Erotic romance is ‘the thing’ at the moment, with all of its variety and sub-genres.  Everything from bondage to butt-plugs to vampires to male/male to navy seals to navel rings…if it’s hot, it’s “in”.

But while watching a favorite old movie last weekend, I had to pause and ask myself a question.
The movie was “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir”.  (And even if you’re not a fan of the old black-and-whites, it’s worth watching.  It may be one of the most beautiful love stories ever filmed, and if it doesn’t move you it’s time for a cardio-check.)

The thing that grabbed me during this particular viewing was that there was a complete lack of physical contact, yet throughout the film their feeling and passion for each other was palpable.  No sex, no kissing, not even so much as a touching of hands.

And I began to wonder…
Could I possibly write a romance, a truly heart-felt thing with all the emotion, doubt, chills, and anguish of love without some physical expression of those feelings—and actually keep a reader captive for the length of a book?
(BTW…I’m not talking about simply ‘closing the door’, or publisher-restricted actions, such as “they can order a bucket of chicken, but you can’t mention the word ‘thigh’)”.
I’m talking about the feeling of romance.  Strictly romance.
Of course, I’m not sure I’d want to.  I enjoy writing about all possible aspects of a relationship, when possible.
But I must confess—it is a challenging idea.  Quite a stretch of the writing muscles, going from one extreme to the other.
I may have to try it one day.

Why didn’t anyone ever tell me that masochism was a requirement for this job?!

What is it about us women that we have to analyze every little thing about men? I know you do it, ladies. We all do. Heck, I do. And some of us make our living (or part of our living) on analyzing men. And sometimes just people in general.

When we first start dating someone, we analyze every little thing he says and does. What does this mean? What does that mean? If he was late, early, on time. If he bought us dinner, drinks or was too cheap to do either.

If he calls the next day after the first date, he’s desperate; if he calls a week later, he’s a jerk; if he never calls, he’s just not that into you and you’re PISSED.

Or maybe you haven’t even started dating yet. Maybe you get all the signs that he’s interested but there’s something (or someone) holding him back. Maybe you felt an initial spark and then suddenly, he’s pulled back because of one reason or another. So you gather your best girlfriends and analyze the entire situation to death. Everything he said and you said. Every glance, every wink, every brush of the hand, every EVERYTHING.

And so WHY do we do this? There really is only one explanation - we’re female. We can’t help it. It’s ingrained into our DNA. We will forever analyze men, just as men will forever tune us out.

So, ladies, tell me your thoughts. If you meet someone you “spark” with and you suddenly find yourself flirting with him and he’s flirting back but there’s no asking out or exchange of telephone numbers or any of that… do you blow him off as just another flirt? Or do you continue the pursuit of the man?

Tell me. Inquiring minds want to know.

The real slave driver at my house. She cracks the whip and makes me edit my heart out.

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Well, I don’t know if compromise is the right word. But I wonder about when it’s okay to change/alter a story. Is what you write so terribly sacred you can’t alter a single word? Maybe that’s an overstatement. Is the story, on the whole, a masterpiece not to be tampered with or can you tweak this aspect of the plot or that aspect of character development at the behest of an editor.

I recently submitted a book and received a rejection of sorts. The last quarter of the books was not liked. I asked for a suggestion and actually what the editor said worked well in the book and I think it made it better.

It is yet to be seen if it’s now what she’s looking for, but still–I am not disappointed, disillusioned or otherwise irked at changing it. Frankly, I knew it was weak, but had not a clue how to change it and had I not asked and took my licks of rejection it probably would have been rejected time and again for the same reason.

HAVING SAID THAT, it got me thinking; that time it worked, but I have heard of authors who go through several rounds of this back-and-forth with an editor and in the end the book is still rejected. Was it worth it to go through the effort? Is it even the same story at this point?

When do you say, “No, I like my story just the way it is, but thanks for the time.” It can get you shot down time and again or you may hit pay-dirt on the 104th submission.

I don’t have the answer, I just have a curious mind.

I’m posting a Meme!!!!!! Bad ME!

In other news……IT’S THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!!! can you hear a collective sigh? Now when we first started SFC we decided (ok I decided) no blogging about kids or family because really you can do that on your own blog okay but DAYUM!!! CAN I GET A HELL YEAH? My food bill thanks you. Anyway…..first started blog, then Saturday we’re all sitting around (Me, Dennie, Mik and Lynn because we’re doing our RWA chapter’s contest and someone wanted to change up the freaking score sheet *coughmecough*). I lost count of the times I said, “This is freakin’ ig’nernt,” but I digress. So we’re sitting around and me and Denise and Lynn are like HELL YEAH MONDAY! and Mik’s like, “I don’t want my baby to grow up.” Yeah, you just wait……

Four jobs I’ve had or currently have in my life:

1. Writer
2. Hairdresser
3. Waitress in a titty bar
4. Counter Girl in a part’s store

Four countries I’ve been to:

1. Philippines
2. Mexico
3. Does the United States count?
4.

Four places I’d rather be right now:

1. Any
2. Where
3. But
4. Here

Four foods I like to eat:

1. Thai Food
2. Fried Chicken
3. Potato Soup
4. Fresh baked bread

Four personal heroes, past or present:

1. Wonder Woman
2. Superman
3. The Bionic Woman
4. Charles Xavier

Four books you’ve read or are currently reading:

1. Riding the Storm by that Sydney girl
2. Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
3. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
4. The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy by Tom Dullemond

Four words or phrases you would like to see used more often:

1. I’ve brought you money.
2. Yes, it’s cash
3. Yes, mom…Of Course Mom
4. Whatever you say mom.

Four reasons for ending a friendship:

1. S/he lies
2. I just can’t tolerate the tomfoolery anymore
3. We grow apart
4. It’s a one-way friendship with all take and no give.

Four smells that make you feel good about the world:

1. Fresh baked bread
2. Sheets dried in the sun
3. Fireplace smoke in the fall
4. Fresh cut grass

My question: Four favorite activities you did as a kid:

1. Read
2. Daydreamed
3. Went swimming
4. Read

I’ll tag anyone who feels like doing it.

I’m not posting this just for the sake of having something to blog about today (though there is that, lol).

I’m hoping that whoever you are—author, reader, or both—you’ll take a moment to respond to the question.  It’s something I’ve wondered about for quite some time, and I’d really like to get some feedback on it (and it might aid another author or two).

What’s your position on book reviews?  Do you read them?  Do you actively search them out?  Do they affect your reading or buying habits?  Do you find yourself getting bored if you visit an author’s site and you think there are too many reviews featured there?

If you don’t read them…why not?  And would you think it strange if an author made note of a negative or lukewarm review as well as the favorable ones, or is selective promo the way to go?

Thanks, your opinions would be much appreciated!

You know when you wake up at 4:30 am and can’t go back to sleep? And you think of all those great things you can blog about? And you’re even writing the entry in your head and you’re totally witty and smart and chic?

But then, see, what happens is you get to the computer and it’s like you have a brain dump. You can’t remember your wittiness or smartness or chicness. You sit and stare at the little cursory on the screen for minutes while listening to the hum of the computer and the groan of the coffee pot (my god I NEED coffee too).

So. This is how my day is beginning. Yes. It really is 5:30 am and I really AM typing this now. Becuase I can’t sleep.

Usually I lay there and toss and turn until the alarm goes off but this morning I said fuck it and just got up and figured I’d do my weekly blog here at Chicas. Well, guess what? All the blog topics I had in my head when I was laying in bed…GONE.

At least I finally have internet again (I’ve been without since Friday) and can actually sit here and check email and get online.

And since I’m up so bloody early I should have a smashing day at work. I’ll probably be ready to crash by 2. Go me!

So when you can’t sleep, what do you do? Do you get up and start working? Toss and turn and think? Or something else?

You know, there are certain things that make a girl giddy! You can give her a big box of chocolates, diamond jewelry, a kiss from a hunka-hunka man. But if you want to hear a vast majority of women (okay they need to be moms or step-moms) giggle and jump with delight, you wait for the moment when the school bells ring that wonderfully superb August morning. School is IN SESSION–YIPPEE!!!!!!!

SIX DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Less than a week, do you hear me, LESS THAN A WEEK and those little sh…, er ah, bra… um, wonderful dears will be back in school. ALL OF THEM. The little one begins Kindergarten this year, and am I sad to see my baby mark a milestone in his life–HELL NO! I am giddy with excitement :-)

New clothing–CHECK

New shoes–CHECK 

School supplies–CHECK

Lunch boxes–CHECK

Meet the teach and get schedules–Tonight and Thursday night–CHECK CHECK

Dennie hunkering her ass down and finishing that freaking book that has taken months to reconcile thanks to screaming, fighting, swords flying, loud video games, fighting–said that already? I know! You put four boys in a house for an entire summer and it happens on a regular enough basis–dogs riled, Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, neighbor kids pounding the door, “can so-and-so play”–CHECK CHECK AND FREAKING CHECKED AGAIN!

School . . . six days . . . can I get an AMEN?!?!?!?!

Gosh I hope I spelled that right. Anyway….my latest.

The Food Network.

Supper: Impossible anyone? Gaw I love that show!!!!!!!!

And Rachel Ray I hart your kitchen. That cake show? ACE OF CAKES OMG where they make those cool-ass cakes–it’s the BOMB! Duff Rocks!

It’s gotten so bad I told the kids about something I saw, and #1 looks at me and goes, “You saw that on the food network, huh?”

*sigh*

Then there’s the Style network…i LOVE LOVE LOVE Neecie and the Clean House gang! I wish they’d come to Texas though my house doesn’t look NEAR as bad as some of the ones I’ve seen on her show. Makes me feel GOOD!!!!!

OMG and is anyone watching John From Cincinnati on HBO? It’s WEIRD but I love it. Ok it’s like a trainwreck and Rebecca DeMornay is like the Wicked Witch of the West on crack….I swear. That woman has more fits than an epileptic.

Yeah I know you all can see what I’ve been doing lately but it’s only been this last week I feel like doing something else like oh I dunno….READING. Then….Blockbuster finally sent me The Wire Season 3 on DVD.

So okay make me feel better. What’s your recent guilty pleasure?

PS I’m STILL Looking for titles over at my blog! Come throw your choices in and win some signed books.

This post is all about GOOD NEWS.

No beefs, no bitching, no moaning.  No Free-For-All Friday.

Just GOOD NEWS.  Just because it’s my turn to blog, and I don’t know about you, but I could use all I can get, lol! 

Got any good news you’d like to share?  Anything at all?

I’ll start with a couple of whoopees from this week:

If you haven’t already, RUN over to Vanessa Jaye’s blog and congratulate her.  She’s just made her very first sale to Samhain Publishing! 

And Milady Insanity is not only celebrating a birthday—but just made it into the university of her choice!

Next?