I love movies. Always have. When I was a kid we rarely went since the drive-in was the cheapest, but I’m sure Mom and Dad didn’t want to be trapped in the car with me and Sis all night long. The first movie I remember going to see, tragically for the parents, was Dirty Harry. LOL

It was I think part of a double feature and Sis and I fell asleep on the first movie, which is what the parents wanted. Yeah, I didn’t stay asleep. I woke up for the second movie and sat quietly so they wouldn’t know I was awake. I was 5 or 6 and still remember, “Do you feel lucky, punk?”

The first time we went to the fantastic inside cinemas was a huge deal. It was expensive and seemed very far away from home, which it wasn’t. Mom and Dad took us to see Disney’s Robin Hood.

We had so much fun and Sis found her first crush. Yep, a cartoon fox. She still loves foxes to this day. 

They built a two screen cinema right near us (Yay!!) so now movies were more affordable. I remember my entire extended family going to see Star Wars. I was 11 and utterly loved it.

At the time, the special effects were like nothing we’d ever seen before. I was transfixed and probably went back to see the movie, at least, 4 or 5 times. 

We went back to the big expensive theater when Star Trek The Motion Picture came out. Dad was a HUGE Star Trek fan.

Unfortunately, I didn’t make it past the million year beginning of the movie when they did the fly around the Enterprise. I fell asleep  and missed most of the movie. When I finally did see it, I realized I didn’t miss much. Whoops.

A movie I can’t stand, but can’t forget, is the one a cousin took a bunch of the kids in the family to see. She packed us in a car one spring night and we went to the drive-in to see the child scarring movie Old Yeller. To this day, I have no idea what she was thinking. Did she set out to see if she could traumatize a huge group of children? You know, as an experiment? Whatever it was, it wasn’t good.

Yep, a car full of crying kids is not the way I’d want to send an evening. You?

My dad was an alcoholic, so was emotionally absent, but for some reason he took me and my sister to see the Jungle Book.

I don’t remember why, but it doesn’t matter since it was just him and us. 

Of course, nothing can compare to my go-to, watch-a-million-times-move, GhostBusters!

I saw it opening night, I was on a horrible date. The movie was amazing though and it’s the movie I can watch over and over and never get tired of it. It always makes me laugh, no matter what.

And these are the movies from my childhood. Now run out and see what movies the other bloggers talk about. I’m going to bet at least one of mine, is on someone else’s list. 

Bronwyn
Jessica
Kris
Jessica D
Paige

Okay, before we jump into the Randomness of Wednesday, let me share with you the male hotness of the day.

Wow, he’s pretty daggone athletic. Huh? 

Anyway, rewriting a book. The book I’d chose to rewrite is one of my own and it’s called Blood Bond. I really loved the characters in the book – Keller, Khalid, and, of course, the ever fabulous Jaz. 

The book was too short and didn’t have enough detail to flesh anyone out. Yes, it was written to be included in an anthology, but the characters need more. The story needs more. I read it now and cringe since the plot has enough holes you can drive a freight train through them.

Thankfully, the book belongs to me now and I AM going to rewrite. It’s no longer the first in a series and it won’t be called Blood Bond. Right now I’m working on the first called Entanged and the rewritten book will probably be called Bound and it will be second. I can’t wait to reshape the story into what I know it can be. 

Now run over and check out what the other bloggers have to say.

Bronwyn
Jessica D
Paige

Before we being let’s have some Wednesday Male Hotness

So, the topic this week is what motivates me to write. And, I might say, if I knew, I’d be cranking out the words, but that’s a downer attitude to have. And, I’ve actually been writing so that’s a huge positive for me. I have over 56k on the book I’m working on so I am major stoked.

Normally, a number of things can flip that writing switch. The first would be a really awesome writing idea. I once wrote a book in 2 weeks. Yeah, I know, I’m stunned too. My utterly amazing friend Jessica was an editor for a publishing house and she called me. She was heading up a Valentine’s anthology and she’d gotten no submissions and she wanted me to write one. No pressure, but she needed it in a month. *cue dramatic music* 

I jumped on that and whipped out the book Be Mine. I already had the germ of an idea and it just flowed. It was my first contemporary erotic romance and I still think it’s pretty good.

The second thing to motivate me is the love of the story. I love the men in my Promises books. I love the overarching story arc and being able to come back and visit the same characters over and over. I have over 10k on the next book in the series, Broken Promise, so as soon as I finish what I’m working on now I am so back to it.

The next thing that motivates me is the need to escape. I suffer from chronic depression and it so sucks. Escaping into one of my stories where the women are totally kickass and the men are hot is often the only thing that gets me through a day. I need the escape. Unfortunately, when the depression is at it’s worst I can’t write. I don’t have the energy or the brain power to be creative. 

Deadlines are a huge motivator! If I have a deadline, like the two weeks, I will flip into gear. It’s like writing papers for college. I know when they’re due and they have to be done. End of story. When I was in college I refused to lose a letter grade because I couldn’t get my stuff done. 

When I visit my amazing friend Jessica Jarman, I write the entire time we’re together. She motivates me, since she’s writing too. We go to a coffee shop or B&N and just sit and write. There’s nothing better than to sit with someone who is engaged in the same thing you are and work together. It’s awesome.

Last, getting emails from readers totally motivates me. I read about how much my books are loved and it just makes me want to write. Yay!!

And that’s what motivates me. Now hop on over to the other bloggers’ pages and see what gets them writing.

Bronwyn
Paige

Hello! Before I get to the wordlessness let’s share some WMH

Once again, I totally had a “brain dump” yeah see what I did there?? And forgot to write the blog. *sigh* I will admit that I had a valid excuse. I was actually writing.On my book. O_O (stunned look) I know! I’m stunned too.

Oh, wait, let’s give out WMH

Soooo, there are many things on my mind. The big one is a huge pet peeve I have and this involves the bookstore I work at. 

*clearing throat*

Attention Parents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and everyone else who brings kids in:

The bookstore is not a playground. The people who work in the bookstore are not there to watch your kids. The merchandise that sit on the shelves is not a free-for-all to give your kids something to do. It is for sale. Which means, you have to buy it before your kids play hell out of it. 

And this all means, that no one listens. I cannot tell you the number of times I see kids tossing, playing, running and screaming through the aisles with the things the bookstore has for sale. Okay, take today for instance. This kid is throwing a fit and tosses a book on the floor and steps on it. Can we say OH HELL NO!

Yeah, I instantly said something to him about it. And dad was on him like a shot, but it doesn’t often happen that way. If I had a dollar for every kid that’s basically dumped back in the kids department to “play” while the parent is up hanging out in the cafe drinking a coffee talking on the phone. Really??? Have you no sense of responsibility?? Do you really imagine that the employees pay attention to your darling? If someone were to snatch that kid up you know that parent, who isn’t parenting, would be the first one crying a bucket of tears. 

Also, the parents with the phones. Can you not spend any time talking with your kids? Reading to your kids? Nope, obviously not since your phone is sooooo much more important than your spawn who is running around acting like they’re at a park. I’m sure you don’t watch them there either. You know, you took the time to have the kids, could you spend a little bit of time interacting?

In all this craziness, I never blame the kids. I’m a teacher and I know how kids are. They need to be taught. I put all the blame where it belongs, on the adult. As my Mom once said to me, “Once you have a child, you no longer get to be the number one priority. Your child is.” And this is why I never wanted kids. I made that decision. I wish some of these other people had made the same one. 

And that was my Wednesday soapbox. Now run out and check out what the other bloggers have on their minds.

Bronwyn
Kris
Jessica D
Paige

Abandoned stories? Let’s talk about an abandoned blog post. *hanging * Yeah, I started to write this one and then had a major brain fart. Go figure. Then again, better late than never. OH! Before I forget. Let’s showcase WMH

Okay, so abandoned stories. You betcha I have them. Tons of them. Some of them were just flicks of an idea that I jotted down, other were perhaps a page or two of an opening chapter. I will admit I have 1 completed first draft of a book and another was a book I published, got back and am in the process of totally revamping.

What happened? So the total first draft of a book needs so many rewrites it makes me exhausted to even think of it. It was one of the first books I ever wrote The End on. I plotted it out chapter by chapter and kept to my strict outline. Yeah, that’s not me. I am a total pantser so the story just doesn’t flow. The characters are stilted and a tad boring. I haven’t given up on it, though, since the story (in my opinion) is a good one and since I’ve rethought and kind of replotted the characters are awesome. I just need to write it.

The previously published book was called Quest for Fire and it’s also getting a total overhaul. The story is fine, but my characters really aren’t. I’ve come to realize that one of my women is way abrasive so she needs to change and one of my men is kind of absent though he’s in the story. So changes in store for that too.

The bits and drabs of stories I’ve actually used in previous books I’ve published, but the other ones may languish until . . . yeah forever. Since I have so much to deal with I’m certainly not looking for anything else to write. Eventually, some of them may become books, but others may just stay fun daydreams. 

Now go on over and check out what the fabulous Bronwyn has to say about her poor little stories.

Hello and welcome to the randomness of Wednesday. This week is all about clothing nostalgia. *sigh* Oh wait, before I jump into things let me share the male hotness

Okay, so I grew up in the 70s, which if you weren’t aware had some pretty horrid fashion. The only jeans we could buy where these:

 I hated them!!!! Unfortunately those little beauties went with this fabu fashion statement

 Yes, my friends, yes that is a tube top. *hiding face* So much horrible all in one outfit. Thankfully, right now, I can’t dig up any pics, but yeah if I could I would so share them with you. NOT!! But I can share these fabulous ensembles and hair-dos from the 1970s collection:

I know. You are soooo jealous. *sigh* So yeah, then there came the 1980s. Thankfully, I spent half of it in a school uniform so I didn’t have to wear a lot of the incredible styles from that era. Though the regular civilian wear I did own had incredibly large shoulder pads. And I did have an outfit that resembled these right down to the black fedora. Damn, I loved that hat. Really, if I find a pic of that I will post it. Unless it’s way more horrible than I remember.

I did find this one from the 1980 and it’s not horrible, though the hair is kind of big. Of course, it got a whole lot bigger, but I don’t think I have any of those pics. Thank goodness.

The 1990s weren’t horrible. I had big hair, once again, and the little school girl skirt was in thanks to Clueless. 

I had one that I only wore when I went out clubbing. Yeah, that wasn’t something I could actually wear to my adult job. I found this pic of me from the trip to the Bahamas my friend, Jennifer, and I took. I was totally rocking the beaded braids. Ouch! Oh and the outfit I had was a very short baby-doll dress. Thankfully, I could carry it off.

Thanks for joining me on this stroll down memory lane. LOL! Now go and check out what the other bloggers are nostalgic about.

Bronwyn
Jessica D

This week in the randomness that is Wednesday we were charged with writing an angry letter to whomever we wished. Before I leap onto my soapbox I need to share a pic

And you are welcome.

Anyway, angry letter. Jeez there’s a veritable list of people who need to be shouted at. Me (since I haven’t written in . . . a while), parents who pretend to homeschool their children, people who think stop signs are a suggestion . . . I could go on and on. Today though I am going to address people and their love of cell phones. 

*clearing throat and stepping onto my soapbox*

Dear Jerks Who Are Married to Cell Phones,

You are incredibly sad. I see you walking, sitting, and scarily driving with your eyes trained on your phones. The driving is where I have the most issue. I see you get in your cars and immediately pick up the phone. Really?? I can’t imagine you are so important you need to be in constant contact with humanity. I think your friends/family/whoever will survive if you aren’t talking or texting to them. Yeah, see if you continue on, the rest of us might not survive your idiocy. You cannot focus on the phone and the road at the same time. It just doesn’t work. As someone said to me a few days ago, “I took my eyes off the road for a second. My phone was ringing.” And I know this because she rear-ended us. She was so busy trying to answer her stupid phone she hit the car Sis and I were driving. Thankfully, none of us were hurt, but the car has damage and this woman’s insurance is going to have to pay for it. And why? Because she couldn’t stop with the phone.

In the bookstore, grocery store, Target, I see you. You’re so focused on your phone you don’t pay any attention to your kids. They’re running around, playing with toys (which aren’t their toys to play with) and generally getting into trouble. But do you parent? Nope, you are too busy with your phone. When your children are grown they’re going to remember the fact that your phone was so much more interesting than they were. Good job.

I see you in the restaurant too. You’re sitting across from your date/wife/girlfriend and you are so focused on your phone. You don’t notice she’s looking around bored. Yeah, if it’s a date you won’t get another. If she’s your girlfriend let’s hope she leaves your ass for someone who will actually pay attention and talk to her. If she’s your wife . . . .then damn I feel way sorry for her. Since you are a rude and self-centered jerk. 

Yeah, so put down the phone. Especially in the car since I don’t want anyone I know to die because you are a dumbass. Put down the phone and parent your children, pay attention to the people who are living and breathing right in front of you. 

Wow, do I feel better!! Now go and check out the other bloggers angry letters. 

Bronwyn
Kayleigh
Paige

Yeah, like my posts would ever be wordless. This week’s post, I think, are things we find funny. At least, that’s what I’m going to do. Oh and I suck since I’ve forgotten Male Hotness Wednesday the last couple weeks. So here he is:

Aaaaand you’re welcome. Now here are things that I find funny. 

Now run over and check out what the other bloggers find funny.

Bronwyn
Jessica D
Paige
Kellie

Okay, so our prompt this month was: Write about the three things he could never tell her. And here it is. I hope you all will enjoy it.

Now run over and check out what the other ladies have in store for you.

Bronwyn
Kris
Jessica D
Paige