Jane Porter's Blog, page 40

Friends, Mondays & Realities

I just got my 15 year old out the door in a hurry.  Mac is talking in his crib and I need to get my 6th grader up in a few minutes but I have a moment to myself and I'm going to grab it.  I need to regroup and take a deep breath and prepare for the new week.

Last week was a hard week.  A really hard week.  And it all got crazy starting with last Monday.

I can't  even go there again–just suffice it to say that I don't want a week like that again anytime soon.  I'm still a little low from the week's ups and downs (probably 10x more downs than ups) but the fact that the kids are okay and I'm here and making progress on my novel despite the week….well, that's something.  Right?

Close family friends Craig and Lisa Johnson took the two older boys and me to dinner last night in Seattle and then to Jazz Alley to hear the 1970's band, War.  I was grateful for a dinner out as a family.  I appreciated the love and support probably more than they know.  Sometimes I'm a pretty tough chick, and then sometimes I need friends badly.

Friends really get you through.  I don't know if I tell my friends enough how important they are to me.  (In the picture above I'm with two friends from my book signing in Laguna two weeks ago–Shannon Schell from Tustin, and author friend, Megan Crane/Caitlin Crews.)  But I should.

So to my friends from growing up in Visalia, to my room mates at UCLA, to the fellow moms who pushed strollers with me when our babies were cranky, to the writers who get the creative crises, and to the friends who read my books and care–thank you.

Whether its a good week or bad week I know I can't do it alone.  And frankly, I don't want to.

May today be a great day for all and let's kick off an even better week!

©2011 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

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Little Angel

Tomorrow we show the house for the first time.  It's not even formally on the market.  I've been working on getting the house ready to list for weeks and am tired.

And then, just when I think everything is finally perfect and ready for tomorrow morning's showing, Mac opens the spice cabinet and unscrews the lid off the Dill Weed and sprinkles it on the floor.  My arms are full of trash and so I race outside to dispose of the recycling and when I return seconds later, Mac has pulled a fast one–he's put the dill weed back and has now dumped the  entire Garlic Salt onto the dill weed on the floor.

While I shriek, he rubs his feet this way and that in the salt.  It must feel like sand.

Oh, oh my little angel.

He is the same angel that drew green lines on my white office carpet Thursday night–less than a week after all the carpets were cleaned.  He is the same angel that took marker and colored the bathroom floor.  He is the same angel that can unfasten his highchair in the middle of his meal and fling it–and everything on it–across the room.

He is the same angel that drops everything he can through the bannister railing upstairs onto the hardwood below.

He is the same angel that will flush a half roll of toilet paper just to see it disappear.  And then clog the toilet.  And then make the toilet overflow.

He is that angel.  He is his father's boy and more.

I thought one Gurney was a handful.  I should have known that two would be impossible.

Did I mention that I was tired?

And for the other tired women out there, I have two Mrs. Perfect prize packages with signed copies of the book, and fun Mrs. Perfect bubble bath, soap and other treats.  Feeling perfect?  Or in my case, less than perfect?  Then tell me about your weekend, or the past week, and you're entered.  Contest will run through Tuesday and I'll announce the winner Wednesday morning.

And now that I've got the kitchen floor swept and mopped, I'll wake my angel from his late afternoon nap and see what other fun activities little Gurney has planned for me.

©2011 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

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California, Here I Come!

Tomorrow morning Ty Gurney, Mac and I jump on a plane for Fresno, California so I can make a book club event in Visalia Wednesday night and then Thursday morning we race down to Southern California for 4 more days of book events.

I've got a very fun 5 pm Happy Hour for my readers and friends planned this Friday in Laguna Beach before my book signing at Laguna Beach Books and then Saturday I have another casual reader get-together before my Barnes & Noble signing in Oceanside.  If you can, round up some girlfriends or family members and join me! I've got full details on my site with the where, when and what, or you can also email me to get the scoop.

If you're able to attend Friday night's party and signing in Laguna, I have a terrific bonus:  two of my favorite people in the world will be nibbling on nachos and sipping cold drinks with me–close friends and amazing authors, Megan Crane/Caitlin Crews and Liza Palmer–will be there, so if you haven't met them yet, this is your chance!

Jane, her cousin Jennifer Lyles, and her aunt, Rebecca Lyles at the 2008 Laguna Beach booksigning

On Saturday I'm presenting a workshop to the San Diego RWA chapter (again, details are here on my site) so if you are a writer, or an aspiring writer, sign up to attend and spend the day chatting books and crafts with me, Megan and Liza, and the wonderful San Diego chapter.

While in Southern California I'll be joining two more book clubs for book discussions–one in Irvine and one near Riverside–and….

…I'll be house hunting.

That's right.

This June I'm moving with the boys down to Southern California! After 15 years in Bellevue, I'm going to be starting a new chapter in a coastal town somewhere between Laguna and La Jolla. My house goes on the market early February and but we won't leave Washington until the end of the school year.

I'll share more about the changes in the coming weeks, but for now, I've got to take a big breath, stay calm, and focus on the fact that in the end, this move is the right thing for all of us. In Southern California Ty can teach surfing, and eventually open a Orange County/San Diego branch of his surf school and my son Jake, who lives and breathes water polo, can play in a place where its a respected school sport instead of just a club sport. Son Ty is pretty worried and will need lots of support. I will, too. I have great friends here in Bellevue and amazing readers and it'll be so hard to leave them, but at least I can look forward to being closer to my family–and Ty's family–again.

California, here we come!

And in the meantime, I've got a bunch of fun reader boxes of prizes and goodies to give away!  I have 2 Mrs. Perfect escape prizes–a signed copy of Mrs. Perfect, bath soap and salts, and more to give away PLUS 3 mystery prizes that weren't collected in December.  This is a short contest, ending Thursday night so be sure to post a comment to enter and I'll announce the 5 winners Friday!!

©2011 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

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Back to the Mainland

We leave in the morning on the 9 am flight back to Seattle. I'd thought I'd write today but instead I've spent my time cleaning, sorting, paying bills, and packing. I'll be back in 6 weeks or so for our mid winter break but its still hard to leave. Everything in Hawaii is so much more relaxed than at home. I also live with all the windows and doors open and looking out at the water always calms me.

While I don't make New Year's resolutions anymore, I am resolved that this year I will try to be calm and relaxed. I am determined to remain optimistic, too, and embrace change whenever it comes, in whatever shapes it comes. There's a good chance a lot of big things will change this summer and I want to be as positive as possible and not let fear take over. I do find change scary–and threatening–but without change, there can be no hope of growth.

Do you have any resolutions for the new year? Anything you're hoping to focus on? Share with me and you're entered in my contest full of cool surprises I think you'll enjoy. There will be one winner and I'll draw the name on Friday morning. Good luck, and Happy 2011 everyone!

©2011 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

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Smiles

I'm in Hawaii and it's pouring–buckets and buckets of rain, coming down for days.  While I'm content to stay inside and read and write I know the tourists are all itching to get sun.  When not writing I've been reading a fantastic Kresley Cole novel, and keeping an eager eye on the books in my TBR pile.

Fortunately, 20 month old Mac has been having tons of fun despite the rain.   He's already hit the aquarium, the zoo, and the children's discovery center this trip, and loves to be out and about regardless of the weather.  We have to keep him busy, too, and he's so incredibly active right now and into everything.  He squeals with laughter when I tell him no (bad), and makes fun of me when I'm scolding him.  But its hard to get really upset with him because he's so darn charming and inevitably smiling.

Speaking of smiling, Harlequin Presents star author and friend, Sandra Marton, recently shared a story with me.  I loved it so much, I wanted to share it with my readers.  I hope you all will enjoy it as much as I did!

A store just opened in New York City that offered free husbands. When women go to choose a husband, they have to follow the instructions at the entrance:

You may visit this store ONLY ONCE! There are 6 floors to choose from. You may choose any item from a particular floor, or may choose to go up to the next floor, but you CANNOT go back down except to exit the building!

So, a woman goes to the store to find a husband. On the 1st floor the sign on the door reads: Floor 1 – These men Have Jobs

The 2nd floor sign reads: Floor 2 – These men Have Jobs and Love Kids.

The 3rd floor sign reads: Floor 3 – These men Have Jobs, Love Kids and are extremely Good Looking.

"Wow," she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going. She goes to the 4th floor and sign reads:

Floor 4 – These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Good Looking and Help With Housework.

"Oh, mercy me!"  she exclaims. "I can hardly stand it!" Still, she goes to the 5th floor and sign reads:

Floor 5 – These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Gorgeous, help with Housework and Have a Strong Romantic Streak.

She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the 6th floor and the Sign reads:

Floor 6 – You are visitor 71,456,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that you are impossible to please.

Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store.

To avoid gender bias charges, the store's owner opened a Wife Store just across the street.

The 1st first floor has wives that love sex.

The 2nd floor has wives that love sex and have money.

The 3rd through 6th floors have never been visited….

I always giggle after reading this story!  :)

How was your Christmas or holidays?  What are your plans for New Years Eve?  Share what's going on with me and two of you will win a wonderful prize of Hawaii goodies (chocolate macadamia nuts, coffee, $10 Hawaii Starbucks drink card, and more!) PLUS a signed historical romance novel by my amazing friend, Elizabeth Boyle and one of my Harlequin Presents from my backlist!  So bring me up to speed and fingers crossed, you'll win!  The contest runs through New Years Eve and I'll announce the two winners News Years Day!

©2010 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

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Christmas Cards & Games

It's that time of year… and something I love getting… and enjoy sending…. Christmas cards!

But there's a little problem–although my cards have gone out to my readers, I'm getting quite a few back! Apparently I don't have current addresses for some of you. (Or even a mail address at all!) Have you moved in the past year? Are you on my mailing list? (You would have gotten my She's Gone Country excerpt, bookmark, recipe card for Grandma's Lazy Day cake, and pen mid Summer if you were.)

If you didn't get it, or you're new to my JaneBlog I'd love to make sure I have your current mail address. Please send me a private email with your snail mail address and I'll make sure you get a Christmas card this year, which includes a couple more of my favorite She's Gone Country recipe cards. I have 7 recipe cards total so keep an eye out for chances to receive all 7.

And now that I've got that bit of business handled, let me wish you all–particularly those in Australia and New Zealand–a Merry Christmas as its already your Christmas Eve. I'm currently sitting at the New Orleans airport with my boys waiting to catch a flight to Houston where we'll connect to a flight to Seattle. It's going to be a very busy few days as we head back for a fast Christmas at my Bellevue house and then on Christmas Day sons Jake and Ty head to Arizona to join their dad, and Mac, Surfer Ty and I head to Hawaii til early January.

New Orleans was amazing. Lots of adventures–some good, some not so good–like the 6 hours Mac spent in ER being stitched up for a fall he took in the hotel room. He leaves New Orleans with a special souvenir–a big fat scar in his chin–but at least there were no bones broken and he's back to being as busy as ever.

And  what would the holidays be without a chance to win something fun? I've got two festive Christmas boxes with Christmas themed novels and treats for two of you.  Tell me what you're doing for Christmas and you're entered. Contest runs through Christmas morning 8 am PST and I'll announce the winners Christmas Day.

Happy Holidays all! Thinking of you and sending love.

©2010 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

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Christmas Disaster Stories

My friend and fellow author, Molly Harper is guest blogging with me today.

I had the pleasure of meeting Molly this Fall when I attended the Kentucy Book Fair in Frankfort.  We happened to sit next to each other and it was very cool spending the day with her.  Molly is a Kentucky girl and we decided it would be great to do a fun contest together on our blogs sharing our favorite Christmas disaster stories.  I've invited Molly to share her story here on my blog, and I'm sharing mine on Molly's blog.

Here's Molly's story…

My late grandmother, Marjorie, was one of those Ivory soap and oatmeal cookie grandmas. She had an eye for "flash and trash" accessories and always dressed to the nines. She raised four of the biggest smartasses to ever tread the Earth's surface – my mother, Judy, and my uncles, Dan, Pat, and Ned.

In November 1993, the entire Thompson clan was thrown into a panic when Grandma's doctors announced that she had terminal cancer. She wasn't expected to live for more than a few months.* Determined to create some happy family memories in her remaining time, we gathered all of the Thompson uncles, various aunts and cousins in the same room for the first time in about 10 years. Did I mention that this room was in our house?

My Mom was struggling to keep our house's foundation from giving way and cook a Thanksgiving meal for a crowd that seemed to exponentially expand. Every time someone ate a sausage ball, two more people seemed to show up. Used to preparing these gargantuan holiday meals herself, Grandma was struggling with the idea that she was not in charge of Operation Loaves and Fishes. She kept sneaking in and out of the kitchen to offer Mom helpful advice … whether Mom wanted it or not. The sweet potatoes needed butter. The turkey needed a little more basting. The pie needed cinnamon.

Mom asked the uncles to distract her, but apparently, Grandma was wilier than any of us gave her credit for. When Mom took the dressing out of the oven and set it on the stove, she turned her back to direct my sister and me in the peeling a metric ton tons of potatoes. Behind her, Grandma had ambled into the kitchen.

According to family lore, Grandma put a pot on the stove for some planned sweet potato and marshmallow concoction and turned on the wrong burner — the one under the container of dressing. Distracted by the calls of my 436 cousins, Grandma shuffled silently out of the kitchen like a ninja in StrideRite shoes, forgetting about the dressing.

Mom noticed the smoke about ten minutes later.

Shrieking, Mom grabbed two oven mitts and whisked the smoldering side dish from the stove. In an impressive "physics in everyday life" lesson, cool air hit the hot glass, and the casserole dish exploded. As my horrified sister and I looked on, my mom clutched two casserole dish ends in her hands and screamed. A lump of perfectly rectangular, molten dressing burned a 9×13 hole through her linoleum.

The rest of the brood came running as Mom fell to her knees and let loose a string of expletives that made an episode of The Sopranos sound like Sesame Street. This was the moment my future husband, David, who was spending his first holiday with my family, chose to come through the front door. If he had run away, leaving a David-shaped hole in the wall, I wouldn't have blamed him.

Grandma just patted my mom on the head and said, "Don't worry, honey, we'll pick the glass out, and it will be just fine."

True to Thompson, "I'll do it when I'm good and ready" form, Grandma went on to live until May 1996. We had a precious few more holidays with her, and no holiday moment since has ever inspired the sheer horror and hilarity as The Exploding Dressing Incident. Though it was tense, loud and made the house smell like burning tires, it's a story that always comes up when we're reminiscing about Grandma.

You don't know what you're missing with your family members until they're gone. While we're caught up in little things like which relatives are chronic re-gifters and how to keep the "highly strung" cousins out of the egg nog, we miss out on some of life's strangest, sweetest moments. If we all just take a deep breath and pick the glass out of the dressing, we'll be fine.

For the record, we didn't eat the glassy-riddled dressing. My dad and my aunt searched every grocery and gas station until they found the last box of stovetop in western Kentucky.

I'm giving away two copies of Molly's new release, And One Last Thing, along with a fun box of Christmas goodies to two winners here on my blog and Molly's got prizes for you as well!  All you've got to do is read Molly's story here, and then visit Molly's blog to read my story, then share your personal christmas disaster story with us on both blogs.   We'd love to hear them!   You don't have to share your story on both, but if you do, you double your chances for winning!

©2010 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

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A Good Year

I've been making photo albums for my family of the past year and I'm short hundreds of photos from losing my camera twice (twice!?!) in the past year, but of the pictures I do have, I am reminded of what an incredible year it has been.

The first six months of 2010 were really difficult as I continued to battle baby blues and baby weight and the sense that I'd still lost me.  Over the summer I slowly began to feel better but I was struggling with writing my Harlequin and wondering when the writing itself would become easier.  Then late August arrived and I kicked off all my She's Gone Country promo, and that's when it all fell into place.

You, my readers, were so amazing.  You made me realize that no matter what happens in the publishing world, no matter what happens next in my career, I've done what I set out to do–write books I enjoyed, connect with women who loved books as much as I do, and create a circle of friends who are loving and generous and supportive of other women.   And you are all that and more.

Below is another photo from one of my reader dinners, this time at Nava in Buckhead, Georgia.  We were a small but mighty group and it was so much fun.  I'd only just flown in and Atlanta traffic was crazy and I was late getting to the restaurant and yet once I was there…heaven.  Thank you to my readers and friends for making time to join me for dinner!

Reader Dinner at Nava in Buckhead

And to keep the festive feeling going, I'm going to share an opportunity to enter a really fun contest over at Chick Lit is Not Dead.  Liz and Lisa of Chick Lit is Not Dead have been so very supportive of me and my books and they're hosting a fantastic contest right now.  To get all the details and enter, visit http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2010/12/liz-lisas-favorite-things-holiday-giveaway/.

I'm also doing a fun two day contest.  I've got a soft fleecy robe, a couple wonderful Christmas reads, a Seattle tea pot and more for one of my readers.  How to win?  Just fill me in on things!  Tell me what's going on, or how your shopping is going, or even what's stressing you out.  (Personal note– I had a rough morning.  I was soooooo stressed earlier this morning.  My brain was having a complete melt-down and my heart was just racing.  But an hour later after talking to my pal Megan Crane I started to chill out, realizing that problems do sort themselves out and me freaking out doesn't help.  In fact, freaking out just made everything worse!  :( )

So how are you?  Things good?  Need to light a wonderful scented candle, sit with a cup of tea, and just chill?  Tell me what's going on and you're entered.  I'll draw the winner's name Monday morning so good luck and have a great–stress free–weekend!!

©2010 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

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Easy About Africa

When I was a little girl I was given a membership to a record collection by Unicef with music from all over the world.  I loved the international collection, and loved reading about the Peace Corp and missionaries and everything by Pearl S. Buck.  I spent my junior year of high school living in South Africa and read voraciously everything by Southern African writers like Nadine Gordimer, Andre Brink, and Wilbur Smith.  Three years later at UCLA I took a course in African Lit and my fascination and passion for the African continent deepened.

As my readers know, there is nearly always a piece of me in my books, and that passion for Africa, particularly Zambia, found its way into two of my books: my July '09 release, Easy on the Eyes, and my Harlequin Presents, Hollywood Husband, Contract Wife.   Both stories use South Africa and Zambia settings, both books have sexy male protagonists, and both books have glamour, but Easy on the Eyes is also about finding yourself, and loving yourself, even as we age.

I'll tell you a secret–I'm afraid of aging.  Afraid of growing old.  In this country, in our culture, we too often throw away seniors.  We put senior citizens in homes and communities of older people, making older people invisible.  Powerless.   The idea of becoming invisible terrifies me.   The idea of one day not being wanted or needed makes me want to give now–to reach out and share and love and connect.  And maybe one day if I'm lucky, I'll still be important and cherished and loved.

Two of the ways I give are through Operation Smile and World Vision.  Through World Vision I've helped fund a school in Zambia.  Through another church organization I fund books and clothes so children can attend school.  Some years I can give a lot.  Some years I can give only a little.  But everything I do–even the smallest amount–still matters.  I now sponsor 5 children through World Vision and here is a link to one of the children's villages/communities:  www.worldvision.org/mySponsorship.

Thank you to all who made donations, too.  I appreciate your support and I know World Vision and Operation Smile do, too.

And to celebrate my love of Africa, I have a special contest with 1 grand prize winner receiving a 2011 Safari Calendar, a glass Safari suitcase Christmas ornament, Africa trivia cards, a signed copy of Easy on the Eyes, a signed copy of Hollywood Husband, Contract Wife, a Starbucks drink card and JP reader goodies.  Four runner up winners will receive a signed copy of Easy plus reader goodies.   Want a chance to win?  Anybody doing holiday baking?  If you were to only make one treat this December, what would it be?  Tell me about your favorite holiday treat–or even better, share the recipe if you feel like it–and you're entered.  The contest runs through Thursday night and I'll announce the 5 winners Friday morning.

©2010 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

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Events & Super Cool Contest

I've got so much happening it's hard to keep it all straight.  On the good news side, the Flirting with Forty movie will air for the first time in Australia on Christmas Day!  Hurray!  If you're one of my Aussie readers,  Foxtel's Universal channel will be playing it at 8:30 pm.  Very, very cool!!

My not so good news is that I'm having to cancel a couple of my events next week to deal with family stuff and I hate canceling anything, much less opportunities to meet with my readers so huge apologies.  :(

To make it up to you for not being able to do next week's appearances, I'm hosting an incredibly cool contest—I'm giving away here on my JaneBlog one of Ty's custom skateboards.  Ty's been shaping the board in the garage for the past day and he's getting ready to put his art on it, and then wheels.  If you have a skateboard fan in the family, this contest is for you.  These are longboard skateboards meant for cruising.  Ty used to get to work at the beach by riding through Waikiki on his longboard and now he's made one for my readers and I promise to mail it to you in time for Christmas, too!  This is the ultimate gift for the skate fan.

Ty's boards

Ty's Surfer Style Skate Boards

Here's how to enter:

1)  Go to Ty's site (www.tygurneysurfschool.com) and read the latest Beach Girl blog on Ty's skateboards and then post a comment about Ty's boards there.

2)  Then return to my blog and tell me that you've been to Ty's site, who you'd give the board to, and why this person would love a custom made longboard.

The contest will run through Sunday night, I'll announce the winner Monday morning and the winner has exactly 12 hours–not a lot of hours, only 12– to get back to me so Ty can personalize the board for the winner before he flies back to Honolulu on Tuesday.  If I don't hear from the winner pronto, then I will pick someone else uber pronto.

But here's the other cool thing– if you don't win a board, but you love the laid back beach cruiser style and want to give one as a gift, you can buy a board for 20% off cost, with free shipping AND get a free Ty Gurney Surf School t-shirt if you mention me when ordering the board from Hollie, Ty's Shop manager.

This contest isn't going to be for everyone–we don't all have crazy skateboarders in the family (unlike me, who now has many,many)–but if you do, this is the Christmas present for you!  Enter today if you can!!

©2010 Janeblog. All Rights Reserved.

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