So.
I figured that I should give a few updates, since I haven't done in a long, long time and people are still emailing and wondering about this or that. Now don't get me wrong, I don't mind the emails AT ALL, but since most of them are pretty much the same questions? Well, I figured I'd just put it all out there :)
Personal Stuff:
-- My health stuff is ongoing, but it's manageable. I'm fine...really. I don't believe I'm going to keel over anytime soon from it. I have two wonderful specialists and my regular doctors, so I'm in good hands. However, I am not able to spend as much time at the computer as I used to, so I do tend to get behind faster with emails and such. Like I've said before, it's nothing personal, but it might take me a couple of days (or longer, depending on deadlines) to reply.
-- The kids go back to school NINE days. I cannot wait. I have had enough of this "summer fun" crap. If they're not fighting and arguing, they're running through the house screaming about something. Last night it was the oldest having a complete breakdown (with screaming, hyperventilating, and crying) because she found out that the Twilight movie is coming out a month early. This morning, it was the youngest screaming like a banshee and running through the house yelling at the top of her lungs that there was a new episode of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Yesterday it was Hannah Montana, iCarly, Jonas Brothers... and Wizards of Waverly Place. I guess that's what you get with all girls.... DRAMA.
-- Indi (my Quaker) is doing well. She's learned my laugh, which irritates the hell out of me. She's bonded with the middle childs lovebird and when you put them together, Indi laughs like crazy and the both of them proceed to act like total fools. It's hilarious to watch. Indi will call to her from my office and they talk across the house, which tends to get pretty loud. Most of the time you have to lock yourself in the bathroom just to talk on the phone and not hear the screeching :D Indi also *LOVES* to go outside in the backyard in the evenings. The heat and the wide open space to play makes her squawk and screech and climb up on my shoulder and bob up and down. I assume it's a thank you, but who really knows for sure, LOL! She gives kisses and -- this might gross someone out -- but she loves to see what's in my mouth. It's hella fun to feed her a few things that way. My kids think it's gross, but I reminded them how clean a bird is. Unlike the dog that would love to lick in the face, at least the bird isn't licking her ass and then trying to do it....
-- Cisco (the dog) would REALLY like to get another (yes, he's already had one) taste of the lovebirds. The little creatures are masters at getting out of their cages and he found one at just the right time. Indi, however, likes to dive-bomb him and has bit him on the nose, so he's still not too sure about whether he'd like to try and eat her or not. ETA: Sorry! He didn't eat the bird he got to taste, only licked the poor thing until it looked like someone tried to drown it ;-)
-- I have been 11 days without a half-caf no whip soy mocha from Starbucks and I think I'm in withdrawal...
Reading Stuff:
-- I just finished reading
Lover Enshrined. The book was hard to get into for the first hundred or so pages, but I kept trudging on and it got better. It wasn't what I expected, but I'm looking forward to the next book anyway. Phury has never been one of my favorite Brothers, so that might have had something to do with my overall enjoyment.
-- Right now, I'm reading:
--
Shooter - The Autobiography of the Top-Ranked Marine Sniper. It's pretty awesome and I recommend it to those who (like me) like military stuff.
--
Chosen Soldier - The Making of A Special Forces Warrior
--
Hotter Than Hell - by the awesome
Jackie Kessler. I loved Daun in the earlier books, but he's even better (in my opinion) in this book... especially since we get to have it in his POV. I haven't finished this one yet, but I HIGHLY recommend it and the other two books in the series
Hell's Belles and
The Road to Hell.
-- I'm waiting on a ton of books from Amazon, but just yesterday I just received a package containing 48 Harlequin novels. All different imprints/lines, including Blaze, Nocturne, Intrigue, Romantic Suspense, etc. Lots of reading material there :D
-- Yes, I do read more than m/m fiction. Several people have been shocked in our emails back and forth, but I love many authors and genres. The only thing I don't care for is inspirational/religious fiction and historical... though I will read a historical if the back of the book sounds good and I like the author's voice.
TV / Movies I've watched lately:
-- Stop-Loss. Totally fucking awesome movie, but have some tissues handy.
-- Vantage Point. Pretty good. Didn't think I was going to like it at first, but I got used to all the back and forth.
-- Untraceable. I LOVE Diane Lane, so yeah... highly recommend.
As for TV, there's not been too much on that I've kept track of lately...
-- The Olympics... I'm in front of the TV every single night, watching some of my favorite people from 2004 compete again. Gymnastics, Beach Volleyball (womens), Diving, and last but not least... Swimming (men and women). Dear God... I feel like such a cradle robber drooling over Michael Phelps. The man is awesome and I can't get enough of him.
-- Flashpoint. I had waited for this series to start for months and months, hoping that it would be as good as the previews made it look. It's even better. Very highly researched and the technical details just ROCK. Hugh Dillon... GUH.
-- The Cleaner. I had reservations about this one because I've never been a big Benjamin Bratt fan, but it's turned out to be one hell of a good series.
I'm anxiously waiting for the Fall season. We've got Life, Eleventh Hour, The Mentalist, all of the CSI's (though I'm getting burned on the Vegas one), NCIS, The Unit, Criminal Minds, the last season of ER, Pushing Daisies, House, and a few more that I can't think of right now. I'm going to need a 2nd DVR just to get everything I want to watch recorded!!
Writing / Publishing Stuff:
-- Soul Mates: Secrets (4th book) comes out on October 22nd, 2008. I'm slowly working on Soul Mates: Ascension (5th book).
-- The main thing I'm working on right now is a contemporary novel, but to save my sanity, that's all I'll say.
-- I have a three deadlines next month, so I'm sure I'll be a little quiet again until they're turned in.
-- I mentioned how people were shocked that I read more than m/m fiction above... but I also write more than m/m fiction. I do write some m/f stuff, but I've not been concentrating on it as much in recent years. That's about to change, as I have several novels plotted out to get started on.
-- I'll be turning in the first vampire novels (m/f/m and m/f) I wrote years and years ago (rewritten/revised, of course) to Torquere's BBA imprint early in 2009. They're related to the Soul Mates world, so hopefully everyone will enjoy them as much as they do the Soul Mates books.
Hmm.... I think that's about it for now. We've got some beautiful thunderstorms rolling in, so I'm going to shut the computer down for a while, grab a book and my writing notebook and go hide and maybe, possibly, turn on a movie.