Monday, June 30, 2008

More Movies! The Bucket List, The Bee Movie, The new Bond trailer for Quantum of Solace

Hubby's still away and I just need to take this opportunity to shout out to all single parents out there. How the heck do you do it?? *bowing*
Yes, the kids are mostly my responsibility all day long anyway, but it's always nice when the DH emerges from his work cave to hang out with the boys while I cook dinner, or dash to the grocery store. And DH always puts one of the kids to bed as they go at different times. With just me, the little one is getting to stay up extra late and I'm putting them down at the same time.
Four more days until co-parenting resumes!
And of course, I miss him for other things...

like cleaning the cat litter ;)

More movies!!
I love watching movies and my watching habits tend to come in clusters. I can go two or three months without seeing anything longer than a sitcom, then I need my fix. Here's what I saw this weekend:

Kids and I had our camping night (waaaay too many s'mores were consumed) and we hunkered in the basement in a mound of blankets and watched The Bee Movie.
I wasn't expecting much as I remember the reviews being sort of meh. I was pleasantly surprised -- it didn't suck. In fact, it was highly enjoyable. Don't know what all the 'meh' was about, except that I guess people expected something shiny and brilliant because Jerry Seinfeld is some sort of comedy god. Ha - remember how the world frowned upon the final episode of Seinfeld (I liked it just fine, btw).
So yeah, The Bee Movie was a hit for us. Funny, nice to look at, touched on a few social issues but nothing too far above the understanding of the kids, so it worked for us. :)

The Bucket List -- after a very long day of mini-golf and Chuck E Cheese, I sat down the other night and watched Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson in this dramedy.
Very enjoyable -- a couple of laughs and a few tears.
Though it deals with death, it isn't morose and I didn't find I was being hit over the head with "do it before you die" message.
It was actually more of a relationship movie... a bromance without the naughty...
Two people that need each other in order to find the missing pieces of their lives.
They begin as friends, go travelling together, have deep conversations in which they eventually open up and share personal details of their lives, and discover a deep connection.
See? A bromance! And a good one. You should see it.

Today I'm taking the munchkins to see WALL-E, so you'll doubtless hear more about that on Thursday. In the meantime, I leave you with the new trailer for the highly anticipated (by me) new Bond movie, Quantum Leap.
Wait, no. I'm having a 90's flashback.
Quantum of Solace or some such. Whatever. Just watch the trailer. And lament with me that Daniel Craig isn't wearing a speedo. Damn.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Summertime, S'mores and Blockbusters

ACK!
School is OUT!
Hot summer days filled with playparks, mini-golf, and backyard shenanigans begin. I may as well say good-bye to the blogworld now, at least for the next 2 months, because between kids and travel, computer time will be severly limited.
What little time personal time I can squeeze will be filled with judging entries in two contests (why oh why do I volunteer for these things?! It's not that I'm unenthusiastic, it's just that the timing always seems to SUCK!), the next assignment in the children's lit course I'm STILL doing, research/submit a completed story to children's mags, and alas... trying to get a few words into my current contemporary-romance wip.
Not to mention preparing/packing/manicuring/shopping for my mid-summer trip to the RWA National Conference in San Fransisco.
Sing with me now "Oh where, oh where has my sanity gone, Oh where, oh where can it be?"

I'm a single parent this week as the DH has gone off to Mexico on business. Tough life, eh?
The kids and I have BIG plans this weekend. We're going camping!!
In our basement.
Yup -- sleeping bags, s'mores, and scary movies!!
And indoor plumbing is only a flight of stairs away :)

I'm always looking for whacky ideas to amuse the kids, so if you've got any, please share in comments...

Summertime also means a crop of new movies. Two that I'm looking forward to are Hancock (looks hilarious and I love Will Smith) and Wanted (James McAvoy - yum, and Angelina kickin' ass -- it's got to be good). I'm unsure about the new Batman movie. Can't decide if I can sit through a couple of hours of Heath Ledger at his creepiest, for obvious reasons.
What summer movies are you looking forward to?

Happy summer everyone. Blogs will be spotty at best until September, but don't give up on me!

Monday, June 23, 2008

More in movies: Stardust, Fool's Gold and sex appeal in general

EEKS! How did it get to be Monday so quickly??

First - go ye to Red Garnier's website. She's having a contest and there's a $50 gift certificate up for grabs.

Last week I blogged about movies and someone (was it you Grammar Geek?) recommended Stardust. Well I rented it for me and the 8 year old to watch and we LOVED it.
It's a lot like The Princess Bride, in terms of uniquely wonderful characters (Robert DeNiro as a 'poofy' pirate was hilarious) and fairytaleish qualities. The comic relief was as plentiful and satisfying as the fights and romance. And low and behold, who did I spy playing a very minor (2 scenes only) character but my new obsession, Henry Cavill. Even playing a pompous wigged ass he was adorable ;)
Pictured left is Charlie Cox who plays Tristan, the romantic lead. Claire Danes is the female lead, but who want to see her, right?

Also caught Fool's Gold with Kate Hudson and Matthew Mc... McConau.. whatever. You know who I mean.
It was enjoyable, but I'm glad I didn't blow $12 (+popcorn) at the movie theater. Then again, if seeing a shirtless Mattie on my large HD was satisfying, maybe it would have been worth the theater cost.
That man is eye-can-dy! Woo ha.
I really didn't buy the whole romance angle of the story and I think I'll blame Kate. Though I think she's cute as button and seems like a fun-loving gal, she just doesn't seem to have the sexual chemistry vibe with any of her co-stars.
Some actors have it, some don't.
Take Halle Berry, for instance. Gorgeous, great actress. But I've never found her to exude sex-appeal on-screen. Why is that?
Then you take someone like... (thinking)... Angelina Jolie (I know, I know, she's a love-her/hate-her example) but you can't deny that woman is walking sex.
Or for a less controversial actress, how about Catherine Zeta Jones? Remember her in Zorro with Antonio... hot. Or with Clooney in that one about the divorce (the name escapes). Even as a bitchy, anal, ocd chef in No Reservations, she still managed to cook up some chemistry with Aaron Eckhart.
Opinions please? The floor is open...

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Late to the party, but I'm here... with Hedley and Simple Plan

Since kids became the predominant time-suckers in my life, I feel like I'm late to the party where music is concerned. Blame it on years of sacrificing the radio for kid-friendly cd's in the car.
Oh,... and the fact that the radio stations in Bermuda suck and are stuck playing "Hits of the 70's 80's & 90's!"

So here I am, back in Canada, trying to play catch up. One of my new faves is homegrown Hedley, led by Jacob Hoggard, the 3rd place runner up from a long ago season of Canadian Idol (long before I got here, anyway...

Here's the song that's being played ad nauseum in my iPod lately:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38w_dSdMhOE
(damn it! They've taken the embed feature off the YouTube clip. WHY?!)

Hedley's newest release, It's Never Too Late, is uber-catchy and has my 4 year old singing along. If you spent any part of your formative years in the early 80's, you'll love the video and will recognize it immediately. Watch the clip here, then come back... I'll wait: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l_h8_mbZsc


Did you recognize it???? The clothes, the hair, the body paint, the overall CHEESE??
If not... here's the original:


Ah... Flash from the past. Feels like yesterday ;)

Here's another band I'm loving -- Simple Plan. And this is just a coincidence, I promise... but I just found out that they're Canadian too!!
Have a listen...



Have you had any recent musical discoveries? Tell me about them...

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

5 Stars from JERR

Just Erotic Romance Reviews gave Law of Averages 5 stars!! Here's what my new BFF Mahaira, has to say:

Title: Law of Averages
Author: Wylie Kinson
Publisher: Ellora's Cave PublishingPublisher URL: www.ellorascave.com
Reviewer: Mahaira Fatima
Rating: 5 Stars
Heat level: H

After her grueling stint at work, up-and-coming restaurateur Megan Frost is all set for a dreamy vacation in Bermuda. Gabriel Law, a famous British rock musician, is up there for the same reason and is quite bewildered to see a very naked, sunburned Megan catching some sleep in his holiday cottage. Will this chance encounter turn out to be just a vacation fling or is Megan's very normal life going to get the spice it requires?

Megan is a wholesome, normal, average woman who loves her work and is happy to have some free time out. She is the loyal friend anybody would love to have. Gabriel is that pierced, tattooed man, mothers tell their daughters to avoid like the plague. His wild streak makes him appear dangerous and delicious at the same time. I just loved the way Megan describes herself to Gabriel and he tells her his opinions. I would have never paired up these two for romance but given the unique surroundings, they just come out feeling very true to life. The sex is drool-worthy and had me longing for a romp of my own. The underwater kiss was an idea I would love to try out sometime soon! Ms. Kinson has an ability to dream up interesting characters that stay with you long after you finish their stories. Gabriel's British accent and Megan's aversion to plants had me laughing in no time. Gabriel's character is very well portrayed and the changes he undergoes are understandable. The local flavor of Bermuda can be tasted as the author describes the island's ambiance and surroundings in vivid details. A long-lost legend gives the reader a little twist to savor and gels well with the story. The plot is pretty simple yet Ms. Kinson has weaved her tale with a refreshing blend of humor and imaginative creativity. Not many secondary characters appear here to make a significant mark, letting you sail through the tale at a rapid pace. Law of Averages effectively showcases its author's unique writing style and gives the reader a truly special treat! Buy this book today, you won't regret it!
______________

Thanks, Red, for passing this along :)

Monday, June 16, 2008

Kung Fu Panda ROCKS!

It's Monday! This would normally mean back to routine, back to some writing time, but Sweetness (aka youngest son) is finished with preschool for the summer so I'm kissing my 2 hour free-afternoons goodbye *sniff sniff*.

It's been a week since my surgery and I'm pretty much back to normal except for an occassion ache beneath my ribcage on my right side. I think I'm experiencing phantom-gallbladder pain...
And I was, until yesterday, still enjoying the afternoon naps (hey, recovery is hard work!), but now that Sweetness is home, I can kiss those goodbye.

Saw a few movies during my convalescence. I'm usually easy to please with movies and watch a wide variety of genres from chick flicks to horrors. Alas, I was more disappointed than not. Here's a quick summary:

The Other Boleyn Girl - Why, why, why, would Hollywood pay for the rights to a GREAT book just to have their screenwriters tinker with it to an inch of it's former wonderful life with the result of making a barely watchable movie?
If you haven't seen it, I can't recommend. Read the book instead. And watch The Tudors. They do a much better job of capturing everything about the life and times of young Henry VIII, from politics to women.

Knocked Up - desperate for a light comedy and a good laugh, I sent hubby out for this one. I remember the reviews being good, even compared to The 40 Year Old Virgin or The Wedding Crashers (both of which I loved).
I didn't laugh out loud once. Don't think I even smiled. The two females were completely unlikeable, shrewish and the epitome of everything a man detests about women, especially pregnant ones. As every pregnancy and hormone cliche revealed itself, I couldn't help thinking 'this was so written by a man' *hee hee - I'm laughing at the irony*. As for the 'hero', played by Canadian Seth Rogen, I found his loser-ishness very uncharming and sad. The guy had $117 dollars to his name, no job, no smarts, and just didn't get it. He seemed quite content to live in loserville with his group of misfit friends. In real life, the girl (who was an on-air television personality, for chrissakes!) would have run screaming in another direction. Unbelievable and unfunny. I've lost my love for Judd Apatow.

Kung Fu Panda. Hilarious! Good for both adults and the kids. Side splittingly funny, lots of good lessons (though not preachy) and excellent casting. Jack Black was genious. He nailed the character, Panda Po, with his self-depricating 'every-Joe-with-a-dream' demeanor and you root for him every step of the way. And an interesting note -- Seth Rogen (see above) played Mantis, one of the kung fu heroes. That distinctive chuckle-laugh he has gave him away.
Highly recommend this one, even if you don't have kids.

I have a bonus post tomorrow, so stop back in and see the latest review of Law of Averages.
And if you've seen a good movie lately, please share!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Good News, Bad News, First Review of Law of Averages

Good news: The surgery went well. It's over (at last!), the disfunctional gallbladder removed and life (albiet without pizza) can continue...

Bad news: Post-op Day 3 I'm still feely pretty crappy. Very tired, woozy, nauseous, etc... They say that it takes 1-3 weeks for the system to resume normal function, but I'm impatient. I really thought I'd be writing my days away while I recup, but I have NO attention span. None. Zero. Can't even read (ack!) and I'm only on-line for about 10 minutes a day (which is why no blog visits... sorry!)

Good news: First review of Law of Averages is in. Here's what Angel from Romance Junkies has to say...

Title: Law Of Averages
Category: Contemporary
Reviewer: Angel
Reviewer e-mail: angelbrewer@romancejunkies.com
Author: Wylie Kinson
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Release Date: May 2008
Blue Ribbon Rating: 4.5
ISBN: 1419916250
Format: EBOOK

(deleted the summary of the book 'cause it's long...)

LAW OF AVERAGES is a story that rocks. Gabriel is not your average rock star and that makes him an interesting character. Megan has no clue as to the identity of the man who is sharing her vacation home and it adds an air of deception to the mix. The love scenes are totally volcanic and have more than enough heat to keep you simmering. Wylie Kinson has a creative flair that I truly enjoyed. After reading this book I will definitely be on the lookout for more of Wylie Kinson’s work in the future.

Monday, June 09, 2008

Sexy Professions

Good Monday Morning, BLOGLAND. I'm having surgery this morning (that gallbladder incident, remember?) so I leave you with this to think about:

Can your profession up your sexiness rating? I found an interesting article on the sexiest jobs. See if you agree with their top ten:

Firefighter
Personal Trainer
CEO
Bartender
Nurse
Photographer
Pilot
Surgeon
Cowboy
Soldier/Military

To see the hows, whys and wherefores of this data, read the rest of the article HERE.

Couldn't help but notice that rockstars and writers didn't make the list :(
I'll let you know if my surgeon ranks!

Question for writers and readers: Do you agree with this list? What would you have in the top three?

Thursday, June 05, 2008

Thursday Thirteen revisited... Why I WILL Write Another Book!

If my sulky-sounding Thursday Thirteen didn't completely turn you off of everything Wylie, then please go to Julia's blog and see what this amazing book-loving, peace-propigating, vampire-writing blogger had to say about Law of Averages. *squee*

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Thursday Thirteen: When the book is done

Thursday 13: When the book is done...

Sometimes the hardest part of producing a book is what happens AFTER it's published.
  1. You have to market the book, which for most of us solitary writers who live mostly in our heads, is a daunting road to navigate, with frightening intersections like...
  2. ...live chats (EEK! No editing your posts!!) and guest blogging (what if I don't come up with something to impress my host, or worse, what if nobody comments??!!!)
  3. Release day comes and you suddenly feel exposed. Naked! You wish, for one panicky moment, that you could take it back.
  4. And release day is a bit of a non-event. You find yourself waiting.... but you're not sure what you're waiting for. It's not like you can watch a counter spinning around, telling you how many books are being sold.
  5. You're now expected to write another one...
  6. ...but you can't get the characters from the last book out of your head...
  7. ...and you're not sure you even want to (because you love your babies)...
  8. ...but you didn't leave any loose threads to justify a sequel...
  9. ...and you're too scared to try in case it doesn't live up to the first one.
  10. You wait on pins and needles to find out what your family and friends thought of it...
  11. ...but some don't even bother (ouch!)...
  12. ...or have any idea how much their opinions mean to you...
  13. You have a hope-love-hate relationship with review sites. You hope to get a good rating, you love the praise, you hate the waiting.

And those, dear readers, are the sad-truths and self-doubts that plague this neurotic writer (I'm sure I'm not alone!) to counterbalance the whoop-ass elation of getting published.

By the way... Law of Averages is now available from Ellora's Cave ;)

Ever heard of Henry Cavill?

We had an absolutely fantastic time at Great Wolf Lodge. We're absolutely exhausted -- amazing how water can tire you out so! -- and the kids are happily back in their own beds. And by 'their own bed' I really mean between Mr. Wylie and I in the king. *resigned sigh*

I've got a hump-day hunk posted over at Six Degrees of Sexy today so please go visit. He's the image of my hero, Linc Parrish, in my latest work-in-progress so I thought I'd share him with y'all. Try not to drool on your keyboard ;)

Monday, June 02, 2008

Great Wolf Lodge

I'm reporting 'live' from Great Wolf Lodge, Niagara Falls...

The Kinsons are enjoying a mini-vacation at an indoor water park.
It's a huge complex complete with a wave pool (my kids love it and I'm laughing because it's just like swimming in Bermuda!) a regular pool with neat foamy floats for the kids to climb on like a snake that holds about 20 kids, lily pads, leafs, etc..., climing towers, a lazy river, and the entire thing is like a huge splash pad in that you can't walk anywhere without water coming down on you from somewhere.
There are little kiddie areas with small slides and mini-fountains and even an 'adult only' hot tub. The slides, too numerous to count, twist above and around the entire complex -- some even go outside of the complex walls and back in again (which makes me question the heating bill in the winter months). I tried 2 of the twisty slides and let me tell you, there is absolutely no dignity in a 40+ woman of generous proportions going down one of these suckers. I was squealing and giggling like a 12 year old at a Jonas Bros. concert and loving every minute. Thank GOD there's nobody here I know.
Oh yeah... except my neighbor. How strange is that? We drive over 2 hours to get away from it all only to come face-to-face with the people who live next door to us?!

Our hotel room has a little cordoned off area called a 'wolf cub den' - in which the children can enjoy a little privacy. The cozy nook has a bunkbed and a television, complete with video games. When we booked, the kids PROMISED they'd sleep in the bunk beds, because my motherly instincts were telling me to go with a normal room with 2 queens and save myself 100 bucks.
Does it surprise anyone (least of all me) that I've awoken with a sore back and cranky demeanor for having to had spent half the night in the lower bunk?? Grrrr... next time, I'm going with my maternal wisdom!

Okay - water park opens in 6 minutes so I'm off for another fun day of twisty slides.

Hey - what did you do this weekend?