I have several Noodler buddies who have new releases out in November and December. I’ll be promoting them over the next few days alongside terribly exciting tales from my life. Let’s start off with Diane Gaston’s “A Twelfth Night Tale”, which is one of three stories in the Mistletoe Kisses anthology. Who can resist a Christmas romance tale at this time of year?

A Twelfth Night Tale featuring Diane Gaston in MISTLETOE KISSES, Harlequin Historical’s Regency Christmas anthology.

A Soldier’s Tale by Elizabeth Rolls
Dominic, Viscount Alderley’s family are looking to him to marry an heiress, but only his downtrodden, compassionate cousin Pippa seems able to ignore his scars….

A Winter Night’s Tale by Deborah Hale

This year’s festivities for Christabel and her young son will be sparse and cold–or so she thinks. When the man she’d loved and lost returns, offering her warmth, comfort and a true family Christmas, she can’t resist!

A Twelfth Night Tale by Diane Gaston

One impulsive night of love changed Elizabeth’s life forever. Now, ten years later, Elizabeth and Zachary meet again. Will their second Twelfth Night together see their happiness reborn?

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Whedonverse Quote of the Day:

“Oh, yeah. I saw their production of Giselle in 1890. Cried like a baby. And I was evil!” — Angel

So, what is a typical day in the life of your average writer like when she’s in between writing projects? Let’s take a look at, oh, say, today.

1. Finished putting up the rest of our Christmas decorations (only took me three days) while listening to Christmas CDs
2. Went to Curves for the first time for the first of my week of free workouts
3. Checked the bank statement and updated the bank files while listening to soundtracks to House of Flying Daggers and Returner
4. Took part in a conference call with other members of the RWA board of directors
5. Did some work for my PRO committees
6. Vacuumed
7. Went to the ATM, dropped off mail at the post office, and did some shopping at Target and Wal-Mart for exciting things like replacement bulbs for the Christmas lights
8. Did the dishes
9. Took out the trash
10. Sad bad words at my nonfunctioning Yahoo Instant Messenger and downloaded MSN Messenger in protest
11. Was finally able to instant message with my sister
12. Made a list of all the things I need to do tomorrow
13. Talked with a writing friend about the particulars of me picking up the Honeybaked ham and turkey for our RWA chapter’s holiday party
14. Updated this blog, read Mary’s blog and checked out the headlines on the Whedonesque blog
15. Watched Friday Night Lights and Veronica Mars

Is my life glamorous of what?

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Whedonverse Quote of the Day:

Mal: “Which one do you figure tracked us?”
Zoe: “The ugly one, sir.”
Mal: (beat) “Could you be more specific?”

Firefly

I must say that I enjoy being able to put up my outside Christmas lights and decorations when it’s 71 degrees outside. The weather has been absolutely beautiful the last few days, a wonderful gift in the usually dreary, cold month of November. According to the local forecast, the good weather ends with November though and wintry conditions and temps arrive Dec. 1. Bleh.

Anyway, I’ve blogged before that I’m a nut for Christmas and Christmas decorations. I have tons and yet I get more every year. I bought some when we were at the beach this year — mainly beach-type ornaments like seashells and sand dollars. I can fill two trees with plenty of decorations to spare. If I had the space, I’d have a themed tree in every room in the house. As I was handing down the boxes containing said decorations from the attic today, hubby says, “Hey, when are the movers coming?” Har har har. He’s a funny one. Thanks to the lovely weather, we got all the outside lights up as well as all the other outside decorations. Tomorrow, I’ll put on Christmas CDs and decorate the inside.

So, how about you all? Are you crazy Christmas decorators? Is there a type of Christmas decoration you collect and love more than others? I have tons of just about everything, but I particularly love angels and snowmen.

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Whedonverse Quote of the Day:

Cordelia: “Why are all these terrible things always happening to me?”
Xander: “(cough) Karma. (cough)”

Buffy

On this day, we Americans pause to enumerate all the things we’re thankful for. Family, friends, good food, etc., always make the list. So, I’m going to make a different kind of fun list this year.

I’m thankful for…

1. The fact that my father-in-law got DSL! No more Land of the Impossibly Slow Internet during visits here.
2. That Ozzy won the immunity challenge, and the fact that Yul didn’t have to show his hidden immunity idol because Nate got voted out tonight on Survivor. Go Ozzy and Yul!!!!
3. The weather was really nice today so I didn’t freeze today.
4. Meg Cabot’s Mediator series. I finished reading the fourth in the series, Darkest Hour, today and plan to start reading the fifth tonight.
5. Pumpkin pie. Okay, that’s Thanksgiving-y, but REALLY like pumpkin pie.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

*** Whedonverse Quote of the Day:

“I saw the fire. I figured you’d be here.” — Angel, Buffy

Because television networks have started putting downloadable versions of their programs on their Web sites, I’ve been able to enjoy a couple of shows this season that I wouldn’t have otherwise because they’re on opposite others I watch. One of the new shows from this season I’m really enjoying is Jericho. The show has an interesting premise, one particularly relevant in today’s world. The storyline is centered around the fact that the United States has been attacked in multiple locations by nuclear weapons. Entire cities such as Denver, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. are gone. We don’t see these places or much of the world outside the fictional small down of Jericho, Kansas

As the days and weeks after the bombs go by, the town’s residents have to deal with things like potential nuclear rain, dwindling food and medical supplies, the natural human instinct to hoard necessities instead of sharing with others, a lack of electricity after an electromagnetic pulse kills all electronics (including most cars), lawlessness and the challenge of keeping order, protecting themselves from looters, and the strain all this puts on relationships between families, friends and neighbors.

Skeet Ulrich plays the main character, Jake Greene, the younger son of Jericho’s mayor who had a rowdy youth and has just come back for a visit after an unexplained five-year absence. He’s on his way out of Jericho when the bombs hit, and so he goes back to help out his family and ends up being a leader in the town because he’s acquired some special knowledge (perhaps Special Forces type knowledge) while he was gone that comes in handy now. He also has to deal with his strained relationship with his father and brother, and old flame who may or may not have lost her fiance in the attacks, and the new girl who likes him.

Jake Greene (Skeet Ulrich) and former girlfriend Emily Sullivan (Ashley Scott) from Jericho.

Another part of this show I like is the relationship between Stanley and Mimi. Before the attacks, Mimi was an IRS agent auditing Stanley’s farm. But after the attacks, she no longer has a home, has lost everyone she cares about, and is forced to ask to stay with Stanley and his sister, Bonnie. Their developing friendship is fun to watch.

So if you haven’t had a chance to check out Jericho, I recommend you check out all the season’s episodes at CBS.com.

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Whedonverse Quote of the Day:

Harmony: “Is Antonio Banderas a vampire?”
Spike: “No.”
Harmony: “Can I make him one?”
Spike: “No. On second thought, yes. Go make him a vampire. Take your time. Get Melanie and the kids too.”

Buffy

I came across an article linked from the Whedonesque blog yesterday, and when I read through it I thought, “Yes, this is a smart lady.” The writer was highlighting the 10 shows on television you should be watching if you’re not. For half the list, I was going, “Yes! You tell ‘em.” That half of the list included Bones, Supernatural, Veronica Mars, Men in Trees and Heroes. Check out the article, including the other half of her list, here.

I got my final Golden Heart entry out in the mail yesterday. Yay! Something to cross off my to-do list. So that’s four entries I’ve mailed off to RWA — 3 in the Young Adult category and 1 in the Novel with Strong Romantic Elements category. Guess we’ll see at the end of March how I do. And here’s a really cool thing — since I’m on the RWA board of directors now, I’ll be one of the lucky people who gets to call finalists on the day they’re announced. I can’t wait to hear the screams of excitement.

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Whedonverse Quote of the Day:

Simon: “So, finally…a decent wound on this ship, and I miss out. I’m sorry.
Mal: “Well, you were busy trying to get yourself lit on fire. It happens.”

Firefly

Back in September, I blogged about how much I loved the book Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. As soon as I closed the last page, I immediately wanted to read the sequel, New Moon.

I had to wait a couple of months, but I just finished it last night. And it left me with the same feeling. I want to read the next book NOW. Alas, I’ll have to wait until Eclipse is released next fall. Sigh.

Stephenie has done what all of us writers long to do — create characters that readers fall in love with, feel like they know personally, care deeply about what happens to them. I’m in awe. I love Bella and Edward’s continuing story, but now I want to see Jacob, Bella’s best friend who feels more than friendship for her, have a happy ending too. The problem — Jacob and Edward are natural enemies. How will Bella be able to have happiness with her great love, Edward, and maintain her strong friendship with Jacob? I can’t wait to find out.

***
Whedonverse Quote of the Day:

“Remember when I said I loved this dimension and I said I was never, never, never gonna leave? Exactly which never did you not understand?” — Lorne, Angel

The company hubby works for is a big sponsor of the annual Rockettes Christmas Spectacular held at Opryland. This year was the first time we’ve gone to the special VIP performance, and am I glad we went. The evening started with us donning oh-so-stylist parkas and walking through the ICE! exhibit adjacent to the theater where the Rockettes were to perform. ICE! is an exhibit of the most awesome ice sculptures underneath an enclosed tent that is kept at 9 degrees. Brrrr! I’m not a fan of cold, but this little trek through the cold was worth it. I’ll post some fun pictures at the end of this post, and keep in mind that everything you see (with the exception of me, hubby and a bottle of Coke) is made of ice.

After the ICE! viewing, we went to the Acuff Theater and had heavy hors d’oevres, then on to the Grand Ole Opry for the Rockettes show. Let me just say, those ladies are awesome. I admire how much they must have to work to reach the level of performance they have. My favorite scenes with them were when they were dressed as wooden soldiers and when they did a high-energy routine in gold outfits to the tune of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”.

Pictures of the Rockettes show weren’t allowed, but here are several from the ICE! exhibit.

No, I didn’t fall on my behind. I’d just zipped my way down the ice slide.

Merry Christmas from inside a very cold wreath!

Hubby catches a ride on the ice train.

A whole new meaning for ice cream.

Hubby modeling the stylish (but necessary) parkas at the foot of the ice castle.

A bear trying an entirely different way of ice fishing.

Mama and baby bears. Notice the Coke in the cub’s paw. Made me want to start singing, “I’d like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony.”

This nativity was awesome. It was so clear. The lady working nearby said they used distilled water and slowly froze the sculptures over three days to give it that crystal look.

I’m back home now, have been for a couple of days, but I’ve been so busy that the blog got moved to the back burner.

I left Dallas on Monday morning and took a different route for part of my trip home so I could drive through some areas I’d not been in before and pick up a few more counties for my Extra Miler Club total. I added three more counties in Texas and three in the southwestern corner of Oklahoma, bringing my total of counties entered to 772. I got to see lots of ranch country in North Texas, and in Oklahoma I passed through the Chickasaw, Creek, Cherokee and Choctaw Indian Nations. I also crossed the famed Red River, which divides Oklahoma from Texas. The song “Red River” by Guy Clark from the Into the West soundtrack started playing in my head. Once I got back to I-40, I was back in areas I’d driven through before so all I had was a long drive across Arkansas and half of Tennessee to get home.

But arrive home I did on Tuesday, just in time for our 14th wedding anniversary. 14 years of marriage + 3.5 years of dating + we still like each other = Yay, us!

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Whedonverse Quote of the Day:

“I cannot stress how much I don’t have plans.” — Xander, Buffy