July 31, 2006

TRILOGY TIME IS NIGH

Thanks to all who entered my July contest — and a very special thank-you to Kristen for picking up THE SHEIK Just because I am soooo delighted you enjoyed it, if you forward me your snail mail addy, I will ship you a signed copy of A SULTAN’S RANSOM as soon as I get author copies in my hot little hands!!

And for my August contest I will be giving away a copy of THE HEART OF THE MERCENARY, the first book of my SHADOW SOLDIERS trilogy.

If I had to cast two actors for MERCENARY — this would be my dream pick — Clive Owen and Angelina Jolie. The chemistry between these two in the movie Beyond Borders was electric. Clive played an alpha’s alpha. Arrogant, hard to a fault. But his tough-ass attitude was a survival mechanism. It hid an empathy and pain almost too deep for the man to handle.

Angelina’s character was mesmerized my him, by his dream. She was out of her depth both in his presence, and in his environment. But she grew strong, wise. And their love grew so powerful it rocked the worlds of those who touched it.

But the lovers dabbled in a global and emotional game from which there can emerge no winners — they got burned. People around them got burned. Hah … at least in my story they would get to have their Happy Ever After :)

Think they’d bite? ;).

And please stay tuned for future contest news. When my SHADOW SOLDIERS trilogy hits the shelves in October, I will be giving details on how to enter to win either a six-month subscription to the Harlequin or Silhouette line of your pick …. or a one-year membership to Romance Writers of America. Winner’s choice. It’ll be my small way of giving something back the romance writing community — be it readers or writers — which has supported me so generously thus far.

Another month bites the dust

Floating jelly beans

July saw temperatures in the 40s (100s) …. and had us all wilting here in the mountains, but we woke yesterday to that distinct glacial chill in the air, and a fresh dusting of powder on the peaks. This place does not know middle ground!!

And the WINNER OF THE JULY CONTEST IS …. CRYSTAL!! … Crystal, please contact me with your snail mail details and I’ll pop the book of your choice in the post. Thank you to all who entered. I’ll have a new contest up and running by tomorrow.

My Path: Molly Hogan, Upper and Lower Panorama

My Distance: 57:06 mins

5 Peaks – Cypress Mountain Enduro Race — 12 days to go

Victoria Marathon — 69 days to go!!

Honolulu Marathon — 132 days to go.

July 29, 2006

THE POWER OF SYMBOLS …

Nope – I did not see this guy on my run today – but I did in my dream.

While running along my favorite gravel trail through the quiet peace of a conifer forest, my path veered downward and converged suddenly with a fenced-in field that contained one solitary buffalo bull. But the fence had been dropped in one place, and the big bison was free to leave his pasture. He toed the edge of the field that bordered my trail, looking as if he was contemplating his newfound freedom, considering crossing into my path.

I stopped, heart pounding, afraid.

I wondered if I should carry on toward the massive bison, or flee. Would he kill me, or befriend me? He was pure raw, primal, power. Dangerous. Potentially lethal. Yet his eyes were soft, gentle and his head almost friendly – if you ignored the gleam of horns. I faced a clear choice.

If I wanted to continue along my chosen path, I would have to be bold and approach, and come to agreement with the power of that Bison. I was not to fear it, if our paths were to be one. And that’s where the dream ended.

You know how some dreams just stand out as different – like your subconscious is trying to tell you something? Well this was one of them. And it would have stayed buried deep in my subconscious brain had I not picked up a real estate magazine the following day, flipped it open, and seen an add for some acreage a little further north of Whistler. It featured a photo of pastures, and through the fields ran a herd of bison. WHAM! That was all that was needed to slam that dream right into my consciousness in all its vivid detail.

It was so strangely evocative that I was forced to sit down and contemplate the symbolism. I’m not going to bore you with the inner workings of my mind – but the symbolism turned out to be extremely powerful – and I have thus been moved to officially adopt the buffalo as my new totem – a bull specifically

See? ….I knew if I blogged for any length of time, my weirdness would out. I’m a Jung fan. Nuff said.

My Path - Pretty much one end of the valley and back

My Distance - 22 kilometres

My Beat - Pop goes the World - Men Without Hats

Victoria Marathon Countdown - 71 days!

Honolulu Marathon Countdown - 134 days

Contest draw tomorrow

July 28, 2006

AND THE NUMBERS GO ROUND …

An interesting pause for thought … here (as always)

WHY I CROSSED THE BRIDGE …

Toni tagged me –

1. When did you first start blogging and why?

I started blogging right around the time it was apparently becoming fashionable to shut down one’s weblog – the craze had peaked and was wavering. But for all the reaons in this post, I went ahead and did it anyway :). I wanted to provide dynamic (in the ever-changing sense) content on my new website, a little window into my life, and give people a reason to keep coming back. The reason I’d put it off for so long? I was worried it would use up writing ‘calories’ and time. It does – but because I’m trying to provide a peek into my world, it’s also given me a new perspective on my own life. When you’re commited to reporting  in daily like this, you’re forced to look at your own world with fresh eyes and that, for me, is the exciting, and unexpected gift of blogging.

2. What don’t you talk about?

I don’t critique fellow authors, although I will most definitely talk up a book I love :). Don’t do highly personal or family stuff, moaning, politics, religion or other highly divisive issue – this is a place I’d like my readers to find, and if and when they do, I want it to feel inclusive, welcome. It’s light, positive – about my home, my writing, my sport, my passions. It’s not about the industry. There are lots of blogs out there that cover those bases in a far more effective way than I ever could. However, I will occasionally mention interesting snippets or discussions on those blogs.

3. Are you and your blogging persona the same person?

One never really knows how another sees you ;). But it’s a part of my persona. The blog is essentially about my work and when I ‘go to work’ I adopt a certain code of conduct – wow, sounds thrilling, eh? But it’s true – I save the wild child, the morose brooder, the contrarian cynic, the adult-who-can’t-grow-up personas for lucky family and friends

4. How do you use blogging to build friendships?

LOL … I don’t use blogging to build friendships … it uses me. I’ve met some fabulous people through blogs – some very dear and generous ones, too.

5. How would you describe your writing style?

Blog-wise? I don’t really know –I think I’m still finding my blog voice.

***

My Path: No running today. Rest day. Long run tomorrow

Victoria Marathon Countdown - 72 days!

Honolulu Marathon Countdown - 135 days

July 27, 2006

HUNGRY EYES …

That would be Baby ogling me making breakfast this morning — beady little hungry eyes. He can see his peanut jar on the shelf. Guess junko protein is not enough.

(And before anyone asks, yes, I’m afraid those stained glass things never did make it back into the Christmas decoration box – I hang my head in shame.)

Hungry Eyes was playing on my MP3 when I went for my run today. Loved that movie back in the day. Love the song still. Makes me think of lust, of course, and Patrick Swayze’s body moving … it also makes me think of drive, and that special spark of energy that literally vibrates off a person when they have their eye passionately on prize … and ain’t gonna let it drop. And oh man do I love it when I find a writer who can make a character come alive with that same spark — especially so when the drive in question is a hero’s raw, predatory, barely-leashed, hunger for a heroine ;).

Talking of characters, some old friends are calling me away from the blogosphere for a few days — Author Alterations for RULES OF ENGAGEMENT arrived this afternoon. And they’re wanted back yesterday. Good thing I’m not with everyone else having fun in Atlanta! So please pardon my absence …

My Path: Rainbow

My Distance: 52:53 mins nice easy running (LOL, too hot to do otherwise)

My Beat: Hungry Eyes - Dirty Dancing.