I’m sure everyone is busy getting ready for the Thanksgiving holiday. We’re having dinner here for several members of Bruce’s family. This is the first time we’ve had Thanksgiving with them, and we’re all really looking forward to it.
Because I’m busy and I’m fried having finished a 32k novella and a 102k novel in the past few weeks and because I spent 9 hours on the road today (Monday) picking up middle & the monster-in-law, I decided to take it easy on the blogging tonight. So I thought I’d just open the floor to everyone to share what they’re thankful for–with a Plotmonkeys twist. So, what are you thankful for as a reader and/or as a writer?
Me?
I am thankful for:
1. Laptop computers.
2. Working in my pajamas.
3. Getting to do book signings with SUPER cool people like Nora Roberts!
4. Getting paid to listen to the voices that are chattering in my head anyway.
5. Pseudonyms.
6. Royalties.
7. The Internet (it’s also a curse, but for the most part, it’s really made research a lot easier!)
8. A fabulous husband who edits, reads, plots and also turns OFF the Internet when I really need to be focused on working!
9. Wonderful editors who don’t kill me for never being able to make a deadline. 
10. Having a job doing something I love to do in this really difficult economy.
11. Wonderful plotting partners & friends like Carly, Julie and Janelle!!!
Happy Thanksgiving, all!!!
:gobbler: :turkkey: :thankseat2:
Leslie Kelly used to say she wanted to be a doctor when she grew up, but then she discovered Nancy Drew books. Being a flashlight-under-the-covers-nose-in-book reader throughout her childhood, she couldn’t think of anything else she’d rather do as an adult than continue to lose herself in fictional stories. Her real life marriage of 20 years to the man of her dreams is a constant reinforcement that happily-ever-afters really can happen…and that they’re worth writing about. Living in Maryland, Leslie spends her non-writing time laughing a lot with the above-mentioned romance hero and their three daughters. Though an author of more than thirty sexy, contemporary comedies, she has recently branched out to write dark romantic suspense under the pseudonym Leslie Parrish.
3 Seductions and a Wedding
Hot Number
Play With Me
Wild For Him
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You forgot to add thankful that said MIL doesn’t read the blog???
At 6am trying to come up with a list outside of Thankful for my family and hubby and all my furbabies and friends, I can’t.
Well, chocolate and cheesecake and Nutella.
:turkkey:
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I’m thankful for cheesecake flavored cream cheese and graham crackers. I get cheesecake anytime I want with out all the extra calories, from eating the whole thing.
I’m thankful for my two sons without whom I would be nothing.
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Yummm…that sounds good, i didn’t know they made such a thing! Must be on the lookout…
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Hahaha…true that, Ev! Right now she’s sulking because I didn’t want to engage in an in-depth discussion of my 14 year old’s menstrual choices.
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Oh, another chance to use these awesome smiles! :thankstable:
As a reader, I am so thankful for all authors! Ever month I discover new voices and stories. Reading is my number one joy, and one I’ve passed on to my girls.
As a writer, I am really thankful for RWA and all the groups and people I’ve met since joining. And yes, very thankful for the research options on the internet. Not to mention instant dictionary and thesaurus help! :fourturks:
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Great idea, Les! As a writer I am thankful for:
1. Email – which lets me be far braver than I am in real life in dealing with icky career issues
2. Anything made by Apple – which always makes my writing life easier and definitely more FUN!
3. Writing – which I love when it flows, hate when it doesn’t, but always gives me something to do!
4. Writing – which lets me stay home and work, be home with my girls, work in front of the ABC Soaps and never makes me go to an office!
5. The Internet – which is like a never ending playdate – so if I don’t want to be alone, you all are always HERE! And lets me research easily and without talking to people, LOL!
6. My Plotmonkey pals and Ooovoo – so I can talk out writing problems quickly and now see my friend’s faces!
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As a reader I’m Thankful for all the great books and for new releases.
As a new writer I’m thankful for all the great authors who have been so friendly and helpful.
RWA
Tara even though I just joined and hve yet to get to a meeeting I know that it is going to be so much help.
finally I’m thankful to have a dream that I’m so excited about the possiblties seem endless. :gobbler: :jive:
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I forgot to mention that I’m thankful for Saturday’s blog I learn a ton and I’m ontroduced to new authors.
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I’m thankful for a husband who loves to read as much as I do and is willing to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in order to buy a new book.
I’m also thankful that he likes romance novels and defends our choice to read romance. We were in a book store with my sister and my brother-in-law about a month ago when my b-i-l asked why would we waste our time reading trashy romance novels. My husband rather loudly replied “Maybe if YOU read romance you might have sex once in awhile!”
Finally, I’m thankful for blogs like these that help me to find new and wonderful authors. I have only been reading romance for about a year, so I’m pretty new to the genre and am always looking for my next good read!
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! WTG for your husband!
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On FB I did a daily “thankful’ thing for the past week or so…and I did include that I was thankful for ‘the ability to read, books and the fact that my boys love to read as much as I do” (of course, my boys were on the list in the beginning, but as far as reading goes, I am so thankful that I can read). Reading gives me the ability to escape…without writers, there would be no books….so, I am also thankful for all of ya’all. :gobbler: :fallleaf: :jive: :turkkey: :thankstired: :thankstable: :thankshappy: :thankseat: :thankseat2:
I am also thankful for this blog (and the other writer blogs)….what else would I do to procrastinate the inevitable (my real life?)?
If everyone could send my youngest good thoughts. He had a REALLY tough day at preschool (he’s a little ‘issue-y” and “spectrum-y”). I am not sure I can handle his teacher (who I adore and he adores) telling me again that he screamed for about half of the preschool session. Sigh…
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forgot one!
ilgrim:
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Hope things are better for your little one soon, Katie!
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1. I’m thankful for my family, even when they drive me crazy(which is always around the holidays).
2. I’m thankful for my friends, both local and on-line that are always there when I need to chat.
3. I’m thankful for having a wonderful job that I love and working with great people.
4. I’m thankful for the internet.
5. I’m thankful for all of the authors that work so hard so I can enjoy so many wonderful books.
6. I’m thankful for my ipod so I can make it on car rides and not run into any bad music zones.
7. I’m thankful that I found the blogging world and I can spend time with so many friends each day.
8. I’m thankful for Titans football games…especially when we win.
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:*&#!: Hi I am so SORRY that I have the same Thankful comments I tried to clear the first one but it wouldnt work,so please forgive me.I am new. :turkkey: everyone.Take Care-Debbie
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Wonderful blog for today. Thanks Leslie.
:givethanks:
1. Thanks to all the authors that have stories they must put to paper.
2. Thanks to eHarlequin which introduced me to a world that lets me “talk” to authors and they often answer.
3. Thanks to the generosity of authors that hold contests where I occasionally win.
4. Thanks to everyone for being so friendly and welcoming when I attended the book signing at RWA in San Francisco.
5. Thanks to the Plotmonkeys for entertaining us with wonderful books and blogs everyday. Thanks for sharing a part of your life with us.
6. Thanks that I love to read, can still read, that there are so many wonderful books to choose from.
7. Thanks for romance, romantic suspense books which create another world for me to enjoy.
8. Last but not least thanks for my family, friends, on line friends and my good health.
:givethanks:
:turkkey:
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Whoops! I didn’t mean to hit that Happy Birthday icon!!!
But if anyone out there is having a birthday today that’s for you!! 
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My thankful list as a writer:
1. I’m blessed to have met the Plotmonkeys and found this blog where I get to hang out every day.
2. I’m grateful that the Plotmonkeys still welcome me here despite the times I step in a big, stinking pile and fling it all over the place.
3. I’m grateful for my local chapter especially this past Saturday where I met Cassie Miles who writes for Intrigue. Very cool. I’m also grateful that I am my chapter’s new president for 2010.
4. I’m thankful for the Internet and e-mail so I can stay educated about what’s happening in the world of publishing and writing. And I can also keep in touch with other writers and do research when I need it. I feel connected and that’s important.
5. I’m thankful for all the writer’s of romance who have paved the way before me, who have opened up a world that I am proud to be a part of.
6. I am thankful that I can write and hope one day to make actual money for my family with my writing.
7. I am thankful that I have a ms on Brenda’s desk at the moment.
I’m also thankful that I met her back in 2001 and I am blessed to call her my friend.
As a person, I am thankful for my family, my daughter, my husband, my little dog Spike, our home, my computer…I am thankful I was able to go to the doctor yesterday and get a prescription for my illness so I will be cured soon.
I am thankful for the beautiful fall day we have here in Denver today. And for the glass of iced tea I have sitting on my desk and Spike-a-noony lying on his pillow at my feet.
Have a wonderful day all,
Cher :fallleaf:
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I’m thankful for soo much! As a writer:
1. My friends, both readers and authors, who kick my arse when it needs to get in gear.
2. My family, who don’t complain about lack of clean underwear when I’m under a deadline or writing like an inspired crazy person.
3. My Newfies and the lolcat because they don’t laugh at me when I talk to my characters. Out loud. Well…the cat laughs but she doesn’t mind.
4. My library. I can go online, order books and they’re delivered to my local branch for pickup.
5. The internet. It’s wonder for quick checks of facts/research.
6. The Plotmonkeys, especially Leslie and Julie for their friendship and encouragement.
7. COMPUTERS! OMG, I remember what writing was like before them!!!!!
8. iTunes and my iPod. I can download just the music I want and set up playlists for each WIP.
9. The readers who are waiting for my book release. (Ya’ll rock!)
10. And last but not least, I’m thankful I live in a country where I *CAN* write–anything and everything.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!
:turkkey: :thankstired: :thankstable: :thankshappy: :thankseat: :thankseat2: :thanksbig: :jive: :gobbler: :fourturks: :givethanks: :fallleaf:
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I’m just plain thankful! :thankshappy: …. and this is even after a lovely Dallas officer wrote me a ticket this mornin’!
… but he felt bad afterward (because I’m so darn cute I’m sure) that he told me how to get out of it! :givethanks:
Tami
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Ha! Wish the one who’d given me a ticket two months ago had done that. He was NOT nice and friendly. Ugh. And of all times to find out I had LOST my driver’s license…while being asked for it by a grumpy state trooper who’d pulled me over for speeding, was NOT the way to go.
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P.S.
:fallleaf: I’m thankful that I found a copy of Pitch Black by Leslie Parrish on the shelf at Border’s today & I had a $5.00 coupon to use!! 
:givethanks:
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I’m so very grateful for all the friends I’ve made through the Jungle. I consider all the Plotmonkeys to be friends (probably y’all don’t, but I do
).
For the writing friends and critique partners I’ve made through RWA Online.
For my laptop (even though it is about to crash) and for the little netbook I have as a backup.
For having 1 publishing credit to my name, even if it is small and almost a year old.
For a family that is extremely supportive of my writing.
For the internet which makes research so easy. And for Facebook, which has helped connect me with great resources.
For the microwave, which make fixing dinner easy when I’m too tied up in the writing to stop and fix anything.
I know there’s more, but my brain is tired and that’s all that came to me without straining.
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Thanks so much for playing along everyone!
And right back at all of you–I consider this community a definite blessing in my writer’s and my personal life. I know I haven’t met all of you in person, but I feel like I “know” all of you and feel like we could all end up in a coffee shop somewhere and just have this same warm, wonderful sense of comeraderie that we have here.
I’m ever so thankful for that!
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I feel the same way about you, Leslie
Cher :fourturks:
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I am thankful to the writers that allow me to go into their world of stories and take my mind off of my every day life. Thank you.
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I’m thankful for my daughter, son, my health & books that I love. It’s so wonderful to be able to “transport myself”, when times get tough. Right now, I’m immersed in Robyn Carr’s “Virgin River” series, & NR’s “Wedding Quartet”, both of which I’ve especially enjoyed mostly because of the friendships central to each.
Leslie, hope Thanksgiving goes well, even w/MIL. How did the booksigning w/NR go? Donit want to be intrusive, but, you did say you’d give details–LOL.
Happy T. Day to all.
Patricia
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Patricia, I forgot to post them here, but I did put some pics up from the signing
on my personal blog: http://www.authorleslieparrishblog.com/2009/11/signing-with-nora.html
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As a reader, I’m thankful for
1. Good books to read by great authors, including the Plot Monkeys.
2. The Internet – it allows me to order the books I read, allows me to see the previous books published by authors I like and also allows me to read excerpts of new books so I can decide to buy or as the case sometimes is not buy them.
3. Blogs – it’s great to hear what authors and others have to say.
4. Having the money to buy more books, even if its not as many as normal. I know that in the current economy with job losses, this is not something that can be taken for granted.
As a person, I’m thankful for life (my health has been throwing tantrums recently) and that all my family are healthy.
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i am so thankful too thanks ladies fo r great books
:givethanks: :gobbler: