Okay, I admit it. I am a television junkie. Some people are crazy for movies. I’m that way about TV shows. Maybe it’s because I can edit/revise my current WIP (work-in-progress) while I watch the tube. Whatever the reason, there are some shows I REALLY like (such as The Mentalist and Ghost Whisperer) and others that I’ll definitely watch if I happen to be flipping channels and discover that they’re on.

Samantha Who was one of those shows. I like the dialogue between the characters and the growth that Samantha showed. Unfortunately it’s been axed for next season.

Here are some of the shows that have not been renewed:
4Real
According to Jim
Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader
Battlestar Galactica
Boston Legal
Deal or No Deal
Dirty Sexy Money
Do Not Disturb
Don’t Forget the Lyrics!
Eli Stone
ER
Everybody Hates Chris
The Ex List
Guiding Light–Though I didn’t ever watch it, after 58 seasons I hate to see it go
In Harms’ Way
Kath and Kim–This got trashed by the critics, but I liked it
Knight Rider–Started out good, then something happened to the writing…
Kyle XY–only watched once but seemed to have potential
Late Night with Conan O’Brien
Lipstick Jungle– Thumbs down from me on this one
My Own Worst Enemy
Pushing Daisies
Reaper
Samantha Who–Like I said, I thought this was cute. Sad to see it go
The Shield
Stargate Atlantis
The Unit–A little violent at times, but I really like this show
Without a Trace–Always watched this when it was on

How about you? Which shows will YOU miss? And have I forgotten to include any favorites of yours that haven’t been renewed?

This week I’ll draw TWO winners from everyone who comments. They’ll win a copy of my March Silhouette Special Edition, Claiming the Rancher’s Heart. If you already have it, we’ll figure something out

Congratulations to Rachel G, who is the winner of Lavinia Kent’s drawing. Email me (margo@margomaguire.com) with your snail mail addy, and we’ll get that autographed copy of A Talent For Sin out to you!

I’m a music lover. Not an expert by any means, but after many years of listening to, and enjoying a lot of different kinds of music, something dawned on me the other day. A novel is a lot like a symphony.

Really. Bear with me, and enjoy the following Youtube video as you read on.

A novel has to have a theme. So does a symphony. Listen to Beethoven’s Fifth and hum along. Dah-dah-dah DA! Dah-dah-dah DA! If you listen to the entire symphony, you’ll see that this theme repeats throughout the whole piece, sometimes exactly the same, sometimes with variations. You’re still humming it after you’ve left the concert, right? A novel is the same. The theme comes at the reader throughout the entire book, sometimes in a subtle way, and sometimes it’s spelled out. And you still feel it resonating long ater you’ve read the last page.

A symphony is three-dimensional, just as a novel should be. There are all kinds of different instruments, playing in harmony or possibly countering the main melody. A novel has its main theme and characters, but there are subplots and secondary characters as well. And they all need to work together to form a cohesive whole that’s interesting and engaging and challenging to the listener or reader.

A complex musical piece will draw you in and carry you along until you reach a peak, then ease you back down. It pulls you up again, to a climax, just as a good book will do. There are twists and turns in each that keep you rivited in your seat as you wait for the next note, or the next page. Finally, they will both let you down to a satisfying finale, where all the threads come together in a way that makes sense to the ears, the heart, and the mind.

What do you think? Am I right? Are there any other kinds of arts that compare to each other this way?

This post is a departure from what we usually do at Sisterhood of the Jaunty Quills. We’re usually all about fun and happily ever after, but a girl who goes to school with my daughter has gone missing. The family has asked everyone to get the word out to as many people as possible so that they, too, can have their happy ending when their daughter returns home.

Her name is Julie Rivkees. She’s only fifteen and she’s been missing from Winter Park, Florida since May 17. She is 5’5″ tall and weighs 115 lbs. She has a small birthmark on the center of her neck, under her chin. She has long dark brown hair that may be either curly or straight. Julie was last seen at Orlando International Airport on Wednesday, May 20th at approximately 1:00 p.m., wearing jeans, baseball cap, hooded sweatshirt with black purse. The Rivkees family relocated to Florida from New Jersey, and Julie may be en route or have returned there.

The Rivkees family requests that anyone with any information regarding her current location, immediately call 911 or local police. All information will be held in strict
confidence. Additional details regarding Julie, including photos and contact information, can be found at www.helpfindjulie. com

It’s a parent’s worst nightmare to not know the whereabouts of their child. The collective heart of the entire Central Florida community breaks a little more each day that Julie’s not reunited with her family. Thank you for reading this and for keeping your eyes open. If she’s on the move, you never know where she might be spotted.

I look forward to reporting back soon with good news that she’s been found safe and sound. In the meantime, please keep your eyes open and Julie and the Rivkees family in your thoughts and prayers.

We are pleased to have debut author Lavinia Kent with us today!

I’m very excited that by debut book, A Talent for Sin, from Avon, is out this week. My story came into being because I wanted to start a book with a sex scene and make it relevant. I write hot, sensual historicals, and I’ve always felt that the key to any great sex scene is that it’s about something besides the sex. That “something” can be a piece of key information that will be revealed, the great tension of “will-they-or-won’t-they,” or—in most of the scenes I write—a power struggle. It’s hard to reveal key information before the story has even begun. If the reader isn’t yet invested, it’s hard for her to care whether the couple does or doesn’t. And a power struggle is also hard to portray when the reader hasn’t yet ha d a “proper” introduction to the characters.

All these difficulties left me in a bit of a quandary. I wanted to start the book hot and heavy, but I didn’t want it to be just a matter of bodies moving together.

So I thought about using the scene to demonstrate the state of the protagonists’ relationship as the book opens. My hero and heroine have a strong and very physical relationship. Violet, who has been widowed three times, relishes her independence. She loves her relationship and sees no reason to change it. Peter is very different. He adores Violet. Everything about my first scene is his showing how he would do anything for her. His whole being is concerned with her pleasure and making her happy.

I’d love to hear what everybody thinks of what makes for a great, tension-filled sex scene. What makes for a scene you feel compelled to read instead of just paging through?

Thanks so much for having me as your guest.

Lavinia will be sending out an autographed copy of A Talent for Sin to one of our lovely responders today!

Like a lot of my heroines, I’ve dated a few guys I knew were going to be bad choices. But like my characters, I was sucked in, made a fool of myself and grew and changed for the better (if you count the voodoo doll stage of a break-up growing and changing for the better).

It’s fair to say that all but McIrish probably fell into the “Uh-Oh” classification of men, and he out of all them looked like a bad boy. Long curly black hair. Green eyes. Leather jacket. Oh, ladies, I was in trouble! Now, of course, I have a sweet man who brings me coffee every morning, but back then, he had James Dean written all over him. Sigh!

What is it about those bad choices, though? Why do our foolish hearts ignore our older and wiser heads? My heart loved Artistic College Boy, even when my head knew he was gay. Prince Lothario who had a string of heartbroken ex-girlfriends behind him…it was going to be different with me. He’d really love me (I know, so pathetic). The Perfect Man who dumped me for a lesbian…I don’t even know what to say about that one. Then came the King of Ambition. He wanted to do things, make things, earn money, impress people…I wanted to cuddle. He’ll settle down, I told myself. Once he sees how cozy this all is. Er…he didn’t.

My sister dated Preppy King, the man who felt he could mold her into all that he wanted in a wife. My brother dated Smug Perfection, who felt that if we all couldn’t be as wonderful as she was, the least we could do was admire her.

Why? Why? Why are we so dopey sometimes? Is it a power thing…like only we have the ability to change him? Or is it just blind hope that the nice qualities surely must outweigh the arrogance or thoughtlessness? Dang it if I know.

It’s a good question, though. So come on, be brave. Who was the one you loved, despite all the evidence that said he was all wrong for you? Why did you hang in there as long as you did? Since this is a hard question, I’m going to offer a bribe — I’ll pick a responder and send you an autographed copy of one of my books (your choice!) and some chocolate as well. Because you deserve it!

Kristan

My dearest Readers,
Now that I have your complete and undivided attention with an out of the blog box HOT picture (look, they remembered to wear their seatbelts like good citizens should…ah yes, but are they really safe?) I will let you in on a little, dirty secret everyone should know. A secret as to what this whole romance in the back seat of a car is really like and how I went for the best ride EVER with a person I didn’t even know while my husband’s brother watched.

Wait. Before you start thinking that I’m THAT sort of girl (shame on you), perhaps I ought to backtrack and tell you a little more about how I got involved in this whole thing. So. I get this e-mail from this person I don’t know. Terri Gloegger. She e-mails me telling me she’s going to be in town and asks if I would I like to climb into the backseat of her car while it’s being driven at 25 miles an hour, so I can talk about my book, Mistress of Pleasure. As she records it on her camcorder. Oh, yes. And she needed a driver for the car as she’ll be handling the interview and camcorder (hence my husband’s brother offers himself up…ehm). Why? Because she has this brilliant idea. Wherever she goes across the country, she plans on hooking up and interviewing published authors who will discuss their books from the backseat of a moving car. And the best part? Those videos will all be featured on one website. You got it. www.RomanceInTheBackSeat.com

When she asked, I simply couldn’t resist. I practically swooned, climbed into that back seat and let her have her way with me. It was SO much fun!!! If you’re an author, I suggest you e-mail her and climb into that back seat. If you’re a reader, I suggest you check out the website and watch the ride. It’s fresh. It’s fun. It’s Romance in the Back Seat. Of a car.

The next time I post, my interview which will feature both of my books, Mistress of Pleasure and Lord of Pleasure, will be up on the website and I’ll delve more into how that went and what it was like. Then you’ll be able to watch the final product itself. How cool is that?
Until then, cheers and much love,
Delilah Marvelle

It’s Memorial Day weekend and that got me to thinking about those loved ones who are no longer with me. I know I should be thinking of all the military men and women who have given their lives for their country and for the ones who are still in harm’s way…and I do keep them in my thoughts and prayers but right now I can’t help thinking about those who’ve passed on.

I thought this would be a good time to take a few moments to pay tribute to those we’ve loved and lost.

I’ll start first:

My father-in-law. He died when he was only fifty-one after a three year battle with leukemia. He was a great guy, very funny and personable, loved to draw characatures of people on restaurant place mats. Everyone loved Roger.

My father. He was the kind of guy who got down on the floor and played games with me when I was a child. A man who drove a whole carload of girls to out-of-town sporting events. A quiet gentle man with a deep love for animals and the environment.

My mother. My best friend. She was a woman who knew what she wanted and wasn’t about to let anything get in her way. A woman who was a good friend to many. She made me feel special and important and most of all, loved.

My aunt. My mother’s sister. She did her best to keep the family events going. A sweet person who could always find the silver lining in any situation.

There are other relatives I could name but none that really mattered to me. I’m sure you know how it is…you’re related by blood but you really don’t know each other. Sad but true.

Who do you miss? Whose graves will you visit? Whose memories will sneak into your thoughts this holiday weekend?

Take a moment to share a few thoughts about them here and, in doing so, pay your respects.

I am so excited to announce that I just signed a 3-book contract with Sourcebooks. I’ll be writing a new historical series, and the first book will be out in June 2010. That book is completed, and it’s tentatively titled Deceiving the Duke. I’m sure that won’t end up being the title, but maybe it has sparked your interest?

I’m not worried about the first book because it’s done, but my second book is due at the beginning of September. That should be plenty of time, except I cannot seem to find any time to write!

I’m still working full-time. It seems like everyone I know is graduating or having a birthday this month. I’ve had house repairs to schedule and supervise. The list goes on and on. I’ve only been under contract 3 weeks, and already I am behind on my page goals.

Any suggestions for carving a few hours out of the day? How do you find time to get things done when you’re super busy?

Hello, my name is Nancy and I’m a (recovering) Technophobe.

Isn’t that ridiculous? Yes. Because it’s so absurd, I knew I had to change.

I used to shake my head over my grandma’s disinclination to embrace technology. I’d say, “Oh, come on, Grandma, it’s not that hard to use an answering machine (or computer; or e-mail; or DVR;). Just try. Please?” She was missing out on *so* much, by shying away. Being a good sport, she’d try…reluctantly… halfheartedly… quietly backing away when it made her head hurt.

Perhaps I should’ve seen my own phobia coming on. Before I quit my day job to write full-time, I was the one in the office voted “Most Likely to Wreck the Copy Machine.” When that would happen, I’d sheepishly get the office manager, who gave me the stink eye as she opened a series of doors and stuck her hands into the bowels of the machine to extract the crumpled paper. She’d sigh, as if I’d done it on purpose.

If that was the precursor, I don’t know exactly when Technophobia fully set in…

Maybe it was when I got a new computer with the Vista operating system. I’ll admit I’d become set in my ways, comfortable with XP and its easy-to-figure-out functions. Vista was not only different, this beast refused to be conquered. Before Vista, I’d been able to figure out XP by fiddling around with it. No need for instruction manuals. My new computer didn’t come with a Vista handbook, and I refused to buy something as banal as “Vista for Dummies.” So my Vista relationship became a standoff. I figured out as much as I needed to get my writing done. The rest be dammed (or done by my daughter, who seems to be hardwired for technology… and adamant to not let me turn tail and run from it).

My symptoms only got worse after this recoiling. Soon thereafter, I suffered a paralyzing fear of my new cell phone. I’d had a couple of mobiles before. They were simple. But suddenly, with this new one, I couldn’t even figure out how to turn the darn thing on, or worse yet, how to turn it off. I pressed every button – and combination of buttons — to no avail. Once again, my daughter came to my rescue and served as a human tutorial.

Next came an aversion to texting. Oh, man, I didn’t want to do it. What, with just learning how to make a call on my new cell? What was the point? I could place ten calls in the time it took to punch out a clumsy text. Plus, it went against every grain in my writer’s soul to use texting shorthand such as, C U 2nite or Yr gr8. To discount beautiful words?? To reduce them… all in the name of technology? What was the world coming to? But more alarming, what was wrong with me? The world was passing me by.

The next symptom came in the form of Facebook avoidance… Other authors nudged me… “It’s a great promotional tool.” My daughter and her friends taunted me, “Oh, come on! It’s not that hard. Just try. Please?” Whoa! What? That was a slap of reality. Had I become my grandma? In some areas, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. She was a lovely woman – smart, funny, accomplished… and afraid of technology. I could hear myself egging on Grandma and see more and more of her in me with every electronic challenge I avoided. Was my spirit really *that* old? When had it happened and, most importantly, how could I make it stop? The only way I could do that was to close my eyes and take the leap into the world of status updates, walls, pokes, flair and quizzes. I landed firmly in Facebook, and it wasn’t that bad. Especially after my good friend Debbie (a.k.a. The Queen of Facebook) showed me just how fun and useful it could be. I rose to the challenge chatting with friends, posting photos, taking quizzes to discover my personality type: “Healer;” my geek level: 4 on a scale of 1-10 – which earned me the title of “Day Dreamer Geek;” my Crayon color: Violet; My inner writer: Jack Kerouac (didn’t realize he wrote romance ); my Celtic name: Branwen (If they say so…); my past life persona: Picasso; and my inner Greek Goddess: Aphrodite. It’s fun and a huge time bandit, but it’s also allowed me to reach out to a lot of readers, stay intouch/reconnect with friends like Trina, who was my best friend in fourth grade. We probably would’ve never reconnected had I surrendered to Technophobia.

That realization was the first step toward my recovery. There have been other strides: I’ve become a pretty adept texter (is that a word??). And I’ve even been known to send messages such as, “I luv U 2.” Most recently, I’ve endeavored to Twitter. I set up my own Twitter account (because it’s that easy). But wouldn’t you know it, just when I thought I had it all figured out and was loving the ease of the 140-character status updates, and the fact that there are no quizzes to tempt me to waste half the day, a friend pops up and starts talking about “Twibes” and “Twaikus.” Say what?? My gut reaction was, “Run! Save yourself!”

For God’s sake, will it never end?

No, it won’t. The world will keep getting faster and more technical. I figure I can either get in the race or fall behind.

Now that my grandma is gone, I can imagine her smiling down at me and saying, “Oh, come on, Nancy. It’s not that hard. Just try.” So, I will.

How about you? How do you cope with technology? Do you grasp it or run from it? Where do you turn when you need help?

By the way, I’d love for you to “friend me” on Facebook – I’m listed as Nancy Robards Thompson. I’ll follow you on Twitter if you follow me! You can find me at http://twitter.com/NRTWrites.