Random Wednesday: I'm Thankful For . . .

Hello and Happy Thanksgiving! I still can't believe the time is flying by so quickly. So as the Random Wednesday Blog reaches this time of year we are all reflecting on things we're thankful for. You know, it's so easy to talk about how crummy things are. I think as a group people are really more apt to look at the bad stuff than the good. Oh wait, speaking of good stuff:

Anyway, onto what I'm thankful for. 

First and foremost, I am way thankful for my sister, Judith. This woman is amazing, but don't tell her I said that. :-) She is always there for me, no matter what. She supports me and loves me and I can't imagine my life with out her.

Me and Jude

I am very thankful for my incredible friends. They have been there for me through the crappy hard times as well as the amazing times. I know I can call them anytime and they're there for me. Most of them live in other cities, but it doesn't matter. I know they are only a phone call, IM, text or email away.

I'm very thankful for my sweet kitties. Though right now I'm less thankful since one is sitting on me and the other is sitting beside me. Helping don't you know. But I love them. They are my fur-babies and I can't imagine not going to bed or waking up without them.

Max

Warlock

I'm thankful for the house we live in and the food we eat. 

I'm way thankful for my writing ability. I can't imagine what I would do if I couldn't write. I'm also thankful for incredible friends who also write. It's so nice to be able to talk to people about writing who totally get it and don't think I'm crazy. 

I know there's probably other things, but this is my main list. In the comments tell me what you're thankful for. Also, go check out what the other Random Blogger Girlz are thankful for. 

Browyn

Jessica

Kris

Kellie

Happy Thanksgiving!!! --GC

Random Wednesday Blog: My 3 Writing Wishes . . . or Do You Have a Genie Handy?

Wow! I cannot believe Thanksgiving is next week already?? Time is flying by so fast. And I'm sure you're wondering why I'm rambling about the time and blah, blah, blah. Yeah, this leads me into my 3 writing wishes. Okay, first I really want more than 3, but Jess and Bronwyn came up with the number and I gotta stick with it. Oh!! First I gotta show you manly hotness. And this pic actually has a purpose. I'm basing the character of Lochlan in the new book I'm writing on this hot, hot man.

Okay, writing wishes. So if a hot man genie popped up and would grant my 3 writing wishes here's what I would want. Oh, let's stick a pic in of a genie just for fun.

Wow, alrighty so my first wish would be that I could make a true living from my writing. I would love to write full time and do nothing else and be able to make good money at it. Right now, I'm writing full time, but I'm unemployed so that part sucks. But if I could be like . . . oh I don't know Nora Roberts then I could stay home and write.

My second wish would be that my procrastination tendencies would disappear. I'm way awesome at being distracted. I think I'm like the cats in that the slightest thing will make me lose focus. You know, one minute I'm writing along and then next I'm wandering around the house for some reason. 

My last wish would be that my ideas would never dry up. I love writing. I really do love the entire process though you couldn't tell it on the days that I'm cursing because the characters aren't doing what I wanted or planned. But the feeling of working on a book, honing it, fixing it, and finally getting it published is magic. There's nothing like getting emails from people telling me how much they loved one of my books. 

So there you go, my 3 big wishes. Now I have to go and get back to Lochlan because the man is impatient in a big way. But you should go check out the other Blogger Girlz and see what their wishes are. Also, if you could have wishes what would they be. Tell me about them in the comments.

Bronwyn
Jessica
Kris

See you next week!! --GC

Southern Etiquette for Difficult Situations Episode 2

Gwen and Max

Hello!! Welcome once again to Southern Etiquette for Difficult Situations. This is where you learn that there's a right way, a wrong way, and a Southern way to get out of any situation you might find yourself in.

This situation was brought up by my friend Bronwyn and, I'm sure as the holidays approach, you're going to find yourself in similar straits. 

Now, let's discuss what not to do:

Here's the Southern way to handle this situation:

If you all have any situations you think need a Southern solution, let me know! I'd be happy to give you all kinds of advice. I'm really good a bossing people.

Until next time! Stay Southern -- GC

Random Wednesday Blog: I Have Mad Skills . . . Mad, Crazy, Scary Skills

Huh, mad skills? I so wish I could tell you all that I'm like a secret ninja. Leaping out of the darkness to wreak vengeance on evil-doers . . . or whatever. But yeah, that's not me.

I do have loads of pics of hot men. Is that a mad skill??

Okay, let's just say I may have some skills, but they're so not very mad, bad, or dangerous. I can knit . . . fairly well. But I will admit that the project I'm currently working on I've already ripped out and started over on it. AND, I've made this particular item twice before. AND I just realized that I screwed up the pattern both times. LOL So yeah I'm okay at knitting.

Huh, I also make jewelry, but I wouldn't say I'm awesome at it. I think my pieces look good, but you wouldn't find them in a boutique. So, no, no mad jewelry making skills.

I'm Southern and if you consider that a mad skill well then scooter I am all over that. I can bless your heart, say, "I swanee I haven't seen you in a coon's age." Then make you some incredible sweet tea all while being semi-polite. 

I do consider my writing a type of mad skill, but I think my agility to procrastinate is even more ah-mazing! Jeez Louise, I can find ten other things I should do other than the job I NEED to do, like write. Then by the time I do all those things, fiddle around, knit, stare at the TV and talk to my sister it's time to go to bed since the day's over. Yep, procrastinators you've found your Empress. 

I have a really good sense of direction, so maybe that's my mad skill. I rarely if never get lost and if I've been someplace once then I can usually find it again. Bam! It's like magic!! 

Yeah, maybe you should go check out the other Blogger Girlz and see what kind of game they have. If I figure out my official mad skill I'll give you a holler and let you know. 

Bronwyn
Jessica
Kris

See you all next week!! --GC

Random Wednesday Blog: Favorite Things - Actors and Actresses

Hey! Welcome back to the randomness that is Wednesday or, as we refer to it around these parts, Gwensday. Today we are all talking about our favorite actors and actresses. Oh, but before I jump in let's get in male hotness

I know I've mentioned before that I don't watch much TV. I have a few shows that I won't miss, but beyond that I'm just not interested. So my list of favs is fairly short and in no particular order.

1. Viggo Mortenson - yeah if you know me well you had to have seen this coming. I love him! I think he is way hot and way talented.

2. Tom Mison - I love the show Sleepy Hollow. The character of Ichabod Crane is such a great one and Mison plays him so well. Also, the man is way easy on the eyes.

3. Lauren Bacall - this woman has it all. She's sexy, talented, sexy,and was married to Bogart. Oh and did I mention she's sexy???

4. Mark Harmon - (sigh) I've been watching NCIS since the beginning and mostly because of Mark Harmon's character Gibbs.

5. Tom Hiddleston - I fell in love with Loki because of who played him. Loki isn't a likable character by any stretch of the imagination, but there's just something about the way Tom H plays him that makes you love the trickster god.

6. Katherine Hepburn - the woman is so talented and, I think, beautiful, but not in the classical sense. She was an amazing talent and so ahead of her time in her attitude.

And that's my very small list of my fav actors and actresses. If you'd like, tell me who your favorites are. I'd love to compare notes. Also, run over to the other Blogger Girlz blogs and see who they love. I can already tell you Jarman has put Merlin and Arthur on her list. LOL!

Bronwyn
Jessica
Kris
Kellie

See you next week! --GC

Random Wednesday: Best Halloween Memories . . . or Let the Spooky Times Roll!!

Hello! Welcome to Random Wednesday Spooky Halloween edition. Today we're talking about our favorite Halloween memories or traditions. But before we do, let me give you some hot guyness, man I got some shit last week for not including one.

And . . . yeah, wow, okay. So memories of Halloween. When I was a kid my all time favorite costume was Bella LaGhostly of the Groovy Ghoulies (70s kids Saturday morning cartoon). I wore it a couple of years in a row

Bella LaGhostly

My sister had a black cat costume she wore for umpteen years. It wasn't the cheap plastic pants she cared about, but the mask. The mask was totally awesome as was my Bella mask. 

Anyway, the neighborhood we lived in was built right after WWII and was fairly self-contained. It seemed like my Mom and aunt knew everyone. So when we went around on Halloween night we didn't get crappy drug store candy, but homemade candy and cookies, and cupcakes. Some of the houses had parties going on so when you got there you went in and they gave you punch and cookies and still gave you candy in the sack. I remember one lady made the best caramel apples. Yum! 

Then it all stopped when some asshole somewhere put a razor blade in an apple. No more homemade anything. :-( Then it was the nasty peanut butter candies wrapped in the orange and black paper. Bleck! I think I only went out another year or so then my sister and I decided to stay home and hand out candy.

We decorated the living room all scary and I dressed as a witch (very appropriate) and my sister wore her black cat costume. We had black lights and scary music going. We were having a ball. Our cousins came to the door and we were handing them candy, laughing and talking. I remember one of them, getting huge eyes and starting to scream and point. I turned around and out of the darkness lurches this huge, headless figure.

OMG! I think all of us about shit. There was running and screaming and flailing around like muppets.  

It turns out my dad had created this rig he put on his shoulders and then draped his huge black coat over it. I thought he and my mom were going to bust a gut laughing once all of the kids calmed down and quit running for the next state. I'd love to say he didn't fool me, but I was running and flailing with the rest of them.

So there you have it. My very favorite Halloween memories. Go check out the other Blogger Girlz and see what's up with them and share you memories down in the comments. I'd love to read them.

Bronwyn

Jessica

Kris

See you next week! --GC

The Current Insanity of Blogger vs. Author . . . or What the fuck? Grow up and Grow a Pair!

I've been a silent observer over the last couple weeks of the whole Kathleen Hale insanity. Now an author named Deborah Smith has jumped into the fray. I also read a post about another author, male this time, who stalked and physically assaulted a woman who reviewed his book. All I can say about all this is What the Fuck????  Have you all lost your freaking minds?? I can't even roll out any southern "Bless Your Hearts" because you're all too fucking out of it for that. 

So, let me see if I have the story straight. A publisher (whoever) sends an author's book to be reviewed. Bloggers willingly accept the book with the knowledge that they are going to give an HONEST review of the book. The review will be posted hither and yon and tons of people will see the review. From what I can gather, no money exchanges hands, no guarantees are given that the blogger will like the book. The whole idea is that the book gets out to the public.

For those of you confused about why this situation is a positive for an author, let me spell it out for you. The posting of the review is what is called free publicity for the author. FREE publicity is a good thing.Authors like FREE publicity because that gets our name and book titles out to the public . . . for FREE!

No where in any of this exchange is an author guaranteed anything but a review. From where I sit, Kathleen Hale received a review as did the male author. They weren't promised a good review, but an HONEST review. This is where the problem lies and where the confusion has obviously set in.

I have been a published author for over 10 years. I've got a bunch of books out and I appreciate every single person who takes an interest in my books. If you are an author who has yet to be published or is being published for the first time let me give you some awesome advice. Stick with me this might hurt, but I swear once you read this you will not become crazy stalker chick.

1. A book is just a book. Even if you write it. Once you finish it, it's over. As Elsa says in Frozen "Let It Go!" You finished it, it's finished, there's nothing you can do about it.

2. If your mom and dad, grandma, grandpa, aunt, uncle tell you what an amazing writer you are that's so wonderful. But they're not good judges. They love you and want to encourage you. You need to hook up with REAL authors and editors who will help you grow in your craft. If you cannot stand criticism and will not take criticism STOP NOW! You are not ready to be a real author. Real authors accept criticism and grow from it. 

3. When you see a review of your book remember it's just someone's opinion of your book. They are not judging you. They are talking about the book. It is their OPINION and everyone has a right to theirs. 

4. No one has positive book reviews all the time. Everyone, even Nora Roberts, has been dinged by someone. Shrug it off and move on. Or better yet, don't go looking for a review. If you do see a review and it hurts your feelings, you're allowed to get a bit mad. BUT and this is a big BUT once you see it remember Elsa and "LET IT GO." 

5. If you decide you want to talk to the person who reviewed your book to explain or complain or whatever. DON'T!!!  This is not healthy behavior. Remember, it's a book. Believe me, in about two or so years you may reread what you consider a masterpiece and cringe because it's so horrible. If that happens, pat yourself on the back, because you're probably a better author. 

Was Kathleen Hale wrong for stalking the blogger who reviewed her book. Hell yes!!!  It was wrong. No normal person does something like that. I was diagnosed with clinical depression many years ago and take meds each day. If what Hale did sounds crazy to me, then it's crazy, take my word for it. Let's not even get into the male author who stalked and physically attacked the female blogger who reviewed his book. That is total what the fuckery. 

If you're an author and think what Hale and the other dude did is an okay thing, I'm going going to tell you now YOU'RE WRONG! Bloggers are out there to help authors. They don't get paid, they do what they do because they love books. If you can't stand to have your tiny feelings hurt then my advice to you is go away. Do not attempt to be a published author. Go sit in your room and write stories to share with your family who will love them. But if you long to have the world read your stories grow a pair, accept criticism, and be thankful you can get anyone to read your books. If someone buys your books, even better!!

--GC