Grrrrrr...Grow Up, Will You????

I've done it again. Put blind trust into an old friend and now I'm regretting it. When the hell will I EVER learn??

Here's the thing: I hadn't spoken to this person in quite a while, and since her birthday is coming up, I thought I'd check in with her and let her know my cell phone number, so she'd pick up when I called. She was delighted to hear my voice, and was sympathetic when I told what had gone wrong with our home phone and our finances.

Just to inject something here for a moment: My cell is pre-paid. $40 gets me 400 minutes, and when we had the home phone, I could easily stretch those minutes into five or six months. But since my cell is now our primary phone, I'm lucky if I get a month's worth. So I tend to text a lot, or keep phone conversations BRIEF, unless I'm talking to my mom, my BFF, or one of my kids.

So anyway, after a thirty minute conversation with my friend, we said goodbye, with me promising to call her on her b-day.

The next day, my phone rings. And it's her. Now granted, I had a choice to answer or ignore. I answered.....and it was just her, griping because she's sick and can I come down and take care of her?

Whoa...(sound of record scratching). Can I what? I'm an hour away; it's a freaking school night; and you're how old now? Give me a break! If you're sick, call your dad or one of your sisters. Do not run up my minutes over an asinine question like that!

Now granted, maybe she was teasing, and did not expect me to drop everything and go to her. And yes, maybe I should have hit the 'ignore' button, since I was in my writer's meeting. But still, I have issues calling people on their cell phones; I don't like to unless absolutely necessary. So if you're a friend and just want to chat, find me on facebook or send me an email, or a text. If I see this is going to be a long drawn out text-fest, I'll call you.

But please respect my precious minutes and don't call me unless it something important?

Nag Nag Nag...

I've been hosting authors on my blog now for nearly 18 months, and it's been harder than I ever imagined. I thought all I'd have to do is upload a cover or two, and the interview. But no; I have to format the interview around the covers; send out gentle reminders to the authors when they don't respond; remember which promotion manager belongs to which author. And also respond when authors want multiple months, explaining I'm full.

I've also had to deal with loss of traffic to my blog. I don't know if it's my message on the loops, or the fact I've had authors I've never heard of requesting interviews and don't know if they're posting their own promos. I can only do so much.

With that said, I don't think I'll send out any more invitations, other than the authors I DO have relationships with. Cindy's already gotten more comments in the past two hours than some authors have had in two days.

And I just got an email from a promotional manager, wondering why her author wasn't featured today. I can't post something I never got! I told her I had another author on standby for next week if I didn't hear from her other author. Again, there's only so much I can do on my end.

Shampoo Wars

Why must companies always have to 'new and improve' stuff? Can't they keep well enough alone?

For years I used Ivory Shampoo and Conditioner. Then they decided to combine it. I HATED it. And since I was now a young mother with a baby, and had to take fast showers, I switched to Pantene.

Their 2-in-1 for normal hair was awesome! And when I decided to start color-treating my hair or perming it, I switched to the appropriate formula.

And then we decided to join Quixtar. I tried their shampoo and conditioner, and liked it. But four years later, we could not afford to stay in, so it was back to the store brands.

Now Pantene's 'normal' could not be found. But they has 'Classic Clean' as well as the 'Color-treated' kind. When I had my hair highlighted, I used the softer, color-treated. But otherwise, I used Classic Clean.

Until two months ago. Walmart doesn't carry it anymore, and Pantene now has formulas for Frizzy to Smooth; Dry to Moisture; Flat to Volume. WTH??? I checked at CVS: They still carried the Classic Clean. Thank God!

But two weeks ago, we were in a hurry, and I only wanted to make one stop.

I decided to try Flat to Volume.

UGH! It made my hair feel like it had glue in it!

Then I went to my mom's house for three days. She had the 'Smooth' kind. I used it, and it took the gloppy feel out of my hair. Oh happy day!

Coming home, I decided to try my daughter's 'Color Me Happy' from Herbal Essence. I hated the smell, but at least it didn't weigh my hair down. Convinced the hubby to take me back to Walmart, where I picked up a bottle of Frizzy to Smooth. And tried it this morning.

Success:) I like it!

As soon as I can afford it, I'm going to go back to CVS and buy up several bottles of Classic Clean, if they still have it. Otherwise, I'll lay in a supply of the F-S so I won't be caught in this predicament again.

Until they decide to 'improve' the line again....(eye roll!)

Where Did My Idea Go?

Ever get an idea for a good rant, but no time to write?

I put it off until I could rant in peace....but now it's gone. Maybe it will return...

Yada Yada-ing Sex

I was relieved the other day when I attended a chat. For once, the family left me alone, and I could chat in peace with a couple of my friends and potential readers.

And then the owner of the chat loop threw out the question: 'How do you keep sex scenes fresh'?

I thought I was about to take some heat for my answer: I was moving away from the 'in-your-face' scenarios and more into the sensual, 'more-left-to-the-imagination' sort. And thankfully, no one yelled at me.

Am I getting tired of Erotica? I like stories with strong plots. I recently read a book by one of my friends, and the premise had appealed to me ever since I found out about it. But halfway into it, I realized I was skipping over the sex scenes. Oh, I eagerly devoured the first two, don't get me wrong. After all, one girl with four guys? YUM! But as I said, I read the build up to the sex scenes, skipped the actual action, and picked it up after the clean-up. I wanted more of what went on outside the bedroom.

In fact, I did this with one of my own stories. When I initially wrote it, I showed everything that went on once my H/h were alone. But when I reread it last year, I decided to cut out several of the scenes, or at least modify them. Surely sex for the sake of sex wasn't needed; after all, when two people in love tuck the kids in at night, there's bound to be some sort of sexual activity, right? But why have a long, drawn out sex scene when you already know what's going to happen? Now I will hint at it, if they choose to enjoy themselves in front of the fire, instead of moving into the bedroom, or even start in one room, only to move into the other.

I seem to do this at least once a year; tire of reading the sex scenes. Give me plot!

Anyone else agree with me? Or am I just strange?

Eye-Roll Moment

Or was this simply a 'blonde moment'?

Opened up my mail a few minutes ago and saw a question which anyone in the industry should know, especially after a year on the chat loops!

'What is a pitch and what is a promo?'

A PROMO is anything which promotes your work: Excerpt, review, interview, new cover.

A PITCH is your posted synopsis/blurb in order to catch a publisher or editor's eye, in hopes they will offer you a contract for said work.

I'll admit, I've been caught asking dumb questions on loops too....but I didn't ask the right questions ahead of time, and mistakes do happen from time to time. But every freaking month??? Give me a break!

Do your homework people!

(rant over....back to work.)

OMG!

Got the shock of my life the other day.

I received a Facebook update in which I had a private message from.......the person who inspired my first book! I nearly fell over while opening it, and again to see he was just curious as to how my life was going. He's happy and accepted my subsequent friend request. He mainly plays games on FB, and hasn't answered my reply, so I guess this means he's not interested in opening up a dialogue. That's fine with me; I had dreamed he'd DIED several years ago, so this set my mind at ease he's doing well, and not demanding any royalties, ha ha!

Have YOU ever suddenly, out of the blue, had a lost love/friend contact you after eleven years of silence? And if so, what was your reaction?