I'm guessing I'm not alone in experiencing a strange sore achiness the day after Christmas. I woke up to pain in my neck and shoulder, and a certain odd soreness in my right arm.
You guessed it -- I'd been Wii-d.
Countless games of bowling and golf; had to try out the baseball, of course!! Moving my poor body in unusual ways. My poor husband has tennis Wiielbow. . .
Now it's time to pack away all the holiday decorations and tackle the dreaded year-end filing changeover task. I am sitting in my office surrounded by boxes (but rocking out to my new iPod, which I absolutely LOVE, not that I'll ever admit it to all the Apple nuts I happen to know - I watched the first 4 eps of season 1 of Supernatural on it over the past few days. woo hoo!!)
Then it's back to work. How about you? Doing anything fun during the holidays? Any onerous tasks you're taking on now that you'd like a "poor baby" for?
hugs,
Alyssa
Friday, December 28, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
It's in the genes, evidently
My kids are demonstrating a scary talent for storytelling and sometimes tell me they want to be authors when they grow up. I want to beg them to do something easier, like brain surgery, or rocket science, but I'm also insanely proud (I know, like any mom, right?)
My 10 y.o. son had to write a journal from the point of view of one of the earliest settlers in 1600s Virginia, and he was a young soldier, writing about the shocking lack of harbor smell as his ship approached the "unfettered wilderness." Also, when he saw bears crashing through the wilderness, he grabbed for his "piece."
Me: Your piece? You grabbed your piece?
Him: MOTHER, it was another term for musket in the olden days.
So my husband and I spent a few days rolling around laughing about this. "Quick, the pugs are on a rampage! It's a deadly squirrel in the unfettered wilderness of the back yard! Grab your piece!!"
Of course, we only did this when Science Boy wasn't in the house . . .
Then today, I went to school to hear my 7 y.o. daughter's press conference. The students each had to "discover" a new planet, they all spent a month working on it, and today was her turn to give her press conference about this shocking new discovery.
Her planet is named Dognonia, and has many fascinating characteristics, including the 1-foot-tall residents who live mainly on a diet of snow crab, bacon, and cheeseburgers. One of their major holidays is "Chase a Cat Day" when the Dognonians all turn invisible and fly over to Earth to chase cats.
Her teacher says, "What do they do when they catch the cats?"
Princess: "They insult them."
Me: [burying my head in my hands trying not to howl in laughter, this is the first I've heard about the insulting]
Teacher: "What kind of insults?"
Princess: "Hey, stinky fish breath cat!"
Student wildly waving hand: "What kind of animals are on Dognonia?"
Princess: "50-foot-tall man-eating Puffballs."
Student: "Why do the Dognonians go to Earth to chase cats?"
Princess, rolling her eyes: "Well they're not going to exactly chase the man-eating Puffballs, are they?"
By this time, I was hurting -- in actual pain -- from holding in the laughter. In a month of prep, I'd never heard about the cat-insulting or the man-eating Puffballs. This was all strictly ad lib.
But I kind of loved her explanation of the motto of the Dognonians: "We all pull together in hard times."
I think those Dognonians have the right idea. Pretty darn brave from a people chased by 50-foot-tall man-eating Puffballs, hmm?
hugs,
Alyssa
My 10 y.o. son had to write a journal from the point of view of one of the earliest settlers in 1600s Virginia, and he was a young soldier, writing about the shocking lack of harbor smell as his ship approached the "unfettered wilderness." Also, when he saw bears crashing through the wilderness, he grabbed for his "piece."
Me: Your piece? You grabbed your piece?
Him: MOTHER, it was another term for musket in the olden days.
So my husband and I spent a few days rolling around laughing about this. "Quick, the pugs are on a rampage! It's a deadly squirrel in the unfettered wilderness of the back yard! Grab your piece!!"
Of course, we only did this when Science Boy wasn't in the house . . .
Then today, I went to school to hear my 7 y.o. daughter's press conference. The students each had to "discover" a new planet, they all spent a month working on it, and today was her turn to give her press conference about this shocking new discovery.
Her planet is named Dognonia, and has many fascinating characteristics, including the 1-foot-tall residents who live mainly on a diet of snow crab, bacon, and cheeseburgers. One of their major holidays is "Chase a Cat Day" when the Dognonians all turn invisible and fly over to Earth to chase cats.
Her teacher says, "What do they do when they catch the cats?"
Princess: "They insult them."
Me: [burying my head in my hands trying not to howl in laughter, this is the first I've heard about the insulting]
Teacher: "What kind of insults?"
Princess: "Hey, stinky fish breath cat!"
Student wildly waving hand: "What kind of animals are on Dognonia?"
Princess: "50-foot-tall man-eating Puffballs."
Student: "Why do the Dognonians go to Earth to chase cats?"
Princess, rolling her eyes: "Well they're not going to exactly chase the man-eating Puffballs, are they?"
By this time, I was hurting -- in actual pain -- from holding in the laughter. In a month of prep, I'd never heard about the cat-insulting or the man-eating Puffballs. This was all strictly ad lib.
But I kind of loved her explanation of the motto of the Dognonians: "We all pull together in hard times."
I think those Dognonians have the right idea. Pretty darn brave from a people chased by 50-foot-tall man-eating Puffballs, hmm?
hugs,
Alyssa
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
The joy of someone who truly knows you
I'm a mad holiday decorator - Halloween and the 8-foot-long spider, and now Christmas and I have enough ornaments to put up 4 trees. And my lovely husband knows me well enough to give me this for an early gift:
The Serenity in Disguise ornament. I won't explain it - either you're a mad Joss Whedon fan like me or you're not. Me, I'm blissed out.
And my darling mother sent me this, from the classic TV end of the spectrum:
And now I don't need anything else for Christmas. Well, maybe some peanut butter dog chews. The economy sized jar . . .
How about you? Shopping almost done? I braved WalMart this morning for Moon Sand, which made me feel like P.T. Barnum was rolling around in his grave laughing. "They spend MONEY for dirt!! BRILLIANT!! Wish I'd thought of that!!"
And I picked up a few stocking stuffers, so I think I might actually be done shopping, yay. Need to inventory the items I've stuffed in various hiding places around the house to be sure . . . but we're still 6 days out!! This is WAY EARLY for me to be done shopping. I'm usually one of the idiots running around on Dec. 24 trying to find last-minute gifts.
Anyway, my aspiration for 2008 is peace and happiness and way less stress, so have a happy Wednesday!
hugs,
Alyssa
The Serenity in Disguise ornament. I won't explain it - either you're a mad Joss Whedon fan like me or you're not. Me, I'm blissed out.
And my darling mother sent me this, from the classic TV end of the spectrum:
And now I don't need anything else for Christmas. Well, maybe some peanut butter dog chews. The economy sized jar . . .
How about you? Shopping almost done? I braved WalMart this morning for Moon Sand, which made me feel like P.T. Barnum was rolling around in his grave laughing. "They spend MONEY for dirt!! BRILLIANT!! Wish I'd thought of that!!"
And I picked up a few stocking stuffers, so I think I might actually be done shopping, yay. Need to inventory the items I've stuffed in various hiding places around the house to be sure . . . but we're still 6 days out!! This is WAY EARLY for me to be done shopping. I'm usually one of the idiots running around on Dec. 24 trying to find last-minute gifts.
Anyway, my aspiration for 2008 is peace and happiness and way less stress, so have a happy Wednesday!
hugs,
Alyssa
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Visions of sugar pugs - happy holidays!!
I'm officially a crazy cat lady now, except with dogs. In my defense, all I can say is: SO not my fault.
First we had two pugs, Daisy and Peanut.
Then my darling but crazy friend Jenny Crusie happened to mention she'd adopted another Dachshund. Actually she adopted THREE more Dachshunds, but that's Jenny. Nobody has a bigger heart.
So I was curious about this Pet Finder site (which is wonderful, and has rescue dogs all over the country that you can search by size, gender, breed, location, etc. etc.) and popped over just to look. JUST. TO. LOOK.
Seriously.
Then I encountered the amazing force of nature also known as the president of the Orlando Pug Rescue. Retha (whose full name is an anagram for Heart Pug Love, and she didn't even realize it, how OOOH FATE is that??) called me the second she saw my adoption app. (Evidently humans who work at home and spend much of their lives going for walks and giving treats and cuddles are much in demand.)
The call went by in a blur, she was funny and amazing, and before I knew what hit me, we were packing up the whole family, including the dogs, to take a road trip to Orlando to meet a little boy dog whose owner had let him get so sick he spent several days in the hospital but still nearly died. We were also meeting a little girl pug who had been rescued from a puppy mill where she spent the entire 3 years of her life in a kennel having puppies.
We were supposed to meet them, see if our dogs got along with either of them, and CHOOSE.
CHOOSE. ONE.
Yeah. Right.
So first we met baby girl Precious, who looks a lot like the pug version of Marty Feldman:
She is so happy to have attention and love that her entire body wags, not just her tail. Precious, needless to say, was coming home with us. She has spent much of the past couple of weeks in my lap. She may have the best personality of any dog in the entire universe, ever, which is saying something considering her life. She's just so darn happy and grateful and blissed out from having a family of her own, and sleeps curled up in bed with Princess, my daughter.
Then we met Gizmo, the hyper-exuberant boy. Navy Guy and Science Boy both fell madly in love with him, promptly renamed him Buckeye, and it was all over.
A rare shot of a rare occurrence - Buckeye at rest:
So now we're a 4-pug family. Which, as you may realize, is completely nuts. You should see me walking all 4 of them by myself. I guarantee it's a cure for the grims. Especially the part where I get tangled up about twice every block and nearly land on my butt on the sidewalk.
My office chair has been completely taken over, and Buckeye seems to be part cat, because he always claims the top of the back:
And I am surrounded by the gentle serenade of pug snoring when I work. So as a holiday gift to you, remember this: any time you think your house is all mad chaos and you're losing your mind, just imagine this:
My house when the UPS guy rings the doorbell.
Feel better already, don't you??
hugs,
Alyssa
First we had two pugs, Daisy and Peanut.
Then my darling but crazy friend Jenny Crusie happened to mention she'd adopted another Dachshund. Actually she adopted THREE more Dachshunds, but that's Jenny. Nobody has a bigger heart.
So I was curious about this Pet Finder site (which is wonderful, and has rescue dogs all over the country that you can search by size, gender, breed, location, etc. etc.) and popped over just to look. JUST. TO. LOOK.
Seriously.
Then I encountered the amazing force of nature also known as the president of the Orlando Pug Rescue. Retha (whose full name is an anagram for Heart Pug Love, and she didn't even realize it, how OOOH FATE is that??) called me the second she saw my adoption app. (Evidently humans who work at home and spend much of their lives going for walks and giving treats and cuddles are much in demand.)
The call went by in a blur, she was funny and amazing, and before I knew what hit me, we were packing up the whole family, including the dogs, to take a road trip to Orlando to meet a little boy dog whose owner had let him get so sick he spent several days in the hospital but still nearly died. We were also meeting a little girl pug who had been rescued from a puppy mill where she spent the entire 3 years of her life in a kennel having puppies.
We were supposed to meet them, see if our dogs got along with either of them, and CHOOSE.
CHOOSE. ONE.
Yeah. Right.
So first we met baby girl Precious, who looks a lot like the pug version of Marty Feldman:
She is so happy to have attention and love that her entire body wags, not just her tail. Precious, needless to say, was coming home with us. She has spent much of the past couple of weeks in my lap. She may have the best personality of any dog in the entire universe, ever, which is saying something considering her life. She's just so darn happy and grateful and blissed out from having a family of her own, and sleeps curled up in bed with Princess, my daughter.
Then we met Gizmo, the hyper-exuberant boy. Navy Guy and Science Boy both fell madly in love with him, promptly renamed him Buckeye, and it was all over.
A rare shot of a rare occurrence - Buckeye at rest:
So now we're a 4-pug family. Which, as you may realize, is completely nuts. You should see me walking all 4 of them by myself. I guarantee it's a cure for the grims. Especially the part where I get tangled up about twice every block and nearly land on my butt on the sidewalk.
My office chair has been completely taken over, and Buckeye seems to be part cat, because he always claims the top of the back:
And I am surrounded by the gentle serenade of pug snoring when I work. So as a holiday gift to you, remember this: any time you think your house is all mad chaos and you're losing your mind, just imagine this:
My house when the UPS guy rings the doorbell.
Feel better already, don't you??
hugs,
Alyssa
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Very bad day
Migraine. Book not going well. And when I went outside to take the kids to school, I see that some rotten kids in the neighborhood have moved my light-up Santa in my front yard so he looks like he's acting quite lasciviously and possibly illegally toward my light-up polar bear.
They broke the leg off the polar bear, too, which REALLY ticked me off. On the walk around the neighborhood with dogs, we notice that ALL of the yards have been punked. Every light-up reindeer in the neighborhood is mounting another reindeer, for example. Seems like there was a time that I would have found that funny. Not today. Did I mention bad day?
Rotten little turds. Is there a law against duct taping Santa-defiling kids to each other and dragging them home to their parents? I mean, this was SANTA. Grr.
Send some cheerful vibes my way, okay?
They broke the leg off the polar bear, too, which REALLY ticked me off. On the walk around the neighborhood with dogs, we notice that ALL of the yards have been punked. Every light-up reindeer in the neighborhood is mounting another reindeer, for example. Seems like there was a time that I would have found that funny. Not today. Did I mention bad day?
Rotten little turds. Is there a law against duct taping Santa-defiling kids to each other and dragging them home to their parents? I mean, this was SANTA. Grr.
Send some cheerful vibes my way, okay?
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
QUINN IS NOT A VAMPIRE!!!!
I'm getting all sorts of reader mail from people who are annoyed that Quinn is a vampire - she is totally NOT a vampire!! The blood bond is only the first step toward that process. So if you were worried - rest assured!
Oh, and you're going to find out something very surprising about the Atlantean priesthood in Justice's book.
hugs,
Alyssa, diving back into the book
Oh, and you're going to find out something very surprising about the Atlantean priesthood in Justice's book.
hugs,
Alyssa, diving back into the book
Monday, November 19, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving!
If you're here in the U.S. and happy holiday shopping season
I'm going under for the next couple of weeks to finish the book, so wish me luck!!
hugs,
Alyssa
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Huh.
If you're in the mood for nonstop ego stroking, check out this horoscope site. LOL. It doesn't mention the downside of my Scorpio-isms, like the fly-off-the-handle anger, inability to remain calm and Zen for more than 30 minutes at a time, seriously addictive personality . . . did I mention the always-empty bowl of peanut M&Ms on my desk?? Although it does say "The Addict" - hmm. Cue Twilight Zone music. And who wouldn't mind being called extremely adorable?? lololol.
Friday, November 16, 2007
I like Chuck!
And, seriously, any show with Jayne from Firefly, the ever-hilarious Adam Baldwin, had me at "Let's be bad guys." heh.
So my friend Barb aka Caridad Ferrer told me about a fab organization called Clothes off our Backs, that makes good uses of all those celebrity cast-offs and goody bag loot. (There's a great NY Times article, quoting Barb, who wore an Oscar dress to win the RITA, here).
And I peeked over to take a look, natch. Now the girls have not fit in a size 34B since junior high, because I have my Italian-Irish curves, so the corset auction was out. But I surfed around a little, and there was Chuck. The adorable Zachary Levi, to be precise, who is totally a cutie but somehow manages to pull off the role of a total nerd, in spite of the muscles. Hee.
So I had to bid. On the pink boxing glove, which of course I need like, well, like . . . okay. I totally don't need it. But it was my birthday and, well, I won. So coming soon to a place of honor in my office: a pink boxing glove autographed by Chuck. I'll probably display it next to the 3 foot tall horse statue (see above re: things I never really NEEDED).
Anybody else a Chuck fan? A Jayne fan? Going to see the magic toy store movie this weekend from sheer child-sized person pressure?
hugs,
Alyssa
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Me and Stephen King!!!!!
Hee.
So it has been a crazy, happy, floating on air kind of week here (other than the hideous root canal, but we won't go there).
ATLANTIS AWAKENING has been blasting its way up all the bestseller lists and it even broke into the Top 100 at the USA Today bestseller list at 97!!!!!
..> 97. Atlantis Awakening
Alyssa Day, Berkley
Romance: Warrior tries to resist the beauty chose to work with him (F) (P) $6.99
..> Weeks in Top 150: 1 Last week: -- Entered Top 150: 11/15/2007 Peak: 97 ..>
..>
To put this in perspective, guess who was at 97 last week?? That would be my childhood HERO, STEPHEN FREAKING KING!!!!!!!! (With THE MIST, his movie tie-in book)
The USA Today bestseller list tracks all genres of books, so fiction, nonfiction, children's books, you name it - it's all on there. And my little second book in my series broke into the top 100 - even though the holiday books all started hitting the shelves November 1st!!
The bottom line here? It's all about YOU. My wonderful, brilliant, kind (and surely gorgeous) readers, who remembered me from 8 loooong months ago or took a chance for the first time. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.
And as a true gesture of my appreciation?? You asked for him -- you're going to get him. Alaric's book. No making you wait years - Alaric will be in stores near you in early 2009!!!!! (trust me, in publishing terms, that's like the day after tomorrow)
I ADORE you. Thank you!! I'm drinking a champagne toast to you all.
hugs,
alyssa
So it has been a crazy, happy, floating on air kind of week here (other than the hideous root canal, but we won't go there).
ATLANTIS AWAKENING has been blasting its way up all the bestseller lists and it even broke into the Top 100 at the USA Today bestseller list at 97!!!!!
..> 97. Atlantis Awakening
Alyssa Day, Berkley
Romance: Warrior tries to resist the beauty chose to work with him (F) (P) $6.99
..> Weeks in Top 150: 1 Last week: -- Entered Top 150: 11/15/2007 Peak: 97 ..>
..>
To put this in perspective, guess who was at 97 last week?? That would be my childhood HERO, STEPHEN FREAKING KING!!!!!!!! (With THE MIST, his movie tie-in book)
The USA Today bestseller list tracks all genres of books, so fiction, nonfiction, children's books, you name it - it's all on there. And my little second book in my series broke into the top 100 - even though the holiday books all started hitting the shelves November 1st!!
The bottom line here? It's all about YOU. My wonderful, brilliant, kind (and surely gorgeous) readers, who remembered me from 8 loooong months ago or took a chance for the first time. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.
And as a true gesture of my appreciation?? You asked for him -- you're going to get him. Alaric's book. No making you wait years - Alaric will be in stores near you in early 2009!!!!! (trust me, in publishing terms, that's like the day after tomorrow)
I ADORE you. Thank you!! I'm drinking a champagne toast to you all.
hugs,
alyssa
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
WONDERFUL WEEKEND!!
Wow!! I love Boston!! I had the BEST time in Marlborough on Thursday. First the lovely Carla Victor and friends Steff and Liz picked me up at the airport and gave me a tour - so so SO beautiful. I can't believe it took me so long to get to Boston! I'm definitely going back for a family vacation.
They took me out to the Longfellow Grist Mill:
And we had a lovely dinner and then a very fun booksigning and chat.
Then I had a terrific time catching up with friends in Boston, and flew home Friday for a birthday celebration. Thank you again, Marlborough Borders Books & Music paranormal book club!! You ROCK!!!
Hugs,
Alyssa
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
A fan girl squee moment!!
Amanda Tapping just friended me on MySpace. I've loved her forever and ever on SG-1 and now on SG Atlantis. SHE friended ME. Seriously. I may be too overwhelmed to do anything useful today, just basking in the awesomeness that is Colonel Carter. (yes, I realize it's probably her 4th assistant from the left who does this sort of thing, but allow me my basking, 'kay? LOL)
And she's totally cute with long hair this season, isn't she?
In book news, THANK YOU SO MUCH to those of you who rushed out on release day to find ATLANTIS AWAKENING!! And thank you for badgering those bookstore clerks to unpack it if you didn't find it on shelves!! I LOVE my readers!!
Monday, November 05, 2007
It's HERE!!!
Buy the book at Borders or Waldenbooks stores!!
Buy the book at Barnes & Noble!!
Buy the book at Amazon!!
Release day for Atlantis Awakening is officially here tomorrow, but the sightings are pouring in fast and furiously!!!
Read the book that NY Times bestselling author said was filled with "Pulse-pounding action . . . heart-stopping romance!"
After ATLANTIS RISING, the first book in the Warriors of Poseidon series, blasted through the bestseller lists, then readers flocked to read Bastien's story in the anthology WILD THING, the hotly anticipated next book in the USA Today bestselling series is finally here!
Here's the blurb:
To rescue the world from an overwhelming evil, Poseidon’s warriors have risen from Atlantis. Chief among them is Ven, serving as the King’s Vengeance by birthright and by battle challenge. None can conquer him—except perhaps for one human female….
The Warrior…Ven’s mind is filled with duty. He must serve as Atlantean liaison to the humans in a war waged against the vampires. A sword is his weapon—not diplomacy. But on a mission to recover the Nereid’s heart—a ruby of immense power—it will take every ounce of strength he possesses to resist the sexual allure of the beautiful witch chosen to work with him.
And the Witch…Erin's heart is filled with vengeance. She lives only for the chance at revenge against those who murdered her family. Now she must partner with a legendary Atlantean warrior whose dark desire threatens to crash through the barriers built around her emotions—and her heart. Caught in the trap of shifting alliances, how long can Ven and Erin resist their awakening passion?
Dark forces beware: Atlantis is awakening.
Thank you for coming along with me on the adventure!! Please visit me at my website for excerpts, downloadable screensavers, and more! In the next couple of months, I'll be posting a free short story about how the Warriors of Poseidon began -- only for members!!
Plus I'll post interviews with each of the warriors and have an Encyclopedia Atlantean with opportunities for readers to win prizes by contributing!
Please forward this message anywhere readers may congregate, and thanks again for joining me on this wonderful journey.
hugs,
Alyssa
Saturday, November 03, 2007
A new review!!
Only three days till release!! And the fabulous reviews are still pouring in!
>>ATLANTIS AWAKENING is a whirlwind adventure from beginning to end. Ven has always known what his duties are and where his loyalty lay. Meeting Erin and falling in love were not in his plans. Erin has learned to seal off her emotions in her single-minded pursuit of revenge. Ven has the ability to make her open herself up emotionally. And she is more terrified of that than her enemies. Vibrant writing, strong characters, and non-stop action fuel the passion between Erin and Ven. Intimacy and romance are as intense as the battles they fight. Threads from previous and future stories are deftly woven in, but this tale stands alone well. I highly recommend ATLANTIS AWAKENING, another winner in this powerhouse series.
--Jennell, Romance Reviews Today
>>ATLANTIS AWAKENING is a whirlwind adventure from beginning to end. Ven has always known what his duties are and where his loyalty lay. Meeting Erin and falling in love were not in his plans. Erin has learned to seal off her emotions in her single-minded pursuit of revenge. Ven has the ability to make her open herself up emotionally. And she is more terrified of that than her enemies. Vibrant writing, strong characters, and non-stop action fuel the passion between Erin and Ven. Intimacy and romance are as intense as the battles they fight. Threads from previous and future stories are deftly woven in, but this tale stands alone well. I highly recommend ATLANTIS AWAKENING, another winner in this powerhouse series.
--Jennell, Romance Reviews Today
Friday, November 02, 2007
It's always when I'm on deadline . . .
I think it must be a law of the universe that everything stressful or difficult or just plain annoying happens to me when I'm on deadline. For example, yesterday, when I bit into a pretzel and felt something hinky happen in the back of my mouth.
Guess what? one of my top back teeth snapped nearly in half! One emergency trip to the dentist later (and Dr. Flynn and his staff are BRILLIANT - if you have to break a tooth, fly down to Florida and do it here), I am the sore-jawed possessor of a temporary crown and an appt. for the permanent one to be affixed.
On November 15th.
My deadline is the 26th.
AARGH.
In other, and much more fun news, here is what's happening this coming week (release week!!):
First, if you love your futuristic romance hot and steamy, check out my friend Colby Hodge's new release STAR SHADOWS!! The latest in her Star series is a definite keeper!
Tomorrow, if you're anywhere near Orlando, stop by HERE and join me and several other wonderful authors for a holiday booksigning from 2-5.
On Monday the 5th, I'm the guest blogger at Fresh Fiction, so stop by and talk about characters running wild with me. There's a rumor that an autographed copy or two of ATLANTIS RISING will be offered . . .
Tuesday is RELEASE DAY!!! ATLANTIS AWAKENING will finally be in stores!!! I can't wait to hear what you think about it!!
And Thursday the 8th, join me near Boston at my fabulous RELEASE PARTY at Borders Books in Marlborough!!
After the signing, I'm having a sleepover with my dear friend Suz Brockmann, whose new book hit stores this week. Trust me, you'll want to pick up a copy of ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT - Jules finally ties the knot!!
And, last but not least, Friday the 9th is my birthday, so wherever you are that day, please eat a piece of cake for me!!
hugs,
Alyssa
Guess what? one of my top back teeth snapped nearly in half! One emergency trip to the dentist later (and Dr. Flynn and his staff are BRILLIANT - if you have to break a tooth, fly down to Florida and do it here), I am the sore-jawed possessor of a temporary crown and an appt. for the permanent one to be affixed.
On November 15th.
My deadline is the 26th.
AARGH.
In other, and much more fun news, here is what's happening this coming week (release week!!):
First, if you love your futuristic romance hot and steamy, check out my friend Colby Hodge's new release STAR SHADOWS!! The latest in her Star series is a definite keeper!
Tomorrow, if you're anywhere near Orlando, stop by HERE and join me and several other wonderful authors for a holiday booksigning from 2-5.
On Monday the 5th, I'm the guest blogger at Fresh Fiction, so stop by and talk about characters running wild with me. There's a rumor that an autographed copy or two of ATLANTIS RISING will be offered . . .
Tuesday is RELEASE DAY!!! ATLANTIS AWAKENING will finally be in stores!!! I can't wait to hear what you think about it!!
And Thursday the 8th, join me near Boston at my fabulous RELEASE PARTY at Borders Books in Marlborough!!
After the signing, I'm having a sleepover with my dear friend Suz Brockmann, whose new book hit stores this week. Trust me, you'll want to pick up a copy of ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT - Jules finally ties the knot!!
And, last but not least, Friday the 9th is my birthday, so wherever you are that day, please eat a piece of cake for me!!
hugs,
Alyssa
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!
May you have many treats!!
Alyssa and the Halloween pugs, Mermaid Peanut and Rooster Daisy
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
A new interview!
If you want to read some new insights into Atlantis Awakening and my Warriors, check out CK2 Kwips and Kritiques!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
The sense of humor, it is genetic, evidently
So my 7 y.o daughter has a homework reading and Q&A assignment on Komodo Dragons. I check it over and basically the essay is about how dangerous they can be, what they eat for prey, how they jump out at you from ambush and stick their big scary teeth into you, kind of like politicians in an election year. (ba dum bomp) Also they all live in one village to keep away the man-eating dragons.
Anyway, one of the questions she had to answer was:
If you wanted to get across the island of Komodo, how could the villagers help you?
And she wrote:
Umm . . . Health insurance?
I laughed so hard I nearly cried and let her leave it just like that. rofl.
Poor kid is doomed. I need to start saving money for her therapy now.
TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY IS ATLANTIS AWAKENING!!!!!
And please don't forget to stop by Romance Novel TV and say hi!! I'm guest authoring through tomorrow!
Anyway, one of the questions she had to answer was:
If you wanted to get across the island of Komodo, how could the villagers help you?
And she wrote:
Umm . . . Health insurance?
I laughed so hard I nearly cried and let her leave it just like that. rofl.
Poor kid is doomed. I need to start saving money for her therapy now.
TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY IS ATLANTIS AWAKENING!!!!!
And please don't forget to stop by Romance Novel TV and say hi!! I'm guest authoring through tomorrow!
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Day 3 at Cherry Con
and I'm having too much fun - this can't be legal!!!! I've met so many lovely ladies who I've only known online and been lucky enough to get to know them better. I'll blog more about it when I can post pics and put some faces with names. We've really had a fab time and the Marriott here in covington, KY, right on the river, has been super.
Tonight the lovely and talented Ann Christopher picked me up for dinner and we had a terrific time. Ann is a former trial lawyer, too, and she has 2 kids the exact same ages as mine. Frankly, we have so much in common she's like my younger, prettier sister! Needless to say we had a great dinner and then dessert over at the Barnes and Noble, where I was pleased to see WILD THING and THE NAKED TRUTH anthologies both still on the shelves, with plenty of space available for ATLANTIS AWAKENING to fit in there on November 6th. :)
Hope you're all enjoying your weekend as much as I am!!
hugs,
Alyssa
Tonight the lovely and talented Ann Christopher picked me up for dinner and we had a terrific time. Ann is a former trial lawyer, too, and she has 2 kids the exact same ages as mine. Frankly, we have so much in common she's like my younger, prettier sister! Needless to say we had a great dinner and then dessert over at the Barnes and Noble, where I was pleased to see WILD THING and THE NAKED TRUTH anthologies both still on the shelves, with plenty of space available for ATLANTIS AWAKENING to fit in there on November 6th. :)
Hope you're all enjoying your weekend as much as I am!!
hugs,
Alyssa
Friday, October 19, 2007
Come see me in Boston!!!!
Well, Marlborough, to be exact!! Come join us at Borders for the release party for Atlantis Awakening!! Here's the scoop:
DATE: Thursday, November 8, 2007
TIME: 7:30 pm
EVENT: Reading and Book Signing
EVENT LOCATION:
Borders Books and Music #590
739 Donald J. Lynch Blvd.
Marlborough, MA 01752
Phone: 508.490.8521
We're going to have so much fun and there will be special treats for everyone!!
Plus, the 9th is my birthday, so you can tell me happy birthday and watch me grow older right before your very eyes. lol
hugs,
alyssa
DATE: Thursday, November 8, 2007
TIME: 7:30 pm
EVENT: Reading and Book Signing
EVENT LOCATION:
Borders Books and Music #590
739 Donald J. Lynch Blvd.
Marlborough, MA 01752
Phone: 508.490.8521
We're going to have so much fun and there will be special treats for everyone!!
Plus, the 9th is my birthday, so you can tell me happy birthday and watch me grow older right before your very eyes. lol
hugs,
alyssa
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Wow oh wow oh wow.
Really I think no other words are needed. :) Here comes Lord Justice, in May, '08.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Coffee doesn't work as well when you wear it instead of drink it
Just home from Starbucks where I dumped a triple venti pumpkin spiced latte all over myself, my table, and my notes for LESSONS LEARNED IN THE TRENCHES, a talk I'm giving with my friend Barbara Caridad Ferrer at next week's Jennifer Crusie Cherry Con. Does that make "don't drink coffee in public until after I've already had coffee" a lesson? Nah, too circular. :)
I had lunch yesterday with my lovely neighbor, who happens to have the same first name as my editor and one of my dearest friends, so I have to footnote their entries on my cel phone. lol. She has already been far more neighborly and friendly in a few weeks (deadline weeks, even!) than any of my neighbors at my last house were in two years. We really, really love this neighborhood. Everyone is so friendly and gracious and there are tons of kids for ours to play with and make new friends. I'm planning a neighborhood barbecue for Halloween (yes, that's me, never take on a SMALL task when you can turn it into something OVER THE TOP!) and Navy Guy and I will grill up a zillion or so hotdogs and have juice and sodas and people can bring a simple dish and that way we'll have feeding the kids out of the way before the hordes of trick or treaters begin. Plus it's a way for the kids to get more time to show off their costumes, which they love. My daughter is going to be the Spider Queen and my son will be Legolas. I will be a pirate, complete with parrot, and Stacy you KNOW I am missing my pirate boyfriend now!!!! ROFL.
I'm back at work today--I've been itching to get back to Justice. He's such a complex character and he fascinates me, so I can't wait to get back to him. Only 27 days till Atlantis Awakening!! I can hardly wait!!
hugs,
Alyssa
I had lunch yesterday with my lovely neighbor, who happens to have the same first name as my editor and one of my dearest friends, so I have to footnote their entries on my cel phone. lol. She has already been far more neighborly and friendly in a few weeks (deadline weeks, even!) than any of my neighbors at my last house were in two years. We really, really love this neighborhood. Everyone is so friendly and gracious and there are tons of kids for ours to play with and make new friends. I'm planning a neighborhood barbecue for Halloween (yes, that's me, never take on a SMALL task when you can turn it into something OVER THE TOP!) and Navy Guy and I will grill up a zillion or so hotdogs and have juice and sodas and people can bring a simple dish and that way we'll have feeding the kids out of the way before the hordes of trick or treaters begin. Plus it's a way for the kids to get more time to show off their costumes, which they love. My daughter is going to be the Spider Queen and my son will be Legolas. I will be a pirate, complete with parrot, and Stacy you KNOW I am missing my pirate boyfriend now!!!! ROFL.
I'm back at work today--I've been itching to get back to Justice. He's such a complex character and he fascinates me, so I can't wait to get back to him. Only 27 days till Atlantis Awakening!! I can hardly wait!!
hugs,
Alyssa
Friday, October 05, 2007
And even more pictures . . .
The reader group shot!! AT the Mellow Mushroom! HUGE thanks to the lovely Sue Smallwood for setting this up!
Me with Dianna Love Snell, who is a fabulous writer and the conference chair for M&M. She and her team did a brilliant job.
Me with Linda Howard, who is as tremendously wise and funny as she is talented. She had such good advice on staying sane and grounded in the insanity of the publishing business.
Pictures!!
Did I mention pictures?
this from a restaurant on the drive from Virginia to Florida. My question: do they send the busboys out back with a shotgun to wait for the covey to fly over? Never, ever have I seen all you can eat QUAIL before.
Did I mention Peanut had an ear infection? Again? This is her "take me to your leader" pose. (She's all better now!)
The lovely Pam with me at my reader dinner in Atlanta. She was just delightful and gave me a beautiful handmade bracelet. I had SUCH a wonderful time at the Moonlight and Magnolias conference. I think Georgia people are among the nicest in the world!
this from a restaurant on the drive from Virginia to Florida. My question: do they send the busboys out back with a shotgun to wait for the covey to fly over? Never, ever have I seen all you can eat QUAIL before.
Did I mention Peanut had an ear infection? Again? This is her "take me to your leader" pose. (She's all better now!)
The lovely Pam with me at my reader dinner in Atlanta. She was just delightful and gave me a beautiful handmade bracelet. I had SUCH a wonderful time at the Moonlight and Magnolias conference. I think Georgia people are among the nicest in the world!
Happy October!!
Life has been a little crazy, as usual. I think I should just accept that there is no such thing as normal in my life. The good news is coming fast: my editor LOVED Shifter's Lady, my novella for the March '08 anthology SHIFTER, so that made me a very happy author. :)
And all the review for ATLANTIS AWAKENING are totally rocking!! Romantic Times gave it 4 and a half stars!! "Poseidon's hot and sexy boys are back and ready to rumble. Day's world continues to gain layers of complexity as the characters discover more about the events and people evolving around them. Ancient warrior attitudes get a major jolt as they collide with the modern world and feminine power. Pure escapist fun!"
Woo hoo!!
Paranormal writers' reviews said: "Atlantis Awakening and the whole world created by Alyssa Day is fascinating and unique. Readers will thrill as they get to know each of the warriors better, but even more they will sigh at the intense action brought to them through Ven. It takes a lot to bring down the King's Vengeance and Alyssa Day has found just the right woman to do it. Readers should look forward to finding out what other women are in the world that will bring down the next hard-bodied Atlantean."
And pictures! I have pictures from the conference in Atlanta and my fabulous reader dinner! Stay tuned while I figure out this new camera!
hugs,
Alyssa
And all the review for ATLANTIS AWAKENING are totally rocking!! Romantic Times gave it 4 and a half stars!! "Poseidon's hot and sexy boys are back and ready to rumble. Day's world continues to gain layers of complexity as the characters discover more about the events and people evolving around them. Ancient warrior attitudes get a major jolt as they collide with the modern world and feminine power. Pure escapist fun!"
Woo hoo!!
Paranormal writers' reviews said: "Atlantis Awakening and the whole world created by Alyssa Day is fascinating and unique. Readers will thrill as they get to know each of the warriors better, but even more they will sigh at the intense action brought to them through Ven. It takes a lot to bring down the King's Vengeance and Alyssa Day has found just the right woman to do it. Readers should look forward to finding out what other women are in the world that will bring down the next hard-bodied Atlantean."
And pictures! I have pictures from the conference in Atlanta and my fabulous reader dinner! Stay tuned while I figure out this new camera!
hugs,
Alyssa
Monday, September 24, 2007
One step closer to being banned . . .
The lovely Kerry from New Zealand let me know that WILD THING comes with a warning label from her library. I'm still chuckling about it:
I'm on my way to Atlanta Thursday for the Moonlight and Magnolias conference. Please stop by the booksigning Saturday to see me - and I can't WAIT for my reader dinner afterward, all organized by the gracious and marvelous Sue Smallwood. We've more than 20 people coming!! Yay, us!!
I'm on my way to Atlanta Thursday for the Moonlight and Magnolias conference. Please stop by the booksigning Saturday to see me - and I can't WAIT for my reader dinner afterward, all organized by the gracious and marvelous Sue Smallwood. We've more than 20 people coming!! Yay, us!!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Too many dollars, not enough sense
So Leona Helmsley's dog gets $12 million in a trust fund in her will. Seriously. As a lawyer, I can't imagine what kind of attorney would write that down without saying "Really? Leona, you're batshit crazy. Get the hell out of my office and get some psychiatric help." But then again, that's part of why I don't practice law any more. Too often you have to do stupid things in the name of "the client is always right." Trust me, litigation clients are just as often nutjobs as they are "right" - especially the ones who want to sue somebody. It always made me nuts when people blamed lawywers for the litigation explosion. I spent 90% of my time in new client interviews talking people OUT of suing.
But. I digress. $12 million DOLLARS. I just bought mine new Nylabones and some liver treats and thought I was being generous . . .
Ethan is giving me fits; he's so freaking alpha that he's not quite getting the big picture. But oh, wow, is he ever sexy! Whew.
In other news, I'm sick with some cold or flu virus that's kicking my butt, so am taking my codeine cough syrup and off to bed. Hope you all have a great Labor Day long weekend.
hugs,
Alyssa
But. I digress. $12 million DOLLARS. I just bought mine new Nylabones and some liver treats and thought I was being generous . . .
Ethan is giving me fits; he's so freaking alpha that he's not quite getting the big picture. But oh, wow, is he ever sexy! Whew.
In other news, I'm sick with some cold or flu virus that's kicking my butt, so am taking my codeine cough syrup and off to bed. Hope you all have a great Labor Day long weekend.
hugs,
Alyssa
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
I'm back online!!!
Finally in our new house and finally have my very own internet connection!! Yahoo!! Just in time to check email and find some very lovely news, too:
ATLANTIS AWAKENING will be featured in the Rhapsody book club with an interview of me!
And Sarah W. at Romance Junkies passed on this terrific review (you can see the full text at Romance Junkies):
"As the King's Vengeance, Ven has had to deal with a lot of trouble, danger, and explosive situations in his line of work. But he does it with pride, attitude, and the painful knowledge that all this death is hurting him more than he would like to let on. Ven never thought he would meet any woman capable of reaching his hardened heart but that changes when he lays eyes on Erin Connors, a powerful and important witch in the Seattle Circle of Light.
[. . . ]
Alyssa Day turns up the heat, the sensuality, and the excitement yet another notch in the tantalizingly sexy ATLANTIS AWAKENING! These warriors may hide their hearts at times, but rest assured, they are not afraid to give them to the right woman. . . .
Ven and Erin take top honors however in this tale. Neither expects to find an all consuming passion in the face of so much danger but fortunately, love proves to be the perfect answer to trouble. Alyssa Day makes me crave more Atlantis!
- Sarah W., Romance Junkies
ATLANTIS AWAKENING will be featured in the Rhapsody book club with an interview of me!
And Sarah W. at Romance Junkies passed on this terrific review (you can see the full text at Romance Junkies):
"As the King's Vengeance, Ven has had to deal with a lot of trouble, danger, and explosive situations in his line of work. But he does it with pride, attitude, and the painful knowledge that all this death is hurting him more than he would like to let on. Ven never thought he would meet any woman capable of reaching his hardened heart but that changes when he lays eyes on Erin Connors, a powerful and important witch in the Seattle Circle of Light.
[. . . ]
Alyssa Day turns up the heat, the sensuality, and the excitement yet another notch in the tantalizingly sexy ATLANTIS AWAKENING! These warriors may hide their hearts at times, but rest assured, they are not afraid to give them to the right woman. . . .
Ven and Erin take top honors however in this tale. Neither expects to find an all consuming passion in the face of so much danger but fortunately, love proves to be the perfect answer to trouble. Alyssa Day makes me crave more Atlantis!
- Sarah W., Romance Junkies
Monday, August 13, 2007
I HATE hotels
Sick to death of every part of it. Why did I think this was a good idea?? Two solid weeks of it and we're all miserable. Still not in the house but hoping that changes soon. Ethan's book is taking a very dark turn and I'm not sure how much of it is me being in a foul mood. Luckily Marie is a counterbalancing force in the tapestry of his story. She has such serenity that I wish I could share . . .
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
New cover!!!
I'm still homeless with no internet; cadging it wherever I can. But I wanted to share the cover for SHIFTER (Ethan's story; coming out in March!!) And what thrilling company to keep!!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Homeless in Jacksonville
And somehow we survived 1200 miles of driving in 2 days, movers who thought they were on strike, rain and construction at night in South Carolina, 120 degree heat unpacking the 2000 pounds of stuff we had in the U-Haul (not exaggerating - we had to weigh it!!) and me nearly having heat stroke (health advisory: when your face turns beet red, your eyes glaze over, and you feel that you're either going to throw up or pass out, it's time to stop humping boxes in the midafternoon sun.)
My darling husband, Navy Guy, spent yesterday and today requalifying on his survival skills, which involved doing fun tasks while they sucked all the oxygen out of the room and then today being belted into a helicopter simulator upside down, blindfolded, and UNDER WATER.
Seriously.
My lovely and talented friend Eileen Rendahl (her new book is out this week, it's splendid!!) said, "But my job is dangerous too!! I could have gotten a paper cut!! It could have gotten infected!!"
We writers tend to be a bit dramatic . . .
House hunting starts tomorrow at 9 - I want a palm tree!! And a house to go with it, I guess. :)
In other news, the talented Marianne Mancusi's first SHOMI book, MOONGAZER, is out today and it's brilliant!! Intense and edgy - give it a try!! (Can you tell I had time to read in the hotel? I am a chronic insomniac and never ever sleep in hotels without pharmaceutical assistance.)
Pictures tomorrow - maybe of palm trees!! And I'm definitely in the south again - there was an ALL YOU CAN EAT - QUAIL special in the restaurant where we had dinner Sunday. It fascinated me. How do you get ALL YOU CAN EAT QUAIL?? Did an entire FLOCK happen to land over the restaurant? Do they send the busboys out back with a rifle???
Okay, I think they had cheesecake. Hmmm. More later . . .
My darling husband, Navy Guy, spent yesterday and today requalifying on his survival skills, which involved doing fun tasks while they sucked all the oxygen out of the room and then today being belted into a helicopter simulator upside down, blindfolded, and UNDER WATER.
Seriously.
My lovely and talented friend Eileen Rendahl (her new book is out this week, it's splendid!!) said, "But my job is dangerous too!! I could have gotten a paper cut!! It could have gotten infected!!"
We writers tend to be a bit dramatic . . .
House hunting starts tomorrow at 9 - I want a palm tree!! And a house to go with it, I guess. :)
In other news, the talented Marianne Mancusi's first SHOMI book, MOONGAZER, is out today and it's brilliant!! Intense and edgy - give it a try!! (Can you tell I had time to read in the hotel? I am a chronic insomniac and never ever sleep in hotels without pharmaceutical assistance.)
Pictures tomorrow - maybe of palm trees!! And I'm definitely in the south again - there was an ALL YOU CAN EAT - QUAIL special in the restaurant where we had dinner Sunday. It fascinated me. How do you get ALL YOU CAN EAT QUAIL?? Did an entire FLOCK happen to land over the restaurant? Do they send the busboys out back with a rifle???
Okay, I think they had cheesecake. Hmmm. More later . . .
Friday, July 27, 2007
A snippet from Atlantis Awakening:
When Ven and Erin are finally alone . . .
# # #
"What if we took a break from being reasonable and rational for a little while?" she whispered. "What would you say if I asked you to hold me – just hold me – until morning?"
Hunger flared inside him, demanding that he conquer, that she surrender. The warrior he'd been born and trained to be wanted to plunder. The man he wanted to be -- for her, just for a little while -- pushed the hunger aside and sought desperately for self-control. "Erin, if you need me to hold you, I would love nothing more. In fact, I've been thinking of nothing else since I first touched you, if you want to know the truth."
She gave him a shaky smile, threw the silken bed coverings aside, and held her arms up to him. "Then hold me, Ven. Make me feel safe again."
Carefully, so carefully, he climbed in the bed next to her and pulled her into his arms, realizing as he did so that he was the one surrendering. When she nestled her head against his chest, her music flared up between them, pulsing hot and insistent. He forced his breathing to slow down, tried to focus on something – anything – other than the urgency of desire clawing at him.
He caught one of her hands in his and considered the rings on her long fingers. "It's the opal, isn't it? The opals and the emeralds that sing when we're together?"
She trembled in his arms and turned her face to his chest. The scent of flowers and springtime from her hair tipped the lid off his sanity just a little bit more, and he couldn't help but inhale her scent. Rub his face in her hair.
Want to mark her, brand her, claim her.
"Yes," she answered, the words muffled by his shirt. "They are . . . yes, it's the emeralds and opals singing."
Her words distracted him a little from the flames searing through his nerve endings. "What does it mean, Erin? Why can I hear them, too? Can everybody hear them?"
She drew a deep breath and looked up at him. "No. In fact, in the ten years since I turned sixteen and my Gift manifested, no person other than you has ever heard my gems sing. And the emeralds – the emeralds have never sung before I met you. Not even to me."
His arms tightened around her. They only sang for him. Like he wanted to make her sing. Something deep inside him raised its head and roared. His breath quickened and he rolled back a couple of inches from her, trying to maintain distance. Trying not to pounce on her like the predator he was.
The gems. We were talking about the gems. Focus.
"What do they sing to you?" he asked. "Do the songs have meanings? Why are they so quiet now? I mean, not to be crude, but this is skin-to-skin contact. I figured they'd be singing up a storm."
She scooted closer to him, and her own breathing quickened, roughened. "We could always experiment a little, with the skin-to-skin thing. Right now, though, I'm focusing on keeping them under control with everything I've got."
His arms tightened around her and he couldn't stop the words from rushing out. Couldn't fight it any longer. "Let it go, Erin. Let it go and see what happens."
Excerpt from Atlantis Awakening, copyright 2007 Alyssa Day/Alesia Holliday
# # #
"What if we took a break from being reasonable and rational for a little while?" she whispered. "What would you say if I asked you to hold me – just hold me – until morning?"
Hunger flared inside him, demanding that he conquer, that she surrender. The warrior he'd been born and trained to be wanted to plunder. The man he wanted to be -- for her, just for a little while -- pushed the hunger aside and sought desperately for self-control. "Erin, if you need me to hold you, I would love nothing more. In fact, I've been thinking of nothing else since I first touched you, if you want to know the truth."
She gave him a shaky smile, threw the silken bed coverings aside, and held her arms up to him. "Then hold me, Ven. Make me feel safe again."
Carefully, so carefully, he climbed in the bed next to her and pulled her into his arms, realizing as he did so that he was the one surrendering. When she nestled her head against his chest, her music flared up between them, pulsing hot and insistent. He forced his breathing to slow down, tried to focus on something – anything – other than the urgency of desire clawing at him.
He caught one of her hands in his and considered the rings on her long fingers. "It's the opal, isn't it? The opals and the emeralds that sing when we're together?"
She trembled in his arms and turned her face to his chest. The scent of flowers and springtime from her hair tipped the lid off his sanity just a little bit more, and he couldn't help but inhale her scent. Rub his face in her hair.
Want to mark her, brand her, claim her.
"Yes," she answered, the words muffled by his shirt. "They are . . . yes, it's the emeralds and opals singing."
Her words distracted him a little from the flames searing through his nerve endings. "What does it mean, Erin? Why can I hear them, too? Can everybody hear them?"
She drew a deep breath and looked up at him. "No. In fact, in the ten years since I turned sixteen and my Gift manifested, no person other than you has ever heard my gems sing. And the emeralds – the emeralds have never sung before I met you. Not even to me."
His arms tightened around her. They only sang for him. Like he wanted to make her sing. Something deep inside him raised its head and roared. His breath quickened and he rolled back a couple of inches from her, trying to maintain distance. Trying not to pounce on her like the predator he was.
The gems. We were talking about the gems. Focus.
"What do they sing to you?" he asked. "Do the songs have meanings? Why are they so quiet now? I mean, not to be crude, but this is skin-to-skin contact. I figured they'd be singing up a storm."
She scooted closer to him, and her own breathing quickened, roughened. "We could always experiment a little, with the skin-to-skin thing. Right now, though, I'm focusing on keeping them under control with everything I've got."
His arms tightened around her and he couldn't stop the words from rushing out. Couldn't fight it any longer. "Let it go, Erin. Let it go and see what happens."
Excerpt from Atlantis Awakening, copyright 2007 Alyssa Day/Alesia Holliday
A picture's worth a thousand boxes . . .
And ziploc storage bags are the greatest invention EVER for moving. The Cox cable guy is due to show up any second to rip my internet connection from my clutching hands, so the next installment will be from the road. Have a great weekend, everybody!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Moving tips from the veteran of 6 moves in 11 years:
1. If you haven't used it, worn it, or taken it out of a box in a year or more, give it to charity. Somebody out there needs that purple velvet miniskirt way more than you do.
2. If it's covered in an inch of dust, #1 probably applies. If it has "sentimental" value, take a picture of it for the scrapbook and then get rid of it.
3. Really, who needs 72 pairs of shoes? I'm not admitting anything here . . .
4. If the moving company only sends TWO PEOPLE to pack up FOURTEEN THOUSAND pounds of household goods, TRY NOT TO PANIC. Calling the company and shouting words like "asswipe" will probably not help. As much as you may be tempted to.
5. Whoever invents chocolate-covered valium will make a zillion dollars.
2. If it's covered in an inch of dust, #1 probably applies. If it has "sentimental" value, take a picture of it for the scrapbook and then get rid of it.
3. Really, who needs 72 pairs of shoes? I'm not admitting anything here . . .
4. If the moving company only sends TWO PEOPLE to pack up FOURTEEN THOUSAND pounds of household goods, TRY NOT TO PANIC. Calling the company and shouting words like "asswipe" will probably not help. As much as you may be tempted to.
5. Whoever invents chocolate-covered valium will make a zillion dollars.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Public Service Announcement . . .
Brought to you from your friendly local author. :) Be sure to periodically check the expiration dates on the medicines in your cabinets. We move so often I do this at least every two years, but tonight I still threw out a small waste bin full of cold medicines for the kids that expired sometime last year or earlier this year.
And we won't even mention the can of soup in the cupboard that had an expiration date of January, 2003. It must have moved with us from Seattle to Florida and then from Florida here to Virginia. Sadly, its interstate journey is over. FAREWELL, ANCIENT MINESTRONE!!
Hmmm. Good possibility I'm getting punchy ...
And we won't even mention the can of soup in the cupboard that had an expiration date of January, 2003. It must have moved with us from Seattle to Florida and then from Florida here to Virginia. Sadly, its interstate journey is over. FAREWELL, ANCIENT MINESTRONE!!
Hmmm. Good possibility I'm getting punchy ...
Monday, July 23, 2007
One more day . . .
until the packers come to pack up my life for my move. Blogging and internet will be sporadic for a while. I finished the galleys for ATLANTIS AWAKENING today and am shipping those corrections off to NY in the morning so the book is done and ready to go to printing!! Yippee!! I also ran off some copies of the galleys for reviewers and will be getting those out in the mail, too.
Progressing on Ethan, too - I hope to email his story (Shifter's Lady) to my editor by the beginning of the week. He's so fascinating and his interaction with Marie is so much fun to write. I think I'm in another - "Wow, I wish this were a full book, instead of only a novella" mode on him!!
Justice's life is getting more and more dark and complicated so his book, ATLANTIS UNLEASHED, is looking to come in fairly long. I am so deeply into the Warriors' world right now that moving is a terrible inconvenience. Sigh. Not to mention the whole house hunt thing. But lovely Navy Guy spoiled me with a saphire "I appreciate you for going through yet another household move with me" ring tonight, so I'm feeling fairly happy in spite of the stress. :)
And of course if the insomnia gets too bad, I have a certain 7th book about a boy wizard on reserve . . .
hugs,
Alyssa
Progressing on Ethan, too - I hope to email his story (Shifter's Lady) to my editor by the beginning of the week. He's so fascinating and his interaction with Marie is so much fun to write. I think I'm in another - "Wow, I wish this were a full book, instead of only a novella" mode on him!!
Justice's life is getting more and more dark and complicated so his book, ATLANTIS UNLEASHED, is looking to come in fairly long. I am so deeply into the Warriors' world right now that moving is a terrible inconvenience. Sigh. Not to mention the whole house hunt thing. But lovely Navy Guy spoiled me with a saphire "I appreciate you for going through yet another household move with me" ring tonight, so I'm feeling fairly happy in spite of the stress. :)
And of course if the insomnia gets too bad, I have a certain 7th book about a boy wizard on reserve . . .
hugs,
Alyssa
Friday, July 20, 2007
Mummificatio-Phobia?
MOVING MISADVENTURES: Clearly I have mummificationphobia, fear of death by dry skin. I'm packing up the bathroom and I have TWENTY-SEVEN different jars, tubes, and bottles of various moisturizer, lotion, moisturizing mask, creams, you name it. All tools in the desperate fight to battle the dry and arid climate of . . . VIRGINIA??? FLORIDA??? Two of the most humid climates on the planet, if you don't live in an actual rainforest.
What was I THINKING???? ::headdesk::
Of course, our power went out last night after a particularly exciting wind and thunderstorm, so I was trying to go through the galley pages of ATLANTIS AWAKENING by lantern light. VERY VERY exciting. This is how cavewomen authors had to do it. Or something. Frankly, I'm on the second handful of dark-chocolate covered espresso beans, and I can't be counted on to be coherent in any way.
At least I'm well moisturized. Oh, and the blue hair is gone, sadly. Thought I should look a little less fringe-of-society dealing with realtors and etc. Plus I got layers, finally giving up and letting all the natural curl come through. Anybody who makes any Farrah Fawcett cracks can rest assured that I've already thought of them. LOL.
What was I THINKING???? ::headdesk::
Of course, our power went out last night after a particularly exciting wind and thunderstorm, so I was trying to go through the galley pages of ATLANTIS AWAKENING by lantern light. VERY VERY exciting. This is how cavewomen authors had to do it. Or something. Frankly, I'm on the second handful of dark-chocolate covered espresso beans, and I can't be counted on to be coherent in any way.
At least I'm well moisturized. Oh, and the blue hair is gone, sadly. Thought I should look a little less fringe-of-society dealing with realtors and etc. Plus I got layers, finally giving up and letting all the natural curl come through. Anybody who makes any Farrah Fawcett cracks can rest assured that I've already thought of them. LOL.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
The Norwegian basketball team rides again . . .
Me, Kathy Caskie, and Sophia Nash, with new member Kresley Cole and our self-appointed mascot, Julia Quinn, holding her new RITA!!!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Justice has art!!!!
And oh, what lovely art it is!!! I especially like the fishes . . . Here is the art for ATLANTIS UNLEASHED. Yummy. (okay, no snark about the rather . . . interesting . . . position of the sword . . . lol)
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Our lovely RITA winner - Caridad Ferrer!!!
On stage, with her shiny golden girl, and with me, Marianne Mancusi, and Barb's agent, Caren Johnson.
and there were parties!!
I caught Eileen Rendahl in a pensive moment (isn't she gorgeous?) and had a rocking evening catching up with great friends Virginia Kantra and Suz Brockmann!
even crazier . . .
I caught up with so many writer friends, like the always lovely Mary Castillo and the naughty Colby Hodge (Barb is hugging her to celebrate Colby's PRISM win!!)
and more . . .
My agent took me out to lunch at the Dragonfly restaurant (delicious!) at the Zaza hotel, which featured an opium bed in the lobby!! Steve fit right in with his southern gentleman seersucker suit!! Also, I loved the bowling dragon in the courtyard.
Back from Dallas!!
And it was crazy!! But, as always, pictures tell the story best:
Breakfast with Kate Douglas (who managed to take the pictures instead of being in them!), Susan Squires, Jennifer St. Giles, and Barbara "RITA Girl" Ferrer.
Breakfast with Kate Douglas (who managed to take the pictures instead of being in them!), Susan Squires, Jennifer St. Giles, and Barbara "RITA Girl" Ferrer.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Interview
The always-charming Winnie Griggs has posted an interview with me in her Spotlight feature, here.
I read a book this week that really annoyed me. The author was clearly working way too hard to use poetic prose and had a bad case of "metaphor addiction." When the word "like" is in every paragraph, the story itself gets lost, and that is author intrusion to me. It was jarring and threw me out of the book several times. I read as an author -- it's a switch that can't be toggled to OFF once it flips on -- and find examples of what NOT to do as often as I find examples of what TO do these days. Since I am a rank beginner at this storytelling gig, I am constantly seeking to find ways to make each book better than the one before. Frankly, I hope I never lose that.
In sad news of the arts, a classical flutist was arrested in Philadelphia for playing in the streets. PHILADELPHIA, which was at the heart of our early attempts at escaping oppression, is arresting musicians for expressing their souls through their art. Seems like maybe we should consider moving the Liberty Bell.
I read a book this week that really annoyed me. The author was clearly working way too hard to use poetic prose and had a bad case of "metaphor addiction." When the word "like" is in every paragraph, the story itself gets lost, and that is author intrusion to me. It was jarring and threw me out of the book several times. I read as an author -- it's a switch that can't be toggled to OFF once it flips on -- and find examples of what NOT to do as often as I find examples of what TO do these days. Since I am a rank beginner at this storytelling gig, I am constantly seeking to find ways to make each book better than the one before. Frankly, I hope I never lose that.
In sad news of the arts, a classical flutist was arrested in Philadelphia for playing in the streets. PHILADELPHIA, which was at the heart of our early attempts at escaping oppression, is arresting musicians for expressing their souls through their art. Seems like maybe we should consider moving the Liberty Bell.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
In honor of Atlantis
So look for the tall blonde with the blue streaks in her hair in Dallas!! :) I feel very patriotic today. Happy 4th, everyone!!
hugs,
Alyssa
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