Happy Veteran's Day everybody!

For you fiction readers, my pal Tricia Goyer has written several awesome novels set during WWII and other time periods that you might want to check out this weekend.

As for me, I'll be reading, relaxing, attending church and praying for our troops (you know, in between all the mothering stuff like providing taxi service and feeding three squares a day ;). I'll also be bundling up and doing some beachcombing with my Mr. So Perfect, and looky-looing into Open Houses we come across (right, honey?)

Whatever you do, have a beachy weekend...and remember to fly your flag!

KK & me

Decided to come out of hiding and actually intro myself to novelist Karen Kingsbury. So glad I did, because she was warm and helpful to this newbie writer. After I gushed a little, she patiently answered my probing questions and signed a fresh-off-the-press copy of Between Sundays. And before that, she entertained the crowd with stories about her writing life, her family, and the recent Hannah Montana concert she and her son, Tyler, attended. LOL, my maternal respect o'meter shot up at that point.

Before the event, my hub, Dan, Teen Daughter, Elementary Girl and I stopped by Casa Cushman for pizza and cookies, then followed Katie & her youngest over to Border's. I think I can safely say that Katie (as in Kathryn Cushman) gushed at least as much as I did, only she did it in an elegant sort-of way :)

Sssh...

Off to spy on see Karen Kingsbury tonight. Hoping some of her bestseller status will rub off on me. I'll be the one taking copious notes, and wearing dark shades with a cap pulled down low. Will report on what I uncover tomorrow...;)

workin' 9 to 5

The Galley is in! So to celebrate I've curled up with a novel and plan to stay this way all the livelong day. LOL--not. But, oh, how nice that would be (she said, wistfully).

Actually, the dryer broke, and I paid a repair guy 50 bucks to come out here and tell me it's dead. So today I'm on the hunt for a bargain. And I need to restock the empty fridge with food, and to clean dustbunnies that have multiplied throughout my neglected house, and to pay the bills. Sigh. My work is never done...;)

Can you relate or what?

Makes my heart want to sing...

just thinking about the Chris Tomlin concert I attended with hubby, Teen Son & TS' friend on Friday night. Here's a camera phone pic that doesn't do the night justice, but there you go.

The concert was held under a cool blanket of fog at the Santa Barbara Bowl, yet as Chris led us in worship under the heavens that fog blew out and we saw stars. Big, bright stars. If you've never had a chance to hang with 4,000 plus worshippers under a clear night sky, I passionately recommend it. I'm still glowing from the experience (can you tell?)

On the way in we ran into all kinds of friends old and new; lots of hugging going on. Funny trivia: my pal, Katie Cushman was there too, with hubby Lee and Teen Daughter--in the same row! What a coinky-dink, huh? And the couple seated next to us were from a town just east of here called Ojai. Turns out they knew friends of ours from church. It's a small world when believers get together :)

Special shout out to Becca Dowling, writing buddy, who graced me with the tickets. I needed this night and probably would not have pursued it on my own. So thanks, girlfriend. Also there that night was writer/speaker Lou Giglio who riveted us with stirring words of God's greatness. If you've never heard Giglio speak then You. Must. I just picked up Chris Tomlin's CD See the Morning and it has a bonus DVD with it which includes several music videos from the tour along with an appearance by Giglio. Woo-hoo. Hey, listen, if you can stop a concert mid way and take command of an audience with a 40 minute speech, then you have been gifted by God. All I'm sayin'.

And here's a bit of trivia that even I hadn't remembered until Friday night. When I began to write Truffles by the Sea I typed out the refrain from one of CT's songs called Indescribable. Know it? Anyway, I used the words to inspire me to write about a woman who in the midst of various disasters finds beauty all around her. She even mentions the song in one of the last chapters. When the book was complete, I'd erased the refrain from that first page, and sent it to my publisher.

I'd forgotten about that when at the concert CT launched into that song. And as he sang, I fought the tears so I wouldn't ruin another pair of contacts, lol. The galleys for this book are due in just a couple of days, and as I struggle at times to make sure that all the t's are crossed and i's are dotted, I'm assured that God's not perplexed. He inspired me at the beginning, and He will carry me all the way through.

writing wrap up

Becky Miller wrote in to ask if I'd blogged about teaching at the Santa Barbara Christian Writer's Conference. I hadn't, but I think that's because I'd just capped off a month-long time of busy family and writing events, beginning with the trek out to Dallas in September. In other words, I was pooped.

So rewinding just a bit, yes, I did teach article writing at the SBC conference on the beautiful Westmont College campus, the day after the Bell/Cushman/Carobini chat at Borders. See, although I've written and sold a couple of novels, it all began with articles for me. I wrote for my college newspaper, then Sunday School papers and my local paper a bit, then on to magazines both online and in print. So while Jim spoke on the writing life, and Katie mentored fiction students, I worked mainly with those interested in writing articles.

So anyhoo, I had a class of eager students all with very different ideas of what they wanted to write next. So cool. I taught the Train of Thought Method, which is not a new idea, of course, but one that's finally been put into book form by my friend, Kathi Macias. (You can use it to write fiction too!) This is how I learned to write readable magazine articles. (In other words, apologies all around to college students forced to read my stories before I'd learned much about writing. Hey, you gotta start somewhere.)

So there you have it. I taught, ate too much, and enjoyed the camaraderie of new and seasoned writers. For you locals, I'll be sure to post info for next year's conference when it becomes available.

On another note, there's romance in the air. Do you feel it? I'm off to finish reviewing the galleys for Truffles by the Sea, and in case you hadn't heard, it's heavier on the romance than my first book. Even when re-reading I find myself swooning...lol, I think I've found my calling :) Anyway, it'll be out in late January, just in time for Valentine's Day.

Have a Beachy weekend, friends!

Hungover today

No, not that kind. The kind from eating all of this!

Say what you want about October 31, but you gotta admit, there's at least one benefit...;]]

Things I've discovered...

Every day is an unopened clam waiting for its tightly-clenched shell to be pried open by life's razor-sharp peculiarities. Now there's a cheesy line if I ever wrote one! Seriously, though, I've had my ups and downs lately--and don't we all at times?--and I long to shake them off. Writing is one sure way to help me out of a funk. That and much prayer. How about you? What do you do to swat away the swirl of fleas that stinky times can produce?

Like when:
--you find out that your camera was stolen from your car
--you are criticized
--you lost something important
--your waistband's beginning to tighten ;)

Thankfully it's not all bad. My friend and fellow ACFW member, Becca, just sent me some tickets to a Chris Tomlin concert. Woo-hoo, good timing, Becca!

And then there's the dark chocolate Altoids I just discovered at the checkout stand. Hey, sometimes it's the little things that help so much, you know? (Unfortunately my girls also discovered the curiously strong mints' medicinal qualities and now I have to go buy more. Not fair.)

Phew. I'm feeling better already. How about you?

And the winner is...

Stormi from Missouri has won a copy of Katie Cushman's "A Promise to Remember."
Congrats, Stormi!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by for Friday's chat.

Silly boys, trikes are for kids

There's still time to enter the drawing for A Promise to Remember by Katie Cushman. Just leave a comment on last Friday's post. I'll pop in sometime tonight with the name of the winner!

***

Spent Saturday afternoon over at the Ventura Harbor watching adults wearing weird costumes (these pics don't show much of that aspect so you'll have to trust me on this) drive strange contraptions through water, sand, mud, and of course, on asphalt. Ka-razy. It's a charitable fundraiser called the Kinetic Sculpture Race that drives engineers to do these things--and crowds, like us, to watch. Could give you a play by play but thought the pics might just say it all ;) Wish I'd remembered to whip out the camera earlier but was just too mesmerized by the spectacle. So anyway, for your Monday viewing pleasure:

Meet Katie, and win a book (maybe)

Kathryn (Katie) Cushman is no stranger to this blog. If you've been around you've heard about our recent trip to Dallas, our brave (yeah, right ;) participation in a public speaking class, and that cake that wowed us at the Borders' signing.

Katie's first book, A Promise to Remember, just released a few weeks ago--and I've got an extra copy to give away. Woo-hoo! Leave a comment at the end of this interview and I'll put your name into my lone winter hat. Elementary Girl will randomly choose a name sometime Monday afternoon, so be sure to check back. It could be you!

Okay, here's a peek at the back cover of A Promise to Remember:

Andie Phelps is the envy of Santa Barbara. A devoted mother with a loving son and a successful husband, her greatest joy comes from reaching out to others...

Melanie Johnston is the envy of no one. A single mom who works long hours to pay the bills, her greatest joys relate to her teen daughter and son.

Then the accident that changes everything. When opposite worlds collide, the impact reaches far beyond these mothers' personal losses.

Two wounded women...two families seeking hope...a community torn apart... How far will they go to fulfill: A Promise to Remember

* * *

Crystal Johnson, armchairinterviews.com says "...once you start reading there is no way you won't be affected in some way .... Kathryn Cushman is bestseller material!"

* * *

Since Katie writes serious, thought-provoking stories, I decided to ask her like-minded questions (not). Okay, here goes:


You used to be a pharmacist. How is a novelist different?
Ha! Fun question. It is different in almost every way.
Pharmacist-- feet ache from standing all day
Novelist-- backside aches from sitting all day

Pharmacist-- work long shifts, lucky to sneak in a bite of food occasionally
Novelist-- Spend the entire day eating cookies to "spark creativity" while working

Pharmacist-- might spend half an hour verifying an unclear order, or notifying a doctor's office about a serious drug interaction, then spend the next 10 minutes being berated by that patient for the long wait
Novelist-- spend half an hour writing a scene that treats a character abominably, then get an email from a reader saying how much it meant to them

LOL--I think you made a great career switch. Okay, next question, who and/or what inspires your writing choices? Most of my ideas have come from some little tidbit of real life-- something I've seen on the news or heard about somewhere. It usually involves a question I don't know how to answer, so I invent some characters who I hope will figure it out for me!

Think you'll ever delve into other genres? If yes, which one(s)?
When I first started writing, I wrote romantic suspense. In fact, I finished two romantic suspense manuscripts. But... when I started writing A Promise to Remember it was sort of that "Aha!" moment for me, when I finally realized I was writing exactly what I wanted to write. So, until I feel called in another direction, it's going to be rather serious women's fiction for me.

What's your favorite ice cream?
Baskin Robbins' German Chocolate Cake. My mouth waters just typing those words-- gee, I wish there was a Baskin Robbins near me!!!!!

That's okay since there's one near me. C'mon down, and I'll buy :) Here's another question, this one dear to my heart! If you were chocolate, which kind would you be? Why?
I'm milk chocolate-- a Hershey bar, actually. Nothing glitzy or glamorous like the imported or dark chocolates. Dependable, predictable-- but still lovable :-).


Yes, you are! One last thing, finish this: A good writing day is like ...
For me a good writing day is the day the dam bursts, and the ideas that have been blocked come pouring out so fast my fingers can't keep up. I love the tap, tap, tap of the keyboard moving at warp speed.

Me too, Katie! Thanks for stopping in--you're always welcome.

Thanks Jul!

If you'd like a copy of Katie's novel, please remember to comment--and to check back next week. Beachy weekend everyone!

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?