Ramblings By Rhianna

June 23, 2008

My Week

Filed under: My Life — Administrator @ 12:59 am

Hello!
It’s been an interesting week for me. The day job has been a challenge, though a lot of fun. I mentioned before that I have about a dozen new nurses that are new to nursing and most definitely to my department.  Seeing everything about the job from their perspective is always good. It’s a little like seeing the world from a child’s eyes, it’s exciting and something wondrous. It teaches me how to present information in a better way, but it also helps me gage how much further they must come to be able to do the job. We are all looking forward to when they are ready to be on their own and take over the place.

 
Last Sunday my youngest nephew flew in for a visit this week from Florida. Then Wednesday another nephew and his girlfriend drove up from New Orleans. Along with my nieces, who live in Indiana, it has been a regular family reunion. I went straight from work to visit with them and then was able to leave on Friday a bit early. I know, if you are at all like me, I’m one of those “get to the point” people. It’s a wonder I can read a book, though most of us can raise our hand if someone were to ask “Do you jump over too much description in a book, to get to the action parts.”

 
Back to the action. Over the weekend, it’s been fun and crazy. We saw The Happening” , I won’t bother to tell you the storyline, but the movie was just very lightweight. I thought it would be more than it was. I liked the theme, and there were some good actors in this movie, but they were not alpha characters. I know Mark Walberg has the ability to be a strong presence in a movie and play alpha, but in this one, he plays a very mild man. I found it hard to relate to him, despite the obviousness of his playing the everyman role. Some movies or books, simply require a strong hero and I felt this one did.

 
On Friday night the electricity went out for about four hours. We could have stayed at my sisters place, but mom decided she had to stay in the house without electricity, so me and my youngest nephew and niece headed there and hung out. We played scrabble my candle light, it was actually a hilarious game. My nephew managed a seventy-five point turn on the triple word and cleaned the floor with us. Last night, Saturday, I was on my game and won both times we played, despite only 64 points for a seven letter word. We love our scrabble. I’m a good loser and a sassy winner.

 
When my youngest nephew came in on Sunday, he went through a stack of dvd’s he had not seen, so Sunday, Monday and Wednesday night, we all watched the Blade series. Its graphic violence was enough to thrill them and the third one had enough humor for me. We are all vampire and paranormal fans. Who isn’t?

 
The New Orleans crew left this morning and my other nephew flies out tomorrow to head back to Florida. I enjoy them so much, that it is very sad to see them go and know it will be a long tme before I see them ago. I have to tell you that I think my family is a very cool group of individuals. Razor sharp wit and just fun people to hang with. This afternoon Evan popped in another DVD that he has never seen, while I snoozed on the couch. I love it when I can say, “Oh, that’s a classic film, you have to see it.” There are so many movies like that, especially for the young. He’s a comedy buff, so I have now seen most of the episodes of the Chapelle series. Edgy funny. Love it too.
I did some shopping and my friend’s daughter just got back from five weeks in China and brought me back a fan. Its yellow beige colors are working in my feng shui knowledge area. I wish I could read Chinese, because one side has a lovely picture and the other is covered in writing. It may be telling me to buy fruit at jinn lee’s fruit stand, but the writing is lovely, so I’m happy with my own interpretation.
That’s my week! Tell me about yours.

 

As you noticed, I finally got some pictures up from the Lori Foster Conference. Most of them are people who were at my table or from my RWA Chapter. I didn’t take a lot of pictures, because I am so bad at remembering names, unless I’ve actually had a decent conversation with the person. My table did have some fascinating folks there. Jennifer DeCamillio, Susan Carr, Michelle Boungafiglio, Ann Christopher and there was a couple of funny and interesting readers, who also happened to be nurses.  The second day it was the same group, but we also had the Three Musketeers (Anya Bast, Lauren Dane and Megan Hart) Also Beth Williamson hung out. I enjoyed everyone I met. Gia Dawn and Bianca D’ark are my new role models, both are just great to be around and open to questions and good conversation.

 

Let me know if You are going next year and we’ll hang out.

 
Rhianna

 

PS  I’m still waiting for my neice to load up the pictures of Jodi Wallace and her sister and Angela James chatting with Kim Grooms. They are part of my RWA group and just neat folks. We all ate dinner at a yummy Italiam restaraunt.

June 22, 2008

Pictures from Lori Foster Readers and Writers conference

Filed under: The writer — Administrator @ 5:11 am

Here are some pictures from the Lori Foster Readers and Writers conference.      

     

 

June 13, 2008

The found Weekend: Lori Foster’s Readers and Writers Conference 2008

Filed under: My Life, The writer — Administrator @ 12:30 am

I know, it’s a weird title, but I flashed on the old film the lost weekend, and this definitely was not that.  Let me preface, by saying, I had a really good time last weekend. And so my story begins:

 
 For weeks it was a question whether I was going to be able to go at all. Family issues and general stress wreaked havoc for a time, but I weathered the few weeks that it took to deal with those concerns. (A special thanks to MB, My sister and Mary, who talked me into seeing all the positive.) By the weekend before I was looking forward to meeting the nearly three hundred that attended the weekend.

 
 The only problem with the drive was the amount of money the gasoline cost. There was some bumper traffic in Cincinnati the last thirty miles. When I reached the hotel I was surprised to find out that the place was over run by teenage baseball players there for a play off. With so many groups and luggage the four luggage carts were no where to be found, so I made four trips in the ninety odd degrees carrying in luggage, baskets and promo material.
 I will admit, since I have multiple witnesses anyway, that I will wear a headband, just like Tammy Fay and pull out a fan to cool down. I blame it on my father. I inherited his sweat glands. Oh, excuse me, his perspiration apparatus. (I sweat, I only wish it were a glow.) I was looking forward to sitting back in my hotel room and cooling down with an ice cold drink before running out for a late lunch. I snatched up the ice bucket and headed to the ice machine. EMPTY. The baseball families had filled their buckets and ice chests. I went to my room steaming. I was hot and sweating, but steaming sounds so much more intense. I finally went to another floor in my search. In conclusion of my chilling drama, I found ice on the third floor. A diet coke never tasted so sweet and cold.

 
 After lunch I was a much better person and by the time I made it to the lobby again there was a line around the main lobby forming to register and pick up our name badges. I got in line and within two minutes was befriended by Gia Dawn, one of the nicest people I have ever met. She is funny and smart and writes a great story. We chatted and she shared her hand fan, though we both felt that gorgeous males should have been fanning us with large palms. (I will say that by the next morning the hotel was talked into turning up the air conditioners. Three hundred people in a room is a mighty furnace.)  Can you tell I’m menopausal?

 
 For the dinner portion, The one table where I knew the majority of people only had one chair open and though I was invited to join them, I decided that I’d spread the joy and head to a table with only one or two people. They had it set up to where four authors were asked to be at each table. I sat down with a couple of nurses – It’s like radar, we can find each other any where. We did some chatting and then another author joined us, sci fi and paranormal romance writer, very sweet lady – Hi Laura. Right after that Susan Carr was with us.

 
 The cool happened just moments after they opened the buffet, Michele Boungufiglio sat down to my left and next to her was Ann Christopher. I figured there were about 250 other authors that wished they were sitting with the lifetime TV book reviewer and I wasn’t budging. She is a petite thing and had this fabulous purple purse that was as big as she was.  Nearly everyone in the place came over to say hello to her, so that was fun to watch her be gracious and fun.

 
 As new writer, there were only a few that had ever heard of my book or me. I meet folks from an Indianapolis book club that I’m looking forward to seeing when the book is out in print. My Nashville Chapter of the RWA was represented and we hung out quite a bit.

 
 Late on Friday I joined Gia for a drink at the bar and met several Samhain Authors and the amazing Chrissy Brashear. Bianca D’arc was among those there and I found out when I got home Sunday night that Friday was her birthday. I even managed to offend her when I made an inappropriate comment about New York men being rude – I meant that men in any group mentality can be rowdy – I think I managed to get my foot out of my mouth by the end. J  Like so many of the people I met, she is a lovely, brilliant woman.

 
 Saturday morning there was a continental breakfast and after I headed over to hear the two agents speak with my Nashville crew. (Yea, we wear gang colors when we hang.) They had some interesting information to share. The market for super sexy is there, the erotic market – kinky – is not. Romance is the way.

 
 All of the Writers and Readers were winning baskets from the raffle and we raised over four thousand dollars for charity.
To my Nashville Homies, including two Samhain authors Jody Wallace and Marie-Nicole Ryan, thanks for letting me hang with you. Gia, Bianca and all the authors at my table it was a great honor to meet you and share a meal and conversation. I will be looking forward to next year.

 
 Oh, and the added plus was my trip to the AKEA store. They have very fun stuff. I managed to get back home before my car battery died in front of the Borders.  I say, if you gotta wait for a tow truck, it might as well be while you’re having a smoothie and reading.

 
 Do I recommend this conference? You bet ya!

 
Rhianna Samuels

June 2, 2008

Looking for a good movie

Filed under: My Life — Administrator @ 2:38 am

 

I’m watching the MTV awards. I have watched it every year for a long time. The bits up front are always so funny. I vividly remember the Lord of the Rings bit with Jack Black and Michele Geller several years ago. It has good years and bad years, but it is consistently funny.
 
Each year I am stunned over the number of movies that they present and I haven’t seen them. Last year, I just couldn’t get interested in going to the theatre. I kept telling myself that I would see it when it came to PPV or cable. I have watched most of them. It’s my niece that misses out, because since she was three years old, I have been her main movie going adult and I let her see movies way inappropriate. That Is what the cool aunts do, they treat you like you are their equal. And you are equal.

 

This year, there are several movies I do want to see. I’m not always an Adam Sandler fan, but Zohan looks very funny. Iron Man is on my list, the Black Night, Hancock (I am a huge Will Smith fan) Indiana Jones. Heck I’d best get started, cause I’m already running late getting to the movies.
 

I enjoy foreign films also. One of my favorites is 3 Iron from Korea. Very little dialogue is in that movie, but it is just amazing. I’m an Andy Lau fan and have seen many of his early films and follow him, though it’s hard to find a good selection here in the states. Every once in a while cable will have some. They usually bring the best foreign films that are up for the academy awards. I’ve seen some incredible Spanish, Asian and French movies that way.
 

Ultimately I am lazy, so I will go for what is easy, though I will buy a movie off Amazon, should I hear enough good things about it, mostly I start looking out for what I want and it sort of becomes available one way or another. Even my niece will watch a subtitle; in fact she has become more and more enamored of them.  My laid back attitude is in direct proportion to the amount of time I spend at the theatre. minimal.
 

I miss the big city, where everything is right around a corner. I miss Trader Joe’s and the world market. I miss every kind of specialty shop you ever thought of checking out. That is the only flaw that comes with a smaller city, you lack the diversity. I miss the wide selection of films and the cheap seats.

 

So tell me about a great new film you’ve seen and recommend. And if it’s foreign, tell me how to find it. Oh, and Canada is foreign around here! One of my favorite movies is Smoke Signals and that is Canadian. Of course, they also gave us Ginger Snaps and the first of the series rocks big time.
 

I’m heading out next weekend to the Lori Foster Weekend, so there will not be a blog until I get back. Have a great week!
 

Rhianna

May 26, 2008

Ask me!

Filed under: Uncategorized — Administrator @ 12:19 am

 

 

Hey!

 

I’m doing to the Raven Blog Talk radio show on Wednesday (May 28th) night. They have changed to nights and last I heard it was on at 11PM eastern time. If I’m off on the time, I’ll update right away.

 

I have only had one experience with the radio format since Shaking Off the Dust came out. That was fun, but a little funny too. When the program ended she and I continued to talk and didn’t realize it was still going out over the airwaves. That sort of thing seems to be a theme in my life, staying too long and being inappropriate. I’m joking about that, or am I? Some times it feels like the party ended a long time ago, so why am I still hanging out waiting for the celebration to start up again. Old party girls find the lazy boy to wait for it start up again. 

 

I wish that the readers of SOTD, were the ones asking the questions. So, I’m going to ask any of my readers to make a list of questions they have for me or about the book that I can send to Mandy and Michelle before the interview. Or you can send it to them. As readers, you questions might be much more pertinent to what someone who has never read the book might want to know to convince them it is worth their time and hard earned money.

 

I can answer any number of questions, some of which I send in, but I’m not good at coming up with those lists. I know the book and about me, but I don’t know what might be interesting for you to know. As you may have noticed I tend to share my thoughts on any number of things. So help me out here. If you send in a question that gets used during the Raven interview I’ll send out a prize. Something even greater then the shopping lists prize, they both got toilet paper. (mauaaahhhh!!)

 

I’m working tomorrow for the holiday. Let me know how your weekend went.’’

 

Rhianna

May 21, 2008

Drilling

Filed under: ER nurse — Administrator @ 12:19 am

Today was one of those days that drain you, despite how interesting it played out. I’m on the disaster committee team and twice a year we plan a big disaster drill for the hospital. Sometimes it includes the entire community, sometimes it just the hospital. We spend weeks and months planning this exercise in pushing the limits of our capabilities to prepare for the disasters that nature inevitably visits upon the world.

 
It’s only been two and half years since a tornado tore through our city and killed twenty-five. We learned then what happens in reality and what happen in a drill are quite different things. You might be surprised when I qualify that statement to mean it works better in reality than in a drill…at least short term. The hospital staff hates the drills; it’s just another pain in their fanny’s. In reality people pour in to help when a disaster happens.

 
To help make it seem more real, we go the route of moulage. We go to great lengths to have our volunteers looking injured and even encourage a bit of acting for the talented. I had to keep the smile off my face when one of them came off the ambulance crying out. “Where’s my baby, bring me my baby!” An Emmy winning daytime performance.

 
I went to work yesterday and realized the drill was today. I also remembered that my niece’s bf was in town this week and I called to see if he wanted to participate. He is a charming young man, in his last year of nursing school. So, I swung by a little after six am and picked him up and hoped they could use him. As luck would have it, a couple of volunteers did not make it. 

 
Initially he was going to be a jet fuel induced asthma victim, but one of the moulage victims fell out and I used my minimal power to slide him in as a substitute. We headed to the make up room and were soon surrounded by twelve other victims, all part of the OB ward. Beach balls were being taped to abdomens, soot to faces and gashes glued to foreheads. I learned the technique of using tissue paper (the kind you use to wrap your gifts) and vasoline applied to skin. It looks like pealing burnt skin, especially after you add black and gray makeup to give it even more reality. My favorite was the nurse victim with a piece of glass jutting out of her chest. She was so disappointed when they declared her dead. The gray, white makeup was used for the morgue victims. There was even blood along legs as the pregnant gave birth to beach balls.

 
John managed to be a hospital worker who rushed in to help pull victims from the fire-balled hallway and both hands were tissued, vasolined and blackened. Add the sooty face and we were off. Somehow I doubt he felt jealous of the others that were evacuated down stairwells in a paraslyde. Not my cup of tea, but it works.

 
I spent my time on the loading dock to evaluate triage, at least until the decontamination tents went up. As you can see we pushed the system, the staff and hospital and all in less than three hours. Everyone did their jobs and it went well. The police, ambulance services and fire department all participated to make it as real as possible.

 
When I thought to write about this, I considered it an amusing piece and there was humor along the way. I fuss about how it’s always the emergency department that gets stressed, but this time we hit the OB floor with a helicopter and we learned some new things about how to respond to something that would be horrific if it happened in real life. The way our world has been jumbled by nature and man anything can happen and most likely will. Aren’t you glad we keep trying to prepare for it.

 
Rhianna

May 18, 2008

Just a thought.

Filed under: The writer, ER nurse — Administrator @ 8:37 pm

I like complex stories. I hear many people complain that, as writers, we should explore one theme and do it well, rather than pull in many different ideas. Now, this is not about any one book that I have written, but more on how the process is when writing. My day job requires that I do a bit of quality work on processes that are not going well. It’s a standard process improvement dynamic. As you break down each step of the problem, you discover that there are many stumbling blocks along the way to the ultimate goal. The first thing that you do is decide what needs improvement, who can bring about improvement and what is the ultimate measurable goal.

 
In writing a HEA, you pretty much know your goal. Setting up who you want involved in the process, determines the dynamics, but the end goal is always before you and it must be measurable. Is the HEA moving forward, or has it moved backwards and how do you move it forward. The stumbling blocks are your conflict. As one process block is solved, I find that two or three others may pop up as a consequence. The people outside our core team impact the direction of that team and will often change how we approach the process or bring in detail or minutiae. There are some things that only take a few changes and by exploring it well, you have reached the goal.  As a person that seldom gets to work on the simple problems, I enjoy solving all the issues along the way.

 
The big push in quality is evidenced based research. We are creating, measuring and evaluating research to make decisions on what works to ensure the best outcomes. I like the analogy of the formula romance novel as evidence based. Yes, we can improve quality of care for the heart attack, because after years we’ve accumulated enough evidence to prove that if we get them to the hospital, give them aspirin, beta blockers, have a positive ST elevation and to cath lab or thrombolytic interventions fast enough we can save them.  Our Romance formula story gives us the perfect example of this; you meet the beautiful female or plain Jane; A world weary alpha hero; throw in questionable heart pains and mild discomfort that eventually leads to severe discomfort, breaking heart pains and send them to the best cardiac center in the country and it’s all good.

 
I have a lot of respect for the best. I also have a great regard for the firsts. Those individuals that come up with the question of how can we do this better, even if it’s different that how we have always done it. The original great paranormal romance writers, the non-formulaic romance writer or the subtle suspense writers and totally off the wall heroes and heroines who populate some amazing books.  

I see so much of the absurd in life, even life and death. So when I find it in a book, I’m completely pulled in.  When I write, I always know where I’m going, but I don’t always know how I’m getting there, it’s a process and I let the next stumbling block determine the next scene. Although, I write paranormal, I use parallels in the amazing real lives of the normal to build something believable. 

 
Like I said, it’s just a thought.

 
Rhianna

May 14, 2008

All Gone

Filed under: Uncategorized — Administrator @ 4:18 am

I know I promised to keep the excerpt up till friday, but I decided that it needed to go back into the story. I was only willing to share the organsm on a part time basis. I plan to post an excerpt of in the works projects every month…even if someone needs to remind me. *grin*

Rhianna

May 3, 2008

Mothers Day Shopping List

Filed under: Uncategorized — Administrator @ 6:29 pm

  - Pay towards main dish, sister bringing.

 More... 

1.        Exotic plant arrangement~ Standing proud and upright reaching skyward and spreading it’s petals to consume the suns rays with misted moisture glistening on its stems the Bird of Paradise towers over a lipstick butterfly orchid nestled against it’s firm surface, stamen quivering, awaiting the soft breeze that brings pollen.   Add note;  “Thanks Mom, without you…there wouldn’t be me. Love Rhi Rhi. Happy Mothers Day”

  

2.         Fresh fruit for appetizer salad

·         Fuck me red tart apples

·         crisp blushed Gala apples

·          juicy, drip down your chin, make your fingers sticky oranges

·         crunchy sweet pineapple

·         dark red cherries waiting to be pitted

·         Fragrant and tangy ripe strawberries

·         Crumbled brandy seared and roasted pecans

·         Home made whipped cream~ Heavy Whipped Cream (one container of Cool Whip for the ordinary heathens at the table)

3.          Two loaves of warm crusty French bread from Panera’s

   (Two orange scones for me!)

4.          Soft strong white toilet paper. (Meh.) Gotta have it

5.          Dark delicious semisweet chocolate over culvers rich and thick vanilla frozen custard

6.         Fresh baked chocolate chip pecan cookies gooey and warm from the oven

7.         Regular hummus and thin triangular triscuts

8.         Baby fresh cut long and thin asparagus   

9.         Small red potatoes

10.      2% milk, jumbo eggs, banana cream pie yogurt

 

bird of paradise   orchid

 

Bird of Paradise                                                        Orchid

 

Rhianna

 

 

 

 

 

April 27, 2008

How’s my week been? “Meh.”

Filed under: Uncategorized — Administrator @ 4:16 am

 

I am ready to write about something fun, how about you?   

Okay, who watches Torchwood on the BBC America? I love this show. It’s one of a couple of Dr. Who spin offs. It’s like the Star Trek franchise gone bi/metro sexual with the little blue pill. Did I mention that I love this show? Just when you think it is totally over the top, they do an episode that really touches you emotionally. What the hell are they doing with that season finale?

It has totally screwed up my DVR recording issues for Saturday nights. The last show of the season was last week and now I am forced to watch amazingly bad sci fi channel made for TV movies. Okay, I could be watching HBO or Showtime, but it amuses me to see how long I can watch a movie that sucks.

Why aren’t you reading? Yes, ask me that!

Because…I can’t right now.

I’ve spent the last week home from work because my head was spinning. My inner ear is wreaking havoc with my ability to read and walk. ~I hate that when it happens.~  It doesn’t happen very often, thankfully. So, I’m on day four of my steroid pack and I can finally watch a bit of TV without feeling like I’m going to puke. Who knew it would not be a stellar night in TV viewing. Sometimes things just aren’t the good time they should be.

So, my niece replies to questions with “Meh.”

How are you? “Meh.”

Anything interesting happening? “Meh”

It cracks me up everytime she does it.  She shares these words, little gems that are perfect to express her mind.  Yes, our conversations are much longer than your usually one syllable word.

Just sharing a bit.

Rhianna

April 21, 2008

Making Changes

Filed under: My Life — Administrator @ 3:02 am

On Thursday and Friday of last week, I moved into a new office. Not spanking brand new, but new to being my office. For the last two years or so, I’ve been sharing an office with a great woman, who has taught me a lot about niceness. I try to tell myself that I didn’t need the lessons, but I suspect it didn’t hurt me to learn.  About 18 months ago, I outgrew the small desk and minimal space for my job and when the office next door came open, well I went to my boss and asked for it. They had to consider it for three months before they decided.

I don’t know how long I’ll keep that office before someone comes along that is bigger than I am on the work food chain. I am about guppie sized, but I have been working the same department for a lot of years and they do give me a fair amount of respect for what I do.

Your question in all this is: Yea, so what?

It’s all about change and how we go with it, or try to fight it. I asked for this change and for me it is positive. I now have a large desk, more file space and the ability to fix it how I want…to some extent. I know longer feel like I am the messy one, falling out of her desk in the corner, which is how I felt much of the time.

My office mate for the last two years was gone all last week. She became someone new…a grandmother. It has been a time of great new beginnings for her. A part of me wanted to get the move done while she was gone, just do it and be done. (This is going to date me…) The vibe has been different for a while. Moving to another office wasn’t the beginning of the change, it has been a result of change that gave me this feeling of restless movement. It began as personnel changed and I realized I needed space.

Over the years I’ve always tried to go with the flow of change. It is part of my adventurous nature. In my twenties I traveled the country and changed jobs a lot. I was looking for something intangible with the certain knowledge that I would know what it was when I found it. I didn’t find it, what ever it was. I was chasing change. To catch up I metaphorically bought a boat. I learned most cities are what you make them and stopped moving about so much.

As I got older I let myself be swept up and away in whatever life had to show me. I neither embraced change nor fought it. Instead I sat upon my boat and chose not to bring sails or place a motor or paddles upon it, and often weathered waters that were unsafe. At some point along the way I didn’t like being lost and found my way well enough to buy a motor, paddles and sails. I tried using them each, depending on my whim.

I still listen to breeze, feel the water with my hands and feet and when the wind is out of my sails, I use the motor much more often then paddles. I often wonder where I’m going, but damn the scenery is fine and I haven’t gotten sea sick in years. I don’t have a clear vision of my future, glimpses of sitting on patios and watching the sky at sunset or as the dawn breaks.  I wish I were physic and was certain where I am going. I don’t want to quietly fade away, lost at sea. At some point I hope to embrace a time and settle there. Maybe it is that patio that I can only glimpse.

Change is inevitable. Do you hate it or love it or just go with it?

 

 

Rhianna Samuels

April 13, 2008

Words of Love

Filed under: Uncategorized — Administrator @ 8:19 pm

I’m unashamedly stealing a concept from Madame Butterfly’s. Her blog is about hearing and saying the “I love you” words.  It is not necessary in her life, because it is a given in her relationships. I would guess that is a cultural perspective that she has learned from many years in Japan. So, I am taking the theme and putting it through my POV.

 

I say “I love you” often to my family. Perhaps it is because my day job has taught me the lesson that you cannot let things go until next time. I have heard the words, “I didn’t get a chance to tell him/her how much I love them.” I have watched too many people die suddenly. It’s all living in the moment, which is a theme I have explored before on my blog. But, in most relationships, excluding family, applying those words is a very touchy point. It can scare off many if said to soon in a relationship and it may have very different meanings from one person to the next.

 

As a writer, it is important to let the reader see the progression of a relationship between the hero and heroine. Most books don’t allow you weeks and months to grow into love. In life, it is the small moments of normal activities upon which we build our lives and which seem to become more because we let somebody in on the experience. Like the shared cup of coffee in the morning; dressing and undressing with someone else there watching or waiting; or discussing something of interest in the paper or on the news. It is the ordinary made extraordinary, that we tuck away into our memories as we fall in love in segments of shared experiences.

 

Capturing the essence of small moments in a book or story becomes tedious for the reader. I love romance books because they move along and take them with me. They are bigger than life and have extraordinary themes beyond my simple life. I live vicariously through the heroine when I read a book and I want her to be someone I can relate to, but not have my boring problems to deal with. Give me the Greek tycoon or ancient Vampire King and I’m a pretty happy gal.  (Maybe I should write something geared to Harlequin.) The themes of a book are not as important as the words within. Quirky characters and hard core explicit sex are great if the story and plot make it plausible. It’s the difference between a XXX movie, that will get you cranked sexually, and a big production pride and prejudice that can feed the soul. I won’t remember the sex movie, but will never forget as Darcy crosses that field to stand before Elizabeth. I try to write about the experience of falling in to love, which includes it all…the sex and the large and small moments that get you there, but also the insecurites and frailty of love that can crumble so easily as it begins to coarse through our hearts and minds.

 

I am an insecure. It is my cultural upbringing, and my life lessons that have made me so. I need to hear in my relationships and from my lovers that I am indead loved and cherished. I want to know that I am a companion because I am more than convenient or comfortable. It is not necessary that those words be spoken often or with great passion. In fact I think a note or letter that says more than just I love you is perfect.

 

My baby brother, the youngest of six, died when he was twenty eight years old in a motorcycle accident. He was a good friend to me, as well as my brother. Although we were nine years apart, we hung out a lot when we were living in the same town for a while. Two years before he died he sent me a Christmas card with a hand written note attached. Spelling isn’t (wasn’t) his forte, that’s a family trait.

 

This card doesn’t really express how much I love you. You’ve been a friend when I needed one, a council, a devel’s advocate, etc.  You’re fun, witty and sometimes too smart for your own good. But most of all, you’re a great sister. I hope this day is a happy one for you, I’m sure I’ll find out when you call.
Love ya,
Andy
I keep that card out on my desk in a plastic frame. It reminds me of what a loving and sweet man my brother was, but it reminds me that we are something different to everyone, and sometimes the sweetest things in life are being told what we mean to someone else. It’s more than the words I love you, it’s the reasons behind those words that are eloquent and soul shattering. That is what I want to hear from those who love me and from the books I read and write.

 

Rhianna

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