Good things...

Scribes began two and a half years ago as a source of inspiration and encouragement to three (and, a little later, four) unpublished writers. Since then two of us have made it, India Grey, who writes for Mills & Boon Modern Romance, and Bronwyn Storm, who writes primarily for The Wild Rose Press. Two out of four, that ain't half bad!

As for Annie and Eva, we've moved on to other things but have plans to return full-time to writing in the future. Both of us have enjoyed success and don't intend to stop now. Our time will come—just you wait.

This post, and Brown's below, mark the end of an era. We will no longer be regularly updating this blog. However, don't worry, we're not taking it down. You can come here as often as you like and search our archives for inspiration, advice, and humour. Feel free to visit us anytime you please: to ponder the mystery of Annie's true identity (for those who haven't guessed), to read of the powers of India's lucky mug or to learn of Eva's penchant for scouring university campuses in search of heroes for her historicals, and/or to fully appreciate the generous spirit of Brown who has been a great source of support both as a regular visitor to the blog and (a little later) as an equally regular contributor.

Finally, this post is dedicated to the woman who brought us together. India calls her a real-life fairy godmother and she is certainly that. We must thank Penny Jordan for introducing us to each other: India, Annie and myself at writerly gatherings held in her sumptuous home in Cheshire, and Brown back in Canada via email. Thanks a million, Penny!

Thanks, too, to my fellow scribes. It's been a blast.

Good things don't come to an end...they evolve and, with a little luck (and an equal measure, if not more, of effort) surpass our wildest expectations.

Thanks for the Memories

Who sings that song? Shoot. It's a great song, Thanks for the Memories, deep beat, fun lyrics...it's been rattling around my head all week and makes me think of my Scribes.

Life gets so busy and I don't get to post as often as I'd like, but Scribes holds such a soft place in my heart. It's the touchstone for me, where distance didn't matter...

Scribes was my first foray into group blogging, friends in Montreal, and the UK. My introduction into the madcap lives writers lead (though I hold to their lives being far more glamorous than my own)...

Thanks for the memories, Scribes, and I hope the day finds you all well!

My Stinky Confession

I miss deodorant. I really do. I'm all for anti-persperants and extra-strength protection that even when I'm in the shower and have water blasting me at all sides, my arm pits remain baby soft & desert dry.

It nostalgia, I think. It reminds me of bell bottoms, shoulder-pads, Debbie Gibson and Huey Lewis. I MISS the 80s, damn it. I love today's music, but there was just something sweeter and happier about those long-gone days.

Today Carrie Underwood sings about bashing in her boyfriend's truck for cheating on her...back then Stevie Wonder sang about his part-time lover...today, it's 50 Cent and The Candyshop. Yesterday, it was Marvyn Gaye (I believe) and Sexual Healing...

Plus, those were the days I could still convince myself that under the right circumstances, George Michael and I would be the ideal couple. No such dreams for today's up and coming 15 year-old girl.

While I can no longer lay claim to Georgy, I did manage to find roll on deodorant at my local organic store. Talk about simplifying my life...talk about taking things slow...I need an hour just to put it on and let it dry...

To All of Our American Friends

Happy Almost 4th of July!! Have a safe & happy holiday!!!

glitter-graphics.com

The Hits Keep Coming

Well!! My goodness!!!

Talk about cool-i-o!

Ethan's Chase won the Jenette Green's "Favorite Book of the Month" contest and will be featured on her Find a Great Romance blog for the month of July.

And...

Grace Tyler posted about The Genie's Curse on her blog:
This 55-page novella is a delight to the funny bone. How great is a light-hearted paranormal comedy where the heroine spends more than half the story trapped in a dog's body? Every word is as delicious as the cream cheese frosted cinnamon buns the hero withholds from Abby when she's Princess, the Irish Setter. A story for every romance lover.

What a nice way to start the weekend.

New Release

The Genie's Curse has hit the electronic shelves!

Simply Romance gave it a B+ and said:

Agnes Frump has been in love with her gorgeous neighbor Dillon McKenzie for years but all Dillon sees is his very best friend. Tired and discouraged and ready to quit, Aggie finds herself in the possession of a cursed genie and the next thing she knows she is quite literally in Dillon’s arms – as a dog. What ensues is both hilarious and touching as Aggie finds out how Dillon really feels about his next-door neighbor.

The characters are engaging and easy to love, although sometimes you want to whack Dillon up side the head for missing out on Aggie. The interactions between Dillon and Aggie as a dog are meaningful and heartwarming. Check out The Genie’s Curse for a fun, sweet romance about people who are just meant to be.

In other news, I'm finding it damned hard to be a good environmentalist when my printer refuses to cooperate. Not only does it spit out once-used paper with self-aware disdain and keep spitting it out, until it reaches a virgin leaf, but I can no longer shut it down. When I do, a frantic message pops up on my screen, "PRINTER DISCONNECTED!!" I can almost see the tower ringing its hands in panic.

If I try to turn the printer back on, its software refuses to recognize it, my computer refuses to recognize it (kind of like a husband who nips out to the pub for a pint and then staggers home in the wee hours to find the locks changed and his clothing strewn about the lawn).

If I restart the computer, the printer tries to re-install itself--doesn't matter that I keep telling it that it's ALREADY bloody installed...

Damned frustrating, let me tell you. So much for energy conservation. I've tried to install, and re-install, go to its creators for tech support...4 hours and they give me the self-same solutions (ha, try saying that 10X fast) I've already tried.

Luckily, I've discovered Hershey's Almond and Toffee Chocolate Bars...

A Job Well Done

It's June, and my kids (the ones I read with) have the attention span of gerbils...or so you would think.

Went for my usual time with them and wouldn't you know it? One of my little ones decided he'd rather read me the story he wrote (a take on Three Little Pigs) than go to recess...a lot of them are like this, now. They want to read, they want help with their writing. It's all very touching and inspiring, since these kids came into their class at the beginning of the year reading at 2 years (at least) below their grade level.

Now, they're all at grade level (or darn close).

They have excellent teachers and excellent volunteers (if I do say so myself)...To be honest, I'm a little weepy. They're going to be gone in a couple of weeks, heading on to summer break and then a higher grade level...and I will be left with memories.

These are the children that society devalues, those we regard as throw away and label. Yet, those are not the kids I see. They're bright--creepy bright--funny, and my God, SO LOVING. Group hugs, individual hugs, it didn't matter. The guys and the girls loved hugging and I loved being hugged.

Who doesn't? I'm only grateful the teachers never piled on when the kids decided to group hug--I've been hugged by those teachers. They hug hard enough to break ribs.

My office is full of little gifts from them...a hockey card, a pencil, a hand-drawn picture...years from now, they won't even remember giving them to me, but theywill always hold a a special place of honor in my office.

Last Friday, they gave me a huge card. Each student had drawn a picture of themselves and included a thank you to me...if only they know, I should be the one saying 'thank you.'

They taught me about persistence and hope, getting up after being defeated...most of all they succeeded, as students, as human beings, as tiny, little people I'm honored to call friends.

On insomnia

No one told me preteens suffered from insomnia. I know all about the other symptoms: acne, angst, attitude (and those are just for starters). I've been trying to convince my daughter to take advantage of the time by writing in her journal, listening to music, and reading. If only I had the time for such things. Typically, as soon as my head hits the pillows, and certainly two or three pages into the novel I'm currently reading, I'm fast asleep. (At least until offspring decides to get up and make yet another trip to the toilet.)

Here's what I'd be reading long into the night if I were not so tired, both of which I picked up over a week ago:

• The Last Rake In London by Nicola Cornick
• Your Scandalous Ways by Loretta Chase

I started Your Scandalous Ways and I'm still not done! Shameful!!

Terry Fator on David Letterman, Full Length

Oohh! Finally got the Terry Fator video!

Shut My Mouth

So...I've been invited to speak at the University of Alberta's Popular Print Cultures Conference and Festival. At first, I thought, eh, why not? It should be fun and I can finally have an excuse to get out of the house--not to mention, revisit my old Alma Mater.

That was back in March. Now, as June approaches and August draws near, panic--blind, frantic, complete, mind-boggling panic--has set in.

What the hell was I thinking?! What am I supposed to say?! What if I show up and no one else does? What if I show up and a bunch of people expect me to be some type of authority or knowledge base for writing romance? Who did I think I was to do this?

Mounds of chocolate, caffeine-laden drinks, starch, flannel pjs, nothing has helped this...

So, I turned to a couple of friends...

Friends, specifically my friends, are a very strange bunch. It doesn't matter what nutty idea I come up with, they completely take it in stride and assume I can do it.

Weirdos.

I said to one friend, "What if I burn a bunch of my stories to CD and NONE of them sell?"

She said, "At least, the next time you do something like this, you'll already have a bunch of CDs prepared."

There is no arguing that logic, though I was both surprised and shocked that she thought after defeat, I'd get back on that horse.

I said to another friend, "What if no one shows up?"

She said, "You know that show America's Got Talent? Terry Fator, the guy who won? He once preformed at a huge theatre--he walked out on stage and there was one guy in the audience."

And I wanted to say, "Well, yes, but he had one. I'm saying none." but that seemed like semantics, so I kept my mouth shut.

Then she went on to list Oprah (Oprah did Beloved and it bombed. OPRAH! If she can fall on her face, why can't you?"), Stephen King ("You know, he threw "Carrie" into the wastebasket, said he'd be a failure as a writer)...

Since this particular friend has a seeming encyclopediac (k, is that even a word?) knowledge of successful artists who've struggled, and since she seemed quite content to rattle them all off...well, I know when I'm in a battle I'll never win.

So, I'm off to make a To Do list for the festival, find a cane for when my knees get weak, and maybe a lovely silver flask to hold some liquid courage...as for the friends, well, they've promised to come to the festival and threaten people with physical harm unless they buy from my table.

It's nice to know I've got friends willing to risk a criminal record and broken nails to support me.