As the stomach churns...

The latest controversy in the romance world has been a hot topic on the internet for the past week or so. It would seem that some upstart authors decided to dress in costume for the Romance Writers of America Literacy Signing.

The Shock...
The Horror...
How DARE they have fun...

First noted at the Smart Bitches site, it would seem that three authors dared to darken the RWA signing wearing costumes to promote themselves and their work. The interesting thing is one author, Sherrilyn Kenyon, has been wearing fabulous and outrageous clothing for years - she wears it everyday - that is how she dresses.

The other two authors wore manga inspired clothing to promote their manga-esque works from the new Dorchester Shomi line. Wow, sure glad they didn't show up dressed in period clothing, that would've really screwed up the readers.

The most amusing aspect, to me at least, is that Big-Wig authors like Nora Roberts, Jenny Crusie and a few others have actually spoken out against the costumes.

JC - I just don’t know how else to say, “This is not a good decision professionally,” when the counter argument seems to be “Lighten up.”

Hmm, maybe it isn't a good decision professionally for you Jenny, but I like it just fine. When did you become the voice of romance authors anyway? I remember you sending out an email to the Board of RWA with an extremely hostile reaction to a statement made by an epublisher back in 2002. Seeing that note caused you to have to step down from the PAN Chair position at RWA - I guess “This is not a good decision professionally,” for you but you did it anyway.

NR - If I’m a brand like Coke (and how could I object to the comparison?) it’s not because I wore costumes or lived something that came out of my books. This is NOT how you become a brand-name author.

Pray tell then Nora, what is the magic key? To write a hundred trilogies about magical sisters over and over again?

In short, I don't get it.

Both ladies along with many others have their panties in a bunch while they scream about a lack of professionalism. Because Sherrilyn Kenyon decided to wear a fabulously HUGE hat to a signing, that makes her unprofessional?? Wait, I'll alert the media...

Yes, I'm being sarcastic. The reason this gets my bra in a twist is since when did someone else set the bar of professionalism for writers?

In my opinion, being a professional means:
- turning in manuscripts on time
- working hard to improve your craft
- be courteious at all times
- maintain a good working relationship with your editor, agent etc
- don't talk badly about editors, agents and publishers...(and other writers)
- show up early for appointments / events
- Don't get drunk & shoot yourself in public

I could go on for days but I won't. I think ya'll get the picture here. I am a writer, I am creative and I like to have fun. If I dress in costume then I'm doing just that, having a good time. Would I show up in costume for a television interview? Probably not but I can also guarantee that I wouldn't be sporting a suit either. Writing is about expressing yourself and so is how you dress.

If writers want to get their skirts in a twirl, maybe they should take a stand on something that is really important like affordable health care for artists or the shrinking fiction market.

Road Signs

Ode to a Mentor

To Romance Authors, Kathleen Woodiwiss was a legend - the godmother of the modern romance novel.


Her first book, THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER was published in 1972 when I was only seven years old. While I didn't read this book until 1980 or 81, it truly changed my life. I knew, in that moment, I wanted to be a writer. To this day, two of my all time favorite novels are THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER and ASHES IN THE WIND.


While her earlier titles might seem dated now, at that time, her work set a new standard of excellence in the industry and the modern romance novel was born.


Kathleen didn't make many personal appearances during the 1990's though she continued to write bestsellers such as MARRIED AT MIDNIGHT and PETALS ON THE RIVER. Basically a shy woman, she was very nervous about attending conferences and this is how I met her.

A mutual friend was acting as her publicist and official hand-holder for Kathleen's return to public life in 2000. I received an email from Judy, our mutual friend, and she asked me to give her a hand in befriending Kathleen and easing her way into the circus that is the romance world.


Me and Kathleen Woodiwiss, one of the greatest romance writers of all time?!?!? Are you KIDDING me? I would've paid just to stand next to her let alone chat her up and put her at ease. I wasn't too sure *I* would be able to get a coherent sentence together as I'd be groveling at her feet.


Looking back now, I'm not sure what I expected from the first goddess of romance! Boas? Spike heels? Red Lipstick?


When Judy introduced me to Kathleen, it was one of the most exhilerating moments of my life. I can attribute my getting into writing to many things and this woman, this amazing creature, was such a huge inspiration for me. She was everything a role model should be. Intelligent, kind, humble and with a smile that immediately put people at ease. I'll never forget how completely out of touch she was with her standing in the literary world.


"Do you think some of these readers would like to meet me?" she whispered to me while sitting in the lobby of the Doubletree Hotel in Somerset, NJ.


It took everything I had to not start fawning and bowing at her feet. I can't imagine any romance writer NOT wanting to meet her. I mean - come on, the author of THE WOLF AND THE DOVE and SHANNA?? By the end of the conference Kathleen was much better able to circulate on her own and just kick back and enjoy herself. I ran into her a couple of years later at another conference and she was having the time of her life.


Kathleen Woodiwiss passed away today. She survived thirty years in the romance industry and that alone speaks to her talent and longevity. She was an amazing woman, an awesome writer and a legend in her comfy slip-on shoes. For the rest of my life I will treasure the time I was able to spend with her along with the many, many hours I spent losing myself in her work. Kathleen Woodiwiss changed my life with her work, and if reach one tenth of the people she did, I will consider my life a success.

To sum it all up, I will let KW have the last word - she would've loved that. :)


"Dear Readers, I'm delighted with the opportunity this website is affording me in being able to converse with such ease with my readers. Although The Flame and the Flower may have launched a whole new genre in the publishing world, I'm usually the one dragging my heels when trying something new and innovative in the area of communication, preferring all the bugs to be worked out before I venture forth. Although websites may not be as archaic as I'm getting to be, I wouldn't be at all surprised to hear comments like "Kathleen-come-lately" in reference to my emergence on the web, but here I am nevertheless, old as Methuselah and green as fresh corn stalks. Kathleen "

Giving Birth Only To Have Your Child Stab You In The Back

Yesterday I spent many hours (10), watching the History Channel. They were showing their series, THE REVOLUTION which covered the how, whys and when this country declared Independence from England.

In one word: Fascinating.

I've always had a passion for history. After I graduated from high school I took a hiatus from book learnin' and didn't go to college until I was 24 or 25. My major was computer programming (insert maniacal laughter here) and that lasted about a year. I became distracted by my history classes and never did get a degree.


All of the founding fathers went to extremes to give this country a solid foundation from which to live and govern. After being the Commanding Officer of the army and the chief architect of the war plan for eight years, without pay - he was called upon to head the constitutional congress and draft the first part of the constitution.

The men who wrote that document worked hard to come up with a form of government that couldn't go off the rails. The colonists had had it with England and their wild taxes and restrictions and these men were careful to line up a set of checks and balances to ensure the new government couldn't do the same thing later on.

But isn't that exactly what is happening now?

I admit I am fascinated with politics and seeing just how far men will go to debase themselves in pursuit of their own ambitions. The moment I think we've hit rock bottom, something new comes along to prove me wrong.

I'm not going to declare my political leanings as I don't feel it is necessary in the context of my next statement - Political Parties aside - what would the founding fathers think of Bush granting a pardon to Scooter Libby? Does this mean it is no longer illegal to lie to the court system? It is no longer illegal to deliberately impede an investigation into possible wrong doings of a political official? According to this latest move - it isn't illegal if you're covering up for someone else.

I think we all know that Libby had little to nothing to do with the un-masking of a CIA agent and that he was the fall guy for someone else. Who? Why? What else is this administration hiding from us?

And where does it stop?

I can't help but think that George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and all of the founding fathers are screaming for justice from their graves.

Crocheting...

is over for me. (sniff) When I hurt my right hand I lost some function along with it and repitive motions are out of the question for me. Bummer as I really enjoy crocheting when I watch tv - also, this was going to keep me busy in my golden years.

Hmm, now I'll have to take up bungie jumping...

Book Review: Passionate Ink by Angela Knight

Passionate Ink: A Guide to Writing Erotic RomancePassionate Ink by Angela Knight

Publisher: Loose Id

ISBN: 978-1-59632-390-2

Amazon.com description:

The forecast is in: the future of romance is hot and steamy. But riding the wave to success takes more than stringing together a couple of sex scenes or opening the bedroom door on your traditional romance. In her brand-new "how-to", USA Today bestselling author Angela Knight shares the down and dirty details on writing erotic romances that will keep your readers coming back for more. Passionate Ink (un)covers the erotic novel from conception to completion. Straight talk, no purple prose. First, Angela will show you her useful writing techniques that have made her a successful author. Then, she'll teach you what's hard (besides that!) about making your erotic romance erotic: action, both in and out of bed, the anatomy of a sex scene, eroticism and 'kink', and good dialogue, or talking dirty without sounding dumb. If you want to enjoy the heat, then strip off your inhibitions and take a dip.into Passionate Ink.

For a beginning or established writer looking to transition into the world of Erotic Romance, this book is an excellent stepping stone. Filled with straight-forward, no fluff tips, recommendations and techniques, I really enjoyed reading it and I will recommend that my writing groups buy a copy for their libraries.

Foto Friday

Look, it's not a photo of my dogs!! I thought this pond was absolutely beautiful - never seen lilies like this. I had to climb over a fence and dodge security cameras (the pond is on a bank compound and they have security everywhere) just for you...my beloved readers.

;)

Ding Dong...

The contractor is dead!

Okay, I didn't kill him but over the past six months I've certainly thought about it. I've officially fired them after they removed my lovely wooden baseboards to fix the wall and then...put vinyl back in its place.

WTF???

I've come to the conclusion that most men today can't do a damned thing with their hands unless its wrapping those digits around their favorite friend. My father could do anything from electrical wiring, plumbing, building, wood working - whatever was needed. Any more most men couldn't even change their own oil in their cars. When I was a kid I didn't even know you could take your car to a garage to have that done!

I've decided the next man I sleep with will be a handy man who is actually HANDY for a change. I figure one way or another you end up paying for sex anyway, I may as well get something useful out of it besides multiple orgasms...

It never ends....

The contractor has once again invaded my home to work on the bathroom. For those of you who don't know, the remodeling started in January, 2007.

Yes - JANUARY.

To say this has been a headache would be an understatement. I finally gave them their final orders in that if it isn't done this week the attorney will be called.

Ya know - I really hate being like that but they are really driving me crazy. The bathroom is next to the library and when them hammering, banging and playing the music loud its almost impossible to write. It if wasn't for the fact that I love my new shower, I would say that I regret beginning this mess but my shower is quite cool. Hopefully, I can post the final photos next week. (crossing fingers, toes, eyes...)

Manic Monday

So what is Manic Monday all about? It's the day of the week that I scramble around trying to get caught up from slacking over the weekend. So what is going on in my warped little mind today?

SPAM - Sometimes I just look at the spam messages I receive and I wonder, who the hell falls for this crap? Penis enlargment patches? Don't they realize it will take a heck of a lot more than a PATCH to bring some men up to snuff. (sorry, couldn't resist) Miracle diet pils? Honey, if they worked don't you think Oprah would've been the first to know??

Judging from the type of spam I receive, it appears men seem to fall for it most. I receive more penis related emails than should be allowed.

POST OFFICE - What's up with the post office? They increase the stamp rate by two cents but they increase the book rate postage more than .50 per book. Do I receive packaging service with that? No. Pickup? No. Discounted postage for a large amount of packages? Hell, no. And they want to know why most people prefer email...

:)

Eight Reasons Why Being a Girl is Tedious

Pantyhose - need I say more?

Bras - In general I don't have an issue with bras but there are days when I don't want to get dressed that I throw on a tshirt and sweats then feel GUILTY about not wearing a bra. What is up with that? If people don't want to look at my sagging twins then get the hell out of my cleavage!

High Heels - I realize that Catherine deMedici is the 'mother' of the high heels but why should I have to pay for her lack of height with deformed feet? High heels simply aren't natural and I ain't wearing them!

Big Hair - why is it men can roll out of bed and go into public meanwhile women will be called 'sloppy' or 'lazy' if we don't tend to our hair?

Sitting down to pee - When you're dressed up (in the afforementioned hose and heels) I absolutely hate bathroom trips. I don't know about anyone else but I can never get my hose back into a position that feels comfy.

PMS - I mean, COME ON. It's not bad enough that everyone around us makes us crazy then the universe tosses in some hormonal hijinks? When is enough, enough?

Thong Panties - Okay, before sending me the emails...I do like thong panties once you get used to them. What I don't like is when they get lost in your backside and you have to root around to find them again. (Yes, I have a big butt)

Polite and Accomodating - I'm pointing the finger at Donna Reed for this one. When I was a kid, I was raised to be polite and accomodating. I strive to make people feel welcome, make sure they have whatever they need - you get the picture. Anymore, that means you're a pansy. "Oh, JC won't mind if I bring my twelve kids to her Ladies Night..."

Yes, I will.

Foto Friday

I know - it's another photo of my dog but I didn't make it out much this week. My bathroom still isn't done - they repainted it and when they went to put the wooden floor trim (I know it has a name, I just can't remember it) they drove in one nail and the wall caved in.

Just lovely.

The original contractor failed to replace the drywall near the shower (where it had been damaged by years of water) and now they have to go back and take care of that. The biggest issue will be to get the paint to match the rest of the walls. This is textured granite paint and it feels like stucco when you touch it. It's really easy to get it on un-evenly and it just pops out at you.

I'm so SICK of my fricking bathroom.

Saying Goodbye

I've never been good at saying goodbye. I hang onto friendships long past their 'expiriation' date. This is never a good thing yet I do it every time. To quote Tyler Perry (or Madea - which ever you prefer):

Some friends are seasonal and when that season is up, you let them go.

That's a hard one. How do you say good bye to someone you love? Recently I've taken on the mentality that I don't want to leave anything unsaid. How sad is it when someone you love passes on and you can't celebrate their life because all you can think of is what you wish you'd said.

I don't want to be that person. I don't want to be filled with regret when someone I love leaves this world and I wouldn't wish that on my friends.

To borrow a line from Scrooge, the 1969 musical version of the story:

'We never have all the time to say and do everything we wish for suddenly, we aren't there anymore."

And this is the ultimate lesson of life, IMHO. Our time here is finite and we should cram all the living we can into the time we're given, and that includes saying what you feel is necessary to those around you.

One of the the issues that makes me the saddest is that there are several people in my life who have severed all contact with me. Over what - I don't know or I don't remember. Whatever it is I'm sure its petty and silly though at the time it seemed huge and insurmountable. I tried contacting the one nearest and dearest to my heart, and he won't return my calls. This makes me so incredibly sad. First, I don't know why he's upset and since I have no way to reach him, I have no way of rectifying the situation or telling him how very much I love him and how much he's changed my life. But if someone won't meet you halfway, all you can do is wish them well and move on.

So I say to you, loyal readers, if there is something standing between you and someone you love, tear it down - you never know if there is a tomorrow for you to address it.

Sleepy Sunday

My dogs are SO spoiled it isn't funny. They spend their 'off' time (when their not barking at neighbors, eating or napping on the couch) in my bed. Lazy brats!

This is two of my three dogs, Bella on the right and Maddie. Maddie is the dog that travels with me all the time and she stuck with me through my Hurricane Katrina work.

What Romance Authors REALLY do when they're alone...

This is what romance authors do after a long conference weekend.

On the left is Isabo Kelly and on the right is Carolan Ivey. I think Carolan is doing obscene things with that onion ring but let's not dwell there shall we?

After leaving the hotel to head home, we hit the Red Robin restaurant to load up on the 4 food groups, chocolate, fat, beef and bread. Each of us consumed at least 800 calories apiece and didn't eat for two days afterward. :)

Thirteen Things - Favorite Snacks 1 - apples and peanut butter2 - cheese and crackers3 - peanut butter and jelly4 - peanut butter and dill pickles5 - grapes6 - ice cream, any flavor7 - cheez-its8 - cheese fries9 - granola or trail mix10 - yogurt11 - cold pizza12 -cinnamon toast13 - anything sweet Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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On Writing...

This weekend I spent at Lori Foster's conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is always such great fun to hang with new and old friends to discuss one of my most favorite things, books and writing. I met so many lovely people and it was lovely to just kick back, hang and chat with anyone who stopped by.

Of course, as a writer it was also about business.

I met with some agents and editors and received some requests to see WINTER'S DAUGHTER - the manuscript I completed early this year then yanked back from a Publisher-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. I have high hopes for this book as it is truly a book of my heart and it is the best thing I've ever created. So everyone, cross your fingers for me - I have a pile of manuscripts to send out this week. :)

Did you know?

AS THE WAR ENDED, JAPAN PROVIDED SEX SLAVES FOR US SOLDIERS

I read this in The Columbus Dispatch, dated April 26, 2007. I've been wanting to post this little piece of Americana since early May but the accident thwarted me - typing with my nose just isn't much fun.

Anyway, On to the actual tidbits of this little known fact.

Japan, with tacit approval from the US occupation authorities, set up a 'comfort women' system for American GI's. It was an actual brothel system that was condoned by the American government irregardless of the fact that women were being forced into prostitution against their will. Tens of thousands of women were involved in this 'trade' until General Douglas MacArthur shut the brothels down in 1946.

The brothels were rushed into operation in August 1945 when the US forces poured into Japan to begin the occupation.

According to the official history of the Ibaraki Prefectural Police Department whose jurisdiction is just northeast of Tokyo - 'The strategy was the hope that the GIs would use these 'experienced' women instead of harrassing the locals.' A dormatory was converted to a brothel and twenty women were 'working' there.

"As expected, after it opened it was elbow to elbow." the history says. "the comfort women...had some resistence to selling themselves to men who just yesterday were the enemy...there was a great deal of apprehension. But they were paid very highly and they gradually came to accept their work peacefully."

Does this make anyone else ill? No woman 'accepts' selling her body to strangers, 'peacefully' - especially when they are being FORCED into it. For example - Natsue Takita, 19 - applied for an office worker job then was told the only positions were for the comfort women. They persuaded her to sell her body and she committed suicide after working there for four days. What is peaceful about jumping in front of a train?

By the time the brothels were shut down, 70k of prostitutes were employed by the system. The fee was 1 dollar for 15 minutes and they were forced to serve between 15 and 60 men a day. Most of the women working there were forced into it due to dire financial circumstances and lack of family. More than 25% of the GIs contracted a veneral disease from the brothels.

In 1993 Japan's Government apologized for its role in the controversy and established a fund (Asian women's fund) to reimburse the women. In January 2007, California Rep Mike Honda offered a resolution in the house to condemn Japan's use of sex slaves, in part as leverage to force the Japanese government to keep the Asian women's fund open.

The fund compensated only 285 women though there were an estimated possibly 200k of women in the system in Japan, South Korea, Phillipines and Taiwan. Each received about 17,800.00. The fund closed on March 31, 2007.

Haruki Wada, the fund's exectutive director said, "No one Japanese women has come forward to seek compensation or an apology. Unless they feel they can say they were completely forced against their will, they feel they cannot come forward."

I can only wonder how many of them stayed prostitutes, became addicts or died in the street - uncounted victims of a society gone mad.

Another Update

No, my hand / arm isn't any better and yes, I'm annoyed.

I've never been a good patient and I don't intend to start now. It really annoys me that I couldn't even open my juice bar today because my right hand is fricking useless and that's enough to make me whine...

Okay, enough of that crap.

It's obvious to me that I need to see the surgeon. My hand is no better though the bruising is fading which is a good thing. Tonight I finally figured out that I did seriously damage myself. How? Okay, stick your hand out and extend your thumb to make an L (or a backwards L). See the 'webbing' of skin between your thumb and forefinger. Mine is GONE.

Yes, gone.

So not only is it very painful to extend my thumb, my hand just looks odd. (and no, I'm not going to have plastic surgery to fix it, if anyone gets close enough to notice it that means I'm in the act of punching them) Maybe I didn't notice it because the swelling was horrendous?

Finally, to add insult to injury, my dog, THE DACHSHUND, ate the brace I'm supposed to wear. I know, you can laugh, it is amusing to someone who didn't have to pay for a new one.

What do you suppose is the going rate for a weenie dog rug?

Still Alive, Part II

Yes, I'm still here. Thanks for all the well wishes, I really do appreciate each and every one of them. I'm doing better but my computer time is limited. The doctor's think I have some nerve damage and they're ordering me to rest my right arm as much as possible. When I'm at the computer for more than a half hour at a time, I have shooting pains up my arm and that's not a good thing.

That said, I haven't lost my sense of humor. :)

I am constantly amused by the number of things I can't do on my own now. One night I decided to have some cheese and crackers and just cutting the cheese was an ordeal and my arm ached all night long. So I thought I'd be slick and get some sliced cheese and bagels...quick and easy right? Until I realized that the bagels weren't sliced. (whacking self in head)

Driving is fun. I've learned how to start my car with my left hand. Once I get it into gear, I'm good. For the first time in five years I'm glad I bought a car with an automatic transmission. Normally I'm a standard kind of girl.

Taking a shower is most amusing. It never occurred to me to open the soap bottles BEFORE I was soaking wet in the shower. It must have sounded like two horses galloping in the bathroom before I was done - must have dropped the bottles at least three or four times. Luckily we now have a shower stall instead of a tub - that has been a blessing.

All in all I'm doing better. I admit I haven't been wearing my sling / brace combo the way I should and I wonder if that's why I still have pain. The doc had told me to see a specialist this week if the pain hasn't gone away and it hasn't. I'm going to wait another week (and actually try to wear the sling and brace as prescribed) then see how it feels. I'm not one to go racing off to the doctor all the time - I'd hate to waste their time if it feels better next week - so we'll see what happens.

For everyone who is reading this, please eat a steak for me. I'm damned tired of frozen dinners and finger food. :)

Hugs - JC