The Dynamic Trio - Blog

I was asked to participate in my first workshop this weekend over at the Romance Divas forum. We’re talking about Christmas paranormal stories, and since I have one coming this Friday the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

If you wanna visit, we’re in at: www.romancedivas.com/divaforum
Scroll down to The Classroom, click on Class In Session and we’re in the Paranormal Christmas Q&A Workshop.

Basically the readers and Divas are asking questions to me and several other authors with holiday paranormals coming. It’s been alot of fun. Today is the last day so I’ll be heading back over there in a minute.

What does any of this have to do with red hair? Uh, nothing really!

Actually I was watching Heath Ledger in A Knight’s Tale. The plucky comic relief came from an average-looking flaming red-headed guy who kept threatening to deliver ‘lot’s and lot’s of pain’ to anyone who messed with Sir Ulrich Von Lichtenstein (Heath Ledger). But not since the days of Ritchie Cunningham and Happy Days (Ron Howard) have I seen a redhead MAN on television or in movies.

In romance novels you always read about the redhead heroine with a temper and wit to match. What about the guys?

My book, PRIMED TO POUNCE, features a gorgeous red-head hero with an awesome body. So does GIFT WRAP OPTIONAL. But real life…where are the gorgeous red-headed hunks?

A friend of mine, actually he’s the guy the vampire Michael Bannon is based on in GIFT WRAP, anyway, he told me that he read a statistic that showed fewer and fewer redheads are born every year. I wonder why that is…

What do you think? Are you a redhead? If not, do you have any redheads in your family? Know any redheads? Know where to find any redheads? Can you tell this author is desperate *LOL*

TJ

This morning I got up and began baking. I was supposed to go over to a friend’s house for a holiday treat party but then at like 11:45 or so I started feeling yucky. I took a nap and still felt yucky. I didn’t go to the party and now there are dozens of chocolate macadamia nut cookies in my kitchen. And I didn’t get to see my friends! Pout!

I’m feeling a bit better but still sort of tired and stomach achy. Could be all the junk food I’ve eaten in the last week. I normally don’t eat like that but the holidays approaching means all sorts of eating on the fly takes place and I need to quit it or I’ll gain back all my weight that I’ve kept off for two years, LOL.

My husband, the sweet, wonderful man that he is, bought colored lights for the outside of the house and the tree. I’d been saying how I loved the look of colored lights and missed them on the outside of the house (we had white lights the last five years) and he was all, sigh, we have white lights, you like white lights, you wanted the icicle lights to start with. And he’s right, I did. But I missed the color but he’s the dude who has to be out on a ladder in the cold to put them up so I backed off and stopped whining because it’s a hard job.

But he came home last night with colored lights for the tree and outside and put them up for me today because he said he saw me pining every time I looked out the window at the colored lights in the neighborhood.

Am I the luckiest woman ever or what?

Anyway, it’s holiday movie time now! Yay!

Here’s the thing, I am a very cheery person. I talk a lot and I LOVE the holidays because I love the music and the time with friends and family and the lights, cards, crafts and food. I LOVE goofy movies that make me weepy.

My husband is quiet and sweet and long suffering because he lives in a house with a woman who never shuts up, sings Christmas carols nonstop and invites people over. He’s really not that social, he’s quite hermity even. Oh and he’s an atheist so the Christmas stuff is an extra thing for him to endure.

But he does! He tolerates all the stuff I put up inside, the music, all of it. He even stands on a ladder in the cold to put up lights because they make me happy. For me that’s the best present I get every year. The real romance of my man doing things simply because they bring me joy.

Anyway, after this long ramble, I’m gonna ask you what your favorite holiday movie is. Mine? Miracle on 34th Street, the original with Natalie Wood. I love that movie soooo much! Oh and I love those dorky wooden puppet Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer movies and the claymation stuff from the 1970’s too.

In the spirit of giving - I’ll do a drawing of everyone who comments with their favorite holiday movie (doesn’t need to be christmas themed) of all time. I’ll draw a name on Friday the 15th. Winner receives their choice of downloads from their choice of their Dynamic Trio Authors: me, TJ or Shelley.

It was my birthday yesterday, and it’s my birthday today as well. Fascinating the way the international date line makes that possible. I had a lovely day with visitors, presents, a little shopping slipped into the equation and a really nice dinner.

Nothing much happening in my writing world at the moment. I’m in waiting mode…waiting to see what editors think of projects…and meantime I’m working on my next two masterpieces. TJ and Lauren will understand about waiting mode. It can be scary, frustrating, exciting - heck, just about every emotion gets a turn while an author is in waiting mode. The way I stop myself from going crazy is by working on other projects and sending them out, too. I figure the more projects I have in waiting mode, the less the sting will be if the worst happens and I receive a rejection. I work on the “hope in the mail” premise. That’s what keeps me from going completely loopy. (I don’t count talking to my characters as crazy BTW - that’s completely normal!)

And finally, since it’s my birthday I’ll give away a download. The prize list is the same as the post a few days ago (the shifter post) All you need to do is tell me about the nicest present you’ve ever received or what you’d like for Christmas (it has to be something just for you and not for the rest of your family or anyone else - something big or small that you’d like for you. Money no object.)

I’ll post the name for the winner on Monday, so you only have a few days. I’m also posting the shifter winner on this day, too. I hope everyone has a safe and happy weekend. Is anyone doing anything exciting?

Gotcha! I bet you thought I meant movies or film!

Nope! I’m talking about having a bunch of people invade your house, eat your food, dirty up your livingroom, pile dishes in your sink, then sit back on your couch and fight the urge to snore. Sounds like fun, right?

I must admit, when I was growing up in San Francisco the holidays and gathering of family was what I looked forward to most. Even with grandma fussing about how lazy we were because we didn’t want to spend the day cleaning, my uncles yelling to the top of their lungs that they hated so-and-so’s sucky football team, and my grandpa putting money on the table to bet on who would finish eating first, it was still ridiculously fun. Dysfunctional? Yep! But still fun!

Gathering of family has always been an important event in every culture I can think of. So, as you prepare those recipes and get ready to chase other peoples kids off the top of your dining room table, just remember there’s nothing like family!

This year, I’ll be alone for Christmas for the first time in my life (waaaahhhh!). I live in Colorado and don’t have any relatives here. My kids are heading back to California to spend time with the ex’s side of the family. And I’ll enjoy some quiet (my kids are awesome, but I do have to pay attention to them every now and then *wink*) Hey…maybe I can actually finish one of these four books I’m working on!

Now here’s the question: What are you doing, or not doing, for the holidays? Visiting? Or being visited? Cooking? Or being cooked for?

Before I announce the winner of my last contest, I must say we have quite a mix of holiday music favorites. Some I’ve loved forever, some I was unfamiliar with, and others I’d forgotten about and now have a great excuse to go and buy them again!

And the WINNER is….LISA WILLIAMS!

Lisa, dear, you’ve won your choice of one of my current or upcoming releases. E-mail me at tj@tjmichaels.com and tell me whatcha want :D You have until December 14th to claim your prize.

Congrats, chicklet!

TJ

I was thinking about this yesterday when a friend and I were talking about the rollercoaster that is writing and publishing. What gets you through from book to book? Not just after a rejection, but after an acceptance? When each book brings more and more expectation? How do you challenge yourself to continue to try new things? How do you handle it when something big happens and you’re faced with a new level of expectation and responsibility?

For me, rejection comes in different levels. The sort of general rejection “no thanks” is hard but not nearly as hard as, “I hated this author’s voice” Now that hurts. A rejection that’s very specific is actually helpful so when I get one of those, I use whatever the editor said to get me through. Constructive criticism is so helpful and it’s a way to help you either revise or aim your next project. The first sort of rejection ends up being a shrug and a sort of “keep on keepin on” thing for me. The you suck rejection? First chocolate, usually with a bit of a wallow, then some well placed invective about what terrible taste that person had to reject you and possibly, a rant about the other books they’ve bought not being as good as yours, LOL.

With acceptance, for me, I keep going because I know that in order to keep going, I have to keep writing. Each new book is an adventure and a way for me to be lucky enough to tell another story and give life to a new character.

But breaking through? Well that’s sort of scary. This NY sale is wondrous and I’m thrilled but I’m freaked at the same time. What if everyone hates it? What if it’s the worst story of the four? It goes on and on and so what gets me through is my past success and the people who believe in me. Oh and my characters. My characters get me through and knowing they have a chance to be read by a whole new audience is exciting. I try not to think about failing because it does no good to think on worse case scenarios.

As for other things? I read my favorite books, I watch my favorite movies (The Matrix series, Bladerunner, Harry Potter, Alien, etc), listen to music, go out with friends, hang with family, look at pretty men and women (harken back to The Matrix, LOL), bake, sex, shop, work out, eat chocolate.

What do you do to get through and find inspiration and will to keep moving?

I found this shapeshifter quiz online. Immediately I had to know which shifter I was because I love both reading and writing shapeshifter stories. My favorite type of shifter is feline with black leopard taking top spot. (Look for more Middlemarch Mates stories plus the odd tiger or two in the future!)
I get the feeling that TJ quite likes black leopards, too, while Lauren seems attracted to wolves.

I have a few questions for you and a prize for one lucky participant.

Do you like shapeshifters?
Which type is your favorite?
According to the quiz what sort of shifter are you?

If anyone can guess which shifter I am, according to the quiz, they’ll get an extra chance in the draw. And the prize is a download of one of the following:

Live the Moment (contemporary)
Wild child (contemporary)
Curse of Brandon Lupinus (shapeshifter)
Stray Cat Strut (gay/shapeshifter)

I’ll draw the winner on Monday. Have fun doing the quiz!

Gift Wrap Optional hits the sheets, er, scene next Friday! I can’t wait for this book. It was fun writing a vampire Christmas story. Strangely enough, it’s based on a man I know named Michael who is as tore up (and yes I said ‘tore’) as the vampire in the book. But boy does our vampire redeem himself. Can we say ’sheepskin rug,’ boys and girls?

Carinian’s Seeker is next up. It’s a vampire multicultural story. Jean Luc Picard has a heroine who wants to meet him and she’ll stop at nothing to make that dream as close to a reality as possible. Read a blurb here: Carinian’s Seeker

Now this may sound strange, but there are times when I really think of all the things I want to do in life and know I don’t have enough years to do them all. I’d love to see the first real deep space ship. I’d love to see transportation become more like Minority Report (interesting movie) where we can fly back and forth without using airplanes. I’d love to see the day when a woman can step into a holodeck and have her ultimate fantasy come true…then go home and tell the dishes to wash themselves!

If there was something you could hang around for what would it be? And no mushy stuff, we’re being totally selfish here. After all, most of us have families and all kinds of other responsibilities to take care of every day. This is our place to play. So while I’d love to see my great, great, great, great, grandchildren grow into successful people, I’d also really like to date Commander Data from the Star Ship Enterprise. No batteries!

TJ..· ´¨¨))
-:¦:-¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ www.tjmichaels.com
-:¦:–:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* www.myspace.com/tj_michaels

So last night we watched Battlestar Galactica, ate Godiva chocolate and had a few drinks together. This is the equivalent to a wild night for us, LOL. Thank you to a dear friend who sent the chocolate as a congratulations for my Spice sale! I’m a lucky woman in my friends!

Anyway, watching a show that’s as good at integrating meta and micro storylines as BSG makes me think on the “big themes” in our mytho-religious cultural consciousness (and yes, I went to a liberal arts college) - heroism, individuality, love, war, hate, belief, etc.

Here you’ve got Starbuck - Kara Thrace

And I love Kara. Or the Kara of the last few seasons and even the beginning of this one. This Kara is a mess, but she’s strong and loyal and courageous and she does not give up. She’s totally flawed and pushes away the people who can help her overcome those flaws but she’s also someone you can count on in a fight. I hate what they’ve done to her in the last three or four episodes. Gone is her strength. She’s suddenly a drunken whiner who shits on the people she loves. I am hoping last night’s episode is the first step in taking her back to the Kara she was when she retrieved the arrow.

And then just to give your eyes a treat, there’s Kara’s husband Anders

Lookit him. Mrwoow! He was in the resistance on New caprica, fought and fought to find Kara, who’d been taken. But then he sort of gave up on her when they got back and she went all nuts. Hello, does no one think to say, “wow, you want to talk about being kidnapped and mindfucked by the cylons for four months?” They all just sort of what, expect her to deal with that without help? If you love her Anders, fight for her like you did when you didn’t even know she was alive!

And then there’s Lee Apollo. Lee of the very tiny towel and the washboard abs.

I lurve to look at him, oh yes I do. But frankly, I’m not so impressed with his character. He did sort of redeem himself when he showed up to help his dad save the folks on New Caprica but he’s a bit of a whiner. I mean, does he think having a parent more interested in everything else but him or favoring one child or whatever, is unusual? It’s not, especially on TV or in books. The flashbacks on last night’s show did redeem him a bit though.

Anyway, the core of BSG are big archetypes - the hero (the tortured hero -Kara going to Caprica to get that arrow, defying orders to do it, risking her life. Kara going to blow up the resurrection ship, etc); the conscience (Rosslyn); the father (Adama and last night really underlined that when he stepped away from friend mode and fully embraced dad mode again); the multi faceted villain (oh Gaius! Oh Six! The cylons are the finest example of enemy in the mirror I’ve seen in a very long time); salt of the earth - Chief; uncertain hero/timebomb - Boomer/Athena.

In a sense, everything is derivative. But it’s what you do with these foundational archetypes that sets your book/movie/television show apart from the rest. And it doesn’t hurt to have very hot men running around in very small towels.

I’m off to the last meeting of the year for my chapter of Romance Writers of New Zealand today, and tomorrow we have a Christmas party/lunch up at one of the hotels in Auckland. It’s my first Christmas party of the season, and I’m quite looking forward to it. The Christmas party is being held at our new Central Auckland conference venue (next year’s conference) so it should be interesting. I’m going to check out all the good seats at the bar and the menu - that sort of thing!

Meanwhile I have 46 pages left to read on the galley for Snap. (Triskelion) Hopefully I’ll manage to do that this morning before I head off for the meeting. I woke up really early with the fax squawking loudly. My husband is oncall and he’d already left for work but another job arrived for him so I had to leave my cozy bed and deal with the fax. The only one who was happy was the dog since she could come inside and hound me for her dinner. At the moment she’s doing a good job of making me feel guilty - she wants to go for a walk and she’s letting me know in no uncertain terms.

No biking for me today since my bike has gone in for a service. The seat keeps going down, making it too low. An uncharitable person would probably point out that I’m no lightweight and that I’ve crushed the seat into submission. In my own defence I’d like to say I’m sure there are lots of people heavier than me who ride bikes. And there’s no shame in having a healthy appetite! Let’s hope the bike people can fix the problem so I can bike with my head held high instead of hunched over like that humpback guy from Notre Dame.

Have you been to your first Christmas party yet? Are you looking forward to it or is it one of the duty ones where you have to go for appearances?