Hump Day Humor...

Thought today might be a good day to post this. Have a great time, enjoy those New Year's Eve parties!!



Jack wakes up with a huge hangover after attending his company's party.

Jack is not normally a drinker, but the drinks didn't taste like alcohol at all. He didn't even remember how he got home from the party..

As bad as he was feeling, he wondered if he did something wrong.. Jack had to force himself to open his eyes, and the first thing he sees is a couple of aspirins next to a glass of water on the side table.

And, next to them, a single red rose!! Jack sits up and sees his clothing in front of him, all clean and pressed.

He looks around the room and sees that it is in perfect order, spotlessly clean. So is the rest of the house.

He takes the aspirins, cringes when he sees a huge black eye staring back at him in the bathroom mirror.

Then he notices a note hanging on the corner of the mirror written in red with little hearts on it and a kiss mark from his wife in lipstick: 'Honey, breakfast is on the stove, I left early to get groceries to make you your favorite dinner tonight.


I love you, darling!
Love, Jillian'.

He stumbles to the kitchen and sure enough, there is hot breakfast, steaming hot coffee and the morning newspaper.

His 16 year old son is also at the table, eating.

Jack asks, 'Son what happened last night?'

'Well, you came home after 3 A.M., drunk and out of your mind.

You fell over the coffee table and broke it, and then you puked in the hallway,and got that black eye when you ran into the door.


Confused, he asked his son, 'So, why is everything in such perfect order and so clean? I have a rose, and breakfast is on the table waiting for me??'

His son replies, 'Oh THAT... Mom dragged you to t he bedroom, and when she tried to take your pants off, you screamed, "Leave me alone, I'm married"!!!

Broken Coffee Table $239.99
Hot Breakfast $4.20
Two Aspirins $.38
Saying the right thing, at the right time: PRICELESS

Tuesday food for thought....

"Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow."

Ralph Waldo Emerson
1803-1882, Poet and Essayist

What I'm Reading this week....

I'm a fan of Alison Kent's but I haven't read any of the G5 series...until now. I was fortunate to win this book when she guest blogged at Plotmonkeys a few weeks ago and I'm now looking forward to reading the whole series.


Here's the blurb:

Finn McLain is no stranger to unusual assignments. But the gorgeous stranger who just asked him to photograph her for an erotic art exhibit—that’s definitely a first. Finn came to Miami to dig into the personal life of boutique manager Roland Green for a lovesick gallery owner, and hadn’t planned on sticking around. But the boutique’s owner, Olivia Hammond, has just made him a proposal that’s as hard to ignore as Olivia herself. She’s got caramel-kissed skin, a body that makes grown men tremble, and a wild sideline as an exhibitionist. Ooookay. Yet despite her willingness to “let people look,” Finn’s convinced there’s a hell of a lot Olivia’s not revealing. And that’s the most intriguing prospect of all…

Olivia has never been shy about using her sexuality to get what she wants. But then, she’s never wanted a man quite the way she wants Finn. What he thinks about her shouldn’t matter, yet it does. Through every candid photograph and every heated encounter, Finn is getting closer, intent on getting beneath her shell—and for once, Olivia is tempted to let him. But first they have to contend with the fact that Finn’s simple investigation into Roland Green is getting dangerously complicated…and Olivia isn’t the only person in town who’s not what she claims to be.

In a city throbbing with sex appeal, two wary lovers are about to play the ultimate game of show and tell, where temptation is raw, wild, and hot enough to make you sizzle…


I hope it's a wonderful weekend for everyone!
Peace and Love,
Alannah

Woootttt!!!

As you know *grins* Reaction Time made it's debut on Tuesday. When I woke up Wednesday morning, I had an e-mail from my editor that said:

Whoohoo!!
You jumped right onto the bestseller list at number 7!!
That rocks!!
Congrats and here’s to many more sales

Of course, that's for the Samhain Bookstore, but that is so cool! - Hot diggity dog! *Insert Snoopy Dance*

So, I go to the list this morning and guess what? Reaction Time is up to #4!!! I think I could really get used to this Bestseller List stuff! ROTFL

A big thanks to everyone who has bought a copy. Let me know what you think about it, I'd love to hear from you.

Hope it's a fantastic, stress-free day for everyone!
Peace and Love,
Alannah

Mom is Santa

I first saw this video last year (or the year before) and it still makes me laugh, laugh, laugh. I think the look on the little boy's face is absolutely priceless. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!





And don't forget, today Adam and I are hanging out with my cheer-reader at http://jennifersrandommusings.wordpress.com/

And next Monday I'll be playing in the jungle with the Plotmonkeys - http://www.plotmonkeys.com/

Have a wonderful day!
Peace and Love,
Alannah

Reaction Time Release Day!!!

Woot!!! I can hardly believe it's here. But today is the big day for Reaction Time!!



Here's an excerpt:

Chapter One


Nikki Kincaid shook her head, almost feeling sorry for the kid in the piece-of-shit Honda next to her, revving his engine and signaling he wanted to race. She knew she shouldn’t accept his challenge. Street racing was dangerous, plus the pesky little detail that it was illegal. But dammit, it was fun.

And she wanted to have a little fun for a change.

Did the kid honestly think his one-hundred-and-fifteen-horsepower Civic could compete with her Shelby GT500? The power of her Mustang alone would leave him sitting at the light wondering what happened. Considering she had one of the fastest reaction times in the NHRA Pro Stock Drag Racing Series, when the light turned green she’d be a quarter mile down the highway before he could blink.

She sighed. Three years. That’s how long it had been since she’d had any fun. That’s how long it had been since racing stopped being a choice and instead had become a job that carried an overwhelming responsibility. That’s how long it had been since racing ceased to be her true love and passion.

But this little race would be like before—fun.

She glanced around, checking to make sure there were no other vehicles in the way and no cops. Well, none other than her irritating passenger. Looking out the passenger window, she nodded once to the kid before returning her attention to the stop light. “That car sounds like a pissed off bumblebee,” she muttered beneath her breath, unable to believe the kid truly wanted to race.

As the word “race” hit her brain circuitry, her body instinctively took over. Her left hand clenched the steering wheel while the fingers on her right twitched on the Hurst shifter. Her left foot mashed the clutch to the floor and the toes on her right flexed with the anticipation of stomping on the gas pedal.

She flicked a casual sideways glance to her passenger, Adam “Tight Ass” Guthrie, off-duty detective and friend to her brother, Nate. Head bent over, eyes focused on the threatening letter she’d received that morning, he was oblivious to the kid next to him or the launched gauntlet.

Nikki smiled as she considered the added bonus to this race. Tight Ass was gonna shit a brick.

He would probably lecture her on yet another of her obligations—acting as a responsible role model. He would probably make the three-hour trip to Richmond miserable. He would probably do that anyway, so she might as well go for it now and have her fun.

God, she could throttle Nate for insisting she have a weekend babysitter. The threats she’d received, the ones suggesting her health might fare better if she didn’t race anymore, seemed relatively harmless. But her ever-watchful big brother insisted she have protection. Tight Ass agreed with Nate’s cautious attitude, damn her bad luck, and had volunteered to take a couple days off to accompany her to the drag strip.

Unfortunately, he was the last person she wanted to spend five days with.
Maybe if she made his life hell he’d pack up and leave. Then she wouldn’t have to deal with him or the mix of unwelcome emotions his presence stirred in her.
The left-turn lane got the green arrow and she zeroed in on it. Watching. Waiting.

As soon as that light turned red, she’d get the green light.

Yellow.

Adrenaline pumped through her veins like it always did at the starting line of a race.

Red.

She popped the clutch and mashed the gas at the exact instant her light flicked green. Tires squealed and her body slammed backwards into the seat from the forward thrust.

Second gear.

Third gear.

The kid was still sitting at the light and she burst out laughing, imagining his face. Eyes wide, mouth dropped open. Friends in the car laughing their asses off at the spanking he’d just gotten.

Fourth gear.

Fifth gear.

She cut her gaze to Tight Ass’s fingers embedded into the dashboard. He was wearing an expression she imagined was similar to the kid in the car. Pure shock.

She threw her head back and enjoyed a rare, roaring laugh as she slid the shifter into sixth and eased her foot off the gas. One hundred ten was probably pushing it.

“Stop!” her passenger demanded.

She bit into her bottom lip to squelch the laughter and continued to let the car
coast to a slower speed.

“Stop the fucking car. Now.”

“All right. All right. Give me a sec to get to the exit.” With feigned concern and a lot of humor, she asked, “Do you need a men’s room, or is the side of the road okay?”

His lip curled back in a snarl.

Holy shit. Eyes wide, she sucked in a startled breath. Much to her surprise, and dismay, Tight Ass was even hotter all riled up.

She stopped on the side of the road and as she shut the car down, he shot out of his door, circled the car and yanked her door open. He grabbed her arm and jerked her from the car while she fought to shake him loose. “Let go of me,” she yelled.

Snatching off his sunglasses, he got nose to nose with her and snarled, “You ever pull a stunt like that again and I’ll kill you myself.”

Several things struck her at once—his impressively broad chest, his strong shoulders and his incredibly thick neck. I wonder if he has hair on his chest or if it’s smooth and lickable. She swallowed hard and swiped her tongue across her bottom lip. It was impossible to tell through the loose-fitting knit shirt, but she did know one thing. His lips, now pulled into a thin, tight line, were definitely kissable.

Dear God, what am I thinking?

This was why she avoided him. He confused her. His overbearing personality and often alarming intensity scared her. Despite that, with nothing more than a heated look, he made her body hum and purr like a well-tuned engine. And right now she wanted to strip and lick him like a Tootsie Roll Pop.

She pulled her gaze away from his mouth and looked into his eyes. She’d always considered her chocolate eyes dark, but his were black as lumps of coal and equally cold. Completely devoid of any emotion.

Her stomach dropped and her chest ached. Seeing him remain completely unaffected while she suffered through a heat wave, hurt and pissed her off. However, she’d never allow him to know it, so she hid her hurt the only way she knew how, with her smart mouth and in-your-face attitude.

She pushed her breasts forward until they were pressing into the fabric of his shirt. “You’re supposed to protect my body.” She pressed against him harder. “Whatcha gonna do? Handcuff me so I’ll behave?”

An intoxicatingly predatory smile shattered his hard expression and he leaned in close to her ear. “Be careful what you ask for, sweetheart,” he threatened, the raspy rumble sending warm breath down the side of her neck and a cold shiver racing down her spine. “You might get it.”

Nikki fisted her hands at her sides and fought the urge to grab onto him as his spicy scent, hot body and gravelly voice filled her with a disturbing sensation.

Desire.

Reckless, nearly uncontrollable desire.

While Nikki searched for words—something she never, ever had to do—he hooked his fingers under her elbow and led her around to the passenger side. Opening the door, he said, “I’m driving from here on out.” Then he unleashed a smile that reeked of wicked intent and self-assured arrogance. “And I’m betting you learn to behave even without the handcuffs.”

Here's the link where you get your own copy of Reaction Time.

I'm also guest blogging at several different places this week. Drop by and say hello if you get the chance.

Today I'll be at:
http://www.romrevtoday.blogspot.com/
http://kate-davies.blogspot.com/

Tonight, from 9:00 - 11:00 (EST) there will be a live chat with various authors celebrating December and January releases. It's open to the public, everyone is more than welcome. Click here to drop by and visit with us for a while.

Tomorrow I'll be hanging out at http://jennifersrandommusings.wordpress.com/

And next Monday I'll be playing in the jungle with the Plotmonkeys - http://www.plotmonkeys.com/

Have a wonderful day!
Peace and Love,
Alannah

Happy Friday!!

What I'm reading now....

I'm a big fan of Rhonda Nelson and I've heard lots of great things about "The Ex-Girlfriends' Club." I finally got the book and...well, I'm not supposed to be reading anything right now (I'm supposed to be writing), but I couldn't help myself and I cracked the cover. But the fact that I'm only on page 39, when I've had the book for several days, shows great restraint on my part.

Here's the cover and the blurb:


Police officer Eden Rutherford has only one weakness-bad boy Ben Wilder. With just one wicked glance, he could make her lose control, lose her heart...and lose her panties. Too bad he took all three with him when he hightailed it out of town three years ago. Now Ben's back, and Eden's bracing herself. First, for his assault on her libido. And second, for his reaction to BennettWildersucks.com, the Web site she and Ben's other ex-girlfriends put together to humiliate him.

Only, one woman's going too far...

Now Eden has to deal with a stalker and her overwhelming lust. She needs to get Ben out of her system, for good this time! And offering Ben her protection might just be the way to do it-.

So, what are you reading?

What I'm Reading....

Maximum Exposure by Alison Kent

Here's the description from Amazon:

Finn McLain is no stranger to unusual assignments. But the gorgeous stranger who just asked him to photograph her for an erotic art exhibit-that's definitely a first. Finn came to Miami to dig into the personal life of boutique manager Roland Green for a lovesick gallery owner, and hadn't planned on sticking around. But the boutique's owner, Olivia Hammond, has just made him a proposal that's as hard to ignore as Olivia herself. She's got caramel-kissed skin, a body that makes grown men tremble, and a wild sideline as an exhibitionist. Ooookay. Yet despite her willingness to 'let people look,' Finn's convinced there's a hell of a lot Olivia's not revealing.

And that's the most intriguing prospect of all...Olivia as never been shy about using her sexuality to get what she wants. But then, she's never wanted a man quite the way she wants Finn. What he thinks about her shouldn't matter, yet it does. Through every candid photograph and every heated encounter, Finn is getting closer, intent on getting beneath her shell-and for once, Olivia is tempted to let him. But first they have to contend with the fact that Finn's simple investigation into Roland Green is getting dangerously complicated...and Olivia isn't the only person in town who's not what she claims to be.In a city throbbing with sex appeal, two wary lovers are about to play, the ultimate game of show and tell, where temptation is raw, wild, and hot enough to make you sizzle...

Hilarious Hump Day Humor....

DEER MEAT

A man kills a deer and takes it home to cook for dinner.

Both he and his wife decide that they won't tell the kids what kind of meat it is, but will give them a clue and let them guess.

The kids were eager to know what the meat was on their plates, so they begged their dad for the clue.

Well, he said, 'It's what mommy calls me sometimes'.

The little girl screams to her brother

Spit it out, it's an asshole.


A deer ran across the road in front of hubby and I the other day. Hubby started laughing and said, "You know, if I'd been quicker I could've said, 'Hey, look, an asshole.'" This one brought tears to my eyes, hope you enjoy it too!

Peace and Love,
Alannah

Tuesday food for thought....

Quit identifying with your difficulties, finding justifications for them, and arguing for them. Become a force for your own potential. Shift your attention to what is going right and how great it could be.

-- Alan Cohen

--------------------------------------

Peace and Love,
Alannah

What I'm Reading....

I'm a huge J.R. Ward Black Dagger Brotherhood fan. In my mind, those brothers live and breathe in Caldwell, NY. On the day of the latest release, I'm in B&N at 10:01 getting the newest release. But somehow, I missed the release of "The Black Dagger Brotherhood an Insider's Guide."



I remedied that situation on Monday and am absolutely loving this book!!! Here's the copy of the back cover:

"Prepare to enter the dark passionate world of The Black Dagger Brotherhood and get up close and personal with each one of the Brothers…

You’ll find insider information on the Brotherhood, their dossiers, stats and special gifts. You’ll read interviews with your favorite characters, including a heartbreaking one with Tohrment and Wellsie, conducted three weeks before she was killed by lessers. You’ll encounter deleted scenes—accompanied by the whys behind the cuts—in addition to exciting material from the J.R. Ward message boards and the answers to questions posed by readers about the series. You’ll learn what it’s like for J.R. Ward to write each installment of the series, and in a fascinating twist, you’ll read an interview with the author—conducted by the Brothers. For the first time ever, you’ll get an original short story about Zsadist and Bella and see the miracle of their daughter Nalla's birth and the depth of their love for each other. Also, you’ll get a sneak peek at the much anticipated next book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, Revenge’s story.

This is a compendium no Black Dagger Brotherhood fan should miss…and an insider’s guide that will seduce you as powerfully as the sexy band of Brothers and the “ferociously popular” world they live in…"

Anyone who is a fan of the Brothers needs to read this book!!

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend.
Peace and Love,
Alannah

Excited

For Thesaurus Thursday I thought "excited" might be a good word to us. It can mean so many different things. My son yesterday said he was "excited" about Christmas (if he knew we still don't have a clue what we're getting him for Christmas he might be less excited! lol).

I have a project that I'm working on that I'm very "excited" about. And, of course, "excited" in romance novels means something else entirely. Here's what my trusty Synonym Finder has to say about it.

1. agitated, aroused, inflamed, keyed-up, high-strung, temperamental, feverish, overwrought, wound-up, worked-up, stirred-up, whipped-up (sounds like some one's cooking), beside oneself, hot and bothered, hot under the collar, hopped-up, disturbed, perturbed, upset, discomposed, disconcerted, distracted, ruffled, flustered, fluttered; nervous, edgy, apprehensive, tense, uneasy, restless, restive, fidgety, skittish, frantic, frenzied, wild, seething, maddened, crazed, delirious, hysterical.

2. impassioned, fervid, fervent, ardent, zealous, vehement, fiery, red-hot, hot, eager, enthusiastic, enthused, elated, intoxicated, ebullient, stimulated, turned-on, invigorated, motivated, inspired

3. angry, incensed, vexed, exasperated, furious, outraged, blustering, foaming, fuming, raging, flaming, irritated, annoyed, aggravated, hectored, nettled, plagued

4. brisk, active, lively, animated, energetic, spry, dynamic, busy, spirited, bustling, smart, snappy, peppy, frisky, stormy, tumultuous, turbulent, volcanic, explosive

Wow...if I'd looked at the thesaurus first I might have picked a different word (one with a whole lot less synonyms!).

Have a great Thursday!
Peace and Love,
Alannah

Most people never run far enough

"Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out if they've got a second. Give your dreams all you've got and you'll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you."

William James
1842-1910, Author

I wanted to share information about an auction to benefit author Jo Leigh. There are a lot of great auction items available and it' for a great cause. To read More about Jo Leigh’s story, and to see all the great auctions listed http://www.alisonkent.com/forjoleigh.html (sorry, I can't get the link button to work).

Make it a great day!
Peace and Love,
Alannah

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

I want to wish everyone a most wonderful Thanksgiving.

And, for Thesaurus Thursday, I thought it would be fun to use the word "turkey." Not the kind you eat, but the kind that, well....

Definition: One deficient in judgment and good sense.

Synonyms: ass, idiot, imbecile, jackass, mooncalf, moron, nincompoop, ninny, nitwit, simple, simpleton, softhead, tomfool

LOL...I just couldn't resist!

Happy Thanksgiving Giving!
Peace and Love,
Alannah

Life should.....

LIFE should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "Holy shit, what a ride!


(I actually have this on a little sign hanging next to my bed)

Have a wonderful day!
Peace and Love,
Alannah

Wow!! Thank you, JennifersRandomMusings

I have made so many wonderful friends over the past year--through writing workshops, RWA online groups, through other writing friends and writing blogs. One of the wonderful people I've met is an avid reader and a phenomenal cheerleader. She's spent a lot of time in chat rooms with me and my writing buddies, giving us an encouraging word here and there and cheering us on when we didn't feel like writing.

Now, she's shown her support in another way. She's given me an award!!




I will try very, very hard to not disappoint.

Thanks so much, Jenn. And you check out her blog at http://jennifersrandommusings.wordpress.com/



Have a fantastic day!!
Peace and Love,
Alannah

update and upcoming schedule...

I just wanted to post a little hello to everyone, make sure you know I haven't dropped off the face of the earth and let you know that starting Monday I will be posting a new topic each Monday through Friday.

I'll start the week off right with an inspiring photo on Monday.
Tuesday will have either a writing tip or a motivational quote.
Wednesday will still be hump day humor.
Thursday will be thesaurus Thursday, like I did a few weeks ago.
And Friday...well, that's still undecided (I'm open for suggestions!).

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend and I'll see you on Monday!!!

Peace and Love,
Alannah

Hump Day Humor...

An 8 pointer, 4 pointer and a button buck are standing by a field browsing on acorns.

The 8 pointer says, 'I'm happy with my 10 does, we're really getting along.'

The 4 pointer says, 'I'm happy as heck with my 5, they really take care of me!'

The Button buck says, 'My two are all right, better than nothing I guess.'

Then all of a sudden a GIANT 14 pointer walks out into the field. The three bucks had never seen anything like him before, they were in awe. The big buck made a huge scrape and pissed in it, rubbed a tree the size of a telephone pole and snapped it off at the ground!
The three bucks looked on in amazement.

The 8 pointer says, 'I could probably get by with 4 does...........Who really needs 10 anyway?'

The 4 pointer says, 'You know............. come to think of it, I only really use one or two of mine!'

The button buck was silent, as the other two bucks look over to him in confusion. Suddenly the yearling runs out into the middle of the field! He rips and tears up some grass........ pisses all over the place, snorts & wheezes, rubs his head raw on a tree and chews a licking branch clean off! Then he runs back over to his buddies.

His friends immediately ask him, 'What the hell are you doing!?'


'I'm just makin' sure that big sumbitch knows I'm a buck!'


Make it a great day everyone!
Peace and Love,
Alannah

Wicked....

I've been trying to think of different things to put on my blog, to keep it fresh and updated and yet still be entertaining/amusing/informative. Gee, that's a pretty tall order!

One of the things I've come up with is Thesaurus Thursday.

There's a group of writers that I meet with online and we spend evenings and weekends writing and chatting. We've joked about having a "word for the day," and everyone agreed it sounded like fun. But we always forget.

Words are the tools of our trade, and to have a large vocabulary is helpful. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that I think you should use words that no one understands, just to be impressive. In fact, if you use too many words the reader doesn't understand you risk pulling them out of the story and frustrating them. But the more varied the language, the better.

So, I thought it might be fun to do that on Thursdays. And today's word is "Wicked."

I realized over the weekend that I was using that word a lot. "The hero flashed a wicked smile." "The wicked intent was evident in his expression." I pulled out my Synonym Finder and holy cow! "Wicked" takes up 1/2 a column. But, for my purposes, here's the list of options:

immoral, dissolute, dissipated, abandoned, profligate, reprobate, debauched, lewd, lecherous, lascivious, lustful, libidinous, licentious, salacious, prurient, carnal, wanton, unchaste, concupiscent, promiscuous, obscene, indecent, impish, mischievous, elfish, prankish, naughty

slang - masterly, expert, skillful, proficient, deft, adept

The cool thing about using various words, is that sometimes the whole sentence (and maybe even the paragraph) gets reworked. Changing one word will make you look at the sentence completely different. And it usually ends up being a much stronger and expressive sentence.

For example, instead of "The wicked intent was evident in his expression." I could say, "His hooded eyes and heated gaze said the debauchery was about to begin."

Seeing "debauched" on the list changed my thought process and the direction of the sentence.

Now it's your turn. How would you change that sentence to make it stronger and more original?

Hope it's a great day for everyone!
Peace and Love,
Alannah

Hump Day Humor...

A friend sent this video to me in an e-mail, and I have to say, I watch it every now and then when I need a good laugh. I think I might know this guy! LOL

Hope you enjoy it as much as I have!!

Weekend Games

A dear friend of mine, and amazing critique partner, has a new release out today.

Weekend Games, by Cara Carnes, from Loose-id.

Here's the blurb from her website:

Best friends Aubrey, Charlotte, Francie and Julia have had horrible personal lives the past year and have decided that needs to be changed. What better way to kick-start their sex lives than some role playing games on Halloween weekend? The four concoct the perfect scenario: each one invites one or more former male “friends” to participate in the roles. The men will not only play a part in the hedonistic play, but will create the roles.

When Halloween night arrives, the four women discover the seven sexy men have constructed role plays meant to not only tap into their dark desires, but to push them to a new level of awareness about themselves..

It began as fun and games - a weekend of no holds barred pleasure - but it soon morphs into passion that none of them could have possibly expected. Suddenly a weekend doesn’t seem like nearly enough time.

Let me just say, I have started reading it and it is awesome! So far, Matias is my favorite. Damn, that man is hot! But there's six more to go so I might end up changing my mind before it's over! LOL

So....

So...such a small word, such a large pain the ass!

When I first sold my story to Samhain, Heidi, my wonderful editor, sent me a "Pre-edit checklist." It had a list of things for me to go through my story and look for, prior to her beginning her edits, so (lol) that the editing process went quicker and was easier for both of us.

One of the things Heidi had in her checklist was a list of garbage words. These are...well, garbage words, that can often be deleted. They're filler words. Words that slow down a sentence and add nothing. One of the garbage words was "so."

Now, I'll be perfectly honest. I seriouly considered skipping over it and going on to the next garbage word on the list, "just." I mean...really..."so?" I didn't remember typing that word a single time. Obviously I didn't have an overabundance of them because I would have remembered typing it. Right?

At this point, if Heidi reads this, she's rolling on the floor laughing her ass off.

In my 30,000 word novella I had 80!!!

Yes, you read that right...80!

Now, in all fairness, the "find" feature does also recognize words with "so" anywhere in them. So (LOL), words like "someone" or "somebody" would be included in that total. But let me tell you...there weren't that many of those words that were added to the count.

My heroine was very much out of her comfort zone and uncomfortable for most of the story. I wanted to show her tentativeness when she spoke and, apparently, I did that by starting almost every sentence with her saying, "So,...." I never would have believed it if I hadn't done the "find" feature myself.

Now, in my current WIP, I'm oh so (lol) very aware of that word. See, even typing my blog, I realize every time I type those 2 tiny letters side by side.

So (lol, jeez!), what words are you overly fond of that need to be purged from your WIP? We can treat this like a support group! LOL

Make it a great day, everyone!
Peace and Love,
Alannah

Hump Day Humor...

I love to laugh. It makes me feel good and it's good for you. And as I started typing this, I realized it goes totally against my post at Plotmonkeys this morning. Because this video is one of the funniest things I have ever seen, and it is definitely laughing AT someone. I might have to go back over there and ammend my post! LOL

If you've never seen the "bachelor ride home" video...well, I'm posting a spew alert! I can't figure out how to get the damn thing to load. Sorry you've got to do a cut/paste thing but I hope you enjoy anyway.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jik8r-m6dP8

Good news!!!

I have some terrific news and I just had to share it! Actually, I have several pieces of good news.

The best is, hubby had an MRI last week and then his regular follow-up appointment at Duke. The PA and the doctor both said the MRI looked great and even hinted that there might be some regression of the tumor! Yippee!!!! Great, great news!

They said the fact that the seizures have stopped is another indication that the chemo tablets are working. The doctor also said a healthy immune system is the best thing that he can do for himself.

That led to a conversation about using organic milk/meat/cheese (because they don't contain any hormones or anti-biotics) and he confirmed that it is very important to avoid those things and that we're definitely on the right track by eating all organic. (Long story but I've often been laughed at for eating organic and told that it was a waste of money - I've been vindicated! LOL)

The second piece of good news is that I got the cover for my December release...It's so cool and I feel official now.




I've also been added to the "coming soon" pages at Samhain Publishing.

Does anyone else have any good news they'd like to share. I'd love to celebrate your good news with you, just let me know about it!



Peace and Love,
Alannah

Update on life.....

I can't believe I haven't updated in weeks. Life gets going and sometimes its hard to keep up. Unfortunately, blogging ends up at the bottom of the "to do" list.

But I have had some major revelations over the last few weeks and have made some changes to myself and my life. Those who know me well know the last year has been stressful. And over the last year I've done a phenomenal job of taking care of my family...LOL, if I do say so myself. But honestly, I think they would agree and my husband thanks me constantly for everything I do for him.

But I haven't done such a great job of taking care of me.

I realized the weight gain was just a symptom of how I've been treating myself (or not treating myself) and so I've decided to stop ignoring myself, do what I need to do to make myself feel better. And part of that is looking better.

I'd let my hair grow out until it was down to my waist. I decided it was time to get it cut. We started with a 10" swath (10" so that I could donate it to Locks of Love) and then she just kept cutting from there. It's now above my shoulders, long layers and with my natural curl its just a cute, kind of flirty look that I really like. I've received tons of sincere compliments on it, and of course, that makes me feel good.

I haven't gone overboard with the make-up thing, but I am trying to at least put on foundation and mascara in the mornings. LOL...baby steps, people, baby steps.

Just doing those simple things has made me feel better and it's the funniest thing. I realize I'm eating a lot less too. The late afternoon munchies aren't as troublesome as they used to be and when I do find that I absolutely have to eat something I'm fixing a small bag of popcorn and it holds me over until dinner.

It's gonna take a while but I'm feeling better and better about those thirty pounds coming off. Now, if I can just figure out how to get by without that Pepsi every morning!

Hope you're all doing well. Leave me a comment and let me know how things are going for all of you!!

Peace and Love
Alannah

Inventive kidlet....

When kidlet was young...3 or 4, he was obsessed with the movie, "Wind." It's a movie about sailing and he watched it over and over and over. I guess that was a preview of things to come. He enjoys sailing at the river, either on a little sunfish, or the windboard and he talked his grandfather into bringing the old sunfish from the river back to our house. We have a 4 acre pond, not great for sailing, but better than nothing.

Well, yesterday he combined his love for sailing and his creative, inventive ability. We live along the Carolina coast and there is a "storm" (experts disagree on exactly what kind of storm it is) sitting off the coast causing it to be very windy here.

He started thinking out loud (a trait he's inherited from his father) and the next thing I know he's taken his wagon, built a frame over and under it, attached 2 brackets and has me out there holding it so he can attach his sail (an old sheet).

I wasn't quite sure how it was going to work so I made him put on his helmet and cut him loose.

It worked!!!!!



His father was so proud and impressed when he got home from work and saw kidlet "sailing" back and forth across our farm.

Now they're trying to figure out how to make a boom, so he can control the sail and keep the wind in his sail, even when he turns. I don't think I was that smart when I was 13. Hell, I'm not sure I'm that smart now!

So how about you? Do your kids, nephews, brothers (or sisters) do this type of thing?

Queen for the Day....

Okay, I need to give an update but it'll be short and sweet. I didn't lose any weight last week, but I didn't gain either and that's a huge accomplishment, considering all I did was eat, sleep and play cards (and lose money playing cards).

But I have something much, much more exciting to share with!

The Soapbox Queens - Jennifer LeBrecque, Rhonda Nelson and Vicki Lewis Thompson - have given me the opportunity to be Queen for the Day!!!

Join me tomorrow at www.soapboxqueens.com where I'll share the story of my secret writing life and use my power as Queen to make your secret dreams come true as well. Hey, in the castle anything can happen!!!

Hope to see you there!

National Body Challenge Update

Ugh....that's all I know to say! lol

I'm in Myrtle Beach on vacation and eating has been a top priority since I arrived last night. We had dinner at a New York Steak House and between the shrimp cocktail, filet mignon and 1 lb. baked potato that I split with hubby I was miserable when I finished.

Then for lunch today we went to Johnny Rockets - hot dog and Oreo milkshake!! OMG - how many calories there must have been in that meal.

I decided for dinner I was just going to get a salad. Really, I'm still full from dinner last night and lunch today, I have no room. Unfortunately, they have no salads at Thoroughbreads. So.....shrimp cocktail, prime rib, mashed potatoes. I brought at least half of the steak and potatoes back to the hotel with me. I think I hear them calling my name.

Tomorrow we move from our hotel to my uncles condo. I was there today...I saw the chips and cookies and mounds of junk food piled high on the counter. I'm going to be a freaking whale when I leave here...maybe I should walk home.

Please tell me you guys are doing better than me!!!! Paula, welcome back to the jungle, glad to hear you're doing better!

Make it a wonderful day, everyone!
Alannah

B&N will never be the same

Anyone who knows me knows I can't go past Barnes and Noble without stopping. It's an addiction of sorts, and I truly have to force myself to not stop if I'm in that shopping center.

Today I had needed (notice I didn't say wanted, I needed to go to B&N) to get the book, The Answer. I have it on audio book, it's phenomenal and I want my husband to read it. I'll never, ever get him to sit down for 6 hours and listen to the tape, but if I have the book available I might be able to get him to read a snippet here and there. But I digress.....

I picked hubby up for lunch, we ate our sandwiches, and then I ran to B&N. He sat in the car while I ran inside. I was in there less than 5 minutes (because he was waiting I couldn't wander and check out all the new releases) and then I ran back to the car.

As I got in the car hubby says, "Look at that vehicle."

"What vehicle?"

"That white Expedition next to you." (there was actually an empty space between it and my car)

I look over at the Expedition and it's rocking. I mean ROCKING! I started laughing and said, "Maybe they're listening to Sweet Home Alabama and jamming like you were."

He gets this you've-got-to-be-kidding-me-look and says, "Uh, no. There's something going on in that vehicle."

I laugh it off and since the parking space in front of me was open decided I'd pull straight through. That way we could look into the front seat of the Expedition and he could see the people singing and dancing. OMG!

They had a sun screen over the front windshield and there was nobody visible. But that baby was still rocking! We both burst out laughing and hubby says, "Now that's a lunch hour!"

Who the hell goes parking at B&N in the middle of the day and parks that close to the store? And the worst part is, I'll never go to B&N again without thinking of that Expedition getting its groove on.

Hope it was as good for them as the laugh we got out of it was for us!!

Ack...I forgot to update!

I completely forgot to do my weekly National Body Challenge update...and I have good news!!!

Down 5 pounds! Yippee!!

I didn't take any measurements because I'm sure it's just water loss, which is what always happens the first couple of weeks of a new diet for me. But I don't care what it is...I'll take it!

Next week will be tough...we'll be in Myrtle Beach on vacation. I don't do very well at eating healthy on vacation. I also won't have my scales (thank goodness!) so I won't be able to do an update on Monday. But I'll do an update the following week.

So....how's it going for everyone else?!

It's that time of year again!

I'm not talking football, or the final NASCAR cup races that will determine who this year's champion is going to be. I'm talking hurricanes.

The last couple of years we've been lucky along the Carolina coast and haven't had to deal with the "is it going to hit us or is it going to miss us" question (and I do recognize our luck has been the gulf coast states and Florida's bad luck). The reason that question is relevant is because we have property along the coast and when a storm gets too close we need to take our boat and jetski out of the water, pull up the pier and empty out the fridge, in case we lose power.

Hanna looks weak, disorganized and not much of a threat. But she will still push a bunch of water up the river, which causes our pier to float up and our boat to slosh around in the boat house. So, as is always the case about 48 hours prior to landfall, the seemlingly endless phone calls and conversations that lead to nowhere begin.

Every single person in my hubby's family owns his/her own business. Contrary to popular belief that when you own your own business you can set your own schedule and leave when you want to leave, the opposite is usually true. Trying to arrange it so we have enough people (men who can lift the pier) and drivers (some who can drive the boat, some who can drive the truck and trailer) usually ends up being a major production.

But I think we have it all worked out for today and in about an hour we'll head to the coast to do our annual thing. The good news is: the sun is shining, the storm is still far off, the water isn't pushing the pier up as we're standing on it trying to unscrew it from the stringers, the wind isn't blowing so badly we can hardly get the boat out of the boathouse without beating it on the sides, and there isn't a driving rain that stings like crazy when it hits you. You can guess how I know about all of those scenarious! lol

I'll keep you posted, and honestly, Hanna isn't the one we're worried about. Very few of the hurricane prediction models show Ike turning back out to sea, so it appears that someone is going to have to deal with that storm in the next week or so. And that won't be pretty.

Peace and Love,
Alannah

National Body Challenge Update

I said I'd be checking back in every week with an update on how things are going so here I am.

Still the same size and still the same weight!

Last week just didn't go as well as I had planned but every day is a new beginning and this week is a new beginning and so....I begin again! I hadn't taken in to consideration that I had a birthday last week - late happy birthday to Paula, also - and that I was going to be on a mini-vacation.

Hubby's family has a river cottage and we were there with his mom and dad, his sister and her husband and their two kids. With the hurricane season heating up we decided we needed to go ahead and empty out the two refrigerators so that if we have to go back down and do hurricane prep at the last minute, we wouldn't have to deal with any of the food.

So, what do you do when you need to clean out a refrigerator. Many of you may simply throw the food in the trash or put it in a cooler and bring it back to your home. That might have been the sensible thing to do, we decided to eat and drink our way through them.

But I've done much better today! Hubby is in agreement that he needs to get back onto some sort of a diet (his new medicine has caused him to put all the weight he lost back on) and so far today we've been back on track!

Thanks for stopping by and encouraging me and I hope you've had better success in the past week than I have. Next week, I'll have a much more positive report!!

Oh, I'll also have a new website! I can't wait for you to see it and please, tell me what you think!!

Peace and love (do you mind if I steal your line, Paula, I absolutely love it!)
Alannah