One Handsome Cowboy - George Canyon

A couple of week-ends ago, I worked an event where this man was the headline entertainment.

A down home Canadian originally from the province of Nova Scotia, his career and love story is definitely one of romance novels.

Originally employed as an IT, he worked his butt off for nine years to still do singing gigs in a country rock band while providing for his wife and two children. When the band broke up, he decided to return to a normal life. According to his bio, his wife said, "Nuh-uh!" and encouraged him to go solo. In 2003, he auditioned on Nashville Star and nearly won. Eventually, he signed with RCA records and recorded

in Nashville. And the rest is history....

If you haven't heard of him - well I'm proud to be called a Canadian alongside this burning hunk

of man!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABa2-lqErPs&feature=fvsr

And if you haven't heard his voice yet - click on the link to hear him sing a cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire". *swoon*

I'm soooo Thor!

Okay, I'm assuming it's my turn to blog because it's a day late! Like we used to tell our sister during a card game..."If you have to ask whose turn it is...just assume it's yours!" Sorry!

Since I'm getting this done in a hurry, I'm going to return to the subject I discussed on the board a few weeks back. Mr. Chris Hemsworth and his lovely portrayal of the hunky mythical hero, Thor. Not much to say other than he looked damn good.

How about that shot I told y'all about...the low cut jeans...I know, right?

Here's another one shirtless...slightly closer.




Okay, let's have a close up...three day growth of beard, black and white, sexy as all get out. Just for you, Jenn. :)





And last, but certainly not least, is the tuxedo shot. Oh my, my, my...he certainly cleans up nicely, doesn't he?



So, if you gals find yourselves with nothing better to do on an afternoon...go see this movie. It won't win any oscars, but it will entertain you. And Chris Hemsworth is worth the price of a ticket. I thought it was fun.

Enjoy!
Lori

It's Conference Season! Are you ready?

I just returned from my first conference of 2011, the Lori Foster Event in Ohio. Gotta say I had a fantastic time, met lots of new people and got some valuable networking done. So on the drive home I began to wonder what kinds of things people hope to achieve when they attend a conference.

I'm guessing the number one reason an aspiring author attends is to pitch to an agent or editor. So if you fall into that category, do you have your pitches ready? Pitches? Plural? Yes, you should have one very brief pitch ready --sometimes called the Elevator Pitch -- in case the opportunity presents itself. **NOTE- Following an agent or editor into the bathroom is not opportunity. It's stalking! **  And then you should have a full pitch ready for your scheduled pitch appointments. And practice these until you can mix and match and just talk with ease about your story.

Maybe you are attending because although you are already published, you have some serious networking to do. Well, my dears, you can't do that by staying in your room. Get out there! Stay out there! Talk. Go to the bar. Hang out. Smile. Show interest in others. Ask: "What do you write?" or "Is this your first conference?". Just remember to be courteous. Some people with turn their name badges backwards as a signal they don't want to mingle at that moment. Respect that. Watch body language. If two people are huddled in a whisper, that is not the time to approach.

Finally, is your wardrobe ready? You need to dress for success. Shorts and T-shirt do not scream I take myself seriously as an author. Hey, I know conferences get expensive. But business-casual is fine. Think basic; think simple elegance. Black dress pants. These could be worn twice with different blouses. Throw in a black or gray skirt and you've already got 3 days covered. Interchangeable items like that will not only save you money when buying but now that airlines charge per bag, you won't have to pack as much. Jewelry, jewelry, jewelry! Take a few different pieces -- no it doesn't have to be real. There is some beautiful and trendy necklaces/bracelets out there now for cheap. Use that to your advantage.  Shoes. Know this: By the time I left the RWA conference last year, I had 8 band-aids on various toes. So if you don't walk in heels everyday, find some pretty flats and save yourself the pain. You can save the heels for the awards dinner! At least then if you have a blister(s) you're going home the next day:)

Jacqui Nelson & me at Award Dinner

So what to you hope to get out of conference season this year? Whatever it is, I wish you luck. And remember, you really do get out of it what you put into it!

Hugs:)

Revenge Of The Nerds

With the recent storms and being without electricity, I couldn't help but think of how our society has come to rely heavily on those nifty gadgets of ours and the tech geeks or nerds who handle those devices so well.  You know exactly who I'm talking about.  There's always the guy or gal who knows all about the latest electronics and how to use them effectively. 

Unfortunately, I'm not so computer or tech savvy.  I'm not the slowest in that regard but definitely not the 'know how' gal over it either.  Yet, it comforts me when a competent tech guy can lend me his knowledge when I'm the damsel in distress while shopping at Best Buy or Circuit City. 
 
I couldn't help but think of some of my favorite tech geeks or nerds in literature or TV.  Since I recently read, JR Ward's 'Lover Unleashed', Vishous instantly comes to mind.  Although his story is 'Lover Unbound', he is featured quite a bit throughout Ward's recent release.  He's the type of vampire who can kick those pesky villians' assess while hacking into the Pentagon.  Yeah, he's that good.  And did I mention he's hot as hell... *sigh*

Willow from 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' gathered invaluable information for the slayer while assisting her with protecting the citizens of Sunnydale.  And let's not forget the extra boost she gave to her friends when she played around with the dark magic.  Yep, that witch could download faster than you can say Bill Gates. 

Val Kilmer played one hot nerd in the 1980's movie 'Real Genuis'.  He might not have been the computer brains in the movie, but his intelligence and wit made me scream with delight.  I believe that's when I first fell in love with him.

There are several tech geeks or nerds we've fallen in love with over the years. Whether it's for their product knowledge, corky personalities, or sexy thumb drives.  Well, who's your geek love?

Pirates

I admit it. I had a thing for pirates long before Johnny Depp played a very swoon-worthy Jack Sparrow. It all began when I read Johanna Lindsey’s Malory series in high school. It so happens that I used to babysit my cousins frequently and my aunt would let me raid her box of romance novels hidden in her closet after they went to sleep. She had the entire Malory series up at that time and I devoured a new book each time the kids went to bed. My favorite was the Gentle Rogue (don't you love the 80s Fabio cover?), which took place on a ship and the heroine was disguised as a cabin boy. So now you know how my love of pirates started, but more importantly, what is their appeal?

To me, the attraction isn’t the hat, the billowing shirts (although tight breeches are a plus), the scars, the drinking or the dirtiness of living on a ship. Instead, it is the attitude that a pirate has; the typical devil may care attitude. The attitude in which he takes what he wants and leaves behind what he doesn’t. It is the cheeky gins, the wicked sense of humor, the rough and rugged exterior (such as that sun bronzed skin and the windblown hair). Not to mention, the agility that a pirate must possess in order to climb the rigging, balance on a rocking ship, brandish a sword against the enemy or, well you know, rescue the damsel in distress. Let’s face it. I am a klutz and would go overboard, so he should have good reflexes.

I haven't seen Pirates 4 yet, but I hope to soon. However, I am in the middle of another great pirate-ish novel, Surrender of a Siren by Tessa Dare, and the hero, Mr. Benedict Grayson, is a privateer attempting to go respectable. Love it!

So in honor of a new Pirates of the Caribbean move out this past weekend and fabulous pirate romance novels everywhere, what are some of your favorite pirates?

Better Late Than Never

I'd like to say some dastardly villain plotted to keep me from posting on my week for the ACA blog, but that just isn't the case.  I just got off-kilter, plain and simple.  Once I figured it out though, I knew exactly what I wanted to talk about.

My last post was about the tortured hero, but today's post is about the other guy.  The guy we love to hate.  You know--the villain.  Turns out, the villain has to be as rounded as the hero, but bad--bad to the bone.  Even if the audience doesn't know why he's as rotten as he is, as the writer, it's important to have a reason for his bad behavior.  A great resource that covers character traits for both good and bad characters is The Writer's Guide to Character Traits by Linda Edelstein.

Let me clarify, I'm not talking about "bad boys."  We love those guys, and being the amazing heroine's we are, with enough looovve, we can reform "bad boys."  But, the villain, well, he's just plain nasty.

Yet, that doesn't mean the villain has to be bad looking.  Sometimes, the villain is too sexy, and women can get drawn in before they realize the danger.  Usually though, our heroine gets an inkling that something's not quite right and maybe it's the crazed look in his eye or the way he tries to control every little thing, she usually figures out he's a villain.

Here are a few of my most memorable, handsome villains:

What other villains do you love to hate?

Happy Writing!

Cherie
http://www.cheriemarks.blogspot.com
http://www.sherrycahill.blogspot.com

So I'm a hopeless romantic.......shoot me!

Yes, of course I'm talking about the Royal Wedding, who hasn't been for the past week? The preparations, the ring, the historical church, the famed city, the princes that have grown up before our very eyes, the sentimentality of their mother, the royal family itself, and the commoner.......wait, the commoner? Of course, Kate, the commoner, the one woman who has changed her life with the acceptance of marriage to her prince.

The fact of Kate being a commoner, and her and William's love story, only adds to the enticing quality of this tale. The woman that was normal, now isn't, and never will be again, but do you think that her loss of privacy will matter? Probably not, not since she married a man she has known for over 8 years, so she knows and has known for a while now, exactly what she was getting herself into. But even with basically NO knowledge of how to handle the press, I must say that she handled herself beautifully, and has always, since she has stepped out with her man.

What is the draw of all of this? What pulls in almost everyone to this story? What caused thousands upon thousands of people to cry, cheer and watch with tears in their eyes as this couple got married?

I believe it is because we all know we have witnessed a true Fairy Tale this past week.

A commoner, a plain, unassuming young woman somehow snagged the attention and love of a prince, and she said yes.

And, we all remember those tow-headed little boys, especially William, when we were growing up alongside of them. And we also remember the pain, the heartbreak when their mother passed. We all watched how they had to man up and take control of their future.

Now William has manned up and taken his wife, a beautiful, regal, and sympathetic woman who shows great promise in becoming another memorable princess, and duchess.

I watched Friday night (via DVR) this beautiful ceremony. I watched Kate, regally resplendant in her Grace Kelly inspired dress, as she greeted her handsome husband to be down the aisle. I watched William as he told her she was beautiful and then bit his lip, just like his mother used to do when she was nervous. I watched the royal sucession of vehicles back to the Palace. And then that kiss.......then another.

I watched and my heart felt heavy and full.......and happy.

Now to get us all teary eyed, I'm going to post this so that you can all read how beautiful it is.....





Five months ago, when Prince William announced to the world that he'd given Kate Middleton a ring, he made it clear that only one other woman mattered as much to him.

It's my mother's engagement ring." He told the press of the sapphire and diamond heirloom. "Obviously she's not going to be around for the fun and excitement of it all---this was my way of keeping her close to everything."

Nine days ago, while the rest of the world was fixated on their upcoming nuptiuals, Will and Kate took a boat ride to his mother's final resting place. The couple spent a quiet day at Lady Di's remote burial spot, and walking the grounds of the nearby arberetom where they had planted trees beside their mother as boys. "It was very important for William and Kate to visit his mum before the wedding day," a royal insider told a reporter for the mirror. "Diana is still a huge part of her boy's day to day life, and always will be." This was particularly true today, as William bit his lip nervously, standing at the altar with his bride, just as his mother did on her wedding day. It was a reminder of the millions who've watched the prince become a man, he's still his mother's son.





And what this all boils down to is this........

It is all about LOVE. Love is what Di gave to her sons. Love is what her sons had for her. Now Love is apparent in the Royal family again.

And it couldn't be more beautiful.

HUGS
Trish