So, I’m sure if you are here you know I’m a romance novelist. In fact, if you want to get right down to it, I write erotic romance. BUT, in my other life I’m a certified elementary school teacher. I worked in a history museum for 5 years until I was laid off. Yeah, the museum is having issues, but that’s a story for another time. Right now, I am job hunting while writing feverishly in the hopes that my writing will take off and I can do that full time. Okay, now that I have all that out of the way let me tell you why I’m really here. In the 5 weeks since I was laid off I am, of course, online a ton. I’ve upped my presence online with blogs and Twitter and Facebook and just generally chatting and reading while I write. I’m sure you’re wondering, “Where the hell is this going?” And I will tell you. In these 5 weeks I have realized that there are a lot of people out there that are grade-A assfaces.

Trolls. These people are called trolls. Which is kind of sad since these people totally besmirch real trolls and I’m sure they will be filing some kind of lawsuit soon.

Real troll that is angry because of assfaces on line.

I’ve heard of Internet trolls before since I’ve been using a computer for . . . a very long time. But I didn’t have time to even think about them, much less write a blog about the phenomenon. But my friend Jenny Trout has a huge Internet presence and since she appeared online in her cutie cute bikini she has been inundated by these “incredible” individuals. Notice that I use quotes around incredible, that denotes sarcasm. 

Now, I’m not the smartest person in the world. I will admit I have 2 undergraduate degrees and 1 master degree, but that still doesn’t make me Stephen Hawking. Hell that doesn’t even make me Dr. Sheldon Cooper, but I just don’t get it. I don’t understand the reason why someone would go online to purposefully be a jerk to someone. And, what’s even more ridiculous, is the assface person doesn’t even know the person they are being a jerk to. How does this make sense??

What drives someone to find an article or blog or what-have-you online and purposefully say something to make others angry? Once again, I’m not a genius, but to me there is some kind of mental disorder going on here for anyone who does this. What kind of satisfaction does this person get by sowing discord? Is the individual so lacking in confidence in his or her own life that he or she feels as though going online to tear down people (you don’t know) somehow makes you a better person? 

Now, my mama always told me that if you don’t have anything nice to say then don’t say anything at all. And I try to abide by this rule. So I wonder if these assface individuals weren’t raised correctly. Do they not have good southern mamas to tell them how to act when you get out someplace? I’m guessing no by the ridiculous posts I see day after day.

So, I have some advice to give. If you are one of those people who go online and enjoy saying stuff to make others mad, you need help. First, get off the computer. Unhook your Internet and get into therapy and figure out what is so wrong with your life that makes you act like a jerk. Once you’ve figured out the issues, work on them and fix stuff. After that, I bet you will have loads of friends and won’t need to use the Internet in the passive/aggressive manner you have been.

For everyone else who must deal with these “incredible” individuals my advice is ignore them. I know, it’s going to be hard. But I have found that if you ignore some behavior the behavior stops because there is no audience. Another thing my mama always said was, “If it’s not going to matter in a week, a month, a year then let it roll off your back like water off a duck’s back.” Which means, if the assface doesn’t have an audience they finally give up and go away. Like I said, I know it’s difficult, but as a friend of mine once said, “Somebody has to be the big person in a relationship.” And, online, that “big person” or adult, if you will, is the person who ignores the ridiculous behavior of the assface.

Thank for listening. Oh and if you have something to say to me that is constructive and thoughtful please leave a message. I will answer. If, on the other hand, you’re an assface don’t bother commenting. I won’t answer. I will read what you have to say, roll my eyes and sigh at how sad you are. But I won’t comment.

Thanks –GC

Hello!! And welcome to the randomness that is the Wednesday Blog. Since I was such a big loser last week and I totally forgot about the blog I will give you two pics of awesomeness to make up for last weeks derp moment.

And .. .. you’re welcome!!! So, this weeks post is all about our favorite books. I wasn’t clear on whether it was supposed to be my own covers or just covers in general so I’m going to do both, cause that is the way I roll.

1. The Secret Garden

I’m pagan and have a lot of different books that I love so much. But this cover pulled me in as nothing else did. The information inside is good, but the cover is really awesome.

3. Archangel’s Legion

If I didn’t already read the series, this cover would have totally pulled me in. Talk about awesome artwork! Elena looks so tough and gorgeous, just as she’s portrayed in the books.

4. Dark Promise

I love the cover for my book Dark Promise and I’ll tell you why. I really don’t want their faces to show so the designer did a good job. Also, it’s just damn sexy, but even more I like the next cover better.

5. A Hunter’s Promise

Hello and welcome once again that is the fabulous randomness of the Random Wednesday Blog!!  This week the Blogger Girlz and I are chatting about what our signs are and do they fit us. I think my sign fits me very well and it’s all true.

But I’m sure that’s not what the Girlz were referring to when they came up with the post. So, I was born under the sign of Gemini and strangely enough so was my sister. She is almost 3 years younger than me, but her birthdays is 6 days before mine. *pause* Yep, I’m giving you time to take that in. I always felt bad for my Mom since she never got a break on present buying.

Anyway, I looked up the traits of a Gemini and found this on a website called ganeshaspeaks.com. I will go through them each and try to be as honest as I can because truly who likes looking closely at themselves. Eeesh, I’d rather lounge back, eat a bon-bon and read.

True, all Zodiac Signs have positive as well as negative traits, and the Gemini is no exception. For example, Gemini-born are clever and intellectual people but they can also be tense and restless. To understand a Gemini it is essential to understand his/her traits. Positive Traits of Gemini Adjustable Broad-minded and easy-going that they are, the Gemini are adjustable individuals as the desire to enjoy every moment run deep within them.   ** When I was younger I would have laughed at this since change was not my friend. But now I have learned to roll with whatever happens and enjoy what comes. Versatile A wide variety of subjects excites them, and hence, the Gemini will try their hands at diverse things. Surely, they won’t get stuck in any mundane tasks.  ** Yes!! I love to learn and this is why I have so many student loans. (rolling eyes) I also read tons and tons of nonfiction and try my hand at a variety of crafts.  Enthusiastic Gemini-born is enthusiastic and full of life, and always crave for accomplishing new and interesting things; and at times, their enthusiasm is infectious. ** I think this does match with me. I love going places and seeing new things and I get really pumped if my friends can do experience it with me. Soft-Spoken Gemini-born are blessed with brilliant communication skills. They are a soft-spoken lot! They can sell just about anything to anyone with their outstanding verbal skills. ** Yeah, don’t know about this. I love to talk, but don’t know if that means I’m a brilliant communicator.  Witty and Humorous Gemini-born can effortlessly impress you with their wit and humour, and you will never get bored in their company. Besides, their spontaneity adds to their natural charm. A Gemini can easily keep you entertained and involved for hours.  ** Don’t know about this either, but I love to laugh.  Intellectual Gemini are born intellectuals, they are always interested in learning numerous subjects. They are clever and sharp individuals and they will not shy away from voicing their opinions.  ** Yep! And yep on the opinions. I’m also the one to ask if you want a truly honest opinion, but you’d better be sure because I will tell you the truth. Negative Traits of Gemini Lack of Consistency Gemini-born are so sharp and prompt that it is hard for them to stay interested and focused in the projects they start with. Such inconsistency is their main drawback.  ** And yes, unfortunately. That is why I have a bunch of books started, but not many finished.  Superficial Gemini-born are often tagged as superficial people because of their inability to delve deep and pay attention to details. ** Yep, and this is why I’m a jack of many trades, but a master of none. I knit and make jewelry and do other crafts, but I can’t say I’m great at them because I just can’t concentrate. I don’t see it as superficial, I just see it as having a wide variety of interests. 🙂 Lack Decision Making Ability Gemini-born are constantly in two minds whenever they are supposed to decide on something. At times, they lose out on very lucrative opportunities in their life due to their inability to decide.  ** I used to be like this, but I think as I’ve aged I do a better job at making decisions. Lack of Direction Gemini-born often lack the direction and focus in their life and so they easily get bored with the things that they are doing.  ** And yes again, if you come to my house you will find a lot of half finished projects Anxious Gemini-born are full of energy, but have a tendency to bite off more than they can chew. This leads to anxiousness and makes them erratic. ** Not so much anymore. Like I said, as I’ve aged I have mellowed. Now it takes a lot to get me excited. I take things as they come and roll with it.  So am I like my sign? Some . . .probably more than I’m not, but there’s a lot to say for life experience too. As I’ve grown older I realized there’s no reason to get all anxious and crazy about things. I’ve learned to roll with life and pretty much take each day as it comes. If my gabillion dollars of therapy have taught me anything, it’s that the idea of control is an illusion. I cannot control anything, but me and my reaction to things. Some days that’s harder than others to do, but most of the time it works.  As my last thought, I think this sign truly matches with who I am. Enjoy Run around and check out the other Blogger Girlz blogs and find out if they’re like the signs they were born under. The Girlz are Bronwyn, Kris, Jessica, and Kellie. See you next week! –GC

My entire adult life I have been asked if I have children. I’m a woman, after all, I should have them. I should want them. Guess what? I don’t. I don’t have children nor have I ever wanted children. It’s not that I don’t like kids, I do. I love them. I was a classroom teacher for 5 years (4 years with 5th grade and 1 year with 4th grade) and a museum educator for 5 years. I think kids are so smart and just not given the credit they deserve. They really are more observant and more clever than you think. But even knowing all of this, I don’t want any of my own.

I’ve known that I don’t want kids ever since I was a kid. When people ask me if I have kids I always joke that my mom did the mother’s curse, you know the one. “I hope you have a kid just like you.” And I knew I was such a brat there was no way I was having one. *cue laughter* Okay, that part is true. I was a huge brat and I’m often amazed that I made it into adulthood without my mother killing me dead. But that has nothing to do with why I don’t have a kid. I don’t have the desire to have one. I never felt my biological clock ticking or whatever. I never felt the urge to nurture a child in my body.

Perhaps it has to do with my childhood. My father, bless his heart (I’m southern and we do that) was an alcoholic. He could drink an entire case of beer by himself over the weekend. If you don’t know how many that is, it’s 24 bottles of beer. My mom would maybe get 1 and he’d drink the rest. Sometimes, he wouldn’t bother coming home from work on Friday and be gone all weekend long. He’d finally stagger in on Sunday evening where there would be icy silences and low conversations. Though he’d do all this, my mother never divorced him and she would buy the cases of beer. So she was an enabler and I’m sure she didn’t see herself that way, but a billion dollars worth of therapy and a lot of years tells me that she was.

In the midst of this dysfunctional household, which totally revolved around my dad’s drinking, controlling the drinking, and managing the drinking my mom just didn’t have time. She often said she had 3 children and her daughters were the easiest to take care of. Anyway, because of this dysfunction within our tiny family unit I was sexually molested by an older cousin when I was around 6. I never told and no one noticed. I lived with this secret for a very long time. It totally shaped my entire life and how I saw things and the decisions I made. So kids, no way. Hell on a good day I was lucky to take care of myself. I knew there was no way I could take care of a child.

I eventually went to therapy and after a blue million dollars I am so much healthier and happier. I realize now I have clinical depression, which is a disease. This means my brain doesn’t create certain chemicals I need to function on a normal daily basis. I’m smart and take meds for this. I know I will take these for the rest of my life and I’m good with that. I have to take blood pressure pills too so there really isn’t much difference.

Even after the pills and the therapy I still know I don’t want kids. Like I sad, I really love kids so I became a teacher. I love interacting with them and working with them and teaching them. But, at the end of the day, I want to go home and not have children in my house. My very close friends understand this about me. But I still meet many people who ask the question about kids and I explain I don’t have them and I usually get the face. Or they say something like, “Well that’s unfortunate.” or “You’d make such an awesome mom.” Thankfully I don’t get the “you’ll change your mind” anymore since I’m 48 and am considered “too old” to have kids.

I wonder if men are asked constantly if they have kids. I know as a woman I am so are men subjected to the same questioning? I remember the first time I was asked the kids question. It was at my dad’s funeral, I was 19. Someone thought it was such a shame he didn’t have grand kids and now he’d never see them. Yeah, guess what pal, there will never be any grand kids. Ever. I figured I’d leave that to my younger sister. Guess what? She didn’t want kids either. Hmmm, so was it nature or nurture that didn’t give us the burning desire to have children? Don’t know, since I am not a scientist with a hundred degrees, but I do believe the household didn’t nurture that urge to have children.

As an adult, I can look back and see that my mom did the best she could. She loved us and took care of us and supported us in whatever we wanted to do. She was our cheerleader and our confidant and the person we ran to when we were hurt. She often told us that we were the lights of her life. There wasn’t a day that went by that we didn’t know we were loved by her.

And none of that still encouraged me to have children. I know I’m not the only woman out there who didn’t want children. I have friends who don’t have children and didn’t want children. So please do not pity us or shake your head and tsk when we tell you we have no children. In fact, don’t make that the first question you ask a woman you just met as if that would be the biggest accomplishment in her entire life. Hell, ask about what book she’s reading or if she’s taken a vacation or where she had her nails done. If someone wants you to know about their kids I am sure they will tell you, but please don’t naturally assume that just because a person has a womb they have kids.

And if you don’t have kids and don’t want kids please DO NOT be embarrassed or make excuses. You don’t owe anyone an explanation about how you chose to live your life. Just make sure you have lived the kind of life you want and you are getting out of it the things that make you happy.

–GC

Okay, so when I was a wee babe, much wee-er (is that a word) anyway than I thought, I had the most horrible crush on Tony DeFranco. Now, those of you who aren’t of a certain age are probably saying, “Who the hell is he?” Well he was just the cutest little thing in a skin-tight powder blue jumpsuit with huge bell bottoms you’d ever want to see. 

That’s him!! Isn’t he utterly adorbs!

Oh and he worse a sequin belt, cannot forget that most important accessory to just overload a guy with manliness. Anyway, he and his family (think the Jackson 5, but not that much talent) had a song out called A Heartbeat is a Love Beat and I loved him. I thought he was the next best thing to a chocolate chip cookie or something like that. He made my little 7 year-old heart go pitter-patter or mayhaps would that be a “love beat.”

Welcome back to the randomness that is the Random Wednesday Blog!!  This week’s topic is all about our favorite TV shows. I’ll admit I don’t get attached to a lot of programs on TV. I don’t like the thought that I have to watch something each and every week. Sometimes I’ll start watching a program then so many weeks in I’ll dump it because it just sucks up too much time. Like I’m so busy or something. *snort*  Anyway, here are some of the shows that have made the cut and I must watch them every week.

1. Sleepy Hollow (OMG!!!! I love, love, love this show) And this is one of the reasons why. Tom Mison is amazing. He’s not just an awesome actor, but is so yummy in his role as Ichabod Crane.  The show is also creepy and funny and just an awesomely good time.

2. The Big Bang Theory – this show never fails to make me laugh. And, since I’m a fairly big nerd, I get most of the stuff they’re talking about. Score for me.

3. The Three Musketeers – new show I’ve discovered on BBC America and I really like it. The action is fast, the stories are good and the actors are talented. And hot, have I mentioned they’re hot.

4. 10 Things You Don’t Know About – this show is on the History Channel and is hosted by Henry Rollins of the Rollins Band and Black Flag. I am a huge history geek and this show is so well done. My favorite show they’ve done so far is 10 Things You Don’t Know About the Founding Fathers.

5. Top Gear (British version on BBC American) – okay don’t judge, but I love this show. The three hosts never fail to make me laugh, often so hard I am crying. My sister and I started watching this about two years ago and we faithfully DVR it each week.

6. Monumental Mysteries and Mysteries at the Museum – both of these are on the Travel Channel and star Don Wildman who is pretty good to look at. But, once again, I like them because they always have some kind of history they’re talking about. Plus, the shows are often just fun.

That’s it for me, like I said I don’t watch tons of TV. Now, my sister, on the other hand, jeez louise she watches like a billion shows a week. When she moved in with me our TV bill went from 30.00 a month to well over 100.00 and she had a huge list of shows she brought with her to make sure she DVR’d everything she loves. The woman watches everything from Orphan Black to Doctor Who to Arrow and Supernatural. I often cannot keep up with her TV viewing list.

Now head over to see what the other Blogger Girlz are watching: Bronwyn and Jessica. Maybe you’ll discover some new shows you need to try.

See you next week! –GC

I saw the above ditty on Facebook and it really hit me that this is so true. And, yes, you’re right, this is probably going to be mildly serious. But it’s a Sunday night and if you can’t have serious thoughts on a Sunday, when should you have them???

So about a blue million years ago (which if you don’t know is a really long time) I worked at B. Dalton Bookseller. It was supposed to be just for the holidays, but as with most things that’s not how it turned out. Before the place closed I had collected a 5 year pin . . . yeah, don’t judge. I loved that place. It was small and we were so close knit and it was a ton of fun.  Anyway, one day I was shelving books and I came across a book by Cherry Adair. I don’t even know what book it was, but I thought it sounded good so I bought it. Let me also share that my paychecks rarely made it home from that place. I always ended up spending way more than I made. *shrug*

So I brought the book home and that weekend I got so sick it wasn’t funny. I laid stunned the entire weekend and all I did was sleep and read the book. Once I felt well enough I realized I really loved the book so I wrote to the author to tell her. I never did this, ever, but for some reason I was driven to tell her how much I loved that book. She is so incredibly nice and we exchanged emails and she invited me to join her online writing group. She was going to mentor a group of us to our first book. O_O I was so excited! I had written my entire life, but had never finished a book.

Of course, I jumped at the chance and joined. Within a day or so, I was chatting with a girl in the group. She and I just clicked. She was married and had just had a baby and was currently going to school  and was living in another state and on the surface we really didn’t have much in common since I wasn’t married and didn’t have a kid, but boy I sure understood about going to school. We also had the writing to talk about, which we did. Then the writing leaked over into our lives and who we were and just all kinds of stuff.

The group ended up dissolving since Cherry’s career exploded overnight and she couldn’t give us the time she wanted to. But the girl I had made friends with stayed my friend.

Now, that baby she just had is getting ready for his senior year of high school. And we’ve been friends for a very long time. We’ve visited one another a lot, flown across the country together, talked endlessly on the phone and by IM, and her family came to stay with me last summer without her. Because they’re my family too. Who is this girl you ask?? It is the ever fabulous Jessica Jarman! I read the above post on FB and since I am going to see her this week at AAD I realized if it wasn’t for Cherry I never would have met Jessica. If I wouldn’t have met Jessica I doubt very highly I would have written the books I have or had the fun I’ve had.

If you see us at AAD don’t be afraid come on up to us! Ask us about the flight we took from Seattle to Minneapolis where we laughed and laughed until we cried. Or the 15 hours drive where we listened to just 1 CD the entire way. Ahhh, Will Smith. Or just come up and tell us about that friend you have that changed your life too then I can share with you my friend that changed my life.

–GC

Welcome once again to the utterly fabulous Random Wednesday Blog! Today’s topic is all about motivation. Yep, well here it is:

Thanks everyone for joining me this week . . . . And I so wish it was that easy. You know, stare at a pic of a really hot guy and bam book done. Doesn’t happen, not for me. I don’t think I know anyone who works this way. Of course, you’ll need to check with the other Blogger Girlz to find out, but I doubt it.

I will admit that I am a procrastinator . . . a bad bad procrastinator. I don’t mean to be, but I always find a billion other things I need to do other than write. When I was teaching full-time I was focused totally on my students 24/7. I had time during the summer to write so I remember cranking out 3 books. O_O Yeah, I know, that stuns me too. But I did it. When I left the classroom and went to the museum I just couldn’t get myself in gear. My summers were suddenly gone because I was teaching summer camp all summer long. It didn’t compute. So nothing really happened.

Recently, I was laid off from the museum due to budget cuts. 😦 And my first week without work I actually finished a book. Huh, so what motivates me?? Desperation!! Sort of, but I’ve had Dangerous Promise sitting for so long I knew it was my time to finish it. So in a week I wrote well over 10,000 words and magically the book is done.

I’ve also found that music is still the great motivator. I tried writing without my MP3 player last week and the house was just too quiet. I live in a neighborhood bordered by woods so it’s extremely quiet and I just couldn’t do it. So music in equals tons of words. Another motivator for me is leaving my bedroom and sitting somewhere else in the house. I’ve written books sitting on my bed. In fact, the summer I wrote 3 I wrote so late into the night that it was morning. I think I would go to bed around 6am. But I refuse to do that now. I have to stay in a routine so I still get up with my alarm around 7:30 and do everything I would do to go to work. Now I just head to my computer.

Another motivator is taking a break. I know it doesn’t sound like it, but it helps me. If I’m sitting and staring at the screen for too long I will start to goof off online and never stop. So I will actually get up and leave. I’ve driven to Starbucks for a drink, come home and cranked out a couple thousand words.

In the end, whatever works to motivate me to write is a good thing. The only thing I hate doing is cutting the grass though I have plotted out books doing that. It’s miserable since my yard is all up hill or down, depending on how you want to look at it. I see up hill all the way.

So there you go. Those are my motivations. In the evening, if I throw in some wine, I can get even more done. 🙂 Now run over and check with the other ladies, Bronwyn, Jessica, Kris, Jenny, Leigh, Kellie, to see what they’re up to and I will “see” you all next week.  Oh if you’re headed to Author’s After Dark then I’ll see you for realz!!!!!!

–GC