Warning: Some Violence and Much Strong Language.SHE WROTE: DLD the Paperback
Here it is, the paperback cover of Don't Look Down. The closed cover is on the left, the open stepback is on the right.
The only thing that's changed on the real cover is that Lucy's pants on the stepback are denim blue instead of purple and JT is wearing black boots instead of dress shoes (Bob almost had a coronary). It jumps right off the shelf at you, much edgier than the hardcover jacket, and I'm thrilled with it. Out May 1.
And now back to cutting fifty pages--that's 12,500 words--out of Agnes before Monday. Because Jen said so, that's why.
192 Comments:
Jen, don't tell Jenny & Bob to cut words! Too wasteful.
Put them up as "advanced teasers" to whet the appetite of us poor innocent readers.
(All right, poor readers.)
It would be educational to hear Jen's reason's wanting those fifty pages gone, and then, after AATHM's out, be able to compare the published version to the pre-cut version. Maybe you could post the fifty pages on the new writing blog and talk about why you cut what?
OUT TAKES!!!
Okay went and got my copy of DLD to make a comparison. I do think the PB versions is snazzier but what I noticed is that
(a) Lucy's pants in HB are pink while J.T.'s are blue ... in the PB J.T. is wearing camo (more appropriate and complete with Moots!) while Lucy is wearing denim; and
(b) The PB is in mirror image of the HB. Even Moot is facing in a different direction.
Question: Often in the back of the PB version there will be a teaser for the upcoming HB. Will this be true of DLD?
Loving the camo-moot background.
It's ALL good.
Dress shoes with camo? What were they thinking?
Jenny (Bob too),
Love the cover. It's very cool! Stands out.
Have fun with that cutting.
Great cover!
I want one now!
Guess I'll have to wait a while.
About the "cut" parts...still have a few days left for us to read them...maybe after Xmas, post a few tidbits?
Louis you brilliant man. That's what I want for Christmas. Outtakes from Agnes. Better than an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200 shot range model BB rifle (with a compass in the stock)
Hey Jenny,
About those fifty pages, mind sending them my way? I might be able to use them since I'm actually going to be able to write this weekend!!!!! Holy crap, so F.Finn happy! You all have no idea what a wash this weekend was supposed to be.
First, family stuff tonight...Sabres on, but DH says, "Hey, Mind if I go play poker?" Me, mind? God no. Go, please, leave. I know, that's not nice, but really, I don't mind. Nine - he's out the door, kids in bed and I'm writing!!!! yeah me. Then, tomorrow I was supposed to drive to buffalo, then on to Cambridge, then home...but wait, not going now. I get to do the home game and then um, write!!!!
Something is serioulsy wrong with me.
So Jenny, why you and Bob cut 50 pages, I'm going to be writing 50 pages, I hope.
CMS: Don't you know you'll shoot your eye out? Does Scope Dope have enough eye patches to share?
Great cover, J&B! Love the bold primary colors.
Outtakes would be such a nice holiday gift. After all, it's so hard to shop for such a large group, and I'm sure you two have been stressing about this. And here you have something where one size fits all, with no need to worry about getting gloves to match or whether anyone has food allergies.
Probably no one would even want a gift receipt.
Perfect.
bw
jen t I need those 50 pages worse than you do. You have pages just dying to pour out of your fingertips. My fingers seem to be on strike. I am about to totally read through my "book" from NaNo and try to make notes on what to change. I need at least 50 more pages too and I don't know where they are going to come from.
Love the cover.
I am currently reading a book that was a gift at New Jersey from Julianne MacLean-- "To Marry The Duke" which is a historical. This is not a genre I generally read but I have been enjoying this one. Her descriptions are great. Tell you more about it when I finish it. I am fitting in a few pages a day between all the Christmas stuff and sleeping. I have to do my work before I can get to it. That is my treat each day. Besides I am a slow reader. I like to savor a book. /,D
blue rzrybf
Really Zaza read yexy business first.
i really like it.
dee: BTW, meant to mention last time, just before i left i got the book from the contest. thank you!
JJ and scope: good luck.
Fifty pages! Why? If there's anything I hate it's getting a book from one of my favorite authors that isnt long enough.
oyoncc
Over yonder our nice cats chant.
Cherry Magic Sheryl said...
That's what I want for Christmas. Outtakes from Agnes. Better than an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200 shot range model BB rifle (with a compass in the stock)
Plus which we won't put our eye out with it. Or eyes. One each I mean.
AlienEeeter said...
If there's anything I hate it's getting a book from one of my favorite authors that isnt long enough.
If its a favorite author, its never long enough. Yes, Jenny, I remember all the reasons why a book can only be so long ... contracts, pacing, etc. But that doesn't mean I stop wanting them to last longer.
Scope said ... I am currently reading a book that was a gift at New Jersey from Julianne MacLean
I've read one of hers since NJ. Portrait of a Lover, I think it was called. Historical, as you said. Very well done.
Great cover- It ought to fly off of the shelves. Of course all CB's will be back in bookstores making sure it is prominently displayed!
I keep seeing this sign on the local convenience store counting down the days until Christmas. I can handle that, it is the counting down the days until this blog goes away that makes me crazy.
Are we planning a New Year's Eve Party to say goodbye? Since my computer got fixed, I have a lot of room...you all could come here. Awfully chilly in Ohio but warm hospitality.
I can see AATH-"the outakes" as a whopping best seller to Cherries everywhere. The real story of Princess. What happened to Xavier? Gosh, I hope they don't have to cut YEX! *gasp* Especially if Jenny made Bob write it.
Let's all send Jen a nice Christmas note and see if she will let us take the words with us when we move. It will keep us busy.
Love the cover - really calls to you.
Outakes for Xmas. Cool.
Hey Erica, you there? How did you go with Hot Toy from Rosemary? I'm still waiting for mine....this from a woman who got me DLD on April 4!!! Must ring her.
We have lovely, plump, dark and inexpensive cherries in our shops at the moment. Everytime I have a bunch I think of you guys. Come Xmas Eve they'll be dear as poison but for now, we're Cherry overdosing.
Wow, nice bold colors, very snappy!
Pity it couldn't have come out for the holidays, it would look great under the tree, or Channukah bush, or whatever ...
I have to sign on as anonymous because I'm on this weird laptop at my daughters and for some reason it doesn't recognize my blogger i.d. Dang, anyway it's me ... robena grant. Heh. Don't you just love it when you're dating a guy and he calls and says, "Hi, it's me." Guys. such egos.
Anyway, when I get back home I'll go over to the new place and leave a message. Also, I never made a donation because I thought I wouldn't be able to handle three different blogs, plus my own website, but heck, what can I say you guys have grown on me ... kind of like a fungus, but you've still grown. Just kidding. I know you said you have enough funds in the account but if there's a call for more money, call me first.
rg
RG: LMAO. though, i must admit, i did wince at "Channukah bush". :)
yep, outtakes as holiday gifts. works for me. and our gift to you will be reading them.
well, ok, so we'd do that anyways but geez, i don't think they're going to want cookies we baked or anything, or at least not if that means giving out their addresses. we've already tried stalking them at hotels.
RG - so that whole plan to phase out the CBs, limit your exposure and all ... not working so well? *snort* Yep, we're contagious. I'll put you on the list of "ask them first" folks, should we need additional bail, uh, I mean should we have additional expenses for the Bar&Grill.
DUG - Sorry to hear you are still waiting. You know I'm thinking we could offer some sort of services to the CBs in other lands to get B&J's books to them quicker. Must be something we can do about that.
Ooh. Just popped in to the new place to see what's happening and it looks like things are happening. I gotta ask - was that paint on sale? Just kidding! I know its a work in progress. My own fault for peeking through the curtains.
Yes, very dark and mysterious. Apparently we haven't connected the utilities yet. It is fun to watch it evolve, though, isn't it?
OH wrote: and our gift to you will be reading them.
Um, I think our gift will be going away and not bothering them anymore, so they have more time to write all those books -- and then buying them.
bw
I kinda like the dark and mysterious look. Encourages me to settle down and tell all my deep dark secrets... I mean, it's dark and I can't see your faces, so it's perfectly safe, right? Except that you could cut that sniggering out, Miss BCB...
nmozkvz - the toast that is traditional given while drinking vodka in the dark
I've been watching a lot of Ingrid Bergman movies lately(Casablanca, Notorious and Indiscreet)If G-G is Myrna Loy, The Cherry herself is Ingrid Bergman - classic beauty.
And no I'm not sucking up because we're being kicked out of the basement. I've thought it for some time (ask Scope) and just thought today was a good day to say it. I'm off to watch The Bishop's Wife and eat a toblerone as reward for cleaning my room.
FIFTY pages?! I would have a heart attack. That's practically a novella! Did she tell you any particular 50 pages to cut?
Maybe you can save them and rerelease it later as originally intended. Agnes and the Hitman: The Directors' Cut.
Oh, yeah, almost forgot: the cover's great!
Such a cool cover (except for the silly dress shoes). Nice to take a break from the kitchen work to see such a great blog.
At times I really wish I had the writing skills many of you have. I could do so much to turn the dishwasher saga into a hilarious story. Here are the high points. You can do what you want with them.
The entire kitchen remodel started because we didn't have a dishwasher. The entire room had to be redesigned to fit one in. The cabinet people were supposed to screw it into the cabinets when they finished their work. So they finished and I called in the electrician to hook up the wires. A 15 minute job turned into 4 hours. It was not hooked up to the cabinet. There was a 2x4 brace they installed to hold up the counter that was now interfering with the back of the dishwasher. We had to cut a notch out of the bottom of the 2x4. Then put shims in the sides because the opening was too wide. Then we find out that the waste connection was too big for the sink connector. Back to the hardware store for more piping. It is actually pretty funny how much went wrong, but my DH is not laughing yet. Maybe next year. Or next century.
OH, my apologies. I hope my quick comment didn't hurt your feelings. We always had a Channukah bush, which wasn't a a pine tree, like a Christmas tree, but it had blue and silver decorations. Almost all of my Jewish friends do something similar and we all refer to it as I did. When the kids were really young then we had a Channukah bear, he was white and wore a blue yarmulke. My kids remember him with great affection.
Every family is different and celebrates in their own way but I certainly was not intentionally being flip, that's just what we called our place to position family gifts. On each of the eight nights the children would select one gift, saving of course the biggest or flashiest looking for the last night. : )
I'm still at my daughter's place, so still anonymous.
rg
I keep coming back just to look at the cover. I really do like it. Not that I didn't like the hardcover, but this really does pop out at you. I like the red - think I might paint my dinning room something similiar. And the aligators kind of look like faux painting, you know? Rag rolling maybe? yeah, that would be a good look for my dinning room.
so, how'd you do cutting those pages? I'm sure you just made it better. Tightened. Strenghened.
How'd I do with my wriring? Well I started off okay yesterday. Did like 15 or so pages and then got distracted and gave up. And thus far today, well maybe 10 pages early this morning before hockey. This afternoon has been spent putting up my pathetic fake christmas tree along with my pathetic decorations. Really, trust me, pathetic! We started with the fake tree about 6 years ago because we are always in Ottawa for a hockey tournament over New Years. This year we're not going, but didn't feel like getting a real one.
I did manage to get the lights done on the outside of the house since my kids reminded me that we are like the only ones in the neighborhood without lights and they are so embarrassed. So, since it was like 50 degrees up here, I did it. yeah me. They look pathetic. Stupid candy cane sticky thingies in the yard.
I really only have enough decorations to do the family room and the foyer. Every year i keep saying I'm going to go out the day after christmas and buy some really cheap stuff while it's on sale, but then I'd have to get dressed, put on make-up and go shopping! I hate that.
Yeah, I have issues.
rg: no worries, i know you didn't mean it disrespectful. hence the ":)". i have a few friends who have a c. bush actually.
i have to go to the mall tomorrow. *shudder* if i don't come back, well, it's been nice knowing you all. please send good thoughts to me in my new padded cell.
OH I braved the mall yesterday and a few more stores today ... I survived it, so can you. I'm in pretty good shape, actually for having been so behind.
Great cover! I like the camo pants best! don't cut any of the really good words, we like to read those. This has been mentioned before, but there should be an out-takes, cutting room floor thing to read post publishing, like at the end of movies. I'm just saying.
Jen - We eco-friendly, wallet-hurtful and got the colored LED lights for our tree, thankfully we are securely nestled in suburban hell, because otherwise I'm certain fellas with cash would be at my door. Apparently LED translates into holy-mother-of-all-things neon. It cracks me up to look at it, because these blasted lights are "forever lights", so I know from here on out I have lower west hollywood avenue at Christmas. Aaahh so homey!
Couldn't do the shopping. I have to really get psyched up for it, mentally prepared. Hopefully soon.
well, except for one person i know exactly what i'm getting and where i'm getting it so it won't be too bad, but still, glad you survived mcb.
andi: *snort*
Yeah, I completely understand the "mall hell" mindset. I like shopping, but by the time December gets here, it is mostly torture. I am getting really good at internet shopping, however there are just some things you can't do over the internet. I guess I need to start.
Jen T, is wriring kind of like the writing that Scooby Doo does? Just wondering.
I think it is time for bed.
Jen-T: I'll bet you the Christmas decorations that I took all of 5 minutes to put up last week are more pathetic than yours! I was actually laughing they are so pathetic looking. But cheery none the less.
To start, all my Christmas decorations are in boxes in Ohio (along with most of my other stuff except clothes). But wanting to get into the spirit of things, I bought a small string of lights to put on the mantel above the gas fireplace and a very, very small tree. Very small. I'll have to take a picture of it and post it. No digital camera yet, so that won't be until after Christmas.
Back to slaving away now...
Theresa
McB said (et al.)...
Ooh. Just popped in to the new place to see what's happening and it looks like things are happening. I gotta ask - was that paint on sale? Just kidding! I know its a work in progress. My own fault for peeking through the curtains.
Oh, just you wait! Lord knows what it will be looking like the next time you visit. Bwa-ha-ha-ha!
hbwzx (red)
"How bombed was Zoe, Xavier?" (Try to say that three times fast without biting your tongue.)
k.l. - wriring is what I did last night until 2:30 in the morning, but I was on a roll. Kind of afraid to open it and see what I wrote. I was kind of annoyed, so it could be very interesting, but maybe it's good. Guess I have to go find out.
Theresa - I don't know, maybe we'll have to do a contest or something. My stuff is pretty pathetic. It's pathetic every year. And I still have to do my christmas shopping. I hate shopping and christmas shopping is even worse. When I went to Circut City the other day about my computer problems, I actually got in a major fight with the sales guy and I told him to take a hike and walked out. I was very loud and very obnixious. Shopping doesn't like me either.
well, I like books shopping, and that seems to like me. I managed a trip to the book store the other day. It was nice. No problems. Even spent money. Life was good.
Jen, what are you doing getting four hours of sleep? [yawn] I thought I was the only one doing that on a regular basis. But glad you had a productive stint writing. That's always good. Though I have to say I'm glad we probably don't shop at the same mall. I've been known to get a bit surly during that process, too.
ZaZa: LOVE the look of the new place this morning! The black letters on black background in the comments is sooo much easier for me to read. [snort] Thank you! Seriously, I know it will look really good once you're done. Thanks for letting us watch you work. Let me know if you need anyone to hand you tools -- I can tell a hammer from a screwdriver, even in the dark.
Right now I need more caffiene.
bw
BCB - If I get more than 5 hours of sleep a night it would be a miracle. Actually, I hadn't intended on staying up that late. Got frustrated and decided to take it out on my WIP. Next thing I knew I realized it was like morning.
already had two cans of diet Coke this morning. Will have thrid shortly and then back to the grind.
Must be something in the air... nobody can sleep. We should've all gotten together and told ghost stories.
One nice thing (yes, I'm still trying to be nice) about the new color scheme is that no one can see any of my typos! I like it.
begit - shortened form of buggerit
Love the PB cover, despite the camo and dress shoes. Looks like we'll be winding up into a frenzy for AATHM in no time.
I started a second job this weekend - part-time retail at the mall. Yes, I checked my sanity at the door. Luckily, it's at a candle store, so it has built in aroma therapy.
On the decorations, DH left the dog out instead of crating him when he ran an errand. When he came back, the dog was in the bay window with the nativity scene. It was Mary, Joseph and one overly large and hairy shepard. LOL.
Btuda - lol at your new nativity scene.
Love the new black on black comments over at the Bar&Grill. I discovered something very cool. You can see the comments but there are those little white cartoon baloon thingies. And if you click next to one and drag your cursor down the text magically appears. Like invisible writing. Very very cool.
Cary: Any update on the cookies?
Jen-t and Theresa: I think I win on the lame Christmas decorations. I just moved into a new home, and sadly found out my Chirstmas tree doesn't fit. At least not without major furniture rearranging, and since I just finished doing that, I decided to skip it this year. So i hung some of my ornaments from lamps and stuff and called it good.
Bummer. Marcus Sergius Silus, we hardly knew you.
BTW, FWIW, Marcus Sergius Silus was the great-grandfather of Catiline. He distinguished himself by his extraordinary bravery in the second Punic war. Although he had lost his right hand an iron hand was fashioned to hold his shield. He fought four times against the Carthaginians with his left hand alone, receiving twenty-three wounds in two campaigns.
Jenny's pleased with the PB cover. Bob's pleased, or will be once they get the dress shoes off of JT.
Is Moot also happy?
And that last comment was supposed to be for CMS and the ex-lobster who is now pining for the fjords.
CMS - so sorry to hear the news. I hope they gave him a proper send off; a viking funeral perhaps, since he was a sea faring kind of guy.
DLD in Yellow and Red is awesome. I can't wait to buy my copy.
Cutting 50 pages - ouch! I'd pay to read 50 more pages!
Glad I'm not the only one having trouble with Holiday decorations. I've got the outside looking okay, but inside is pathetic. Nothing up so far. I have two little kids, and not a tree in sight yet. (Think they'll believe I was waiting til the 12 days of Christmas?
On the upside, I've finished my shopping. Now for the wrapping/sacking. I've got days til Christmas Eve!
Good Monday to all.
The new cover looks awesome. I almost missed it though, because your RSS feeds are broken! This blog is publishing 2 feeds:
http://www.crusiemayer.com/blog/atom.xml
http://www.crusiemayer.com/blog/rss.xml
and both of them are returning page not found. Can your webmistress fix it?
Off to read all the posts I've missed since Thanksgiving ...
***Cookie Biz***
Your organizer was beset with family. An 1100 sq. foot house with 1 puppy, 4 adults, and 3 kids. And my sister wanted to spend all her time shopping, since Oregon doesn't have a sales tax. (And by the way, all you shopping complainers - I have you beat: I had to go shopping with the family at 2 regular malls and 1 outlet mall, without ever being able to buy a single present, since the XMas bonus is still a week away. Nothing worse than finding the perfect gift at the outlet mall, on sale, and not having the $ to buy it.)
Back to our topic: so, since we didn't get in 'til after midnight all weekend, and since we were all sleeping on top of each other, I wasn't able to pull out the laptop and publish the list.
Due to the number of sign-ups, I need to split the list into 2 groups. I will get this done TONIGHT and e-mail all of you. My apologies for the delay.
BCB - could you please send me an e-mail at cary_sanz@yahoo.com? For some reason, the address I have for you is coming back undeliverable, and I have an urgent question I need to ask you off-blog. Thanks!
bryan I was reading your comment about Marcus... thinking that would have been a perfect name for sheryl's lobster if he hadn't gone to lobster heaven then saw your later comment when you realized he was gone. Still it would have been a perfect name.
D Phrase
"Did you know that friends are like books--you don't always use them but you know where they are when you need them."
green urbsa
Ulysses rules Bob, same as always.
It really is a beautiful cover. One of those I’ll have the uncontrollable urge to reach out and stroke gently with my fingertips as I’m walking down the aisle to make sure it feels as good as it looks.
Holiday Decorations: The Friday after Thanksgiving I did my decorating for Christmas. I put up a tree, some twinkling lights, and shiny bulb widgets on the dashboard of my computer. Then I decided I was done decorating for the year. In addition to looking pretty, my tree counts down the days, hours, minutes, and seconds until Christmas for me. Also, I’m pretty sure cleanup will be a breeze this year. Just so you know. This is more decorating than I did last year when I hung a single ornament from the almost dead spider plant I owned. I really think I’m evolving in the right direction.
I also don't tend to shop for presents until after the 20th of December. It might be a bad habit I picked up from being in college for a million years (give or take 999,994 years), but it usually works for me because by that day I know exactly where I want to go to buy each gift for each person. If I go too soon, I end up wandering around aimlessly picking up random things and thinking, "Would anybody other than me like this?"
mclie: What people do on Grey's Anatomy
Lori I LOVED your verification sentence, made me laugh.
If anyone finds the below offensive, I'm sorry. Really I am, but it pretty much sums up my life today, at least most of them do. I got this from my friend Barbie who enjoys making me pee my pants just because she can. And laughing today has become a moral imparative. It's better than the alternative that is for damn sure.
billboards latest top ten from the American Psychiatric Association:
1.) Do you hear what I hear? - by Schizophrenia.
2.) We three kinds disoriented are - by the Multiple Personality Disorder Band
3.) I think I'll be home for Christmas - by Dementia
4.) Hark! The herald angels sing, about ME - by Narcissistic
5.) Deck the halls, and walls, and house, and lawn, and streets, and stores, and offices, and towns, and cars, and buses, and trucks, and trees and.... - by the Manic sisters
6.) Santa Claus is coming to town, to get me - by the Paranoid brothers
7.) Thoughts of roasting on an open fire - by the Borderline Personality Disorder band
8.) You'd better watch out, I'm gonna cry, I'm gonna pout, maybe I'll tell you why - by the Personality Disorder trio.
9.) Silent night, holy-ooohhh, look at the stars, can I have some chocolate? Why is France so far away? - by the Attention Deficit Disorder band
10.) Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, JIngle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells... - by the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Singers.
Number 1 and Number 7 happen to be my personal favorites. I probably souldn't have posted this, but oh well, it made me laugh on day that I thought cracking a smile might actually make me explode.
I've lent my copy out and can't look at the old cover. So, somebody, what is Moot about to eat? A hairclip, a microphone, a fishing lure?
cpwvrnt: Can't Paint White Vents Red 'n Taupe.
They made me laugh Jen and I think #9 sums me up only too well. :sigh:
I'm baking for the CB cookie exchange. What's your absolute favourite dessert. I'll whip it up and take it over to the CB bar and grill...
Cheers Jen-t! I'm horribly offended, mental health is serious business missy. I, of course, am closely linked to 7 and 8. Where is the Rage Chorus? Deck the halls, no seriously deck 'em! That is more my mindset lately!
GatorPerson,
If I remember correctly, the original cover had Moot taking a bite out of the "M" in Bob's last name.
Hmm. I think I just had #4 just stroll through the office ...
I believe you truly haven't lived until you've gone to a comedy club with a mob of adult mental health professionals. When the comedian is talking about 5 point restraints (so you don't get bit) and everyone at your table is saying, "Hey, we had three of those today ..." Um, yikes.
GP, I've always thought it was a hook at the end of their climbing rope. Or a weight thingie. I think it was a bit clearer on the HB cover.
Okay, I just checked the cover... They are hanging onto a rope with a knotted and frayed end, Lucy's shoe is falling, and Moot left teeth marks in Bob's "M".
Jen-T: Uh, I think I should find this offensive. If only 'cuz I resemble #5....
Thanks for the laugh! (Actually, after spending 2 days locked in a car/mall/small house with my family, it's probably safe for me to say we cover the whole list all by ourselves. Especially if you add in Andi's contribution - displaced rage for 1, please....)
Jen - thanks for the laugh. I especially liked 9 and 10.
I really like both covers. I like that with the HC that it's different under the jacket and I really like the colors on this one. It's fun and really snaps out at you. But I think I said that already.
So glad that thus far I haven't offended anyone, at least here. And I'm truly number 7, really. Number 1, well lets just say all five heads are very crowded places. And they hurt.
So, I ran into my shrink neighbor friend who has been helping me with my DEATH book, the one that got rejected for being to gruesome, but then helped with the other agent - well, anyway, I had given him the first three chapters to read since he's been dealing with massive amounts of e-mails with questions about personality stuff and other weird things. Anyway, when I saw him I asked, "So did you read it?" He said, "Yep." And I asked, "Well, what did you think?" He said, "I think you need to come see me once, maybe twice a week. We can talk then." Of course he was kidding, well, maybe not so much, but then he said, "I had no idea that your sweet little brain could function like that. It's scary." Sweet little brain? Geez, nothing sweet about me.
And I still don't know if he liked it?
I am so lucky that I posted my copy of Waldenbooks Romance Reader from April with Bob and Jenny on the front in my cubie. This allows me to look at B&J whenever I want. Some people have family pictures, I have...
The hardback cover is there (smallish) and as Bryan says Moot is biting the "m". It looks on the PB cover that Moot is biting the rope which might be described as a tassle, but also could be the knot and frayed end of the rope.
You know, maybe the reason I'm not a writer is that I just don't have enough issues to resolve. Jen T, if having issues is a prerequisite to being a good storyteller, you'll just have to keep putting your neighbor off on his offer. We need you just the way you are. Scary brain and all.
Any FOMs (Friends of Margaret) out there this evening? If yes, please e-mail Cary @ cary_sanz@yahoo.com. I have a quick query.
CMS sez: If G-G is Myrna Loy
Aw. You say the sweetest things. *blush* LOVE Myrna Loy's attitude in The Thin Man.
To go with the rest of you having little or no sleep, I've joined the fray, having had perhaps a little TOO much fun Weds-Sun, including a ton of dancing (both tango and blues dancing). Tonight, I sleep. I hope. For maybe 12 hours. That would be lovely.
I am too old to stay up that late, that often and get too little sleep night after night. That's for folks like OH. Now that I'm older, the recovery is much slower.
Re the Bar & Grill
I discovered that if you click on the post title instead of the comment link you can read the comments very easily. No black on black.
***Cookie Biz***
If you're on the list and don't have an e-mail from me today, please check in with me. I have an error message telling me that delivery to one recipient failed, but I can't find where it says which one!
k.l. wrote: "Jen T, if having issues is a prerequisite to being a good storyteller, you'll just have to keep putting your neighbor off on his offer"
Snort. Laughing really hard right now. Thanks. I think I'll keep my issues. Kind of fun being me sometimes. My neighbor is really a funny guy for a shrink. We pick on him a lot. Probably almost as much as I get picked on. And while I wouldn't take him up on his offer to get inside my head and figure out what makes me tick (that would be scary even for the professinals), I still want to know if he thinks of the book!!!! Geez. I mean he helped me with all the research, he understands all this stuff better than I do. But he seems more more interested on why I think the way I do? Hmmmm, it all started back when I was like nine and....
Oh, and I keep forgeting to mention that this cover keeps reminding me of the plane my brother built and how he flew me over a lake filled of aligators. I asked him to send me the pictures of us in the plane and I'll have to post them. I'm still totally amazed I got in the plane and it didn't crash and we didn't get eaten by moot or her relatives. I mean, we flew pretty low over this lake, and you could see the gaters. If I hadn't been frozen in fear I would have slapped my brother.
lori: love the verification!
JJ: ROTFLMAO. loved #1, 9, and 10, and of course, andi's was great. i'm more 1, 2,5,6,7,10, andi's and...geez this list is long.
kl said "You know, maybe the reason I'm not a writer is that I just don't have enough issues to resolve."
huh. she may be on to something. ever since i got "fixed" by my latest head doc i haven't been writing as much...
Writing as catharasis: No co-pays!
Jen-T: You're pretty brave, using a shrink as a beta reader. I'd be afraid he'd commit me.
Hannukah is this friday and we haven't even taken out the box of decorations yet. i think we get worse each year.
best romance novel i ever read:
http://www.unitedmedia.com/comics/pearls/archive/pearls-20061210.html
i love the scene in The Village (M. Night Shyamalan) where they're sitting on the porch and *SPOILER ALERT* basically ask each other to marry one another. belongs in a book. :)
McB said...
Re the Bar & Grill
I discovered that if you click on the post title instead of the comment link you can read the comments very easily. No black on black.
This (*%(@$&! thing. This probably will mean nothing to most of you, but this particular theme has three style sheets, two which are different but similar, sometimes overlapping, and a third one to tell the blog about them. Huh? No wonder I can't get the black background on the comments to go away. Still plugging away.
spamavau (green)
There must be something great to do with this, but my brain is fried. Anyone?
zaza: you went to bed, right?
well, morning all.
hey, has anyone heard from TT recently? i feel like twinkle toes hasn't been here in awhile.
Cary Wrote: "Jen-T: You're pretty brave, using a shrink as a beta reader. I'd be afraid he'd commit me."
Snort. But it's the deal we struck when I asked him for help. He gives me all the info I need and he gets to read the book. I've got the same deal with a retired Homicide detective who is also a little worried about me since this one is a little weirder than his weirdest case.
Ugh - oldest kid just missed the bus! Any idea what that does to morning!!!!
Cary,
Here I am! See me waving? I've been here, quietly lurking; I just don't have much to say. (And I usually read the blog during work--shhhh, don't tell the boss--and I feel odd posting during working hours.) So, I'm here, am fine, and thanks for missing me!
Haven't seen TT lately, either, or Kyra... anyone??
zaza: hang in there. You know some of us would show up at an abandonned building, throw up some Christmas lights, some plastic flamingoes, and a pole and call it home.
See? Field of Dreams was right. "If you built it, they will come." They might not leave at a decent hour, but they will come.
spamavau: those disavowed by spamming someone's blog site.
jen-t: you crack me up. I swear, sometimes with kids you don't need the diet coke. Or at least, so much. Instant adrenaline. "Let me see if I've got this straight. It's 9:30 at night, and you need a white t-shirt tie-dyed with tea bags and the sleeves cut into 1 inch strips for your Native American project due tomorrow? What do you mean you're supposed to bring a ham to school tomorrow?
And I just have one part-time.
lyjmjfmo: Lola yells jeers, mostly just for mild oddity.
Totally random question:
Has anyone on this blog applied to or thought about applying to be on a reality tv show?
Discuss.
btuda - Yeah. I drove two out of three kids to school this morning and then middle kid called and said he left his planner on the dryer and would I bring it or he'd have to stay after school - um, stay after school kid! I know, that's mean, but heck, what's the kid going to do when he goes to college and mommy isn't there to bail him out. And he can study for his math test.
Christina - I have threatened the family a few times that i wanted to do Wife Swap! The rest of the family isn't so excited. Snort. I still think it would be fun.
I have a couple of friends who sent in tapes for survivor. No way would I. If I made it, I'd be the first one vote off. I don't play nice and there would be no place to plug in my computer.
Well, since something is down and I can't get to any of my work stored back in Pittsburgh...grrrr.
Yep, I semi-seriously thought about applying to be on The Amazing Race. Like a big scavenger hunt around the world. It looks like so much fun! I actually asked my younger sister if it's something she might be willing to do. But, well, with school and all, just not feasible. :(
Thankfully I know my limitations, and being on national tv is definitly well-beyond those limits.
No matter how witty or quick I think I might be from time to time, stress is not my friend. I don't do well in exotic locations so Survivor and Fear Factor are out. Unless I actually know what I'm doing, I don't do well under pressure so Jeopardy (sp?) is out. Forget about hitting the little buzzer thing!
About the only thing I'd be remotely qualified to do would be the paranormal researching shows. I could walk around a house and listen for weird sounds and look for orbs. Well, except I don't see so good at night. And there's the hebbie jebbie thing. Maybe one of those home decorating shows. I could watch paint dry. But then I'm clumsy. Maybe it could be a comedy ...
Sheesh. Maybe the heebie jeebie thing. I have no idea what a hebbie jebbie thing is. Maybe something with the Clampettes/Beverly Hillbillies.
Christina - my BIL and I applied to The Amazing Race, he is my DB's spouse, but because he is a flight attendant, Brazilian, speaks 4 languages, and they looked at his passport, they told us we would have too many advantages. But we were a "compelling" pairing, suburban mom of 3 boys and gay brother-in-law. Sooo I reapplied with a girlfriend last year and was an alternate. I love that show!
red swigl - what happens when you try to drink and dance
Christina queried thusly:
Has anyone on this blog applied to or thought about applying to be on a reality tv show?
Wait a minute. I thought this was a reality show. Didn't anyone tell you? There are people out there... right now... watching every move we make on this blog. I've heard* that "they" have websites where people regularly log in and vote one of us off at irregular intervals. That's the real reason Talpianna hasn't been back in a while.
Sheesh. Somebody should have told you guys.
p.s. Should we keep up with the nagging of Jenny & Bob for takeout? Don't want to seem greedy, just eager.
xbvdzsv - well, it means something to "Them"
*totally spurious rumors are part of reality shows
Andi--That's fantastic! Are you allowed to talk a bit about the whole interviewing/casting process or are you supposed to stay mum on the whole thing? I would love to hear about your experience. Did you get to the interview stage with your BIL too or did you find out you wouldn't be chosen with him as your partner at a casting call? If you're up for it and don't want to bog down the blog with your story, I can give you my email address. Just let me know.
Christina - no gag orders, we made it past interviews, had a video of us spliced together because he lived in Chicago and I was in Detroit then(abt 3yr ago), and put a small photo collage together, the application then was ridiculous, like 15 pages, I can e-mail you the almost gamourous details.
don't be forced quiet, extoll enthusiastically
Margaret - Thank you for checking in. We all just like to make sure that everyone else is okay. Even that lurker, you know, #1375.
As to the persons inquiring about Twinkletoes, I think she is baking up a storm for the Cookie Exchange. She probably dropped a bag of flour in the kitchen and now can't see through the dust to find her computer.
Andi - Despite my sister's protestations to the contrary, I'm convinced you and I were separated at birth (except for the whole coffee/diet coke thing). I LOVE the Amazing Race. (But would never have the guts to apply for it.) It's so funny that you applied (TWICE!).
Andi--I so want to talk to you! I have been thinking a lot about applying to the Amazing Race either with my best friend or my sister. The only problem applying with my BF Ellen is that she is in NYC and I will be in the sticks of NH for the holidays and the application, I believe, says that we have to film the video together, but maybe your way is still legit. Also, I may be ineligible because I am in the UK for 9 months out of the year for grad school, but my permanent residence still is in NH and the application states that you have to reside in the US.
Anyhoo, I would love to pick your brain more (especially as to your opinion of which partner would make the best and most compelling combo). My email is ctriant @ gmail . com (without the spaces, of course). Can't wait to hear from you.
I will now stop bothering the blog with my reality tv aspirations.
I think I have enough reality with 2 teens and a preteen at home. Reality tv would end up being an escape for me.
Christina, if you get into the process, let us know so we can follow your progress. We can slip you shovels whenever you need them.
K.L.--Thanks, but I think it is more likely that Andi will get on TAR. And of course we will all make sure to watch and support her. From what I understand, the producers of the show still hang on to applications and may be likely to contact former applicants.
CBs, TOTW one reality show at a time. :)
My good friend applied for Survivor, and they evidently liked him but not for Survivor. They asked him to be on first season of Amazing Race with his mom. Unfortunately, she had health problems and couldn't do the show. He tried to convince me to try out with him the next year. I was very tempted, but said no. School and all that.
My dad and I have talked about trying out when I finally graduate. I'd have to do some serious training to be in any shape for it. I'm not tempted to go on any other show. It's the traveling around the world that tempts me.
Anyway that would be so fun to cheer a CB on in TAR.
gqagopb: Get quarts and gallons of peanut buttter.
Lori--They will be filming TAR 12 during June-August 2007. This should fit around your academic schedule. Deadline is Jan. 16...just give it a think. :)
It would be wild to have a CB on TAR. We had a couple of local teens on American Idol a few seasons back. A set of twins and they made it to hollywood, but didn't go much past that...sigh.
Of course we have Teddy Geiger. He's cool.
I had a couple of friends who were on Who Want's to be a Millioniare. That was fun to watch. No one won a lot, but hey, they didn't use me as a life line.
My Claim to fame...don't have one.
Oh, and I forgot - one of the girls I work with at the studio was on The Price Is Right and she won both showcases. She's makes us watch the video every so often - it was like 12 years ago. Too Funny.
And, not that anyone cares, but i got my new battery for my computer! Yeah. I can take the thing with me now. All week I've had to leave it at home when I've gone to the rink - but I did read two books, so I guess it's not all bad. But this battery has extended life so I'm supposed to ger like almost 4 hours out of instead of the hour and a half I was getting from the last one.
Okay, Enough from me. I'm avoiding writing again. And I'm late getting DD from hockey practice.
And The Sabres are up by three if anyone wants to know.
So Zaza, was my "discovery" helpful or should I keep a low profile for a while.
Hey, ya'll. What a day. Early a.m. drs appt - no nothing wrong, he says I'm healthy. Of course he's an MD not a PhD so what does he know? Anyway he was backed up and it took FOREVER to get out of there and that meant the rest of the day got back up too.
But on the plus side, my floor got delivered today. Its sitting in the dining room right now awaiting installation. And its as pretty as I thought it was when I picked it out. I've been worrying about that.
Can the CBs do TAR as a group? Tag team or something. OMB would that be wild or what!
Jen, congrats on the battery. Margaret good ot hear from you. Zaza - get some sleep. If things get bad we can hang out at BCBs blog until the contractors show up at the new place.
Oh, forgot to say that I worked with a guy who got on Millionaire back in the Regis days. Not Bryan, the other one. He didn't get very far though.
Enjoying Jenny, I upset Penny.
(not really, I hope, but it rhymes so nicely)
Christina: Of course you would have to tell me that right now when it is SO tempting to just go away for a few months, but I actually have my graduate program set up so I'm a part time student all year round instead of a full time student during the regular academic year. Tried it the other way for a while, but this way I find myself having less of a persistent desire to abandon every single thing my life in order to pursue hermitage.
Right now I'm still trying to make world travel happen by funding it myself. World travel, HA! Does going to Canada twice a year count?
Lori - you come to Canada and don't visit us??? That needs to change.
My dad, being the GAM that he is, drove across the border this morning to mail all of the CB cookies. Canada Post cut off guaranteed Christmas delivery on the Friday past. Scope is concerned that those of you receiving such delicious morsels will not know the shortbread is from me, and the Nanaimo bars (a Canadian dessert of chocolate and custard) are from her. I think the Canadian return address may have given it away but just to be sure, now you all know.
BTW - the CB bar and grill is looking good. I've made myself quite at home there. Shortbread anyone? I made enough to feed the whole class. How many actually had a teacher say that, besides me?
I know we once had someone here who knew Welsh. Was it Agtigress? Anyway got this Christmas card today from an old friend in Abergavenny.
It says:
Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
I'm thinking it says Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. LOL. Any ideas?
Oh this verification is soooo bad on the eyes:
muaumwwv, it's blue all wavy and makes me feel dizzy
Hey Robena
Your instinct was correct. It do say Merry Christmas.
For more info, try this site:
Welsh stuff
or for people who don't do that hyperlink stuff, copy and paste:
http://www.stdavidsga-cymru.org/Christmas5.html
yzsusev - look, for the difficult stuff, you really need to consult the Tigress ;)
Thanks Mary, the link worked beautifully. Interesting language. I remember being lost in Wales and asking a local for directions. I couldn't understand a word, but he had great hand signals. Heh.
OMG - early Xmas/B'day pressie in the mail today - Santa Baby. Love, love love Rosemary. Haiving a bookshop dedicated to romance and a bookshop owner with her finger on the pulse is priceless. Not reading it just yet - have had a huge sniff though. Too much to do before the kids break for their 6 weeks school hols. But this weekend....it's all mine Bwah ha ha ha ha.
I see a pattern here. Normally patterns are good. I like patterns.
the pattern I'm working with here is not a pattern I like and has nothing to do with books. I think this is my children's thoughts process. "Let's see here, If I miss the bus, Mom has to drive me because we live to far from the school for me to walk." This has happended to many times. And now middle child has picked up on it. His thing is don't get out of bed when the alarm goes off, forget to set it and then while I'm driving daughter to school he's fakes sleep and then doesn't have enough time to get ready for school. I warned them yesterday if this continued Mom would do something drastic. Well I did. I took the antanea off their computer. No internet for a week. No IMing anyone. I'm so cruel. Now off to be the freaking bus.
Jen-t - I drive my 2 younger ones because their bus comes at 7:02, and the deal is I don't want to get up 6:15, so we all get up at a more reasonable time and I drive them. Now, the oldest, who has never recovered from the birth of his brothers and is striving for sainthood as a martyr, well, his bus comes at 8:30, that my friend you should make everyday. Does he? of course not, taken away TV, used nice wake up tactics, mean ones, this kid has me pulling my hair out, and the bus thing is just a grain of sand in the desert of my frustration with him! Sorry for the early mornin' rant, but my DH has already heard it all and only nods his head and says,"Yeah, that kid has really embraced the moody angst of adolescense." The furrow in my brow just got deeper, botox anyone?
LMAO! Jen, that is not cruel, it's sensible. You warned them, told them the consequences, and they pushed it. They're smart kids, they'll figure it out real quick. And it sure beats the heck out of you standing there screaming at them every morning.
Sometimes the suckiest thing about being a mom is that, you got it, you have to be the mom.
Hope you make time to write today!
I had to renew my driver's license Monday and I completely forgot there is a "what sign is this?" section where they show you the shape and color and you say "stop sign" or "school zone." So I didn't study for that test. But I was doing just fine until we got to the round yellow sign. I mean, I'd seen them before, but had no idea what they were for. So, thinking I might get points for effort, I told the guy "Um, round yellow sign." He made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a strangled snort, but when I looked at him he was all serious and just said, "next sign."
At the end of the ordeal he handed me my new license with the "recently apprehended fugitive" photo and said, "By the way, that round yellow sign? It's a railroad crossing." He was grinning.
That's me, just spreading joy and sunshine everywhere I go.
bw
CMS said: Canada Post cut off guaranteed Christmas delivery on the Friday past.
Canadian mail confuses me. I've never mailed a package there and they told me standard delivery takes 4-7 weeks! I can practically wave to you from my window. Snort. So I upgraded and they said a week. So ScopeDope (and CMS, if she shares), you should get the cookies before Christmas.
I hope.