I’m hard at work on my latest Legend Hunter book (entitled Treasure Me due in stores in 2011) and things are going fairly well for the rough draft. This is a blessing considering the last book was one of those pull-teeth-for-every-word kind of books. I’m really enjoying the characters and the change of setting, this book takes place largely in Scotland, a different pace from my normal London setting. And like I said I’m making good progress. I’m about 3/4 of the way done with this first draft. But I’m having a difficult time focusing.

Now this lack of focus is due, in part, to the fact that The Professor and I are building a house, a house we will close on this month! So I’m super excited and mentally decorating and trying to remember what it is that I already own that’s been in storage for nearly ten months. But that’s not the only distraction. You see I’ve been hearing voices. Now for most people that’s a sure sign to call a doctor, but for writers this is a perfectly normal occurrence. Characters talk to us. Which is great when you’re writing a book. Especially a book on deadline…

Except when those character voices are for book ideas you have no business thinking about. Here I am diligently working on this book and yet I keep hearing these two characters from a new idea, and they’re having the most intriguing conversations. Now I know for a fact that that book, nor any other, will be any easier to write than the one I’m currently working on. But despite the fact that I know this, I’m able to delude myself. As if my muse is a siren seducing me with tempting morsels of a new and wonderful and shiny idea. It’s like chocolate chip cookies baking, that delicious aroma filling my senses and making my mouth water. That’s what this new idea is doing. I’m dying to write the proposal, dying to brainstorm the whole concept with my writing buds. But I try to keep it aside and focus on the task at hand.

Somedays this is harder to do than others. Like last weekend, I woke up Saturday morning obnoxiously early because these damn characters were having a conversation. I tried to go back to sleep. I rolled over. I tossed, then turned, but they wouldn’t shut up. Finally I got up and opened a new file and wrote the prologue. Now it’s saved with the rest of the notes and tidbits of dialogue I’ve overheard and it is waiting, not so patiently in the wings while I do the job I’m currently paid to do.

In the meantime I’ll keep working on Treasure Me and if those pesky characters keep talking, then I’ll jot down their words and hope someday when I can share their story with you as well.

So how about you? What are your temptations? How do you keep focused when your attention is being divided?

Now I realize that whether or not you enjoy a movie is partly determined on your own opinion – educated or not. And I also admit that I tend to be one of those standard popcorn movie fans, you know the big-budget blow things up while eating a tub of popcorn. Big special effects work for me. I like action flicks. (Obviously I enjoy a good chick flick too, what kind of romance writer do you think I am?) I like good, intense and smart psychological thrillers and on occasion I like an art-house film. I love movies. Watch them often. The Professor and I went and saw movies nearly every week when we were dating. I think this comes from the fact that at my core, I just love story, but that’s a whole ‘nother blog.

As a writer, it’s inevitable that I dissect story, whether that be theatre, movies or books. I look for good story structure and strong characters and great endings. I wouldn’t say that I’m overly critical or picky, but I do notice things. And while I can sometimes be relatively easily entertained, there are some movies that I do not like at all. I would even go so far as to say that I loathe these movies. And, of course, this isn’t a conclusive list, just my top 5, or bottom 5, however you wish to look at it. Though I can’t say that these are in particular order of suckiness.

The Butterfly Effect – I know, I know, how can you hate Ashton Kutcher? He’s adorable, but this movie….ug. Emily always says of the movie Seven (one that I actually love) that she thinks it should have never been made. This is totally how I feel about this movie. It was so depressing that I literally felt bad for like three days after watching it. I got it, I realize it had a message of hope underneath all the darkness, but the blackness was too heavy for me to see through.

Alexander – This was my first, and last, Oliver Stone movie. I knew upfront that he was known for controversy and for creating his own version of history, so I didn’t go into this flick with high hopes. Still Colin Farrell. Well, there is nothing so bad as a terrible movie that’s about an hour too long. Has he never heard of the many talented editors working in Hollywood? I don’t know if that would have fixed all the problems in the movie, okay I do know that it wouldn’t have, but it would have helped.

Eye of the Beholder – Worst Ashley Judd movie ever. It’s so convoluted and strange. She’s naked a lot and cries about her father. And Ewan McGregor follows her around and there’s snow. And blood. It’s just odd, but not in a good way like Pan’s Labyrinth.

Magnolia – *heavy sigh* I hate to even include this one because my dear sweet Professor loves this movie. So when he pulled it off our DVD shelf and asked if I’d finally watch it (I’d avoided it at the theatre cause I knew I wouldn’t like it), I agreed. He’s my husband and we don’t have to agree, but I should at least try to like what he likes. Well, let’s just say this one didn’t go so well. I wholeheartedly agree that like the movie American Beauty, the acting performances in this movie are fantastic, just really stellar work. I can’t ignore that. But the story just blech. So dark, so depressing, so *sigh*.

Watchmen – I think if I had to pick one of these though that is the king of the sucky, it would have to be this three-hour masterpiece. Again, I knew before seeing this one that I wouldn’t like it. I normally like the comic book movies, but this one is just nihilistic and awful. Oh, and did I mention the giant naked blue guy? Like totally naked. And blue. And giant. Just odd and terrible. It’s like the worst superheroes ever! None of them were likable or redeemable and like Alexander this one was more than an hour too long. Not to mention it had one of those great *cough* *cough* message endings. Where the writer or director had some message he wanted to get across and instead of seamlessly weaving it into the story, he whacked us over the head with not just a 2×4, but a 2×4 on fire. Just horrible.

Okay rant over. So how about you? Did you like any of these movies? Which movies out there do you hate?

Also, over at the Grand Central Cafe I’m sharing the first excerpt from Desire Me as well as offering a chance to win an ARC of the book!

You can’t turn the TV on or go to a theatre these days without seeing something paranormal related. People are seriously into the weird and unexplained. From Supernatural to Fringe to movies like Zombieland and District 9, the woo-woo is everywhere. And books are no different. Especially romance novels and young adult fiction. I bought my nieces some books for Christmas and of the 6 books I bought, 4 of them were paranormal. They’re eating it up. Vampires, fallen angels, witches, and other strange things that go bump in the night. The creativity in YA books right now is simply astounding.

I read it too, though now exclusively. I’ve been reading Jim Butcher’s Dresden series for years. And while JD Robb’s series probably isn’t considered paranormal, it is futuristic and that counts in the woo-woo world, just a slightly different area. I also am a fan of Charlain Harris and the Sookie Stackhouse series. So I enjoy a good amount of of the strange and unusual though I admit I haven’t joined the party to the extent of a lot of readers who read almost exclusively paranormal. I am interested though, very interested in finding some new authors and books to read. Also my Legend Hunter series, while mostly historical romance, has some paranormal elements and I’ve really enjoyed dabbling with that.

So how about it? Are you a paranormal fan? What are your favorite authors and books in that genre? What about TV shows? Are you hooked on any of the woo-woo shows?

I’ve always been a coupon clipper, doing my best to keep our grocery bills at a reasonable level. But lately I’ve wanted to do more. We’re building a house (yes, still!) and our mortgage is going up and well, I want to do what I can to save some money. Plus living on a budget makes good plain sense. So I contacted my sister-in-law because I knew she’d really gotten into what I call extreme couponing sometime last year. She was a font of information and now I’m on my way.

She shared some blogs out there that do their part to explain this couponing philosophy. For the last few weeks I’ve been studying. Reading up on said philosophy and making my plan. The good thing was I was already doing some of the things they recommend, like making a menu plan and then building your grocery list off of that. But I’ve learned so much.

And then today I tried it out. I didn’t set a goal (like they told me I should, but I’m still feeling lost on that part right now), but I did put the plan into action. I pulled out my grocery store’s current sale flyer and I built my menu plan from what was on sale – as it happens stew meat was on sale, so we’ll be having crock pot beef stew this week, and pork chops were on sale, so that’s right pork chops goes on the menu. Then I found other items on sale that I also had coupons for, those items went on my shopping list too. Then I filled in the list with non-sale/non-coupon items. Guess what? I saved $43 today off my grocery total. Can you imagine? I think the most I’d ever saved before with coupons was like $10. Now I know other women who have been doing this longer save a lot more than that, but for my first shot, I was pretty proud of myself.

Talk about a high. I feel so empowered and frankly like a bit of a domestic goddess. I can’t wait to start applying the extreme couponing to our toiletries at Walgreens and CVS. Oh yes, there’s a plan for that stuff too and it’s even better than the groceries.

So how about you? Do you coupon? Do you put together menus or do you just go to the grocery store and buy what looks good?

Let me take you back in time to December 5 years ago, I was newly engaged and on a plane with my fiance on our way to Ohio to meet my future in-laws. Now most of you know that I was born and raised in Central Texas where our winters consist mostly of 50 degree days with beautiful blue skies and the occasional ice storm. I had never been around real snow, not the powdery stuff you see on TV and I was super excited. When we got off the plane at Cleveland’s airport and I stepped outside I completely lost my breath (you know the way babies do when you blow in their little faces). It was COLD! And snow was everywhere.

It was evening so I didn’t get out in it much that night, but the following day it was time to play. I was like a

kid in the proverbial candy story, itching with excitement. So on my first day with the white stuff here’s what I learned.

And please note that you will now understand who the idiot is in my blog’s title. And you Yankees can feel free to laugh at me, it’s okay, I deserve it.

Snow is wet - Now I’m not sure what I was expecting since this is simply frozen precipitation, but the fact that I got all wet when I made a snow angel was a big surprise to me.

Scarves are good – There is a reason people in the north wear scarves. Until this trip, I never understood the value of a scarf, but I get it now so that the snow doesn’t fall down your collar and chill your neck.

Snow gets hard - No luckily I didn’t have to learn this the hard way (pardon the pun), but I easily could have. On that first day when we went out so I could play in the snow, there was a lovely and huge pile of snow right by my in-law’s garage. Now in retrospect I do realize that what follows was incredibly foolish for a variety of reasons. Number 1, I’d never been to my in-laws and for all I knew there was a brick wall under that snow. And well, as my fiances eyes grew round and panic etched his features as I free-fell backwards into the powder, I learned that sometimes snow can be hard. But as I said, I was lucky and it wasn’t and my fall was wonderfully childish and fun.

Snow is so quiet - this isn’t so much an idiot’s lesson, but again I was relatively surprised by how quiet the snow is when it falls. It’s peaceful and solemn and beautiful and if it weren’t so darn cold I’d want to see it everyday.

We’re up here now in snowy NE Ohio and having a great time. We’re excpected more snow today and the rest of our time here, and there’s still one thing I’ve never done…make a snowman. So hopefully I’ll get the opportunity to do so this time. How about you? Do you love the snow? Have you ever been surprised by a new place you visited?

Oh and Happy New Year!

Yesterday my sister and her family came in for Christmas and today she and I started our annual baking. Every year she comes with new recipes to try and this year was no different. My family tends to favor easy, cheap recipes that don’t take a ton of time or ingredients and save for my sugar cookies, then I accomplish this with the things I make – mock toffee, peanut butter fudge, ritz/peanut-butter cookies and peppermint bark. But I have to share my sister’s recipes because this year all she’s making are balls, and she’s dipping almost everything in candy coating bark.

So here goes new recipes for you to try – or perhaps you’ve had these in your neck of the woods.

Oreo balls

1 pkg oreo cookies
1 8oz cream cheese
candy coating bark

Put oreo cookies in a food processor and blend until crumbly. Add in cream cheese and mix together. Form into balls, then dip them in the melted candy coating bark and let set until hardened on wax paper.

Cake balls

1 cake mix(any flavor though for the holidays Red-velvet seems to be a favorite)
1 can of frosting

Prepare and bake cake according to box, let cool. Break cake into pieces and mix it together with tub of frosting. Form into balls, then dip them in the melted candy coating bark and let set until hardened on wax paper.

Orange balls

1 box of vanilla wafers
4 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 box powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients together in food processor. Roll into balls. Can roll balls into more powdered sugar, crushed nuts, or coconut.

Perhaps strange recipes, but the men here seem to like them quite a bit. I prefer the oreo balls dipped in the chocolate bark rather than the white chocolate bark, but I’m just not a fan of white chocolate. I think I might have shared my peanut butter fudge recipes in the past, but I’ll share it again in case anyone is interested – it’s so easy it’s ridiculous.

Peanut butter fudge

1 bag Reece’s peanut butter chips
1 can white frosting

Melt peanut butter chips, then add in tub of white frosting and stir until well blended. Pour into dish and let harden in the refrigerator. Cut into pieces and serve.

So how about you? Have you tried any new recipes for Christmas? I know we’ve talked a lot about baking and whatnot on here lately, but you can never have enough good Christmas treats.

Congratulations to Quilt Lady who won the autographed copy of Seduce Me – send me your mailing address and I’ll get that out to you. Thanks to everyone else who played and don’t forget to enter my special holiday contest hosted with Fresh Fiction.

Now keep scrolling and read Catherine’s recipe!

I recently got the cover for my next Legend Hunters book, Desire Me, which will hit stores in early summer 2010. And it’s totally stunning so I must share it with you. Isn’t it so beautiful? I was super excited when I first saw it because in my mind this book felt like a blue book. I’m sure at doesn’t actually make much sense, but sometimes I get a color vibe.

In any case it got me thinking about how some covers can really create a feeling for a book and can enhance the story or sometimes make a book not quite work. You know I love great covers and I will often pick up a book I’m drawn to because of the cover. It’s actually how I found Teresa Medeiros many years ago. I was in a bookstore looking around and the cover for her book Heather & Velvet caught my attention (gotta love those old Fabio covers!) and I was instantly hooked and now she’s one of my favorite authors.

What are some of your favorite covers? What do you usually look for in a cover? Have you ever bought a book simply because of the cover? I’ll draw a winner from one lucky commenter today to win an autographed copy of Seduce Me.

In other news I must brag about the fact that yesterday I found out that Seduce Me is a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award Nominee for Best Historical Romantic Adventure! Go Fielding and Esme!

Only one more day until our big turkey day. Are you ready? Have you done your grocery shopping? Have you chilled the wine and pre-made any of the side dishes?

Most people have that special recipe they make each holiday, or at least they have one they love that someone else makes. Like I love my mom’s cornbread dressing recipe – so tasty! I’ve even successfully made it myself a few times, but it will be so nice to have hers this year. Especially since this is actually the first Thanksgiving The Professor and I have spent with my family since we got married. Living in Tennessee made it difficult to travel so it’s so great to be living back in Texas.

Now I normally make the pies in the family as well as my sweet potato casserole. Several years ago I found a recipe that I’ve tweaked a little and I make it every Thanksgiving and Christmas and everyone in my family loves it. Even those who don’t normally like sweet potatoes. A fair warning though if you don’t like really decadent sweet potato casseroles that taste more like they should be severed in a crust with some cool whip on top, then feel free to pass on this recipe. But I wanted to share it in case anyone wanted to try it this holiday.

Robyn’s Famous Sweet Potato Casserole

4 cups sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed (can use 2 large cans drained)
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
¾ cup melted butter
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp. Nutmeg
1 tsp. Cinnamon
2 cups marshmallow
1 cup coconut

Topping
1 ½ cup crushed corn flakes
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
¾ cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 400°. In large bowl, mash potatoes. Mix in sugar, eggs, butter, evaporated milk, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Fold in marshmallows. Add coconut. Bake 20 minutes.

Mix the topping ingredients in a small bowl then crumble onto the casserole and bake an additional 10 minutes.

This year I’m making this recipe like always, but I’m lightening it up to make it more Weight Watchers friendly. I have no doubt it will be just as delicious without quite so much butter. But for those of you not watching your waistline this holiday season feel free to indulge. And the praline topping is to-do-for.

So how about you? What’s your favorite holiday recipe? Do you make it or does someone else?

A month or so ago, Kristan, blogged about men that she finds attractive who aren’t necessarily attractive. I think we probably all have that list. And today I’d like to share mine.
First up we have Edward Norton, now perhaps some would argue that he’s not all that unattractive and I would agree, Ed is clearly not homely. But he’s also not your standard leading man. But there’s something so sexy about him. I will admit I never really noticed this about him until The Illusionist though I was certainly a fan. Who can forget his chilling performance in Primal Fear?

Kevin Bacon…probably my favorite actor and frankly one of the most under appreciated actors in Hollywood. He’s so talented. But he is not traditionally handsome. He has terrible hair and kind of a large head. But he’s gifted and has a huge range in his acting ability. But what sealed it for me is his goofy side. He’s in my favorite movie, She’s Having a Baby, and he’s so charming in it and he plays a writer!

I love me some Tim Roth. I find his intensity and talent mesmerizing. I first noticed him in Rob Roy where he played one of the worst villains ever to grace the screen and he was fantastic! Now he’s the lead in Fox’s drama, Lie to Me, and while the character is different, he’s equally fantastic. There’s nothing really physically handsome about him, but he has huge sex appeal. Woo!

Who doesn’t love Kevin Spacey? He’s tall and yeah, he’s got a receding hairline, but he’s so talented. He can sing and he can act the hell out of any role he takes on. He’s probably most famous for The Usual Suspects, and he’s wonderful in that, but I love him in Seven – yes, I know that probably means I’m not okay, but he’s so good. I’m beginning to notice I have a thing for men who play great villains – think I should be concerned?

Tall, lanky, geeky, but oh-so-funny. He’s a total hoot in so many movies and that scene at the end of Independence Day when he’s walking across the dessert in that flight jumpsuit and his legs look impossibly long and he’s got the cigar, man he just looks hot. I’ve had a crush on Jeff for years and hope he continues his most recent role on Law & Order: Criminal Intent so I can see him on a regular basis.

There can’t really be a list of sexy-but-not-so-hot guys without Hugh Laurie. He has such beautiful eyes and the man can do everything. Sing, write, act, he’s brilliant. He does intelligent, but crotchety so well.

So what have we learned about my male crushes? Well, I evidently have a thing for smart and talented men. And I have a tendency to like those who play evil, calculating guys. I suppose it could also be said I like accents since we’ve got two Brits on this list. So what do you think of my guys? Do you think personality and talent make up for a less than perfect face and physique?