Hand me a towel already

One of my future heroines will be a klutz. I say this because I am fully qualified to write such a character. Not long ago I wrote about making a real life appearance in a Hitchcock-style scene. And, yes, the Advil and ice did the trick. Thanks for asking.

The other day, my friend Angela and I kayaked in tandem in a nearby harbor. Pretty uneventful, unless you're counting all the the times she pointed and laughed at my wet rear (seems I forgot to put a towel on my seat, but hey, what are friends for anyway.)

Anyhoo. We docked the kayak and Angela hopped out and tied up the front end of the boat. That's when it got dicey. See, I tried to tie up my end, but I couldn't reach the cleat-thingy. So I sort of lunged, (physics people, help me out here) which caused my end of the boat to push away from the dock, which in turn caused me to become momentarily suspended between the dock and my boat. I could see the shock on Angela's face--oh the horror--but at less than 5' tall, she's not exactly in the position to haul me out of my precarious position. (Although when she sees that I've just mentioned her height, she'll probably become infused with a sudden, raw strength and either kill me or hurt me real bad.)

And so my ever-shrinking ego and I hit the water kerplunk.

Let's be honest. Children diving into a blue lake are pretty. Toddlers splashing in a wading pool are pretty. But this! This.was.not.pretty. Not even a little. And if you think Angela was laughing before! Don't even get me started...

Anyway, I've lived to blog about it. And who knows? Maybe this little pride-buster will find its way into a future novel. Truth makes great fiction after all.

tags: klutz, fiction

I'm Rory

Had a little bloggity badness today ... et tu?

Anyway, I was finally able to login, and it's a good thing because I wanted to send you this kewl quiz from a fella blogging chicks site (priorities, priorities, you know). If you're a Gilmore Girls fanatic like she is/I am, then take this quiz.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, then that's very sad.

tag: Gilmore Girls

Spring Fever...in August

Got a package from Bethany House this week. I'd been expecting it: the spring 2007 catalog (deep breath in, then let it out...good). This is the catalog the bookstore Buyers see, the one that helps them decide what books to stock next spring.

I tore open the package, and found the catalog which included a sneak peek of Chocolate Beach and info about me (one more breath in, open an eye, then the other...) And there it was, two full, yummy pages. My swirly chocolatey cover looks delicious in 3-D, and my author pic is set against the background of azure waves. (My kids are divided on my pic, but that's to be expected, I guess.)

Some of you are writers and know the feeling of seeing your first book in print. Some of you are yet to be published, and carry the hope of a book deal around like a favorite blankie (I know that feeling, believe me!) Others don't care a rip about publishing, but are interested in the process just the same. (I love reading about musicians and what it takes to get that first song from paper to CD, but let me tell you, you'll never hear me sing--trust me on that!)

So wherever you are on this journey, thanks for sticking around. I'll let you know how it goes.

TOMORROW: Take the Gilmore Girls Quiz

tags: chocolate, beach, books, fiction, publishing

Get noticed!

Just for fun (it is Monday, after all), check out Ron Estrada's Top 10 Ways to Get Noticed by an Editor

On another note, Cara Putman tells the story of a man stuck in vat of chocolate for two hours. Some people have all the luck.

Speaking of my favorite legume, on Saturday at the big boxing event, my brother's date, Ivy, and I discussed the merits of chocolate in its various forms. Of course, my brother had his own opinions. So my question to you is this: If you had to be stuck in a vat of chocolate for any length of time, which would you prefer--dark or milk? I really wanna know!

tag: chocolate

Celebrity Sightings--part deux

Attended my uncle Hap Navarro's induction ceremony into the California Boxing Hall of Fame today. The event took place at The Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City. Here's a pic of Uncle Hap, a boxing promoter in the 40s & 50s; my father, Dan Navarro, author of Navarro's Silent Film Guide; and me, author of you-know-what :-)

Had a fabulous time and didn't get knocked out once! (Buh-dump-bump)


tags: boxing, Navarro

Celebrity Sightings...and other randomness

Had dinner with the beautiful people in Malibu last night. Lots of "pretty" everything: pretty cars, pretty waitstaff, pretty food (which explains the pretty-big prices). Saw Gidget (the Gidget, the one the novel was based on--she's still tan and pretty) in the lobby, and someone-I-didn't-recognize-but-my brother-did from General Hospital sitting right behind me.

Great night with family, but I'm telling you, after all the preening and rubbernecking going on in the nearly-fabled oceanside town of beautiful people, my comfortable home to the north felt so good again. (Seriously, who needs that sort of pressure every day?)

Check this out! If you've ever written a novel, published or not, you'll probably dig this trailer for a new movie (and no, this is not a paid advertisement--I wish :-) Even if you've just fantasized about writing a novel--you gotta see this.

Speaking about famous places and movies and beautiful people, my Uncle, Hap Navarro, is being inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame this weekend. Cool, huh? (Hopefully there won't be too many black eyes in the place :-)

Sing it: Let me...entertain you...let me...

I come from a family of entertainers--okay, so that gene hopscotched right over me, unless, of course, you consider my writing entertaining, and then I'd have to say 'bless you one hundred times over' and where shall I send your check?

But I digress. One side of my fam bulges with actors, the other, with musicians. My auntie, Cecilia Hartfeld, recently appeared in a documentary about movie extras, also known as Background Actors, and it's making the rounds. Check out this site--she's third from the left in the back row (watch the trailer and you'll see her doing a little soft shoe :-)

The movie's called Strictly Background, which, coincidentally, could be the title of my autobiography. But that's another story...

Love can build a bridge

Saw WYNONNA at the fair last night. She strolled onto stage with little fanfare, but as soon as the crowd spotted her, it was over. The place roared, I tell you. She belted out song after song--and they weren't all Country. She sang some Foreigner too (and some from another group, one that must've been before my time because my hub was singing along and he's, uh, *older* than me :-)

For her encore, Wynonna and her two backup singers sang an acapella version of How Great Thou Art that ROCKED the place. More hootin' during that than just about anything else she sang. Then she pointed toward the sky and said something like, "I'm only 'one' to the world, but to the 'One', I'm the world." Probably an old saying, but I hadn't heard it until last night, and don't you just love it? Charlie Daniels Band and Brad Paisley have also sung hymns at their recent concerts.

I think this is why I've been drawn to Country music over the years. The world's always leaving Christians out of the party (public schools, for instance), and frankly, we Christians have a way of leaving the world out of our party too (you're inviting him to church?). Sitting last night in that big open pit of a Grandstand, the beer sloshing around us, I couldn't helping thing that at times we're all a bunch of lost people, really--judgmental, arrogant, unkind. How beautiful that in the midst of what we are, a singer can stop the show with a song that shines a spotlight on the One who cares about us anyway.

I love blogging theme

I love blogging because it's a way to laugh at myself

It's a way to give other writers a little plug here and here

It's a way to dream out loud

It's a way to laugh with a friend

It's a way to cherish a moment

What about you?

If you get the chance today, stop on by the blogging chicks to see what they all love about the blogworld too..

Blog with the Chicks

It's summertime--join the carnival! Usually the carnivals are only open to blogging chick members (see my sidebar), but this Sunday, if you're a chick, you're invited. Only other rule is you must link to this Sunday's Carnival in your post. C'mon, you can do it! August 6 Theme: What I love about blogging. Submit your post and your link to Michele by tonight, and tell her I sent ya.

Music to my ears

Hey, Bethany House just posted more info about Chocolate Beach. You can read it here. Although it's not mentioned in the blurb, my novel contains a bunch of Country music references.

Speaking of Country music (nice segue, huh), we just got back at 1:30 this morning from a little ol' trip to see Carrie Underwood at the California Mid-State Fair. No time for a long stay, so we just made the 2.5-ish hour drive each way in one afternoon-evening. I have to say, for a chick-a-dee that young, who's only been entertaining large crowds for maybe a year, Carrie really shined. Even sang some Guns 'N' Roses tunes, if you can believe that. Thankfully, she also sang Jesus, Take the Wheel.

Did I mention that Phil Vassar was there too? Phil started the show and rocked the place for an hour! (Just Another Day in Paradise, Last Day of My Life). Awesome talent and performer, that one. My kids and I took a bunch of pics with our camera phones, but I can't figure out how to post them here. (I'll try, try, try...) On a side note, my 7-year old girlie screamed and hollered like a teen and looked so cute waving my lighted cell phone in the air like a seasoned concert goer. (I had to cover her ears, though, when Phil sang what's become known as The Hot Tub Song :-)

What concerts are on your list this summer, "y'all"?

Oh, the Irony

Had a little mishap with the espresso maker this a.m. I bumbled around early and put on workout clothes, you know, with the intent of actually "working out." In a moment of wifely-love, I started the cappucino--ground the coffee, tamped it down, switched it on--then left it for hubby to find when he stepped out of the shower. Still sleepy, I hit the pavement for not exactly a run, maybe more like a plod.

Anyhoo, I came home to a lecture. Something about never being allowed near the espresso maker again (Missy!). Seems I forgot to add water (oops). But, egads, of course I messed up--I hadn't had my coffee yet.

Sort of a chicken and egg thing, don't you think? I mean, really. What did come first--coffee or wakefulness?