DO NOT Hurt the Puppy!

Warning: Rant about to happen.

A few nights ago, the DVD d'jour was I Am Legend. I don't want to spoil the story for anyone, so if you haven't seen the movie yet, but plan to, then stop reading now.

I almost didn't finish watching this movie because the dog died! WORSE, the hero had to kill his beloved companion! And this isn't the first movie I've watched lately in which dogs were hurt of killed. In the movie Invasion (with Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig), dogs could recognize the humans infected with aliens and as soon as they did -- bye-bye doggie. UGH! And don't even get me started about the dead dogs in No Country for Old Men!

What a disturbing trend! Now I'm a dog lover from waaay back (my family has had at least one dog for as long as I can remember). I like cats too, and most all little furry creatures, but I digress...

I'll admit that what happened to the dog in I Am Legend was germane to the plot, but I still didn't like it. As for the other two movies mentioned, NOPE! They could have totally left out the dog killing and not affected the story at all. I'm not very squeamish, and I even LIKE a bit of gratuitous violence now and then, but NOT when it is directed at animals!

Okay, rant over.

The Great Peep Hunt!

Happy Easter to those who celebrate the holiday!

We're having a virtual Peep Hunt over on the Romance Bandits blog today.(just click on the title of this blog post to take you there) So I decided to "hide" my Peeps (green of course! After all they are Irish Peeps.) here on my personal blog.

So happy Peep hunting and hey, you've already found one. We're giving away some great prizes!

My "Official" Title!

After long months of waiting, I finally have my "official" title! The book formerly known as Death in the Fens will be published with the title The Wild Sight: An Irish tale of deadly deeds and forbidden love.

I'm so excited after all this time to have a title to pimp! Er, um, I mean PROMOTE!

Plus, the book is available for pre-order on Amazon! Just search for my name. Right now my sales ranking is somewhere in the 6,000,000s. Nowhere to go but UP!

Now that I have a title, here's hoping that a cover won't be far behind!

An Infomercial

I now interrupt my own blog to plug some of the other things going on in my writing life...

First, and most exciting- -"the book formerly known as" Death In The Fens is AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON! Never mind that the title listed on Amazon is NOT the "official" title. But the publication date really is October, 2008! So still no title and of course, no cover, but A PUBLICATION DATE! That's progress! If you go on Amazon and do a search for my name, THERE IT IS!

Second, I'm now part of a new Yahoo group for Sourcebook authors and readers. Here's a link if anybody is interested in joining. But more than that, I'd love for you to join MY Yahoo Group (see the blog sidebar) for periodic updates on my book and my writing.




Click to join Discovering_Romance_with_Sourcebooks

And finally, since this is my Infomercial, might as well drop in a plug for the Romance Bandits. Romantic Times is holding their annual convention in Pittsburg, PA April 16--20th. Several of the Banditas (including Donna MacMeans, Christie Kelley, KJ Howe, and Trish Milburn) will be there. Here's your chance to meet some REAL LIVE Romance Bandits. Unfortunately, time and resources (read $$) have conspired to prevent me from attending. Maybe next year...

Progress -- Sort of

I received my copy edits yesterday! I know this is hardly cause for celebration, but these are my VERY FIRST and I'm excited.

I've heard a few horror stories about copy editors who changed huge hunks of prose or questioned writers' facts and research. After a fast scan of my manuscript (which still has no title -- ARGH!), I'm happy to report there are none of those things! In fact, I just might LURVE my copy editor!

And if I'm this happy over the copy edits, when I get the galleys I'll probably be in "First Time Author" Heaven! Pathetic, I know, but I just can't help myself.

Name Games

We're playing a NAME GAME over on the Bandit Blog today, courtsey of Kate Johnson/Cat Marsters who originally posted these nine ways to generate a cool name:

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current street name);

2. YOUR "FLY Guy/Girl" NAME: (first initial of first name, firstthree letters of your middle name)

3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)

4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)

5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name,first 2 letters of your first name, first 2 letters of mom's maiden)

6. SUPERHERO NAME: ("The", your favorite color, favorite drink)

7. NASCAR NAME: (the first name of your grandfathers)

8. FUTURISTIC NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne and the name of your favorite kind of shoes)

9.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother & father's middle name )

So hop on over to the Romance Bandits (click on the title of this blog for the link) and join in the fun! We are also giving away a prize for correctly guessing the identity of nine different Bandits based on their "new names."

Did Dennis Lehane Start This Way?

Very often, readers and new writers ask those of us who have circled the block a few times and have the completed manuscripts to show for it: Where do you get your ideas?

My usual answer is EVERYWHERE! However, since that might not be terribly helpful to those who seriously do want to know, here's an example of how story ideas can indeed be found EVERYWHERE.

A few days ago while I was out running errands, I stopped in at the lovely Golden Arches for a quick lunch. As I prepared to dunk my first McNugget into my chosen sauce, the lady at the table across from me came over and asked, "Are you going to be here long?"

"As long as it takes me to finish my lunch," I replied. (Obviously I exceed the size limit for the plastic tubes and paraphernalia in the "play yard.")

"Can you please keep an eye on my granddaughter while I use the restroom?" the lady asked, indicating a little girl of about four, who was busily munching a french fry.

I said I would and consumed my own fries and McNuggets while the child swung her legs and kept eating for the entire five minutes her grandmother was gone. However, once I finished and left, I was struck by how many possible story ideas presented themselves in my little scenario.

1. The grandmother doesn't return.
2. The grandmother returns only to find me and her granddaughter are (as in the succinct title of the DVD I recently watched) Gone Baby Gone.
3. The grandmother returns and accuses me of abusing the child.
4. While the grandmother is gone, the child shows me her bruises and asks me to protect her from grandma.
   

I think you get my drift, and I didn't even mention the hunky EMT drinking coffee at a nearby table, nor the homeless man hitting up people for change in the parking lot.

Now you know what I mean when I say ideas are EVERYWHERE, even at your local fast food joint! Who knows, maybe even Dennis Lehane (who wrote the original novel Gone Baby Gone) got ideas under the Golden Arches! Okay, maybe not.

The Niall Marker

When I was doing research for "the novel formerly known as" Death in the Fens, I happened upon something called The Niall Marker. Geneticists have isolated a gender specific trait that they have traced back to a 5th century High King of Ireland, Niall of the Nine Hostages.

Being the history geek and lover of trivia that I am, I decided I MUST incorporate this fascinating bit of obscure information into my novel. Only it turns out The Niall Marker might not be that obscure after all...

A couple of weeks ago, I watched a fascinating program on PBS about how African Americans are tracing their roots by studying their DNA. Scientists have perfected a technique that can tell anyone what percent of their DNA is from Africa, what percent is Native American, and what percent is from Northern Europe. The narrator of the program, a professor at Harvard, was quite surprised to learn that over 30% of his DNA came from Northern Europe. But that's not all!

Turns out that he had Irish ancestors. How did the experts know? (drum roll, please) Because he had The Niall Marker. I couldn't believe it! There was my fascinating little piece of trivia that I'd put into my book on national television!

Truth IS stranger than fiction!

My New Slogan

Any Time, Any Place, Aunty Cindy.

That pretty much says it all!

If you'd like to generate your own personal slogan, just click on the title of this blog post for a fun site that will let you do it.

The Waiting Game

I'm blogging today over on Romance Bandits about the Hurry-Up-And-Wait torture that is the publishing business. (Just click on the title of this blog to hop over there and read my whine... er, um, rant... er, um, POST!)

Yes, I'm sorry to admit that with 5 months down and at least 7 or 8 more months to go before my book (the manuscript formerly known as Death In The Fens) hits the shelves, the waiting is getting on my last nerve!

I know, I know -- Patience is a virtue. However, it has never been one of mine!

Phyllis A. Whitney 1903--2008

I was greatly saddened to learn of the death of Phyllis Whitney on Feb. 8th at age 104. She and Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart were the first romance writers I ever read. That's because my mother read their "gothic" romances, and as a bored teen with nothing else to read, I would "borrow" from mom. I was soon hooked on those stories with "exotic" settings, and still love them today.

Matter of fact, I read Phyllis Whitney's last novel Amethyst Dreams a few years ago. Wonderful story, and she was 93 WHEN IT WAS PUBLISHED!

I always said I wanted to be Phyllis A. Whitney when I "grew up." Like her, I like to set my stories in places I've visited (like Italy and Ireland). And like her, I want to still be writing when I'm in my nineties! (Hey, dream big.)

Mostly I hope I'm able to bring some small amount of pleasure to my readers and that they will continue to read my books for as long as I am able to keep writing them. It can be done, because Phyllis Whitney did it, and she did it with aplomb!

God Speed, Phyllis A. Whitney! Thank you for being a true inspiration and leading by your own marvelous example.

5 Books

It's been awhile since I've done a Meme, (ever notice how those things seem to run in cycles?) so I thought I'd share The Last 5 Books I Read:

1. Untouched -- the latest lush and sensual Regency Noir from my Bandit buddy Anna Campbell
   
2. Does She Dare -- a sassy sexy romp by my Bandit buddy Tawny Weber (do I sense a trend here?)
3. Silent in the Grave -- an atmospheric Victorian murder mystery crammed with luscious detail by Deanna Raybourn (a debut author).
   
4. The Serpent Prince -- the third in a trilogy of loosely related romances set in Georgian England by my 06 Packer Pal Elizabeth Hoyt. This heroine and I almost share the same moniker!
   
5. Frommer's Guide to Western Europe -- Okay, so I only read the parts about London and Paris... er, um actually the DH RIPPED those parts out and packed them in his carry-on bag. I did mention that we travel light, didn't I?

Geez, that's an awful lot of historical romance for someone who writes contemporary! And next on my reading list is yet another historical: Bandita buddy Christie Kelley's Every Night I'm Yours which hit bookstores TODAY!

Where In The World Is Aunty Cindy?

Well, given my previous posts on my latest trip, it shouldn't be too hard to guess. But I couldn't resist the opportunity to share a few photos.

Holy Moly! Was that a hunchback I just spotted in the bell tower?





No, the bird on her head is not part of the sculpture. Yes, the dog next to her is.


What BIG hats you have, not to mention guns!

There Really Is No Place...

...like HOME that is!

I arrived home on Wednesday after a 10+ hour plane flight. UGH! Even though the trip was wonderful, I'm sooo happy to be home again.

WARNING: Rant about to happen.

Why is it there are NO washcloths in Europe? Seriously. None.

Granted, we didn't stay in luxury accommodations, but they were not the youth hostels and private B&Bs we frequented in our back-packing days (I brought my own towel back then). But these were both very nice three star establishments with plenty of towels.

However, in London they gave us these weird little mitts made of material the same consistency as those fabric softener sheets you throw in the dryer. I'm supposed to wash with that??? Still, better than Paris where they gave us NOTHING resembling a washcloth. Thank goodness I had a fit of intuition (or maybe it was a memory flash of the back-packing trips) and threw one ratty old washcloth into my suitcase right before we left.

Okay, rant over.

The Bandit Invasion of Romance Novel TV is going along great guns. Hope you will all go over to their site and check us out, especially next Tuesday, Jan. 29th when JoMama and I will be the featured Banditas.

A Bandit Invasion!

One of the coolest sites on the net for romance readers and writers is Romance Novel TV. They have video clips, interviews with BIG NAME authors (Connie Brockway and Mariah Stewart are just two examples), and a really great forum area. (Just click on the title of this blog entry to take you to the site.)

In short, it's a HAPPENIN PLACE! That's why it was such a surprise and delight to get an invitation from the folks at Romance Novel TV for the Romance Bandits to blog with them from Jan. 21st through Feb. 1st!

Since there are twenty of us Banditas, we are pairing up for each of the days (Mon. -- Fri.). My good buddy and CP, Jo Lewis-Robertson (aka Jo-Mama) and I will be in the spotlight on Tuesday, Jan. 29th. We plan to discuss "The Devil Is In The Details -- Research, BSing, and Choreography." This will be my first time as a guest on another site and I'm really excited!

Our Bandit Invasion is sure to be lots of fun, and we'll probably be giving away prizes like we often do on the Bandit Blog. Please drop by! You have to be registered to comment, but anyone can lurk and read the comments and vicariously join the fun.

Places I LOVE

I posted today over on the Bandit Blog about my upcoming trip and certain places I've felt an unexplained but wonderful affinity for. (Just click on the title of this post to link to the blog.) Especially Rome and Paris. I'm not sure what it is about those two cities, but they have touched me in a way that few other places ever have.

I would also LOVE to hear any and all suggestions for places to see and things to do in London.

It's Launched!

HURRAY!

I finally have a website!

Seems like it has taken forever, but actually it was only a few weeks. Dawn, at Austin Design Works put together the whole shebang, and she's been wonderfully creative and patient with me. And I'm thrilled with the result! But I'll let the pages speak for themselves.

Please check it out at: http://www.loucindamcgary.com/ (or you can click on the title of this blog to go there)

I'd love to know what you think. You can comment here, or leave me an email on the "Contact" page. I would also LOVE IT if you signed up for my Yahoo Group newsletter.

No doubt about it, 2008 IS GONNA BE GREAT!

Ringing In & Out!

WOW! It's the last day of 2007!

Tomorrow starts 2008!

Like so many others, this time of year I find myself reflecting on the past and anticipating the future. This time it's an incredibly positive experience for me in BOTH directions! 2007 turned out to be a momentous year for me and 2008 promises to be even better.

Though I didn't know it, the seeds of my wonderful year were sown in 2006 when I became a finalist in the RWA Golden Heart contest. I found myself on an email loop with the 50+ other finalist and eventually, 19 of those fabulous ladies and I started our group blog The Romance Bandits. I can't even begin to tell you how much the friendship and comraderie of that group has meant to me. Our successes individually and as a group have far exceeded anything I dared hope or imagine.

I know that 2008 will hold more of the same for me and the rest of the Banditas. I can't WAIT to see what happens to us and where this crazy road will lead.

Being a 2006 Golden Heart finalist also led indirectly to achieving my dream of selling a novel. I met my editor at the 2006 RWA National Conference and she asked to read my manuscript. Although she turned that book down, she ultimately bought my next one, and I probably never would have approached her if she had not asked me for that first manuscript!

So 2007 marked the beginning of my long held dream -- BEING PUBLISHED!

2008 will see the accomplishment of that dream when my book hits the shelves in nine or ten more months. I hope to make my second and almost equally as exciting sale by then, too.

At the 2006 RWA Conference, Christina Dodd gave an inspiring speech about how all writers were moving down the same sidewalk. It's been a GREAT TRIP so far and I can't wait to see where the sidewalk takes me in 2008!

HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Yo Ho! Yo Ho! POTC Aunty Style

Seems like it's time for Aunty to recount yet another of her travel mishaps... er, um, ADVENTURES. But frankly, the holiday crush has left me so frazzled that all I can think about is how much I'd rather be on a cruise! Since I don't yet have the piccies from my latest sojourn to sunny Mexico, I'll share a few snaps from my cruise to the Carribean last October.

This scary looking scalawag wasn't real flesh and blood. But speaking of scary, those glowing white legs on Aunty are all too real.

Here is Aunty on the tiny Caribbean Isle of Grand Turk. Those colorful buildings behind me are the only motel in the island's solitary town, Cockburn. Yes, they are right on the beach.

Finally, I'll close with a beautiful piccie of Forteleza in Old San Juan. The fort was originally constructed in the 1500s to protect the city from pirates. It was rebuilt several times and reached it's current form in the 1700s with the help of some Irishmen.
And yes, the water really was that beautiful blue.

Oh, how I wish I was THERE!

"Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night..."

Re-Titled

I got an email from My Editor (yup, still a thrill when I type those words) this week. They want to change the title of my book. Seems some of the good folks in the sales/marketing department don't know what a "fen" is.

I'll admit, I've been expecting this. From what I've heard and read, very few books wind up being published with the title the author originally had. I mean, even Gone With The Wind was once titled Tomorrow Is Another Day, and for all we know Othello might have once been called Iago's Revenge. (Hey, that's a lot catchier!) Besides, I've always said I don't care what title my book has, as long as it SELLS!

But, of course the timing SUX. I'm trying to launch my website and I just sent out my first "newsletter" to friends and family talking about my soon-to-be-published book, Death In The Fens. Except that is no longer the title. And the "working title" My Editor mentioned does not have final approval yet. *heavy sigh* For the time being looks like I'll have to refer to it as The Book Formerly Known As Death In The Fens.