Friday, February 27, 2009

Time?

I've been absent. 
I thought quiting my job and staying home with my son full-time would give me a little more freedom. 
Oh how I was deceived. 
There is no such thing as freedom. No such thing as weekends. 
There is only Crazy Mom Time. 
Which leaves little to no time for writing blog posts or romance novels. No, instead my days are filled with dishes, bottles, diapers, Baby Einstein videos that somehow suck me in, diapers, baby talk, clothes being changed, diapers, cuddling, crying, comforting, playing, diapers ... did I mention diapers? 
I have been assured it will get better. I love the time with my son, how could I not? But it has to get better, right? 
So until it does, expect radio silence. 

Thursday, February 19, 2009

New Reads


I've been circling this book ever since it came out a few months ago. I picked it up the other day, finally, as a happy birthday present from me to me. I haven't had much time for reading here lately, or much time for anything else either, but I hope to get started on this one soon. 


I was hoping someone would get this for me for my birthday but no such luck. Binchy is an auto-buy for me but these days hardcovers are a wee bit out of my price range. So I'll pick it up from the library and later buy the trade. If I like it. I do wish Binchy would go back to 1950-60 Ireland. 







Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Movie Review ~ He's Just Not That Into You


hjntiu

 From the movie website …

Based on the wildly popular bestseller from “Sex and the City” scribes Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, He’s Just Not That Into You tells the stories of a group of interconnected, Baltimore-based twenty-and thirtysomethings as they navigate their various relationships from the shallow end of the dating pool through the deep, murky waters of married life, trying to read the signs of the opposite sex … and hoping to be the exceptions t the “no-exceptions” rule.

Gigi just wants a man who says he’ll call - and does - while Alex advises her to stop sitting by the phone. Beth wonders if she should call if off after years of committed singlehood with her boyfriend, Neil, but he doesn’t think there’s a single thing wrong with their unmarried life. Janine’s not sure if she can trust her husband, Ben, who can’t quite trust himself around Anna. Anna can’t decided between the sexy married guy, or her straightforward, no-sparks standby, Conor, who can’t get over the fact that he can’t have her. And Mary, who’s found an entire network of loving, supportive men, just needs to find one who’s straight.

If you’ve ever sat by the phone wondering why he said he would call, but didn’t, or if you can’t figure out why she doesn’t want to sleep with you anymore, or why your relationship just isn’t going to the next level … he (or she) is just not that into you.

I had my doubts about this movie. I hadn’t read the book, I don’t go in much for self-help, but the movie boosted such an outstanding cast, that I gave into peer-pressure and went. I wasn’t disappointed. At first I thought it was just because it was $1 popcorn night and that extra-large coke along with some really good friends that made the movie for me. But after some reflection, I’ve decided it was actually that aforementioned and the story of Gigi and Alex. Ginnifer Goodwin and Justin Long really stole the show right out from under bigger name actors like Jennifer Aniston and Ben Affleck.

Gigi has been dumped … a lot. And Alex thinks he’s happy with his single and loving-it status. Together they move through a slow dance of discovery and eventually happiness.  I found bits of the movie to be completely cliché but perhaps that is the charm of such a movie. It’s suppose to show us that everybody experiences in some way or form what these six couples go through: self-doubt, suspicion, heartbreak and heartache, temptation, bewilderment, euphoria and ultimately happiness, whether alone, with someone new or the person who has been there all along.    

Throughout the movie I cringed, I laughed, I groaned and I got warm-squishes. I didn’t cry once although I think if I had more sympathy for Janine (Jennifer Connelly) I might have. I enjoyed the Kris Kristopherson’s cameo as Beth’s (Jennifer Aniston) father. I found Anna’s (Scarlett Johansson) character to be a little over the top but glad to see that Ben (Bradley Cooper) and Anna got what they worked for in the end. It might not have been what they wanted, but their paths were set from the beginning.

In the end, I am glad I went and I’d definitely rent this one on DVD. Something interesting as well … in a movie all about breaking up and finding the right one it’s interesting that Justin Long dated Drew Barrymore and Jennifer Aniston dated Kevin Connolly. Neither ex-couples had scenes with each other.

Make sure you don’t leave as soon as the credits start to roll, there are a few extra scenes that make the movie that much better.

Bottom Line: There are no signs, only what your heart tells you is true.

Things I Liked

~ I was impressed with the number of recognizable names in a film that doesn’t feature a lead character. Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Scarlett Johansson, Justin Long, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Ginnifer Goodwin.

~ Ginnifer Goodwin as Gigi won my heart from the beginning. She is every woman who’s ever been dumped, can’t figure out why, but figures out a way to move on.

~ The movie followed a unique format of several intertwining stories. I loved this form of story-telling in Love Actually and got pretty excited when I realized this was the same format.

~ This is a personal preference but I attended the movie with a group of about ten women. In total there were maybe 30 people in the theater (4 of which were guys). You know it’s a good movie when all 30 women make the same noises of surprise, delight, disgust and overall heart-melting-ness at the same time.

Things I Didn’t Like

~ Mary’s (Drew Barrymore) story was the least explored path and I wished for a little more on her.

~ There is a downside with a several plot-line movie … I did not enjoy Ben (Bradley Cooper) and Anna (Scarlett Johansson).

Favorite Line

Gigi: I’m the exception

Alex: You’re my exceptio 

Rating ~ B

Additional Info

~ Website ~ http://www.hesjustnotthatintoyoumovie.com/

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

A Suggestion

Over at Reading Romance Books, Sarah suggested using a new site designed to help you find a book to read next based on books you have already read. I just used it quickly to see what it was like and found I liked the results. I typed in Agnes and the Hitman and got these results:

He Loves Lucy - Susan Donovan 
Not Another New Year's - Christie Ridgway 
Anyone But You - Jennifer Crusie 
Name Dropping: What If Two Very Different Women Had The Same Exact Name? - Jane Heller 
Knock Off - Rhonda Pollero 
Ultra Violet - Nancy Bush 
The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes - Anne Stuart, Jennifer Crusie, Eileen Dreyer 
Not Another Bad Date - Rachel Gibson 
What Looks Like Crazy - Charlotte Hughes 
Pink Slip Party - Cara Lockwood 

I've read Christie Ridgeway and Rachel Gibson as well as everything Jennifer Crusie has written but have not yet tried Cara Lockwood, Charlotte Huges, Nancy Bush, Rhondal Pollero or Jane Heller. A quick browse through Amazon tells me I could definitely pick up a few of these based on the blurbs. I think I am going to like this new site!

Here it is: 

It basically works by using reader suggestions and you have the option to create your own page and recommendations. 

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Playlist

Today I had at least two hours to do with whatever I wanted. So I sat down to do some plotting (I love plotting) and instead I succumbed to temptation. I didn't plot. Bad writer! Instead I spent one hour and forty-five minutes searching for songs to add to my writing playlist. TECHNICALLY I was working on my book. Technically. Unfortunately my notepad is still empty although my iPod has an interesting list on it. A few samples ... 

LeeAnn Womack's Last Call
Duffy's Mercy
Lady Antebellum's Run To You

... Those are just three of many. I find songs so inspiring when I need to slip into the dreamstate needed for writing. My creativity ups a couple notches each time I listen to the songs that remind me of my current project. I feel a little bad about not writing anything. But not bad enough. Bad writer! 

P.S. Wander on over to Reading Romance Books to check out my review of Catherine Anderson's Star Bright ... it wasn't the best read and writing bad reviews is always difficult.

Monday, February 2, 2009

This Romance Writer on Her Journey

Today over at Romance Writers on the Journey, Keli has posted an interview with yours truly. So wander on over and check it out. If you comment, you'll be entered in a drawing for some pretty cool prizes. The drawing is on Wednesday. The question I posed to RWOTJ readers got me thinking about another interesting question ...

If you could be any fictional character, who would you be?

I have several answers (yeah, it's my question and I say you can have more than one answer) ...

1. Anne Shirley - she has such beautiful thoughts AND Green Gables AND Gilbert Blythe (although I wouldn't mind any of Montgomery's leading ladies ... Emily, Jane, Valancy)
2. Harry Potter ... or technically should it be Hermoine? I don't really want Harry's problems but I could definitely use the magic powers. Invisibility cloak anyone?
3. Charlotte Grey - a British gal who joined the French Resistance during WWII to find her fallen fighter-pilot boyfriend? Yeah, I could do that. 

So, who would you be?

Tomorrow look for a review on Catherine Anderson's new book. And a real blog post. I promise. Sorta.