betcha think the spiders got me…

May 21, 2010

But they didn’t. Granted, I did get stung on my back by a bee yesterday. While sitting in bed writing. And it’s the second time in my life I got stung on my back by a bee in bed.

What? I can’t make this stuff up, people.

Oh, and the exterminator recommended a spider brush to me – he’s like, they sell them at Home Depot. And I’m picturing this big brush that you whack spiders to death with.

Exterminator: You take the brush and you catch the spiders in them. Then you take the brush outside and shake the spiders out.

Me: Wait a minute, I’m supposed to carry a live spider through the house on a brush? Isn’t there a brush where a little man comes out of the top and smashes the spider to death? Because that’s a brush I want.

That’s when he gave up talking spider brushes and just sprayed the windows.

Anyway, so I’ve got to finish the draft of a book by May 31st. Pray for me, because it’s going to be tight. It’s in the, oh my god, what was I thinking, stage, right on target, right around the page count that I always want to throw the book out the window. This is Mace’s book (no pub date yet) but I do get to keep it’s original title, IN THE AIR TONIGHT. It fits the book perfectly so I’m thrilled my editor loves it!

Larissa and I also got a title for Sydney book 6…TAKEN BY FIRE. Loving that one too.

Just got copy edits for PROMISES IN THE DARK, which is exciting – means the book is kind of thisclose to getting put to bed. Can’t stop looking at the cover, either.

Okay, how AWESOME was Gray’s Anatomy last night? I was literally hanging onto the bed every time it came back from commercial – talk about moving forward relentlessly. It was probably my favorite episode of all time. Real Housewives of New York was good too, but kind of sad. Kelly needs help. Fast.

sleep? sleep is for the weak…

March 13, 2010

It’s all stormy out – a perfect morning to sleep in but, of course, that means I was up at 6AM for no apparent reason. Ah well, means I can justify a nap later. Except I’m not a great nap person – it never leaves me feeling refreshed, just icky and groggy.

So basically, I’m up for the day, coffee in hand and Scrivener (my writing program) open and ready to go.

Gus, on the other hand, is not looking forward to the rain. Snow, yes, but rain makes him crazy. He doesn’t like getting wet, even though I remind him that he’s a hunting dog and should really be swimming on a regular basis. 15945_212298353732_617888732_3194758_517577_n

Anyway, what are your plans for the day / the weekend? Catching up on some reading / writing / TV? Oh, let’s talk books and TV and movies. I’m sort of sadly addicted to the Real Housewives (the OC just ended and the new season for NY just started) – and I’m liking LA Ink so far. Burn Notice was awesome – can’t wait till it starts again in June. And then Celebrity Apprentice starts again soon – and since Brett Michaels is no longer doing Rock of Love, maybe he’ll be as interesting on CA. And Celebrity Rehab’s Sober House – the 1st episode depressed me as much as the entire season of Celebrity Rehab.

As for books, I just finished One Foot in the Grave by Jeanine Frost – really liking Cat and Bones, although first person and continuing love stories don’t always thrill me. I’m in for the 2nd though (it’s already loaded up onto Kindle) I’m also 1/3 through the new Pamela Clare, Naked Edge and I’m waiting for all 3 of Christy Reece’s new trilogy to release before I read them, but it’s hard to wait.

Hold on Tight sneak peek up!

November 10, 2009

(Because who doesn’t love a list?)

1. Check out the brand new sneak peek for HOLD ON TIGHT (aka Chris’s book) which releases on January 26, 2010.

2. I am now following Chip Coffey on Twitter. Awesome!

3. Sons of Anarchy 90 minute episode tonight. (I also follow Kurt Sutter on Twitter)

4. HARD TO HOLD releases in 13 days!

5. I have a case of Diet Dr. Pepper. (it’s the little things)

6. For Nano-ish – I need 3K today. I need 5K but would take 3K. It’s been days of, working / writing all day only to have word count remain the same – this happens when I have to put the mess together, revise scenes / rewrite, etc. So in the end, it’ll be a stronger mess but I really like to see the word count piling up. That should start to happen now.

7. HARD TO HOLD releases in 13 days! (can’t say this one enough)

8. I was informed that the Hold trilogy sold to Germany! Gus is taking credit for this, since he is of German descent, as is Zoo.

9. This prompts my mother to ask why my 3rd Blaze has not sold to Italy yet when the first two did. Do you want me to call them, she asks. Um, no. Please. The episode where Marie (from Everybody Loves Raymond) calls the FBI about Robbie’s job springs to mind.

10. HARD TO HOLD. 13 days. Panic begins to set in…(did I tell you that when my mom offered to let a relative know when the book hit stores, the relative said, ah, it’s okay – we’re not big readers.) Dude, seriously, you cannot make this stuff up.

Slapping the spirits

November 8, 2009

Please tell me someone saw the Paranormal State episode that took place at the insane asylum? OMG – how AWESOME was that? Usually, it’s just Ryan and Chip Coffey running around and then nothing really happens, although it’s way better than Ghost Hunters because hi, all the ghost stuff ends up being a plumbing issue. Convenient since the men who run the group happen to be plumbers and can fix the problems.

I don’t want to know ghosts are nothing more than washing machine problems and carbon monoxide. Much more fun to hear scary ghost voices and watch Ryan and the team get all freaked out.

Anyway, in this episode, Chip Coffey (psychic) gets possessed by a spirit, tells Ryan to f*** off and then Lorainne Heath, well known medium and ghost hunter, gets to slap Chip in the face to get rid of the spirit!

Who knew it was that easy? I mean, the Exorcist movie would’ve been done in like 1/2 an hour. Btw, that’s still the scariest movie I’ve ever seen. I cannot ever watch it again. *shudders*

If Larissa and I ever ghost hunted together and she got possessed, I would totally slap her. To save her from the spirit, people – really.

Oh and now Extreme Paranormal’s on – a voodoo priestess takes down an entire town. Freaky.

It would be better if Chip Coffey was there. And getting smacked.

Yeah, yeah, I know – I need to get back to work. Badly.

But now I want to add in an insane asylum to the new Sydney story. And really, it could actually work. Larissa, it could…let me work something up…

Just Stuff

September 29, 2009

I am so loving Sons of Anarchy this season! See, I tend to not watch a show in its first season – I can’t commit until I know it’ll last at least through a full second season, you know? So I watched the season premiere of season 2 (um, hello – if that doesn’t hook you on the show, nothing will…) and then I bought the season 1 DVD and Zoo and watched it over a week’s time. It. Is. Awesome.

Anyone else watching? I mean, besides Jaci. ;)

(I have an unnatural attachment to Tig…am I alone here? Yes? S’okay because then he’s mine. When he’s not like, murdering people and stuff.)

Speaking of TV, Zoo is ready to commit me because I’ve been watching the Sex and the City movie over and over whenever it’s on. It’s not so much that I really like the movie, but…

(you’re going to think I’m weird. which you probably do anyway, so what the hell…)

I love the way Carrie’s home office looks. And so I’ll watch the entire movie just for glimpses of it. Just me? Probably. And I’m okay with that. I also really like the color of her apartment walls.

(stop looking at me like that. trust me – watch the movie and you’ll want her home office. and Jennifer Hudson as your assistant)

I feel a Staples order coming on. Because home office = new office supplies.

I think I need less caffeine today.

Chat tonight and TV talk

June 15, 2009

Before I forget, there’s a Writeminded Chat tonight at Writerspace – 9PM EST.

Onward – am I the only one watching Daisy of Love? Or am the only one who will admit it? I tell myself that watching it on Sunday morning rather than Sunday night is better – and somehow, that justifies it for me. Because it’s honestly the worst show ever. But, you know, trainwreck = gawking.

I’m also watching Real Housewives of New Jersey, even though I wasn’t planning on it. Not as good as NY – and I believe Atlanta’s coming back on soon.

I wonder if watching too much reality TV can fry your brain for real? Granted, I balance it out with Army Wives and Burn Notice, but maybe that’s not enough?

Okay, back to copy edits and galleys and OMG, will the trilogy needs to come out like, right now, so I can stop fussing with it and checking dates and making sure everything works.

How would you react?

May 27, 2009

Zoo and I watched Taken, with Liam Neeson this weekend, and all I have to say is, dude, I’d like the man on my side. It was so awesome watching his one man army routine, his focus only on finding his daughter. I’d like to think that kind of pure adreneline is possible – in real life and character life – when something big is at stake. I’ve read that you don’t know what you’re capable of until you’re pushed and it always bothers me when I read a review of anything that says, that wouldn’t / couldn’t happen in real life.

I wrote about this a while back for RTB and I still believe in what I wrote – you don’t know how you’re going to react in any situation until you are actually in that situation. And God willing, most of us will not be involved in shoot-outs that require rescuing from a Navy SEAL. Disappointing on many levels, I know.

Of course, then I ruined my viewing experience by watching Daisy of Love, something I swore I wouldn’t do. And then, once I started watching, it was trainwreck, can’t look away, city. Because the men are dropping out faster than I can blink – they are choosing to leave. No one wants to win Daisy as their prize, which bodes well for the men and their intelligence.

But Burn Notice starts again soon! Love that show. Rescue Me? Not so much anymore.

Okay, well, book due Monday. Sydney short story due Monday. Jake galleys due next week (that’s the FINAL stage before it becomes the real book!) So yeah, probably should be like, working. Coffee’s on – it’s going to be a long couple of days…pray for me.

Christmas? Really?

December 6, 2008

No lights up yet, nor a tree. Presents for me have been bought – a to Steph from Steph kind of thing (it’s all Larissa’s fault, btw), but other than that, nothing. I’m not a grinch this year because I think, more than ever, celebrating’s important. This is more about December arriving and me not noticing – time is just flying. I’ve got to get on the shoppping thing.

Can I just say, Christina and Army Doc on Grey’s – best couple ever. Seriously – the way he looks at her…am I right? How can you not love them as a couple?

But the Izzy storyline? I don’t care if it’s going to turn out she’s got some brain issue – it’s creepy and annoying and she’s got way too much screen time.

Have you checked out the auction page for Jo Leigh lately? There are lots of great gifts on there for both readers and writers! Larrisa and I have donated a critique together, and there’s still time to bid on it – go check it out.

Still working on Tempting The Fire (Sydney Book 5). I also have to read the galleys for Syd book 4, Taming The Fire and get those back to Bantam ASAP.

My agent loved my new proposal (Cam’s book – a romantic suspense), which is always awesome to hear, so now it’s in the hands of my editor. Another item checked off the list, which is lovely at this time of year. And I’ve even got most of another proposal done, which would be the second book in the loosely tied trilogy I’ve got planned. So yeah, good stuff.

The new website’s really coming along – you guys should see it sometime in January or so. I’ve got to write a longer biography and do some other things to get the content in shape, but I’m excited about it. I’ll send out a newsletter about it soon. I’m long overdue for a newsletter.

And I’m really looking forward to the movie, Flirting With Forty - it premiere’s tonight on Lifetime. I adored the book by Jane Porter!

Steph T.

Why…

September 28, 2008

are some of the only TV shows I watch all on tonight at 10PM? The Unit (YAY because I so thought it was gone for good!), Brothers & Sisters AND Army Wives (although I think there’s not a new AW until next week). Seriously, can they not spread this out? Good thing I’ve got the DVR, but I hate knowing I’m missing something…

Larissa and I are just about done with Sydney book 5′s proposal – we’re tentitively calling it Tempting The Fire but that could easily change. I’m 3/4 of the way through my Chris (Hold On Tight) revisions and I’m working on 2 different proposals for the new trilogy. So things are busy…once I get the revisions off my plate, it’ll be all new writing, for Syd and for me, so that’s always fun!

Have been up since 4AM with the kid – the large Dunkin’ Donuts Iced Coffee has not worked yet. Nor has the Diet Coke or the regular coffee, proving to me once again that caffeine doesn’t do anything for me. And I barely drink it anymore.

Maybe I’ll go nap now…

Steph T.