Despite the fact that I cannot skate, ski or shoot a rifle, I love the Winter Olympics. Their slogan is above — Swifter, Higher, Stronger. One of the things that seems sure is that there will be upsets; that the odds-on favorites will fail; and the best stories will come from people we’ve never heard of before. Sure, I love Apolo, and I figured Bode, Shaun and Lindsay would do just fine. But it was the stories below that really grabbed me.

Alexandre & Frederic Bilodeau. Alexandre won Canada’s first gold medal in this Olympics as his brother, who has cerebral palsy, went a little nuts in the stands. Alexandre repeatedly referred to his brother as his inspiration, saying that when he gets tired and wants to stop, he thinks of Frederic’s limitations, stops his whining and gets on with it. The 22-year-old skier upset the sullen Canadian ex-pat (and millionaire) Dale Begg-Smith, who ignored reporters and generally acted like a sulky brat while the gold medalist, clearly stunned with his win, tried to take in the fact that he was the first Canadian ever to win a gold medal on his nation’s soil. 

Chris DelBosco. In the wildly exciting ski cross race, Chris DelBosco, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada, had the bronze medal in his grasp. With just one jump to go, he took a huge chance…and blew it. He fell. He lost. In an interview afterward, he said simply, “I didn’t want the bronze.” Nope. He put it all on the line, he was skiing for gold, and even though he failed, he gave it everything. Good for you, kid.

Marjan Kalhor. She is twenty-one years old, finished the giant slalom 35 seconds behind the gold medal time. She trains by skiing down grassy hills, and she wore a purple veil underneath her helmet to cover her hair. She is Iran’s first female winter Olympian.

The Night Train. In addition to being my favorite wine (well…not really), the Night Train is now my favorite bobsled team. Perhaps I love chubby, balding Steve Holcomb because he looks more like a kielbasa-eating champion than an Olympic gold medalist. Whatever the reason, I was absolutely elated at their win. Kudos to the good-natured German silver medal team, who called the American team’s driving “super-genius.”

And most of all…Therese Rochette. She drove her daughter to thousands of skating lessons, sat in the chilly rink for countless hours, sacrificed, scrimped and saved. She helped her child choose outfits and hair styles and music for her performances, made sure she ate well and did her homework. She knew with faith unshakeable that at the Vancouver Olympics, the world would see what she had always known — Joannie Rochette was a champion. She was right. Yu-Na Kim may have shown us the best of the sport, but Joannie showed us the best of the human spirit — the strength, grace, commitment and love she learned from her mother.

Swifter. Higher. Stronger.

Well done, Mrs. Rochette.

Sid drew a winner for an advanced copy of the The Konstantos Marriage Demand by Kate Walker, and that winner is Serenissima! Congratulations! Please send your mailing address to kate AT kate-walker.com.

Thanks to everyone who commented, and special thanks again to Kate for blogging with us!

When you read a book are there particular settings that draw you in?

For myself when I read historicals, I like England and Scotland best. Unless of course it’s a western. India and France…ummm, not so much.

For contemporaries I like small towns and settings more in the midwest than in the south or on the coasts. That’s not to say I won’t read a book set in a different local but they’re not books I’m immediately drawn to…

How about you? What settings do you prefer? Or, does it even matter?

BTW, I just received my author copies of my The Doctor’s Baby, my new book that will out in April.

I’ll draw a winner from everyone who comments and that person will win a copy!

And…big announcement…I’ve just had my website revised. If you’ve got a minute, go to www.cindykirk and check it out. Let me know what you think!

Perchance have you seen MTV’s new show The Buried Life? I almost wrote it off as another MTV Real World/Jersey Shore reality train wreck, but I’m glad I didn’t let preconceived notions rob me of a really a great show. Here’s the blurb:

The Buried Life is “The true life story of four regular guys on a mission to complete a list of ‘100 Things To Do Before You Die’ and to help and encourage others to go after their own lists.”

Yes, the majority of the tasks on their list are typical of 20-something guys: attend a party at the Playboy mansion (pleeeease…  ); ask out the girl of your dreams – Megan Fox (insert eye roll here….  ) but what redeems them (besides the fact that they’re funny and all pretty easy to watch) is for each thing they attempt to accomplish on their list, they help a stranger accomplish something on theirs. Darn it, that part of the show always makes me get a little teary.

If nothing else, the show has made me think about what I want to accomplish. Writing and raising a family can be all-consuming. Lately, it seems I don’t do much beyond writing and family.  I’ve never made a Bucket List – not even after seeing the movie. Somehow, it seemed like a countdown to death, and I have so much more life to live. But The Buried Life got me thinking: What would I like to do? What would I like to accomplish beyond writing and family… ? Things just for me. So, I’ve started jotting down notions as they come to me. Some things are beyond my control, other tasks on my list are going to take a while to accomplish. I guess I’d better get started…even though I don’t plan on “leaving” anytime soon.

Here are ten things from my list – not in any particular order of importance. Actually, it’s my entire list right now. Hey, it’s a work in progress. And I’m discovering I’m kinda picky about what I add …

1. Climb Mt. Hood. (Mt. Hood, OR)
2. Hit the NY Times List
3. See my daughter become a grandmother (see, this proves I plan on sticking around for a while)
4. Live in Paris for at least consecutive three months
5. Write (a minimum of) 200 books
6. Go for a hot air balloon ride
7. Learn to play the cello
8. Visit all 50 states (and do something memorable – not just an airport layover)
9. Sleep in a castle
10. Trace my family’s roots

So, what about you? As they ask on The Buried Life, “What Do You Want To Do Before You Die?”

The Family They Chose

By Nancy Robards THompson

Available February 2010

Quilt Lady!  I just drew you as the winner of a signed copy of my medieval romance A Knight’s Vengeance!  Please contact me and I will get your book mailed out to you right away.  Thanks to everyone who left a comment.

I just found out Carol Burnett is going to be performing/having a Q&A in my town. I think I may have to go. The Carol Burnett show was a huge part of my childhood and part of the best memories I have of my mother when she was well. We used to watch the show together, sometimes with my older sisters when they were around. I remember Mom laughing so hard she would cry over the antics of Carol, Harvey Korman and especially, Tim Conway. I admit that I was young enough that sometimes the subtle humor escaped me but even I knew funny when I saw it. Who can forget Mrs. Ha-wiggins or the Went With the Wind skit?

I was so upset when the show ended. Most of my memories of it weren’t just of the funny skits and my mother’s enjoyment, but of the cast’s enjoyment as well. Harvey Korman simply could not keep a straight face whenever Tim Conway cut loose. Imagine what fun they must have had on that set!

Yes, I think I’ll have to pick up tickets and go see Carol, if for no other reason than when you have a chance to see a legend in the flesh, you should go. This has been a new mantra of mine. A couple of years ago, when he was fresh out of rehab, we rounded up a bunch of our friends and went to see Robin Williams live at a little theater here in Connecticut. Talk about amazing! We barely had time to ‘get’ one joke and he’d already fired off two or three more! The man was as quick and funny and as sharp-witted as I had hoped. I will admit this to you and you alone, my friends — I used to have a crush on Mork from Ork.

I’m sure this is no surprise to those of you who know me. So, when given the opportunity to see my favorite alien in the flesh, how could I pass it up? I couldn’t. I’m so glad it wasn’t a disappointment. So often by the time people become ‘legends’ life has caught up with them and not always in a good way. I once saw Vince Neil from Motley Crue in an airport. He looked like he did 20 years ago — not a good look for a man in his 40s who has had some awful plastic surgery, poor thing. Oh, and when a girlfriend and I went to see Duran Duran in concert, I was heartbroken to see that it looked as John Taylor was getting a ‘cookie’ on his crown. Look, it just ain’t right that JT lose his hair. I’m just sayin’.

Oh, there’s one more legend I’ve seen and I’m not ashamed to admit to it! I made my poor, long-suffering husband go to the Mohegan Sun casino with me to see David Cassidy. Yes, I have been in the same room as Keith Partridge. Now, I was more a Shaun girl than David, being about a decade too young to truly appreciate the magic that was DC, but I love the Partridge Family and he’s a legend, so I had to go! We were amongst the youngest people there and I sang along with every song! He’s a tiny little man, but he knows how to work a crowd and I was not disappointed. David Cassidy knows how to live up to expectations, just as Robin Williams did.

I haven’t really seen too many legends yet, but I have a list of people I want to see before I’m dead (or they are!). I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to romance legends and say that I’ve met both Nora Roberts and the late (and great) Kathleen Woodiwiss. Both ladies were exactly what you would hope them to be — classy and down to earth. Oh, and I also met Jayne Anne Krentz (Amanda Quick) because she was standing there alone and I am such a complete fan girl.

Who are some legends that you have seen or want to see? Did they live up to expectations or were you disappointed? Anyone you don’t want to see/meet for fear of being disappointed?

By the way, if I do go see Carol Burnett, I’ll tell you how it was!

Since February is the month of Valentine’s Day and a great time to celebrate love, I’ve been thinking lately about the things I really appreciate.  Friends and family are automatically at the top of this list.  What I mean are the little things, favorite foods, comforts, and indulgences that I savor whenever I have the chance.  They make even a really lousy day a little brighter.

Here are a few:

1.  Sleeping in.  I love days when I have nothing pressing on my schedule (which is rare) and I can snooze as long as I like, rise at a lazy pace, and enjoy my morning coffee while sitting in bed, reading another chapter of a good romance novel.

2.  Walks in the morning sunshine.  Being outside in the fresh air, hearing the birds twitter and feeling the sun on my face, is really inspiring.  It helps focus my creativity too.  On my last walk, I figured out a tricky part in a new historical romance I’m plotting.

3.  Fresh, hot organic coffee.  There’s nothing like a cup of it first thing in the morning to get my sleepy eyes open.

4.  Crème brulee.  I just can’t resist the combination of crunchy, browned sugar topping and smooth creaminess underneath.  Mmm!  So good!

5.  Twinings Earl Grey Tea.  The Twinings brand has the best Bergamot flavor of all the teas I’ve tried.  I prefer it made from loose tea, brewed in a teapot, and steeped for exactly four minutes.  I drink it plain.  My daughter loves it with milk and three sugars!

6.  A great movie.  I enjoy movies of all genres (except horror, because I’m a scaredy cat!), and love to be swept away into a exciting story world that keeps me entertained until the very last moment.

7.  Touring castles.  The old sites, even the ones that are little more than ruins now, are so atmospheric and beautiful and really get my creative energies flowing.  Luckily for me, my husband and daughter love visiting the sites, too, when we travel to England.

8.  Receiving my author copies of my books.  There’s nothing quite like that moment when I open the box to see copies of my latest novel for the very first time.  The rush of pride, excitement, and sense of accomplishment are amazing.  In that moment, I blissfully forget about all the long hours at the computer, the agonizing scenes that took days of reworking to get them just right, and the revisions.  I am in awe.  I really am, right now, because I just received my copies of A Knight’s Persuasion, Book 4 of my Knight’s Series that will be released in May, and they look terrific!

9.  A day at the beach.  I love sinking my toes into warm, golden sand and feeling the sea breeze on my face.  My daughter  and I usually make sand castles together and giggle when we dunk water over my husband who is trying to sneak in a nap.  Fun!

10.  Sunsets.  Nature is really amazing.  The colors of sunsets can be so intense and wondeful, they take your breath away.  Here are a couple of sunset pictures I took during our family vacation at Cedar Key, Florida last December.

11.  Antique shopping.  There are several antique and collectible shops within short driving distance of my home, and when I have a free afternoon, I love to stop by and see what’s in stock.  I’ve bought lovely etched wine glasses, a crystal vase, and Limoges teacups in the last few months and am always on the lookout for new treasures or unique gifts.

12.  Kitty hugs.  I know, I’ve said it before, but I adore my cats.  While our young cat, Kai, is a complete mischief maker, he is so cute!  He isn’t happy until he’s started off his day by giving me a face wash and then, after tucking his head under my chin, a shoulder massage, while purring like a maniac the whole time.  Our 16-year-old kitty, Minton, prefers to be picked up so he can rest his front paws on my arm and survey everything with a regal pose, while nuzzling my chin now and again.
 
***

What are some of your favorite indulgences?   I’ll give away a signed copy of A Knight’s Vengeance, Book One of my award-winning Knight’s Series, to one lucky person who leaves a post.To read an excerpt from A Knight’s Vengeance and my other Knight’s Series books, please visit my website at http://www.catherinekean.com 

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!

Thank you to everyone here at Jaunty Quills for inviting me along to guest blog here today. And special thanks to Janette who organised this and has helped me get my post up on the blog in time for today. It’s great to be here. ~ Kate

 Long ago –  far too long ago!  - I was a Girl Scout – or  Girl Guide  as we call them here in the UK. And when I was a ‘Guide’  I remember that February 22^nd had a very special meaning. It was what was known as ‘Thinking Day’.  ‘Thinking Day’ was a special date on which all Guides were  supposed to think about  Scouts and Guides all over the world.  I used to wear my uniform to school and wonder if other girls in other countries and cultures were doing the same. It was a lovely feeling,  linking in with all those others even though I would never see them or meet them.

Flash forward all these years later and here it is February 22^nd again. And this time I’m linking up with people all over the world but in a very different way. Now I’m connecting with people in so many different countries, people of so many different ages,  so many different languages, so many different cultures – but this time I’m doing it through my books.

Every few weeks, the postman arrives at my house with bundles of books in so many different languages. These are the international translations of my books that are now sold all over the world.  I think the last time I checked there were over twenty  different ones on my shelves – French, Greek, Spanish, Italian, Polish  - even Japanese. (Especially Japanese. My books are really popular in  Japan it seems.)   And every time a new bundle arrives, I open the package and look at the foreign editions in amazement and delight. It’s an astonishing, wonderful thing to think that  the stories I write here in a small English town in Lincolnshire UK, reach out to all these other women in all these far-flung places.

But that’s the wonder of romance. These love stories are universal. They speak to readers of all ages, colours, cultures. They cross borders, break down barriers, unite women in their enjoyment of the story they tell.  And it’s specially wonderful to  me because  when I was growing up – and going to school wearing that rather unflattering uniform – I had a very special dream that one day I wanted to be a writer.   One day I hoped that I would see my name on a book that I had written and that was on sale in a published form. But back then so many people – teachers, parents,  sensible adults, told  me that my dream was just that – a fantasy that would never come true. I would do better to forget about it and concentrate on doing something ‘sensible’ with my life instead of wasting my energies longing for something that was never going to happen.

Hmmm . .  .How wrong can you be? Not only did I stick to my dreams, keep on trying to write, get a book published . . . and another . . . an another  . . .but this year is a very special one for me as I’m celebrating  something very important in my writing life. I’m celebrating my ‘silver anniversary’ as a published author. It’s 25 years since my very first book The Chalk Line was published in 1984 and after that I’ve  published over 55 more novels in the Harlequin Presents line, together with two ‘How To Write’ guides including the award winning 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance. And I have all these wonderful international editions on my bookshelves to prove it.

But best of all,  I have so many fabulous readers all over the world who buy my books, read them and, very often, write to tell me how much they love them. My novels go to countries I’ve never visited, into the hands of people I’ll never meet, in a way that I never ever dreamed of when  I was imagining that one day I might write a book.  And as well as celebrating  having lasted 25 years in this business, I’m also celebrating all those wonderful readers without whom I could never have done it. Because if they hadn’t bought my books then I wouldn’t still be here, still writing  - and chatting with you all on this blog.

But the other thing I’m really celebrating is never giving up on your dreams, whatever they are. I know that the people who gave my advice all those years ago thought they were doing it for the best, but I’m so so glad that I didn’t take that advice and abandon my hopes of becoming a writer. Because my 25 years as a published author has brought me so much more than I could ever have imagined back in those days when I was just ‘thinking’ about all those other Guides all around the world. It’s brought me friendship with other wonderful writers and the knowledge that with my books I’ve touched the lives of so many others and brought enjoyment and pleasure into them just for a little while.  And that’s really worth celebrating.

So I was wondering  - are you celebrating anything special this year? An anniversary, a ‘milestone’ birthday ( I have one of those coming up too – but I’m not going to admit to exactly which one!). Or are you perhaps celebrating success in exams, a new job, a new baby, a new home?  Or just the simple things in life  like having family round you – and maybe your pets?  I’d love to know.

My latest novel The Konstantos Marriage Demand will be out next month – it’s published in Presents EXTRA on March 16^th. And I’m thrilled to say that I’ve just discovered that this book has been given 4.5 stars by Romantic Times and has been chosen as one of their Top Picks for March 2010.  I have an advance copy to give away  to someone who leaves a  comment on this post.

(For those of you who don’t know – I don’t pick the winners of my prizes, my cat Sid  does. I put all the names of the entries on pieces of paper and then I put a cat treat on top of each one. The first one that Sid eats is the winner.  And the more entries there are, the more treats Sid gets to eat. So come on, make my cat very happy – post a comment!)