Today I'm spotlighting Stephen King - yet again. Stumbled across this video on youtube, where he appears to be guest speaker, possibly at a university somewhere.
As usual, his advice is spot-on when he tells aspiring writers they should write a lot, but also read a lot. I knew this teacher in California who kept telling me she wanted to write, but she hadn't read a book in years. (The fact that that this person is a strong influence on 20+ kids every school year - who we're supposed to encourage to read - is another issue entirely.) It seems she didn't have time! Uh, what? You think if you don't have time to read, you're going to somehow make time to write? Here's the link (just a one-minute clip)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqp7A0B7abc
I love what he says there at the end about reading something and thinking you can do better. Too funny, as usual.
TGIF!
Piper Denna
Romance is sexy!
USA Today Best of 2012
Friday, December 12, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
p.m. post
My sincere apologies for today's tardy post.
I was only supposed to work in the afternoon today - had planned on a quiet morning blogging and editing one of my manuscripts which is heading off for copy edits soon.
Instead, I was on the way to school with my kids and got a call asking me if I could cover the entire day for this teacher instead. So I delivered the kidlets and rushed home lickety-split, fixed hair and makeup, dressed, scarfed Instant Grits, packed a lunch, and cruised again.
And let me tell ya, the rest of the day has been every bit as hectic, from overlyenergetic 5th graders to waiting thru the line at Walmart pharmacy not just once but three times! while they got dh's prescription charges in the system. Did I mention we returned items, too? Oh yeah, it was THAT kind of day - the one-person-at-service-desk-with-10-people-in-line kind of day.
Good news is, tomorrow we have no school. Which means the kidlets and I are going nowhere.
yayyy!
All I want for Christmas is time to write.
Autumn
Got romance?
I was only supposed to work in the afternoon today - had planned on a quiet morning blogging and editing one of my manuscripts which is heading off for copy edits soon.
Instead, I was on the way to school with my kids and got a call asking me if I could cover the entire day for this teacher instead. So I delivered the kidlets and rushed home lickety-split, fixed hair and makeup, dressed, scarfed Instant Grits, packed a lunch, and cruised again.
And let me tell ya, the rest of the day has been every bit as hectic, from overlyenergetic 5th graders to waiting thru the line at Walmart pharmacy not just once but three times! while they got dh's prescription charges in the system. Did I mention we returned items, too? Oh yeah, it was THAT kind of day - the one-person-at-service-desk-with-10-people-in-line kind of day.
Good news is, tomorrow we have no school. Which means the kidlets and I are going nowhere.
yayyy!
All I want for Christmas is time to write.
Autumn
Got romance?
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Watcha Readin' Wednesday
This week's review selection: Seduce Me At Sunrise, by Lisa Kleypas, 2008 St. Martin's Press.
FYI - any fellow authors out there, I bought this book the same day I watched the trailer on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDHsMMd-nS8
In case you're wondering, YES, trailers do sell books.
I'm notorious for starting book series in the middle and this is no exception; it's the second book about this particular family. I will find Mine Till Midnight soon, so I'll be prepared when #3 comes out early next year. But I digress. About this book:
It's 1848. Win is one of four daughters of a wealthy family. A bout of scarlet fever a couple years previous has left her with a weak heart and lungs - generally frail. However, she goes to France for an extended stay with a doctor who nurses her strength back with a healthy diet and exercise. Now she wants nothing more than to return home to Kev, who she's loved since the first time she saw him.
Kev is the orphaned gypsy boy a wealthy family took in and raised as one of their own. He's uncertain of his place in the world and determined to earn his keep with Win's family, though they'd never require him to. He's bitter most of the time, forever an outsider. Only one peson warms his heart, and she has since the first day he met her.
This book was virtually unputdownable for me. Even in my hectic world. I loved Kleypas' contemporary work, and her historicals haven't let me down. She gives us conflicted characters we can relate to. Their problems become our problems. The sexual tension is hot. Fantastic. Her descriptions are just enough to set the mood, without all the tedious details about what each layer of clothing consisted of and how long it took to don. I realize many historical readers love all the description, but I'm just not that reader. I loved reading this book because the story keeps moving.
I rate this book a Nice Bang for Your Entertainment Buck. I'll happily share it with a pal and certainly watch for Kleypas' next debut. I found just one flaw: a particular line of dialogue where the characters are discussing London society. "Gossip travels at full throttle." Unfortunately, it really stopped me. I even did searches on the net, hoping I was mistaken, but alas, the term "full throttle" is used only in regards to liquid fuel engines - none of which were available in 1851, at the time of this conversation. It was the equivalent of a wall-banger for me, but really, why the heck would I bother to throw the book across the room if I'd rather keep reading toward the fabulous happily ever after?
Piper Denna
Romance is sexy!
Get Your Own Copy! A book you love so much, no way are you loaning it out. Worthy of high praise and frequent recommendations – but trust us, if you let someone borrow this one, they’ll “forget” to return it. Don’t miss the next title by this author.
Keeper. You won’t regret either time or money spent with this book. It has a permanent spot on your shelf. Recommend it freely and lend it carefully to that trustworthy “inner circle” of reader friends. Put the author on your To Be Read list.
Nice Bang for Your Entertainment Buck. Well worth your time and money, but not necessarily worth a re-read. Pass it on to someone who’ll enjoy it and keep the author on your radar.
Borrow It. An okay read, but try to borrow it from a friend or library. This author will likely improve with experience, so remember him/her.
Don’t Bother. We won’t sink into varying degrees of badness – one size fits all in our “not worthy” category. Do remember, this is just one opinion, so take us with a grain of salt.
FYI - any fellow authors out there, I bought this book the same day I watched the trailer on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDHsMMd-nS8
In case you're wondering, YES, trailers do sell books.
I'm notorious for starting book series in the middle and this is no exception; it's the second book about this particular family. I will find Mine Till Midnight soon, so I'll be prepared when #3 comes out early next year. But I digress. About this book:
It's 1848. Win is one of four daughters of a wealthy family. A bout of scarlet fever a couple years previous has left her with a weak heart and lungs - generally frail. However, she goes to France for an extended stay with a doctor who nurses her strength back with a healthy diet and exercise. Now she wants nothing more than to return home to Kev, who she's loved since the first time she saw him.
Kev is the orphaned gypsy boy a wealthy family took in and raised as one of their own. He's uncertain of his place in the world and determined to earn his keep with Win's family, though they'd never require him to. He's bitter most of the time, forever an outsider. Only one peson warms his heart, and she has since the first day he met her.
This book was virtually unputdownable for me. Even in my hectic world. I loved Kleypas' contemporary work, and her historicals haven't let me down. She gives us conflicted characters we can relate to. Their problems become our problems. The sexual tension is hot. Fantastic. Her descriptions are just enough to set the mood, without all the tedious details about what each layer of clothing consisted of and how long it took to don. I realize many historical readers love all the description, but I'm just not that reader. I loved reading this book because the story keeps moving.
I rate this book a Nice Bang for Your Entertainment Buck. I'll happily share it with a pal and certainly watch for Kleypas' next debut. I found just one flaw: a particular line of dialogue where the characters are discussing London society. "Gossip travels at full throttle." Unfortunately, it really stopped me. I even did searches on the net, hoping I was mistaken, but alas, the term "full throttle" is used only in regards to liquid fuel engines - none of which were available in 1851, at the time of this conversation. It was the equivalent of a wall-banger for me, but really, why the heck would I bother to throw the book across the room if I'd rather keep reading toward the fabulous happily ever after?
Piper Denna
Romance is sexy!
Get Your Own Copy! A book you love so much, no way are you loaning it out. Worthy of high praise and frequent recommendations – but trust us, if you let someone borrow this one, they’ll “forget” to return it. Don’t miss the next title by this author.
Keeper. You won’t regret either time or money spent with this book. It has a permanent spot on your shelf. Recommend it freely and lend it carefully to that trustworthy “inner circle” of reader friends. Put the author on your To Be Read list.
Nice Bang for Your Entertainment Buck. Well worth your time and money, but not necessarily worth a re-read. Pass it on to someone who’ll enjoy it and keep the author on your radar.
Borrow It. An okay read, but try to borrow it from a friend or library. This author will likely improve with experience, so remember him/her.
Don’t Bother. We won’t sink into varying degrees of badness – one size fits all in our “not worthy” category. Do remember, this is just one opinion, so take us with a grain of salt.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Tube Tuesday
Why remain snowbound in some remote cabin, when you can build your own snowshoes and walk out?
From BBC to Youtube to you... so long as you've got nylon twine, binding material, and ulimited access to small flexible sticks, you're set!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ROh_mAaPt8
Piper Denna
Romance is sexy!
From BBC to Youtube to you... so long as you've got nylon twine, binding material, and ulimited access to small flexible sticks, you're set!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ROh_mAaPt8
Piper Denna
Romance is sexy!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Special report
We interrupt today's regularly scheduled "Things That Suck" for an especially sucky math lesson by Mrs. Cornfuscius.
(3 little girls) + (1 slumber party) + (exhaustion after big night-swimming trip to the hot springs) = spats + (hurt feelings X tears) + (1 little girl going home at 1 a.m.)
I think moms should get overtime pay for days like these!
Autumn Piper
Got romance?
(3 little girls) + (1 slumber party) + (exhaustion after big night-swimming trip to the hot springs) = spats + (hurt feelings X tears) + (1 little girl going home at 1 a.m.)
I think moms should get overtime pay for days like these!
Autumn Piper
Got romance?
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