Julia London's Blog, page 63
August 13, 2011
Thrillseekers Anonymous
A few years ago, I wrote this trilogy and a novella about three guys who had a zest for living, and parlayed that into a business. They ran Thrillseekers Anonymous, catering to the rich and powerful, and guaranteeing a thrillseeking experience unlike any they ever had. Sadly, these books are out of print, but I still get mail about these guys.
Monday, I blogged about hero and heroine centric books. I have written two series that were centered around men friends, and if my reader mail is any indication, they have been the most popular. The Rogues of Regent Street, an historical series, propelled me up to the next level of being published. The Thrillseekers didn't exactly do that for me, but there was something about these guys that resonated with readers.
I am happy to say that both series are back. I am personally publishing the Thrillseekers series (Wedding Survivor, Extreme Bachelor, and American Diva) as digital ebooks. They will be available as ebook in a couple of weeks.
And at the end of this month, Random House is reissuing my early books in ebook bundles. The Devil's Love and Wicked Angel will be in one specially priced ebook, and The Rogues of Regent Street will also be bundled at a great price.
The first book in the Thrillseekers in Wedding Survivor, which was a RITA finalist one year. Stay tuned…these books will be available soon:
Living on the edge is nothing to the men who started Thrillseekers Anonymous, a members-only adventure service that caters to the rich and famous. But "extreme sports" takes on a whole new meaning when one of them falls off the edge…into true love.
When a pair of A-list movie stars decides to combine a wedding with an extreme sport outing, ex-stuntman Eli McCain isn't too happy. One of Thrillseekers Anonymous's founders, he was jilted at the altar a year ago—and has no interest in hearing wedding bells. Unfortunately, he's been outvoted, and now there's a crazy wedding to stage with a bridezilla from hell.
In comes wedding coordinator Marnie Banks to save the day—and, she hopes, make some romantic connections with Hollywood's jet set. Only one problem stands in her way: Eli McCain, who may look like a movie star but clearly has no appreciation for the finer things in life.
But when a freak storm hits, Marnie and Eli are trapped on the wrong side of a ravine. Now if someone could just tell her why this handsome, rugged man is so obviously all wrong for her—because suddenly she can't seem to survive without him…
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August 12, 2011
Are You Ready For The Weekend?
Lots of fun things coming up at Casa D'Alessandro this weekend! First, I plan to see the movie The Help. I loved the book and am really looking forward to seeing it adapted to the big screen. Plus, I love Emma Stone who plays the lead. I first saw her in Easy A and thought she was terrific. Her career is soaring—a well-deserved success story.
On Saturday we're attending the Cardboard Boat Regatta. Our neighborhood has two boats entered, one piloted by men, the other by the ladies. They'll compete with other boats from around the area for the big trophy and the all important bragging rights. And yes, the boats are made completely out of cardboard (covered with many coats of paint). It's going to be a tight race and I can't wait to see who wins!
On Sunday my book club is gathering at my house. I'm way behind on my reading so I'm not even sure what book I was supposed to read—I only know I didn't read it. But since book discussion actually only takes up about 10 minutes of our 2-3 hour book club meeting, I'm not too worried. I can't wait to see my gal pals and catch up—we haven't met since early June. Planning lots of calorie-laden snacks and good wine. Books?? What books?
What are your plans this weekend? Are you going to see The Help? Are you in a book club? Is your book club more serious or do you drink wine and gab most of the time like mine does? Whatever you're doing this weekend, I hope you have a great time! xox
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August 11, 2011
Going healthy…
I'm cheating a teensy bit here, because I've been blogging about fitness and diet stuff recently, but I haven't really shared that blog with my readers or tweeps or Facebook friends, and this post contains a lot of info from another recent post. But I want to share, so I figured it made sense to duplicate.
So what's the deal? Well, I'm determined to get in shape. Eat better, feel better, live longer. The usual. So what are we doing? Well, we're eating "Paleo-ish," which basically means that we're not eating sugar or grains, and that we are eating foods that don't come from a box, and we are eating healthy, saturated fats. (There's more to it than that, of course.) And it's a family affair. We're all on board, though we're bringing the kids along more slowly. Fortunately, we already ate most meals at home, and I've always cooked dinners from fresh veggies and meat, so it's not a huge adjustment for the kids. Their palates are already changing, too. They're liking more things that they wouldn't have liked just a few months ago. Yay!
But this post isn't really about what we're eating. It's about what a complete and total weakling I am. And how I intend to change that! So, drum roll….my stats: On August 1 (which was when I got the idea for my other blog blog), my waist was 27 inches (that reflects a diet related drop, too, but I wanted to start the stats with the start of the blog). On August 4, I did BodPod testing at Castle Hill Fitness in Austin. It was fast and painless and reasonably priced. According to their readout, my bodyfat was 31.9%, significantly above what my little body fat reader says (27.5…stupid cheap scale!). And all that fat is around hips, butt and thighs.
Except for my wine tasting outing on Saturday (which was FABULOUS), I've been pure paleo, and I'm happy to report that this morning, my waist measured 26 inches, so down a full inch in a week. Wheee. (I'll be doing the Bod Pod in another 3 months…or maybe 6 weeks if I just can't stand the suspense!) I'm setting an initial goal of 24%, which seems reasonable for a girl, but since I really carry next to no fat above the waist, I may want to go lower to look more "matched." We'll see what happens when I get there. And, of course, what my body wants to do.
I'm trying not to obsess about the scale, though I am losing weight. (Here's a really interesting post from Everyday Paleo showing how the same weight can look very different depending on the amount of fat versus the amount of muscle.) The tape measurer is my friend. I want to actually be in shape; the number on the scale isn't as important. So far, I'm not (in shape, that is). Not at all.
So how am I working out? Well, I'm doing the Primal Blueprint Fitness plan–just started it, and it's such a great plan, especially someone who's never been remotely interested in going to a gym or working out for hours at a stretch. (Frankly, I'd rather shove bamboo under my nails than run in a marathon or do cardio for 45 minutes).
I haven't taken all the assessments for that program yet, but to give you an idea of how out of shape I am, although I could do 28 squats, I managed ZERO pushups. Yes, a BIG FAT ZERO, which was also how many pull-ups I could manage. Sigh. But it's a solid program, easy to follow, and I'm confident I'll see results. I'll report back.
And, to return to the eating part of the equation for just a minute, I don't intend to log my meals forever, but since I'm blogging about it, I want to keep a record. I've been recording my food in MyFitnessPal.com. So far, I've been staying right around 10/70/20 percentage of carbs/fats/protein. And these are good fats, remember. And not the fats that conventional wisdom says are good. We're talking saturated fats, animal fats. Not vegetable oil. Blech, pooey on vegetable oil!
So that's it…the first report toward a leaner me.
If you want to cheer me on or laugh at me or make idle chitchat, pop on over to my other blog. I'd love the company!
Any of y'all eating Paleo? Am I the only complete and total wimpoid out there in whiner land? (Clearly I will never be mistaken for a superhero!)
Image: luigi diamanti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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August 10, 2011
True Confessions
[image error]1. When Facebook "friends" announce they have a dilemma- "4900 friends and 57 more in the queue, oh no! what shall I do?" I make it easy on them and drop them as my friend. I'm nice like that. Who really has 5000 friends? That's why we have "Like" pages. 
2. I also like to dump "friends" on their birthdays. Facebook has those handy birthday announcements, which I am convinced are actually there to remind me who I don't really know. (I'm really friendly if I honestly know you, or even just talk to you sometimes online, I swear!). [image error]3. I really hated the Twilight series and could only get through one book. Maybe it's because I'm jealous of the author's success.
4. I don't understand economics. And math. I'm really bad at math. There. I've said it. [image error]
5. I do think some romances are formulaic and trite. But so are some mysteries. Some Sci-fi and Fantasy books. And even some "literary" fiction.
6. I love 80s pop music.[image error]
7. I dance when I'm alone. And I sing. Out loud. Really loud. Sometimes, I do this when the kids are home, too. (Poor kids).
8. Sometimes when I bake "from scratch," I use a mix.[image error]
So, anything you want to get off your chest? How about sharing some of your own true confessions?
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August 9, 2011
Green Thumb on a Hot Summer Day
Since we've all been talking about our summer gardens, I thought I'd share a few pictures of mine. The tomatoes are still growing and green, but hey, we've got tomatoes. And the peppers are sweet with just a hint of spice.
We cut the first two up to use in shrimp fried rice—one of my husband's specialties. Here's the recipe:
Shrimp Fried Rice
3 cups cooked rice
1/2 lb raw shrimp (peeled)
1 cup diced vegetables (we used pepper, snow peas and carrots)[image error]
1/4 cup green onion (chopped)
3/4 cup bean sprouts
3 Tbs soy sauce
2 tsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
3 eggs beaten slightly
peanut oil for cooking
Cook rice and let cool completely. Chop vegetables. Cut up shrimp and marinade in 1 tsp sherry, 1 egg white, 1 tsp cornstarch for at least 1/2 hour. Nix soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar in small bowl. Scramble eggs and put in bowl. Stir-fry vegetables for a few minutes and remove from pan. To cook and assemble: Add oil to wok or large skillet. Add rice and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add sauce mix to rice. Stir. Add eggs, then scallions vegetables, bean sprouts and shrimp. Stir-fry until heated through. Transfer to large serving dish and serve. Serves 4-6 depending on how hungry you are.
Next up– the tomatoes! There's nothing like a garden fresh tomato, just sliced with a little salt and pepper. Yum. Or alternate sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella topped with fresh basil and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I can't wait!.
Hooray for the urban gardening!
What's your favorite thing to eat on a hot summer day?
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August 8, 2011
Material Girl
The Lear Sister Trilogy is about three sisters who must come to grips with their relationship with their dying father, their mother, and each other. It's bad enough that their powerful, king-like father has cancer, but at the same time, he forces them each to embark on a journey of self-discovery that leads to some very different, and very sexy places.
Robin (Material Girl) is the oldest. She can remember when her now wealthy family lived in near poverty. She has always looked up to her father, has even followed in her father's footsteps, seeking his approval and attention by joining his company and taking vice-presidency of his parent company by the age of 30. Robin has certainly bought into Aaron's business philosophy—take no prisoners—and is single-minded and driven when it comes to her career. But when her father informs her he has cancer and she is not ready to succeed him, he throws her into some on the job training that puts her in the path of a man unlike any she has ever known before.
Buy from Amazon * Buy from Barnes & Noble
Buy from Smashwords
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Guys and Dolls
Recently, a friend and I were talking about my next historical series. She made some off the cuff remark about having three guys do something or other. I said, why guys? She said, why not guys? I said, why not dolls? She said, why dolls? Clearly, we were on opposite ends of the argument.
I started thinking about the series I have done. Some have been about guys (Rogues of Regent Street, Thrillseekers Anonymous). Some have been about dolls (The Desperate Debutantes, Lear Sisters). Some have been a mixture of men and women (Lockhart Family trilogy, Cedar Springs trilogy). I don't think I have a preference. Sometimes, I want to read about guys. Sometimes, I want to read about dolls. Sometimes I want to read about married men and women, and sometimes couples just falling in love.
Some authors have made a career out of one sort or the other. Lori Foster usually writes about men, for example. Susan Mallery usually writes about women (I think…don't quote me on that).
What is your preference in a romance novel? Do you prefer the hero-centric book, or the heroine-centric book? Do you care? If you prefer one over the other, how come?
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August 6, 2011
Saturday's Child
So, today is the day to write about the book, and today, I think I'm going to write about Brooke Hart, the heroine in my September book, JUST GIVE IN….
Just Give In...
There's an old poem about the children born on different days of the week:
Mondays child is fair of face,
Tuesdays child is full of grace,
Wednesdays child is full of woe,
Thursdays child has far to go,
Fridays child is loving and giving,
Saturdays child works hard for a living,
And the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.
The old poem says that Saturday's Child has to work for a living, and that is Brooke as well as me. What I really loved about writing Brooke was that she didn't like to complain, she just dove in to whatever needed to be done, and tackled it. She wasn't that smart. She never went to college, and honestly, I'm not sure she finished high school. But when you needed something finished, Brooke was your girl.
The book will be out later this month. It's actually a September release, but the Blazes hit the shelves late in the prior month. I've got an excerpt on my website, so check it out.
What about you? What day of the week were you born on? Does the poem fit? If not, which day best describes you?
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August 5, 2011
Dee and Julia do Denver
While you are reading this, Dee and I are in Denver, at an airport hotel, mingling with romance readers. This is a very small conference, and it is designed so that readers can get to know authors, and authors can meet readers. There are no lessons in craft, there are no publishers and agents. Just writers and readers hanging out.
Dee and I have never been before, but we are really looking forward to it. I don't really know what to expect. I am signed up for an intimate chat with eight readers, a full hour where they can ask me anything, and I can ask them questions, too. I know what I want to ask: How do they feel about ebooks? (I like them. But I like them as a compliment to real books) What is the genre they always go back to? (historical romance). What would they like to see more of? (please don't say sex). What would they like to see less of? (say sex).
I wonder what they will be asking me. Where do I get my ideas? (stock answer: everywhere). Why don't I like writing sex? (because the mechanics of it are BORING and the emotions of it are HARD). Would I ever write a paranormal romance? (maybe).
We'll be reporting in from our facebook pages, tweets, and here, so stay tuned. To celebrate our foray into this new (to us) reader convention, I am going to give away one signed copy of The Year of Living Scandalously. Just answer the three questions below and I will choose a random winner when I get back from Denver.
1. How do you feel about ebooks?
2. What is the genre you always go back to?
3. What would you like to see more of? Less of?
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August 4, 2011
I KNOW WHAT YOU DID THIS SUMMER!
I KNOW WHAT YOU DID THIS SUMMER
Over the past few weeks my blogs have been about my adventures while I was away in New York, and I thought it was about time I provided some photographic proof. So, without further ado, I give you the very condensed version of My Summer Vacation. I arrived in NY two days before the Romance Writers of America conference and spent that time visiting with my parents and taking care of the all important Gettin' My Hair Did Fer the Conference.
Highlights AND I got in channel 21!
At the conference the Whine Sisters (minus Julie Kenner who didn't attend and was greatly missed!) got together for a fabulous dinner. We also gave a workshop at the conference–a panel discussion where we shared the secrets of the Whinery.
interesting how Julia ended up in pics on both sides of the table. Hmm...
Whine Sisters panel discussion
I also managed to get in a little sightseeing…
Lady Liberty and moi
And attend the fabulous Black and White Ball hosted by Harlequin at the Waldorf Astoria. Allie the Alligator purse attended with me wearing her finest couture outfit as well as the I LOVE NY socks she bought at the South Street Seaport (she is such a sucker for cheap souvenirs!)
Harlequin not only publishes great books--they throw a great party!
After the conference, I went back to Long Island and spent most of my time helping my parents get their house ready to put up for sale. But in between painting and cleaning, we managed to squeeze in some fun. Like a lobster dinner:
Me and my mom ready for our lobsters to arrive
We went for a boat ride and took a swim:
My DH Joe enjoying the boat ride
Me and my son enjoying a swim
We also celebrated our son's 21st birthday! My sister baked him the most fabulous cheesecake (with chocolate and strawberries on top! YUM!). I'm certain it was fat free. Yup, sure was. Which means the only question is: how do these kids get so old, yet we remain so young and fresh???
My son taking a monster bite of his fat-free, calorie-free birthday cheesecake!
We also attended our niece's 30th birthday party, which again begs the question: how did these kids get so freakin' old??
Me and Joe's sisters at the 30th bday party.
I also got to visit with my own sister, who I hadn't seen in almost two years (how did that happen?!) as well as her daughters. It was a great family reunion!
my mom and sister. Can you believe my mom is 87????
Seriously, can you believe my mother is 87? Wow–I hope she passed that gene on to me!
So, that's about it. I took about 400 more pictures, but I won't bore you with them. Hope your summer is going great!
Tell me–what have you been up to? Do you get together with family (or friends) often? Do you have family reunions? If so, where do you have them? If not, are you considering it? Is your family all spread out like mine, or do you live close to each other?
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