Umm, Can You Tell Me?

Ho-kay, I had a draft and I finished the linking and stuff and then I went and published it. I even saw it on the real blog all shiny and new. So can someone tell me where the hell it went? After I published I tooled around trying to figure out how to change my perma-links to a color that stood out. Yep, accomplished. However, my Keeper blog is no longer there. Worse, it is not in the draft area either.

It's gone isn't it. Crap. I see what you guys mean about posts disappearing. I thought that only happened if it hadn't been saved on your computer for 3 frickin' days.

Goin' to find chocolate.

Nuts, is there a way to copy and paste withing the compose window? I'm getting my butt kicked here!

Cindy

MaryJanice Davidson

Not sure I need to go into my background with MaryJanice Davidson but, just to give you guys something to measure my opinions to.

I started MJD with Undead and Unwed and had a rollicking good time. Romance part was short but, I didn't consider the book a romance as much as just fiction.

Hmm, do I need to explain that? Just in case, with romance books I expect the story to be about two central characters who find a HEA. Fiction, anything goes and quite frankly usually does. As a rule, I am a strict romance reader and rarely step out, but I do read LKH and Janice Evanovich. Yeah, that's right, I'm a romance slut and I'm not embarrassed to admit it. Okay, yeah, maybe it is disconcerting when I read the reader interviews over at Maili's and realize that I am not nearly as well read but, what the hell. I'm a happy reader and that's all that counts....crap, where was I?

Ah, yes, Undead and Unwed, had fun. Bought the Secret Anthologies with her stories, had my eyebrows raised but once again, not bad. I especially loved the one with the female werewolf and the human male. It was hilarious. Sex, a bit squicky but hey, in for a penny, in for a pound.

I think Undead and Unemployed was next but the memory fogs at this point. Once again, fun but, light on relationship building but must remind myself, not a romance.

Then, The Royal Treatment. Good God, horrible. Sold my copy.

But, hey, that's only one strike so on I go and read the anthology Undercover. Once again, I am a happy camper although I swear the stories are getting shorter. Yep, they are.

Then, Derik's Bane. Not. A. Romance. At least, certainly not for me. The heroine showed no sexual interest in Derik for most of the book. I mean, the first time they have sex, she thinks she must so she just lays back and basically says, have at it. Yetch. Blech. On the flip side one of my dear friends loved it. Crazy.

Hello Gorgeous comes out and I am a sucker for punishment so I buy the tradesize and lucky for me, I really enjoyed it. Still a wee bit short on relationships (and pages) but the dialogue is zingy and the heroine's boss is worth the price of the book alone because she hates him and her best friend falls madly in love with him. Yeah, I liked that part.

So out comes Undead and Unappreciated and in hardback no less. Apparently I am that slut I mentioned up above because I order the book.

Loved it!! Yes, yes I did.

I was worried when I read Derik's Bane. No, I was really worried but, the verdict is in and U&U was everything I wish the other books had been. What do I mean by that? There was a depth of character with Betsy this time around. Life was not easy and she screwed up royally and she cried. Wonderful. Also, there was more *umph* to her relationship with Sinclair. I always felt that Davidson skimmed over the relationship. I mean, really, Betsy just word whipped him constantly and Sinclair? Yeah, he could use some more depth. He had some moments in the latest but it would be nice to delve deeper into who he is and such. Course, what am I talking about? This is for fun and giggles and I did have fun and there were a few times I laughed out loud so all in all, a good read.

So there you go, my history with MJD. Whadamean, you didn't ask?

CindyS

New Auto-Buy Author

Passion by Lisa Valdez was fantastic and is officially one of my keepers. The second half of the book was wonderfully dramatic and tense and romantic. I wish I could do the book justice. I also wish I could find out when Patience, her next book, will be published. I just joined her mailing list but I haven't found an e-mail address for her. Hey, I've heard that authors love gushing reader e-mails. Seriously, I try not to gush because I am always afraid I will embarrass either them or myself. That said, I mini-gushed over (Maili, avert your eyes!) Sandy Blair on a reader board and lo and behold she was there! Since then I have decided that sending an e-mail to an author of a book that I love is the least I can do. Hey, I want more of what I like? Sending a letter might help.

I went to the publisher's site for Valdez but she isn't listed or anything so I want to write them so they know just how much someone loved the book. Although I guess sales will tell. Still, it's disconcerting when you can't find the information you want and with all the changes in publishing contracts lately ::shrug::

Anyways, is it just me or have I taken to this blog thing like a duck to water? My how I do go on. Aren't you all glad I am no longer taking up your comments with my overly verbose dialogue? Yeah, I thought so.

CindyS

Passion by Lisa Valdez

Just a quick post to tell you that I am in the middle of Passion by Lisa Valdez and I'm loving it! There was some sort of scuffle on the AAR boards but I can't remember what they were upset about. I *think* it was some of the language and yes, the language is blunt (f*ck, c*nt, c*ck - I'm only messing with the words because I don't want some spam engine to find me.) but it is also fabulous. Is this book hot? Yes.

As someone who doesn't like books where the H/H have sex upon meeting it has become quite a shock to me how much I am enjoying these two characters. Man, I wish I was like Rosario or Maili, they would be able to nail exactly what I am trying to say so very clumsy like. Okay, they meet by accident and have sex and then part thinking never to see one another again. It is only because they long for each other that they go in search and find one another. Reading what happens next is like watching two people who can't get enough of each other and isn't that what love is like in the beginning? Hot and passionate and urgent and sweet. There was only one sex scene where I caught my mind starting to wander but after that, it was like glue again.

I had to put the book down at the huge revelation because my family was coming for a BBQ and swim so I am eager to get back to it. So that's where I am going to be ;)

Oh wait, AAR has a review.

CindyS

Hmmm, Just a Little Something for the Winners

If you don't know about the whole RWA awards show that sucked the big #$%#, well, you won't find anything about that here. There are plenty of blogs and lists going about what happened so trust me, if really want to know what happened, it's easy to find.

::cough:: Follow some of the links on the side-bar ::cough::

What I will say is that when I read what happened I was flabbergasted. When I told my husband, his response was 'what the hell were they thinking?' Exactly.

Anyways, what I thought I would do is list the winners of the Ritas and Golden Heart awards for 2005 because Heaven knows, they didn't get the cheers they should have at the awards.

Rita Awards

Best Traditional Romance - Christmas Eve Marriage by Jessica Hart
Best Regency Romance - A Passionate Endeavor by Sophia Nash
Best Short Contemporary Series - Miss Pruitt's Private Life by Barbara McCauley
Best Short Historical Romance - A Wanted Man by Susan Kay Law
Best Long Contemporary Series - John Riley's Girl by Inglath Cooper
Best Long Historical Romance - Shadowheart by Laura Kinsale
Best Paranormal Romance - Blue Moon by Lori Handeland
Best Romantic Suspense - I'm Watching You by Karen Rose
Best Inspirational Romance - Grounds To Believe by Shelley Bates
Best Contemporary Single Title - Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
Best Romantic Novella - Her Best Enemy in Night's Edge by Maggie Shayne
Novel with Strong Romantic Elements - A.K.A. Goddess by Evelyn Vaughn
Best First Book - Time Off for Good Behavior by Lani Diane Rich

Golden Harts

Short Contemporary - Venus Rising by Karina A. Bliss
Long Contemporary - Finding Hope by Kimberly Fisk
Paranormal Romance - Sapphire Dreams by Pamela P. Poulsen
Short Historical - Secrets of All Hearts by Christine R. Merrill
Long Historical - Ruined by Victoria H. Grondahl
Traditional - Snow White Wedding by Jenna Ness
Romantic Suspense - Dancing in the Dark by Holli S. Bertram
Contemporary Single Title - Hard Lies by S. Lorelle Marinello
Inspirational - Autumn Rains by Myra Langley Johnson
Novel with Strong Romantic Elements - Viva Las Vegas by Robin Flury
Regency - Lady Wicked by Nadele Jacobs
Young Adult - Almost Cool: Confessions of the Popular Girl's Best Friend by Julie Ann Linker

Now, just to come clean, I have not read all of these books. Okay, I haven't read most of these books but, the ones I have read were excellent! Let's just say, that if you read one of the above mentioned books and would like to congratulate the author then I believe the links will lead you to them. (Hey, I'm a baby blogger, I'm still figuring this stuff out) . The Golden Hart winners, I couldn't really find specific sites so, no links. (remember, baby blogger)

Also, I heard that Linda Howard was to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award but I can't seem to verify that. Where does the RWA list the LAA?

Congratulations to all the winners. I imagine that as much as reader awards rock, receiving recognition from your peers is icing on the cake. Kudos.

Okay, it's late, I'm off to bed.

CindyS

Some Definition

"I had a terror since September, I could tell to none; and so I sing ... because I am afraid... While my thought is undressed, I can make the distinction; but when I put them in the gown, they look alike and numb."

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

I should explain the name of this blog and this is where I realize that maybe I don't have that many boundaries. It turns out that people can be nocturnal. At least, that is what my husband and I believe. I get up around 4pm and go to bed anywhere between 5am and 9am. This was not the case for me for many years. I mean, at one point I held down jobs and went to school but, good Lord was I a cranky SOB. And tired. So very tired.

So then, my panic attacks, which I had been dealing with since I was 9, took over. Okay, I let them take over but once again, after 15 years of fighting and suffering I decided that I didn't need to deal with situations that caused panic. Hey, I was 27, I didn't need to do anything I didn't want to. The scary thing about panic is that once you decide not to fight it, it creeps into situations you never had the attacks before. Six months later I could barely get out the front door - Agoraphobia. It was then that I realized I would have to fight again but it was one hell of an uphill battle and I needed meds to help. I'm soon to celebrate my 35th birthday and can say that I have been fighting for many years. That said, it does get easier, I just wish it could be cured.

So what does that have to do with anything? Fighting panic meant forcing myself into situations that made the attacks pop up so, during the day I couldn't relax enough to sit and enjoy a book or TV show because I always felt I had to fight. I should go to the grocery store, drive to the next city over (still can get me), drive to my friends house. Also, the meds cause sleepiness and naps became part of the daily routine. So to make this story longer than it need be, I went around the clock on my sleep and now I live in backwards land ;) My friends call it the 'vampire hours'. So for the most part, I am up in time to do errands but by having time to myself I don't need to turn my fight button on or have it pushing at me all the time.

Don't get me wrong. There are many days where I have to get up by noon (and that's pushing it) and for the most part I function properly for a few days and then, WHAM, I get hit and sleep for almost an entire day. I did get my sleep patterns back a few years ago and thought that I had successfully returned to the land of the normal. Then I fell down our stairs at 10pm on the way to bed (our stairs are ceramic tiled so it was a bad landing and then I blacked out) and was taken to emergency. I was up until 4am and once again, the night took over - or more precisely I surrendered to it. I've always been more of a night person. On weekends as a child no bedtime was enforced and I remember many weekends being up all hours of the night. People knew that you just didn't knock on my families door before noon because no one was up. We weren't partiers or anything, we're just livelier at night.

How I married a morning person is beyond me but, it works!

Oh, I told dh about the blog and showed him the pictures and stuff. He wanted to know where the picture of him was. Duffus. Mr. Private wants me to post his pic - when I explained about privacy and such he was all, right, right. ::sigh::



Here's a link to famous people who may have suffered from panic attacks.

Famous People who have experienced an Anxiety Disorder

You may just discover so of your heroes on this page!

CindyS

Ho Ha! You Were Warned!

This here is my Cody bear. He is an Australian cross of some kind and we are thinking it was with a Dingo ;) Actually we have only found one picture that looks anything like him and it was an Australian Sheep Dog as opposed to an Australian Shepherd which we were told he was. Anyways, he so loves the water and will even put his head under. Crazy is what this dog is. Oh, and jealous of any attention paid to Rocky (his black lab brother). He will bark without taking a breath the whole time someone so much as looks at Rocky.


This here is Rocky (or Rockafeller as I call him).
He is a lab cross with a collie which can lead to some interesting behaviours. I will tell a story about his ability to smell water from a mile away. Icky story. He's the eldest of the clan and although all you see is him standing there, this was a lucky shot. He normally races back and forth through the pool and sloshes around. Unlike Cody, he feel no need to get anything other than his legs and belly wet. Bathing him is a nightmare because his fur repells water so I am there for a good half hour getting the soap out of his fur.



Last but not least, Emma and Amber. Yep, the loving last for only so long before the fur starts to fly so once again, a lucky shot. Okay, I'm done and off to bed.

So another for Maili ;) Hope this cheered her up a bit and made animial lovers sqeeee. As for blogging, I can see where the hassles may come in. Oh well, I'll keep at it. I think the next blog will be a 'things to do blog' all about the reading I have been doing. See, books may come up yet!


CindyS

This is For Maili

Wow, now that I have bitten the bullet and decided to blog I am blank. Great. I'm blaming Maili ;)

Then, who cares, it's not like anyone else besides Maili will show up so, here I am in blogland. By the way, the templates blow. They blow HUGE. Okay, maybe it's just that I have seen them all before from all the blog hopping. Also I have to figure out how to change the title of this blog. I'm thinking I really meant wonderings and yes, you will figure that out pretty fast. (Note: the title was nocturnal wanderings but I figured out how to fix it pretty fast) It's very disconcerting conversing with someone and having them suddenly turn and say, 'and Cindy's train of thought has skipped the tracks again'. So yeah, I don't want anyone critiquing this acting like I'm a writer and all that crap. If you are here, you're bored or Maili sent you, poor bastard. Crap, I can tell from this last paragraph that I am buggering this up but, oh well.

Ho-okay, what will this blog be about...whatever. It'll take me a while to figure out how to work all the gizmos and such and I'm not even sure I remember what my username was. *dammit I need to write this stuff down*

Yikes, it's 4:30am here and the dh just got up to bug me so I better run for now. I don't want him knowing about this - not sure why, it's just for me and he is...how shall we say...paranoid. Privacy and such but it's not like I'm going to be telling anything like banking info or anything, sheesh.

CindyS