Let There Be Blogs

The fabulous One Deadly Sin Blog Tour begins today.

There are all sorts of giveaways and lots of cool stuff with yours truly;

What's my idea of earthly paradise?

Who would I cast as heroine Edie Swann?

Who is my biggest supporter? My greatest critic?

And why did I become a writer instead of a cat sanctuary owner?

All this and more on the ODSBT. So check out the schedule here and join the fun.

See you on the tour!

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha

Just so you don't think I'm a grown up, I left my credit card at Casa Maya, the Mexican restaurant I went to in New Jersey AND I didn't realize it until two days ago.

Sheesh, what an airhead...

Garden State

I've been in New Jersey for a couple of days now. It's not an unfamiliar state; we had family in West Orange, and, as a kid, I went there often for holidays. We also vacationed on Long Beach Island. I have such fond memories of that place I set part of my first book, Like A Knife, there. And, of course, there's always Tony Soprano and his gang.

All that gives one a certain impression, and that impression is not necessarily of old and quaint New England towns.

Which is one of the reasons I've enjoyed my stay here so much. My future SIL toured me around Basking Ridge, Peapack Gladstone and Bernardsville, and the area is lovely. Much more built up than it was when he was growing up, but still bucolic despite the new office parks and strip malls. Lots of little towns separated by swaths of bare woods that will plump up green in the summer but now show the trunks of tall, straight hardwoods. The forsythia are in full bloom and deer crossings over the highway are draped in bright yellow.

There's a lot of wealth in the area--not only the upper middle class kind, but the kind that comes with horses and acreage. The King of Morocco had a home here, there is a Steeplechase every October, and the American Golf Association is headquartered here.

Of course I can't go anywhere without thinking about stories, and there's dozens here. Blair's Den, a creepy, decaying mansion high up in the Bernardsville "mountains" (my Canadian husband would scoff and call them hills), is said to be the setting for a honeymoon tragedy whose ghosts linger on; a part of the country road nearby is called Jacob's Ladder because of the seven large humps in it--each one the mound of a nun's grave; there's the nudest colony, the school for delinquent boys, and the Great Swamp, the perfect place to hide a body.

And, like much of the northeast, there is great ethnic food. I've had terrific Mexican at Casa Maya, and wonderful Thai at Thai Thai. I checked out the Short Hills Mall, too. Whew! Talk about rich... Fun to look at the clothes and try to imagine what it would be like to afford them.

Today is the shower, and I'm looking forward to seeing my sisters, my mom, plus friends and family I haven't seen in years. And to meeting the women who will make up my daughters new family.

New Jersey is the butt of a lot of jokes, but I found it be an attractive, interesting place. Just goes to show ya--personal experience is everything.

The Mind is Marvelous Strange

Inspiration is a weird thing. You never know where it might come from. But out of the muck and junk mentioned below, I actually had an idea that might move my current wip forward. Can't talk about the specifics--not only because I'm superstitious, but because I don't have them yet--but I'm excited. Been kind of stuck. Okay, not "kind of. " Just stuck. But suddenly--lo, the trumpets blow, the clouds part, and the mind clears.

Of course, you say. Why didn't I think of that sooner?

I was on the treadmill when I had this revelation. I have no idea why it came to me then. I'm not sure I was even consciously thinking about my current book at the time. Well, maybe I wasn't, but evidently my brain was. That independent, subliminal, and wonderfully astonishing scoundrel.

Tomorrow I'm off to New Jersey for my daughter's bridal shower. I'm excited to see where her future husband grew up, and to get to know her future in-laws better. And it's good to have an idea to take with me. It'll be squirreled away, marinating, percolating, gestating (gee, how many metaphors can I come up with?) or whatever ideas do.

I'm encouraged. And, as Martha says, that's a good thing.

Enough With the Whining

Time to move on. Blasterball awaits...

The Evil Troll Inside My Head

Read my first negative review of ODS yesterday--"readable but irritating" was the nicest thing that reviewer said. Mind you, I've had great reviews so far, but I've dismissed them (oh, the publisher probably paid them, that site never gives anyone a bad review, that reviewer just wants me to like her...etc . etc. etc.). In fact, the only one I really think was spot on --you guessed it--was that negative review.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?????

I can only imagine what it must be like to be truly famous and be savaged. Think of the reviews of Gigli. I am shuddering. Thank God I have the comfort of rationalizing that no one (or at least very few) will read that review.

Unfortunately, since the reviewer was right, I also fear that EVERY reviewer will see the same weaknesses she did.

Out, out evil troll! Get the hell out of my head!

He he he, says the evil troll, rubbing its hands with glee.

Grrr.

I will take a tip from my nearest and dearest and stand in front of the mirror and tell myself that I am terrific (take that, evil troll!) and my book is terrific (and that!) and you have no power over me (and that!).

And eventually you-know-who will slink back into the muck inside my head, chastened, quieted, but still there. Waiting. Whispering. And soon I'll have to whack it down again.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Right now, I'd better go find that mirror.

Beyond Her Book

Speaking of One Deadly Sin, Barbara Vey has a little mini-review in Friday's post. If you don't know, Barbara Vey does a great column for Publisher's Weekly called, Beyond Her Book. She talks about the books she's read and the author's she's met, and I can tell you, she really enjoys her work! Anyway, if you want to check out the review, here's the link.

The Great Interview Saga Begins

I'll be making a bunch of online appearances for One Deadly Sin. I've got the schedule up on my website, along with dates as I have them. The first, however, has already appeared. It was on Kelly Moran's blog, and, being the total dork I am, I didn't think to give a shout out about it here in Annie's World. Thank goodness for publicity savvy friends, like Beth Pattillo. Anyhoo, too late to win a prize, but if you're interested (and who wouldn't be? Hey, it ME!) check it out.