Colleen Houck's Blog, page 35

Buried Mythology Brought Back to Life

RETELLING OF AN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN INSECT GOD| THE SCARAB BEETLE

 

Here you sit staring at your computer or phone. You’re possibly bored scrolling through Facebook or busy checking email when you decide to spare a moment to read this very blog. Little did you realize that by doing so, you could be mentally transported to another place and time, unlocking information from the past you never knew existed. 

Worlds of mysteries lie buried beneath the surface just waiting to be discovered. They are found in museums, written on ancient scrolls and tablets, researched and documented in old books, retold in literature, depicted on art, carved into walls and adorned on various jewelry.

Still, there are many mysteries yet to be revealed, hidden somewhere from our view. Some have described that myths are reborn in our dreams to be forgotten by the light of day.

In the past, we’ve featured different mythological stories that have inspired Colleen Houck in her Tiger’s Curse Saga. We’ve featured dragons, vampires, zombies, the Lady of the Lake, Lady Silkworm, the Kappa, tree nymphs and sirens to name a few.

More recently, Colleen has embarked on a new adventure writing her Egyptian novel to be released in the fall of 2015. If you haven’t seen the cover, check it out!!!

In her new book, Houck has unlocked a world of mystery, creating an epic tale rooted in Egyptian mythology. Her story involves mummies, spells, danger, romance, adventure, and much much more!

I’m geeking out over this book because it’s um.. ridonculously AWESOME (yes I am singing the word AWESOME)!!! You can preorder it on amazon right now (just sayin…. I mean, I can’t WAIT to get my very own hard copy in my hands!).

I’d like to feature a little of the mythology that has stirred her imagination, and found its way on the pages of her newest work soon to be revealed!

Today’s mythological find is

THE ANCIENT EGYPT INSECT GOD,

THE SCARAB

Symbolism and Meaning

The Scarab is considered one of the most important religious Egyptian Symbols in the mythology of ancient Egypt and is found in both their history and religious beliefs. But, you might be asking yourself why?

Why did the ancient Egyptians worship a large beetle that rolls a ball of dung, lays its eggs inside it, and then pushes the ball along the ground? Well. . .

According to Wikipedia, the word “scarab” is the ancient Greek interpretation of the word beetle. Several sources have explained that the Scarab beetle is a symbol of the sun. The ancient Egyptians saw a likeness between the scarab beetle rolling the dung and the sun god rolling the sun, making it shine on Earth.

 

In ancient Egyptian religion the scarab was also a symbol of immortality, resurrection, transformation and protection much used in funerary art.

The life of the scarab beetle revolved around the dung balls that the beetles consumed, laid their eggs in, and fed to their young. They represented a cycle of rebirth. When the eggs hatched from what seemed like out of nowhere, it was considered a miracle and quickly became a symbol of spontaneous creation, resurrection, and transformation.

 The Scarab Symbol and Uses

Egyptians drew scarab symbols everywhere. They were found on tomb walls, mummy tombs, art, spells, the Book of the Dead, on images of deities and sacred animals, amulets, and they used them for decorations. Most commonly, they made scarab amulets out of gold or precious gems and stones, or simply out of painted clay. They were often worn as jewelry.

A scarab amulet provided the wearer with protection and confidence in the certain knowledge of reincarnation. Khepri was the scarab headed god who represented the power of the scarab symbol.

A scarab amulet could also have spells inscribed that would curse the wearer.

A heart scarab was an amulet typically buried with a mummy. It was placed over the  mummy’s heart with a magic protective spell inscribed on the back of it. It was believed that when a person died, they must have their heart weighed in judgement in the afterlife. The spell inscribed tells the person’s heart, “do not stand as a witness against me.”

A winged scarab was designed to provide a safe journey into the Afterworld of the gods.

 

I don’t know if you’ve ever had the luxury of traveling to Egypt or touring the great Egyptian museums but if you’re like me, you’ve only seen these amazing things in books and pictures. I’ve found some amazing pictures taken from the Cairo Museum, Manhattan Museum and the Vatican Museum as well as a few other places around the world (be sure to look for the symbol of the sacred scarab in the different images).

 

 

 

 

 

Golden throne of Tutankhamun

 

I hope you enjoyed learning a little of the sacred meanings of the scarab in ancient Egypt and were able to find yourself, even if just for a moment, in another world altogether.

Get ready to embark on another adventure each month as we step further into the mysteries of ancient Egypt and mythology that inspired her new book!

 

~Till next time,

Linda Louise Lotti

PS. If there’s a specific mythological story, character, or symbol you’d love to learn more about, leave a comment and I’ll do what I can to feature YOUR pick in a future blog!

Movie Review: Unbroken

 

A Guy’s Perspective on the
Movie, UNBROKEN

 

Bio: I’m Colleen’s husband, Brad. I’m the youngest of four kids. I’ve been Deaf since I was five so I watch every movie with caption glasses. I love sports and reading (I’ll admit I’ve read Twilight but prefer thrillers like Jack Reacher). My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip. I’ll never turn down a taco. I write poetry. My man credentials include: a high school career in wrestling, watching sports every time my wife is too busy to notice, a receding hairline, two repaired ACL’s, and a stockpile of Axe body wash.

 

A Man’s Perspective. . . .

 
“I loved this non-fiction book–spectacularly narrated and horrifyingly brutal, and very fascinating–when I finished it last summer. 



The story of the late Louie Zamperini’s (1917-2014) arduous and inspiring journey of survival had actually been pitched around to become a movie for a number of years, but was passed on by studios and directors because Louie’s story seemed too fantastic to be believed.  Kudos to Angelina Jolie for taking on the project, and though she did some admirable work in her directorial debut, I wondered if the movie would have been more stunning in the hands of an experienced director. In retrospect, however, I believe the book would have been better served in a mini-series format.  There was just too much material to work with for a 2.5 hour film to do Zamperini’s experiences justice, hence, I think Jolie bit off more than she could chew.
 
Jack O’Connell as Zamperini has to carry the film and he does so fairly well. 



But how many scenes of torture need we witness before we finally get that he is being tortured?  I mean, yes, they were horrific but they were also the focal points of the movie–torture, suffering, torture, suffering.   The Bird, Zamperini’s ruthless Japanese nemesis, is seen beating Zamperini repeatedly.  Beyond that, we see little character development in Zamperini and the Bird that Jolie could have shown following the end of the war. This segment of the book, that Jolie basically ignores, was the most inspiring, and this was an opportunity completely missed.  Yes, it would have lengthened the movie, but with better pacing and a better screenplay, I believe it would have been absolutely worth it.  But it’s easy to sit here, pinpoint weaknesses, and play director given all the difficult choices Jolie had to make. So I have to give her her due and applaud her fortitude and courage in tackling this monumental project. Her injection of religious themes, often ignored by Hollywood, was interesting.
 
That is not to say I am disappointed; I am actually glad I saw this film and I would encourage anyone who loves history and drama to see this film. It was a good reminder of the horrors of war and the many sacrifices our armed forces render.  At the very least read the book, because it will be a book you will long remember.  I give the film 5.5 Hulk Smash Fists.”

                                                                      
                                                                        – Brad




Check out the trailer

Modern Ink Society

  FEATURING GUEST Amalie Howard

A Day in the Life of an Aquarathi living in Waterfell

Welcome to the twelfth session of

THE MODERN INK SOCIETY!

 

“Creativity is putting your imagination to work, and it’s produced the most extraordinary results in human culture.”

 

— Ken Robinson

Introducing the lovely

Amalie Howard

 A Day in the Life of an Aquarathi living in  Waterfell

“Like the home of many deep-sea creatures, the Aquarathi world is simply not accessible to us, and while the Aquarathi can transform into human form, this isn’t their natural state. Like humans, they are a very intelligent species, and exhibit complex relationships and well-developed language, as well as sophisticated social and behavioral characteristics. In their natural undersea habitat, however, they have very little in common with people. In Waterfell, much like other ocean species, their daily lives consists of parenting, hunting, interacting, and resting.

On average, an Aquarathi weighs about a thousand pounds, and has a lifespan of about a hundred years. Underwater, Aquarathi speech includes sharp pulses, clicks and whistles, and is used to communicate orders, commands and needs. Body language also plays a large part in Aquarathi communication. As much as baring a neck is a sign of deference, flicking a tail is one of aggression. The combination of sounds and appearance is as complicated and elaborate as any oral human language. An Aquarathi will choose a mate, once it comes of age—a process called Dvija—and will bond once for the duration of its life. Female Aquarathi usually only have a child every ten to fifteen years due to a long two-year gestation period, and coupled with a relatively small childbearing window, this keeps the Aquarathi population small.

The Aquarathi political structure is divided into four courts (Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire and Gold) with a designated High Court. The Courts convene on a regular basis to provide updates to the High Court and to air any grievances or share news. Each Court has its own groups of caregivers, warriors and hunters, and for the most part, operates independently of the High Court but within the laws of the High Court. The High King or Queen has the final say in all matters. The caregivers, as their name implies, take care of the injured, the young and the sick. The warriors defend the lower Court royals as well as their Court boundaries, and the hunters are tasked with finding and distributing food.

The Aquarathi are excellent and efficient hunters, feeding on other ocean species like sharks, whales, squid, stingrays, and other large fish. They typically work in small groups, and are careful and stealthy in stalking their prey, often for extended periods before moving in for the kill. With millions of olfactory receptors, the Aquarathi can smell blood in the water from thousands of miles away, and also will use their bioluminescence to lure in prey. They are incredibly fast swimmers, averaging seventy-five to a hundred miles per hour. The Aquarathi hunters share their catch with other members of their respective Courts.

A large part of Aquarathi daily life involves parenting and guiding younger Aquarathi. Knowledge and experience is passed down through the ranks, including teaching about life and survival skills, community care, hunting, feeding, navigation, interaction with humans, Court laws, and Aquarathi history. All members of each Court help to parent and teach younger Aquarathi, passing on valuable information from past generations.”

Waterfell Character Profiles

NERISSA – Phoebe Tonkin

 

 

 

 

 

 

Likes: My favorite colors are blue, green, and gold. I love surfing, swimming, hockey, and hanging out with my best friend just chilling on the beach. I also love cupcakes and bacon. I like to be spontaneous and go where the moment takes me. I love music. I like the feel of sand between my toes, and that first step into the ocean when your skin sucks it up like oxygen. I love salt crusting on my lips when I’m on my surfboard and it’s just the wave and me. I like summer, lightning storms, and swimming at night. I like to be free.

Dislikes: Bullies. Math. Political agendas.

LO – Matt Lanter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Likes: I like the sea when it’s stormy. I like clouds. I like to surf at night during the Red Tides. I like hot chocolate when the cold has seeped into your bones—it’s the only thing that stops me from becoming a total popsicle. I like people who go out of their way to help others. I like watching the sunrise and the sunset. Bonus points if either of them happen while surfing. I love music, dancing, and having a good time. I like snow, but not yellow snow, only the clean kind. I like summer more than winter. I like a good massage. I like the smell of rain.

Dislikes: Shoes. Sunburn. Rashes in weird places. Materialism.

JENNA – Kelsey Chow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Likes: I love hockey, and I love learning about new things. Not necessarily in that order. I take my education very seriously. I also like reading books and watching movies. I enjoy waking up in my own bed, and the way fresh, clean sheets smell. I love my boyfriend, Sawyer, when he’s not being totally clueless, and when he brings me flowers “just because.” I like Thai food and street fairs, particularly ones with Nutella crepes. I like candid photography—taking photos when no one thinks you’re looking. I love the idea of capturing those real moments on film when it’s not a pose, it’s art in action. I like that my best friend is not who everyone thinks she is, and I especially like that she trusts me with her secret. I love being able to have a voice and make a difference.

Dislikes: Egotism. Ill-mannered people. Bigger people who forget to fight for the smaller people. Marshmallows. Being told what to do.

SAWYER – Chord Overstreet

 

 

 

 

 

Likes: Summer. Bonfires on the beach. Surfing. Working out. Food. Music. Helping people. Ocean clean-up. Water sports. My girl. My friends. My family. Surfing. Oh wait, I said that already. I like long walks on the beach, and laying out in the sunshine. I love animals. Hugs. Kisses. I like funny people. Warm weather. The smell of freshly cut grass. Meeting new people. Making my girl happy. Being happy. Being true to myself. Brownies. Oh, and cupcakes and pie.

Dislikes: Violence. Poverty. People who bring down other people. Pollution.

Ten reasons why everyone wants to be an Aquarathi

1. You can have the best of both worlds—you can live on land and underwater.

2. You are at the top of the marine food chain. No kidding. You are the king of the underwater pride rock—the buffet is open.

3. You can manipulate water in any form—technically called hydro-projection or glimmering. Think how handy that’ll be if you need to put a fire out.

4. You look like an underwater dragon. Seriously, who wouldn’t want to be a gorgeous, lethal, fantastic underwater dragon?! Yeah, you know you want to flex that fantasy muscle.

5. You can shape-shift into human form. Any human form. Move over, Gisele Bundchen.

6. You are bioluminescent—totally cool because you’ll never need a nightlight.

7. You have the power of mind suggestion. Get out of homework card, anyone?

8. You live in an undersea world that no human has ever seen.

9. You can surf or swim anywhere in the world without fear of shark attacks. They smell you coming … they swim in the opposite direction. Twilight surfing, yes please!

10. Your senses are a hundred times more powerful than human ones. Imagine being able to sense things around you without seeing, hearing or touching them? Yeah, we’re talking alien ESP. No need to tell you how awesome that could be.

To learn more about her book or everything Amalie, check out her website at amaliehoward.com

Colleen has known Amalie for awhile now and she always enjoys catching up at book conventions.

A huge thanks to Amalie for sharing some insight into the world she created in her Waterfell series. I can’t wait to check out this book myself!  For those of you who like learning how authors access their creative genius and put pen to paper (or finger tip to keyboard), these Modern Ink Society sessions can give us a little peack into the minds of those writers who have paved the path before us. Their experiences bring great insight and wisdom and can help us along on our own journey in writing, or any creative outlet.

Remember the live chat on Goodreads is this Thursday! For a chance to win 5 books (Includes: Alpha Goddess, Waterfell, Oceanborn, The Almost Girl and Tiger’s Curse), participate in the livechat by leaving a comment/question for authors Colleen Houck and Amalie Howard.

~Till next time,

Linda Louise Lotti

 

Movie Review: Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

I always give spoilers so consider yourself warned. =)

Colleen’s Movie Review

Romance: Seeing Pocahontas and Teddy Roosevelt together was cute and I loved Tilly (Rebel Wilson) and Laaa the Neanderthal together.

 

Special Effects: The dinosaurs were cool. Loved the snake.

What I Liked: Pretty much everything. This movie was funny. I laughed hard several times. I like the monkey. All the cast. I really, really liked Rebel Wilson and then at the end when Ben Stiller and Robin Williams are sharing their final words, it felt terribly sad but at the same time appropriate. Like he was saying goodbye to all of us. Huge Ackman. (snicker)

What I’d Change: I can’t even think of anything. It was pretty much perfect and so fun.

The Tagline: One final night to save the day

That feels just about right.

Hunky Hero: Lancelot was a great hunky hero. I loved the Hugh Jackman cameo and that he could laugh at himself and his roles. It was such a fun surprise to see him.

The Villain: The only villain was the danger that always happens when a museum awakens for the first time. That and the tablet being taken. 

Best Line: Huge Ackman. Still giggling about this. Seriously, go see this movie.

Also the entire ending with Robin Williams…

Teddy Roosevelt: We’re ready.

Larry Daley: I’m not.

Teddy Roosevelt: Let us go, son.

 

Best Scene: There were a lot of good ones. Tilly making out with Laaa, the end was great, the monkey running through ducts with a phone strapped to him, the snarky teen comments, but my favorite was Huge Ackman. =)

Recommended for YA Fans: Absolutely yes.

Compared to the Book: There should be one.

 

Trailer:

A Guy’s Perspective

Bio: I’m Colleen’s husband, Brad. I’m the youngest of four kids. I’ve been Deaf since I was five so I watch every movie with caption glasses. I love sports and reading (I’ll admit I’ve read Twilight but prefer thrillers like Jack Reacher). My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip. I’ll never turn down a taco. I write poetry. My man credentials include: a high school career in wrestling, watching sports every time my wife is too busy to notice, a receding hairline, two repaired ACL’s, and a stockpile of Axe body wash.

Review: 

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

I was pleasantly surprised by this third Night at the Museum installment as it contained many likeable characters and a few laugh out loud moments. When a tablet that brings a museum exhibit to life begins to lose power, it’s up to Ben Stiller and the gang to find the only person who knows how to repair it, but this time it’s at the British Museum in London.

Good comedy is extremely hard to do, and while most of the jokes and action were entertaining, a few did fall flat. The returning cast performs rather admirably and newcomer Lancelot was the showstopper of the film. Seeing Hugh Jackman, who, not surprisingly, plays himself was a hoot. Rebel Wilson also did a decent job.

The conclusion was a bit long, but if not for Robin Williams’ and Mickey Rooney’s deaths, it would have felt overly sentimental and indulgent. Instead, the ending gave us an opportunity as an audience to bid the two celebrities a fond farewell, so it was a fitting tribute to end the series. Overall, the movie was solid and probably was my favorite of the three.

I give this film 7 Hulk Smash Fists.

Brad

 

 

Sedona Arizona a city in Red

My family and I took a summer vacation to Sedona Arizona.  It’s only 4 hours away, and we loved every moment of this tiny touristy city.  If I could choose one word to describe the vacation it would be “peaceful.”  We rented a home with spectacular views and a 15 minute hike down to the refreshing Oak Creek where we played and slid down the rocks.  The Sedona Vacation Home we rented was a home away from home with a large professional gas stove, huge restaurant sized fridge and freezer, laundry downstairs, comfy beds for all, and the kids bedrooms were in the basement with a shared bathroom. The view from the living room couch was breathtaking. We had a fire pit for roasting smores and ghost stories, we relaxed in the hot tub (a hot tub with 3 children is not super relaxing and a bit spashy…you’ve been warned), and we had as much hiking as we could handle.

 

Sunset view

Day time view

Couch View

 

We hiked down to the creek from the backyard and followed the dry red rocky river bed until we reached the shallow running Oak Creek that we couldn’t’ wait to play in. I slipped and fell in of course, but it made the hike home more cool.  We slid on the rocks, and let the water pour over us as we sat on the multiple little waterfalls.  A very relaxing and refreshing hike for Arizona in the summer.

 

 

The nighttime was something we didn’t expect.  In Arizona since it’s so clear most of the year we enjoy vivid star filled night skies.  My children can actually name the constellations since we see them so often. We didn’t expect what we saw on the balcony at night in Sedona.  I told my children stories while we sat in the comfy patio furniture with our heads turned up towards the sky.  We watched satellites pass over us, and were wonderstruck how dramatic the stars were every night.  I’ve never seen the Milky Way so clearly before in my life.  It was breathtaking, and we still talk about how we want to go back.

 

 

The food was delicious as well.  We stopped in Phoenix on the way up and ate at a Diners Drive-ins and Dives eatery. We used the webpage Flavor Town USA to find something close to the highway.  We decided on Los Taquitos Mexican Food Grill.

 

It was inexpensive, filling, and tasted great.  It was $32.10 for all 5 of us with drinks.

Our first night we went out for pizza, my husbands favorite meal.  We ate at Picazzos and chose BBQ chicken pizza for my daughter and I, and the boys picked the Meaty Meaty.  No surprises there.  We also picked up a gluten free pasta called Avocado Delish, and a warm apple cobbler with homemade Madagascar vanilla ice cream.  Yummy!

The next day we went to a bakery named Wildflower Bread Company. We enjoyed tall chocolate chips scones, fresh orange juice, grilled stuffed sandwiches on fresh bread, and a view to die for.  These are the type of restaurants I have to stay out of because I want to try one of everything in the bakery case.

 

 

As we take breaks in our life and see something new, taste something different, and breathe in the beautiful world around us it brings positive energy back into our lives.  It strengthens the bonds with our loved ones, we dream a little brighter, and our imagination soars.   So if you are ever stuck in life or in your writing, for all you aspiring writers, go see something new, taste something different, and breathe in a new place.

 

Shara

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Cruise

Christmas Cruise

So I’m finally getting around to writing a blog post on what I did over the holidays. You might have noticed that I was more absent than usual during December and that was because I went on my first ever cruise.

Usually I am the hostess with the mostest during Christmas but since none of my brothers and sisters were coming to Oregon this year and my mom was going to be gone, my hubby and I decided we’d be grinches and take off.

 

Funny thing is, there aren’t too many places you can go from the West Coast during the month of December and my mom gave us strict instructions that we were not to go anywhere she wanted to go. When I asked her where we could go, then, she said Norway or Mexico. We chose Mexico and booked a 7 day cruise from San Diego, CA on Holland America.

 

Day One-At Sea

Flew in to San Diego and boarded the ship. We got a signature suite which was pretty spendy but it still felt tiny to me. Looking on the ship map I’m not sure how I could’ve tolerated anything smaller. Caught a glimpse of the Navigator suites and those are much more what I was envisioning. I guess I didn’t realize how small the rooms were from the pictures.

 

Day Two-At Sea

One of the most relaxing things I could imagine doing on a ship was actually spending time in the spa. I booked a couple’s package with massages and facials and my husband grudgingly went along with it since there wasn’t much else to do. It was also formal night so I got my hair done. I also tried two new spa treatments I haven’t before. The first was acupuncture (I was diagnosed with tendinitis in my left ankle before I left and was instructed to wear an immobilizing boot which I conveniently left at home) figuring it would help with my ankle, and the second was some kind of algae wrap that was supposed to take inches off your waist. It looks kind of like this.

 

 

The massage and facial was fine but they kept trying to sell me very expensive products during the process which is the opposite of the relaxing experience I was going for. I ended up with four new creams I might not ever use because I have a hard time saying no. The hair girl kept trying to cut my hair. I had to actually tell her to step away from the scissors and that I already have a hair girl at home. The acupuncture hurt and she ended up working on the wrong ankle anyway. Then she tried to pressure me into four more visits. The wrap thing took five inches off alright but they measure you eight times in different places and then add up the 1/4 inches. I think it’s pretty much false advertising.

Day Three-Cabo San Lucas

The boat docked and we had to be ferried to the dock on little boats called tenders. Then we got to town, took advantage of the photo ops and headed off on our whale watching adventure, but because we booked on Cruises.com and bought our excursions through them as well, the people on the ship opted not to be helpful in any way. As a result we had to hoof it a good mile on my bad foot to get to the whale watching place while deflecting the various people asking us for money, to buy jewelry, watches, pottery, and anything else they could think of. When we got there I needed to use the restroom but they wanted pesos in exchange for the privilege and since I didn’t have any pesos I decided to wait until after the whale watching.

There were many beautiful boats with covered tarps but the one they took us to was like a double banana boat where we had to straddle the bench and hold onto the handgrips while we bounced up and down on the ocean. Not a fun thing when you really have to go to the restroom. On the plus side we saw a dozen or so humpback whales during mating season. The males breached trying to drive off the other males and smacked their tails on the water. We saw dolphins and seals too. On the way back there was a seriously injured seal sitting on a rock and they told us the water was full of mako sharks. I know it’s the circle of life but I really wanted to rescue the poor thing.

 

 

By the time we got back I found an open restroom with a woman handing out paper towels for tips. I told her I’d get money from my husband but totally took off since we had no pesos. We headed back to the boat and by the time I got there my ankle was killing me. I took a nap and limped to dinner a few hours later.

Day Four-Mazatlan

Because my ankle hurt so badly we decided to stay on board the ship instead of going on our Mazatlan city tour. We ended up watching half of the first season of Doctor Who (the television only got six channels and two of them were sports). Luckily they had DVD’s you could borrow but I was shocked to find they didn’t have any of The Love Boat which should be a requirement on a cruise ship, I should think. We played Soduku, did crossword puzzles, and went to the library where I discovered the only YA book they had was Divergent, and ended up playing several games of Chinese checkers. I read two Jude Deveraux books on the ship (we attempted to read on our little deck outside our room but someone was always smoking even though it was banned and it wasn’t tobacco either) and basically killed time until dinner.

 

Now this is the part where I talk about food.  Most of the passengers frequented the buffet. While I like the variety of a buffet, the idea of a couple thousand people touching the same serving spoon freaks me out. We didn’t have too much of a choice for breakfast but for lunch and dinner there were restaurants available.

This was my favorite thing on the ship. The food was delightful. The service was crazy good. Our waiters knew our names the first night and memorized what we liked to drink. They figured out I like chamomile tea with dessert and brought it out for me every night. It was hands down the best thing about being on a cruise. There was this cold cranberry soup to die for and the best thing I ate was not a chocolate dessert as you might surmise but a kiwi panna cotta. I’ve got to learn how to make that!

 

Day Five-Puerto Vallarta

When we docked in Puerto Vallarta the boat time was an hour different than the city. Then we took a taxi to a water park which was about twenty minutes away and found out we’d changed time zones again and were now two hours ahead of the ship. Our excursion this time was swimming with the dolphins. There were two-one named Scarlett and one named Angel. I was concerned that we’d be in the ocean, since it creeps me out not being able to see what’s around me, but we were actually in a salt water pool.

The guide spoke English and Spanish but mostly stayed Spanish and as I was trying to translate her instructions into ASL for my husband, I had to guess a lot of the time. Luckily most of the dolphin stuff was learning hand gestures.

We basically got to do all the cool stuff a dolphin trainer does. The dolphins pulled us across the pool, we had a splash fight with them (they won), we got dolphin kisses and hugs. They actually reminded me a lot of my dogs. When they weren’t doing something, they hung out under water and put their (wow I just looked up the word for chin on a dolphin and its beak) beaks on top of the foot of their trainer waiting for her next instructions. When we approached the pool they were bobbing up and down racing along the edge waiting for her.

This was an unforgettable experience for me. We only got a few pictures since we didn’t bring a lot of cash and had to pay for them but it was a lot of fun. It included lunch so I got a hot dog for my husband and a burger for me but they had no diet coke or Coca-Cola Light which is strange because it reminds me of Light Beer. Instead they had Sprite and Fanta Orange. Fanta is a big thing in Mexico it seems. The food was terrible but the water park was fun. My hubby got an inner tube and went on several of the water slides until it was time to leave.

Day Six-At Sea

Christmas Day. Santa came to visit and the captain announced the fact over the speaker. The staff dressed up, wearing hats, elf costumes, and even Nutcracker costumes and the chefs created huge gingerbread houses for all the restaurants. There was a Filipino and Indonesian choir singing carols (most of the employees on the ship were young men from the Philippines and Indonesia, the captain and his officers were from Scandinavia and Norway).

 

This was another formal night so we got dressed up and took a lot of pictures. Played more Soduku, watched more Dr. Who. Played Bingo with the seniors. So this is where we talk about seniors.

I noticed that there were very few people our age and I commented to the spa staff about this. They told me that Holland America is famous for seniors. They said that if I wanted a young party ship I needed to be on Carnival. Interesting. She said the average age of the passengers on board was 75. That’s average, people.

There were so many walkers, canes, and motorized scooters and the ship crew was so busy pushing people to book their next cruise that I felt like I was trapped on a floating geriatric time share. Bingo was fun but I didn’t win anything.

We went to the lounge upstairs after dinner because they had a decades of dance thing going and were featuring music from the 50’s, 60’s, and 80’s-all my favorites. We only made it through the 50’s and only danced once. The DJ was the same guy who called bingo and he wasn’t picking dance-able songs which is hard to do with the 50’s. Called it quits and headed back to the room where our nightly towel animal awaited.

So our room stewards cleaned twice a day. They leave a chocolate on your pillow every night (which is just something that should happen every day of your life) and switch out your towels, designing one in a different animal shape nightly. They even taught towel animal classes on board.

Day Seven-At Sea

Another day of pretty much nothing to do but read. The internet was slower than the internet was in the early nineties and cost about $30 per minute. It was strange to be so isolated from technology and from family. It was just me and the hubby and a couple thousand grandmas and grandpas and it was nice having a technology disconnect and a mental break like that. We talked and spent time together like when we were dating 20 years ago.

Did bingo again but now it was in the front of the boat which is around the time that the sea became rough. Apparently, I get sea sick. It was so bad for me that from bingo on, I was stuck in my cabin, flat on my back. If I sat up, I felt the rolling. The bracelet pressure point things are no good either. At least not for me. Couldn’t eat dinner, which really stunk since that was my favorite thing about being on the ship, and I wanted to say goodbye to my waiters. Pretty much I just took Tylenol PMs and slept until we docked.

San Diego

We spent the next three days in San Diego. We did the zoo first, but my ankle was still sore, so we didn’t stay long. Bought a few stuffed animals to go with my new book. Saw the pandas and a Komodo Dragon which was cool. They have new 4-D theaters. One played a short version of the Polar Express and the other did Ice Age Christmas. Love that prehistoric squirrel.

 

We took Sunday off and just hung out at the hotel and then Monday we went to Sea World. We got the special ride bracelet but because I didn’t want to get wet it was a waste of money for me. They have two or three water rides now. One is like Grizzly Rapids in California Adventure, the other is like Splash Mountain. Then they have a new ride like Star Tours, but its in the Arctic on a helicopter that goes under water. Brad liked the Manta roller coaster but I didn’t go on that one.

We fed the rays which was awesome and also fed the sea lions which was cool, too. My hubby bought a plush ray to go with his plush otter. He’s funny with what animals he likes. Ate dinner at the hotel and flew home the next day.

 

It was a great vacation but its great to be home too. Missed most of the after Christmas sales which is really my favorite time to shop. I love bargains and holiday decorations.

So there you have it. What did you all do for your holiday time off?

Up, Up, & Away In My Beautiful Balloon

I’ve been nagging my hubby to write a post on our balloon ride that was my birthday/anniversary surprise back in October and he finally did it! It was very cool and unexpected and even though he’s kind of factual about the whole thing it was a very sweet and romantic gesture particularly considering that this is the same guy who gave me corn dogs for Christmas one  year. It’s the best kind of gift for an author, a new experience I can write about.

Colleen

 

Oh, He Floats Through the Air…!

 

One of the most memorable events of the year 2014 that I had the pleasure to experience was a hot-air balloon flight across Interstate-5 in NW Salem, Oregon. A flight that lasted merely one hour was actually a four-hour experience. First, we witnessed the unfolding of the balloon as it was laid out in a field. A regular fan blew air into the balloon, but when the heat was turned on, the balloon shifted upward until it stood upright. This preparation process took about 20-30 minutes. We boarded the balloon’s basket, our guide unleashed the cords, and we soared into the brisk October morning sky.

 

 

 

A balloon’s flight is completely at the mercy of the existing wind conditions. We traveled eastward at a docile two miles an hour at an altitude of approximately 750 feet. You can view the progress of our specific flight in our guide’s website: Balloon Flying Service of Oregon and clicking on the hyperlinked words in his narrative.

The pictures don’t really do the entire experience justice. Actually flying and soaring above the landscape along gentle winds was pretty exhilarating. I could feel the warmth of the flames roaring into the balloon. I could feel the surging-upward-sagging downward-then-surging-upward pattern of the balloon.  Drivers on the I-5 were probably stunned to see a large vessel crisscrossing the highway at such a close range.

The guide stated that he never knows where his balloon is going to land. When he found a clearing, he barked into his walkie-talkie to his team below to prepare for landing. As the hot air fizzled outward, the balloon lowered into a neighborhood, then the guide threw ropes to his employees below and they pulled us to ground level. Then we witnessed the entire disassembling process as we assisted with rolling up the canvas/tarp and stuffing it into a large bag. Again, this took about 30-45 minutes.

His van transported us back to the take-off site and we enjoyed a light brunch complete with one’s choice of champagne or Martinelli’s. Doubtless, this was a most appropriate event to celebrate our 20-year anniversary. I don’t know if I’ll ever ride a hot-air balloon again, but it is certainly one less event to check off of my bucket list (yes, even at the tender age of 43!).

 

Brad

Contest of the Month! How well do you know Tigers Curse Series?

It’s that time again! The contest of the month and the first one of 2015, can you believe it’s already here?

So this month’s contest is all about how well you think you know Colleen Houck’s Tiger’s Curse books. Most of you know the story involves a girl named Kelsey who gets a job working at the circus. Most of you know that while she’s working at the circus she meets a white tiger named Ren whom she feels an instant connection. Most of you know this tiger is no ordinary tiger and that there is a curse. Most of you know there’s another tiger with a curse upon him named Kishan. But, do you know . . .

Alright tiger fans, this is a chance for you to see just how well you know the story of Kelsey, Ren and Kishan.

What’s in it for you? An awesome prize of course! One lucky winner will receive a Tillamook Cheese Factory Gift Package!

*Includes Tillamook t-shirt, hat, sweatshirt, socks, playing cards, writing pens, and signed copy of Tiger’s Promise!!!

If you’ve never heard of Tillamook Cheese Factory, it’s where they make the famous Tillamook cheese, ice-cream, butter and sour cream located just off the coast in the small town of Tillamook, Oregon. Check out the pics below.

Why a gift package from Tillamook? Because Tillamook is mentioned in the Tiger’s Curse books. If you remember this, than this contest is just for you!

Enter below for your chance to win! Good luck!

 

Winner will be picked beginning of February so stay tuned!

~Till next time,

Linda Louise

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Lips Lips Lips *PRIZE*

 Nothing is more girly than lip gloss and lipstick.  We feel sweet in a pale pink lip gloss and powerful in a bright red lipstick.  There are so many colors, and formulas to choose from and to know what you look best in you have to try many.

How to Pick the Right Red Lipstick

  The one rule I feel needs to be followed is that you pick only one facial feature to highlight.  So either you have bright bold lips and minimal eye makeup or daring eye make-up and a pale or nude lip.

Bold Lip Looks

Daring Eyes

Why?  Because you want others to focus on just one part of your face.  Check out the picture of Emma Stone above. Emma’s eyes are breathtaking and they look like  pale Jade.  If she had some bright neon pink lipstick on as well as her dramatic eye make up it would be a competition between her lips and eyes.  So pick what feature you want to highlight today, and smile, because you are beautiful!

 

When you look for a new lip color some things to consider besides your skin tone is; is this lip color for a special occasion, does it need to be long wearing, what will you be wearing, etc.  All these questions will shape your decision.  You don’t normally wear heavy lipstick to the beach, and on a special night out you might want something more than a sheer lip gloss.  So think about what you will use it for.

 

Go to stores like Ulta, Sephora, and the mall where you can try on colors.  The beauty advisors have experience and help you find what fits you. Trying is free and if you don’t want to spend $$$ but would rather spend $ then write down the brand, name, and number of the color and search for a “DUPE” in other words a “dupe”licate in a less expensive brand online.  There are all kinds of reviews and videos out there now that can take some of guess work out of the equation. 

 

*One Honorable mention inexpensive lip gloss is Maybelline Baby Lips Pink Shock.  It looks intense in the tube but it’s a great color and these little inexpensive tubes  can be found anywhere.  I bought one at Target and the other at a local grocery store on sale.  They are very moisturizing and have a ton of shades to choose from.  I love this color because even when the gloss wears off it leaves a little of the bright pink color behind to stain my lips. 

*I have two prizes for two lucky winners* 

To be eligible to win one of the prizes all you have to do is sign up for Colleen Houck’s new newsletter, and sign up on Good Reads to put Colleen’s upcoming book Reawakened on your to read list by 1/28/14.

Colleen Houck’s Newsletter

Reawakened on Good Reads

#1 A beautiful bright lipstick by Maybelline in the color Vivid Rose from the new Vivids collection.

#2  A pale pink lip gloss from NYX in Gold Pink

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Movie Review: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

I always give spoilers so consider yourself warned. =)

Colleen’s Movie Review

Romance: Oh boy. Here we go. For me the only romance was between me and Legolas as I watched him in the film. There was a pseudo-romance between dwarf Kili and elf Tauriel. It was supposed to be some great love affair that broke her heart in this film since he was killed and yet there was absolutely no reason for them to be in love. They met, sure. They might have been attracted to each other. There were long looks. Otherwise there was no love story there. Also, it pretty much stinks that he’s at least a foot shorter than her. It’s weird. Legolas was so in love with her that if they had fallen for each other and she died instead, that would have been much more emotional and would have explained Legolas being a loner later on. As it was, the romance fell flat and was entirely unbelievable especially when there were other guys to look at such as the aforementioned Legolas and Bard, the hero of Laketown. Bard is a dumb name by the way.

Special Effects: The special effects were as good as you could want if you’re a LOTR fan. It was pretty much an awesome battle scene and the costumes were fabulous.

What I Liked: The dragon. Hands down the best scene was the dragon desolating the town which, according to the title of The Hobbit 2, should have happened in the last movie. I liked the wizards gathering to put down Sauron. I liked the rabbit sleigh. I liked the battle scenes. There were some cool, new things to see as far as mounts (pig, big horn sheep, and some kind of moose/deer) and monsters. I really liked that Legolas was there. 

What I’d Change: The entire story. Nothing happened. Dragon gets killed then a giant battle for the mountain, a little going crazy spiral, and that was mostly it. Throw in the tiniest wizard scene but otherwise it was all battle, all orcs, all the time.

The entire timeline is screwed up now. At the end of the movie, the elf king, uhh, Thranduil, have to look up all of these dumb names, sent Legolas off to find a young Aragorn, AKA Strider, also had to look that up. Even assuming that Bilbo is middle aged for a hobbit, heck, even retirement aged, the Fellowship doesn’t assemble until after Bilbo’s 111st birthday. Aragorn, who is a human, even if he was a young man at the time, would be long dead by then or at least too old to head off on such a quest. I think Bilbo would have to be much older in the movie for this timeline to work.

The romance was silly and had no relevance. Honestly, if Legolas wasn’t in the movie, I don’t think it would even be worth watching. 

It would have been nice to tie the Hobbit into the Lord of the Rings a little bit better at the end than just hearing Gandalf’s voice just before Bilbo’s 111st birthday party. I would have liked to have seen Frodo or Samwise, or heck, even Gollum.

The Tagline:

The Defining Chapter

Witness the defining chapter of the Middle-Earth saga.

I hate to say it but if this was the defining chapter, I don’t think any of the other films would have been made. Unless your definition of the movies is Orc battle. Then, yeah, there’s a lot of that going on.

Hunky Hero: There were a lot of hunky heroes. I really liked Bard, still a dumb name. The elf king wasn’t half bad. Legolas is still hunky. I even liked Kili other than his stature.

 

It wasn’t a lack of hunky heroes. It was a lack of them doing anything at all other than fighting. I like a good fight as much as the next girl but enough is enough. How about some dialogue? 

 

The Villain: Sauron makes a brief appearance as do the Nazgul, at least I think that’s what they were. Benedict Cumberbatch was far and away the best villain. All the villains in this film were CGI which is unfortunate because I don’t really feel their presence as much on film. Had to look up names again. One orc guy is Bolg and the other one is called Azog. Azog had a wicked sword-appendage thing going on. Not sure how that doesn’t chafe.

 

Best Line: 

Thranduil: So this is the Halfling who ate my food and stole keys from my guard.

Bilbo Baggins: Yes. Sorry about that.

This was actually funny in the movie though it doesn’t really read that way.

Best Scene: 

Where Thranduil tells Legolas to go find Aragorn. I wanted to go with him and see what Aragorn was up to. It had to be more interesting than what was going on at Mt. Doom.

Recommended for YA Fans: If you saw every other Hobbit and LOTR movie you might as well finish it up.

Compared to the Book: I haven’t read the Hobbit in a long, long time but I don’t recognize most of this.

 

Trailer:

A Guy’s Perspective

Bio: I’m Colleen’s husband, Brad. I’m the youngest of four kids. I’ve been Deaf since I was five so I watch every movie with caption glasses. I love sports and reading (I’ll admit I’ve read Twilight but prefer thrillers like Jack Reacher). My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip. I’ll never turn down a taco. I write poetry. My man credentials include: a high school career in wrestling, watching sports every time my wife is too busy to notice, a receding hairline, two repaired ACL’s, and a stockpile of Axe body wash.

Review: 

The Hobbit: The Battle to Finally End the Three-Film Circus

 

Finally, it’s here—the final installment of the nonsensical three-film spoof of the Hobbit!  Peter Jackson can hang up his director’s cap and call it a career. He went out with a bang and he got it in probably the longest 144 minutes film I’ve ever seen. It will doubtlessly rank among the highest-grossing films of 2014 because so many people love Middle-earth, and they don’t seem to mind the blatant destruction of one of Tolkien’s finest novels: The Hobbit.

 

I loved reading The Hobbit, but apart from Bilbo Baggins discovering the Ring and dueling with Gollum in a riddle-battle (as seen in 2012), the three Hobbit films bore little resemblance to Tolkien’s original novel. But let me say that Mr. Jackson can create entertaining and interesting battle scenes like no other director. It was certainly action-packed and CGI-extensive. Legolas, the only original LOTR character in this film, and Thorin, the leader of the Dwarves, had some cool stunts and battles, even if they were too outlandish to be believed with my own eyes. The deep-seated animosity between the Elves and the Dwarves seems to vanish while they battle with Azog and the Orcs. I’m not sure how that happened so simply, but then there was very little attempt at character development through the entire Hobbit series.

 

The last-gasp effort to tie-in the movie into the LOTR series was weak at best. When Bilbo finally arrives home from his journey, he suddenly transforms into a much-older Hobbit, and hears Gandalf calling out to him (“Hullo, Bilbo, my old friend”) and then we see Thorin’s map of Middle-earth. The end. Really? That’s it? No birthday party? (Which was how the LOTR all got started…) No peek of Elijah Woods just one last time? Well then, perhaps it is high time for Mr. Jackson, and for all of us, to finally move on. You know, like a long-distance relationship that is grating and really headed nowhere. What’s really sad to me is that all three films were and are largely forgettable. 

This film gets 4 Azog Smash Fists.

Brad