Hadn’t planned to blog, but have a couple of things on my mind…

First of all, I don’t have a lot of time for reading, so I’m not generally one to recommend books (unless they’re my own, of course…) But I read one this weekend that interested me. PBW’s thumbs-up made me check out the link, which made me read the excerpt, which led me to the bookstore. I absorbed this sucker in one day. It won’t interest everyone, of course–but if you’re into paranormals with big, cocky, bold vampires who sport tight black leather and lots of ammo with all too-human hearts, you will love J.R. Ward’s Dark Lover.

This is the second thing (yes, I only have room for two things in this busy little brain of mine)…

An e-friend of mine recently asked if I planned to start dispensing advice to wanna-be writers, lost souls wandering the desert seeking enlightenment, now that I have an e-book published and a blog.

My response? “Why in the name of God would I do something like THAT?!”

Listen–I’ll be honest with you. If you’ve wandered into this oasis for career advice, better hit the sand. I probably can’t help ya. Want advice? Go ask somebody you consider successful at what you want. Your 75-year old spinster aunt probably can’t tell you how to have a successful marriage.
(And I know very few people who actually consider THEMSELVES successful).

But if you held a gun to my head and threatened to shoot, and I absolutely HAD to offer fledgling writers advice?
I’d say consider the basics first. Fundamentals like grammar, spelling, and punctuation ARE important. Even if you DO happen to find an already-overworked editor who’ll run interference for you, they won’t appreciate it. And chances are a busy agent won’t give you a second look.
Beyond that…

1) Write a good book. A book that grabs YOU and won’t let go. A book that entertains on many levels. A book that somebody, somewhere will say, “damn–that’s a good book.”
2) Write a great book. Not the Great American Novel. You’re too late. It’s been done & done & done. Don’t seek to please the literary critics, or your eighth-grade English teacher. Even Shakespeare wrote for the masses (thus the abundance of barnyard humor). Just write a book that’s great to read, in and of itself. Worry about the historical significance later.
3) Write a Calgon book. That’s what I call them. Books that lift you up and out of yourself, that touch you, that help you experience things you normally wouldn’t. Do it for some poor mother of eleven stranded out on the prarie somewhere, with no other escape. She’ll love you forever.
4) Write YOUR book. Not La Nora’s, not the current rage (which would be on the decline by the time you were pubbed anyway), not Hemmingway, not what you think your mom/dad/hubby/family/crit partner would approve. YOUR book. That’s what will make it special. And that something special, folks say, is what’ll make it sell.

There now. You can put the gun away.

No, really! I swear, I didn’t give away the secret!! I didn’t, I didn’t tell them about the secret query code words that make all editors and agents accept your………………………………………………………..

:uzi: :uzi: :uzi: :uzi: :uzi:

This isn’t really a blog post. I’m waaay too tired for that. My fingers are just moving over the keyboard. It’s late. It’s drizzling & cool. It’s bedtime. I’m ready.
And Boo-bear, the infamous King of Kitty Porn, is doing his Poltergeist thing. Those of you who have pets know it well…that staring-at-a-certain-spot-on-the-wall routine, specifically crafted to creep their humans out?? Yeah, that one.
(Little does he know he’s wasting his time…I do much the same thing myself for at least six hours a day at work…)

(This is also not REALLY a political statement. No siree-bob. It’s just an observation about the absurdities of life. Yeah, yeah, that’s it…)

It’s just been reported that Michael Brown (’Brownie’), ex-FEMA chairman, is still being paid by that organization—to be a CONSULTANT as to what went wrong during the Katrina crisis??!!

Are you shitting me?????????????

Well, hell, then—why don’t we pay Osama to teach us why we can’t FIND his ass!!

As much as I absolutely love writing, I must confess…there is often a certain inadequacy inherent in language.

Instead of writing, as I should be, I’ve been watching tv. It’s an older movie I’ve seen before. “The Big Easy”, with Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin (and gee, wonder why they chose to show a movie with THAT name right now?). Not a bad movie for its time, has it’s moments.
But something struck me that I’d never noticed before.

In the first bedroom scene, he lays a kiss on this woman that is positively CARNIVOROUS.
I’m talking about one of those deep, passionate, throw-me-down-on-the-floor-I’m-ready-NOW-kisses.
She immediately gave up the ghost. So would I.

Most of us have had a kiss or two that knocked us off our feet. And we know them when we see them.

I remembered that Burt Lancaster had a reputation for being a hot kisser. So yes, I pulled out “The Rainmaker”, one of his films, and watched him plant one on Katherine Hepburn.
Katherine came reeling out of that clinch with an expression like, “Spence? Spencer Who??!”

It occurred to me there’s just no way to DESCRIBE such a kiss, writing-wise. You can describe the prelude, the placement of the lips, and the movement. You can describe the feelings it evokes: the sinking sensation, the weightlessness, the hunger, the surrender, the fluttering in the stomach.
But ya can’t describe a kick-ass kiss.

“His mouth conquered hers…”
“His lips slanted across hers…”
“Her mouth melded into his…”
“He devoured her with his kiss…”
“He plundered her mouth…”
“His lips moved slowly, sensuously, exploring. Questioning. Demanding…”

There’s the act. There’s the physical description.
But it just ain’t the same thing.

Don’t get me wrong–I love writing romantic scenes.
But I think I’ll go back and watch that kiss. One more time…

I’m just going to leave this with a prayer that Hurricane Rita won’t be the monster they fear it will be.
And a few optimistic words…

“The dreamers are the saviors of the world.

He who cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty ideal in his heart, will one day realize it…Cherish your visions. Cherish your ideals. Cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind…if you but remain true to them, your world will at last be built.

Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become. Your Vision is the promise of what you shall one day be.”

~~James Allen, “As A Man Thinketh”

(Raine, venturing a small footnote after Savannah’s rant…)

Hurricane Rita is looking more and more dangerous. It may be heading for Galveston, Texas. In 1900, Glaveston was hit by a tremendously destructive storm. Reportedly, 7,000-9,000 people were killed as a result of that hurricane.

Everyone—please take care.

And on one of the few positive notes of the recent disaster…

The missing dolphins from the aquarium at Gulfport, Mississippi are, miraculously, SAFE!!! After nearly two weeks, they’ve been rescued.

The dolphins, who were never kept together in captivity, found each other after being swept into the Gulf of Mexico. Four were rescued earlier, and the other four today. They stayed together as a supportive group, despite having no experience with living in the wild, until help came for them.

Besides being beautiful and very loving, dolphins have always been credited with being very intelligent creatures, even saving human lives on many occasions.
I’ll resist the obvious commentary this time, and just give thanks they’re SAFE.

How do, folks. The name’s Savannah. I’m Raine’s evil twin, alter-ego–whatever. I’m stealing the spotlight for today.

Raine was extremely upset by the government’s response during the latest crisis. I, however, was slightly less surprised. I–okay, we–work for the government. Specifically, for the post office. Yeah, I’ve heard all the jokes. Trust me–they’re not funny. They’re true. But that’s another story.

Remember the anthrax scares? I know they’ve been pretty well forgotten, but I remember. I remember that MOST postal facilities were not allowed to close, even after workers died. Those who refused to come to work were threatened with dismissal. I also remember that, when a letter was found in their mail with suspicious white powder, our elected officials vacated their venerable congressional seats so fast they trampled interns on the way out.
Something of a double standard there? Ya think?

There was also a scare one night at the facility in which I was working. I found out about it by listening to the radio. (more…)

Ok ladies….and gents……and cats, please speak up and let me know if the blog postings are now beside the sidebar instead of below it.

C.