Tag: blog

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The American Promise Advertising Style

We all have commercials we love. They can be funny or sad. Sometimes the feelings the commercials evoke are so universal that the commercial passes into pop culture status, enduring long beyond it’s finished running.

Then there are commercials that rouse our emotions and wring them out. Make us remember things too important to ever forget. That’s the way I feel about these two commercials highlighting the promise of America. Vindicating its values and all that we believe to be good and true about this Nation.

The American Promise advertising style.

I’m glad to see them because it seems to me that lately too many of us are cowed by the media/politicians/celebrities into thinking that being patriotic is somehow rascist/stupid/hokey.

Well, I’m not afraid to say that when I see the American flag flying high or hear the National Anthem, my heart beats faster, my throat chokes with emotion and tears come to my eyes.

As I’ve said before and will say again, I’M AMERICAN AND DAMNED PROUD OF IT! Don’t be afraid to say it either.

For now, I’m sharing these videos with you that remind me of all that is good and possible in America.

If you can’t see the videos below, you can click here for the CHEVROLET Heartbeat of America commercial or you can click here for the Jeep Liberty commercial our cut and paste these links into your browser:
Chevrolet Ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYThjgJZFwo
Jeep Ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi0SbrrGaiw


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Party Time with Hugh Jackman!

Now I thought that I had shared this with you before, but it doesn’t seem as if I did and even if I did, it’s worth a second look – Hugh Jackman party time with some iced tea! Iced tea?

Yep, this is a Japanese commercial for Lipton Iced Tea! Sit back and enjoy the sights of Hugh dancing his rather fine self across the tube!

If you can’t see the video below, you can click here for the Hugh Jackman video or cut and paste this link into your browser:

Hope you all have a fun and glorious weekend!

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Thoughts on Absolute Power, Good and Evil. . .

I’m going to be doing some quest blogging and one of the things on my mind for the guest blog has been “Why are paranormals still so popular? What is that keeps on pulling readers back for more?”

For me it’s about the eternal struggle of good and evil and what happens when someone has immense power. You know that whole, absolute power corrupts absolutely. I guess it’s why the Founding Fathers developed a unique system of checks and balances on the various branches of government and why the press needs to be free of government interference.

But I digress…

Imagine absolute power. Would you use it for good or evil? Is anything ever absolutely good or evil?

Whenever I sit down to write a book, that’s one of the first questions that I ask myself about each and every one of the characters. I’m much more intrigued by people who aren’t perfect and yet choose to use their power in the right way.

What about you? What keeps you coming back to the paranormal genre? I’d like to know so that I can include your thoughts in the blog I’m going to write!

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Guilty Pleasures Monday – David Villa

Besides watching my daughter play soccer for many years, my one real experience with viewing a match was several years ago when we had the opportunity to be in Rome for Holy Week. The Rome team was playing a team from Great Britain. Fans were in the streets everywhere, sporting their colors. The match was sold out, so we decided to buy chips, soda and some wine and go back to our lovely hotel room to spend the night watching the match.

It began and then it didn’t stop. None of the commercial breaks or big half time shows we were used to seeing with football or even baseball. Ninety minutes later, the show was over and we still had an entire night ahead of us. So we left our room and returned to exploring the streets of Rome.

The next day, since there had been some altercations in the stands, we were treated to the site of various fans sporting shiners, slings and assorted cuts and bruises.

Quite an experience and we did enjoy watching the game. I guess what makes me think about that game is the advent of the World Cup and all the hype. Like many Americans, I have little interest in the game, although I will watch the highlights to see which country won what match. But thankfully, all the hype has helped me select this week’s Guilty Pleasure Monday! What do you all think of Spanish soccer player David Villa? I think he’s kind of hot and I understand he’s quite a good footballer.

Photo Credit: 1000 Goals.com

If you’re in the mood to talk about demons and monsters today, take a moment to drop by the Danger Women Writing blog where I’ll be posting about various creatures of the night.

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Fun Friday – Jeri Smith-Ready

Welcome to this Fun Friday Interview with Jeri Smith-Ready who is an author of romantic and urban fantasy as well as young adult. I had a wonderful time with Jeri at the RT Book Reviews Convention on the vampire panels and hope you will enjoy this short interview with her.

If you cannot see the video below, you can also click on this link for the Jeri Smith-Ready interview or cut and paste this link into your browser:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dir_lqC6Nu8

Hope you have a fun and safe weekend! If you’ll be in the Albany/Troy area, look for me at the Saturday book fair at the Capital Region Romance Writers conference. The book fair begins at around 4:30 and will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn Troy, 235 Hoosick Street in Troy.

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Tuesday Tip – Finding Your Creative Center

The other day I did a blog over at the Savvy Authors about Dealing with the Day Job and one of the things I mentioned was finding a place and time for your writing as well as how to recharge. I like to call it finding your creative center because it’s one of the most important things you can do as a writer or any other kind of artist for that matter.

For me, being near the shore energizes me. Maybe it’s because I’m a Pisces, but there is something about the ocean and beach that I find invigorating. When I head down the shore, I know I am going to get a mess of writing done as well as a spiritual uplift.

Now I know I am luckier than some that I can pick up and take the hour, or two hour or three hour (there is a reason why it’s called the Garden State PARKway) trip down the shore. But even if you can’t get away, you should try to carve out a place and time where you can work more effectively and also a way to recharge when you’ve emptied your brain of all thoughts and need a break.

When I’m not down the shore, I have my office at home and I’ve filled it with things that I love. Family photos, useful books, my keeper and TBR collection of novels, candles, DVDs of my favorite movies and television shows as well as a comfy couch, sweater and comforter since I don’t like working at a desk when I write.

Even if all you can do is carve out a small space down in the basement next to the washer and dryer, make it your own. Surround it with things that you love and will make you feel creative.

Also find a time during which you feel most creative. As I mentioned in that earlier blog, I discovered I was a morning person. My most creative time is from around 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. and I take advantage of those early hours for some truly peaceful time because there are very few crazy people up at 5 a.m., especially down the shore!

What about when you hit a block? Well, a long shower or walk work best for me. There is something about those activities where you don’t have to be thinking about doing something and can just think that help me work through problems in the story line or visualize the next scene I want to write.

I hope you found this Tuesday Tip helpful! Good luck with the writing.

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Guilty Pleasures Monday – Jeff Gordon

I’m back from the RT BookReviews Convention in lovely Columbus, Ohio. I had such a nice time there and it was wonderful to meet those of you who attended or were in the area for the book fair! I’ll have some photos from the event as well as more author interviews over the next few weeks.

But today it’s back to our Guilty Pleasures!

I know lots of you are NASCAR fans and so here is a familar face for you – Jeff Gordon!

This shot is from one of those first Pepsi spots featuring Jeff. Jeff is currently sitting in 10th place in the SPRINT Cup Series, but just 5 points behind the leader Jimmie Johnson (another cutie from what I can tell!).

I can’t wait to see how it turns out, but look for more NASCAR cuties in the future.

Also, take a moment to stop by and visit with my friend Barbara Vey and see some photos from the Street Party that my friends and I hosted at the convention on Saturday morning. It was packed and it was awesome to meet so many people! I’m the one in the white t-shirt all the way to the bottom right in the photo. You can click here or follow this link also:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/blog/Beyond_Her_Book/32349-RT_Regency_Bingo_and_Romantic_Cocktails.php

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