A Year Ago Today

I remember it was an ordinary Sunday. Martin Luther King weekend, and my son Jake was beside himself with excitement about getting to play "pond hockey" on a frozen surface in our friends' neighborhood. An entire posse of boys had gathered to play, which was exciting in and of itself for a boy who lives in a neighborhood with no kids. Off they went to play. Even my daughter Emily went to take in the action, since not all the boys were "little." I was excited to have some alone time to work on my book of the moment and to revel in the silence. Then came a phone call from my sister-in-law, who along with my brother, was spending the long weekend in Florida with my father.

"Something is wrong with your dad." That was all she said, because at that time that was all she knew. He'd sounded funny on the phone, they'd rushed over to find him still in bed at noon, talking crazy, acting crazier. They called 911 and what transpired from there was three months of hell. From what we can deduce, he got up fast from a sound sleep, his blood sugar had plummeted during the night, and he went right down, striking his head on the hard tile floor. He had suffered a massive head injury similar to that which killed actress Natasha Richardson. Luckily for him—and us—he was blocks away from a major trauma center and got speedy medical care that saved his life. We still don't know all the details, such as how he managed to get himself back into bed or what exactly happened. He doesn't remember a thing about it, which is probably just as well.

My son Jake, who is extraordinarily close to my dad, refused to hear a word about how injured my father was or that he wasn't out of the woods by a long shot. Head injuries are funny, I told him. You just never know what you'll get back on the other end. He'll be fine, Jake said, refusing to believe otherwise. He simply wouldn't consider any other alternative. I wasn't sure if he was in denial or if he knew something I didn't know. Either way, I allowed him his illusions.

A long and frustrating two weeks after the injury, my brother and I drove my dad home to Rhode Island where he lived with my family for more than two months. Both my kids loved having my dad living with us, especially Jake who found an ally in his grandfather. "Aw, let him stay up a little longer" or "Does he really need another shower?" What ten-year-old wouldn't love having his own defense attorney living with him? My dad got up early each morning to eat Rice Crispies with Jake before school. Jake hasn't had them since he left. "I only eat those with Da," he says. He will never forget those mornings with his grandfather.

It took six months for my father to acknowledge that he'd been injured in Florida. Prior to that he might say, "I did not" when we'd reference the head injury. So, to hear him say, "I hurt my head in Florida" was a big victory. Slowly, we watched him regain his strength and he returned to living independently in April, forty pounds lighter than he'd been before the injury. As his mojo returned, he started driving again and began working on his boat, getting it ready for the season. One day last summer when we were out on the big boat that only he can run, we were coming into the dock—a tight squeeze on the best of days—when an odd gust of wind hit us, carrying us away from where we wanted to be. Dad slammed it into reverse, poured on the coal, and got us out of there. He realigned, did it again, and hit the mark as he always does. Still got all his reflexes? Check. It was a good test and one he passed with flying colors.

Today, he is back in Florida where it is finally warm after an unprecedented cold snap. He drove himself down after Christmas and is having a grand old time. People asked me if I was anxious about him going back to Florida by himself. Sure I was. But he's going to be 76 in April. Who knows how many more years he can spend in sunny Florida, his favorite place to be in the winter? I want him to go and have fun for as long as he can—provided he calls me by 10 a.m. every morning. Otherwise, as he's been told, I'll call 911.

After nearly losing him a year ago today, I'm grateful for every minute we've gotten to spend together this year. I'm grateful for the months he lived with us and micromanaged my life, our summer days on the boat, our Friday lunches at the Creamery, for holidays and birthdays and dinners with the kids. Turns out Jake was right. Da was going to be just fine. Sometimes kids really do have all the answers.

Airplane Love, It's Not Just Fiction

First off, a huge thank you to everyone who came out this week to welcome my friends Sharon and Cheryl to the blog. Congratulations to Razlover and Mary G who won copies of Cheryl's books Slave and Fugitive. We hope you'll check back and let us know how you liked them! That imagination of Cheryl's... whooo!

One of the things we authors do to gain insight into what's being said about our books is to set up Google alerts with our names and the names of the books. No surprise that Line of Scrimmage leads me to a lot of football sites, especially during the season. Love at First Flight, however, has taken me to some interesting stuff, such as the effort by a New Zealand airline to book romance excursions. Most recently was this story on CNN about a couple on the US Air flight that splashed into the Hudson a year ago yesterday who have since fallen in love. Read the story here.

The thing I love best about this story is her fear of birds and his fear of drowning and how they converged on that fateful day. It's a story made for Hollywood and seems destined to have a happy ending. Isn't that what we love best in romance land?

Have you ever seen someone on a flight and wondered what if?

Please Welcome the Cat Master, Cheryl Brooks

I'm very excited to welcome my good friend Cheryl Brooks to the blog today. Cheryl is the author of the Cat Star Chronicles, and the fifth installment, Fugitive, is out now! Cheryl's books combine science fiction, romance and fantasy for a steamy, erotic read. When she's not penning her latest novel, she works the overnight shift as an ICU nurse and lives in Indiana with her real-life hero Bud and their two sons. Welcome Cheryl!

Marie: The thing I love best about your books is the amazing world building. Tell me, where in the WORLD do you come up with these interplanetary settings?

Cheryl: Hmmm, world building, huh? To tell you the truth, I have no idea where these settings come from. It's like they're just there in my head. I can see them as clearly as if I were watching a movie. Like the road through the jungle in Slave or the snowy woods in Warrior, I see things, people, places—all of it in my mind. The hard part is describing it so someone else can see it as clearly as I can. It's sort of like a mental story board. I decide what kind of climate and terrain I want for the story and can visualize it immediately. For Outcast I wanted a setting like central Africa, but though I did some research, it didn't alter the mental image I already had of it. Fugitive was set in a house by a lake surrounded by jungle, but there again, I can see it. I know distances and terrain, and I even know which way is north!

Marie: Do you feel like you have an exceptionally vivid imagination? You must have some sort of special gift to come up with a more fabulous feline hero in every book. What inspires the men in your stories? They are quite. . . um. . . . something!

Cheryl: I never considered my imagination to be all that vivid until I shared those imaginings with other people--some who claim to have no imagination at all. But I think anyone could do it if they made the attempt. For my heroes, it just takes answering the question: If you could create the man of your dreams, what would he be like? Would he be tall or short, thin or muscular, alpha or beta... the list goes on. I gave them feline characteristics because the thought of having a man who could purr appealed to me more than a man who could growl.

What makes my heroes different from one another is their background. When you explore a character's history, their personality naturally evolves. Cat, the hero of Slave, was based on a real person in some respects, but most of him came from my own little brain—his sensual nature, his sense of humor, and his determination to stay with Jacinth whether she was willing to recognize the attraction between them or not. Leo (Warrior) was a slave who had been passed from one owner to another and had learned to enjoy the pleasures that came his way without question. Manx (Fugitive) has been on the run for most of his life, but he's managed to survive on his own wit and talents. Tychar (Rogue) was the slave of a queen and became a favorite with the court by being a sweet-talking charmer. Lynx (Outcast) had been a harem slave and knew more about pleasing women than any man alive, but being used by them made him bitter.

Their sexual abilities came about as I let my imagination run wild to create the ultimate lover. I'd explain that in greater detail, but since this is a "family show," perhaps I'd better leave it at that!

Marie: Okay, I'll bite. Finish that thought about the ultimate lover. . . (running to hide in my bunker).

Cheryl: Okay, Ultimate Lover Description
#1 He smells good.
#2 He tastes good.
#4 He's got a nice-sized yummydoodle with a ruffle on it. Not too long, not too short, not too thin, not too thick. Just right.
#5 He can move said yummydoodle in any direction.
#6 He has only to catch a whiff of your desire to get it up and can keep it up for as long as you like.
#7 He can purr.
#8 He's a real sweetie and puts out lots of deliciously orgasmic body fluids.
#9 He likes to give as good as he gets.
#10 He can make me forget that I'm overweight, over fifty, over worked, and underpaid.

Marie: You forgot number 3. Is that not allowed on a family blog?

Cheryl: #3 He doesn't have a beard, therefore will never leave any painful scuff marks anywhere on your body.

Marie: Okay, phew. I was a little scared there for a minute. I’ve gotten out the fan and I’m waving furiously. Things have never been quite so hawt on my little old blog. I admire your ability to really “put it out there” in your books and on your blog, but I happen to know, as your cyber-pal, that you are really quite shy in real life. How do you explain these two sides of Cheryl?

Cheryl: Actually, with people I know well, I'm not shy at all. I will answer any question very frankly, so be careful what you ask me. I can write a book on my computer, but I don't particularly like to talk—email is much easier for me than the telephone. I have a tendency to say very little at parties or in a group of strangers unless someone asks me a question. I'm not very good at small talk, and having to chat with total strangers is very difficult for me. However, when I'm writing, shyness doesn't enter into it since I'm essentially talking to myself: I can tell myself anything, therefore I am not shy. It was a problem at first when my friends were reading what I had written, but when you write such things, a funny thing happens: you start hearing other people's stories—most of them true—which are even more intimate than any love scene I could possibly write.

Marie: You mentioned how people love to tell you personal details since you became the Cat Master. Got any good stories about things you wish you didn't know about the people in your life?

Cheryl: They really aren't things I wish I didn't know, and one of them was very useful when I wrote Outcast. I was in the process of looking for a motivation for Bonnie's character when I heard a friend say she would give her right arm for a decent, moral man. I took that and ran with it. That's the sort of thing I hear the most; not the good steamy stories of how great the sex is, but the sad stories of how bad it is—or the lack thereof. The wild rumors that men are insatiable sexual beasts is just that: a rumor. I hear more tales of woe from women who aren't getting any—but would love to—than I hear from women who are pestered to death by their partners. Other times I hear about sexual encounters that were long anticipated, but fell short of the fantasy. Men rarely live up to our fantasies about them, and I'll have to assume that women don't live up to men's ideals, either. I think if our culture encouraged us to be more frank about our expectations, that might change.

Marie: I think you're absolutely right about that! Let's talk about Fugitive, book 5 in the Cat Star series. Tell us all about it!

Cheryl: LOL! If I tell you EVERYTHING, there would be no reason to buy the book! Let's just say that if you've ever had a fantasy about finding a hunky naked alien man in the jungle while visiting a strange new world, this is the book for you. As with all of my books, there's a bit of action/adventure, a healthy dose of humor, some fun supporting characters, a strong heroine with an otherwise satisfying life that is a bit lacking in the romance department, and, of course, some highly erotic love scenes. Manx is as hot a hero as anyone could wish for, and not only that, he can purr!

Marie: And after Fugitive comes Hero, right? What can you tell us about book 6?

Cheryl: Yes, Hero is next and is the story of Trag, the "other brother" in Rogue, and Micayla, a female Zetithian who was orphaned at a young age and was raised on Earth, ignorant of her heritage. She learns what she is and where she comes from just prior to encountering the the man ultimately responsible for the destruction of Zetith and its people. The trouble is, he knows that she knows and is out to get her. After a wild chase through Orleon Space Station, she and her computer geek friend, Windura, land on the ship that Trag is piloting. The remaining Zetithians and their mates band together to go after the bad guy, but exposing a wealthy political figure will not be an easy task, and the mission doesn't go according to plan—and neither does the love affair between Trag and Micayla!

Marie Looking forward to seeing all six on the shelves together! What has been the most rewarding part of being a published author?

Cheryl: The interaction with my readers and other writers. I have friends all across the country now, and most of them I've never even met! That is one thing I definitely couldn't have said before being published. My books have been read by people around the world, too, which is so incredible, and it makes me realize that the world really is getting smaller. Now if we could just stop trying to blow each other up, we might actually get somewhere as a species.

Marie: It's pretty darned cool, isn't it? I had a reader in Australia tell me my website wasn't working when I got hacked recently. Before I had the "oh my God I got hacked" thought, I had the "oh my God, I have readers in Australia" thought. LOL! This has been really fun! Do you have any parting words?

Cheryl: Yes, the Australia thing surprised me, too, particularly when Rosemary of Rosemary's Romance Books (who won the bookseller award at RWA) asked me to send her some signed labels to stick in my books at her store. I'm like, Wow, they're reading my books in Australia! The first live chat I ever did, I offered a free book to the first one to email me with their address, and I wound up sending that book to Singapore! Freaked me out a bit, but it actually didn't cost all that much to mail it.

Do I have any parting words? Hmm, let me see now. . . . This could actually be turned into a subject for an entire blog post, but I never dreamed that my writing would affect people's lives the way it has. I have readers who visit my blog just to chime in with the others and have fun. The network of friends that has developed because of it amazes me. They care about each other, and that is just too cool. I never thought of writing as being anything like nursing, but maybe it is. You can help people in ways that aren't as obvious as giving them their antibiotics or pain meds. I give my readers a chance to escape from their troubles in the real world—or a chance to talk about them—which is something we all need now and then, just as we all need a little romance.

Thanks so much for your time and for sharing your insights with my readers, Cheryl. If you want to read more about Cheryl and her Cats, visit her blog. It's so hot it comes with a warning!

Cheryl and I want to know what qualities make your ultimate lover list. She'll give away a copy of Fugitive to the most "inspired" comment. Let em rip!

Buy Fugitive here.

An Interview With My Pal Sharon Lathan

I'm really excited to welcome my very good friend and fellow Sourcebooks Casablanca author Sharon Lathan to my blog! Sharon and I first met at the 2008 RWA National Conference in San Francisco. We attended the Sourcebooks dinner (will we ever forget those limos?) and then met up again the next day at the Sourcebooks spotlight session, after which we went to lunch together and a friendship was born! Even though Sharon lives three thousand miles from me in California, we have become very close e-friends. Sharon was also with me for the best moment at the 2009 RWA conference, when we got to meet Nora Roberts and have her pose with my Emily on her 14th birthday. Sharon also has a daughter named Emily who is a great fan of my books, which is just another reason to love Sharon—she has nice kids! Sharon is such a sweetie, and I'm delighted to have her here today to talk about her Austen sequels, the latest of which, My Dearest Mr. Darcy, was released earlier this month.

Marie: I love your story of how you came to be a Darcy sequel writer. Tell us about how you stumbled upon your writing career at the movie theater!

Sharon: It truly was stumbling! I went to see Joe Wright's adaptation of "Pride & Prejudice" over Thanksgiving weekend in 2005 with no expectations beyond watching a fun chick-flick with some girlfriends. I was totally mesmerized. I immediately began devouring anything related to Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Joe Wright, Matthew Macfadyen, the Regency, England, and so on. It was merely a fun diversion for a couple of months, but as time passed, and I discovered other fan-fiction, I realized I had this story swirling in my head. My story was of their marriage and life, presenting it as a happily-ever-after vision. I began writing these scenes down, eventually bravely sharing them with the Jane Austen fan-fiction community. But it was some 10 months later before I recognized and accepted that I had a potential writing career! I still can't believe it sometimes.

Marie: (I should mention that Sharon works as a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit.) That's a great story, Sharon. Since we've gotten to know each other, I've become aware of the huge Jane Austen genre that's blossomed in the last few years. All these years after her death, she's still going strong! Tell me some more about your series, beginning with the first book and up to My Darling Mr. Darcy, which recently hit the shelves.

Sharon: Indeed, she is doing well for a woman some 200 years old! I often wonder what she would think of Austen-mania (not that her opinion would probably stem the tide). I bet she would be stunned. The devotion to her novels is truly amazing. That passion is why there are so many varied takes on what she wrote. My series is a sequel, obviously, and offers something different from the others. In short, Lizzy and Darcy are happy! I strive to present a positive picture of marriage. These first three novels only cover one year of their life together, so the pace is leisurely. The reader is taken through the day-to-day happenings both within the private moments of the lovers and the public world they inhabit.

The three novels are meant to be read in order. They are really one long story, or saga, as each week into month from the wedding day on through to their one year anniversary is recounted. "Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy" is the honeymoon, getting-to-know-each-other portion. Lots of loving and discovery of their passion for each other as well as learning to live as a couple and members of Derbyshire society. "Loving Mr. Darcy" moves the Darcys away from Pemberley, traveling to London and other parts of England. Lizzy is introduced into Society and the interactions with other characters is extensive. "My Dearest Mr. Darcy" brings the focus back onto our favorite couple. They travel to the seacoast, but for the most part they settle into Pemberley as the year draws to a close and they welcome their first child.



Marie: Thanks for all that insight into your wonderful series! I happen to know you're very happily married to your own Mr. Darcy. How much of your image of the Darcy's marriage was inspired by your own first year of wedded bliss?

Sharon: Well, if you ask Steve (my wonderful husband), he will insist that he is the embodiment of my written Mr. Darcy and the total inspiration for my writing. Ya think? LOL! Not to burst his bubble, because he truly is a terrific guy, but we all know that there is real life and then the written fantasy. Ha!

Nevertheless, I am very fortunate—or blessed, as I believe—to have found my soulmate. After 23 years, I can affirm that we are very much in love, more so in fact, and even happier than we were in the beginning. My approach to writing of the Darcys was to tell of those giddy, highly romantic early months that (hopefully) all relationships contain, while hinting of that deeper love that comes only through time and adversity. As my saga progresses we see that deeper spiritual bonding play out. Yet there is no doubt that Darcy and Lizzy's first year, especially those honeymoon months, is VERY reminiscent of what I recall! *wink.* No fantasy there, trust me! And I don't even remember arguing that much with my new spouse. Probably because we were too busy engaged in more pleasurable pursuits!

Marie: Going to poke out the old mind's eye, Sharon. LOL! Just kidding. You always speak of Steve with such a dreamy look in your eye. That's a lovely thing after 23 years and two kids together! I had a feeling Mr. and Mrs. Darcy were based on a tad bit of Lathan reality. You've had three books released in 10 months, a publishing tilt-a-whirl. What's been the best and worst parts of the whirl?

Sharon: Oh no, Marie, was the image a bit TMI? So sorry! Personal experience aside, I think the reality of new love and fresh discovered passion is fairly universal. I once had a young, unmarried gal write on my forum that she enjoyed my book but just didn't believe it was physically possible for two people to have sex that often! The way she wrote it was hysterical. Before I could even respond, a dozen other women did, assuring her that it was indeed quite possible! I wish I still had that post because it was very funny.

Anywho—The "publishing tilt-a-whirl"—Ooh, I like that! Coin a phrase, Ms. Force. Nice! Yep, indeed it is very like a frightening carnival ride at times. I am sure I will look back upon this year at some point and wonder how I managed. Then again, maybe I haven't managed at all and am now dreaming all of this while straitjacketed in Bedlam!

The best parts, hands down, are when I hold the finished book in my hand and/or see it on a book store shelf. It truly is a surreal thrill to see my name on a book, knowing the work that went into it and how proud I am. I keep waiting for the angelic Hallelujah chorus to burst forth as it seems only fitting for how my heart feels. That hasn't happened, but I have gotten tons of emails, etc. from satisfied readers. That is the next best part, for sure.

The worst part is the negative reviews. And I don't mean those folks who honestly, kindly, and tactfully say why they didn't care for it. Fine and dandy; it isn't for everyone, I know. What gets me are the horrid people who clearly delight in ripping someone else apart with the express purpose of wounding and boosting their own egos. Fortunately those reviews have been fewer as time moves on, and I have grown a thicker skin. But it was very rough in the beginning and emotionally I did not handle it well. 'Nuff said.

Marie: No worries on the TMI. I was just teasing you! That's a pretty funny story about the woman who didn't believe it was possible to have that much sex. Poor thing. Haha! I agree with you on the best part of the tilt-a-whirl. Holding those finished books in hand is a lovely thing indeed. And, I have to toss in there (hijacking your interview, here) that the people I have met, including my lovely Casa sisters and many other writing friends as well as the many dear readers who take the time to write in and say bravo, have been right up there with the smell of a printed book with my name on it. And OH, the naysayers. I agree: why do they have to be so vicious? I think you're dealing with more than your share of that because you've taken on a beloved author and her stories. Do you think that's part of it? And to move on to bigger and better things, tell us about books 4 and 5 and what's in store for the Darcys.

Sharon: Hijack away! I think we are on your blog, right? :) I totally agree about the friendships and acquaintances made being so special. The reality of how many truly dear friends I have made via this story and my publishing ventures is an anchor that keeps me calm and secure when the trials come. And that is not a jest or exaggeration. It brings me right to your point about the naysayers....

Yes, critical opinion is part of the game. But, there is no doubt that I have received more than my fair share due to taking on Austen's characters. I know this not just because of my own experiences (and it has been bad, trust me), but because I know many other Austen writers. The stories of abuse are the same and of a vicious nature and extent not generally seen in the average literary critic. Thus, receiving the praise and affirmation that we fragile authors always need becomes even more vital. I quite literally (To use a word Deb, our editor, hates but in this case is true!) would not have been able to persevere if not for my loyal fans. I owe them everything.

OK, mawkish sentimentality done! Darcy #4 now has a title! Whoot! Or at least, this week it has a title that Deb assures is "confirmed" but not "final"—not that final means final. Kapish? Me neither. "Romancing Mr. Darcy" is being edited as I type this and is set to be released October 1, 2010. Unlike the previous three, it covers a bit more than a year. The pace is faster and secondary characters take a larger role. Of course Lizzy and Darcy (and now the baby) are central. Darcy #5 is not finished, but it set for a Spring 2011 release. Readers will discover it to have the same similarities of all my novels—romantic and historical, but with action and drama taking center stage more than ever before. And that is all I shall say at this point! *insert evil laugh here.

This November I also have a novella being released as part of a Darcy Christmas-themed anthology, along with Amanda Grange and Carolyn Esau. I titled it "Reflections of Christmas at Pemberley" and wrote a series of scenes that span 25 years in the life of the Darcys. I am so proud of this novella!

Marie: So sorry to hear you've had such a hard time with the haters. People have no idea how much of ourselves we put into these books, and most of them are probably frustrated writers who are jealous of your success. I got a two-star Amazon review for Love at First Flight and that hurt! Ha! I guess I shouldn't bother to complain after what you've been through. The new books and the novellas sound great! Will you do more with the Darcys after book five? Do you ever think you'll write a non-Darcy story?

Sharon: Anyone who gives "Love at First Flight" two stars is clearly insane. But it does hurt, no matter how stupid the review is. And I agree with your assessment of the motives.

Marie: I like how you think! As my son would say, pish-posh on the two-star review! :-)

Sharon: After the fifth "Darcy" novel I am working on a companion novel focusing on Georgiana Darcy, Mr. Darcy's sister. Although a "Darcy" novel in one respect, I really feel as if it is totally different. For one thing, the other Darcys are not involved. In this story Georgiana is nearly five years older than she was in Austen's P&P, and since she wasn't given much of a character in the original, this Georgiana is of my own creation. Secondly, the novel is set primarily in post-Napoleonic Empire France. Third, it is more of a pure romance than the other books. A true girl-meet-boy type story, although I do include a wealth of history and intend to take it past the wedding as that is my MO!

Beyond that I am undecided. I love writing historical fiction with romantic elements, so imagine I will stay with that. I have a couple other secondary characters I would love to write about. One is Dr. George Darcy, who is 100 percent my creation, so that would be unique. I am open to whatever pops into the wee brain!

Marie: Well, Sharon, it's been really fun to chat with you. I hope you enjoyed our interview and I wish you much success with My Dearest Mr. Darcy and the next two books in the series! Any last words?

Thanks for your wish for my success, Marie, and for coming up with the idea for this interview. And that brings me to my "last words." The community of writers, especially romance writers, is unparalleled. I was new to Sourcebooks, not even known by anyone, when the Casablanca gals welcomed me into their fold. The experience of opening myself to other writers, partaking of their freely given knowledge and heartfelt support, has been a blessing. That community, a sisterhood of sorts, is invaluable and has aided me in remarkable ways this past year and a half. I could go on and on, but trust me—if you are even thinking of being a writer and part of this crazy business, get connected!

Definite last words: The Sourcebooks line of fiction and romance is awesome. And the CasaBabes ROCK!



Sharon and I with our good friend Kendra Leigh Castle at the 2009 RWA Conference in Washington, D.C.

Thanks so much for being here today, Sharon! Best of luck to you as well as Mr. and Mrs. Darcy!

Buy the book!

Find out more about Sharon and her Darcy saga.

TV Update

So who is watching The Bachelor this season? Any thoughts on last night's ratings-grabbing "scandal" in which early front-runner Roz was sent packing thanks to an "inappropriate relationship" with a producer who was subsequently fired? Phew. Did you get all that? I dunno, it's only week 2 and I'm already bored. Jake just doesn't do a thing for me with his big Ken doll smile, his sunglasses tucked into the back of his shirt collar and his whole goody two shoes persona. He's just TOO good to be true. Apparently, he's been on a lot of first dates. I can see why. He's boring. Sure, he's good looking, but he's BORING.

Lots of good stuff to read about this season on the blogosphere:

Reality Steve (WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS)

Lincee Ray's hilarious recaps on I Hate Green Beans

And Chris Harrison's blog on Entertainment Weekly

Did you catch Brother's & Sisters on Sunday? The last five minutes was some of the best TV I've seen in a LONG time. You've had 48 hours so (SPOILER ALERT) I will say this: Watching Nora out Simon for being the skunk that he is was fabulous. Watching Sol jump out of the closet and Nora refer to him as her Bond girl was the funniest freaking thing I've seen in ages. Emily and I watched it twice and laughed just as hard the second time. Hilarious! Like I said last week, when B&S is firing on all cylinders, there's nothing more fun to watch.

Speaking of fun, Castle was also fabulous last night. FAB-U-LOUS. A long-lost love from Rick's past resurfaced, finally giving him a love interest, albeit for that one episode. However, having Alyssa Milano around seemed to make Beckett a little jealous, which was fun to watch, too. Next week's episode looks amazing with our dynamic duo on the path of the person who murdered Beckett's mother. If you're not watching this show, you're missing out!!

Anyone know when Friday Night Lights comes back to NBC? I am so ready.

UPDATE: Forgot to mention today's news that Conan O'Brien is refusing to tamper with the tried and true formula of The Tonight Show. I gotta say I agree with his thoughtful statement, which you can find here. While he rightfully acknowledges other people have bigger problems than his, NBC finds itself in a mess and he's looking to be their scapegoat. Maybe Jay should just retire or take his show elsewhere. You just got to wonder why anyone bother to sign a contract anymore. Conan moved his family from NY to LA. Because he had a contract. What do you think? Shouldn't that count for something? On another note, remember when NBC actually had good shows? Ahh, those were the days!

Guests This Week: Sharon Lathan & Cheryl Brooks

Don't forget to come by tomorrow to read my interview with Sharon Lathan, whose new book "My Darling Mr. Darcy" is now on shelves. Sharon and I had a great time with the interview, and I think you'll really enjoy it! Please help me to welcome the first of what I hope will be many guests! And, on Thursday, we'll welcome my pal Cheryl Brooks, author of the Cat Star Chronicles. Book five, Fugitive, was recently released to some fabulous reviews. Cheryl and I are nonstop e-mail correspondents, so you'll want to check out what we're talking about this week. With Cheryl, anything is possible, and you won't be disappointed!

One of My Secret Dreams

I want to be the lead singer in a band. There. I said it out loud. I love to sing. In my own humble opinion, I'm a pretty good singer and often practice in the car, shower, around the house, in the yard, at parties. . . As I write this, it's occurring to me that perhaps this is why my kids have iPod buds surgically implanted in their ears? To drown out the, ahem, "background noise" around here? They know they are a big part of my dream for I yearn to form a garage band with my little family of four. My husband Dan is a drummer from way back when. Three days before our wedding, his parents arrived in Rhode Island with a full drum set attached to the roof of their van. I wish I had a picture of that. . . "You get him, you get his stuff," my mother-in-law proclaimed after they offloaded the drums into my parents' garage in preparation for our move to Spain. This was a woman who had all but given up on marrying off this particular 31-year-old son, so the passing of the drum set was filled with symbolism. We have moved the drums from Rhode Island to Spain, from Spain to Maryland, from Maryland to Florida, and from Florida back to Rhode Island. Since I've yet to see him PLAY those drums, it occurs to me that we should've just left them in my parents' garage, huh?



Okay, so the drums are covered. We're all decent singers thanks to the karaoke machine I bought Dan for his 40th birthday, which was, holy cow, nine years ago this February (he's getting OLD!) My kids have grown up hamming it up on the microphone, which, I might add is a wonderful gift to give your kids. I can't imagine either of them (or many of the other kids in our lives) will ever have issues with public speaking. They've been doing it most of their lives. A few years back, Emily received a keyboard for Christmas. I believe it's under her bed. A couple of years later, Jake received a guitar from my brother for his birthday. It's collecting dust in his room. They clearly don't feel my sense of urgency. Emily is in 9th grade. We have just a few more years left to pull this off. Isn't ANYONE willing to work with me? Recently, they have made some inquiries about learning how to play these instruments and getting them into lessons is "on my to-do list." How long should I reasonably expect this to take? My instrument is ready (me mee mee meeeeee). In addition to the "instrument" I was born with, the best gift I received this Christmas was from my cousin Jen, who, in support of my dream, gave me a tambourine! SQUEALS OF JOY! Oh my God, I LOVE my tambourine. I see myself in Stevie Nicks-esque robes, flowing locks of hair, a microphone in my hand and a tambourine at my hip. I am so READY.

The next challenge is the music this band would cover. I picture Fleetwood Mac (see above reference to my beloved Stevie Nicks), some Chicago since Emily does play the trombone but Jake is flaking out after only one year of trumpet, maybe some Crosby, Stills and Nash or CCR. That's my kind of music. I fear the other "musicians" in my band will have a different play list. This is often the topic of dinner conversation where debates rage about what songs make the list. In an effort to keep the plans for the band on track, I have agreed that each member can pick four songs to start us off. Mine would be:
1. Dreams by Fleetwood Mac
2. Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac (Jake agrees with this one)
3. Don't Stop Believing by Fleetwood Mac
4. Only the Beginning by Chicago with Emily on trombone
5th bonus song for founder of garage band: Come to My Window by Melissa Ethridge

I'd be willing to consider some Coldplay as Viva la Vida and Yellow are favorites of mine. I could probably pull off some Beyonce--all the single ladies, all the single ladies. Jake sings a mean Shakira. . . I'm willing to occasionally cede lead singer duties to another member of the band as long as I still get to play my tambourine. Dan will need a mic at the drums so he can belt out his signature song, "Brandy." I think it was all those years in the Navy. . .

Here's a picture of my future garage band, except, well, the lead singer is ME (with flowing robes and tambourine) and the other performers aren't all men, and, well, this is nothing like MY garage band will look. . . We'll be MUCH cooler. My kids are a lot cuter than these guys and when we rock out. . . well, we won't look so pedestrian. Maybe we'll even get matching haircuts and outfits like the Patridge Family had. Oh and a bus! Definitely a bus and my dad can drive us from gig to gig. It occurs to me that I might be getting ahead of myself. . . Even if the bus and matching outfits don't pan out, we'll be stars of our own garage! Disclaimer to neighbors: we apologize in advance if the um noise--I mean MUSIC--coming from our garage in any way impairs your enjoyment of that very expensive pool you installed a few years back. We won't, however, charge you for the privilege of being entertained.

What other songs do you think we should cover? How long should I expect it to take for my kids to learn these instruments I need them to play? Is there any way to fast track this process? Is my dream achievable?

I leave you with the wise words of Abba:

I have a dream, a song to sing
To help me cope with anything
If you see the wonder of a fairy tale
You can take the future even if you fail
I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
I'll cross the stream, I have a dream.

Standing on the edge of the stream. Anyone with me? Hello?

Two other quick notes before I sing us out: Today would've been my mom's 73rd birthday. More than five years after she left this life, I still miss her every day. AND, today is also my 14th anniversary at the best day job I ever could've hoped to have. Thank you AGA. Here's to many more years together!