Vixenwriter

So by way of all the things going on in my life - a combo type post might be just the trick. So behold Thirteen Things I’m Pretty Darned Pleased About!

1. I just sold a contemporary romance called Always to Samhain. Always will be out in April of 09!

2. I finished Fated and sent it to Angie last night!

3. I now have a title for notFallen - Relentless.

4. I’m totally pleased with the title change.

5. Laura Bradford pitched two projects for me in the last seven days

6. It’s a totally gorgeous day today

7. So I can send my kids outside when they get home from school

8. Chinese dumplings/potstickers. They’re like happiness in a little doughy pouch.

9. I got all my words done for the Sven Challenge (and there was a time when I wondered if I would)

10. Copy edits for Undercover arrived and at first glance they scared me but upon closer examination they’re not that bad

11. My husband finally gave in to my nagging and we’ll be getting a new couch

12. Frauke designed AWESOME postcards for me for Taking Care of Business!

13. Writing continues to make me happy and it challenges me but I’m finding after some struggles I can push myself to try new things (and they seem successful)

Bonus 14 - Love is love.

(as always, cupcakes, my husband, Gerard Butler and Clive Owen are on the list. Heh)

Thirteen Favorite Moments

In No Particular Order!

1. The birth of my first child. Long story short, it was scary but he was fine and my life forever changed in that moment.

2. Meeting my husband for the first time. Okay so I walked into his house (I knew one of his roomates) clapped eyes on him and two months later we had our own apartment and we just celebrated twenty-one years together. He’s been the best thing in my life.

3. When I found out I was pregnant with our third child. My entire life and plans went cattywompus.

4. Deciding to “give that writing thing a chance” when I was on bed rest with a high risk pregnancy of said third child.

5. Having child number two after a seriously high needs infant. I wasn’t sure I could do it again. I was terrified of having the same experience but he was such a sweet baby. He slept so well and didn’t turn into a hell child until he turned about 17 months or so, LOL.

6. Selling Triad to Ellora’s Cave. My first book and it was huge for me in so many ways. My life changed and I had no idea how much until I looked back a few years later.

7. Getting an email from this stranger named Laura Bradford. She’d read Triad and had this literary agency and did I want to talk? I gained an excellent agent who believes in me and a wonderful friend.

8. Signing up at livejournal. At livejournal I met Anya Bast. I read her stuff and was like, WOW!~ Then through her and some other writer type folks, I met Megan Hart. We knew each other online a bit and I picked Megan up from the airport for a conference here in Seattle. I’m a lucky chick to have such fab friends.

9. My first day of college. Actually all four years, but it was such a magical moment, important, life changing.

10. My graduation from law school.

11. Selling Stripped to Harlequin Spice - I really began to believe it might just actually happen. It was enough to get me through the next ten months of being rejected over and over in NY.

12. Selling Battlefront to Berkley Heat - a deal for a book that’s mine. Mine to make a success of or not.

13. Sending Giving Chase to Samhain. I’ve been so blessed to write there. I tried a new thing with contemporary romantic suspense and it worked. They took a chance on me and I on them and I’ve got a great publisher, a great editor and it’s made me a better writer.

There are other things like getting my first fan mail - but every time it happens I’m still as thrilled! May 11, 2005 when Triad released. When my dad beat his cancer. My first RT. My first booksigning. The first day of school for kiddo #1 and #2. My first wedding anniversary. My wedding day. The Grateful Dead/Bob Dylan show in summer of 87. The first campaign my husband and I worked on. The day we moved into our house. Driving into Washington state the first time. I’ve had a very blessed life so far.

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“Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us.” –Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, “The One Un-American Act.” Nieman Reports, vol. 7, no. 1 (Jan. 1953): p. 20.

THIRTEEN BOOKS THAT CHALLENGED MY PERCEPTIONS

1. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou.

2. A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines

3. My Son’s Story by Nadine Gordimer (or really, every Gordimer novel I’ve read)

4. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (I love Atwood’s writing. I find everything she writes has a deep, personal intensity so it always gets to me with an intimacy few other authors can achieve)

5. Grass by Sheri Tepper

6. Gate To Women’s Country by Sheri Tepper

7. Surfacing by Margaret Atwood. This is a short novel, not political, but intimate and filled with metaphor and a lot of truly raw moments. It’s one of those books you have to work for, because the book isn’t on the surface, it’s layered beneath.

8. Mists of Avalon by Marian Zimmer Bradley - I was in college when I read this and I remember staying up all night, fascinated by the pagan version of Arturian mythos. I love the idea of stories being told from an unfamiliar perspective. It shook me up and opened another world for me.

9. Oranges Aren’t The Only Fruit by Jeannette Winterson

10. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

11. Living In Truth by Vaclav Havel

12. Letter From The Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr.

13. The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper - this book, of all of the things I read as a kid, sticks with me because I think it was the first one that opened the world of epic fantasy to me. It’s still one of the best books I’ve ever read.

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THIRTEEN SONGS I’M CURRENTLY ADDICTED TO

1. Whitney Houston - It’s Not Right, But It’s Okay - Holy cripes do I love this song.

2. Chaka Khan - I’m Every Woman. Okay so yesterday I got all gushy about her here. I’ve done it before and I’m sure I’ll do it again. There’s no one like her. I love to turn this up loud and dance around the house with Morrigan. I can cast a spell, secrets you can tell…

3. Tool, Jambi - this is probably my very favorite Tool song (a feat I must say because I love Tool!) This one is on many a writing soundtrack. Oh the video is matched up with scenes from The 300. Mmmm, abtastic.

4. Tool - Forty Six and Two - my second favorite Tool song and more abtastic goodness…

5. The Donna’s Too Bad About Your Girl - sometimes simple, silly rock and roll hits the spot. I wish the Donnas got more media attention.

6. Goldfrapp - Ooh La La - god, another band who needs more attention. A friend turned me on to them a few years ago and once I heard Black Cherry how could I not fall in love. This one has become a recent favorite as I revised Stripped. I can totally see Dahlia dancing to this.

7. Depeche Mode - I Feel You. There’s pretty much always a DM song on my current obsession list. This week it’s this one.

8. Twista and Pharrel - Give It Up. Also on my Stripped tracklist.

9. MC Solaar, Ben Oui - don’t have any idea what he’s saying but it’s all in French and sounds so good. He’s probably ordering a burger or whatever, still sounds sexy.

10. Dudes, I love Reba. Like seriously totally love her. And she did this duets thing with Kelly Clarkson and they did Because of You and it’s just a fab song and makes me cry every time I hear it. But anyway, I’m not a huge country music fan but Reba is a great example of how great music is simply great music. I have to link because the video is disabled for embedding. But this one is on Reba’s recent release and so worth checking out.

11. Gwen Stefani - Wind Up - the bass drum in this song kicks ass.

12. Dave Matthews Band - Crash Into Me. Hike Up Your Skirt A Little More…And Show The World To Me…

13. And another bit of the 1980’s - Eurythmics - Here Comes The Rain. Annie Lennox has a voice that makes me always stop and listen. Beautiful. Click here to see the video

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THIRTEEN THINGS I’M THANKFUL FOR

1. My husband who brought me home a bouquet of exotic flowers when I got the offer on Vegas II this week.

2. My kids are, well, my kids and they’re all alive and full of kid-type goodness. My oldest is obsessed with Pokemon. And in that way a 10 year old boy can be obsessed which means it drives me insane. He starts telling me about this dream where he’s in a cave and suddenly it’s all about Pokemon and I groan.

“Dude. No Pokemon stuff.”
“But mom, it’s for school! I wrote an assignment about it.”
“No way. Don’t wanna hear it. Tell me about math.”
He tells me about Pokemon anyway!
“DUDE! I said no. I can’t take it. I’m going to have a seizure.”
“But it’s for school!”

3. My friends. I’m very blessed in my friends. People who have been with me even when things get rough, who celebrate when things are good and give me love when things are bad. Friends who’ll totally tell me if I have spinach in my teeth (metaphorically too) or if my dress is bunched in my tights. I’ve been making some new friends recently and that’s wonderful too.

4. My readers. Wow, what can I say? You are all so good to me and I wouldn’t be here celebrating all these contracts without your support.

5. Vegas II - I’d been in sort of a blues/funk space with my writing, or rather the publication aspect, feeling a bit stuck right on the verge. It’s not an eight book, six figure deal, but it came along right when I needed it and helps me continue to believe in myself and my work.

6. The cover for Vegas I - I can’t stop looking at it. I am jonesin to show it to everyone. All the authors in the anthology are so thrilled with this cover. It’s fun, sexy, young and sooooo pretty!

7. Music - I was talking to Ann Aguirre yesterday about MC Solaar and how much I loved French hip hop and now I’m on a renewed MC Solaar kick. I listened to Ben Oui over and over as I wrote last night. This novella will have a dance music oriented soundtrack. His stuff is hard to get here in the US but you can grab some of it at iTunes or find imports.

Here’s a bit from youtube - not a video but you can hear the song.

8. Wonderful books! I’ll talk about some of them tomorrow for Friday Booktalk

9. This writing gig in general. Five years ago I wouldn’t have imagined I’d be writing and making a real go of it.

10. TVGASM - I love their recaps. Since I don’t watch a lot of TV to make space to write, I can follow stuff by reading the hilarious recaps.

11. Planning for RT. I like dressing up. I like hanging out with readers and other authors. It’s one time I get to be Lauren without other contexts. I don’t have to worry about my kids and their schedule. I can just do my own thing and it’s a lot of fun. We’re hosting a reader party on Friday this year so I can’t wait.

12. Clive - He’s so pretty and yet, so masculine and there’s SUCH a bad boy in there. Yum. He inspires me.

13. Little things make me happy. Sure I want a big book deal, sure I want to win the lottery to pay off all our student loans so we can move into a bigger house, etc. But little things can still make me happy - a note from a friend, hearing an old song on the radio, pictures my kids draw, the smell of fall in the air, cupcakes.

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THIRTEEN THINGS I’M GRATEFUL FOR

I was thinking last night about how fortunate I am in so many ways…

1. My husband. I met my husband when we were both eighteen years old. We had an apartment together two months later and we’ve been together ever since. That’s twenty one years this year. He’s someone so special to me. We’ve had our rough spots but he never gave up, he’s always supported me and my passions. He’s a wonderful dad, a fabulous husband and my best friend.

2. My kids. Crazy. Annoying. Chaotic. Noisy. The best thing ever. My kids keep me grounded, remind me every day in a myriad of ways that the universe is about the future as well as the now. Remind me to see the joy in every day things.

3. My mom and dad. My parents kick ass. All the major important lessons about character I’ve learned have been through watching them. Parenting, how to have a strong, committed marriage, how to be a member of your community, how to be a good friend - it’s all there.

4. My friends. In the last years, I’ve had some unpleasant experiences with people I thought were friends but who weren’t . Still, during those times when it hurt, my real friends stood by me. A real friend will tell you when you’re being an ass, but who loves you enough to tell you. She’ll celebrate with you, pet you on the head when you’re down and listen to you prattle on and on about the agony of waiting to hear back from editors.

5. My readers - how blessed am I to have so many wonderful people in my life? My readers are the absolute best. They’re smart and funny and thank god for me, fiercely loyal. The notes I get, the time you all take to read my books and keep up with my writing is so amazing. Thank you.

6. My publishers.
Ellora’s Cave and more specifically, Martha Punches who read Triad and urged Raelene to give me a chance. I made my base, made my name at Ellora’s Cave. I’ve had a hell of a lot of freedom at EC to write my heart out. That’s priceless.

Samhain! I absolutely love writing for Samhain. Crissy is the bomb, she runs a kickass publishing house, she’s smart, savvy and has made Samhain incredibly supportive for her authors. Samhain gave me a wonderful place to call home and they make me grateful I write for them every single day.

Harlequin - distribution all over the planet? Check. Great covers? Check.

7. My editors. I’ll do this in alphabetical order…

Angie James - I sent her Giving Chase, something totally different than what I’d written before and she gave me a chance. She’s an amazing editor, no nonsense, tough, smart and I love her to death. Plus she makes me laugh. She believes in me.

Ann Leveille - I love Ann. She is so responsible for helping me become a better writer. Her notes and editing have been priceless guides and I am so fortunate to have her.

Susan Swinwood - I haven’t had a lot of editing from her yet, this is new but every single interaction I’ve had with her has been fabulous. Oh and she has a great sense of fashion and a sharp sense of humor!

8. My agent, Laura Bradford. I have to say up front just how much I love Laura Bradford. And not just because she let me bully her into dancing with us at RT, but because she believes in me. She believes in my writing. She works hard and is tireless for her authors. She’s kindhearted, smart, compassionate, no-nonsense, funny and on the ball. She’s a smart businesswoman and just an all around fabulous person

9. Other authors who go out of their way to be supportive and professional. Jaci Burton always comes to mind. She’s one of the first authors to welcome me to EC, she always has great advice and a supportive word. You never see her slag off other authors in public and she’s a tough cookie, she doesn’t let people run over her but she stands up for herself with class and dignity and she’s amazingly talented. I learned a lot from Jaci when I was all squeaky new and I still do. Other authors who make me proud to be in this business with their behavior - NJ Walters - never an unkind word for anyone, a great writer, supportive to other authors. Alison Kent - I’m in awe of her, I can’t hide it. I love her books, I love how supportive she is to newbies, her blog is a treasure trove of ideas and suggestions and she’s just an all around wonderful person. Maya Banks - I love her to pieces and I think Writeminded is the best group author blog going and a great example of how to work together. Michelle Pillow - Aside from being a promotion whiz, Michelle is also a wonderful writer and tirelessly works on her craft. I know I work hard, I’m proud of that, but Michelle? She puts that to shame AND she’s totally supportive of other writers. Mandy Roth - ditto! Smart, savvy and professional. Megan Hart - kicks ass and you’ll never hear her being bitchy to other authors in public. She’s a fabulous example of professionalism. Anya Bast is one of the first authors I met and became friends with. So supportive, so funny and kind. Not only will you never hear her be bitchy in public, I’m her friend and she rarely does it in private either. When Anya gets mad enough to bitch about something, it’s a very bad thing! Newbies like TJ Michaels - who is just fabulous! There are many more and I know I’m missing people so I apologize in advance!

10. Reader bloggers - Such a vibrant and wonderful part of the romance community! Rhian is a great example. Many authors, myself included, can be thankful at how much she reads and talks about books. Being part of Rhian’s tribe is a wonderful thing! Anne, Kate, Jenn and Lori at Let’s Gab and I Just Finished Reading - each one a wonderful person, each one tirelessly supportive of romance and reading. There are so many others - May, Michele, etc. Thank you all so much for being so fabulous!

11. Books. I can’t count the number of times in my life when a book has made me laugh, cry, think, smile, gasp - all of it. Books have been my friend since I read my first Dick and Jane book at four.

12. Clive Owen. Mmmmm. this one is self explantory

13. Cupcakes. Be they lemon with buttercream frosting or chocolate with vanilla frosting - I’ve yet to meet a problem a cupcake couldn’t at least momentarily make better.

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THIRTEEN VITAMINS I TAKE EACH DAY

Many people I met in June at the Lori Foster Event saw the baggies of vitamins I had. My husband takes his duties very seriously and one of them is making sure I take vitamins. He joked a while back that he should look up and do a TT for them and I told him to go for it. Keeping in mind of course that this morning alone, my baggie contains THIRTY vitamins (I do not kid) and he makes three such baggies for me to take each day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The lunch and dinner vitamin baggies contain about half the vitamins the morning bag does. So here it is… Thirteen Vitamins my dude gives me each day and he’s given links that talk about what they do, etc. Just click the name of the vitamin if you’re interested.

1. POMEGRANATE EXTRACT Researchers found that pomegranate juice not only appears to prevent hardening of the arteries by reducing blood vessel damage, but the antioxidant-rich juice may also reverse the progression of this disease.

2. GINKGO Although not definitive, there is promising early evidence favoring use of ginkgo for memory enhancement in healthy subjects.

3. OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS There is evidence from multiple large-scale population (epidemiologic) studies and randomized controlled trials that intake of recommended amounts of DHA and EPA in the form of dietary fish or fish oil supplements lowers triglycerides, reduces the risk of death, heart attack, dangerous abnormal heart rhythms, and strokes in people with known cardiovascular disease, slows the buildup of atherosclerotic plaques (”hardening of the arteries”), and lowers blood pressure.

4. VITAMIN D A large daily dose of vitamin D can dramatically lower the risk of developing common cancers, including breast, ovarian and colon cancers, by up to 50 percent, according to American researchers.

5. TURMERIC A report appearing in the October, 2006 issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease described the discovery of researchers at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System that curcumin, a compound occurring in the spice turmeric, assists the immune system in the clearance of amyloid beta in the brain. Amyloid beta is a substance that accumulates in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients to form the plaques that are characteristic of the disease.

6. COENZYME Q10 (CoQ10) CoQ10 is a potent antioxidant which appears to have a particularly strong effect upon cardiac tissue.

7. ALPHA-LIPOIC ACID Lipoic acid is a potent antioxidant which appears to amplify the effects of other antioxidants. There is strong evidence for it being effective in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy and good evidence it prevents the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and may be protective, generally, against oxidative stress and, specifically, against atherosclerosis, ischemia-reperfusion injury and various radiologic and chemical toxins. There is less evidence that it might be helpful in some neurodegenerative conditions. There is preliminary evidence that it might have some immune-modulating effects. It has been suggested that lipoic acid may slow aging of the brain and that it may be an anti-aging substance, in general.

8. GREEN TEA: The September 13, 2006 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association published a report by researchers in Japan that a high intake of green tea was associated with a reduction in mortality from all causes as well as from cardiovascular disease during an 11 year follow-up period.

9. ACETYL-L-CARNITINE ALCAR has well documented neuroprotective effects, some evidence of enhanced cognitive function due to its efficiency at transporting fatty acids to the brain where they are burned for energy and in one study was shown to actually promote the growth of new neurites in the brain.

10. L-THEANINE Theanine is an amino acid which crosses the blood-brain barrier and exerts psychoactive effects. There is excellent documentation that it stimulates the production of alpha brain waves which are associated with a relaxed but alert mental state.

11. RESVERATROL: Resveratrol has been shown in animal models to dramatically extend lifespans. A 2006 study showed that mice that were fed a high-calorie, high-fat diet to lived normal, active lives despite becoming obese when supplemented with resveratrol — the first time any compound has been shown to do that. Tests found that the agent activated a host of genes that protect against aging, essentially neutralizing the adverse effects of the bad diet on the animals’ health and longevity.

12. SPIRULINA: Spirulina is a micro-algae that is a good source of protein and vitamins. Concentrated into tablets, it is a convenient way to supplement the diet.

13. LUTEIN Lutein is an antioxidant with strong support for the ability to prevent age-related macular degeneration.

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THIRTEEN THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY

1. The 300 came out Tuesday and my husband brought it home from work for me Tuesday night.

2. Mmmm, Gerry Inspiration

3. Dear Sweet Baby Jesus - Clive Owen and his accent in the upcoming Shoot em Up

4. Daniel Craig

5. Tofu green curry

6. Tegan and Sara

7. My husband is the best. He’s so very good to me, he’s a great dad and a great partner and I love him. (see #1, bringing me the 300 oh and he rented Children of Men because he knows of my Clive crush)

8. My gladiolas are up and literally four feet tall. Brilliant red and white - so pretty! I’d show a picture but I can’t find the digital camera.

9. Las Vegas in less than a month!

10. My friends. I’m so blessed in my friends.

11. Being able to laugh - it’s really important that I can laugh every day.

12. My kids when they’re not trying to kill each other and when they don’t say, “mommma, momma, momma” a thousand times a day until I say, “WHAT!”

13. Skinwalkers

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Thirteen Romance Novel Moments I Love

1. Every time Roarke touches the button he nicked from Eve’s ratty suit jacket from the funeral when they first met. It’s a small thing but it speaks very loudly of the tenderness between them.

2. The dock scene in Welcome to Temptation - it’s hot, funny and sort of cringeworthy all at once.

3. Sookie and Eric making out on the hood of his car outside the party in Living Dead in Dallas

4. When Claire walks into Jamie’s print shop after she’d been gone for twenty years in Dragonfly in Amber

5. When Clay and Elena come back together in such a beautifully tormented way in Bitten (I wouldn’t say Bitten is a traditional romance though, it’s got strong romantic elements and Kelley Armstrong is a fabulous author)

6. Jaine looking out her window and seeing a very nekkid Sam in his kitchen next door and saying “sweet baby jesus” in Linda Howard’s Mr. Perfect. Sam, mmmm one of La Linda’s hottest alpha dudes.

7. Bea in the under the desk scene in Emma Holly’s Personal Assets. It’s a prime example of why I love Emma Holly’s sex writing so much. There’s a lot of emotion as well as heat packed into just a few pages.

8. When Shannon meets Murphy for the first time in Born in Shame - I love how sure he is that they’re right for each other.

9. The first time we meet Daegus in Dark Highlander, in his apartment, listening to the Nine Inch Nails - oh and closely followed by the first sex scene between Daegus and Chloe. I love love love this book.

10. Derek and Sara’s first meeting in Lisa Kleypas’ Dreaming of You. Derek is a fabulous hero and the interaction between Sarah, a smart and very sassy woman and this former thug is really engaging.

11. The porch scene in After The Fire - seriously, Linda Howard can really walk the edge with some dark heroes and Grey is one of those. This is one of those books you either love or hate, I love it.

12. Every single time Ranger shows up and looks at Stephanie and says, “babe” and shakes his head. Janet, can we just have like, a solid book of Ranger/Stephanie lovin?

13. Sam falling on Rick in Flirting with Danger. Enoch gives a rather unconventional start to a wonderful and yet totally unconventional couple.

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Thirteen Favorite Pearl Jam Songs

Thing is, Pearl Jam does not make very many videos so I’ll have to do a mixture of youtube fan videos and the official ones. This is in no official order, my favorites change from time to time. In six months this list may look different.

1. Release

2. Grievance (so very relevant today)

3. Do The Evolution (my favorite video ever)

4. Long Road

5. Corduroy (Live because to me, this song is sort of the soul of PJ live)

6. Bushleaguer (they took a lot of heat for this song - guess what, artists get to have an opinion too. If you disagree, that’s your opinion - ain’t America wonderful?)

7. Crown of Thorns (god I love, love, love this song)

8. Inside Job (this one is going into the “always on my favorite list” status)

9. Indifference

10. Insignificance

11. Army Reserve ( this is a fan video and it makes me cry every time I watch it.)

12. Whipping - I couldn’t find a good video of this one although I have to say the live footage made me smile because I was at a few of those shows. “Don’t need a helmet, I got a hard, hard head, don’t need a raincoat I’m already wet”

13. Nothingman - I’ve been to a number of PJ shows. I’ve heard some rarities I’ll never forget but for cripes sake I’ve never heard this one live. Gah! Anyway, another fan video but I wanted the sound quality for the lyric clarity.

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