What is Old is New

Wow. Folks at work were really, really worried today about Wall Street (and the now media-overused “main street”). I’m not happy my 401K tanked. I’m pretty happy I’m in an apartment and not a house I’m about to lose. My heart really goes out to those in trouble. I guess when you don’t have much, you don’t have much to lose. But I know there are those in deep trouble, with children to feed, etc. They are really worried.

I was struck, however, by the number of people talking about the “end of days” as if bad times had never been…no world wars, no great depression, no plagues. One colleague went so far as to say the Mayans had it right–the world will end in 2012. I didn’t get into that conversation.

As I’m currently living part-time in 1890 these days (through my much-cited and agonizingly slow work-in-progress), and Cleopatra’s Needle (an Egyptian obelisk in New York) is a kind of talisman in that book, I was struck anew reading the dedication of that monument in 1881:

“Who indeed can tell what our nation will do if any perversity is possible of realization; and yet this obelisk may ask us, ‘Can you expect to flourish forever? Can you expect wealth to accumulate and man not decay? Can you think that the soft folds of luxury are to wrap themselves closer and closer around this nation and the pith and vigor of its manhood know no decay? Can it creep over you and yet the nation know no decrepitude?’ These are questions that may be answered in the time of the obelisk but not in ours.”

Maybe it is time to get real, get nice, stop the greed, and take care of one another. There’s a lesson in this recession, and I don’t think it’s all about Wall Street.

America is Tanking

There are only three TV shows I cared about in the last few years. Prison Break is a no-go now that it’s become Ocean’s 11 meets God Awful Mess. I don’t care how cute Wentworth Miller is–he can’t act his way out of a paper bag and without a script, that show’s the pits.

House, MD. Damn it. Bad enough they introduced all the new faces in that ridiculous recasting call. Now Wilson? We’re supposed to care about the new sidekick? The writers even try to put off complaints as the new sidekick makes fun of his role. Bleck.

Then, the ultimate slap. The Office. Jim and Pam get engaged in three seconds. I waited all these episodes for that? No emotional depth. And it looks like the writers may split them up again (hints of her liking her new life in NY too much) just to keep folks interested in that on and off again romance. Boooo.

Is this the best we can do, America? I can’t pick a presidential candidate, and now I can’t even pick a TV show. I guess I’ll have to pick up a few good books.

Review: Crossing Swords by Kirsten Saell

I’ll use the official blurb for Crossing Swords lest I bungle things up or give too much away: One duel. Easy money. Then Gil fell for his opponent. A straight duel to the death. A professional opponent who’s paying him to win. This was going to be the easiest money Gil had ever earned. Except he never counted on his opponent being a woman. And he never counted on falling for her. After avenging the brutal murder of her lover, all Lianon wants is to die a clean death. Too bad the man she hired doesn’t do women, and he’s furious over her deception. Not only does he renege on their contract, he has the gall to lock her up in his apartment—naked, no less!—to punish her for her ruse. If she could just get her mind out of the gutter, she’d cut him a new smile. But ever since he saw through her boy’s clothes, all she can think about is getting him naked, too. But just when she’s found something to live for, the father of her lover’s murderer surfaces. He wants Lianon to die screaming—and he’s all too happy to take Gil down with her.

This is a Samhain title I’ve been meaning to get around to for a while, largely because of the cover–hey, platinum blonde with a sword in a fantasy setting–that’s me! Okay, take off thirty years and put me in a fantasy setting, but hey, I have a sword…

Right, right, the story. I don’t think this book has received the attention it deserves, probably because of the tremendous number of offerings out there and Kirsten’s somewhat recent arrival onto the groovy scene.

So, I like to get my biases out of the way and out in the open: I love fantasy, but I’ve read enough of it to be a little hard to impress. Kick-arse heroines, as they say, are fine, as long as they really are. One can be a stay-at-home mom and be a kick-arse heroine. A smart tongue doesn’t count. A sword helps. I’m very, very leery of too much sex (as my husband is quick to point out, harde-har-har). That is, give me the story, and make it good, cause I have too many dings in the wall already.

Ms. Saell’s book isn’t all about sex, not by a long shot, but it comes really close to having sex on every page. Phew. I’m worn out! She’s managed to write a real fantasy plot and indulge the senses with enough sex for…for anyone. There’s a lot of meaningless sex (purposefully–prostitution figures heavily here), meaningful sex between lovers, sexual healing, and brutal villainous, heinous sex (one note: I’m not sure this book is for those who have been abused physically, unless you want to see the villain get his ass kicked mightily).

While the sex is almost overkill for me, the writing is superb. Ciar is a green-eyed monster superb. Ms. Saell’s descriptive talents are really amazing. If you’ve read fantasy, then you’ve read a tavern scene, with grime, a fireplace, floozies and quirky characters aplenty. What could have been really cliche is dead on here. The setting reminded me of the film Gangs of New York, or Oliver Twist. Am I comparing the description to Dickens? Gosh, guess I am. That’s a first.

The first chapter is so good, ending with such a bang and a twist, you’re totally hooked. Gil is a great hero and Lianon is a very, very sympathetic heroine. Their motivations ring true, their actions makes sense. Ms. Saell writes with what I’d call a masculine voice, really suited to fantasy. This is not a “worship the goddess” fantasy, but more a “slit the bastard’s throat in the night so I can get back to my lover” fantasy. The romance is secondary to the lust, but there’s promise of a happy-ever after.

So, my complaint: I want the whole shebang, the whole ball of wax, the big kahuna. I want a long, fully fleshed out fantasy from Ms. Saell, with quests, great adventures, taverns and fortresses, battles, intrigue, tons of secondary characters…something much more involved and much longer. Like Robert Jordan longer. Her voice is like that, and she has that in her. Hey, maybe it’s not what she wants to do, and you little oversexed-pots can carry on with this great new writer!

In the meantime (kidding, why would she listen to me), it’s good to know that Crossing Swords and two more works in the series are available. Two thumbs up!

I’ve FALLEN and I don’t want to get up!

Check out the cover and tell me you don’t want to try this book! Gwen Hayes’ Fallen is one of my favorite recent reads. Gwen’s voice is unusual, giving you an ethereal feel that really suits the genre. Her heroine, Bridget, is a strong, bright, sexy counterpoint to the dark angsty to-die-for hero, Talon. You will love Talon, and if you don’t, I’ll pay for one therapy session to figure out what’s wrong with your libido. I have grown a bit weary of paranormal romances, but this one is different enough to stand out. Part of the difference is a great setting that feels so real you’d like to look it up on a map. I’ve been to Serendipity Falls twice now, once in a work-in-progress by Ms. Hayes not yet available. Mystical goings on aside, if you’re in the mood for a quick, heartfelt romance with a real good-versus-evil struggle and great characters, pick up Fallen.

Many Thanks

I’m very touched by the sentiments, here and elsewhere, left for me. The kindness of friends and near strangers helps more than you know. I’m gonna lay low for a bit, and I have a business trip taking me away Thursday through Sunday, but then I’ll be back atcha with book reviews, a contest for the print release of Key West Magic, and other stuff.

Mom is Gone Now

She was lovely and bright, a beautiful light. Look to the sky tonight, and you’ll see a new star. I wish I could cling to her like in this photo one last time. I’ll be back at some point.

Want Me To Review Your Book?

I’ve reviewed a lot of titles here, well, maybe not a lot–I’m no Mrs. Giggles. All my reviews are recommendations–that is, if I really hated the book, I won’t post the review. I am happy to buy a book, and prefer to be able to buy an ebook! I don’t review “erotica” and by that I mean I need a HEA, although I will review m/m (exclusive couples only). I also love reading YA, fantasy, and mainstream fiction. You can pimp your own book if you like. Please leave the title, author, and buy link in the comments section. I’ll pick one that appeals and get back at you in coming days (or weeks, depending on how my own writing is going!).

Just Because

I like this. I’m not a huge fan of New Yorker covers, as they’ve always seemed sorta self-important. Hard to explain. But this charms me.

How to Get Your Mojo Back

I picked this up from a photographer’s marketing thingey called Heartstorming, but I think it all applies to writing. The point that resonates most with me is to stop the insane self-editing while you’re creating. They use different parts of the brain, and it’s “zone” death to go back, go back, go back when your heart wants you to go forward.

Hope a little of this helps anyone who is stuck!

Idea Stimulators

Be Positive – Suspend disbelief and keep a positive attitude. This world is filled with enough nay-saying.

Limit Judgment – Judging your ideas as you are producing them is like driving the car with the brake and accelerator on at the same time. While you are producing ideas, the pedal should be to the metal. The time to put on the brakes is when you are choosing which ideas to produce. Beware of inner voices of judgment. How many times have you had a good idea you talked you out of?

Detach from an Outcome – I recommend that you detach from a specific outcome when you creating new work. This means that when an idea comes up which produces the Eureka! response, execute the idea because your heart tells you to do it. Do not measure ideas by whether they will appeal to your [agent, editor, pub house] stock agency, your portfolio, art buyers, picture editors, or… The only criteria ought to be that you love the idea enough to do what ever it takes to bring it into being.

Hitchhiking – Allow others to add to your idea. Your idea may stimulate something in a collaborator. Do not have so much pride in your idea that you think you own it. Give it away. There is an endless supply of ideas in the universe. As you can see by my entries, each concept may generate dozens of additional concepts. No two creators would interpret them the same way. And the purpose of this program is to stimulate you to produce your own concepts. And hitchhike on your own ideas by going back to your idea journal and reviewing and harvesting. One idea will often produce others related or not.

Quantity – Go for quantity. The more ideas the better. You have a better chance of coming up with an innovation, if there are dozens of ideas rather than just a few. Studies show that the first idea is rarely the best. The first half of ideas produced in a prolonged period of time were compared with those of the second half. The later contained 78% more good ideas. Imagine there are two sealed paper bags. One has one hundred ideas. The other has ten. Each bag costs $5.00 and you may only choose one. Chances are you would pick the bag with a hundred ideas because there is a better chance of finding a stimulating idea.

Write it Down – Write everything down as you are processing or you will forget it. Even the best human brain can not hold more than seven variables at a time. I like to keep a large pad with juicy markers handy. It helps me think bigger. When you have an idea write it down quickly. Trying to hold onto a thought may prevent you from coming up with your next idea. It contributes to creative block. Keep an idea journal.

Limit Editorializing – Many of us love our ideas so much that we feel a need to explain them over and over to ourselves and perhaps others. Don’t waste time and space explaining your ideas until you have chosen one to produce.

Incubate – This means sleep on it. When you begin ideating you may come up with hundreds of ideas. They will come to you when you least expect it like when you are driving and taking a shower or that moment of somnolence just before you fall asleep. Keep your journal at the side of your bed so you may record those moments or you will forget them. Include your dreams in this journal.

Have Fun – Creating should be a celebratory experience. Be playful.

Be Conscious Of Your Body – Problem solving is an activity that originates in the brain. Heartstorming comes from the body. We feel in our bodies not our heads. Use your body to check-in: to focus on your feelings. For example, I often have a burning sensation in my throat when I am feeling fear. It reminds me that I am not saying something that represents my truth.