You Belong To Me

So, I’ve been thinking all week what I might like to write on this blog post. After all, it’s “MY” week–the week where I’m donating the book for the prize. Which means I’d like for the blog to be deep, and profound, and generate lots of comments and discussion–but no flame wars. (Is there anything that can accomplish all that?)

I’ve been reading other blogs, looking for ideas, (and checking out the book reviews–there are some seriously good books coming out this month…) and lots of things have impinged on my thoughts, but none of them really stuck. Or if they stuck, I couldn’t seem to come up with anything to say about them that hadn’t already been said. Until I stumbled across this musing on the relationship between feminism, masculinity and the problem of chivalry.

I don’t really want to go in any of the directions Elizabeth Litchfield has gone in this. I just want to comment on one little bit where she’s paraphrasing something her boss often says:

“A guy sidles up and starts to hit on you. You’re not interested, you feel uncomfortable, and you tell him in some way to back off. Maybe he does, just as likely he doesn’t. Now your boyfriend/husband/friend/brother walks into the bar, sizes up the situation, and comes up to greet you. He puts his arm around you and gives the other guy that look. And what does that guy say? “Sorry, man, I didn’t know she was taken.””

In this instance, the quote seems to be saying “Even though he’s protecting you, he’s still possessing you, and this is bad.” And maybe it is.

It IS bad when men perceive a woman to be fair game if she isn’t “taken.” Or possessed. As if a woman cannot possess herself.

And yet… When one is in a relationship–isn’t the possessing a mutual thing?

My husband is “taken” just as surely as I am. He belongs to me, just as much as I belong to him. We belong together. I protect him, just as he protects me. Now maybe I protect him in different ways–by feeding him foods he’s not allergic to (he’s pretty much allergic to the universe) for instance–but it is there.

I think this mutuality in the relationships between men and women is something that some feminists miss. Men and women ARE different. It’s a biological fact, and I don’t think it’s a bad thing. I like the differences between us.

The differences are complementary. We’re meant to fit into each others’ gaps. Of course, the fit only works if there is mutual respect and trust, and most especially, love.

Which of course, is why I write romance novels. Okay, maybe my romance novels have magic and demons or clankety Jules-Verneish machine monsters, but they’re still about respect and trust and, most especially, love.

So what do you think? Does the idea of chivalry’s dark side surprise you? How bad do you like your bad boy heroes? (I have to admit, I tend to write good guys…) Do you think the bad boys can really be redeemed? Is there a dark side to chivalry? Or–any stray thought you might have on the topic–Share!!

You could win a book! ‘Cause, you know, the folks who comment get entered in the weekly contest.

Second Chances

We’ve all had something or another that we want to “do over.” Either we wish we could wipe the slate clean or we want to go forward in a different direction than we’ve taken in the past.

Reunions are one of my favorite romantic premises. There’s something so poignant about knowing someone deeply in one way and yet not knowing enough in other ways to make it work the first time around. Some of my favorite reunion stories are AGAIN THE MAGIC by Lisa Kleypas, TWO LITTLE LIES by Liz Carlyle, and–a bit off the romance path–Plum and Morelli. *g*

How about you? Do you love reunion stories, too? If so, what are some of your favorites?

The topic of second chances is a happy one for me on this day, because today marks the re-release of ASK FOR IT. Originally released in trade paperback in August 2006, it’s now available in mass market (for the much svelter price of $6.99). This creates a second chance for the story to find its way into the hands of readers who might love it. While trade paperbacks are most often sold only in traditional bookstores and online, the mass market version of ASK FOR IT was selected by WalMart and will be available in other retailers like Target and some of your local food and drug stores.

The story itself is about second chances. Elizabeth and Marcus were once deeply, passionately in love and engaged to be married. But they both carried baggage that eventually separated them. She bore emotional scars and fears, while Marcus lived a secret life. They could not have succeeded in love before, but suddenly they are given a second chance to be honest with each other and find happiness together.

To celebrate ASK FOR IT’s second go-round, I’m holding a special contest! No second chances here. Entrants get thirty chances to win!

New Contest

This week’s contest is being posted on Monday, along with Ann Roth’s post, so please be sure to scroll down and read her post!  Any comments listed with hers will also be entered in the May 5 - 9 contest.  Again, congrats to Jane for winning last week’s contest and happy reading!

******May 5-9 Contest******

Enter this week’s contest to win a backlist book from Gail Dayton.  She has written both contemporary and fantasy and the reviews are great — she was a RITA Award Finalist for Best First Book!  Check out her website, read her blog on Thursday, May 8th, and comment often to win.  Have a great week!   (Shown below are two of her book covers - if you win, you’ll contact her for the actual book you’ll receive.)

Birdies, birdies everywhere

There’s a bird nest in our front porch light. I discovered this when I watered the impatience in the flower box beneath the light and mama bird flew off in a blur of wings. We’re trying to not use the front door for awhile, instead going in and out from the deck or the back yard.

The light bulb sits inside an iron frame with large cutouts to let the light through. The nest itself sits between the frame and the light bulb. Mama bird is quite smart—she chose a sheltered place that is protected from rain (our front porch is covered on top) and safe from kitties, crows and other predators.

My husband thought he saw the female’s mate on the deck railing. He found a photo in a bird book and believes our guests are house finches.

We’re honored that they family settled here and are excitedly waiting for the day when the eggs hatch and the babies begin their lives.

Does anyone have a special animal story to share?

Until next time,
Ann Roth
www.annroth.net

This Week’s Winner!

Congratulations, Jane!  You’re the winner of this week’s contest.  Contact Gail Barrett at her website.

Check back Sunday for our new contest!

She Moves In Mysterious Ways

Have you ever noticed that sometimes things just fall into place? Or you’re thinking about a friend you haven’t heard from in a while, wondering how they’re doing, and out of the blue, the phone rings? Call it coincidence, call it luck, but I prefer the term synchronicity.

My life has been filled with synchronistic events–from small to the earthshaking–and I’m always amazed. It happened again just recently.

The headphones I use on my MP3 player had the plastic coating over the wires separate right where they meet the earpiece. That left me with annoying, intermittent silence, and when I talked to one of my avionics engineers (I work for an airline in 757 Engineering), he said there’s no way to fix them, that I’d need to buy another headset.

To say this was a bad time to shop for these things was an understatement. I could choose the same brand I’d had, but since they’d broken once without that much wear and tear, I really didn’t want to do that. A new set meant research and probably hours worth of time I didn’t have.

I decided to wait. The problem with the headset was annoying, but not anything that couldn’t be lived with for a few months. But the universe had other ideas, and when I woke up the next morning, my issue was resolved.

You see, I found this site that has one deal every day, and that morning’s bargain was a pair of headphones!

I checked out one site for reviews, found they were generally positive and that the sale price was 1/3 of the regular cost, so I ordered. Without leaving my home, without wasting hours online, everything was solved.

This falls into the “Small Thing” category, but definitely a welcome small thing and I always think it’s cool to see the mysterious ways of the universe.

Has anyone else had a cool experience with synchronicity? Big or small, I love these types of stories!

Patti O’Shea
www.pattioshea.com

In Twilight’s Shadow - Jun 3, 2008

A weed or a wildflower

One of my granddaughters got me to think about how we look at things means everything. I know I should already realize that, but it was something she said to me that made me stop and really think about a person’s outlook could make all the difference in the world.

We were driving back to her house.  I saw a field carpeted in purple and said,  “Look at that. Isn’t that beautiful?”

“They’re weeds, Grandma Margaret,” she said.

“Some people call them weeds, but others call them wildflowers.”

“Really?”

“Yep,” I said.

Later as I mulled over what I’d said to my granddaughter, I realized how important it was to look at something in a positive light—a favorable one. We don’t like weeds, but flowers are one of the things that add beauty to our lives. What I am going to strive to do is to look at a field full of wildflowers, not one full of weeds. I think I will be better off looking at the positive, not the negative, and every time I see a wildflower I will be reminded of that.

How do you see a field (or your lawn), especially in the springtime? Is it full of weeds or wildflowers?

This month I have a Love Inspired book out called Family Ever After. My heroine looked at life like it was a wildflower while my hero tended to see life as a weed. 

Three foster kids fell into Noah Maxwell’s lap and turned his life upside down. The successful businessman knew nothing about children, so he hired single mom Cara Winters to help care for his new brood. Cara sensed that despite Noah’s confident facade, old wounds troubled him. But he refused to discuss his past pain, despite her desire to help him heal. Perhaps her love could inspire Noah to relinquish his independence and give Cara and the children the fairy-tale ending they all deserved.

I have an excerpt up at my web site–http://www.margaretdaley.com

Have a wildflower day,

Margaret Daley

My year of Jane Austen

The binge started innocently enough, as these things often do.  Late last year, ashamed that I’d never read Jane Austen, I decided that I had to at least see one of her films.  It was ridiculous not knowing what everyone was always talking about.  So I went out and rented Pride and Prejudice.

 

Of course, I loved it — and that’s when the trouble began.  I got the book from the library and read it.  Next came Sense and Sensibility and Emma.  When I discovered that the library carried the films — various versions, no less — I started checking them out.

 

Then came the total onslaught.  For Valentine’s Day this year, my husband bought me the complete set of Jane Austen DVD’s and books, scoring some major relationship points.  Every weekend since then, we’ve watched the films together — movie after movie, version after version, immersing ourselves totally in Austen’s world.  When we weren’t watching a film, we discussed the characters, the options women had in nineteenth century England, plot points we might have missed.

 

And then last weekend we expanded our horizons even more and rented The Jane Austen Book Club.  Now, if you haven’t seen this film, I suggest you read Austen’s books or watch the movies before you do.  I guess the film would still make sense if you aren’t familiar with her work, but you’ll miss an entire layer of complexity.

 

And speaking of complexities, after the second time I watched it, I finally figured out that each of the six main characters in the Book Club movie represents a character from one of Austen’s books — albeit with a modern twist.  (Okay, maybe it was obvious, but what can I say?  I’m slow.)  So this week I’ve spent a lot of time trying to decide which character represents which.  Here are my votes and why:

 

1. Jocelyn, the dog lover, is probably Emma.  She lives a happily independent life and has no desire to marry.  She also delights in pairing everyone else up while ignoring her own budding romance.

 

2. Allegra, Sylvia’s gay daughter, must be Lizzie from Pride and Prejudice.  She’s exuberant, cheerful, and hates pretenses — which causes her to clash with the pompous Prudie, much as Lizzie collides with Darcy in the book.

 

3. Prudie, the French teacher, is undoubtedly Marianne, the younger daughter in Sense and Sensibility.  Passionate to a fault, she dreams of going to France and having a grand affair.  While Marianne recites poetry in the book, Prudie speaks French.  She almost has a disastrous liaison with a student (Willoughby), but ends up settling down with her husband (Colonel Brandon) who, it turns out, isn’t quite as unexciting as she thought.

 

4. Sylvia, the woman whose husband leaves her, is Fannie Price from Mansfield Park.  Unassuming and loyal, she holds the family together, and never asks for anything for herself.  She also still loves her husband, no matter how badly he acts (just as Fannie loved Edmund in the book).

 

5. I’m less certain about Grigg.  As the only man in the book club, he’s harder to peg, but I think he’s Catherine, the heroine of Northanger Abbey.  He loves books, is immersed in the world of science fiction, which correlates to the gothic novels of Austen’s time.  And just as Catherine doesn’t know much about society, Grigg is a Jane Austen neophyte at the start, but throws himself into it with gusto.  He’s unpretentious, comfortable in his own skin, and has a great imagination.

 

6.  Which brings us to Bernadette, the older woman.  I have to admit that I’ve had the hardest time deciding who she represents.  At first I thought she might be the mother in Sense and Sensibility, then Jane from Pride and Prejudice.  But now I’m leaning more toward Anne, the heroine of Persuasion, partly because that’s the only book left.  Like Anne, Bernadette helps mediate the others’ problems, and wishes she could find the love she lost.  I suspect there’s a stronger connection, but I’ll have to reread Persuasion to figure it out.

 

And so the binge continues…

 

So what about you?  Are you a Jane Austen fan?  Is there anything –book, movie — I might have missed?  Did you like the Book Club film?  Please share!

 

 

 

Alexis Morgan: Where do all those ideas come from?

Twice this past week I was asked a question that is often asked of writers:  Where do you get your ideas?  Like anything else that pertains to this business, I would guess the answer to that will vary greatly from one writer to the next.   It may also depend on what kind of book the writer is working on.

But for me personally, the ideas often come from the nonfiction books I read, although at times I’m just as likely to pick the nonfiction I read in order to support  the story idea I’m working on.  

 

For example, several years ago I decided to write my first western romance.  I’d been reading about the Civil War as it was waged in Missouri, where I’m originally from.   While reading a more general book on the subject, I found out about Order Number Eleven, issued by the Union Army under the rules of martial law.  In response to Quantrill  and his raiders burning Lawrence, Kansas, the Union Army commander ordered four counties along the Missouri-Kansas evacuated by anyone who couldn’t prove their loyalties to the Union.  When I thought about what that must have been like, I ended up writing two books about the effect of that order and its aftermath.

 

I also wrote a western trilogy centered around a women’s society formed by the women in a small town in Missouri after the Civil War.  I had found a book on the history of such women’s societies, which were considered quite radical for their times.   Again, my reading guided my ideas.

 

Although I was an English major, I’ve always loved reading about volcanoes and geology.  I used that interest to help build the world my Paladins live in.   I also visited Mount St. Helens here in Washington to get a feel for the sheer power of an active volcano.   I admit to being a bit weirded out by being so close to the mountain, especially when I saw the seismic activity registering on the seismograph in the visitors’ center.  

 

And finally, last year I read a book about warrior women of the ancient world.   When the writer was describing in great detail how they excavated the grave of a woman who had been buried with great care, surrounding her with her weapons and other artifacts.   The scientists involved where making their best educated guesses about her life and the significance of the weapons .  I got to wondering what it would feel like to read all about this discovery if you’d actually known the woman.  Hence the hero of my upcoming release, DARK WARRIOR UNLEASHED, is a thousand-year-old Viking who did not appreciate his wife’s grave being disturbed.   And by the way, he drives a cream colored 1940 Packard convertible.  Once I decided what kind of car he drove, I researched Packards and paid a visit to a local car museum to admire that kind of car in person.

 

I always find it interesting to learn where other writers get their ideas.   If you can point to the specific source of a given book that you’ve written or plan to, please share.  I’d love to hear about it!

 

Prom

When I first signed up for this date, I was thinking I’d write about birthdays, since we have a number of family birthdays this month. Our youngest son and his dad have birthdays just days apart and we were always careful to make sure they each had some special time. Birthdays were always big in my family. That was your special day, the day you arrived in the world, and while we didn’t go all out with the parties as tends to happen nowadays, you were greeted with cards at breakfast and picked the meal for supper.

This year, we ended up having another special milestone happen on our son’s birthday. The high school junior/senior prom was the same day. He had a baseball game in the early afternoon and games leading up to the prom. So Mom and Dad were involved in a lot of the preparation: ordering the flowers, renting the tux (he did go with Dad to get the right fit), making restaurant reservations. All of this was new to me, since I didn’t attend my prom. I planned to attend, with a group of friends (we didn’t have a lot of couples involved at my high school), but the venue changed and we decided not to spend the money.

One of the options my son’s high school provides is a walk-through for the parents an hour before the prom starts. They also set up low bleachers along a promenade so family and friends could watch them arrive. I didn’t plan to go — this was his night — and then, at the last minute, thought, “Why not?” My always present reason was “I could use the information in a book someday.” And, of course, I was just plain curious. This is our youngest son and I didn’t go when his brother attended prom.

My plan was to just walk through the hall where prom was located, see the decorations, and leave. But several parent friends were sitting on the bleachers and next thing, I knew, I was sitting there, too. We clapped and cheered as the students walked toward their “Poseidon’s Paradise.” We oohed and aahed at the dresses — amazing variations in colors and style. We snapped pictures of the boys in tuxes — just hours earlier a group of them had been in their ball uniforms and here they were, tall and straight in jackets and vests. Children we had watched grow up were definitely becoming young men and women.

And for just that brief period of time, they were princesses and princes, in all their fairy tale magic. The committee had rented three limousines to bring groups of students from the parking area to the promenade walk, if the students wanted to arrive in style. The school principals, looking dashing in their tuxes, opened the doors and helped the girls out. The boys crooked their elbows and escorted their dates to the front door. Groups of boys and girls came together, laughing and glowing in the early evening night, knowing this was their night to shine.

So, did you attend prom? What were your feelings or experiences? And how do you feel watching your own children grow up and dress up?