Writer's Block: Time travel

Question: If you could travel in time, which era would you visit and why?

I love time travel stories, which is weird because I'm not really that keen on historicals, lol. But I think it's because of my fascination of the theme of stranger in a strange land. Feeling like a fish out of water and learning to adjust. Then there's the whole issue of time manipulation. I hate to think about the science of it because it gives me a headache, but the notion of getting to go back and relive parts of your life, or visit a new era, just makes me want to pull out my wallet and buy blindly.

Where would I go if I could? I'm torn, actually. I love the romance of the 30s and 40s, but I would have hated to be a war widow. I love the music and the arts and the way of thinking, but then there's that whole American Depression thing. Still, I think even with all the cons, a major city like New York in the 30's would be my first choice.

Second choice...Scotland before the 1745 Jacobite revolution. I love the Scottish Highlands, so much so that it's probably the only truly cold place I'd consider settling down. I've always felt an affinity for them, most likely because of my love for rolling mountains. To get to experience the wild highlands and the simplicity of life before the Battle of Culloden would be amazing. I'd even be okay with the lack of a lot of modern conveniences. Going back to that time and place just feels...right. Who knows? Maybe I was a Scottish lass in a previous life. ;)

Where would you like to go?

Inspirations - James Marsters

OK, so last weekend, I was at a convention. A sci-fi convention. Where I got to ogle pretty men and fangirl with online buddies for four days. But here's a confession. While I adore Brent Spiner and Leonard Nimoy is an icon, I really went for one other person.

James Marsters.

For those not in the know, he played Spike on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I had never gotten obsessed with a TV show before, or really since, but Buffy was it for me. I absolutely adored that show. Still do. While I love the entire cast and the ensemble aspect of it, my love for vampires - especially ones dragged into being good - meant I fell hook, line, and sinker for Spike.

It wasn't just the leather pants and the British accent and the attitude...okay, it was a lot of that. But James Marsters in the real world had his own appeal...

But it's probably no surprise that the hair isn't natural. Even now, years after the show is over, he's still a gorgeous man...

Do I read or do I listen?

Yesterday, on my way back from Los Angeles, I stopped in at Barnes & Noble and bought two copies of the same book. Why? Because one is hardcover and the other is the audio book. The book in question is "Small Favor" by Jim Butcher.

I'm very much a fan of the Dresden novels, from devouring all the books to watching the short-lived TV series. But buying the audio books isn't about wanting more Dresden, because ultimately, I've already read the book. No, I buy them for two other reasons. One, they're read by James Marsters, who I adore, but two - and this is the bigger reason these days - it's the only way I can get my husband to share my love for Dresden.

My husband has never read a Dresden novel, but he's listened to all three of the other unabridged audio books and enjoyed them immensely. He loves to listen to them on long trips, and we've had the chance to talk about them, laugh together, get wrapped up in the stories. However, no matter how much he likes them, I can't get him to read the ones that don't have audio books. It's not that he doesn't like to read. He just doesn't have a lot of time for casual reading, even though I've told him time and time again that the Dresden books are fast reads.

I do like audio books, but frankly, they'll never replace a real book for me. What about you? What are your thoughts on audio books?

Why, yes, those are my pointy ears...

In two days, I leave behind my family to drive 6 hours to LA for a weekend of fangirly fun. I'm not driving alone, thank goodness. A very good friend is driving the couple hours to my house and then I'm taking both of us down. Thursday night, we're parking our butts in seats to watch Wicked, and then on Friday, we go check in at the Grand Slam Sci-Fi Summit. What's this? A sci-fi convention? Yep. A weekend of sanctioned celebrity staring.

I started going to cons after I got hooked on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. At first, it was about the excitement of seeing the actors I adored so much in person, but now, four years on, it's about a weekend of just letting loose and hanging out with the friends I've made in the fandom.

This weekend, I'm crashing at a friend's apartment, along with half a dozen other women who have been brought together by this love for a TV show. I only get to see most of them once a year, but honestly, these are some of the most wonderful people I've ever met. For four days, we hang out, fangirl over gorgeous men, dish on all the things we loved and hated about our cancelled show, and just let loose. I don't get to do that very often. I've got two kids, 8 and 6, which means lots of little things always demanding my attention. Getting to escape for this weekend means a few days of letting those responsibilities go. Recharging. Relaxing.

Of course, Pepper isn't thrilled because our writing time gets cut into. But I'm flying to Utah at the end of the month to stay with her for a week for her graduation, so I figure it all shakes out in the end.

Besides, I know for a fact that if she lived closer, she'd go with me. Leonard Nimoy? Brent Spiner? James Marsters? All in one place? In a heartbeat.

So what do you do to recharge?

Not my favorite day

I have a confession. I absolutely, positively loathe April Fool's Day. Maybe this makes me a grump. I don't know. What I do know is that I am the best possible target for pranksters today. Because I'm one of those people who almost always get fooled.

I'm gullible. There, I admitted it. I tend not to look for duplicity in people or things, and invariably, I completely forget that it's April Fool's Day at all. I fall prey to the slightest of misleads, more than should be humanly possible. And then I get annoyed because I fell for them. Both with myself and the people who trick me.

That doesn't mean some of them aren't funny. I'd probably be laughing my head off at some of them if they happened to other people, lol.

What about you? Are you one of the victims like me? Or are you one of the pranksters who pride themselves on being so clever every year?

An Age Old Question

We're in the process of editing a younger man/older woman story (ages 24 and 40), which has me thinking about May/December romances (which is hugely misleading since December implies we're in the last throes of our lives, lol). I have never considered these kind of things very risque or taboo (well, as long as the guy is legal). I'll read them because the leads are hot or because the story sounds interesting, but even though I'm at an age where this should probably be one of my fantasies, it's not.

I think it's primarily because my mother always dated younger men. My parents split up when I was only 7 and though she never remarried, she did date and have several long-term relationships. Every single one of them was with a man younger than her. When I was in college, she was the same age as the heroine we're writing now, and her boyfriend was 25. They were together for nearly 4 years. The boyfriend that came after was slightly older, but then so was my mother, so proportionally, it was the same.

I don't see anything wrong or unusual with these kind of relationships. At all. To me, it's as normal as seeing people of comparable age or a younger woman/older man. It's about compatibility. So what's the appeal? Is it wanting to feel young and attractive? My husband already does that for me. And frankly, any guy can make you feel like that if he's a keeper. So why do readers like this particular type of story?

Flashback Friday - Two Lives in Waltz Time

I am in love with the 30's and 40's. I think it's my favorite time period, in regards to history. If I could just get more people to love it as much as I do - and buy stories about it - I'd write a hell of a lot more set in that time period, that's for sure.

The one story I do have is Two Lives in Waltz Time. It's the longest of all my novels, and probably the most romance-y. I was lucky enough, too, for it to be a 2006 RT Award Nominee. But I got to play in that playground, which made me happy, and ultimately, that's what it's all about.

Art restorer Maddy Cardinale loves her job. In fact, the only downside to working the night shift at her prestigious New York museum is fellow restorer Cash Vinci. As charismatic as they come, Cash is the most confident man she has ever known. He’s also handsome, sexy as hell, and determined to get under her skin, no matter what the cost.

When an unusual painting arrives at the museum, neither of them anticipates the magic unleashed by a fleeting touch of the canvas. Suddenly, Cash and Maddy aren’t in their workshop any more. They are both dressed to kill, plunged into the alternate reality of the posh 1940’s nightclub portrayed in the painting. Even worse, the couple learns all too quickly that the club sells more than drinks, and the only reason Maddy doesn’t have to offer more than a dance to the male clientele is because everyone believes she is engaged to Cash.

Dependent on one another as never before, the pair must work together in order to unravel the spell that has them trapped. Vengeful ex-girlfriends, jealous mobsters, and surprise enemies drive the couple into each other’s beds and hearts, sharing secrets as well as passions. The only question is, will they survive long enough to admit their true feelings to each other? Or will their dance be cut short?

EXCERPT

“What is it you think you’re going to do for the rest of the day?” he asked as she headed straight for her bedroom.

She hadn’t given it much thought. Her only plan had been to get as far away from him as possible.

“Can I make a suggestion then?” he continued when she didn’t bother to reply.

Maddy paused at her door, glancing back to see Cash walk to the large unit along the wall. When he opened it, she saw an antiquated record player tucked inside, complete with records lined up next to it. “What’re you doing?” she asked.

He ignored her query, flipping through the record sleeves before extracting one to place on the table. The quiet strains of something her grandmother used to listen to filled the room, its jazzy undertones warming her with familiarity.

“You don’t know how to dance, do you?” He didn’t pose the question with animosity. It was more of a statement of fact; he’d witnessed her feeble attempts firsthand. “So, unless you want to continue with the barfly routine, maybe I should show you a few steps.”

“You know how to dance?”

The incredulity in her voice earned her a brilliant smile. “You really think I’m going to pass on a way to pull beautiful women?”

When he put it that way… “I thought I was doing fine last night.”

“You were. And you have the hangover to prove it.”

She stood there silently, long enough for the first song to end and the second to begin. Cash never made a move, waiting patiently by the record player, dancing eyes watching her with growing amusement.

“You know this only works if you’re actually within touching distance, don’t you?” he asked when the second song ended as well.

“I’m still thinking about it.”

“Think a little bit closer then.” With a long step, he marched forward and took her hand, leading her back to the open space in the middle of the room. “You didn’t have this much of a problem dancing with me last night.”

Maddy colored at the reminder. “I was drunk, remember?”

The song was a slow waltz, and Cash settled his hand at the small of her back to pull her gently against his body. He didn’t start moving his feet right away, though. Instead, he leaned in, his mouth hovering just next to her ear. “Don’t tell me you can only dance with me when you’re drunk,” he murmured. “Because something tells me you’d feel even better in my arms stone cold sober.”

Then they were gliding, feet shifting those few inches as the music coaxed them into a familiar pattern, torsos melding in a sinuous grace that was pure instinct. She didn’t respond to his playful taunt; there was nothing she could say that wouldn’t incriminate her further.

But as he led her through that first lesson, Maddy hid away her pleased smile. He was right about one thing.

It definitely worked best when they were touching.


For more information, visit Linden Bay Romance.

Writer's Block: You Never Stop Learning

Last weekend, I had to edit the galley for the July print release of our Samhain title, Craving Kismet. Pepper and I wrote CK in August 2006, and it was the second professional title we wrote together. It didn't get released in e-book until 9/07, however, due to our editor leaving at Samhain and our release getting delayed. But in reviewing the galley, I learned one thing.

Pepper and I have come a long way in a year and a half.

Any writer worth her salt will learn with each publication. Editors are wonderful for this. Going through the editorial process, you are exposed to all your flaws in all their glory. The more you do it, the more you see them. The trick, then, is to learn from those. Take what you did wrong and fix it - or at least try to improve it - while you're writing the next manuscript. Not when you're in editing. When you're actually writing. Do this over and over and over, because honestly, you will never be perfect. There will always be something to learn.

When there's two of you, that means you're both bringing unique flaws and crutches to the table. While a second set of eyes might be able to point them out, they might also be blind to them. There are a lot of things in CK I wish I could change, because Pepper and I have strengthened our skills to overcome some weaker elements in our writing. We've also learned what words we favor. For instance, in a lot of our early stories, our characters murmur. A lot. As a result of being exposed to that repetition, we've learned to be far more frugal with our dialog tags.

If we didn't try and take something new from each editorial experience, we'd stagnate, and really, nobody wants that. We always want our work to get better. So don't be fooled into thinking having another person there means you improve twice as fast. But it does mean you don't have to learn how to do so alone.

Inspiration--The British Isles!

Today is Vivien's day, but she's feeling poorly, so I said I would take over. This is a group project because I have my sisters searching for hot guys. Vivien requested Christian Bale, Jude Law, Gary Oldman, and Gordan Ramsey, and I'm adding a special Ewan McGregor bonus.

To RT or Not to RT

Last year, I went to my very first RT. I'm not a hugely social person, so I didn't experience the parties and all that. I was there mostly to get a feel for things. I got to meet a ton of people, most of whom I even liked, and I had my very first fan experience when someone early on in the autograph room walked up with a print copy of Two Lives in Waltz Time - her copy - and asked for an autograph and picture. Surreal, to say the least.

This year, in spite of having a mass market paperback out, I'm not going. I probably could, but I'm actually in LA the previous weekend, and to go would mean driving home to San Francisco on Monday, then getting on a flight Tuesday morning and being gone for another week. I decided against it, that I didn't want to go to RT already tired since it's a draining experience anyway.

But I'm curious. Do you go to RT? Why? Do you go as a reader or a writer? Is it honestly worth the expense to you?

Have a good Saturday!

Since we don't have a new release this week, we're saving our news roundup for Monday. But Pepper is on her way to my house as I type, and I have cakes to pop in the oven for dessert tonight in celebration. She lets me fuss over her, which is always appreciated, lol.

So everybody enjoy this Saturday, wherever you are, and tomorrow, when I make Pepper blog for her day because she'll be in my living room and can't escape my nagging, she can tell you how awesome my cakes turned out. ;)

In lieu of actual content...

It's my turn to blog today, but I'm fighting off being sick, and I have about zero interesting creative juice in my right now. I have to take care of myself; Pepper arrives on Saturday and I have to be well for her week visiting me.

But I do have a couple admin things to note. As you might have noticed, our book giveaway guidelines are gone from the sidebar. We tried doing it as a means to encourage people to get involved with the blog, but outside of making a few new friends, it just hasn't seemed to work as well as we hoped. So we're going to discontinue it for the timebeing. Beginning in April, we might try it again as a monthly thing, but Pepper and I are still talking about that.

In the meantime, we'd like to give away two final books, in thanks of continued support, to Cathy and Maggie. Email us at jamiecraigbooks (at) gmail.com in order to collect your prizes. :)

Writer's Block: So far in 2008

Yesterday, I was looking at the schedule for my kids' school, trying to determine if a playdate was going to interfere with something. Lo and behold, there's the reminder that spring break is at the end of this month. Only a little over 2 weeks away. My first thought was, "Where did 2008 go?!?"

Seriously, I find it very hard to believe it's March already. My daughter started softball practice last night, even. The weather is nice enough here in the Bay Area that she wore shorts. Spring is right around the corner.

It all makes me wonder what I've accomplished in 2008 so far. Writing has been a little slow because of Pepper's school. So far, we've submitted only 4 Jamie Craig stories, though we've written 5 - 2 Calendar Boys stories, Fortune's Return, and the next Master book. I haven't actually finished any of my solo titles, though I've been chipping away at those when I can. But we have been keeping mostly up on the blog, and I've done a lot of editing, so it's not like we haven't been working.

I've managed to stick with my guns in re-organizing my house, too, so I'm feeling good about that. My guitar lessons are back in full swing, and my teacher tells me that I don't suck, which is always reassuring to hear, lol. I finally managed to return those movies back to Netflix, and I signed up for Freecycle in my area to clear even more unneeded stuff out of my life.

So while I wonder where 2008 is already flying by, taking stock reminds me that I'm not letting it slip by without care. I really am getting stuff done in 2008.

What about you?

Best Friends

This is a very weird week for me. Pepper is sick and in bed, under both my orders and her family's. She's probably been online for a total of half an hour in the past three days. I finished my editing (with only a galley due by 3/14 so I'm taking a little break) on Sunday, so yesterday, I picked up my gay vampire story for Amber Quill (which is frightening me a little because I'm already at 12k and these two haven't even kissed, and I think I added an extra layer of complexity to the plot last night, oops). So it's been productive.

But when Pepper isn't around, something feels off. It doesn't matter how productive I'm being, or how busy I am. If I go hours without saying something to her, I get antsy. I even borrowed my husband's blackberry on the night we went out to a concert because I was bored by the opening act (and he wasn't), and I hadn't spoken to Pepper in...drumroll...9 hours!

I know how she feels now. I traveled a lot last year when I wasn't accessible. A car trip across the country, flights to England from California...she always says she's bored when I'm not around. We don't need to be writing. I just need to be able to talk to her. She's my best friend. The one person in this world where there is literally no topic that's taboo. (Of course, she's learned that I don't give a flying fig about football, or a couple other topics, so she doesn't even bother with those anymore, lol.)

I'm missing her today because she's still under the weather. I wish more than anything that I could magic away her flu. Even if being sick is bad enough, this is a really crappy time for it to happen.

Do you have a friend or someone who's like your right arm? How do you deal with missing them?

Saturday's News Roundup

ETA: Amber Quill's best sellers for February were posted today. Calendar Boys--February: Mine was number 6 for the month, and A Little Bit Bewitched was number 3! WOO!

Some good reviews this week. It's an embarrassment of riches.

First, Ms. Vivien got a 4 Angel review from FAR for her Ruby Red Rebels.

Ruby Red Rebels by Vivian (sic) Dean has two of my favorite things, vampires and cowboys! Max is both and he is a sexy and charming hero. He proves that vampires don’t need to be dark and brooding. Every scene with him makes me smile and wish I had him all for myself. Serena is a plus to the story as well. She is a strong character who doesn’t wait around to be rescued. She dives right in to help out, and once she gets over her distrust of vampires, she takes what she wants with Max. These are two characters I would love to learn more about, and I definitely want to explore the world Vivian (sic) Dean has created.

Speaking of vampires, At the Advent of Dusk got a 4 Star review from JERR.

Reviewer: Suni Farrar
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Heat level: H

The year was 1952 and a vampire by the name of Gideon Keel ran Chicago. Humans and vampires alike quaked in his presence, all except for one. Mary Straugh was a charismatic and rebellious young woman. She needed help finding the vampires that killed two young girls who belonged to her church. If she had the get that help from another vampire, then so be it. She was not afraid of Gideon and one night with him would not kill her . . . at least she hoped it did not.

I had the honor of reviewing the first novel in this great series, Master of Obsidian, and I must say that At The Advent of Dusk lived up to the high standards set by the original. I would venture to say that At The Advent of Dusk was not as dark as its predecessor was, but it did have its moments. Take for instance the opening line of the novel. I have read nothing more powerful and depraved. Gideon remained a contradiction throughout the tale. One instance he was a blood hungry vampire without many morals. The next moment he would care and protect Mary with his whole heart.

It was something about her that brought out the gentleness in Gideon. She was one human that he did not see as food. It could have had something to do with her gumption but Mary was not a fragile woman. She fought for what she believed in and Gideon respected her for that. The magnetism between the lead characters combined with the dark plot sent the sexual tension soaring. I read the story straight through and then headed upstairs. Luckily, for me the pages went by quickly. I adored At The Advent of Dusk. Brava, Ms. Craig.

Trinity Broken got some love from RRTErotic

A provocative tale about being true to yourself, and the ones you love, TRINITY BROKEN is an intense and complex romance. The characters are written with such depth that at times I felt like I was intruding on their most intimate moments as all three struggle to become the loving, happy family they were before all this madness entered their lives. They all suffer from their fractured relationship, and Jamie Craig's book is a journey of rediscovery as Cam, Sara and Josh search not only for those who mutilated Sara, but for the one thing that can bring them back together. The only quibble I had is that this story starts off in the present, with flashbacks to much more carefree times sprinkled within chapters, which became a bit confusing at times.

There are parts of the story that are pretty graphic, not only with violence, but with the sex scenes as well, which involved all three parties, or just Cam and Josh. But if you're looking for something a bit darker, a bit more raw, then TRINITY BROKEN is perfect.

Courtney Michelle

And last, but not least, Fresh Fiction reviewed Chasing Silver.

Jamie Craig has written a heart thumping tale with evil villains and a time travel romance where the sex between Nathan and Remy is beyond hot. These two are attracted to each other right away and that doesn't stop them from acting on their feelings for each other. Even though a future between them may not be possible, they grab what happiness whenever they can. CHASING SILVER has excellent written chase scenes along with mind numbing fights. Nathan is one incredible and sexy hero who won't back down from getting what he wants and protecting those around him. Remy in turn may act tough, but she is soft when she needs to be, and that means when she is with Nathan.

Kristen is the worst kind of villain, a very amoral character who will kill without any reason. Remy is the total opposite of her but she has a sharp mind and will try her best to come on top. Isaac also rounds out the good guys with his wit and observations. For anyone who likes stories that will keep them on the edge of their seat, CHASING SILVER is the one to read.

We also finished up the fifth book in our Calendar Boys series. May's Corazón. Corazón is Spanish for heart, and I think this might be our most complex novella yet for the series. It's certainly the longest, at over 30K.

Next up, our novella Time In a Bottle. I'm excited about this one. It's an insert for the Master Chronicles. Jesse is hopping dimensions again, but with a much different purpose!

Voices in the void

I'm stressed. That's probably putting it mildly. I have extensive edits to do to a Vivien Dean short story, we received the print galleys for Craving Kismet to get done, as well as the galleys for both our Amber Quill titles releasing this weekend. Pepper and I have an agreement right now that I'm taking the bulk of the editing work right now because of her need to focus on school, but all this added up with other stuff I had to get - and the fact that my Mondays are killers for other reasons, too - meant I was exhausted when I finally crashed last night.

I think today is going to be better.

Why? It's a silly reason, actually. Two years ago, I wrote a short little piece for Pepper as a thank you gift that I posted on a different journal. It's a fandom/personal thing, so I try and keep it separate. But somebody recently recommended it, and then someone else who doesn't know me from Adam read it this morning, and left me extensive, really wonderful feedback on it. Let me tell you a secret right now. Writers might write because they love to tell stories, but there is very little to compare from hearing from readers who totally get what you're trying to do. I'm not talking about reviews, because those are really nice and all but we know that a lot of them don't really say much in the long run. I'm talking about personal responses from readers who were touched by what I wrote.

They're that reminder that we're not talking into a void. That someone out there loves or hates these characters as much as we do. Part of the joy in telling a story is in sharing it, not just the creation.

So today, I'm feeling energized. One galley is done. Another is half-done. Pepper and I are three chapters away from finishing May's Calendar Boy story, and I don't have a car today to distract myself with errands. Today, I feel like I can take on the world.

And all because of a lone voice in the void who said, "Job well done."

Why, yes, I do watch American Idol...

OK, I'll admit it.

I've watched American Idol since season 2 and look forward to it every year.

I know a lot of people mock AI, or they watch just for the awful auditions. I don't. I actually love watching the top 12, seeing people struggling to get a break in an industry that is unforgiving and short-memoried. I always have a favorite, though I'll admit that my favorite rarely wins. But you know what? It's a chance for people to be noticed. It gets them noticed in an industry with thousands upon thousands of hopefuls. What they do with it after the show is completely up to them, but I think anybody in a creative field can appreciate what it means to get a door cracked open for them.

So after the first week of the top 24, who are my favorites?

In the men, it's easy...

David Archuleta. He's one of the babies of the bunch this year, but he's by far the most talented and engaging of the four young men. He makes you want to pick him up and put him in your back pocket to take home. And oh yeah, he can actually sing!
Michael Johns. Ah, our Aussie. There's been some controversy lately because he used to front a band, and for some reason, some people seem to be of the opinion that you shouldn't have already tried to have a career at this in order to be on the show. Idiots, that's what I think. But anyway, this guy is good. And hot. And he's going to get a lot of women voting for him, because of that combination.

In the women...

Ramiele Malubay. She was the only woman of the night to give me goosebumps. I've loved her from the start, such a powerful voice coming out of such a tiny little package.
Carly Smithson. Poor Carly is one of the others getting flack already, simply because she had a record deal when she was 15. Nine years ago. For a company that's no longer in business. The important thing is, she doesn't now. She owns a tattoo shop in San Diego, for goodness sake! But this Irish girl knows how to belt. She had my favorite song of the night, and my second favorite performance. Even if she doesn't win, this is going to get her another record deal, I'm sure of it.

And my guilty pleasures...

Jason Castro. It's not because of the dreads and the fact that I wrote a vampire last year with dreads. Or because he's so pretty to look at. I love his shy eyes and simple style.
Amanda Overmyer. I love this girl. My only problem is, she should be fronting a band like Chris Daughtry is instead of trying to be a solo artist.

I have my suspicions about who's going to leave tonight, but I'll keep those to myself. I've been burned before, so at this point, we'll see...

Date Night

My kids are back at school today after a four-day weekend. Four and a half if you count the fact that they had a halfday on Thursday. Friday was some teacher inservice thing, and then they had President's Day off. Normally, four day weekends screw me over because they totally disrupt my routine - not that I have much of one, but my obsessive self craves one as much as possible - but this weekend wasn't as big a deal.

See, the hubby and I had our first Valentine's date in years. We dropped the kids off at a friends on Friday afternoon, then drove down to San Jose for dinner, a concert, and a night at a hotel. Before we left, he cut me off from technology. No laptop. No texting on the phone to Pepper. He caved when we were sitting through the boring opening act and lent me his Blackberry to email her, but other than that, it was just him and me. Sooooooo relaxing. There is no person on this planet who knows me as well as he does. Pepper comes a close second, but he wins for sheer longevity and proximity. Last night, I uttered a single word and he read my complete thought process, which was far more than that single word, lol.

We used to have date nights for more often, but that got curbed when we moved back to the US. We live in California now, where I don't have any family, and we didn't have any friends. But I think we're going to bring them back. Somehow. They were an excellent way to reconnect, to just spend time together without worrying about the kids. They were also a great way for us to discover some new things, like restaurants and places. Before we got married, we used to just take off for the weekend. Pick a direction and drive. No plans, no expectations. That kind of spontaneity was one of the things that glued us together.

The New York Times had an article last week about reinventing date nights for long-married couples. We haven't been married for as long as the study subjects, but I know this makes perfect sense to me. Isn't some of that rush why we read romances? We're looking for those tastes of the rush? I think so. I think it explains why my reading drops when I'm in an upswing on my marriage. And why it skyrockets when he's wrapped up in work and I don't get to see him.

What do you think?

Finding the Princess Bride again

Last night, my husband and I had Dog Whisperer on as kind of background noise/filler as we were both working. It's a favorite of ours (in spite of the fact that we don't have a dog), and when the show was over, there was an ad for Cesar's book. At that point, my husband turned to me and asked for it for his birthday.

Since his birthday is a month away, I was a good wife and promptly got on Amazon to order it. I tossed in a cd from my wishlist, found a cookbook that was on sale that looked interesting, and realized I needed to spend just a little bit more to get the free shipping. So I went to look at DVDs that were on sale.

And lo and behold, they had the 20th anniversary Princess Bride DVD on sale.

I love this movie. It's on my list of top 10 favorite movies of all time. I love its innocence, its romantic soul, its humor. Fred Savage always cracks me up with his wry little face and, "Is this a kissing book?" I loved this so much when I first saw it that I went out and bought the novel the movie was based on. And it's exactly like the movie, which means I love Rob Reiner for recognizing a gem when he saw it and not tampering with all the best parts. I had always assumed the Billy Crystal/Carol Kane sections were created to utilize the actors' skills, but no, Miracle Max and his wife are *exactly* like that in the book.

As much as I loved the central romance (though maybe not the characters on their own), the character that gets to me every single time is Inigo Montoya. Ah, now there's a hero worthy of a romance. Driven his entire life to look for the man who killed his father. Falling into hard times when it looks like he's failed again. Rising to the challenge when he finally gets his chance. All Inigo needs is a romance, though I can just hear Pepper whispering, "You know Inigo and Fezzik are secret lovers, don't you?"

There is one serious drawback to dwelling on my adoration of this movie. It inspires plot bunnies, which just makes my idea list for stories even longer. Maybe I'll pull out my old VHS tape and give it another go today. I'm feeling nostalgic for it today.

"Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while."

How can you not love that?

Writer's Block: Top 5 Video Games

When I was growing up, we had an Atari. Look, I've just dated myself! Anyway, the Atari lived in my mom's room, not because she wanted to regulate how much us kids played. Oh, no. Mom had the Atari because she was the one who loved it so much. She was the one who took us to the arcade when I was in high school, and to this day, to unwind, she picks up a game controller and plays for hours.

I'm still a game player, though not as much. Sunday afternoon, my husband went out and bought a new game for our xBox 360 - Guitar Hero 3. We're all addicted. Me. The hubby. The kids. So today, I'm going to talk about my 5 favorite video games of all time, in no particular order.

1. Tetris. Ah, tetris. I was so addicted to this in college. I played so much that I had tetris dreams. You know what I'm talking about. You go to sleep, and you're still playing the damn game in your dreams.

2. Toejam and Earl. We had this on our Nintendo back in the day. It's two aliens gathering pieces of their spaceship in order to go home. It's silly and fun, and I played it for hours at a time.

3. The Sims. I don't play anymore, but when it first came out, I was soooooooooooo addicted. I fell in love with this at the same time I fell for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I had a Summers house, and a Rosenberg house, and a Spike crypt, and Angel's hotel...

4. Guitar Hero 3. I have to put this on here. This has gotten me playing video games after a long hiatus. I've been taking guitar lessons for about a year and a half now, and while it's not really like playing the guitar, getting to pretend to with all these great rock songs is just too much damn fun.

5. Ascendancy. Does anybody other than me remember this? It was a space exploration game that came out in the mid-90's, where you could be good, bad, or neutral, one of 20 different species all with different talents, and you had to travel and colonize planets, etc. I still have this, even. Even when I could beat the game in just a couple hours, I continued to go back and play it. It was that much fun. In fact, I just might dig it out again to load onto the PC.

Do you (or did you) play video games? Which were your favorites?