Warning: Some Violence and Much Strong Language.SHE WROTE: Large Whiteboard, Small Book
So we're in the last week (we ended up with an extra week since Jen can only read one book a weekend--a baby and a toddler and she can only edit one book a weekend? slacker--and she already had the Miss Fortunes for this weekend so Agnes gets bumped to next weekend or later) and we got terrific beta reads which sent us back to work and I got all of Agnes up on the big white board (I moved my office to a different room that had walls instead of windows so I have my big white board back) and now I can see the whole thing and it looks . . .
Small.
That's the thing about a novel. It really is small. After you work for months and months, writing and rewriting and revising and plotting and planning and arcing and tearing your hair out, you look at it and the damn thing is SMALL. People can read it in an afternoon if they lay in a good supply of cookies and milk (or whatever) and don't do anything else. It takes us MONTHS to write and then you all blow through it in a day and say, "So what have you done lately?"
And yet, small as it is, I still can't get my mind wrapped around Agnes. I still don't have her completely yet, she's still not quite THERE for me yet. I've got four days to get the last click. I'll get it, she's really, really close, but . . . not yet. Shane has clicked, that bastard Bob always nails his guys in the first draft and don't get me started on how he's plot and I'm character and he gets his character right off the bat, but Agnes . . . well, she's a complicated girl. Plus I've got those flamingos to arc.
About arcing motifs. You can't just drop them into the text every so often and say, "Look, there are the flamingos." You have to progress them. They have to mean something different every to the plot every time. If you read Welcome to Temptation, you may remember the water towers. If you're reading "Hot Toy," from the Santa Baby anthology, you know what happens to the Major MacGuffin from the beginning of the story to the end. In DLD, Moot starts out as a nameless gator lurking under the bridge, waiting, Lucy imagines as a joke, to call for the wine list, and ends up the serious lethal antagonist in the last scene. Arc. You can't just say, "There's that gator again." You have to make the gator mean something to the plot and change/arc with the plot. Thus, you arc the motifs as well as the characters and the plot. The water tower changes, the Major MacGuffin changes, the flamingos change, or at least the way the people in the book regard them changes and their circumstances change. I'm not sure how much Cerise and Hot Pink mature. The whole book is only six days and I don't think flamingos are highly introspective.
So anyway, for something I can diagram on a single white board, this book is one complicated motif-arcing, motivation-challenging, sex-and-violence ridden romantic adventure. She cooks, he kills, they have great sex. The beta readers are having trouble with the motivation for Agnes's violence, and they're not sure why Bob keeps writing miscellaneous naked women into his hitman scenes, but they're all thumbs up on the sex, so that's something.
Off to motivate Agnes's meat fork and put some clothes on Bob's henchwomen. And arc those flamingos. This is the stuff they don't teach you in MFA programs.
152 Comments:
The watertower in Welcome to Temptation? LOL. It was nothing short of genius.
Sure, we might read that book in an afternoon, but that's only because it's so damn good! And I guarantee if I read it in one sitting during an afternoon, I'm going to pick it up again before bed that evening. Your children are in good hands being read again and again and again.
It's close to Halloween and FoodTV is showing all sorts of ghoulish dining, take a break and see if some bloody meat will motivate Agnes and her fork.
I'm going to go grab "Faking It" off my book shelf and read until Housewives comes on (and it better not be a repeat like Grey's Anatomy on Thursday!).
Wow, I didn't even notice I was first. Too bad I had nothing profound to say.
Nothing you write is ever SMALL. It may only be so many pages but it's never SMALL. I think about your books for months, even years on end. And Moot really did arc. I can't believe how much I learn from your posts while I'm laughing. Introspective flamingos? Maybe over a longer timeline. And Bob himself said men are simple creatures, that's why he has miscellaneous naked women in his hitman scenes. It amuses him.
Jenny said ... People can read it in an afternoon if they lay in a good supply of cookies and milk (or whatever) and don't do anything else.
If a reader lays in a supply of goodies so that they don't have to leave the story, its because they'd rather be there than doing anything else. So you see its a GOOD THING. But now you understand why we pout when you cut the coleslaw scene. We understand technically why you did it; we just want the book to last longer. Fortunately books are the gifts to yourself that keep giving and can be reread over and over again. I can go right back to that world again and again.
Rereading Fast Women and damned if I didn't read the scene in Tim's office, when Nell is going at it with the Icycles, and find myself cheering her on. Every single time I want to stand up and yell "you go, girl!" And I've read it, um, well, I lost count but a lot of times.
So (a) its not a small book because it will keep us coming back and (b) from the sound of things you and Bob are packing enough into this one book to equal 3 books.
As to arcing flamingos ... you went from talking about that to talking about Bob load ammo so there was this whole association thing. It wasn't pretty.
they're not sure why Bob keeps writing miscellaneous naked women into his hitman scenes,
He's a guy. Need I say more?
gpryysvuu -- Globally positioned Robert yells, "Yucky sex vetoed--Use Uzis!"
LOL Tal. That thought crossed my mind too.
Jenny. I'm with MCB. I read your books fast because they are so good. And Bob you don't want to know how fast I blew through the Area 51 books.
Read fast the first time. Savor the next, and the next...
I used to be very impatient with my favorite authors if they didn't get the next book out soon enough. (Like the next day) Then I wrote one. And rewrote and rewrote.
The posts you and Bob have done on the process of writing Agnes make me more in awe of what you produce.
MCB got there first. books are never small. especially not yours. ever time i read it, i learn something new (about writing, about something else, but something). and i always get caught up in the characters all over again. though, well, if you wanted to create an epic-length novel i wouldn't complain...
the dishes in Fast Women. those had arc too. it's those things that i read over again, so that i can find them, or dissect them, or learn from them, or...
anyways, it's not small.
though, i admit, like rss, i get very impatient when my favorite authors don't have their next book done by, oh, a week.
for the love of Bob i'm gonna shoot you, blogger. post this, dammit.
naked women????
Can't wait 'til "Agnes" comes out.
Ah, Jenny....do love your books.
mycxpzj///green
my Crusie Xpects perfect zips, Jenny
I learn so much from you, Jenny. Do I even have a motif or a MacGuffin to arc? Better go back, take another look ...
rg
lthxt
let the hot "xtra" tryout
There you go, another half-day writer’s workshop in a coherent nutshell. And yes, I read it fast, but I’ve read it four times now. Five. Thank you, Jenny, for explaining the arcing of motifs. That makes sense.
Note to self: When reading Agnes, after about, oh, a page or two, stretch and yawn, set the book down, go for a long walk, have a snack, take a nap, read another page, maybe two, watch some TV, take another nap. . . no rush. After all, it took absolutely freaking forever to write the damn thing, must savor and prolong the enjoyment.
Or not.
Geez, you write a page-turner of a story, you have to expect people will turn the pages. It’s a compliment, ok? I have been told that some people will read it many, many times until they have it memorized and can quote from and discuss it years after publication. I can tell you from personal experience that certain passages (yes, yours) will be used in workshops given by other writers as examples of how to do it right.
As for Agnes’ motivation, I assumed it must be some deep, dark thing in her childhood having to do with her parents. Like maybe her mother made lumpy instant mashed potatoes from the box and runny too-salty gravy and her father made her eat them anyway while he enjoyed another helping of tender roast beef instead, eating straight from the really big meat fork. You know, the kind of trauma that will cause lifelong resentment and stay with you well into adulthood, causing you to become a really good cook, until one fine day you just snap.
Of course, you probably didn’t think of that since, like mine, your mom is no doubt a wonderfully talented cook.
That’s not it, you say? Well, ok. Just a wild guess. More likely it was something her older sister did to her. Or she never got that Easy Bake oven for Christmas.
And I think it’s really interesting how Bob went from “God Among Men” to “that bastard Bob” in just a few short days. Now THAT is one hell of an arc, even for a Man of Many Talents.
Um, does Bob know that his characters are supposed to be arcing and not arching?
bw
I usually read your books that fast because I *have* to know what's going to happen, I can't stand to read slowly. Then, I reread, and reread, and reread a lot. Then, the book sits for awhile, and some months later, I come back to it and reread it again. A year later, I'll reread it again a few times. And so on, and so on, and so on.......Books never die.
My doctor's appointment is tomorrow morning. I'm praying he can fix it so I'm not dizzy anymore. I'd like to be able to drive again.
"It takes us MONTHS to write and then you all blow through it in a day and say, "So what have you done lately?" "
No. We say. "So when is the next one" ? It is all about anticipation. For the one now and the one to come-the quicker the better. Your fans are greedy. Most of your fans say the same thing--read it first, fast, for the fun of it. Read it over & over to figure out how come it took you MONTHS to write.
Jenny - nothing "small" about your books. Not even close. Very complex, page-turning, "Bigger" book.
Jenny Wrote: "That bastyard Bob always nails his guys in the first draft."
Jenny dear, that's because he has you to rewrite. Note his post "B&B's, edits, Agnes, The Unit" where he mentions that he sent you to see a doctor, and not because he was a nice guy, but because he needed you to do the rewrite.
Hey, just repeating what Bob wrote.
Hi Jen-T, we've missed those fingernails of yours ;)
(Yes, and the wit, charm, and warmth too)
I kinda like "bastyard bob" :)
Jenny,
Have you read Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys? Probably yes, so I'll just remind you about the scene where Spider encounters a flock of flamingos around the waterfall next to his bedroom. IIRC, they start out pretty, then suddenly arise en masse to attack him, then he defeats them because while numerous and vicious, they weren't all that bright.
Heck, if Neil Gaiman can arc flamingos in one scene, you can easily do so in one book. Plus, clever as he is, your books are a) read just as quickly and b) re-read a whole heck of a lot more frequently.
Just my two cents, FWIW, YMMV, YADA, etc.
ynnsmym - It's Greek to me. Christina? Anyone?
LOL BCB
Welcome back JenT
Hey Mary
I'll enjoy Jenny's arcing motifs in her books. I'm still working on trying to get the characters to arc.
What?! Hot Toy is out? I am SOOO out of it.
Just bopping in to say hi to everyone.
Hi! **Waving madly** I'm still alive, just not sure what time zone I'm in.
I have no idea what folks have been discussing of late. Hope everyone is happy and well, with no blogger colds going around. In a few weeks I'll be able to start to catch up again. When that dissertation thing is done.
Yes, I'm a slacker. It's not done yet.
Last week was the big move to the Edinburgh. Although, at the moment I'm actually in a Newark, New Jersey airport hotel room. Why I'm in a Newark, New Jersey airport hotel room is a long story, involving name mispellings (mine) on a crucial document (work permit) through no fault of my own. If all goes well, I should be able to fly back to Scotland tomorrow evening and actually be allowed to stay.
Ok, must get to bed as I have a busy day tomorrow running around Manhattan.
Take care everyone!
Theresa
Jenny I know why Agnes is violent...men are in her kitchen and asking stupid questions like: "Is that thyme I smell?" What's in that? Is it garlic and pepper and hot sausage?" Have you not seen those kitchen magnets that say "stay out of my kitchen on pain of death." and many other life threatening sayings. My sister had one that was quite long but the jist of it was that anyone entering her kitchen or asking stupid questions would be beheaded.
I love your books and I can reread them like they are new every time. I enjoy them over and over especially Bet Me.
I put a small taste of what my story will be about for NaNoWriMo on the last post for anyone that is interested. I hope I explained it well enough. I didn't want to give the whole thing away.
red mdbbw
Mayer didn't believe Bob's writing.
I have been workinig on outlining my WIP, and I know what you mean about it being "small". It's because it is really just the BONES of the story--it's the fleshing-out that gives it volume and meat and makes it the 100K words or whatever it is. But yeah, the idea seems so simple and I look at it and think "So. This is it. How can I write 50K + with just THIS?!! " Makes me want to turn the white board over and see if the rest of it is hiding on the back side or something....(sigh)
(NaNo starts in a couple of days and I am still hesitating about committing myself to it this year--so much on my plate right now, not sure if I can devote that much time to it or not...)
ynwjqey--Blogger hates me...
I'm about to admit something here that may get me lynched. I am not a re-reader. I love reading, I love books but I rarely re-read books, probably only a handful in my entire life. I've read Anne of Green Gables many times and am now reading it to my daughter. I own leather bound copies of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre and A Tale of Two Cities, all of which I adore but haven't read them again in years. I have a favourite NZ author who wrote 3 great SF characters that I've reread quite a bit because they're so hot.
This lack of rereading is mainly becuase I'm so god damn busy I'm lucky if I get a first read in but yours Jenny, I reread over and over again.
You had me from "Getting Rid of Bradley"
And prepare yourself because I'm bringing every Jenny Crusie I own to Sydney with me, so you can sign them.
Dont worry, I'll spread them out over the weekend ;-)
ffxqy - friendly fans xpect quotes of yex
I have a favourite NZ author who wrote 3 great SF characters that I've reread quite a bit because they're so hot.
OK, don't leave us in the dark, who is this author?
BCB said "And I think it’s really interesting how Bob went from “God Among Men” to “that bastard Bob” in just a few short days. Now THAT is one hell of an arc, even for a Man of Many Talents."
ROFTLMAO. also included in this is JJ's "bastyard Bob" (which i thought was on purpose to begin with- you know, an accent).
amc: hope it goes well at doc's. that s/he fixes the dizzy problem and all.
theresa: *waves madly back* i hope you get to go to your new home tomorrow. (and always blame the beauracrats)
scope dope: going to your site next. will comment there.
DUG: don't you remember when BCB came out as a non-reader? it's cool. no lynching today.
scope dope: ok, misunderstood. going to other post to comment.
(should have seen me earlier. i'm acting bloody nuts today)
Fiona Brand her name is OH. She wrote for Sihouette - Cullens Bride, Marrying McCabe and The Heart Of Midnight.
Hmmm, those men were edible.
Mary said, of flamingos: " while numerous and vicious, they weren't all that bright."
Hey! They are so bright they practically glow in the dark. As for intelligence, however...
Incidentally, the flamingo in Tanith Lee's A BED OF EARTH killed a woman by ripping her open from face to belly with its beak. It was under supernatural control at the time; and as I said, she certainly deserved a horrible death. She was responsible for the horrible deaths of others.
I think the REAL reason Agnes is violent is that when she serves her food to men, they put ketchup on it without even tasting it first. Or mustard. Or salt. Or Tabasco sauce.
Incidentally, has anyone here ever used any of the fiction-writing software? If so, what did you think of it?
rtbizy -- Robert's truly busy.
OH made the astounding claim: don't you remember when BCB came out as a non-reader?
Geez, not even I remember that.
I do remember saying I can't stand to RE-read a book. I may have to make an exception for Hot Toy, though, because the characterization and dialog is just that good, not to mention it is an excellent example of how to "write tight." This is one that will show up in workshops someday.
Plus it's just so funny.
But shhhh, don't tell Jenny I said that. Geez, the woman is going to get a big head and become completely insufferable.
bw
izibox: I bet Andy Cohen has one of these, too
orangehands look at last post. Told you the $6 how I met DH story. Well sort of. /,D
talpianna you are right. That is enough to make a good cook/chef violent.
red qtiig
Quite timely italisizing initial guest (essays). Okay so I cheated.
I can't think of any author who arcs her motifs as thoroughly and beautifully as you do Jenny. How many will catch the significance of the Hot Toy "Major MacGuffin"? That is just brilliant!
Just found Hot Toy in the grocery store yesterday, loved it.
Thanks to both of you for sharing your gift with the pen.
Wait, I thought Santa Baby didn't come out til Tuesday Oct 31! At least that's what Amazon and Jenny's Web site say. Did i miss something?
Man, I tried and tried to get on Blogger last night. I was actually here at 8:10, and saw the new post go up with 0 (ZERO) comments, and wanted so much to be the first! Alas, it was not to be.
Jenny, I will echo the thoughts already expressed here. Your books are well beyond the "I read it 17 times" level. I was just talking to MY Shane last night about this, about how when I do reviews, I should sometimes go back a month later and do another review on the book, if it's still in my mind. I tried to explain how rarely that happens, as there are really only a few books that stay in my mind after the last page. He just laughed and said "Yeah, that's why I constantly find 'Welcome To Temptation' in our room, right?" After thinking about it, I admitted that your books do keep me entertained for months, and sometimes years. There are only maybe two other authors that do that for me. I think it may have something to do with arcing motifs... lol
Oh yeah, need your help CBs! We've got another contest running over on our book blog. We're giving away a handful of paranormal YAs in honor of Halloween. The contest needs some judges. Please pop over there today and do some voting for your favorite entry. The entrants were supposed to tell what their favorite super-power would be to have, and we've got some good ones. As I understand it, Charity has signed copies of four different books to send out to the winners. THANKS IN ADVANCE!!
http://deeceeonbooks.blogspot.com/
DUG and BCB - about re-reading. I wasn't always a re-reader. It kind of happened my accident when I picked up a Lawerence Sanders book that I thought I hadn't read it yet and well, I had, but I had forgotten some of it and I found myself enjoying it.
I re-read a book that I like to learn from it. although, I'm finding it harder and harder to just read for the sake of reading. I always find myself pulling out my pen and paper and taking notes on how the auther handled things or things that struck me as brilliant.
"Bastyard Bob" Snort. That is truly a nail thing. T and Y are right next to each other and my nails are out of control and I don't go in until the 9th of November. They will glow in the dark until then.
SUBJECT CHANGE:
My son wants to dress as Jessica Simpson for Halloween....why?
Theresa hope your paper problems are speedily solved. Hurry with the disertation so you can come visit more often.
Have a good week everyone.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN
Re-reading. I have 'comfort' books. They pulled me in the first time around and made me forget the real world for a while, made me laugh or gasp or bite my nails with anticipation. So I keep them handy because life has ups and downs; and when the downswing starts, its nice to be able to pick up a book and temporarily set down the burden. Its a rest stop, if you will.
Food preparation is a fairly good everyday parallel with writing. Obtaining the raw materials/ingredients, preparing them and then cooking them, are all demanding processes, and each phase can take a considerable amount of time: once completed and placed before the diners, the results can vanish in the blink of an eye. And then one has to clear up, and start thinking about preparing the next meal.
I think of reading Jenny's books like a really good theme park ride: I don't want to get off. I'm strapped in, occasionally enjoying the scenery and suddenly twisted left, then right, plummetting straight down, - hey! how'd I get upside down? - laughing the entire time until it comes to a stop. And I want to go again. I swear, it's an addiction and I don't want no stinkin' patch.
I reread a lot, namely because I am poor. The other reason is that there was obviously something I liked about it and can learn from it. I've done a lot of rereading lately to clean out my stacks. DH wasn't too fond of moving 12 boxes of books the last time we moved.
fgwinopa: freakin' genius wins! Opa!
Death of the Flamingos. Just saw this on Yahoo news
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061029/ap_on_bi_ge/flamingo_s_swan_song
Theresa: Good to hear from you ... wherever you are. Good luck with that mess.
AMC: Hope you get some positive news from the Dr today.
Christina: Take care of that pinched nerve, baby it as much as possible.
DUG said ... You had me from "Getting Rid of Bradley"
Me too. That scene where Zack first meets Lucy's dogs ... *snort* classic.
Well, I thought Agnes was getting over a bad relationship, or had some cheatin' bastard in her life, so it stands to reason, everytime she picks up the meat fork she stabs the slab of roast a few extra times. * grin*
And when she makes the hamburgers she thinks of said bastard, grits her teeth and works the ground sirloin a little too firmly, or she peels the skin from the chicken with a vengeance ...
Loved this blog and the comments. Found I do have a motif in my WIP, just never knew it was called that, I just thought of those things as "ongoing threads." I have a Louis Vuitton purse in mine and yes, I'm happy to say it arcs, it gets left behind for a backpack, the backpack gets left behind for a lipstick and a tissue in the jeans pocket. At the end, the ritch-bitch gives all of her fancy duds and her Louis Vuitton to the Salvation Army. She has grown and discarded her overly pricey worldly possessions for the love of a "real" man. *sigh*
Yeah, like that would ever happen in real life. Heh.
rg
Jenny -What everyone else said. On the one hand, yes, we read it in one afternoon or evening (or overnight -some of us have no self-control), but because you work on it so hard, we (some of us) come back to it over and over. We may not analyze why it's so rich that we can do so (or we may), but I'm sure all the arcing pays off. In Getting Rid of Bradley Lucy's hair had an arc. I just realized. I can't think of any inanimate arcs in What the Lady Wants except the diary, offhand, unless you count Mitch's car (which seems more like a continuous, downhill slide than an arc), but this could open up whole new avenues of discussion amongst the CBs...
And you've kept us entertained with it for 10 months now, so we've been fairly docile about the "what have you done for us lately" thing. No fear that we'll quit looking, because there hasn't been anything new on the shelves for months - we know when things come out and pre-order. And probably even will continue to do so, once we've been kicked out of the basement, because SOMEONE is bound to be paying attention and tell the rest of us.
AgTigress - I had exactly the thought about food (e.g. Thanksgiving or Christmas meals, or party preparation). How long we work, how brief the enjoyment of the guests...
So, maybe that's a source of Agnes' rage - the lack of appreciation of her efforts. One reason I don't cook for money is that, if someone is paying you, they feel free to criticize or complain (other reasons include the fact that I'm really slow and insufficiently organized). Mostly for volunteer efforts, people are complimentary, if only because they don't want to have to do it all themselves (don't get me started on people who even insult volunteers). I don't like to feed people who just bolt my food without paying attention and savoring. Tie it in with a man who thinks his work is more important than hers (HE's a highly paid chef, SHE's just a caterer/ wedding planner, with the additional stress of the inherent irregularity of employment), and I think there could be some serious rage a-building.
Theresa - bummer about the stuck-ness! Were you actually, technically, deported? What a story - would love to hear more, when you have time.
Me - I was complaining about SOME people getting early copies of "Hot Toy" yesterday. It is, apparently, out in some markets ahead of the official release date. No sign of mine from Amazon, though sometimes they arrive in the mail on or before the date. Sniffle.
Itchuuna - a Minnesota lake
Why does Agnes need motivation for her anger? If she were a happy person, would she need motivation for that?
Personally, I think being angry needs very little motivation. No particular effort required, there. Its the getting past the anger and putting it behind you that requires motivation.
Charity just asked me to have any of you that are interested in voting to please send an E-MAIL to us with your choice of winners. The e-mail address is in the blog. We need to pick three winners, as the jennifer Scales books will go as a set.
My favorite arc? The cooking of the chicken marsala. That was just beautiful.
OH sez: no lynching today.
*laugh* No, never on Mondays. We're busy recovering from the weekend. :)
jen-t asks: My son wants to dress as Jessica Simpson for Halloween....why?
Because he's hilarious and has a CB-worthy sense of humor? I love the idea. Too bad Halloween in the Castro is over, he'd fit right in...
btuda sez: DH wasn't too fond of moving 12 boxes of books the last time we moved.
Only 12? Jeez. I think when we moved from Jacksonville to Mt. Kisco, NY, in 1983 my family had about 75-100 boxes of books. And there are only 3 of us.
And on voluntary cooking: I volunteered at last night's alternative milonga to help Michelle with the food at next month's event. As a result, I have butter coming to room temperature now because, really, shortbread needs 4-6 weeks after baking wrapped in tin foil and sealed in an air-tight container to be really, really good instead of just ok.
For those who have inquired, I went last night as a bat. I wore black trousers and a sleeveless top and made myself bat wings out of this stretchy material that is shiny/plasticky on one side and matte on the other. I made two separate wings instead of a cape-like thing so that my lead could actually get his hand around my back. They were quite easy to make (elastic attaching them to each other across the back, two elastic loops around each upper arm, a small elastic loop at the tip to go around the middle finger and plasticized fabric needs no hems so it's all raw edges), but much admired. Go figure. And I didn't need to really dress up much and I still looked like I was in costume.
And of course when you're in dance position, one arm is around your partner and one is in his hand, so the wings are spread out. Must look quite amusing. Will wear the same costume on Weds. to that milonga (=tango dance).
Another fun arc: Sophie's rings in WTT: Phin notices them, she got them from her mother so there's a back story, she loses them, he says he'll replace them, and then she gets an engagement ring. Good arc.
MCB wrote: Personally, I think being angry needs very little motivation. No particular effort required, there. Its the getting past the anger and putting it behind you that requires motivation.
Very wise about the getting past it part. But I'm pretty sure Jenny's girl is going to have motivation getting there, too.
I think maybe Agnes has/had a blog. With an excess of crazed fans. Probably none of them were content to just lurk quietly, either. Maybe she even had a collaborator. I've heard that can cause violent behavior. Hitting even.
I'm thinking we're getting off easy, just getting kicked out of the basement. Could have been a meat fork.
Do you suppose Bob checks Jenny's bag for sharp objects before book signings?
Nah.
The bad thing about daylight savings time is, for the first few days at least, you swear the work day is never going to end.
bw
Another arc: The agency in Fast Women. I liked that it mirrored the arcs of both Gabe and Nell. As Nell came out of her gray funk she became more brave about the changes she made; as Gabe loosened up, he allowed Nell to make more changes, letting go of the past.
bon cheri bomb said...
MCB wrote: Personally, I think being angry needs very little motivation ...
Very wise about the getting past it part. But I'm pretty sure Jenny's girl is going to have motivation getting there, too.
Of course even with all we know about this book, we still don't REALLY know what the book is about so maybe I'm being presumptious here. But what if Agnes is a naturally impatient and angry person, the way some people are naturally happy. And she needs motivation to arc from being angry to letting go of it and being happy?
I mean, its so much easier to hold on to your anger. Maybe she's just never had a good reason to let go.
Agnes is said because Julia Child died. Agnes, in honor of it's being almost Samhain, did a wizard spell to bring Julia back to life long enough to discuss Julia's Chicken Marsala recipe Agnes wanted to use it in honor of Julia for the Wedding luncheon. The spell didn't work. Not only that, when the spell failed, all of Julia's cookbooks disappeared. Agnes is angry.
Maybe I should participate in that MiniHaHa writing contest you all keep talking about.
wcgtzngd: But Blooger always humbles my out of my hubris.
GatorPerson said...
Agnes is said (sic) because Julia Child died. Agnes, in honor of it's being almost Samhain, did a wizard spell to bring Julia back to life long enough to discuss Julia's Chicken Marsala recipe Agnes wanted to use it in honor of Julia for the Wedding luncheon. The spell didn't work. Not only that, when the spell failed, all of Julia's cookbooks disappeared. Agnes is angry.
Plus, the flamingos have stolen all her shoes and replaced them with apples. She tried to use them in pies for the wedding but they ended up being bobbed for by the gators along with her favorite Clarice Cliff china which she planned to use for the wedding so she has resorted to serving malt vinegar fries to the guests.
Are the fries sprinkled with Old Bay?
If so, that's not an entirely bad thing, you know.
mcb said: Plus, the flamingos have stolen all her shoes and replaced them with apples. She tried to use them in pies for the wedding but they ended up being bobbed for by the gators along with her favorite Clarice Cliff china which she planned to use for the wedding so she has resorted to serving malt vinegar fries to the guests.
But Tony, her ex-boyfriend chef with really great hair, misunderstood her and when he went shopping for ingredients, he got malted milk balls instead of malt vinegar, and malted milk balls don't melt well, she knows because she tried to melt them but got distracted by a ringing phone, and it was Tony asking if she liked the malted milk balls, and by now her temper was starting to flare just a bit, so she chewed him out and by the time she got back her malted milk balls had boiled over so violently that it exploded all over her nice clean kitchen and trusty dog, Rhett, and everyone knows dogs can't have chocolate, so that really ticked her off.
And someone mentioned cooking for large groups earlier... and boy do I have something to add to that...
At our church, we provide breakfast every Sunday morning. We did this initially as a way to boost Sunday school attendance. It worked. Now, everyone is so used to it, that we still do it. It's nice, because it gives the whole church family time to fellowship every week.
Breakfast is cooked by one of two families every week. Of course, we are one of the families. I get up around 3am, every other Sunday, to shop for fresh food for that morning's breakfast. Then I get home and pick up the 6 kids and the Hubs. We get to church around 7am to start cooking for around 100 people. We try very hard to vary the menu, so people aren't just eating pancakes, or eggs and bacon, every week. We do everything from breakfast pizzas to eggs benedict, waffles to bagel sandwiches, biscuits n gravy to steak n eggs (on Father's Day). You get the picture. We also have pastries and donuts, juices, bagels, coffee, yogurt, fresh fruit. We pay for this out of our pockets, and turn in our receipts as part of our tithe. We do it because cooking is something that I really LOVE to do, and because I want the kids to understand what a ministry is. It's nice to have all 6 of them helping work towards a common goal, to feed all those people. I really enjoy that.
But do you know, along with the thanks that we get, at least one person EVERY SINGLE WEEK complains about something. One week, we didn't buy enough yogurt (24 cartons, nobody used to eat them). One week, we didn't have enough meat (no joke, I cooked 20 pounds of meat that week!). One week, we didn't have the right flavor of coffee creamer (the 9 types we offered were not the right kind). One week, we didn't have the right flavor of OJ (the person didn't like OJ with pulp). One week, we were having biscuits n gravy, and they'd already gone through over 100 biscuits. More were in the over. I had a woman literally stand in the door to the kitchen and ask me every two minutes if they were ready yet. Then, she walked over to the oven and took two of them right out, and walked right out of the kitchen. I just stood there in total disbelief. I've never wanted to throw something at someone so much in my life.
So yeah, it is VERY frustrating when people don't appreciate your efforts, especially when you're not getting paid to do something that they would never even volunteer to help you do.
And please, don't even get me started on men putting ketchup on food before they taste it. I went through 3 weeks of that after Shane's last Navy cruise, then threw a whole dinner away one night. I told him that if he kept insulting my food like that, he might as well go to Burger King, because I was DONE COOKING. Yeah, he tastes things first now. He's pretty smart, my husband. ;>)
As she goes to clean up she realizes that Shane turned the water off in order to install the cable. This clearly does not make sense, but it does incense. When she goes to vent to Xavier, she realizes that she can no longer tell what he is thinking...and you know what... now Agnes is REALLY angry!
mbbig: yep it is.
I think anger needs good motivation because anger takes a lot of energy. It's exhausting to be angry.
So if Agnes is really, really angry (as she seems to be) and has been for a long time (since Jenny mentioned Anges' court-ordered anger management therapy it seems to be a long-term thing), she must be totally worn out from being angry. And being exhausted, of course, makes you less able to control your emotions, so...well, whatever's making her angry, it's bound to have a lot of power behind it to keep regenerating itself so there'd better be a good reason for it.
Another arc, I think, would be the jewelry in The Cinderella Deal. Daisy gets a daisy engagement ring in the beginning, the matching earrings at Christmas and finally the free-form pearl ring (which she wanted at the beginning of the book) at the end and the style of rings are closely tied to how Daisy presents/thinks of herself: either as Daisy Blaise or as Daisy Flattery.
me said: But Tony, her ex-boyfriend chef with really great hair, misunderstood her and when he went shopping for ingredients, he got malted milk balls instead of malt vinegar, and malted milk balls don't melt well, she knows because she tried to melt them but got distracted by a ringing phone, and it was Tony asking if she liked the malted milk balls, and by now her temper was starting to flare just a bit, so she chewed him out and by the time she got back her malted milk balls had boiled over so violently that it exploded all over her nice clean kitchen and trusty dog, Rhett, and everyone knows dogs can't have chocolate, so that really ticked her off.
And then Tony's cat Scarlett, being a truly talented kitchen cat, sprayed non-stick spray on Agnes's cookie sheets, leaving that nasty, sticky crap all over them. Scarlett wasn't too concerned, considering tomorrow was another day.
Scarlett did not get along with Agnes' trusty Rhett very well because, as you know, they fight like cats and dogs.
Lori said...
When she goes to vent to Xavier, she realizes that she can no longer tell what he is thinking...and you know what... now Agnes is REALLY angry!
Xavier quickly explains to Agnes, that it is his superiors who are to blame for his inability to share his thoughts. This incenses Agnes further when she recalls a certain disappearing coleslaw incident, which wouldn't have been so bad if they'd taken the coleslaw away before it stunk up her car. It was such a suspicious incident (who steal coleslaw that's been left in the car?) that she is sure someone very high up must be behind it. Or possibly in front of it.
Wow, Dee, I am really impressed! I find cooking to be work that I enjoy, but it's still work to me - and, while I can get UP at pretty early hours (not 3 a.m.), getting OUT is another matter. Every other week is a lot, but maybe one gets very practiced at the planning, etc. And I like the idea of turning in the receipts to help meet the pledge / tithe. It seems so finicky to ask for a refund, but you're starting to talk about real money there!
My parents almost didn't get married when my dad invited my mom over for steak (after eating boxed macaroni and cheese for the rest of the week), and my mom asked for steak sauce. We never had any at our house. It took 30+ years for my mom to suggest putting Cabernet-cherry sauce on the Christmas Eve roast beef. You don't cover up the flavor of good meat! Though, curiously, it was always OK to put sauces on meat that had been cut up before being cooked, e.g. broccoli beef.
Huh. I still haven't read The Cinderella Deal. It's running $20-$50 via Amazon's Used books, which I would be willing to pay, but it's going to be reissued, right? Didn't we get that impression a while back? Maybe I should ask for the original for my b-day, if it's not. I can just see explaining it to my parents. "Yes, it's a 10-year old paperback category romance, used, selling for $40. Yes, that's what I want for my birthday". I bought a couple of the others used, and they came out in new editions within a few months to a year, so I was sort of burned on that one. Because I value sturdiness over "first edition", because I'm going to read it a lot!
jgitg: Jenny gives intense thinkers gifts
Dee - makes it very difficult to hold on to and/or preach values to your children, doesn't it?
And I should think a few other families could at least pitch in now and then.
Well, we (*I*) took October off. I was just too drained, so I took the month off from everything. We've enjoyed eating breakfast, but not cooking the past few weeks. The other family is our back-up. When we go out of town, they cook for us, when they leave we cook. However, this time, I asked two other families to do the honors for the two weeks we'd be missing. They both grudgingly agreed. I know it's a chore, but come on - we've been doing it for three years! Honestly, I can't complain, the other family has been doing it for four years. They did it alone the first year, only taking one Sunday a month off (we took over that Sunday). That had to have been hard!
Actually, I really can't complain, because honestly, I love it. It's my ministry. I am the Breakfast Person. That's kinda cool. And the kids are great about it. They don't even complain anymore. They are really special kids, and I don't mean the kind of special that rides the short bus (no offense to short bus riders, ok? I think you understand I meant it in a loving way.)
Ok, Charity is gonna freak out if we don't get some more judges for that contest. So please, if you have a few minutes, go read and send us an e-mail.
Dee-I voted and sent an email.
Theresa-Wishing you safe travels and no more trouble with immigration. Are you flying into London or straight into Edinburgh? (I'm not even sure the latter is possible, but thought I would check). The passport control at Heathrow can be a nightmare. Especially when they get so many people crammed in there that they say to hell with it and it's every man for themselves and they no longer care if you are in the visa or non-visa line. I had to wait two hours when I arrived back here in September. It was insane.
I think Agnes is enraged because she's been watching all the electioneering commercials for candidates in Arizona.
I know I am!
I know I have mentioned this before, but I am STILL listening to DLD on CD in the car, and I am STILL loving it. The dialog/banter is really spectacular. I just drive along with a big grin on my face. Not one clunker exchange in the bunch. Lucy and JT (just got up from the shell mound). So, we re-readers can stretch that afternoon into months and years.
Went to the doctor this morning....I get to go for more tests! Oh boy!! Why, no, I'm not being sarcastic at all.....
Theresa--good luck!
Jenny wrote: and they're not sure why Bob keeps writing miscellaneous naked women into his hitman scenes
Well, obviously, he's doing it because he knows Jenny is going to be making a collage.
How's it coming on that whole anger motivation theme, Jenny? I think as a group we came up with plenty of motivation for you-- er, I mean Agnes. [grin]
Although most of it just made me laugh. Not such a bad thing on a Monday.
bw
i know BCB has already mentioned it, and CBs have already moved on to other topics, but yes, i meant re-reader, not non-reader.
diane: i bought a whole bunch of Suzanne Brockmann's SEAL Team (i'm blanking on the number, not 16, the other one, with Wes and Lucky and etc) on e-bay/amazon for lots of money. then they came out in reissue. argh! so i got to wait for Jenny's. and yes, Cinderella Deal is supposed to be coming out again. now i just need Trust Me on This and i have the Crusie set. :)
very sorry to hear that amc.
OH: I knew what you meant, and I'm sure everyone else did, too. I was just messing with you. Someone has to do it, right?
You sound tired -- you getting enough sleep these days? Have you tried earplugs?
bw
OH - SEAL Team 10, Tall, Dark, and Dangerous.
yeX does just intensify eager reasons
thanks lou. i was like, 9, 8, something around there.
BCB: sleep? ha! i've had this cough/sniffle thing for the last week/week and a half (this isn't the flu i had, something else). got some meds, taking it pretty easy, but geez. i hate being sick away from home. i'm working on the sleep thing though. not volunteering on sundays, just saturdays, because not up to both days. should probably give it all up but the election is so SOON.
talpianna said...
I think Agnes is enraged because she's been watching all the electioneering commercials for candidates in Arizona.
Its not just AZ. Maryland's races aren't too horrible, but its gotten pretty ugly in Virginia. Personally I think what this country really needs are a few more cranky women with frying pans and meat forks.
While WTT is being discussed, can someone explain something to me?
I just re-re-re-read WTT, and I'm puzzled.
[SPOILER ALERT. If you ain't read Welcome To Temptation, avert thine eyes elsewhere, okay?]
So why did Zane take Phinn's letter sweater from Sophie's house that night? And why was he found wearing it? I've looked on the Cherries Forum to see if anyone discusses this, but I haven't found any mention of the sweater. Is this for some obvious reason that I'm totally missing? Hey, if so, this is your chance to metaphorically slap me upside the head and say "Mary, you fool!"
cyskuos - now, I'm nearly positive that this is in fact one of the smaller Greek isles that the ferry doesn't stop at.
LOL mcb - sounds like it'd be a whole better world with thse frying pans and meat forks.
Vote 1 mcb for Prez
talpianna said...
Incidentally, has anyone here ever used any of the fiction-writing software? If so, what did you think of it?
I have Dramatica Pro. It kinda does what Jenny's been doing with Agnes, only you do it before you begin. I think it's worth downloading the free trial version if you're a planner. I don't know what the heck I was thinking, since I'm totally an organic, free flow type writer, but I sprang for it a couple years ago.
I've got their MovieMagic Screenwriter, too. So far, I've never found a screenwriting program that even begins to work seamlessly or intuitively. Lousy interfaces, all of them. But it beats trying to remember all the formatting rules, unless you do enough screenplays to have them be second nature.
zwnsx (blue)
Zoe was not satisfying Xavier.
Thanks to conscrpted cherry for the lovely eye patches. I wish the rest of you could see these. One is blue butterflies and the other is autumn leaves. Really pretty. The parcel arrived today. cherry magic sheryl has your email address so I will email you my response.
Got to go to bed. Falling asleep an hour ago. Now I am wide awake but must rest up for NaNo.
zaza can you get a tiny url for that cherry site? I went on it from the site you gave but the whole address is not there to go to it later.
agreen lqscl
Lately quotes send Crusie laughing.
AgTigress said...
Food preparation is a fairly good everyday parallel with writing.
Aside from the parallels you mentions, I have to say that I cook the same way I write. Even if I have a recipe (outline), I still make changes on the fly. Of course, I don't do much baking, as in desserts, because those recipes pretty much need to be followed if you want anything even remotely resembling the expected end result. /;+) Probably why I find baking so tedious and enjoy less structured kinds of cooking. When I taught cooking, the hardest part for me was getting down a recipe to be used in class. That took ages, trying to guess how much sugar I had in the palm of my hand or how much summer savory came out when I gave two shakes with the open jar. LOL!
McB said...
DUG said ... You had me from "Getting Rid of Bradley"
Me too. That scene where Zack first meets Lucy's dogs ... *snort* classic.
For me it was when she knocked him cold with her purse, then, when he comes to, he says something like, "That woman is damn near feral." I laugh every time I read that. It's what makes me love Zack.
SDCB said...
zaza can you get a tiny url for that cherry site? I went on it from the site you gave but the whole address is not there to go to it later.
Why, yes I can! ;+) Here it is:
http://tinyurl.com/y6ou5e
And what are you doing up so late, young lady???
eilrxd (red)
Elves in leotards raced Xavier's dragster. (well, that's a picture for you)
txjraex (green)
Texas dinosaur?
mary: don't have my WTT, and i don't remember. anyone else?
so tired. night.
And now for something completely irrelivant....
For those who are interested (Diane), here are links to pics of my pup taken by his mum's owner...
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2785297480094870384vsmQLK - Rupert and his siblings (who'd believe it? they look so different)... my boy is the second from the left...
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2232434880094870384Orfhzy - Rupert doing the posing thing :D
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2642186370094870384ZeHbnO - Rupert in hot pursuit of a feed :D
..... he's not pudgy, he's fluffy - and horizontally challenged :D
hmmm... I don't know how to do the clicky-link-things....
Erica--he's just so adorable! You are so lucky.
And do you mean horizontally or vertically-challenged?
I have been torturing myself lately with images of cute pets. Like this one:
welsh corgi
I miss my little furry babies back in the states...
I hate to keep bugging you guys, but we've got a freakin tie over at the book blog. If you haven't gone over and read the superpower entries, please help us out.
Thanks.
http://deeceeonbooks.blogspot.com/
ZaZa, I cook the exact same way! I have a ton of cookbooks, and I love them. They sit on my shelf and look beautiful. I can open them up and see terrific pics of what a dish is supposed to look like. But for cooking? HAH! Generally, I take a look at the list of ingredients one time, then head off to the store. While I'm driving, I'm making mental changes. By the time I get there, I've re-ingrediented the list.
I honestly wonder if I have ever truly made the same meal twice in my kitchen. Somehow, I don't think I have. There is just something so liberating about standing in front of my stove, looking at that pot or skillet, and DECIDING what it will taste like just by the bottles of spices my fingers touch. Cooking is art at its finest. It's also incredibly sensual, at a very basic level.
Ok, now I need to stop, because I'm sitting here getting almost turned on thinking about making food.
Christina : that corgi pup is so cute, lol! And, yeah, I did mean horizontally challenged - actually... I think I put that the wrong way.... I think it's probably more apt to say he is a little too horizontally unchallenged... he's not precisely the runt of the litter - the opposite, in fact :)
But shhhh.... don't tell Rupert... no giving the puppy issues, lol :D
Dee, I can't figure out how to bring up the 2 stories on your website. So I don't know which to vote for. Hints?
ssvqv: Susie Sells Very Quaint Vases.
Since Dee is going above and beyond for me here, I thought I'd put in my plea too. Thank you, McB, Christina, ZaZa, and Orangehands for voting. If you haven't already, I need the TOP 3 picks, since we will have 3 winners. Thanks! I'm having Oral Surgery tomorrow so I would like to get the winners today, that way Dee doesn't have to do it all for me.
Thanks Again Guys!!!!
erica and christina: those pics are too cute! My own personal ball of fluff surprisingly did very well at the recent family photo. At least I didn't make him dress up - an urge I really need to stop. He hates it. One year I dressed him up in a Santa suit - and that was about the grumpiest looking Santa's helper I'd ever seen.
dee: on cooking and well, the other, DH invited me along when he went to borrow a friend's log splitter. DH wanted to be sure he was home so he went up to the door by himself. A few minutes go by and then they both come back to the truck red-faced and basically ROTFL. Turns out the friend decided to do his laundry - all his laundry. Then he decided to cook breakfast. So DH went to knock on the screen door, the inside door was open, and was basically treated to the view of his buddy frying bacon in the nude.
Which is so wrong on so many levels.
Luckily, the friend lives in a relatively secluded area down by the river. Even more thankfully, I missed the whole thing. Of course, I'll never be able to sit down in the man's house due to the possibility of bare butt cooties ...
I cannot imagine why he's still single.
qncbrt: Quite nicely, Cherry Bomb Robert teases.
The two stories aren't really very similar after all. Other than whenever I think of cooking and the other, the image of the friend frying bacon pops in my head and I feel a sudden urge to scrub my eyeballs.
Now after the stove is safely turned off, that is a different story.
Erica - too cute!! So sweet and fluffy - just want to cuddle him. Good choice!
Just an idle question about the designation 'Welsh Corgi', as on the link Christina posted. Is this the way the two breeds are habitually referred to collectively in America?
Both Corgi varieties are Welsh breeds, so the national adjective is not really needed, as it is in the case of, say, an English Setter and an Irish Setter. There aren't any French Corgis or German Corgis!
But the two breeds, Pembrokeshire and Cardiganshire Corgis, (or Corgwn if you want to show off... ;-) ) have many differences; that's where 'Corgi' needs a qualifying adjective.
Maybe I should be asking this on a doggy forum. :-)
Tigress: they usually, but not always, are referred to as Welsh Corgis. I'm not sure why. Except if you casually mentioned in conversation that you were picking up your corgi tomorrow, someone would probably ask what the mileage is on one of those.
But in a conversation about dogs and with other dog people it would probably be shortened to just corgi.
So are both breeds well-known in the USA, or only the more widely popular Pembs corgis? Cardis are far less common even here - I wonder if perhaps they are rare in the US, so that people are less aware that there are two breeds.
Are you saying that there is a vehicle called a 'corgi'?
btuda, UGH! Thanks for that mental image. That was not the "sensual" I had in mind! ROTFL!!!
Honestly, my man loves that I love to cook. He thinks it pretty sexy too, and I don't even have to wear one of those French maid costumes. Not that there is anything wrong with those, mind you. I guess, for me, being in the kitchen conjures images of that scene from 9 1/2 weeks, where they're laying on the floor, and she's getting stuff stuffed into her mouth. No, not THAT kind of 'stuff', geez, you guys! Seriously, food can be incredibly erotic, and it's just such a turn on to me in a lot of ways.
That said, I am an absolute beast when it comes to eating out. I guess I'm sort of a food snob. I'm not a chain restaurant kind of chick at all. If it has a name that is easily recognizable, chances are that I won't like it. It doesn't have to be trendy, but it does have to be original. Some of my favorite places are the little local joints that have some sort of 'special dish' that defies the imagination. And of course, the only thing I can think of to illustrate that right now is deep fried Twinkies on a stick, right?
I love the idea of Agnes though. I mean, there are just so many things about cooking that really turnme on. Creating something that excites the senses, something that smells like heaven, something that eases over the taste buds and starts a fire in your belly, something that looks beautiful on a plain white plate without too many extra garnishes. That's probably why I flipped over Min and the chicken Marsala. She started with no knowledge, and just kept at it until she created this masterpiece that fed her family. I could almost taste it by the end of the book. Food has so much more to offer us besides nutrition, but most people never take the time to realize that beyond the occasional indulgence in a decent chocolate (again, no offense to the chocolate lovers among us!).
Besides, some of my biggest personal triumphs have come in the kitchen. I was one of those girls that swore the answer to my husband's "So, what's for dinner?" would be "Whatever you feel like cooking!" Yet I live for my Sunday mornings when I feed a small army, or those holidays when I get to really stretch myself. I even like having other kids over for dinner, because most of us know that they are much more discerning and vocal than adults.
Blah blah, I could talk about food and cooking forever, and I doubt you guys really want to hear all of that. Suffice it to say that the thought of cooking bacon in the buff is disturbing on so many levels, the least of which would be thinking about what would happen if the bacon started popping. OUCH!
Just sayin'...
Oh yeah, and Gatorperson...
If you go here... http://deeceeonbooks.blogspot.com/2006/10/bring-in-judges.html
This is the direct link page to the contest. There are quite a few entries. People had to tell what their favorite super-power would be. You'll see the name of a person, then what they'd like to have/be able to do. You read through the list, then pick the three that you like best, and send us an e-mail with those names.
Thanks so much for helping out. We're really loving the book review blog, and are having a great time coming up with the contests. And of course, we greatly appreciate all of the CBs helping us decide who the winners will be. You guys are, as usual, the absolute best!
Tigress asked ...
Are you saying that there is a vehicle called a 'corgi'?
No, sorry, that was a feeble attempt at humour. What I meant was that people are so used to hearing Welsh Corgi, that without the 'Welsh' and not knowing you are discussing dogs, they might draw a blank if they only heard corgi. Though probably a 'dog person' would get it.
I don't think the fact that there are 2 varieties is well known.
whnobhph. Sorry my mouth was full. What I said was "on my way to Borders to pick up my copy of Santa Baby!
I was probably falling into a mental association there, because Corgi Toys is a UK firm that makes small die-cast metal models of vehicles.
There is also another general meaning of 'Corgi' in the UK, but I shall get tangled up in another AE/BE language problem, so I think I shall avoid it!
:-)
On the food theme....
Ahem, ***COOKIE BIZ***
Those of you who would like to participate in the Thanksgiving CB Cookie Exchange (11/20 to 11/30), please e-mail me at cary_sanz@yahoo.com with your CB "handle", your real-world identity, and mailing address for the cookies. I will create a list of the entrants and we'll get this started.
Those of you who want to participate in the Christmas/Hanukah exchange, I'll open that up for entry at the end of next month. (Let's have the Thanksgiving folks work out all the kinks first!)
Back to our regular programming...
Thanks all for developing Agnes' anger management background. LMAO this morning. The bit about the flamingos, gators, and china was tooo funny. **GRIN**
I'm a bit of a free form cook myself. Not a baker - too much time commitment. Hate waiting for bread to rise. UGH.
I love to look at the pictures, read the recipes, and then alter at will. (Did I mention I'm a bit of a fussy eater?) I love discovering new flavors. Best time of my life? About a year ago, when I dropped the diets, signed up for Italian cooking clas