A quick note to wish those of us who celebrate the holiday a very Happy Thanksgiving. I'm guest blogging today at Tote Bags & Blogs. It's the first in a series of true stories about my Grandma El. (The woman who taught me the importance of Bell's Seasoning.)
Fair warning: it's not a heartwarming holiday story complete with recipe. It's about the night before Thanksgiving in 1996 when I found photos of her in the arms of a man named Prince Mohindin and stumbled upon my family's Biggest Secret.
I hope you'll stop by and check it out if you have a moment.
I'll be chatting on-line tonight at Mo's Book Buzz (Romance Reviews Today) with Harlequin Intrigue author Gail Barrett at 9 pm EST. Hope you can join us!
I would rather be left to die at the side of the road in a blinding snowstorm than to ever ever be a patient at Seattle Grace. My chances of survival would be a hell of a lot better.
What in the name of Shonda Rhimes is going on with that show anyway? Have they taken leave of their senses? First they totally screw up the Callie/Erica storyline by turning it into a bad joke when they might have actually managed a real life, non-stereotypical love story. Then they take a legitimate conflict (Erica's fury over the stolen transplant heart and Seattle Grace's cavalier handling of the incident) and gloss over it in forty-five seconds of air time. Of course Erica Hahn left Seattle Grace. Wouldn't you? Would you want to be on staff with that group of crazies?
And now I'm watching Thursday's episode on line and a nut job intern stripped off her top and dragged a scalpel over her shoulder. If this is what goes on in med school I'd rather take my troubles to a vet. I'll bet the level of compassion and sanity would be higher.
Enough already with Dead Denny. If you're going to dump Izzy, do it and get it over with even if you are messing with the best chemistry in the show. (Izzy and Alex, of course.)
I like so few shows. I mean, what have I got on my list: Dancing With the Dopey Stars, Desperate Housewives, and Grey's Anatomy. Is it so much to ask that they keep from jumping the shark?
I'll be chatting (I hope not with myself!) at Writerspace tonight at 9 pm Eastern Time. If you have a minute, I hope you'll join me. I'll even give out candy bars . . .
Sherrill Bodine's latest novel, TALK OF THE TOWN, will be hitting the bookstores soon and I wanted to give you a heads-up. I had the pleasure of reading TALK OF THE TOWN quite a few months ago when I was lucky enough to receive an advanced review copy. It came at a time when life was difficult and filled with sadness and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to let go of the real world and sink into Sherrill's fictional world the way I wanted to.
Well, I shouldn't have worried at all. Sherrill does a smashingly terrific job with TALK OF THE TOWN. I fell in love with her lead character, Rebecca, and happily followed where she led straight through to the very last page.
And there are fabulous recipes scattered throughout. I mean, what more can a reader ask?
This book is pure delight. If I were you I'd make sure I had a copy tucked away for the long Thanksgiving weekend. I can't imagine anything better. You'll love it!
From the back cover:
GOSSIP QUEEN DETHRONED!
Darlings, what a to-do at the Daily Mail today! After fifteen years as Chicago's gossip guru, Rebecca Covington has been demoted from divulger of secrets for the city's elite to headlining recipes in the Home and Food section. Apparently, a touchy senator is threatening legal action for Rebecca's latest extramarital scoop. But Windy City rumor has it that new CEO and dreamy Pierce Brosnan look-alike David Sumner downgraded Rebecca in favor of fresher, younger blood on the social beat.
Industry insiders expect Rebecca to fight her denouement, and inquiring minds have already seen the feisty maven trading quips and searing glances wtih her arresting new boss. Rebecca swears she'll reclaim her shining star status, but can the dishy diva even cook? And how can she ignore David's arousing effect on her sensibilities?
Don't miss a trick, darlings. Sparks are going to fly.
I'm a guest-poster on the B&N bulletin board today, talking about writing, knitting, and my new book. If you have a moment, stop by and leave a question or comment. I'd love to see you. Here's the link.
It's been a week for hope, hasn't it? No matter how you voted, you have to be hopeful about the future. Despite the meltdown of our economy and all the other bad news, we managed to elect a new president by a healthy majority (no recount, no bitterness)and make history in the bargain. Nothing to complain about there! I know this is the honeymoon period but after the long election we need a few weeks to just feel good about the fact that at least this part of the system still works.
I try to avoid politics here because it's become such a viciously divisive issue in our country. The second you open your mouth you've alienated half of your friends and family without even trying. But I think we're in agreement that we wish Barack and Michelle Obama and their daughters all the very best this world has to offer.
I did a little digging around in our township's records and found out that over 80% of our registered voters consistently turn out during presidential years while over 50% turn out in non-election years. The 50% needs work but that 80+ is worth celebrating.
By the time we reached the last week of campaigning I had turned off our phones and barred the door. Don't even get me started on Frank (I'm 84 and I hate all of you) Lautenberg's run for re-election to the Senate. No more Leonard Lance's Trenton Dance! No more Linda Stender is a Spender nursery rhymes to the tune of Yankee Doodle Dandy! I was so deeply disgusted that I ended up voting for the Independent candidate, Greco, who was running on the Full Breakfast Party. And no, I'm not kidding. The man likes his ham and eggs. To paraphrase his website, "The only place pork belongs is on your breakfast plate."
Judge for yourself:
Anti-Leonard Lance
Anti-Linda Stender
Pro-Dean Greco
And people wonder why NJ politics has such a bad reputation.
One other thing before I close the politics vault for another four years: what's with these ridiculously long and expensive campaigns anyway? I started thinking about the absurdity of it and this thought hit me: let's say you work at McDonald's. You hear about a job that might be opening up at AT&T for lots more money and prestige. You go to your McDonald's manager and say, "I'm going to try for the job at AT&T so you won't be seeing me for awhile. It will probably take a year or two until I know whether or not I get it. So hold this job open for me, 'kay? And by the way, keep those paychecks coming."
Something is very wrong out there. Three senators on the presidential ballot and all three were absent from the Senate for most of the last two years while they pursued bigger and better. That's 's another change we need to think about somewhere down the road.
But for right now, three cheers for us! We did ourselves proud.
One of the best parts of having a new book published is getting back in touch with friends. Today I heard from Catherine Anne Collins, a wonderful writer I had the pleasure of critiquing a few years back. Catherine made a bid at a charity auction and (poor woman!) won me. Well, my critique of her manuscript.
I'll tell you in three words what I told her in three pages: I loved it.
Today I found out it's going to be published. How cool is that?
Go ahead. Click on her link up there and take a look. It won't be too long before you'll be able to say you knew her when.
Factoid: WELCOME TO MOOSEPORT was filmed in Catherine's small Canadian town.
According to his website Michael Crichton died today after a battle with cancer. You already know my feelings about cancer so I won't bore you with them but damn it. We need to win more of the battles.
To celebrate tomorrow's release of CASTING SPELLS, I'm giving away 10 luscious skeins of Debbie Bliss 100% cashmere and a $50 gift certificate to the incomparable Elann plus some other goodies to one lucky winner to be drawn around 10 p.m. ET tomorrow.
Florida Nudists Request Clothing-Optional Polling Site
Florida nudists from the Caliente Resort in Land O'Lakes are demanding their right to vote naked.
Published: Fri, October 31, 2008 - 12:29 pm Last Updated: Fri, October 31, 2008 - 12:53 pm LAND O' LAKES, Fla. (AP) - A nudist community on Florida's westcoast wants to be allowed a clothing-optional polling site.The Caliente Resorts, located in Pasco County north of Tampa,has approached election officials about the idea.Nothing in state law would prohibit it, but the supervisor ofelections says he is opposed to creating any new precincts beforeredistricting in 2010.
There is absolutely nothing I can add to that story. It's my favorite of 2008.
I'm trying to take a picture that does these beauties justice. This comes a little closer but it's still not half as wonderful as the actual cookies themselves. These babies do =not= need airbrushing.
