Musings of A Bookworm and Movie Lover

2009-07-27T14:07:00.000-07:00

Scary Thought

It has occurred to me, that in ten or so years, (maybe less), many of the people that I love and who enrich my life, may not be with me. For instance, two of my all time favorite authors, Diana Palmer and Anne Stuart, are in their sixties and are having health problems. I cannot imagine a world without them. No new books by these authors to look forward to. No comfort in thinking of them and knowing they are there on this planet with me.

What about my mother? She's in her sixties. People live a long time in my family. I'm hoping that she will continue this trend. Losing my father put a whole the size of Texas in me. I imagine that another hole will form when my mother goes. My grandmother is in her late eighties. Her time will come soon, and I am trying to prepare for it. My aunts too.

I know that losing Anne Stuart and Diana Palmer will hurt me just as deeply as losing a family member, because they are like family to me. I grew up with them. They were my first favorites. I can vividly remember the days of running to the store or library to check out their books. I can remember how I felt reading their books for the first, second,many times. I imagine that two other old favorites, Johanna Lindsey and Jude Deveraux are getting up there too.

My all-time favorite band, Duran Duran, they are in their forties. My darling Keanu Reeves is also in his forties. They still have good years left, but how many? Just think, Michael Jackson has gone from this world. The enormity of the loss is so profound, I can't wrap my mind around it. I went roller skating on Saturday and they played a lot of his songs. My heart was full of sadness as I skated around the rink, thinking about him and his legacy in the world. Growing up listening to his songs, and watching his videos and movies. Now, he's not here anymore. All the songs that I hear by him will be old songs. Last year, so many favorites died, such as Paul Newman and Bernie Fox. Who else will go this year?

Age is a scary thing. When you're young, you can't conceive of getting older. I remember being five, twelve, fifteen. And that was a long time ago. Now I'm thirty-six, and the clock only goes forward, not back.

It occurs to me that the biggest fear of aging is not losing your looks or your health. It's staying in a world where all the people you loved have already left it. And the older you get, the more likely this is. I know that each year, I will have to say goodbye to more people that I cannot imagine living in a world without. The idea of it is so painful, I don't want to spend much time thinking on it. But it is a loss that all of us have to bear as humans with hearts made to love others. And the only answer is acceptance. Accepting that we will have to let go, and trying to enjoy and cherish the time we have left with those who will leave before we do.

2009-04-12T10:22:00.000-07:00

Lakeview Terrace

I watched this movie last night. I bought it a couple of weeks ago, but wanted to be ready to watch it. I am glad I was ready. It was a good movie, not perfect, but very good. On the surface, it's a movie about a Black police officer who is terrorizing his neighbors who are an interracial married couple, a Black woman and a White man.

But that is just the surface. Deep down it is about the male psyche. We see two different men presented as a contrast to each other: Chris, a mild-mannered, New Age, enlightened male who has married the woman he loves, who happens to be Black. Abel is the other man, an uber-Alpha male who is used to being in charge, and the king of all he surveys. He happens to be a Black police officer who has been recently widowed.

Chris is a man adrift. He has identity problems. He doesn't know if he's an alpha male or a beta male. He is in love with this wife, but he has not adjusted to being a married man who is settled down and starting a family. When Lisa, his wife, discusses the possibility of having children now. He doesn't want to start now, because he's not ready. In fact, I think he is scared witless out of fear of yet another burden on his shoulders.

Yes, the racial issue is a prominent thing, but at the same time, it's a red herring. Abel is a racist, but only through opportunity. He doesn't like the fact that a young, mild-mannered White man has a Black wife who loves and looks up to him. He takes this personally. And any so-called morality goes right out the window.

Abel is a rotten human being who is in a position of authority. He lords over everyone and everything. The way he talks to his children is utterly wrong. I am not saying he cannot be a disciplinarian over his family, but he takes it too far. The way he treats the suspects also shows his need for control. His partner is scared and in his thrall, willing to look the other way at Abel's acts of brutality and breaches of ethics.

Chris and Lisa have a good marriage, but not perfect. I have discussed with others that there seems to be little affection in the interactions of the couple. One woman I talked to thought that Patrick Wilson, who plays Chris, might have been uncomfortable in the role. When I see the movie, I see that Chris is not a man who is comfortable in his own skin. I think Wilson is showing this through his physical body language. I don't believe his issue is discomfort with the interracial relationship, although his male ego resents being confronted by Black men about being with a Black woman. When Lisa tells him that she is pregnant, he is angry because he thinks she forced his hand by 'forgetting' to take her birth control. Maybe she does. I didn't take his discomfort with her pregnancy as his fear and reluctance to have a baby who is biracial. I think this issue was fear about being a father, and the responsibility of being a husband and a father. You see, Lisa is a father's girl. Her father is a successful man who seemingly has spoiled his daughter. Chris isn't doing that great financially. He does have a decent job that he seems to hate, and their home is a 'starter home' and clearly looked upon with disdain by Lisa's father. This is another blow to his male ego. This friction with Lisa's dad is displayed in a restaurant scene where Chris confronts Lisa's dad about never talking directly to him. Lisa's dad then asks, are they planning on having children. I took this as, 'what are you going to do to protect my daughter and grandchildren,' partly because of the interracial confrontation issues but also financially.

There is a scene in which Abel throws a stag party at his house with this cop coworkers. They have strippers at the party, and Abel entices the strippers to basically accost Chris. The scene is very cruel and it seems to show Chris' emasculation in that he is not that kind of man to enjoy carousing with strippers, so he must not be a real, 'alpha' man like Abel and his cop brethren. That was hard to watch.

To be honest, there were more than a few hard to watch scenes in which we see the cruelty that Abel is capable of. But also the way Chris pushes his wife away when she tries to intervene as he tussles with Abel through the fence. He says, "Get off me," and I think he pushes her pretty hard (for a woman, particularly who is pregnant). That scene also bothers me.

The thing I like about this movie is that the couple, Chris and Lisa are committed to each other for the long haul, and it is clear they will stay together. At the end of the movie, Chris realizes what he is about to throw away through his fears about being a married man with children. He shows he is ready to commit to his family.

So I have to say that this is a clever movie. It draws you in for the interracial romance and associated conflicts with the racist neighbor, but it really is a study of the male psyche and how a man feels that he should act to be perceived as manly by other men and the women in their lives.

2009-03-26T12:57:00.000-07:00

The Sadness of Expectations Unfulfilled: Punisher War Zone

Why didn't I read a review before I bought and watched Punisher War Zone? I really should have done so. I let the promise of Ray Stevenson and a comic book movie lead me down the path of disappointed movie-watcherdom.

Why was I disappointed? Because the movie was so disgustingly gory that I couldn't hardly digest the plot or appreciate the value of the movie. This movie was made as if it was a comic book for Hostel/The Devil's Reject fans. Okay I never watched these movies, but I scarcely see how they could be more gross and difficult to stomach than this movie.

The review on Amazon that I should have read prior to watching this movie said that if I didn't appreciate the comic book in all its violent glory than I shouldn't be watching the movie. I beg to differ. Comic book art is a one-dimensional medium. Movies are three dimensional. They have what appears to be real life people. It is much easier to deal with watching a person being torn apart on paper than it is in a movie. The impact of violence is therefore much more intense and more deeply felt than violence in a comic book or a graphic novel. I have read and enjoyed Elektra comics (designed for mature readers), so I know that there are violent possibilities in comic books. However, although some did not like Elektra, the filmmaker was able to demonstrate the deadly potential of Elektra and show her moral ambiguity without heads exploding almost continuously, peppered by other horrific death scenes.

This movie was too much to stomach. I firmly believe that even Kill Bill with the completely over the top violence it featured comes nowhere near how sickening this movie was. It simply made my stomach hurt and left a bad taste in my mouth.

And it was such a waste. It had a really good cast with three British actors that I admire: Ray Stevenson, Colin Salmon, and Dominic West. For the people who appreciate eye candy, there are handsome men in this movie to admire. It had an antihero who could be admirable but wasn't because he was a brutal and remorseless killing machine. And even still I could accept this in a hero if the impact wasn't delivered in such a horrific fashion. I love antiheroes, but in this movie, The Punisher was a person that I had trouble empathizing with or even detecting any humanity in. The few moments of humanity shown in some scenes was siphoned away by the following scene of him blowing someone's head off. Now I do want to be fair and state that these sickening acts of violence were perpetrated solely on evil people, although the bad guys do horrible things to good people, but still, cruelty is cruelty.

I think the script was pretty decent. This movie version is much more faithful to the source material of the Punisher comics. It had a very nice production value (except for the gore). The acting was very good, although I feel that Julie Benz was underutilized. It even had a few laughs. In a more subtle person's hands, I could have liked this movie. But with the execution that it received, I definitely did not like and do not care to watch this movie ever again.

2009-03-23T18:07:00.000-07:00

Transport 3 Fits the Bill

Let's face it, I am a fan of Jason Statham. So that helps me to like a movie significantly. But I don't love all his movies. I did love this one. I admit was I was disappointed at Transporter 2. Pretty disappointed. I was prepared to be disappointed again. But I was not. This movie was lush and atmospheric. The music really added to the beauty of it. It has the European feel that I love about movies like the James Bond films, The Professional, La Femme Nikita, and Hitman. I wasn't sure about the female co-star who played Valentina at first. That's because I loved Jason paired with Shu Qi in the first movie so much. I was still frowning when she started getting that look in her eye when Frank was kicking butt bare-chested. The same look I get when I watch those scenes. I was thinking stay away from Lai's (Shu Qi's character's name) man. I was telling myself he was going to get back together with her. But during the strip-tease scene, which was very nice, I started to warm to her. I do think that there was good chemistry between them. It mellowed me despite my intentions to dislike the romantic relationship in this movie. So I liked the romance, I loved the action, I thought the movie was beautifully shot. The plot is a bit thin, but I'm more than willing to forgive it because of the joy of watching Jason Statham do his thing and the Luc Besson feel to this movie. Plus we get to see The Transporter get a happy ending. On a superficial and completely boy crazy note, I must say the lovely Jason Statham is looking better than I've ever seen him looking in this movie, and he usually looks mighty fine to me. Oh, my yummy. Who said action movies can't be for girls? I will be going to get my copy of this lovely movie.

2009-02-11T17:09:00.000-08:00

Giving a Shout Out to Aldis Hodge

He is a gifted actor who happens to be gorgeous. He played Jake on Supernatural, yes the guy who killed Sam. I thought he was fine and then I hated his guts. But I can forgive him because he's so awesome as Alec on Leverage. He was the man on last night's episode when he pretended to be a lawyer and totally tore an expert witness to shreds. It's not nice to see a person humiliated, but he did such a good job, and he wasn't even a lawyer. He's a computer genius, and it's so cool to see a role for a Black actor that's not stereotyped. He's the computer geek, and he's the Black guy. How cool is that? He's a real cutie, so I thought I'd post some pics of him. You go boy.

2009-02-11T16:40:00.000-08:00

NCIS to the Rescue

Being stranded in a small town with little to do isn't much fun. I don't mean to complain, mind you. The motel only has so many channels, but at least it does have USA, and the fact that USA plays three, count them, three episodes of NCIS in a row every day was a real blessing. I fell in love with this show when I was in a similar situation last year.

Being out of town and staying in a hotel with nothing to do really does affect one's television viewing. Normally I am on the go so much and have chores to do when I get home, that I don't even get to watch my favorite shows regularly. But since I had nothing to do but go back to my room and watch tv, read a book, and check emails when I was on the road for 14 out of 52 weeks last year, I definitely did more tv watching last year than I have in a while.

I went there. I became a Law and Order: Criminal Intent fan (I always did have a thing for Vincent D'Onofrio. I cannot lie about that.) I watch Law and Order and Law and Order: SVU for lack of better things to watch (and get sucked in). I got sucked into Criminal Minds as well (Shemar Moore definitely helped with that). And I came to realize how much I truly love NCIS. It's a fun show but can be very intense. I did like it from the beginning but couldn't say I was sucked in like my mother and sister and my friend. The group is very cohesive and complement each other. The action keeps moving, and it's fun to solve the murders as you watch the episodes. I love the criminal investigative shows in general anyway. I went through the grieving process when Cait was killed by Ari as I watched a marathon in Denver on a Saturday. I realized how much I really like Ziva when I saw another marathon in Denver. I also watched it at home a few times when I actually got home at a decent hour. Each time I grew more captivated by this show. So when I see that it's on, I have to turn it there and watch. Even episodes I've watched a few times.

Right now I am watching the positively heartbreaking episode with Matthew Marsden when he is poisoned with thallium and they are trying to find out how killed him in advance. The episode just makes my stomach sink and tears to well at my eyes. He was such a lovely guy, and you could see how Ziva had no control over falling for him. And they would have made such a good couple. I guess I'm a masochist, because I can't turn it away, even though I remember how this episode affected me when I watched it in Denver last year.

I am definitely considering buying the show on DVD, although if USA keeps showing it, I should be good to go. I even got to watch four episodes yesterday because I watched USA and then it came on CBS. That was pretty cool.

My favorite characters in this order, are: McGee, Ducky, Ziva, Abby, Tony, and Gibbs. I liked Cait, but she was kind of annoying sometimes. She could be pretty mean and snooty to Tony, but I realize that it's just part of their dynamic. Gibbs is a grumpy, grumpy bear. But he's a badass. And his sense of honor and integrity is unshakable. He is like Horatio on CSI Miami. He doesn't stop until he gets his man. You can't help but respect him. McGee is just adorable. I have a fondness for nerds anyway, but I like him because he's got layers. He's grown in his time and gained confidence as he has been on the team for longer. He's very capable and is a genius with computers and finding answers. Of course he still gets picked on, but they all pick on each other. Ziva is just awesome. She is a dangerous woman, and I love those kinds of women characters. I also like how she gets her English missed up and says very risque things without realizing it. I love her dedication to her country of Israel, but her loyalty to NCIS. Ducky is adorable. He's so smart, and appealingly English and a bit old-fashioned. I like when he gets excited and goes on a tangent and starts talking about random things and Gibbs gets impatient with him. I like his assistant who was in From Justin to Kelly, although I can't remember his name right now. I wonder if he'll ever be a full-time cast member. Abby is unique and cool, and she's a genius. There's not a puzzle she can't solve. I love her fondness for soda and goth interests. She can get away with a lot more than the other team members when it comes to Gibbs. It was kind of odd how she and McGee were dating briefly but I never found out what happened with that. I probably just missed those episodes. Tony is funny yet he's all over it. His womanizing is a bit annoying, but it's just part and parcel. He does have sensitivity and is a kind-soul, and a phenomenal investigator. I hope that he and Ziva do get together at some point. I didn't like his girlfriend who was a doctor. Yuck! She was annoying to me.

I just felt a need to talk about my show as I watch this tv episode that kills me. At least they don't show Roy (Matthew Marsden) dying on screen, because I feel I would never recover. And then the reason why he gets poisoned is so pointless it makes it even worse.

Again, I want to thank NCIS for making these two weeks stranded in a hotel room in the middle of the Piney Woods more tolerable. I will be eternally grateful.

2009-02-10T18:50:00.000-08:00

Cute Guy for a Rainy Tuesday,

I am watching The Mentalist and enjoying the lovely Tim Kang. He plays Agent Kendall. He is so delicious. His character is very straight to business, but that's alright with me. On today's episode, he's undercover and boy is he looking good in his black suit and shirt.

For your enjoyment.

2009-02-07T19:50:00.000-08:00

Be Still My Beating Heart

I am just totally in love with Richard Armitage. It's so strange. I saw him playing The Sheriff of Nottingham, Guy of Gisbourne and I decided I wanted to have his children. He is so yum to me. He's not a pretty boy, but he's gorgeous. He is all man, but he's not macho type. To date I have not seen most of his work. The plan is to watch as much as I can. I bought North and South and I waiting for the right moment to immerse myself in him. I feel that if I watch this movie that other fans of his have raved about, I will truly be lost. I may even become a stalker of his. Heck, I'm even considering buying Robin Hood just to drool over the man. I don't even pay attention to Robin Hood, the hero of the show. No, I just pay attention to Richard.

I am reading a book called The Perfect Waltz. It occurred to me that its hero could be Richard Armitage. He's tall, brooding, dark, with grey eyes. I think Richard's are blue, but close enough. So I googled Richard and I found this incredible picture. After swallowing my tongue, I made it the desktop pic on computer. Here it is for your delectation.

Please save me from hormonal overload. I just adore the man. Enjoy.

2009-01-26T07:41:00.000-08:00

Movies I Saw This Past Week

On Saturday I saw Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. It was so good. I am glad that they decided to make this prequel because Lucian is just to intriguing a character to just ignore, and he is actually my favorite character from this franchise. Michael Sheen did a fantastic job and proves that he really is a great actor, and he's really hot too. He can do the popcorn movies (which I love) and the more serious movies also (I like a few of those too). I'd love to see this one again, and I am so buying it on DVD. I am a big werewolf fan, and I feel that they get the short-shrift in movies. They are usually the villains, or the movie is really bad and campy, or too gory to watch. This was a bad-A@@ werewolf movie. The special effects were good, but I felt it was also a character-driven movie. Michael Sheen carried this movie with no problems. As usual, I could not stand Viktor. I was very happy that Selene sliced his face after seeing this movie. He basically made things worse by being such a petty, cruel, racist tyrant, when his problems could have been solved by respecting the Lycan race for their strengths and instead of enslaving them. This movie wasn't that gory although it had blood. It was pretty watchable in that sense. Another plus because I am not a fan of gore. If you like werewolf movies (good ones, especially) check this one out. I'd love to see more intelligent, well done werewolf movies like this one.

I also saw Run, Fat Boy, Run, and it was funny and good. I really felt bad for Simon Pegg's character because he was dealing with his bad karma and self-hatred for leaving his pregnant girlfriend at the altar. I'm really glad that he decided to run the race because it gave him back his sense of self. So although this movie had its slapstick moments, it was also deep.

2009-01-06T08:34:00.000-08:00

2009 New Years Resolutions (not in order of importance)

1. Watch more movies. I am rather ashamed to call myself a movie buff of late. But towards the end of the year I did a little better. I got this year off to a good start with Twilight. I think I will go back to keeping my movie-watching journal. Maybe this will help.
2. Take care of my health. I am not getting younger. I have a father who passed away of cancer, and a mother with chronic health issues. I want to live a long, healthy life, so I need to take care of this one body that God gave me.
3. Be more social. I am not exactly a social butterfly. I am a loner by nature. But no man is an island. I will try to go out more and socialize with other people (other than on the internet).
4. Cook more. Cooking at home is much healthier and you are often more satisfied. Plus I love cooking. So I will try to use more of my recipe books and do some homecooking.
5. To not let my job be my life. I need to draw back and look at work as just a part of my life. It's not my whole life.
6. Contribute more to society and the world. I will try to be better about donating my time and resources to worthy causes. I do recycle and try to be ecologically responsible. I will look for other ways to contribute.
7. Get my to be read pile down. I cannot lie and say I will stop buying books. Nor will I give away most of my books that I love. But at least I can try to read more of my books that I do own and think twice about buying just any book. I will try to come up with a list of questions to help me to be more responsible in my book buying habits.
8. Clean up the garage and get it organized. It really is a mess. I need to get the recycling done and go through some of my unwanted/unneeded stuff and take it to Goodwill.
9. Wash my car more often. My poor baby. She deserves it.
10. Submit a story for publication. It's worth it and I really want to be a published author. So I need to stop hesitating and go for it.
11. Blog more often. Blogging is so much fun and is very therapeutic. It's a great way to keep in touch with others around you. And it keeps one's writing skills nice and polished. Very good exercise in spontaneous writing.
12. Go to the gym/exercise more often. On the less active days at work, I will go to the gym and get back into my exercise routine. I feel better when I am well exercised.
13. Go to Great Britain in the next two years. The plan is to work on an early 2010 trip to Britain. I need to get planning!
14. Find and explore different ways to be creative, whether it's writing, cooking, building, gardening, or arts. I love being creative and I thrive off of it. I stifle when I don't have a creative outlet. I will make time for this so I can be fully self-actualized.
15. Figure out what I want in my life and go after it. Whatever it is I want.
16. Spend more time with my God. He is my life and sufficiency. Why do I stick him in the back of my closet?
17. Actually watch and enjoy my tv shows instead of them watching me or running off to do something else so much.
18.Home improvement. Work on doing stuff to keep my house up, and to improve my house. It's worth it. How can I be a renaissance woman if I don't work on this too?

Well, those are my 2009 resolutions. Lofty goals? Perhaps. Let see how this goes...

2009-01-06T08:20:00.000-08:00

Life After Watching the Twilight Movie

It was a surreal experience watching Twilight. I have never seen a movie have more eroticism without a single moment of nudity. The scenes between Edward and Bella were almost embarrassing in their intensity. Their first kiss, oh my goodness, it was so hot. People have said that Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson had no chemistry. Well if they didn't have chemistry, then I don't know what chemistry is.

I must admit I was direly jealous of a seventeen year old girl. Boy would I love to have a guy as into me as Edward was. Edward adored Bella. And adored should be capitalized, italicized, underlined, and bolded. He was tortured by his love for her, and the knowledge that he should let her go. But he loved her enough to not want to turn her.

I admit that some parts made me giggle. It was more of a nervous giggle, I think, at the emotional intensity of the movie. And the thought that this was a movie for teens. Well this thirtysomething woman was touched in ways that few movies have touched me. I am an incurable romantic who usually does not like most romantic movies. But I loved this one. This movie is one that I enjoyed intensely and I imagine I could watch probably weekly, just to see the interactions between Edward and Bella. I am so buying it as soon as it comes out on DVD.

I also found the Cullen family fascinating. They are just so much fun to watch. They are so posh and almost inhumanely beautiful. I love their togetherness and their dedication to each other. I must give kudos to the casting directors and the actors. They really did a great job of playing vampires. No cheesiness, but very inhuman, yet in the guise of humans. And with excellent chemistry between the different actors who were part of the Cullen family.

I have heard people badmouth Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson's acting in this movie. I thought they were excellent. Now I haven't read the book, but I intend to soon. And from now on, Robert Pattinson will be my Edward.

Did I mention I am deeply in loved, fascinated, enthralled with Edward Cullen? All day yesterday, as I went through the actions of my job, my mind kept coming back to Edward. The boy/man has taken my heart away from me. I am definitely in Team Edward. I love looking at him, and thinking about him. If you read my book blog, then you know I have a thing for stalkerific heroes. These are the heroes that are completely obsessed with their heroines. Well, Edward is the king of the stalkerific heroes. I thought Robert did an excellent job of showing how focused on Bella Edward was. He would come and watch her sleep, just because he couldn't bear to be away from her. Initially her scent drove him almost made with longing. Sigh!!!! Again, jealous of a seventeen year old.

Hopefully as the story progresses, they won't separate Edward and Bella too much. Those two belong together, and are made for each other. I think seeing them apart will be bad for my health.

My sister mentioned going to see it again at the dollar movie. I can't wait. I would love to spend another couple of hours lost in this wonderful fictional reality.

2008-12-29T08:41:00.001-08:00

Movie Happenings of Late

With the Christmas holiday and having 4 days off in a row, I had some time to relax and remember things that made me happy, such as watching movies. I just haven't had time to spend on movies lately. However I realized just how much I missed them.

We took in a double feature on Friday. We saw The Spirit and The Day the Earth Stood Still

The Spirit was an odd but fun movie. It was done in the blue screen manner like 300 with some beautiful art design. The story was interesting. In some ways it had some corny moments. I have never read the comic book, so maybe that is part of the way the comics are written. Samuel L. Jackson was his usual gregarious self. I enjoyed Gabriel Macht as the spirit. He did a good balance of earnest crime-fighter and seemed very good at handling the goofy moments without coming off as a jackass (excuse my French). He was a cat lover so he gets brownie points. Lots of gorgeous women in beautiful clothing as well. It was entertaining so I'll buy it on DVD.

The Day the Earth Stood Still was a good science fiction movie. I will be honest, I went to see it because I love Keanu Reeves. He was excellent as the alien/human who comes to reason with earth, but then has to destroy the humans when he realizes there is no reasoning with them. He looked great in the suit he was wearing. Jennifer Connelly was good as the scientist/mother. Jaden Smith (Will and Jada Pinkett Smith's son) was good as her stepson. I wanted to hold the boy down and shave his head though. His hair was crazy and uncombed and it drove me crazy. The special effects were good. However it was a very somber movie for me. I'll buy it because I love Keanu though. I do have to add that they showed some completely awesome trailers with it: Star Trek, Terminator: Salvation, Fast and The Furious, and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which looks divine. This summer looks to be a very awesome movie season (I hope, I hope!)

We watched The Scorpion King 2: Rise of A Warrior on Christmas evening. My sister Netflixed it. It was entertaining. It felt like a combination of all the sword and sorcerer, ancient adventure type movies, and seemed to borrow from various mythologies. The bad guy was not a good actor. He is a wrestler, and right now I'm thinking that The Rock is probably the best wrestler turned actor of the bunch. Jesse Ventura was pretty okay. But Randy Couture should work on his wrestling career because acting is not his strong suit. The guy who plays Mathayus in this was gorgeous. Very pretty and very good with the fighting/stunt scenes. Anyway, it was a nice way to spend an hour and a half. Not the best movie I've ever seen, but not the worst either.

Also on Friday, my sister and I finally watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I loved it. It is the best movie so far in the series, but also very dark. I think this movie is probably too intense for the younger viewers. And the intensity wasn't just with the magical part and the Dark Lord. One of the most disturbing aspects was the cruelty displayed by one of the teachers at the school. She was truly sadistic and awful. To treat children that way is just wrong. It was really hard to watch the kids suffering under an awful lady like her. But thankfully things worked out. Harry's journey is a difficult and painful. He is really having to find new levels of strength, yet he is also helping his friends prepare for the trail ahead. I love that these movies emphasize the power of friendship and having those who love and care for you. They also emphasize that magic has limits but also should be governed by ethics. If I had kids I would have no problem with them reading the Harry Potter books or watching the movies, but I definitely would think twice about letting a young child watch this latest installment because of the intensity and the downright evilness of the villains. My sister suggested a marathon of Harry Potter before the next movie comes out. That sounds great to me. I'd love to go back and reacquaint myself with the characters in this world. It's such a fun and interesting series, and definitely a favorite for me.

Also we finished watching Snow Globe, which is an ABC Family Christmas movie with Christina Milian. It was a bit silly but very cute, and had some good lessons about being proud of where you come from and being content with what you have instead of always reaching for dreams that are not grounded in reality. That is not to say that we shouldn't dream, but don't give up on what you already have in your life, because that can be pretty awesome as well.

So those were my movie adventures of last week. Hopefully with another long weekend ahead, I'll get to watch some more movies this week. And one of my new years resolutions is to watch more movies next year.

2008-12-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

Tis the Season

Have I mentioned that Christmas is my favorite holiday? Well it most definitely is. I love the Christmas season, although it can be very stressful. Although I get a little stressed when I see that everyone has their decorations up and I don't yet, I love driving around and seeing the Christmas lights and decorations. It reminds me that there is light in the darkness. That there is always hope. It reminds me to take time out of my busy schedule and enjoy the beauty of life.

I thought I'd list some reasons why I love Christmas:

It celebrates the birth of my savior, Jesus Christ

It's an opportunity to give of ourselves to others (I love shopping for other people's gifts)

It's fun and happy and allows the inner child to come out to play

It allows me to be creative and crafty

I get a day off from work (sad but true that this is important to me)

Christmas cookies and candy (enough said)

Presents under the tree and the excitement of not knowing what's in that wrapping paper until you open it on Christmas day

Nothing brightens the house like Christmas decorations (ah the beauty of them)

The sense of excitement knowing the Christmas is approaching

Time spent with family and friends

Singing and listening to Christmas songs and carols

The feeling of goodwill that Christmas engenders in people

Christmas movies and shows (It's a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol, the claymation Christmas shows, Charlie Brown Christmas)

A table groaning with Christmas feasts

Well I think that's a good list for now. Maybe I'll think of more reasons. But I really want to take the time to say, remember that Christmas should be about fun and joy. Don't let worry and stress mess it up for you. Let the inner child come out and remember the simple beauty of the time. Let that be your best Christmas present this year.

2008-11-09T16:04:00.000-08:00

My Blond Yummy Gallery Includes:

Rupert Penry-Jones

Luke Goss

Douglas Henshall

Thomas Kretschmann

Phillip Winchester

Sunday is a Good Day

Did you enjoy the gallery of Blond hotness? Don't forget Quantam of Solace comes out this weekend. Can you say Daniel Craig you have washboard abs I could bounce a quarter off of? You probably wouldn't say that, but I will. I am so feeling blond men lately. But I guess they are becoming hotter as I get older.

I am just chilling today. Trying to get over this cold I caught. It could be worse, though. I have to get up very early tomorrow to go back to work after spending last week in Mississippi for a work conference. Unfortunately the hotel we had to stay in was a fleabag. It is so nice to be home in my own bed and clean house. The good news is I spent the week with some hot guys (in the books, unfortunately). I read the following books last week:

Sale or Return Bride by Sarah Morgan

Ice Storm by Anne Stuart

Surrender by Pamela Clare

Dark Desires After Dusk by Kresley Cole

Red Skies at Night by Shara Azod

Still working on: Taken by Storm by Marie Rochelle and Hostage to Pleasure by Nalini Singh (has a hot blond guy).

I have found a new musical artist that I like. Her name is Duffy. She has a beautiful, soulful voice, very much in the Blue-eyed soul category. The song "Stepping Stone" has captivated me. I have watched the video about fifteen times today. It's great accompaniment as I plog away on my NaNoWriMo.

It is so hard to write, but looking back at what I wrote, I have to feel proud. My character Sascha definitely made me fall in love with him, and Olivia as well. I think he is a total hardass but he has a heart. He is a criminal and a murderer, but he is not evil. I love those complicated characters that are not one thing, but straddle the lines. After all, Anne Stuart is my favorite author.

Right now I am hoping that the next 3 hours go by really slowly, as tomorrow promises to be a very long day.

Well I just wanted to zip in here really quick. I hope you enjoyed the blonde pic spam. PS Sascha is a blond. :)

2008-10-24T07:55:00.000-07:00

Ten Things I'd Say to Michael Scofield

I was eating dinner last night and watching an episode of Prison Break on DVD with my mother and sister. They are well aware of my fixation on Wentworth Miller and Michael Scofield. Typically it takes the form of sighing and making strange noises while I watch the show. My mother at one point said that the reason why I didn't know what was going on, was because I never was quiet and just watched the show without any commentary. Okay, there is some truth in that. What can I say? I just go into ecstasies about Wentworth/Michael. I adore the guy.

So anyway I thought about having a blog where I'd list things I say to Michael Scofield. It's goofy, but I'm allowed to be goofy. It's a constitutional right. Not really. I am allowing myself the freedom to do so anyway.

Without further ado....

Are you a virgin? I think you are. I love you for it.
You can break me out of any prison, office, house, or room you want to anytime.
You are such a sweetie.
I want you to be happy, darling.
Let your brother and the other idiots around you do some thinking for themselves sometimes, dearie.
Some people deserve to be hurt, maimed, and beat within an inch of their lives. Don't feel bad about it.
Do you know how adorable you are?
You should start a business where you solve people's difficult problems for them. You'd make a lot of money at it. Sara, who you should marry and have beautiful babies with, can be your medical consultant.
Get away from Lincoln Burrows. Don't ever talk to him again, and don't even live in the same country as him. He's bad news. You have paid your dues to him.
T-Bag is obsessed with you. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

So that is what I would say to Michael. After I gave him a very long hug, of course.

2008-10-20T05:58:00.000-07:00

I Know My Fairy Name and Other Useless Ramblings

Well this last two weeks has kicked my butt. I have tried to go to bed a little earlier and that has helped. I had to work all day Saturday so I didn't get that day to chill. It was worth it because I missed being in the clinic and also I got paid money that I can put towards the Vegas trip.

I did not go to the movies this weekend. I did not watch any movies this weekend. I did finish a book on Sunday, Beguiled by Arnette Lamb. It was very good, and reaffirmed my desire to be a woman of purpose. It's hard sometimes being someone who is motivated and willing to work hard. You get tired and you get discouraged. You wonder what are you missing out there when you have to be in bed ideally by 10am (never happens really), and get up early. And when you work a lot and don't party at all.

Then people say, you need to get out more. What if you're too darn tired to get out? How fun is it to stand around a party and do a zombie impression? If you are extroverted you might get some energy from that. If you are introverted, it will just suck away any energy you have left.

The older you get, the more pressure people put on you to date. I know I'm getting old. But right now I'm too tired to try to date right now. Too bad because I got a good match (on the dating site which will go unnamed) but I just don't have the energy.

It hurts when people judge you and tell you that you aren't trying hard enough to be social. That you are on a bad path when you want to stay at home and rest. Well, sometimes I feel so tired I feel like I will close my eyes and never wake up. If I'm that tired, maybe I need to stay home and chill. I just remind myself that I know myself better than anyone else does. Advice helps, but it doesn't always come from the right frame of reference.

Some good things that happened to me last week/this past weekend:

I got a relief day and got to see everyone at my relief job (haven't seen them in nine months. It was a good day. Rather tiring but good all the same).
I got to go to the used bookstore and use the last of my coupons for 15% off (sob)
I found the Wold Newton biographies based on popular characters like Tarzan and Fu Manchu for $7 something (before coupon). Score!!!!
I found Lover Unbound by JR Ward for $1 at the bookstore (for my mom since I bought this book twice already and gave one to my sister)
I also bought another copy of Nightlife by Rob Thurman for $1 (before discount) so I can reread it without digging out my other copy
Found an anthology with an Anne Stuart for $1 (before discount). It has Chain of Love, which I don't have. Score!!!! Used bookstores rock. Just be patient!
My mother had a great birthday and enjoyed her cake. She was very happy.
My boss came by Friday and I didn't get yelled at (I have this irrational fear of being yelled and/or fired. I don't know why since I work my arse off).
I found out Sarah Connor Chronicles will have a full season! Yay!
I decided what I would write my novel about for NaNoWriMo, and I am very jazzed and excited about it
I got a position as a reviewer for a paranormal/urban fantasy website
I did work on editing my manuscript a little this past week.
Watched a little of a Duran Duran concert for Red Carpet Massacre while I ate a Buttermilk Spice muffin from Mimi's Cafe that my sister got me. I slathered it with butter, threw it in the microwave for 30 seconds and drank some hot chocolate with it. Yum! The magic is still there. I am still deeply in love with this band, and particularly Roger Taylor and John Taylor. Sigh!
I got a glimpse of Primeval and it looks like Claudia is back, but Nick apparently is sucked into another time dimension. Crap! They need to be together!!!!
My cat is still hanging in there. I worry that she is fading sometimes, but she seems to be doing okay. She's a trooper. I just have to enjoy her while I have her (the pain in the butt she is).
Last but not least, I found out that my fairy name is Oak Goblinfrost (the more I hear the more I love it). I fall deeper in love with Faery every day, as you probably noticed.

So all in all, it was a good week. I managed to get out of bet at 4:20am and I wasn't too tired. I was actually more alert than I was on Saturday morning waking up at 7am. Go figure.

2008-10-16T05:14:00.000-07:00

The Lyrics to Take You on a Cruise by Interpol (My favorite song ever!!)

Take You on a Cruise by Interpol

I'm timeless like a broken watch,I make money like Fred Astaire.
I see that you've come to resist me, I'm a pitbull in time.
The pretence is not what restricts me,It's the circles inside.
The anatomy of kisses and a teacher who tries,Who knows how we'll disappear.
Would you like to be my missus,And in future with child?
You know that we can't get back from here.We can get away.
Baby don't you try to find me.
Baby don't you try to fight.
Baby don't you try to find me.
Baby, it will be all right.

Along the way...Tears drown in the wake of delight.
There's nothing like this built today.
You'll never see a finer ship in your life.
We sail today
Tears drown in the wake of delight.
There's nothing like this built today
You'll never see a finer ship Or receive a better tip in your life.

I am the scavenger...Between the sheets of union.
Lately I can't tell for sure,whether machines turn anyone.
I am the scavenger...Between the sheets of union.
Lately I can't tell for sure,If the machines turn anyone.

Lady don't you try to find me.
Lady there is no need to fight.
Lady don't you try to find me.
Baby it will be all right.

We sail today...Tears will drown in the wake of delight.
There's nothing like this built today.
You'll never see a finer ship in your life.

Along the way...The sea will crowd us with lovers at night.
There's nothing like this built today.
You'll never see a finer ship,Or receive a better tip in your life.

I see that you've come to resist me...I'm a pitbull in time.

White Goddess, Red Goddess,Black temptress of the sea, you treat me right.
Black Goddess, Red Goddess,White temptress of the sea, you treat me right.
Oh my love we are sailing to Norway
Oh my love we're leaving tonight x2

2008-10-05T18:13:00.000-07:00

I Am Not the Target Audience

The older I get, the more I realize, that as I watch television, listen to the radio, and watch movie trailers, I am not the target demographic for much of what is produced for public consumption. It is disconcerting for a self-described movie and tv-buff. And for a music fan as well.

When it comes to music, nine times out of ten, I am not going to hear a song that blows me away on the radio. Internet radio, maybe. I have to search pretty hard to find music that tickles my ear. I might hear it on a tv show, but usually not. Sometimes I will hear songs that sound good on commercials. And then I don't know how to track it down. But the radio, not so much. All I can say is thank God for Amazon. Their recommendations keep me in music. Otherwise I listen to old favorites.

I don't like the new kind of rock music, basically garage bands that followed on the coattails of Blink 182, heavy on loud guitar and what loosely passes for singing ability. It reminds me that music education in public schools has been neglected. Musicianship is clearly on the decline.

When it comes to R&B music, nowadays hip hop leaves me cold, by and large. A lot of yelling, a lot of loud base, and poor use of samples. And the lyrics, they are not at all inspiring. As a matter of fact, I feel like the stuffy old maid that lives in the house down the street with twenty cats, and that everyone is afraid of. The actual R&B non-hip-hop music is suffering from a dearth of actual music, and completely lame lyrics about hitting this and that, and I'll steal your man, or you broke my heart because you cheated on me. I could go on, but I won't.

Pop music, which I like, has become overproduced, underinspired product that is designed to appeal to thirteen year olds who did not get a music education. Not thirty-five year olds who had several years of music education, two years of band, and a mother who played all kinds of music daily in the house.

So when it comes to popular music, I am not the target audience. Perhaps an occasional group will hit it big that I actually like, but generally not.

Television used to be a refuge for me. Shows were interesting, funny, and at times educational. Nowadays, most drama shows, other than the murder and mayhem shows, which I will get to in a minute, are basically excuses to see people bed-hopping. Lots of sex going on in most of the shows. Nothing wrong with sex, but why do I need to see forty-five minutes of sex? Might as well watch a porno movie. I think I will die of a stroke if I even try to watch Gossip Girl. The commercial where one young woman is saying that lifeguards are like band-aids, use them and throw them away, pretty much told me, I am not the target audience for this show. Mental note, avoid this show. I have found a refuge in the murder and mayhem shows. This includes CSI Miami and NY, can't do the original, sorry. Gasp, Law and Order: Criminal Intent. Yes I would rather watch 45 minutes of detection and interrogation of a terrible human being than watch a show where the character changes bed partners at least every three episodes, or in some instances, every thirty minutes. Criminal Minds is a dark, dreary show, except for beautiful Shemar Moore, but I am there to watch it weekly. Bones, is straddling the fence. I hate the relationship stuff. Angela is her free sexual ways drive me crazy. Temperance Brennan with her unemotional approach to sexual fulfillment is like nails on the chalkboard. But I love me some Seeley Boothe. It's worth watching just for him. The murders are quite gruesome, but I endeavor. Prison Break, yes ma'am. Lovely Michael Schofield, played by the delicious Wentworth Miller. It has lots of murder and mayhem. Not so much bed-hopping. How refreshing. Sarah Connor Chronicles, which is in danger of cancellation, probably because it doesn't meet the target audience. Not enough bed hopping. I think the target audience cannot process that young John Connor has not lost his virginity and switched girlfriends several times since the show started. Well, I guess Fox will just have to give it the axe and find more bedhopping shows. Fringe has lots of weirdness. A little bedplay on the first episode, probably to mislead the bedhopping demographic into watching it. But thankfully, it has become a bedhopping free show. I could go on, but I choose not to bore you. And lovely Supernatural. Lots of murder and mayhem. Sometimes the guys pick up girls, but usually that is not the jist of the show. So I don't let that get to me. Yes, I have my murder and mayhem shows. No sitcoms, so over those. No family dramas. There is a big chance of bedhopping on there. When it comes to the non-murder and mayhem shows, I'm not the target audience.

Let's talk movies. Movies nowadays mainly fit into three categories: slash and hack, inane romantic comedies with very monochromatic boring casts, featuring lots of bedhopping, and the dramatic, Oscar-courting movies that bore me. So I don't get to the movies much anymore. Yay for the comic book movies, because I probably wouldn't go at all.

So I have come to the conclusion that I am not the target audience. I have slipped into the cracks. What I like does not come into play. If I want to enjoy tv, movies, and music, I had better work very to find something that does not sicken, bore, or annoy me. Because my buying power means nothing. I am not a thirteen year old sexually active teen who loves slasher movies, and has not idea what musical talent is. Suck it up.

Not the target audience. Yep, that's me. Rant official over.

2008-09-26T07:08:00.000-07:00

Thank God It's Friday

I can tell you that when I woke up to the harsh, relentless blaring of my alarm, one of my first thoughts was: Thank God It's Friday. This week did go by fast, but it was painful. I hate getting up at 5 am (or anytime before 7:30am). I feel like I am getting more used to it, but it's still hard.
As I took my wake-up shower, I planned out my day and my weekend. My goal is to do as little as possible this weekend, catch up on my reading, emails, writing, and sleep. Hopefully I will achieve this lofty goal. Of course I have some shows on the DVR to watch that I missed this week, such as Fringe, Supernatural, CSI Miami, Prison Break, NCIS. The desire to watch these wars with the desire to lay on my bed and read. But I think I will have to spend some couch time this weekend watching tv. Also I need to watch Primeval. I missed it last week, and I did not get my dose of Nick Cutter (played by Douglas Henshall).
I seriously considered skipping my workout, but I know I won't go tomorrow or Sunday, so I will go home, change clothes, drop my work stuff, and go to the gym. The good news is it will be dead today since it is Friday. I love when the gym is kinda empty. Don't have to wait for machines and feel self-conscious because you are not a gorgeous, slender blonde girl.
It was a trifle cool, which is good when you are sleepy. I did not need the air conditioner, but kept the windows cracked. When I felt myself getting especially sleepy, I rolled the driver's side window down all the way and let a blast of what felt like frigid air come in. It definitely helps. So does singing along with the music.
I tell you what. No matter how old I get, I will always love Fridays. Even though I don't have the Saturday morning cartoons to look forward to, Fridays still have a charm. A big advantage is no work tomorrow. I am loving being off on Saturdays. It is a pleasure that I really missed. I work in veterinary medicine, so Saturdays are a big workday. People who have done the M-Fr work thing their whole careers do not realize how wonderful it is to not work weekends. Thankfully I don't have to work vaccine clinics at the nationwide veterinary practice which will go unnamed anymore, so Fridays are even better than they used to be when I had loads of angry clients wanting lower-priced preventative care for their pets to look forward to every Saturday.
So far, today is going well, and I hope it stays that way.
Currently listening to "Two Hearts" by U2.

2008-09-22T09:03:00.001-07:00

Fall Is Here ( I found this picture on Flickr. It's by zwstr).

I am very excited that fall has arrived. It is my second-favorite season (after winter). Here are the things I love about fall:

The smell of autumn

The cooler weather

Halloween ( I love the inherent eerieness of dark, cool nights. I don't think Halloween being in the fall is a coincidence)

Thanksgiving

Knowing that Christmas is coming

The relief of the hot summer weather

More obligatory indoor time (for reading) yet it is cool enough to go outside and enjoy the outdoors

When I was growing up in Illinois, I loved the colors of the leaves. We used to rake leaves and dive into piles of them.

Wearing my cooler weather clothes like corduroy (I love it) and wool

Being chilly (I love being cold)

Fall foods like pumpkin, caramel apples, etc

The new tv season

I plan to enjoy the fall season. I am going to try to take some walks outdoors on the days I can squeeze them in. I also plan to get a pumpkin for Halloween this year. And making caramel apples is on my list of things to do. And I can finally start rearranging the mess that is my garage. It was too darn hot to do that in the summer. Once I get things more arranged, I can start working on building my bookcase.

How has my life changed since last year? A lot:

New Job

Different car

I was renting last year

I actually set up my room with, gasp, furniture

I have a garden planted

I started a few new hobbies as well

Well I just wanted to say I was happy fall was here. I will be keeping my scary story books close to me to read on the cool, dark, fall nights.

2008-08-28T04:25:00.000-07:00

Through A Glass Darkly

This phrase is mentioned in Corinthians in the New Testament of the Bible. I have read the New Testament through at least three times, initially the King James Version. I must admit, the first time I read this phrase, I truly didn't get it. But with time, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I have come to understand that it refers to the imperfect perception of reality that we as humans have of the world.

You see what is real and material, but there is another reality underneath, around, and between this visceral being that we call the material world. Have you ever had a surreal experience, dreamlike, but you knew that you weren't dreaming? I am sure we all have experienced deja vu. What about other moments that seem subreal, yet hyperreal at the same time. I was talking to my mother and sister about times that I have heard my name being distinctly called. I turned around and literally no one was there. I know I was not dreaming, and I actually heard it aloud. Was it angels? My sister suggested that maybe someone was calling my name because they needed me, but there were in another place. Do we have a connection to our loved ones that transcends time and distance? But then, maybe it was just synapses firing out of context. I don't know.

It is scary to look at these situations where the normal laws of science and physics don't seem to apply, but they exist. Can we drown them out, tune them out, and call ourselves crazy so that we don't have to accept these circumstances? I think not. We do ourselves a disservice. To look at the material as all there is, to leaving out a piece of the puzzle. We are not truly full beings if we do this.

Why is it that every person on earth is unique? If you believe only in the material than there is no explanation of this. The sum has to be greater than it's parts. Life cannot be a random mix of biochemistry, and at the same time have humans capable of creating incredible works of symphony and art. How is it that a person can manifest with stigmata, apart from the religious aspect? Can their mind be strong enough to cause them to bleed spontaneously merely with suggestion of extreme religious fervor if there is no more than just synaptic impulses there. There must be a soul or spirit component to our existence.

What about people who see spirits? Are they all crazy? Is it just altered brain chemistry? I think not. Some people do have schizophrenia, and have delusions. I know this is true. But I wonder how many "sensitives" were diagnosed with schizophrenia because others could not conceive that they could see with the "third eye." Sadly, the shysters have made it hard for the people who truly have had paranormal experiences. Everyone assumes that they are making it up or perpetrating a hoax.

I am grateful that my third eye is only partially open. I can't imagine those who are truly "sensitive" and see these things all the time. Imagine going into a person's house and seeing spirits, and knowing that person won't believe it if you tell them. I have experienced personally being in the situation where I was in the middle. I could percieve things that a very
"sensitive" person saw, but I also could see that perhaps there was a mental instability component as well. It made it really hard for me, not knowing what to do. Which way do I go? Do I call this person crazy, when I know that some things that they saw were seen by me as well. Do I speak out and say this person is perfectly sane when I am not sure that is true?

It is said that the average human only uses 7% of their cerebral cortical function. What is that other 93% for? Is it possible that those abilities that are dismissed by logical people reside in that reserve part of the brain, such as clairvoyance, psychokinesis, remote viewing, etc? I can't rule it out. I don't think anyone can. Why do we dream? Is this not an incredible phenomena that our brain can put images together into a sometimes coherent movie that plays in our consciousness as we sleep?

Despite proudly calling myself a scientist, and being trained in scientific method, I firmly believe that science does not and never will have the answer for all questions. I believe that a component of scientific theory is having faith. The first people who came up with germ theory did not have microscopes to see the bacteria. But they had a hypothesis that there was something that was being passed from one sick person to a healthy person that made the healthy person sick. They had to take it on faith that that substance was there until the microscope technology could definitively prove their hypothesis.

The same goes for dark matter. We cannot see it, or perceive it, but there must be something holding the galaxy together. Is that so different from believing there might be a creator that brought all things together?

These are all questions that go through my mind. I think that life is most interesting if you leave yourself somewhat open to the wondering if what you see is all there is.

2008-08-27T12:16:00.000-07:00

Fall Promises to be a Great Time to Buy Books.

This is a good thing and a bad thing. Bad because I need to save money for my trip to Vegas this February. Good, because I love love love buying books, and it's nice when there are books worth buying coming out.

I am restraining myself from buying Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon, although it's hard. I should because I am at least two books behind (more if you count the Dream Hunter books). I know that God will bless me and I will find it at Half Priced Books one day, and I'll sweep it up for half price. Patience is a virtue! It really is.

I am also excited about Nalini Singh's next book in the Psy/Changeling series, Hostage to Pleasure. It's about Dorian, a member of the pride that cannot shapeshift. That doesn't mean he's any less dangerous. His heroine is Ashaya, who is a Psy. I've heard good things about it so far.

Also Lisa Kleypas has a new book coming out in the Hathaway series, Seduce Me at Sunrise. I can wait on it because I haven't read Cam's book. But since it's paperback, I probably won't.

Fish out of Water is the next installment in the Fred the Mermaid series by MaryJanice Davidson. I will pick this one up used since I have the first two in the you know where.

Same goes for Noah by Jaquelin Frank.

Mr. Fix-It by Crystal Hubbard. Sounds really up my alley: British hero and set in Britain with Black American heroine.

Of course, there is the Black Dagger Brotherhood Companion. I will have to buy this when it comes out. Thankfully it's only about $10 or so on Amazon.

Ms. Christina Dodd wraps up her Darkness Chosen quartet with Into the Flame, Firebird's story.

And Yes, yes, Patricia Grasso has another Kazanov story coming out called Enticing the Prince. This is a great series, if you get a chance to read these.

Here is a whole list of just paranormal/urban fantasy for September and October, thanks to Connie on my Paranormal Mystery Yahoo group!

Legacy (Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles, Book 4) by Jeanne C. Stein

Pure Blood (Nocturne City, Book 2) by Caitlin Kittredge

Servant: The Acceptance (Servant) by L.L. Foster

Dead Is the New Black by Marlene Perez

Hands of Flame (The Negotiator, Book 3) by C.E. Murphy

Break of Dawn: Vampire Babylon Book Three by Chris Marie Green

Crate & Peril by J. D. Warren

Kiss of a Dark Moon by Sharie Kohler

One Bite With A Stranger (The Others, Book 6) by Christine Warren

Steelflower (Steelflower Chronicles, Book 1) by Lilith Saintcrow

Blood Memories by Barb Hendee

Midnight's Daughter (Dorina Basarab, Dhampir, Book 1) by Karen Chance

Mysteria Lane by MaryJanice Davidson, Susan Grant, Gena Showalter, P. C. Cast

Wolfsbane and Mistletoe by Charlaine Harris, Patricia Briggs, Keri Arthur,Carrie Vaughn

Brimstone Kiss: Delilah Street, Paranormal Investigator by Carole NelsonDouglas

Blood Lite: An Anthology of Humorous Horror Stories Presented by the HorrorWriters Association by Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris, Sherrilyn Kenyon,Kevin Anderson

Living with the Dead (Women of the Otherworld, Book 9) by Kelley Armstrong

Well, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, thanks for Half Price Books, because I am going to get my book on this fall.

2008-08-20T09:54:00.000-07:00

Great News for Deborah Simmons Fans

Deborah has a new historical coming out with Harlequin Historicals and is hard at work on Reynold De Burgh's story (great news for us De Burgh family fans). I am so happy. She is an excellent writer. Years ago, I emailed her and she said she was without a contract and that Harlequin did not want to continue the De Burgh books. I was very upset on her behalf, and also on her fans. I love the De Burgh brother series, and there were two stories left that were untold. Reynold is my favorite brother, surly and has a leg injury. You know me and those tortured/scarred heroes. So go out and buy her new book, The Dark Viscount, new if you possibly can. I have a subscription to HH, so I'll get it and won't have to do any work, other than check my mail and pay the bill. :)

If you haven't read Deborah Simmons, you should. She is great at combining humor, steamy sensuality, authentic language and setting, with pathos. Her characters come off the page and intrigue you. They are all quirky in different ways, just like a beloved friend or relative (you know what I mean. Not perfect, but you love them anyway). Her heroes are strong and sexy and masculine, and her heroines are unique in their own right (not all just picture-perfect, beautiful doll-type heroines) intelligent, independent, and always manage to make their heroes fall head over heads, despite their efforts to resist. Her medievals actually got me majorly into reading medieval historical romance.

I can't promise it will be easy to get all Deborah's books, but likely you will find yourself doing what I did after you read one or two of her books, going out and trying accumulating her backlist. You will probably have to do some work to get most of her books since they are probably all out of print except for her last two, A Man of Many Talents and A Lady of Distinction. I suggest checking Amazon.com or Half.com and I think you will do fine. I have ordered a lot of her books that way, and also by hitting the used bookstores.

She has written lots of Harlequin Historicals including the DeBurgh books. She has both regency and medieval romances in the Historicals line.

Some of my favorites are:

Medieval:

Maiden Bride

The Devil's Lady
Tempting the Wolf
The De Burgh Bride
My Lord De Burgh
Robber Bride

(all but Maiden Bride and The Devil's Lady are De Burgh books)

Regency:
The Devil Earl
The Vicar's Daughter
Tempting Kate
The Last Rogue
The Squire's Daughter

She also has some short stories in various collections. The Knights of Christmas has the De Burgh father's story.

When I feared she would not publish anymore, I made a point of saving up some of her books that I haven't read. Some that I have in the TBR pile are:

The Gentleman Thief

Silent Heart

Fortune Hunter

A Man of Many Talents

A Lady of Distinction

Plus her Avon and some short story collections with her books.

But now that she's back in the game, I can knock those out.

Go on and look her up. I guarantee you'll appreciate reading her.

And a warm congrats to Deborah. I am so happy for you!

2008-08-20T05:33:00.000-07:00

in In Praise of Black British Male Actors

You may not have noticed that a good number of Black male actors that we see on television and films, are not African Americans. They are, in fact, Black British men. As a serious lover of all things British, especially men, I certainly did. I affectionately call these lovely guys Brifrican (a contraction of British and Black African-descent, which never fails to make my sister giggle). Who are some of my favorite of these distinguished actors? Well if their names are not familiar, I am sure that you may recognize their faces.

Adrian Lester: This dreamboat appeared on the American scene years ago when he co-starred in Primary Colors, but has been very prolific in British TV, movie, and theater, notably playing Henry V in Shakespeare. I thought he was terribly cute when I saw him in Love's Labours Lost, which I think is the time when my crush began. I was very pleased to see him playing Mickey Bricks on the joint BBC and A&E show Hustle. Adrian also played the musician Orpheus in the Hallmark miniseries Jason and the Argonauts. Some may recognize him from playing Joan's actor boyfriend on Girlfriends. He also had a smaller role in The Day After Tomorrow. He was looking pretty good in the HBO Movie As You Like It. He also had a small, but contributory to the narrative, role in Dust with dreamboats Joseph Fiennes and David Wenham. He is a particular favorite of mine.

Colin Salmon: Most moviewatchers would recognize him as playing the second in command to Bond's commander M in the some of the more recent James Bond movies. He was also in Aliens V. Predator and Resident Evil. If you had the chance to watch the wonderful but short lived Fox show Keen Eddie, he was the Superintendent on there. If you watch BBC shows, you've probably seen him on Doctor Who, Hex, and Bad Girls as well. He was in The Bank Job with Jason Statham, and can be seen in the upcoming Punisher: War Zone. Colin is the very emodiment of tall, dark, and handsome, with a very elegant and stately presence in all his roles.

Eamonn Walker: He was in Tears of the Sun, on the HBO Oz (which I am too squeamish to watch despite missing all the full frontal male nudity), and also on the great but shortlived show Justice. He has also had smaller roles in US TV and film. Eamonn is the first Black actor to play Othello at the Globe Theater in Britain. He is a very attractive man with a regal presence which always distinguishes him in everything I've seen him in.

Idris Elba first caught my attention on the BBC miniseries Ultraviolet. It was love at first sight. He is beautiful and has a lovely British accent (a double whammy), combined with being a great actor. Most people know him from The Wire (which I didn't watch because I don't really like the subject manner). He has also starred in Hollywood movies such as Daddy's Little Girls, 28 Weeks Later, This Christmas, Prom Night, the HBO movie about the Rwandan genocide Sometimes in April, The Gospel, The Reaping, and the upcoming Guy Ritchie film RockNRolla. The man is gorgeous, although I really miss his British accent that he doesn't use in his American moves. Incidentally, he's also a DJ and a hip hop artist in the UK.

David Oyelowo has the cutest baby face, which attracted my attention on the BBC spy show MI-5 (Spooks in the UK). He is an excellent actor with incredible presence, in addition to his devastating good looks. He has also been in the HBO movie As You Like It, playing opposite Dallas Bryce Howard. David is a renowned Shakespearean theater actor, and he is the first Black male to play a British king in Shakespeare when he played King Henry VI. He appeared (lovely as always) in the Hollywood movie A Sound of Thunder, and will play Muddy Waters in Chess. He's a real cutie.

Lennie James is another notable Black British actor. He has starred in American movies such as The Mummy Returns, but also played a pivotal role on the ill-fated TV show Jericho. His acting skills are incredible, because I loved him in The Mummy Returns, but disliked him equally as much, but gained respect for his character of Robert Hawkins on Jericho. He was also in the awesome Guy Ritchie movie Snatch, as well as Sahara. I thought he was great in the BBC tv movie Frances Tuesday. Lennie also played Oberon in the ShakespeaRe-Told version of A Midsummer Night's Dream. He is a chameleon and manages to play each role with grace.

Chiwetel Ejiofor: He is an elegant, soft-spoken actor of incredible power. My sister and I find him very dreamy. His complete belief in what he was doing as the Operative in Serenity was chilling, as he was clearly on the wrong side. He broke through as a film actor in Dirty, Pretty Things, in which his performance was critically acclaimed. Chiwetel was part of the ensemble cast of the British film Love Actually, and played a cross-dresser in the British film Kinky Boots. He is a renowed Shakespearean actor, and has been seen in American movies such as Talk to Me, American Gangster, Four Brothers, Slow Burn, Inside Man, and Children of Men.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje: With his large, fit physique, he makes a very imposing figure. This is probably why he has been cast as villains a lot, notably in The Mummy Returns. Nevertheless, he is a very good actor, who happens to have a law degree. Adewale has done his turn on the HBO show Oz (if only it was my cup of tea) and was stranded on the island in the tv show Lost. Adewale was seen in Congo, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, The Bourne Identity, and Get Rich or Die Tryin'. He will co-star in the upcoming (and eagerly awaited by me) G.I. Joe live action movie as Heavy Duty.

Well, I hope that I have introduced you to some of my favorite Brifricans. I would like to thank them for their contributions to American and British cinema, television, and theater. And also, thanks for enriching my life since I clearly watch too much of the first two categories.

2008-08-18T12:20:00.001-07:00

No Longer The Rabid Moviegoer I Was (Not that I don't still love movies. That will never change!)

Those of us who are serious moviebuffs know what time of year this is. Summer movie season. In the past my butt would have been firmly planted in a seat at the local theater around this time of year. But there has been a serious decline in my moviegoing. It's truly multifactorial. It started when I moved back to Texas and was really hurting for money at first. I left a job that I stayed at too long and really hated, and took a chance and moved back to Texas to what was hopefully a better future. Since I didn't have a job when I did it, but by the Grace of God managed to keep a roof over my head, I'm not complaining. The funny thing is, the girl who bragged about not going more than a couple of weeks between seeing movies at the theater realized that she could go pretty long without that crutch. I had used my moviegoing to define me as a person, and that was selling myself short. I am a movie-lover, but that doesn't have to translate as being a avid moviegoer. In fact, I realized that missing some of the bigger movies didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. I even missed Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, sigh. I ended up catching Part II and Part III of Pirates of the Caribbean on DVD, and enjoyed them as much as I would at the movies, maybe even more. In contrast, I kinda wish I had stayed home for Star Wars Part III. I was seriously bummed at that one.

I will always love movies, but I did use it my status as a moviegoer as a crutch. I am not an outgoing person, and I deluded myself into thinking my bi-monthly (sometimes weekly) trip to the movies was "getting myself out there." Have I become more outgoing? Perhaps a fraction more. I actually go to parties and out to dinner, activities that require talking to people (gasp!) But at least now I know that movies are not the end-all and be-all of social activities.

I digress. So in my several months long, self-stricken poverty, I rediscovered old pleasures, like re-reading some of my all time favorite books, such as Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase, The Soldier and the Baby and Glass Houses by Anne Stuart, some of my favorite old Harlequin Presents (yes I love these books) like Man of Stone by Frances Roding, among others. I read short story horror collections that I had accumulated years ago but never got around to reading. I actually read stuff other than romance (one of my first loves). I realized that carting all those books I couldn't bear to get rid of back from San Diego, CA (much to my mother's dismay), was a great thing. I had lots of reading material (old and new) and didn't have to shell out more money to keep myself content. So that was probably the first crack in the clay feet of my movie-going idol.

In rediscovering books and yes tv (which is free other than the cable bill), and having more freetime on my hands, I was forced to analyze my moviegoing activities in the past, and thus admit that there were movies I had seen (and spent too much since I was in CA where everything is more expensive), and came to the realization that a lot of them were not worth the fare. Don't expect me to name names. Most have sunken to the bottom of my memory, possibly never to be retrieved.

Even the Summer Blockbuster season has fallen flat. Every year for the past few years, there have been less and less really exciting releases in the summer. Usually by the time June has passed, they start to peter out, until the holidays, when you might get a few big ones like the new Star Trek this year, and pick up in March (Watchmen, anyone?) This summer seemed to be awesome at first, but on retrospect, there were maybe a handful of ones that I was really excited about: Iron Man, The Dark Knight, Hancock, X-Files (I'm not going there right now), Hellboy 2 (awesome movie if you like folklore), Babylon AD (a surprise as I didn't realize it was coming out this summer),and I missed Prince Caspian (bummer, but I know I'll buy that one). Wanted turned out to be rather disappointing. I was a little underwhelmed with Indiana Jones and The Crystal Skulls (if you are like me and saw the movie, you know what I mean). And let's not go into my feelings about X-Files: I Want to Believe.

I have realized that renting/buying movies is the way to go, by and large. My sister obtained a Netflix membership, and although she actually has to remind me to watch the movies with my schedule, it has been a great thing. One of the cool things about Netflix is you can keep them as long as you need to and send them back when you're done. Now that's great because it may take me a week to watch one movie (for instance August Rush, great movie by the way, it actually did take a week). Okay, I admit that a lot get sent back sans me watching them. But when I get to see them, it's pretty awesome. With home movie viewing, you can curl up at home in bed or on the couch, get refreshments from your own kitchen, and not have to worry about latecomers squeezing past, uncomfortable seats, too many commercials, and overpriced refreshments, if you forget to eat before going and don't feel like sneaking in food. Also, if you need a bathroom break, just press pause or stop. It will be right there where you left it when you return. And besides, some of the really awesome movies don't get released over here (such as Hong Kong action movies, straight to video sci-fi/fantasy (and I don't mean the Sci Fi Channel variety), indie cinema, and foreign films.) Another plus is you can sit and heckle the bad movies or have a running commentary all you want (as long as your movie-watching compadres don't mind). Let's admit, that's a big part of the fun to discuss as you watch, at least for me.

And there is the wonderful entities of You Tube and Wikipedia. Talking about killing time. I can spend hours on both. Watching videos and live performances by my favorite singers and bands on the former, and looking up all sorts of things on the latter. This too, is free other than the bill for internet access, and electricity to run the computer. Can I also give a shout out to blogging? And there are those long-neglected Yahoo email groups. Heck, you can even watch movie trailers online for free.

Don't get me wrong. I still go to the movies for the events like The Dark Knight and Iron Man. I even went to see Iron Man again at the dollar movie. I will catch Dark Knight again at the dollar cinema as well. And when Babylon AD comes out (Vin Diesel, I am so there), I will dutifully buy my ticket for that one.

But for the money, I think getting a digital cable/satellite package with plenty of channels is a much better deal. And the networks have realized the people really do want to see new shows and episodes in the summer. USA and TNT have quite a few shows running new seasons over the summer (Burn Notice, In Plain Sight, Monk, Psych, The Closer, etc), along with Sci-Fi channel (Stargate Atlantis, Doctor Who, Eureka) and BBC America (Primeval). And they tend to reshow them if you missed the first showing. Score! Let us not forgot the oldies that are shown every day with or without commercials on AMC, TMC, and some of the other cable channels. I never saw those at the theater, and it wasn't the end of the world. As a matter of fact, some movies age best the more you watch them at home on tv. If you're into reality, catch Bridezillas and see a whole lot of drama. Food Network has some delicious programming as well. Before you know it, two hours that you would have spent in a movie are gone baby gone.

Not going to the movies is great for the budget, without truly having to give up the extra essentials. I have found that if you skip a few movie shows at the theater, you can afford to buy boxed seasons of shows and the movies when they come out the first week, or when they are marked down to below $10. I religiously check the bargain bin at Walmart where some pretty awesome movies end up being $5. If that won't work, just ask for them for Christmas or birthdays. The joy of watching them the first time is really not that diminished from watching the movie on the big screen in most cases. You don't really know what you're missing, after all. And in some instances, the movie you stayed away from at the movie because you didn't think it would be any good turns out to be a gem. A good example of this was Mr. and Mrs. Smith. For various reasons, I was not expecting much (despite being an Angelina Jolie fan other than the Lara Croft films), but ended up truly enjoying this movie.. Rewatching forays of favorites on DVD are not to be missed, and are exciting in themselves, as you discover something about the movie that you missed the first time around. Although, I am very glad I saw 300 for the first time at the movies, it's still great on DVD the second time around.

By buying or being gifted a movie, you are steadily adding to your movie collection, (planning for the future) for that rainy day when you feel an urge to watch an old standby instead of leaving your house to pay way too much money to see something new that you might not like as much as you think. Just think, for the price of movie admission (say $9 at night), you could almost buy a six to ten month old release or almost two older-release films for $5. And you might get lucky and catch a sale on Amazon.com or at Best Buy. If you skip two moviegoving outings, you could buy a new release (possibly for even less when it first comes out). And two moviegoing forays missed pays for a pretty decent Netflix membership (three rentals at a time, which if you send them back right away, could easily be twelve movies a month).

Again, I am not saying that I have forsaken the movie going experience. I now think twice, save myself some money, gas, and oftimes frustration, by staying home and indulging in a nice foray into bookreading, tv watching, internet surfing, or just throw in a cherished part of my collection or a new rental. Before it got so darn hot, I did a lot of gardening, and that was a very fruitful activity now that I look at my babies growing outside. Maybe even going to the the gym where you can burn calories, while reading a book, lifting weights, or people watching. Since it's Texas, we don't spend too much time outside (the sane ones amongst us anyway) until it's dark, but those stars sure are pretty, though. Or for the more intrepid among us, how about actually hanging out with other people, and engaging in conversations? Scary thought, huh? As a recovering workaholic (still working on it), I have discovered the joys of being a homebody for most activities, including watching movies. Like Dorothy says, there's no place like home. Let me add to that, for watching a movie. Except the comic book movies, that is.

2008-08-07T08:37:00.000-07:00

Is the Western Movie Genre Really Dead?

I am afraid that the answer is yes, at least in its purest form. I only have theories about this slow death of the genre.

Perhaps the setting is so far away from what the millenial-consciousness public can wrap their minds around. In this age, horses, carriages, cattle, false-fronted wooden buildings, range wars, and such fare is unknown and alien to most urban-dwelling people. There are pockets of people who still live in this reality, but they are probably not the driving force behind the box office and studio movie-making decisions. Most moviegoers may find the old school western corny. And I believe that this is at the crux of the dearth of western movies being made.

I must say that I have mixed feelings about some of the more recent western movies. Here are some of the newer westerns and my thoughts

3:10 to Yuma: It was good but I didn't like the ending. I think the good man suffered and the bad man prospered. That's just backwards to me.

American Outlaws: Good but a little too Generation X-oriented.

Texas Rangers: pretty disappointing. Way too anachronistic with younger actors who didn't really immerse themselves in the period. The best thing was Robert Patrick's line: "He's riding that horse like a man who's riding his sister and knows he's doing something wrong." That is one of the best lines ever!

Unforgiven: Very good movie although really depressing

Open Range: excellent western

True Women: incredible

Posse: Great in that it represented African-Americans in the west.

Dust: A more modern western set in Eastern Europe. Pretty violent and depressing although Joseph Fiennes, Adrian Lester, and David Wenham provide great eye candy.

Silverado: pretty good. My mom loves it.

Wild Wild West: I loved it but it didn't do well at the Box Office. I think it was too strange for most people. I loved watching the show from the 60s. Although I didn't know that the genre was steampunk at the time, I have always been attracted to stories that show a past setting with enhanced technology.

Some of the more recent tv shows that were westerns that I loved

The Young Riders: loved that show!

The Magnificent Seven: gone too soon

Legacy: never got a chance to develop fully (I am convinced it's because of the interracial romance!)

The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.

Firefly (gone too soon. Technically a space western, but it was pretty darn traditional western in many ways)

Thankfully traditional westerns still crop up on the cable nextworks as made-for-tv movies and miniseries. There are also straight-to-video westerns, usually pretty low budget. I am slowly trying to watch most of these. I think that if western movies survive, it will be in these areas.

But do the themes of western movies still have relevance? First of all, let's list these themes:

Isolation

Renewal/Rebirth

Despair

Honor

Prejudice

Self-sufficiency

The next frontier

Fear of what is to come

Moral decay(people who have degenerated to outlaws, etc)

Fortitude

Antiheroes

Running from the past

Antivillians (do good things but not necessarily for good reasons)

That is just to name a few. I think that these themes will never lose relevance. These themes could just as easily be used in a movie that does not have the typical "Western" setting. I personally believe this is the future of the western. Look at science fiction movies/tv like "Firefly" and "Serenity," "Outland," "The Ghosts of Mars," "Titan A.E.," ," "The Postman," "Enemy Mine," and even standard sci-fi fare like "Star Wars" and "Star Trek," and others set in space or an post-apocalyptic landscape. Although they occur on distant planets or in the dystopian future, those themes are still present. There is a lone hero or group of survivors struggling to build a new life and leave the past behind, while hanging onto their remaining principles. Or perhaps they have abandoned all their principles in the sheer struggle to survive. Their perceptions about those who invoke prejudice are challenged. They may be fighting against a system that is seemingly undefeatable, that threatens to challenge their way of life. Isn't that the core of the western ideal? Also look at the modern western, movies such as "No Country for Old Men," "All the Pretty Horses," "Last Man Standing," "48 Hours," etc. These movies may retain vestiges of the old western, either in themes, or settings. Movies like "Near Dark," "Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat," and a small amount of zombie/vampire westerns going straight to video recently fall in the Weird West category. "Ravenous" had the lovely Guy Pearce, but it was just too gruesome for me in its subject of cannibals turned into wendigo creatures. "Purgatory" was a very interesting Weird Western that showed up on TNT a few years ago. Few would argue against "Ghost Rider" having clearly containing many Weird Western elements.

Although I don't have much hope for very many western movies to make it into theaters, I think westerns will always have a future in the print media, whether in the traditional form, or in various incarnations such as the Weird West and the modern western. Readers are more open-minded about what kinds of books, graphic novels, and comic books they will buy than moviegoers are about the movies they will pay to go see. And another thing that insures the survival of the western in printed media is the hybridization of genres that is occuring in popular fiction. One area that I do worry about the survival of westerns in is romance. Less and less westerns are being published. The big rage now is regencies as far as historical romance. Thank God that Harlequin Historicals comes out with new westerns monthly, or I would really be in despair.

To close, I think that we all have a western hero inside of us. We all struggle with moral complexities, surviving against the odds, and fearing the future, yet hoping for a better one at the same time. I hope that this genre that deeply touches on these themes does continue to endure, if not in a pure form, then in other ways.

2007-07-06T12:47:00.000-07:00

Perhaps a little morbid of me, but I have been thinking a lot about death lately. I am a Christian, and I believe in life after death. I believe in eternal life with God after death. But there's still a part of me that wonders if life isn't just a cosmic joke. A part of me that fears that black oblivion of death.

I think sleep is a good thing, but there are other things that I would prefer to do. I sleep because if I don't I am tired and I don't function well. The reason why I write this is because I think of death sometimes like sleep. If there is life after death (which I believe and choose to believe in), then death is just a long nap. But if for some reason death is the end, then it's a really scary thought that there's no waking up from that dark cloud of nothingness.

My problem is that I am a worrier. I am pathological about it, actually. I am so bad about it, I memorized most of the scriptures that deal with worrying. It's like in that movie Inventing the Abbots. If I don't have something to worry about, I create something to worry about.

I think my fears about death stem from that worrying curse I have. Also from my overwhelming fear of being insignificant. It's tied into my fears of failure. If I fail then I have no reason to be here. If I have no reason to be here, then life is meaningless, and death is just the ultimate failure.

Morbid thoughts, I know. I am praying over this and most of the time I don't let it bother me. I remember when I was a kid and I saw this program on the sun where they said it would burn out in billions of years and the world would die. Believe it or not, I couldn't sleep after that. I was so scared, when logically speaking, I'll be dead in far far far far less than one billion years. My fear was about it ending, everything that I know and mostly love, if not tolerate.

I have been feeling somewhat poetic lately (I am a terrible poet, by the way). But I composed a poem that deals with my fears of the black oblivion. I will post it, but I give the caveat that I am not gifted in the poetic arts. Here it is.

Death

I am not over death yet.
Even with all my beliefs in eternal life
I am still plagued with doubts and fears
Wondering about the sleep that may not ever end.
Wondering about the black emptiness
The lack of everything
No longer thinking, feeling, touching, tasting, hearing.... anything.
Is it the beginning of the end, or the end that never begins?
What a conundrum life is for those who believe, who fight to keep hoping.
It's a joy, but it's pain in that isn't it easier to just give in,
Just think that life is some joke that was made up by a random chain of events.
Yet the other part of me, know that my life rests in careful, benevolent hands.
Hands that have created based on a master plan.
It's so intricate my mind cannot take it in
It's greater than the greatest of thoughts.
Maybe that's why we sleep, to prepare us for the sleep that will come when this world ends
And the next one begins.
I choose to believe, and believe I do
Except in the darkest of nights when the fears creep past the shield of faith around my heart
Wrap me in your arms Great Creator, Father, Friend, Counselor, Comforter.
Rock me to sleep, for I know that this short sleep will seem long compared to that last sleep
Before I wake up in your presence

2006-04-07T16:50:00.000-07:00

More Matheson Thoughts

I found Nightmare at 20, 000 Feet and Other Stories at my excellent public library. The titular story is the basis for The Twilight Zone episode with William Shatner. Well if you like the show, read the book. Your heartbeat stays erratic the whole time. I love the detail in which Matheson describes the harrowing experience the protagonist has. He knows the gremlin is there but the darn thing disappears when he tries to point him out. The flight crew gets more and more convinced that the protagonist is off his rocker. But he knows he's sane. He is frightened out of his wits, but knowing that he's the only hope for the plane. The reluctant hero comes up with a plan to save the plane because the gremlin is steadily and I must add gleefully, tearing it apart. The climax is short, quick, wonderfully executed. You heave a sigh of relief when the story ends. This volume has other classic stories. Another truly affecting story is Slaughter House. Two very close brothers buy and lovingly restore a Victorian house which is possessed by a spirit with nefarious intent. The spirit slowly drives a wedge between brothers and ends up causing a tragic end for one of the brothers. As usual you can see Matheson's skill in writing. He takes his time to build things up to an exquistive level of terror. You feel the pain of the older brother as he fights to save his sibling. I felt it more intensely because I am very close to my sister and I can imagine how much anguish it was causing the protagonist to watch his brother turn into a stranger. For me the end was satisfying although tragic. I won't give it away. But suffice it to say you walk away with a poignant feeling that will stay with you for days. Another memorable tale is about a young boy who so intensely identifies with the tale of Dracula by Bram Stoker that his life goes in an interesting direction. This story leaves you with almost an upset stomach. As I read more and more horror, I realize how conventional I am. I think this is the power of horror, that it can drive home how settled we are into our normal, nice worlds blithely unaware of how ugly the other reality is. Matheson definitely seems to understand this. He uses the tools available to him to craft this into his stories. It could be circumstances that are horrible. It could be the protagonist that is the real horror, or it could be the fate of the protagonist. And even in the case of one story where a guy murders his wife and then is subsequently haunted by her ghost, you still feel shocked at the comeuppance his wife's spirit delivers to him. In some of the stories you find yourself thinking, that's not fair. And maybe that's the real kind of horror that we face everyday, that bad things happen to the normal, everyday person, the not especially good or bad, person. I think that Matheson really impresses me in his skill with the short story because writing a short story is such an art. I haven't read anything from him longer than a novella, but I will definitely look forward to reading a full length novel by him. However, I know I'll have to gird my loins because it will be a very bumpy, if satisfying ride.

2006-04-07T16:14:00.000-07:00

Kim Harrison and Her Dead Witch Walking and Danielle's Ramblings Therein

I have to say that this book blew me away. I had reservations about reading it because I am a Christian and we are supposed to avoid witchcraft. I love horror and the supernatural. Always have. But I try to draw lines that I won't cross in my reading and tv watching. Happily this book did not compromise my beliefs. Rachel, the protagonist is a witch in the same way that a person could be a fairy or sprite. She's born a wtich. Instead of being a Wiccan, she simply has magical powers.
Now I am not trying to condemn those who chose to follow the Wiccan religion. That's that person's decision. However I don't necessarily want to read about it. I prefer the direction that Happy Potter and Dead Witch Walking takes that some people are born with the power to make magic.
Anyway, I have been on a paranormal detective kick that I have always sort of had (grew up watching The Night Stalker). And in vet school, a fellow student leant me her Anita Blake books. I was hooked. Just the combination of the supernatural, mystery and problem that needs solving is such a ripe and intriguing concept. A couple of months ago I read Something From The Nightside by Simon R. Green, a paranormal detective story. It was awesome. I knew I was going to try to read as many as possible at this point. I went on Amazon to find more books like that and also have been referred by other fans of the genre. Kim Harrison's series comes up as a recommendation in that genre. And I start thinking, maybe I will read those. Just because I read about a witch doesn't mean I'm going to hang up my cross and go pagan. After all I cut my teeth on Greek myths and I haven't built a temple to Artemis yet.
To be honest I backed off of my supernatural reading partly due to time, partly due to trying to control what stimuli my brain gets (what fertile soil it is). But always I have loved stories that ponder the question about what goes bump in the life. And those of us who are Christians, we know that there is a spiritual, otherworldly component to our existence. I think horror does in some way help us to have faith. Evil can be destroyed by good. That is the underlying theme of good horror to me. Well Jesus did exactly that when he died for our sins. I try not to spend too much time talking my faith on my blog, but if it comes into play when I discuss movies, books, or music I will. After all it's part of me.
Well I finally decided I wanted to read more horror and supernatural. And partially Sherrilyn Kenyons Dark Hunter series is a factor in that. It helped me to realize how much I loved the paranormal. After reading those I was apt to find any paranormal book I could and read it. Thankfully my sister has a whole cache of paranormal. I read Bitten by Kelley Armstrong, about a female werewolf trying to live as a human, and loved it. It further fueled my desire for the paranormal. If Angels Burn by Lynn Viehl was summarily devoured this summer. My Amazon wish list grew by leaps and bound in the paranormal.
I should say I have never stopped reading ghost and vampire stories. I usually collect short story volumes with the like. But now I try to buy paranormal romances as well. So all this verbiage basically serves to show the progression down the path of discovering Dead Witch Walking. I joined some horror and paranormal book groups on yahoo and eagerly took all recommendations. Some had read and enjoyed Dead Witch Walking and they loved other books that I liked. So I thought maybe. Then on my group for Vampyre reads they selected it as the read of the month. I thought okay I'm going to give it a try.
Well I'm glad I decided to read this book From the moment I started reading it I was hooked. What a world Kim Harrison built. She created a world inside the world of Cleveland, Ohio, the Inderland, otherwise known as The Hollows. It's a place where werewolf, vampire, fairy, pixy, witch all live and function more or less as humans. Some humans avoid them like the plague. Other's interact as needed. Rachel Morgan straddles this world. She is a witch by birth. But she looks and acts human. She is a good hearted soul who wouldn't hurt a fly. An earth witch, she uses the gentle power of the earth through plants. Harrison goes on to explain that there are other kinds of witches that use more powerful, and often more dark forces. There are witches that sacrifice animals to harness their power, and there are witches that tap into the ley lines (natural lines of power that run through the earth). She explains that the ley lines cause the witch to lose grasp of their limits and make the witches vulnerable to demonic forces. I thought it was interesting. And not too much to freak out my Christian sensibilities. Rachel prays to God and not the earth (which made me feel a little better). Now I'm not saying that this is biblical in the strictest sense, but it's fiction and it's escapism. So it works for me. Rachel is such a interesting character. She's human and has her shortcomings, but is intensely likable. And as the book starts she's an underdog (which makes it easy for her to identify with--I always ID with underdogs). Her job sucks and she always ends up with the crap missions. She's a runner for a law enforcement agency that polices the Inderlanders (non-human/mystical beings). As the story begins she's trying to take in a leprechaun for tax evasion. Her tools are her wits, fighting skills, her charms that she buys (since making them is expensive and time consuming), and her handcuffs. She has charms that run the gamut of making the victim go to sleep or disguising the user. This makes for hilarious moments. There are also awesome scenes of butt-kicking and tense moments that make my heart glad. A demon nearly takes her life, and I didn't breathe the whole time. When Rachel quits her job her boss puts a bounty on her head so that witches, fairies, werewolves are all gunning for her. And Rachel spends part of the book as a mink who is captured and kept in a ferret cage. She is taken to fight rats and ends up meeting a possible love interest who is a human who was turned into a rat. Did I mention that her roommate and new partner when she goes solo is an undead Vampire who Rachel spends most of book afraid of being bitten by? Her other partner is a 4 inch tall pixy with more than a dozen children who has the spunk of a giant. The world that Harrison creates is so rich and interesting I can't wait to read the other books.
So I guess I wrote all this to say, that sometimes you can find something that you really like in a place you never thought of looking.

2006-03-02T16:33:00.000-08:00

Veils of Slk by Mary Jo Putney: One Great Victorian Exotic Romance

I'm just about done with this book and it's excellent. For those of us who love exotic settings check this one out. It takes place in India in 1841. The hero has lost an eye and spends part of the book impotent. It's so cool to have a hero who is far from perfect but just scrumptious. I really loved Ian and I think I might be adding him to my list of scarred/imperfect hero favorites. The heroine is also admirable. She's of Russian birth but raised as an Englishwoman and has issues with passion because of her wild and crazy parents. She is the kind of woman a man like Ian needs. She's a true helpmate and a strong woman. They meet when she's trying to protect the camp from a maneating tiger. She almost shoots him in the process. Their relationship develops beautifully as they meet each other's needs. Ian was imprisoned for years and was terribly abused, kept in the dark and starved. His cellmate was Laura's uncle and he asks him to bring his diary which he wrote in his bible. Laura helps Ian to heal from his trauma and Ian helps her to come to terms with her passionate nature. They actually marry because both thinks that they can have a passionless marriage since Ian is incapable and Laura doesn't want passion (although she has a sensual nature that she tries to suppress.) The magic and seduction of India helps Laura to come to terms with who she is. There is a lot about the cultures and religions of India in this book which I thoroughly enjoyed. I am definitely very Christian in my beliefs but it is always interesting to learn about other's beliefs. And India is such a diverse nation with people of so many cultures and beliefs. This is definitely dealt with in this book. This book also gives a different view of the British imperialism that takes place in India. I had a negative view of it overall, but in the book you can see that it had some good aspects. The British rule or Sirkhar actually brought about reforms in areas such as banning child sacrifice and sutee (the ritual burning of widows). They also reformed the tax system that was beggaring the poor because tax barons were taking all their money away. And I also learned that the army was largely composed of native soldiers who were lead by British commanders who were educated in the beliefs and language of their troops. Initially the apartheid system (for lack of a better word) didn't exist. Briton and native blended together and often intermarried and bred freely. But as more British who held prejudiced ideas entered the country, that changed. Never say you cannot learn from romance.

This is a great romance but also has plenty of action. Ian is a serious bad-ass. He's a sharpshooter (you might say how does he do it. Well it's explained. Most marksmen shoot with one eye closed). He's a man after my own heart. I love heroes who can get the job done. And he's a Scot. Sigh!!! They actually have to save India from becoming war-torn when a swell of anti-British sentiment from Afghanistan threatens to push over the border. There are reasons that go into this but too indepth for this blog, and you should read the book to find out. It does involve Laura's uncle. I'll tell you that much. There's even a cool secondary romance between Ian's army sargeant, a Pathan warrior, and a young Indian woman who is saved from sutee when her older husband dies. Ooh there's just too much to go into. You need to read it.

I can't give everything away but if you love exotic books full of action with awesome characters and a deep, wonderful romance, you should definitely check this one out.

2006-02-19T17:01:00.000-08:00

Continuing My Classic Horror Journey

Hello, I finished I Am Legend by Matheson. It was really good. Neville is a very interesting protagonist. You really want to root for him that he will survive. I don't want to spoil you, but the ending will definitely hit you like a one-two punch. I definitely wanted a different one. Nevertheless it was one of the best short stories I have ever read. I finished I am Legend more than a year ago. It had such an effect on my psyche that I had to put the book down. Let me tell you a secret. I am a bit of a whimp when it comes to horror. Yet like the worst masochist, I adore horror. I love being scared and that feeling of unsettledness that settles in your stomach like a heavy meal. Anyway, I felt like I wanted to finish it, because I really liked Matheson's writing. And I paid a lot of money for the book ;)

I pulled it out this summer after the big move and read some more. There were some excellently written stories, all deeply disturbing. One of the most effecting is one where a henpecked young woman under her mother's thumb buys a Zuni doll for her boyfriend that her mother has forced her to break up with. The Zuni warrior comes to life and tries to kill her. She manages to survive but her mind is possessed by the Zuni doll and she calls her mother over to visit. The story ends with her jabbing a knife into the floor in the same motion the Zuni doll lives. The end is particularly disconcerting because you know that a horrendous fate awaits her mother. Another story was a little too unsettling. It's set in the future after wars and people have barely managed to keep a semblance of normal life. A sheltered suburban girl meets a dangerous crowd in college. They go to the city to a club where there is a unique show. A woman who has become effectively a zombie from a drug that she overdosed on. That scene was really hard to read because the horror is knowing that this was a normal girl who was changed by this drug she abused. And the other element of horror rests in the fact that the young, sheltered woman is about to walk down the same path. That was not my favorite story. Another story features a man who goes to the funeral parlor to plan his wife's service and arrangement. It ends with him going home to kill his wife. Very unsettling. As I have described, some of the stories are quite disturbing, some horrific, and some humorous. I loved the story in the funeral parlor where a vampire wants a funeral and he invites a host of ghoulish creatures. And the witch and this other character has a fight. Of course the werewolf has to go because he is called by the moon to hunt. It was really funny. I also loved the one where the guy has been hexed by a witch doctor in Africa and his fiance calls her anthropologist friend who studied witch doctors to save him. It was really really good-my second favorite after I am Legend. I think it be great as a movie short. Probably the most disturbing story was the one with a man who has anger issues. His anger has possessed his house, for lack of a better description. He is a frustrated writer who cannot write and has allowed bitterness to kill him slowly. Strange things happen to him at home, rungs slip, pencils jab him, he bangs his knee everytime he sits down at the table. His wife has decided to leave him and he cannot ask her to stay, although he loves here. His friend at the university where he works who is a scientist warns him about the house but he doesn't listen. He manages to get fired by yelling at a student and goes home. His wife is there and asks him to tell her to stay, he runs her off, and the house takes his revenge. This story comes across like a Greek tragedy. You can see the path that the character is taking but you are helpless to stop it. This is the side aspect of horror. The horror lies not necessarily in the supernatural elements but the poor choices the characters make. I can see why Matheson is cited as an influence by Stephen King. He definitely has a feel for the horrific in various forms.

HP Lovecraft's volume The Thing at the Doorstep and other stories is really good so far. Lovecraft has quite an imagination. The Case of Charles Dexter Ward was surprisingly a real page turner. It is about the possessing of an inquisitive youth by his nefarious wizard ancestor. It is written almost like a report and you are the reader. You believe initally that the hero is Charles Dexter Ward but it turns out to be his doctor and old family friend. He shows truly brave actions to save the young man from himself and his horrid ancestor. Despite not understanding most of the words used and the intricate writing style, this story really sucked me in. I'm glad that Lovecraft leaves a lot to our imagination. That's actually more scary. I also really enjoyed Beyond The Wall of Sleep and Pickmen's Model too. Beyond the Wall of Sleep features a psychiatrist who is intrigued by the case of a hill-dwelling man who is seemingly possessed by an otherworld entity. The story is disturbing but very poetically written. Pickmen's Model was so clever. It's told by a man who is relating his experiences with a painter to another fellow. This painter makes the most disgusting and bizarre imagery that repels most people. The narrator continually asserts his open-mindedness until he comes to the knowledge that the horrendous paintings the artist makes are a glimpse of reality. It totally freaks out the narrator, and when you read the story, you share in his horror. The Tomb is also a good story. The narrator is a German naval officer, and is about the most unlikable protagonist imaginable. He watches his whole crew succomb to a supernatural force and denies to the end the power of it, until he rationalizes his own demise. You don't really mourn him. Not after all the atrocities he commits within the course of the story. Instead you want to say good riddance. But at the same time, you're wondering what calls him to his demise, and it does the rest of his crew. The door is open but you don't get to walk through. You just watch the narrator leave. I am about to start The Dunwich Horror which I am looking forward to reading. I also like how the editor ST Joshi posts footnotes as reference to what Lovecraft is talking about as far as references to other stories and places and historical figures. I must add that it was necessary to look up a lot of words as I was reading. Also with the Matheson volume as well.

I'll post when I finish this intriguing and enlightening volume.

2005-12-07T19:26:00.000-08:00

Analyzing The Top Ten

On one of my romance groups, the moderator asked us to look at our list of favorites and say why we loved them. I looked at mine and this is what I came up with:

1.Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
--I could write a thesis on how wonderful this book is. Most of all I love the hero. Dain is a strong, masculine, sexy but oh-so vulnerable hero who has more money and land than he knows what to do with. But he really truly needs to be loved. Dain must be one of my all time favorite heroes. His story is so sad I could weep. But he's a bad boy. He claims only to love himself. However, it's soon made clear that he hates himself because no one ever showed him that he was worthy of love. Jessica, the heroine is so amazing. If I could pick a romance heroine I would want to be friends with I would pick her. She is strong and independent. She had the fortitude to go after the man she wants, take him warts and all, but clean up the mess in his life, and heal his heart, and not turn into a whimp in the process. She actually shoots him (he deserved it). There are scenes that make you cry and in the next scene you are laughing out loud. This book should be Romance Writing 101. I love the scene when he acknowledges his son. I had tears rolling down my cheeks.
This is my all time favorite romance hands down!
2.The Shadow and The Star by Laura Kinsale
--Samuel was an amazing hero. He was a warrior, a virgin, wounded, and very passionate under all that control. Leda was a heroine that you would like and could identify with. The writing was like poetry. The writing is artistry. I love the way Kinsale captured the repressed emotions that signify the Victorian period to me. The characters aren't anachronistic like some books. They are deeply at home in the Victorian setting. Their morals and beliefs aren't Millennial. So some readers may not fall in love with them the way I did. The love scenes are so vivid and intense you feel like you are in the room with the characters. You feel the revelatory emotions that Samuel and Leda feel (both virgins).
3.Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
--The ultimate love story with a flawed hero who pulled himself out of the gutter and became a millionaire. He's still rough around the edges and utterly real. He becomes Prince Charming to you despite his crooked tooth, guttural Cockney dialect, and rough manners. He falls hard for Sara and acts like someone truly in love. Just reading how much he loved Sara made me weep. Kleypas is a wonderful writer. She knows romance. She knows that romance is ecstasy mixed with angst. Pleasure and pain. This book is lush and poignant. One of the best and most memorable love stories ever written.
4.All Through The Night by Connie Brockway
--This one isn't a light romantic romp. You feel all the darkness that envelops Jack and Anne. You feel Jack's world-weariness (he reminds me of Kiefer Sutherland on 24 as Jack Bauer). Anne is actually two women: One an ever so proper and repressed widow. The other a fearless, sensual jewel thief. There is a great scene where she 'molests' Jack while he is tied to a chair. It was great and so different from anything I've ever read. This book has two tortured characters who are alone in the dark until they find each other, passion, love, and healing. At the end of the book you almost sigh in relief because you're not quite certain they'll get their happy ending. But they do!
5.A Well-Pleasured Lady by Christina Dodd
--This book is sexy, a little bit different. Tons of chemistry between Mary and Sebastian, reluctant at first. A hero who isn't lilly white. But neither is the heroine. Mary is very very repressed. She doesn't want to feel anything. And Sebastian wants her to feel everything and realize that he won't be ignored. This book sparked controversy among readers, dividing them into two different camps, all because of the first love scene. I was floored by the emotion in that scene. I had been reading romances for over ten years when I read this and it made me sit up and take notice. This book shows that love isn't always a pretty emotion, but the power of it can save a person.
6.Rules of Engagement by Christina Dodd
--Pamela is a strong woman who conquers the heart of a rake. She seduces him in this one. Light-hearted, well-written and sexy. This is a good book to read after you've read a heavy book or had a rough weak. It will leave you rejuvenated. But don't feel like you won't get your money's worth if you buy this one. Although it's light there is emotion and depth or I wouldn't love it.
7.Some Enchanted Evening by Christina Dodd
--Princess Clarice is independent, a survivor. She's become a bit of a con artist to survive, staying just a few steps in front of her powerful enemies, and knowing that she needs to go home but may never be able to return there. When she ends up in Hepburn's village she's planning to stay just long enough to recoup her losses. The Earl of Hepburn is a bit of a rogue who thinks he's in control. He had been forced at an early age to take control of the situation, after all. He's had a whole village depending on him. He's returned from war where all his illusions were lost, having been betrayed by a superior officer. Black and white don't exactly exist and he's out for revenge. He intends to use Clarice to get his revenge, believing Clarice to be the type to go along quite easily with his plans for the right compensation. And if he wants her in his bed, he'll manage that as well. In the process he falls in love. And when he falls, he falls hard. The characters were vivid and interesting. The love scenes were wonderfully steamy. I loved the fact the hero and heroine both had their secrets and flaws. Another fun but fulfilling read!
8.The Texan's Wager by Jodi Thomas
--I love this hero. Carter McKoy is very unusual for a romance hero. He doesn't talk much and tends to separate himself from the community. People think he's slow and weird. But he is deep and intriguing.
Almost instantly he forms a profound connection with the women he wins in a marriage lottery, Bailee. Their relationship is a joy to watch unfold. The elements of a grand western are also there in this book. The heroine is strong and capable, a true survivor. But she is open to love despite her strength. From practically the first moment they are together you feel like they are meant to be together forever. This is a pure and true love story.
9.The Mercenary by Cherry Adair
--This is a really good adventure novel. Sexy, suspenseful with a likeable heroine in over her head and a not-so-good hero. I love this book!!! It's one of those books that you want to turn around and reread just after you finish it the first time.
10.Ritual Sins by Anne Stuart
--Another truly excellent dark romance with a hero who is not quite heroic. This book is not for everyone but I love it. It's sexy and edgy with tortured characters who manage to find love despite the dark surroundings and the darkness in their hearts. Luke the hero is actually the worst sort of con-artist. He's pretending to be a religious leader. At first I hesitated to read it because of this. I am very religious myself and hated the idea of hero who is misleading people spiritually. But I skimmed it because I love the author and had to buy it. Reading this book you realize that Luke is due a recogning. He gets it from the daughter of one of the women that his false doctrine had swayed. She left all her money to them and her daughter is fighting angry about it. Rachel comes to kick ass and take names. She had a history of sexual abuse that has her deeply angry and locked tight within herself. Surprisingly, Luke is the man who helps her to open up and to overcome her painful past. This is another book about characters healing through dark and ugly circumstances.

As you can see my favorite books have flawed, hurting characters who find healing and redemption in the course of the story. Typically I don't find myself attracted to stories that are really light and fluffy. It's funny, that. I love to laugh. My favorite movies are funny ones. But in romances I like the angst. My favorite books are the ones that make you laugh one minute and cry the next. The books that make you earn the happy ending by ploughing along through the anguish, accompanied by the characters. I also love sexy books with descriptive love scenes that show the deep passion and connection between the characters. My choices reflect that. I love romance and these books are the reason why I will stand up loud and proud and declare that I am first and foremost a romance novel reader! Who needs literary fiction?

2005-12-01T14:51:00.000-08:00

What makes a man a man?

This is a question asked by many women and men. Is a man manly if he throws his weight around, swares, scratches his nether regions, sleeps with as many women as possible? Or is he simply a man because he has one X chromosome and one Y chromosome and is physically mature? I've always had a bee in my bonnet about this. I don't like macho, sexist men. I like alpha heroes in books, but sometimes they can be too much to swallow when they are uber-alpha heroes. The caveman act only appeals so much. I can admit that some guys are really hot because they just seem so male to me. I don't think it's the same as being macho. In my mind, there is definitely a difference. Nothing wrong with a little possessiveness in a hero, but complete jealousy is kind of scary. Also bossing the heroine around, trying to control her and dominate her, and dismissing her because she is a woman is out for me. It makes me want to reach for the frying pan and knock some sense in her. I usually clash with men like that.

What traits define an adult male who is truly a man? And yes, there is a difference. Well I can't speak for anyone else, but I'll tell you what makes a man in my eyes.

A quiet confidence

A sense of honor

The willingness to do what must be done, and the conviction to do it

Protects those who are in need of protection

Respects a woman for her strengths and embraces her differences from him and how they complement him

The capacity to feel and express love

The ability to feel passion but the self-control to know when passion should be exercised

Being a person who can be depended on

Trust-worthiness

The ability to be faithful to his partner

Accepting of his responsibilities, even when they detract from his own desires

The ability to temper his strength so that he does not hurt someone less strong than him

The willingness to open himself to vulnerabilities and show his love for his family, partner, and close friends

The ability to show that he does need help sometimes, and that he is not perfect

Is willing and committed to doing something he doesn't want to do (such as a job he hates) in order for him to live up to his responsibilties

The willingness to listen to a woman and what is important to her

Respects and cares for the woman he sleeps with

Being careful when he sleeps with a woman (showing discretion with who he sleeps with), so that he doesn't bring a child into the world without a loving family or spread disease)

Taking care of his kids regardless of who their mother is, whether he's still with her or not, and how much he doesn't like their mother

Able to step back at times and let his woman take the limelight (and be proud of her without taking a hit to his own ego because she might be more successful than him in something)

Wants a woman to walk beside him, not behind or in front of him

Doesn't allow the woman he loves to control him or lead him around (I firmly believe that nobody deserves to be walked on, and no one has the right to walk on anyone else)

Spends time with his daughters just as much as his sons

Willing to show that he has faith in God without fearing that makes him look weak to others(be a spiritual role model to his children. How many of us had a father who stayed at home on the couch when we went to church with Mom?)

Not ashamed to show his artistic side or sensitive side, and even cry at times

Enjoys being around women for more than just sex or or how women appeal to them physically. Can view a woman as a friend, not just a potential sex partner, and doesn't dismiss women that are not attractive to him physically.

Can look beneath the surface to see a woman for her heart and inner beauty

Doesn't put pressure on his woman to maintain her attractiveness as she ages (gains weight, etc)

Why do I feel a real man has these qualities? Well, in my family, I have seen men that have shown the opposite qualities, and also how that has hurt the family unit, his wife, and kids. It has set a bad example in my eyes for men. I know now that I would choose a man that is pretty much opposite from most of the men in my family. As much as I loved my father, he let me down in most of these ways that I listed or feel comfortable discussing. My father didn't really seem to know what to do with my sister and me.My paternal grandfather was a stern man who rarely said a word to me other than yelling at me and calling me, "girl." My step-grandfather probably said less than 20 words to me in all the time of knowing him. This is not a woe is me moment, I just want to make it clear where I am coming from with this. All that really kind of gave me a very jaundiced view of men that I am trying to overcome as I age.

Do I hate men? Of course not? Do I understand men? I like to think I am coming to understand men (as much as I can, being a woman) more and more as I get older and spend more time around them.

On the contrary from disliking men, except for those days when I really don't get the men I'm around, I really feel that men are incredible and interesting. They fascinate me, as strange as it sounds. They are often full of contradictions, and are faced to put on facades because of the gender stratification that is prevalent in society. I really do in some ways feel sorry for those men who are more "sensitive," because they have even more pressure to fit the mold of what is expected of a man. I applaud those men who do step out of those preconceived notions and just try to be themselves, regardless of what others think.

What does not make a man a man in my eyes

How many woman he has slept with (or men for that matter) or have listed in his Black Book. Dare I saw that a real man doesn't even need to keep a Black Book?

How much money he makes

What kind of car he drives, house(s) he owns, how expensive his clothes are, etc

How many foul words can come out of his mouth

How much his crotch bulges (sorry to be crude)

How many men he can beat up or hurt, or kill

Hurting children or women

Having a large gun collection

Overblown displays of machismo (including the "I'm so macho display around other guys" when he's totally not like that when he's alone with this girlfriend/wife)

Absolute authority over his wife, children, and home

How many beers he can put away

Dismissive of "sensitive stuff, women's stuff, and pansy stuff"

Homophobia ( just because you're not gay doesn't men that you should hate gay men, be afraid of them, and be afraid of being labeled gay)

What I personally like about men

Their way of looking at a project as a goal that must be conquered at all costs. I think men are more likely to think this way than women. Most guys I know won't give up on a project unless they absolutely have to. (My sister does have this trait, so I know that it is not unique to men).

Not to be superficial, but the intricacies of a man's body appeals to me. Men's body are typically the opposite of women's bodies. I like that men have broader shoulders, typically narrow hips, and the parts that man a man a man (you know what I mean. I'll leave it at that. Very strange, but intriguing all the same). I like that men have deeper voices and tend to be taller than women. I like broad shoulders, a six-pack, and nice arms that you see on a man. I also like the features of a man's face. While woman's faces tend to be softer and rounder, men's faces are more angular, less round, and more sculpted. Having said that, I am so glad I am not a man. With all the issues that being a woman brings, I like being a woman and having a woman's body.

I think male rock musicians bring something to the table that is unique from female rock musicians, particularly bands. I'm not sure exactly what it is just yet. Good future post for my music blog. Therefore, I tend to like more male rock bands than female rock bands.

I like that men are more likely to get into a squabble with another man, get it over with, and move on. They don't tend to get catty about things and try to turn everyone else against that person like woman are more likely to do.

The ability to compartmentalize is a trait that is a double-edged sword with men. It's bad when a man can have sex with a woman that he doesn't love and make a distinction between that and loving a woman and having sex with her. It's a good think when a man is having some issues at home, but manages to put that aside and go to work and get the job done. I think women may not be as good at this. Maybe women are more diffuse in their emotions. I don't know. It's something I have observed, and I could be wrong about this difference between men and women.

I have had some pretty interesting discussions with men that I have not had the pleasure to have with most women. Maybe it's the women I've been around. Maybe I have interests that are more guy-oriented in that sense. I think that woman sometimes feel a need to restrict their interests to certain areas in the same way that men do (but about different subjects). I'm sorry, but discussions about shoes, purses, and makeup bore me to tears. And I hate when women sit around and discuss their birth control and stuff like that. Men don't do this. Yes, I know that men don't have to discuss birth control, but I doubt they talk about what condom they use, and their prostate exams. I could be wrong though. In my experience, men are more likely to sit around and discuss whether Wolverine can take the Predator on and win. Or who is the best person to play Green Arrow in a movie. Now that's a discussion I want to get in on. On the downside, I don't care for sports in general, so it bores me to tears when men start talking about sports. Same thing with hunting and the components of a car's engine.

They have been the ones who have had to go to wars (whether they wanted to or not) for thousands of years. Yes, I know that some women also go to wars now and in history. But at least, women didn't get drafted into wars. I must say that I do admire warriors in some ways. I think it takes great fortitude to fight in a war, and to see and do what must be done. I think that compartmentalization plays a role in this.

I think it must be hard for a man to watch his wife go through pregnancy and childbirth, and not really be able to take an active part in that process. I am amazed that they get through it okay. In some ways, that might be worse that the woman's part. Maybe that's what Kate Bush was getting at in the song "This Woman's Work."

As I have gotten older, I have met more and more guys who have some of the traits that I especially associate with men, but also have traits that some might label "womanly." Yes, even I first thought that every especially sensitive guy I met, must be gay. I guess it's because I come from a family in which most of the men tend to be on the "macho" spectrum. I know now that some guys are very heterosexual, but they are sensitive at the same time. There's nothing wrong with that.

That's why I love the fact that I am getting more wisdom as I age. I am seeing my perception of the world and its inhabitants change and grow as I live longer. Time and experience, has led me to believe that although men and women are very different, we are not that totally different at all. After all, we are both human.

2005-11-29T10:38:00.000-08:00

Musings on Romance, Fantasy and Sexuality--Part I
A Virgin: To Be or Not To Be!

Whew, I have been neglecting my blog terribly. I guess I needed something that I really wanted to write about. Well I found it.

Last night I was on the All About Romance website (one of my favorite places to hang out) and reading the discussions about many issues, including sexuality. I think that many good points were raised. Romance lovers took the time to discuss things that drove them crazy about romance novels. I have certainly read a romance novel or two that made me cringe or even want to toss it across the room. Who hasn't? If you would like to know what makes my hair stand on end and smoke come out of my ears, see my archived post on romance novel don'ts.

So after reading the numerous theories, pet peeves, and suggestions on AAR, my mind was sent into pondering about romance novels and reality versus fantasy and the sexuality quotient. In this post, I will ramble on about the virgin heroine, or non-virgin heroine.

To start with--I think it's only fair to remind any romance novel reader who happens to read this blog of this thing: It's romantic fantasy. It's romantic fiction.
And in romantic fiction and fantasy, love conquers all. Even if the milk's spilled, the pudding goes rancid, and all the grapes are sour at the beginning of the story, by the end, happiness still results. If we take that away from romance then what's the point of immersing ourselves in our happy land of romantic fiction where a hero sweeps a heroine off her feet, or vice versa?

There is a certain element of romance reading that is wish fulfillment. I will freely admit that. Since we have established the wish fulfillment aspect of romance, I must submit that inherent is the need to be able to identify with the heroine in the romance story. That is where the conflict often arises between various fans.

Again and again there is the furor about the 'unrealistic virgin' hero versus the mature, sexually aware and knowledgable heroine. To this I say to each their own. But I must also add there is a place for both. As I don't wish for the virgin heroine to become extinct, I don't advocate the banishment of the sexually experienced heroine.

Now my personal opinion: I like, even prefer the virgin heroine. I won't go into excruciating detail on this since I have already posted a blog about virginity. But I will state for this discussion that a virgin heroine fulfils the fantasy aspect of romance. Maybe I'm wrong. But I would think that at least most women have slept with someone and lived to regret it. This shouldn't be a problem for the virgin heroine (at least I hope she doesn't regret sleeping with the hero. It can happen but not too often, I hope). That in itself is already a powerful appeal in the fantasy sense. The reader gets a blank slate through her heroine. To go further, the first man that she knows sexually is the man who fulfils all her needs and is the true love of her life. Her awakening to love is congruent with her sexual awakening. I think this is a powerful fantasy as well.

Now the gist I got from the thoughts submitted in my reading last night was that many readers roll their eyes at the virgin heroine because of the unlikelihood of it. But how unlikely is it that a Victorian unmarried, protected and cared for woman would not be a virgin? A Regency lady? How about a medieval lady? We are not discussing the poor, or the common masses where the chances of rape or being taken advantages of are fairly high before the young woman is barely into her teens. Not to mention, no one particularly expects or cares if she retains her virginity, unless there are religious teachings to the contrary that she is reared with. In the medieval romance I was reading last night, Spring's Fury by Denise Domining, there are at least two "peasant" characters who had babies even before marriage. My eyebrows raised a little at that, but then I considered that was the norm for that period. I need to research that question. But lets get back on track. For a gently reared lady of "quality," I submit that virginity in these circumstances is expected. In fact an author would definitely need to explain its lack.

The next issue raised is the inherent double standard: the heroine is an innocent virgin yet the hero is allowed to shag, whore, and rake to his heart's content. Let me submit that you are indeed preaching to the choir. This double standard makes me nauseous. I have pondered it and in my own writings have tried to avoid it. In fact I would be one of few authors and readers to insist that I feel a chaste hero is just as good a thing as a chaste heroine. Now the same voices that speak out against the double standard often maintain that they have no use for a virgin hero. Is the alternative really to make the heroine unrealistically experienced? I think not. Keep in mind we are discussing historical romances at this time.

What is the solution? Well, if you want an experienced heroine you have some decisions to make. She can be a respectable widow, she could be a woman who played the game by society's rules-she married and lost her virginity to her husband, produced an heir, or lost her husband, and went on to pursue her sexual desires in a discreet manner, or a woman who had one affair with a beloved that ended badly. She could have been sexually assaulted, or she can be a woman who lives outside of the society's mores, in most cases what we call a "fallen heroine."

Now I will be honest with you and admit there was a time when I wouldn't touch a book with a non-virgin heroine with a ten foot pole. You must understand that I began my long, lucrative career as a romance reader at the young age of 12, with a book that boasted a virgin heroine. I read it and enjoyed it. Of course I was conditioned in that instant to gravitate towards the familiar. As I have aged, so have my tastes and sensibilities. I read a lot more non-virgin heroine books (of most of the varieties mentioned). But I still demand, request, however you want to put it, that it make sense that the heroine is not a virgin. That is required in the scope of the historical time period. Now if you were to pick a common woman, without money or protection, then it follows that this young woman would be most likely to be a nonvirgin. As a common woman, she is not given the same degree of protection from men. Now don't get mad at me and assume I am being sexist. I did not make the rules! Society did. I don't care for this particular rule, in fact. But the rules of society exist and dictate our behavior. Hence the study of sociology. I digress.

Someone mentioned that they say never say never when it comes to a romantic story idea or plot. I think this rule is a good one--at least I have come to agree with it. As I mentioned, I started out a staunch proponent of the virgin heroine. What changed things? I read books by authors that showed me that all the elements that I enjoy in a romance could be there without a virgin heroine and I could still enjoy the book. What did it take? Characters who I liked, respected, and were interested in, and a novelist with the skills and the conviction to pull it off. Which characters? Lady Lily Lawson and Ghislaine De Lorghny. Which novelists? Lisa Kleypas and Anne Stuart.

Years ago I read a book called Then Came You. I was not tricked into reading this book, I must assert. In fact the blurb clearly states that she is a ruined lady who lives outside of society's rules. That was a hint to any reader that the innocent virgin wasn't to be found in this story. By that point I was already a huge fan of Lisa's and had read every book she had written that I could get my hands on. Not to mention that this was the prequel to Dreaming of You, the book in which my beloved anti-hero, hero Derek Craven makes his entrance. In short, there was no way I wasn't going to read the story, regardless of the non-virgin heroine. It didn't take long before I totally fell in love with the passionate and tortured woman. Now what did Lisa do? She took a premise that I vowed to avoid and made it go down smooth and delicious like hot chocolate. She gave me a heroine that intrigued me, seduced me, and garnered my respect and admiration. And she gave me a story that knocked my socks off with the wonderful combination of angst, joy, and romantic fulfillment that I want in a romance. Case in point.

The next story that challenged my perceptions and beliefs about my acceptance of a non-virgin hero was A Rose at Midnight. Now Anne Stuart really kicked things up a notch. Not only was the heroine a non-virgin, she was for a short period of time, a prostitute. Thankfully she had only slept with 21/2 men in her own words. You would probably suspect my sensibilities were very offended at this point. Well let me qualify this by saying that I adore Anne Stuart. I would read all of her books at least one, most of which I have read many more times. In case you have never read her, she is the author who takes the darkest and most uncomforable subject manner and plugs it right into a romance novel setting on a routine basis, and does it very well in fact. I had read a lot of her books by then and I was unsurprised that she "went there" again. I admit that I did have a few moments of squrminess reading it. After all it was my first prostitute heroine. But I will tell you here and now I was one satisfied customer when I finished the book. My qualifications for the most part had been satisfied. The non-virgin, prostitute heroine won me over with her depth and integrity, and along with her journey came a sure fire formula for romantic novel success: True love had conquered all.

Does this mean I would read any book with a non-virgin heroine? No. Yes. I'm not sure. My rules change with each year that I grow older. And with each book that I read that goes against the formula and changes my perception of what my romance no-no's are. Do I particularly like books where the heroine has been a prostitute, courtesan, or just plain round-heeled? A stern no to that question.

In this case I would have to say that I have to feel some respect for the heroine. How does the writer inspire respect in me for his or her character? It's easier than it sounds. Merely give me the motivation for the character!

Is is enough to have a heroine who likes sex, in large quantities, and with as many men as possible? Good gracious no! I'm sorry but I find nothing admirable about that sort of person. I cannot divorce my own morals from the situation to be okay with such a casual sexual attitude. Am I saying that heroine shouldn't enjoy a healthy sex drive? Not at all. But for me, sex needs love to breathe life into it. Otherwise it's just scratching an itch. And if I just want to see or experience people doing that, I need not read a romance novel. I can watch a porno movie, watch Sex and the City (grin), or read an erotic novel or story. But I choose to read a romance. Therefore love is necessary. And a character who respects the power of love and sex is integral to my enjoying a story.

Women are complicated creatures. We love, hate, emote, process, act, reason, breathe, etc. In order to make a heroine that a reader admires and enjoys, she has to have those complexities that us real life women possess. Making a heroine a non-virgin can add layers. Making a heroine a virgin can do the same. But it must be done the correct way. There must be motivation. The character has be fully-fleshed in order to appreciate her motives and her decisions. She absolutely must be animated, even if it's merely between the pages of that novel. If an author does that, then I am happy. I may flinch at the fact that she had many lovers because of my personal distaste of that. But if she is a woman that I can respect, admire, and respect despite any perceived flaws or imperfections, if she has been shaped by her sexual encounters as by other aspects of her life, then more than likely I will finish the book and be a happy woman.

I guess I'm done rambling for now. I suppose I really ought to get my copies of Mary Balogh's A Precious Jewel and The Secret Pearl. And then maybe I'll read No Man's Mistress....I'm working on new territory, prostitute and mistress heroines. After finishing Rebecca Paisley's' Rainbows and Raptures and enjoying it, I'm looking for more in this category. I have to challenge my perceptions you know! :)

2005-08-29T17:00:00.000-07:00

A Four Movie Weekend

I guess all the stars were in alignment because I saw not one or two, but four movies this weekend. My movie going experience was initiated on Friday afternoon with The Brothers Grimm. I later saw The 40 Yr Old Virgin the same night. On Saturday I saw The Cave. And I completed the movie block with Sky High on Sunday afternoon. Thankfully, I enjoyed all four movies. See comments below:

The Brothers Grimm
Visionary, captivating, and somewhat creepy. It was a Terry Gilliam film, with the requisite strange humor, characters and imagery. It even had a Gilliam veteran in Jonathan Pryce. Matt Damon and Heath Ledger did a great job playing close, but not always harmonious siblings. Heath (Jake or Jacob) is a dreamer and a scholar of folktales. He has his head in the clouds and it drives his pragmatic brother Wil, short for Wilhelm (Matt Damon) crazy, although he utilizes his brother's knowledge of folktales to concoct hoaxes to squeeze money out of superstitious villagers. Wil always jots down the stories that people tell him along the way on their journeys, always looking for the real fairy tale. This is fun because the moviegoer can surmise that all those stories go on to be added to the Brothers Grimm volume that has entertained readers for centuries. But they are called upon by force to fight a real and evil threat upon threat of death by a nefarious officer of the Napoleonic occupation of Germany by France. The wicked witch (played by the luminous Monica Belluci) in this story is really quite scary and there are moments where you want to grab and hold onto something. There's also that fairy tale surrealness that I particularly enjoyed, being a lifelong lover of fairy tales. Jake has a love interest in a villager named Angelika who has lost sisters to the wicked witch's enchantment and is determined to get them back by hook or by crook. She's just as quirky as everyone else in this one, but it gives the movie a unique charm. I gave this movie a solid A and I'll pick this one up when it comes out on dvd.

The 40 Yr Old Virgin
If you want to laugh so hard you choke on your popcorn or pee your pants, found myself sometimes wondering if the writer wasn't peeking into my life, although I'm neither 40 or a man. Andy is an endearing hero who is a little bit abnormal but really is more normal than many of the oversexed characters on television and in movies. The language is at times coarse but it adds to the atmosphere in the movie in which frank discussions about sex figure heavily. Andy has a trio of well-meaning coworker/friends who take up the quest to see their friend deflowered and the resulting antics are hilarious. I particularly enjoyed the fact that all of Andy's idiosyncrasies help him when he finds the woman he is meant to be with, because I feel like people do have certain character quirks for a reason. This movie's a winner and a sure dvd buy when it ocmes out. I give this one an A+.

The Cave
If you don't like monster movies skip this one. However if you like a layered storyline with surprises that you didn't quite see waiting around the corner, check it out. I won't lie, I went to see the movie for Cole Hauser who is in my stable of hot actors. I was sort of gritting my teeth as I'm not totally into creepy monster movies because of the body parts factor as the beginning credits rolled. But I thoroughly enjoyed this one and found myself grabbing the seat more than a few times. Cole Hauser was great as the expedition leader who had to make some seriously hard choices and undergoes a heartwrenching event but uses it to help his team get back to the surface. If you are a fan of his and would like to see a movie where he's in it more than five or ten minutes and isn't the bad guy, this one is a good bet. He's in a lot of scenes and definitely gets to demonstrate his acting chops. As with most monster movies, the ending has a twist, but you'll have to go see it to find out. There is plenty of droolworthy potential in this one (especially for girls): The aforementioned and totally hot Cole Hauser, Morris Chestnutt (always fine and with bulging biceps that make for great eye candy--a great performance too), Eddie Cibrian (lovely blue eyes, dark hair, sweet smile, and nicely-defined body in his wet suit--redeeming himself nicely from the jerk Jimmy on Third Watch), and a couple of other guys. And there's an eyecandy nod for the guys in the athletic Piper Perabo and the ethereal Lena Headey. The scenery is spectacular with a lot of underwater cave scenes. But I personally wouldn't be caught dead there since I'm claustrophobic and have fears of drowning. Not to mention whatever creepy crawly bugs or monsters might be down there. That's why watching movies like this is fun because all you risk is the movie fare and a couple hours of your life. Well I found this movie a great use of less than two hours and a pleasant surprise. This one earned an A and a definite nod to buy when it comes out.

Sky High
I love anything with superhero themes in it. This movie takes the whole concept of the world's famous superheroes to the next step. What if they married, had a child and saw that child off to high school, except a school especially for future superheroes. I loved the whole concept. Especially when the son of the superhero couple who has saved the world numerous times turns out to be frighteningly normal or so he seems initially. Or so others think. But it turns out that he's a true hero. He knows that a good superhero is no better than his sidekick. And heroes can be the people that don't make it on the cover of Elle and GQ Magazine. I enjoyed the superhero nods throughout this movie and the comedic twists inherent in the genre. The idea of high school is scary enough but imagine having to go to a high school where the class is divided up into hero and sidekicks and your destiny is decided by someone else. It takes the popular versus geek kids concept to the next level and definitely hits home with the underlying theme. I thought all the kids did a great job, and a lot of the faculty and superparents are played by actors who are beloved in genre movies like the great Bruce Campbell, Lynda Carter (who we all know is Wonder Woman), Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, and with Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston as the super-perfect superparents. The young man who plays the underwelming Stronghold offspring does a great job. As well as his lovelorn friend Layla and the outsider who is the result of a superhero mom and a supervillain dad, Warren Peace, quite a hottie. And their gang of sidekick friends are endearing and hilarious. I loved how the popular kids turned out to be villainous as those of us who were nerds and geeks in high school know often tended to be the case (wink, nod). I could definitely see some great sequel potential, and possibly a book or tv series. The concept is too good to let go of. I gave this one an A+ and will definitely be grabbing a copy when it comes out on dvd.

Well I'd have to say that his weekend was a great one as far as movies. Not a bad one in the bunch. And just when I was starting to pine for the movie-going experience...

2005-08-29T10:50:00.000-07:00

2005 Top Ten Romance Couples

For one of my groups we had to list our top 10 couples from romances. I had to do some thinking because I've read so many romances with great couples in them. After a few days of pondering I decided that most of the couples were actually old favorites, none of which had been bumped off for newer couples. A super romance couple needs to have the following qualities:

Mutual respect
Everlasting, fathoms deep love and devotion
An intense connection
Fiery chemistry
The ability to convince the reader that they will be together until the day they die

1.Wolf and Mary--Mackenzie's Mountain by Linda Howard
2.Sebastian and Jessica--Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
3.Derek and Sara--Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
4.Daniel and Elise--Iguana Bay by Theresa Weir
5.Carter and Bailee--The Texan's Wager by Jodi Thomas
6.Jack and Anne-All Through The Night by Connie Brockway
7.Julian and Grace--Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon
8.Mary and Sebastian--A Well-Pleasured Lady by Christina Dodd
9.Elizbeth and Myles--Velvet Angel by Jude Deveraux
10.Samuel and Leda--The Shadow and the Star by Laura Kinsale

2005-08-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

Rediscovering Johanna Lindsey

Well things have been crazy this summer, thus I am very behind on my blog entries. After discovering the wonderful local library, I was happy to find that they had a copy of the newest JL book, Marriage Most Scandalous. As of late I have not been reading this author as much because I was a little underwhelmed with the last books I read by her: The Present, Joining, Say You Love Me. I have still been collecting her books except for the last two but they have been very far at the bottom of my tbr pile. This definitely saddens me as she was my favorite author for many years. I would use my meager funds to buy her paperbacks right when they came out. And I would read them over and over again. But when I heard about Marriage Most Scandalous I was intrigued. The hero was described as a mercenary which made my ears perk up. I love dangerous romance heroes. What can I say? I was tempted, despite my limited financial funds to buy the book when it came out (from Walmart at a considerable discount), but since money wasn't good I elected to wait. And lo and behold, my patience was rewarded when I found it at the library. I finished the book in 2 days (because I saw three movies also in that time period), and I was totally satisfied.
Sebastian Townshend is in a word, a fantastic hero, despite his flaws: broody, rude, short-tempered. But also principled, vulnerable, and heroic. I pictured Christian Bale with a ponytail: tall, brawny, beautiful, brownish eyes, brooding. Perfection. Although I could not find an actress who fit Maggie's description, I had a very good picture of her in my head. This book definitely had elements that I love in my romance novels: dark, brooding hero, with an air of danger, who is disgraced for a past event that isn't totally his fault. A strong-willed, intelligent heroine who can handle him. And loads of chemistry. Sebastian's sexuality fairly erupted off the page. He makes such a very determined assault on Maggie's virtue that I know if I were in her shoes I would find very hard to resist, especially since their pretend marriage puts them in very close quarters. I felt the need to fan myself as I read the book. Lovely in a word. The secondary characters were also quite interesting and well-drawn. Of course there's never enough time to delve too deeply but JL tantalized the reader enough to wish that the book was 300 pages longer. As I finished this book I knew that my Johanna Lindsey slump was broken.
As a matter of fact, my love of JL was so reenergized I found A Loving Scoundrel at the library and quickly proceeded to check this one out too. I started this one Sunday morning and finished it late, and I do mean late, Sunday night (say around 3 am). This reminded me of many a time in my past where I stayed up far too late reading and re-reading the latest Johanna Lindsey novel. Jeremy Malory continues the tradition of thoroughly, mild-numbingly hot heroes. He would definitely be hard to resist if I was Danny, his amazing, enjoyable heroine. This book did have the rakish element that I don't always enjoy but the thing that made the book sing for me was that Danny played the game by her own rules. Sure Jeremy wanted an affair with her, and after resisting his advances at first and failing, she decides to enjoy their time together and move on. And she refuses to be his mistress. That saved the book for me because I really really don't like mistress books. Danny is probably one of the best, most interesting heroines I have encountered in my years of romance novel reading. She is very philosophical about life, doesn't shed unnecessary tears, and does what has to be done. She is a survivor with the character that hardship brings to a person. And the icing on the cake is that she doesn't take crap from her hero. When he deserves a punch in the face she gives him one. Jeremy fell hard for her and I must say that I did too. She's up there with Cristabel Gaines from Lawless in my book. Jeremy continues the tradition of rakish Malory males very well, and I found it interesting how his rakish ways were tolerated and condoned by his family. On a philosophical level, I felt like there was perhaps a commentary made by JL about women and their status in society. A woman with the protection of a man is respected and her innocence is preserved and cherished. But Danny doesn't have family and no protection so she is considered fair game by the Malories (as Jeremy's mistress). As a matter of fact, she is forced to dress as a boy for fifteen years to avoid becoming a prostitute in her live on the streets of London. I wasn't terribly happy about that attitude but I suppose it's realistic for the time period and even today in some ways. I felt that despite the fact that she was a maid in his household she shouldn't have been thought of as a "prime piece" who could be used and thrown away. The Malory men seem to have very sexist attitudes towards women: those which can be used and those who should be protected. It was interesting and somewhat annoying to me but nevertheless it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book, probably because when Jeremy came to fall in love with Danny he was willing to do everything and anything for her protection and her love. I would say that Jeremy was probably my favorite Malory easily. As far as favorite Malory books, I'm still a fan of Love Only Once with Regina and Nicholas and The Magic of You with Warren and Amy, but this one's up there too. Which brings up a good point: I also enjoyed the appearance of the members of the Malory clan. It was a joy to reacquaint myself with them after so many years, and I haven't read those books in some time. In closing, I had a very happy Johanna Lindsey reading weeking, breaking a years long slump. I need to pull out those other Johanna Lindsey books and fast. Happiness!

2005-05-02T17:14:00.000-07:00

I am a sad girl today...

I recently found out that one of my all time favorite historical romance writers, Connie Brockway, is retiring indefinitely from that genre. I cannot express how sad it makes me. She writes those kind of books that go down like a seven course meal and leave you feeling satisfied but ready for the next offering. She has that wonderful mix of passion, intelligence, humor, and historical accuracy that is one of a kind. I remember reading my first book by her, All Through The Night, and thinking wow! Jack Seward was one of the first deeply flawed characters outside of Anne Stuart novels that I became acquainted with and soon fell in love with. And as she expressed in a recent article at All About Romance, her heroine Anne also had those wonderful imperfections that made her an interesting and unforgettable character. She is a cat burgular of all things! How cool is that? I will always remember the scene where she holds him down on a chair at swordpoint and practically molests him. Yeah I know it sounds bad. But you have to read it. It was hot and intense and jaw-widening. When I got my mouth closed, I thought, 'This is writing.' And the end, written so expertly that all the uncertainty of life is there but also the exquisite fulfillment of a happy ending. And you dearly need it for the world-weary Jack and the heartsore Anne who was placed on a pedestal by her husband and left there to wither on the vine. I became an addict shortly thereafter for anything written by Connie. A Dangerous Man, the story of an impoverished Earl, Hart Moreland, who turns to gunfighting in the American West to fill his empty coffers, deepened my respect and love of this author. More complexity, sensuality, and intensity, with a younger, less jaded, but very human heroine in Mercy Coltrane. I could go on describing all of her books, but the crux is that when you read one of her historical romances, you know you are in for a feast of words. If only I could change the publishing industry. Make them listen to the real fans of romance not the lackadaisical fringe readers and demand that they open their minds. It's okay to have historicals that are not set in Britain and are in an unusual time period. It's okay to have women characters who aren't merely the Regency version of Sex and The City and Paris Hilton, only with their virginity intact. It's just fine to have flawed, tormented heroines and heroes who aren't on the pedestal wearing their spotless muslin gowns sitting around drinking tea. And it's definitely, absolutely okay to have characters who do the unexpected. And I guarantee that in the hands of a skilled, amazing writer like Connie Brockway, they will be excellent. Sigh! Well at least silver lining in this dreary rain cloud is that the lackluster contemporary romance market will be brightened by this dispossessed but still shining star. And at least I always have my old standards by Connie:

The aforementioned All Through The Night, A Dangerous Man, along with other equally tasty offerings like My Dearest Enemy, As You Desire, Bridal Favors, The Wedding Season, My Pleasure, My Seduction, My Surrender (which I'm looking forward too), and The McLairen's Isle Trilogy too. There are others too.

Here's a fond farewell to you Connie. Hope to see you back someday in the land of historical romance. We'll miss you dearly.

2005-04-27T20:18:00.000-07:00

Thirty I'd Flee With

For my Johanna Lindsey book group we have to name those books we'd take with us if there was a catastrophe. Ironically I had to keep JL off my list because there were other authors I wanted to take more. I hate these things....Obviously if I'm a bookworm, I can't just limit my collection to some books. I own over 3000 mind you!

Here are mine.

1.Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
2.The Shadow and The Star by Laura Kinsale
3.Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
4.All Through The Night by Connie Brockway
5.A Well-Pleasured Lady by Christina Dodd
6.Rules of Engagement by Christina Dodd
7.Some Enchanted Evening by Christina Dodd
8.The Texan's Wager by Jodi Thomas
9.The Mercenary by Cherry Adair
10.Ritual Sins by Anne Stuart
11.Iguana Bay by Theresa Weir
12.Special Gifts by Anne Stuart
13.Angels Wings by Anne Stuart
14.Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase
15.Seize The Fire by Laura Kinsale
16.Lord of Danger by Anne Stuart
17.Night Shadow by Laura Renken
18.The Pirate Hunter by Jennifer Ashley
19.Born in Sin by Kinley MacGregor
20.My Forever Love by Marsha Canham
21.Forbidden by Jo Beverley
22.It Must Have Been The Moonlight by Melody Thomas
23.Forever in Texas by Jodi Thomas
24.Two Texas Hearts by Jodi Thomas
25.Then Came You by Lisa Kleypas
26.The Prince of Midnight by Laura Kinsale
27.Lone Rider by Lauren Bach
28.A Dangerous Man by Connie Brockway
29.Lawless by Diana Palmer
30.Night Fever by Diana Palmer

Ooh this sucks. Can't I take more books...please.

2005-04-17T23:30:00.000-07:00

That writing bug has hit me again...

I am finally recovering from a really, really long spell of writer's block. I have some good ideas swirling around in my brain. Think "Dreamcatcher", Jonesy's brain. That's how mine is. Well I'm wanting to do a Victorian Historical Romance series with a serious action/adventure edge. I'm thinking it's going to have some elements of the Orient, complete with stolen swords. Actually I have at least ten Victorian books in me since I love that time period. There's so many opportunities. Egypt, China, and that's not even talking Scottish men! Think Gerard Butler and a bluestocking spinster chock full of Victorian moral sensibilities. Intriguing.... Now I just need to set my arse down and write.

Also I discovered a new classic Horror writer: George MacDonald, who happens to be a Christian writer. I need to pick him up. He has a book called Lilith, based on the old myth about Adam's wife. It's guaranteed to be an interesting read. He also does the fairy tale bent. The Princess and the Goblin was endorsed by one of the members of my Victorian Romance Yahoo group.

I am torn. I want to pursue my horror writing leaning but also I am firmly rooted in my romantic writing urges. I just need to get my life settled so my mind will let me write. I know, you have to make time for writing. But where is the time in my life?

I am sticking to my guns and gluing my buns to the chair...other than checking email that is...I'm going to post on my blog and write, damn it! Blank page, look out!!!

2005-03-29T18:55:00.000-08:00

When You're Laid Up In Bed...It's A Great Time to Get Some Reading Done.

Or so I found. It started with a sore throat and I ended up staying bed for practically a week. I think I had the flu. Finally I went to the doctor and he said I have iron deficiency anemia and maybe a cold. Okay. Anyway I finished reading about 18 books from 3/18-3/29. That's always cool because I love to read. Here is a list of my reading:

To Wed A Scandalous Spy by Celeste Bradley A+
Wild At Heart by Patricia Gaffney A+
The Care and Feeding of Pirates by Jennifer Ashley A++
The Temptation by Claudia Dain A
The Knave and The Maiden by Blythe Gifford A-
Fallen by Emma Jensen B+
A Notorious Love by Sabrina Jeffries A
The Reasons for Marriage (Short Story in Rogue's Reform) by Stephanie Laurens B+
The Forbidden Lord by Sabrina Jeffries A
A Marriage Worth Waiting For by Susan Fox B+
The Ugly Duckling by Brenda Hiatt A
Some Enchanted Evening by Christina Dodd A++
The Sun And The Moon by Patricia Ryan A+
The Mercenary's Kiss by Pam Crooks A+
Winter Woman by Jenna Kernan A+
In The King's Service by Margaret Moore A
Captured Innocence by Susan Sizemore A
A Rake's Vow by Stephanie Laurens B-
Once A Warrior by Karyn Monk A+

Well at least I got something done although I'm laid up. Most of the books I read were good. Some were great. Some were on the dry side. The B and B- are the ones I found dry. But most of the books really took my mind of feeling like crap. I do love romance novels. Thank God for them!

2005-02-05T16:43:00.000-08:00

Classic Horror Stories: Entry No. 1

This weekend I read a volume of short stories called Classic Ghost Stories published by Dover. It was interesting how diverse this particular genre could be. There were stories that were sad, funny, literary, and downright chilling. Probably the most terrifying story was “The Judge House” written by Bram Stoker, best known for the story Dracula, which spawned a whole genre by itself.
There were actually moments in the same story where I laughed almost in the same breath as shuddering from the chill running down my spine. This is likely due to my joy at being scared by a good story. It is a sort of masochistic impulse, that desire to see how badly a story can scare me. I like stories that genuinely inspire fear in me. But it is equally entertaining to take the journey with the writer and to see exactly how they plot and plan their frights. Like “The Judge House”, Jerome K. Jerome definitely achieved that purpose with “A Ghost Story”. “Dickon The Devil” by the writer of the seminal tale “Camilla”, Sheridan LeFanu, inspires a chill touched by a sense of the strange and arcane. Along with the protagonist, we exit the tale feeling a sense of relief that we barely missed being a victim of the evil, ghostly presence haunting that small English village. “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs is more than just a ghost story. It is a tale of horror where the reader is spared full knowledge of that fearful yet unknown threat. And perhaps the “what ifs” are even more terrifying.
I found “The Moonlit Road” by Ambrose Bierce, a literary offering that is sad as opposed to frightening. Although it is a ghost story, it is first and foremost in my opinion a story about regret and loneliness. It is about the limitless repercussions of a thoughtless act of violence and it is particularly effective at showing the soul-deep despair that the survivors of that act feel. The ghostly victim is no less spared this desolation. The last story, “The Confession of Charles Linkworth” was both vividly disarming and poignant. This story deals with a lost soul who missed out on an opportunity in life to confess and find absolution before he is executed for murder. He is bound to this earthly realm until he is able to do so. Driven to complete this act, he reaches out to a doctor who volunteers in the prison and who is ‘sensitive’ to paranormal phenomena. This story illustrates the ability of a genre story to drive home the universal emotional core of humanity and the needs inherent as a human being. Charles Dickens’ “To Be Taken with a Grain of Salt” also touches on an intrinsic human need, justice. In this case, the ghost is the one in search of justice. And this ghost, the murder victim, is committed to haunting the jury foreman, the prosecutor, the judge, and various people in the courtroom until he achieves his goal. This work was interesting and subtle, but the end message struck me deeply. As far as humor, probably E.G. Swain’s “Bone to His Bone” tickled me the most, proving that even the heavy subject of a haunting can cause the reader to laugh. Perhaps it was the perplexity of the protagonist in dealing with this spectral presence who shares his house and love of books that provided the most comic relief. Yet along with that laugh came the unsettling knowledge that a force beyond the grave was at work.
While rather short, this collection of ghost stories definitely encompassed a variety of unique approaches to the delicate art of the scare. And they left me with a chill, a smile, and some thoughts to ponder.

2005-02-01T16:50:00.000-08:00

Let's Talk The Men From Down Under

For purposes of simplification, I will discuss both the Aussies and the Kiwis in this talk. They are the actors from Australia and New Zealand that made me realize that Great Britain is not the only place from which actors with accents that make me happy cometh. These guys are good-looking, great actors, and have a laid back vibe that is unique to them.

The Aussies (Australians)

1.Hugh Jackman
2.Guy Pearce (born in England but grew up in OZ)
3.David Wenham
4.Simon Baker
5.Russell Crowe (he was born in NZ but grew up in Oz)
6.Trevor Goddard (God rest his soul)
7.Will Snow (he plays the fine Lord John Roxton on The Lost World on tv)
8.Heath Ledger
9.Eric Bana
10.Dominic Purcell (born in England but grew up in OZ)
11.Mel Gibson (born in NY, US but moved to Oz as a child)
12.Julian McMahon
13.Paul Mercutio
14.Noah Taylor
15.Hugo Weaving
16.Anthony LaPaglia
17.Jonathan LaPaglia
18.Costas Mandylor
19.Jesse Spencer (on House MD and officially a new inductee)

The Kiwis (New Zealanders)
1.Karl Urban
2.Marton Czokas
3.Sam Neill
4.Martin Henderson
5.Kevin Smith (God rest his soul)

I'm sure that there will be more...soon. These guys from Down Under are always breaking on the US movie and television scene.

2005-02-01T16:07:00.000-08:00

Why Keanu?

I remember the moment when I realized that I would always love Keanu Reeves. It was during the opening credits of Point Break. The rain was falling down and this beautiful soaking-wet, young man came out and started shooting these targets. There is this one scene where he looks over his shoulder: the epitome of male beauty. That's how it started. Before that I saw a few of his roles and I like him but Point Break was the starting point of my one-sided love affair. Ever since then, Keanu has held a special place in my heart. I've gritted my teeth when people have disparaged his acting, calling him "Ted", again and again. Saying that he sounds like a surfer dude. I've rolled my eyes at peoples' comments about him being untalented. I've tried to ignore peoples' mean-spirited innuendoes about him being gay. And still I've loved him. And I always will. Why do I love him? Let me try to tell you.

1.He is totally unique--whether or not you like his acting or his looks, you would have to admit that there is only one Keanu Reeves.

Even his name is different. Keanu means "Cool Breeze Over The Mountains." Paired with Reeves, it's just very different sounding.
He's a delightful mix of English, Lebanese, and Chinese ethnicities.
Then there is his dulcet, low voice. Only one man speaks that particular way. I know his voice without even seeing him onscreen.
He also has a singular walk that I've never seen in another person. I find it very sexy.
What about his lack of shallow, materialistic Hollywood values? It was years before the man bought a house.
And as far as his acting career, you can't pigeonhole him. He's played naive boys in the first blush of love, a redneck wifebeater (very well too), drug addicts, a male hustler, a serial killer, a religious figure (twice if you count Neo), a cop, a world-weary demon fighter, a football player, even a sleazy Little League coach. Heck he even played the son of the Devil. How many actors can boost this filmography?

2.On to point two, did I mention that he's incredibly generous?

He lovingly takes care of his family--he's given limitless millions to help his sister Kim in her fight against cancer. He's bought homes for them too.
And on the set of the Matrix movies, he gave up part of his salary so that the crew could get paid more. And at the end of the shoot he bought each and every stuntman a Harley Davidson motorcycle.
He's even been caught on camera giving homeless people money.
He's also very generous with himself when he meets fans. He's always very friendly to fans and goes out of his way to be receptive to them. At Comic Con last year, he told a fan to come upstage even though the security didn't want him too. And he accepted her gift, a book that he already had with the gentle grace that personifies him.

3.I mentioned his film career but I'm going back there. When he takes a role, he is that person. He's not Keanu Reeves. He doesn't care about awards or recognition, he loves to act and he loves to be part of the movie-making process. It's not about the money to him. And I've never seen a better kisser on the big screen. Whenever I see him kiss a co-star, I fervently wish I was that lucky actress. His passion is evident and seductive to the viewer.

4.He doesn't let anyone define who he should be.

How many rumors have the faithful fans heard about him being gay? He doesn't deny it because he doesn't care what people think about him.
As far as his music career, he did that out of love for it, not for recognition. Seeing him play with Dogstar, I can tell you that he was into it. He wasn't there for him to be the star of the show.

5.He's low key in his private life.

He's not one of those stars who eagerly courts public moments so his picture will be in all the movie magazines. He lives his life just out of the limelight.
And the man doesn't kiss and tell. He's notoriously private about his love life. Sure there are rumors but he's not on the front page of US Weekly and The Enquirer like a lot of actors and actresses.

6.Okay, I won't deny that his physical beauty is a big part of it. I couldn't deny it.

He has this wonderful, soulful face with beautiful dark eyes that have a slight Asian tilt to them.
That dark, luxurious hair that makes you want to run your fingers through it.
The mysterious smile of his that makes a grown woman sigh.
He's so tall and lithe. Sometimes he's muscular and sometimes he's almost too thin, but he's always physical and alive. For that reason he's so great at those roles that demand physicality like The Matrix movies or Speed.

My love for Keanu has spanned almost twenty years. I've enjoyed watching many of his films...from The Night Before to the upcoming Constantine. And it keeps growing. Just seeing the joy and the modest thanks on his face when he got his Star on the Walk of Fame on Jan 31 enriched my love for him. I cried for him when he lost his daughter and his ex-girlfriend. I suffer with him about his sister who has cancer. I can identify because my dad died of cancer. Whether he's Neo or Constantine or Jack Traven, he's always going to be the one and only Keanu Reeves. My favorite actor ever. In some small way a part of my life. If you know me you know how much I love him. So I guess you know by now why I love Keanu. Maybe I didn't convince you , but at least you won't have to ask anymore.

2005-02-01T14:45:00.000-08:00

Black History Month

This is the month dedicated to remembering all the accomplishments that Black people made in this country. Too bad it's just one month. I want to definitely take advantage of the opportunity this month and every month. Because of my Black forefathers and mothers I can vote, work, live, and be free in this country. And not just Black people benefitted from the actions of these courageous people, this whole country and every American did too. Did you know that Charles Drew came up with a way to store blood products as plasma? He was a Black man. He did this for all people, not just his own people. And the powers that be had the nerve to say that the blood had to be stored according to race because they didn't want Whites getting blood from Black people. Crazy but true.
Did you know that the first person to reach the North Pole was a Black man? His name was Matthew Henson. Although he was denied credit by his colleague, he did reach the North Pole first.
Did you know that the person who designed the layout for Washington D.C. was a former slave? Frederick Douglass, a Black man did this.
How about this: The first casualty of the Revolutionary War was Crispus Attucks, a Black man.
Bulldogging the sport of steer wrestling was invented by Bill Pickett, who was a Black man.
Do you know who The Black Moses is? She's Harriet Tubman, an escaped slave who went on to serve as a scout and spy for the Union Army and to free 300 slaves through harrowing trips back and forth from the South using the Underground Railroad, and she never lost a slave!
Rosa Parks is a hero because she refused to give up her seat to a White person on the bus, leading to the hugely successful bus boycotts that helped to declare segregation on the buses illegal.
George Washington Carver invented over 300 uses for the peanut in his ground-breaking studies on crop rotation that helped to restore fields that were depleted by cotton crops. Another Black man.
I could go on and on about what Black people have done for this country and for all the citizens.
On the radio a couple of weeks ago, there was a man complaining about the fact that Martin Luther King Jr's birthday was celebrated as a holiday because he didn't recognize the significance of what he did for this country. Well, I don't think there was any question about that. Ever heard of the Nobel Peace Prize, the March on Washington, the "I Have A Dream Speech?" Then you can see why he deserved to have a holiday in his honor. He brought to the forefront the fact that a rampant injustice was going on in this country of so-called liberty: American citizens were being treated worse than illegal immigrants. Blacks were considered second class citizens. They had to use separate and often inferior facilities, they were forced to sit at the back of buses when they paid the same fares as Whites, and they were denied the same jobs and opportunities as other American citizens. He fought and died so that there would be liberty for all people, not just Black people. By organizing boycotts, sit-ins and demonstrations, his work led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. So yes, he deserves a day in his honor.
There is so much yet to learn about the history of Black people in this country, and the mere 28 days in February is only a good starting point to learn it.

2004-11-14T21:42:00.000-08:00

My Favorite Movies
It's very hard indeed to pin down a certifiable movie buff like myself to what are her favorite movies. But for you I will endeavor to elaborate on them. Keep in mind you will most likely see movies that are not on many peoples favorite list. But it's my blog, so who cares if others don't agree with me.

So here they are, not particularly in order:

1.Armageddon
2.The Matrix
3.The Matrix Reloaded
4.Speed
5.A Walk In The Clouds
6.The Replacements
7.The Empire Strikes Back
8.The Incredibles
9.X-Men
10.X-2: X-Men United
11.Swordfish
12.Van Helsing
13.A Room With A View
14.The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
15.The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
16.The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
17.Lethal Weapon
18.Daredevil
19.Snatch
20.The Lady and The Tramp
21.Mulan
22.The Mummy
23.The Mummy Returns
24.Gone in 60 Seconds (Nicolas Cage)
25.Face/Off
26.National Treasure
27.Phantom of the Opera
28.Great Expectations (Ethan Hawke)
29.Elektra
30.The Professional
31.Hardboiled
32.Equilibrium
33.Constantine
34.The Lost Boys
35.Bram Stoker's Dracula
36.Shadowlands
37.The Breakfast Club
38.Raiders of the Lost Ark
39.King Arthur
40.Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
41.So Close
42.The Long Kiss Goodnight
43.Pirates of the Caribbean
44.Naked Weapon
45.The Waterboy
46.Happy Gilmore
47.The Sure Thing
48.Real Genius
49.Heartbreakers
50.Superman
51.While You Were Sleeping
52.Miss Congeniality
53.My Chauffeur
54.Aliens
55.Pitch Black
56.Willow
57.Cat on A Hot Tin Roof
58.The Long Hot Summer
59.Marnie
60.The Birds
61.Snatch
62.XXX
63.The Pacifier
64.LA Confidential
65.The Transporter
66.Romeo Must Die
67.Sleepy Hollow
68.The Specialist
69.Deep Blue Sea
70.Ride With The Devil
71.Die Hard
72.The Best Man
73.I, Robot
74.Independence Day
75.The Princess Bride
76.Trading Places
77.The Blues Brothers
78.Lover Come Back
79.The Fifth Element
80.Flirting
81.The Boondock Saints
82.Underworld
83.The Wizard of Oz
84.Ghostbusters
85.The Frighteners
86.The Bourne Identity
87.Splash
88.Tears of the Sun
89.Kiss The Girls
90.Blade
91.Blade II
92.Hellboy
93.La Femme Nikita
94.The Boondock Saints
95.Office Space
96.Heathers
97.Overboard
98.The Punisher
99.Shag
100.Bringing Down The House

2004-11-12T23:40:00.000-08:00

These are my all time favorite shows on the small screen. Some are old and defunct...Others went out in the a blaze of glory, some are new out of the gate, and a small few are still going strong. What makes a show my favorite? Great writing, excellent characters, an interesting premise. Lots of action or special effects. Great animation. A hint of the arcane. Deep entrenchment in the supernatural. Gut-bustingly funny, you name it.

Here they are (not in particular order as usual):

1.The Simpsons
2.Buffy The Vampire Slayer
3.Angel
4.Alias
5.Hercules
6.Xena Warrior Princess
7.King of the Hill
8.Batman The Animated Series
9.Challenge of the Superfriends
10.Living Single
11.The X-Files
12.Just The Ten of Us
13.The Facts of Life
14.21 Jumpstreet
15.The Others
16.Miracles
17.The Magnificent Seven
18.Lost
19.House
20.ER (I outgrew it when Kerry Weaver became a major character)
21.Dynasty
22.Relic Hunter
23.The Lost World
24.Dark Angel
25.Firefly
26.Battlestar Galactica (New Version)
27.The Invisible Man (Sci-Fi Channel Version)
28.The Fresh Prince
29.The Cosby Show
30.Futurama
31.Freaky Links
32.The Colbys
33.CSI Miami
34.NCIS
35.24
36.Arrested Development
37.Malcolm in the Middle
38.The Bernie Mac Show
39.Blossom
40.SOAP
41.Moonlighting
42.Remington Steele
43.Freaky Links
44.Night Rider
45.The A-Team
46.Fantasy Island
47.I Dream of Jeannie
48.The Beverly Hillbillies
49.The Addams Family
50.The Love Boat
51.The Original Animated Spiderman Series
52.X-Men Animated Series (Fox)
53.The Justice League (Justice League Unlimited)
54.Quantum Leap
55.Andromeda (Season 1-2)
56.Keen Eddie
57.Fame
58.Faerie Tale Theater
59.GI Joe
60.Miami Vice
61.La Femme Nikita
62.Doctor Who
63.Ducktales
64.Rags To Riches
65.V The Series
66.Vanishing Son
67.Star Trek: The Next Generation
68.Parker Lewis Can't Lose
69.Square Pegs
70.The Three Stooges
71.The Little Rascals
72.Popeye
73.Underdog
74.Woody Woodpecker
75.Tom and Jerry
76.Masters of the Universe
77.Thundercats
78.The Transformers
79.Silver Spoons
80.The Outer Limits (90s version)
81.Special Unit 2
82.Roswell
83.Superman: The Adventures of Lois and Clark
84.Batman
85.The Monkees
86.Wonderfalls
87.Hellsing
88.Strange Luck
89.Desperate Housewives
90.Courage The Cowardly Dog
91.Lost in Space
92.Robin Hood (Michael Praed as Robin Hood)
93.Red Dwarf
94.Keeping Up Appearances
95.Absolutely Fabulous

2004-11-09T22:39:00.000-08:00

Top 100 Historical Romances

I love historical romance. I read my first one at 12 years of age. I was hooked ever since. The magic of them has soothed my savage breast many times. I retreat into the world of adventure, romance, and pagentry easily, and hunger for more. These books definitely make the top of my list for wonderful historical romance reads. Here they are:

1.Lord of Scoundrels-Loretta Chase
2.The Shadow and The Star-Laura Kinsale
3.Seize The Fire-Laura Kinsale
4.The Prince of Midnight-Laura Kinsale
5.A Heart So Wild-Johanna Lindsey
6.A Rose At Midnight-Anne Stuart
7.Lord of Danger-Anne Stuart
8.The Charm School-Susan Wiggs
9.The Horsemaster’s Daughter-Susan Wiggs
10.A Well-Pleasured Lady-Christina Dodd
11.Rules of Engagement-Christina Dodd
12.Rules of Surrender-Christina Dodd
13.Lost in Your Arms-Christina Dodd
14.All Through The Night-Connie Brockway
15.A Dangerous Man-Connie Brockway
16.Dreaming of You-Lisa Kleypas
17.Lady Sophia’s Lover-Lisa Kleypas
18.Then Came You-Lisa Kleypas
19.Again The Magic-Lisa Kleypas
20.Be Mine-Cait Logan
21.Never Love A Cowboy-Lorraine Heath
22.Tell Me Lies-Claudia Dain
23.Born in Sin-Kinley MacGregor
24.Taming The Scotsman-Kinley MacGregor
25.Entwined-Emma Jensen
26.It Must Have Been The Moonlight-Melody Thomas
27.Night Shadow-Laura Renken
28.My Lord Pirate-Laura Renken
29.Wicked Lies-Laura Renken
30.After The Kiss-Joan Johnston
31.Fallen-Celeste Bradley
32.Perils of the Heart-Jennifer Ashley
33.Lady Gallant-Suzanne Robinson
34.The Awakening-Jude Deveraux
35.The Princess-Jude Deveraux
36.Velvet Angel-Jude Deveraux
37.Sweetbriar-Jude Deveraux
38.The Texan’s Wager-Jodi Thomas
39.Two Texas Hearts-Jodi Thomas
40.The Devil You Know-Liz Carlyle
41.When A Texan Gambles-Jodi Thomas
42.Forever in Texas-Jodi Thomas
43.My Darling Caroline-Adele Ashworth
44.Tallie’s Knight-Anne Gracie
45.Forbidden-Jo Beverley
46.The Pirate Next Door-Jennifer Ashley
47.The Pirate Hunter-Jennifer Ashley
48.Only In My Dreams-Eve Byron
49.Winter Garden-Adele Ashworth
50.The Proposition-Judith Ivory
51.Indiscretion-Jillian Hunter
52.The Merry Widow-Meagan McKinney
53.When Dawn Tames The Night-Meagan McKinney
54.Master of Desire-Kinley MacGregor
55.Priceless-Christina Dodd
56.Night Song-Beverly Jenkins
57.Scandalous Again-Christina Dodd
58.Scandalous-Karen Robards
59.Heather and Velvet-Teresa Medeiros
60.One Kiss From You-Christina Dodd
61.For The First Time-Kathryn Smith
62.Annie’s Song-Catherine Anderson
63.The Charmer-Celeste Bradley

64.Lord Ruin-Carolyn Jewel
65.Wild Dawn-Cait Logan
66.Night Fire-Cait Logan
67.Savage Thunder-Johanna Lindsey
68.Brave The Wild Wind-Johanna Lindsey
69.Love Me Forever-Johanna Lindsey
70.The Raider-Jude Deveraux
71.The Price Of Innocence-Susan Sizemore
72.On A Long Ago Night-Susan Sizemore
73.Too Wicked To Marry-Susan Sizemore
74.Angel-Johanna Lindsey
75.The Wicked One-Danelle Harmon
76.The Naked Truth-Lyn Stone
77.The Arrangement-Lyn Stone
78.Indigo-Beverly Jenkins
79.No Choice But Surrender-Meagan McKinney
80.For The Roses-Julie Garwood
81.My Dearest Enemy-Connie Brockway
82.Shadow Play-Katherine Sutcliffe
83.Mischief-Laura Parker
84.Notorious-Katherine Sutcliffe
85.Bridal Favors-Connie Brockway
86.Hummingbird-Lavyrle Spencer
87.Island Star-Kit Gardner
88.Vows Made In Wine-Susan Wiggs
89.The Imposter-Celeste Bradley
90.The Pretender-Celeste Bradley
91.The Spy-Celeste Bradley
92.Angels Wings-Anne Stuart
93.Worth Any Price-Lisa Kleypas
94.Someone To Watch Over Me-Lisa Kleypas
95.Stranger In My Arms-Lisa Kleypas
96.Dark Torment-Karen Robards
97.Nobody’s Angel-Karen Robards
98.Heartstrings-Rebecca Paisley
99.My False Heart-Liz Carlyle
100.Shadow Dance-Anne Stuart

2004-11-09T21:57:00.000-08:00

Top 100 Contemporary Romances
These are the contemporary romances that I've read, enjoyed, added to my collection and found irrestible for various reasons. I would definitely want to take these if I had to flee the country or ended up stranded on a desert island. There are some tried and true authors, and some that I may have just read one book and enjoyed. But they made the top hundred because of the exceptionalness of the read. Without further ado...

1.The Mercenary-Cherry Adair (Harlequin Temptation)
2.Iguana Bay-Theresa Weir
3.Some Girls Do-Leanne Banks
4.Kiss And Tell-Cherry Adair
5.Cool Shade-Theresa Weir
6.Reckless Lover-Carly Bishop (Harlequin Intrigue)
7.Rafe’s Revenge-Anne Stuart (Harlequin American Romance)
8.Hide and Seek-Cherry Adair
9.In Too Deep-Cherry Adair
10.Gone Too Far-Suzanne Brockmann
11.Lone Rider-Lauren Bach
12.Lazarus Rising-Anne Stuart (Harlequin American Romance)
13.Rancho Diablo-Anne Stuart (Harlequin American Romance)
14.Ritual Sins-Anne Stuart
15.Shadows at Sunset-Anne Stuart
16.Glass Houses-Anne Stuart (Harlequin American Romance)
17.Bittersweet Passion-Lynne Graham (Harlequin Romance)
18.One Night With His Wife-Lynne Graham (Harlequin Presents)
19.The Baby Bargain-Dallas Schulze (Silhouette Intimate Moments)
20.Outsider-Sara Craven (Harlequin Presents)
21.Some Sort of Spell-Frances Roding (Harlequin Romance)
22.One Secret Too Many-Vanessa Grant (Harlequin Presents)
23.Taken Over-Penny Jordan (Harlequin Presents)
24.Lovers Touch-Penny Jordan (Harlequin Presents)
25.The Winter Heart-Lillian Cheatham (Harlequin Presents)
26.Rawhide and Lace-Diana Palmer (Harlequin Presents)
27.The Last Mercenary-Diana Palmer (Silhouette Special Edition)
28.Lawless-Diana Palmer
29.The Winter Soldier-Diana Palmer (Silhouette Desire)
30.Enamored-Diana Palmer (Silhouette Desire)
31.Fire And Desire-Brenda Jackson
32.Delaney’s Desert Sheik-Brenda Jackson (Silhouette Desire)
33.Surrender-Brenda Jackson
34.Hideaway-Rochelle Alers
35.Fate-Pamela Leigh Starr
36.A Risk of Rain-Dar Tomlinson
37.No Commitment Required-Seressia Glass
38.The Soldier and The Baby-Anne Stuart (Harlequin American Romance)
39.Navy Baby-Debbie Macomber (Silhouette Special Edition)
40.A Dark and Stormy Night-Anne Stuart (Harlequin American Romance)
41.Cullen’s Bride-Fiona Brand (Silhouette Intimate Moments)
42.Secrets and Lies-Maggie Shayne (Silhouette Intimate Moments)
43.Into The Fire-Anne Stuart
44.Just the Way You Are-Christina Dodd
45.Almost Like Being In Love-Christina Dodd
46.River of Eden-Glenna McReynolds
47.Too Much Temptation-Lori Foster
48.Baby Love-Catherine Anderson
49.Paper Rose-Diana Palmer
50.Reckless Conduct-Susan Napier (Harlequin Presents)
51.Indecent Deception-Lynne Graham (Harlequin Presents)
52.Mistress of The Groom-Susan Napier (Harlequin Presents)
53.Man of Stone-Lynne Graham (Harlequin Presents)
54.Mackenzie’s Mountain-Linda Howard (Silhouette Intimate Moments)
55.Innocence-Suzanne Forster
56.The Morning After-Suzanne Forster
57.When Venus Fell-Deborah Smith
58.Montega’s Mistress-Doreen Owens Malek (Silhouette Intimate Moments)
59.Fire And Rain-Elizabeth Lowell (Silhouette Desire)
60.Now You See Him-Anne Stuart (Silhouette Intimate Moments)
61.The Perfect Husband-Lisa Gardner
62.Something Real-J.J. Murray
63.Renee’ and Jay-J.J. Murray
64.Forever-Lynn Turner (Harlequin Presents)
65.I’ll Be Your Shelter-Giselle Carmichael
66.Fantasy Lover-Sherrilyn Kenyon
67.Dance With The Devil-Sherrilyn Kenyon
68.Kiss of The Night-Sherrilyn Kenyon
69.Night Play-Sherrilyn Kenyon
70.Winter’s Edge-Anne Stuart (Harlequin Intrigue)
71.Baby At His Convenience!-Kathy DeNosky (Silhouette Desire)
72.Sweet Liar-Jude Deveraux
73.Hosea’s Bride-Dorothy Clark (Love Inspired)
74.Marriage on Demand-Susan Mallery (Silhouette Special Edition)
75.The Sheik’s Kidnapped Bride-Susan Mallery (Silhouette Special Edition)
76.Stryker’s Wife-Dixie Browning (Silhouette Desire)
77.The Virgin and the Vengeful Groom-Dixie Browning (Silhouette Desire)
78.Comparative Strangers-Sara Craven (Harlequin Presents)
79.Secondhand Husband-Dallas Schulze (Silhouette Intimate Moments)
80.Tempered By Fire-Emma Goldrick (Harlequin Presents)
81.The Patriot-Lynn Michaels (Harlequin Temptation)
82.Too Many Bosses-Jan Freed (Harlequin Superromance)
83.American Dreamer-Theresa Weir
84.Compromising Positions-Beverly Bird (Silhouette Intimate Moments)
85.Strangers No More-Naomi Horton (Silhouette Intimate Moments)
86.Harvard’s Education-Suzanne Brockmann (Silhouette Intimate Moments)
87.Kiss An Angel-Susan Elizabeth Phillips
88.Beginner’s Luck-Dixie Browning (Silhouette Intimate Moments)
89.The Aloha Bride-Emma Darcy (Harlequin Presents)
90.A Bride of His Choice-Emma Darcy (Harlequin Presents)
91.One Reckless Night-Sara Craven (Harlequin Presents)
92.Maggies' Man-Alicia Scott (Silhouette Intimate Moments)
93.Another Time-Susan Napier (Harlequin Presents)
94.The Spanish Groom-Lynne Graham (Harlequin Presents)
95.Night Fever-Susan Kyle
96.Connal-Diana Palmer (Silhouette Romance)
97.The Best Man to Wed?-Penny Jordan (Harlequin Presents)
98. Silver-Penny Jordan
99.Cinderella Bride-Monica McLean (Silhouette Intimate Moments)
100.The Duke’s Covert Misson-Julie Miller (Harlequin Intrigue)

2004-10-19T16:51:00.000-07:00

The Importance of Romance Novels In My Life
I read my first romance at the young age of twelve years. It was Fires of Winter by Johanna Lindsey. I was bored and my mom's box of books was right next to me. I browsed through and was attracted by the artwork on the cover. I was hooked by the first sentence....
And now I am thirty-five years of age (as of 2008). I have probably read thousands of books, most of them romances. I have been teased innumerable times for my tendency to read this "lascivious, unrealistic, sleazy, unredemable sex books" many times. But I am at the point in my life where I sing it out loud and proud: I LOVE ROMANCE NOVELS.
If I were to elucidate why I love them, it would take quite a while. I could have a website dedicated to romance novels and their authors. That is my intention some day. If you have read through my blog, you know by now that it is one of my favorite subjects. But I will endeavor to deliver a brief discussion on one of my favorite subjects. So I begin.
Why I love romances novels
1)Lover conquers all: In a good romance novel, love always wins. It doesn't matter how things begin, by the end of the book, the hero and heroine are together, in love, and spending their lives together: preferably with a few kids as well. Everyone knows that life is not necessarily this way. There are some romance books that don't have all the happiness, but lots of anguish and pain. But at the end there is the knowledge that love won the last round.
2)It's an escape from real life: I don't have a dashing hero sweeping me off for a night of love and desire. I don't have exciting duels or swing from vines. I certainly don't wear dazzling evening gowns and dance the night away. But the characters between the pages of romance novels do. They often face heartbreak and anguish but you can always tell yourself it's just a book, even though they characters are fond enough to be like well-loved friends.
3)Romance inspires us: If we can read a book where two people can find happiness in a crazy world, then it makes it just that easier for us to keep striving in our own lives. Whenever I feel like I have given up on love for myself, I read a romance that shows how special this bond is, and it helps me to keep hoping there is a man out there for me. And he doesn't have to be Prince Charming.
4)When I was growing up in a troubled family, a shy, overweight, awkward nerd with few friends, romance novels and other books were my friends. There were outcasts within those stories that found happiness. And reading an engrossing story took me out of my life and into a safe place. I didn't care if I got made fun of, or got picked last to be on someone's team. It could drown out the sound of my parents fighting, make time go by faster as I waited for my mother to pick me up on the way home from work. And when I was older, Saturday nights in were fun, because I knew I had a good book or two to look forward too. Even now, I don't get depressed about my non-existent social life. I look forward to a long weekend to catch up on my reading.

So I proudly hold up my Romance Fan banner. I defiantly say, "Yes, I love reading romance novels." And I hope that when I am a 90 year old woman, I can see well enough to read some of my most favorite romances again and again.

2004-10-15T22:27:00.000-07:00

Interracial Romances List

Let me tell you one thing about me. I love interracial romance. I guess it's because I was raised to be open-minded about those things. But also I have some ethnic diversity in my background: African, Irish, English, Scottish, Native American. I think love is not about color, it's about a soul-deep connection. And I love books that show this. So I have definitely pursued these stories. Here is a list of some that I have read and enjoyed.

Fate by Pamela Leigh Starr--very old fashioned, sweet love story
Renee' And Jay by J.J. Murray--hip but heartfelt
Three Wishes by Seressia Glass--soulmates finding each other
No Commitment Required by Seressia Glass
Gone Too Far by Suzanne Brockmann
I'll Be Your Shelter by Giselle Carmichael
Something Real by J.J. Murray
My Forever Love by B.A. Isachor
At Last by Lisa G. Riley
Against The Wind by Gwynne Forster
Once Upon A Blue Moon by Dorriane Cole
Passion's Journey by Wanda Y. Thomas
A Twist of Fate by Beverly Clark
A Risk of Rain by Dar Tomlinson
Rendezvous With Fate by Jeanne Sumerix
From The Ashes by Kathleen Suzanne and Jeanne Sumerix
Shades of Desire by Monica White
Somebody to Love by Kate Rothwell
The Horsemaster's Daughter by Susan Wiggs
The China Bride by Mary Jo Putney
The Heart of the Dragon by Deborah Smith

Books with Secondary Interracial Romance

The Unsung Hero by Suzanne Brockmann
The Defiant Hero by Suzanne Brockmann
Over The Edge by Suzanne Brockmann
Sweeter Than Dreams by Olga Bicos
Fever by Katherine Sutcliffe
The Care and Feeding of Pirates by Jennifer Ashley

If you share my love of interracial romance, please feel free to join my Yahoo group:

Fans of Interracial Romance

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fansofinterracialromance/

2004-10-12T20:13:00.000-07:00

When life gets wacky...turn to Buffy

I've been rediscovering my love of the wonderful show Buffy The Vampire Slayer lately. My sister and I watched the sixth season the past month. Nothing better than watching television shows on DVD. The second time around I totally got the message. Life is the big bad!!!!! It's totally true. The hardest thing about life is living, as Dawn said. And life isn't bliss, life is just living, Spike sang eloquently. Well I can feel that big time. I can understand the isolation and desolation that Buffy felt because I feel it often. Getting up and going to work is like saving the world sometimes. And poor Buffy. She has to do both. Okay I don't have crazy hot sex with a fine, studly vampire or man for that matter, but I did lose my father like Willow lost her true love Tara. I have to struggle to pay bills like Buffy did too. I've dealt with the pain of letting go of something that feels good and comfortable but just isn't right for you like Xander has to do with Anya, and Buffy with Spike. This season takes the viewer and the character to ugly places, where we see the absolute worst of the characters we know and love.The first time around I hated Willow because of her behavior. This time I felt more sympathy for her. I both renewed my love for Buffy and felt deeply disappointed at her also. She truly suffered as she hasn't before. Her friends tore her from the only place that she has had peace, assuming that she was in a hell dimension. But she was in heaven. Now she has to pretend that she's happy to be back. The anguish she must be feeling to go through the motions and to fight to be alive. I felt deep sympathy for her. But I didn't like the way she dealt with Spike. Not the affair part. That was fine and I didn't see it as a big deal at all. No it was how she treated him. She was cruel in many ways to Spike, using him as her punching bag/scapegoat instead of confronting her friends for their selfish actions. She threw his love back in his face instead of accepting it as a gift that it was. He gave acceptance as her other friends didn't. As you can see I fell in love with Spike. He is the best character on Buffy from season five and on. Not perfect but endowed with a humanity that seems lacking at times in the humans on the show. I wasn't crazy about his cruel insistence that Buffy "came back wrong." But I understood that it gave him license to pursue her because she was "a creature of the dark" like him. It was not the thing that Buffy needed to hear in her insecure state. But he was good for her in other ways. He took tender care of Dawn and was always there when she needed him although the group tended to reject him, especially Xander. But their destruction passion isn't good for either of them, as we see in "Seeing Red," when Spike goes to far trying to get Buffy to want him again, leading to a violent altercation in the bathroom that comes far to close to attempted rape to the viewer. For me, I thought of it as his misunderstanding of their sexual relationship. It was violent and passionate and reluctant on Buffy's part. This time her reluctance is downright rejection and he can't seem to see that. This episode was like eating glass to me. Pain on top of pain seemingly is the tone for the season. Season six marked the departure of two favorites: Giles and Tara. Giles' leaving was painful for all, but we knew that he would be back. We even understand that he leaves because he knowws that it's the best thing for Buffy. She cannot go on depending on him to solve her problems. And she will if he's always there. But we know that he's a call away. Unlike Tara. Tara dies horribly and stays gone. And the pain of her absence is acute, gouging and stark. We feel the void that she had left behind as much as Willow and the other Scoobies. Her gentle yet steady friendship, her innate goodness and sense of right and wrong. Her tender humor. All gone away so suddenly. Never to return. We see the continual evolution of Buffy's young sister Dawn as well. Dawn grows into full-blown teenage angsthood, bad attitude and all. What a beautiful young woman she is but so insecure in her role in life and in the Scoobies. So afraid of being left behind again. With the death of her mom, absentee father, and Buffy's sacrificial death, who can blame her? She turns to cleptomania as a solace. It is empty and leaves her aching just as the other Scoobies ache for a sense of purpose. Her pain escalates into a wish heard by a Vengeance demon who happens to be in the right place at the right time. She just wants everyone to stay with her. And thanks to Halfrek, they cannot leave the house the night of Buffy's birthday party in "Older...And Far Away.". But Dawn learns that you can be in the room with a lot of other people but still be alone. We see Xander move on further into adulthood. He has a steady job working construction where he is liked and respected. He even has enough pull to get Buffy a job on "Life Serial". And his relationship with Anya has progressed. They became engaged on the eve of the end of the world last season. But Xander isn't ready to tell everyone. This troubles Anya yet he cannot let go of his insecurities. His parent's bad marriage has left scars. He isn't too keen on embracing Anya's demon origins as she is, and it's sure to have an effect on their marriage. He loves Anya but does he love her enough to pledge his life to her? He thinks so until all his doubts culminate on his wedding day in a heartbreaking fashion on "Hell's Bells." Things are helped along by a vengeful ghost from Anya's demonic past. In the end, those insecurities conquer him as they do the other scoobies, and he leaves Anya at the altar. Watching Anya practice her vows is so heartwrenching knowing that Xander won't be there to hear them. For all her sins, her selfish and avaricious nature, Anya's love for Xander is true and real. He's her best friend, she says in her practiced vows. But her best friend rejects her when he tells her he isn't ready for marriage. Anya turns back to her old way of life as his love lets her down. And she also turns to the rejected, heartbroken Spike as consolation and they have sex. More pain for the viewer as these events play out in "Entropy". Xander is enraged enough to come after Spike with an axe. Buffy is upset too, although she has broken things off with Spike. Spike is dismissed as a soulless monster. Yet his heart cannot let go of his love for Buffy no matter how much he wants it to. Anya finds no consolation in Xander's jealously, after all he didn't want to marry her anyway. It's an ugly scene that lingers in my mind. Let us examine the villains of this season: Warren, Jonathan, and the one nobody remembers: Andrew. Three nerds who unite to take over Sunnydale and to become supernatural kingpins. Why? Because they are tired of their geekdom and nobody status. They start out harmless, although annoying in their relentless plaguing of Buffy. But their criminal actions escalate rapidly into violence when Warren kills his old girlfriend and uses demonic powers to trick Buffy into thinking she did in in "Dead Things.". And they seem to grow more and more formidable. Warren is the more dangerous of the trio in his selfish and cruel nature. He has crossed beyond the pale with his first murder but he becomes public enemy one with the Scoobies and Willow, and the loyal viewers when he kills Tara in the act of trying to assassinate Buffy in "Seeing Red.". Little does he know the Pandora's box that he opens, revealing the one villain that truly has the power to end the world. Willow! Willow's sliding descent into a magic addiction is painful to watch as she manipulates and hurts others around her. It draws comparison to a drug-addicted family member or friend but there is the supernatural element to take things to the next level. She is high on the power of her magic, but all highs end. It seems worth it at first, after all she goes from nobody to the biggest Wicca in the Western Hemisphere. Is it really when she loses the one person she loves more than anything, Tara? And just when she makes the effort to give her magic and turns back into the Willow I adored from the early years, then Warren takes the one person who gives her the strength to change away. All bets are off. She gives into the darkness and absorbs all the magic she can to feed the black-hearted vengeance that drives her. But soon vengeance isn't enough. She wants to hurt everyone like she was hurt. She wants everyone's pain to end permanently. She turns against those who love her the most, but in the end it's Xander who saves her with that love that she spurns initially. After the last episode of this season, I was left spent and drained. Uncertain yet hopeful for the future, but knowing that everything has changed. Season six is about mostly pain...but a little joy and some great laughs thrown in. Because life is the big bad. It always was. Here are my favorite and least favorite episodes.
The Favorites....
1.Smashed
2.Wrecked
3.Older...And Far Away
4.Hells Bells
5.Bargaining
6.Tabula Rasa
7.Gone
8.As You Were (Riley's back!!!!! Alas it's too short. But I'm happy that he's found the one in Sam. And who can hate her. Even if Willow tells Buffy she's fully prepared to hate her with every ounce of her being)
9.of course...Once More With Feeling! So cool on many levels, including it's a MUSICAL!

The Least Favorites...
1.Seeing Red (just stab me with a butcher knife and get it over with)
2. Flooded (because Buffy finds out how broke she is and it pisses me off that Willow/Tara lived off of her money and didn't contribute anything to the household. I was deeply annoyed at Willow's thinly veiled threat to Giles)
3.Normal Again (Buffy got on my nerves on that one)
Conflicted about...
1.Villains (Willow as exhilirating to watch as she gives into the dark side)
2.Two To Go (Hip horray at Giles' pithy line "I'd like to test that theory..." )
3.Grave (Willow descends into pettiness in some of her lines to Buffy)
4.Entropy (pain, pain, pain!)
5.Dead Things (I found Buffy beating up Spike deeply disturbing, as well as Warren's evil actions)

I give this season an A on second viewing. Cannot wait until Season 7. I'm hoping I will like this one better the second time around.

Thanks for reading...

2004-08-31T14:07:00.000-07:00

My British Actors

If you know me long enough, you know that I am definitely in love with the British, i.e. anyone or thing from Great Britain or the British Isles. So whenever I find out that an actor that I see in a movie is British, I get a smile on my face. Man there is something about a guy with a British accent. Have Mercy!!! God Bless Them. Here are some of my British actors that I adore. I will list their country in parenthesis. And just to clarify, some of these actors may have varying ethnicities but they are British because of where they grew up, trained in acting, or maybe even just because they have the accent :)

PS. For purposes of simplification I am including Ireland although only Northern Ireland is officially a part of Great Britain.

Not in order of preference necessarily.

1.Christian Bale (Wales)
2.Gerard Butler (Scotland)
3.Stuart Townsend (Irish)
4.Ioan Gruffudd (Wales)
5.Jason Statham (England)
6.Adrian Paul (England)
7.Orlando Bloom (England)
8.Christien Anholt (England)
9.Clive Owen (England)
10.Hugh Dancy (England)
11.Colin Salmon (England)
12. Joseph Fiennes (England)
13.Adrian Lester (England)
14.Dougray Scott (Scotland)
15.Matthew Marsden (England)
16.Ewan McGregor (Scotland)
17.Jason Isaacs (England)
18.David Thewlis (England)
19.Gary Oldman (England)
20.Anthony Hopkins (England)
21.Pierce Brosnan (Ireland)
22.Sean Connery (Scotland)
23.Richard Coyle (Wales)
24.Idris Elba (England)
25.Jack Davenport (England)
26.Alec Newman (Scottish)
27.Sean Bean (England)
28.Timothy Dalton (Wales)
29.Paul Bettany (England)
30.Robert Carlyle (Scotland)
31.Angus MacFadyen (Scotland)
32.Michael Sheen (Wales)
33.Cary Elwes (England)
34.Dominic Monaghan (England)
35.Billy Boyd (Scotland)
36.Stuart Townsend (Ireland)
37.Naveen Andrews (England)
38.Jamie Bamber (England)
39.Max Beesley (England)
40. Tim Roth (England)
41.Peter Wingfield (Wales)
42.Patrick Stewart (England)
43.Jeremy Northam (England)
44.Jason O'Mara (Ireland)
45.Peter O'Meara (Ireland)
46.James D'Arcy (England)
47.Colin Farrell (Ireland)
48.Alexander Siddiq (England)
49.Art Malik (England)
50.Peter Firth (England)
51.Colin Firth (England)
52.Roger Moore (England)
53.Anthony Stewart Head (England)
54.Hugh Laurie (England)
55.Terence Stamp (England)
56.Malcolm McDowell (England)
57.Jude Law (England)
58.Linus Roache (England)
59.Simon Pegg (England)
60.Ray Park (England)
61.Daniel Craig (England)
I'm sure I will find yet another Brit that I fall in love with soon enough, knowing me. So this list is constantly in flux.

And now you're probably asking yourself what about the guys from Down Under? Don't worry, I'll have a list for them later. I like them too ;)

2004-08-25T12:44:00.000-07:00

How About Those Bad Boys?

There is one truth about women, we can’t resist bad boys. Be it rogues, antiheroes, scoundrels, or rakes, they manage to captivate a reader. They can even be on the right side of the law as cops, soldiers, or spies, but they have done their share of sketchy deeds in the service of ultimate good that has cast a pall over them and caused them to struggle with inner demons that make it hard for them to find love. Or maybe they just like the ladies a little too much, and since the ladies like them back, they do their best to cut a swathe through the female masses. Personally, I like the antiheroes who have a past full of dark deeds but are struggling down the path to redemption. Or the right woman comes along to lead them that way. There are some writers like Anne Stuart and Sherrilyn Kenyon/Kinley MacGregor who specialize in bad boys. Bad boys are just addictive because they call out to the inner desire in a woman to fix their problems. Without further ado, here are some of my favorite bad boys.

1. Zarek-Dance With The Devil by Sherrilyn Kenyon
2. Luke Bardell-Ritual Sins by Anne Stuart
3. Simon Navarre-Lord of Danger by Anne Stuart
4. Sin MacAllister-Born in Sin by Kinley MacGregor
5. Christian De Rivers-Lady Gallant by Suzanne Robinson
6. Sebastian Ballister-Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
7. Reginald Davenport-The Rake by Mary Jo Putney
8. Elliot Armstrong-My False Heart by Liz Carlyle
9. Vere Mallory-The Last Hellion by Loretta Chase
10.Sheridan Drake-Seize The Fire by Laura Kinsale
11.Nick Gentry-Worth Any Price by Lisa Kleypas
12.Derek Craven-Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
13.Anthony Malory-Tender Rebel by Johanna Lindsey
14.James Malory-Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsey
15.Angel-Angel by Johanna Lindsey
16.Chandos-A Heart So Wild by Johanna Lindsey
17.Nicholas Davies-Thunder and Roses by Mary Jo Putney
18.Prince Peregrine-Silk and Shadows by Mary Jo Putney
19.James Killoran-To Love A Dark Lord by Anne Stuart
20.Nicholas Blackthorne- A Rose At Midnight by Anne Stuart
21.Harrison Bainbridge-Never Love A Cowboy by Lorraine Heath
22.Macauley Cain-Fair is The Rose by Meagan McKinney
23.Liam Jameson-A Man To Slay Dragons by Meagan McKinney
24.Wolf Mackenzie-Mackenzie’s Mountain by Linda Howard
25.Sam Starrett-Gone Too Far by Suzanne Brockmann
26.James McKinley-Moonrise by Anne Stuart
27.Nicholas Strangefellow-Lady Fortune by Anne Stuart
28.Trevor Robard, Viscount St. Wulfstan-Moonlit by Emma Jensen
29.S.T. Maitland-Prince of Midnight by Laura Kinsale
30.Trevor Sheridan-Lions and Lace by Meagan McKinney
31.Nick Montrose-The Seduction of Sara by Karen Hawkins
32.Ace Keegan-Keegan’s Lady by Catherine Anderson
33.James Cunningham-The Spy by Celeste Bradley
34.The hero from Fallen by Celeste Bradley
35.Comte D’ Esmond-Captives of the Night by Loretta Chase
36.Cullen-Cullen’s Bride by Fiona Brand
37.Raine Merrick-MacClairen’s Isle: The Reckless One by Connie Brockway
38.Christian McNeil-My Seduction by Connie Brockway
39.Ruark Beauchamp-Shanna by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
40.Walker Reed-If My Love Could Hold You by Elaine Coffman
41.Cain Cannon-Maggie’s Man by Alicia Scott
42.Thomas Griffith-Still Lake by Anne Stuart
43.Dillon-Into The Fire by Anne Stuart
44.Colonel Jack Seward-All Through the Night by Connie Brockway
45.Hart Moreland-A Dangerous Man by Connie Brockway
46.Prince Nikolas-Prince of Dreams by Lisa Kleypas
47.Ruan, Duke of Cynnsyr-Lord Ruin by Carolyn Jewel
48.Dan Prentiss-Tell Me Lies by Claudia Dain
49.Dallas/Gray-Lone Rider by Lauren Bach
50.Treveylean-The Duchess by Jude Deveraux
51.Tynan Montgomery-The Temptress by Jude Deveraux
52.Ellison Quade-The Patriot by Lynn Michaels
53.Marcus Savin-The Mercenary by Cherry Adair
54.Michael Wright-In Too Deep by Cherry Adair
55.Luke-Simply Love by Catherine Anderson
56.Dominic-Someday My Prince by Christina Dodd
57.Jake Dolan-Kiss and Tell by Cherry Adair
58.Webb Calderon-Innocence by Suzanne Forster
59.Mark-The Morning After by Suzanne Forster
60. Remington Knight–One Kiss from You by Christina Dodd
61.Rafe Taggart-Rafe’s Revenge by Anne Stuart
62.Dominic-Dark Torment by Karen Robards
63. Hero from Vows Made In Wine by Susan Wiggs
64.Morgan Kane-Shadow Play by Katherine Sutcliffe
65. Hero from Mischief by Laura Parker
66.Gabriel Ansell-Scandalous Again by Christina Dodd
67.Devon, Earl of Kerrich-Rules of Engagement by Christina Dodd
68. Wynter, Viscount Ruskin-Rules of Surrender by Christina Dodd
69.Lucien Knight-Lord of Ice by Gaelen Foley
70.Devil Strathmere-Devil Takes A Bride by Gaelen Foley
71.Darius Santiago-Princess by Gaelen Foley
72. Randall Talbot -The Perfect Victim by Linda Castillo
73.Reilly-The Soldier and The Baby by Anne Stuart
74.Charles Tanner-Blue Sage by Anne Stuart
75.Cash Grier-Lawless, Renegade by Diana Palmer
76.Julian Rowley-Fallen by Celeste Bradley
77.Vane Kattalakis-Night Play by Sherrilyn Kenyon
78.Fury Kattalakis-Night Play by Sherrilyn Kenyon
79.V'Aidan-Dream Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon
80.Pagan-Taming the Scotsman by Kinley MacGregor

Ahh!!! Gotta Love Those Bad Boys :) I'm sure that there will be more soon. You can never have too many bad boys!!!

2004-07-14T00:43:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Heroines-I had to list mine as an exercise on one of my groups and I had to post them here. It was very hard to narrow down my favorites to the ten on this list. Here these amazing heroines are...

1. Jessica Trent-Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
2. Bailee McKoy-The Texan’s Wager by Jodi Thomas
3. Cristabel Gaines-Lawless by Diana Palmer
4. Guinevere Mary Fairchild-A Well-Pleasured Lady by Christina Dodd
5. Lady Caroline-My Darling Caroline by Adele Ashworth
6. Anne Wilder-All Through The Night by Connie Brockway
7. Lady Lily-Then Came You by Lisa Kleypas
8. Hester-Indigo by Beverly Jenkins
9. Nora-Lady Gallant by Suzanne Robinson
10.Mary Potter-Mackenzie’s Mountain

2004-07-08T18:15:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about those heroines who definitely go against the sweet, innocent type and absolutely captivate the reader. They might be very sexually experienced, just plain wild, or perhaps even have a violent or tortured past that has made them lose their emotional innocence. Perhaps they are pure in body but have impure motives. Or they are neither pure nor have pure motives. They are the women that could possibly be a villain in another book or have enough anti-hero in them to make them interesting. Which ones stand out in your mind? These are the ones that I like. Feel free to elaborate on why you added them to the list.

1.Madeleine Dumais-Winter Garden by Adele Ashworth
2.Ghislaine de Lorny-A Rose At Midnight by Anne Stuart
3.Lady Alyx-The Rake by Mary Jo Putney
4.Serena Riverton-Forbidden by Jo Beverley
5.Lily Lawson-Then Came You by Lisa Kleypas
6.Sophia Sydney-Lady Sophia's Lover
7.Anne Wilder-All Through The Night by Connie Brockway
8.Tippy-Lawless by Diana Palmer
9.Can't remember her name-The Prince of Midnight by Laura Kinsale
10.Elizabeth Chatworth-Velvet Angel by Jude Deveraux (she's a manhater so that's why she's on the list)
11.Jessye Kane-Never Love A Cowboy by Lorraine Heath
12.Prisoner of Desire-Johanna Lindsey (basically she raped a man-under duress but it was rape)
13.Emmaline-The Enchantment by Kristin Hannah (I really didn't like her at first but she eventually won me over)
13.Moonlight Becomes You by Meagan McKinney
14.Lady Emma-Once Upon A Scandal by Barbara Dawson Smith
15.Lady Julianna Myfleet-Wayward Widow by Nicola Cornick
16.Lady Lilith-A Game of Scandal by Kathryn Smith

2004-07-04T13:40:00.000-07:00

I finally watched Kill Bill. I was great! Let me tell you, I am not a huge fan of Quentin Tarantino. But he made one heck of a movie. It was amazing. Uma Thurman did a great job. I can totally see why she got an Oscar nomination. You can see that QT is definitely a lover of movies. If there was a genre that he enjoys, he put in the movie, but it made a lovely collage that was definitely stronger for the sum of its parts. The blood was a bit over the top, and that was one of the reasons I hesitated watching it, but it could have been worse. The scene that would have been really bad was in black and white so that it wasn't too excessive. I loved the swordplay, because that's my thing. Put a samurai sword and a good swordsman/woman in a movie and I'm there. Uma was a natural with the action and swordplay. And my girl Lucy was splendid as always. There were some great characters in the movie. Some were almost over the top and some played to excellent precision like Lucy Liu's O-Ren Ishii. I liked her bodyguard, the young and psychotic Gogo. That was a great fight scene. As was the scene with Lucy Lui. My other girl Vivica did a great job too. After the scene in the kitchen I knew was going to like the movie. Definitely the best scene was when The Bride takes on the whole Crazy 48's yakuza and kicks some major A@$. And then she tells the ones that are still alive that they can leave but they have to leave their body parts that they lost behind. All I can say is DAMN!!!! I love a kickass heroine. I guess there was no way I wouldn't like this movie despite QT's tendency for bad language. Can't wait to see the next installment. Definitely have to add them to my collection.
I give this one an A+++!

2004-07-04T13:30:00.000-07:00

I watched Spiderman-2 yesterday and I was totally feeling Peter Parker. He is in a terrible place in this movie. He is feeling overwhelmed on all sides. He is feeling like the world is falling apart. He keeps getting fired from jobs because he's chronically late, he is not doing well in school because of missing class and not having time for homework. He can barely pay his rent, and his friends are angry at him. Mary Jane doesn't understand why he can't be there for her. Aunt May feels disconnected from him as well. The problem is that his mission has overtaken his life. I feel that because that's where I am. My life is overwhelmed by obligations. Demands of people at work and at home. But he can't tell them why he seems like an unreliable person. He's too busy out there fighting evil. Isn't that more important? Not to the people who think you let them down personally. Poor Peter. He had a great journey to undertake. One of self-discovery. I am personally on that same journey. I was sitting in the movie theater and thinking that the writer wrote Spiderman-2 just for me!!! It's a great movie. Full of action, character driven, and emotionally wrenching. The villain was incredible-menacing, possessing motivation, and dramatic enough to have a comic book flare. Personally I liked Dr. Octopus much more than the Green Goblin. The Green Goblin was more annoying than anything else. Dr. Ock was scary but also sad in a way. He wasn't a paper tiger. He was a villain that could have easily killed Spider Man except Spider Man was meant to prevail. Tobey Maguire's acting was incredible. He was able to pull off the Peter Parker aspects and the Spider Man elements too. I cried for him, cheered him along, and struggled along with him. Sam Raimi did an excellent job with this movie and did what we all hope for, making a sequel that is better than the first movie. Definitely check it out! I'm glad that I didn't buy the first movie yet, because I can now buy the two pack in a few months. Yay.

2004-07-04T13:12:00.000-07:00

I have always liked to read older books, because of my love of history and days long past. I read Louisa May Alcott's books, Edith Hamilton's Mythology, Jack London's White Fang and Call of the Wild, All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot, C.S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and others, including those I read in class and enjoyed. However, I am endeavoring to read more classics. Part of the reason is because I want my period stories to be authentic in writing style. Also I think there are a lot of great classic stories out there that I haven't read. I am particularly interested in classic horror and adventure stories. Here is my list, not in alphabetical order:
1.Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
2.Dracula by Bram Stoker
3.The Last of The Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
4.The Invisible Man/The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
5.Selected Stories of O Henry
6.Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
7.Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
8.The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Stories by Robert Louis Stevenson
9.Selected Short Stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne
10.Collected Writings of Edgar Allan Poe (I'm a big fan)
11.The Signet Classic Book of American Short Stories
12.Best-Loved Short Stories of Nineteenth-Century America
13.King Solomon's Mines/She/Allan Quartermain by H.Riger Haggard
14.Tales From The Arabian Night Collected by Andrew Lang
15.The Lord God Made Them All by James Herriot
16.All Things Great and Beautiful by James Herriot
17.All Creatures Wise and Wonderful by James Herriot
18.The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien
19.The Two Towers by JRR Tolkien
20.The Return of the King by JRR Tolien
21.Mere Christianity by CS Lewis
22.A Grief Observed by CS Lewis
...etc
I probably will take some time to read these as I tend to gravitate towards romance books most of the time. But we shall see...

2004-07-01T20:50:00.000-07:00

My June Reads

Great reading month although I hit a slump near the middle to end of the month. My highlight reads are starred.

1. Lady Defiant-Suzanne Robinson. (Historical Romance-Elizabethan) A+. Lovely story and characters who win your heart. (Roguish hero)
2. The Kissing Gate-Fiona Carr. (Historical Romance-Regency) A+. I really liked the writer’s style and it was enjoyably sensual. (Plump heroine)
3. The Perfect Wife-Jane Goodger (Historical Romance-Edwardian) A. Good book but I found some of the interactions between h/h annoying. (Ex-plump heroine)
4. Rightfully His-Tracy Grant (Historical Romance-Regency). A. Good read but a little slow at times. (Friends to lovers)
5. *Almost Like Being In Love-Christina Dodd (Contemporary Romance). A+. Another winner by a favorite author of mine-passionate, deep, compelling. Two characters that you want to end up together. (Tortured heroine)
6. *Lawless-Diana Palmer (Contemporary Romance). A++. Wonderful, excellent, engrossing. I could not put it down. So in love with Cash Grier. I almost rooted for him to end up with Crissy more than I did Judd. Can’t wait to read Renegade. I’m actually buying a hardcover  (Marriage of Convenience, Secondary character steals the show)
7. England’s Perfect Hero-Suzanne Enoch (Historical Romance-Regency). A+. Loved it. Robert is one of my favorite types of hero, tortured. Glad that things work out for him. (Tortured war hero, Beta hero)
8. *For The First Time-Kathryn Smith (Historical Romance-Regency). A++. One of those books you want to read again right after you finish. Definitely on my list of favorites. I really liked the h/h and wanted them to be together. And I like how it was sort of a forgone conclusion that they were meant for each other. Devlin really saw the beauty in Blythe, in a way that no one ever did. He had a bit of the tortured hero too. Very touching book. (Plump heroine, Tortured war hero, Beta hero)
9. Ben Morgan’s Mistake-Victoria Aldridge (Historical Romance-Victorian set in New Zealand). A. A compelling read that I couldn’t put down. Very interesting h/h. Not exactly the typical. Hero was definitely of the anti variety. Interesting look into the history of colonial New Zealand. You really don’t know if the h/h will get together until the last page. (Amazing heroine)
10. The Abduction of Julia-Karen Hawkins (Historical Romance-Regency). A. Good read. (Marriage of convenience)
11. *Playing By The Baby Rules-Michelle Celmer (Contemporary Romance-Silhouette Desire). A+. I really liked this book. It tugged at my emotions in a way that few short reads can. Very much an emotional journey and featuring two people who’s love and caring for each other came right off the page in its intensity. Definitely recommend. (Friends to lovers)
12. The Bridesmaid’s Reward-Liz Fielding (Contemporary Romance-Harlequin Romance). A-A+. I enjoyed how much the hero really admired the heroine despite her flaws. He was most interested in her regaining her self-esteem instead of losing weight. Bravo! (Plump heroine, A hero to die for)
13. A Belated Bride-Karen Hawkins (Historical Romance-Regency). This is the sequel to The Abduction of Julia. A. I was a bit disappointed with this one as I was looking forward to reading Lucien’s book. But it was pretty good. Had some really funny moments and I admired the heroine for her resilience in some really tough circumstance). (Plumpish heroine, Reunited lovers).
14. The Viscount Who Loved Me-Julia Quinn (Historical Romance-Regency). A. Very funny but also poignant.
15. To Marry The Duke-Julianne MacLean (Historical Romance-Victorian). A. Complex characters with three-dimensionality. Sensual and compelling. I admired Sophia for her willingness to stand by her choices and fight for what she believed in. (Amazing heroine)
16. An Affair Most Wicked-Julianne MacLean (Historical Romance-Victorian). A-A+. Sensual, interesting characters. Both are flawed but they are fighting their way back from their falls from grace. Interesting twists. Loved it.
17. A Game of Scandal-Kathryn Smith (Historical Romance-Regency). A-A+. Very emotional and poignant. Although there was a lot of I love you, I hate you gymnastics, I could see why because of the painful history between the characters. (Reunited lovers. Beta-ish hero. Plump heroine).
18. Rafferty’s Bride-Mary Burton (Historical Romance-Western, Harlequin Historicals). A. Nice, quick read.
19. *Fantasy Lover-Sherrilyn Kenyon (Contemporary Romance-Paranormal). A++. Loved it, loved it, loved it!!!! Wonderful book. I fell in love with Grace and Julian and wanted them to have a happy ending. Great history with some cool twists on mythology. I didn’t want it to end! Must Read! (Plain Jane Heroine, Hero To Die For).
20. *Seduced-Pamela Britton (Historical Romance-Regency). A+ My first book by this author. I was very impressed. She’s hilarious, but also capable of great poignancy. Definitely fell in love with the h/h. The end of the book has a great twist. Must Read.

Danielle

2004-06-29T20:25:00.000-07:00

I just read Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I started it Sunday and finished it yesterday. What a great book. Definitely an A+. Sherrilyn just has a gift for making characters that you shed tears for and fall in love with. Julian really touched my heart and I felt for him in his pain. SK also has a great way with telling ancient history so that you're riveted. I admit I'm a history buff anyway, but she just brings it to light in a vivid and interesting way. And she seems fairly accurate in a way that Xena and Hercules aren't always. Her books make me want to go out and buy a book on ancient history and dive in headfirst. At first I was wondering if I shot myself in the foot reading the other Dark Hunter books first, but I'm glad I hadn't read this one. It gave me something to tide me over until Night Play comes out in August. This book has so many layers. I enjoyed the romance but also there was a family drama played out through Julian's relationship or lack thereof, with his godly relatives: Aphrodite, his mother; Eros, his brother; and Priapus, his other brother, who is also his mortal (or immortal enemy). I cried with Julian for his feelings of rejection by his mother, and the loss of his children. I also felt for Grace and her family issues. Her parents died in a car accident, leaving her alone in the world, with only their possessions and her memories to keep her warm at night. Since I lost my father last year, I could identify with her feelings of grief. Fantasy Lover is also very sensual. There are lots of scenes that involve exploring the woman's pleasure, and SK did this very cleverly with her premise. Julian is a sex-slave (and he cannot have an orgasm). IE he makes love for the woman's pleasure and is very good at his job. Grace had a bad first sexual experience that causes her withdraw from the dating world. She feels lonely, unwanted and unfulfilled, and her friend Selena gets the idea to conjure Julian out of his cage (which is a lovely ancient book.) Julian comes ready to serve, but Grace isn't interested in another empty sexual experience. So Julian must seduce her, while Grace tries to get his mind off sex and onto the modern world. This storyline makes for quite a few fun and poignant moments, as Julian gets to experience being more than just a sexual object for two millenia. Julian exudes one of a kind sex appeal that is irresistible, even and most of all to Grace. But he also makes her fall deeply in love with him. I liked how SK worked to build their relationship and also gave reader just enough sexual tension to add spice. This tension definitely builds since there's a reason why Julian and Grace cannot consummate. Instead Julian takes those opportunities to unselfishly bring Grace pleasure, not because he's supposed to, but because he loves her and wants her happiness. I don't want to tell too much, but I felt a need to rave about this lovely book. It definitely cemented my love of SK and her universe. Fantasy Lover ranks in as my number two favorite Dark Hunter book (although technically Julian's not one, he exists in their universe and so he gets counted.). Run, don't walk to get your copy of Fantasy Lover.

2004-06-25T23:01:00.000-07:00

I read Lawless a couple of weeks ago. It was wonderful and engrossing. Diana Palmer just gets better and better. I love her ability to make us fall in love with her characters, flaws and all. I enjoyed Christabel and Judd, but I especially love Cash Grier. He's such an amazing character. He's got a seductive, enigmatic air. He also had a tenderness about him that was appealing. I must admit for a little while, I was more enamored of Chrissy and Cash as a couple then Judd and Chrissy, but eventually Judd proved his worthiness. Thanks to the little tidbits about Cash, I am doing something I rarely do. I'm going to buy a hardcover book, Renegade. This is Cash Grier's story and I must have it. I know it's expensive, but Cash is worth it, and I'm dying to read his story and see him get his happy ending with Tippy, who was briefly introduced in Lawless.
Lawless had wonderful exposition, storytelling, and sensuality. There's definitely something about Diana Palmer's ability to write love scenes. They are never explicit but they always involve the reader. This book definitely that some great love scenes. Even the mystery plot was more developed then usual. Normally Diana's books are light on this but I can see that she's feeling more comfortable with these types of storylines.
Overall, I have to give Lawless an A+. It goes on the list as one of my all-time faves by a favorite author of mine. The hours that I spent reading it were pure, wondrous enjoyment. And thankfully, I have Renegade to look forward to...

2004-06-11T23:56:00.000-07:00

Elements that I love in Romance Novels
1.Tortured heroes/heroines that overcome their demons in a realistic way and find someone who loves them and respects them despite their infirmities.
2.Scarred/flawed heroes/heroines.
3.A pure, true love story at the heart of the romance with a sensuality that evolves out of a deep, lasting connection between the hero and heroine.
4.Lots of interesting secondary characters with potential for their own stories.
5.Great conflict-internal or external.
6.A wonderful, rip-roaring adventure tale intermingled in a beautiful love story.
7.Virginal hero/heroine
8.Warriors or ex-warriors
9.Educated, intelligent heroes/heroines who get to solve problems and help people.
10.Pregnancies. I love books that have these! I think it's very much part of the happy ever after fantasy.
11.Men who are great fathers or who are wonderful with their children.
12.Beta heroes. I love them. Caring men who are masculine but not arrogant or overbearing.
13.Cowboy or ranching-type setting. I'm a sucker for a great western.
14.Women who are strong, intelligent, and go outside of the traditional, passive roles. Kick-butt heroines, warriors, horsewomen, women in traditionally male-dominated roles.
15.Family elements intermingled into the plot.
16.A great sense of humor and moments that make you laugh out loud.
17.Great scenery or setting that is slightly exotic or not run of the mill. Asia, Africa, S.America, Islands, Australia, etc
18.Hero and heroine who are complement each other's strengths and weakness and who truly stand by each other and love and support each other.
19.Men who would do anything for the heroine and help her to heal.
20.A great, truly terrifying three dimensional villain with realistic motives
21.Characters who although are not mealy-mouthed and unrealistically virtuous, have a strong sense of moral integrity and honor.
22.Heroes who truly can be faithful to the heroine. Once she's in his life, he sees no other woman.
23.Heroes who have respect for women and truly love them and see them as equals.
24.I love scholarly, bookish characters. They are so sweet. I also like nerdy scientist types.
25.Characters who have a little bit of old-fashioned values about them. Not sexist or narrow-minded though.
26.Small town books with a cast of interesting characters.
27.Books with characters who may not be beautiful or slender. They might be plain or plump. Not fashion model types. And the men that appreciate them.
28.Writers that write different genres but don't turn their back on their genre that they are most known for.
29.Victorian and turn of century setting.
30.Early 20th century setting. WWII.
31.Marriage of convenience or just plain married books.
32.Books that have an element of spirituality or some element of God in them.
33.Books where the characters know they are going to end up together early on.
34.Books where the hero pursues the heroine and means to marry her and have her as his partner early on. He easily acknowledges his love and need for the heroine.
35.Poignant tear jerkers with the oh-so important happy ending.
36.Retellings of old fables, fairy tales or folktales, or movies that give a new spin.
37.A lush sensuality that is rooted in love.
38.British hero in America.
39.Alpha heroes who have respect for their heroine but are protective and possessive.
40.Spy or epsionage books.
41.British set novels:Regency, Victorian, Medieval, etc.
42.Books that celebrate various ethnicities and feature characters of different races in a positive light.
43.Interracial love stories that show positive, committed love relationships.
44.Antiheroes that evolve and have a moment of true heroism or realization of self although they may retain those elements that make them quirky and interesting.
45.When a character who is reviled or treated badly by others gets some sort of acknowledged that they have been wrongly judged.
46.Deep stories that leave you thinking about the book long after you have finished it.

These are the things that make books keepers in my opinion.

2004-06-11T23:23:00.000-07:00

My Romance Novel Pet-Peeves

1.Rakes with no reason d' etre-just sleazy men sleeping with anything in a skirt. And the heroine is just panting for them. Did it ever occur to the heroine that it's really gross that this guy slept with half the ton, or town?
2.Really mean heroes who treat heroines like crap. Uber-alpha hero.
3.Stupid, silly heroines who mindlessly go from one scrape to another. Women are just as intelligent and capable as men are, and even if we need to be saved, it doesn't have to be because we need a keeper.
4.Transplanted modern-day heroes and heroines in a period piece. Please try to make the dialogue and behavior fit the period!
5.Rape between hero and heroine (Seduction is okay).
6.The Secret Baby. So tired!
7.When the characters think they just want to sleep together and never envision a future until practically the end of the book.
8.Adultery--The big no-no! Instant wallbanger if one of the characters cheat on the other! I grit my teeth if the hero is an inveterate cuckolder of other men. For instance in historicals, the rake who sleeps with other men's wives because they are available.
9.Meaningless sex scenes that don't complement the story.
10.Heroines who decide they're going to have an affair just to do it and then get married to the boring guy or go back to being sedate.
11.Fling books! The characters get together to get it on! Yuck.
12.Sleazy characters who have no respect for their bodies (rakes, slutty heroines who sleep around, etc.) Promiscuous characters of any types!!!
13.Cardboard thin suspense plots. Just write a straight romance.
14.When the book about the character you've been waiting for with bated breath is a disappointment after the author got you to fall in love with that character in the previous book.
15.When the character you love and have been dying to read their book is paired up with a love interest that is decidely inferior.
16.When the next book in the series comes out in hardcover :(
17.When historical authors stop writing historical books and go to...Romantic suspense, women's fiction, paranormal, or chick lit! Ugh!
18.When the hero believes everything the sleazy, evil ex-mistress tells him but thinks the sweet, innocent heroine is a gold-digging bimbo. Sorry, read too many Harlequin Presents.
19.When the hero is a total prick to the heroine but she still wants to sleep with him and manages to fall head over heels for him.
20.When the author doesn't write a book about the character that you really want to read a book about.
21.When the epilogue to your book has the death of the most-beloved character. That's the absolute worst!!!
22.When the epilogue to your book doesn't feature happy ever after with children or a pregnancy! I'm sorry but that's definitely part of the fantasy to me. I love children.
23.When the author sets you up to love a secondary character like they're going to get their own story and then kills them off or makes them evil so you don't want to read their story anyway.
24.When the hero and heroine break up in the middle of the book and sleep with other characters! Makes for instant wall-banger.
25.When the hero/heroine doesn't believe in the hero/heroine and they turn away from the character and believe everyone else. Especially when they should know the character better then that.
26.When the plain Jane or plump character gets a makeover or loses weight and then the hero notices her! I hate that!
27.When you buy a book and it turns out that it's paranormal and you really didn't want to read a paranormal book.
28.Anything with a heroine/hero who is a practicing witch.
29.Buried New Age elements in a storyline. Sorry I hate that stuff!
30.When one of the characters never says I love you, or they do something really awful but don't apologize adequately for it.
31.When the sheltered, virginal heroine decides to sleep with the hero just to know what sex is about without any concerns for propriety, accidental pregnancy or respect of her chastity and then refuses the susequent marriage offer.
32.When the hero tries to make the heroine his mistress because marrying her is out of the question when it really isn't.
33.When the hero/heroine doesn't respect the hero/heroines dreams or beliefs and forces them to conform to their image or expectations. That's so not right!
34.Shallow hero or heroine who doesn't grow or change for the better.
35.Slave-owners who are cast as the hero and heroine who blithely own human beings and don't realize the inherent wrongness of it.
I think that's most of my pet peeves...

2004-06-06T22:28:00.000-07:00

You know I ought to be better about editing my blogs because I realized that I listed the wrong book by Jill Gregory as most disappointing read, which I later decided was superceded by Out of Sight by Cherry Adair. It was actually Cold Night, Warm Stranger. D-Oh!!

2004-06-06T21:23:00.000-07:00

My Desert Island Books
1.The Shadow and The Star by Laura Kinsale
2.Seize the Fire by Laura Kinsale
3.Rules of Engagement by Christina Dodd
4.A Well-Pleasured Lady by Christina Dodd
5.Lone Rider by Lauren Bach
6.The Mercenary by Cherry Adair
7.Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
8.The Texan's Wager by Jodi Thomas
9.Night Fever by Susan Kyle (Diana Palmer)
10.The Last Mercenary by Diana Palmer
11.Enamored by Diana Palmer
12.Born in Sin by Kinley MacGregor
13.Taming the Scotsman by Kinley MacGregor
14.Dance With The Devil by Sherrilyn Kenyon
15.Mackenzie's Mountain by Linda Howard
16.Night Shadow by Laura Renken
17.My Lord Pirate by Laura Renken
18.Forbidden by Jo Beverley
19.Perils Of The Heart by Jennifer Ashley
20.A Heart So Wild by Johanna Lindsey
21.Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
22.Angels Wings by Anne Stuart
23.Ritual Sins by Anne Stuart
24.Lord of Danger by Anne Stuart
25.A Rose at Midnight by Anne Stuart
26.The Soldier and The Baby by Anne Stuart
27.Ice Station by Matt Reilly
28.The Lunatic Cafe by Laurell K. Hamilton
29.Annie's Song by Catherine Anderson
30.Baby Love by Catherine Anderson
31.All Through The Night by Connie Brockway
32.A Dangerous Man by Connie Brockway
33.Never Love a Cowboy by Lorraine Heath
34.Iguana Bay by Theresa Weir
35.The Princess by Jude Deveraux
36.The Awakening by Jude Deveraux
37.Sweet Liar by Jude Deveraux
38.The Proposition by Judith Ivory
39.For the Roses by Julie Garwood
40.The Charm School by Susan Wiggs
41.My Darling Caroline by Adele Ashworth
42.Velvet Angel by Jude Deveraux
43.Vows Made In Wine by Susan Wiggs
44.Fate by Pamela Leigh Starr
45.Gone Too Far by Suzanne Brockmann
46.Be Mine by Cait Logan
47.Night Fire by Cait Logan
48.Savage Thunder by Johanna Lindsey
49.Wicked Lies by Laura Renken
50.Kiss And Tell by Cherry Adair
51.Tell Me Lies by Claudia Dain
52.Scandalous by Karen Robards
53.Nobody's Angel by Karen Robards
54.The Baby Bargain by Dallas Schulze
55.One Secret Too Many by Vanessa Grant
56.Kiss An Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
57.Man of Ice by Diana Palmer
58.Connal by Diana Palmer
59.The Duke's Covert Mission by Julie Miller
60.The Patriot by Lynn Michaels
61.Lions and Lace by Meagan McKinney
62.The Merry Widow by Meagan McKinney
63.Until Dawn Tames the Night by Meagan McKinney
64.Master of Desire by Kinley MacGregor
65.The Arrangement by Lyn Stone
66.Angel by Johanna Lindsey
67.The Wicked Truth by Lyn Stone
68.Fire and Rain by Elizabeth Lowell
69.Only Mine by Elizabeth Lowell
70.Courting Miss Hattie by Pamela Morsi
71.The Winter Soldier by Diana Palmer
72.Mischief by Laura Parker
73.Secrets and Lies by Maggie Shayne
74.The Price of Innocence by Susan Sizemore
75.Special Gifts by Anne Stuart
76.Notorious by Katherine Sutcliffe
77.Shadow Play by Katherine Sutcliffe
78.When Venus Fell by Deborah Smith
79.Rafe's Revenge by Anne Stuart
80.Shadow Dance by Anne Stuart
81.Lazarus Rising by Anne Stuart
82.Rancho Diablo by Anne Stuart
83.Glass Houses by Anne Stuart
84.Brave the Wild Wind by Johanna Lindsey
85.Watchers by Dean R. Koontz
86.Again The Magic by Lisa Kleypas
87.Then Came You by Lisa Kleypas
88.Worth Any Price by Lisa Kleypas
89.After the Kiss by Joan Johnston
90.Indigo by Beverly Jenkins
91.Delaney's Desert Sheik by Brenda Jackson
92.Fire and Desire by Brenda Jackson
93.Indiscretion by Jillian Hunter
94.Mistress of the Groom by Susan Napier
95.Reckless Conduct by Susan Napier
96.One Night With His Wife by Lynne Graham
97.Indecent Deception by Lynne Graham
98.Bittersweet Passion by Lynne Graham
99.Tallie's Knight by Anne Gracie
100.Lost in Your Arms by Christina Dodd

A hard list to make...But along with my Bible I think I would be good on a desert island with these books.

Danielle

2004-06-05T22:05:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd take a page from the AAR (All About Romance) site and give you a short overview of my romance reading tastes.

Favorite Romance: Seize the Fire by Laura Kinsale
Favorite Romance Author:
Anne Stuart
Christina Dodd
Favorite Funny: Lady Be Good by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Most-Hanky Read: tie between Never Love a Cowboy by Lorraine Heath and Dance With The Devil by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Most Luscious Love Story: Anything by Lisa Kleypas
Most Tortured Hero: Zarek from Dance With the Devil
Feistiest Heroine: Jessica Trent from Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
Favorite Hero: three way tie between Samuel Gerard from The Shadow and The Star, Zarek from Dance With The Devil and Carter McKoy from The Texan's Wager
Favorite Heroine: Jessica Trent from Lord of Scoundrels
Favorite Couple: tie between Jessica Trent and Sebastian Ballister from Lord of Scoundrels and Bailee and Carter McKoy from The Texan's Wager
Favorite Family: The Drakes by Laura Renken
Most Annoying Hero or Heroine: The hero from The Velvet Promise by Jude Deveraux. I hated him so much that it's the only JD book I actually gave away. What a total bastard (pardon my French)
Best Discovery/Buried Treasure: Jodi Thomas
Your Biggest Glom: Lisa Kleypas
Best Villain: Daniel De Ribard in Rightfully His by Tracy Grant. What a manipulative, amoral scumbag.
Favorite Medieval: Born in Sin by Kinley MacGregor
Favorite Regency: Tallie's Knight by Anne Gracie
Favorite European Historical: Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
Favorite American/Western Historical Romance: The Texan's Wager by Jodi Thomas
Favorite Contemporary Romance: Some Girls Do by Leanne Banks
Favorite Series Romance: The Soldier and The Baby by Anne Stuart
Favorite Romantic Suspense: Ritual Sins by Anne Stuart
Favorite Other Romance: Dance With The Devil by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Author You Gave Up On: Catherine Coulter
Author Others Love That You Don't: Nora Roberts
Most Disappointing Read: Out of Sight by Cherry Adair
Worst Read: I can't really say right now
Most Purple Prose: Sinful Secrets by Thea Devine

Danielle

2004-05-19T21:21:00.000-07:00

Why I like virgin characters in my romances

I know that some readers are weary and disgusted with the innocent virgin heroine. I don't feel that way. In fact, I prefer virgin heroines, and even virgin heroes. I even seek them out. I think that a virgin character can serve as a blank canvas, if you will, for the romantic feelings of love that we read romances for. It's all new and fresh, and we get to walk on the journey along with them. Isn't that the true fantasy of romance? You meet the person you are supposed to spend your life with and fall in love, in bed and in bliss and live happily ever after? Well that's my vision of romantic love. Don't get my wrong, I have read lots of books with non-virginal characters that I liked. But if that character is a virgin, it's all the more special to me.
Let's discuss some arguments again virginal characters:
1)Nobody is a virgin anymore, so it's not realistic: This is blatantly false. I know quite a few virgins and in their thirties too. Believe me that there are some people who chose not to experiment sexually and to preserve their chastity for the right person. And there are other reasons for remaining a virgin like having commitments that kept a person from going out into the dating world. This would actually make for interesting conflict in a story. I will be honest with you now. I myself am a virgin for both reasons. I believe in waiting until marriage to have sex, but also the conflicts of my family life and career aspirations had gotten into the way of having a social life. And by the time I could have gone out and lost my virginity (in college), it was a precious thing that I wasn't about to give away it for a few minutes of pleasure or assuaged curiousity. I know of at least a handful of people like this. So why can't some characters be the same way? Isn't fiction a reflection of life in some small way?
2)It makes the sensuality less interesting and open to experimentation since the deflowering is out of the way: Not true. I think that it can make this even more interesting. You get to go along on the sensual journey with the character.
3)In the case of male virgins, who wants a man who doesn't know what he's doing under the covers: Well I personally would prefer to have a virginal man who learns along with me. Plus he probably had lots of untapped enthusiasm that merely needs channeling. I love those books with those male virgins. I seek them out in fact. I hate the thought of my man haven't slept with half of the world, even if this has made him the best lover ever. Ugh!!!
4)The virgin heroine is silly, insipid and someone you can't identify with: Just because a woman is a virgin doesn't mean that she's hopelessly naive, fluffy-headed, or boring. There are older womens who are intact but are mature and just as independent and intelligent as our experienced women are. That's why I like the bluestocking, spinster type historicals. I myself prefer the older heroine because I am older and it's hard to identify with a seventeen year old girl fresh out of the school room. But the important factor is her level of intelligence, resourcefulness, and maturity, which can be found in both the young heroine and the older one. Christina Dodd has a lot of these types of heroines, and Anne Stuart has a few that I really liked for this.
As to my affection for virtuous characters, perhaps I am in the minority. It's entirely possible. But let me tell you that I dislike rakes and promiscuous heroines as much as some readers dislike virginal ones. I cannot find them sympathetic in the least unless the author takes the time to delve into why they are that way. For me, just enjoying sex and lots of it doesn't cut the mustard as a reason to be promiscuous. Don't get me wrong. Sex is a wonderful thing that is made for enjoyment. But not with every Tom, Dick, and Harry or Thomasina, Rica, and Harriet in the vicinity. Gotta hate those scenes at Lady So and So's Ball where Lord Rakehell passes by at least fifteen women who he has shared himself with and pleasured sensually to the point that they sigh when he walks by. I wouldn't want to be with Lord Diseased Member, no matter how good he is in bed. But that's just me. I tire of the sexual stud, Lord of Ecstasy, Bad Boy heroes that can make a woman groan with ecstasy, if you don't mind that he's slept with everyone you know and then some.
This brings me to another point: Virtuous versus Virginal--I believe that a person can still have virtue despite not technically having their virginity. Virtue is an attitude, a mindset. It's about having respect for your body and not giving it away casually. There are many a book that I have read with characters who are not virgins for various reasons but they are far from being sleazy or promiscuous. I can respect this. I understand that some people have traveled the road of life in a direction in which they have experienced sex in some way or fashion. But they still have enough respect for themselves and self-control not to sleep around. Gotta love those celibate heroes like Sir Ross Cannon in Lady Sophia's Lover! I read a some books where the heroine may have been raped or seduced, or merely fell in love and gave themselves in love and I respected them as characters. I'm not crazy about the stories where the character just had sex out of curiosity. For me this seems like a great waste. But that's just my opinion.
The tide has recently turned away from virginal heroines so there are still a great many stories which feature them. Not as many contemporaries alas. But authors like Diana Palmer and Johanna Lindsey tend to prefer virginal beauties. Harlequin Presents author Lynne Graham almost always has them. If you are like me and tend to avoid books with very experienced heroines, you may want to steer away from authors like Susan Johnson, Miranda Lee, Vicky Lewis Thompson and forgive my generalization, the Blaze line. The following link should help you in your avoidance. A word of caution: I have read a lot of books with non-virginal heroines that I adored, so please try to put this tiny detail aside and enjoy the books anyway. If everything else was right with the book and this wasn't a big deal to me. This happens a lot with Suzanne Brockmann books. She's not big on the virginal heroines. But I still love her Troubleshooter books. Also there are women on here who despite not being virgins are quite virtuous and not at all sleazy.

http://www.likesbooks.com/mistress.html

Now, If you are interested in catching up on your virgin hero readings, I'll give you a link to the All About Romance Site which has a great list to give you a good start.

http://www.likesbooks.com/virginal.html

Perhaps you will join me on the darkside....

Rant over.

2004-05-19T14:29:00.001-07:00

My Favorite Authors

I love to read, obviously. There are some writers that I flock to as often as possible because they particularly do a good job at making reading a pleasure. This authors are master artists at the written word, in my opinion. They create characters that are enduring and endearing at the same time. These characters may be and often are deeply flawed but more lovable for their character failings. But the writer uses them skillfully to tell a story and to entertain the reader. Most of these authors write in the romance genre. And the remainders are likely to be found in the horror or science fiction genre. A couple write thrillers or action adventures. But the thing they have in common most of all is that they have earned my respect and admiration as writers and the dubious honor to make it on my list of favorite authors.

1.Anne Stuart--the best of all time!!!
2.Christina Dodd
3.Diana Palmer
4.Lisa Kleypas
5.Laura Kinsale
6.Connie Brockway
7.Catherine Anderson
8.Cait Logan
9.Jodi Thomas
10.Christopher Golden
11.Edgar Allen Poe
12.Louisa Alcott
13.Brenda Jackson
14.Beverly Jenkins
15.Lynne Graham
16.Celeste Bradley
17.Jude Deveraux
18.C.S. Lewis
19.Deborah Simmons
20.Cherry Adair
21.Carolyn Davidson
22.Susan Fox
23.Kit Gardner
24.Emma Goldrick
25.Sherrilyn Kenyon/Kinley MacGregor
26.Laurell K. Hamilton
27.Lorraine Heath
28.Loretta Chase
29.Linda Howard
30.Jillian Hunter
31.Joan Johnston
32.Katherine Sutcliffe
33.Penny Jordan
34.Stephen King
35.Lynn Kerstan
36.Kim Lawrence
37.Miranda Lee
38.Johanna Lindsey
39.Sandra Marton
40.Mary McBride
41.Lyn Stone
42.Meagan McKinney
43.Susan Napier
44.Laura Parker
45.Susan Elizabeth Phillips
46.Laura Renken/Melody Thomas
47.Karen Robards
48.Susan Sizemore
49.Deborah Smith
50.Theresa Weir
51.Susan Wiggs
52.Gayle Wilson
53.Jennifer Ashley
54.Deborah Simmons
55.Kathryn Smith
56.Dean Koontz
57.Jo Beverley
58.Pam Crooks

Those are the ones that stick out and populate, often to excess, my bookshelves.

2004-05-19T14:12:00.000-07:00

I wanted to veer off subject and discuss my addiction...Books.
My room is overflowing with them. I have probably several hundreds in that entity that us bookworms know as a To Be Read Pile or TBR pile for short. A thousand I have read but I cannot bear to be parted with. I have no room to buy new ones, but I will. Why can't I stop? This is a double-edged sword. Because I am glad that there are always new stories to be told, but at the same time if I didn't get the urge to read more books because I like the story or plot, then I would have a lot more money and room. I suppose there are worse addictions, but I feel guilty when I take a pile of books to the counter at the bookstore. Even at the ubs where the owner own's 4000 of her own, I still feel like a person who lacks self-control, a spendthrift, a frivolous person. I pray about it, and I ask God to forgive my materialism, this terrible urge to buy and collect books, but I cannot help it. If I have a bad day at work, I get the itch to go to the bookstore. Heck, I can't hardly pass a bookstore without stopping in. My backpack that I take to work is overflowing with books. I have a rule that I must always have at least two books on my person, just in case... I often turn down invitations to eat lunch with coworkers because I want to use the time to read. I sound rather maudlin, perhaps a little tragic and it is actually quite humorous. I should look at it as a blessing that I can afford to buy books and also that I am a patron who helps word artists sell their books so they can make a living and get their ideas out on paper. There is a joy to reading books. I know that it stems from the unhappy years in my childhood where reading was the only sure escape. I crave that ability to be sucked into a great story between the pages of a book as I did as a child. I mean there was television, but it never held the same joy as a good book. I guess I like to draw the pictures myself instead of looking at the visuals that someone else had drawn based on their interpretation of a story. I must admit that I would rather give up the television then the ability to read a book. Now movies, that's another story for another blog entry....

2004-05-12T13:15:00.000-07:00

I was at one of my favorite places, Barnes and Noble and I saw this book that was called 1000 Movies You Should See Before You Die and it inspired this blog. It will probably take some time, but I want to list my 1000 (or close to that) that I recommend seeing before you die. Here goes nothing...
1.Armageddon
2.Mulan
3.Van Helsing
4.Bram Stoker's Dracula
5.The Mummy
6.The Mummy Returns
7.Room With A View
8.Lady Jane
9.Kiss The Girls
10.Deep Blue Sea
11.Rebecca
12.Topper Returns
13.Arsenic and Old Lace
14.The Long Hot Summer
15.Cat on A Hot Tin Roof
16.The Time Machine (both versions)
17.The Shadow
18.Mystery Men
19.Better Off Dead
20.Shag
21.The Rundown
22.My Chauffeur
23.Valley Girl
24.Sixteen Candles
25.The Breakfast Club
26.Original Sin
27.The 13th Warrior
28.Sleepy Hollow
29.The Brotherhood of the Wolf (Le Pacte De Loups)
30.Peace Hotel
31.The Killer
32.Face/Off
33.Hardboiled
34.Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
35.So Close
36.The Transporter
37.Snatch
38.Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
39.The Professional
40.Patriot Games
41.Mission Impossible 2
42.Far and Away
43.Willow
44.Dangerous Liaisons
45.Bridget Jones Diary
46.Die Hard
47.The Last Boy Scout
48.Stargate
49.Splash
50.The Prince of Egypt
51.Finding Forrester
52.Good Will Hunting
53.Night of the Hunter
54.Tears of the Sun
55.White Oleander
56.The Ten Commandments
57.The Omega Man
58.The Italian Job
59.Supernova
60.Lover Come Back
61.Pillow Talk
62.The Thrill of It All
63.The Truth About Charlie
64.Desperado
65.Tigerland
66.The Magnificent Seven
67.The King and I
68.Dance With Me
69.Vacation
70.Christmas Vacation
71.Vegas Vacation
72.The Goonies
73.Weird Science
74.Real Genius
75.The Mask of Zorro
76.Pitch Black
77.Spartacus
78.Gladiator
79.Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
80.Rough Magic
81.LA Confidential
82.Memento
83.The Matrix
84.The Matrix Reloaded
85.The Matrix Revolutions
86.Timeline
87.Dracula 2000
88.Equilibrium
89.Reign of Fire
90.The Birds
91.Marnie
92.Psycho
93.A Christmas Carol
94.It's A Wonderful Life
95.The Bride of Frankenstein
96.Heaven Knows, Mister Allison
97.My Fair Lady
98.Lady and The Tramp
99.Findings Nemo
100.Mary Poppins
101.The Sound of Music
102.The Hunted
103.Highlander
104.Underworld
105.Cat People
106.Flash Gordon
107.Legend
108.The Lost Boys
109.Lethal Weapon
110.Lethal Weapon 2
111.Lethal Weapon 3
114.Lethal Weapon 4
115.Kiss of the Dragon
116.Romeo Must Die
117.Queen of the Damned
118.The Rock
119.Pearl Harbor
120.Bad Boys
121.Cliffhanger
122.The Specialist
123.Demolition Man
124.True Lies
125.The Terminator
126.Terminator 2:Judgement Day
127.Hulk
128.Black Hawk Down
129.The Bourne Identity
130.Blade
131.Blade II
132.Speed
133.Hope Floats
134.While You Were Sleeping
135.Dreamcatcher
136.The Edge
137.Shadowlands
138.The Sum of All Fears
139.Daredevil
140.X-Men
141.X2: X-Men United
142.The Usual Suspects
143.Confidence
144.The Best Man
145.Coming to America
146.Trading Places
147.Bowfinger
148.Red Heat
149.Tombstone
150.West Side Story
151.The Punisher (2004)
152.Bulletproof Monk
153.Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings
154.Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
155.Lord of the Rigns: The Return of the King
156.Hildago
157.Clueless
158.Chicago
159.Entrapment
160.Raiders of the Lost Ark
161.Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
162.Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
163.Minority Report
164.Empire of the Sun
165.A Life Less Ordinary
166.Charlie's Angels
167.Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle
168.Shrek
169.Sleeping Beauty
170.Beauty and the Beast (Disney)
171.Toy Story
172.Hellboy
173.Mimic
174.Fright Night
175.The Apartment
176.Some Like It Hot
177.Spartacus
178.Gothika
179.Swordfish
180.Old School
181.School of Rock
182.Jersey Girl (2004)
183.The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Disney)
184.Glory
185.Amistad
186.The Sum of Us
187.A Far Off Place
188.The Thing From Outer Space
189.The Thing
190.Romancing the Stone
191.The Princess Bride
192.The Wizard of Oz
193.Backdraft
194.Big Trouble in Little China
195.Daddy Day Care
196.Species
197.The Count of Monte Cristo
198.Frequency
199.Dante's Peak
200.Goldeneye
201.Live and Let Die
202.License to Kill
203.Die Another Day
204.Tomorrow Never Dies
205.Return to Me
206.Playing God
207.The General's Daughter
208.The Devil's Advocate
209.The Gift
210.The Towering Inferno
211.A Time To Kill
212.Flatliners
213.Incognito
214.Cold Mountain
215.Paycheck
216.Great Expectations (Ethan Hawke version)
217.The Frighteners
218.Back to the Future
219.Back to the Future 2
220.Back to the Future 3
221.Alien
222.Aliens
223.Predator
224.Predator 2
225.Superman
226.Superman II
227.Superman III
228.Batman
229.Batman Forever
230.Batman Returns
231.Batman and Robin
232.The Peacemaker
233.Ocean's Eleven
234.The Dark Crystal
235.The Neverending Story
236.Enemy Mine
That's it for now....Will continue at a later date

..D

2004-05-11T15:07:00.000-07:00

I saw Van Helsing on Sunday, May 9 and I loved it. It was a totally engrossing visual feast. I thought the acting was great, the story, and the special effects. It all combined to make great movie entertainment. I definitely want to see more of these movies. I would also like if they had some books based on the Van Helsing character. I think that Stephen Sommers never lost that magic that us movie buffs develop as a child and often lose along the way. I think movies that are dramas or character studies are great. But movies like Indiana Jones, The Mummy, and Van Helsing are also important. I went to Barnes and Noble and bought Bram Stoker's Dracula to read. I had started it years ago but didn't finish it. But I definitely want to. I don't want to leave that universe behind.
Well, anyway, on the radio they were saying the critics hated Van Helsing, and I can't fathom why. Oh well. To each their own. In my opinion, there wasn't a thing wrong. But I can tell you some things I liked:
1. Great hero-Hugh Jackman did an excellent job
2. Great heroine-Kate Beckinsale is a kick-ass heroine and had a great accent.
3. Great Dracula-Richard Roxburgh definitely personalized Vlad and made him sexy.
4. The Brides were sexy and scary!!!
5. Loved Van Helsing's sidekick, inventor chap, wonderfully played by the adorable David Wenham.
6. Wonderful sets!!!! So beautiful it was like being in another world.
7. Stellar special effects
8. Action sequences to die for
9. A human element and a great story
10. A cool twist on the old story.
Movies like this only come along once in a lifetime. So I guess I'll have to watch it a lot. Going to see it tomorrow.
great acccent

...D

2004-04-28T21:53:00.000-07:00

I just want you to know that I'm totally hooked on the Sherrilyn Kenyon Dark Hunter books. I've tried but I can't stop reading them. I'm on Kiss of the Night right now, and although Dance With the Devil is still my favorite, I love how each book reveals a new layer.

Zarek's story made me sob. I wanted to ease all his pain. I have never been so glad for a happy ending. It's so terrible the cruelty that man is capable of. Zarek's whole life was misery upon misery. He was horribly beaten and scarred. Maimed even. It makes me cry to think about it. I know that Jesus would have enfolded him in His big arms and held him tight against his chest.

The books have a lot of paganism in them, being as they are based on ancient mythology. For myself as a Christian this is a different world. I'm glad that I have my background in mythology and watching Hercules and Xena or it would have turned me off. But one thing to say for the books, it has sparked my interest in ancient history. I always was a world history lover but I'm tempted to find a great big world history book and read it from cover to cover.

I must say I have great admiration for Ms. Kenyon as a writer. I love how she created a new world with intricate mythology (admittedly taken from existing myths-but richly elaborated upon). I was already positively prejudiced towards the books by the fact that I love her MacCallister series written as Kinley MacGregor. I loved Sin but my true love is for the ultimate of tortured heroes, my darling Zarek, whom I want to enfold in my arms and love like a hurt, abandoned child.
I went off on a tangent there. But if you've read the books, you'll feel me.

Boy am I glad that there are infinite dark hunter tales to tell...I would pine otherwise.

D..

2004-04-15T21:44:00.000-07:00

Today I thought I'd talk about comic books.
My Favorite Comic Book Characters.
10.Rogue
9.Storm
8.Batman
7.Lara Croft (Tomb Raider)
6.Blade
5.Deadpool
4.Daredevil
3.Elektra
2.Catwoman
1.Gambit

Gambit makes number one because he's sexy and ambivalent. Blade is bad!!! Elektra is an assassin who twirls sais. Enough said. Deadpool is wonderfully sarcastic. Catwoman has been a villain and a hero. Daredevil takes the law to a new level. Plus he's sexy in read leather. And Ben played him in the movie. Storm is a role model for Black women everywhere. Lara Croft took Indiana Jones, made it XX chromosome and added more guns. Batman's just too cool for words. Rogue is Gambit's true love but also one touch senorita. I'm glad that we have good old comic books to translate into movies.

2004-04-14T22:02:00.000-07:00

Sorry but I need to rant!!!!!
I just watched the sixth to last episode of Angel, and I am pissed.
Why oh why does poor Gunn have to stay in the hell dimension where he lives in suburbia and get his heart ripped out every day?
Hello! They need to go and get him, and I mean now!!!!
So he did a bad thing. Who the heck hasn't in the Buffyverse? I mean Willow flayed a person alive and tried to bring on the end of the world. What about the spells she cast multiple times on her fellow Scoobies. Buffy is the worst girlfriend ever! They should call her Buffy the Heartslayer. And let us consider Angel. Granted he did go to hell, but he did a lot of dirt in his day. What about the annoying kid sister Dawn? She deserves a little sojourn in Hell simply for being annoying. All I'm saying is that they need to go save Gunn. Alas, the body count grows....

2004-04-14T17:03:00.000-07:00

Howdy! This is my first message. Let me tell you a little about me. I'm heavy into two things, other than being a Christian: Books and movies. Particularly romance novels and action/sci-fi movies. I always wanted to get my thoughts out there in case someone was looking for an unbiased, but often friendly opinion of things. So here we go......

Gatadelafuente coming out to you on April 14, 2004!