Something to talk about

With a topsy turvy schedule, residual smoke in the air, a house full of kids, my mind is like that vacuum over there. It's like I just suck things in and forget about them. Like blogging. I'll get a great idea that I must run to the computer and post right away and then bam--I forget. Can you relate? Or is it just me?

Had my car broken into the other day. Did I mention that already? (Can't remember.) Actually they didn't 'break' in, because I'd apparently left the door unlocked. When Teen Son got into the car and told me it was a mess, I didn't give it a second thought. I think I just rolled my eyes. Mess, yeah that's new. But when I got in, I saw what he meant. Someone had rifled through all my papers and glove box and thrown them every which way--even tore apart my dayplanner. That. was. not. nice.

They didn't get anything because I just don't leave large wads of cash unattended in my car (if I had large wads of cash, that is). But the whole experience felt yucky just the same, like I wanted to spray the insides of my car with oust or something.

So anyway, it's a new day with a nice empty bag inside my head waiting to be filled. Let's just hope I'll catch something worth talkin' about ;)

In the thick of it

Came back yesterday from a relaxing anniversary trip up north only to find skies filled with ash and smoke. The fires in So. California have sent their plumes northward and I can only imagine how terrible it is for those in the midst of them. We talked with one neighbor's daughter who had been evacuated. She said that she had to come all the way home to her parents' house because her friends had all been evacuated as well--and that the first 8 miles of her trip took 2.5 hours. Send some prayers heavenward when you think of it, okay? Firefighters and residents need help and comfort.

***

All three of my kids are on fall break this week which means I'm cowering in my bedroom...haha, kidding. Actually, it's after 9 and they're still sleeping, and isn't that the way breaks should be? Especially with skies so unhealthy from the fires, I think I'll just let them be...

Woo-hoo, it's Friday

Happy Friday Friends! I'm working up a new newsletter for fall (I know, finally :) So if you haven't signed up yet, please do so on my sidebar to your rrrrright! Rumor has it I'm in the mood to give away chocolate...

Whew! It's been quite the month of writing-related stuff (in addition to, you know, living). Just the other night Dan and I had dinner with my fabulously fun agent--and got kicked out of the place. LOL Actually, they needed our table and invited us to vacate to the bar (we declined). Restaurant dramatics aside, the timing of our meeting was perfect, a God-thing really, and I'm looking forward to announcing stuff when I can.

Okay, enough of that. It's the weekend, well, it's almost the weekend so I wish you a good one. The weather's still beautiful around here, with temps in the high 70s. If I could, I'd head out on the outrigger again :), except this time just for kicks instead of competition. Know what I'm saying?

Have a beachy weekend! Find something special to do this weekend and I'll see ya back here on Monday.

Catching up on the rest of the weekend. It's only Thursday, after all.

Here's another close up of that magnificent cake made for last week's book signing. As Katie, Jim and I waited in the back, in an area we affectionately dubbed "the green room", we could hear announcements made in Borders to let folks know we were about to start. Something like "Welcome Readers to our author signing and chat, Promises, Chocolate and ... Murder!" That last word was always said with a sort of DU-DU-DUUUU tone. Such a crack up.

So when I saw this picture with that serrated knife there on the left, I laughed. Then I got creeped out. Then I laughed again.

Okay, moving on...

Took a tour on Sunday of a green house (not to be confused with the green room mentioned above). And not one with plants in it, either, but one built with sustainable materials, like bamboo and crushed glass and, um, hemp (okay, so I'm not sure about that last one, but I have seen some cool purses made of it). So anyway, I joined my mother, brother and his ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE girlfriend to tour the house, our $20 entrance fee going to charity. Not sure exactly why I wanted to see it. There's a lot of controversy these days with going 'green' because, unfortunately, the idea of using our God-given resources wisely has become a political issue. Yuk. I'm so not into that aspect.

But anyway, the house is in Venice near those lovely canals, so what do I care about politics? I just wanted to see it. And my first faux-paux? I wore a suede jacket and leather shoes. LOL Uh, hello, the place was crawling with people wearing clothes made of wheat. Okay, maybe only some of them. Did I mention I stood in a room with Jackson Browne, admiring the stylish use of fluorescents? (Jeans and a cotton tee, just in case you were wondering.)

I'm actually pretty amazed by what a clever builder can do with fly ash. And the windows on the toured house are gigantic and beautiful, really bringing the inside out (or is it outside in?) But one thing does bother me. We later found a few open houses and, basically, the houses all looked the same. Kind of like a stack of rectangles made of metal, glass and wood (or at least it looked like wood). Nice ideas but so modern, and so not me.

My question, then, is can I get a builder to make me a house using God's resources wisely but that looks like something I'd actually want to live in? I'm thinking maybe a shingled cottage by the sea...

Really, is this too much to ask?

Books and readers and writers ... oh my

Tried to post some captions, but blogger's not cooperating. Eh. Anyway, here are some pics from the weekend. There's Jim wowing the crowd, and Katie doing the same. There's the crowd (Becca Dowling from the ACFW is sitting among them, in lavender. And Carrie Padgett, Genesis Winner, is standing in the back. Hi Becca! Hi Carrie!). Then there's me, making a rather odd face. Oh, and there's Katie and Jim, riveted by my ablity to stand in front of the crowd without fainting. LOL--fun stuff. Thanks to all who made it out on such a rainy night in California :)

Sweet Stuff

Last night's book signing in 'Katie Cushman Country', as Jim Bell put it, was a blast. Kate Schwab over at Border's in Goleta made this ordered this completely edible, totally delicious cover cake for us--can you believe it?

Petrifying as it was to stand up in front of more than 100 Katie Cushman fans :), I felt honored to be included.

Today it was back up to Santa Barbara with Katie and Jim to teach at a writer's conference. More on that, and the signing, later this week (after a looong nap....!)

What I won't be doing at Friday night's signing

An oldie but goodie. Cracks me up every time.

So. Katie? Jim? Either of you up for it? (I'll bring the camera-ha!)

Locally Inspired: promises, chocolate ... & murder

That's the event title that our contest winners, Becca and Janneke, came up with a month or so back. (We morphed their entries into what you see up there.)

If you're in the Santa Barbara area this Friday night, October 12, stop on by Borders in Goleta at 7 pm (7000 Marketplace Drive, Goleta, CA 93117). I'll be there answering questions and signing books with my pal, Kathryn (Katie) Cushman, debut author of A Promise to Remember, and bestselling suspense author, James Scott Bell!

Monday absurdities

Saw a homeless guy working at his laptop in a coffeehouse yesterday. If I wrote that in a book, they'd say, "no way." But I live in CA, so all I can say is, "Way."

Saw the headline at a magazine stand, "Angelina gains 10 lbs.!" And we care about this why?

Drove alongside a driver who held a cellphone to her ear with one hand while tapping out a cigarette with the other. Either she has three hands or ???

Met a guy recently who told me he was reading Chocolate Beach--and that it was the first novel he'd ever read all the way through. LOL, I doubt that, but I'll take it as a compliment anyway.

Attended an auction the other night where a guitar signed by Green Day went for more than most peoples' mortgage.

Haha...life's been striking me as funny lately, giving me much fodder for books. Let's face it, truth really is stranger than fiction sometimes, don't you think? Oh, the stories I could tell you about my own relatives--lol--but I won't! Kidding, of course!!! (Don't want to be shut out for the holidays or anything :)

So what cracks you up? What strikes you as funny in the day to day? Sometimes ya just gotta laugh.

Red sky at night....

..sailor's delight. Sigh.

Have a beachy weekend!

p.s. Breaking news--the cover for Truffles by the Sea is now up on Amazon. It's so pretty :)

Why self-publishing is growing...

Haha--my agent sent this, but just to be clear, my editor's not like this ;0

I've been off on a class trip all day and just have a minute, so here's a pizza quiz for you. Not as random as it seems. See, after the traveling and the birthdays, I'm tired, but life's still moving at warp speed. So I need a bit of comfort food, and what's not to like about pizza? (answer: nothing). Anyhoo, quiz on.

Oh, and one more thing (Dad, this is for you!): The author of this blog is only directing you to one quiz, not the whole arsenal over at blogthings. (Last time my pops took one of my quizzes, he followed a bunny trail into questionable quizzes...then blamed me! Well, I never... )

Love ya, Dad...now focus :)

What Your Pizza Reveals

Your appetite is pretty average. You don't go overboard - but you don't deprive yourself either. You aren't particularly picky about pizza. It's so good... how could you be? You fit in best in the Western part of the US. You like food that's traditional and well crafted. You aren't impressed with "gourmet" foods. You are dependable, loyal, and conservative with your choices. You are cultured and intellectual. You should consider traveling to Vienna. The stereotype that best fits you is hippie. You knew it was coming.

What Does Your Pizza Say About You?

For Dan

Roses are red, violets are ...

How do I love thee? Let me ...

Your eyes are like ...

Ripply sigh.

Hubby, it's your birthday and just the thought of you makes your writerly-wife all flustered ;)

Happy Birthday, my love.

Aye, Matey! Spent Sunday (nearly ALL of it) hangin' at Disneyland to celebrate Elementary Girl's 9th birthday. One of my favorite rides is Pirates of the Caribbean, or as we've affectionately dubbed it, Pirates of the Carobini.

So anyway. Love the addition of Captain Jack Sparrow to the ride. This is our second trip out to the big D in just a few months, so it's not the first time to get a gander at the ride's changes. Depp, as Sparrow, shows up in several places, and even though we know it's not him in flesh and blood--I mean, sheesh, how could it be?--man, it looks like him.

Tired as all get out as there's been barely a break between traveling and writing and parenting and everything, but it was our youngest's birthday, so there you go. We rode just about everything from Small World (getting an eensy bit boring, but, you know, it's tradition) to Space Mountain (so glad it's dark in there; best not to see all the twists and turns in that one!) to the Matterhorn (who doesn't like bobsledding in the alps?), and I do believe it's at least one of the happiest places on earth.

Today it's Teen Son's b'day--did I mention that we've got three b'days in a row in the Carobini house??? (If you saw the bags under my eyes you would've known, I tell ya). Anyway, not quite so much planned for him, but suffice to say, his "toys" are more expensive than Elementary Girl's so there's a reason for a more low key day ;) He's sixteen which means driving and dating and a whole lot more prayin' around here!

Tomorrow is my super-hot husband's b'day...if I don't post, just know it's because I'm at the mall. LOL Poor man deserves so much better. Having the third b'day in a line of 3 is probably as bad as having your day fall on Christmas. Thankfully he's happy enough to have the love of a good woman, lol (am I right, hon???)

If I could be anywhere

Teen Son's learning to use photoshop (the secret of skinny, zit-free models everywhere :) Anyway, he hopped onto a drydocked sailboat, took this picture, worked a little software magic on it and--voila!--he's sailing in paradise. If only, eh?

Ah, well, here's to dreaming big... Have a beachy weekend ... wherever you are!

Taxi?

So the past couple of days I’ve had a cold relapse. Had a touch of something before my trip last week, kicked it, then it came back on Friday, kicked it again, then yesterday—BAM—felt like dirt that had been excavated, pummeled to a fine dust, then compacted into the earth. So when Teen Son asked if he could drive me around (he’s got a permit that somehow makes this legal), I said, “Sure.”

Loved it. Well, except for the times I had to shout, “Red light, red light, RED LIGHT.” Other than that, it’s all good. There’s something about being chauffeured around that I could get used to. You’d think I lived in LA or NY or somewhere busy like that. I don’t really, but I’m a mom and when your kids begin to get a life you can start feeling like a grossly underpaid and underappreciated (*sniff*) taxi driver whose route feels like one of those British turnstiles that seemingly never end.

So what’s my point? I’ve no idea. I’m sick, remember? I think I’ll just curl up with a good book (got a stack yea high), and wait for my ride to get here.

If you’ve ever been driven around by a permitted-but-not-yet-licensed driver, tell me your story.

Tricia Goyer and I met more than 10 years ago at the Mt. Hermon Christian Writers conference and have been friends & prayer buddies ever since. Just love her!

Still reliving the days in Dallas, yet when I spotted my Mr. So Right waiting for me at the airport, I nearly knocked him over. Missed. Him. So. Much. And though I missed the kids too, he picked me up by himself and drove us north along the coast so I could say 'hey' to my beloved ocean :) So ahhh!

A highlight was stopping for Mexican food in Malibu and people watching. Seeing all those hybrids mingled with Ferraris felt like I was in the pages of a Kristin Billerbeck book, lol (Kristin pokes fun at celebrities in some of her novels, in case you didn't know.)

Ah well. I'm home, and the dishes are piled up again, and my conference clothes sit like a clump waiting for some attention, and writing needs to be done. Yeah, it's good to be back.

You can't see this in the picture, but I'm pinching myself over meeting two of my heroines of the book world, Colleen Coble and Diann Hunt. And they both won Book of the Year honors--woo hoo!

(Unfortunately, I didn't get the memo that name tags were optional. Thankfully they let me in the picture anyway...:)

Congrats, Ladies!!!

A Texas Hug

Look what Vader's Mom brought me! My blogging buddy stopped by to visit during the ACFW booksigning in Dallas. She's such a sweetie!

It's evening here, and time to take off the boots and put on some bling. I'm heading off to the end of conference awards banquet where I'll be sitting with editor Karen Schurrer and a table full of Bethany House authors. Then tomorrow it'll be home again, home again (jiggity jig :)

Lunchtime in Dallas

Had lunch with my travel buddy, Katie and her roommate, Carrie Padgett (whose book is a finalist in the conference's Genesis contest). That's me there in the back, on the right, standing next to new friend Carol, from Arkansas.

In case you hadn't heard, we're attending the American Christian Fiction Writers conference in Texas. I'm no stranger to conferences, but I have to say, this one's very different. It's all fiction, all the time. No non-fiction writers, please (or at least, keep that fact to yourself :) Seriously, the halls and restaurants are abuzz with topics like POV, and motivation, and lits vs. historicals, and will fantasy ever really be accepted in the CBA???

If you don't know what I'm talking about, count yourself blessed, lol.

Tomorrow it'll be a full day of classes followed by a night on the town. Dallas, be warned.

Superfast post this morning as I've got about 5 minutes left on my prepaid Internet card, but wanted to say hey, y'all, from Texas. Katie Cushman and I arrived last evening and after a fattening dinner (okay, I'm the one who ate a ton), we sat in the lobby of the Marriott people watching. Surreal experience to see so many familiar blogger faces!

I'll try to post pics and trivia from the conference starting this evening. Until then, have a beachy day.

Happy Birthday to Mamacita Figueroa! (LOL That's what we always called Mom as kids, not sure why.)

Last night the whole clan got together to celebrate Mom's b'day with Chinese, chocolate mousse cake (to die for, by the way) and lots of presents. My brother Mikey got Mom involved in a wicked Wii bowling game--then presented her with her own Wii setup to take home. Whoever says this game is for kids hasn't seen my mama squealing after a strike!

Enjoy your day, Mom!

***

Two days left to pack before the big trip out to Dallas. Got the boots, but not the Stetson. Will they let me in?! And just the other day I realized that I'll be in Texas, the state where bling's the thing. Again, I'm out of my element. Hubby reminded me that I have a diamond tennis bracelet somewhere, and that maybe I oughta dig it out. Poor guy is a fabulous provider of bling, but I forget to wear it. I'm a disgrace to women everywhere. Trips like this make me realize just how much of a beach chick I really am. Just give me a tankini and flip flops and I'm good to go--to the beach!

So ready or not, I'll be there (I'll be the one trying to smuggle a boogie board & a sand bucket into my hotel room).

Book clubs have sprung up all around the world. I love it when I hear that a group has chosen to read my book, and I've even been invited to meet the readers at a couple of these. (In case you missed it, you can read about the Chocolate Beach feast here.)

With my next novel, Truffles by the Sea, book clubs won't need to come up with their own questions because I'm writing some for them. I got so many requests, that it made sense. Rather than putting them in the book and possibly spoiling the story (ugh), they'll be posted on my publisher's site and my own.

But that's still a few months off. I'll let you know when it's all spit and polished for you :)

Btw, this picture of a dock rolling out to sea caught my eye because it reminds me of Gaby's home in my upcoming release. Her life may have hit some snags, but God just provided this great place to live--says so in Chap. 1 (no spoilers here!) Don't you just want to dive in? Sigh. Me too.

Have a beachy weekend!

My publisher, Bethany House, is taking a cover survey. Here's a chance for you to take part in the publishing process--and you just might win a free book. Find the survey here.

Now if only they were giving away free chocolate...

There's something about a trip that makes this beachy girl dare to head to the mall. Because of the big ACFW shindig in Dallas next week, I've hit the stores not once, not twice, but three times (Baby!) Actually bought myself a cool pair of dark chocolate boots. That's right, my new boots are made for walkin', so that's just what I'll do...

Ho hum. Anyway.

This made me wonder why I'm so into shopping sometimes (Teen Daughter would emphasize "sometimes", lol) and other times, well, not so much. So I took a little quiz (naturally). For your mid-week quizzing pleasure, I give you the following oh-so scientific examination. C'mon back and let me know how you fare, alrighty?

You Can Hang With the Guys and the Girls

You've struck a good balance between girlie and laid back. You can keep it casual but when you dress up, you are as girly as the next girl.

How Feminine Are You?

Wordsmiths

My pal, Kathryn Cushman, just found her debut novel on the shelf at Borders. You can see a pic of her happy family here. Congrats, Katie!

Reminds me of the first time I saw Chocolate Beach at a bookstore, you know, the day I was nearly arrested. You can read about it here.

To be sure, when Truffles by the Sea releases in January, I'll head to the bookstore in disguise, lol.

Off to the first meeting of new Bible study. Coffee and the Word. What could be better than that?

Rising to the occasion

I read an article in the latest issue of TCW called The Rise of Raunch. In it, author Suzie Eller talks about a recent trip to a lingerie store where she encountered a 15-ish aged girl accompanied by three teen boys. When the boys tossed skimpy outfits into the girl's arms and then nudged her toward the dressing room, Suzie was appalled. She appealed to a sales clerk, who looked away. She then appealed to a manager, who also looked away. In the end, Suzie stood toe-to-toe with the boys and made them leave the store.

And that inspired me.

So last Saturday, I shopped with my girls and our pre-teen friend. When Teen Daughter went to try on shorts in the coed dressing room--and what's up with that, by the way?--I followed along. No way was she trying on clothes so close to guys without mama in tow. So anyway, in the lobby of the dressing area, highlighted in all its raw glory as if it had attained the stature of a work created by Michelangelo himself, we see a nearly naked male mannequin with his pants slouched down to there. Yes, 'there.' The display left little to the imagination, and trust me, this was no work of art.

So out loud I say, that's inappropriate!, and set out to make a change. The younger girls blushed and giggled as I wrestled with the mannequins slouchy jeans, pulling them up to a more appropriate level. Unfortunately, they slipped right back down and we were back to seeing this anatomically correct mannequin's almost-privates.

By now, Teen Girl's out of the dressing room, and gaping at me. "Mom, what are you doing?"

"His pants are ridiculous," I'm saying while tugging up his jeans. Sigh. Undeterred by the scene I'm making, I decide to unbuckle its belt and then I yank, yank, YANK until I can get it tight enough to KEEP THOSE PANTS UP!

And it worked. Yay for me. Yay for mothers and daughters everywhere. But geez, must it come to this?

As the four of us walked away from the dressing room, the teenaged boy manning the area leans toward me and says--and I'm so not making this up--"Thanks. That was bugging me too."

To which I shot back, "You're welcome."

As Suzanne said, "Together we can stand up for our girls and ourselves." And that includes insisting that dummies everywhere pull up their pants.

Hey, that's nice

"I'd like to thank all the little people..." LOL

Sharon Hinck thinks I'm nice. Nice! If they had an award for sarcastic, I'd get it but...heehee. Okay, I'll take it. (Thanks Sharon, end-cap buddy ;)

“This award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world. Once you’ve been awarded please pass it on to 7 others who you feel are deserving of this award.”

Now it's my turn to bestow this prestigious award upon some of the nice bloggers I know. Hm. How about...

Vader's Mom, who vows to get to Dallas to see me despite the horrendous traffic.

Deena, who sends sweet notes

Tricia Goyer who's been my writing pal for, like, forever.

Katie Cushman who's agreed to take a public speaking class with me and commiserate afterward with, as she puts it, post-mortification chocolate.

Vail, who always has something cool to say

C.J. Darlington, who loves words

Jamie Driggers who needs some serious sleep

Ah-choo

We may have record setting temps here in CA, but the cold & flu season has, apparently, begun. Today I'm standing next to Elem. Girl when a boy in the next line over announces that another boy had just "thrown up." So I did what any concerned parent would do...I turned to Elem. Girl and said, "Stay away from that kid." (After making a visual assessment that the boy in question was all right, of course ;)

The funny thing is, when I turned to my daughter, I caught eyes with another mother who had turned to her daughter and was saying, "Stay away from that boy." LOL Yeah, we moms have to stick together.

Off to take a double dose of Airborne and maybe throw in a little Zicam for good measure. Oh, and before I forget, here's a link with more info on that "World's Largest" booksigning that I'll be part of in Dallas. Sixty authors! Come say hi to the lonely girl, okay?

ack!

Too busy for a real post. Getting ready for a couple of conferences and prepping the sched. for mi familia. So instead of my frantic meanderings, here's a quiz, which is just so much more worthy...

Only wish hubby had this power. LOL Kidding, honey...

Your Superpower Should Be Mind Reading

You are brilliant, insightful, and intuitive. You understand people better than they would like to be understood. Highly sensitive, you are good at putting together seemingly irrelevant details. You figure out what's going on before anyone knows that anything is going on! Why you would be a good superhero: You don't care what people think, and you'd do whatever needed to be done Your biggest problem as a superhero: Feeling even more isolated than you do now

What Should Your Superpower Be?

Congrats to Karmyn for winning a copy of Sushi for One?! (crowd cheers)

To meet Camy and other authors (including me!), stop by the Dallas/Addison Marriott Quorum by the Galleria on Saturday, September 22 from 1:30-2:30. We'll be taking a break from the ACFW conference to sign books and meet our readers. See y'all there :)

Meet my pal and fella blogging chick, Camy Tang!

Camy's book, SUSHI FOR ONE? has just released.

It's the story of volley-ball playing Lex Sakai whose family is "big, nosy, and marriage minded." When her cousin Mariko gets married, Lex will become the OSFC--Oldest Single Female Cousin--in the clan. And that's when the pressure, er, fun really starts :)

Enter a comment and I'll pick a name at random to win a free copy.

Here's my interview with Camy:

So what's a day in the life of debut novelist Camy Tang?

Chaos. No, really. The past few months have been hectic because I bit off more than I could chew. Things are settling down now.

Typically, I'd like to be up around the time my husband leaves for work so I can exercise and read my Bible (I was able to do all that today, so I'm feeling optimistic). I check email first, then dive into whatever work I have to do--edits, freelance editing, writing.

I try to blog one afternoon a week, writing up my posts for the entire week, so I'm more efficient with my time. I also try to read a writing article or a chapter in a writing book or listen to a workshop on MP3 every day, although that doesn't always happen.

Then Captain Caffeine (my husband) comes home around 8:30 pm and we have dinner and veg in front of the TV for an hour or two (right now I'm totally hooked on The Closer). I'll usually have another few hours of writing time before we go to bed.

No, I don't get out much.

Tell me about it! Hey Camy, You often speak fondly of Captain Caffeine and his imported espresso maker. What's your favorite caffeinated beverage order?

Honestly, tea. Strong English Breakfast or Irish Breakfast tea. I'll take Earl Grey if I'm feeling zesty, or Ginger Peach (Republic of Tea) if I'm feeling fruity. In the summer, it's iced. In the winter, it's scalding hot, sometimes with a little soymilk and honey.

However, I won't turn my nose up at a latte, especially if it's from Captain Caffeine or our favorite coffeeshop, Barefoot Coffee in Santa Clara.

How much can you personally relate to Lex?

Lex and I have both played coed volleyball, although I wasn't near as good as she is. I retired from volleyball after I tore my ACL *twice*. Yeah, not doing that again.

I have a camy-o appearance in Sushi for One--there's a ball-magnet who gets slammed by a spike, suspiciously named Camy. That actually happened to me. Also the part about being hit by balls when I'm just walking across the back of a court.


Ouch :) (Funny, though.) Okay, so tell us about any public events you've got on calendar.

I'll be at the American Christian Fiction Writers conference in Dallas, Texas from September 20th to the 23rd. I'm selling my books in the ACFW conference bookstore for really cheap since I know writers are, well, broke. I'll have my first public booksigning on Saturday afternoon, September 22nd. That should be fun.

I'm planning a launch party for my church family and volleyball friends in either September or October. Hopefully all the church ladies will cook for the party! Yum! All that yummy stuff in the book--that's the kind of stuff they make. They're fabulous cooks.


Next up for Camy Tang, author?

Book 2 in the Sushi Series, Only Uni, comes out in February 2008. I'm also working on my next series proposal, tentatively titled The Brainiacs. I'm also in the middle of my huge website contest, where I'm giving away baskets of Christian novels and an iPod Nano! It's exclusively for members of my newsletter YahooGroup, so join today:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Camys_Loft/join

Any parting words, mi amiga?

Thanks so much for having me here, Julie! I can't wait to read Truffles By the Sea (with a title like that, how could any woman resist?)
--
Sushi for One? (September 2007)
http://www.camytang.com/
Romance with a kick of wasabi

Special thanks to those participating in the Blogging Chicks Carnival today!

Sea-ing images

Teen Son's taking a digital photography class, and I'm jealous. I took photography in H.S., you know, 'back in the day', and we learned how to stand in a really, really dark room and take our roll of film out of the camera, then transfer it to another really dark room where we'd dip it in this and dip it in that and wait awhile for something cool to appear on the paper.

In Teen Son's class they take the pic, then download it to the computer where they see it immediately then with some clicks here and there they do all kinds of crazy things to it. Does it need mentioning that I caught him using my website photo for a guinea pig? Yeah, he washed me right out; I was gray from bangs to chin. Lovely.

Anyway, I ran across this pic he took of himself reflecting in the seawater. This was taken at a beach park that is surely filled with tourists this weekend, given that temperatures are soaring (And Elem. Girl had a soccer game at noon, why?) Ah well.

Happy Labor Day to you all. May you find some R&R this weekend and a day at the beach (or the mountains or a quiet garden or...you get the picture :)

Drumroll, please...

We've got TWO winners in our Name the Chat event set for October. This from Katie:

We presented our favorites to the Borders event planner this week, and ended up combining two entries and then tweaking them some more. We liked Becca's "Border's Inspired", and we like Janneke's "Chocolate, murder, and promises." So ladies, you both get copies of all three books!

Currently the title is: "Borders Inspirational: Promises, chocolate... and murder," with a few small changes still possible.

So yay, and congratulations to you ladies! And thanks so much to all of you for playing along. If you're in the area for our event, we'd love to see you there:

Borders
Goleta, CA,
Friday, October 12, 7 pm.
with James Scott Bell, Kathryn Cushman & Julie Carobini (that's me :)
Author readings, free samples from the Borders cafe (you already know how I feel about free stuff), and of course... CHOCOLATE!

If you give a writer a cookie

...she'll link to you.

I've been teetering on a health kick since deciding to head out to Dallas next month for the ACFW conference. Some of the attendees have actually signed on for the weight loss challenge in anticipation. Whoa. So not going there. But still it got me thinking, so I've actually run a bit more and curtailed my obsession with hankering for all things chocolate.

Anyway, saw this ad for a free snack and I, uh, bit. Marketing at its finest, I tell you, but what do I care? They're sending me a cookie--with chocolate in it!--so I'm passing their info along. You just answer a few questions and they'll tell ya what they'll send you. For free. Here's the link.

To health...and free stuff :) Let me know what you get.

Last chance (almost)

Back in the day, when someone went on and on (and on) about something, we'd say they sounded like "a broken record." The same holds true, but how many get that these days? What should we say instead-- 'a scratched cd'? Or how about a 'beeping microwave'?

And really, who cares?

Well, me, actually. Because that's what I think I'm sounding like. But I wanted to give ya one last chance to, say this together, Buy a Book, Feed a Child. August is almost done--can you believe it?--so there're just a few days left to give 10% of your book buying bill (any book, not just mine) to the sweet kiddos who need it over at Compassion International. It's easy. It's quick. So if you're in a giving mood, just click on that button on my sidebar and you'll be on your way. Gracias, my friends.

Nothin' like a day at the beach

That'll teach 'em

If your kids are grown and gone, or even if you've never had any, grab a cup of coffee and have a laugh while reading this ebay post.

And if you've still got little kiddos at home, take heart. The mother who posted the above-noted description on ebay has had more media offers than Paris Hilton.

Babysitter, anyone?

Saturday Afternoon Post

Lazy day around here. Soccer was supposed to start but didn't, kind of a last minute thing. For those of you who do not live in laid-back CA, that's probably absurd, but yes, we just learned yesterday that the season's start was moved to next week, and so we carry on.

Anyway, as I was saying, it's been a lazy, run-at-the-beach and mow-the-lawn-kind-of- day around here and so I found this little quiz. Given that my hub's from PA, and that I always crack up when we're visiting back East and someone offers me "pop" instead of "soda", I found this quirky and fun and completely useless. But still. I'm bored, so I went with it. And just so you know, there was no question about Spanglish or else the entire outcome would have been notably altered.

Quiz on:

Your Linguistic Profile:

50% General American English 20% Dixie 15% Yankee 10% Upper Midwestern 0% Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

friday fodder

Book Clubs are hot, hot, hot these days, so my publisher has put together a kewl newsletter for aficionados of the read-and-discuss-it scene. You can find it here.

Speaking of unrelated thoughts, a movie is currently being filmed in nearby Ventura beach. Called Endless Bummer, it's your classic guy gets board, loses board, then finds board again surf movie. Hey, I didn't write it, I'm just reporting. And while we're on the subject of Ventura based movies, I'm thinking what the big screen really needs is some Chocolate Beach (no offense to Bummer, which I'm sure will be a big hit.)

Locally-filmed movies and I go way, way (way) back to middle school when a talent scout (and I use the term loosely) flagged my pal and me down to be extras in this blockbuster of 1978. We thought we'd 'made it' (to the big time, baby!) Seriously, we stood this close to Ed Begley, jr. (in his pre uber-green days), Ruth Buzzi (without her hairnet), Isaac from Love Boat (he has a real name but this is how I'll always remember him), and for you Angelenos, Rick Dees from Kiss-FM wearing an ape suit and singing the classic, Disco Duck.

I'm so not making this up.

Ahhh to be young and carefree and looking for fame. Maybe I'll take a little walk down by the beach later today, 'cuz you never know--the film makers just might be on the lookout for, um, 'mature' (yet still-so-cool-in-her-own-mind) talent. I'll bring my own board.

Problem solved...

I've got much to do, yet little accomplished. So I'm retreating from the blogging world (but I'll take breaks :) and focusing on my next book because, basically, Elementary Girl laughed when she looked over my shoulder last night and saw how little I'd written all day. Busted.

Until we meet again (say, after another 2k words written...), here's a little something for your quizzing pleasure:

Your Mind is 60% Cluttered

Your mind is starting to get cluttered, and as a result, it's a little harder for you to keep focused. Try to let go of your pettiest worries and concerns. The worrying is worse than the actual problems!

How Cluttered is Your Mind?

A few years ago, I dropped by church early one mid-week morning and an older gentleman asked how I was doing.

"Doing well," I answered. "The kids started school today."

He looked at me with a big, wrinkled grin and said, "Well then, Happy Mother's Day!"

So there you go. It's the first day for many Ventura County students, so while all their brains are sponging up more smarts, how about the rest of us hit the beach?

See you there...

***

A big 'Thank You' to all who entered our little Name that Chat contest. We're still mulling, so if you have any more ideas, be sure to post them in the 8/20 comments section.

Write for three

Happy Monday, everyone!

Okay all you creative types, want to win three, autographed books? On October 12, authors James Scott Bell (Try Dying) and Kathryn Cushman (A Promise to Remember), will join me, author of Chocolate Beach, in the Santa Barbara area for a book signing / author chat at Borders in Goleta. The event director for Borders has asked us to come up with a "catchy title" for the event, and that's where you and your right-brains come in ;)

So here's the deal. Submit your catchy title via comment here or at Katie's blog. The person who submits the best title, as determined by the authors, and ultimately the Borders event planner, will receive signed copies of all three novels.

Feel free to pass along this info to friends and/or link to your blog. Lines are open and operators are standing by... (Okay, not really, but that sounded official, don't you think?)

disney strikes again

You do know what today is, right? Yep, High School Musical II debuts, and all three-all 3!--of my kids have been invited to High School Music watching parties. Actually, one of the parties is over at my house (what was I thinking?).

I heard Teen Son on the phone inviting guests: "Hey, it's lame, but my mom's buying pizza, so it'll be fun."

He's planning to Tivo it, so yeah, we'll be singing catchy tunes and viewing cliched scenes late into the night. We'll also be checking out Zac Efron's new 'do and watching to see if he and Vanessa Hudgens can still belt out the winning duet. But at least it's clean fun, so I really can't complain (too much).

And there'll be pizza. There's always that.

Promise to Remember

Psst...go on over and welcome Katie to the blogosphere. She's cool :)

Gracias!

P-nut butter jelly time

The girls are in school already which means I've been spending my mornings padding around the kitchen in my slippers making the all-American lunch. So for your quizzing pleasure, I submit the following scientific survey:

You Are a Grilled Cheese Sandwich

You are a traditional person with very simple tastes. In your opinion, the best things in life are free, easy, and fun. You totally go with the flow. And you enjoy every minute of it! Your best friend: The Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Your mortal enemy: The Ham Sandwich

What Kind of Sandwich Are You?

(Just so you know, ham's okay as long as there's gooey cheese with it...;)

So last night I'm invited to a book club gathering where our host, Kim B., has planned a dinner inspired by Chocolate Beach: grocery-bought chickens (the kind from under a heat lamp), bag salad, chocolate chili (yeah, you read that right), and brownies. Of course. See, heroine Bri is not much of a cook, unless chocolate's somehow involved, and then she's a regular Bobby Flay.

Okay, so not exactly. The book club's menu had originally included risotto, which no one could find, but if you've read Chocolate Beach, then you'd probably agree that this was for the best :)

Anyway, we sat outside in beach chairs surrounding a fire pit that roared into the night. We laughed and ate and bagged on Ty, Bri's boss from the book. Great fun. A shout out goes to the book club gals who treated this newbie writer so graciously, and that includes stuffing me with fun foods: Kim B (thanks for the zebra flip flops and hosting the night :), Kim, Heather, Lisa, Debbie, Audrey, Donna (good job on that choco-rich chili!), and Doris.
You all Rock!

Feed them

Happy Sunday! Over on my sidebar you'll find a button that leads to a link where you can buy a stack of summer/fall reads. Ten percent of each book purchased (any books, not just ones I've written!) will be donated to the children of Compassion International. Today's a beautiful day to give, don't you think?

worth a thousand words...(and that's about it)

Here's our fearless outrigger team from the big corporate challenge race last weekend. Grrr. (Scary, huh) Left to right there's Paul, Annette, Susan, me and Dan.

rumblings...

Woke up at 12:30ish this morning to a California earthquake. Was a small one, about 4.5, but it prodded me out of sleep anyway. Anyone else feel it?

Teen Son got his learner's permit this week. Pray for him/us, will ya?

This is a true story: Teen Son ate at Famous Italian Restaurant the other night with the grandparents when 1/2 way through his dinner, he found a fly in it. I am not making this up. Dinner was comped. Is that not comic strip material? So ew.

Come on back tomorrow for a Ca-razy Friday Foto :-]]

Tuesday tidbits

Even though my girls are starting school next week already, I'm still in summer mode. Basically, I'm only kicking and screaming my way into an early fall. It's August, so I still want to fall asleep on a chaise lounge with a book on my heart. Is that so much to ask?

Sigh. I read a fun one a couple of weeks ago, and I won it, which made it all the more special, lol. The Book of Jane by Anne Dayton & May Vanderbilt is a modern day retelling of Job. I cringed and swooned while reading about poor Jane and her misfortunes. The worst part? I read it so fast that I was sorry it was over. Really fun.

For my friends in the Dallas area, there'll be a booksigning open to the public during the annual ACFW conference on September 22, and I'll be there with a smile and a pen. I'll post more info as I receive it. Would love to see you (if you've already bought a book, just bring it :)

Teen Son's helping me with a myspace. I'd tell you how to look it up, but I've forgotten myself. Such a dork. Anyway, when I can get that info, I'll post it here.

If you're in the Santa Barbara area in mid-October, I'll be signing books with a couple of author buddies. See my website for details.

I'm off to find that lounge chair and the current book I'm reading, Snitch by Rene Gutteridge. Have a beachy day...;)

Oh, Mr. Darcy!

"You bewitch me, body and soul."

Sigh. That, my friends, is one of my favorite lines from Pride and Prejudice. And be still my romantic heart, but a fictionalized version of the beloved author's life is being released on film next week.

So to satisfy the whim of Austen fans everywhere, my publisher, Bethany House, is releasing a couple of new books about Jane just in time. You can check them out here. (If you buy them through my cbd link, 10% of your purchase will go to feed children in poverty-stricken countries. See my website for more details.)

Imagine. Jane and I published by the same House. Will wonders never cease...

For your British romance quizzing pleasure:

Take the Quiz here!

Welcome Blogging Chicks! For more fun posts, check out today's carnival here.

fickle friday

Came across more than a couple blogs this week asking the age-old question, "Where have all the bloggers gone?" I think the answer would be "Hawaii" (or some less-affordable vacation option such as Detroit). Anyway, the point is, summertime has thrown people off their schedules. It's ripped them from their quaint though often-mocked routines. Still the die-hards blog and wonder if there's anything such as loyalty anymore. Will people not understand that bloggers wake up in the morning, not wondering about the weather and what to wear, but how many hits they've had already?

Okay, that's just me. But by the posts I've read lately, I've got compadres.

I'm one to talk, though, cuz I'm not reading that many blogs these days either. And Friday's the lowest day of the week anyway...

Just to show you how fickle these days are, I took a bunch of quizzes before deciding on this one. Even took one that asks are you stupid? and decided I didn't like the answer... So for your quizzing pleasure:

Your Quirk Factor: 40%

You have a few little quirks, but you generally blend in well with society. Only those who know you well know how weird you can be.

How Quirky Are You?

To those who know me: Ain't it the truth!

Still working for chocolate

Someone mentioned that I've not been blogging about writing lately. Can't really say why other than that I've fallen into a bit of a sunny days malaise--can you relate or what?

That's not to say that I haven't been writing, because I have. Lots. Let's see. I made some editorial changes to Truffles by the Sea--did I mention you can preorder it from Amazon? For some reason, the cover's not up, so if you haven't seen it that means--tsk, tsk--you haven't yet signed up for my newsletter (I revealed it there about a month ago.) You can sign up here for my occasional newsletter (bottom right hand corner), and scouts honor, I won't give out your e-addy. Anyway, here's my new cover! Sa-weet!:

You can also read about Truffles by the Sea on my website. (Have I mentioned to y'all how much weight I gained while writing these choco-themed books? Not pretty. Guess it explains the sudden interest in racing outriggers. LOL)

On top of prepping Truffles... for its impending birth, I've been working on a series involving--buh, buh, buh--guess I shouldn't give it away yet. Having a ball with this one too, and hope to reveal more soon :).

Okay, lots of writers stop by here, and if you're one of them, how's the writing going on your end? Busy working or busy playing? NO judgment here either way. Seriously, I've got the wind and waves calling me out of my office nearly every day (well, that or one of my three kids, lol), so I'm not exactly one to talk.

So catch me up!