Theme Song

When "Now and Forever" was rejected by Samhain, the editor mentioned that she found my hero a bit rude and rough around the edges (though she loved some secondary characters AND the storyline ... which is why I'm still gobsmacked she didn't invite a resubmit, but that's neither her nor there). She was right, to a certain extent. He's a man's man (I actually modeled him a bit after my DH). He doesn't "go to the bathroom" he "takes a leak" or "hits the head". He's rough and tumble, wears jeans, works on cars and doesn't mince words.

Today, I was listening to the radio, and his theme song came on. I had to share it with you.



Of course, that got me thinking about Mena, my heroine ... what would HER theme song be? She's such a romantic. She's sweet, (mostly) mild-mannered and a believer in forever.

This is the song that popped into my head:



I can't wait until I'm able to share these two with you. The cover is being worked on as we speak. I have two scenes to add to the story and then I'll send it to a friend for a look-see for typos and gross errors.

Then it'll be ready. I hope.

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We Interrupt This Blog...

Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing. ~William James

DD has fallen in love with "Enchanted" and we borrowed the soundtrack from the library. Is it warped of me that I LOVE this one best?



Check out the lyrics:

Come my little friends
As we all sing a happy little working song
Merry little voices clear and strong
Come and roll your sleeves up
So that we can pitch in
Cleaning crud up in the kitchen
As we sing along

And you’ll trill a cheery tune in the tub
As we scrub a stubborn mildew stain
Lug a hairball from the shower drain
To the gay refrain
Of a happy working song

We’ll keep singing without fail
Otherwise we’d spoil it
Hosing down the garbage pail
And scrubbing up the toilet
Ooh!

How we all enjoy letting loose with a little
La-da-da-dum-dum
While we’re emptying the vacu-um
It’s such fun to hum
A happy working song
Oo-ooh
A happy working song

Oh, how strange a place to be
Till Edward comes for me
My heart is sighing
Still, as long as I am here
I guess a new experience
Could be worth trying
Hey! Keep drying!

You could do a lot when you got
Such a happy little tune to hum
While you’re sponging up the soapy scum
We adore each filthy chore
That we determine
So friends even though you’re vermin
We’re a happy working song

Singing as we fetch the detergent box
Or the smelly shirts and the stinky socks
Sing along
If you cannot sing then hum along
As we’re finishing our happy working song!

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We'll return to our regularly scheduled blog post tomorrow :-)

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Booking It Through Music

A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence. ~Leopold Stokowski

But, enough about books … Other things have words, too, right? Like … songs!

If you’re anything like me, there are songs that you love because of their lyrics; writers you admire because their songs have depth, meaning, or just a sheer playfulness that has nothing to do with the tunes.

So, today’s question?

What songs … either specific songs, or songs in general by a specific group or writer … have words that you love?

Why?

And … do the tunes that go with the fantastic lyrics live up to them?

You don’t have to restrict yourself to modern songsters, either … anyone who wants to pick Gilbert & Sullivan, for example, is just fine with me. Lerner & Loewe? Steven Sondheim? Barenaked Ladies? Fountains of Wayne? The Beatles? Anyone at all…

Not to steal directly from your question, but I absolutely ADORE Gilbert & Sullivan. My DD has been listening to the soundtrack from "Pirates of Penzance" non-stop of late, and it's on my mind.

I love them because they are just so freaking clever.

In PofP when Frederick finds out he must return to his pirate band because of his birthdate, and that he must stay indentured to them for eighty-eight more years, he goes to Mabel and tells her the sad news... and says:

"In 1940 I of age shall be." (This story takes place in the 1800s)

and she responds:

"It seems so long."

Or when the pirates are sneaking up to the castle to kill the Major General and they sing, at the tops of their lungs, "With Catlike Tread".

Or, when the Pirate King says to Frederic: "Away to the cheating world go you, Where pirates all are well-to-do..."

Or just the comedy factor (Keven Kline was truly a master of it in this movie) -- like when the pirates are trying to marry the daughters of the major general and they get into a grave misunderstanding between the words "often" and "orphan" because of the MG's accent.

Their other works are equally as clever: HMS Pinafore or The Mikado. If you ever have a chance to see them, don't miss it. If you pay attention (and you do have to pay attention, because G&S slip their humor in), you'll laugh until you pee your pants.

I leave you with a little taste:



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I did some writing yesterday and wrote about it on JaNoWriMo, where things are very, very quiet. I hope that means everyone is writing like mad!

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Melancholy Monday

Children begin by loving their parents; as they grow older they judge them; sometimes they forgive them. ~Oscar Wilde

I'm indulging in a small pity party, and you've been invited. I was missing my dad today... It's been seventeen years (February) since he died, and some days I miss him like it was yesterday.

Today was one of those days.

So, a little musical montage in rememberance...

The song he always sang to me. I used to blush and tell him to stop when I was little. Now, I'd give anything to hear it again.



The song that was released at the same time he was diagnosed with cancer... it's come to memorialize that phone call when he told me... the words... incurable... terminal... six months... and this song says all the things that are so important: don't wait until it's too late to say what should be said. Regrets are hard to live with.



And the song that always reminds me that we have to go on when we lose someone we love, and try to remember WHY we loved them.

Of James Bond, Eileen Cook and Natasha Bedingfield

"Even the woodpecker owes his success to the fact that he uses his head and keeps pecking away until he finishes the job he starts." — Coleman Cox

So, yesterday I posted a comment from one of my readers about the romance genre and asked for comments. I have to admit to being surprised that not more of you had something to say! Charity, OTOH, picked up the gauntlet and ran with it... so if you want to read her response to DeeDee and find out how she combined James Bond, knife-wielding LOL cats and Greek billionaires, go check out this blog post.

Charity, I am indebted to you. Again.

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I filled out three interviews, worried about two guest blog posts (one of which I don't even have an idea for--Judy said we needed to find a "Guest Blog Post Subject Generator"...anyone know of one?), worked on the LASR site, managed to read a little, stressed out about the upcoming election results for Super Tuesday, tried to chase down a copy of "Unpredictable" by Eileen Cook that was released yesterday--without success (a POX on all the stores in my area for not carrying it!), played with Dakota and STILL found time to write a little on my mystery.

As I've been reading through it, I remembered how much I enjoyed the story (with any luck everyone else will, too). It's really rather light on the mystery (though people are definitely being murdered... I'm halfway through, and the body count is up to three), but the focus is on the people and the romance. I wonder, then, if this would fit into a more contemporary romance line like Harlequin American? Anyone know if HQ American has ever included a secondary mystery storyline? Trish? Kara?

I'm a little afraid I'm writing something that won't fit anywhere comfortably. Again. Story of my life.

Anyway... just over 200 words again. Yay!

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I really love this song. I love the beat. I love the words and the meaning. I really love it.

I've been singing it all morning. I woke up with it in my head. You must realize this is a bit odd for me, because I mostly listen to country music.

But... it's just a good tune.



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You Are a Light Pink Rose

You represent sweetness and grace. Your vibe: Kind and gentle Falling in love with you: is like falling in love with a best friend

What Color Rose Are You?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Excuse me just a moment while I pick myself up off the floor... Me? Kind and gentle? Sweetness and Grace?

**snort**

So, Tori, gonna be my twin again? *G*

Music Monday: The Movie That Molded My Life

Found this at Jen's and couldn't resist playing along today!

Yesterday, I mentioned that roller skating was one of those things that reminded me of my childhood. I should amend that and say it reminded me of my high school years. Until I was in high school, I didn't know how to skate. At all.

What inspired me to learn at such an advanced age?

A movie. I watched this movie over, and over, and over (seriously--those were the days when you payed for a movie and could sit through as many showings as you wanted, so I went in the morning and stayed all day, every day for like two weeks!). I wore leg-warmers, and tore up a skirt and weaved ribbons into combs for my hair. I memorized the poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (wow! Is it ever LONG). I wanted to BE the heroine of this movie. And the only way I could BE her is if I learned to skate. So I did--and quite proficiently, too.

What movie? A classic... I'm shocked you have to ask.

Xanadu.

Here is the classic climactic number from the show--and, oh my word--could this be any more typically 80s? Look at the clothes, the hair...:



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Thanks for all your well wishes about my germ-fest. My cold is speeding through its cycle... it seems that, although the oil of oregano isn't stopping me from being sick, it's making me less sick. I've had only mild symptoms thus far and the cycle I go through is taking one day for each thing. Day one: sore throat. Day two: stuffy nose.

So far so good. If things hold true to the usual course, I'll have the coughing today and then tomorrow or Weds I'll be all done. I'm good with a three or four day, mild cold.

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I got the cutest picture of Dakota yesterday... so will share with you here... Awwww:



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You Are A Realist

When it comes to romance, you tend to take a realistic approach. You believe that love takes time, and it's something you have to work hard for. A bit cynical, over the top romance tends to get under your skin. Your heart is difficult to win ... but it's totally worth it.

Are You Romantic or Realistic?

I love these quizzes on romance, because it seems I'm cynical. Why the HECK is it romance that I write, then? Hmmm????

I'm weird.

Writing, Reviewing and Wings

"Success is achieved by developing our strengths, not by eliminating our weaknesses." - Marilyn vos Savant

Just cuz it was a cool quote. It really has nothing to do with my early morning babbling.

Woke up early, early, early today. I hate it when my brain wakes up before I'm ready. I tried to go back to sleep on the couch, but no doing -- I kept getting the strangest songs in my head. "Are You Ready?" by KC and Terry Desario. "Someone To Love" by Queen. And different thoughts zipped around in there, ideas for promotion, thoughts about writing, wondering about how I can create more hours in my day, wondering why my dog is so weird...

You get the idea.

So, about 3:30 a.m., I heaved a sigh, threw off the throw (it's a throw, it should be thrown don't you think?) and turned on the coffee pot. Even the cat gave me the evil eye when I turned on the dining room light. She clearly has no problem with her brain buzzing...

I checked email, puttered around on a few of my fave sights and then realized I should probably do a blog post. For all the things buzzing around in my brain, not one of them has to do with something to put on this blog.

Is it possible that, after nearly 1,000 posts I've run out of things to say?

You're right. I never run out of words.

I got my first round of edits on one of my newly contracted stories, "A Christmas Curse". Have I posted that blurb? If not, here it is:

For Molly Scott, everything bad in her life has happened during the Christmas season, from training bras in her stocking to being jilted by her fiancé. This year is no exception.

Ten days before Christmas, she arrives at work to find her department closed down and everyone laid off. Desperate, she takes a job for a singing telegram service and, dressed as Mrs. Claus, meets the man of her dreams--who turns out to be a nightmare--in a broken down elevator. The Christmas Curse is right on track.

Is it on your Christmas shopping list? Feel free to get a copy for all your friends and family. It's a fun story (she said humbly).

It's been fun messing with the new website, too. Have you checked out my cool new navigational buttons? I actually liked a different one better, but was out-voted. Judy, my mom and my 8 y.o. DD voted for the new ones. They're growing on me (the buttons, not Judy, my mom and DD). We have big things happening, and the first of them will be announced both here and at the website on Monday!!

We're still in desperate need of new reviewers. Even if all you can do is one or two reviews a month, we need you. We have far more work than my eight current reviewers can handle. I have two good sized ePresses sending us their new releases, and one has said we can review any of their backlist. Though romance is the central theme in all the books and stories we review, they are in all genres -- from Young Adult to mystery to paranormal. What are you waiting for?

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Pillar Place: Monarch may be in for some excitement soon. One of our chrysalis' is turning black! This happens right before they hatch. Like this (photo swiped from Bird Chick, once again -- I adore Bird Chick):



You can't *quite* see the wings on ours yet, but it's getting there. DD insists that it's Curly hatching first. Once all nine (ten?) went into the box, I lost track of who was who, but I'm good with this one being Curly. We'll keep you posted.

My first monarch. I'm tickled.

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What Your Pizza Reveals

Your appetite is pretty average. You don't go overboard - but you don't deprive yourself either. You are a very picky pizza eater. Not any pizza will do. You fit in best in the Northeast part of the US. Your taste is rather complex and sophisticated. You consider yourself a gourmet - and a bit of a snob. You are generous, outgoing, and considerate with your choices. You are definitely unique and artistically inclined. You should consider traveling to Prague. The stereotype that best fits you is hippie. You knew it was coming.

What Does Your Pizza Say About You?

If I don't blog tomorrow, it's because I've donned my love beads and am off to Prague.

Peace.

Take Me Back Tuesday

Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness. ~Maya Angelou, Gather Together in My Name

It's meme day because I have nothing much original to say... Brain. Is. Dead.

Take Me Back Tuesday

Guilty Pleasures of Our Youth

Did you have any bands that you were ashamed of liking in your younger days?

My mom raised me on a lot of the great seventies adult contemporary music: Jim Croce, Neil Diamond, Carole King, James Taylor. I really enjoyed that stuff. But when I got older, and realized most kids didn't, I would sandwich my purchases between other "cool" stuff I also liked. Want to buy Neil Diamond's latest LP? Great -- get Pat Benetar and Def Leppard, too!

Do you look back on some of the things you listened to and groan? If so, what were they?

Not too much. I actually find that I still really like much of what I liked then. The only one that makes me blush a little was my fascination with Wham!, not so much because of their bubblegum pop music (though, oddly, I preferred their first album that was released in the UK that had a harder edge), but because of my extreme crush on George Michael.

Up through the 80's there were a lot of music related TV shows did you watch any? (That weren't on Mtv or Vh-1)

Friday Night Videos. Anyone else remember this show? I'd stay up until ten (or was it eleven?) o'clock at night to watch this thing because we didn't get MTV (oh, the horror) and FNV was on one of the networks. I also, loved, Loved, LOVED "Solid Gold". Oh yeah. Did you know that one of the Solid Gold Dancers was in "Xanadu"? Ha. Bet you didn't.

A good many singers/musicians made films that were pretty awful, but have a cult following, which ones do you like?

Rick Springfield. Oh man, I was SO excited when his movie "Hard To Hold" came out. my heart went pitty-pat. Honestly, though, despite his years at General Hospital, and his current return to Port Charles, he's a much better singer than actor.

Are any of your youthful guilty pleasures still favorites now? Or do you pretend like you never liked them?

I've rather lost track of them. I still love to listen to the old music of theirs, but haven't kept up. My friend, Cathy, sent me Rick Springfield's latest album (or at least it was the latest a couple years ago) once, and I loved it (he can really rock, folks, seriously) and I think Duran Duran is back together and recording (yes, I liked them, too), but I just don't pay attention so much. As a teen, music was everything. Nowadays? Not so much. I find I gravitate to the music of my youth or the most part.

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There were some pretty amazing thunderstorms in my neck of the woods yesterday and last night, but where I live has this odd "bubble" around it -- and we really didn't get hit too badly. All around us? You bet. Last night around ten, DH came it to close all the windows -- big storm coming, all red and orange on the radar, hail, winds... UGH. I'm thinking my garden is a goner, which would be a shame because ALL my veggies are doing well this year for a change -- I'm going to have more squash, cucumbers and tomatoes than I know what to do with!

Anyway... though we got some pretty amazing thunder (that DD slept through, thank heavens -- she usually ends up in bed with us), and it looked like a strobe light outside my window, and it did rain... we didn't get the really bad stuff! Woo!

The dog DID get up around 1 a.m. and the thunder made it a little tough to sleep, but I probably got a solid five hours... one of these days, lack of sleep is going to take me down. But until then? I'm guzzling my coffee and hanging with you guys.

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Your Dominant Intelligence is Linguistic Intelligence

You are excellent with words and language. You explain yourself well. An elegant speaker, you can converse well with anyone on the fly. You are also good at remembering information and convincing someone of your point of view. A master of creative phrasing and unique words, you enjoy expanding your vocabulary. You would make a fantastic poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, or translator.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

Well, thank goodness for that! Last time, the closest I came to 'writer' was 'editor'...