Someone mentioned this fun video about an encounter between a bear cub and cougar. It’s a little long, but the ending is priceless!
Hope you all have a great weekend!
Thoughtful Thursday – The Power of Words
As a writer and then an attorney, I’ve learned the power of words.
If I want you to think someone is smart, I’ll call a change in opinion a “tactical shift.”
If I want you to think someone is stupid, I’ll call it a “flip-flop.”
As an attorney and writer, it’s my job to pick the words that are best suited for painting the picture I wish for the reader to see.
Not so if I were a journalist. As a journalist, my job is to impart an objective and neutral report and so it’s possible that neither “tactical shift” nor “flip-flop” would be appropriate in a news story. A “change of opinion”, however, would certainly describe the same kind of action in a neutral and objective way.
Just some thoughts for you this Thursday on the power of words.
Thoughtful Thursday – The Code of Conduct Blog Tour
Please welcome K.M. Daughters the authors of the romantic suspense novel, Beyond the Code of Conduct (Wild Rose Press), as they virtually tour the blogosphere in June on their first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!
K.M. Daughters is the multi-published writing team of sisters Pat Casiello and Kathie Clare. Their pen name is dedicated to their parents Katherine and Michael, the “K†and “M†in K.M. Daughters. Their author career began in January 2008 with contracts from The Wild Rose Press for an inspirational romance, Jewel of the Adriatic, and a romantic suspense novel, Against Doctors Orders, Book #1 in The Sullivan Boys Series. Beyond The Code of Conduct, Book 2 in the series, is rated 4-stars, compelling, page turner, by Donna M. Brown, Reviewer for Romantic Times Book Reviews (June 2009 Issue #304). A contemporary romance, Past, Present and Forever is available in E-book from Sapphire Blue Publishing. Residing in Illinois and New Jersey, the sisters continue to work on The Sullivan Boys Series. Book #3 will release later this year and two additional books are anticipated to complete the series. You can visit their website at www.kmdaughters.com. Follow them at http://twitter.com/kmdaughters!
Also – anyone who leaves a comment by midnight EST time on Friday June 19 will be eligible to win a SINS OF THE FLESH T-shirt and lunch bag!
FBI Agency Brass and Sullivan family connections force Special Agent Bobbie Leighton into an undercover operation with inactive Homicide Detective Joe Sullivan.
Posing as a cattleman and his arm-candy wife the couple is assigned to infiltrate NY attorney Bradley Sterling’s illegal operation. Suspected of baby trafficking, Sterling maybe be connected with Joe’s brother, Jimmy Sullivan’s murder.
How do Bobbie and Joe adhere to their professional code of conduct living under the same roof? Can they forget their personal history, ignore their volatile feelings for each other and ensnare their target when they might be next on Sterling’s victims list?
“You want hot? I’ll give you hot.†In one swift motion she picked up a mug off the table and whipped it towards him, a perfect strike.
Lucky for him he still held his jacket in his hand. He swept it up like a toreador in front of his face. The coat took the brunt of the hit, but hot liquid splattered on his hands.
“Ouch. Damn. Stop it.†He dropped the wet coat on the floor. His hands burned and he wiped them on his thighs to stop the heat. It had the opposite effect on his arousal.
She batted her eyes around, apparently for something else to throw at him and tugged at the pillow on the back of the sofa. When it didn’t give, she hopped up on the seat cushion and tugged at it harder. If she realized how seductive she looked, she’d stop doing that. A glimpse of lace panties made him groan.
“Honey, add a sorority sister and a little water on the front of your T-shirt and you have everyman’s wet dream. You’re killing me here.â€
The fury mounted on her face and he laughed.
She stepped down from the couch and stormed off to the kitchen.
“I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you.†No response from the kitchen.
Gathering together the launched items, he stacked the books and magazines on the coffee table and tucked her shoes beneath. He kicked off his shoes and placed them in a neat pair next to hers before settling on the couch.
It’s fun to goad her. “While you’re in there could you grab me a beer?â€
Realizing a little too late why she had marched to the kitchen, a plate swished past inches from his ear and crashed against the bookcase.
“Damn.†The next plate hit him in the shoulder. “What is wrong with you? Stop it.â€
“What is wrong with me? With me? You take off. Leave me here alone to face the home inspection. And you are stupid enough to ask me what is wrong with me?†Each sentence was punctuated with the crash of a dish around him.
Hands empty, she disappeared again, surely on her way to stock up on ammo.
Wicked Wednesday – Behind the Scenes of SINS OF THE FLESH
My friend Jacquie Rogers did a fun thing the other day on her blog – she told all about the setting for her novel Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues. You can check it out by clicking here or cutting and pasting this link: http://jacquierogers.blogspot.com/2009/06/where-heck-is-grasmere-idaho.html
Thanks for sharing that behind the scenes look, Jacquie!
It only seemed right to follow Jacquie’s wonderful lead and give you some behind the scenes info about SINS OF THE FLESH. Hopefully you’ll find some of the places that will be appearing in the book interesting and worth a trip next time you’re in the area.
Today I’m sharing with you a bit about the hero’s home – Bradley Beach, New Jersey. According to the town website, “(t)he earliest accounts of Bradley Beach can be traced back to 1679 when it is said that Captain William Kidd anchored his vessel off Duck Creek, now known as Sylvan Lake.”
Captain Kidd! How cool is that, although I don’t have any pirates in my book, just some arguably mad scientists doing weird gene experiments.
The town was named Bradley Beach in 1871 and over the next century, became a popular beach resort. It’s the kind of small town where you feel safe walking around and people say “Hello” and “Good morning.” It’s got a gorgeous paved beachfront walk dotted with gardens, gazebos, a playground and mini-golf course.
I love taking long walks along the beachfront and through town. It’s quite relaxing and because of that, it was a natural choice for me to be Mick Carrera’s home. As a mercenary, Mick needs somewhere to go where life is safe, relaxing and people can be trusted. Bradley Beach is the kind of a town where I can imagine Mick having a Happily-Ever-After.
Bradley Beach is also where Mick’s family lives and runs a Mexican restaurant along Main Street. If you visit Bradley Beach and come “down the shore” as the Jersey natives say, you’ll find that Main Street is just loaded with an assortment of different restaurtants, ice cream parlors, and bakeries.
I visited Bradley Beach several times to do research and am continuing to go back for more research as I write the second book in the series which will feature Mick’s little sister Liliana. Liliana is a doctor at a local hospital and is doing a residency in orthopedic surgery.
Since I’ve been visiting, I’ve got some recent shots to share with you so you can appreciate the laid back and friendly vibe of this Jersey Shore town.
Hope you enjoyed a slightly different Wicked Wednesday. I’ll be giving you some more behind the scenes snippets into SINS OF THE FLESH so you’ll get to meet all the characters and know a little bit more about the various places you’ll see in the book.
Thoughtful Thursday – A Wise Latina Woman Once Said . . .
That wisdom has nothing to do with race, religion, ethnicity or gender.
Much is being made of Supreme Court Justice nominee Sonya Sotomayor’s 2001 comments that she “would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.â€
Much should be made of that statement because it is either a statement made with poor judgment or one made with the conviction that she is better equipped to make a decision because she is a Latina woman. Either of the rationales for the statements is troubling.
As a judge and a person in the public eye, Sotomayor should at least be more circumspect when speaking. Being a fellow lawyer, we are taught to carefully consider what we say and write. To not do so and speak thoughtlessly can lead to repercussions, witnessed here by words that are coming back to haunt her.
Being a Latina who understands the whole underdog thing — my parents came here from Cuba, I wasn’t born here and didn’t speak English when I went to kindergarten, I went to a top tier college on a scholarship and to law school — I appreciate how hard Sotomayor has worked to get where she is.
But isn’t that underdog story typical of America? Isn’t that one of the wondrous things about this country? My husband’s grandparents all came here from Italy. Barely spoke English, but learned. Worked hard to buy homes, send their kids to school. Grand kids have prospered.
It’s the American dream. Work hard and prosper. Whether you’re white, black, brown, Italian, Cuban, Irish, Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, America is the land of opportunity. Equal opportunity, sometimes not as equal as we would like, but certainly doable.
I should know. I did it. My parents did it. My husband’s grandparents did it. So did millions of others.
But back to Sotomayor. She did it and we should applaud her for it, but not just because she is a Latina woman.
You might remember that “just because” discussion from months back. The risks of making decisions based on “just because.”
When the nomination was mentioned, many people in the office looked to me and asked, “What do you think?”
I wondered, did they ask their white male counterparts right off the bat, or just me – the Latina Woman.
That’s one of the problems of “just because.” Everything you do is tainted by the “You got that (job/scholarship/nomination/published) just because you were (white, black, brown, Italian, Cuban, Irish, Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim).”
Just because diminishes you and everything you do. It diminishes those around you and builds resentment.
If we are to nominate Judge Sotomayor to the Nation’s most important Court, please let it be on the basis of something other than just because.
I, for one, intend to read more about her and her decisions and you should as well. You can click here for the White House press release. Read about some of her decisions (links provided, although I do not vouch for their authenticity nor the opinions which may be expressed therein).
http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/judge-sotomayor%E2%80%99s-opinions-with-dissents-%E2%80%93-part-i/
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/05/26/us/0526-scotus.html
http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2009/06/debate-continues-on-sotomayors.php
And do you know what? If you take even one minute to read one of these cases, you will be one up on Harry Reid, who said, “I understand that during her career, she’s written hundreds and hundreds of opinions. I haven’t read a single one of them, and if I’m fortunate before we end this, I won’t have to read one of them.†Courtesy Politico – click here for more.
Just some thoughts for you on this rainy Thursday.
Tuesday Tip – Taking Off!
I’m off on a trip for work today and tomorrow, so please excuse the lack of a post. I’ll be back on Thursday with some thoughtful commentary for you!
Guilty Pleasures Monday – Eric Dane
Okay, I confess. I’ve been living under a rock. Since I never watched Grey’s Anatomy, I had no idea who McSteamy was. Then I saw MARLEY AND ME on an airplane ride and every time Eric Dane come onto the screen I thought, OMG! Who is this remarkably attractive and manly man.
So, having done my research, I present to you this Monday’s Guilty Pleasure – Eric Dane! I think I may have to give that show a try now. Eric is so handsome and harkens back to the old days of Hollywood. I could just imagine him playing a pirate beside Tyrone Power or Erroll Flynn. How about you? Do you find him to be as McSteamy as I did?