Julia London's Blog, page 40
April 3, 2012
Pop Quiz! What's your favorite You Tube video (or other Internet time waster)?
I, ah, was planning on writing my blog this morning before I raced out the door for an exciting day of blood tests and errands.
But I overslept and must now write this, rouse kids, get dressed and get to CPL in approximately 2.7 minutes.
So that means…drumroll…I'm putting the onus on you! Yes, YOU!
Today we'll play, "Because Julie's running late, you guys get to run the show by sharing your favorite YouTube video or other internet time waster!"
I'll start: My all time favorite You Tube vid is the clip of Louis C.K. talking about technology with Conan O'Brian. For some reason, it just amuses the heck out of me.
Of course, the sneezing panda runs a close second (that one's not embeddable in this post, so you have to follow the link).
As for the most amusing sites, this one is way, way, way too addictive. I warn you, you can lose a day reading through pages of screenshots. It's Damn You, Autocorrect, and it's hysterical (and definitely not rated G)!
Okay, people, let the amusing begin–what are y'alls favorite links?
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April 2, 2012
And In the News…
[image error]So in the Times yesterday morning there were two articles about children and books. The first was about a woman with a new book deal who essentially bullied her child into losing weight and at least to my mind probably set her on a lifetime of eating disorders (the child was seven at the time and not obese). And to top it off she gets a book deal. Apparently this is the new trend in parenting and one that is getting all kinds of attention through parenting memoir deals in NYC. (For the record, I don't know the author of the upcoming book or her daughter and am not therefore passing judgment on her, just on the idea as it was presented in the Times article.)
The second article, much less disturbing but still causing question, was about children (usually between 12 and 15) self-publishing (at their parents expense) books they have written. The writer of the article seemed to be of two minds—one that by allowing self-pubbing it was building the child's self-esteem and on to the contrary, that in so doing they were not doing their children a favor. There is value [image error]in perseverance and stamina when it comes to achieving something. Instant gratification isn't always the key. My main thought was please let the parents have paid for editing. Still, it's a new world out there–and we all are dealing with media in new ways. So maybe these kids are on to something?
As to the uber-mommy, I think that the 'everyone deserves a prize' era was not necessarily the perfect way to parent, however, I think our nation's obsession with eating both under and over is anything but healthy and granting book contracts for successfully bullying our children into following the paths we've chosen for them seems a bit much. However, life is hard, and children do need to be reminded of that occasionally. There are always choices and each one has a price. This is a valuable lesson. But surely there are more gentle ways to introduce the concept.
So did you guys see the articles or have you heard the hoopla? What do you think? What else have you read in the papers recently that captured your attention?
And in the winner category we have….Ann M! And Maude Allen! Congrats ladies you've won autographed copies of Deadly Dance!
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Deadly Dance
As the intelligence specialist for A-Tac, a black-ops CIA unit masquerading as Ivy League faculty, Hannah Marshall is used to working behind the scenes. But when a brutal murder hits too close to home, Hannah finds herself in the middle of the action, falling in love while racing to outwit a sadistic mastermind.
A KILLER CLOSES IN
After the death of her A-Tac partner, Hannah doubts everything she thought she knew about love and loyalty. When handsome Harrison Blake joins the team, she's reluctant to trust him—or to act on her intense attraction to him. Then Hannah receives a podcast of a gruesome murder, and the only person who can help her find the killer is Harrison.
Harrison has spent years trying to hunt down the cunning monster who killed his sister. Now investigating with Hannah, he faces a shocking possibility—his sister's murderer has resurfaced. As the danger escalates, Hannah and Harrison grow closer, and the desire simmering between them ignites. After Hannah disappears, Harrison has only one chance to save the woman he loves.
Deadly Dance is the fifth book in the A-Tac Series.
And check out www.deedavis.com for reviews, excerpts and more.
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March 30, 2012
I Need a Hero
So this is the week. My book, Deadly Dance, no. 5 in my A-Tac series, actually hit bookstores on Tuesday (the same day as the marvelous Julia London's latest). And even though Deadly Dance marks my twentieth book, it still feels every bit as exciting as the day that Everything in its Time first hit shelves in the summer of 2000. It has been a marvelous journey so far. One that keeps me pinching myself with disbelief that my words—MINE—are actually on the pages of a book.
And it is with great joy that I present Deadly Dance, because the hero is a favorite of mine. Harrison Blake was first introduced in my Last Chance Series. And originally, he was supposed to be the hero of the third book. But as sometimes happens, another man came along and swept me off my feet. Nigel Ferris. And he wound up as the hero of Exposure. And Harrison, wasn't a happy camper. In fact, he bugged the heck out of me constantly, wondering when it was going to be his turn. And so when A-Tac found itself in need of a new computer forensics man, I knew just who to call. Of all my heroes, Harrison has gotten the most mail over the years. And I'm happy to say he's finally front and center.
Of course, I'm in love with Hannah, too. So it was only fitting that she and Harrison find their way together.
So in honor of lay-down week, I'm giving away two signed copies of Deadly Dance, one each for two lucky commenters. I'll announce the winners on Monday.
Who are your favorite romance heroes? (And for variety's sake, Fitzwilliam Darcy is off the table.) And what is it about a man that makes him a hero for you?
P.S. Don't forget Julia's fabulous The Seduction of Lady X!!! And the oh so sexy Earl of Ashwood.
Oh, and P.S.S. while we're on the subject of Harrison—watch for the re-release of all three Last Chance books in digital format this summer!
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March 29, 2012
Rocking the Four-Eyes…
On Saturday, I'll be getting new eyeglasses and I'm very excited. I'm especially excited since my new optometrist took great pains to explain (in great detail) how badly done my previous pair of glasses were — the ones I wore for the past three years without complaining. Apparently the little bi-focal lines were cock-eyed, so I'd have to tilt my head to see correctly. And they made my reading portion bigger than since I mainly need glasses to read itty-bitty print on my phone. How sad is it that it is my phone that made me break down and buy new glasses, not other things like… uh, driving.
And the prescription has been changed because I'm 20/25, not 20/20 anymore.
But the coolest, most awesome pieces of this is not that I can see, but that my new glass frames will be — red. No, they are not cardinal red, more of a dark-brown red, and they also have a slight cat-eye shape to them. I feel geeky and stylish and phone-literate-once more. Yes, I know. I'm trying to de-frump my image, not a trivial task.
The eye place I went to is a total "boutique" with hipster (i.e. they could be my children) people helping you pick out your frames. I told the kid that I wanted something stylish, yet not flashy. Something that says, "I have good taste and did not have a hipster pick these out for me."
I tried a gazillion pairs, and it was so much fun. There were little frames that made my eyebrows disappear. And these really awesome "Mad Men" glasses, which cracked me up because my aunt and my Dad both had a pair just like them. The kid said they were very "hot" (not on me, but in general).
And there was another pair that was just like my Mom's sunglasses sometime during our Oldsmobile station wagon era. I didn't even both trying them on,because the idea was too hideous.
As I studied the cat-eye glasses and the Mad Men glasses, I realized that even when Don Draper is wearing these glasses, they are not attractive. I can almost be fooled, but then I have a visual flashback of my dad and my aunt, or my mother in front of the station wagon, and I shake in horror.
All this sounds like I'm a fan of glasses, but I'm not. I started out fairly blind, and got glasses in forth grade. Eventually I graduated to contacts, but they were always a pain (although I did have a great turquoise set that made my eyes pop). Eventually I got LASIK and for about ten years, I was lens free. I could see in a swimming pool, come out of a shower and not have touchy-feely to find the towel. I could read everything from the moment I woke up to the moment I feel asleep and it was great.
Eventually age struck and I needed reading glasses, and I thought I had a decent pair… Oh, ho, how wrong was that? and now I'm back to being excited again.
So, how about y'all? Blind as a bat, or do you have eyes like a hawk? Do you consider glasses a fashion statement or a necessary evil? Can you look at Mad Men glasses and think, "Wow, those are so great?" or do you shudder, like moi?
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March 28, 2012
A Few Things You Don't Know About Us
The Whine Sisters are an open book, right? We wear our feelings on our sleeve, we tell you everything we know, and yet, there are some things you don't know about me and Dee. For example, we are the same age. We both call our fathers Daddy. We are both from the south. We both started writing about the same time and were both published about the same time. We are both on perpetual diets, we both like chick lit and historical romances, and we are both Anglophiles. Apparently, both will put on hats and swan for the camera, too. That picture was taken about three years ago in New Orleans.
You know what else Dee and I have in common? We both have books out this week! Dee's Deadly Dance is another in her fabulous and popular A-Tac series (her name is a whole lot bigger than mine, I noticed. Hmmm). Mine is the third in the Secrets of Hadley Green series, The Seduction of Lady X.
All of us at Whine Sisters, and I do mean all of us, are here for a reason. We get each other. See if you can figure out which fellow whine sisters I have these things in common with:
1. We were Rita nominees in the same year
2. We both like to practice an exercise that we loosely call "running"
3. We started at the same publisher, which is where we met
4. We both believe in clean eating
5. We both love Smash
6. Bonus round! We have known each other the longest
7. Another bonus round! We both like grape jam
Want one more bonus round? 8. I met this whiner in Kansas City!
What do you have in common with the Whine Sisters? What fun facts can you tell us about you and any of the whiners? And please don't forget to support starving artists! Buy Julia and Dee's new books!
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March 27, 2012
TENNIS, ANYONE?
I've made no secret of the fact that I'm an avid tennis fan–and especially of one particular Spanish player.
[image error]
Mi favorito, Rafael Nadal. Es muy bueno, no?
However, I'm an equal-opportunity tennis fan–I also love Roger Federer and American (and University of Georgia alum!) John Isner, who just broke into the top ten in the world (Congrats, John!). As much as I enjoy sitting on my butt and watching the Tennis Channel, I also like playing the game. Unfortunately I had to stop last year because I hurt my elbow (playing tennis), and just last Friday I picked up a racket for the first time in a year. The results?
Not so good.
My tennis game was never great, and let me tell you, the year off did not improve it any. But after a while I got back in the groove. The DH and I played over the weekend. (the DH is a really good player). This morning I'm heading over to a nearby neighborhood with one of my neighbors to play a doubles match. I'm excited and nervous to be back on the court–glad to play, hopeful I don't embarrass myself, or let down my partner. I'll check in here as soon as I get home to let y'all know how it went. I plan to sign up for lessons and I'm determined to improve my game. An added bonus–tennis burns lots of calories. Yay! Because I'm still working off Christmas cookies 
Do you play–or watch–tennis? Another sport? Have you ever stepped away from something then taken it up again? How did that work out for you? If sports aren't your thing, tell us what you've been up to!
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March 26, 2012
Real Men Don't: The Manty Hose Edition
In other editions of Real Men Don't (and it has been awhile), we have covered lists of things Real Men shouldn't do. Cheat on your significant others- also see: Hook up with your costar while married to someone else (that was for you, Brad Pitt). Exhibit your penis online (yeah, Anthony Weiner). Wear socks with sandals (ewww, just no). Carry a murse (man purse, though there are exceptions here and no, a fanny pack isn't one of them). Jump on Oprah's couch declaring that you're in love, in love (oh Tom Cruise).
But today, I want to talk about a serious new trend. A trend that Real Men should avoid at all costs.
Manty hose. Otherwise known as… brosiery. [image error]
According to fashion sources, it is the Big New Thing. Brought on by the success of Manx. Yes, Man Spanx. Manx. But while wearing figure-enhancing garments UNDER your clothes seems somehow acceptable (I mean, as long as I don't know or have to think about it, sure, go ahead), there's something somehow unseemly about, well, this: [image error]
Men in tights. As clothes. Or visible under clothes. As a fashion statement. And for warmth and comfort (comfort? They haven't been at this long, clearly). Nooooooo. Just NO. Okay.
Really? Really. Realllly? I saw this mentioned in a few magazine articles, and I laughed it off. But then VB emailed me just in case it had escaped my notice (thanks VB) and I realized that it might be more serious than I had imagined. Manty hose.
Madonna disagrees with me. Clearly, she thinks real men do wear brosiery. She has a bunch of dudes dancing with her in nothing but their manty hose and high heels in her new video for Girl Gone Wild. [image error]
As much as I hate to argue with Madonna, I have further proof that Real Men Don't. I found an online guide for men to help them learn how to don their manty hose. Hilarious!
Now I am going to imagine any man in manty hose actually struggling to put on the brosiery, just like we have had to do all these years, and well…
Would your dream man or significant other do that? Wear those? I'm thinking, no. Real Men Don't. What do you think? Are you with me on this? Or with Madonna?
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Grave Expectations
Heaven knows, we need never be ashamed of our wolfish cravings. . . .
Bristly, sensitive, and meat-hungry Pip is a robust young whelp, an orphan born under a full moon. Between hunting escaped convicts alongside zombified soldiers, trying not to become one of the hunted himself, and hiding his hairy hands from the supernaturally beautiful and haughty Estella, whose devilish moods keep him chomping at the bit, Pip is sure he will die penniless or a convict like the rest of his commonly uncommon kind.
But then a mysterious benefactor sends him to London for the finest werewolf education money can buy. In the company of other furry young gentlemen, Pip tempers his violent transformations and devours the secrets of his dark world. When he discovers that his beloved Estella is a slayer of supernatural creatures, trained by the corpse-like vampire Miss Havisham, Pip's desire for her grows stronger than his midnight hunger for rare fresh beef. But can he risk his hide for a truth that will make Estella his forever—or will she drive one last silver stake through his heart?
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March 24, 2012
Must-Buy Books!
Tuesday! Mark your calendars. Big day. Get ready to run to the bookstore and buy (or download at home):
Dee Davis DEADLY DANCE
Julia London THE SEDUCTION OF LADY X
Two Whine Sisters books coming out on one exciting day! Woo-hoo!
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