The Go-Ahead

Night Swimming FREE (plus a new interview!)

2012-01-17T08:38:00.002-05:00

Great news today if you've been looking for my YA novella Night Swimming, which was originally released as part of Scholastic's Fireworks anthology (which also featured stories from Lauren Myracle, Sarah Mlynowski, and Erin Haft): Night Swimming is now *free* on Amazon for the Kindle. It's also free on Smashwords as a PDF or in non-Kindle formats (such as for the Nook, Sony eReader, smartphones, etc.)

(Tip: You don't need a Kindle to read the novella if you download from Amazon instead of Smashwords...just use the Kindle app for smartphones or your computer.)

In other news, I'm also featured today on freelance writer Sonya Weiss's blog, answering questions about Shot Through the Heart. Sonya has an entire series of author interviews on her blog, simply click on the link on the right side of her blog page to access them all.

EReader Daily News

2012-01-14T10:39:00.000-05:00

Happy to share that both Shot Through the Heart and Last Stand are featured today on the website EReader Daily News.

If you haven't perused the site before, take a quick look--it's a great resource for finding books for your Kindle, Nook, or other e-reading device. There are summaries of books, links to booksellers (which usually give you reviews), and even price info.

If you have a suggestion for a great book-finding site--whether it's a website dedicated to hardcover & paperback books, e-books, or a combination of the two--post here and share your find with others.

Senior Assassin: The Unofficial Guide

2012-01-03T12:53:00.002-05:00

Since the publication of my romantic comedy Shot Through the Heart I've receivedseveral e-mails asking about Senior Assassin, the water gun tournament playedby the high school seniors in the story. The questions focus on whether I made up the game, if I planned to postthe rules, and whether a high school could really have a tournament like this,especially given the attention to school violence post-Columbine and otherschool shootings.

As to the idea for the tournament itself, I can't claimcredit. Variations on Senior Assassin have been around for quite awhile, oftenunder names such as Gotcha, Water Gun Tag, Elimination, Paranoia, Killer, or simply Assassin. I first heard ofsororities, fraternities, and student church groups hosting these tournaments(or variations on them) when I was in college. There's even a Wikipedia entry on the topic.

I decided to include a Senior Assassin tournament in ShotThrough the Heart after realizing it would work well in my story as a means ofamping up both the internal and external conflict between the characters andafter hearing about a similar tournament at a high school not too far from myhome in Boston. (Check out thisnewspaper article about the tournament written by a member ofthat high school's 2011 senior class.) And face it: How hilarious is it to see a high school student climbing a tree at six a.m. while holding a water gun?

The idea behind these tournaments is one of school spirit orteam spirit, which is why they're often held by an organized group. Participants take great pride infollowing the rules to the letter, as cheating is frowned upon by theorganization/class/team as a whole and honesty about being eliminated (or"tagged") is valued. Inthe case of high schools and colleges, games that get out of hand can result inthe group being subject to disciplinary action, which is another reasonparticipants are careful to follow the rules.

In the wake of Columbine and other episodes of schoolviolence, some organizations have opted to suspend these games. Others consider it all the more reasonto have them, as a means of building stronger community spirit within a group.

As a one-time Littleton, Colorado, resident (I attendedColumbine Elementary) I'm certainly aware of the debate regarding the wisdom ofthese tournaments. For thatreason, as with the high school near Boston, I kept the tournament in my bookstrictly an unofficial class activity that took place outside of school hoursand off school property, and made it clear that the participants took the rulesseriously, with infractions resulting in ejection from the tournament.

Regarding the rules of Senior Assassin: Depending on the organization, therules and "weapons" used in these tournaments vary. Sometimes participants are eliminatedby tagging each other with sticky notes or clothespins; in Shot Through theHeart, the weapon was water (water guns, a hose, water balloons, etc.) I also included safe zones (no shootingparticipants in their own homes, when they're in a vehicle, on school grounds,or when they're at work) in order to make the tournament community-friendly. Otherrules included a prohibition on shooting non-participants and a requirementthat entrants report all "hits" immediately. In the story, as in many real-lifetournaments, two non-participants handled the organizational tasks.

If you've ever participated in one of these tournaments, I'dlove to hear your thoughts. Wasthe experience positive or negative? How was it organized? What rulesdid you follow? Is it somethingyou'd recommend? Chime in!

Box of Books

2011-12-28T17:50:00.002-05:00

I had a surprise box on my doorstep when I returned home from my holiday visit with the family...a whole box of new books!

The paperback edition of SHOT is now listed as in stock at Amazon. If your local bookstore doesn't have a copy, they can order it for you at no extra charge. Of course, it's also available as an eBook if you scored a Kindle or Nook for the holidays.

But now I have this box of books I wasn't expecting...

So, if you're a book blogger/reviewer, and would like a copy, shoot me an e-mail at niki AT nikiburnham dot com. I will give them to reviewers until they're all claimed.

Nook Lovers

2011-12-16T07:38:00.003-05:00

I recently featured a website that helps readers find great books for the Kindle. Today, I want to highlight a new website that points you to great books for your Nook. If you have a Nook (or have seen those Jane Lynch commercials and put one on your holiday wish list!), consider bookmarking this website:

Nook Lovers Daily Book Deals

The site will feature a Daily Cheap Read, book recommendations, deals at BN.com, and other info. It's definitely worth checking out.

Have you found a great site for Nook fans? How are you finding books for your Nook? Share your insights here!

Morning Funny

2011-12-15T08:59:00.001-05:00

If you're on the hunt for humor in your YA reading, take a look at this new blog:

Read It and Laugh

I was recently asked to join several other authors, all of whom write humor for teens, in a group blog. We'll be chatting about what we're writing, things we find funny, and keeping track of humorous books as they hit the market. Guest bloggers will be making appearances to discuss what they're writing and the humorous books they've discovered. While you're there, feel free to suggest titles for our Funny List, which will help other readers find YA humor when they're in the mood for a lighter read.

You can also follow Read It and Laugh on Twitter or "like" us on Facebook for updates and to chat about what you're reading.

All of us love the darker reads, but sometimes you want light and happy for a change of pace and it can be tough to find. We hope this will be a great resource!

I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

2011-12-13T14:55:00.002-05:00

Well, I *am* a writer, but I was interviewed today on the popular blog I Am A Reader, Not A Writer, where I discussed my favorite writing tips, quotes, and even my pet peeves. Check it out here:

I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

Let me know how you'd answer some of the interview questions. Where would you go in a time machine? What would you take to a desert island? (And...Coke or Pepsi?)

Kindle Resources

2011-12-03T12:07:00.001-05:00

If you've recently purchased a Kindle (congratulations!) there's a great website you might wish to visit if you'd like to find book recommendations, read tips for making the most of your Kindle, or chat with other Kindle owners. It's called Kindle Lovers, and you can visit by clicking the link below:

Kindle 3

Once you've visited, let me know your thoughts. Did you find books you might not otherwise have discovered? Were the forums easy for you to navigate?

AND...have you discovered other great sites that Kindle or Nook users might enjoy? Let me know! With the holidays coming soon, many of you are likely to receive/give e-readers, so the more resources we can share, the better.

Five Things About...

2011-11-18T14:01:00.001-05:00

Today I'm featured on author Elizabeth Boyle's blog as part of her popular "Five Things About..." series of author interviews. Find out my dreaded childhood nickname, favorite romantic city, and more.

While you're there, be sure to check out the excerpts of Elizabeth's fantastic romance novels. Her witty heroes and heroines have put her books at the top of my Must Buy list for years.

TONIGHT: Live Chat!

2011-11-15T14:15:00.001-05:00

Quickie post to announce that I'll be doing a live chat TONIGHT, November 15, at the fantastic YA Bound website from 7 - 8 pm, ET, to discuss my new romantic comedy, Shot Through the Heart. For more info and to enter the chat room (it's easy, I promise!), visit this link:

Niki Burnham Chat - YA Bound

Feel free to ask questions about any of my books, writing, my recent Amazing Race casting call, or even about my dog. I'll answer anything! Looking forward to seeing many of you there!

Be Prepared

2011-11-13T10:41:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I blogged about my experience at The Amazing Race casting call, and discussed the fact that--as with writing--even if the odds of making it are slim, if you enjoy the process, it's all worthwhile.

Today, an addendum: Be Prepared.

The "process" isn't simply about writing a book willy nilly; it's about working toward your goal in a planned way, one that increases your odds of ultimate success. One that challenges you.

When my dad and I studied the people in the line at the casting call, we knew our odds of success were better than most. If you're a contestant on The Amazing Race, you can bet you'll be required to climb, swim, run, and carry heavy loads. You need endurance. My dad is fit enough to participate in 500+ bike rides through the Colorado mountains each summer. I exercise 4-5x a week, doing a combination of weights, cardio, and boot-camp style drills. We watch the show regularly, so we have an idea of what to expect. We know we'd need to be scrappy, both physically and mentally, in order to win. We'd need to challenge ourselves. As I studied the people in line, I knew a number of them would be incapable of going the distance in their current state of fitness. If they tried to run a mile, they'd be frustrated and angry. It also was quickly obvious that many of them weren't fans of the show. They may have seen an episode or two, but they didn't know the ins and outs of the Race, so even if they were fit, they were at a big disadvantage.

With writing, it's no different. If you expect to write professionally, you need to be able to craft coherent sentences, plot well, and create characters who speak to a reader. Just as athletes train, working their muscles in order to strengthen them, so must writers. Take workshops, develop a critical editorial eye for your own work, and most important of all, get your tail in a chair and write in order to build your writing muscles. You need to challenge yourself. You also need to read broadly, study the market and know what's being published and by whom so you know what to expect. If you don't, you can expect the process to be a frustrating one.

Preparation may or may not score you a publishing contract, just as being fit doesn't guarantee you'll win The Amazing Race. However, being prepared sure increases your odds of success, and challenging yourself will help you grow and bring an immense amount of satisfaction, regardless of whether you reach your goal.

Do What You Love, It's Never A Waste

2011-11-12T20:22:00.001-05:00

I've often heard writers lament the fact they spend months or years on a project, yet it doesn't sell. Even if the chances of publishing with a major publishing house are slim--and they know that going in--they feel that if the effort didn't result in that publishing contract they coveted, they've wasted their time.

I've always believed that if your time is spent doing what you love, it's never a waste.

When I've mentioned this to frustrated writers, emphasizing that if you want to write, you need to love the process as much as the contract, I hear, "Well, that's easy for you to say. You're published."

Well, today I pursued something I've long dreamed of doing, even though I know the chances of nabbing that ultimate prize are slim: I went to an open casting call for The Amazing Race.

My dad flew in from Colorado to join me at the audition. We followed the directions and showed up at 8:30 am, and the line was already all the way around Bernie & Phyl's, the furniture store hosting the event. The sight of the line in itself deterred a few people, but we expected it. The Amazing Race is a phenomenal show, and as with publishing a book, appearing as a contestant is a dream shared by many. We waited outdoors in line nearly four hours before we were seen. We were asked to stand in front of a camera were told we had one minute to talk about why we wanted to be on the Race, and boom...done.

Realistically, our odds of making the show are slim. There were easily a thousand people at the Boston casting call, and I imagine the show's producers are seeing audition tapes from all over the country. But the people both directly in front of us and behind us were so interesting that the four hours flew by. We had a blast talking about past contestants, what strategies worked and didn't, how we'd race, and about all the different locations where the show's been filmed. Better yet, my dad and I got to know the friendly mother and son behind us (she's a nurse and hypnotist, while he's spent time as a ski instructor in Breckenridge) and the witty couple in front of us (women who married as soon as it became legal for them to do so in Massachusetts.) While we heard other teams exiting the audition mumbling that they'd probably wasted their time, the minute my dad and I walked out, our first words were, "I'd do that again!" Not because we did anything spectacular in our video, but because we enjoyed the process.

If you're a writer, think of the hours spent in front of your computer the same way. You may or may not get a publishing contract. But if you find joy in the process, in the sheer intellectual stimulation of what you're doing, the time spent is never a waste.

Book Club Discussion Questions: Royally Crushed

2011-10-27T08:08:00.003-04:00

Since the release of Royally Crushed, which includes all three books in the Valerie Winslow trilogy, I've received a number of e-mails asking me to post discussion questions for book clubs and reading groups who've selected the book. I've also received several e-mails asking for ideas for book report topics.

First, I want to say THANK YOU for choosing Royally Crushed for your book club or book report! Second, here are the promised questions. Feel free to add your own in the comments. I'd love to see what topics have captured your interest.

Book Club Discussion Questions: Royally Crushed

1) In an early scene in Royally Jacked, Valerie and her friends are smoking behind Wendy's. Cigarettes come up again later in the story. While we often see characters smoking in fiction, it's not usually in a romantic comedy meant for teens. Is it ever appropriate for teens to smoke in fiction? Does the fact that Royally Crushed is comedy change your answer?

2) The entire series (Royally Jacked, Spin Control, and Do-Over) is told in Valerie's point of view. How might the story have changed if some scenes were written in Georg's point of view?

3) It's clear in the early chapters of Royally Jacked that Val thinks of herself as open-minded; she even states that she doesn't care whether a person is gay or straight. However, Val has obvious issues with her mother's sexuality. Is Val as open-minded as she thinks? Do her issues stem more from the divorce itself than from the fact her mother is gay? Would her distrust of her mother have been any different if her mother left her father for a man?

4) Schwerinborg is a fictional German-speaking country. Did it seem real to you? What about the descriptions made it seem that way?

5) Who is the better match for Valerie in the long run, David or Georg? Is she better off alone? What makes you feel that way?

6) In Spin Control, Valerie's mother and Gabrielle drop her off at a PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) meeting without telling her about it first. Was this appropriate? Was it a valuable meeting for Valerie? Were the situations and reactions of the others attending the meeting reflective of the real world?

7) Royally Crushed is a lighthearted romantic comedy, yet the characters deal with some serious issues in the story (divorce, relationships, sexuality, politics, media.) Is it appropriate for such issues to appear in a romantic comedy, or should these issues always be addressed in a serious manner?

8) How does the media change the nature of Valerie and Georg's relationship? Do you think they should be more open with their friends at school?

9) How does Valerie's relationship with each of her parents grow and change over the three books? There are times where she's confused about each of their actions, times when she's angry, and times when she appreciates them. Are her reactions appropriate?

10) Some of the communication between Valerie and her friends is via e-mail. Many YA books have e-mail exchanges between characters. Does it change the nature of the story when some interaction between characters is in person and some is online, and they can't see each other's faces? What do you think of e-mail exchanges in fiction?

11) The author wrote a bonus short story, Reality Check, for readers of Royally Crushed who wanted to see more of popular character Jules Jackson. What do you think of "bonus" chapters in books? What about the new trend of publishers posting prequels to popular series?

Good Editing = Dog Insurance

2011-10-25T10:37:00.003-04:00

This is why I must give everything one last read before I hit send. Abandon the laptop for even a second and THIS happens:

Tipper is the extra character queen.

Video Blog: Forgive My Fins Series, And Then Things Fall Apart

2011-10-07T12:01:00.000-04:00

In today's video blog, I recommend two books from author Tera Lynn Childs, Forgive My Fins and Fins Are Forever. I also recommend Arlaina Tibensky's debut YA novel And Then Things Fall Apart.

Bonus: I'll give away copies of all three books on October 31. Simply leave a comment about what you're reading or what you'd like me to address in my upcoming blogs, and you'll automatically be entered to win. Good luck!

Video Blog: On My Desk, What I'm Reading Now

2011-09-17T09:38:00.000-04:00

Presenting episode number one of my new video blog, where I answer readers' questions. In this video: "What do you keep on your desk for inspiration/good luck?" and "What are you reading right now?"

New Video Blog Series

2011-09-15T11:01:00.000-04:00

For those of you who are YouTube addicts, today I'm launching a new series of video blogs to answer readers' most frequently asked questions and to discuss what I'm reading. These will be quick videos I simply film at my desk during writing breaks.

If you have a question you'd like to see addressed on the video blog, please go to the Contact page on my website and send me your question. Simply put "blog question" or "video blog question" in the subject line.

Here's the intro to the series. The next video will be posted shortly. Thanks in advance for sending in your questions!

E-Book Shopping Bonanza

2011-08-29T16:10:00.006-04:00

My TBB ("to be bought") list of books is lengthy, so this morning I went online to do damage to the ol' credit card. On a friend's recommendation, I grabbed Ernest Cline's READY PLAYER ONE. My friend--a big reader--says it's one of the most original books she's read in some time, so I'm anxious to dive in. (If you've read it, what did you think?)

After picking up Cline's book, I went to buy Anna Godbersen's BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS. To my happy surprise, Amazon currently has Godbersen's book FREE for the Kindle, with bonus material. Not sure how long the special will last, but I urge you to give it a try if you like historical-set YA. (And if you don't have a Kindle, no worries...you can download the reader app for your smartphone or computer from the Amazon website.)

While you're shopping, don't forget to swing over to Smashwords or bn.com to grab your free copy of REALITY CHECK, a 37-page bonus story featuring Jules Jackson, a popular character in the Valerie Winslow/Royally Crushed series. It was written especially for those fans of the series who've asked for more about Jules. REALITY CHECK can be read on any e-reader, smartphone, or computer screen, and it's also downloadable as a PDF at Smashwords.

In the meantime, let me know your thoughts on e-books here. Do you read e-books or prefer paper, and why? If you read e-books, do you read on an e-reader, a smartphone, or on another device?

Major New York Booksigning Next Week

2011-06-22T18:24:00.000-04:00

This coming Tuesday, June 28, I'll be in New York City signing copies of Royally Crushed and chatting with readers alongside a few hundred other romance and YA authors (yes, you read that right...a few hundred!) This is a great opportunity to get an autographed copy of a book you've been dying to grab--maybe the latest by Nora Roberts or Meg Cabot?--or to buy a special gift for a friend. Best of all, proceeds from the event support literacy charities in New York as well as ProLiteracy Worldwide.

The event takes place in the Broadway Ballroom of the Marriott Marquis hotel on Times Square. It runs from 5:30 - 7:30 PM, and there is no admission charge. The only cost is the cover price of whatever books you decide to purchase.

For a complete list of participating authors, visit the Romance Writers of America Literacy Signing information on the RWA website.

This event is an annual one (in a different city each year) and it's a TON of fun. Please come and say hello. Bring a camera, bring your friends, and be ready for a great time!

Trip of a Lifetime

2011-06-06T07:34:00.003-04:00

If you could plan out a trip of a lifetime, where would you go?

Last summer, I was able to take such a trip, which I covered in a series of blogs in October, November, and December 2010. On that vacation, I visited Lisbon, Barcelona, Malta, Tunis, several cities in Italy, Corsica, and Nice.

However...I've always dreamed of jumping in my car for a few weeks and driving around the country visiting as many ballparks as possible. I love planning out road trips, so this would be right up my alley. Once I visited 27 bookstores in 24 hours to sign copies of my books, driving around both Tampa and Orlando, Florida (and managed a visit to a Tampa TV studio to film an interview in the middle.) I had as much fun planning out my route as I did at the book signings! I figure a visit to ballparks would be much the same--you plot out all the ballparks you want to visit on a map, then figure out the most efficient route given the MLB game schedule.

Apparently, I'm not the first to want to do this (shocker, I know.) Ben Blatt, an Applied Mathematics student at Harvard University, figured out how to visit all 30 ballparks in 35 days.

(Bit of trivia...I attended the game photographed in the MSNBC article in the previous link. It was a "turn back the clock" day to 1918, which was the last time the Red Sox played the Cubs at Fenway prior to the photographed game. Players wore old school uniforms, Babe Ruth's daughter threw out the first pitch, and there was a "silent inning" where the public address system was muted and batters were announced via megaphone.)

Of course, I am bookmarking the entry to Ben Blatt's blog. Not that I could make the trip this summer, since his itinerary starts today and I have a book deadline approaching (funny thing, those book deadlines!), but it's a great starting point to plan a future summer road trip.

What about you? Where would you go? Prefer to fly, drive, or take other transportation? Let me know about your dream trip!

Royal Wedding Watch Party

2011-04-28T08:38:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow, I'll be on Twitter early in the morning, posting my thoughts about the royal wedding. If you're on Twitter, please join in! I'll be using the hashtag #royalwed and will be joined by several other authors. Expect--among others!--Harlequin Mills & Boon author Kate Hewitt, who's written royal romance for Presents/Modern, as well as Christina Dodd, whose current release is the bestselling book Taken By The Prince.

We'll be chatting about everything from Kate's gown to the processional to who's wearing what. Of course, as a writer, I'm always fascinated with what's going on beneath the surface...how will Kate's parents feel? What would it be like for you if one of your friends married into the royal family? Watching the faces in the crowd should prove interesting!

And then there are the souvenirs. I've already blogged about some of them, but tomorrow I'll be highlighting a few more. Please join in with your discoveries. The more offbeat and fun, the better!

If you're in the US and want to watch the royal wedding along with us, here are some options I've discovered:

BBC America: BBC America will be simulcasting BBC One's reports beginning at 3 AM. If you want the British perspective on the royal wedding, this is the channel to watch.

ABC News: Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters will begin reporting at 4 AM Eastern time. There are also iPad and iPhone apps available from ABC online that will allow you to follow along.

CBS News: Katie Couric begins her reporting at 5 AM Eastern.

NBC/ITN: Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira, and Brian Williams will begin at 4 AM Eastern.

MSNBC: If you're up REALLY early, MSNBC starts their reporting from London at 3 AM Eastern, with reporter Martin Bashir.

CNN: Coverage starts at 4 AM Eastern with Anderson Cooper, Piers Morgan, and the always funny Richard Quest.

Fox News: Fox is partnering with the UK's Sky News for coverage beginning at 4 AM Eastern.

If you'd like a different perspective than the news stations offer, The Weather Channel will be covering the event. There's also a pajama party on E!, hosted by Guiliana Rancic.

While the truly British at heart would have a cup of tea to stay awake at that hour, I heartily recommend coffee. I'll have a mug of Green Mountain Mocha Java in hand, but I just might treat myself to a Walker's Shortbread to make up for my lack-of-Britishness.

See you then!

Romantic Comedy News

2011-04-19T09:00:00.004-04:00

I receive several e-mails a week asking about future books in Simon Pulse's romantic comedy line. Over the last few years, the line has featured some fantasic authors, such as Jamie Ponti, Erin Downing, Aimee Friedman, Nancy Krulik, and Micol Ostow (and that's just a start!) To date, I've contributed four titles to the line (Royally Jacked, Spin Control, Do-Over, and Scary Beautiful.) However, in the last few years, I've been busy with other projects, which means I usually answer those "when will you write...? e-mails with some variation on "Someday."

I'm happy to announce that "someday" is now here! I just agreed to write a fifth romantic comedy for Simon Pulse. The book is tentatively titled NOT MY BOYFRIEND--tentative, because titles often change while a book is in production--and it's the story of a teenage boy who asks his best friend's younger sister, a talented athlete, to pretend to be his girlfriend. The pair think the charade will be simple, but find it forces both of them to question their offbeat views on romance.

The book is slated for a December 2011 or Spring 2012 e-book release, and I couldn't be happier. As more detailed release info becomes available, I'll post it here and to my bulletin board.

Bonus book news: If you're a fan of Jennifer Echols, then you'll be thrilled to hear that she's also agreed to write another romantic comedy. Her story, DOUBLE DATE, will also be released in Spring 2012. It's about two best friends who can't figure out which of the guys flirting with them is interested in which girl. Worse, the girls don't want to admit to each other that they're interested in the same guy. Jennifer will also be posting updates on the story to her blog, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, thanks so much for all your e-mails requesting more romantic comedies. I'm happy to oblige!

Royal Wedding: The E-Book Version

2011-04-14T13:16:00.002-04:00

Nothing like a royal wedding to start a deluge of royal-themed books. You just knew the minute Wills and Kate entered that press conference to announce their engagement that a slew of royal biographies, wedding photo books, and wedding etiquette guides would follow.

However, here's one title you might not have expected:

Hyperion Books just released A Modern Fairy Tale from popular British author Jane Green. Not only does it discuss (as promised by its subtitle) three generations of royal love, this e-book has additional audio and video content. There's footage from ABC's video archives and a video introduction by Barbara Walters. It will also include a free downloadable update after the wedding showing footage from the big event.

For those of you with e-readers/iPads, is this something you'd anticipated when you bought your device? Do you like the idea of having videos and audio to enhance your books? What do you think of the promised post-wedding updates?

Don't forget: If you're watching the royal wedding on April 29th, you can join me on Twitter where I'll be live-tweeting the royal wedding. I'd love to share the event with you and hear your thoughts on everything from the gown to the guests to the much-anticipated balcony kiss at Buckingham Palace.

Great Company

2011-03-24T09:36:00.001-04:00

Royally Crushed is now available in bookstores everywhere! Not only do I have the photographic evidence, the book is keeping very good company:

That's Royally Crushed in the dead center of the Bellingham, MA, Barnes & Noble New Teen Fiction section. (See the princess holding the frog?) A couple books to the right of Royally Crushed is the newest from one of my favorite authors, Jennifer Echols. (Tip: Forget You is phenomenal. Grab it if you haven't already!) Above my Royally Crushed and to the right is Lauren Oliver's Delirium (check out the way the cover reflects in the photo.) Also on display are Clarity, The Vespertine, Anna and the French Kiss, Matched, Vixen, and a bunch of other great reads. Needless to say, several of these titles went home with me. I also signed all the store copies of both Royally Crushed and one of my earlier titles, Sticky Fingers. So if you want an autographed copy, the Bellingham Barnes & Noble is your spot. I visit the store frequently, so I'll continue to sign books as they arrive. (Thank you, Bellingham B&N!)

If you have a sighting of Royally Crushed, send your photos my way--I'd love to see them! In the meantime, don't forget that there is a FREE bonus story called Reality Check for fans of Val Winslow, the main character in Royally Crushed. You can get your free read right here. It's my way of saying thank you to those of you who take the time to visit your local bookstores and libraries. Without your love of books, it wouldn't be possible for so many great stories to end up on the shelves.

The Fishbowl of Royalty

2011-03-17T12:43:00.005-04:00

Great stories start with great characters. Whether those characters are good or bad, street smart or innocent, ordinary or superhuman, they all make for fascinating reading when we experience the world through their eyes. As a writer, I constantly ask myself what elements in their backgrounds or psyches make them react as they do in any given situation, and what forces in their lives drive their decisions. I love getting to play with these aspects of character to drive the plots of my books.

To that end, I've always been fascinated, from a writing standpoint, with royalty. Their lives are unique; they're celebrities from the day they're born. Most celebrities have the option of walking away from the spotlight. At the very least, they can choose where to live and what profession they wish to pursue. A professional athlete could quit playing ball and teach school. The children of mega-celebrity Hollywood stars can move far away from their parents when they reach adulthood.

On the other hand, royalty are royalty for life. They have extremely limited choices in where they'll live, where they'll attend school, who they'll see socially, or what professional they'll pursue. Their world view is dramatically affected by their birthright, as is the way other people view them. I've found that this unique background makes for intriguing storytelling; no doubt you've guessed this about me, as I've written seven books about royal families (one four-book series of romance novels about the siblings in the diTalora royal family, and a young adult trilogy told from the point of view of Valerie Winslow, an American teen who falls in love with a European prince.) I love to sit down at my computer, envision what life must be like for a modern-day royal, and then ask myself, "What if?"

Needless to say, I've been watching London with interest lately. On April 29, I'll be live-tweeting the royal wedding. (That would be the London wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William, if you've been away from TV, radio, and the internet for the last year.) Please join me. I'd love to hear your comments on the usual aspects of a wedding-- the gown, the flowers, and the guests--as well as your thoughts on the nitty-gritty of personalities. What might Kate feel as she walks through Westminster Abbey? What will she be saying to those sitting with her on the parade route? What's going through her parents' heads as they watch their daughter say her vows to Prince William? What does Prince Charles think of his son's marriage? To me, this is the stuff of great stories.

Between now and then, check out the souvenirs filling store shelves in advance of the event. How surreal would it be to have such items commemorating your wedding? Post your picks and misses here, on Twitter, or on my Facebook page. Here are my picks:

Coolest Souvenirs:

-- Knit Your Own Royal Wedding : A hilarious do-it-yourself knitted royal balcony lineup (the article has a ton of photos that are to die for, with the knit dolls in various settings...even the corgis make an appearance!)

-- Mills & Boon Royal Wedding Collection Mug & Books : A nifty mug and a collection of royalty-themed romance novels (my favorite kind!)

Souvenir Most Unlike The Actual Couple:

-- Official Wedding Commemorative Coin : The Royal Mint says the design was approved by the couple, which makes me wonder what their alternatives must have been. He looks drugged and she looks like she's asking him to check her teeth for lettuce.

Most Appalling Souvenir:

-- The Crown Jewels : Royal wedding condoms. (Did you cringe? I did. Could you imagine getting ready for your wedding, walking into a store to grab a last-minute item, and seeing your face on a box of these?)

Most Hilarious Souvenir:

-- Throne Up Bags : For those who are utterly sick of hearing about the royal wedding.

What are your picks? What would your reaction be if it were you getting married under these circumstances? Weigh in!

Royal Wedding, Royally Crushed, and a FREE Read

2011-03-07T09:03:00.000-05:00

This morning's broadcast of Good Morning America had not one, but two full-length segments on the upcoming royal wedding (who's designing Kate Middleton's dress? who will be the high bidder when they auction off the lingerie she modeled at a charity event back in 2002...and caught Prince William's eye?) I can only imagine the coverage of the upcoming wedding in the UK, given that it's all the rage right now here in the US. Just in the past week, I was e-mailed a link showing the official commemorative coin for the wedding (I think it's hideous...as will be discussed in the next blog!), and saw that an official British royal wedding website was launched to provide royal-watchers with up-to-the minute news, photos, and videos in the run-up to the event on Friday, April 29.

If you need a dose of royal romance and don't want to wait for the London wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, mark your calendars for March 22. Simon Pulse is releasing Royally Crushed, a 3-in-1 edition of my Valerie Winslow series (the entire trilogy is Royally Jacked, Spin Control, and Do-Over.)

To celebrate the upcoming release of Royally Crushed, I've written a bonus short story called Reality Check about Val's combat-boot wearing, Frosty- and Ho Ho-addicted friend Jules Jackson.

Many of you have written to me since reading the very first Valerie book, Royally Jacked, asking if there would ever be a story for Jules. Now there is! It's written completely in e-mail format and tells the story of what happens when Jules finds herself falling for a guy.

Reality Check is now available as a free read, right here, on the Smashwords website, and can be downloaded in a number of formats that will work on your computer, Kindle, Nook, Sony reader, or even as a PDF file so that you can print and read at your convenience. I hope you enjoy it!

In the meantime, feel free to post your thoughts on the royal wedding to comments. Will you watch?

Oscar Recap

2011-03-02T08:54:00.005-05:00

Since I posted my Oscar picks here in the blog, you know how I fared. The bad news? This year was my worst ever. Sixteen right out of a potential 24. (My previous worst was 17, I believe.) However...the good news is that I still ended up taking second place in my pool. Clearly, it was an odd year at the Oscars!

Not so odd: the fashions. There were surprisingly few misses this year. I was hoping the music from Burlesque would be nominated simply so we could see Cher on the red carpet, but no dice. Without Cher, I often must rely Celine Dion to wear a wacky outfit (like the backward tuxedo she wore several years ago.) But no dice there, either. Celine was one of my best-dressed women this time. She wore a tasteful, white gown with a not-too-low and not-too-high v-neck that emphasized her statuesque figure.

My worst-dressed woman ended up being--the surprise of the night--Scarlett Johanssen. From the back, her burgundy lace gown looked transparent. That happens, and it's unfortunate (and nope, I will not post a tranparency photo. It's NOT pretty. But you can guess.) Worse than the gown, however, was the hair. It looked like she rolled out of bed. While there are any number of men who would love to see Johansson with bedhead, I don't think that's how she intended to appear at the Oscars. Scarlett has a fabulous figure. Surely a stylist somewhere in LA could have made her look better? Or run a comb through her hair?

My night was made when Penelope Cruz made an appearance. I was afraid she wouldn't, despite the fact hubby Javier Bardem was nominated for Best Actor for his role in Biutiful; she just had a baby, and post-baby bodies aren't usually gown-worthy, especially when cameras are everywhere. Cruz proved me wrong. She wore a stunning wine-colored beaded gown that emphasized her curves and hid what little leftover baby tummy she may have (hard to tell in her gown...kudos to her on her choice!)

Helena Bonham Carter didn't wear a peacock-colored gown, as I predicted. She went black. BUT...it wasn't dour. It was as HBC-loopy as ever. She carried a fan, wore her round-rimmed sunglasses when the cameras weren't snapping away, and once or twice while walking the carpet she stopped to raise the hem and show off a Union Jack temporary tattoo that had been applied to her leg. Sounds wacky, but I loved it. I know she'll end up on many fashionistas' worst dressed lists, but not mine. The woman is true to herself, and that rates high with me.

My best and worst dressed of the night were (drumroll) Scarlett Johansson as Worst-Dressed Woman, with Cate Blanchett a close runner-up in her pink, strong-shouldered number, which looked like something Mr. Bubble would wear into battle.

Jennifer Lawrence, who was nominated for Best Actress for her role in Winter's Bone, is my Best-Dressed Woman. Her red gown had clean lines, a classy cut and color, and it fit her well. Better still, she didn't go for heavy makeup or over-foofed hair...in other words, a home run. Future nominees, take note! I hope Lawrence is back next year, because I'd love to see how she tops this.

What were your hits and misses? Post to comments if you'd like!

Oscar Time: It's On!

2011-02-27T08:16:00.004-05:00

I just finished making my picks for this year's Academy Awards pool. *rubbing hands together in anticipation of tonight's event*

One of my husband's former co-workers has been running this pool for several years, and this year she's gotten fancy enough to e-mail PDF ballots to everyone so we can fill them out and return our picks via e-mail. The pool is for bragging rights alone, but I still feel pressure. Even though I'm the only writer in the group, last year I whiffed the WRITING awards. I know. Humiliating!

Despite making bad picks in the screenplay categories in 2010, I ended up second place, and I won it all in 2007. The key is to make well-educated picks in the categories that don't get as much attention, such as live action short film, animated short film, sound editing, and art direction. If you're flailing in your own pool, feel free to copy my picks. I won't tell.

Best Picture: The King's Speech

Best Director: Tom Hooper, The King's Speech
NOTE: The buzz is that David Fincher will receive it for The Social Network, but I'm going with Hooper.

Best Actor: Colin Firth, The King's Speech
NOTE: Closest thing to a lock there is tonight. If you haven't seen this movie, go.

Best Actress: Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, The Fighter

Best Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
NOTE: Melissa Leo is the favorite and will probably win for her work in The Fighter. But I'm picking Steinfeld. Copycats, make a note of it.

Best Animated Feature Film: Toy Story 3

Best Foreign Film: Incendies, Canada

Best Original Screenplay: The King's Speech, by David Seidler
NOTE: Even though I'm a writer and am usually quick to make my picks for the writing categories, this one gave me a lot of angst. Inception could win this. Still, I'm going with The King's Speech.
AND ANOTHER NOTE: If you're a fan of The King's Speech and want some good behind-the-scenes info, ABC News did an interesting story on Seidler and his own stutter. You can read it by clicking here. And writers, if you'd like to see an innovative plot breakdown for the movie, check out one of my favorite writer's websites, Save The Cat. The website also has a great analysis of another Best Picture contender, Winter's Bone.

Best Adapted Screenplay: The Social Network, by Aaron Sorkin
NOTE: For purposes of winning your pool, this is one of the safest picks of the night. Sorkin may also give one of the most interesting acceptance speeches of the night (Christian Bale would be his main competition in the "interesting speech" category, if there were one.)

Best Art Direction: Alice in Wonderland

Best Costume Design: The King's Speech

Best Original Song: If I Rise, 127 Hours

Best Original Score: The Social Network, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Best Documentary: Inside Job
NOTE: Most seem to think that Exit Through The Gift Shop will win, with Restrepo another likely winner. If you copy my picks, be warned.

Best Film Editing: The Social Network

Best Cinematography: True Grit

Best Makeup: The Wolfman
NOTE: I think this is another safe bet for Oscar pools

Best Sound Editing: Inception

Best Sound Mixing: Inception

Best Visual Effects: Inception

Best Documentary (Short Subject): Poster Girl

Best Visual Short Film (Animated): Day & Night

Best Short Film (Live Action): Na Wewe

If we don't have guests (which we often do), I usually catch the awards show arrivals from my perch on the elliptical machine. Watching super-fit Giuliana Rancic interview actresses in cut-to-there gowns drives me to work out harder (a peek at George Clooney in his tux doesn't hurt, either.) Then I manage a quickie shower as the last arrivals head into the Kodak Theater before I hit the sofa to watch the main event.

I promise to post my best and worst fashion picks later this week. I predict an incredible showing by Hailee Steinfeld, whom I LOVED in True Grit, and a fun, multicolored gown on Helena Bonham Carter, who wore two different-colored shoes to the Golden Globes. Maybe she'll go for a peacock-type look this time? Whatever it is, it won't be boring. Melissa Leo, host Anne Hathaway, and Michelle Williams are likely to have great gowns, too. They've made good style choices in the past. The real question (for me) is whether Penelope Cruz will come to support hubby Javier Bardem, who's nominated for Best Actor, and if so, how good she'll look in a gown as a brand new mom. My guess is that she'll look phenomenal. She's perpetually one of picks for best dressed.

What do you think? Who will take home Oscar? And what are your fashion predictions?

Book Report Time

2011-02-26T18:32:00.005-05:00

You probably came across today's blog because you did a Google search using the term "Book Report" and then either "Niki Burnham" or the title of one of my books. Since I can only assume you typed in those phrases because you're actually writing a book report, I hope you find today's blog useful.

I decided to write about book reports because I can pretty much guess what time of year it is by the subject lines that pop into my e-mail inbox. If I'm getting e-mails with headers such as, "Help! Book Report on YOU!" or "Royally Jacked Questions" or "Sticky Fingers--Very Important!" I know that it's the week before Thanksgiving (when many book reports seem to be due), one of the last two weeks in February (ditto) or the week before April break. Such is the cycle of the school year and projects.

While I am truly flattered that you chose one of my books for a report (I'm going to assume you chose it, because if you were assigned the book and didn't want to read it, I don't want to know), and I am glad you took the time to find my website and e-mail me, it's not the best way for you to get information for a book report.

First off, book reports usually have a due date. My inbox doesn't, so when I'm traveling or on deadline, it's easy for me to get a few weeks behind on reading and responding to e-mail. By the time I see your e-mail, it's quite possible your deadline will be long past. Second, if I answer one person's book report questions I'd feel obliged to answer them all, and I don't have time to write, eat, AND answer book report questions. (I'll admit it, it's mostly because I like to eat.) Finally, there are a lot of questions I can't answer, even if I want to answer them. "What's the theme of Goddess Games?" is a question only you, as a reader, can answer. And I couldn't begin to tell you about symbolism. Again, these are for the reader to interpret.

That being said, I don't want to leave you frustrated! There are a few things you can do to help with your reports:

1) If you're writing about a specific book, go the main page of my website and click on the link for that book. There is an excerpt (which you should have already read, since you have the book and read the whole thing) and a section called Behind The Scenes. The Behind The Scenes might be helpful to you.

2) You can go to the About Niki page of the website to find out more about me. Anything that you see there is fine to use in your report. There is more biographical info on the Press Kit page, but that requires downloading a PDF file.

3) There is a page on the site called FAQ with answers to common questions about each book, about my writing process, and about where I get my ideas.

4) You can always search this blog by clicking on the keywords at the bottom of posts. That will bring up all the other posts on that topic. To help you, I put the titles of all my books in the keywords at the end of this post. Click the one you want, and it will bring up every blog about that book.

Hope you find that helpful! Again, as much as I wish I could explain themes and motifs, if I took the time to answer every e-mail I receive about book reports, it would mean that no more books of mine would be published, because I wouldn't have the time I need to write them and would miss my own deadlines. Which, in turn, means I would not eat. (Did I mention that I like to eat?) I work hard to meet or beat my deadlines, just as I know you work hard to turn in your book reports when they're due.

However, if you think this is rather uncool of me and that an author should simply write your book report for you (because admit it, some of you who have e-mailed me in the past were hoping for this!) I urge you to check out author Pete Hautman's website. He's the author of several phenomenal books you may have already read, such as Godless, Blank Confession, and Hole In The Sky. Pete has an entire page of book reports ready to go, right here. I think you'll get a better grade if you follow my suggestions, rather than going for Pete Hautman's reports, but that's your call. Good luck!

Royally Crushed

2011-01-18T10:04:00.000-05:00

Happy news this week: my publisher, Simon Pulse, has decided to re-release all three books in the Valerie Winslow series (which includes Royally Jacked, Spin Control, and Do-Over) in a single volume with the new title Royally Crushed.

Royally Jacked, the kick-off book to the trilogy, was an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Readers and was named to the New York Public Library's list of Books for the Teen Age. As you can imagine, I'm thrilled to see these books released as one volume (especially in time for the royal wedding in England...how fun is that?)

Best of all, the book also has a gorgeous new cover. What do you think?

If you've had a hard time finding any of the books in the series, or were waiting to get one until you could get all three to read at once, this is the volume to grab. It will hit store shelves on March 22. In the meantime, if you'd rather pre-order online, here are links to booksellers now offering the book:

• Amazon.com
• Barnes & Noble
• Books-A-Million
• Borders
• Buy.com
• IndieBound

Note: Some booksellers have the wrong cover art displayed...if you click on on one of these links and it displays a cover that says Take A Chance on Me, that's still Royally Crushed. Some websites are still updating to show the new cover (which I adore!)

Happy Pills and Smokin' Gladiators

2010-12-17T15:52:00.005-05:00

Vacation time is fun time. At least, it should be. Often, I've noticed vacationers get so focused on hitting all the items on their mental To Do list that they forget the "fun time"part of their trip. Or--and this is a pet peeve of mine--they spend so much time taking photographs of those To Do list items that they don't actually enjoy them.

When I return home from a trip, I'm often teased about my vacation photography. Not because the pictures are poor, but because I often use them in my Christmas cards, to create notecards, on my blog, etc. But here's the thing: I go on vacation to have fun, not simply to take photos. But if the very act of taking a photo can be fun, or remind you of a fun experience, then I say snap away.

For instance, my dear husband's brother often calls my husband (a more crass term for) a horse's hindquarters. On one European vacation, I decided that, instead of taking photos of statues, I'd take photos of the backside of every horse statue I encountered. The end result (so to speak) was one of the most hysterical visits I've ever made to Notre Dame cathedral. When I turned my back to the cathedral to snap a photo of King Charles on his horse (which was also facing away from the cathedral), an entire busload of tourists whipped around with their cameras to see what shot they should be taking.

I can't even think of Notre Dame without thinking of those tourists. It was hilarious.

Every vacation for the rest of that year, my husband and I entertained ourselves by snapping photos of the backside of every horse statue we saw (that's when we realized just how many statues there are of men on horses.) We laughed ourselves silly every time we saw a horse statue. Best of all, that Christmas, my husband and I presented his brother with a lovely photo book containing shots of horses from famous sites around the world--Versailles, Florence, Madrid, and yes, Notre Dame. As you might guess, hilarity ensued when my brother-in-law realized the nature of the gift.

So today, I'm posting some of the fun photos from my last trip. These were the result of those occasions when the mere act of lifting the camera to my eye to take the shot made me laugh. Having photos like these are a good reminder that humor can be found anywhere--you simply need to look around.

In Barcelona: A pharmacy guaranteed to make you perky.

And if the pills don't work, you can always mark your grave this way.

Then, have this guy walk all over you. Yes, this was taken in a church, in the central courtyard. He wanted to eat my camera.

From Tunis: I assume this is where you put your money when you are praying it'll stay safe.

From Corsica: What is this mannequin doing with her arm? This was in a display of Corsican costume at Napoleon's birthplace. I couldn't figure out how anyone would get far carrying vegetables this way. Looks painful!

In Rome: Proof that you can get gelati in any flavor imaginable. I can't imagine eating some of these flavors (chocolate with hot peppers? and what is "pera cheese?"), but if you wanted to, you could.

A not-so-subtle warning not to honk your horn.

And finally, a tattooed, smokin' gladiator. (If you want a better look, click on the photo, then hit your back button to return.) He was outside the Colosseum, taking a breather from having his photo taken with tourists. But he was still willing to give me a smile. I think this was the best photo of the entire trip.

Maybe I'll have it made into a notecard.

Peace in Nice

2010-12-02T11:12:00.001-05:00

Last stop on the 2010 Med Tour: Villefranche, France.

My coffee-at-sunrise habit firmly entrenched, I watched a brilliant sunrise from my balcony, then shot this photo as the ship pulled into Villefranche, a beautiful little town located halfway between Nice, France, and Monaco:

As soon as we were off the ship, we bypassed the cafes (which were beautiful, but quickly becoming crowded with tourists streaming off the ship) and walked up the hill to catch the morning bus to Nice. It only took twenty minutes or so to get into Nice, and the bus ride along the coast was gorgeous. From the bus station in Nice, it was a leisurely walk through a park to the morning market, where we perused antiques before settling down to breakfast. I absolutely loved the places we found along this alleyway, away from the crowds, where the only sounds were the grinding of coffee beans, the soft swoosh of pastry being shuffled from baking sheets onto waiting plates, and quiet French being spoken:

After breakfast, we wandered to the beach, then back through town to pop our heads into a couple of Nice's cathedrals before going back to the bus station for the quick ride to the village of Eze. Eze le Village is a medieval town perched high over the Mediterranean, offering views from Italy to Nice on a clear day (which is what we were fortunate enough to have!) From the bus stop, we walked through an outdoor market and peeked at a few vegetable stands, then at this display of spices, before making the long climb uphill to see the views.

Eze is a rabbit warren of alleyways, with quaint shops, inns, and restaurants tucked around every corner. Doesn't this look like a fantastic place to explore?

It's a hike to the top, but the view is worth it. Along the way, we guessed the value of the real estate not only due to the view and location, but because of the cars parked on the steep hillsides (if you click on the photo, it'll show a bigger image. Hit your back button to return to the blog.)

And the water view:

After stopping at a tiny cliffside cafe for a drink, we decided we had enough time to head to Monaco for a late lunch and some sightseeing. The bus ride from Eze (after we hiked back down, that is!) took less than half an hour. Rather than take the bus all the way to the casino area, we hopped off just over the border, then walked downhill through a maze of apartment buildings and gardens. The flowers hanging over the walkways were too pretty to resist.

I know that, as a tourist, one "should" see the casinos and the Grand Prix race course, but I preferred taking this route. I visited Monaco once before, but it was pouring rain then and we were forced to stay indoors. This time I wanted to see what Monaco has to offer outdoors, and to see the world in which most Monégasques live (hint: it's not in the casino.) We stopped for pizza near the castle, and--surprise!--I truly think it was the best pizza I've had in my life. (My husband ranked it at about #2 or #3...his #1 pizza place is in Sorrento, Italy.)

We spent most of the afternoon walking, taking in the views of the waterfront and the million-dollar boats docked there before heading to the cathedral for a quick walk-through, and then to Monaco's famous aquarium. While the aquarium is definitely THE place in Monaco for tourist crowds, the DH and I had just seen the documentary Oceans (VERY highly recommended!) and were in the mood to see some aquatic life. (Note: Prince Albert of Monaco was one of the sponsors of the film, and is also a huge supporter of Monaco's aquarium.) The aquarium is breathtaking. If you ever happen to be in Monaco (not that anyone "happens" to be in Monaco, but if you ever get there....) definitely visit its aquarium.

Afterward, we walked until we absolutely had to catch the bus back to Villefranche to make our ship's departure time. But...I did manage to have one picture taken in Monaco. (Proof that I really did go on this trip!)

We made it back to Villefranche with just enough time to spare to grab a final gelati from a cafe near the dock, which I think is the perfect way to wind up a Mediterranean vacation.

I wouldn't say the last day of the trip was my favorite location--I'd have to go with Corsica or Malta for that--but it was certainly the most relaxing. No schedule, no Must Do List, no crowds, no rain.

Of course, the end of the vacation means a return to the writing schedule, but I'm fine with that. Happier, in fact, for having left my desk for awhile to explore.

Sweet Corsica

2010-11-19T12:15:00.002-05:00

After a day of rain and wind in Lucca and Pisa, I awoke to this. As Candace Olson loves to say on HGTV, "How divine."

Ajaccio, Corsica, has to be one of the most blissful towns on the planet. Yep, mark it down as another place where I'd be content to settle for several months or even years. Napoleon Bonaparte, who was born just a few blocks inland from this pier, is known to have said on more than one occasion that he'd know he was on the island of Corsica by the smell alone. I believe it. The island is full of rosemary, juniper, heather, thyme, and a variety of other aromatic plants that combine with the ocean air to make each breath intoxicating.

Since the day we arrived just happened to be Napoleon's birthday, numerous parades and celebrations were scheduled. A market (yippee!) was also being held near Ajaccio's main square, so I decided to wander through and shop. I sampled local honey and nougat, perused dozens of tables of fruits, vegetables, spices, locally handcrafted jewelry, and soap. Doesn't it look fantastic? I loved the hat on the guy in the second photo. To me, he looked like he'd walked straight off a postcard.

After spending our Euros in the market, the DH and I walked a few blocks to Napoleon's birthplace for a quick tour. Quite a bit of the original furniture is in the house, there was a ton of information on how the family lived, and there was also a special, limited-time display of Corsican clothing from the era. I love seeing historical clothing, so that was a special treat. Unable to temper my writing research habit, I took copious notes and photographs.

And check out Napoleon's bedroom. The bed's original, but my guess is that he didn't have the torchiere lamp.

Once we were back outdoors, we debated going for coffee or walking toward the parade route. When I saw these two heading toward the parade, though, I decided to follow.

The closer we got to the beach, the more costumed men we saw. It felt, for the next few hours, as if we'd truly stepped back in time to Napoleon's Corsica. After the parade, we grabbed coffee and ice cream at a nearby cafe, went through the Musee Fesch (filled with art at one time owned by Napoleon's uncle, Cardinal Joseph Fesch), then walked along the beach.

After making one last pass through the market so I could purchase some vervain soap I'd seen earlier, we made our way back to the ship for what proved to be a highlight of our trip, a fireworks show to celebrate Napoleon's birthday. We may have had the best viewing spot on the island.

Now that I've fallen in love with Corsica, I've decided I must set a book there. Not sure when it'll happen, but it will.

Next, the final stop: Villefranche.

Italy, Day Three: Lucca and Pisa

2010-11-09T09:10:00.003-05:00

Our third port in Italy was in the beautiful town of La Spezia. Of course, I'd gotten on an up-before-sunrise schedule, so here's the sunrise shot of the day:

While it doesn't have the charm of some of Italy's more touristy waterfront towns--there was a naval ship in the harbor, and there are high rise apartments all over, rather than cute old homes--La Spezia's waterfront boasts a beautiful garden area. We booked a private driver to take us to the medieval town of Lucca, rather than joining the ship's tour to Florence (I've been to Florence before, and couldn't envision spending two hours each way on a bus to try to cram the city's sites into one short day.) Since we made it to the dock well ahead of our scheduled meeting with the driver, we walked around La Spezia and enjoyed the gardens. It was the last bit of outdoor time we had before it started pouring rain!

I even tortured myself by perusing the town's real estate ads. Someday...maybe! Once we met our driver, he took us to the beautiful walled city of Lucca. I'd never been to Lucca, but being history geek and the House Hunters International geek that I am, I loved the episode that was set in Lucca and looked forward to seeing the town for myself. On the way, we went through the city of Carrara, famous for its marble, and looked at the hillsides where Michelangelo had selected the blocks he used to make some of his famous statues. By the time we reached Lucca it was raining, but our driver had us covered (literally...he brought umbrellas for everyone, and he managed to park in a spot that was close to everything we wanted to see, so we'd spend less time hiking around in the rain.) If you are ever in Florence, or are arriving at the ports of Livorno or La Spezia, and you're considering hiring a driver to take you around the area, consider this an A+ recommendation for Tuscan Sunshine Tours. I travel a lot, and Franco's one of the best drivers and tour guides I've ever had the joy of meeting. He has an easygoing personality--just what you want when you're on the go all day--and an amazing knowledge of and love for the region. He offers a number of tours in and around Florence. (If I'm back there again, I'm calling Franco!)

We spent the morning walking around Lucca, admiring its many cathedrals. Even with the rain, the city is breathtaking. Every time you turned a corner in the alleyways of the walled portion of the city, you saw another cathedral.

We walked through the Piazza Anfiteatro, a restaurant-filled square that used to be a Roman amphitheater. Over the years, as the ancient amphitheater fell into disrepair, homes and churcheswere built on its stone foundation. On the exterior of the square (which is actually an oval shape, due to its original construction) you can see some of the ancient stonework from the amphitheater.

My photos of Lucca don't do it justice. The narrow alleys, beautiful cathedrals, and quaint shops are--to me--Italy at its finest. I love poking my nose into little shops to see what's for sale. This was one find, filled with all kinds of olive oils, wines, local mushrooms and tomatoes, and--of course--locally made pasta. If you click on the photo to see it enlarged, it'll make you hungry! (You'll just need to click your browser's back button to return to the blog.)

Franco gave us some time to wander on our own, so we explored a few more alleys and shops before making our way back to the car. He'd staked out a parking spot near the monthly antiques market (we lucked out to be there on the right day) which gave us a bonus spot to explore.

Franco took us through a few of the smaller hill towns, stopping at two overlooks to let us get a sense of the area around Lucca, and giving us the chance to see acres and acres of sunflowers (the area near Lucca is well-known as a supplier to many of Europe's flower markets.) He answered all of our questions about the farms, and even showed us a spot in a medieval wall where capers were growing (who knew?)

Finally, we made a quick stop in Pisa to see the Field of Miracles. By this time it was pouring rain--tourists were fighting with collapsed umbrellas--so we ducked into a restaurant for a quick pasta and pizza lunch in hopes of waiting out the storm. It was still pouring when we finished eating, so I snapped a few quick photos of the tower (yep, it leans!) and Duomo before we hightailed it back to Franco's car. Since I've been to Pisa before, it wasn't a big loss to give it a quick glance and move on, given the weather.

Franco took us back to La Spezia along a scenic route through the area's towns, rather than on the crowded highway, which suited us fine. We made it back to the ship in time to dry off and clean up for dinner. (Thanks, Franco!)

No sunset pictures this time, since it was getting dark. But just wait until the next stop: Corsica!

Italy, Day Two: Rome

2010-11-04T10:00:00.004-04:00

There are two ways you can view the prospect of a day-long trip to Rome. The first way, which we found to be predominant on our cruise ship, is to panic at how much you want to do when you only have twelve hours in the city. The second way, which is my way, is to kick back and see what you can and leave the rest for another visit.

Here's the thing: I've been lucky enough to visit Rome four times in the last six years. On each of the previous three visits, I'd spent several days in Rome. I still haven't seen all there is to see in Rome. So why kill yourself trying to see it all in a day? Realize that you can't do it all, then focus on what you can reasonably do.

If there's one thing you've wanted to see your whole life--say, the Sistine Chapel ceiling, the Colosseum, or the Borghese Museum (I love the Borghese!)--then make that place your priority. If you finish with time to spare, move to the next thing. Or not. Rome is not a hurry-it-up place. I guarantee you, you'll have fun even if you're leisurely and miss most of the touristy sites.

Our cruise ship, like all cruise ships visiting Rome, docked at the port of Civitavecchia, which is about an hour away from the city. Rather than take a tourist bus from there to Rome, we took the port bus from the ship to where the (very long) pier meets land, then hopped off and walked a few blocks to the train station. Everyone in the station speaks English, and they're used to tourists asking how to get to Rome, so nabbing tickets on one of the frequent trains is easy. We got our tickets and were on board, heading into Rome, within forty minutes of getting off the ship. I loved seeing the coast and the villages on the way in--views that I think are better than those you get from a highway. In many cases, given Roman traffic, the trains are faster than the busses, too.

Once in Rome, we took the Metro to the Colosseum. I've been there before, but I love walking through the Colosseum and looking across at the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill from one of the Colosseum's upper levels.

On this trip, we did a Rick Steves Audio Tour of the Colosseum, which we'd downloaded onto our iPods before leaving home. The audio tour was easy to follow and worked out fine.

Another option--one I HIGHLY recommend if it's your first time in Rome--is to spend the money and hire a private guide from Rome Walks. We did this on a previous visit and thought it was worth every penny and then some. The guide who met us on that visit was a graduate student from the University of New Hampshire who'd been studying in Rome for nearly a year. He loved the city and its history, and it showed. He answered all our questions (as a history geek, I tend to have a lot of them) and took us to see the Colosseum, the Forum, and Palatine Hill over the course of one beautiful afternoon. Best of all, he did it in a reasonable amount of time--we saw what we wanted to see, skipped what we didn't--and he was great at ensuring we didn't get caught behind massive crowds. Hiring the guide made the most of our time on that trip. I've taken some of the company's group walks, too--their Twilight Rome Walk, as well as their Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere Walk--and would book another walk with them in a heartbeat.

After we finished our tour of the Colosseum, we made our way past the Forum (the entrance has moved since the last time I was there, making it harder to cut through--so we ended up walking past it rather than through it) on our way to the Pantheon. I adore the Pantheon and the square in front of it, so getting there for lunch was a priority on this trip. I think it's a fantastic people-watching spot. We grabbed pizza (not as good as the pizza in Sorrento, sadly), watched the tourists go by as we ate, then walked through the Pantheon itself before making our way to the Piazza Navona. There was an art market going on, so after watching a group of kids play in the Piazza Navona's Bernini fountain, we spent some time wandering through the market and enjoying the sunshine.

We hadn't made any plans for the afternoon, so we debated going to the Vatican. However, since the weather was so great and we wanted to spend more time outdoors, we opted to skip it on this trip and make our way to the Spanish Steps and then to the Trevi Fountain, which are also great people-watching spots (and near some good leather shopping, if you like shopping.)

First, however, we made a stop at my favorite gelateria, which isn't far from the Pantheon or Piazza Navona. If you're ever in Rome, try the Gelateria Della Palma on Via Maddalena. When you go inside, pay first at the register, then take your ticket to the ice cream counter. There are more flavors than you could imagine, even some made with soy for those of you whose stomachs can't tolerate the real thing. This photo shows about a quarter of their selections. I couldn't fit it all in one shot!

They have some exotic flavors, like chocolate pepperonicini, but I'm partial to simpler ones like the strawberry or the mint chocolate chip.

After visiting the Trevi Fountain to throw in the requisite coinage (thus guaranteeing a return trip to Rome), we walked along the Via Condotti, up the Spanish Steps, then made our way to Termini to catch the train back to Civitavecchia. We poked our noses inside a few of Rome's many churches (I HIGHLY recommend you do this anywhere you go in Europe, since you never know how beautiful or moving the scene may be inside) before making a pit stop at the Piazza delle Quattro Fontane to refill our water bottles at one of the four fountains so we'd have water for the train ride. The last time we stayed in Rome, we were in a hotel not far from here, so it was fun to stop here again.

We probably didn't see as much of Rome as some of the other people on our cruise ship did, but we truly enjoyed ourselves and we weren't wiped out at the end of the day by trying to cram in as much as possible. We even had a little bit of time to explore Civitavecchia before enjoying a late dinner and a phenomenal sunset.

Next on the agenda: Italy, Day Three: Lucca and Pisa

Italy, Day One: Amalfi Coast

2010-11-02T09:00:00.004-04:00

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Italy. The country is drenched in sunlight, boasts skiing AND beaches, and has what's arguably the best food in the world. There are big cities, postage-stamp sized villages, and everything in between. Even if it didn't have all those plusses, the history of the region alone would put it atop my favorite places list. (Then again, I'm a total history geek.) Part of why I chose this cruise was that it made three stops in Italy, one outside Naples, one an hour from Rome, and a third stop just south of the Cinque Terre.

Again, I popped out of bed at dawn to go on my balcony and watch the sun rise. This is just off the coast of Capri. I wanted to bottle it. The sky and water were some of the most beautiful shades I've ever seen.

Once we pulled into the port in Naples, we went through the large port building (all brand-spanking new!) to find our driver. Since I've been to the Amalfi Coast before, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to see and thought having a driver for the day would be the way to go. First, we went to Pompeii. I wanted to explore before it got too hot. Even though we arrived before 9 AM, guess what? Still too hot. We were out of there by eleven. The place was jam-packed, so I'm glad this wasn't my first visit there. Still, I enjoy it immensely. There's something new to see in Pompeii on every visit--the place is huge. It's sad to envision such a large city being devastated as Pompeii was.

After Pompeii, we took a leisurely drive along the Amalfi Coast. Though there are other places I'd go if I had more than a day, for our short stop we decided to hit Positano and Sorrento. The views along the Amalfi Coast road are breathtaking--even when there's fog, as there was the day we were there. (Thanks to our driver, who took this photo!)

He also stopped at a roadside stand so I could ogle the food. I love checking out what's for sale in foreign countries (as was probably apparent from my Barcelona blog.)

Most tourists seem to take photos of buildings, landmarks, or (gasp!) their families. Me, I'm all about the markets and food stands. (Though I can't remember ever taking a photo of my plated food in a restaurant, something I saw others doing on my cruise ship the entire week. It's never struck me as a Thing To Do.)

After grabbing some gelati--happy, happy, joy, joy--we made our way to Sorrento. The last time I was on the Amalfi Coast, we stayed in a small hotel here for three days, so I know my way around. We had a fabulous pizza lunch, then walked to the gardens near the main town square. Sorrento is known for its lemons and limoncello liquor. No wonder, when there are spectacular lemon trees absolutely everywhere.

Between the fresh food and the citrus trees, I think Sorrento must be one of the best-smelling towns anywhere.

Instead of having the driver face the crowded road back to Naples, we opted to take the ferry. I'm glad we did--and I'd do it again if I ever need to get from Sorrento to Naples--since the views were amazing. This was from high in Sorrento, walking down to the ferry:

And this was the view from the ferry itself, as we left Sorrento:

You know this setting will end up in a book, right? It's too beautiful not to spend my working hours revisiting in my mind. This is a big reason I love to travel. It's all fodder for the imagination.

Next up, Italy, Day Two: Rome

Game One

2010-10-27T14:50:00.006-04:00

I couldn't let the day go by without posting my pick for this year's World Series. Not only do I think the Texas Rangers will win, I think they'll win in five. (I'm tempted to say they'll win in four, but I'll hedge.) Though I'm obviously unhappy that my Rockies and Red Sox didn't make an appearance this year, I'm thrilled for the Rangers. I love seeing a team that's never been to the Series make it all the way.

I'm also cheering for the Rangers this year because they're the longtime favorite team of my writing buddy Emily March. Emily is a pen name of author Geralyn Dawson--if you're a fan of western romances or romantic suspense, search out her books written as Geralyn Dawson. They're phenomenal.

Geralyn's first book as Emily March, Angel's Rest, hits the stands in February. I've had an early look, and it's definitely worth pre-ordering. (And if you like Colorado settings, as I do, then you're in for a real treat.)

In the meantime, Go Rangers!

Berber Tea in Tunisia

2010-10-26T11:02:00.018-04:00

I'm not usually in the habit of getting up before dawn, but being on a ship with a sea view balcony beckoning seems to pull me out of bed earlier than usual. Again, I made it outside long before the ship made it into port. Glad I did. I spent about twenty minutes watching these two fishermen search for a place to drop their giant, rolled net. I think the three of us (and, presumably, the captain of the cruise ship) were the only ones awake.

Soon, we were pulling into port in Tunis. In typical Middle Eastern style, one of the first things you see (check the side of the building) is a giant picture of the country's president standing in front of the flag. When the DH and I visited Egypt a few years ago, we played a, "How Many Hosni Mubaraks Can You Count?" game as we went through downtown Cairo. I think we'd have been successful playing a similar game in Tunis.

After hopping off the ship, we boarded a bus for a guided tour. I'm generally a go-it-alone type, but figured that with the limited time we had in Tunis, and the limited research I'd managed ahead of time, a tour was in order. Our first stop was the historic Punic Ports. Today, it simply looks like a nice place to live (lots of gorgeous homes in this neighborhood), but I can imagine Hannibal leaving from here on one of his expeditions.

After walking along the waterfront, we made our way to the ruins of the ancient city of Carthage. I'd read that the ruins aren't that great; therefore, I was surprised by how much was actually still standing. You can climb down and walk through it all, then on to the waterfront to imagine how life must have been when this was a flourishing city.

I spent a good hour-plus, heat and all, exploring the ruins. Believe it or not, I actually had a picture taken at this stop!

From Carthage, we re-boarded the bus and went to explore an ancient ampitheatre, then went on to the St. Louis Cathedral to take in the view of the entire city of Tunis and its waterfront before heading to the touristy (but gorgeous) blue-and-white village of Sidi Bou Said. In Sidi, we opted to skip the shopping--which was where most tourists stopped--to wander the streets and admire the architecture. Wouldn't you love to live in a house with a front door like this one?

The entire village is filled with elaborate blue doors and windows adorned with fancy grillework. After walking through the park and peeking through alleyways at a few more buildings, we went to a Berber house that is open to visitors who want to take a tour and have some tea. While it was fairly touristy, I liked having the opportunity to see the layout and tilework of a Berber house. Despite the fact it was nearly a hundred degrees outside (it was about 2PM by this time), I couldn't resist trying the steaming hot Berber tea.

It was tasty, but given the heat, it wasn't hard to turn down the second cup! After enjoying the tea, I climbed up to the roof to take in the view across Sidi Bou Said, back toward Tunis. I stayed up there quite awhile, but only took a couple photos. I was too busy enjoying myself!

From there, we walked back to the bus. I didn't go into any of the shops, but did snap a photo of the outside of one, since I loved the colors of all the plates on display:

And I snapped a final photo of a gorgeous gate on one of the homes:

On the way back, our tour guide talked about the Tunisian system of government, the way its educational system works, and the role of women in Tunisia (more women than men in Tunisia pursue higher education...who knew?) I found it all fascinating.

My last photo of the day was taken just before sunset, looking back toward Tunis as the ship left the harbor. To the right of this island (with its phenomenal cliffs) was a huge wind farm. Our tour guide had mentioned that Tunis draws a lot of its power from the wind, so it was a nice way to finish the day to see the wind farm on departure.

If I'm fortunate enough to visit Tunisia again, I'll do it on my own. Tunis seemed pretty safe and easy to navigate, despite a lot of the overhyped warnings I'd read online before visiting. Most Tunisians speak at least some English and French, which means I'd be fine if I ever got lost--though sometimes, getting lost is when I have the most fun! If I were to go for more than a day, I'd try to arrange for one of the many tours out of town that go to the Roman ruins south of Tunis. I've heard that Dougga, in particular, is worth the drive.

Isn't it great when you leave a place with a head full of ideas for things you'll do next time you visit? In my mind, that's the mark of a successful trip!

Next stop: Italy!

Malta ...by Foot, Cab, Bus, and Boat

2010-10-17T13:07:00.017-04:00

If someone told me I could use their Malta apartment for six months, I'd be all over it. There is a lot to see and do on the island (and the neighboring islands of Gozo and Comino, let alone on Sicily, which is only a 90-minute ferry ride away.) Unfortunately, I only had a day on Malta, but I made the most of it.

If you ever arrive in Malta by cruise ship, chances are that it'll be at sunrise. Get your tail out of bed. It's worth it! I watched the sun rise over the island of Comino, then kicked back with a cup of coffee on my verandah to watch the limestone walls of Valletta drift by as we made our way into port. Isn't it gorgeous?

The DH and I were the first people off the ship once it docked (yippee!) I haggled for a cab with a rather scary-looking sailor type, but once we settled on a rate--and I was wondering what I'd gotten us into--he turned us over to another cabbie, a fantastic guy who was happy to answer all our questions about the island and its history. At our request, he took us across the island to Malta's famous Blue Grotto. This was the big reason we wanted to be first off the ship--we wanted to be the first to the Blue Grotto in the morning, so we could see it before it was full of tourists. When it's early on a Monday morning, as it was when we arrived, the boat dock looks like this:

Just a few old guys swimming in the ocean, or fishing from rock outcroppings. Quiet and serene.

We took the first boat out, so we had the grotto all to ourselves. I would've loved to have anchored here for the day. The water, especially in the caves, was so clean and blue you could see all the way to the bottom, and the rock formations were astounding:

The weather was perfect, and it was warm enough that you didn't even need a jacket. Pure bliss.

After we returned to the dock--just as the first tourist bus was arriving--we found our cabbie (he was watching for us) and made our way back to the city of Valletta. Along the way, the cabbie told us about the festivals taking place in various towns, about his family, and about Malta's school system. It sounds boring, but it was unbelievably interesting. (We loved our cabbie!)

We spent the rest of the day strolling through the city of Valletta. First, we visited St. John's Co-Cathedral. Check out the ceiling here--it gives the Sistine Chapel a run for its money:

We wandered through the shopping area for awhile. The main streets were full of people by this time, so eventually we grabbed a spot to sit for lunch and did some first-rate people watching:

I left my husband at the lunch table so I could sneak in a bit of shopping. I snagged a great pair of silver filigree earrings in one of the shops on this street. I try not to shop too much when I travel, since I prefer to keep my packing to a minimum, but this is one of those times I wished I'd bought more. LOVE the new earrings.

After lunch, we made our way to the main traffic circle in town to hop on a bus bound for the city of Paola. I'd done some research on Malta several months before we visited, and decided I absolutely had to visit the Ħal-Saflieni Hypogeum, a prehistoric underground temple/necropolis. I'd reserved tickets online about two months before our trip (they only allow ten people an hour inside to help preserve the site), and was thrilled to be able to visit. I couldn't take any photos inside--you leave your cameras with security at the door--but you can find some great ones at Heritage Malta website. Here's my lone photo, of the outside door:

It's in the middle of a city block--the Hypogeum was discovered accidentally during construction in Paola in the late nineteenth century--so you'd never suspect from the outside what lies underneath. If you ever have the opportunity to visit Malta, I highly recommend stopping here. You can make your reservations at the Heritage Malta site (which has a lot of info on all of Malta's historic sites and museums.) Just give yourself plenty of time to get there. Our bus driver had no idea where it was, and dropped us off at the wrong stop. Turned out fine, since it gave us the chance to see a bit of Paola tourists never see.

Not far from the Hypogeum, we noticed a beautiful cathedral, so we popped in here, too. We were the only non-Maltese anywhere around:

After touring the Hypogeum, we hopped the bus back to Valletta. The bus in Malta is an experience in itself. The Maltese pride themselves on their antique busses. This is the one we took back to Valletta (and no, there is no air conditioning, but if you put the window down, you'll be fine!)

We spent the rest of the afternoon walking through Valletta's botanical gardens, enjoying the shade and taking in the views across the city and harbor.

Finally, we made the long hike downhill to the harbor and our cruise ship. Perfect, perfect day. I'd go back to Malta in a heartbeat--friendly people, lots to do, great scenery, and an amazing history make this one of my favorite spots in Europe.

Next up: Tunisia!

Barcelona and Montserrat

2010-10-07T17:01:00.031-04:00

After recovering from the SATA(n) flight--which required serious stretching, a hot shower, and a lot of sleep--we spent two fantastic days in Barcelona, including a quickie half-day side trip to Montserrat.

Montserrat is a gorgeous Benedictine abbey set in the side of a mountain. To get there, you take a train from Barcelona, then a cable car up the mountain. Check out the view looking up from the cable car...see the monastery on the upper right? It blends in with the mountain. (Tip: if you still can't see it, click on the photo to enlarge it. Then click your Back button to return to the blog.)

Once you're up there, the abbey itself is gorgeous:

And the view across the valley is spectacular. It's also not for those with a fear of heights. Some of the viewing points have very sharp drop-offs.

There are a lot of hiking trails around the area, but we bypassed those in order to get back to Barcelona and see La Sagrada Familia before it closed for the day.

I've been fortunate enough to visit dozens of cathedrals in Europe. A lot of them look alike after awhile; La Sagrada Familia stands out for two reasons. First, Gaudi's funky architecture makes the exterior of the cathedral unlike any other.

Second, the cathedral is still under construction. Since most cathedrals were built in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, having the opportunity to go inside one that's only partially finished is interesting for the architecture and design geeks amongst us. Right now, they're in the midst of installing the stained glass windows. A huge display in the front of the cathedral shows the process, how the glass is selected, and gives information on the artists completing the work. The stone floors are also being installed. I loved being able to see both works in progress.

After La Sagrada Familia, we enjoyed a fantastic dinner near the top of Las Ramblas on Placa Catalunya, where our hotel was located, then did some people watching before heading to Montjuic and the Magic Fountain for even more people watching. The Magic Fountain is similar to the fountains at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas: a giant water show set to music. I liked the fountain in Barcelona better than the Bellagio, simply for the atmosphere.

The next day, we took a long walk along Las Ramblas, which is the main street of Barcelona's downtown. Largely pedestrian, it's full of shops and sights, and therefore, tourists. I snapped an early-morning photo of this street performer applying his makeup before the tourists were out and about:

A couple of Gaudi-designed houses are off Las Ramblas, as is one of my favorite sites in Barcelona, La Boqueria, a giant marketplace. I ate breakfast there each day (sooo good!) and had lunch there, too. Whenever I arrive home from a trip, I discover that my camera is jammed with more pictures of the markets than anything else, and this trip was no exception. Check out all the fruits at one stall and the nearby juice bar.

I chatted for a little while with a friendly woman selling eggs, even though she didn't speak much English and my Catalan is nonexistent:

And though there were a lot of fish stalls, I had to take a photo of this one. It contained the highest percentage of seafood I couldn't identify!

Seriously, click on the picture to see it larger and see how many items you can identify. If you know what they are, post to the comments!

(EDIT: The stuff in this case may not be seafood at all--note the heads on the right--but it was in the market near the seafood stalls, which is why I thought it could be seafood. But if someone says, "You idiot, those are goat parts!" I will not argue the point.)

There's lots to see in Barcelona away from Las Ramblas, as well. We spent most of one day walking around the Gothic Quarter, going through the old churches. Many of them were empty, so walking through them felt surreal. The streets themselves are beautiful, too, with arches like this:

And street musicians like this guy, who was phenomenal. Not only was he a talented guitarist, his voice was beautiful. I left a tip in his guitar case, and so did a few other tourists:

We got our dose of art by walking through the Picasso Museum--a must-see for anyone who likes Picasso--then headed a few blocks away to the Chocolate Museum. Yep, Barcelona has a museum dedicated to all things chocolate! There are displays about how chocolate is made, about the history of chocolate production, and about all the different types of chocolate. There are also displays of chocolate art. For instance, this depiction of a bullfight, made entirely out of chocolate:

And this recreation of the house from the Pixar movie UP:

Sadly, the photos don't do the chocolate justice. In person, the detail is amazing. It also made me very, very hungry. Fortunately, at the end of the tour, we stopped to have chocolate and coffee from the museum's coffee bar.

Eventually, we made our way to the waterfront where Christopher Columbus is mistakenly pointing away from the New World (oops.)

After one last meal on land--because who can resist eating in Barcelona?--we boarded our cruise ship to head to our next stop...Malta!

On The Road Again...

2010-10-04T14:56:00.014-04:00

I've been quiet lately, but I swear I have a good excuse. The best, in fact! As anyone who's spent thirty seconds perusing my website knows, I love to travel. Experiencing other places, learning about different people and their cultures, and seeing natural wonders firsthand keeps my brain nimble. It helps me appreciate all that I have, and gives me insight into the lives of others. While all this is important to writers, I think it's a great thing for all human beings to do.

For the next few days, I'll be posting photos from my most recent trip, a cruise of the Med.

First, however, a word of advice: If you are booking travel from the US to Europe, avoid SATA Airlines at all costs. I thought I was booking TAP (Air Portugal) and ended up on SATA, which is apparently a partner airline. I am not a big person, and I barely--I mean BARELY--fit in the seat, and this was for a flight from Boston to Lisbon. My poor husband, who's 6'4", really didn't fit. His knees were jammed into the back of the seat in front of him, and his feet were dangling in the air. It was awful. And yes, we did select seats before leaving Boston...the seat assignments weren't honored. Ditto on the way home. The way home was worse, in fact, because we had to fly from Lisbon to the Azores, get off the plane, go through THREE security checks, and then board the exact same plane to fly on to Boston. Horrendous. A direct quote from one of the gate attendants in Boston: "Honey, if you want on board you're going to have to shove." I kid you not. I should've known the flight would be from hell the minute I heard that. Of course, the very worst part of this is that we got NO frequent flyer miles for the trip. While TAP is a partner with United, and we booked thinking we were getting miles on United, SATA has no such exchange. If TAP puts you on a SATA flight, you're outta luck.

So word to the wise, people: SATA Airlines is short for SATAN.

BUT...after that, everything was fantastic! I've always been more into spending my money on experiences than on things, so if you can save your pennies and forgo that nifty J. Crew peacoat you've been eyeing or the latest XBox 360 game, I say this is the way to spend your cash.

Day One: Lisbon, Portugal!

The Med cruise left from Barcelona, Spain. However, being the little smarty-pants that I am, I discovered that I could book a 12-hour layover in Lisbon en route to Barcelona for the same cost as simply flying straight to Barcelona from Boston. (Now, that flight didn't work out so well, but the IDEA was a good one!) The DH and I hit the ground in Lisbon and headed straight for a friendly taxi driver, who took us to the Monument of the Discoveries, which honors Portugal's seafaring traditions. The view from the top is spectacular--you can see all of Lisbon, including the beautiful Jeronimos Monastery, which is just across the street.

Here's the Discoveries Monument:

And the view of Jeronimos Monastery from the top:

Of course, after climbing the Monument, we had to go to the Monastery. Saw the crypt of Vasco De Gama, walked around the chapel, and then entered the Cloisters. The Cloisters are a must-see if you're in Lisbon. Very peaceful and beautiful:

Afterward, we walked down the street to the famous Pasteis de Belem bakery. Their specialty pastry custards are to die for. I'm not even a custard fan and I ate more than one! Travel guru Rick Steves has raved about this place for years, so I was afraid it'd be overrun with tourists, but not so. I'd say it was about 30% tourists from the monastery and 70% locals when I visited. The line to buy pastry-to-go went down the block, but moved very quickly. If you don't have time to stop in and eat as I did, be sure you budget enough time to get through the pick-up line.

On a midafternoon espresso and pastry high, we left the bakery and hopped the streetcar to the town's main square, Praca de Comercio. After walking around the pedestrian area, we rode a full loop on one of Lisbon's old trolley cars. They're a lot like the cars in San Francisco, and I think they're even more fun. I leaned out the window to take this shot:

There were narrower streets than this on the route, but I didn't want to risk losing a limb (or my head) to take a photo. Finally, we walked around the castle area, took a few shots of Lisbon's rooftops, then walked down the narrow, cobblestoned alleyways back to the bottom of the hill below the castle.

Cue the rooftop shot:

Once we made our way back to the waterfront, we flagged a cab for the ride back to the airport. Lo and behold...out of the thousands of cabs in Lisbon, we got the same driver who'd taken us to the Monument of the Discoveries that morning. Good luck, I think, because the TAP Portugal flight from Lisbon to Barcelona was quick, comfortable, and relaxing. (AKA: Not from SATA(N).)

Next up, Montserrat and Barcelona, Spain!

(However, first a warning: There will not be many shots of Yours Truly in this travelogue. I married a wonderful guy, but he is a very, very bad photographer. As in, when I give him the camera, I end up with a picture of my shoes. Or half my face. Therefore, I long ago gave up trying to have my picture taken by the DH. Most of the photos you'll see of me were taken by random strangers I grabbed on the street. Thank you, strangers!)

Dealing With Rejection

2010-07-13T14:54:00.001-04:00

I was recently asked how I deal with rejection. It's an important enough topic to writers--whether aspiring or multi-published--that I thought I'd answer here.

If you're a writer, rejection is part of the job--it happens to all writers, no matter how talented. When--not if, but when--it happens, there are several ways to react. Some writers I know get down for a day or two, then forget about it. Others brush off a rejection as nothing. Still others will mull it over for weeks at a time, picking apart each word from the editor or agent who rejected the project, trying to figure out what went wrong. Some writers head straight for the pint of Ben & Jerry's.

I don't fall into any of these camps.

I admit, I've gone for ice cream after a rejection letter appeared in my in-box, but I will use any excuse for ice cream (selling a book, seeing the cover for the first time, getting good news or bad from an editor, the Red Sox winning a big game, you name it.) When I get a rejection letter, rather than bemoan it, I view it as one person's opinion that a particular project isn't right for the market at this time. When viewed that way, it doesn't bother me. It's nothing more than a simple business decision. I haven't been fired; I've essentially been told to try to come up with something more marketable. So in the end, my internal response to rejection is, "Okay. Thanks for the analysis."

When I first started writing, it was tough to do that. No writer wants to think that the time and energy consumed by that rejected project was wasted. But over the years, I've learned that markets change, editors change, and readers' tastes change. As long as I keep working hard to become a better writer, improving my craft with each project, by the time the market is ready for that particular idea, I can resubmit, possibly in an improved version. Even if it doesn't sell, I can always pull a character, a story thread, or some other component of that project and use it in the future. In the meantime, I don't stand still. I keep writing. By the time I receive a rejection, chances are that I have another project--maybe even two or three--in the works, and a new focus for my energy.

LGBT Books for Teens

2010-06-24T16:02:00.004-04:00

Today there's a fantastic article on MSNBC.com about a high school sophomore who sought out books told from the viewpoint of teens with whom he could identify--teens who, like him, are gay. It also notes how difficult it was for him to find these titles.

If you, a friend, or a librarian are looking for some great reads, start with some of the books mentioned in the article (I'm a huge fan of Julie Anne Peters and Brent Hartinger, myself!)

Ever since Royally Jacked was published--the first in a series of three comedic books in which the teenaged main character learns her mom is gay, struggles with it, accepts it, and then embraces it--I've gotten tons of requests from teens asking for other titles which feature gay characters, or about characters who learn a close friend or relative is gay. Some requests I get ask about comedies, some readers are looking for more serious reads, but either way, I think the titles and authors mentioned in the article are a great place to start.

What discoveries have you made? Any books about or featuring LGBT characters you'd recommend? Insightful, funny, romantic, scary, doesn't matter--just toss out your suggestions!

World Spirit

2010-06-11T11:41:00.005-04:00

While you're shopping online for 2010 World Cup T-shirts (I'm partial to the Italian and American team shirts, myself!), check out the website for Out Of Print Clothing, which offers T-shirts sporting covers of classic books. Popular titles include The Catcher in the Rye, Catch-22, Moby Dick, Tales of the Jazz Age, Atlas Shrugged, and Lolita.

My favorite aspect of the company is that they actively work to promote reading around the world. They partner with Books In Africa to ensure that for each T-shirt sold, a book is donated to a community in need in one of 45 nations.

The World Cup kicks off today in South Africa. Supporting education efforts across our global community is a great way to celebrate!

What She Said

2010-05-18T08:56:00.004-04:00

When I tell people I write romance novels (both for teens and adults), I often get a puzzled look, one that's easily translated to one of the following:

"Really? You don't:

a) look like you spend your time on a beach, dictating novels to your fave cabana boy. Are you yanking my chain? Are you REALLY a writer?"

b) look like a loser, holed up in her apartment like Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone, weeping over her characters' romance. Are you yanking my chain? Are you really a writer?"

c) act like crabby Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets, getting out his frustrations by writing sappy stories. Are you yanking my chain? Are you really a writer?"

or d) dress well enough to be a writer. Writers are rich dilettantes, aren't they? Are you yanking my chain? Are you really a writer?"

Here's the thing: Writers can look like anyone else you know. For those who've ever wondered what a romance writer looks like, or why we do what we do, check out this piece, written by the fantastic Eileen Dreyer (aka Kathleen Korbel) for CNN.

From now on, when anyone asks me if I really write romance novels (even though I don't look like I do, apparently), and why I love what I do, I'll simply say, "What she said!" and send them to Eileen's article.

Full Swing

2010-05-05T15:49:00.009-04:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I've been slow to post...again. Partly because I'm a springtime slacker, and partly because the blog had to be moved so it wasn't FTP-something-that-I-don't-get. However, thanks to my wonderful, highly skilled web guru, everything was safely moved and we're up and running. (Thanks, Maddee!)

In the meantime, having taken sixth place in my yearly NCAA Geek Pool (and soundly beating President Obama's tourney entry), I've moved on to baseball season.

First order of business: Fantasy baseball. I am once again playing in the ESPN Baseball Challenge. It's the world's easiest fantasy baseball league. You can join anytime, and you don't have to engage in a round robin draft of players or keep stats. Instead, you are given a (fictional) $50 million budget you simply pick whichever players you want by clicking on them. Easy, peasy. Then ESPN keeps track of how they do at the plate and tallies the score for you. It's a lot of fun. (Especially when you're doing well. I'm currently at the 95% of all players in the league. I don't expect it'll last.)

Second order of business: Real baseball. I signed up for my yearly wallet-depleting subscription to MLB Extra Innings so I can watch the Rockies games here in Boston, and I've already stayed up late for quite a few. It's painful, given the late starts and the two-hour time difference, but worth it. I also managed to get tickets on top of the the Green Monster at Fenway during the first Red Sox-Yankees series so I could see a game in person, and I'll be in my usual third-base seats for one of this weekend's games. Color me happy!

On the other hand, most of my baseball-loving friends claim they aren't as hopped up for the season as usual. Earlier this season, news stations in Boston reported that sales were down, and that the Red Sox might not continue their sellout streak at Fenway, but I'm not seeing it.

Anyone else feeling this way? Or is this a woe-is-me, typical Boston-area phenomenon? Do you care more about baseball (or whatever sport's your fave) once the season's in full swing than during the first month of games? Does playing in a fantasy league amp up your level of interest? Weigh in!

This Blog Has Moved

2010-04-02T18:38:00.002-04:00

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Red (and Green) Sox

2010-03-17T18:11:00.002-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Sox Fans.

Spring is here!

VIP Day

2010-03-17T15:58:00.004-04:00

Very Important Picks.

If you must be at your desk--unlike students and city workers in Boston, who are celebrating Evacuation Day--doing NCAA basketball research is the ideal way to appear productive.

Last year, I took third place in my Geek Pool, where we rank all 64 teams (which I LOVE because it's so very cool) and second in my ESPN Challenge pool. It'll be tough to improve on that this year, but I'm optimistic, as always. And hey, maybe I'll beat President Obama, who filled out his bracket on ESPN this morning:

If you want to see the video--you know, as research--check it out here:

So share...who do you think will win it all? Who's a Cinderella in the making? Who's overrated?

Things I've Learned Today

2010-03-11T15:59:00.011-05:00

1. The Red Sox are willing to sign a player to a one-day deal if he'd like to retire in a Red Sox uniform, but only if that player's name is Nomar, which begs the question: How many people on planet Earth are named Nomar?

2. One hundred calories worth of Lorna Doone cookies are tasty, but only for two seconds. And then you want more, because who is happy with only two seconds' worth of Lorna Doone?

3. Jessica and Heather of Go Fug Yourself offer the best post-Oscar style analysis of all time. Thanks for the excuse to procrastinate, girls. (BTW...I'm with you on Sigourney Weaver. No way she's sixty.)

4. It's possible to obtain a medical license in England without having the ability to differentiate between pregnancy and gout.

5. I should never, ever name a character Lindsay. If I do, Lindsay Lohan might think it's modeled after her and sue me. Apparently, Lindsay--or her lawyer, at any rate--claims that any fictional use of the name "Lindsay" is akin to using an identifiable, unique name such as Madonna or Oprah to hawk products. (The lawyer did not cite Nomar as an example.)

No Second Place at the Oscars

2010-03-08T09:49:00.019-05:00

Well, I whiffed on my picks for Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay, which means I ended up in second place in my Oscar pool. This is a little embarrassing, since I'm the only writer in the group (as Homer Simpson sings, "I am so smart! I am so smart! S-M-R-T, I am so smart!") But since there isn't a second place given at the Academy Awards, I, like Meryl Streep, will have to try again next year.

BUT...there are still outfits to discuss! I thought that it was a fantastic year, stylewise. Very few misses on gowns, don'tcha think? Though once again, my prediction was off. I thought Robert Downey, Jr. would look great, since he was my pick last year for Best Dressed Man, and he did...if you could ignore the questionable blue bow tie and the horrid shoes to focus solely on the suit, which fit properly. But he was balanced out by his wife, Susan, whose gown rocked. Most women cannot pull off horizontal stripes. She can.

Normally, George Clooney would be a safe bet as Best Dressed Man, but I had an overwhelming urge to grab his hand and walk him to a barber. Guiliana Rancic may have waxed poetic about Gorgeous George's longer hair during the E! pre-show, but I can't agree. Sorry, Guiliana. Instead, I have to give this year's Best Dressed Man nod to Ryan Reynolds.

Guiliana also loved the gown of RDJ's former flame, SJP. My guess is that the Fashion Police will give a thumbs-up for her yellow Chanel Couture tonight, but I hated it. At least onscreen, it seemed frumpy and ill-fitting, like an upside-down yellow silk sack with sparkles at the neck. So sadly--and I realize it's sacrilege in some circles to say it--this year Sarah Jessica Parker is my Worst Dressed Woman.

That being said, I suspect the Fashion Police will name Charlize Theron their worst-dressed, with what I will forever think of as the Flower Boob Dress. I didn't hate it--the mauve-y pink color was spectacular on her, and the fit was perfect--but I think it would've been far, far better had the roses been big enough to cover the entire bodice, rather than separated so there was one big flower on each side. (In fact, I think her gown would've been a home run if the roses covered the entire bodice.)

What do you think? Could her dress have been saved?

And then there were the gowns I absolutely LOVED. First, the woman of the night, Sandra Bullock, gets a big thumbs-up. Classy, feminine, and perfect for an Academy Award-winning night, since her gold gown looked stunning onstage under the lights.

My other hits of the night include Vera Farmiga, in a raspberry gown that perfectly suited her coloring (and a huge, billowing style that could only be worn to the Oscars), Jennifer Lopez in soft pink, and Demi Moore in a strapless flesh-toned gown (looked much better than I can describe). I also have to give big cheers to Elizabeth Banks, who dared to wear a drab color (I think it is best described as a gray-lavender) and own it, and Cameron Diaz, looking the best I've EVER seen her at the Academy Awards in a strapless, glittery gown with her hair down and STYLED, which seems rare for Cam.

Then there were the two off-the-chart hits: Penelope Cruz, who earned my husband's vote for Best Dressed in a strapless wine-colored gown, and...drumroll...my Best Dressed Woman of 2010, Anna Kendrick!

I thought Kendrick looked stunning on the red carpet, but when she went onstage as a presenter and I got the 360 degree view, her gown absolutely blew me away. Great soft pink color that made her skin look luminous, incredible detail--it's hard to see the intricate folds and draping in the photos I saw online, though it was visible onstage--and just a perfect fit on her. She may not have come home with a statue, but she dressed like a winner.

Think the Fashion Police will agree? What were your hits and misses? Let me know!

Signs of Spring

2010-03-07T13:04:00.003-05:00

Nope, it's not the Groundhog. It's Oscar Day! Had to poke my head out of my hidey-hole (aka, my office, where I've been working my tail off for the last month) to see tonight's broadcast, with the ever-hilarious Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, and to toss out my predictions.

Will I win my bragging-rights-only Academy Awards pool this year? You tell me.

Best Picture: The Hurt Locker
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges
Best Actress: Sandra Bullock
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz
Best Supporting Actress: Mo'nique
Best Animated Feature Film: Up
Best Foreign Film: The White Ribbon (Germany)
Best Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds
Best Adapted Screenplay: Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner, Up In The Air
Best Documentary Feature: The Cove
Best Original Score: Up
Best Original Song: The Weary Kind (from Crazy Heart)
Best Film Editing: The Hurt Locker
Best Cinematography: Inglorious Basterds (and yes, I know this is a rebellious pick, as it's likely to be Avatar)
Best Costume Design: The Young Victoria

This year's pool ballot was taken from Moviefone's downloadable version, which only had sixteen categories, so I can't score points with Makeup or Sound Editing (I think Moviefone ballot might've been selected intentionally to throw me off my game.) If those categories had been included, I'd have picked The Young Victoria for makeup (though Star Trek has a good shot) and Avatar for all things sound.

Finally, the most important categories of all: Best dressed man-Robert Downey Jr, assuming he attends. Best dressed woman-Sandra Bullock.

What do you think?

The Upside of Being Unproductive

2010-01-24T12:25:00.005-05:00

I tend to use my weekends to play catch-up on work. For better or worse, this tends to happen when your office is inside your house. When you see your work staring at you, it's kinda hard to ignore it.

However, I spent yesterday being completely unproductive. No writing, no paying bills, no answering e-mails or blogging. Instead, a big chunk of time was devoted to watching a "best of" series of clips of Conan O'Brien's Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. If you want to see the clips, there are a bunch you can find online by searching "Triumph the Insult Comic Dog." Or you can check this page--with some of the best Triumph segments--in this article from MSNBC:

One Last Treat From Conan's Dirty Dog, Triumph.

Laughed my head off watching these (especially the clip with the Hawaii American Idol auditions.)

After the Triumph-fest, I went to see It's Complicated and laughed some more. HYSTERICAL flick.

I've spent most of this morning in a writing frenzy, probably because I let myself have a completely brainless day of entertainment. Proof that being unproductive is, every so often, a very good thing.

Helping Haiti

2010-01-16T08:21:00.005-05:00

Most of the books I write are about teenagers. They explore certain themes common to teenagers around the world. These themes might include discovering that right and wrong isn't always as simple as black and white. Or the push-pull of feeling like an adult, yet being treated like a kid. The frustration of knowing what to do in a given situation, yet not being trusted to do it--or being unable to act due to restrictions placed on teens.

When I was a teen, contributing to a cause often meant a reliance on adults. Sure, my friends and I could raise money to help people in need, but cutting a check or making a credit card payment required an adult's signature. Even then, once we raised money, it took time to get to its destination. Instant online payments didn't exist.

Today, that's not the case. When catastrophe strikes, as it struck in Haiti this week, you can make a difference, all on your own, and your contribution can be used immediately.

Have a cell phone? You can text "Haiti" to 90999 and $10 will be added to your cell phone bill. If you pay that bill yourself, you're covered. If not, hand the person who pays it a $10 bill.

Have an iTunes account? You can donate there, too. There's currently a link to the iTunes donation page on the Apple homepage, or you can sign in to your iTunes account and search "Haiti."

Have a job? Ask your employer if they'll match any donations you make, or if they're taking up a collection and adding their own contributions. Having an employer contribute makes your donation go further.

I made my own donation through the Clinton Foundation's Haiti page. Former President Bill Clinton is a US Special Envoy to Haiti (he was appointed to this position prior to the earthquake) and is working to coordinate efforts to distribute food and medical supplies on the ground.

Haiti needs our help. Let's give it.

Funky Writer

2010-01-04T08:00:00.008-05:00

Apparently, I am a funky writer. Who knew?

This week, I'll be the guest of honor on The Funky Writer radio show. (I assume, since the radio show is called "Funky Writer", that being hailed as a funky writer is a good thing!)

To check out the show's blog and get a sense of what's in store, go right here. There's a contact e-mail for the show's host, Rob Batista, listed on the right side of the blog. If there's a question you're dying to have answered, send it along to him.

The interview airs live on January 7, at 8:30PM ET. If you'd like to listen to the show (or download it to iTunes for free), click on this link to access The Funky Writer Radio Show.

New Year's Goals (Not Resolutions)

2010-01-01T13:43:00.005-05:00

Happy New Year! For many, this is a day of sleeping late and making New Year's resolutions. In my house, it's a day for singing Happy Birthday (to my father-in-law), taking down Christmas decorations, and New Year's goal-setting.

Yep, I differentiate between resolutions and goals.

A resolution, in my mind, is an aspiration. Something you'd like to accomplish, but that isn't within your control. For me, aspirations include being a contestant on The Amazing Race, having a movie made of one of my books, and watching a no-hitter at Fenway Park. I can make progress toward accomplishing those things, but ultimate success lies in someone else's hands.

On the other hand, accomplishing a goal is entirely within your control. As nice as it is to make a list of your aspirations, regularly setting goals is better. I sit down with one of my writing buddies at least once a year (and sometimes more frequently) to set goals. Not only is it fun to talk over our goals on a regular basis, it's paid off for us both.

Over the years, we've come to the conclusion that proper goal-setting has a few requirements:

1) Accomplishing the goal must be entirely within your control;
2) You must think through the steps necessary to reach your goal and write them down (be specific!);
3) You must set deadlines for accomplishing each step and for the ultimate goal;
4) You must re-read your goals frequently, and as things in your life/career change, update your goals accordingly; and
5) When you do accomplish your goal(s), celebrate!

For instance, though "have a movie made of one of my books" isn't within my control (as I do not control Hollywood), other aspects of my writing career are within my control. I can determine what kind of books I want to write, when I want to finish them, when I want to submit to publishers, etc. When setting my goals, I might write down something like this:

• Write two books this year (Write proposal for book #1 by February 15, finish book #1 by June 15. Submit by June 30. Write proposal for book #2 by August 15, finish book #2 by December 15, submit by December 31.)

It's within my control, it's specific, it has reasonable deadlines for both the ultimate goal (December 31) and for the steps needed to accomplish the goal.

I give a copy of my goals to Elizabeth, and she gives me a copy of hers. I keep the list on my computer desktop where I can see it as I work.

As the year progresses, we'll call or e-mail each other to say, "Hey, it's February 1. Where are you on that first proposal?" As things change--say, I get a contract that says I need to write a third proposal during the year--I'll revisit the goals, change them as needed, and give the updated goals to Elizabeth. She does the same. When one of us accomplishes a goal, we both celebrate. (By the way...this week is also a celebration week, because Elizabeth's newest book, How I Met My Countess, hits the shelves. Book releases are always cause for celebration!)

Goals don't have to be limited to finishing projects. Mine aren't! My writing goals also include improving my writing (by reading certain books or taking specific writing classes and workshops), communicating with readers (through my message board/Facebook/Twitter), and getting notes/outlines started for future projects.

If you're a writer, you can move forward by leaps and bounds if you set proper goals, and what better day to get started than January 1st?

Tag, I'm It

2009-11-23T11:04:00.003-05:00

It's Thanksgiving week here in the U.S.A., which means it's time for a little maintenance on The Go-Ahead. (If I have to clean up my home office so it's in decent shape for viewing by holiday guests, I may as well clean up the blog while I'm at it, yes?)

I'll be updating the tags over the next few days, so if things go wonky, you know who to blame. Can't promise my updated tags will be as witty as those on my favorite procrastination website, Go Fug Yourself, which boasts categories such as Fugging Through Verse, Look Into Pants, Illusory Baby Bumps, and the ever-so-popular Various Kardashians, but I'll endeavor to make the tags here at The Go-Ahead more consistent than what's currently in use.

In the meantime, may you all have many, many things for which to be grateful this Thanksgiving.

P.S.: I thought I'd add a fun clip-art photo of a feather duster to today's entry, but when I searched for one online, it brought up Charlize Theron in a horrifying feather dress. Consider me grateful for my laugh of the day.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct

2009-11-10T07:25:00.003-05:00

Anyone catch this video on the news?

This is University of New Mexico soccer player Elizabeth Lambert. Before I go further: I don't want to pick on Ms. Lambert specifically. She's certainly not the first athlete to behave this way on the field, and sadly, she probably won't be the last. But she did get caught on video, which is what has sparked the intense coverage of her particular case. Well, that and the fact that she's female. I don't agree with those who think when a woman does this, it's somehow worse than when men do it. "Unsportsmanlike" conduct isn't limited to men; violence in sports knows no gender.

Whether the aggressor is male or female, I believe players who act in this manner should be suspended, if not outright banned from their sport. It's no longer a game when one player intentionally throws another to the ground in a way that risks breaking their neck. No one wants to play against a player like that. And frankly, no one wants a player like that on their team. There's a world of difference between being a competitive player (one who works hard to help a team win, which is a good thing) and a violent player.

Now, Ms. Lambert did apologize, stating, "I let my emotions get the best of me in a heated situation. I take full responsibility for my actions and accept any punishment felt necessary."

But--another rant--does an apology like that really make it better? There was no "I'm sorry." Saying those two words (and meaning them) is very different than saying, "I accept responsibility." And again, this isn't just Ms. Lambert. I hear this phrase a lot, both on television from athletes, celebrities, and politicians who've found themselves in hot water, and from run-of-the-mill folks I see in everyday life. It's become a catchphrase for, "I screwed up big time. Now let me off the hook."

Think about it. What does it mean, exactly, that someone "accept(s) responsibility?" It's an admission that someone actually did what they're being accused of (which, in Ms. Lambert's case, is on video, so duh.) And that someone is going to accept whatever punishment is doled out for their actions (and in Ms. Lambert's case, does she have a choice?) But that's not saying you're sorry for your behavior. "I accept responsibility" doesn't mean that you regret the actual action you took, as opposed to regretting the situation in which you've found yourself afterward.

In Ms, Lambert's case, she says that emotions got the best of her in a heated situation. Really? I don't think so. When a player acts that way repeatedly--punching one player, kicking others, then throwing yet another to the ground--it's not a heat-of-the-moment response to some unexpected event that happened in the game (not that that's excusable, either.) When one player strikes out repeatedly, that's a conscious decision. And it's not just Ms. Lambert. It happens all the time.

When did this become okay?

Different Writer, Different Process

2009-11-08T15:16:00.005-05:00

There was an interesting article (interesting to writers, anyway) in Friday's Wall Street Journal called How To Write A Great Novel. It's not a true How-To so much as a Here's-How-Others-Have-Done-It.

While I've never written in the bathroom or gotten dressed up as one of my characters, over the years I've found methods that work for me. They're not the same methods that work for others. I know one author who writes all her books while sitting in her bed with her laptop on a foam lap desk. She gets lots of work done this way, but if I tried it, I'd fall asleep. On the other hand, I frequently manage to hammer out sticky plot points while gardening, but a lot of writers I know consider weeding a hellish activity.

The thing is, you only know what works for you by trying different methods, and you can't do that without actually WRITING, which is hard work. Read the article and you'll see what I mean. The gist of the piece is:

1) No one process works for everyone; the writing process is as individual as the author
2) Writing is hard work
3) Writers--yes, even the best--must be willing to revise to be successful, sometimes throwing away big chunks of their hard work in the process

All three are good lessons for any writer.

Teen Fiction 101

2009-11-01T10:42:00.003-05:00

I frequently get questions about writing fiction for teens--how to get started, how to find an agent, etc. I have answers to several of these questions on the Frequently Asked Questions page of my website. (And if there's a writing question I've missed, e-mail me and let me know. I update the FAQ page regularly!)

However, if you're working on a project and are looking for something more in-depth than what's on the FAQ page, I'm teaching a class starting TOMORROW via WriterUniv.com. It runs the entire month of November and will be conducted exclusively online. I post lectures twice a week, so you can go at your own pace (in other words, if this month is tough for you, you can download it now and wait to read everything in January!) There's a more detailed description of my class--and many other writing classes--on the WriterUniv.com website. Registration is there, too.

Hope to see some of you there!

Paris: The Good, The Bad, and the Smelly

2009-10-29T16:19:00.019-04:00

Okay...the laundry is done. The mail is read/filed/recycled. On to the Paris recap!

First, the Good Stuff (and with Paris, you know "the good stuff" is REALLY good!):

My hotel was across the street from not one, but TWO chocolate shops. I didn't know this when I booked the room, so talk about a pleasant surprise! Needless to say, I popped right on over, taste-tested--yum!--and left with a sizeable bag of goodies:

After that, we made a beeline for the Eiffel Tower. The line was so long--over a three-hour wait--that we decided to try another day. We crossed the Seine to the Orangerie, a fabulous little museum containing Monet's famous water lillies. The eight large paintings go all the way around two oval-shaped rooms that are otherwise white. I wish I had photos, but I was too afraid of screwing up, accidentally having the flash go off on my camera, and being escorted out and/or arrested on my first day in town. (As you might guess, no flash photos of Monet's masterpieces are allowed, and with good reason!)

"Stunning" would be an understatement when used to describe the water lillies. I could've remained parked on the benches in the middle of those two rooms for an entire day, staring at the layers in those eight paintings. (The husband, however, was done faster than that.) If you have the chance to go to Paris, do not miss the Orangerie.

Other good things?

1) People watching at the Trocadero (best done at lunch, panini in hand) or under the dome at the Galleries Lafayette department store:

2) Music in the Metro. I've always loved going on the Metro in Paris for this reason. You never know when you'll turn a corner and hear a cello or a steel-drum band, or find yourself sitting across the tracks from a guy with his harmonica and guitar:

3) The views. (Okay, Views. They're so good in Paris they should be capitalized.) First, the indoor views. I have lots of shots of Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, and other cathedrals. But my fave is tiny Sainte Chapelle:

Being inside Sainte Chapelle gives you the sense you're walking around inside in a glass jewel box. Surreal.

And I love looking up at the Louvre from inside its glass pyramid:

Then there's what you see when you're outdoors. For instance, from the top of the Arc de Triomphe at night:

Or alongside the gargoyles atop Notre Dame:

Of course, those views are where the Bad Stuff of Paris comes in. There are a LOT of stairs! Over four hundred to get to that perch atop Notre Dame. And this was the staircase at the Arc de Triomphe. (No, it's not just the photo, you CANNOT see the bottom when you look down!):

Though maybe stairs are a GOOD thing, since they help balance out the accumulated chocolate shop, crepe stand, and bakery excesses?

Finally, I must mention the Smelly. If you're in Paris, hold your nose and take the Sewer Tour. It takes less than an hour, and you'll learn more than you ever thought possible about the history of Paris sanitation (trust me, it's more interesting than it sounds.) We climbed down into the sewers near the Pont de l'Alma to see how the system works now, and learned about what Parisians did with their--stuff--way back in the Middle Ages, then through King Louis XIV's time and Napoleon's. Believe it or not, we found it fascinating (though vile.) Fun observation: There were a ton of kids and teenagers taking the tour. I got the sense most of them liked it more than the museums.

So...what would you tour if you had the chance to visit Paris? Or if you've been there, what was your fave part? What didn't you like? Comment away!

Because It's Not Happening

2009-10-27T07:50:00.005-04:00

I received an e-mail yesterday that went like this:

"Hi Niki! I read all your bks and luv ur blog. How come u haven't blogged about the world series? I am a MAJOR phillies fan and would like to know what u think.

pls keep making great books! K."

Well...hi, K! First, thank you for letting me know you enjoy my books. That's always the way to my heart! I'm very happy for you that your team made it to the Series. I assume you won't get much sleep for the next week or two, as you'll be busy watching TV.

As to why I haven't blogged...imagine if your beloved Phillies had gone out early this year. Well...make that times two. You'd probably feel a tad sour, right? Cough-Red Sox-cough-Rockies-choke-choke-choke. Yep, my teams blew it. The Yankees did not. I decided that the World Series is not happening this year, simple as that.

Okay, not as simple as that.

I went to Paris! France is a sure cure for baseball-related illness, don't you think?

Pictures will be posted here ASAP....

Tuesday Night Baseball

2009-09-29T22:29:00.014-04:00

For the last three weeks, I've been taking a boot camp class. While it's very good for my muscles (I can do more pushups than ever!), and I'm having odd-yet-entertaining flashbacks to high school sports (jumping up and down bleachers and running suicides will do that), my knees feel like they were the actual part hit by a boot. I'm going through ice packs the way I usually go through ice cream. (Which brings me back to why I need boot camp. Research says ice cream is addictive, you know.)

Of course, balancing ice packs on my knees requires me to sit, which means watching even more heart-attack inducing baseball games than usual. (The fact I ponied up for MLB Extra Innings means I can watch them ALL.) The Rockies are making me happy lately, but could the Red Sox create any more drama? Coming back from being down 8-2 to make it an 8-7 game at the bottom of the ninth tonight, for the freakin' WILD CARD SPOT?

With one out, Pedroia comes within a couple feet of hitting it out, but it's caught. (No!!!) Ellsbury steals his 67th base of the season to get into scoring position. (Yay!) Martinez walks (Yippee!) Youk gets up with two on...and strikes out looking to end the game (ARGH!)

I know they'll pull it out, but sheesh. I don't need heart palpitations at the same time I'm balancing monster ice packs on my knees.

Tomorrow, my Red Sox. Tomorrow. (Pretty please?)

Turning Off The Light

2009-09-17T09:34:00.019-04:00

The summer I turned fifteen, I got my first official job, cleaning an Army bowling alley. I scrubbed chairs, ball return machines, and even the snack bar's floor. It wasn't easy work. The best hour of the day, however, was from 12:30-1:30pm, when the televisions mounted over each lane showed The Young & The Restless. (You're probably surprised that a soap could be bowling alley fare, but this was Germany, and there was only one TV channel in English.)

Those daytime soaps changed my life, for I was quickly sucked into the show's story. I couldn't wait to see each day's episode chronicling the love triangle between Victor, Nikki, and Kevin. All these years later, I still watch, and there's still an on-again, off-again romance between Nikki and Victor.

To me, this is the magic of daytime drama. The writers are masterful at building communities full of complex characters who viewers care about, and then incorporating endless emotional plot twists to keep the story fresh. For years.

As much as I've loved Y&R over the years, I've always had a soft spot in my heart for another CBS soap, Guiding Light, and have tuned in often enough to keep up with the action. The characters are engaging, the storylines deftly plotted. And not only is it the longest-running daytime drama in the United States, it's the longest running broadcast program of any kind, anywhere in the world, having been on air (radio and TV) since January 1937.

I've learned a lot about writing from watching soaps, and many other writers I know have, too. In fact, I've learned so much, I decided it'd be fun to set a book on the set of a soap. I could play with dual storylines of the characters as they appeared on-screen, as well as lives behind the scenes. Unfortunately, as much as I knew about the on-screen lives of characters, I knew squat about what happens behind the scenes.

Thankfully, the phenomenal Jill Lorie Hurst, head writer of Guiding Light, was kind enough to spend a day with me and author Hope Tarr on the New York set of the show. It was one of the most entertaining--and educational--days of my life.

Jill gave us an overview of what it's like to be a writer on a daytime drama, then gave up most of her day to show us around. I was amazed at the efficiencies they'd created to get the show produced for as little money as possible while still maintaining the show's quality. Writers' and producers' offices converted into sets--Jill's office was the "seedy motel", while others worked in the Springfield nail salon and Reva's living room--walls would slide back to reveal the interior of a hospital. On a separate floor, an entire maze of rooms was constructed, with one set leading to another. If Reva stormed out of a restaurant, she might end up--in reality--in Josh's living room or the Spaulding study, even though it'd appear she was headed outside.

I had my photo taken in the Spaulding study...

then I snapped one of Hope a whopping thirty feet away, at the Company restaurant:

We also had the opportunity to meet some of the producers and directors--like the multitalented Ellen Wheeler, who let us hold her beautiful Emmy--and spent a good amount of time with the actors. Frank Dicopoulos hung out with us in the hallway near the actors' dressing rooms, talking about how his character has evolved over the years. His behind-the-scenes stories had us rolling until actor Lawrence Saint-Victor, who plays Remy, came up behind Frank and attempted to refute them all (before telling us he was about to surprise his wife with tickets to see wrestling at Madison Square Garden--he wasn't sure it'd be a good surprise!)

One thing made abundantly clear both to me and to Hope was that the cast, crew, and everyone else involved in Guiding Light love their show. They've worked hard to provide viewers with an escape from the stresses of everyday life (you know, the folks stuck cleaning bowling alleys.) They were grateful for the opportunity they'd been given by the network, and by each and every viewer.

I'm sure when the news came (shortly after Hope and I visited) that the show had been cancelled--and that tomorrow, September 18, would be their last day on the air--they were every bit as heartbroken as the viewers. They didn't want to see their stories end, either.

So to everyone at GL (and especially to our tour guide, Jill): Thank you. You've taught hundreds of writers about the art of story, you've entertained millions upon millions of viewers, and you've done it well. You'll be missed. And I know tomorrow's finale will be riveting television.

Party In The U.S.A....Or Schwerinborg

2009-09-16T13:56:00.009-04:00

Fan mail is one of the best things about being a writer. I've had thirteen books and two novellas published, but never fail to enjoy the "squee!" moment of opening each day's fan mail.

Lately, however, a huge percentage of my mail has contained various forms of the same question: When will there be a movie based on the Royally Jacked books?

The answer is: I don't know. I am a writer living in Boston, not the head of a movie studio. However, I do have an agent who handles these sorts of things, so you never know! A movie or TV show is always a possibility. And it's definitely fun to think about.

I'm not sure what spurred the recent deluge of When-Is-Val-Going-Onscreen mail (do you know something I don't?), but it's been fun to read all the suggestions you have for casting.

Judging from your e-mails, the number one pick for Valerie is Miley Cyrus. I can see that--she has that clean cut, yet edgy vibe you get with Val. And, of course, there's the whole relationship with her dad (which is a huge part of the Royally Jacked series.) So that gives Billy Ray a role, too.

Miley's not the only name to hit my in-box, however. Here, some of the suggestions that have been made recently:

Valerie Winslow: Ashley Tisdale, Taylor Swift, Shailene Woodley, and Jennette McCurdy (quite a range there!)

Prince Georg: Joe Jonas (LOTS of e-mails for Joe), Daniel Radcliffe, Daren Kagasoff

David Anderson: Chace Crawford (the top suggestion), Jesse McCartney, Jason Earles

Christie Toleski: Taylor Swift (nearly as many e-mails for Taylor to play Christie as for Miley to play Val!), Emily Osment, Dakota Fanning

Jules Jackson: Kristin Stewart, Selena Gomez, Taylor Momsen

Natalie Monschroeder: Demi Lovato, Emma Roberts, Vanessa Hudgens, Miranda Cosgrove

Ulrike: Abigail Breslin, Dakota Fanning

Steffi: Minka Kelly, Nikki Reed

Fun, huh? But the one that made me call my husband to the computer with a "Watch this!" was a YouTube video trailer. Apparently, it's been posted to YouTube for several months, but I only heard about it last week.

(If that's not working, check it out right here.)

So what do you think? Who would you cast? And what about other romantic comedy books--any you're dying to see on-screen?

Favorite Writers

2009-09-14T14:05:00.002-04:00

I'm often asked about my favorite writers. I've always put Larry Gelbart near the top of the list, so I was sad to see that he passed away this weekend.

Even if you haven't heard of Larry, you've no doubt seen his work performed on screen or stage. M*A*S*H. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Oh, God! City of Angels. Tootsie. The man possessed an immeasurable wit.

If you want to learn about writing, watch a few episodes of M*A*S*H. Study how Gelbart develops his characters, making you love them, flaws and all. Learn from his brevity. Every word moves his stories forward; nothing is extraneous. I still watch M*A*S*H with an eye to learning the craft from the best in the business.

Thank you, Larry. You'll be missed.

Take That, Labor Day Picnic Pounds!

2009-09-06T09:31:00.004-04:00

Ha. You can eat all you want on Labor Day and it's HEALTHY for you! Check out this article:

Skinny Thighs Could Spell Your Doom

Okay, maybe not HEALTHY. But not as bad as you'd think. According to Danish researchers, people with the skinniest thighs (you know, the thighs you wish you had), have the highest chance of heart disease.

I'm not sure I believe it. There are skinny thighs that are the result of starvation (many runway models) and skinny thighs that are the result of hard work (Dara Torres.) I'd take the Dara Torres skinny thighs any day of the week over a runway model's. And I can't imagine that Dara has double the risk of heart disease as the result of her workouts. (Seriously...check out her milk ad at whymilk.com.)

All that being said...don't feel quite so guilty about the Labor Day picnic consumption. Maybe your inability to fit into skinny jeans means you'll live longer!

Little League Lessons (A Rant of Sorts)

2009-08-26T09:32:00.012-04:00

The Washington Post ran a thought-provoking article yesterday about the state of Little League in the U.S.

While I disagree with the article's premise that televising the Little League World Series pushes kids to grow up too fast (though it may be a contributor), I wholeheartedly agree with the article's opinion on the current state of the League. Kids are being pushed too hard, too early, and at a high cost. Injury rates are skyrocketing, with kids facing orthopedic surgery at a younger age than ever before, specifically due to overuse of their still-developing arms and shoulders. As a coach myself, I've watched it happen.

Personally, I blame overzealous parents who hope to see their kids make the bigs (much as overzealous parents push their kids too hard to excel academically, in other sports, in music, etc. with the hope their child's success will eclipse their own.) I also find many coaches at fault. They forget about the joy of the sport in their focus on the joy of a win. These attitudes corrupt the sport. These attitudes also corrupt the players, who come to believe that wins (or, at least, chalking up good personal stats) are the be-all, end-all of the game.

So what do you do if you're a parent? How can you ensure that your child's Little League experience is a good one--a safe and rewarding one--in light of the current environment? What if you're a coach dealing with an overzealous parent? Here, a few tips:

If you're a parent:

1) When you register your child for baseball, take the time to peruse your town's/League's website. Get familiar with the safety guidelines. When should helmets be worn? Where can your child safely swing a bat? Insist that your child follow those rules, even if the coach's enforcement is lax. An important guideline concerns the number of pitches a child may throw during any given game or week. These pitch counts are the maximum a child should throw in order to prevent injury. Know your child's number. Respect it. Keep track during games. If you feel your child's coach is pushing the limits, speak up. If your child is playing in multiple leagues (say, Little League and a private league), talk to both coaches about balancing the number of pitches your child throws.

2) Talk to your child early about good sportsmanship. While some major league players are role models, others are not. Encourage your child to follow the former rather than the latter (even if the swagger-and-spit styles of the latter get them on SportsCenter more often.) Remind your child that those players who set a good example earn more respect over time than those who don't.

3) Find out your child's coach's philosophy on the game as soon as possible during the season. If you have a choice of coaches, opt for those who emphasize safety, skills development, and fun over a win-at-all-costs mentality. Your child will be a far better player--and a better person--in the long run. Don't be afraid to question a coach if you feel safety is being compromised. A good coach respects players' parents.

If you're a coach:

1) Know your League's safety guidelines cold. Always, always, always err on the side of safety, whether that's clearing the field if lightning threatens, keeping kids from swinging bats near others, calling an ambulance if a child gets hit in the head and acts disconcerted (even if the parents insist the child is fine because they want their kid back in the game), or when dealing with pitch counts. Personally, I'd rather have a parent yell that I'm deep-sixing their eight-year-old's MLB dreams (go right ahead, parents, I can take it) than risk an injury to a child.

2) Set expectations with both parents and players on day one. When you introduce yourself, let them know your philosophy. Many parents and players will appreciate knowing you value safety first, skills development and fun second, and winning games third. While winning is wonderful--it boosts morale, helps gets kids into the playoffs, etc.--winning alone will never, ever satisfy a player the way they'll be satisfied by a simple love and appreciation of the game itself. (As an aside: in my experience, the teams whose emphasis is on safety, skills development, and fun play better as a team than those whose coaches and players focus on improving personal stats and notching wins.)

3) Watch pitch counts. Respect them. Remember that some kids may be pitching in more than one league and adjust accordingly. And don't forget to keep track of all the throwing that goes on off the mound. If a child will be pitching, don't have them throwing hard the day before. Don't have them throwing around with friends for a half-hour before the game. Limit the number of warmup pitches they throw. It may not be "on the record" but their shoulders and elbows feel it.

4) Respect parents' and players' concerns. If a parent feels their child is being pushed too hard, listen. If a child mentions that their arm is sore, take them at their word and inform the parents so they can discuss it with a doctor. In other words, act appropriately. When your star third baseman says it hurts to throw to first base, don't put him out there, even if it means losing a game.

4) Teach good sportsmanship. If your players start badmouthing the opposing team, nip it in the bud. If the opposing team gets rough during a game, speak to the other coach ASAP. Don't permit your players to retaliate. If your players exhibit bad sportsmanship, bench them and talk to the parents. The parents of the benched player won't be happy, but the other parents will appreciate that you're enforcing the rules--and all the players will learn from it.

5) Lead by example. Be encouraging. Give kids opportunities to try things they haven't been able to do (pitch, catch, play a new position, etc.) Do your best to improve your own skills--both game skills and teaching skills--so you can give your players the best experience possible. Reward good sportsmanship. Make practices fun. Let your own love of the game become contagious.

This season may be over for all but those in the Little League World Series. But by thinking ahead, you can make next season even better--and ensure the next article in the Washington Post is about the positive attributes of Little League.

Nine Pounds

2009-08-10T19:55:00.006-04:00

Most writers I know reward themselves after finishing a book, mailing out a proposal, or working through a particularly tricky part of their work-in-progress. It's a great incentive to keep going when the writing isn't easy.

Some writers buy themselves a gift (jewelry, shoes, and handbags seem to be popular amongst my friends.) Others go get a manicure or a massage. Some take a day (or a week) away from the computer to get fresh air and/or travel before diving into the next project. I think rewarding yourself for a job well done is always a good idea, whether you're a writer or not.

Since I wrapped up a new proposal last week, I went to Holliston, Massachusetts (one of the towns featured in Sticky Fingers) to go blueberry picking.

Ever wonder what nine pounds of blueberries looks like? Me, too. Mostly because I picked nine, but only seven and a half made it to the counter for this photo by the end of the day. I was eating them like one might nosh on a bowl of popcorn.

So...seven and a half pounds of blueberries:

Think this isn't a great writing reward? Three words for you: Homemade blueberry cobbler.

Aw, Becks

2009-08-10T19:18:00.005-04:00

Another weekend, another sporting event. This time, my view was different than the usual third base line at Fenway Park:

Yep, that would be David Beckham. The LA Galaxy were in town to play the New England Revs, so of course I got to Gillette Stadium for the game. But lest you think I was staring at Becks and ignoring my own team, I'll make it known that he stared at me first:

Oh, I'M KIDDING. There were a bunch of guys yelling at Beckham from the front row, so that look was meant for them, not me. And while I did take a few gratuitous Beckham photos, the rest of the time I had my eyes on the game, which was tight from start to finish. (Though, sadly, the Revs lost.)

If you haven't been to a MLS game yet, GO. They're tons of fun, easy to follow, and unlike baseball and football, you know it's going to be over in 90 minutes so you can get your beauty sleep for work the next day. No overtime, no extra innings. And a major bonus: tix are cheaper!

What are you waiting for?

Too Good For Words

2009-08-06T10:41:00.009-04:00

Here's what happens when you start playing around on the internet when you should be writing: You come across the website for your Dutch publisher, and you get to see what your titles become when translated.

So if you were to go shopping for my books in Amsterdam anytime soon (lucky you...ride a bike on cobblestones while you're there!), be aware that Royally Jacked is actually Prince Charming:

Spin Control becomes Confusing Love, which I understand, since the phrase "spin control" doesn't exactly translate:

Ditto Scary Beautiful, which the Dutch publisher titled Too Good For Words:

And finally, Do-Over becomes Second Chance? (with the question mark in the title):

Which title do you like best? Foreign titles better than the originals? (While I like the sound of Too Good For Words, it makes a pretty big promise as a title! Is ANY book too good for words? Wrap your head around that one....)

Curve Ball

2009-07-30T11:30:00.003-04:00

Treated myself to a mani/pedi yesterday as a reward for getting a lot of writing done the last couple weeks. Usually, I spend a few minutes perusing the shelf of colors before selecting a bottle. However, one leapt out at me right away, so I handed it to the nail tech without a second thought.

The color was spot-on perfect for me. So much so that I asked the nail tech what color it was so I could buy a bottle, and I never do that. She flipped it over to show me. The color name? Curve Ball.

Yep. Perfect.

All That's Good In The World

2009-07-25T11:18:00.006-04:00

After whining about all that's wrong with baseball, I figure I ought to balance that with all that's good in baseball. Or--hey, why not?--things that are simply good in the world.

In baseball land:

• Mark Buehrle's perfect game. Doesn't matter if you're a White Sox lover or hater, whenever a pitcher pulls this off, it's something to cheer.

• The Rockies are moving into positive territory. I don't believe their sudden uptick in the win column is related to firing Hurdle (sorry, I'm still grumpy about that.) Whatever it is that's going right at Coors Field, I hope it keeps right on going.

• Matt Holliday is now 1,000 miles closer to me, having been traded from the A's to the Cardinals. As I've previously stated, Matt is My Next Husband After Jacoby Ellsbury (and, presumably, after my actual husband.) It may be time for a road trip to St. Louis. Plus, St. Louis has the added attractions of a great ballpark and Albert Pujols. What's not to like?

• I got to add another ballpark to my Been There, Done That list this month! While visiting D.C. for the Romance Writers of America's annual conference, I managed to hop the Metro to catch last Saturday's game between the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs. Beautiful, easily accessible ballpark, friendly employees. I saw lots of players tossing balls to kids in the stands, which earns a team serious brownie points. And best of all, I had great seats, right behind the Nats' dugout.

• Tonight, I'll see the Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles at Fenway. Any day at Fenway is a good day. (Assuming the Sox win, of course!)

And in the real (aka: non-baseball) world:

• I've been writing like mad (thus my relative silence on the blog front.) I've gotten TONS of e-mails asking me what I'm working on. As soon as it's in the can, I'll spill. Until then, I'm superstitious. But suffice it to say that I'm in a happy place with the writing, and I hope readers will be excited about the results.

• Writing has also been happy for Hakeem Bennett of Brooklyn. His essay about heroes won the Stone Arch Books national essay contest, landing him a spot in a Superman comic. I think it's incredibly cool that DC Comics rewards great writing this way. Congrats, Hakeem!

• I had the chance to meet LOTS of readers last week during the Romance Writers of America's booksigning for literacy in Washington, DC. Thanks to all of you who turned out. I love getting the chance to talk about various characters (Val and Georg from the Royally Jacked series still generate the most questions) and to hear what books you're carrying around with you right now. Huge thanks to author Jennifer Echols, who not only stopped by to chat, but who took this shot while I was getting set up for the event:

If I had proper cropping skills, I would. But there you go. It was still a lot of fun, even with those exhibition-hall type ceilings!

Got more happy news? Cool stuff happening in your neighborhood? An AAHHHHH moment you saw on TV? Put it in the comments! It's finally summer at my house (in other words, the rain has stopped at long last!), so I'm in the mood to hear all about your Big Happy.

What's Wrong With Baseball These Days?

2009-06-08T13:37:00.012-04:00

I'll make a list:

1) I am in 10th place in my league in the ESPN Baseball Challenge. While tenth sounds good when there are dozens of people in the league, in this case, I'm tenth out of twelve. And I am actually trying, whereas the guys currently in the eleven and twelve slots gave up. Or else they are sitting back to see if they can beat me without changing a single player all season. (Give it up, Geralyn Dawson. It won't work.)

I cannot choose a pitching staff to save my soul. What was with the Twins last night? And how did I get so lucky as to pick the Giants on the one night Tim Lincecum blows it big? Apparently, I have a knack for these picks. If the Tigers' pitching staff flails in both games of their doubleheader today, you'll know you should take me to Vegas with you and bet the opposite of everything I do.

2) The Texas Rangers took two out of three from the Red Sox this weekend. I had to sit in the rain to watch the first loss, and man, was it painful. (Geralyn is now laughing at me, as she is also a Rangers fan.)

3) The Colorado Rockies were so stupid as to fire one of my all-time fave managers, Clint Hurdle. I guess the guys who fired him forgot that, OH YEAH, they traded away Matt Holliday. And OH YEAH, Jeff Francis has been hurt all year. Maybe, just maybe, the Rockies will have trouble winning games in that situation. (Geralyn is not to blame for any of this. I don't think Hurdle should be blamed, either.)

Do the guys who fired Hurdle remember this?

That would be the World Series. And that would be Clint Hurdle on the right, leading the team. Yes, the Rockies lost to the Red Sox (I was screwed on that one...one of my fave teams was going to lose either way!) But the fact the Rockies made it at all was due in large part to...well, you know who. The Rockies were suckin' wind that year, but came back to win 20 of their last 21 games.

I'll feel better about baseball tomorrow. (Especially if the Tigers' pitching staff does well, or if someone hires Hurdle.) In the meantime, I think I'll console myself by reading a good book.

Maybe I'll make it one of Geralyn's. At least I know it'll be good!

The Happiest Place On Earth, Part V (The Conclusion!)

2009-06-05T10:43:00.008-04:00

Was so, so sad to leave the Disney Magic, as I blogged about earlier (just click on the labels for "Disney Cruise" at the bottom of this post if you'd like to read Parts I - IV and to see the accompanying photos of alligator heads. Or Stitch.) But when the ship docks, you're outta luck. If you refuse to disembark because you're having too much fun, you deal with the port authority, and that's not my idea of a good time.

I headed home--briefly!--because I had Red Sox tickets. (And really, isn't THIS in the running for the Happiest Place on Earth? I think so! Especially when Josh Beckett's pitching.)

After the game, however, I headed right back to Logan Airport and made nice with the folks from JetBlue, who took me back to Orlando, where author Elizabeth Boyle and I spoke to librarians at the annual Florida Library Association conference. Even though we had an early-morning time slot, our room was PACKED. (Not only because we are us, and naturally entertaining, but because we primed everyone with coffee and distributed massive goody bags. We never assume our witty banter is enough to rouse folks from their comfy beds at 8AM.)

We had a load of fun discussing low-cost strategies for making their libraries teen-friendly, ways to use their romance novel collections to draw in readers, and gave them info on attracting fantastic speakers. We also did a lot of Q & A about writing (and the life of writers) in general. If you're a librarian and would be interested in a copy of my handout on Five Ways to Encourage Teen Patronage, just e-mail me. I'm happy to send it along. (And by all means, if you organize library conferences and are interested in having us speak, ask! We love meeting librarians.)

After our talk, Elizabeth and I drove all over the Orlando area signing books. If you'd like an autographed book, check at any of the following stores (call first, just to be sure they're still in stock):

Winter Park, FL

Borders
600 North Orlando Ave

Orlando, FL

Books-A-Million
5498 Touchstone Dr

Barnes & Noble
Colonial Plaza Market Center
2418 E Colonial Drive

Barnes & Noble
Waterford Lakes Town Center
481 N Alafaya Trail

Barnes & Noble
Florida Mall
8358 S Orange Blossom Trail

Altamonte Springs, FL

Barnes & Noble
Altamonte Mall
451 Altamonte Drive

Borders
880 W State Road 436

Casselberry, FL

Books-A-Million
S Hwy 17/92

I'm now home from Florida for awhile. Tonight, I'm heading back to Fenway to catch the Red Sox and the Texas Rangers. Brad Penny's on the mound for the Sox, so it should be a great game.

Facebooked

2009-05-26T18:26:00.002-04:00

Yep, I've finally joined Facebook (thanks to those of you who've e-mailed me and said things like, "Why aren't you there? It's EASY!" or "Seriously? You're not on Facebook? WHY?")

So if you'd like to be my Facebook friend, do a search for Niki Burnham. I think there are five profiles that come up with that search, but you'll know which is me. I promise.

One nice thing about Facebook? I found this phenomenal review of Flirtin' With The Monster, with some really flattering comments about my essay, "Role Models." Made my day.

This Just In: A New Book!

2009-05-19T15:25:00.007-04:00

Excuse the commercial interruption, but big news. There's a new book out, with a contribution from Yours Truly, that I'm excited to recommend.

If you're a fan of Ellen Hopkins, whose amazing books include CRANK, BURNED, and GLASS, check out the all new FLIRTIN' WITH THE MONSTER, a collection of essays about Ellen's work. The very first essay, titled Role Models, was my contribution. Other authors include Terri Clark, Gail Giles, Micol Ostow, and even "Kristina", whose real life story is told in CRANK and GLASS.

Interested? I'll have all the details on my site in the next few days. In the meantime, you can check out an excerpt right here.

Let me know what you think!

The Happiest Place On Earth, Part IV

2009-05-19T08:40:00.010-04:00

Next stop: Castaway Cay!

Imagine you had Disney's deep pockets, two cruise ships, and a wild imagination. An island in the Bahamas comes up for sale. And hey, you have those Pirates of the Caribbean movies in production and you'll need a place to park that monster prop, The Flying Dutchman, afterward, unless you plan to tear it apart. What do you do? Hmmmmm...

How'd you like to wake up to that view on a Friday morning?!

Disney bought the former Gorda Cay in mid-90s, dredged enough sand to allow their cruise ships to dock, and has been maintaining the space for its cruise ship passengers ever since. After days racing around Mexico, Grand Cayman, and Key West, we were ready for serious lounging. We spent the morning doing exactly that--with plenty of sunscreen, of course--right here on the shore:

I read a big chunk of Elizabeth Boyle's latest Regency-era romance while sitting in one of the chairs. Bliss!

Disney rents snorkeling gear, floating tubes, and bicycles for anyone who's interested. We opted to rent bikes just before noon, and explored the abandoned runway before heading off down this gorgeous bike path. Hard to believe, but we had it all to ourselves:

Off to the left of the bike path is an unspoiled expanse of rocky beach and blue, blue water. I stopped to take this photo at a gap in the trees:

After lunch, we went fishing (Disney offers several excursions, and since I love to fish, I signed up for bottom fishing the minute it was available), then had a little more time on the beach before heading back to the ship. The end-of-day view is my current desktop wallpaper:

Next, in Part V: The Other Happiest Place On Earth

The Happiest Place On Earth, Part III

2009-05-13T19:19:00.012-04:00

Third stop on the Happiest Place Adventure: Cozumel/Playa del Carmen/Tulum.

So as the ship pulled into the dock at Cozumel, I was watching CNN, where the topic of the morning was the H1N1 virus. They were going on and on about how awful things were in Mexico City, and saying that perhaps Americans shouldn't go to Mexico. There seemed to be a general panic on CNN, but we weren't worried. We were already in Mexico, for one, and for two, Mexico City is a LONG way from Cozumel.

Our fellow cruisers weren't worried, either, because none of them had bothered to watch the news and the whole Swine Flu Insanity was just getting started. They'd been far too busy with cruise activities to bother with CNN. (We didn't tell them to run to their stateroom televisions, either.) Another reassuring sign: the U.S. Coast Guard parked alongside us.

The crew waved to all the kids disembarking the Disney ship, which thrilled the kids to death. We heard more than one kid ask something along the lines of, "Hey, Mom, are those REAL AMERICANS on that Coast Guard boat?"

I think most people on our cruise headed to the various bars, beaches, and resorts on Cozumel. We opted to take the ferry across to Playa del Carmen, then catch a bus headed for Tulum so we could tour the Mayan ruins. Of course, we soon learned that the ferry between Cozumel and Playa del Carmen is frequently referred to as the Vomit Ferry. While we were fine, we did see several folks go for the barf bags, and one poor kid was still giving up the better part of his breakfast after we docked in Playa del Carmen. (Don't linger near the bushes at the top of this hill, should you visit in the near future.)

Thankfully, he seemed fine before we boarded the bus for Tulum. Though it took nearly two hours to get to Tulum from Cozumel (ferry-walk-bus), it was well worth it. The sun was out, the sky was clear, and the ruins weren't crowded at all. I've been to the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza before, and was told Tulum wasn't as good, so I was prepared to be underwhelmed.

This is NOT underwhelming:

Best of all, the ruins at Tulum are perched high above a beach! After we toured the ruins and got a crash course in Mayan culture, we took the stairs down to the beach and swam for an hour. I waded into the surf with my camera to take this shot:

I tried to wait out Speedo Man before taking a picture. Really, I did. I finally gave up and figured the beautiful scenery balanced out the not-so-beautiful Speedo Man.

Once we were back onboard the Disney Magic a couple hours later, we went to our room and were tickled to find that the room attendant had put my sunglasses to good use when he'd come to clean:

And though I couldn't get a picture of it, just after dinner we hit a highlight of our cruise: fireworks at sea. I nabbed this photo from Disney, because to leave fireworks out of the blog due to my cruddy nighttime picture-taking ability would be a crime:

Tip of the day: Pack Bonine if you're prone to seasickness. Chew one an hour or so before you get on a boat (or the Vomit Ferry.) It works.

Tomorrow, in Part IV: Eat Your Heart Out, Gilligan!

The Happiest Place On Earth, Part II

2009-05-12T14:24:00.017-04:00

Next stop: Grand Cayman.

Woke up early and hustled off the ship when we docked at Grand Cayman. First, because I'd never been there and I'm always excited to see a new place. Second, because I'd lined up a day with the wonderful folks at Fat Fish Adventures and couldn't wait to get going.

Peter, from Fat Fish, met a group of us at the Hard Rock Cafe in George Town, then drove us across the island (which is small and very, very flat) to where he'd moored his jetskis. Lemme tell ya, Peter owns some sweeeeet jetskis. We hopped on and followed a boat piloted by his friend Neil, who spends part of his year in Grand Cayman and part of the year running a dive operation out of Spain (yeah, I'm thinking Neil has it way too hard.)

As soon as we hit the open water, I thought, I'd better not do something stupid, or Neil will be fishing out my cell phone from the remnants of this SeaDoo, looking up my parents' number, and explaining to my mother why I'm fish food and how it's all my own fault. Then, of course, I went faster. The water was so blue and clear and smooth, how could I not?! Plus, Neil told me it'd be more fun if I hit the gas harder, so I gunned it.

Our first stop was Stingray City, a natural sandbar off the coast of Grand Cayman where stingrays have congregated for years, lured by food from tourists and locals alike. The stingrays--mostly female--are tame, as they've become accustomed to human interaction. When I cut power to the jetski, this beauty swam right up:

I think that particular stingray was about 7-8 feet down, as she was a good twenty or thirty yards away from the sandbar. The water was just that clear.

We hopped off our jetskis and swam the last few yards to the sandbar, since the water's shallow enough to stand there. The stingrays immediately congregated all around us, searching for squid handouts. They'd swim all around your ankles, up your back, along your elbows, you name it. You'd think it'd be frightening, but it's not. It's more like being attacked by giant portobello mushrooms (friendly mushrooms, of course!) Check out the ray Neil and I are holding (grainy photo being the result of a cheap-o, disposable underwater camera):

This one only liked me for my squid. I fed it a couple handfuls--which was something akin to feeding lint to a vacuum cleaner--then off it went, in search of another meal.

After Stingray City, we snorkeled off Rum Point for a little while (Neil came up with a huge conch shell), jetskiied some more, then headed back to shore, where Peter was waiting to take us back to the Disney Magic. I took a shower, then headed to the top deck in search of fresh fruit and shrimp. I'd just gotten done telling my husband how happy I was we'd decided to take a cruise and how it was so much more fun than I expected it to be, when this guy sat beside me:

Do you think Stitch is allowed a glass of wine now and then? (My guess is no.) We finished off the night hanging out on the verandah, watching the sunset as the ship left Grand Cayman. Gorgeous!

Tip of the day: If you are ever so lucky as to visit Grand Cayman, book an excursion with Fat Fish Adventures. Huge thanks to Peter and Neil for making my first visit to Grand Cayman so incredible!

Tomorrow, in Part III: The Vomit Ferry

The Happiest Place On Earth, Part I

2009-05-11T11:44:00.012-04:00

Disney claims it's Anaheim, but I figure Orlando is close enough, in Disney-speak.

I've spent the last three weeks on the road, with multiple stops in Orlando, Florida. While I'm typically not a Florida person (despite being born in Key West, I've lived most of my life in colder climates), I've truly enjoyed the last three weeks.

First adventure: A Disney Cruise!

I travel a ton, but have always balked at the idea of a cruise. I like to be flexible with my plans, seeing whatever interests me most on a given day. If you're vacationing at a hotel and don't like it, you can go somewhere else. You can eat in whichever restaurant catches your attention at whatever time of day you please. But if you're on a ship? You're stuck with their food, their schedule, their rooms. However, after watching a Travel Channel show about the Disney Cruise Line, I thought, "Hmmm...that looks pretty cool. And they go to Key West. And Grand Cayman. And I can take in the Mayan ruins in Tulum. Not bad!" And though I like Disney as much as the next person, I've never wanted to spend a vacation with Chip and Dale. But the Travel Channel show made it clear that you can see Disney characters...or not. There are lots of things to do on the ship that do NOT involve Mickey. (Spa, anyone? Late-night sports bar?)

So off I went to Orlando, ticket in hand to board the ship at Port Canaveral. And within two seconds of stepping aboard the Disney Magic, I knew I'd made the right decision. You tell me, is this not spectacular?

I love the elegant, Art Deco lines. And the interiors were just as gorgeous. Check out these shots, taken inside a suite:

(Note the officer demonstrating proper use of the life vest on tv. Reassuring, huh?! "Welcome to our ship. Here's how NOT to drown....")

All the polished wood was to die for. Far more swank than 99% of hotels. But the best part of a Disney cruise is OFF the ship. As we left Port Canaveral, a group of dolphins jumped alongside, escorting us out to the Atlantic. (I asked my husband how much Disney had to pay dolphin trainers to pull off that particular trick.)

From there, the ship went to Key West. I took the Trolley around the island, then toured Truman's Little White House. And yes, I did eat a Key Lime pie on a stick. For all of a minute, I wondered how many laps it'd take around Deck Four to burn it off. Then I decided it was so good, I didn't care. (Plus, it was so overwhelmingly sweet I doubt I'll ever eat it again!)

I had the chance to see where I was born, in a barracks building at the Navy health center. Very fancy, isn't it? I bet everyone on the cruise ship would trade their rooms in a cold minute to stay here. The barbed-wire fence gives it quite the prison ambience:

I also had the opportunity to see alligator heads for sale. If you've ever purchased an alligator head, please enlighten me. What does one DO with an alligator head? Put it on the mantel? Make a lamp out of it? Hide it inside your mailbox to scare the mailman? (No, I didn't buy one. The photo was enough for me.)

Finally, I wrapped up the day by engaging in some Mallory Square people-watching from an amazing vantage point (namely, my verandah!) Doesn't this look like the best place to hang out at sunset?

Tomorrow, in Part II: Nic vs. The Stingray.

Cursed

2009-04-15T15:21:00.005-04:00

No Red Sox fan should ever use the word "cursed", but whatever. I couldn't sleep last night, so at 2 AM I wandered downstairs to the tv and was surprised to see the Sox game in the 12th inning. Couldn't resist watching, plus Matt Holliday--who SHOULD still be on the Rockies--was at the plate for the A's, and I love watching the guy bat.

Sadly, the minute I tune in, it happens: a couple batters after Holliday and the Sox lose. I'm sure it's because I turned on my tv. I cursed them.

Other evidence I am cursed:

Saturday: I decide the family room carpet is disgusting. Book the cleaners to come on Monday.
Monday: Carpet gets spiffied up, looks brand new.
Tuesday: I decide to water the plants in the family room.
Immediately afterward: Dog decides wet dirt is the PERFECT place to bury her chew toy, spraying mud everywhere in the process. When I see her and tell her, "No!" she runs through it (and all over the carpet.)
Immediately after that: Discover vacuum cleaner is broken.

Now I'm waiting to see if bad things really do come in threes. (And I'm hoping that "plant dirt everywhere" and "broken vacuum" count as two separate incidents!)

Perfect Ten

2009-04-08T12:45:00.004-04:00

Ten strikeouts, one win. Thanks for making opening day rock, Josh! Made me soooo happy to see the Sox win the first one at home. Homers from Tek and Dustin Pedroia sealed it. Can't wait until I get to go to my first Red Sox game of 2009 when they play the Yankees at the end of this month.

In other happy sporting news, I took second place in my ESPN NCAA basketball pool (not bad, since I picked Memphis to win it all), and I will likely take third in my Geek Pool. Should find out about that one soon.

How about all of you? Were your brackets well-chosen? Are you amped for baseball? (Me, I honored the day by forking over $9.99 to get the MLB.com app for my iPhone. Next time I'm traveling, I can get the game day audio, live scores, and all the other info I usually miss!)

Yes, I'm a bit obsessive!

Wichita, KS: The Friendliest Place On Earth?

2009-04-05T10:01:00.004-04:00

Ever been to Wichita? What do you think?

I spent the last three days hanging out in wonderful Wichita at the Kansas Library Association/Midwest Plains Library Association joint conference with my good friend, author Elizabeth Boyle. We gave a workshop to the librarians on using their romance collections to build patronage at their libraries through various displays, programming, teen advisory groups, etc. A HUGE thanks to HarperCollins, Houghton Mifflin, and the Romance Writers of America for providing all kinds of swag, including fabulous tote bags and copies of Breaking Up (Is Hard To Do) and Elizabeth's brand new release, Confessions of a Little Black Gown. We had a great turnout and a lot of fun.

What Elizabeth and I couldn't get over? How NICE everyone is in Wichita! The guy working the desk at Enterprise Rent-A-Car was cheerful and informative when we arrived, even though it was ten pm and he was probably due to get off work. We kept talking about how nice he was...then everyone else we encountered turned out to be just like him! From the helpful folks at Walgreen's (who helped me find face wash after I left mine at home), to the smiling booksellers at the Maize Road Borders (where Elizabeth and I stopped by to sign stock) to the friendly waitstaff at River City Brewery, every single person we met in Wichita was exceedingly kind. Elizabeth and I decided that it's probably the friendliest city on Earth.

We also need to give a huge shout out to everyone at the Bradley Fair Barnes & Noble, located at 1920 N. Rock Road. Elizabeth held a booksigning there on Thursday night, and the staff went above and beyond to make it a fun, relaxing event. If you want an autographed copy of any of her books, or if you'd like an autographed copy of either Royally Jacked or Scary Beautiful, stop by the store and grab one! They have a ton of signed stock. If you're not near Wichita, but would still like an autographed copy, give them a call at (316) 315-0421. They can make arrangements to ship you whatever you need. (See, told you they were nice!) Huge, huge thanks to Brad, Karina, and Bob for organizing the event and treating us like royalty. We wish all bookstore employees were as friendly as you.

NOTE: If you're a librarian, Elizabeth and I will be giving our presentation again next month at the Florida Library Association's annual conference in Orlando, Florida. Introduce yourself if you're there! And if you're organizing a library conference and are interested in having us speak, just drop either one of us a line. Librarians are some of our favorite people, so we'd love to come and meet you!

What NOT To Get At The Ballpark

2009-03-26T17:27:00.003-04:00

I try to keep my eating healthy. Really, I do. I eat a lot of veggies, fish, and fruit. Red meat is a rare thing. But occasionally, I grab a Fenway Frank at the ballpark. There's something about the atmosphere that seems to make it okay. (And no, please don't tell me what's in them. I don't want to know.)

But this is something I can't understand at all:

This is the Fifth Third Burger (named after the Fifth Third ballpark) served up at the minor league West Michigan Whitecaps games. Yee-gads. Nearly 5000 calories and who-knows-how much sodium and other ick. It's 1 2/3 lbs of beef (get it...five thirds), nacho cheese, lettuce, corn chips, salsa, tomatoes, and chili on a bun.

Any takers?

It's On!

2009-03-25T13:20:00.002-04:00

Must say...I LOVE March. While I'm no hockey or football hater, they're just not sports I follow that closely. On the other hand, I LOVE watching baseball. Caught a pre-season game last night on NESN and it gave me a huge spring-is-here mood lift. The Red Sox were playing the Yankees down in Florida, and--horrors--the Yankees won (they had a stellar eighth.) But who cares? It's BASEBALL! And I refuse to believe that this signals anything for the upcoming regular season. Can't wait to see the Sox up here at Fenway in less than a month (whoo-hoo!)

In better news, I'm tied for first in my NCAA pool on ESPN.com. I need Memphis to win it all (so everyone send them some good vibes, hey?) I'm also participating in what my husband kindly terms "The Geek Pool." A group of around 40 of us make our selections every year, but instead of making out brackets, we number each of the tourney teams from 1 - 64. You put 64 on the team you think will win it all, and a one on the team you feel is most likely to go out in the first round. I have two entries, with 64 on Memphis in one, and 64 on Louisville in the other. No idea how I'm doing in that pool yet, so wish me luck! It's a world of spreadsheet fun.

What about you? What sporting events have you feeling upbeat?

Oscar Time 2009

2009-02-24T09:19:00.014-05:00

Happy, happy, joy, joy. Three cheers for Oscar night!! (Wasn't it WONDERFUL? Love me some Hugh Jackman. But I digress...)

First cheer: I rocked my Oscar pool. Haven't gotten an update as to the winners, but I got 19 out of the 24 categories correct (last year I was an all-time low 13 for 24, and I was 18 for 24 in 2007.)

Second cheer: Anyone mind if I do a dance for Slumdog Millionaire? I LOVED that movie. If you haven't seen it yet, consider this a shove out the door to the multiplex. You'll want to see it in a theater, unless you are so fortunate as to have one of those home theater setups with the wicked surround sound, etc. This is a movie that transports you to India. You won't want to be distracted by neighbors, the phone, or your laundry while you watch on DVD at three in the afternoon.

Third cheer: The GOWNS! This was a prime Oscar year. Very few misses, so I'll get them out of the way right off the bat.

Apologies to the ever-lovely Jessica Biel, but her off-white gown was Not Good. It looked like someone took took care with her hair and makeup. Then, a nasty stylist came in afterward and thought Jessica looked too pretty. In a jealous fit, the stylist wrapped a very fancy bedsheet from the Ritz-Carlton around Jessica, tucked it up with a few folds in the front, and carefully explained (cough-lied-cough) that the sheet-waterfall look was "the latest thing." She then shoved Jessica out the door, stifling a maniacal laugh as JB tripped over the hem getting into the car.

The dress Jessica wore to host the Sci-Tech Awards last week was much better, a multi-colored, but simple strapless number. Though awfully reflective in photos, I bet it looked better in person. And she could walk without tripping on it.

My other Worst Dressed Female for 2009 must go to Whoopi Goldberg. I swear I could see her bra (and part of its contents) peeking out the top while she was presenting. Still, even assuming the girls were tucked away where they belonged, you tell me. I think she could do much better than an ill-fitting, too-low-in-front leopard print.

Of course, I immediately consulted both the E! Fashion Police and my fave Fuggers to see if they agreed. (They did.) But they liked one dress (for the most part) that I just couldn't love. Did you see Heidi Klum in red?

To me, the color worked. The cutout in the back worked. The bow worked. The leg slit worked. The top kind of worked. However, all these things did not work together. It was too much. I say keep the color (Heidi can rock red), keep the back cutouts, keep the leg, but lose the origami top and the butt bow. What do you think?

(Ditto Reese Witherspoon. Either black with the funky cut, or blue with the funky cut. Not all three at once.)

WHEW. So on to all the good stuff (and there was plenty of good stuff!) First, oh, how I loved Angelina Jolie. True, it was black. But it showed off her figure, and didn't look like the matronly swoops of fabric we've seen on her lately.

Other faves: Freida Pinto (fabulous vibrant blue), Best Actress nominee Melissa Leo (great fit, pretty, and the bronze suited her coloring), and Marisa Tomei (funky but classy.) I also LOVED Anne Hathaway's ivory gown, though from certain angles, it seemed loose in the bust, as if someone taller than her could look right down and see everything. However, I doubt too many people are that much taller than Anne Hathaway, especially when she's wearing killer heels.

There were LOADS of great gowns, so it's hard to pick my favorites. But these two topped my list. My Best Dressed Women were Natalie Portman in her strapless, well-fitted pink and Penelope Cruz in a gorgeous beaded white gown. I generally don't go for pink, but Natalie Portman's simply rocked. Penelope Cruz's look was a mesh of sultry Sophia Loren and glamorous Grace Kelly.

I'm also going to name a Best Dressed Man this year. Mostly because while I was watching the Oscars, I made my husband come to the TV so I could point out exactly how I think a guy should look on the red carpet. And I pointed to Robert Downey, Jr. Even if my husband said something along the lines of, "Um, okay," before going back to whatever he was doing on his computer, I thought his tux, hair, and shoes were spot-on perfect. Downey's wife, Susan, looked amazing, too, in her soft, melon-y orange. (And their happy-to-be-together smiles get them extra bonus points.)

Finally, I must mention Heath Ledger's win. He was a phenomenal, multi-dimensional Joker, and I think he'd have won the Oscar regardless of the attention his unfortunate, way-too-early passing brought to his performance. Valerie (the Oscar-loving, Heath-obsessed character from Royally Jacked and its sequels) would have been doing the biggest happy dance of all.

So what do you think? Who was a hit? Who missed? (And though I won't post it here, did you get a look at Sharon Stone's R-rated see-through dress?! Google it if not. It would have been wonderful if it wasn't transparent. But as is, I howled with laughter.)

Things Afoot

2009-02-12T13:58:00.010-05:00

For years after seeing Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, my friends would utter the line, "Strange things are afoot at the Circle K..." whenever odd events popped up in groups. Well, today's not so much filled with odd events, per se, but it's definitely a day in which there are Things Afoot. Things Bill and Ted would deem "Most Excellent!"

Okay, that was a hokey intro. But you know what I mean. It is a HAPPY day!

First: Survivor starts up again tonight! (Collective YAY!) I'm participating in Fantasy Survivor (you can sign up on the CBS site, right here, if you're interested.) However, I will warn you that I plan to win.

Second: I've raved about Alyson Noël's books since I read her first one, FAKING 19. This week, her newest, EVERMORE, is on the New York Times List. If you haven't read her stuff yet, you must must must grab this book. And, frankly, everything else Alyson has written. (Collective YAY for Alyson!)

Third: Yesterday I was perusing the aisles at my local Barnes & Noble and, lo and behold, there's also gorgeous display for my good friend Cynthia Leitich Smith's newest release, ETERNAL. ETERNAL takes place in the same wacky, paranormal version of Austin, TX, as Cynthia's last novel, TANTALIZE. I wasn't expecting to see ETERNAL for another week or thereabouts, so it was truly a happy find. (Collective YAY for Cynthia!)

Go. Read. Watch. Enjoy!

Who Wants To Know A Secret?

2009-02-10T11:34:00.007-05:00

Today, a reading recommendation! If you're a fan of books where every character harbors a secret, you MUST check out author Micol Ostow's latest series, The Bradford Novels. The first book, Golden Girl, is in stores now, and the other books will be out in the next few months.

This series--set at a fictional school called Bradford Prep--is doubly fun because there's a slew of online content. There's an entire site following the day-to-day events at Bradford Prep that's similar to a site a real high school would have (though there are added blogs by the main characters that give you further insights into events from the books.) Plus, there's a huge blog event (where I'm today's guest!)

Be sure to let me know what you think of Golden Girl. (And if you want more Micol while you're waiting for the next Bradford Novel, check out her other books, such as Crush du Jour and Emily Goldberg Learns to Salsa.)

The "Bale"-Out

2009-02-06T14:16:00.005-05:00

Anyone catch the news of Christian Bale's on-set tirade against the lighting director who accidentally walked into a scene while it was being filmed? Yeowtch. Both at what he actually said (calling it a "rant" would be like calling a hurricane a "rainstorm") and at the length to which he said it.

(If you want to read more about it, go here for MSNBC.com's take. Of course, TMZ has the actual audio.)

The gist of it was that Bale couldn't focus/get into the head of his character with the lighting guy walking through. While I can certainly see that it'd be annoying ('cause you'd have to re-shoot the scene, for one), I wonder what would happen to ME if I pulled that while I was sitting in my office, mid-scene, and someone walked in?

I mean, I've got the dog barking at the UPS truck or my husband asking something vitally important like, "Hey, where's the peanut butter?" about every three minutes while I'm working. And I have to be in the head of my characters, too. It's annoying to get interrupted--as an author, it could mean losing that incredibly witty bit of dialogue I just imagined--but it's life. (And just for the record, the peanut butter is where it ALWAYS is, because I am just that kind of an organized neat freak. If the peanut butter's out of place, it's because my husband put it out of place. So asking me where it is doesn't solve his problem.)

Thing is, I'm a huge fan of Christian Bale's work. One of my all-time fave movies is 1987's Empire of the Sun , which he starred in when he was only thirteen. (Grab it from Netflix if you've never seen it. It also stars John Malkovich and Joe Pantoliano. I promise you'll love it.) And I thought Bale was amazing in 3:10 To Yuma. So I was glad to see that he made a public apology today. And I think he meant it.

What do you think? Excusable? Inexcusable? What would happen if you threw a fit like that at work? Have you ever thrown a fit like that at work? (I think my husband would tell me to slowly move away from the computer while he removed all sharp objects from the room. And he'd make sure he found the peanut butter before I did.)

Go Forth

2009-01-21T08:53:00.005-05:00

I spent yesterday glued to the television, even though I SWORE to myself that I'd stop after Aretha Franklin sang (because I know myself well enough to know I couldn't NOT watch Aretha.)

Apparently I wasn't alone; the inauguration is all my friends and neighbors have been able to talk about for the last 24 hours. No matter what our political persuasion, Obama's call to volunteerism resonated with each of us, particularly this line:

"The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good."

If every person in this crowd, and every person who watched the inauguration on television, did even one small thing to help a friend or neighbor, to improve their local schools, or to raise the standard of living in a poor community (perhaps through an organization such as Heifer International) what kind of world would we have?

Off the DL

2009-01-04T11:51:00.010-05:00

Bet you didn't think there was a disabled list in the baseball off-season. Well, you are WRONG. Not only could I not play baseball for the last few weeks (not that I was planning to, what with the snow and ice), I couldn't TYPE. For a writer and computer addict, this is a big deal. No responding to e-mail. No blogging. No working on my current manuscript. No googling phrases like "Kylie Minogue fashion don't." (Try it...it's FUN.)

Also, no searching for videos like "Kathy Griffin New Year's Eve hecklers." (Caution: Some of you may find content in this video objectionable. I think Kathy's hysterical, but she is NOT kid-friendly.)

So how did I end up on the typing DL, you wonder? Long story short: My big Christmas gift this year was a new set of kitchen knives.

Long story long: I've been using the same hand-me-downs since I moved into my first apartment during college, so after this Thanksgiving (and another round of heavy-duty cooking with dull, unsightly knives), I decided it was high time I acquired a grown-up set. I spent forever online researching, then went into the kitchen store to try out a few. I settled on a nifty set from Wüsthof, since they felt good in my hand, and talked my husband into letting me open them before Christmas so I'd have them for Christmas entertaining.

The kicker? Those suckers are SHARP.

I opened the box and started washing them one by one, all jazzed to cut a tomato, a green pepper, whatever. Just as I was daydreaming about speed-chopping celery, I slipped. Steak knife + new edge + right index finger = trip to the ER and stitches. Then I had to have my fingers taped together so I wouldn't bend the right index finger. You don't realize how much you use your hands until you whack them with sharp objects.

On the bright side, I did get to watch a lot of TV. Loved the Boston Legal series finale, though I can't see Justice Scalia marrying anyone, let alone Denny and Alan, during his fishing vacation in Canada (leaving aside the fact that no one had a marriage license.) Maybe this will be addressed if, say, NBC, CBS, or even HBO pick up the series? One can only hope.

Also loved the Survivor finale. Very happy Bob Crowley won, though I thought Sugar played a great strategic game (I wish she'd gotten the $100,000 fan fave money.)

But now the stitches are out, so I'm off the typing DL. If anyone has tips on scar prevention (other than the usual advice to keep the wound covered and use sunscreen), let me know. I don't want to look like I was in a fight and lost!

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

2008-12-04T08:44:00.004-05:00

The Good: Tonight's episode of Survivor. I cannot WAIT. Last week's ouster of Randy was the most hysterical tribal council of all time. (Crystal is not my fave, but I was rolling when she intentionally made her "confessional" comments so loud that everyone at tribal council and on the jury could hear.)

I'm hoping that Sugar, Matty, Bob, or Kenny win it all. Susie wouldn't be so bad. Crystal would garner an eyeroll and heavy sighs. A Corinne victory would constitute a crime against humanity.

The Bad: Only one more episode left of my beloved Boston Legal. Last week's episode was laugh-aloud funny, so if you've ever seen this show and enjoyed it, do NOT miss the finale next week. Carl Sack and Shirley Schmidt are getting married! Denny and Alan are going to the Supreme Court! Jerry and Katie may actually go on a date! What more could you want? (Aside from another season, of course.)

If you want to catch up before the finale, check out online episodes right here.

The Ugly: Sadly, the "ugly" is my MacBook. I was online when the AOL froze. Couldn't force quit. Clicked over to iCal, which I also had open. No dice quitting iCal, either. So I shut down the MacBook and waited awhile. Went to turn it back on, and got a flashing gray file folder with a question mark on it. Not. A. Good. Sign. If you ever see this, know that it's quite possible your hard drive is dead:

I took my MacBook to the Apple store Genius Bar, where the guys tested it and concluded that yep, it was fried, and yes, it can happen to any computer with no warning whatsoever. They couldn't tell me how it happened (or, more importantly, how to prevent it from happening again.) However, since I wisely purchased AppleCare when I bought the MacBook, they're replacing the hard drive for free.

While having a hard drive crash is a major catastrophe for most writers, I am lucky enough to also have a desktop computer. Though I use it far less than the laptop, I had about 95% of my laptop info backed up to the desktop (and, being neurotic, I then have my desktop backed up to BOTH the Apple .mac server and an external hard drive every night.) Lesson of the week, kids: BACK UP YOUR WORK. Daily. Even when everything is working wonderfully. You never know when an ugly crash will happen.