September 6, 2008 | Filed under: Stuff

Wasn’t it just the other day I was telling you about the time I was hiking with my iPod up too high and annoyed a biker trying to get past me on the trail?

Yeah. It happened again today only the biker wasn’t annoyed and IT WAS LUKE WILSON. I so love it when the celebs show up in Tahoe.

Here’s how it went. I was on a very narrow trail, iPod up to blasting, and I was wailing along to Shattered by O.A.R. Having a great time, too. When suddenly Ashes (who was in front of me) turns and looks behind me.

Uh oh. Either there’s a bear behind me, or it’s—

Yep. A biker. I immediately nearly leap out of my skin.

He smiled. “Sorry, didn’t meant to scare you.”

I yanked my headphone out of my ear and stared at him. HORRIFIED because I’d been singing and probably dancing, and also tongue tied because holy shit, it’s Luke Wilson on a bike with a helmet and cute shoes and sunglasses and that goofy smile and everything. “I’m sorry.” I think I stammered like a moron, too. “I had my iPod up too loud.”

He pulled his own headphone out. “Me, too. No worries. Carry on!” And then he gave me a thumb’s up, smiled, and rode on by.

While I stood there staring after him thinking I NEED A PICTURE OF YOU FOR MY BLOG! LUKE! COME BACK! I SWEAR I’M NOT A STALKER!! LUKE??

I immediately called Alpha Man and told him what had happened. He was listened, and then said, “Tell me you didn’t make him take a picture for your blog.”

Ya think he knows me a little bit? “No, of course not. I wouldn’t do that.” Only because I couldn’t, because I’d been STAR-STRUCK.

“Did you chase him down?”

“No!” Only because he was on a bike and I’m lazy, but he didn’t have to know that. “Shesh. I have no idea who you think I am.”

“I know exactly who you are,” he said laughing.

Dammit. He does. But I don’t care. I saw Luke Wilson! And next time, Luke? I’m totally taking your picture.

September 5, 2008 | Filed under: Stuff

First up, winners from earlier in the week (I drew random names) are: Jenn C, Kate, and Donna M. Congrats, and email me with your snailmail and a few book choices!

Now for my ridiculousness. I locked myself out of the house. I’ve done this before, and given how disorganized and scatter brained I can be, no one should be surprised that I did it yet again.

But this time I had a problem. I’d left both dogs alone inside. Together, where they could have a pow-pow and eat things. Big things, like my manuscript. Or the cat. Plus, I hadn’t meant to go anywhere, I was only taking out the trash, so I was in my bunny slippers, shorts and tank. Hair wild. I could get in my car and drive to Alpha Man’s jobsite and get a house key but I’d scare his crew. I could drive to Oldest’s job and borrow her keys, but she’d kill me if I showed up looking like a homeless bag lady.

So I did the sensible thing. I climbed the tree to the second story, managed to get over the deck railing without dying, and . . . And found that I’d actually locked the sliding glass door to keep the raccoons out.

Damn, I hate when I’m efficient.

I pressed my face up against the glass and found Mountain Barbie and Ashes staring back at me. Mountain Barbie had one of my favorite flip-flops in her mouth. “Drop it!” I told her. She did, and then went and got the other one. I thunked my head on the glass. This was not going well. “Unlock the door,” I begged them.

No go. I think they were laughing, to be honest. I climbed back down, against without dying, and faced facts. I was going to have to get help. Cute Next Door Neighbor wasn’t home. Just as well, really, given my appearance. So I drove to 7 Eleven to get an ice cream. That helped a lot, and no one at 7 Eleven ever judges you when you’re looking a rough around the edges. The sugar burst reminded me that I had another deck I could try. There’s no tree close enough to that one, but Alpha Man had a ladder nearby, so I used that.

And found yet another locked door. Jeez, I was on top of things lately. With a sigh, I climbed down and leaned against the back door—

Which fell open. Just that easily, I was in.

I’d be really, really glad if it hadn’t made me drop my ice cream. I really hate it when that happens.

(and now for a bit of a P.S. . . . after you leave a comment here, and trust me, your comments make my day, every single day, please feel free to come visit me at Brava authors today, I’m guesting over there and giving away more books)

September 4, 2008 | Filed under: Stuff

When I’m in the middle of a book, especially towards the end of one like I am now, I don’t take a day off until I finish. I can’t because I’m OCD that way, and because if I do, I’ll lose my place and that’s never pretty and involves a lot of cookies.

But this past weekend I took a day off and we made the most of it. We had a birthday and a cake with blue frosting, and Youngest couldn’t resist:

Nor Middle:

We dragged people behind the boat. Hi Middle! Stop doing those jumps, do you hear me? Your ticker might be the one with the official problems, but mine takes a good hard leap every time you jump that wake. Stop it, I said!

We brought Mountain Barbie.

There’s something about the way she dorkily and crazily leaps off with such unabashed SHEER JOY. Just try to be grumpy and watch her jump off a dock sometime. I dare ya.

It can’t be done, I’m telling you.

God, she’s sweet. And always good for entertainment purposes. Plus, if you have someone with you who doesn’t want to get their hair wet, it’s lots of fun when the dog climbs back onto the dock and sprays everyone with lake water. Yeah. Good times.

So. What do you enjoy doing on your day off?

September 3, 2008 | Filed under: Stuff

I’ve talked about this before, getting completely stuck in the middle of a manuscript. It happens, usually at least once in the middle of every book. And then I have to stop, print what I’ve written and try to read through and find my way.

Sometimes I can’t see the forest for the trees.

And sometimes the answer was right in front of me the whole time. Unfortunately that isn’t the case with this book. Dammit. Anyway, when I’ve truly hit a wall, I have several fall back solutions. One, cookies.

Two, cookies.

Three, grab the iPod and start hiking. I do this every day anyway, usually after several pages in the morning. It helps clear my head. But when I’m stuck, I spend more time on the trail. I sing and dance and hopefully not run into anyone trying to get past me on a bike because I’m clueless. And this happens. It’s very embarrassing, especially when it’s multiple bikers, some of them very cute, but that’s another story. I not only embarrass myself on the trail, but I irritate the wild life there as well. Again, another story.

I can’t skip the iPod step. It’s important. Listening to lyrics is important, especially the ones that tell a story. Often times, I’ll find the answers to my plotting or characterization problem in the lyrics of a song. Most notably last spring, when I was ready to jump off a cliff I was so stuck (okay, not really, but it involved a LOT of cookies to feel better) and then I heard Lifehouse’s Whatever It Takes, and my problems were solved. I’ll forever be grateful to that song.

Anyway, back to my current problem. I still haven’t solved it but there’s one song haunting me, and I think the answer is in the lyrics there somewhere . . .

Artist: Finger Eleven
Song: One Thing

Lyrics:
Restless tonight
Cause I wasted the light
Between both these times
I drew a really thin line
It’s nothing I planned
And not that I can
But you should be mine
Across that line

[Chorus:]
If I traded it all
If I gave it all away for one thing
Just for one thing
If I sorted it out
If I knew all about this one thing
Wouldn’t that be something

I promise I might
Not walk on by
Maybe next time
But not this time

Even though I know
I don’t want to know
Yeah I guess I know
I just hate how it sounds

*** Sigh. It’s so dramatic. Dark. Angsty. Not at all like the book I’m writing but I keep going back to that song. One of these days it’ll click. Hopefully soon, as I’m coming up on my deadline . . .

Anyway, here’s the question of the day. Am I the only crazy one here? Or do you like to listen to lyrics and hear a story? Do you lose yourself in music the way I can and frequently do? Inquiring minds want to know. My family would love to know I’m not crazy.

September 2, 2008 | Filed under: Stuff

We have a little song problem in this house. Alpha Man likes to sing songs, and I don’t like him to. First of all, the man is more than 50% deaf. Legitimately. Which means he’s 100% tone deaf. Oh my God is he tone deaf.

But that’s not what I object to. It’s his habit of changing around the words to every song to suit him. Usually this means the song takes on a naughty spin. So much so that I can’t even repeat any of them here.

This is what I get for marrying the bad boy. My mother did warn me . . .

September 1, 2008 | Filed under: Stuff

So say you could walk into a book store right this very minute. And also say you had money in your hot little fist. And that you could walk into any section, and the book you’ve been wanting was right there in front of you. Not a real book of course, this is pretend. This is Jill’s world.

But what would that book be about? Would it have a dead body? A beach? An alternate universe? Would it have a hero or heroine who is an astronaut, a cowboy, a twin, a politician . . . ?? Would it take place in this century or a past one? Or maybe a future one? Would it have a cast of thousands, or just two? Would it have an intricate plot, or simple?

Would it make you laugh, cry, or hide under the covers?

Inquiring minds want to know any or all of the above.

Oh, and once again, I’ll be drawing names from those of you who post for a free book from my backlist, enticing you to both like me and comment.