Julia London's Blog, page 31
July 18, 2012
Last Chance Series
So today I’m happy to announce the re-release of my Last Chance Series in digital format.
The best of the best, the interagency task force is given the country’s most difficult operations. Jobs that require not only special expertise, but also the ability to color outside the lines. Headed by industrialist Cullen Pulaski, the team isn’t bound by rules and regulations. Their only charge is to get things done.
Endgame, Enigma, Exposure. “Psychological suspense…expertly combined with action and romance.” –Romantic Times
Endgame:
FBI profiler Madison Harper and CIA undercover operative Gabriel Roarke go together like oil and water, but there’s no denying the physical attraction. As they work together to track down a murderer, Madison finds herself in the killer’s sights—and she and Gabriel must trust their instincts to stay alive.
Enigma:
CIA undercover operative Payton Reynolds is stuck babysitting bomb specialist Samantha Waters as they try to outmaneuver a serial bomber. But as the situation intensifies and the bomber circles closer, the two begin to rely on each other in ways neither could have imagined. As sparks begin to fly, their world literally explodes, leaving them in a fight to outwit their foe — or die…
Exposure:
British special agent Nigel Ferris has devoted his life to working covert operations, and avoiding relationships. Until he’s called upon to help foil an international terrorist plot, and comes face to face with the one woman who ever came close to scaling his emotional walls.
The writing of this series actually corresponded with my move to New York City. And interestingly, the first and third books are set there, but the second is set predominately in Austin—so maybe I was a little homesick?
So what about you? Do you like books set in exotic locales? Or places you’re familiar with?
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July 17, 2012
Roadtrip Adventures… Seeing the USA
We just got back from our grand adventure, NY to TX to FL, and then back to NY, and I have to say that I really love road trips. On Thursday, we went through South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, DC, Maryland, Delaware, Jersey, and then finally NY. Whew! I bought an atlas and the kids laughed at me, but when you’re moving state to state, a phone just doesn’t cut it. Eventually, they understood. 
Part of the fun was the different foods in unexpected places. We ate pizza in South Carolina (not too bad), had burgers in a dive in Baton Rouge, and seafood in Florida. All were yum!
Along the way I discovered the states that I could live in, the states that I couldn’t, and the states that I want to see again, to stay a little longer and explore. I think Alabama was my biggest surprise. We stayed in Mobile one night, and I thought the downtown architecture was beautiful. Not anything like what I was expecting. When I’m on a trip, I judge by the landscaping along the highway. Alabama gets high marks for pretty highways (at least along i-10). I have never wanted to stay in Louisiana because it’s so much its own beast and yes, the people are so alien that it makes me nervous. (Apologies to anyone who lives in LA, but I’m sure you feel the same way about TX).
Downtown College Station
I had a lovely day with fellow whine sisters Julia London and Julie Kenner, and saw Julia’s new renovations (love the chairs). After that we drove to College Station, Texas, home of Texas A&M (WHOOP!), and I got to show off the campus to the kids. There is construction everywhere, but it only cements my love for my alma mater.
So, that’s why I have been so quiet. I’ve been seeing the USA. What about y’all? What are your favorite states and why? Any states that you don’t like? Are you a planes, trains, or automobiles person?
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July 16, 2012
Fun Weekend
It was a fun weekend at Casa D’Alessandro. We headed to Athens (Athens, Georgia–not Athens, Greece) to go do some shopping, see a movie, and go to dinner. First stop–Sam’s club. I know I’ve blogged before about my love affair with Costco, but I also love Sam’s. This time out–in addition to our usual purchases of paper towels and fruit–we picked up some chef’s knives (’cause I’m always looking for the perfect kitchen knife), and a new Ninja (combination food processor and blender). Can’t wait to try it out! Frozen margarita, anyone?
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This baby does everything but vacuum the floors!
Then we headed to the movies to see The Amazing Spiderman. I’d heard good things about the flick and we really enjoyed it. The actor who played Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) was new to me and he did a great job. The adorable Emma Stone played Gwen Stacy, who was Peter Parker’s first love. Who knew? I always thought it was Mary Jane Watson, but apparently not. There was lots of action and lots of chemistry between the leads. I’m looking forward to the next installment.
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Spins a web any size, catches thieves just like flies!
Then we went to dinner at a new-to-us restaurant called Grit–which doesn’t necessarily sound appetizing, but the food was excellent. It’s an all vetegarian place and I have to say I never knew tofu could taste so good. After dinner we went to Menchies which is a frozen yogurt place. There are about 12 flavors to choose from and dozens of toppings and it’s make your own. The Mounds flavor was amazing–chocolate coconut. YUM! I swear, if there was a Menchies closer to us I’d be in there every day. I’d for sure end up in Menchies rehab.
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The yogurt bar. It's totally addicting!
The rest of the weekend was spend working. I’m editing/updating one of my early, out-of-print titles, KISS THE COOK in preparation of making it available as an e-book. I have a fabulous new cover for it and I can’t wait to re-release it next month!
How did you spend your weekend? Have you seen Spiderman? Plan to? Whatever you did, I hope it was fun!
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Touch Me
Pleasing a man is something former mistress Genevieve Ralston does very well. But after her lover callously dumps her, she’s definitely off men…until she meets Simon! He’s brooding. Sexy. And she can’t keep her hands off him…
But Simon Cooperstone, Viscount Kilburn, is a spy. His mission: retrieve a mysterious letter in Genevieve’s possession. Intent on seducing her secrets from her, he forgets to guard one thing: his heart.
Each stroke of Genevieve’s talented fingers unleashes his deepest desires. Too late, he realizes that while he may be a master of the art of seduction, he’s no match for a sensual mistress…
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July 14, 2012
Endgame
They both know the games killers play…
FBI criminal profiler Madison Harper understands dangerous minds. Tough, tenacious, with nerves of steel, she’s the best of the best. So is her new partner, Gabriel Roarke, a crack CIA operative who likes to do things his way. When the two are forced to jointly head up a task force investigating murder in high places – it’s no surprise that sparks begin to fly.
As they race through a shadow world of power, politics and deadly secrets, the passion that simmers between Madison and Gabriel soon ignites. But a clever killer at the top of his game has challenged Madison to play to the very end. Now all she can trust is her instincts—and Gabriel, the one man reckless enough to keep her alive…
Rio Award winner, Endgame is the first novel in Dee Davis’s newly re-released Last Chance Series. Amazon B&N
Don’t miss the other books in the series: Enigma and Exposure.
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July 13, 2012
More Classic TV
Julie’s blog yesterday about Scooby Doo got me thinking about tv shows I loved as a kid. There were a lot of them that I really enjoyed that I haven’t seen in years. One of my faves was Lost in Space. Danger, Will Robinson, danger! I never got into Star Trek, but I never missed Lost in Space. Go figure.
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Danger, Will Robinson, danger!
Another childhood favorite was The Flintstones. Flintstones, meet the Flintstones–they’re the modern stone-age family! I loved watching Fred, Wilma, Betty, Barney, Pebbles, Bamm-bamm and Dino. I loved the clever way they turned everything that was modern into the stone age equivalent. Yaba Daba Doo!
Along those same lines, I loved the Jetsons. I wanted my family to get a robot maid like Rosie and a dog like Astro. And I wanted Judy Jetson’s hair. Needless to say, none of that worked out.
I also loved Bugs Bunny and all the Looney Toons gang. And then there was Mr. Ed (a horse is a horse, of course, of course!) and My Favorite Martian, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, and I Love Lucy (remember the Vitameatavegamin episode?). And let’s not forget Creature Feature, the Monkees, and the Partridge Family. And please tell me I’m not the only one who watched the Jack LaLanne show! Me and my mom watched that all the time.
Wow–it seems as if all I did was watch tv when I was a kid, LOL! What tv shows did you watch growing up? What were your favorite episodes from those shows?
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July 12, 2012
Lessons from Scooby-Doo
I’m sitting here watching Scooby-Doo with my eight year old, and it occurred to me that there are some valuable life lessons hidden in the series memes. Let’s explore, shall we?
1) Never raise a demon/bad guy/ghost/ghoul/otherworldly beasty. It will inevitably turn the tables on you. (This is one of those lessons that the bad guys learn.) The take-away? Don’t try to control the forces of evil. It really never works out.
2) All of your friends are archetypes. The take-away? If your smart friends says that something is true, she’s probably more likely to be correct than your stoner friend. But your stoner friend will inevitably get credit for resolving everything properly.
3) People will go jump through all sorts of crazy hoops in order to keep the property/hide the gold mine/inherit the castle. The take-away? Get a trusted real estate agent and avoid spooky houses in ghost towns.
4) Skill is not necessary; luck is essential. The take-away? This one may only apply if you’re a dog or a skinny kid with, ah, dubious chemical addictions.
5) Talking dogs make great companions. The take-away? I’m all over that one. First talking dog I find, and I ditch the silly no-dog-because-of-allergy rules.
6) Life is great if you live out of a van and travel the world solving mysteries. The take-away? An RV is better. It has it’s own built in toilet and shower. Other than that, though, point me toward the nearest mystery. I’m all over it.
Are you a Scooby fan? (Despite the tongue in cheek, I am…at least in the pre-Scrappy-Doo days!)
What are your favorite TV show life lessons?
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July 11, 2012
Weighty Issues
Sometimes, as a mother, you stumble upon your kids in their “real world” aka what they’re like when they’re not with you, and you realize what you’ve done, who you have really raised, and it amazes you. Hopefully in a good way. My daughter amazes me in a good way. Who is this phenomenal young woman and where did she come from? Me? Really?
Elissa: Self-portrait in the sun
Yes, really. And people who know me, in my “real world” aka what I’m like when I’m not with my kids (and apparently when I am), will probably say, “oh definitely! We see where she gets it.” But me, in the world inside my head, aka where I wonder if I’m doing everything right, I’m always astounded that I managed to pull anything off, let alone raising two kids to successful adulthood. Successful… hey, they’re alive, and they’re good people. So, yeah.
I found one of my daughter’s rants on Tumblr the other day. She blogs on Tumblr. Mostly typical college stuff. But this one was a rant against Pro-Ana (pro-anorexia) sites. She talked about how important it is to nourish your body and maintain a healthy weight and what really happens when you starve yourself. Apparently, one of her old friends has become severely weight-conscious to the point of subscribing to a “pro-ana” lifestyle, and my daughter was concerned.
And yes, “pro-ana” is a thing. There are blogs and websites dedicated to anorexia as if it is a good thing. As if the rest of us shouldn’t be so damn fat. Shame on us. And fat is bad, too. I celebrate my curves as much as the next curvy girl, but the fact is that my doctor put me on high blood pressure meds and it has me worried. Now I don’t just really really want to lose a few pounds, I have to lose pounds. Obesity is epidemic. It costs everyone. But… anorexia isn’t the answer. Obviously. Most of know this. But some of us take it too far. And my daughter’s age group (she turns 19 in a few weeks) is susceptible to the messages sent by the media and super skinny models and stars.
A recent Pro-Ana rant was about model Kate Upton. Sports Illustrated Cover Model Kate Upton. And how fat she is. Really?
Kate Upton
I’m glad my daughter gets it. She knows she’s more than a number on a scale or how she looks in a bikini. I’m not sure how she has come across this wonderful appreciation for who she is as a woman, but I like to think some of it comes from me. Cheers to phenomenal women everywhere! Stay healthy.
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
Phenomenal Woman- Maya Angelou
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July 10, 2012
Summer Cocktails
Summer is the perfect time to put away the wine glasses and go for a libation that’s a little more fun! Here are a couple of favorites!!
Lemon Drop Martini
6 oz Vodka
2 oz Cointreau
2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
2 cups ice
Mix ingredients and shake. Strain and pour.
Serves two!
Sea Breeze
4 oz Vodka
6 oz Cranberry Juice
4 oz grapefruit juice (fresh is best)
Pour over ice into highball glass.
Serves two!
Robert’s Margaritas
2 oz Silver tequila
2 oz fresh lime juice
1 1/3 oz Cointreau (or triple sec-but Cointreau is better)
Shake with ice and strain or pour over ice.
Serves two!
And if you’re not feeling as adventurous, there’s always a pitcher of homemade lemonade or iced tea. Summertime at its very best.
So what are your favorite summertime drinks?
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July 9, 2012
Monday Morning: Off to Work!
We’re authors, so we talk about writing a lot. That’s our job. But, we weren’t always authors. Well, maybe we were, but we did other stuff to pay the bills at one point. Some of us never even dreamed about writing for a living– until we got hooked on the writing and gave it a shot.
That “some of us” refers to other Whine Sisters, and not to me. I’m living the dream (cough, cough). Writing fiction is what I have always wanted to do, dreamed I would do, for as long as I can remember (or at least since second grade). But I felt that I needed a college education to do it well, and that took money, which took getting a job. My family didn’t have a lot of money, so I knew I would have to start working as soon as possible to save up.
Second Grade Sherri: Practicing for my first official author photo.
At 16, I got my first job. I worked in a store called Ingenuities, which was a lot like Brookstone. I worked with real grown-up people who were very serious about their jobs and expected me to take my turn cleaning the employee bathroom. It blew my mind. I’m pretty sure the manager only hired me because he wanted to get into my older sister’s Hot Sam uniform pants (she worked at Hot Sam, the mall’s pretzel and corn dog place). And as soon as Christmas season was over, I was let go. Bummer.
"Let go? What does that mean?"
My next job, also a mall job, was at a toy store, which was awesome. I was hired in the summer, but by the end of the holiday season, once again, I was unemployed. My mom thought maybe I needed something that paid better than minimum wage, so she got me a job washing dishes at the nursing home, where she worked as an executive assistant. Disaster! I quit on day one, no matter that I knew my mother would be so disappointed in me, because the cook yelled at me for dropping a soft-boiled egg and I had to actually scrape food sucked on by toothless old people off plates and into an enormous trash bin. It made me sick. Yes, I was a big baby.
"These lily white, future bestseller-writing hands, touch dirty dishes?"
I went right back to the mall and got a job at a department store called G. Fox (which has since been a Filene’s and is now a Macy’s). I started at age 17, and stuck with that one for a few years. I kept the job after high school graduation and through my first year at college, even though it killed me to leave campus fun and privileged friends behind to go off to work. Then I met a hot stock boy who became my hot boyfriend and eventually, reader, he married me. And together, we finished college, became real grown-up people, and learned to support a household and a growing family.
Hot Stockboy? Reader, I married him.
22 years later, we’ve got two adult children learning all about working at jobs they might not love just to help pay the bills, because that’s how it goes. Fortunately, they are not in the same rush to grow up that I was. No future spouses or children in the foreseeable future (but who knows). My son is working at a grocery store. My daughter starts her first job tomorrow (this morning)– at McDonald’s.
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"Fries with that?"
I’m no longer allowed to make comments involving any variation of “do you want fries with that?” And I have been forbidden to say that she looks cute in her uniform, which I haven’t seen on her yet. Because, as she says, there is absolutely no way, no how, nothing about a McD’s uniform that could ever be called “cute.” So just don’t! Okay, but… I want to say it sooo bad. It’s ready to burst right out of my mouth, “Oh, you look so cute in your uniform!” Wish me luck.
What was your first job? Worst job? Do you love what you do? Or maybe you’re between jobs? Happily or unhappily employed or unemployed?
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