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Okay, maybe not a rant, but a complaint. We switched to Blockbuster from Netflix awhile back because Blockbuster would give you coupons for a free movie or video game. There were 2 coupons a month, and since you can keep games a week, it was worth it.

They stopped the coupons, but still let you exchange your mailed movie at the store, and you could get a new movie to watch while they mail your next one. As soon as they scanned your mailed movie, the next one was released from your queue. Pretty cool, right?

At first it was unlimited, and while I used the feature a lot in the summer, I didn't so much in the school year. Besides, seriously, there aren't that many movies I want to see, and my Blockbuster has less and less now, only new releases, no old releases at all.

Then they cut it so you could trade 2 movies a month. Still okay, and I hardly ever use my 2 a month during the school year, unless there are a lot of good movies releasing at a time. Because, see, you'd still be getting your mailed movies from the queue, and you could kind of double up (though I never get more than 2 movies a week, no matter how quickly I watch and return them. I'm on the one-movie-at-a-time plan).

Now...you can trade your movie, but they don't release the next movie until you return the store movie. Hmph.

All this on top of the fact that for the past couple of months, the ONLY new release I've been able to get the week it was released is Australia. Everything else is listed as "short wait" or longer. Even if I time it so my movie gets back on Monday, I don't get a new release for that week.

I want to look and see how much a similar plan would be with Netflix, but it wants me to renew my membership and I'm not ready to commit, since I just paid Blockbuster for the next month.

On the other hand, Blockbuster has exclusive videos, and I don't want to miss out there...

Which service do you use? Why?

First of all….I saw my book at the store yesterday for the first time!!!!



I meet my cp at B&N and we ride together to 3rd cp’s house. I was running in to B&N to see if my book was there when my cp pulled up. I went to get in the car, told her what I was doing, and she said, “Let’s go!” She went to look in the romance section while I asked the girl at the information booth. Linda came back and said she didn’t find it as the girl was telling me there were no orders listed under my phone number or email. I was disappointed. Then Linda remembered to look under my pen name, and as the girl was looking up the book, Linda called my name. I ran over, and there was one copy, on the bottom shelf, far left side. We moved it up a shelf, next to Lori Foster, and took a picture! Excuse the I-need-to-color-my-hair hair!

This week, back to work.

1) Get son ready for trip to NYC-he leaves Tuesday.
2) 2 guest blogs+SPN blog
3) 35 pages of Texas
4) SARA
5) Grocery store
6) Color hair
7) Exercise
8) House

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I realized that the ds leaves for NYC on Tuesday and I never did make it to the dry cleaners. We also need to hit the bank and he needs deodorant. And maybe a new carry-on bag.

I made it as far as the living room in my big cleaning adventure. The back room just needs to be dusted, but the guest room is in bad shape. It's one of those catch-all rooms, you know? And instead of cleaning it, as was on my list yesterday, I watched another BSG Season 1 disc. Hey, it was cold!

While I'm not behind on my writing goals, I'm not where I wanted to be at the beginning of the week. I'd hoped to finish, but the emotions on this part are pretty deep. Only here's the thing...I can't get the emotions as deep as they should be. This is a really important, conflicted part, and I'm not sure how to delve that deep. Any thoughts?

Okay, off to read my cp's 17 pages (sent at 8:15 last night). Good thing only one cp sent anything, because I'm worthless on Friday nights.

Look! New J Pad pictures!

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I didn't go ANYWHERE yesterday. It was rainy and cold, so I dusted the living room, climbed on the couch with my laptop and remote....and Skippy got up on the ottoman and POOPED. He was sick. So I closed him out of the bedrooms and waited for the boy to get up so we could give Skippy one of the pills we got when Napoleon had diarrhea. Skippy is very smart and spit out the pill more than once. Gave me some good scratches, too.

Also met my writing goal for the first time all week, and actually outlined the book until the end! So I'm excited about writing today (and also not going anywhere). I also did my newsletter and an interview. And had a really good rainy day nap....which I'd love to repeat today. I watched 2 discs of the first season of BSG, then Bonnie Hunt, Bones, Grey's and SPN. Oh, and Clooney was on ER! I only caught about half, so will find Hulu. I bought the soundtrack for Firefly from iTunes. A bit late in my process, but I needed something for a soundtrack for the Texas book.

I haven't heard from my cps. We're supposed to meet tomorrow, but if they haven't said anything and if they haven't sent anything....am I supposed to drop everything to read their stuff if they send it today???

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So, I don't have enough books.

Right, I have enough books, but I want more. For example, I still want this Wild Rose Press Book.



Only it's 156 pages and $13 on Amazon. It's only $4 in e-book, but I thought I'd share it with my mom, see, so I want it in paperback. The deal is, at Amazon, if you get $25 in merch, you get free shipping. So I'm trying to decide what else to get.



This is only $16 online. I never usually pay that much for a book, but if I'm paying $13 for 156 pages.....

Also, there's this:



The new Nora trilogy is in trade paperback, did you know that? Right now it's discounted at a bit over $10.

So what would you buy? Do you think twice before buying a book over a certain price?

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The ds and I wrote a joint review of WATCHMEN at Supernatural Sisters. It was fun to write, though we wrapped it at 11:40 last night. I was so tired. He gets the procrastinator gene from his daddy.

Okay, not entirely true. I'm putting off doing the taxes. I went to Office Max yesterday to get the basic Turbo Tax, which we always use, but the box said it was a GUIDE, that you actually do it online. I've used Turbo Tax for years. Has anyone used the online version?

I didn't get nearly as far on my writing as I wanted to yesterday. So, frustrated. Today is supposed to be cold and rainy, so hopefully can catch up if I don't go anywhere or want to work in the yard. It's my day to clean the living room, which shouldn't be too bad.

I have over 200 unread posts on my Google Reader, and I haven't even read the Entertainment Weekly with JDM on the cover yet. Oddly, I thought yesterday was Wednesday. I was waiting for LOST to come on!

But my main frustration is with the book I'm reading. Why am I still reading? It's part of a series, and I already bought the next book. But the author had set up a huge conflict, then backed away from it with half the book still to go! And it was such a soap opera cop-out. (Now, I am aware I'm doing something similar in my historical, with the cop-out, but it's later in the book and hopefully brings out more tension.) Also, there are babies EVERYWHERE. And the way it's worded in one part nearly sent the book flying. ARGH. I guess it just feels very self-indulgent. I'm going to try to finish reading it today, but hold off on reading the next one in the series.

Has a series ever let you down? The first book was one of my FAVORITE books last year, but the rest have failed to live up to it.

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I have spent the last two days doing promo. Last night I tried to clean off my Tivo as much as possible, but didn't get far. Last week's Heroes got bumped, so we have to watch on HULU. I got my Merritt entries scored and returned, two rose bushes planted, a mandevilla planted, but there aren't a lot of plants available yet.

The book I'm reading is frustrating me. By page 250, all the impediments to the relationship are removed. Still have 150 pages to go. Um, so....what's going to happen? And the plot device introduced in the first 30 pages is of course disposed of easily. Aggravating. Also, the hero doesn't talk like a guy. He talks a LOT.

I started a list of things that my characters will never say. All of these things just have connotations that rub me wrong.

1) For sh**s and giggles
2) In the sack
3) Good to go (terrible memories of this phrase)
4) Balls out or balls to the wall (though now that I know it’s not as nasty as it sounds---well, no. They won’t say it.)
5) Quote unquote – okay, maybe a secondary would say this
6) I loved you before I knew you.
7) They will never call the bad guys “thugs.”

What are some of your reader pet peeves?

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This is Read an E-Book Week. May I suggest an





Yup, Hot Shot won!!!!! I still can't believe it!!!!!

Go, HOT SHOT!

Today, I'm hosting an hour at the Samhain Cafe, the email loop, which was pretty overwhelming yesterday. When we got home from Watchmen (which I'm reviewing Wednesday for Supernatural Sisters), I had almost 300 emails!

I'm also guest blogging at Muse, Interrupted. Come visit and you could win a copy of Hot Shot!

Hopefully, at some point today, I can work on my book!!!

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-ate breakfast in another town

-visited the birthplace of your state

-had your mom read to you a book from your childhood

-drove over a weak bridge

-walked on the beach

-rode a ferry

-saw hurricane devastation

-followed the path of your characters

Mom picked me up around 7:30, we went to pick up my bro and stepdad and headed for Schulenburg, about halfway between here and Houston, for breakfast. Baby Bro and I teased that we couldn't make it. We ate the buffet, then shopped in their little store. They had a collection of Golden Books and Mom and I each bought one that brought back memories. Mom read hers to us, and Baby Bro read mine. Silly, I know.

We reached San Felipe about an hour later, and the park looked WAY bigger on the internet. But we toured the museum, took pictures, talked to the docent, who didn't know as much about the time period I needed as I hoped. He also didn't seem to want to listen, but I did get some info. Still, we saw the Brazos River and the area where my characters would come through. Very helpful. We left about 1 PM, and my stepdad asked where to. Well, we headed for Galveston, where the woman I'm basing my heroine on is from. Took us about 2 1/2 hours because of construction. But when we got there, it was beautiful! We saw some of the damage from the storm, saw some beautiful old houses, walked on the beach a bit, then rode the ferry to Port Bolivar.

Well. For one, we waited a long time for the ferry. Mom got itchy, but once we were on it was great.

Until some old guy started throwing crackers at the seagulls when the sign CLEARLY said, "Don't Feed the Birds." Ugh. Hate birds.

Once we got off the ferry, man. First thing you see is STACKS of cars that had been damaged by Hurricane Ike. Then PILES of debris from houses.

Then the long line of people waiting to get BACK on the ferry. Oops! I called the dh to see if there was another way off. Turns out it's not an island but a peninsula. Whew. Good. 40 more minutes on the road was nothing compared to the 2 hours, easy, wait to get back on the ferry.

Then...I saw the fort where Jane Long, the inspiration for my heroine, lived one winter. Wow. Very cool. We didn't stop, because we couldn't go in because of storm damage, but seeing it, and the land around it, was very helpful.

And then....the devastation. Wow. Ike hit this place full-on. You could see where houses and stores had been, you could see cement culverts that had been tossed around, roads still covered with sand, a house turned on its roof....just incredible damage. Sad but also really impressive, the power of the storm.

We got off the peninsula and onto I-10 between Beaumont and Baytown just as it was getting dark. I made notes of the rivers we passed and reasoned some things out for my story, which I'm now itching to write.

We ate dinner in Katy at 8 PM, got into my driveway at 11 PM, all tired, but we had fun. I'll post pictures when I can find my cord!

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I'm posting my goals a day early since they're for all of Spring Break.

1) Finish historical, submit polished partial, go back and polish the rest
2) Finish judging Merritt
3) Taxes
4) Maybe see about maybe doing a booksigning
5) Get ready for critique
6) Guest blog
7) Query agents
8) library
9) Breakfast with Mom (I need to quit putting that because every time I do, something happens to stop it.)
10) Research trip with baby brother
11) Get some plants, play in the dirt
12) Clean house well enough that I can keep it up the rest of the school year.
13) Exercise-walk and ride exercise bike
14) Catch up on TV and with Blockbuster
15) Read 2 books.
16) See Watchmen!

Huh, ambitious for a week, aren't they?

I went to see Cindi in the hospital after school yesterday. They kept her another night because they're running more tests today. She's in good spirits, relieved because there was only a trace of fluid found around her heart. Her sister was there at the hospital with her, and her husband brought her oldest son to visit, but she misses her kids. Before I went, I called to see if she needed anything to stave off boredom, and she said she was fine.

I would be out of my mind, or at least begging for something to read or a notebook or SOMETHING.

This got me thinking how different she and I are. We've been friends for 20 years but have next to nothing in common.

She's a sports fan.
She doesn't read.
We don't watch the same shows except The Office (for that matter, no one at school watches the same shows I do...)
We don't like the same movies. If I love it, she's bound to hate it, and vice versa.
She's impulsive and I'm a planner. In fact, she and Robert were going to take the kids to Disney World this week. Good thing they HADN'T planned it.
She and her dh are ALWAYS together, working at the same school and all. That would drive me nuts.
When my son was little, she was not tied down, and now that I have more freedom, she has 3 kids.
She's a procrastinator (does her grades the weekend before they're due!)
She is not a fan of the computer.

Still, we can talk for hours.



On the other hand, Trish and I are very much alike. You know we even have the same sweater and pajamas, right?
We watch the same shows, often emailing each other throughout saying, "WHAT?" or "YUM!"
We've both been writing a long time, we're both great readers, though I read quicker.
She likes darker movies than I do, and different music, but we are both drawn to the same shows. She's gotten me hooked on several. I don't think I've returned the favor....yet.
We are both planners and love our calendars.
We have similar nerves, though she's way braver than I am.
We both love our computers.



I just thought it was interesting that my two best friendships are so different. What about you and your best friend? Alike or different?

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I had hoped last night would be more relaxing, since I had the house to myself-the dh was at band practice and the boy went to his gf's before the midnight showing of Watchmen. Worrying about my son was pretty consuming-he'd be driving his gf home after the movie, putting him home around 4 AM. He'd napped when he got home, but he was tired, and he's only been driving on his own 2 months. So I fretted.

A few minutes after I got home, Robert called. Cindi was out Tuesday (state testing day) with a stomach virus. She NEVER misses school so it was a big deal. She came yesterday, but looked terrible. This AM Robert came to get stuff ready for their subs. She had a fever and they were going to the dr. He called around 5 to tell me they were at the hospital and Cindi was being admitted overnight. They think she has an infection in the fluid around her heart. So any and all good thoughts would be appreciated.

I also called my SIL, who had a biopsy done Wednesday. Still waiting on word from that. And SHE'S worried about HER friend, who works in my district and has been accused of serious fraud.

So, yeah, all the writing I was going to do? Didn't get done. I'm way behind and have dubbed myself official worrier.

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Another day of no computers at school-5th grade is taking their math benchmark. On one hand, I'm sorry for them, testing again so soon. On the other hand, I'm jealous-they don't have to think about teaching.

Yesterday, just before the bell, one of my favorite students was withdrawn from school. I am just heartbroken. Yes, he was loud and full of energy, but he was funny and cheerful and the class will not be the same. Even the kids said that when they left.

Last night Baby Brother and I were planning our research trip to the Austin Colony. Mom decided she wants to go, too. I was thinking of going from San Felipe, the actual site of the original colony, to Angleton, where the museum is. It's an hour and a half drive from one to the other, which makes it a 4 hour drive home. Don't know if that will happen. I might get what I need from San Felipe.

Did anyone see LOST last night? I don't really like this direction. And Sawyer needs the scruffy look. In this episode he looked...old.

Maybe I've just been looking at this too long. (Take away the city background and this is absolutely Trace, my hero.)

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I was so COMFORTABLE in bed, then I realized what time it was. One of the teachers thought Spring Break was another week away (HOW could you not know???) If it was, I'd so be taking today off. I'm wiped. Testing went well, everyone finished and wrote something. We'll see the scores in May, but it's out of my hands now. Today, we hit math REALLY hard.

I had weird dreams last night. We were visiting my dad in Alaska (he lives in MN) and twice almost got run over by moose. The second time the moose thanked my dad for his conservation efforts (he would so shoot a moose, so I don't know where that came from. Or where Alaska came from, either, unless my mind confuses Australia and Alaska.)

I had a nice evening with Baby Brother last night. We got Australia from Blockbuster online, and he really wanted to see it, so I told him to come over. We went to Subway to get dinner, came home and rearranged the living room for movie viewing, ate dinner and settled in.

The movie is REALLY good. JoAnn told me it was, but I had to see, you know. I'm going to buy it, and if I can find the soundtrack, I'll buy that, too. All I can find is an EP on iTunes.

Anyway, it was a beautiful movie. My dh complained it was a little unrealistic looking, but it was a Baz Luhrmann movie. The romance was predictable, but not in a bad way. The only complaint I have it that we were kept an arm's length from the characters. I didn't feel like we were shown so much as told, but all in all, it's a keeper for me. It just made me happy, you know? And not just because of this:













You gotta admit, it fills the well :)

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Otherwise known as STRESSSTRESSSTRESSSTRESSBOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRREDDDDDDDDDD Day. Gotta get the tests, fill out a ton of paperwork, get the kids pottied all by 8:30. Then I wander around the room until I get dizzy, then I sit until I get bored, repeat. No computers, no ANYTHING all day.

Stopped at Payless yesterday because I liked the cork wedges they had in their ad and they were having buy one, get one 1/2 off. The cork wedges were not nearly as comfy as the wedges I bought last year and I couldn't find a second pair, so I left. Came home to my Chadwicks order, tried on the women sized capris. They fit terribly! Thighs way tight, waist snug, in between HUGE. They looked like very ill-fitting jodpurs (I know there's an "h" in there somewhere, not sure where.) The turquoise blouse was okay, and matched a bracelet I have, and the free tote is adorable. Everything else is going back.

I hope Australia comes today because I invited Baby Brother over to see it :)

Oh, and I've slid backwards into the story. Not sure my heroine should have revealed something yet. I did something I never do, though....I cut without saving as a different file. I hope I don't regret that.

I heart Evil!Sam.

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My entry is up for vote at Manic Readers. I can't tell you which, but there are only 5. Odds are good you'll pick mine :P The winner gets a shot at a contract with NAL.

The good thing about being sick is that you can sit on the couch and watch movies and TV and read without guilt. I read Marianne's ONE LOVE FOR LIV this weekend. I wish it had been longer!!!! I loved watching Liv grow into her own skin, change from being "Lee Lee" to "Livvy." I loved her surprise at herself when she expressed her own thoughts. And the ending reminded me a lot of the end of "The Accidental Husband!" I can't wait to read Geoff's story!

I saw The Haunting of Molly Hartley, which was weird. No wonder it was available. (That's an issue I've been having with Blockbuster lately-the new releases aren't available. AUSTRALIA better be here Tuesday, is all I have to say.)

I caught up on Burn Notice (LOVE that show), NCIS (and dreamed about DiNozzo falling for Parker from Leverage), and watched Legend of the Seeker, BSG and DEA.

I made it through breakfast, and had the dh drive me out to the one Barnes and Noble that ordered my book. Still not in, so I talked to the manager, who reordered. Still the nicest B&N in town. Then the dh brought me home, I slept and he and the ds went to the grocery store. Win, right? Except they didn't bring home anything for dinner beyond tonight, and no chocolate and no Diet Coke. Fail.

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I slept a TON yesterday, was very sick in the morning, better in the evening. Must…not….get sick…before testing.

Not sure if I’m going to see Watchmen this week or next. The ds is going to the midnight show Thursday night, and since I want to go on the road trip Saturday, and Friday will be crazy….we’ll see. Sunday sounds good.

1) Survive test without nervous breakdown
2) Get through 50 pages of historical
3) Give good feedback at the PRO Bootcamp
4) Write 3 guest blogs
5) Edits on short story (???)
6) Judge one Merritt entry
7) Take research road trip with Baby Brother
8) Do taxes
9) Exercise (this is actually becoming as much of a wish as finding time to read. I realized my reunion is this year and if I even want to think about going, I want to lose some pounds. The good news, I’ve been too tired to eat dessert.)
10) Keep up house
11) Grocery shopping and post office
12) Prepare room for testing-take down or cover anything that could possibly help them, rearrange the desks, etc.

Need to finish this book, running out of J Pad pics.

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Not a particularly funny LOLcat, but it looks JUST like my Skippyjon.

Got an R yesterday on my straight contemp, Something to Talk About. I love that book, too.

I think I may be getting sick. I have a sinus headache and my ears are throbbing. Can't take off until after the test, though!

It's going to be 94 today. 94!!!! It's February!!!!! And we're having a pep rally in the gym for TAKS. Yay.

God, I hope something good happens today.

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WHY IS IT ONLY THURSDAY?

I have no sense of concentration in the evenings this week, and I've had to be more writer than teacher, even after hours. I woke up at 3, the dh was asleep on the couch because he didn't want to wake me by coming to bed, so I finished reading Sugar Daddy. The ending was way rushed, IMO. Sad, because it was a really good book. I feel the same about SEP's latest-rushed ending.

We took the boy and his girlfriend out for dinner last night. He's chosen his college-in town. I'm very happy. After dinner we went to the library, where I picked up 4 audiobooks and 2 paperbacks, despite the fact that I've bought like 10 books this year already. We should have a Drop Everything and Read Day or something.....

Okay, running late.

My back is killing me, and I have a cough, so every cough is like a labor pain. TAKS writing test is next week and I STILL have kids failing the practice bits. Grades are due and I don't have enough for social studies because we've been getting ready for the test. Still can't get into my laptop and I haven't slept through the night all week.

One of my kids turned in an amazing composition this week-a month late. What he said sounded so familiar-"I want my work to be done, but I don't want to do it!" Does that ring a bell with you?

You've probably seen this. We've been quoting it for weeks.



This is a hilarious spoof.



Cindi showed me this video to play for the kids, with all the presidents.



The Boy's girlfriend showed us this one, not as up-to-date but more memorable.

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I know, not Monday anymore, but this Monday will live in my memory awhile. It was awful!

I couldn't (still can't) find my leather coat. I know I had it Saturday night, so it's somewhere.

I stepped on Napoleon, hard, both feet. He was on the mat by the step and it was dark and I didn't see him. Couldn't find him for hours. Was certain I'd killed him.

Got to school after stopping for Starbucks (because I had traffic duty and couldn't find my coat.) Spilled Starbucks. Argh. Got to my hallway, and a sub told me some of the rooms had been broken into. Looked through the window of my door and saw my blinds were messed up....and the laptop from my desk was gone. Swore loudly, regardless of young ears in the vicinity. Walked in, saw the thieves had poured an entire bottle of green paint all over my desk, splashing some on the wall and floor, splattering photographs and the brand new school shirts for my class, which had been sitting on my desk. And I mentioned the laptop, right? GRRRRRRR. Cursed and stomped and cleaned the mess, foregoing traffic duty. Went to sign in to see a lovely drawing of a....well, one of the teachers asked who drew a tree on the computer monitor. Wasn't a tree.

About 8 classes had been broken into and damaged, a DVD player, 2 laptops and other stuff taken. They'd even stopped to EAT in 2 teachers' classes. Um, do we NOT have an alarm? I thought we did.

Apparently the thieves had caught, and were kids who used to go to our school, but the principal hadn't known about the missing laptop. HOWEVER, the laptops have tracking devices, and they were able to locate mine and another teacher's at the students' homes. Ha-take that, you little jerks. We're filing charges, and my laptop is home, locked carefully away this time. Little jerks.

I was asked to speak at SARA's Build a Book program in April on synopses. Not sure if I'll say yes or not. What do you think?

I'm blogging around again. I'm at The Samhelliontalking about music and looking for ideas, at Rose Marie Wolfand at Supernatural Sisters.