Julia London's Blog, page 89

Royal Wedding Mania!

Yay! The Palace announced the engagement of William and Kate (Catherine) Middleton, to be married in June or July. He proposed earlier in the year while they were vacationing, on safari in Kenya. Let the sales of cheesy wedding souvenirs begin!

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Are these things actually worth $ one day? Or is that just what they say to get you to buy?

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The Happy Couple- William and Kate

I love that they were vacationing when he proposed. Can you imagine Chuck and Di taking off together before saying their vows. Scandal! Huzzah to the Queen for letting the next generation usher in a more modern age for the Royals! I wonder what the bride will wear?

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The ring! William's mother's engagement sapphire.

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The Queen on her wedding day.

She's gorgeous and she seems sweet, smart, and intent on her privacy. He's handsome, but also kind of goofy (like his dad, but in a warmer way, reminding us of his mom). Unlike his dad, he had the good sense to marry the one he loves instead of spending years in bachelor hijinks and taking the one who fit the Royal Standard in the end– and we know how that turned out. But they did have two beautiful boys, and now we get another Royal Wedding.

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Diana and Charles, a fairy tale?

I got up at 4 a.m. to watch the wedding of Charles and Diana. I was a very impressionable twelve, awe-struck by what I perceived to be a true life fairy tale. I've always loved fairy tales. Which is why I also got up early to watch Andrew marry Sarah and Edward marry Sophie Rhys-Jones.

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Andrew and Sarah

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Edward and Sophie- still together!

And I will be waking early again, no doubt. Will they have a huge wedding like his parents, or a simpler ceremony like Edward and Sophie? He's not a second or third son, so I don't think William will be allowed to do this quietly. It should be amazing. Do you plan to watch? Did you watch Charles and Diana's wedding? Any of the others? Did you know that Prince Albert II of Monaco is marrying Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock on July 2-3?

The WhineSisters Go for the Reading Bling!

Today, we (the sisters of Whine) are proud to announce the first annual Holiday Reader Appreciation Event! Y'all know that we've been doing the weekly contest, but we decided to do something bigger and better for the holiday season, so because most anybody reading the blog is a reader, we're going to be giving away — A KINDLE!

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Tell us about it Jim!

Jim: Every well-dressed reader will want to be sporting the season's newest must-have, the Amazon Kindle, wi-fi edition. The sleek shape will make this accessory easy to slip in the purse or book bag, and take you on whatever flights of fancy you choose. The e-ink display is easy on the eyes and the selectable font size will make you forget that you need reading glasses! Not sure what book you want to take with you on your trip to Paris or the shopping mall? You can take them ALL! Load up the latest JK Beck, or take a trip back to Regency England with Julia London. Shiver with Sherri's zombies, who have a real Brit "stiff upper lip" (along with stiff torso, legs and stiff, lurching head movements, too!). Ready for a little "sigh and ahhh!?" Download the newest Jacquie D'Alessandro, A Harlequin Christmas Carol! Or in the mood for pulse-pounding suspense, you can download Dee Davis' heart-racing ride with the hunky men of A-Tac! Both Desperate Deeds and Dangerous Desires are available! Thinking of something more hot, steamy, for a little me-me-me, time? Download some Long Summer Nights from our own, Kathleen O'Reilly!

KO: Gee, Jim, that sounds awesome! What do I need to do?

Jim: But WAIT, there's MORE! Not only will you receive the newest Kindle model, but you get an Amazon gift card for $50 to spend on books, books, books!!

KO: Okay, I'm sold! Tell me what to do!!!

Jim: All the WhineSisters readers need to do is to make a comment starting today (November 22) through December 31st and one lucky commenter will be chosen at random.

KO: Do my comments have to be smart, witty?

Jim: Absolutely NOT! Everything counts! But comment today, Whine Sisters are standing by, reading to enter your name in for the drawing!

KO: Thanks, Jim. Okay, folks, you have the straight skinny, we're giving away a reader and a gift certificate for books of your choice to load it up! So, get those comments rolling.

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To start the ball rolling, what books would you put on your brand new Kindle??

Long Summer Nights

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Another Winner!

[image error]I love writing.  Have loved it since I was first able to confront a blank piece of paper with a writing instrument.   It probably follows on my love of talking.  Basically I love words.  But when I was asked to write my first novella, I was nervous.  I'm nothing if not verbose, and a novella, by definition, has to be concise.  A writer has to be able to get in and out of the story in the most efficient manner and yet still fill the pages with the depth of story and character that readers expect.  It was exciting to face the task, and frightening.   Add to that the idea of a holiday story that was, at its heart romantic suspense, and I felt the challenge even more so. 

The result was Still of the Night—my contribution to the holiday romantic suspense anthology Silent Night.  Here's the blurb: 

Christmas is coming… and Jenny Fitzgerald couldn't care less. She's getting divorced, and her life is in tatters. And just when she's thinking it couldn't possibly be worse, her husband is killed on the job, an undercover operation gone bad. In the midst of her grief, Jenny is confronted with a killer—a hunter who will stop at nothing to see her dead…

And of course along with my story—there are wonderful novellas by Evelyn Rogers and Claudia Dain as well.

So on to the best part!  The winner is Laurie G!   I'll be contacting you shortly to get an address for mailing the book.    Enjoy the upcoming holidays everyone!

Gameday!

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Kyle Field, Home of the Fightin' Texas Aggies

Today, I will be in Dallas, and then driving down to College Station to watch the Fightin' Texas Aggies beat the hell out of Nebraska (I hope!). It's a college reunion, but I'm not doing any of the reunion stuff, instead, we're going to walk around the campus and see what's changed and eat some decent BBQ and hopefully I can find a sumptous Chicken Fried Steak, and then, on Saturday, at 7:00, it's gametime!

I was born and raised in Texas, and as such, football is part of the Holy Trinity. I know people out of state snicker at Texas, but I think football is so much fun. It's a family thing, hunkered around the TV, watching, and yelling, and crying, and yelling, and eating, and yelling. There are families who bond over board games and camping, but for the O'Reilly's, it was bonding over football.

When I grew up, it was the Cowboys and the Aggies. The Aggies weren't any good until the 80s, so I considered it part of my character development to root for them and hope, dream, and believe that some day, we'd have a great team. The Cowboys (at least until this year) had always had a solid team. However, my favorite Cowboy years were the Landry years. They were a classy team, worthy of being America's Team, because not only were they America's Team, they were God's team. And oh, yes, I think North Dallas Forty was a work was fiction, because, you know, no way those players did anything wrong. (I will put my fingers in my ears and say la-la-la very loudly). After that, some of the rose scales fell from my eyes, but never again did a pro team take the place in my heart that Robert Staubach, Bob Lilly, Golden Richards, and Drew Pearson held.

But the Aggies. Oh, yes, the Aggies. If any of you have ever experienced a football game in Kyle Field, you know. When I was a kid, we went to one Aggie game and year, and I was gobsmacked. All the yelling, the tradition, and whole family atmosphere of the campus. I love me my Texas football. There's no place in the world like Aggieland. For me, it's like coming home.

I know that many of my whine sisters are partial to that 'other' school in Texas, but uh, for Saturday, can we root for A&M?

So, any football fans out there, will you be watching football on Turkey Day? Who's your team, who's your sport?

When Did I Become That Woman?

[image error] You know the one I am talking about — the old broad who won't take gruff from anyone. I realized yesterday, when I had to wait more than a couple of minutes at Starbucks, that I had become her.  An old broad like Madonna.  It was confirmed today when my brother stopped by, and instead of drinking a beer like we might have done a few years ago, we talked about TUMS. And Cowboys football, but that's another blog post.

Somewhere along the way, I turned into this Madonna-like meanie.   It happened in spite of my vigilance and care NOT to become her. But in that Starbucks line, when I finally got to the front, and I said, "If I'd had a knife, I would have slit my wrists," they gave me a coupon for a free drink. Hey! Old broad with benefits!

Here are the top ten signs that you might be an old broad, too:

10. You let people know you are dissatisfied instead of stewing politely about it, and you get freebies as a result

9. You answer the door without checking your appearance first.  And you haven't checked your appearance in a few days.

8. You keep a supply of TUMS, Vitamin C, and Fiber-all on hand at all times

7. You can't remember names

6. You can't remember yesterday

5. You don't drink caffeine after 6 because you might not sleep, and you're already getting up at 6, through no fault of your own.

4. You do not cook supper anymore, you throw things in the microwave, and if they don't like it, they can stuff it.

3. You eat the brownie because who knows how many more brownies you have left in your life?

2.  You drive up on people's bumpers who aren't going fast enough and honk.

1.  You still love high heels, but your feet cramp when you wear them, and you have  given up the thong in favor of the comfort of the cotton brief.

Are you an old broad? Don't forget, if you comment this week, your name is in the hat to win our drawing at the end of the week!

DOWN TO THE WIRE

I'm writing this the day before Dancing With The Stars votes off another dancer, leaving only three.  I considered writing this AFTER watching the vote-off show, but decided that would probably mean spoilers for anyone who DVR'd the results and I don't want to ruin it for anyone.

So—as of this writing we're down to four–Kyle, Jennifer, Brandy, and Bristol–and I simply cannot decide who I want to win!  I'd never heard of Kyle before the show, but I think he's adorable.  And hey–that kid can move!  He's shown a lot of maturity, and he's just so likeable!  I want him to win.

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Kyle Massey and his partner Lacey Schwimmer

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Jennifer Gray and Derek Hough

  Then there's Jennifer.  She's overcome enormous injuries and health problems to make it this far, and she's an excellent dancer.  She's fifty years old, in fabulous shape, and gives it her all every week.  I think she's an inspiration.  I want her to win.

As for Brandy, she's also an excellent dancer, and has overcome a lot of career setbacks.  She works very hard and the results show that.  Plus, I think her partner, Maks, is a fab dancer and it's about time he had a mirror-ball trophy.  I want her to win.

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Brandy and Maks

 

Then there's Bristol.  The only person who wasn't a performer.  Wasn't a Hollywood type.  She's real and has grown so much as a dancer and, I think, as a young woman.  I can't imagine the courage it must take to dance in front of millions of people every week when you've 1) never danced before, and 2) aren't a performer.  She's the underdog, but I've always been the sort of person to root for the underdog.  I want her to win.

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Bristol Palin and Mark Ballas

Who would you like to see bring home the mirror ball trophy?  Who are your picks for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place?  After Dancing With the Stars is over, SKATING With the Stars begins!  Are you planning to watch that? And if you aren't watching Dancing With the Stars, what are you watching instead?

Me and that other J.K. gal…

[image error]I subscribe to Google Alerts and, yeah, I have my name plugged in. Both of them. Usually, I see the usual stuff. Reviews. eBay books. The dentist named Julie Kenner giving a speech somewhere. Pirated ebooks (yeesh).

The other day, I ran across fan fiction.

Now, I have to confess, I don't currently have an opinion on fan fiction. I have author friends who think it's the stuff of the devil, and author friends who encourage it. Me, I can see both sides (yes, I'm a Libra). And since (as far as I know) my characters haven't been burning up the fan fiction sites, it hasn't been something I've sat back and pondered. I have little enough time to ponder, trust me when I say that the ins and outs of fan fiction aren't going to top my list without reason.

This piece, though…

Well, this piece made me smile. The premise? Dumbledore is looking to hire another Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I'm not sure who else he's asked, but in the snippet I found through Google Alerts, he's asking Kate (my demon hunting soccer mom) who, very reasonably, I thought, declined. After all, the poor woman has enough on her hands without traveling to Hogwarts by flue powder!

Y'all have thoughts on fan fiction? On whether Kate should take the job at Hogwarts? On the new Harry Potter movie (is it out yet? yes, I live in a cave….)

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas…

[image error]Tis the season…   Already.   I can't get over how quickly they put the Christmas stuff out these days.  We were in a superstore in July and I kid you not they already had some of their holiday merchandise on display.   Dude, we were in shorts!  But I digress, what I want to talk about is the decorating of New York City.   There is no finer place in the world for celebrating the holidays.  And because Thanksgiving is a huge tourist time here, the glamourizing has begun. 

First let me set the scene.   The air here is crispy cold, the nights coming early, which means that lights glisten in windows as you walk down the leaf strewn streets in the evening.  Sidewalk[image error] cafes have given way to snow scenes and twinkling lights in windows.  A few pumpkins still decorate brownstone stairways and courtyards.  And the air smells so clean, the wind off the rivers giving a hint that winter is on its way.  Anticipation is the word of the day.   The Macy's Day parade serving as the kick-off. 

So can you tell I like the holidays?   Especially here in the city.  I think as adults we sometimes lose sight of the magic we felt as children.  And believe me, it's hard to walk down the streets of Manhattan in late November and December and not smile with delight.  Whether you're checking out the tree in Rockefeller Center, or the windows at Saks, Macys, Bloomingdales and Bergdorf's (always my personal favorites), you're sure to find something to remind you that magic is in the air.   There's the fifth avenue star, the light show in Grand Central Station, and the year's Christmas musical (this year Elf) to delight.  But some of my favorite sites are simply the local stores and streets decked in their own holiday festivities. 

[image error]The holidays are coming…so, wherever you are, make sure that this year you take a moment in all the madness to remember the magic. And to get the season rolling, I'm giving away a copy of the holiday suspense anthology (is that an oxymoron?) containing my novella "Still of the Night".    Comment this week to win!

Dangerous Desires

As the demolitions expert for A-Tac, a black-ops CIA unit masquerading as Ivy League faculty, Tyler Hanson has two great loves: literature and explosives. She lives by the motto "duty first" and doesn't have time for personal attachments . . . until a steamy one-night stand turns into a professional partnership.

BURNED BY BETRAYAL

When Tyler meets Owen Wakefield, a handsome British operative, she seduces him with no intention of ever seeing him again. But then the sexy Brit is brought into A-Tac, and despite Tyler's efforts to keep her distance, she finds herself falling for him. Trusting him.

Owen seems too good to be true—and he is. He's hiding his true motives and identity, and no matter how he feels about Tyler, he can't keep her secrets. One of A-Tac's members has turned traitor and helped terrorists to hijack a shipment of nuclear weapons. As witnesses start dying and evidence starts disappearing, Owen and Tyler must race to find the mole—and prevent a final, cataclysmic act of destruction.