New Story New Cover

Lately it seems that when two or more writers get together (online, in person, on the phone, where ever!) the talk inevitably turns to E-books and self-publishing. I've been reading and listening with great interest and I've watched the use of Kindles, Nooks and other e-readers grow by leaps and bounds in the past few months.

I'm afraid didn't get my nickname Cynical Cindy from nowhere. But in the past year, I've changed from being outright skeptical of e-publishing in general and self-publishing in particular, to realizing that this is a viable new option for writers to connect with readers. I became a believer when the sales of all three of my books took off after The Wild Sight was offered as a free read on Kindle!

So I've decided to take the plunge and self-publish directly to Amazon. I'm going to start small with a novelette that is a prequel to The Wild Sight, set in Ireland, of course. Also, since one of the most exciting parts of releasing a new book is seeing the cover, I went ahead and commissioned one from my friend and professional designer, Kim Van Meter. I think she did a fabulous job (THANK YOU, Kim!) and I'm thrilled to share it here!

I hope to have The Sidhe Princess available for sale sometime in July. I'll be sharing more details as soon as I know them!

Meanwhile, I'd love to know your opinion of e-readers: Love them? Hate them? Which one do you like best?

And I hope you love my new cover as much as I do!

5 Landmarks

I've noticed in lots of movies that they will include a glimpse of a particular landmark to instantly give the audience a 'sense of place.' It's a simple technique but particularly effective, in my opinion.

Of course that started me thinking (always a scary proposition) about which landmarks are the most familiar to audiences (and I'm talking man made objects, not natural wonders). What can you immediately recognize with just one quick look?

Here are the first five that sprang to my mind:

1. The Sphinx -- virtually every movie set in Egypt has a shot of this icon structure. They even use it in cartoons!
2. The Great Wall of China -- anytime I see that sinuous structure winding through the hills, I get a thrill-ripple down my spine. The Great Wall has fascinated people for centuries!
3. The Eiffel Tower -- that open framework silhouette is unmistakable! Has there ever been a disaster movie made that didn't include a shot of the Eiffel Tower?
4. The Golden Gate Bridge -- There are lots of famous bridges, and maybe I'm a wee bit biased (being a native Californian and living close to San Francisco), but this bridge is the granddaddy of 'em all!
5. The Parthenon -- I had a hard time choosing between this one and the Taj Mahal. But even as a child, I remember seeing pictures of the Parthenon (even if I didn't know what it was) and I was a young teen the first time I saw a piccie of the Taj Mahal (yes, it was new construction then ).

I could add more but I'll stop for now and give you a chance to comment or give me your own list. Hmm, I just realized that I've actually been up close and personal with four of the five landmarks on my list!

Okay, your turn: Did you recognize all of my landmarks? Are there others you think are more easily recognized? Remember, these are man made structures. We'll save the wonders of nature for another post.

Number 19

Just got home from cruise number 19 and I still feel like I'm onboard the ship. In other words, I can still feel the floor swaying under my feet and I'm 'listing' from side to side. ACK!

Yes, it was a fun time, even though the seas were somewhat rough on our last day coming home (no doubt why I'm still 'listing). This was the ship we were scheduled to take in January, but engine repairs took longer than expected and we were forced to reschedule.

Yes, we went to the Mexican Riviera yet again. People ask me why I keep going back to the same ports, but honestly the destination is secondary to the cruise itself. What's not to love about having someone serve you, clean up after you, and unlimited access to GREAT food?!?!

Besides, there's always something different to see. This time we spent two days in port in Cabo San Lucas, which we'd never done before. Here's a photo I took of the lights of Cabo at sunset.

Most of the other ships who depart from California ports go to Alaska starting in May, so we were the only cruise line in western Mexico and had the port's of call pretty much to ourselves. However, in Puerto Vallarta we shared the marina docking area with these two "pirate" vessels.

There's always plenty of 'wildlife' to see along the way. I didn't see a whale, but several other passengers told me they did. And there's always a pod of dolphins that like to race along with the cruise ships near Cabo.

Then there are the towel animals that the room stewards leave on my bed at night. Here are a couple of my favorites from this cruise:

This cute little elephant was chill-axing on the end of the bed while I worked on my laptop on my WIP. I'm happy to report he was very quiet.

So was this adorable bunny, who decided to take a snooze on my pillow.

They offered a class to teach passengers how to make some of these adorable towel creatures, but I decided not to take it. My collection of towels is pretty rag-tag at best. Plus, I don't need to have one more way to procrastinate!

Have you resisted learning something new because you didn't want yet another way to waste time?

What vacation plans do you have on your horizon?

Spare Time Projects

Yes, I did write the "Spare Time" in this title with my tongue firmly planted in cheek. I don't have a lot of that elusive thing. But on those rare occasions when I do sit and veg out in front of the TV (watching Netflix!) I almost always have to keep my hands busy. My preferred activity is knitting or crocheting. I learned to do both so many years ago that they are more like a self-soothing exercise than anything else. Plus, I've discovered that while I can't read in a moving car (gives me a horrid headache every darn time) I CAN knit or crochet! So when we have to make a long car trip and the DH is barreling down the freeway at 60+ mph (100+ kph), I can sit in the passenger's seat happily knitting or crocheting away.

I've never been a fan of projects that required me to sew a lot of little pieces together in order to complete. I much prefer to make one or two large pieces and then I'm DONE! That means I make lots of scarves and lap throws or afghans. One of my favorite patterns uses a long stitch that makes the piece look something like the old hound's tooth check fabrics of the 60s. I made four in this pattern in various colors for Christmas presents for my four nieces.

Here are a couple of my recently finished projects...

My son has been a HUGE fan of the New York Jets since he was a little boy. So I crocheted this afghan for him in Jets' colors -- black, white and green. Turned out great and he loves it. One little problem is that our fawn colored Pug Wa-wa's hair really stands out on the black and green. She loves this afghan too!

Here's my current crochet-work-in-progress. It's just about at the halfway point, and I'm afraid I don't know yet what its fate will be. But it is going in the car with me for a trip to SoCal very soon...

Meanwhile, back to one of my favorite patterns, the gigantic Granny Rectangle (as opposed to Granny Square). I love to use this pattern for baby afghans. It's easy and turns out so pretty. See what I mean?

This pretty little throw is for a special friend's newest grandson.

I've heard from several sources that "needlework is becoming a lost art." I hope that's not true! It may not be cheaper than buying a blanket or throw at the local discount store, but there's something very special about a handmade item.

What do you think? Hand made or store bought? Do you have a crafty vocation?

Brenda Novak's Online Auction

It's that time of year again.

Every May, Brenda Novak holds an online "auction" to raise money for diabetes research (click on the title of this post to go to the site). This is a cause very near and dear to me and I've donated things for the past three years.

This year, my Banditas and I decided to have our very own listing on Brenda's sidebar. You can see it here under Romance Bandita: http://bit.ly/lpl5rN

We have things for readers:

A gift "basket" with ten different books by various Banditas (including a copy of The Wild Irish Sea), a mug and some chocolate

Autographed Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) of books by
Jeanne Adams,
Kate Carlisle, and
Christie Kelley.

For writers we have critiques by
yours truly,
Jeanne Adams,
Donna MacMeans,
Beth Andrews,
Tawny Weber,
Tricia Mills,
Christine Wells, and
Anna Sugden.

For everyone we are offering:

A Romance Bandits T-Shirt

Golden Rooster cookie cutter and TimTams

and Golden Rooster earrings and brooch

I also have an autographed copy of The Wild Irish Sea in a "basket" of books donated by my local RWA chapter the Sacramento Valley Rose.

The auction has tons of great stuff from jewelry and gift items to vacations. I hope you'll stop by and check it out and maybe bid on something since it is for such a great cause.

Lots of things are great bargains!

You still have plenty of time because the auction doesn't end until May 31st.

Cinco De Mayo

Today was Cinco de Mayo, which we celebrate vociferously here in California. Actually, I think if asked most people here in NorCal have no idea what Cinco de Mayo represents other than a good excuse to drink lots of tequila and Mexican beer.

If asked, a few might come up with Mexican independence day, which it is not. Cinco de Mayo actually celebrates the Battle of Puebla in 1862. In spite of being outnumbered almost three to one, the Mexican forces emerged victorious over the occupying French.

Considering we Americans were a bit preoccupied in 1862 with our own Civil War, I suppose we can be forgiven for being ignorant of a day that many Mexicans have considered one of the most glorious in history. But I can't help but feel a little sad that the true meaning of yet another holiday is lost to a crush of advertising.

Of course, I'm not sad enough to pass up the chips and salsa! Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Did you celebrate today? Or have you even heard of Cinco de Mayo? Any other holidays you'd care to share with Aunty?

Fan Mail and Andorra

Ever since The Wild Sight was offered as a free download back in March, all three of my books have experienced an upsurge in sales of their ebook versions. I'm thrilled, of course, because that means more readers are finding and enjoying my stories.

This is the reason I write -- to entertain readers!

A nice benefit of gaining new readers is receiving fan mail. Hearing from readers really does make all the other hassles that go with being a published author worthwhile! When someone takes the time to send me a note to tell me they liked one of my stories, I am so very gratified!

NO! I never get tired of getting fan mail as one reader asked not long ago. While it is true that I don't receive lots of mail, I can't imagine a time when I wouldn't be excited to hear from readers. For example, last week I got a post card from Andorra!

I've wanted to visit this tiny country on the mountainous border between Spain and France for years. I first learned of Andorra's existence when I was a young teen and read Mary Stewart's book Thunder on the Right, which is set in the Pyrenees near that area.

Well, one of my readers went on vacation there recently and she took a copy of The Wild Sight on her Kindle to read while on her holiday. And she was nice enough to send me a post card while she was there.

So BIG THANX to Hidi! And to everyone who has taken the time to write to me and let me know that you read one of my books and liked it! I truly appreciate your support more than I can say. Please keep those cards, letter, and emails coming!

What is the last out-of-the-way place you visted? Or maybe there's one on your list of places to see? Please share with Aunty and the rest of us!

Trish Milburn and Living In Color

My good friend and Bandita, Trish Millburn has a new book out, a lovely "women's fiction" story called Living in Color. It is available on Amazon for Kindle and Barnes & Noble for Nook. Since Trish was nice enough to "blog sit" for me in the past while I was off cruising, I couldn't resist the opportunity to have her back while I was actually here to enjoy her visit!

Welcome back, Trish!

Thanks for having me back, Cindy. Always fun to hang out with you.

Please tell us a bit about Living in Color. Was there something in particular that inspired you to write this story?

Here’s the blurb for the book:

After the death of her father, Sabrina Bishop offers to take her mother on a road trip to expose her to a world she’s never seen in her sheltered, abuse-filled life. The trip becomes a journey of unexpected healing and self-discovery not only for her mother, but for Sabrina as well.

I really like road trips, long stretches of road where you can see all kinds of things that you can’t when you fly over them. I also thought about all those hours in a car is a good time to have lengthy conversations, so the idea for a story about a mother and daughter with a strained relationship popped into my head. During their travels, they find out things about each other and themselves that they never expected.

This book is a bit of a departure from your previously published books. Do you have more women’s fiction in mind for your readers?

I’ve written one other women’s fiction book that I need to go back over again. It’s been a while since I’ve looked at it, but it’s a story I really like too, one of those coming-back-home-from-the-place-you-fled stories. And now that I’ve dipped my toe into the women’s fiction waters, I’m sure my brain will be looking for new ideas for stories.

What’s next up for you in terms of books?

Right now, I’m in the midst of revising the first book in a new trilogy coming from Harlequin American, probably in 2012. Then it’s quickly on to revising the second book and finishing writing the third. I’ll also be working on some young adult projects too. So, busy, busy, busy.

I know you love visiting National Parks. Did any of your real life experiences make their way into this story?

Two of the places Sabrina and Ruby visit in Living in Color are Mt. Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. So I was able to use descriptions of those places from my personal memorial, particularly Yellowstone, which is one of my absolute favorite places. Though it’s not a National Park, they also end up visiting the Gulf Coast of Florida, another of my favorite places. It’s so much easier to write about places you’ve been.

Which National Park that you haven’t yet visited is at the top of your ‘bucket list?’

Oh, so many of them. I’d say the top two are the Grand Canyon and Yosemite in the continental U.S., and all of those gorgeous, enormous parks in Alaska.

Having been to both the Grand Canyon and Yosemite, Aunty can vouch that they are indeed FABULOUS and actually live up to all their hype! I've only been on the coast of Alaska (yes, on a cruise) and it was breath-taking, so I'm sure the interior will be equally stunning.

What about the rest of you? Have any road trips planned for the near future? What about those on the top of your 'Bucket List?' Please share with us!

The Tax Man Cometh

"Let me tell you how it will be; There's one for you, nineteen for me. " Taxman by George Harrison

We're coming down to the wire. This is the last week before Federal (and in most cases State) taxes are due. I know plenty of people who have not only already filed their taxes, but have already received (and in most cases spent) their refunds. I've never been quite so organized. But I am happy to report that I did mail off both my tax returns a few days ago. I'm getting a small refund from the Feds and an even smaller one from the State. In fact, my refund from the State will cost more to process than the amount of money involved but, by gosh, it's MY MONEY and I want it back.

Paying taxes is a hot topic and always has been. I mean, our forefathers rebelled against the mother country over "taxation without representation." Can't get much more American than that! I remember when my son was around ten or eleven, I had to explain to him why we pay taxes. The conversation went something like this:

He: Why do we have to pay taxes anyway?
Me: See all those nice roads and freeways? Taxes pay for those. That nice park you like to go to with your friends to play? Taxes pay for it to be clean, the grass cut, and the equipment to be in good repair.
He: (thoughtfully) Really? Okay, I guess we should pay taxes.

If only it really were that straightforward. The California state tax return has a whole list of charitable organizations that you can donate all or part of your refund to. If only they had a list of places you could designate where your tax dollars went! I don't think any local roads, parks, schools, fire and police protection would be strapped for funds if there were. Unfortunately, taxes tend to be more like George Harrison's song:

if you drive a car, - I’ll tax the street;
if you try to sit, - I’ll tax your seat;
if you get too cold, - I’ll tax the heat;
if you take a walk, - I'll tax your feet.

And I don't even want to think about the consequences of NOT paying your taxes.

Many years ago, my ex decided to get 'creative' with a few of our deductions and we wound up being audited. The memory still throws me into a cold sweat. Trust me when I say that every horror story you've heard about audits are TRUE! That's why whenever I am asked what I'm afraid of, I always answer the IRS! After all, the notorious gangster Al Capone was brought up on many, many charges, but the only one the authorities ever made stick was tax evasion.

If the IRS brought down Capone, then you better believe I am afraid of them!

Have you paid your taxes yet? Did you get a refund? If you have to pay, do you wait until the last minute, like I do?

Rita Finalist Kendra Leigh Castle

Friday, March 25th was an exciting day for romance writers everywhere, because that was the day the finalists were announced in the Golden Heart and Rita contests -- the two BIGGIES in the world of romance!

This year, I was thrilled when I learned that my buddy Kendra Leigh Castle is a Rita Finalist in the Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure category! So without further adieu, here's Kendra talking about being a Rita finalist...

Thanks for letting me come over to celebrate, Aunty Cindy! I’m still doing the Dance of Joy. Well, okay, it’s more like a really happy shuffle by now, but I’m still really excited.

Did I sit around on Friday the 25th wishing for my very own “You’re a RITA finalist” call? Well, duh, yeah. But did I actually expect to GET a call? Nope.

Don’t get me wrong. RENEGADE ANGEL is a book I’m very proud of, one of those stories that showed up in my imagination and insisted I write it right now (and of course, I was writing a contracted book at the time, so it gave me fits trying to hold a big, bossy fallen angel at bay while I worked on something else that people were, you know, paying me for).

But lots of amazing authors enter the RITAs. Finaling isn’t something you expect. It’s just something you dream of, something you hope for. I’ll tell you what, though. Dreaming of how it would feel to have a member of the RWA board call me up and tell me my book was a RITA finalist was nowhere near as amazing as having it actually happen.

I’m never going to forget the sound of Jeanne Adams’ voice, and how lovely it was to have someone to be excited with me in that moment. She’ll probably remember me as the least coherent finalist she spoke with…I have vague memories of my mouth opening and increasingly high-pitched sounds coming out of it. And some words, which may or may not have made sense when strung together. I’m thinking “not”. Still, she was very nice. And I’m glad I waited until I hung up to sound my barbaric yawp (complete with booty-shaking victory dance).

RENEGADE ANGEL is a book that means a lot to me, for a few reasons. It marked a new chapter in my fledgling writing career, the beginning of my relationship with Harlequin (which is awesome, btw), and apart from all that, was just a hell of a lot of fun to write. Raum will probably always be one of my favorite heroes—see the picture I used for his inspiration and try not to melt—and I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that he’s found a way to get even more attention for his big, black-winged self.

It isn’t really important whether or not I win. I mean, yeah, I would love to! But right now, I’m just busy being honored that I’ve been singled out among all my amazing peers for contributing something special. Thanks for letting me share my excitement with you!

Thank YOU, Kendra for sharing your story and your very YUMMY hero with us! Oh, and thanks for telling us about your call from my lovely Bandita Le Duchesse, Jeanne. Actually, Aunty would be curious to hear that yawp and see your booty-shaking victory dance. If you do win (and my fingers are xxed that you will!), will you do an even more vigorous version of that dance? Will sequins be involved?!?!

Do any of you readers have any suggestions for Kendra when she goes up on stage to claim her Rita award on July 1st? Any dance moves or costume suggestions?

I happen to know that Kendra is taking her dad as her date for the big awards ceremony, but if you could go, who would you ask to go with you? And what would you wear?

Too Lion-ish!

Just three weeks ago, I was musing that March didn't know if it was coming in like a Lion or a Lamb. Unfortunately, it soon made its intentions known...

This month has been waaaay too Lion-ish for me! To say the weather has been nasty would be a gross understatement. We've had TWO tornadoes touch down in my neck o' the woods, something UNHEARD OF in NorCal! Please excuse me while I whine:

WHERE THE HECK IS SPRING?!?!?

I don't remember previous years being so wet and blustery. My son and I went to lunch and then grocery shopping a few days ago and the rain was coming down so hard we could have been in a car wash! Then the winds would gust and send it sideways, so an umbrella was worse than useless. My favorite local weatherman said last night that our rainfall is at 157% of normal.

ENOUGH ALREADY!

When I first moved to this area more than three decades ago, I visited the Donner Memorial State Park. I'll never forget seeing the "stumps" of trees the ill-fated Donner party used for firewood, because those "stumps" were fifteen feet tall! That's how deep the snow was at their camp back in the winter of 1846-47.

Well, last night on the local news, they reported that a ski area about 60 miles east of my house had six hundred inches of snow! Yes, you read that correctly, OVER FIFTEEN METERS (for you metric readers and 50 FEET for the rest of us)! People literally can not find their vacation homes. Here's a shot of one of the main roadways less than an hour's drive from my house.

Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere near all that snow. I'm too busy worrying about the Sacramento River, which is less than two miles away. It went over its "critical" stage last night. ACK!

But all the local weather forecasters are in agreement that the winter storms are over and spring will arrive before the end of the week. I'm not so sure I believe them.

Has spring (or fall) arrived at your house? And do you believe the TV meteorologists?

Smells Like Home

The DH and I have been down and out with an upper respiratory "crud" for two weeks. Luckily, my son was able to come over and help us out with the dogs, run errands, and he even cooked dinner one night.

My son is actually a pretty good cook when he puts his mind to it. I started teaching him to prepare meals when he was in junior high school, because that's when I started to learn myself. I taught him the old stand-bys like mac & cheese and mashed potatoes. Plus, I passed along some old family favorites like my grandmother's recipes for Spanish rice and meatloaf.

I knew I was on the road to recovery when my stuffy head cleared enough for me to smell the delicious scent of Gramma's meatloaf wafting through the house. AHHH! I've heard more than one real estate agent say that before they hold an open house, the homeowner should bake something that smells great, like cookies. Just the scent of something tasty will leave the buyers with a more positive impression of the house. I have to agree!

I'll never forget one particular Thanksgiving when I went to visit some very good friends who had recently relocated from California to Savannah, Georgia. My friend had a new range with a special timer feature. She prepared and stuffed the turkey late that night and set the timer to start baking. There were several over-night guests and I had slept on the couch. At about 7 AM I was awakened by the most heavenly smells of roasting turkey! YUM!

Another smell I associate with childhood holidays is my mother's yeasty rolls. They were a real hassle to make since you had to let the dough rise, punch it down, and let it rise again. All that on top of the rest of the meal and trying to ride herd over four kids was why she only made them about twice a year. Usually at Easter and either Thanksgiving or Christmas. The scent of them cooking was fantastic!

I've only attempted her roll recipe once. Unfortunately, my oven didn't heat evenly and they came out like rocks. After all that work I said NEVER AGAIN! But if I drive by the local bakery at just the right time, I can still catch a whiff of that wonderful smell.

What about you? Are there certain smells that bring back fond childhood memories? What are your favorite scents when you or someone else is cooking?

The Wild Sight Is #1!

I'm so excited, I had to share the news.

Yesterday I discovered that the Kindle edition of The Wild Sight is being offered for FREE on Amazon. Plus, it was #1 on the Free Kindle Bestseller list!

Seeing one of MY books on a Bestseller List -- ANY bestseller list is a huge thrill!

If you don't own a copy of The Wild Sight (or even if you do) hop on over to Amazon and download a free copy. And, of course, if you decide to buy Kindle editions of my other two books, that would be GREAT too.

Do you pay attention to bestseller lists? Ever read books just because they are on a list? Do you buy and read electronic books?

Lion? Lamb? Goats?

My grandmother used to quote that old saying, "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb." Or "March comes in like a lamb and goes out like a lion."

So far, I can't tell which it is this year because the weather can't seem to make up its mind! We've had bright sunshine one day and blustery wind and rain the next.

I usually like the month of March because it is changeable. It isn't spring, but it isn't exactly winter either. I always think of the lines from the ee cumminngs poem:

in Just-
spring when the world is mud-
luscious

That sounds like March to me.

But, lion or lamb? Decide already!

Okay, maybe it is neither... Maybe it is GOATS!

My sister lives on a two acre parcel in rural Oklahoma and in addition to her dog and two cats, she also has chickens and goats (the little pygmy kind). Actually, it all started when someone who works with her husband was moving and gave him four chickens and a male goat. Well, since they had to build a chicken coop for just four chickens, they went ahead and bought six more baby chicks at the feed store.

Fast forward a few months, my sister has become well acquainted with the people who run the feed story, so they know she has a pygmy goat, Stinky. One day the clerk tells her someone else in the area is looking to give away a female pygmy goat. Since my sister has never met a stray animal she didn't adopt, Honey moved in. Well, I bet you can guess what happened last spring...
Honey and Stinky had a baby boy whom my sister christened Trouble. And that is how my sister became an accidental goatherd!

So the count was up to one dog, two cats, ten chickens and three goats... UNTIL LAST WEEK! You guessed it, Honey and Stinky became parents again. My sister was hoping for twins, but oh no. Honey had TRIPLETS! Three little baby girl goats! I know goats often have twins, but apparently triplets are fairly common too. So my sister's goat herd doubled over-night!

March definitely came in like a goat in Oklahoma!

At this point, the triplets are still unnamed. My sister didn't like my suggestion of naming them Inky (one is black), Dinky, and Blinky. Do you have any suggestions for names? And how has your March started?

Academy Awards

Sunday night is the big awards show -- the Academy Awards or the Oscars.

Of course I'll be watching. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to see all those celebs in their fashion do's and don'ts. Okay, mostly I like the don'ts, so horribly fascinating.

But I do love movies, though these days I watch almost exclusively at home on DVD. I used to try and watch all the films nominated for Best Picture. However, since I've become a DVD watcher rather than a movie goer, I usually don't see everything. Plus, the academy went and doubled the number of films nominated so I've definitely faced an uphill battle the past couple of years.

This year, I've actually managed to see five of the ten nominated pictures:
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
Winter's Bone

From what I've heard and read, none of these are front runners to take home the Oscar for Best Picture. In fact, everyone I know who has seen The King's Speech has LURVED it. If it wins (as is predicted), I guess I won't be disappointed.

Of the five I've seen, Inception is the most likely winner, in my opinion, but I honestly don't think it is "Best Picture" worthy. Winter's Bone might be, but such small budget movies almost never take home the Oscar. Ditto on animated features, even though of the five contenders I've seen, I have to admit Toy Story 3 is my favorite of the bunch!

TS3 has wonderfully likable characters and a charming story line that teaches some powerful and important lessons without being preachy. Now honestly, what more can you ask of a film?

I'm sure I'd have enjoyed Inception more if I'd seen it on a big screen. All those mind-blowing special effects lost some of their oomph on my TV. On the other hand, I doubt I could have followed the extremely complicated and convoluted plot in the theater. As it was, I found myself hitting "rewind" several times because there was so much going on that I knew I'd missed some key ingredients. Also, by the last third of the movie, I found myself tracking what was going on out loud so that I could keep up with all the various layers and simultaneous happenings. I doubt anyone sitting near me in a theater would have appreciated my mutterings.

I did not share the critics' LURVE of The Social Network. Like Inception, it went on way too long, I could have easily edited 30 minutes out without losing a bit of story. And speaking of the story line, this one suffered from non-linear telling. The device of revealing the main story through flashbacks from two different legal proceedings felt way too cumbersome to me. Not that I would have enjoyed a straight forward telling much better because I simply did not like any of the characters. Worse, I had a hard time distinguishing who was who most of the time, and so did the DH who fell asleep halfway through and when I woke him up said, "Don't bother, it's just not holding my interest."

We both had a similar reaction to The Kids Are All Right. The title pretty much covered it -- all right. Basically, this was a cozy and well-done story of a family and how each member deals with the almost-grown children finding their birth father. The fact that the main couple at the nucleus of the story are homosexual women might have been new and different, or even controversial twenty years ago. But today? Not really, at least not for me or anyone else I know who saw the film. It was an enjoyable, if predictable, movie. But Oscar worthy? I didn't think so.

Finally, what can I say about Winter's Bone besides OMGosh?!?! I won't be forgetting this gripping and intense film for quite awhile. I happen to think it takes a lot to shock me and make me uncomfortable, but this movie did it. However, the gritty and graphic realism of this film will probably be too much for a lot of audience members, and I must admit, I thought it crossed the line into unnecessarily gross in more than one scene. Winter's Bone was one of those films that part of me hoped like heck wasn't totally realistic, while another part of me knew it was.

So there are my subjective opinions of some of the Best Picture nominees. What about you? Which movies have you seen lately and which do you think deserve the Best Picture award?

Elephant Seals

About a month ago the DH and I drove to the central California coast. At the time, it was cold, wet and miserable here at home and we knew the coast would be sunny.

While there, we stopped off at a beach near Piedras Blancas lighthouse to see the elephant seals. Every year the seals start arriving around the end of November and stay through most of March. December and January are when most of the calves are born and the beach is so crowded with seals that you can hardly see the sand.

You can see in this shot that there's still a bit of room left on the beach. However, by now (mid-Feb.) there probably isn't! The seals tend to stay in groups. One male will have all the females in his harem close to him.

Here are a couple of female elephant seals and the smaller, darker one is a baby. This baby is probably a couple of weeks old. To give you a bit of perspective, the female elephant seals weigh around 1500 pounds or three-quarters of a ton. The males are about three times larger than the females -- yes around 5,000 pounds or roughly the size as an SUV! They are named elephant seals for a reason!

The babies weigh about 70 pounds at birth and quadruple their weight in a month. One of the park rangers told me that for every pound the baby gains, the mother loses two. YIKES! That is one diet I'll gladly skip.

Here's one more photo of that crowded beach. These are the first photos with my new camera so I'm trying them out here on the blog.

Notice the lovely blue sky and the relatively calm ocean. Both were a welcome reprieve from our dreary January.



LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO NOT BE AT THE BEACH!

Where In The World Is Tokelau?

I have a data collection program attached to my website (www.LoucindaMcgary.com), and one of the things it collects is the country where visitors to my site are located. I have to admit to being such a big geek that I check the thing several times a week because I get a real thrill when I see hits from places I've never been, like Bulgaria and Malaysia (those were both listed this week)!

Well this week, a first happened for me. I got a website 'hit' from a place I'd never heard of!

If you've spent more than five minutes on this blog, then I don't have to tell you what a travel fanatic yer olde Aunty truly is. Plus, I've been to places that many of my friends and relatives scratch their heads over, not to mention my plans to visit at least a score more that almost nobody puts on their destination list. So for me NOT to have heard of someplace it must be pretty darn remote!

So WHERE in the world IS Tokelau?!?!

Turns out it is three tiny coral atolls located about 300 miles north of Samoa in the South Pacific. (Yes, I looked it up!) The three little islands have a combined population of about 1500 people.

Tokelau is a territory of New Zealand and receives support from there. That also means that some English is spoken in Tokelau because it is taught as a second language in the schools. Plus, a large number of Tokelauans live in New Zealand -- more than actually live on the islands!

Maybe that is where someone on Tokelau heard of me? They visited New Zealand and saw or heard about one of my books? Or someone went to visit their relatives on Tokelau and just happened to be surfing the net and wound up on my website?

However it happened, I am astounded at the very idea that someone on a tiny island in the South Pacific might have heard of me! Okay, I'm resisting the urge to start humming "It's a Small World!"

Have you ever heard of Tokelau? Any other unusual place you know about that might be new to yer olde Aunty?

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Happy Chinese New Year!

I've been to Chinatown in San Francisco (the largest in the US) many times around Chinese New Year and I always thought the signs in the windows that said Gung Hay Fat Choy meant Happy New Year. Um... not really.

About twenty years ago (gosh, can't believe it's been that long), I had a Chinese exchange student live with me for a year. "Ray" (the Americanized name he used) was from Shanghai, and when I said Gung Hay Fat Choy to him he gave me a funny look (actually he gave me a lot of funny looks in the time he lived with me, but that's another story).

I said, "Doesn't that mean Happy New Year?"

He said, "No, it means 'I hope you will be rich.'"

To which I replied, "That would make my year very happy!"

He laughed and agreed.

Anyway, this is the Year of the Rabbit (or hare). One of the twelve animal signs of the Chinese zodiac. I was born in the Year of the Rabbit so I feel like this is "my year!" In case you aren't familiar with the twelve animals (most Chinese restaurants here in California have them somewhere -- placemats, menus, posters on the wall) they are:
Rat
Ox
Tiger
Rabbit
Dragon
Snake
Horse
Goat
Monkey
Rooster
Dog
Pig

According to one Chinese zodiac site I visited, those born in the year of the Rabbit are popular, compassionate, sincere, and they avoid conflict. They also like to be surrounded by friends and family. Now honestly, who doesn't? And who would argue with that description?

This same site says Rabbits are good communicators and good careers for them include actor, teacher, fashion designer, or writer! Okay, looks like they got that one right.

Interestingly enough, my DH was also born in the year of the Rabbit... or maybe not. His birthday always falls very close and sometimes ON Chinese New Year. So it's possible he's actually a Tiger, which would explain a lot... Oh, and careers for Tigers include artist.

What is your Chinese zodiac sign? Ever been to a Chinese New Year celebration? Please share the details. Oh, and gung hay fat choy -- I really do hope you'll be rich!

Ask Not... 50 Years Later

Yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's inauguration.

What a shock to think this happened a whole half-century ago!

I am one of that ever-shrinking number of people who were around in 1961 and actually remember the inauguration. Well, parts of it anyway.

I was in third grade and my teacher Mrs. Smith took our class to her house (she lived three blocks from the school so we walked) to watch the event on her television. Before we left she told all of us to pay careful attention to an old man who would be reading a poem. She said, "His name is Robert Frost, and he won't be alive very much longer."

And that's exactly what I remember from the inauguration -- an old, thin man with a shock of white hair. The wind blew his paper away, but he kept talking. I don't remember seeing the President take the oath of office, or hearing him deliver his famous, "Ask not what your country can do for you..." speech. I don't remember seeing Jackie or anyone else standing near him.

But I remember Robert Frost.

Mrs. Smith was right too, Robert Frost died two years later in 1963. I also keenly remember that terrible day in 1963 when Kennedy was assassinated. But that is a sad story for another time.

What historical events do you remember from your childhood?

Happy Birthday Aunt Liz!

Yesterday, my DH's Aunt Liz celebrated her 91st birthday and I wanted to take a moment to send her a few cyber good wishes!

I've been truly lucky to have this remarkable lady in my life for over twenty years!

Liz grew up during a time when not many people went to college, especially women. But she did, and took her degree from the University of California, Berkeley just after World War II broke out here in the States. Immediately after college graduation, Liz joined the government to do her part for the war effort. She wound up as a civilian inspector of munitions trains in Slidell, Louisiana. After the war, she settled in Flagstaff, Arizona and married a college professor.

During the 1960s Aunt Liz was a single mom who went back to school, got her teaching credential and taught 3rd and 4th grades. In the summer, she would take her two kids and her nephew (my DH) on camping trips to places like The Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Zion National Parks.

By the time I met Liz in 1989, she had retired after 20+ years of teaching. She had an active life that included membership in the Sierra Club and the San Francisco Opera. An avid hiker, tennis player and bird watcher, she also continued to travel. Liz was instrumental in helping my DH overcome his fear of flying and she traveled with us a lot, including our first trip to Turkey, a couple of forays to Europe, and once to China. In fact, Liz enjoyed China so much that a couple of years after we traveled there, she went back on her own to see the Xian warriors and cruise the 3 Gorges area of the Yangtze River!

These days, Liz spends most of her time at home enjoying her flower garden and playing with her cats Sammy and Ralphie.

So HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Liz! You have enriched my life beyond measure and I hope to stay around for many more years!

Do you have a special friend or relative who has reached a milestone birthday? Please share some stories with Aunty!