January Releases Unite!

My friends Courtney Milan and Victoria Dahl, who are both hella-talented authors, also have books coming out in January. Because no one remembers poor, outcast January books in the post-holiday hangover haze, we decided to do a little united promo! All day tomorrow, we'll be Tweeting questions about these blog posts, where we're each featuring the others' books. If you're the first person to answer a question that I tweet about either of the following excerpts, you'll get a copy of SCOUNDREL'S KISS. (Signed copies to anyone in the continental US. Everyone else, I'll ship anywhere the Book Depository delivers to.)

That simple! Who knows how many copies we'll offer through the day, so stay sharp!

If you aren't already following us on Twitter, you can do so by clicking these links: Carrie, Courtney, Victoria.

Here's the first, from Courtney's superb debut PROOF BY SEDUCTION:

She is his last chance for a future of happiness...
Jenny Keeble has never let her humble upbringing stop her. She's made her way in the world as a fortune teller, one who convinces her clients her predictions are correct by telling them what they most want to hear. Business is good… until she meets her match in the form of Gareth Carhart, the Marquess of Blakely, a scientist and sworn bachelor.

He just doesn't know it yet...
Broodingly handsome Gareth is appalled to discover his cousin has fallen under the spell of "Madame Esmerelda," and he vows to prove her a fraud. But his unexpected attraction to the fiery enchantress defies logic. Jenny disrupts every facet of Gareth's calculated plan— until he can’t decide whether to ruin her or claim her for his own. Now, as they engage in a passionate battle of wills, two lonely souls must choose between everything they know...and the boundless possibilities of love.

***

"Do you know how I can tell you're a fraud?" he croaked.

She gazed up at him.

"Because you're wrong. You're completely wrong."

He fumbled in his mind for his prepared speech. Science is about answers. It raises us above those who do not question.

But before he could start, Gareth made a colossal mistake: He looked into Madame Esmerelda's eyes. He'd thought she was black-eyed as a gypsy. But from eighteen inches away, with the candle so close to her face, he realized her eyes were in fact a very dark blue.

With that simple observation, the blood drained from his brain. Gareth's structured defense of scientific thinking washed from his head. Instead, he took a step toward her. He let the veil drop from his eyes, let her see the inferno raging inside him.

She sucked in air. "Why do you say I'm wrong?" Her voice quavered on the last word.

"I'm not an automaton." The words came from some vital place deep inside him--his solar plexus, perhaps, rather than his uncooperative brain.

Gareth took another step closer. She continued to hold his gaze, as incapable of looking away as he. The white vapor of her breath swirled in the cold night air. Its cadence kept time with the rise and fall of her chest. He could taste every one of her exhalations, sweetness coalescing against his mouth.

It was an act of self-preservation to reach out and pinch the candle flame. To stop the flow of sensual images before they seared themselves permanently into his flesh. The wick sizzled and the light died between his wet fingers. Her eyes disappeared into the navy darkness of nighttime.

It didn't help. He could still smell her. He could taste the honey of her breath on the tip of his tongue. And the distant street lamp cast enough illumination for him to see when she licked her lips. Heat seared him.

"I'm not made of wood." Gareth reached out again. This time, his hand grazed the warm flesh of her cheek. And still the silly woman didn't jerk away. She didn't even flinch when he tilted her chin up. Instead, her lips parted in soft, subtle invitation.

The thought of her mouth against his snuffed what little guttering intellect remained to him. Her flesh seemed to sizzle beneath his fingertips. He lowered his head until her lips were a tantalizing inch from his.

"Most of all," Gareth said, his voice husky, "I'll be damned if I let you call me dispassionate."

***

And this is from Victoria's third contemporary release, LEAD ME ON.

The wrong man just might be her perfect fit...

Primal attraction is a big red flag to prim and proper office manager, Jane Morgan. After a rough childhood with a mother who liked her men in prison jumpsuit orange, Jane changed her name, her look and her taste for bad boys. So why is she lusting for William Chase with his tattoo-covered biceps, steel-toed boots and unadulterated sex appeal? The man blows things up for a living!

She gives herself one explosive, fantasy-filled night with Chase. The next day, it's back to plain Jane and safe men. But when her beloved brother becomes a murder suspect, and her lawyer ex-boyfriend won't help, Jane turns to Chase. And she discovers a man who's been around the block knows a thing or two about uncovering all kinds of truths.

***

When Chase grabbed her hand, she realized it was the first time they'd touched. She also realized that his skin sent flashes of electricity sizzling along her nerves. His hand was hot and big and rough around the edges.

He felt like a man. Her weak knees shivered.

He led her out of the crowded bar and across the street to his truck. When they reached the passenger door, Chase stopped and turned to face her with serious eyes.

"This isn't something weird is it?"

"What?" The tipsiness she'd been comforting herself with made it hard to figure out his strange question.

"I don't look like your dead husband or anything, do I?"

"What are you talking about?"

He watched her, his fingers sliding more deeply between hers. "You said you've never done this before."

"I haven't." Not recently anyway.

His eyes narrowed to glittering slits as his gaze dropped to her lips.

Before she could think what to say, Chase dipped his head and pressed his lips to hers. She wasn't ready for it. Strange, considering she'd propositioned him just a few minutes before. But she wasn't expecting the taste of him right at the moment, his lips brushing over hers.

His mouth was nothing like his hands. His mouth touched her softly, a gentle pressure, testing her, feeling her out. When her shock wore off, Jane finally responded. She parted her lips a little, pressing into him, and Chase took the hint.

A shock of warmth against her bottom lip revealed itself to be his tongue, touching briefly before drawing away.

"Mm," she sighed, angling her head in encouragement. He tasted her again, teasing her until she followed his tongue with her own.

Oh, my. His work-roughened hand slipped around the back of her neck as he pulled her closer. Chase kissed her deeper, deeper, until Jane found herself clutching his T-shirt and hanging on tight. His tongue thrust slowly. There was going to be no jack-rabbit action in this man's bed. This was a careful, controlled assault.

The shivering in her knees climbed higher, shaking through her thighs. As if sensing his work was done, Chase brushed his lips over hers one last time before pulling away.

"Well," he murmured. "Ready to go?"

Jane nodded. "Definitely."

The truck beeped, the locks popped open, and Chase reached for the door handle. "After you, Miss Jane."

She flushed a bit at the reminder of who she was to him, but that didn't stop her from climbing up and snapping the seatbelt into place. This was a bad idea, but Jane wasn't really a good girl and she never had been. She'd been faking it for ten years without a slip. Ten long years.

Frankly, it was a miracle she'd lasted.

***

Be sure to check out Courtney's blog and Victoria's blog to find what excerpts of SCOUNDREL'S KISS they'll be tweeting about. Good luck!

Scoundrel's Kiss Shipping Now!

People who pre-ordered SCOUNDREL'S KISS from Amazon have received notice that copies will arrive by the end of the year. How cool! Turns out all of the online retailers are shipping now. I wonder if this is a way of compensating for delays? As in, even if you buy online, you'll have the book when it hits the shelves on Jan 5? (Although some Walmarts are jumping the gun!)

Amazon | B&N | Books-a-Million | Borders
And free international shipping from Book Depository
If you'd like to try your hand at winning a free copy, you have until Wednesday over at Lori Brighton's blog, where I did an interview.

There will be many more opportunities for freebies over the next two weeks. By this weekend, I'll have a post rounding up all of my upcoming appearances. Stay tuned tomorrow when Courtney Milan and Victoria Dahl will join me for a fun Twitter-based giveaway we're calling January Releases Unite!

Christmas Eve Hello

The girls and I have picked up another cold bug. I give up. It's just gonna be a half-sick slog through till March. But at least we aren't out in the weather. The ice is pretty nasty here, and I wouldn't want to think about traveling today. My brother and his family will be coming over later this afternoon. Most of the cooking is done, but I still have some wrapping to do. Not too bad!

I'm SO VERY EXCITED to watch the new "Doctor Who" special on Saturday. Two more episodes with David Tennant. I'm sad only to see less of David Tennant on TV, but I'm not sad to see this doctor go. Russell T. Davies has set up the transition so well that I want the next regeneration. The 10th Doctor is irrevocably broken and, as a result, is absolutely heart-breaking. And color me curious with how Steven Moffat will guide the series from now on.

In SCOUNDREL'S KISS news, if you'd like a chance to win a copy, you can go to TJ Bennett's blog. She's posted my thoughts about being sick at Christmas, which was written back when we were all well! TJ draws a winner for a bag of goodies, including SCOUNDREL'S KISS and several other books by various authors. She'll be drawing the winner on Monday. Read the rules here.

Happy holidays to everyone! Be safe, be with friends and loved ones, be happy. That would be awesome.

Holiday Inn (1942)

Bing Crosby (Jim), Fred Astaire (Ted), Marjorie Reynolds (Linda), Virginia Dale (Lila)

Directed by Mark Sandrich (The Gay Divorcee)

IMDB Summary: Jim Hardy and Ted Hanover have been vaudeville partners for many years but when Ted announces that he and Jim's girlfriend, dancer Lila Dixon, are going to set off on their own, Jim decides the time has come to retire. He buys himself a farmhouse in New England and settles into the country life but soon realizes that he has an opportunity to do something special. He decides to open his inn to the public, but only on major holidays. Things are going well for him until his old partner Ted shows up and sets his sights on Jim's new friend, Linda Mason.

What an awesome film. SO much fun. I can't wait to see it again next year, and to make it a part of my Christmas viewing tradition.

Just as You Can't Take It With You and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington felt like practice films so that Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart could make It's a Wonderful Life, Holiday Inn was a trial run of sorts for the eventual greatness of White Christmas. Bing plays the same kind of guy, one who finds himself in show business almost by accident and wants a quieter life. He's partnered with a dancer who makes his life an amusing hell. And both couples are paired up in happy dancing-and-singing harmony by the time the credits roll. They even used the same set!

The difference, and why this becomes more than a White Christmas forerunner, boils down to one key factor: Fred Astaire. Now don't throw rocks at me for being a philistine, but I'd never seen a Fred Astaire movie before this one. The man was simply a marvel. A damn skinny marvel! Not only was he the amazing dancer, which is how his legend comes down to us through the decades, but he's marvellously funny. Anyone who thinks that sarcasm has always been the domain of the English really needs to watch early cinematic comedies. Astaire's comebacks and zingers were delivered with either a wink and a smile, or with an entirely droll wit that reminded me of Hugh Laurie.

And his dancing. Holy mackerel.

Trivia: for the scene in which Ted arrives at the Holiday Inn and dances drunk with Linda, Astaire wanted to give it an authentic feel. He downed two shots of bourbon, then drank another after each take. To film that scene required seven takes. He was, quite literally, falling-down drunk, but his dances still blows my mind. Unbelievable.



As for Bing, I've been on such a kick listening that I didn't know how many of these songs I'd already come to enjoy. "Easter Parade," "Song of Freedom," and "Be Careful, It's My Heart" have all been on my heavy rotation list. I keep trying to identify his appeal. I think it comes down to how laid-back he seems, and how he can just open his mouth and create these amazing melodies. No wonder he was called "Papa" and "Daddy" by so many, because he has an easy paternal quality--very important during the war years.

The dynamic between Bing and Fred was much more pronounced here than the dynamic between Bing and Danny Kaye in White Christmas. Fred's character, Ted, was very self-serving, almost nasty, and Bing's portrayal of Jim was laconically calm. And they aren't on the same side. That created a stronger conflict between them as leads. In White Christmas, Bing was more driven and outright comedic, and Danny Kaye's Phil Davis character was scheming and silly, not overtly hostile. The subtle differences in their interactions made for two movies that felt very different, despite their on-paper similarities.

Because I watched this on AMC, I didn't get to see the "Abraham" number as part of the film. Grrrr...I hate films edited for content. I don't have any beef with this scene because I'm white and I'm absolutely certain that blackface doesn't affect me the same way it would an African American. Also, as Keven said, it's heart was in the right place. Celebrating Abraham Lincoln is an awesome thing. Kev likened it to your grandma using the word "colored" instead of whatever might be appropriate today. No offense was meant, but times have moved on.

I haven't said much about the two female leads, mostly because they didn't strike me as forcefully as did Bing and Fred. But that might change as I get to know this film better over the next few Christmas seasons.

Battleground (1949)

Van Johnson (Holley), John Hodiak (Jarvess), Ricardo Montalban (Roderigues), George Murphy ('Pop' Stazak), Marshall Thompson (Jim Layton)

Directed by William A. Wellman (The Ox-Bow Incident)

IMDB Summary: Follow a band of American soldiers as they engage the Germans in a snowy, foggy winter near Bastogne in World War II. They're low on fuel, rations, and ammunition; the Germans are constantly encouraging their surrender via radio and leaflets, and most importantly, the pervasive thick fog makes movement and identification difficult and prevents their relief by Allied air support. This film focuses much more on the psychology and morale of the soldiers than on action footage and heroics.

Can I be entirely shallow and tart with how absolutely hot Ricardo Montalban was? And his accent! Oh, my goodness. I bet many a young woman in the 40s, 50s, and beyond had crushes on him that went entirely against racial norms of the time. No wonder he remained such a massive star through the decades.

OK, girly fluffitude done.

Dad recommended I see this one, because it was one of the first worm's-eye-view portrayals of WWII. My theory is that until Vietnam, movies about war, particularly about WWII, were told from the top -down because the subject matter had a heroic, righteous bent. Generals peered through binoculars from their outposts and knew they were doing good work, and audiences went along with that. Vietnam, however, was such an unpopular war, and the generals and politicians in charge of it so controversial, that it became vital to tell stories from the ground -up--hence Platoon and Apocalypse Now, where the trials and hideous split-second decisions made by soldier after soldier provide a better understanding of war's hell.

As such, Battleground is most unusual, illustrating the Battle of the Bulge as experienced by one squad. A squad in WWII was one third of a platoon, made up of roughly 10-12 men and led by a non-commissioned officer (sergeant). That means it was even more tightly focused that, say, "Band of Brothers," which profiled an entire company (roughly 140 men).

And I must say that the "Band of Brothers" creators must've taken plenty of notes from this older portrayal. Small character traits such as the replacement whose name is forgotten by the new guys, or the non-smoking man who gives in to the habit during times of stress, were both echoed in "Band of Brothers." I also liked the (curse-free) interactions, which showed the men alternately fist-fighting, ribbing, and caring for one another. Despite a few corny moments, this was really well done.

Members of the actual Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne were featured in Battleground during an extended parade march during the opening few minutes. If you didn't know those were the actual soldiers, the five minutes spent on that scene might not make sense. But I think it was meant as a tribute to those men the actors were about to portray.

The film tackles some really disturbing themes, which wouldn't be revisited until decades later. For example, Van Johnson's character, Holley, takes off running during a firefight. The new kid, Layton, follows him. Up until this point, Holley had been a mixed bag. A joker and a cad, he was also the guy who reminded the men to keep their boots on while they slept (in case they needed to run in a hurry) and to keep their rifles free of snow. That advice turned out to save lives--and those who ignored it suffered.

So when Holley takes off running...is it because he was leading an aggressive counter-attack, or because he was scared? Even the men debate the reasons on-screen. A WWII soldier experiencing a moment of cowardice? Really? Fascinating. The men also have to make heartbreaking decisions regarding the fate of a comrade, and that decision is also tainted by fear. I was impressed by the genuine attempt at authenticity from a soldier's point-of-view, especially considering that this was released in 1949. Enough time would've passed to start hazing over the grittiness with nostalgia and patriotism in the face of burgeoning hostilities with the USSR.

The violence is brief and generally portrayed off-screen. For example, when a man strangles a German soldier, the actual strangling is done behind a concealing bush. But the claustrophobic feeling of the fog-laden trees and the mortar bursts raining down at random intervals...that worked incredible well (more furious note-taking by "Band of Brothers" crew).

Overall, I'm very glad I watched this one. It was not only an entertaining movie, but a fascinating anomaly in WWII filmmaking that wouldn't find an equal until the 1990s.

Zombieland (2009)

Woody Harrelson (Tallahassee), Jesse Eisenberg (Columbus), Emma Stone (Wichita), Abigail Breslin (Little Rock)

Directed by Ruben Fleischer

Summary: The horror comedy Zombieland focuses on two men who have found a way to survive a world overrun by zombies. Columbus is a big wuss -- but when you're afraid of being eaten by zombies, fear can keep you alive. Tallahassee is an AK-toting, zombie-slaying' bad ass whose single determination is to get the last Twinkie on earth. As they join forces with Wichita and Little Rock, who have also found unique ways to survive the zombie mayhem, they will have to determine which is worse: relying on each other or succumbing to the zombies.

Casey obtained a copy of this, although I don't know how. We watched it over Thanksgiving break. I think the right word for the overall experience is derivative. For example, Jesse Eisenberg was definitely going for a Michael Cera vibe, but truly, there's barely room enough in Hollywood for Cera's odd blend of comedy, personality and complete spinelessness.

Eisenberg's character, however, was the most endearing part of this film. I liked that heroic types would be ill-served in a zombie-filled world, and that cowards who didn't like people would fare better. But once we got past his amusing list of rules, and even past Woody Harrelson's obsession with Twinkies, the plot required Eisenberg to be a bumbling romantic lead. No good. The middle third really drags, and Harrelson's knock-off version of a kooky Mickey Knox wasn't enough to leaven it.

Another cute twist was the reason for their zombie road movie adventure. In 28 Days Later, they were driving to reach a military outpost in Manchester. (Ooh, I mentioned 28 Days Later and Cillian Murphy showed up!) In Zombieland, however, the characters travel thousands of miles...to an amusement park. Just for kicks, I guess. The whole thing got very, very silly, and I kinda wanted them to get eaten. Overall, Zombieland was perfectly harmless popcorn entertainment with a few good gags, but I'm glad I didn't pay for it.

My Week Kicked Me in the Pants

Awww, kitty! It's the first image I found when looking up the word "exhausted." It's been a very busy week. I'm sitting down to take stock of it because I have one last chore to finish: folding the final load of laundry, which is still drying. Then tomorrow we'll be off to my parents' house for the week. That means I've been under a deadline. All that I wanted to get done before the holidays had to be completed by tonight. Ye olde kick in the pants!

On Monday, I was still feeling pretty rough, so I didn't go to my last Chicago North meeting of the year. Tuesday was all about errands: I volunteered at the school, baked cookies and bundled them as teacher gifts, did Christmas shopping, got my hair cut, and generally made short work of all the running around that I'd put off while sick. I also made The To-Do List of Doom!!

On that list? Finish Flawless. Heh. That would mean writing 15,000 words (roughly 70 pages) between Wednesday and tonight.

Wednesday was a great day for writing. I'd worn myself out with all the errands and re-pulled a muscle in my ribs--which I'd tweaked initially by coughing too much--so I sat with the cats on the couch and wrote all day. Five thousand words down! I also wrapped Ilsa's birthday presents and all of the Christmas presents. That evening, we went to the Winter Concert at Juliette's school. All very cute and generally feel-good. After the girls were in bed, I spent a good couple hours chipping away at the massive amounts of promo I still need to finish over the next two weeks.

I had another good day of writing and sitting on the couch when Thursday rolled around. Yay for five thousand more words! I was getting so close. Could I actually do all that I needed to do for family and holidays and still finish my draft? At that point, I couldn't imagine not finishing. How disappointed I would be with that looming over me for the holidays! Throughout the morning, I also baked two batches of Christmas cookies and bundled up all the last-minute gift packages I had to mail.

That evening, the girls and I picked up Keven from work and drove down to Gurnee, where we dined at Red Lobster. Not only is it one of the girls' favorite restaurants, but I had a gift certificate! We opened her presents there. She got a Spongebob Squarepants sticker/coloring book, a hidden picture book, a big book of kindergarten activities, Poor Puppy by Nick Bruel, the game Zingo, and a praying mantis pagoda. Yeah...we'll see how that goes. She was most excited about the praying mantis pagoda and the Spongebob book, which she snuck into bed with her that night.

After dinner, we drove to Christmas Lane here in Kenosha, which has the tradition of being decked out with holiday lights on all the houses. The girls got a real kick out of seeing so much. Our condos are nicely, demurely decorated, but holy moly, some people go all-out. I remember taking similar sight-seeing drives when my brother and I were young, so it was cool to pass that tradition down to my kids. This week we also watched the Baryshnikov version of The Nutcracker and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I think the only major Christmas flick I haven't seen yet this year is A Christmas Story, but we're saving that for when the girls can watch it at grandma and grandpa's house. Should be a hoot.

Friday, Ilsa had a half day. She got home and I'd only completed one scene. I had a chapter and a half to go! Luckily she's obsessed with the computer game SPORE now, so she spent the next four hours on my computer, which I worked from the couch using my Alphasmart. She would occasionally stop to come tell me what stage she'd unlocked, and I'd stop to get us snacks, but we were pretty much in our own worlds. Bizarre, but super productive. I finished the draft with five minutes left before I was to go pick up Juliette.

Yay!

(Only this morning did I realize that I missed Juliette's follow-up appointment with her doctor. It was at 3:30 and I totally forgot. Whoops! Brain cramp.)

Today's been about chores. We scrubbed the condo from top to bottom. It took all day. I can't imagine trying to clean a bigger house. We live in 1200 sq. feet for a reason. We also finished up the last of the Christmas wrapping and did most of the stuff-gathering for the trip tomorrow. I did bills, updated my website, got Unusual Historicals sorted for the week, and baked the last batch of Christmas cookies. I'm about ready to collapse. But dang, just goes to show what I can accomplish in a week if I truly and completely devote myself to my goals!

Mid-Month Round-Up

Double hyphenated title!

OK, so as we near the release date for SCOUNDREL'S KISS, which is now only 18 days away, the advance reviews and interviews will really start to gain momentum. I'll be centralizing them all here, as well as notifying everyone when and where you'll be able to win free copies through various blogs. Yay for free! Here's the list of activity from this week:

** Katie has a marvelous, blush-worthy review on Babbling About Books. I think she liked it. "SCOUNDREL'S KISS has a near epic type feel to it in an exotic land with so many twist and turns. Carrie Lofty is a masterful storyteller who kept me hooked until the very last page. This is one much recommended romance."

** Historical Tapestry mostly reviews historical fiction, so I was glad to see that my romance (mostly) held up under more intense historical scrutiny. "The era and location are not usual among historical romance or even historical fiction, and from the first pages, I was immediately swept away."

** The Historical Novel Review also thought it was the bee's knees. "They are memorable for their bravery and resilience with each new trial, but even more for the power of their love. Their story was a great pleasure to read and I highly recommend SCOUNDREL'S KISS."

UPDATED TO ADD: I forgot that I'm giving away a copy at the HNR blog. You have thru Monday! Just leave a comment for your chance to win.

And I've done a quick post featuring a short, steamy excerpt over at the RomCon blog.

I have two other pieces of happy book news. My sexy, wonderfully happy short story "Sundial," in which a modern girl finds herself in 1950s Italy and meets a fellow time traveler from the 1980s, is now available in print form. The THROUGH THE GARDEN GATE anthology features all four winners from the contest Wild Rose Press held back in 2007. The other winners were Leanne Tyler (American Historical), Loretta C. Rogers (Western Historical), and Michelle Chambers (Non-American Historical). Because of its 1950s setting, "Sundial" was the winner of the Vintage Historical category.

And finally, the historical romance formerly known as "Serenade," in which a widowed violin prodigy begins a steamy love affair with a renowned composer, only to learn that he stole the symphony he's most famous for, has been chosen to help launch Carina Press. Carina Press is Harlequin's new digital-only venture, which will open its doors in June 2010. I'm so excited to be part of this launch, and that my little-Austrian-story-that-could will find a much wider audience. You can read more about it here on Carina's blog, and I've posted the first chapter here. More details, including the new title, when I have them.

Happy Birthday, Ilsa!

My baby girl turns six today. She's been so excited about it that yesterday she got sent to the office for being disruptive. Twice. At a Montessori. The whole point of a Montessori is to do what you want, so she must've been a little hellion.

Tonight we're going out to Red Lobster, her favorite, (plus I have a gift certificate!), and doing the cake-and-presents thing at home. She's also delivering cookies to all her school friends because the birthday child gets to bring in a treat for everyone. I'll provide details in the morning. There's one gift in particular that I wonder how she'll react...

In other news, Juliette participated in her winter concert last night. The combined kindergarten and first graders performed two songs. All very cute, especially the second graders. The fifth and sixth grade choir was the best--very pretty songs. I can't seem to upload the video of Juliette's to my computer, but I know I did it somehow for her concert back in May. I think I figured it out last night. I'll try to have it up later this evening.

Otherwise, I'm doing my best to cross everything off my huge work/holiday/birthday/chores list. Slowly, slowly, it's all coming together.

Best of SYTYCD

This seasons best performances, as determined by me. I know a few will be on the recap show tonight, but I wonder how many?

Best Contemporary: I'm calling this one a tie between Ellenore & Jakob's "You Tore My Heart," by Sonya, and last night's "At This Moment," danced by Kathryn & Jakob and choreographed by Dwight & Desmond. I get to call it a tie because the Sonya piece is quirky and the D&D piece is emotional. My rules.

Honorable mentions go to the Travis wall routines danced by Bianca & Victor, Ellenore & Ryan, and Ashleigh & Ryan. I also adored Kathryn & Legacy's "Fear," as choreographed by Stacey Tookey, and "A Case of You" by Tasty Oreo, as danced by Noelle & Russell.

Best Jazz: Kathryn & Legacy's "So Deep," also by Sonya.

Best Hip-hop: Dave Scott's "Cavemen" as danced by Kathryn & Legacy, followed by three done by Tabitha and Napoleon: Karen & Kevin's "Car" routine, Jakob & Ashleigh's "Caught Cheating," and Noelle & Ryan's "Desk" number.

Best World: Kathryn & Ryan's cha-cha by Jason G., followed by Mollee & Nathan's Bollywood number by Nakul.

Best Solo: Legacy's Top 10 OMG mental "No Air"

Best Group: Wade's "Four Gangs"

Best Guest Performance: the Alvin Ailey trio

SYTYCD Week #8

I'm going to do this wrap-up as quickly as they did this supposed finale. One hour? Really? The editing was so distracting.

Kathryn & Ryan (Jason G's samba): I still have major samba envy, coz I want to move like that! The opening was a little too complex and labored for my tastes, and the end had me wondering how many times she fell on her ass before she got it right. I want Kathryn or Russell to win.

Ellenore & Jakob (Tasty Oreo's Broadway): How does she make him seem less gay? It's amazing, their partnership. This was foxy and fun.

Ashleigh & Russell (Sonya's lyric jazz): I hated this version of a Jewel classic. Is she mining older material in lieu of new stuff? I had goosebumps throughout the dance, though. Could be because it's only 8F outside, but I'll be generous and say that it was emotion. Nigel needs to shut up about the shirtless guys. It's one of the wonders if watching dance!

Ellenore & Ryan (Garry Stewart's jazz): I loved her kneepads. Excellent and entertaining. Yet in an evening of overtly emotional performances, this one suffered from lack of tears-in-hankies.

Ashleigh & Jakob (Jean-Marc's foxtrot): They were oddly mismatched in the opening, to the point where I was thinking, "Wow, they had to get used to a virgin partnership and it's not sitting well on them." I'd totally forgotten the first five weeks of them working together. Forgettable.

Ellenore & Russell (Jason G's paso): More shirtless! God bless the wardrobe department. Very nice. They were convincing and well-matched. But again, it was all about the emotional pieces tonight. This won't help either of them.

Kathryn & Jakob (Dwight & Desmond's contemp): *sobs...rewinds...sobs again*

Ashleigh & Rysn (Travis's contemp): It's a rare night when a Travis Wall contemporary will get shown up, but it was tonight. This routine suffered from having to follow Kathryn & Jakob's *sobs*...that one. But when Ryan did the cradling motion and rocked her back and forth...*wipes tear* Assholes.

Kathryn & Russell (Tab & Nap's hip-hop): Cute, hard-hitting, and well synchronized. But if it's not lyrical hip-hop, the chorey rarely has the same impact for me as with other styles. Damn, Russell is good.

Basically, I'd like to see anyone but the married couple win it. I still protest that Ashleigh shouldn't be here. I'll put it down to Kathryn and Jakob, with Jakob joining his best friend Jeannine as America's Favorite Dancer.

The Other Author in Our Family

We've always suspected that Juliette's fascination with art was a substitute for verbal and written skills she hadn't yet mastered. Her latest complete story is a sublime example of that. She's illustrated the cover and the finale, but that's it. Packed between those drawings are five densely-handwritten pages of text. I present it here in its entirety, slightly edited for grammar and spelling (although, OMG, that's so much better than even a few months ago!).

Merry Christmas, Ribbets the Tree Frog
By the author of Ribbets in the Rain Forest [her words! click the cover!]

Ribbets didn't know the true meaning of Christmas. He didn't know anything about Christmas. All he was doing was hibernating.

On the 20th of December, Jaguar said to him, "I have a Christmas present. Can I come in to put it under your tree?"

"I don't have one," Ribbets answered. "All I want is for someone to tell me the true meaning of Christmas."

Jaguar didn't know it. So Ribbets went on hibernating.

On the 21st of December, Parrot came. "Can I come in?" he said.

So Ribbets let Parrot in. "What's the true meaning of Christmas?" he asked.

"I don't know," he said as he drank his hot chocolate. And Parrot flew away.

On the 22nd of December, Chameleon came over. He wanted to borrow some cocoa.

"What's the true meaning of Christmas?" Ribbets said.

Chameleon didn't know and he walked away.

On the 23rd of December, Tree Boa was slithering on the roof of Ribbets' tree. Ribbets opened his door and looked up. "What's the true meaning of Christmas?" he asked.

Tree Boa didn't know and she slithered away.

On the 24th of December, Spider Monkey swinged along. Ribbets asked the true meaning of Christmas again. Spider Monkey didn't know. And he kept on swinging. "But remember, Ribbets, tomorrow is Christmas," said Spider Monkey.

"I know. I do have a calendar," said Ribbets.

"Uh, that's February," said Spider Monkey.

That night, Ribbets didn't want to eat his fruit and horseflies. "What's the true meaning of Christmas?" he said.

So he went away from South America, through North America, across the Arctic Ocean, to the North Pole. It was lonely. He wanted to go home. But then a few seconds later, he saw a castle. Inside he saw a stable, but instead of horses it was reindeer. Then he saw an elves' workshop. And he saw a big flying thingie. Inside it was tons and tons and tons and tons of toys.

He went inside the bag. There were dolls, and cars, and yo-yos, and stuffed toys. Oh, it was fun in that sack until...someone came into the sleigh. "Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas!" he shouted.

Ribbets had never heard anyone say that. Then the sleigh began to take off. Ribbets saw the whole world, but he didn't see South America. "I knew going to the North Pole was a bad idea," he said.

Then the person found him. It was Santa Claus. So he gave him a toy and said, "Reindeer, go south."

Ribbets hopped down. By morning he sent off invitations which said, "Dear rain forest animals, please come to my house at half-past seven. Sincerely, Ribbets."

There was Jaguar, and Parrot, and Chameleon, and Tree Boa, and Spider Monkey, and Piranha, and Vampire Bat, and seven Fire Ants. "Welcome to my Christmas Party," Ribbets said. "What should we do first?"

Jaguar said, "How about we decorate the Christmas tree I gave you?"

So they did. There were glitter pinecones, and nutcrackers, and bells, and plain ornaments, and candy canes, and garland, and lights, and popcorn chains, and glass reindeer, and of course, the star.

"Let's open presents!" yelled Ribbets.

So they did. Jaguar got a hang-glider. Parrot got binoculars. Chameleon got new color crayons. Tree Boa got slippery lotion. Spider Monkey got one hundred bags of seeds. Piranha got a fish tank. The seven fire ants got stilts.

"Christmas dinner!" yelled everyone.

Everyone helped Ribbets make dinner. Jaguar made delicious pudding. Parrot made Parrot Chef Surprise. Chameleon made chameleon-made sugar cake. Tree Boa made tree sap lemon sauce. Spider Monkey made vine-wrapped mumbo jumbo. The seven fire ants made a wild food sundae. Vampire bat made cow blood juice.

When they were eating, Ribbets found out the true meaning of Christmas and he said, "I found the true meaning of Christmas, everybody!"

Everyone said, "The true meaning of Christmas is what?"

"I knew all along. It is spending time with friends and family. We all agree on that."

The End. My kid is awesome.

SYTYCD Week #7

OK, fine. If they're just gonna start making up rules on the fly, then just call it a variety program rather than a competition and be done with it. In previous instances of injured contestants (Jessica in S4 and Penny in AU2), they're done. They're out. Other dancers fill in, but there's no way that the injured contestant gets to have folks vote for their shiny personalities. Otherwise Penny would've won AU2. If Ashleigh makes it into the finale--and don't even get me started about the Top 6 being the finale!--then I call shenanigans.

Oh, Cat, why the gold one-piece hot-pants thing?

Kathryn & Ryan (Doriana's disco): Ryan dreams of disco? Really? These two were oddly unsynchronized, as if they'd learned the steps but hadn't practiced in front of a mirror together. I thought that Kathryn looked the more uncomfortable of the two, but neither of them really got into the loose, cheesy disco feel.

Mollee & Jakob (Jason's Viennese waltz): Jason is The Man. This was lovely and innovative. I was a little uncertain about the speed, and it would've looked fairly crappy with anyone but Jakob leading, but he did such a good job of staying light and still guiding Mollee so well. Weird when the dude is the more graceful and flexible of the pair!

Ellenore & Legacy (Travis's contemporary): This is the first of Travis's contemporaries that I haven't liked. The judges kept stressing the danger aspect, and maybe that was the disconnect. It was too dangerous--more like watching a stunt show than a dance. It was interesting but I wasn't moved.

Russell & Not-Ashleigh (Shane's hiphop): My DVR cut out (stoopid weather!) so I have no idea what this was like.

Kathryn & Ryan (Jason's cha-cha): Spicy and entertaining. Kathryn was extra flirtatious and very much in command, and yet Ryan kept the transitions smooth and natural. Jason really did have a great night of stellar pieces. I'll have to watch this one again.

Mollee & Jakob (Joey's Broadway): Mollee really is a whole different person with her new, post-Nathan partners. She's striking me as Kayla did last season in that she totally becomes her role. She's a blank slate to start with, which makes the choreography sit very easily on her. It's not like trying to make Legacy into a guy who can waltz. Mollee is a professional dancer. She's not meant to have a genuine personality--just the personality that's assigned to her. Jakob is very similar: skilled, great performer, but rather lacking in distinctive sparkle. I think that's why this routine worked. They could just be their characters.

Ellenore & Legacy (I refuse to call them "Nappy Tabs"): Meh. Boring, lacking in connection, and generally kinda...gimmicky? They needed better at this stage.

Russell & Not-Ashleigh (Nakul's Bollywood): Russell was both shown up by Nakul's assistant (in that she was so very, very sharp and in command of the movement), but also aided by her expertise (in that by her excelling, she made him look more competent). Ashleigh might have done fine, but she wouldn't have necessarily had the same flare that the "real thing" was able to provide for Russell. After all, despite the cameraman's attempt to have me do otherwise, most of my attention was drawn to her.

Solos, all in one word each:
Ashleigh: doped!
Jakob: bendy!
Mollee: DVR-fail!
Legacy: sweet!
Ellenore: jazzy!
Russell: goofy!
Kathryn: dynamic!
Ryan: schmatlzy!

I've given up predicting who's going home. As Iggy Pop said, "The rules are all wrong...every perversion is justified." So there's no telling how this will go down! People may actually prefer to vote in a woman who didn't dance rather than one who did. I tell you, it's dogs and cats living together. Instead I'll say who I'd like in the so-called finale: Kathryn, Mollee and Ellenore (naturally), plus Legacy, Russell and Jakob (just so the married folks can get the boot together).

They Were Just Kids

I'm watching "WWII in HD" on the History Channel. So far it's been the best that the History Channel can produce, in that its inherent pro-American retelling and bombastic music are offset by some truly remarkable footage and an excellent sense of the dramatic. This is more than a documentary; it's storytelling.

Anyway, I knew this was coming because of what Liz had described to me, but yesterday I watched the portion where a young sailor named Jack Yusen survives a shipwreck. He in the Philippines, and his ship, the USS Samuel B. Roberts, and a hodgepodge of other light vessels staved off Japanese destroyers and kept the secured beaches of Leyte safe. They basically knew, going in, that they were entirely outmatched.

(As an aside, I had to look up who Samuel B. Roberts was. Turns out he was killed in Guadalcanal, and three Navy ships were eventually named for him.)

The Samuel B. Roberts was sunk. Yusen and his fellow sailors clung to a raft for fifty hours, surrounded by sharks. At one point, a tiger shark pushed up against Yusen's thigh. He immediately made a bargain with God. He begged God to send the shark away, and in return, he'd be a good man for the rest of his life. The first on his list? "I won't fight with my brother."

I started to cry.

What grown-up would ever make that bargain? We might promise to be honest, or to be good citizens, or to stay faithful to our spouses, or to go to church, or to raise good kids, or to help our fellow man, or to keep from living greedy, materialistic lives. But to promise not to fight with a sibling? That's the promise a kid would make. It was first to his mind because, in his brief life, he'd probably never been accused of more serious transgressions.

What made it even more powerful was that Jack Yusen, now in his 80s and pictured here, was telling the story. That first mention of not fighting with his brother--those were his words, which means that even after all these years, the terms of his promise to God were emblazoned on his memory.

Turns out the tiger shark moved on. It swam down past two guys and bit the leg off of another sailor. They had to "turn him lose," as Yusen described it. They had no medical supplies, no morphine, and no way to keep the feeding frenzy at bay if they tried to save their friend.

This part about the soldiers being little more than kids is lost in cinema. For example, in The Longest Day, which I couldn't finish because it was so frustrating, Robert Ryan (age 53) and John Wayne (age 55) portrayed Gen. James "Be Still My Heart" Gavin (age 37) and Lt. Col. Benjamin Vandervoort (age 27). In what universe is that even close to the reality of an entire airborne division being led by a 37-year-old? Modern adaptations strive for accuracy, but even in "Band of Brothers," Damian Lewis was four years older than Dick Winters, and Ron Livingston was eight years older than Lewis Nixon. It's truly hard to fathom how young they were, for how much responsibility they carried.

What's also interesting about this whole ordeal was that the Samuel B. Roberts was initially bound for North Africa. It had been part of a convoy heading across the Atlantic when it ran into a whale. After heading back to the States for repairs, it then joined up with a convoy heading through the Panama Canal to join the Pacific fleet. Who knows what he would've endured in the Mediterranean, but if it hadn't been for a whale, of all thing, his whole experience in the war would've been considerably different.

I think part of the fascination--mine and everyone else's--with war stories is the "you can't make this up" factor. It sounds too improbable, too bizarre. But when literally millions of people were engaged in operations all over the world, it becomes more like monkeys typing Shakespeare: anything's possible.

Science for the Win!

Yesterday, Keven took the girls to the talk with Paul Sereno. As you can see from the picture, Juliette was brave enough to stand up and ask her question: "How can we tell female SuperCrocs from male ones?" Turns out it's about size, in that they believe the females were larger. Keven said there were about 150 people in attendance, so Juliette totally kicked butt in asking--with a microphone no less. Apparently Ilsa had wanted to ask a question too, and she was even waiting ahead of Juliette, but one of two things happened: either she chickened out (Keven's take) or her question was already asked (Ilsa's version). She'd wanted to know how long the SuperCroc's eggs were.

Oh, just how super, you ask? Here. It makes people look bite-sized.

Afterward, they got their picture taken with Dr. Sereno and he signed little dinosaur fact books for both. Because I promised we'd buy a frame if she got a picture, we'll be heading to Walgreen's this afternoon to pick one out. So cool. Props to Kev for finding out about the talk in the first place, and for venturing into downtown Chicago for his Sunday. They didn't get back home until 6:30.

One day it'll be all about Jonas Montana type idols, but for now their celebrity fascination is devoted to a paleontologist. I couldn't be more tickled.

Author Copies!

I'm still hacking but I'm feeling much better...especially since my author copies arrived a whole month early! That means I'll spend part of the weekend sending them to reviewers who need print copies. I'll probably come up with a contest, too. Stay tuned!

So pretty....!

Sick-O

I am not well. I think I have pneumonia, if pneumonia means watery lungs and a hacking, hideous cough. I'll go to the doctor if I'm not much, much better by Monday. So I've spent most of the last two days on the couch. Good for my word count...not so good for every other responsibility. I'm off to watch "WWII in HD." Liz told me about it, and now it's playing On Demand. How sad am I that one of the selling points is that Ron Livingston does the voice for one of the twelve profiled people?

SYTYCD Week #6

Holy crap. I'm still breathless from this absolutely mental episode. I haven't seen this many fantastic routines--a few of which will go down as classics--packed into one show since the first weeks each of S5 and S3. And wow, doesn't the show go quickly without the pre-dance packages? It really makes the choreographers work harder to get their vision across without the spoken intro. Let it all be said with dance!

Noelle & Ryan (Tab & Nap's hiphop): I am so much happier with Ryan if I just pretend he's Hugh Jackman. From a distance it totally works. This was cute and sexy. I likey. I'm shallow that way.

Ashleigh & Legacy (Garry Stewart's contemp): Done by SYTYCD contestants, Garry's work should look like this (as performed by Charlie & Talia of Aussie S2). This...wasn't close. I liked the effort, and it was interesting enough to hold my attention, but it wasn't fierce enough.

Kathryn & Nathan (Spencer Liff's Broadway): Very cute. However, I just watched White Christmas last week where, holy moly, Vera Ellen and John Brascia tore up the Bob Fosse choreography. There's just no comparison. Kathryn was wonderful to watch. Nathan, of course, couldn't match her for shit. He's more intent on showing off what he can do than actually performing with his partner.

Ellenore & Jakob (Mel & Tony's quickstep): Meh. Their feet weren't synchronized in several places, mostly through the fault of Ellenore. The concept was cheesy. I really feared for them after this number. But it was some serious quickstep chorey. Tough stuff.

Mollee & Russell (Mandy Moore's lyric jazz): It wouldn't be Mandy Moore without the 80s. There were some gorgeous lift sequences, but I didn't feel the chemistry. Russell was a pretty forklift. However, his wonderful partnering really showed how poorly Nathan worked with Molleeeeee all these weeks.

Noelle & Ryan (JT & Tomas's waltz): He has huge strides. I really think that male partnering makes or breaks Latin routines, and he did well. He balanced her perfectly over her supporting leg, showing her off nicely. The music was lovely and evocative. But did I feel the intense passion and connection that Pasha could bring to his waltz, or even Mark when he waltzed with Courtney? Nope.

Ashleigh & Legacy (Dave Scott's hiphop): What the hell boring POS was that? It's kinda insulting to give them something so basic, so charmless, so uninspired. I feel bad for Ashleigh (coz Legacy will be fine). I really think Dave Scott is better than that. Wonder what happened?

Kathryn & Nathan (Mel & Tony's rumba): Oh, fish-face boy. That's not what sexy looks like. And having good Latin carriage does not mean sticking out your tummy. Kathryn totally held him up. She was incredible, very committed.

Ellenore & Jakob (Sonya's contemporary): I have no words. That was mental. Perfection. An instant classic. I have goosebumps just thinking about it.

Noelle & Russell (Anya & Pasha's jive): OH! Mollee was totally channeling Anya's rear end. I missed seeing a bit of "the message" from Russell, but he did a great job of leading. Mollee had a lot to push off of. Totally fun and happy and energetic. Great way to end, especially considering that they had to come right after Ellenore & Jakob.

Here's a quick run-down of the solos...
Mollee: I've come to expect more from her solos. Unimpressed.
Russell: Fun how he can be intense, scary and intensely personable too.
Noelle: Pretty, with some innovative moves, but again--unimpressed.
Ryan: *wipes chin* That was very naughty.
Kathryn: Very pretty. The contemp stuff all starts to blend.
Nathan: He's an immature little kid, but he sure can pirouette.
Ellenore: Thank goodness for something different.
Legacy: OMGOMGOMGOMG. Mental.
Ashleigh: SuperSamba! But it looked a little sloppy.
Jakob: Totally showed Nathan where to stick it.

And all the parents who cry over how proud they are of their kids...they can just kiss my rear. *wipes tear*

OK, bottom three are...Noelle, Ashleigh and Kathryn, with Ashleigh going home, plus Nathan, Ryan and Russell, with Nathan going home. Your thoughts?

Talk with Dr. Sereno

In our household, Dr. Paul Sereno of Northwestern University is a rock star. You see, he's a famous paleontologist. He discovered Supercroc, Nigersaurus, Suchomimus, and the oldest known dinosaur fossil, Eoraptor. Juliette could probably name more. Keven was looking up information about him and learned that he's debuting his newest documentary, When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs, at Northwestern this coming Sunday, then answering questions afterward.

Keven is going to take the girls out to lunch and then to the show. (I'd go, but I have a monthly writers meeting--and they'll have a great time just the three of them.) When Kev told Juliette this morning, she pantomimed fainting. Told you...total rock star. I'm excited to learn whether Juliette will be brave enough to ask a question--considering her performance in the year-end musical last year, I don't have too many doubts--and whether they can get a picture with him. That would be awesome.