Reading - A Personal History, and an Unofficial Poll

The bookshelf meme of the other day got me thinking about my reading habits.

I began picking books from the adult section of the Mary J.L. Black Library when I was 13; there was no 'young adult' books back then, or certainly none that I was aware of. One of the first 'grown up' books I ever read was Sydney Sheldon's Rage of Angels, and I was blown away. Up to that point, I'd been reading the sappy 'tween' books, "Rachel hated being 14. Too young to date, too old for childish games AND she had a crush on her best friends younger brother... blah blah yawn blah". In Rage of Angels, I'd finally found a book that moved me emotionally while keeping pace with my need to consume plots and characters, and something that took me more than a wintery Saturday afternoon to read from cover to cover.
I carried RoA around with me for weeks, propping between the cover of my biology book, science text, or whatever class I was in (yeah, my grades reflected it)...

After reading everything Sidney Sheldon had to offer, I moved on to category romances - checking new Harlequins out as soon as they hit the circular racks. (Probably a good thing the Blazes weren't around then, 'cause those would have been one hell of an education for a small-town gal like me *snicker*)

I grew bored of Harlequin by age 17 and moved to Danielle Steele (The Promise *sigh* - I still remember Nancy & Michael. This is the first book that made me cry.), then eventually Johanna Lyndsay, Kathleen Woodiwiss (r.i.p.) and a few other romance divas.
Then it stopped. I couldn't pick up another romance or bodice ripper. I moved completely away from anything with any hint of romance and dived feet first into anything with espionage, guns or the cold war. Ludlum was my new god.
Fast forward, I went into mainstream and literary. I actually sort of privately scoffed at romance *ducking*.

My point? I've come full circle. On my bookshelf you'll find a little taste of everything, from Harlequin Superromances to literary - historical non-fiction, vampires, dukes and Borgias - courtroom dramas, suspense and chick lit.

What's important to me now is looking for a GOOD book - a well-written, well-plotted story that moves me emotionally and presents characters that I can relate to on some level and a believable plot (or convincingly unbelievable!). Now, where have a heard that before?
I've come full-circle as my tastes and expections matured. And if anything, I've learned not to shun a book because of it's genre or, to borrow a cliche, never judge a book by it's cover.

Unofficial Poll: How have YOUR reading habits changed over the years?

And writers - go check out Amy's musings on plotter vs pantser at Six Degrees of Sexy...

Eve Silver's His Dark Kiss *sigh*

Have you read anything by Eve Silver yet? If not, get ye to your local bookstore and pick up a copy of His Dark Kiss.
Admittedly, I haven't read a gothic romance in some years *ahem 20 cough cough* so picked it up with the slightest pause. But only the absolute slightest - because I happen to know Eve Silver (I was once fortunate enough to be in her group for a critique workshop and SHE ROCKS) so I knew I wasn't in for a bad book -- perhaps just one not so suited to my particular tastes...
Anyhoo, this book was excellent. A one-sitting, cover-to-cover, stay-up-until-it's-done read.

Eve Silver - I hearby dub thee
~ The Queen of Sexual Tension ~

Fellow writers, hear me: She's so damn good at it, I felt like I was going to pop from the agony of it. I wanted to take notes, but was too enraptured to get off of my easy chair to find a pen and paper, so settled for dog-earring pages *cringe* of scenes I want to revisit when writing my own 'build-up' scenes.
Now I've got to go find me a copy of Dark Prince to take on vacation with me next week...

Eve also writes as Eve Kenin for the new Shomi line -- her book Driven will be out this September.

FIVE LIPS - WOOT!

Destiny by Design got a 5 Lip rating from TwoLips Reviews!! Here's what Kerin had to say:

Destiny by Design is a delicious read that you don’t want to miss. Simon is the perfect mix of hot construction worker, intelligent businessman and talented lover. His sense of humor is fantastic and his commitment to doing what’s right is admirable. Ellis is a bit quirky but oddly I could relate to everything that she said. She’s a delightful combination of unique and sassy and her inhibitions with Simon makes for some hot, hot scenes!

With a dash of humor, a bit of intrigue and a whole lot of chemistry, Destiny by Design is juuuust right! I look forward to reading more by the talented and entertaining Wylie Kinson!

Ouch!
Damn it... I think I just threw my shoulder out patting myself on the back...

Bookshelf Meme

TL has a fun meme to share:

"The rules are to provide a list of books that you have on your shelves to see if anyone can learn about you from them - but not just any books. They have to be books that you've actually paid for, nothing given, borrowed, stolen, or whatever."

1. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling
3. Angels Fall by Nora Roberts
4. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
5. History of Art, Fifth Edition, Janson
6. The Story of Elijah by Nicholas Temple-Smith
7. Raising Boys by Steve Biddulph
8. The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
9. Promise Me by Harlen Coben
10. The Art of Deception by Ridley Pearson
11. Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith
12. The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant
13. Alien Overnight by Robin L. Rotham
14. Lover Awakened by JR Ward
15. A Concise History of the World, National Geographic

And there it is. Me in a nutshell. Or a bookcase.
I could have quite easily listed 50 more, but I'll spare you.
I tag Amy, Christine, KRISTY - her name is KRISTY!!!, Maureen and Nicholas. Bring it on!

Friday Four (in lieu of Thursday Thirteen)

I was just too busy to sit down and do a Thursday Thirteen yesterday, so I give you instead my Friday Four.

FOUR Things You Should NEVER Say to Your Mother

On learning about the birds and the bees -
"Actually Mom, it works better like this..." or
"Hey... that's not how my boyfriend showed me!"

Upon moving out of the family home for the first time -
"Don't worry about me, Mom. As long as I have a back and legs, I'll never starve."

In answer to the question, "When are you going to settle down and get married?" -
"As soon as Butch gets out of jail."

If you've got one to share, put it in comments and I'll post it here!

Sparky Duck's version "well as long as I have kneepads I will never starve"

Part II: We interrupt this regularly scheduled life...

Wednesday, 5:47pm
Just finished *sniff* Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows *sob*
No spoilers except to say that JK ended it perfectly...

now perhaps I can resume life.

We interrupt this regularly scheduled life...

Unable to blog. Unable to write.
Harry Potter - 1/2 way through!

Crazy Days of Summer

Ah... the crazy days of summer. Sorry? What's that you say?? It's the LAZY days of summer??
Not around the Kinson household!
The non-stop nuttiness began Friday morning with the collision of hubby's pancakes-in-bed birthday party, the launch of Six Degrees of Sexy, the release of Christine's book (and Joely's, though I haven't downloaded it yet), and the Harry Potter 7 party...
Saturday was entirely consumed by the TRW newsletter in between bouts of marathon yawning and simultaneously reading The Bond That Ties Us, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (to my 7 year old) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Head-spinning.
On Sunday we had some friends over for a visit. It's always lovely to catch up with old friends, reminisce about the good old days in Bermuda, play a game of "have you heard from..." and share a few laughs.

So here I am, thankful that it's Monday. Is it just me, or are there others who thrive on routine?

My dear friend, fellow Six Degrees babe, TRW member and EC author, Christine d'Abo has written a sizzling erotic sci-fi romance that kept me up waaaay past my bedtime. If her debut novel is any indication of what this girl can do, we're in for a ride. Here's the official blurb:

Haylie knows her life is about to change the moment she sets foot on the Eurus colony. What she didn't count on was her instant, overwhelming sexual desire for the seven-foot-tall, sexy as hell alien ambassador. He's in her every thought and dream, teasing and taunting her body into a sexual frenzy.

Kamran has waited his whole life to find his bonded mate. When she arrives in the form of a slender human with brilliant eyes, he can't stop his all-consuming need to possess her. If their bond is discovered, they will be forced by Briel law to leave the colony, giving up the lives they've worked so hard to build.

While Haylie and Kamran fight their growing desire, their colony is threatened by an unseen enemy. When the colony comes under attack by a brutal alien force, can Haylie and Kamran keep their bond a secret and stop the invasion in time to save everyone?

A great deal of imagination went into creating the Eurus colony, yet didn't overwhelm this non-sci-fi reader with a lot of made-up lingo or weird names (for the record, the overuse of apostrophes in alien names only serves to frustrate this reader!) and there were enough 'earthly' elements in the story to connect to, despite the fact that it takes place on a planet 20 light years away and 200 years into the future.
The sexy-factor... The chemistry between Haylie and Kamran begins in the first few pages of the book and doesn't let up. When the couple get together, well, let's just say that Miz d'Abo knows her way around human anatomy. Briel anatomy too, for that matter! But for all the graphically described tete-a-tetes, it never got boring. She managed to keep the heat level high and the naughtiness fresh.
Well done, my friend! I look forward to your next book.

I'm blogging over at Six Degreesof Sexy today. Please stop by and say hello!

An Award for Ass Kissing? How cool!!

Sparky Duck has bestowed upon me a great honor (cue trumpets) and awarded me with

THE POWER OF SCHMOOZE.

Tut-ta-TAH!

Here's the definition that goes with the award:

"As it goes, schmoozing is the natural ability “to converse casually, especially in order to gain an advantage or make a social connection.” Good schmoozers effortlessly weave their way in and out of the blogosphere, leaving friendly trails and smiles, happily making new friends along the way. They don’t limit their visits to only the rich and successful, but spend some time to say hello to new blogs as well. They are the ones who engage others in meaningful conversations, refusing to let it end at a mere hello - all the while fostering a sense of closeness and friendship."

Woot! How cool is that?? Thanks so much Sparky. In a completely non-sarcastic way, I'm very touched by this and want to add that nothing gives me pleasure like finding a new blogger that I feel I connect with. Such a cool little universe we've created for ourselves - not restricted by age, race, sex or border. Just common interests and a bit of cyber-friendship.

I'm passing this award on to my first official blog-friend, Thomma-Lyn at Tennessee Text Wrestling. She's the kindest, sweetest, gentlest soul with a intellectual streak that's downright scary. (Just get her started on physics... I dare you). TL respects the visitors to her blog -- always welcomes them and returns visits. And y'all - she's a terrific writer to boot!!

The second award goes to our Goddess Supreme, Primo Book Pimper, The Charming Geek Herself, Crowwoman Rhian. I'm happy to be considered one of her tribe and I speak for most of us writerly-types when I say THANK YOU for unrelenting support and pimpage.

And thanks again Mr. Duck, for adding some Spark to the blogosphere.

It's 1:04 in the morning...

...and I just got home with HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS!!!

I went to the release party with my 7 year old son (who went to bed at 7pm Friday evening and was awaken by mommy dearest at 10:30pm - in case my parenting skills are in question!) and what a cool thing to be apart of.
There were all sorts of displays, trivia games, tea leaf reading, wand making, costume contest, etc... The lines for both pre-ordered and those of us who didn't, were extraordinarily long, but once we did a big loud countdown to midnight, followed by hoots, hollers & hoorahs, the line moved very quickly. The book was in our hands by 12:17am.
If you can picture, the lines went through the entire store, from front to back, snaked around every book shelf and out the door. Hundreds, possible a good thousand people were in our local Chapters.
I don't plan on reading all night... but I'm glad I was part of the final HP release excitement. And glad I could share it with my darling 'Light'.

Introducing...

July 20th is a big day round here.

1. My hubby's birthday - my best friend, my soul mate, my OLD MAN *g* turns 41 today.

2. My good friend and talented author, Christine d'Abo has her debut novel, The Bond That Ties Us, out RIGHT NOW from Ellora's Cave (I'll be off-line for the better part of today, devouring this book!)

3. At 12:01 tonight (technically that's tomorrow, I know, but I don't count it as the next day until I've slept and woken) I will have a copy of the new Harry Potter in my hands. I'm taking Light (aka older son) to a release party at Chapters/Indigo

4. And finally, the blogosphere is getting SIX DEGREES HOTTER! That's right - a new blog to visit, 6 Degrees of Sexy, featuring 6 amazing authors (can I say that and not sound too egotistical considering I'm one of the authors?) - including Amy Ruttan, Robin L. Rotham, Renee Field, Christine d'Abo, Red Garnier and yours truly.
So please, stop by and check us out. We'll be posting at least 4x per week with lots of HOT topics.

Have a terrific weekend!

DISGUSTED

I just saw that the New York Times has published a review of the last and latest Harry Potter book a day before it's release.
This saddens and disgusts me. They couldn't wait a day?? The claim to have gotten a copy of the book at a NY bookstore.
Some people have no respect... And yes, the review does reveal a few plot details *hands over my ears* LA LA LA LA LA LA

Thursday Thirteen #26 - My Favorite Smells

THIRTEEN FAVORITE SMELLS

1. Autumn leaves - the crisp earthy smell. Reminds me of jumping into massive mounds of colorful birch and maple leaves when I was a kid.
2. My children's hair when they've been outside playing.
3. On a similar note, the smell of sheets that have hung on the line all day.
4. Vanilla - both stimulates the appetite and calms. Good thing the extract doesn't taste as good as it smells or I'd be an addict.
5. Baking bread - really, do I have to justify this one?
6. Pizza, like when you open the box or first walk into a pizza parlor.
7. My hubby's skin when he's been in the sun. (no, not sweat, it's another kind of smell)
8. For the over 40 crowd - remember the smell of test papers that the teacher ran fresh off the old Gestetner machine? Mmmmm... chemicals.
9. McCurdy's Insect Repellant (maybe this is just a childhood at-the-cottage memory)
10. The ocean, first thing in the morning.
11. Steaks on the BBQ.
    
12. Fresh paint.
    
13. My cat's paws. (But he died last month *sniff* so no more smelly cat feet)
    

Happy TTing - don't forget to leave your name.

Musings & Another Unofficial Poll

We've got a new blogger to visit -- a writer who is both funny and sweet. Go say hello to her at http://apprentice-writer.blogspot.com/

Happy to report that... Oh, screw it. You don't care if I go to the gym daily, do you? You want to know how my wip is coming along.
Here's me focusing *deep breath*
The word count on The Elements of Attraction has topped the 24,000 mark. I'm not doing the 70 Days of Sweat challenge - mostly because I don't like the name.
Sweat? Yuck. If it were the 70 Days of Sheen, maybe... or 70 Days of Writing-Induced-Glow, I'd be in.
Of course I jest. See this post for the real reason.

But I digress.
The challenge for me with Elements is that I have no idea how long this story is/should be. I know it won't be a full-length novel. I know it's not a short story. It may reach 30,000 - which is what I estimated for on my word meter - but it may stretch to 35 or 40,000. Which leads me to speculate; should I try and push it to 50,000, or maybe 60,000? Can I add enough plot twists to turn it into category length? Do I want to?? I haven't mastered the sub-plot yet... is this the time?
My other dilemma - will it be hot enough for EC? At this point, it doesn't look good. Which is ironic since the original story idea was definitely an EC -- it just morphed and grew into something different. I've asked a few friends this question already, but I'd like to put it out to you all in another ~
UNOFFICIAL POLL: When you write a new piece, do you have a specific publishing house/line in mind therefore write to their submission requirements, or do you just write the story and worry about finding a home for it later, even it means changing word-counts, heat levels, etc.?

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Oh - and go check out Nicholas's latest post for a head-shaking chuckle.

Coming Soon

Only 4 days until the launch of the hottest new blog in bloggersville,

Six Degrees of Sexy
...ignite your mind!

Stay tuned for more info...

He won.

Victory is his. My internal editor won. He wouldn't/couldn't let me go any further on the current MESS that is my WIP. I printed it off over the weekend and began fiddling. Not a line/word edit, but a context edit. I'm writing this one by scene (riding my mood, people!) rather than a linear "In the beginning.... Amen" fashion, which is adding to the confusion.
Unofficial Poll: Do you write your stories in order from beginning to end, start to finish?? Or do you write the integral scenes - first meeting, black moment, sexual encounters - and then tie them all together?

Wonder why my inner critic is a male? Mainly because I want to the be only one in this house who can be called a perfectionist bitch ;0
Meanwhile, my IE is a slave-driving, impossible-to-please bastard.
Get it?

It's so good to have Red back! And Robin, and Maureen, Robyn (who did a fab job with updates and pics) from Nationals. Welcome home ladies, you were missed. Leah - we're still waiting for you.

Go over to Rhian's and check out all the hot new releases. And don't forget - Christine's book debut's in 4 short days (woo-hoo!).

NEW BLOG LAUNCH THIS WEEK! There's a new blog launching this week. You won't want to miss it (trust me!) -- More on this later.

Short post, (alas, no poetry AGAIN) but I've got two goals today:
Butt-chair.
Nose-grindstone.

RWA Awards

Apparently the RWA website has crashed. I know that I've been trying since 7pm with no luck, so that explains it!
For anyone interested in the results of the RITA & Golden Hart Awards, the Smart Bitches are blogging from the ceremonies: http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php
I haven't seen our TRW member's names come up - yet, but fingers are crossed!

Mounting Word Counts

Many of The Tribe (to steal Rhi's collective) are doing the Allison Kent's 70 Days of Sweat writing challenge and I've enjoyed reading their blogs for daily updates, word counts, road blocks and success tidbits. I love cheering them on -- sort of self gratifying to stand on the sidelines and wave my virtual pompoms in the air.

What I find fascinating is how many words these ladies can crank out in a day. These writer-gals are seriously smokin'!!

On a good day - one which offers me 2-3 uninterrupted writing hours (these are rare!), I'm lucky to come out 800-1,200 words ahead. Yes, much of this is my internal editor, wasting precious moments on discovering 'the perfect word', but I've also come to the conclusion that I'm just a slow writer. I plod. I pause. I sip tea.
This is not a woe-is-me actualization, but rather a heads-up -- a warning of sorts -- that I should never get tangled up in a Novel-in-a-Week, NaNoWriMo, or any other type of marathon writing session because I'm doomed to fail. And there is nothing worse than overcoming my inner critic when I've not lived up to his expectations (yes, my inner critic is male).

So although I may have been a bit envious of The Tribe's Sweat, a bit resentful of the fact that I don't have the time to devote, I've concluded that better this little fraction of self-discovery now than the feelings of failure I'd have to overcome later. (Failure is a motivation killer, wouldn't you agree?)

That said, all these mounting word counts are indeed having a motivational effect on me -- so just for fun, I'm going to put a word counter up on my sidebar so I can visually see my wip progress. Trouble is, I seriously don't know how many words I'm aiming for! How lame is that? Let's say 30,000.

Pouting

I have been in a right bloody sulk for two days. All the cool kids are at Nationals and I'm home amusing my children.
Today I took them to a petting zoo.
I'm feeding goats while Leah is meeting JR WARD!!!!!

Last night I sat in front of my computer, too sulky to write.
There was nothing good on television, my hubby took my son to see a FIFA U-20 soccer game and I sat home and called my mother. She usually makes me feel better.
To know me is to know I'm not a pouty sulky kinda gal, but just knowing that Robin is signing her books, Red is lunching with ECers, Maureen's gearing up for her Golden Heart Award (it's a sure thing, right?), and so many of my writer friends/acquaintances are rubbing shoulders with the likes of Nora Roberts, Kelley Armstrong, JR Ward...

Kinda bitter. But hey -- only 383 days until the 2008 conference.

Thursday Thirteen #25 - Life Lessons

Summer holidays are draining my creative juices, so I borrowed the wisdom of syndicated columnist Dave Barry - and bring you his hilarious version of

THINGS IT TOOK ME 50 YEARS TO LEARN

1. Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built theTitanic.
2. A person who is nice to you but rude to a waiter is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.)
3. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.
4. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven.
5. Men are like fine wine. They start out as grapes, and it's up to the women to stomp the crap out of them until they turn into some thing acceptable to have with dinner.
6. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above-average drivers.
7. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.
8. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved and never will achieve its full potential, that word would be "meetings."
9. You should not confuse your career with your life.
10. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
11. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
12. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.
13. Your friends love you anyway.

Thanks for visiting and please share one of YOUR wisest or favorite life lessons in comments! I'll start you off: My fave is 'Man plans, God laughs' -- true true...

I'd rather be chocolate!

Stole this little gem from Sparky Duck. Seems he's also got what aman needs ;)

YOUR SCENT IS PUMPKIN PIE

Warm, comforting, and a bit old fashioned You've got what men want - believe it or not!

What's Your Girl Smell?

This is for Leah

This picture is dedicated to my friend Leah, who is off to Nationals tomorrow along with her bundle of nerves. It's a joke - she'll get it -- and is not meant to piss off or offend my US friends. It's an 1812 thing, not a Bush thing.

Anyway Leah -- good luck with your pitch (you'll do great!) and if your anxiety starts to creep up, just remember this picture :)

Threesome Saves The Blogosphere

I'm throwing out at big GOOD LUCK to our blog buddies that have dedicated the next 70 days to sweating. I'm referring to Alison Kent's novel in 70 days challenge, of course. Writing 70,000 to 100,000 words in that time period will stretch your creative muscles, for sure, but I have faith in you all - you talented bunch, you!

But alas, the blogs will suffer. Amy, Christine, TL, Red, Rhi -- y'all think it's going to be easy to keep up with your blogs AND your 4-6 pages a day? Especially since a few of you have releases upcoming, which all but paralyzes your creativitity for a few days, right Red?

But do not fear for Sparky Duck and I pledged to keep the blogosphere running. Perhaps we can recruit Nicholas to help carry the load...
Hey -- that could be a promising m/f/m threesome! *smirk*

I'm Ba-ack

I didn't think I would survive the week sans internet, but it turned out to be not so bad. The bad was coming home to 328 messages in my inbox.

Lovely vacation - lots of biking, playing in streams (I am a master rock-bridge builder, btw) and relaxing. I managed to add 5000 words to the manuscript-that's-going-nowhere, saw three movies and read one book.

I returned to find two lovely reviews for Destiny by Design (thanks Red!).
Tewanda from Fallen Angel Reviews gave it a 4 angel rating:

Wylie Kinson’s Destiny by Design is a charming mix of romance and mystery. Ellis and Simon are delightful characters that will touch the readers’ heart and have them wanting more. The physical chemistry between Ellis and Simon is blazing, even as they try to ignore all they have in common. I enjoyed how the two had to work together to determine who is undermining the contest. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Kinson.

And Roberta from All Romance Writers gave it at 9 out of 10 (whoop!):

Author Wylie Kinson has written a tantalizing tale that is more than romantica. The reader gets a peek at the cut-throat designer world. The love scenes will both tease and satisfy the appetite of any romance readers who craves spicy stories. With true talent such as Ms. Kinson's, it is easy to see why Ellora's Cave has thrived and grown.

Now that I feel somewhat validated (insert neurotic writer issues), I can get back to writing.
;)
And catching up on blogs, and returning emails...