Archive for April, 2006

Somethings cool

{ April 23, 2006 @ 2:36 pm } · { Fun Stuff, Life }
{ } · { Comments (7) }

Some of the Write-Ons had a word war this morning. I've never done something like that before. It was fun, tho I kept wanting to stop and chat about what was bugging me (and did, sorry :) ).

So, in the spirit of sharing cool, new things, I thought I'd let y'all in on some cool things I've found.

Remember the Milk – I'm a huge list maker. I have lists on scraps of paper all over my house. Then I started using the task list in my work outlook, but since I don't like to access the work server when I'm doing personal stuff, I can't access that list unless I'm "at work." Then I stumbled across this site. You can make a list, set deadlines, arrange your lists by category and it'll even send you a weekly reminder of your deadlines. (And I only freaked out a little at the reminder that came last night telling me I have seven days to do my taxes, finish two assignments for my HTML class, start and finish the lararose.com website, which is my final project, and do third and subsequent edits on three books. yikes.)

Skinful Scentsations – When I was in Saint John, NB, there was a small booth of all natural beauty products. I love makeup and stuff like that, so of course, I had to check them out. I bought the Whipped Shea Butter (try the peppermint tea tree oil one, it leaves your toes all tingly and soft) and the lip balm, which comes in all sorts of yummy flavours and smells, and leaves your lips soft, not greasy, and lasts for hours. You can order from their booth, or off their website.

Method – I bought their all-purpose cleaner at Target when I was in Buffalo last month, but apparently you can buy their stuff in Shopper's Drug Mart here in Canada too. (just not at the ones out here in the 'burbs :) ) I found that the heavy duty cleansers triggered my asthma and set off my smoke detector, making me more than a little afraid of what kinda wierd shit they have in there, but the Method products are all natural and leave a very yummy smell that lasts for hours (and they still clean your stuff).

Baci Ice Cream – Best. Ice Cream. Ever. 'nuff said :)

Any cool things you've come across that you want to share?

Just… odd.

{ April 15, 2006 @ 12:57 pm } · { Ranting, Romance }
{ } · { Comments (1) }

I picked up a Blaze at the store the other day. I haven't really read a lot of Blazes lately, but this book caught my eye. (and apparently the eye of the cashier, who made me wait in line after I'd paid, while she read the back cover copy (!!!) ) The tag line was chick lit, blaze style! So I thought "cool! combining chick-lit with hot and sexy, exactly the kind of book I want to write. Let's see how this "big name author" handled it.

I read the book last night… and there were just so many things that I found odd about it. First, there were two heroines and two heroes… kind of like the author didn't have enough story for the main h/h and had to fill in another couple to make her word count. Here's a hint… if your subplot characters have more "page time" than your main plot characters, they're not a subplot anymore. Then, there was the fact that for most of the book, the hero of the main plot was obsessed with settling down with the heroine of the subplot.

 And that's the other odd thing.. main hero? a little psycho. First, he takes the subplot heroine house hunting for the home they're going to settle down in on the third date. The third date? Um. rushing things a bit much? Man, I wasn't sure I wanted Mr. Pink to see me naked on the third date (he didn't :) ), let alone know that he was going to be the guy I'd spend the rest of my life with. (And considering we've passed the four and a half year mark, and he STILL hasn't asked, I guess I'm still not sure *grin*) Then, when main heroine comes back into his life, the big test for her is how she reacts to the house he picked out that subplot heroine loved. Uhhh-huh.

 And, I know Mrs. Giggles has already talked about this, and I was never sure I really bought her whole "Blaze authors think sex is eeeevvill", until I read this book. Main heroine wrote a book that's supposed to empower women. Cool! What a great idea. Changing one's self for a man, just to impress said man, is always a bad idea. Only all the book did was empower her to dress all slutty and ask for sex when she wanted it. And when she should have worn something slightly conservative for a business dinner, she was all everything's going wrong! my man wants to change me and I'm letting him. Have I learned nothing? waaaaah. Seriously, if the question is "what have I done for me lately?" It's not forcing myself into six-inch heels and super tight clothes just because men think it's sexy. (and that completely goes against the whole doing for me, don't it? duh.)

And I know I've blogged about Blazes' light-grey moments (as opposed to the black moment) before, but this book? Forget light-grey…All I could think was, man, you guys are such idiots you deserve each other.

*sigh* 

 Apparently chick-lit, blaze style! is taking the worst of both genres and making a book out of it.

I love when that happens

{ April 3, 2006 @ 10:26 am } · { Writing }
{ } · { Comments (2) }

So, I started this story. I think the first time I started it was probably four or five years ago… I wrote three or four pages and put it down. Then a few months ago, I picked it back up, wrote twenty or thirty pages, took a course on GMC and characterization and realized that my hero didn't have any conflict. Or at least the kind of conflict that I wanted him to have. So I put it down again. (yeah, I do that a lot. Have ya noticed? :) )

This morning, I was reading an article on a new show starting this week on tv that I'd planned on checking out. The premise, according to the author, has been done repeatedly on tv, and, according to an article I read recently with editors from EC, in books as well. Problem is, this premise? Was the main conflict of the book I put down.

 So I thought, well, what if… I reversed it? It gives me a new conflict, and it fits better with the character of my hero (think Logan Echolls from Veronica Mars). Then there's all sorts of other conflict that now arises from it.

I might even make my gay best friend a girl. A lesbian girl. Haven't seen that done as much. Heh.

What's that? August 1st is rapidly approaching and I better make a decision and get my ass in gear?

 Yeah. no kidding.