How could I have gone so long without dancing? Why do we forget to have fun?
I went out to celebrate a friend's birthday at a great Greek restaurant with attached bar. In the bar, there was a slick gent in his fifties, crooning Gordon Lightfoot hits while playing on a synthesizer. Silly me, I turned up my nose at his song selection and ignored him.
Then my friend dragged me in to dance--bad cheezy barfly music and all! Now, I love to dance but I'm not what you'd call a good dancer. I'm a little more Romy and Michelle than Janet Jackson. So it's an exercise in trust for me.
Trust schmust. I danced my a** off! I danced until I couldn't breathe! No partner. Who cares? I danced by myself, with other women's husbands, with a lesbian or two! Those gals could boogie.
I could do this because I realized that I didn't care. I didn't care if people thought I was lame for dancing to Mambo # 5. I didn't care if someone wished I'd stop shaking my butt in front of their table because I was putting them off their baklava. And it wasn't just the gin and tonic. It was me, ready to dance.
Dancing is fun. Dancing is healthy. Dancing is something that doesn't happen often enough in this world, at least not once you're past your clubbing years. Why? Are only young skinny people supposed to dance, like it's a performance for the public? We're supposed to sit back and watch them have all the fun?
Kid, I'm of the disco generation. I was dancing before your mama got her first Easy-Bake oven! Make some room!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
New Year resolutions
On the top of my list this year was to blog more often. Actually, it was to blog weekly. It's the last day of January. I don't think monthly qualifies as success.
So, what am I up to?
Reading-I'm glomming Young Adult fiction at the moment. Hunger Games, Gone, Uglies--all outstanding!
Watching-working my way through a long-running BBC mystery series called "A Touch of Frost." Also, can't seem to stop watching the new "Star Trek" movie. Chris Pine or Zachary Quinto? Decisions, Decisions.
Making-I'm knitting up a storm. I've made 4 scarves, a yoga-bag, an afghan, and now I'm learning socks!
Cooking-not so much
Baking-bread! I gave myself a Breadman bread machine for Christmas. It has a gluten-free setting. Joy!
Organizing-the front closet today. Moved 6 months ago and it became the "I don't know where to put this" destination for all who helped that day. Of course, it was AFTER I finished that I found the light switch inside the closet.
Shopping-not really. Christmas shopping was fun this year but I'm not a shopper by nature...unless I'm at Staples. Or Home Depot.
Tick-tock until I can garden. I started some basil in a pot, just to hurry things along.
So, we're all caught up now, right?
Oh, WRITING!
Oops. Okay, I'm putting the finishing, final touches on the book I wrote with my sistah-from-another-mistah, Susan Donovan. A Courtesan's Guide to Getting Your Man will be released May 24th! Our cover is delicious--and someday, when I learn how, I will post it!
TTFN!
So, what am I up to?
Reading-I'm glomming Young Adult fiction at the moment. Hunger Games, Gone, Uglies--all outstanding!
Watching-working my way through a long-running BBC mystery series called "A Touch of Frost." Also, can't seem to stop watching the new "Star Trek" movie. Chris Pine or Zachary Quinto? Decisions, Decisions.
Making-I'm knitting up a storm. I've made 4 scarves, a yoga-bag, an afghan, and now I'm learning socks!
Cooking-not so much
Baking-bread! I gave myself a Breadman bread machine for Christmas. It has a gluten-free setting. Joy!
Organizing-the front closet today. Moved 6 months ago and it became the "I don't know where to put this" destination for all who helped that day. Of course, it was AFTER I finished that I found the light switch inside the closet.
Shopping-not really. Christmas shopping was fun this year but I'm not a shopper by nature...unless I'm at Staples. Or Home Depot.
Tick-tock until I can garden. I started some basil in a pot, just to hurry things along.
So, we're all caught up now, right?
Oh, WRITING!
Oops. Okay, I'm putting the finishing, final touches on the book I wrote with my sistah-from-another-mistah, Susan Donovan. A Courtesan's Guide to Getting Your Man will be released May 24th! Our cover is delicious--and someday, when I learn how, I will post it!
TTFN!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
RomCon is winding down...
One more event for me today. The Historical Author Mixer in a couple of hours and then nothing to do but work on our new book the rest of our time here.
RomCon has been generally good. I've met people I hadn't ever had the chance to get to know at larger conferences--Catherine Anderson!!! Christine Feehan!!! And the creative "games" aspect of the activities has been a lot of fun. There are really cool vendors in the "mall" area of the conference, where you can buy chain mail bikinis, get a massage and a reincarnation reading, and then pick up a lovely necklace from Bulgaria!
I did not purchase a chain mail bikini. Nope. Uh-uh. Not me. I did, however, get a very excellent massage. And bought some Shea butter. And the necklace from Bulgaria.
The bobbles that any new undertaking is bound to have are minimal. I would have liked to have my books at the table with me at the large booksigning instead of having them purchased in another room and then brought to me. I think the convention center has an odd, confusing layout and I never know where I am--although that is certainly not the fault of the event planners. This year, the authors outnumbered the readers. If you missed it, you missed your chance to have us competing for your attention!
So, much fun and some "er?" moments later, I have to say that I would definitely come back next year!
RomCon has been generally good. I've met people I hadn't ever had the chance to get to know at larger conferences--Catherine Anderson!!! Christine Feehan!!! And the creative "games" aspect of the activities has been a lot of fun. There are really cool vendors in the "mall" area of the conference, where you can buy chain mail bikinis, get a massage and a reincarnation reading, and then pick up a lovely necklace from Bulgaria!
I did not purchase a chain mail bikini. Nope. Uh-uh. Not me. I did, however, get a very excellent massage. And bought some Shea butter. And the necklace from Bulgaria.
The bobbles that any new undertaking is bound to have are minimal. I would have liked to have my books at the table with me at the large booksigning instead of having them purchased in another room and then brought to me. I think the convention center has an odd, confusing layout and I never know where I am--although that is certainly not the fault of the event planners. This year, the authors outnumbered the readers. If you missed it, you missed your chance to have us competing for your attention!
So, much fun and some "er?" moments later, I have to say that I would definitely come back next year!
Friday, July 9, 2010
Rockin' the RomCon!
I am in Denver, CO, attending the new Romance Convention and I am having more fun than a lizard stuck in a margarita glass! Let's put it this way--my roomate is contemporary romance author Susan Donovan and we just had dinner with Smart Bitch Sarah Wendell and Sourcebooks' Deb Werksman! Salt or no salt, ladies?
Denver is beautiful, the sky is blue, Susan is hysterically funny and I just drank a margarita that was bigger than my head. Since I'm a total lightweight, I keep having to count my fingers and toes to make sure they're still there. I'm currently getting ready for tonight's festivities and I hope I didn't lipstick my eyebrows.
Denver is beautiful, the sky is blue, Susan is hysterically funny and I just drank a margarita that was bigger than my head. Since I'm a total lightweight, I keep having to count my fingers and toes to make sure they're still there. I'm currently getting ready for tonight's festivities and I hope I didn't lipstick my eyebrows.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
FADE IN:
This past week I attended the SCSFe (Screenwriting Conference in Santa Fe) and I had an amazing time. I love learning about writing in any format and I learned many things that will definitely improve my novel writing as well as give me a new creative outlet in screenwriting.
First of all, screenwriters are so cool. Seriously. Unlike introverted thin-skinned novelists (unlike me!) they are tough, funny and determined. They have ideas coming out of their ears, more smart-assed comebacks than a roomful of teenagers and they are willing to be shot down again and again in the hopes that someone, somewhere will like just one of their ideas. I came out of that week tougher, funnier and more determined to be determined!
The conference seemed a little expensive when I registered, but I had no idea that the week would entail exposure to such amazing professional screenwriters and Hollywood producers. I went in confident about my ability as a writer in general but open to new ideas. I was very frank about the fact that my entire screenwriting experience consisted of the assignment I had to finish for the conference itself.
First, we submit the first 10 pages of our screenplay and join a mentor group. Every day in class we'd rip each other's stuff apart (more or less anonymously) and put it back together--all in a friendly but ruthless way. After lunch, there were seminars for all levels, provided by experienced teachers. In addition, one-on-one critiques were made available. Then we broke for dinner out in the city of Santa Fe--and then the fun began.
Okay, I'll just say it. Screenwriters really know how to party! Drunken Karaoke, anyone?
Fortunately for me, my mentors were very patient and (once I had been thoroughly spanked for my lousy formatting) were very encouraging about my ability to tell a story on screen. So I buckled down and listened and wrote and learned and I started seeing movies in a way I'd never understood before. I learned an entirely new language in a matter of days!
So a big fat thank you to Ian Abrams, Darren Porter, Wendell Thomas, Ken Rotcop and everyone else who taught me more than I thought was possible to stuff into my overworked little brain. SCSFe is the best conference I have ever attended.
I can't wait until next year!
First of all, screenwriters are so cool. Seriously. Unlike introverted thin-skinned novelists (unlike me!) they are tough, funny and determined. They have ideas coming out of their ears, more smart-assed comebacks than a roomful of teenagers and they are willing to be shot down again and again in the hopes that someone, somewhere will like just one of their ideas. I came out of that week tougher, funnier and more determined to be determined!
The conference seemed a little expensive when I registered, but I had no idea that the week would entail exposure to such amazing professional screenwriters and Hollywood producers. I went in confident about my ability as a writer in general but open to new ideas. I was very frank about the fact that my entire screenwriting experience consisted of the assignment I had to finish for the conference itself.
First, we submit the first 10 pages of our screenplay and join a mentor group. Every day in class we'd rip each other's stuff apart (more or less anonymously) and put it back together--all in a friendly but ruthless way. After lunch, there were seminars for all levels, provided by experienced teachers. In addition, one-on-one critiques were made available. Then we broke for dinner out in the city of Santa Fe--and then the fun began.
Okay, I'll just say it. Screenwriters really know how to party! Drunken Karaoke, anyone?
Fortunately for me, my mentors were very patient and (once I had been thoroughly spanked for my lousy formatting) were very encouraging about my ability to tell a story on screen. So I buckled down and listened and wrote and learned and I started seeing movies in a way I'd never understood before. I learned an entirely new language in a matter of days!
So a big fat thank you to Ian Abrams, Darren Porter, Wendell Thomas, Ken Rotcop and everyone else who taught me more than I thought was possible to stuff into my overworked little brain. SCSFe is the best conference I have ever attended.
I can't wait until next year!
Monday, May 31, 2010
I finished!
SCOUNDREL IN MY DREAMS is done! The revisions are nearly finished and the story is everything I wanted it to be. It's such a different story for me. I hope everyone enjoys Jack and Laurel as much as I did. I had sooo much fun with all my imaginary friends at Brown's Club for Distinguished Gentlemen and little Melody.
Melody, as some of you know, was inspired by a real little girl. Frankie Jean is a sweet, funny, mad little thing who talks a mile a minute and travels even faster. "Richochet" is a word that comes to mind. I took video of FJ when she was just three and I kept watching it during this writing process, reminding myself what 3yrs on wheels really looks like.
I hope to post a drawing of my vision of Melody on my website soon. Chubby cheeks, dark curls and big blue baby eyes that turn grown men into pudding.
If you've been following the trilogy, you know that in the future segments Melody is about to get married. I've decided not to tell the story of Melody's courtship in the trilogy itself, but rather do a proper job of it in a novella. The story is completely adorable and I'm very eager to write it. I'm talking to my editor about that currently but I will let you know when that will become available.
SCOUNDREL will be released in late September (practically October!). If you'd like to receive the newsletter be sure to go to my website at CelesteBradley.com and enter on the contest page. I only sent out announcements when something major is happening and I'll never sell your email to a Viagra distributor so go ahead and sign up for the enewsletter when you get the confirmation email! :)
Hugs,
CB
Melody, as some of you know, was inspired by a real little girl. Frankie Jean is a sweet, funny, mad little thing who talks a mile a minute and travels even faster. "Richochet" is a word that comes to mind. I took video of FJ when she was just three and I kept watching it during this writing process, reminding myself what 3yrs on wheels really looks like.
I hope to post a drawing of my vision of Melody on my website soon. Chubby cheeks, dark curls and big blue baby eyes that turn grown men into pudding.
If you've been following the trilogy, you know that in the future segments Melody is about to get married. I've decided not to tell the story of Melody's courtship in the trilogy itself, but rather do a proper job of it in a novella. The story is completely adorable and I'm very eager to write it. I'm talking to my editor about that currently but I will let you know when that will become available.
SCOUNDREL will be released in late September (practically October!). If you'd like to receive the newsletter be sure to go to my website at CelesteBradley.com and enter on the contest page. I only sent out announcements when something major is happening and I'll never sell your email to a Viagra distributor so go ahead and sign up for the enewsletter when you get the confirmation email! :)
Hugs,
CB
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