together or slightly over-cooked). Which I gorged on until El Guapo wanted to let me out of the car to run free.

I love those little adventures. Ones you don’t plan, but end up being odd and fun. Have you ever had a weird adventure (candy-related or not)?

I’m not normally what you would call a television fanatic. Well, maybe I can be a little bit of one on occasion. (Okay, people, I can hear you laughing out there and you can stop anytime now. Really. Seriously. Anytime.) But as much as I enjoy certain shows, it’s very rare that I’m ever impressed enough by one to go out on a limb and tell everyone I know about it. To say “Hey, watch this, ’cause I know you’ll love it!”

But that’s how I feel about Supernatural.

Now, I know I’ve mentioned SN here before and that you all are very much aware that I’m pretty crazy about it. Crazier than usual, anyway. But I’ve heard a vicious rumor that it’s possible the Brothers Winchester may not get another season, so I am now borrowing my favorite feature from T.V. Guide in order to spotlight this amazing show and get the word out to everyone to give it a try. You just may be pleasantly surprised by this hidden gem!

Wait, you may say. Isn’t this a scary show? I’m so totally not into scary. Well, yes, SN is scary. And paranormal readers and fans of The X-Files, Buffy, and Angel will fall in love with it. But there is so much more to it than that. The show centers around Sam and Dean Winchester, two brothers who were devastated as children by their mother’s strange death and who travel around the backroads of America in their kick-a@@ Impala, fighting demons, monsters, ghosts, and a whole slew of other creatures along the way as they attempt to get to the bottom of what really happened to her.

But SN is about so much more than just the creature of the week. Like Lost, its power lies in the characters and the relationships. Sam and Dean are both flawed but fascinating individuals who have a very complicated and realistic relationship, and watching them interact with each other and those around them is half the fun of the show. Stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles have such chemistry that it’s easy to believe that they could be real brothers, despite the fact that they look nothing at all alike. (It doesn’t hurt that they are both real easy on the eyes either. Wink-wink!) Ackles as Dean in particular has a real way with the snarky one-liners. Though I have to admit, I’m a Sam-girl at heart. And even if you’re not a big scary movie fan, it’s worth overlooking the creepiness factor and the occasional bloody body part to check it all out.

The writing, directing, and acting are usually spot on. And I love that each episode tends to have a very different feel to it. One recent episode was very tongue-in-cheek, and it had me laughing the whole time as viewers got to get inside the brothers’ heads and see what they each think of each other in their own point of view. Believe me, this show is more than worth another season on the strength of that episode alone!

But wait, you may say. It’s on at the same time as Gray’s (Thursday nights on The CW at 9:00) and CSI. And there lies part of the problem. Supernatural is up against some of the most powerhouse shows on television right now, and though it’s holding its own, it could still use a major boost. So I send out an earnest plea. Tivo or record GA and CSI and tune in to Supernatural for an episode or two. And tonight is the perfect time to do it, especially for Battlestar Gallactica fans. BSG star Tricia Helfer is guest-starring in an episode that is going to take a page from 24′s book in that it is supposed to take place in real time.

As much as I love shows like Criminal Minds, which is also a favorite with me, I never forget when I’m watching it that there really isn’t anything all that original about it. It’s just another crime scene drama among a slew of crime scene dramas. And many of the other shows I watch fall into the same category. Which is why it would be very sad to lose a show as fresh and different as Supernatural. So watch, I say! And as a bit of incentive, I’m throwing in a special contest. Everyone who comments to this post within the next 48 hours will be entered into a random drawing for a chance to win the Supernatural season one DVD, along with a signed copy of your choice of one my first three books! If you watch the show, tell me why you like it. If you don’t, tell me why you haven’t tuned in. And if you check it out tonight, come back tomorrow and tell me what you think. On Saturday morning, I’ll draw a winner and announce it here. (And if that doesn’t prove I’m serious about how great this show is, I don’t know what will. )

So good luck to all! And if you watch Supernatural and enjoy it, spread a bit of the SN love around. Pass it on. And scroll down to read about Robyn’s vacation.

First of all, thanks for all the well-wishes on Monday. And a belated contrats to Shane on her anniversary. I just wanted to share some pictures from our lovely trip – we really had a fantastic time. And it was the first time since our honeymoon that we’ve gotten away just for the purpose of relaxing and hanging out together. Our cabin was great although the drive up to it was a bit scary. After the first trip up, we weren’t sure we’d leave the cabin until it was time to check out. But once we went down the next morning, we realized it was manageable, although still really nerve-wracking.

Here’s the cabin:

And a view from our porch:

We drove into Gatlinburg and went to the Ripley’s Aquarium, which was totally awesome. But we left our camera in the car because I didn’t think they’d let us take pictures (which they did) so no pics, but really if you are ever over in that direction and you get a chance, go, it’s really great. They have a cool moving sidewalk through the shark lagoon and the acrylic pipes are all around you so it feels like the sharks (and other fish) are swimming right there with you. We learned out to identify the shark’s sex too which was quite interesting. It was the closest I’ll ever get to SCUBA cause I don’t swim and I don’t do water critters. But I love to look at them. The sting rays were so cool too, we had one, that kept pressing himself up to glass and blowing water at us. All in all, great fun.

Then we went and played putt-putt cause let’s face it, if you’ve ever been to Pigeon Forge, TN, you know that they litterally have a putt-putt like every 8 feet. On both sides of the road. We chose this one:

Cause, well, it’s a Professor thing. Speaking of which, here’s my Professor shooting pool with his golf ball.

Then I found a great “easy” hike for us to take up to these falls. Now I see the word “easy” and I just assume easy in the walking sense. Like it will be a little over 2.5 miles of a walk with falls in between. I missed the operative word. All I could see was the “easy” part. I should have been looking at the “hike” part. I am a walker. Novice doesn’t even begin to describe my hiking capabilities. But once we got on the trail, I was determined (cause that’s the kind of gal I am) to finish the darn thing. Regardless of how often I had to stop to catch my breath (hey, the air was thinner cause of the elevation) and regardless of how I wasn’t really prepared for a hike. We left our water in the car so I was a tad dehydrated by the time we finished, but the whole experience was well worth it – except the part where the Professor nearly fell off the trail – luckly we weren’t at the part with the signs “CAREFUL. WE’VE HAD FALLING DEATHS” and I snatched him so hard back towards me, we nearly fell the other direction. But here are some highlights:

10. Deciding on Characters: There are so many character types and internal conflicts. How to choose which ones for a hero and heroine that will spark off one another, and not just fall flat.

9. Picking a plot: The external conflict needs to drive the action, but not to the detriment of the internal conflict. It has to be compelling and believable, and, for an historical writer, historically accurate!

8. Doing the Research: Keeping on track and not getting distracted by every interesting factoid that comes your way.

7. Dealing with interruptions: Copy Edits for the last book you turned in (right in the middle of the most crucial point that you’re currently working on), website updates, promotional events, head colds …

6. Avoiding snacking: When the going gets tough, it is NOT time for a candy bar. (Or else you would consume probably 100 a day).

5. Avoiding the internet: Reviews, email, games, email, games, email, email, games, games, games …

4. Following the synopsis: Heck, things happen in books that the author doesn’t always plan on. Must decide whether it’s better than what was originally presented in the outline, or needs to be tossed.

3. Making time for everything that isn’t related to writing: Yes, getting the book out of your head long enough to exercise, do the laundry, have some fun, interact with spouse and/or family.

2. Throwing away pages: It’s painful, but sometimes necessary. On the other hand, if the writing is good, but doesn’t fit, then those pages need to be saved somewhere. They might come in handy some day.

1. Maintaining a disciplined schedule. Make a realistic daily or weekly page count goal and then stick to it. Find out what works best, whether it’s keyboarding or hand writing; staying home or going to a coffee shop; early morning or late night writing.

These are pretty much my top ten – feel free to add your own, or delete any of these!

I’m writing a book right now (I’m one of the many Jaunties on deadline). It’s going well. I’m more than halfway through. I like the characters, I like the story. I even like a certain percentage of the writing. But I’m having a devilish time being motivated. Such a hard time that I’ve chosen instead to share with you the things I’d rather be doing:

1. Watch Return of the Jedi — I watched Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back over the weekend, might as well round out the trilogy. By the way, Han and Leia. Romance-y romance-y. So nice. I love that movie.

2. Watch paint dry — Hey, I said I was struggling.

3. Clean out my basement — It’s bad. Really bad. I mean really bad.

4. Clean my office — See, I cleaned my office closet about two weeks ago. Unfortunately, everything I cleaned out of the closet is now on the floor in the office, itself. Maybe I can’t write because of my messed up feng shui? Does anyone know anything about Feng Shui? Am I spelling Feng Shui right? It looks wrong.

5. Blog hop — I now know Anna Genoese is leaving publishing, Esi mentioned my Lady Spies at the Avon Blog, cats are still awesome on Stuff of Cats and some people are waaaay more messed up than I am at Post Secret.

6. Imagine what it will be like when I’m done with book — Hey, I’ll be unemployed (my agent says ‘between projects’). That will be… weird.

7. Take a walk — It’s finally spring here, if only for a minute. I better take advantage.

So, if you could do anything right now, other than the thing you’re doing… what would you do?

I was a blushing bride. It was truly one of the happiest days of my life and totally magical. The Professor and I wanted an intimate ceremony that was totally about us; a celebration of our love. So we found a beautiful little chapel in hill country of Texas nestled on beautiful grounds. The day was absolutely perfect and considering it was the only sunny/dry Saturday in a nine week span, this in itself was a miracle.

The ceremony itself was very traditional, although we did communion instead of the unity candle. We had two songs performed, one Eva Cassidy’s You Take My Breath Away and two, Twila Paris’ How Beautiful. My nieces were all flower girls and my newphew did a reading. I had four attendants, my sister was my matron of honor and three of my girlfriends rounded out the rest. They all carried a simple bouquet of three star-gazer lilies bound with a simple ribbon.

Because of the way the inside of the church was constructed, we did all of our official photos outside, which was really quite lovely.

There seems to be a trend these days to have very formal and fancy receptions with full meals and personalized favors and the whole nine yards. We opted not to do this and decided instead to do a simple dessert reception which I really think was fitting for our afternoon wedding and everyone seemed to enjoy. Because of this, I really wanted to splurge on the cake. We used the best cake company in Austin and it really was so delicious – white cake with amaretto filling and buttercream frosting. YUM! I liked the square and we did whimsical swils on it to match my dress. The Professor and I had talked before the wedding and I thought we’d agreed that there would be no cake stuffing or smashing. Evidently we were a bit unclear on that. But I couldn’t be mad because it resulted in my favorite wedding picture.

Along with the cake we did a chocolate fountain with all the yummies – strawberries, marshmallows, pretzel rods, and other fruits. It was so tasty.

Here’s the obligatory shot of the hands with our rings, but you get a nice view of my lovely bouquet.

I know I’m totally biased, but I honestly think it’s the prettiest wedding I’ve ever been too. We got so many compliments on it, saying it was the most romantic wedding ever and that everyone could just feel our love. Which really is the best compliment when it comes to this sort of thing. But in the end no matter what happened that day we were married and that was the very best part. It took me a long time to find my Prince Charming, but he was so worth the wait.

As you’re reading this, I’m tucked away at a romantic cabin in the Smokey Mountains with the love of my life and we’re relaxing and enjoying some time away. Thanks for indulging my walk down memory lane. And Happy Anniversary, Professor, you are still my heart!

So guess what? Today is my wedding anniversary!

Ultimate Sportsfan and I have been married one year today. Here’s what we were doing last year on this day…

and this

Our anniversary celebration will have to wait a few days, but we do plan to celebrate. Champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, a night at the theater, and a suite at a swanky hotel in downtown Houston. It’s been a hard year, but a wonderful year, too!

I guess we sort of owe it all to Sophie Jordan. Sophie also writes for Avon, and we have the same editor. Her latest book, Too Wicked to Tame, is out this month.

Sophie and I are members of the same local RWA chapter, and when we became friends she started telling me about this guy she knew. He was best friends with Mr. Sophie Jordan, and the two guys had roomed together in college.

(USF is on the left, Mr. Sophie Jordan on the right)

Well, I had dated enough friends of friends to know that it wasn’t a good idea, so I turned down Sophie’s attempts at an introduction. A few months later, she invited me to her birthday party (we won’t say what age she turned) and, lo and behold, Ultimate Sportsfan was there too.

The rest, shall we say, is history.

I have a book “Mollie-The journal of Mollie Dorsey Sanford in Nebraska and Colorado Territories 1857-1866″ Mollie, a young woman says in this diary that she’s writing it so she won’t be forgotten. Somehow that thought has always stuck with me. How many of us hope that we won’t be forgotten???

From there I did the mind-wandering thing and found myself making the leap to people I won’t ever forget. Though she’s been gone over fifteen years, my mother is never far from my thoughts. And my father-in-law, a great guy who died at 51 from leukemia, is someone I think about this time of year (because his birthday was in March).

But I also remember the living; like my first grade teacher, Alice Leininger, who instilled in me a great love of reading.

Is there anyone that you won’t ever forget? And why?

Inquiring minds want to know

Just thought I would share one of the first pics of the new addition to my family. At two weeks and four days old, Nephew #3 is doing fine. He looks pretty bright eyed for someone who was three and a half weeks early, eh?

My husband and I have lived in our current house nine and a half years. Having being an Air Force brat, this is double the amount of time I’ve ever lived in one city, let alone the same house.

Being somewhat of a packrat by nature, we’ve accumulated a fair amount of stuff during these nine-plus years. (Frequent moving was a great way to clean house.) This house was not our ideal dream home, but it was the best we could find at the time we needed to move. We’ve now reached the point where we have to put some energy and money into renovating it to resolve things that have been bugging us, or sell it and buy another. Either decision requires us to do some serious cleaning. De-clutter. Purge, even.

I decided to dive in head-first and tackle one of the more painful tasks first — thinning my book collection. Being a life-long avid reader and having been a member of Romance Writers of America for 14 years, I’ve attended a fair number of writers’ conferences, most of which I came home from with several new books. Sometimes an entire suitcase full. Having a less than perfect memory, I’ve also managed to collect several duplicates. I’m not going to confess how many of those dupes are autographed, btw. Well-meaning friends and relatives have also added to my collection – Mom has been known to drop off shopping bags full of used books.

Consequently, I have several boxes and box lids full of books laughingly referred to as my TBR (to-be-read) pile. (These do not include the hundreds of books already filling two bookcases plus one wall covered with book shelves.) Given the demands on my time for work, writing, family and other aspects of reality, a good portion of these TBR books have a very slim chance of ever being read, much less moved to the keeper wall. (Did I mention a big reason for buying this larger house nine years ago was because I was running out of room for books?)

So, purge mode. I got down on my knees, sorting through the boxes and stacks on the floor in my office, making the oh-so-painful decision of which books must go. My first plan was to sell them to a large local independent book store for credit to offset the cost of future reference book purchases. Sounds good, right? Clean house and save money.

After a tortuous hour I had 16 candidates. I entered them on the automated online buyer screen and waited for the generous offer. They only wanted five of the books, for a grand total of … two dollars and fifty cents.

Okay, plan B. I’ll donate many of these books to my local RWA chapter, just in time to help fill raffle baskets for our literacy fundraiser next month. When I go through the boxes a second time, I’m sure I’ll find even more I can bear to part with for such a good cause.

But what about the other books? The non-romances, the beat-up books that were well-used before I got them? The dilapidated, dog-eared paperback copy of Stephen King’s The Tommyknockers, for example. Books that are not recent but will never be valuable as antiques, or woefully out-of-date manuals and how-to books? (Anyone have a need for Understanding and Using MS-DOS/PC-DOS, copyright 1989?)

I know JQ readers own and read way more books than the average person, and certainly have a deep-rooted respect for these treasures of knowledge and imagination. Do you have any suggestions on what to do with books that need to be retired? I cringe at the thought of setting them out on the curb, even in the Recycle bin.