To All My Friends,

Wishing You A Magical 2011!

We had a great Christmas, and I got a Kindle! I’ve only downloaded two books so far, and lots of sample chapters.

I also got a cold, a weird one. I had something all last week, kind of a sore throat and mild stuffiness. Then the day after Christmas, it exploded into a full-blown, miserable cold. My immune system apparently has been on vacation since about August.  I hope none of you are sick!

Wizard and I saw two movies; HOW DO YOU KNOW which I found boring. And LITTLE FOCKERS, which had some amusing parts but seemed a little slow. But I was pretty sick so that could have been me.

I read a couple books: I finished Eve Silver’s SINS OF THE HEART and really loved it.  Then I read Pamela Palmer’s RAPTURE UNTAMED. That one started out a bit slow for me, but once I caught onto her world (because of course, the book I read is  in the middle of the series) I liked it. After that I read Lynsay Sands HUNGRY FOR YOU.  People love, love, LOVE her. I’ve read a couple of her books now and don’t feel quite that level of passion

Now don’t kill me, but I tried a Lee Child book GONE TOMORROW and gave up half way through. But I think that’s because I was getting sick, I was dead tired, and I got my new Kindle and wanted to play with it. I’ll go back and finish the book when I’m not distracted and I bet I enjoy it then. I generally like his writing.

On my Kindle, I read Shiloh Walker’s, BEG ME, an erotic novella with a not-for-everyone storyline. I was really curious about this book from a review I’d read on Smexy.  I read it straight through, found it enjoyable, but not quite as compelling as Smexy did.   Right now, I’m reading ROOM by Emma Donoghue. This book is really different, told from a five year old’s perspective, and so far, I’m very intrigued.

Wow, I’ve gone on enough! So how was your holiday? Seen any moives? Read any books?

I’ll be hit and miss this week, but will be back to regular posting next Tuesday at the latest.

Mother Nature is having a tantrum and raining her bad temper all over Southern California. We are NOT used to having actual weather here in So Cal.  We put up with smog, terrible traffic and other annoyances because of the good weather! But it’s been raining for days! One of my windows is leaking–it’s been leaking for almost two years, but it so seldom rains here that I keep forgetting about it.

And now the gleeful weather folks are forecasting at least two more days of this nonstop rain.

And I don’t even want to talk about the spot on the ceiling I found in one of the bedrooms.  I’m telling myself that it was a shadow…my roof is FINE.  I can’t afford a leaky roof, therefore my roof will not leak.

So my question to you all is how the heck do I put a stop to Mother Nature’s Temper Tantrum? Any suggestions? There must be a spell or something…

Sorry! We were running around nonstop all weekend with family parties and shopping and still more baking! Then this morning I dragged myself to the gym (because OMG All The Baked Goods!). And while I was doing all that, this is what Bailey was doing:

Seriously, I want Bailey’s life!

So how was your weekend?

Actually, I want to go read now…I just barely started a book and love it so far. But I’ll talk more about that book in a minute.

First I read THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU by Elizabeth Berg.  This is not a romance, but a trade sized novel.  I didn’t care for it at first, but eventually got into it.  This is a totally different type of book than I normally read. It’s all centered around a 40 year high school reunion. I think the fact that I graduated high school a year early at 16 is part of my problem. I was never really a part of the high school culture. But it was interesting.

Now onto the next book. I’ve only read two chapters, but I’m hooked. It’s SINS OF THE HEART by Eve Silver. I met Eve a couple years ago at my agent’s cocktail party and really liked her.  I’ve read some of her other books, but I was really looking forward to this new series.   I always hold my breath a little bit when I start a book by someone I’ve met and liked–I want to love the book but that doesn’t always happen.  However, I’d say I’m well on my way to real love with SINS OF THE HEART!

So what are you reading?

Friday Night we went to Wizard’s Christmas dinner for work.  I wore my high heels without falling  or tripping. Even after I had some wine. Pretty impressive huh?

Saturday I went to half of my RWA Chapter meeting, then had lunch with friends and finally, Wizard and I went out to get our Christmas tree. So we were looking at trees, when I some how lost Wizard.  I didn’t even realize he’d wandered off until I heard him and other people  shouting “Squirrel!” And laughing like lunatics

Umm, there was no squirrel, they were reenacting the scene from Chevy Chase’s CHRISTMAS VACATION. Which is one of Wizard’s favorite movies.  If you don’t know, don’t ask.

The tree is up, but evidently we did NOT buy a self-decorating tree. So I suppose we’ll do it the old fashioned way…eventually.

Oh, and for the first time ever, I watched Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.  I loved it!

So that was my weekend, how was yours?

The  author  of the upcoming dark paranormal romance VISIONS OF MAGIC is holding a contest for people to guess her true identity. Go to her Facebook page and click on the Contests tab at the top for details. www.facebook.com/reganhastings

The prize is a super cool Federal Bureau of Witchcraft fleece jacket! I wish I could win!  I can’t, dang it!  But I did get a great consolation prize–I got to read an advance copy of Visions of Magic (release date February 1, 2011) and it is awesome! I’m hooked on this series and highly recommend it!

Here’s the blurb:

VISIONS OF MAGIC is Book One of Regan’s The Awakening series. Once, witches were thought to be the stuff of legend, but then Shea Jamison’s aunt was discovered to be a true witch and burned at the stake, the first of many modern-day witches to suffer a fiery fate. With …paranoia running high throughout the world, Shea has been haunted by the Magic Police and the Federal Bureau of Witchcraft. They’re looking for any sign that she, too, has powers. But she doesn’t! Or at least, she didn’t … until the day a dangerous man got too close. Now, struggling with powers she can’t control, Shea runs for her life with Torin, an Eternal who swears he can keep her safe, if only she’ll give herself to him in a mating ritual older than time itself. But can she trust this would-be rescuer with her heart? And can she believe him when he insists that she is the only person who can save the world?