Two Movies that Excite or Make you Giggle

At Nights of Passion I have reviewed "Transformers: Rise of the Fallen" and "Confessions of a Shopaholic." I'm not going to tell you about them here other than absolutely worth it, especially the first.

So much going on: writing, editing, editing for a friend, setting up an interview for Nights of Passion, setting up a bridal shower, a birthday party, webmastering, and I know I've forgotten something. Ever have one of those days, when you know you've forgotten something. Oh, and waiting for the transfer of my domain to be complete. In the middle time, I've changed over links. If you would like to see my brand new website before the domain transfer is complete,
check out: http://www.susanhannifordcrowley.webs.com/ I'd love to hear your comments.

An Amazingly Busy Week/Virtual Vacation

This week I am blogging like crazy over at Nights of Passion with interviews and contests. So drop by and enter a contest or two or three. The interviews are fascinating. http://nightsofpassion.wordpress.com

My brain is in overdrive what with working on my own book and blogging like a maniac.

I've come up with the concept of giving myself a virtual vacation. Since I can't go on an actual vacation, a virtual one is all I've got. I'm going to start by laying on the grassy bank of a river with my hand in the water as it flows by. I stare up at the interlaced branches of trees. Greens in varying shades mixes with gold light weaving through and making my vision fold into the surreal. The cool water is so refreshingly calming.

I won't think of anything.

Overwhelming My World

It's always ironic when you want to diet, that you overload your plate in other ways. I'm planning a wedding for a daughter, writing a blog on an almost daily basis, changing my website, working a job, submitting my novel, writing the next one, Twittering, and trying to keep up on emails and other correspondence. There are days when I sit on my bed and hand write in a journal my next book. There's something intrinsically elegant about handwriting. It's also very relaxing for me. Almost as relaxing as making jewelry. I love designing because it let the mind explore new shapes. I also love reading. Lately I've been reading Christine Feehan's Dark Celebration. It's very good overall. But again I am a bit confused with its label as paranormal romance. I would think it was urban fantasy. That's a debate that still continues as definitions either haven't really been ironed out or publishers are having different definitions and there's no industry standard. One definition says that paranormal romance is all about the couple, while urban fantasy is all about their world although there might be romantic elements. I love great stories with drama and excitement, but I also love great passion. So I guess I looking for a hybrid of the two. It's funny that my brain can entertain such a debate at 1 in the morning and in a state of spinning. I will have to find a way to adjust to new faster velocity my life is currently operating on.

Nights of Passion Interview and Contest with Emily Bryan

In a short time, the book contest will end on Nights of Passion http://nightsofpassion.wordpress.com for Emily Bryan's book PLEASURING THE PIRATE. At 10 pm Eastern Time to be exact. To still make the contest, just go to the blog and comment on the interview. It's that easy.

And the World Speeds Up

So many things are happening this week. One is Fiction Fest in Connecticut. I'm an attendee at this conference. I've been on a lot of programs of sf/f. This is romance and it's different. I'm a newbie in romance. This is my opportunity to learn a ton and I'm going to love it.

There are moments when you just want to lie among the stars and feel the cool soothing breeze of the universe blow over you. You're in the way. You're going with it, and it's providing comfort, contentment, and a little bit of chaos.

I will always remember A WRINKLE IN TIME by Madeleine L'Engle. One of the characters, Mrs Whatsit, talks about her memory of being a star. Not the kind of star of a movie or tv show, but a star that shimmers in the dark night. The star we gaze at and it fills us with a serenity. She had sacrificed herself by blowing up in an attempt to stop a great evil. A noble death and a wondrous rebirth into a new form.

Living at Light Speed

I'm living my life in a mad rush with moments to pause and look for roses. No, no roses yet. In one day, I put up an amazing interview I did with romance author Bianca D'Arc on http://nightsofpassion.wordpress.com/

I edited a story for a friend, which is always good for me as it hones my talents as well as help someone else. I'm editing me, and I'm always harsher on me.

I wrote several email letters to friends. Proofread taxes with my husband to get that signed and in the mail.

Now I still have some critiques to review on my work and then critique the work of others. I may be floating into tomorrow with this.

I'm also writing an original storyline. Not done yet.

Of course, I've Twittered, blogged twice, and checked the website. I've visited other blogs and I've Facebooked.

I did eat and walk the dog a couple of times. I did watch "Enchanted" and "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix". I think I watched some other things but not really. See what I mean about busy.

At least I can't wake up in the morning and say I have nothing to do. With a writer, there is always something to write. Something to explore. Research that needs to be done.

Now as it says in Douglas Adams's book Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, "Don't Panic!" I'm not losing it, I've just adjusted to living at light speed.

The World is Spinning

Sometimes events happen so fast, it feels like the world is spinning. That's my life right now. Change is occurring at a breakneck speed, and I'm doing everything I can to keep up and keep balanced. Being balanced sometimes means stepping to the side of the rat race and taking a bubble bath or reading in a room alone or kickboxing. Tonight there was something going on with my romance blog and no matter what I did to fix it, something else happened that needed fixing too. Finally I had to say, "It's good enough. The world won't end, if it's not perfect."

Letting go can free you. Try it.

Trying to Keep Going and Being Patient

A friend wrote to me about the process of writing and publishing and told me that the hardest part was being patient. Sigh. She told me how even with an agent a publisher took a year to decide on her book. Another sigh. But she told me to keep writing and keep submitting, so that's where I am. It's important to stay balanced and just enjoy life. Below is a link to Nathan Bransford's blog and he has some insights on how writers can do just that.

http://nathanbransford.blogspot.com/2009/03/ten-commandments-for-happy-writer.html

Dreams and Snow

It's snowing in the deep woods. The world outside my cozy little house is brutally cold and yet it's mystical with white sparkling in the trail of a flashlight. Flakes dance like white pixies in the air.

My little dog loves this. Pete wants to be a Husky when he grows up. He flies off the stoop and lands in snow that blankets the yard. Tomorrow it will be deeper and I will have to rescue him. He counts on me, knowing that whatever he does, I will rescue him. Pete's such a wild ball of fluff. That's why I keep him always close to me. He doesn't go anywhere alone, but he doesn't seem to mind. I think he thinks the leash is so I won't get lost. He believes that he's supposed to watch movies and eat snacks. What a happy life he leads.

The lovely thing about snow is the dreams that grow when the world grows colder. Dreams flow through my sleep giving me epic stories to write. The white blanket temporarily blurs the world and drives us all back into our homes. It is there that we realize what we love, what we care about, and what we get to spend time doing in the home for a change separate from the world. Sometimes it's good to cherish what we have for a while. The snow makes that possible.

So if you get the chance to stay home, take it. Use it to write, to play, to do those things you don't get to do, to love, to contemplate on what make life a treasure that sparkles. Dance in your dream tonight and you'll realize . . . What you find is your treasure.

It's Okay to Breathe/Help a Bonsai Tree

Things are going very fast in my world and I'm working like the dickens to keep up. I'm Linked in, Facebooked, Live Journaled, have two blogs and one website. Oh, yes, I Twitter. During this I'm an associate editor for Space and Time magazine. My short story "She Came to Sing" came out in the January edition of Beyond Centauri magazine, which has sold so well that it's temporarily sold out. I'm currently trying to market my paranormal romance. And I write and edit.

For a part-time job, I'm a university webmaster. So yes, I'm traveling at lightspeed and possibly a little weird from too much chocolate. I blame Valentine's Day. That's when my romance blog, Nights of Passion, was born. http://nightsofpassion.wordpress.com/ It was my official entry to the world or romance, besides becoming a RWA member.

Now if you think I'm done, I'm not. To prevent myself from becoming a lump in front ot the computer, I go to a dojo and Thai kickbox. I find it very peaceful. To keep my brain and nerves from fizzing, I do spiritual exercises.

I'm a mom with two grown daughter, a husband, a dog, a cat, and a rose bush that's doing well, and a Bonsai tree that's not. Anyone with suggestions on the care and feeding of a Bonsai tree, please, help!!!

Ta ta. I'm off to update the creative writing exercise on my website. http://www.susanhannifordcrowley.com/

Romancing the Blog

Writing takes new twists and turns and it was around April last year, that I took another author's advice and explored romance. I went to the bookstore to buy books. I picked up paranormal romance and fell in love. I've been writing at lightspeed every since.

What does that mean? I'm on a new adventure. This week I just found out that the magazine BEYOND CENTAURI which has my most current sf story, "She Came to Sing," has done so well that they are temporarily sold out. Hooray! This week a daughter announced she was engaged. This week I started submitting my new book manuscript to agents. Yes, it's a paranormal romance. I'm already writing another.

What else does this mean? A new and different blog--a romance blog. In the blurry hours before Valentine's Day morning, I built http://nightsofpassion.wordpress.com
If you're a romantic at heart, drop by. I'm talking romance with movie and book reviews, upcoming books soon to be released. Who knows? At some point, I may even be announcing my new book. Not yet though. Be patient.

Life is a romance and the lovely thing now is that science fiction and fantasy has joined the game of love.

My husband took me out to dinner and dancing for Valentine's Day. I hope your day was equally fun. Ta ta for now.

Booksigning--an education and a blast

I had the opportunity to go to a signing of 15 romance writers recently. It was great meeting them, talking about writing, and about their work. I learned firsthand a lot about presentation--how to create an inviting booksigning. There was the three long tables where the authors sat with their books ready to sigh, a table with refreshments, and give aways and prizes that were drawn from a box. I had filled out a card with my name, address, and email and put it in the box. Of all things, being on the mailing lists of authors is something I don't mind at all.

And there was all the different genres of romance to choose from ranging from contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical. It was a light-hearted, fun time. What I particularily enjoyed were the readings. At different times, it was announced that one of the authors would read. "Oh, wow!" is all I can say.

Here are the web sites of the authors I met. I've attached their links so you can visit their sites.
Annette Blair
Kristan Higgins
Marie Force
Stella Price (I actually already knew Stella.)
Jessica Andersen
Cat Johnson,
Tilly Greene
Allie Boniface
Donna Michaels
Leigh Ellwood
Denise Eagan
Emily Bryan
Isabelle Santiago
Kathryn Smith
Toni Andrews

Ah, Valentine's Day and a little romance reading is just the thing!

The Wildness of the Season

Okay, since I'm recovering from the flu, and yes, I did get a flu shot, I find this part of the season inspiring. I love looking at the moonlight on the snow. I love the silence in the early evening. I even love the wild winds that roar through late at night. All of it lends itself to excellent dreams.

So I've finished one book and have started another. So begins the flurry of submitting and finding the balance in my day. A certain portion goes to sending things out, while another part of the day belongs to the new book. Of course, I'm working, kickboxing, and being part of a family too. Never! Never forget to hug the dog. He loves that. However, if I hug my cat, her eyes bugs out, she wiggles out of my arms, and gives me the most incredulous look as if I've lost my mind. Isis is not the warmest kitty on the planet. She believes in boundaries.

During my part unconsciousness of the flu which started last Sunday night, I started reading the TWILIGHT series. I'm halfway thorugh the 3rd book. Very intriguing.

I'm typing this during the Superbowl. They just had another beer commercial on--the one with the Clydesdale horses. I'm such a sucker for a good Clydesdale commercial. Years ago, when I was visiting Busch Gardens in Virginia, I got to see a baby Clydesdale--this very small delicate looking colt with huge feet. He was a bouncing happy guy though.

Enjoy the solitude of Winter while you can. It's nature's rest break. We can all use more sleep and dream time in our lives.

Home from Arisia

I love Arisia, which is my home con. I'm sort of devoted to going to that con every year. It's hard to say which I find the most fun. I love all the magnificent costumes. Dealers' Row is something I look forward to every year in my efforts to add to my collections of the strange and wonderful. Arisia is a big party con, so there's lots of opportunities to mingle and enjoy yourself.

The panels are fun. This year I had the honor of being the moderator for the "Vampires vs. Werewolves Debate". It was hilarious, uproarious fun. I love full room debates. Whenever I can get everyone to participate, I have the most fun. The werewolves did weaken their argument when they admitted to chasing their own tails. Their comment regarding mirrors was easily deflected. All in all, I'd have to call the debate a draw. I imagine the debate between the two factions will undoubtedly continue for centuries. Ah, so much to look forward to.

I also moderated the "I'll Be Back" panel. Not only was it informative, but my research actually helped me write my synopsis for my book. Just by studying the structure of the movies, I was able to finally see the structure. The discussion on time travel was very educational from various viewpoints, and just goes to show how difficult it is to write convincing time travel. Consistency being an issue.

I enjoyed being a panelist on the "Responsible Monogamy." It was very pleasant to exchange ideas on the subject, and for those in the room with questions, I sincerely hope we were of some help.

The panel on "Publicizing Your Book" was extremely educational. I took copious notes and really valued the list of books they recommended. Some things I knew, but some I didn't. I grew in practical knowledge by attending that very valuable panel.

Meeting people is always a highlight. An editor I know gave me excellent advice concerning my synopsis and book manuscript. I met romance writers from Albany, and I'm finding the company of romance writers to be increasingly enlightening. Paranormal romance is finding a home in the sf/f cons and it makes perfect sense. The more I read of paranormal romance, I find it fits perfectly into speculative fiction. The plots are so exciting. Heroines save worlds and still find time to fall in love. ;-)

The challenge for the weekend was returning home. I left Boston around 1 with snow blustering around me. The city streets were slick, but the Mass Pike at 40 mph was better. The snow stopped around Framingham, but after I entered Connecticut, it started again in Danielson for a short while. I was glad to be home, because it really snowed that evening.
I'm alway happy to attend Arisia. It adds so much to my life--meeting great people and being part of a marvelous adventure together.

Other events of importance that happened at the same time was:

The latest issue of Space and Time Magazine came out. I'm an associate editor with Space and Time. http://spaceandtimemagazine.com/

The latest issue of Beyond Centauri came out. My sf story "She Came to Sing" is in this issue. http://www.samsdotpublishing.com/purchasecenter/magazines.htm

It's been a great month so far.

Kicking the Holiday Blues

This has got to be the hardest time of the year. We remember people who are gone and, frankly, cry. A friend of mine once told me that it's all right to cry, "tears are like rain and help us grow." He was right.

Then everything gets harder when you go shopping. You can't blame people for shopping online. Too many people. Too short tempers. Too much stress. Too many expectation.

There's also a biological reason some people feel sad during this time of the year. S.A.D. is Seasonal Affective Disorder. Here's the website for what the Mayo Clinic says about it. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder/DS00195

Personally, and I can only say the following works for me--I try to be busy, eat healthy, and get enough rest. I kickbox, which helps me on many levels. While doing my kickboxing, I tend to zone out and my mind experiences peace.

Going to worship service and lunching with friends brings me past the peace into joy. So does staying warm with family and curling up with my laptop.

May everyone have a happy holiday experience regardless of what you celebrate. Look past the shopping lines and gruff voices and hear the music of life. It's there. It's you.

Writing Kicks

Today is a splendid day for writing. Why? Well, it's 10 degrees Fahrenheit here. Even the birds at the feeder are all fluffed up trying to keep warm. There's nothing like curling up on the sofa with a laptop and writing away. When the story flows, it's like blood flowing through your veins. Lately I've had the opportunity to learn so much. My ending was all wrong for a chapter, so I took one of my favorite books off the shelf and examined the ending of a chapter. Oh, mine had been so lackluster. So the key is to leave the reader on the edge of something, wanting more, needing to know the next sentence. I recut the ending of that chapter.

Later I will be warming up by kickboxing. I feel every writer needs an activity that gets the heart going and clears our minds out even for just a while. I don't know about you, but my mind operates at about light speed--no joke. At least it feels that way. I usually have at least 8 things to do in addition to several story lines being juggled in my brain at any one time. There are other ideas and concepts that linger on the edge waiting for me to notice. As a friend of mine frequently says, "There's always something." And since that is the case for so many of us, it is a luxury to linger on one thing--spend time with it--caressing a story with the keyboard.

I enjoy doing a lot of things, but writing kicks. It's the thing I always go back to. A writer the other day was giving me his word counts. I guess on a bad day I write 200 words, which is a page. On a great day, I can easily write over 2,000. I'll let you do the math. Sometimes I think of making jewelry or cookies or painting or playing the flute, but when push comes to shove, I'm happiest writing. At the end of all times, I want to remember all the great things I've done and people I've known and in some cases loved, but I don't want to regret that I didn't write enough. I think I'm finally writing at a rate that makes me happy.

Kicking Box and the Writer

Kicking the box is kicking the routine, kicking the expected. As a writer, I'm always seeking a new concept, a new view, something I hadn't seen before. I'm pretty open. That's just the way I am.

On writing: I write everyday. When an aspiring writer asks me how to get published, I tell them to write everyday, send it out, and then write something new. You create a kind of perpetual motion for yourself of writing and sending it out into the world. I've learned over time to worry less, have less angst, and just enjoy the process. What I'm writing now makes me giggle all over the place. If you're not having fun when you write, do something else.

On cold winter days, I can think of nothing but writing. Well, I do think of kickboxing too, but it's more of a release, an emptying of everything. When I come back from kickboxing, I have a clearer perspective for writing.

Snow also creates a clearer perspective, as everything slows down when it snows. I love writing a piece that vibrates with excitement. A lot of writers tend to rush. I know all about that. I'm an associate editor of a magazine. Too many of the stories we receive were not given their full justice by their writer, because he or she rushed through it.

Ah, Thanksgiving. Turkey, family, and writing. I'm looking forward to it.

Kicking the Box and Romance in Fantasy

I recently returned from a wonderful sf/f convention called Albacon in Albany, NY. I drove up through the Berkshires and the autumn foliage colors were glorious, a very breathtaking and peaceful journey. The con was amazing fun.

I also had the priviledge of talking with some amazing writers of Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy: Jackie Kessler, Stella Price, and Bianca D'Arc. The conversation was lively, fun, and I learned tons. I moderated a panel called "Fantasy and Romance," and it was very revealing in the hows, whats, and whys of the romance author.

Another panel I moderated was "Bad SciFi Movies." It was a full room involvement kind of panel with the panel and audience sharing their picks for really bad movies that no one should see, and those that are bad but marvelous at the same time.

I won't go into all the panels I went to or participated on--the main point is that is was overall an excellent con. From the banquet to the masquerade, I'll remember Albacon for a long time.

Kicking the Box and Suicide

I don't usually speak about controversial topics. I vote in every election, but I don't enjoy talking politics. But today I was struck with the overwhelming feeling to speak on a subject hushed up by our society--Suicide. I read about an author, who was at the top of his profession, and he hung himself. When I read it, I couldn't breathe for a moment. Then I got angry. He had wasted his time. He had wasted my time as well as I won't get to meet him.

I'm going to be blunt here. Often when someone kills themself, they mean it as an outcry for help--rescue me before I die--or to punish someone for hurting them--or to punish the world. Sometimes they want to punish themselves for the hurt they've caused others. In the long run, they have only cheated themselves of the opportunity to make amends either to themself or others. They haven't given others the opportunity to help them. Worse yet, they've missed the step that comes after pain and sorrow--the adventure that the next day brings.

Recently, I sent my husband to Ireland to see his family. Most writers don't have a lot of money. I'm one of them. Even though it was a pretty penny, it was worth a million to hear his experiences. He told me that he felt like Frodo and around every corner was a new adventure.

That's what life is. Every moment, around every corner, there is a new adventure. There are people waiting to meet us. Something we say or write may make them laugh or cry--it's a sharing of the adventure. Something they say or write may make us laugh or cry. If you kill yourself, you miss out. And all of us miss you.

Each of us is important to the world. If we were missing, something would be missing. People we haven't met yet would not receive the gift that is us. Don't waste the gift that is you! If you're having the worst day of you life, remember that tomorrow starts a new adventure. There are people waiting to meet you. There are sights you haven't seen, stories you haven't shared. YOU ARE HERE AND YOU'RE IMPORTANT!

Movies in the Summer--Relaxing in the Cold Dark

I love going to the movies in the summer. There's something refreshing about a cold dark room where you can sit and escape. Here are some of the movies I've seen so far and how I would rate them.

Five Stars--Amazing
Four Stars--Great
Three Stars--Good
Two Stars--Okay to rent on dvd
One Star--Okay to rent on dvd if you have nothing better to do

Beware that I have not put the ratings on any of the movies I've recommended. If ratings are a concern to you, please, Google the movie title and find the rating. Thanks.

"Iron Man" -- Five stars: I was just blown away and Robert Downy Jr.'s performance was a masterpiece. I don't want to say too much as it will give it away. A must!

"The Incredible Hulk"-- Four and a Half stars: Wonderful but an inch below "Iron Man." Well worth seeing.

"Journey to the Center of the Earth"--Two stars: I was disappointed. I went with someone who loves this story and it ruined it for him. Brandon Fraser was good but the script let him down.

Now if you're going to the dvd rental store anyway, there are three recommendations I have to make.

"The Lives of Others"--A Five Star movie--an amazing drama about life before the Berlin wall fell. It's riveting. I couldn't leave the room. I don't want to say too much.

"Black Sheep"--Four Stars worth of giggles: It's a New Zealander film on zombies--when I wasn't laughing hysterically--my mouth was open in disbelief. Yes, the Kiwis have quite a sense of humor.

"Shaun of the Dead"--Five Stars worth of laughs: This zombie movie comes from Britain and answers the age old question of what to do when surrounded when zombies. I'm not telling. You'll just have to see it.

That's it for now. I've got kickboxing to do. Bammm!

--Susan