I'd Like To Thank Those...

I would like to take the opportunity today, Veterans Day, to thank those brave men and women who serve our country and protect our freedom.Their sacrifices mean so much, and I for one am so glad they are out there, every day, doing what they do.

Today is also 11/11/11. Who out there is going to make a wish this morning at 11:11 AM, or tonight at 11:11 PM? Not that I'm sure if superstitions like this hold any merit, but wow, the pressure. I mean, this is a once in a lifetime wish, right? It's the biggest wish in the history of wishes. With the weight of something like that, I don't even know what I'd wish for! World peace? Cures for diseases? That chocolate cake was calorie-free? What about you? What would you wish for?

Have a great weekend!

Kristin

www.kristindaniels.com

www.facebook.com/authorkristindaniels

http://twitter.com/Kristin_Daniels

Rated Blah for Nudity

I realize that I’m old and unhip and probably not the first person one would turn to in a fashion emergency; however, that has not and will not ever stop me from giving an opinion on trends I see that even my most fashion-challenged characters (Vector Schloss, anyone?) would cringe at.

The latest trend in Hollywood, one that the rest of the U.S. will no doubt be saddled with for the next three years as it spreads across the country and finally dies an ignoble death on the east coast, is nude. I don’t mean like naked nude, which I could deal with. I mean like nude nude, as in the color nude.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I own two nude bras, which I wear regularly. However, it is not the same color as the nude being foisted upon the guileless masses and it’s not worn to be trendy, but functional. Therefore, it doesn’t count (my post, my rules…lol). I could give a hundred reasons why normal, rational women should avoid this trend, but I will narrow it down to five.

Reason #1—It’s ridiculous. As I mentioned above, nude is not really nude as in naked, which would look better. It’s actually a shade of flesh-colored, which means it’s some kind of tanish to mid-whitish to orange-ish, depending on the designer. That’s a lot of “ishes” for a color, and they weigh it down. Nude is not evil in and of itself, but its indisputable versatility brands it as an accessorizing tone that overstepped its bounds. It's a basic color and nothing more. Go back to the chorus line where you belong, Nude! You’ll never make it as the lead.

Reason #2—It’s boring and a sham. Nude is really just another shade of brown, except it’s supposed to fool the viewer of a particular outfit into believing that the wearer might be exposing some skin. What a sham. First, most women who want to bare their skin wear dresses with holes in them, plain and simple. Why bother with the fake stuff? And second, everyone knows you’re going for a shocking or sexy look, so it’s not shocking or sexy. Brown, like gray, can be incredibly nondescript if not paired with another shade of something, and it can be sexy if accessorized by a complementary color. However, nothing complements nude because it just sort of blends in with your skin because…it’s FREAKIN’ NUDE! The name says it all. You could put rubies, diamonds, and sapphires with a nude dress and all people would see is a chick wearing rubies, diamonds, and sapphires. The dress just sort of blandly blends in. Blah.

Reason #3—It’s confusing. Regardless of what fashion masters claim, nude peep-toe pumps are not the answer to your prayers. This line of thinking galls me. The idea is that if you wear nude peep-toe pumps like Kate Middleton touring Canada, the flesh color will give your legs a longer look because there won’t be any color on your foot to break the visual line. We use this same idea in ballroom dance competitions—flesh-toned shoes give the legs a longer look. However, we’re competing in DanceSport and lines are important. Unless you’re warming up for Dancing with the Stars, wearing nude shoes makes it look like you can’t color-coordinate or that you’re not wearing any shoes. Granted, most men can’t tell salmon from pink, but they can still be put off by a chick who looks like she’s not wearing any shoes with her pretty dress. They know you’re not barefoot, but since they can’t see your shoes, something must be amiss. It confuses them rather than sending a subliminal message such as, “Hey, stud, look at my loooooooooooooong legs!” Pick something that matches—men like women who can put two colors together—and quit trying to look like some leggy model. The designers aren’t lying about nude colors giving you a longer line, but really, is it worth confounding your date to look about one inch taller? If you’re 5’7”, do you really think appearing 5’8” is going to be the deal breaker?

Reason #4—I don’t like it. I’ve been through more pictures of celebrities with “red carpet” style than I care to admit, and I’ve never, ever seen anyone who can carry off nude. Their dresses may have a nice design, but the color makes it impossible to truly enjoy the ensemble because of the visual ambiguity of it all. Most women who wear nude colors look washed out, not cool and hip.

Reason #5—My heroines wouldn’t wear it. They’d go naked, and most of them do, but they wouldn’t wear something that makes them fade into oblivion from the neck down. Optical illusions aren't sexy; they're optical illusions.

Take my advice. If you must wear nude, match it with a colorful scarf or some other accessory that will offset its absolute blah-ness. Life is too short to wear a color that cheats your beauty.

How Do You Brainstorm?

I’ll get to that in a moment, first I need to vent. I’m apparently walking in a perpetual fog of oblivion here lately. You know where you’re on autopilot, going through the motions, but aren’t really there. Man, have I just had a what-in-heck-was-I-doing moment.

Just twenty minutes ago, I ran to the bank to deposit some money. Lady gives me back my card and my receipt and I guess here is where I checked out, because somewhere between leaving the bank, getting out of my car and walking inside my house, I’ve lost my bank card.

I SWEAR I had it in my hands when I got out of the car, so it had to happen between the walk from my car to the 30 feet inside to my chaise. Card gone. I retraced my steps, even looking in the freezer because I did stop to get some chicken out to defrost. Nope. Called the bank, just in case. Nope. Poured out my purse. Nope. Looked outside. Nope. Searched the car. Nope. Someone please tell me how that happens? It was 30 freaking feet!

After I get this blog up, I’m going to search again. As the saying goes, right now, if I didn’t have bad luck, I’d have no luck. LOL.

So brainstorming…the idea of this blog hit me yesterday as I was trying to figure out a plot-point for the next book in this series I’m writing. I’m almost done with the first book, and have a small subplot that will lead into the second book. Problem is, I have no reason for the character’s actions, and I really need to figure out what it is before I finish this book and write myself into a corner for the next book. So I got my handy-dandy notebook and pen and started jotting down questions. It got me to thinking on how other people brainstorm.

When I brainstorm by myself, it’s with a paper and pen. Really I don’t know why because it’s nothing I can’t really do in my head, but there is something about seeing “Why is she acting this way?” that helps keep me focused. I may stare at this question for thirty minutes without writing another word, but if I get off track (which is very easy for me) I just look at the question again and think “Why is she acting this way?” And I’m back to thinking about the book.

My brainstorming method seems to be a bunch of jumbled thoughts that if anyone was to take a glance at it, they'd probably send me a worried look and take a cautious step back.

For example, I have “murder” written in block letters, with three underlines, three exclamation points and then circled in a sea of words. Now, of course, murder isn’t going to work, so it is also marked out with a big X. But you see where, I’m going with this. Some random person who glances at my paper, isn’t going to see all the other stuff, he is just going to see the word “murder” jump out at him. This gave me a chuckle last night.

So what is your brainstorming method?

Esme

A Visit to Plockton in the Scottish Highlands

Plockton is a beautiful small village in Wester Ross on the northwest coast of Scotland. It sits in a sheltered bay on the edge of Loch Carron not too far from the ocean. Plockton is also a National Trust for Scotland conservation village, which helps preserve its heritage.

The day we visited was an incredibly beautiful, sunny day. We hadn't actually planned to visit Plockton but we'd gone on a sightseeing cruise and the captain recommended it since it was only five miles away from Kyle of Lochalsh.

 Plockton is one of the most attractive, picturesque villages in Scotland.  Since the BBC series Hamish MacBeth was filmed here in the mid 1990s it's been a popular tourist attraction. There are a number of hotels and B&Bs here to choose from.

 As you can see from the picture below, the main street is very narrow but it is two-way. Driving down it is an adventure in itself since you have to watch out for pedestrians and oncoming cars. And miss the parked cars. Fortunately, every few parking spaces is a pull-off space designed for passing oncoming cars.

 Plockton was originally known as Am Ploc. It was a crofting hamlet until the end of the 1700s. But during the Highland Clearances, landowners urged people off the land so they could make more money grazing sheep. Plockton became a port of embarkation where people whose families had lived here for many generations left for the New World.

 In the 1800s, Sir Hugh Innes, the landowner, developed a new fishing port called Plockton. During this time there was a "herring boom" and as many as 500 people lived in Plockton. But the herring boom soon ended and the potato famine struck in the 1840s. After that the village was known as Baile na Bochdainn, or "village of the poor."

 The railway came in the 1890s which helped the local economy. Today, Plockton is popular with artists. And there is an annual Plockton Regatta held for two weeks in late July/early August.

 Check out this view! This is where we sat to eat a spontaneous lunch of fish and chips at a picnic table. It was definitely one of my favorite days in Scotland and finding Plockton was like finding a hidden treasure.

Thanks for checking out my pics and visiting Plockton with me!
Vonda
www.vondasinclair.com

Top Picks at Night Owl Reviews!

I was thrilled with these two reviews from Night Owl Romance. Both 5/5 stars, Reviewer Top Pick!

My Fierce Highlander was an amazing read. I absolutely loved it and the characters. Gwyneth and Alasdair are very well developed. Gwyneth saves Alasdair's life at the risk of her own because she does not believe in the fighting. She wants it to stop and she sees the peace treaty that Alasdair was carrying. Alasdair is shocked that Gwyneth decided to save him. At first he is continually looking for the trick. Gwyneth and Alasdair are attracted to each other from the very beginning but Alasdair is seriously hurt and Gwyneth doesn't trust men. Gwyneth is forced to run to Alasdair's land with her son for their lives. Alasdair had been tracked back to her house. Alasdair takes them in without a problem and is grateful to do so. Alasdair fights his feelings at first for Gwyneth. He feels more than he thinks he should because of his dead wife.

Alasdair and Gwyneth complement each other very well. Gwyneth feels that she has to fight her desire because of what happened to her in the past. She has insecurities because of what society did to her. There is plenty of action in this story that keeps the reader guessing and intrigued. When I started reading this story I was immediately drawn in and didn't want to put the story down. The sex is somewhat explicit. There is not very much in the story but it is definitely there. There is emotion involved the entire time though. I loved the emotion involved and the dialogue between Gwyneth and Alasdair. ~Reviewed by: Tigger9


Book Blurb for My Fierce Highlander

Gwyneth Carswell, an English lady banished by her father to the harsh Scottish Highlands, wants nothing more than to take her young son away from the violence of two fighting clans--her own distant kin, the MacIrwins, and their enemies, the MacGraths. She risks everything to rescue the fierce MacGrath warrior from the battlefield where he’s left for dead by her clan. She only knows she is inexplicably drawn to him and he wants peace as she does. When her clan learns of her betrayal, they seek vengeance. Dare she trust the enemy more than her own family?

Laird Alasdair MacGrath is driven to end two-hundred years of feuding with the MacIrwins. But by taking in and protecting Lady Gwyneth and her son, he provokes more attacks from his mortal enemy. As the danger and conflict surrounding them escalate, Alasdair and Gwyneth discover an explosive passion neither of them expected. With the arrival of a powerful man from her past, a horrible decision confronts her--give up her son or the man she loves.

***

My Wild Highlander was a great read.

Lachlan, the main character, is Alasdair's brother from the first book in the series. Lachlan is being rewarded by the English King for his help in stopping a plot earlier on. He is betrothed to Lady Angelique, who hates men. She has had a bad past with men and so does not trust them at all. She wants someone that she can control but that is not who she gets in Lachlan. Angelique is very smart and she is very determined. Lachlan likes Angelique and wants to actually have a marriage with her but is not sure how to go about winning her over. He knows that she does not like him and men but is not sure what has happened to make her this way or how to get around it.

Lachlan has a lot of ground to cover. He now has to deal with the men that he is now Lord over and his wife. It is great to watch him figure out how to do this. He is definitely a romantic and wants to win his wife's trust and love. Angelique is trying to protect herself and so denies what she feels and tries to not feel anything for him. Lachlan and Angelique have chemistry from the very beginning and Lachlan teaches Angelique that sex is fine and good. The sex is explicit but is not overly so. I really enjoyed all of the emotion that is in the book and how it develops. There is plenty of action in this story. It definitely keeps you guessing what's going to happen next and it helps the characters admit their emotions sometimes. I loved the mix of romance and action.

This is the second story in this series. You do not have to read the first one to fully enjoy My Wild Highlander, but it does increase the enjoyment. ~Reviewed by: Tigger9


Book Blurb for My Wild Highlander

Lady Angelique Drummagan, a half-Scottish, half-French countess, has suffered much pain and betrayal in her past. She wants nothing to do with the sensual Scottish warrior that the king has ordered her to marry because the rogue could never be a faithful husband, but she has little choice in the matter. Dangerous, greedy enemies threaten her from all sides and she's in dire need of his protection.

Sir Lachlan MacGrath, known as Seducer of the Highlands, possesses a charming wickedness and canny wit which has earned him much popularity. After the king decrees that he wed the fiery hellion, Lachlan discovers there is one woman who can resist him--Angelique. Can he break through her icy façade and melt her heart, or will the dark secrets lurking in her past not only cost them their future together, but their very lives?

10 Things to Know About RISK IT

1. RISK IT is the second story in the Paolo’s Playhouse series.

2. RISK IT stars the couple on other side of the two-way mirror featured in FLAUNT IT, the first story in the series.

3. RISK IT is a hot story about a married couple finding their way back to each other

4. The heroine is a working mother and many women will be able relate to her struggles and her needs, I know I did.

5. The hero is a hot businessman for those readers who like their hero in (and out of) a suit.

6. The cover by Scott Carpenter is a gorgeous, richly colored work of art.

7. RISK IT is a story that features voyeurism for those who like to watch.

8. I’ll celebrate the release of RISK IT with a contest here next Monday.

9. You can pre-order RISK IT on sale here.

10. RISK IT releases from Samhain next Tuesday, Nov 15th.

Natasha
www.natashamoore.com

Are you NaNoing?

I suppose what I should ask is "Are you participating in National Novel Writing Month?" I am! Well, kinda, but I'll explain that in a minute. For those of you who don't know, National Novel Writing Month -- or NaNoWriMo -- is where you commit to writing a novel during the month of November. Yep, a 50,000 word novel. In layman's terms, that's a minimum of 1,667 words every day for 30 days. Sound difficult?

For some, maybe not. For me? Hell, yes. I've said before that I'm not the fastest writer around. If I can get 1,000 words down in one day, then I'm doing really good. And you may say that an additional 667 words doesn't sound like a lot, but trust me, it is. Especially when I'm an edit-as-I-go-er.

So, I decided to change things up. You guessed it -- I'm a NaNoRebel. Not only am I not starting a brand new novel for this experiment, but I'm also not really committed to the whole 50K thing. I know, I know. Why bother, then, right? Well, I'm bothering because I could use a good old fashioned kick in the pants. At the same time, though, I have to be realistic. I know what I can accomplish. I know what I want to accomplish -- which is to finish my current work-in-progress before the end of the year.

That being said, I've committed to writing at least 20K, with 30K being the max. And I also know that it's unrealistic for me to sit down and write 7 days a week. It's just not doable. So, I've committed to 5 days a week. Let me do the math for you -- that's 30,000 words in 22 days. 1364 words per day. Still a little high for me, but hey, it's worth a shot.

And how have I done so far, you ask? Well... Sigh. At any normal time, I'd say I've had a good week (so far). But for NaNo? I have to admit that I'm already a bit behind. Real life, and all that. I've logged in three word counts -- 11/1, 1120 words. 11/2, 1113 words. And 11/3, 500. Hey, I had to leave the house for a meeting, and then we went out to dinner, and then.... Well, you get the picture.

I have a feeling this is going to be a month filled with long, late nights. Not only does November have a huge holiday in it, but hubby's taking a bunch of vacation days, too. We're going to be doing some much-needed renovation around the house (new flooring, yay!), and all that starts today. But I'll trudge along, writing when I can to get those words in. Will I make it? Who knows. Will I enjoy trying? I think so. I'm having fun so far, and I love the direction my book is going, so win, win. Right?

For now, though, I'm off to get some words in for the day. Then, after that? It's hammer time (we're ripping up old tile!).

Have a great -- and productive -- weekend!

Kristin
www.kristindaniels.com
www.facebook.com/authorkristindaniels
http://twitter.com/Kristin_Daniels

PS, if anyone wants to buddy up with me for NaNo, I'm Kristin_Daniels over there!