My Cast of Characters

This post was inspired by a post on the fabulous, Darcy Drake’s blog.  Most writers look at movie stars and dream of who would play the parts of their characters in a movie version.  Sometimes this helps us in character descriptions and sometimes…well most of the time, it’s just for fun.  After seeing Darcy’s depiction of her characters on her blog, McGovy and I thought we would shamelessly copy her and do the same.  *grins* I usually take pieces of people, ideas from songs, and bits of passing conversation to create my characters; so this was a challenge.  I hope you like it.

Without further ado, here is my cast of characters for my book series:

MUST LOVE DUKES

As Devon Grey, Mad Duke of Thornwood:

Rufus Sewell

As Lily Phillips:

Rosamund Pike

The Villain of the story:

Does this even need a tag line?  I think not. ;)

DESPERATELY SEEKING SUZANNA

As Holden Ellis, Lord Steelings:

Bradley Cooper

As Sue Green:

Scarlett Johansson with no makeup and no hair dye.  Sorry, Scarlett.  I’m evil like that.

The villain of the story:

Granny May from Word Girl.  Her knitting needles are weapons and she shoots petrified purse mints at her enemies…perhaps not in my story, but that’s just good stuff.  LOL

BOOK 3 WITH NO NAME  ;)

This is where my casting gets a little fuzzy since I’m plotting this book right now. So, bear with me…

As Andrew Clifton, Lord Amberstall:

I know I need a real person, but believe me this is surprisingly accurate.

As Katie Moore:

Molly C. Quinn

I hope you like my “Movie cast” of A Trick of the Ton. J  Does anyone have casting ideas for Amberstall? 

Celebrate! Good Times! C'mon!

This weekend I celebrated a few awesome accomplishments, one of which is the completion of my second solo manuscript and the delivery of it to my critique group. Some people may consider this small, but for a writer it is huge! Plus, I'm a mom with a full time job. I take any excuse to get out.

Friday night was all about:

And:

Mmmm Tex-Mex. SO YUMMY! Black bean hummus and pita bread! Cheesy layered dip! What’s not to love?

The downer is, if I celebrate by indulging in food & beverage, it often comes at a price. I have Ulcerative Colitis. If you don’t know what that is, just take my word - it's not fun.  With UC comes gluten and lactose intolerance (different from allergy in that I can have some of either, but only in certain forms and very limited). I’ve lived with UC for 13 years now. I know what I can and can’t do. But sometimes I’m so taken away by the reason and opportunity to celebrate, I forget all about my limitations and paaaaartay! The next day I feel like warmed over death and get b*tch slapped with the reminder that I am not “normal.” 

So Saturday I celebrated by getting back on the healthy wagon. I took Li’l Man to the store and did the weekly grocery shopping w/ health (not time constraints) foremost in my mind. I finally found plain quinoa (pronounced KEEN-WAH…I’ve wondered about this for awhile) to use for breakfast and lots of happy foods for my body. Ingles is now my favorite grocery store.

Saturday night was all about:

And

Love spa nights too. Facial & a home pedi. Ohmmmmmmmmmmm.

Sunday I felt TONS better. The weather was perfection. We spent most of the day outside in the yard or on the deck.

While Li’l Man napped, I worked on the plot for Book 3. How do you best celebrate finishing a book? Write another one!

It's Tuesday and I’m still on the healthy eating wagon. M Shelf Shopping season will be here soon. I want to look great and feel even better. I know I won’t eat like a health guru every day, but the important thing for me is to make healthy eating the rule, not the exception.  Happy Tuesday Morning y’all!!!

A Few of My Favorite Things

*sings rain drops on roses, but not whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles, not scratchy wool mittens*

Everyone has favorite things they can’t live without.  Over time, the list changes with life and with the seasons.  So, I was excited when McGovy started this series on our favorite things.  Bring on the happy in life!  Here is my list…my list right now anyway because tomorrow it will be something else. *grins*

1.)  Noise Cancelling Headphones.  I bought a pair of these a few weeks ago and I’m not sure how I lived without them.  I do a good bit of my writing while my little monkey plays with his toys beside me.  It’s amazing to slip on these headphones and disappear into a fictional world for an hour while battles rage between superheroes and Nurf darts hit me in the head.  *happy sighs* My writing speed has increased and I feel like I’m a better mom because of them.  I’m now able to juggle mom life and writer life with a little more ease.  I recommend these to anyone who works from home.  They’re awesome!

      2.)  Larabars.  I’m addicted.  This is what I have for breakfast everyday with my coffee.  Nom nom nom.  They’re so good and good for you.

      3.)  Clif Bars.  Are we noticing a theme here?  I have no time to eat, people—no time!  If it wasn't for these delicious snack bars, I would starve at lunch every day.  And as a bonus, my little monkey likes them too.  He snacks on them in the car between school and gymnastics in the afternoons.

      4.)  Fireplaces.  I love curling up in front of the fireplace with a book or a drink or my laptop or a magazine…or my husband.  I enjoy the almost singed fabric on the back of my shirt from sitting there too long, the crackle of the logs and the smell of wood smoke lingering in the air. 

 

      5.)  Things that sparkle.  Diamonds, sequins, glitter, and pretty much anything that’s bedazzled.  After all, they are a girl’s best friend, right? 

I hope you've enjoyed my list.  What are your 5 favorite things? I'd love to hear from you. 

My Favorite Things

One of my goals for 2013 is to focus more on the positive and not ruminate on the negative. It's in that spirit that I want to start a quarterly (or so) tradition of looking at the things that make me happy. Some are small and seem trivial, but they really do make me smile.  Other items on the list are tangible and materialistic, while many make up the good stuff in life that's immeasurable. These are a few of my favorite things:

1. Coldstone Creamery Sweet Cream Creamer - I know it's just coffee creamer, but it is THE BEST coffee creamer. This is how I start my days and the day is better with perfectly nommy coffee.  I've tried every creamer out there and this tops all. Second best is using Baileys, but I'm back on #wkendrulez so the Irish Cream is only for conferences and fun weekends away.

2. My boys - by this I mean my Li'l Man (son) and my Irishman (husband). They're my blessings and my life lessons. Marriage and family raising isn't for sissies, but my joy is wrapped up in them. Laughing with my boys is one of life's greatest pleasures and I'm lucky because they are both goofy beyond belief.

3. Lancome Doll Lashes mascara - I am a make-up fanatic. I loooove make-up. In another life, I'd move to Hollywood and be a make-up artist. I lack any major skill as it is, but I enjoy trying. Eye make-up is my favorite and I'm very picky about my mascara. I like dramatic lashes, but not spider eyes. I've tried all kinds and this stuff is amazing. Yeah, it's Lancome so it ain't cheap, BUT I buy it when they do free gifts so the $30 also buys me lip gloss, eye shadow, lipstick, hand cream, a small mascara, and a tiny travel eye cream. Well worth the $20 extra for killer lashes.

4. Action Movies with Romance - This may surprise exactly no one, but my favorite movies are ones with a lot of action and a love story. Narky humor is a plus. I thought about my movie faves the other day and it's no wonder I write what I write.  But seriously! The Best movies ever have both. LOTR, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and smaller hits like Romancing the Stone, Bourne Identity and Legacy, 300, and I won't keep listing awesome movies because I could go on all day.

5. Rainstorms - Not the end of days, torrential wind downpours that get scary, but the steady soaks that make for perfect napping and *ahem* other stuff weather. The best is a spring or summer rain because you can still get outside in it. Living in Charleston for years, I was caught in many a pop-up shower. Once you're drenched, there's no point in caring, so why not enjoy being stuck outside in a cool rain? I still splash in puddles and laugh at the fact I still can't remember my umbrella.

That's all for today. If your Monday gets you down, try stopping and thinking of at least five things that make you happy. Feel free to share it here as well. =) I hope it will improve your day!

2013 - The Year of the M

This year isn't about resolutions. It's about goals and action. Sure, life is going to derail us at times - that's practically an absolute - but we both have plans in place for the year overall.  Our thinking is if we share them with the universe (aka Blogosphere), then it's out there. It's real. And we really have to do it.  Throughout the year we will revisit and see how we did. (Eek!)

McGovy's 2013 Action Plan

·         Go to Boxing/Kickboxing twice a week. Weight training once a week.

·         Eat healthier (cut back on carbs & follow #wkendrulez).

·         Query & submit the first two books of The Fianna Trilogy to my agent/editor List of Glory.

·         Take more pictures.
.    Focus on the positive.

·         Read at least a book a month (I've gotten shamefully behind on my TBR pile).

E Michels’ Goalzzzzz…zz…z ;)

 

 

1.   I will read more.  It seems like I’ve been too busy to read lately which makes me sad.  I love curling up with a good book!  Why am I not making more time to read?  So, I vow it here in print.  In the New Year I will read at least one book a month.

2.    I will exercise 5 days a week.  This must happen.  #operationskinnyjeans

3.   I will write every day even if it’s only a few words because books don’t write themselves.

4.   I will not say the words, “What if…” Nothing fabulous ever follows these words, only devastation and ruin, so I am cutting them from my vocabulary.  No more worrying over circumstances that only exist in my imagination.  No more, I say! *hair flip*

5.   As the following goals are on my list every year, I feel the need to include them even though I know from past experience I will fail miserably.  Be prompt with all thank you notes, remember birthdays of friends and family, and begin every day with a freshly made bed. J

 

Okay 2013, let's do this!!!