Friday Shenanigans And Penny Pens Another Parody

Here are my random Friday Shenanigans.....

1.) The Celebrate New England giveaway is still going on....leave a comment after any post published on June 13 and enter to win! Yee haw!

2.) My super quickie reading updates.....

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen......meh

Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn.....double meh

Jacob's Return by Annette Blair....LOVED it! Bawled like a baby at the end.

Heart of a Knight by Barbara Samuel....wicked step-daughter meh meh....DNF

More in-depth reviews to come later. Although I am digging the whole "meh" thing right now. 

3.) Yesterday I planted my entire freakin' garden at once. I weeded, applied compost, and planted seeds and seedlings (3 types of basil, cherry tomatoes, 3 types of pumpkins, carrots and leeks). It was hot and sunny, and I got a bit light-headed (probably from a combination of dehydration, high blood pressure meds, and working my ass off for hours). 

As I felt myself swaying, I realized that if I fell down, I had two options....1.) I would fall on a rake with the prongs sticking up, thereby re-enacting a scene from a horror movie, which seemed like a bad idea....or 2.) I would fall on a pile of chicken shit compost, which....also seemed like a bad idea. And a stinky idea. Needless to say, I forced myself to stay conscious, and went inside to get a glass of water. That freakin' garden better look great in August!

4.) I swear I tried not to do it. But after I read Gail Carriger's blog post "So You Really Want To Help The Author" I just couldn't help myself. I penned another parody. Here it is. (For the record, I am a big fan of Gail's Protectorate Series, but hell, that post was so wack, I was powerless to stop myself).

Do You Really Want To Help Penny? Just Follow These Simple Instructions...

Just in case you've been thinking about me, or worrying about me, or maybe concerned about how I'm feeling, possibly worried about my book sales or money situation, or wondering how I'm paying for my son's exorbitant adventure camp this summer, or hoping that I might publish another book soon (before 2029), or looking for ways to help me out. Just in case. Here are some ideas....

1. Get an ereader. Seriously. Quit whining about how freakin' expensive they are, and just do it. I am SO sick of people asking if my book is out in print. The answer is NO. It's a freakin' ebook. Get an ereader. Whiner. Print books are totally last year.

2. Try to get people psyched about Christmas all year long. Maybe....put up a tree in April? Send cards in July? Offer eggnog in October? There is no g-damned way I am going to have good sales for my "holiday romance novel" if folks can't get over this whole "I'm-only-gonna-buy-a-Christmas-story-in-December" attitude. Criminy.

3. Do you have any friends who are Jewish? Why not gently encourage them to convert to Christianity? How hard could it be? Jews are not interested in a book about Santa Claus. I have a sneaking suspicion that could be hurting my sales. Maybe point out that Christians don't have to plan and pay for a bar mitzvah, etc etc. Be creative.

4. If you like my book, buy 10 more copies.

I hope I haven't offended anyone, but if I have, too stinkin' bad.

Merry Freakin' Christmas,

Penelope (Who Likes Writing Parodies Way Too Much And Needs To Work On Her WIP)

Beard of the Day

It's a Happy Day In Boston!

Penelope

Penny's Most Romantic New England Memory

Celebrate New England Giveaway, Post #8. Leave a comment and enter to win!

At last, the final post for Celebrate New England! Thanks to everyone who has been visiting the party! I decided to finish up our posts with my most romantic memory of New England.....

My husband grew up in Middletown, Rhode Island, right next to Newport. Luckily for me, I got to spend many wonderful weekends exploring Cliff Walk, Brenton Park, Ocean Drive, and Second Beach, which was within walking distance of his parents' home. 

One summer afternoon, my husband, brother-in-law, and I were walking in Newport, on the cobblestone street next to Trinity Church. It's a historic church on Queen Anne Square, built in 1726. If you stand behind the church and look down to the water, you have a magnificent view of Newport....the docks, tall ships, and town. The sun was just setting as we walked by. Suddenly, the doors to a small building to the left of the church flew open, and out came a bride clutching her flower bouquet. Behind her, all of her attendants, dressed in gorgeous red satin dresses. They walked across the sidewalk, with the sun setting behind them, and entered Trinity Church. A gentle breeze lifted the skirt of the bride's stunning gown. Sunshine illuminated her veil like a golden halo. The girls smiled and laughed as they crossed the path to the church.

I stood there transfixed, watching the bride and her bridesmaids enter this beautiful historic church, with the sun sparkling off the water behind them, illuminating their little parade. Tears flowed down my cheeks as the door to Trinity closed, and I knew the bride was on the threshold of a new beginning.

I turned to my husband and brother-in-law, and said "Did you see that?"

They answered, "What?"

Exasperated, I said, "The bride! Her bridesmaids! That was an incredible moment! So romantic!"

My husband and his brother snickered at me and rolled their eyes. "Are you crying?" my husband asked me incredulously.

"Of course I'm crying! That was the most romantic thing I've ever seen in my life!"

My husband and his brother looked suitably chastised for about 3 seconds, then they said, "Let's go get a cup of coffee."

Which just goes to show....guys are dumb.

Who knows what happened to that bride, but her wedding day certainly got off to a wonderful start. 

I would love to hear from some of you about romantic moments in New England. Have any good memories? Let me know!

Thanks for celebrating with us today. 

All my best,

Penelope

Cool Spots In New England

Celebrate New England Giveaway, Post #7. Leave a comment and enter to win!


Cape Cod by Katie O'Sullivan


Cape Cod is a great place to kick back and relax, and get back in touch with yourself and your loved ones. As Nauset Beach and the rest of the National Seashore celebrate their 50th anniversary this year, you can appreciate the same pristine beauty that President Kennedy recognized and set aside as a national park. Afterward, head to Chatham for clam chowder at the Squire and take in a Cape league baseball game for a perfect summer day!


Katie O'Sullivan
Perfect Strangers
Unfolding the Shadows

Longfellow's Wayside Inn by Judith Arnold


Longfellow's Wayside Inn is the oldest continually operating inn in America.  It first began serving the needs of travelers in 1716. Its most famous guest was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who used it as the inspiration for his "Tales of a Wayside Inn."  The inn features several preserved historical rooms, some of them blocked off and maintained just for viewing and others, including the old tap room, still used by visitors who come to drink, dine and spend the night.  (Some of the guest rooms are alleged to be haunted.) Beautiful gardens--including a vegetable garden that provides vegetables served at the inn--surround the main building.  A short walk up the road is the gristmill, where a stream powers the millstones that grind the flour used in the inn's rolls and muffins.  Also on the premises is the beautiful Martha Mary Chapel, a non-denominational New England chapel built by Henry Ford and named in honor of his two grandmothers, and a one-room schoolhouse dating back to the early 18th century.  I live just a few miles from the Wayside Inn, a place where we celebrate family birthdays and special events. We love bringing out-of-town visitors there for a unique Colonial experience.  More information about the inn can be found here: http://www.wayside.org/


Judith Arnold
Meet Me In Manhattan
Hope Street

French's Restaurant, Main Street, Tewksbury, MA by Kat Duncan

Think you have to go to the coast to get good fried clams? Wrong. Consider Tewksbury, Massachusetts and French's Restaurant. This hole-in-the wall eatery specializes in catering. But any weekday you can stop in for the best lunch anywhere in New England. Dave French was trained in culinary arts at Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island. He specializes in catering large functions, but local citizens flock to French's for lunch. The menu is extensive, the prices reasonable and the service is fast. Best of all, you will never be disappointed with the food. Homemade soups and chowders, thick sandwiches, fresh salads and the best fried clams anywhere.


Kat Duncan
Fifty-Eight Faces

Newport, Rhode Island by Penny Watson


Newport is an extraordinary place, and the perfect spot for a getaway weekend. You can browse around the charming cobblestone streets and peek into antique shops. Explore the incredible mansions on Bellevue Avenue, including The Breakers, Marble House, and Rosecliff. Spend some time at Brenton Point State Park, and watch the kites dance in the air. Sneak over to Middletown and go birding at Sachuest Point....there are harlequin ducks, buffleheads and more. Grab an order of fried clams at Flo's. And my favorite, walk along Cliff Walk, with history on the right (the mansions of another era) and the ocean on the left, crashing up against the rocky cliffs. It is breath-taking. Finish off the day with a lemonade from Del's Lemonade Truck (my kids' favorite treat!). It just doesn't get any better than this. It's truly a unique New England city.


Penny Watson
Sweet Magik




Have a favorite cool spot you like to visit in New England? Let me know!
Penelope

What's Your Favorite Thing About New England?

Celebrate New England Giveaway, Post #6. Leave a comment and enter to win!




Nina Pierce: I love the New England weather. If you don't like it, wait a minute....it'll change.

Ashlyn Chase: What I like best about New England is the proximity of natural beauty and city culture. I live about an hour north of Boston, thirty minutes from the ocean, an hour from the Lakes Region and two hours from the White Mountains.


Sherri Erwin: The people of New England, my favorite people, might seem cold to outsiders, but we're the most warm, genuine, honest people in the world over once you break the ice.


Kate George: Snow! No - the people. Snow! The people. Well at least my friends.

Jessica Andersen: My favorite thing about New England is having four seasons. I know that's a cliche, but it's true. I get bored with sameness, but like a certain level of predictability in my environment, so it's perfect that I can have a changing view outside my window and a changing wardrobe from month-to-month, yet have a pretty good idea that I'll be hot in July and August, too cold in January and February, and just right the rest of the year!

Caroline Linden: The history! I still dream of writing a book set in colonial Boston.

Meg Maguire: Why do I love New England? Easy. Hot chowder, cold beer.

Patricia Grasso: I love New England because people are sturdy, down-to-earth (most and usually). Our autumns are the best, most colorful (my favorite season). Winter snow "cools" everyone off. Nothing works off negativity better than shoveling two feet of snow. Our winters make us appreciate spring, and we can enjoy the ocean in summer. There are so many colleagues here, especially in Boston/Cambridge, that even old people (like me) feel young. No where else can an old person feel young just be walking down the street.

Judith Arnold: My favorite thing about New England is the spirit of New Englanders--staunchly independent, live-and-let-live, yet always ready to help a friend--or a stranger--in need.

Mia Marlowe: I adore the history that oozes from the cobbled streets. I'm mad about the art museums, the symphony and Shakespeare on the Common. But my favorite thing about New England is that I'm close enough to see the Atlantic any time I take a notion. Revere Beach is a short drive from my home. Any day you can see the ocean is a day of vacation.

Kat Duncan: New England is full of contrasts that work together. I love New England for its strong sense of seasons. Winters are snowy and wintery, summers are hot and often humid, springs start out chilly, but warm up quickly, falls last and last with cool, crisp air and a vivid display of leaves. In New England you can find alpaca ranchers wearing cowboy hats and organic farmers living next to high-tech industry gurus and Bluestocking families. I love it that so many different kinds of people with so many different viewpoints can all live together and that we regularly welcome new waves of immigrants. I love the rich history here. The Wampanoags and MicMacs, several of the original 13 colonies, battle sites of beginnings of the American Revolution, original homes of many of our founding fathers and mothers. New England is as culturally diverse as a small area can get on planet Earth.

Penny Watson: Birding in Rhode Island, picking fresh strawberries, antiquing in Vermont, eating lobsters in Maine with my best buds, meandering through a farm stand, lighting sparklers with the kids on July 4th. New England is magic!

Annette Blair: I love New England's change of seasons, each with unique colors and scents, its extraordinary history and architecture, islands and shorelines. I guess having set fifteen books in New England, and counting, says it all.

Barbara Wallace: The history. I love the region's rich tradition and history. Everywhere you go you find another piece of our past. Oh, and the Sox.

What's your favorite thing about New England? Or, your own home-town, wherever you live? Let me know!

Penelope

Maine Is More Than Lighthouses by Nina Pierce

Celebrate New England Giveaway, Post #5. Leave a comment and enter to win!

Maine is More than Lighthouses

Guest Post – Nina Pierce

With only brief stints for college and new jobs, I’ve lived in Maine my whole life, the last twenty-two of them in northern Maine. I love Maine. It’s a beautiful part of New England.

When people think of Maine they think of pristine beaches, lobster and rugged coastlands. And with miles and miles of rocky shores, it’s no wonder that the lighthouse image has become synonymous with Maine’s Vacationland state motto.

But the northern 1/3 of Maine seeks to change that stereotype. Why? Because they live in potato country. That’s right, the spuds you get at the grocery store could have been grown and harvested in Maine.

Not having grown up in a farming community it was a definite culture shock when I first moved five hours from my home near the beaches (Maine is a bi-i-ig state) to the Canadian border. First, the school year began in mid-August and closed for three weeks from mid-September to early October. This allowed everyone in town to work harvesting the crop of potatoes by hand. And I do mean everyone. Anything not related to the potato industry, floral shops, hairdressers, anything like that, closed for the better part of three weeks. 

While we lived there, mechanical harvesters took over as the primary harvesting technique and fewer adults worked and only students 16 and older could work on the equipment. Schools eventually changed to closing the high schools since only those students could work and all businesses remained open.

I had the good fortune of working the three week harvest for a friend who was a farmer. Though I primarily worked in the potato house separating rocks from the potatoes on a conveyor belt before they went into bins for storage, I also worked several days in the field on the harvester. It’s loud and dirty and backbreaking. Rocks and plant stalks are separated by hand as a conveyor of potatoes bumps by on their way to the loading truck.

It’s a loooong day as well. Up at 5 am to be in the field by 6 where you work until 7 pm, 7 days a week drizzle or sun until the potatoes were out of the ground and stored for shipment in early winter and spring. 

So the next time you think of Maine, remember the northern part of the state, where there are no ocean breezes and lighthouses, but plenty of green fields of potatoes and hardworking kids helping to get them out of the ground and on to your table!

From Penny: Nina, Thanks so much for this fascinating piece! Maine has such a special place in my heart. 




Nina Pierce
Blind Love

Maid for Master 

Healer’s Garden 

Memories of Boston and Loon Mountain by Shirley Ann Howard

Celebrate New England Giveaway, Post #4. Leave a comment and enter to win!

Memories Of Boston by Shirley Ann Howard

Pleasant weather beckons young people to the banks of the Charles River like a siren’s song. I’m personally most fond of the Cambridge side since I spent many college days strolling the paths there, while holding hands with my boyfriend who attended MIT. There might have been joggers, bicyclists, and dog-walkers too, but we focused mostly on us. As we envisioned a sublime future—so easily induced by fluid white sails, the cadence of rowers, and the clang of halyards—stress of the next Physics exam or James Joyce paper soon vanished like the vapor of billowy cotton clouds in the distance.

Of course springtime in Boston also meant final exams, so the next nice day sent us further up-river where a wide expanse of flat lawn tempted us to spread a blanket and open our books. The theory was good, but the practice, impractical. Two twenty-year-olds, clad in shorts and skimpy tops—lying close enough to touch, to steal a kiss in the sun—soon stopped their studying and commenced dreaming once more.

And planning… planning to cross the Longfellow Bridge to the Boston side. In those days Arthur Fiedler conducted the Boston Pops on summer evenings at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade, and the concerts attracted only a small crowd of music lovers, music students—or in our case—student lovers. The only fireworks I remember were the ones we created.

Not long ago we strolled these banks with our grown son when he came to Boston for business at the Museum of Science. By some mystery of time the red brick of Back Bay blended beautifully with steel and glass high-rises as if they’d grown from one another. A flood of memories pierced me like Cupid’s arrow when I glanced across the river at MIT’s Great Dome. The winter wind cutting across the water allowed me to explain my misty eyes, and I was able to divert my family’s attention by suggesting we go for pizza at Simeone’s in Central Square. But alas, it had burned and was never rebuilt.

Cambridge, Brookline, and Somerville are the haunts of Sandy and Lenny as they search for self and love in TALES OUT OF SCHOOL and TALES OUT OF COLLEGE. I consider the settings as important and meaningful as any of the characters and hope you do also.

Loon Mountain by Shirley Ann Howard

Loon Mountain captures visitors with its majesty throughout the year. In summer, the whoosh of the gondola whips you to the summit in five minutes where the scent of pine greets you before you even see the cones nestled in clusters in the trees. The crisp air at 3000 feet fills your lungs like a helium balloon. An easy 360° walk treats you to views of hazy Twin Peaks, snow-capped Mount Washington, and all the sky, treetops, and horizon your hungry soul can absorb.


The winter is even more exhilarating. After hopping off the same gondola, the cold bites your cheeks, but the sun—close enough to touch—quickly warms the excited blood surging through your veins. The snap of skis in bindings is the signal to turn your tips downward. You dig in your edges and slice through perfect powder or a patch of ice—it is, after all, New England. A flurry of color—parkas, hats of all kinds even animals, huge mittens, and cool graphics on skis and snowboards—bombard the senses in a moving collage toward the base lodge. Warm chowder or chili, coffee and hot toddies await.

Some years New England cooperates and floods this glorious region with autumnal color. A ride up the tram at nearby Cannon Mountain now attracts tourists from Europe, as well as locals and other Americans cruising in RVs. Gliding on a cable up the side of a rocky cliff, you marvel at Mount Lafayette as nature puts on a light show of maples, elms, and chestnut trees blazing bright crimson, copper, and maize. The play of sun and shadow within the rolling summits makes human concerns seem minor. Only the promise of twin Maine lobsters at The Chalet in North Woodstock can convince you to come back to earth. 

In TALES OUT OF SCHOOL, TALES OUT OF COLLEGE, and TALES FROM HOME Sandy and Lenny seek out the White Mountains for weekend escapes. Their adventures north serve as bonding experiences and seal their love.

Shirley Ann Howard
Tales Out Of School
Tales Out Of College
Tales From Home

Romance In Quechee Vermont

Celebrate New England Giveaway, Post #3. Leave a comment and enter to win!



Romance In Quechee Vermont by Penny Watson


I have lived in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Vermont at various times over the last twenty years. Of all the places I've lived, Vermont is without a doubt my personal Shangri-La. It has a quiet, laid-back pace, an appreciation of simple pleasures, and people who care about the world around them. One day, shortly after we moved to Vermont, I was standing in Dan and Whit's General Store when the kids got out of school. They ran into the store, grabbed penny candy from old-fashioned glass jars, and ran back out of the store with their friends. The manager chuckled and added the "purchases" onto their family charges. I was awe-struck by this. There was something so wonderful and sweet about living this sort of life. I was in love. I still dream of moving back to Vermont some day.

Of all the charming towns in this area, my absolute favorite is Quechee. It has an enormous antique mall, the requisite covered bridges, and my favorite spot on earth....Simon Pearce Mill.

The Mill is located right next to the Ottauquechee River. It houses a glassblowing workshop, pottery workshop, retail store and a fabulous restaurant. Simon Pearce glass is stunning in its simplicity. My kids love watching the glassblowers create their wares. There is nothing quite like enjoying a gourmet meal, made with local Vermont products, while seated at a table overlooking the waterfall next to the mill. It is heaven on earth.

I have one especially wonderful and romantic moment that happened to me at Simon Pearce. My husband took me out for a birthday dinner about fifteen years ago. He surprised me with a lovely amethyst ring. But it was a bittersweet occasion for me. I had just suffered another heart-breaking miscarriage, and we were both feeling sad and uncertain about the future. We sat on the balcony at sunset, enjoying a glass of wine, watching the falls and trying to lift our spirits. Suddenly, a hot air balloon appeared on the river, skimming the water. It must have been ten feet from the surface. It was gliding along the river, and went right past us. The folks inside waved hello. Everyone in the restaurant gasped with pleasure. It was an incredible moment, watching that balloon glide by us. My husband and I smiled at each other and held hands across the table. I was filled with a sense of peace and knowledge that all was right with the world. It sounds so melodramatic, doesn't it? But that moment was magical for me. Shortly thereafter, we decided to adopt our children from the Philippines. We started on another incredible journey in our lives.

Every time we return to Vermont, my heart fills with happiness. The air is clean and pure, the way of life is old-fashioned and charming. I am filled with a sense of peace and well-being. I have a dream that someday when I'm a little old lady I will have a cottage in the woods of Vermont where I live with three weenie dogs and work on my romance novels. (My hubby can go fishing to keep himself occupied! hee hee).


Dreaming of a Vermonty Future,
Penelope

Boston's Gem: The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Celebrate New England Giveaway, Post #2. Leave a comment and enter to win!

Boston's Gem: The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum by Victoria Morgan

One can't truly celebrate New England, as Penelope is doing this week, without a shout out to Boston's own Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Tucked away in the Fenway district of the city, the Gardner Museum is one of Boston's greatest gems. Unique, enriching and dazzling!

Isabella Stewart Gardner (1840-19240) was one of the foremost female patrons of the art during her lifetime. For over three decades, she traveled the world to amass one of the most remarkable collections of fine art and decorative artifacts existing today. Her acquisitions include over 2,500 paintings, sculptures, textiles, tapestries, furniture, manuscripts, and rare books.

Titian, Rembrandt, Raphael, Degas, Boticelli, and Sargent, and many more of the great art masters grace her walls. However, Gardner considered her acquisition of Titian's Europa (1560-62) her greatest find (above). The painting depicts Jupiter disguised as a bull and abducting Europa, who appears both frightened and excited. The museum's audiotape asks the patron to decide if Europa's stance makes her complicit in her abduction or not.... While this may be Gardner's favorite, I am drawn to John Singer Sargent's El Jaleo (1882) depicted below. This painting with its vibrant Spanish gypsy dancer graces the end of a long hallway known as the Spanish cloister and brings it alive with movement, vitality and excitement. You feel as if the dancer will spin out into the room.

The museum is particularly unique for its backdrop of the works is a magnificent three-story building constructed to look like a 15th century Venetian-style palace. Gardner personally designed each gallery herself and to bring light into the concrete building, she had the rooms surround a central courtyard housing a luscious garden. Touring the museum with Penelope, who has a degree in botany and a gifted green thumb, Penelope reminded me that not all of the museum's art is on the walls or inanimate, but flowering in this incredible courtyard. She pointed out the myriad of different ferns, flowers, and other exotic plants that the museum rotates as each season changes.

While touring the treasure trove of works, it is hard not to be shocked when one encounters the glaringly empty frames that housed some of the thirteen works of art stolen March 18, 1990 and that are still yet to be recovered. The museum's audio defines the theft as a 'crime against humanity' and I have to agree. Of those taken, Rembrandt's Sea of Galilee (1633) was Rembrandt's only seascape ever painted, and Vermeer's The Concert (1658-1660) is one of only 34 surviving Vermeer's. Isabella Stewart Gardner opened the museum "for the education and enrichment of the public forever," and the theft's greatest crime is the loss of these works to public view.

So when you make that coveted trip to Boston, be sure to include the Gardner Museum -- it won't disappoint. And for your next visit, the Museum of Fine Arts is right around the corner. Their new $500 million Art of the America's Wing opened this year to critical acclaim. In the Globe's recent review of the launch, they stated the wing was named the year's "outstanding permanent collection new installation (or reinstallation)" by the Association of Art Museum Curators.

But that's for another blog.....

Victoria Morgan
RWA Golden Heart Finalist 2011

Welcome to Celebrate New England!

Celebrate New England Giveaway, Post #1. Leave a comment and enter to win!




Where did the idea for Celebrate New England come from?

While I was in Salem this spring, attending the NECRWA Let Your Imagination Take Flight conference, I looked around the room and was momentarily stunned. If you're a romance fan, it's pretty amazing to realize that Jessica Andersen, Hannah Howell, Patricia Grasso, Judith Arnold, Ashlyn Chase, Meg Maguire, Mia Marlowe, Annette Blair, Barbara Wallace, Caroline Linden, Kate George, and many other writers I have enjoyed reading over the years, are all standing next to you. Drinking martinis. (Okay, maybe not all of them. But I certainly was!). Anyhow, it occurred to me that this was an incredible hotbed of romance talent. How cool would it be to collect books from all of these amazing writers and do a giveaway? And add some Vermont chocolate just for fun! And thus.....the idea for Celebrate New England was born.....

Although I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, and it will always be dear to my heart, I have lived in New England for most of my adult life, and I have grown to love it. Here's what is coming up today...

• Welcome to Celebrate New England (6 AM)
• Art at the Gardner by Vicki Morgan (8 AM)
• Romance in Quechee Vermont by Penny Watson (10 AM)
• Memories of Boston and Loon Mountain by Shirley Ann Howard (Noon)
• Maine Is More Than Lighthouses by Nina Pierce (2 PM)
• What's Your Favorite Thing About New England? (4 PM)
• Cool Spots In New England (6 PM)
• Penny's Most Romantic New England Moment (8 PM)

Rules for the giveaway....

6 (or more) print baskets are available for winners living in the continental USA. 4 digital "baskets" will go to winners outside of the cont. USA. Print baskets will also include chocolate from Vermont. Winners will be chosen using a random integer generator.

To enter, just leave a comment after any of the eight posts published on June 13, 2011. You may leave a comment after all eight posts, and will have eight entries in the giveaway. Limit is one entry/post. Contest is open until June 19. Winners will be announced the week of June 20. If I do not have your email address, please be sure to leave it with the comment, or email me separately with the address.

Here are the print books and ebooks available....

Print Giveaway.....

Jessica Andersen Bear Claw Conspiracy

Jessica Andersen On The Hunt (anthology)

Patricia Grasso Seducing the Prince

Patricia Grasso Enticing the Prince

Kate George California Schemin'

Kate George Moonlighting In Vermont

Caroline Linden You Only Love Once

Caroline Linden Deeper Than Desire (companion story)

Meg Maguire Caught on Camera

Kristan Higgins My One and Only

Barbara Wallace The Cinderella Bride

Barbara Wallace Beauty and the Brooding Boss

Marie Force Line Of Scrimmage

Katie O'Sullivan Perfect Strangers

Ashlyn Chase Strange Neighbors

Mia Marlowe Touch of a Thief

Sherri Erwin Jane Slayre

Shirley Ann Howard Tales from Home

Shirley Ann Howard Tales Out of School

Shirley Ann Howard Tales Out of College

Judith Arnold Hope Street

Amber Skyze Ignite the Fire

Frances Stockton Rhiannon's Pride

Frances Stockton Seductive Persuasion

Ella Drake The Forbidden Chamber

Michelle Picard Ruling Eden

Michelle Picard Surviving Eden

Annette Blair Larceny and Lace

Hannah Howell If He's Wild

Digital Giveaway......

Kate George California Schemin'

Kate George Moonlighting In Vermont

Katie O'Sullivan Unfolding the Shadows

Frances Stockton Sea Captain's Ghost

Frances Stockton Arrington's Claim

Penny Watson Sweet Inspiration

Dalton Diaz Winters' Thaw

Dalton Diaz Stray Lovers

Nina Pierce A Touch Of Lilly

Nina Pierce Bonded Souls

Ella Drake The Forbidden Chamber

Ella Drake Silver Bound

Kat Duncan Fifty-Eight Faces

Kat Duncan Without A Lord

Ashlyn Chase Vampire Vintage

Samantha Wayland With Grace
Beverly Breton Specs Appeal

Thanks so much for stopping by. Vicki's post--a fantastic piece about the Gardner Museum in Boston--will be up soon. Leave a comment and enter to win!

Penny

Field Trip!

Today Quirky Lady Victoria Morgan and I are hitting the town! We will be visiting the Gardner Museum in Boston, which is one of the coolest and most unique spots in our fine city. Vicki is not only an amazing romance writer (recently nominated for the Golden Heart), but she is also an accomplished artist. I am really looking forward to our trip!

On the reading front....I finished Pride and Prejudice. Compared with Jane Eyre, there was absolutely no contest. Jane won by a landslide. P and P was pretty much a soap opera with a lot of CAPITALIZED words thrown in for emphasis (hee hee.....I actually loved that...it cracked me up!). But JE had more soul, more depth, more intensity, and of course....Rocky McRochester. As Julia Barrett so eloquently pointed out yesterday, even blind and one-handed, Rocky could kick Mr D's butt. I think I'll stick with Charlotte Brontë.

Don't forget, Celebrate New England is coming up on Monday. Hope to see all of you there!

Happy Friday,
Penelope

Rocky McRochester V. Mr Darcy: A Celebrity Death Match For The Ages

Guess what I'm reading? Pride and Prejudice! Yes, I have finally decided to see what all the fuss is about. So far, I'm at 25% on my Kindle, and I must admit, although I am enjoying this book, I liked Jane Eyre better at this point along. Also, Rocky McRochester was a much more alluring character at the beginning of JE....dark, brooding, calculating. Mr. Darcy seems sort of like a ding-a-ling. But I am reserving judgment since various P and P supporters assure me that Mr. D steps it up by the end of the book.

I'm picturing Mr D and Rocky in an animated version of Celebrity Death Match. Dressed in period garb, with their heroines cheering in the stands. Who will win? Who will suffer a crushing blunt-head trauma? Who will lose a limb before the fight is over? I don't know, but right now I'm cheering for Rocky.

Looking forward to finishing this tasty morsel,
Penelope

Virgins, Playboys, and Wallflowers

My reading slump continued last week with The Virgin and the Playboy by Kate Richards. This was a quick read, but the premise was so ridiculous, the book crashed and burned for me. In theory (it's bad when  I start a sentence that way), this had potential to be a good concept for a story. A woman (Julie) tired of still being a virgin decides to hire a company to de-flower her. The company doesn't actually de-flower her, an escort sent by the company is supposed to de-flower her. (Of course the company's name is 1NightStand.com....heh heh). Anyhow, Mark is the ultimate playboy. He enjoys a different hot supermodel every week in his bed. Mister Experienced, Mister Player, Mister...well, Playboy! His friends dare him to join this 1NightStand group, and he gets paired with Julie.

Normally, I like very fast-paced stories. These two meet at a hotel and get right to it. No fooling around! However, I had two major problems with this book. One, I hate stories that take instant sexual attraction and mega-boinking and make the characters fall for each other emotionally in the blink of an eye (or the flutter of an eyelash, or the bob of a......never mind). Second, I find it EXTREMELY hard to believe that Mr. Playboy-Gets-More-Action-Than-Hugh-Hefner is so totally blown away by the sex with this inexperienced virgin, that he is completely smitten with her immediately. Not buying it. One night stand with inexperienced virgin = the best sex of his life = I must see her again. I don't think so. I think this premise could work with a longer story, where there is time to develop an emotional connection between the characters, but as a quickie it just didn't work for me.

Grade: C+



Finally, a winner! Courtney Milan's new novella, Unlocked, was very sweet. I adore wallflower books, but this one was especially touching since the hero is the cause of years of emotional turmoil for the heroine. Courtney Milan is such a gifted storyteller. I love how this story unfolds....how we see that the hero has grown and matured and is eaten up by guilt about his past behavior. I love that the heroine is torn between her love for her clueless, brilliant mother, and trying to paste on a brave front for the ton. The scene in this book where her mother is giving a lecture and Evan has invited scholars to attend in order to save her mother humiliation by a fickle audience is superb. I sighed out loud reading it. I know, it doesn't sound romantic, but it was one of the most romantic scenes I have read in a very long time. I had a bit of a problem with the virgin turning up at the hero's house for a night of de-flowering, but what do I know? Overall, this story is a beautifully written, charming, and romantic tale, and I adored the hero, Evan. There is nothing better than a flawed man turned hero. Lovely book!

Grade: B+


Happy Reading,
Penelope

Monday Morning Updates: Observations, Irritations and Nick Carter

We had a jam-packed weekend, which included a bar mitzvah, soccer game, piano recital, and last but definitely not least, a NKOTBSB concert. Here are some updates....

1.) My 8 year old daughter had a piano recital on Sunday, and insisted on some new duds. Unfortunately, her store of choice is Justice (I call it "Justice For All"). I went into that store once and freaked out...it's a bunch of crap, loaded up with sparkles. I said no. Behind my unsuspecting back, my hubby took her to the store. Well, I am eating my own words. She got an adorable flapper-style dress with stripes, lace and sequins. She looked fab! And she "nailed it" (her own words) during the recital.

2.) My sister and I had an amazing time at the concert. First we went into the North End of Boston and ate at a cute little Italian restaurant...I had red wine, veggies and stole pasta off her plate. It was delicious. If you have never been to the North End of Boston, it is a gem. Charming and sweet, with cobblestone streets and old timey Italian bakeries. I love how the residents have little cafe tables with pots of geraniums on their teeny, tiny balconies. Love it!

3.) The concert....here it is!!!! The good, the bad, and the big, fat lady sitting in front of me......

The good: The concert was ridiculously fun! They did a great job with the whole production...streamers, fire, rising platforms. It was a big, crazy celebration, and the guys were adorable. They all had huge smiles plastered on their faces. The beginning number, which was a mash-up with both bands, was a hoot. My sister and I were singing and dancing the whole time. I was surprised by how good BSB were...they can actually sing. Who knew! And the Boston boys were working the crowd. 

The bad: Too many ballads....snooze! I liked the high energy numbers the best. Also, I was fully expecting lots of "old" ladies to be in the audience (forty something fans like myself). Instead, it was a bunch of young whippersnappers! Girls in their twenties, dressed in extremely tight outfits. Carrying signs that said "Do Me, AJ." Hmm. I think I was the only one there wearing a wool black hoodie and glasses. I might have been the oldest, but I still got some sweet dance moves, baby!

The big, fat lady in front of me: Picture this. My sister and I sit down for the concert. We have incredible seats. Jordin Sparks comes on as the pre-show act. Two women take their seats directly in front of us. Both of them are big ladies, but one is huge. Over six feet tall and probably 350? They stand. No one else is standing in the entire area around us. Just them. They are so huge they block not only our view, but the folks to the left, behind us, and right next to them. Everyone is pissed. I politely tap the woman on her shoulder and ask her to sit down. She says no, she can't see. (???) The people around us are really mad, but no one else is saying anything. I ask her again. The woman says no. I ask her a third time to please sit down. She says, Why don't you stand up if you can't see? I answer, Because that would be incredibly rude to the people behind me. She gives me a blank stare. And I realize, she is totally clueless about considerate behavior. All she cares about is herself. She could give a crap about anyone else.

I have a thing about being considerate of others. I know...it's old-fashioned. I think if everyone else had complained, she might have felt compelled to sit, but I was the only person who said something. (I'm sure you find that shocking....since I'm so very shy and demure....hee hee!). Anyhow, I let it go, knowing that as soon as NKOTBSB came on stage, everyone would be standing for the show. So, I watched Jordin Sparks on the giant screen, but couldn't actually see her on the stage since a giant freight train of a woman was blocking my view. Hope she had fun. (As soon as Jordin left the stage, the woman sat down! Un-freakin-believable. I guess manners are not alive and well in Boston, Mass).

4.) Nick Carter! Oh my God....he totally won MVP for the show. He is quite the showman. So enthusiastic and cute and musical. He used to look like a soft little kid. Now he is a huge hunk of blond yumminess. Way to go, Nick!

2 weeks left until summer vacation.....here we go!!!!!

Penelope

First Peony Of Spring!

I was worried all my peony buds would shrivel up and die on the bush (this has happened in the past when we get too much rain).....but happy days! The peony shrubs survived, and all the buds are bursting into bloom! Yay!

Hope yinz all have a merry weekend....I will be hanging out with these dudes tonight!

Hang Tough!
Penelope