Plot Monkeys

Well, I am getting ready to make the big move from Florida to Maryland this week. And on the way, I’ll be dropping off my 18 year old to college. :whimper:

Anyway, to stop myself from crying, I decided to sit and think of all the interesting observations I’ve made about moving over the past several days. Here’s what I discovered…

1. A small box of VHS tapes weighs as much as an empty refrigerator. Or a full dishwasher.

2. All rental trucks should come with a “Warning: P.O.S.” (piece of s**t) sign.

3. Newspaper should not be substituted for wrapping paper…unless you are a stupid criminal, and then you can feel free to use it so you can leave three-thousand smudgy black fingerprints all over every surface of your house.

4. Mom can pack up 15 moving cartons in the time it takes an eleven year old to pack one marked, “stuffed animals.”

5. Sticky packing tape never sticks to anything as well as it sticks to itself.

6. The minute you finish packing up the 8th box marked “Kitchen” you realize you’ve packed your only measuring cup, which you need in order to make the Hamburger Helper your poor family is going to have to eat for dinner since you’ve also packed up all your pots, pans and baking supplies. And not one of the 8 boxes mention containing a measuring cup.

7. No toys are as desirable to a child as the ones in the box marked, “Goodwill.”

8. “There’s the rebate check I lost four years ago!”

9. Painting “around” the huge entertainment center DID make a lot of sense three years ago. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to remember which particular shade of “cream” paint is the one you used in the family room.

10. Cardboard box + leaky Windex bottle = Very Bad News.

11. A family of 5 x 6 years in a house + 1 dog - 1 college student x the square root of the hypotenuse makes for a whole shitload of stuff to move.

12. The directions for the ice cream maker, which you’ve saved in a kitchen drawer since July 4th 1999 (the one time you’d actually used the thing) thinking you would someday put them back in the ice cream maker box in case you ever actually made ice cream again, disappear out of the drawer where they’ve been sitting for the past seven years the very moment you get the ice cream maker down from the attic to stick it on the moving truck.

13. Chip clips multiply.

14. So do magnets.

15. And coupons.

16. Books do it exponentially.

17. Those bags that save space by having all the air sucked out? They leak. Big time. So you have not only the size of the object you were trying to suck all the air out of, but also the velocity of the bag, which is absolutely useless.

18. All those kindergarten papers…and 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc.etc. papers, that were so cute when your kid brought them home, meaning you just had to save them all…

They’re worth it.

Congratulations to Amy S, #28, who wins the prize for this week! Please email me at julie@julieleto.com with your snail mail address so I can set up delivery!

This week, you’ll have to go to a remote location for the funny…I couldn’t figure out how to post it here. It’s an amazing video, lots of fun and actually, one you can share with your kids.

HOUSE OF DOMINOES VIDEO

Thanks everyone for entering…and for all the compliments on THE DOMINO EFFECT from those who have read it. You all just made my day!

Enjoy!

Q: How do you write when your life and things around you aren’t cooperating?

JEL: Sometimes, I don’t. Honestly, sometimes I have to say, “Uncle” and just deal with life. Writing can be such an emotionally exhausting career, that the body and mind can only take so much. However, at other times, writing can be a refuge from life’s insanity. In my books, everyone listens to me and does what I say (well, sort of.) I have control. It all depends on where I am on a book. If I’m working hard and on a roll, it’s hard to stop me. It’s when I give myself too many breaks that it’s hard to get back to the discipline.

CP: What Julie said. But sometimes you take so much time for life, that you are more crunched than you want to be or can afford to be. Then saying “Uncle” is no longer an option. Sometimes I lay up panicked but I’m just too tired and wiped out to write. Then you have to find a way to get back to it, because it’s a job and you must. The good news is that usually when I get back to it, I can find the flow and have fun again. It’s the getting back to it that can be challenging and there is no answer for that except BICHOK. (BUTT IN CHAIR, HANDS ON KEYBOARD).

JD: Unfortuantely, when life is crazy, I don’t write. And that’s not good. I’ve been trying to set a daily schedule for my writing, but haven’t found anything that works! If anyone has any tips on writing on a daily schedule, please share! Also, if you’re looking for inspiration when it comes to writing every day, no matter what, you need to read the “Writers on Writing” column in the August issue of the Romance Writer’s report that features Nora Roberts and her writing habits. This woman is a dynamo, and the article is motivating and inspiring. In fact, think I need to go reread it again! LOL.

LK:: Umm…somebody, when you figure out the answer to this, let me know, okay? Like Janelle, when life is crazy, I don’t write either. And my life has been so crazy for so long that I’m getting nothing done. But since I’m moving next week, I HOPE that will soon be coming to an end! Please keep your fingers crossed for me, okay?

Guilted by Janelle’s post about exercise and eating right, my contest this week will be calorie free, too! (However, if you want chocolate, I’m running a sweet contest over at my Marisela blog, too. Feel free to enter both!)

Anyway…since THE DOMINO EFFECT is on the shelves right now and it’s all about playing games, I decided to offer this:

Dominoes have never been so wild! Wildfire features an electronic center hub that plays crackling fire sounds and lights up the “Wild” numbers during play. It also features 3 different types of “Wild” dominoes: Wild Ones – playable anywhere, and Double & Triple Wildfire Splitters that make the Wildfire spread! When a “Wild” is played, the player must press the center domino on the electronic hub to find out what number the “Wild” will be. Keep your flames under control and extinguish your opponents to win! Comes with one set of colorful Wildfire Dominoes (65 domino tiles), one electronic Wildfire hub, game instructions, and is packaged in fiery orange flame-shaped tin. For 2 – 8 Players, Ages 8 and Up.

And since games like this are no fun unless you have friends over, I will include 4 signed copies of THE DOMINO EFFECT for you to share with all your friends.

I also suggest you figure out a way to turn this into a drinking game, but then, that’s the hedonist in me.

Just post here to win…remember, continental US only for shipping purposes. (Trust me, the Plotmonkeys are trying to figure out a way to do an International contest sometime in the future!)

As most of you know, I’ve adopted a healthier way of eating in my quest to lose 60 lbs. As of right now, I’ve lost 17 pounds and a total of 6 inches, and though I know I still have a long ways to go, I’m focused and dedicated on getting every last pound off my body. And with that in mind, I knew there was something else I needed to add to my new lifestyle. Exercise.

Ugh. Let me put my feelings about this in simple terms. I. HATE. EXCERCISE. It’s not something I enjoy at all, even though I realize there are so many healthy benefits to reving up my pulse and working out my muscles. And, it really does go hand in hand with the weight loss. So, I’ve accepted, albeit reluctantly, that I do need to incorporate some kind of exercise into my routine. But knowing myself and what a slacker I am when it comes to exercising, I knew that I’d need someone to keep me motivated. Someone who wouldn’t let me slack off when I’m feeling lazy. Someone who would force me to get off my butt and do what I needed to do, and didn’t take “no” for an answer.

I realized I needed a trainer. Someone that I would be accountable to, and it was their job to keep me motivated and on track. So, after some researching, I found Jared. Isn’t he just the sexiest thing you’ve ever seen? I figured if I was going to be working out, that having someone who looked like Jared couldn’t hurt. Wouldn’t you wake up smiling every day and anxious to get to your work-out session if you had this stud muffin waiting for you?

Yeah, don’t I wish? To be honest, Jared is my fantasy trainer.

Here’s my actual reality. My new trainer is our family dog. Yep, you read that correctly. Let me introduce you to Sandie Denison, our 5 year old canine who is currently keeping me motivated and exercising on a daily basis. Over the years that we’ve had Sandie, she gets her own exercise by chasing lizards in the backyard, and we also play ball with her, which she loves. However, when I made the decision to add daily exercise into my life (and instantly ruled out a daily trip to the gym!), I decided to start with a walk around the neighborhood every evening. And who better to accompany me than Sandie? After one evening walk, we were both hooked.

Let me tell you, if you think Sandie is a light-weight at thirty-four pounds, you’re sorely mistaken. Sandie is a rigid and tough trainer, and she literally walks me. She doesn’t accept excuses and she certainly doesn’t cut me any slack on the walk. After the first evening, Sandie decided that this form of exercise was going to be a daily event, whether I wanted to or not. Every day at five in the afternoon, she finds me and gives me “the look”. I’m not joking. It’s the look that says “I’ve been good all day long and now it’s time for my walk”. I’ve tried to ignore her, but she is relentless. She’ll follow me through the house and even whine, which is something she rarely does. If I tell her to be quiet and go lay down, she’ll obey, but she’ll lay down right where I am, with her snout on her paws, and her big brown eyes looking up at me. Talk about a guilt-trip!

I swear, there are days when I’m just not in the mood to walk, but I just can’t bring myself to disappoint Sandie. I start to feel guilty because the walk brings her so much pleasure, and this is such a small thing to give to her when she gives the family so much. So, I resign myself to the fact that I will be getting my daily dose of exercise after all. The leash comes out of the closet, and Sandie goes beserk. She does her “I’m-so-excited” dance on the tile floor, and she’ll bark until the leash is attached to her collar. I have to admit, this really does make me smile, because she’s just so darn cute and happy in that moment.

Then, off we go on our hour long walk around the neighborhood, which is a little over three miles long. I have to tell you that Sandie is NOT one of those dogs that slowly strolls along. This dog is a power-walker and keeps me walking at a very quick pace. She has things to sniff, stuff to do, and people and other dogs to see — and she’s not about to waste her time on a leisure stroll. She’s not about to slow down for anything. The first half of the walk is fairly easy and is mostly even ground, though the fast pace does accelerate my heart-rate. The second half of the walk is a mile and a half of a gradual incline that nearly kills me. Not Sandie. She’s still doing her power-walk, and when I attempt to slow down, she’ll have none of it. She will pull me along and force me to keep up. By the time we arrive back at home, I’m feeling the burn in my hips, butt, and thighs, I’m sweating, and we’re both panting for breath.

Whew. Exercise complete.

Yes, Sandie is my new trainer, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Not to mention that we’re both healthier for her persistence. She motivates me and won’t let me slack off – not even one day a week. In return, all she demands from me is love and attention and a few treats. I think I can handle that.

Well, I suppose I’ll join the plethora of blogs lamenting the demise of Bombshell, the Silhouette line that will cease publication in January, 2007. I always lament the loss of any Harlequin or Silhouette line simply because it means that a good many of my friends are going to be out of work and well, that doesn’t sit well. It also means that readers who loved the line will now be disappointed when they go to the rack and look for their favorite books. I know I still feel the loss of Temptation very keenly, not just as a writer, but as a reader.

But there is something else about the death of this line that bothers me.

The kick-ass heroine.

Is she on her way out?

I mean, I have to admit that as much as I loved the concept of Bombshell and though I looked at them every month, I didn’t actually buy many. About a dozen, all by favorite authors like Vicki Hinze, Katherine Garbera and Erica Orloff. Of those, I read one. Why? Mainly because of Marisela. I didn’t want to be influenced as I developed this series about a kick-ass heroine by any other kick-ass heroines. But the one I read was great. And the ones I picked up every month to look at because the covers were amazing all sounded fabulous. The reviews were great. The books won RITAs.

I guess I was part of the problem. I didn’t buy more books.

But because of Marisela, I have to go back to my original concern…is there room in the current marketplace for the kick-ass heroine?

I think there is. Recently, at the Potpourri Board of All About Romance, a discussion went on where readers bitched about the lack of authentic female spy characters–women who were willing to do anything, and I mean, ANYTHING, to get the job done. I was very pleased to see my current Blaze, THE DOMINO EFFECT, mentioned because Domino is definitely a kick-ass heroine. She’s not as social as Marisela, but I think if they were trapped in a room together, they’d get along pretty damned well.

The difference between Domino and Marisela is big–Domino has been an assassin for 15 years. She’s lived the life of a spy exclusively since she was a teenager. She doesn’t know anything else, so therefore, she is very good at what she does. Her conflicts are deeply personal. Quiet. Hidden.

Marisela, on the other hand, is still figuring things out. She ran with a gang, but has loving parents. She’s constantly torn in two directions between being “good” and being herself. She has no regrets in her life, like Domino, but she struggles with right and wrong whereas Domino doesn’t really care about morality so long as she achieves endgame, which for her, is always the right thing.

Both characters intrigue me like no other characters I’ve written have. I’m trying desperately to figure out a way to write about Domino again, which judging by the end of the book (for those of you who have read it) isn’t going to be an easy task. But her story isn’t over yet. I can feel it.

And of course, you all know that I’m hoping that Marisela will go on for at least three more books. She has a lot of growing to do and I’m enjoying taking her on that journey.

But is the romance readership open to women like this, women who can honestly take care of themselves, who really don’t need a man, but he’s a really great perk?

It’s no secret that Marisela was partially inspired by Eve Dallas from J.D. Robb’s In Death series. I loved Eve because of her dark complexity and her innate capability. Rourke, her husband, is the ultimate hero. He’s powerful, sexy, irresistible…but not essential. Not, at least, to for Eve to be who she was. With Rourke, Eve becomes a softer, better person, but she is still the same capable, driven, kick-ass cop that you love before Rourke comes into the picture. It’s a different dynamic and one that I’ve explored with Marisela…just with two guys (well, three) instead of one.

I think about other female characters I’ve loved that go along this line…Sydney Bristow. Wonder Woman. Princess Leia. All amazing women from different eras in my life who only add depth with a man at their side…they can very well stand alone if they have to, which makes their love all the more hard to give, which ramps up the sexual tension.

What do you think? Do you like a kick-ass heroine? Which ones? And why?

(And don’t forget to pop over to my Marisela blog this week for a great contest!)

What is it about …

Stupid movie comedies?

My favorite movies are stupid comedies that are funny because they are impossible to believe and insanely funny.

Here is my review criteria in case you forgot, although today I’m only listing my all time favorites, including one movie out now that I just saw tonight.

And so I bring to you, Carly’s Backseat Reviews, part 2
.
5 Carly Hearts - :love2::love2::love2::love2::love2: Don’t Miss
4 Carly Hearts - :love2::love2::love2::love2: Catch it on DVD or Reruns but DO catch it
3 Carly Hearts - :love2::love2::love2: It passes time
2 Carly Hearts - :love2::love2: At least it’s noise in the background while I’m working
1 Carly Heart - :love2: Don’t even bother with the DVD or Rerun
Broken Carly Heart - Don’t even turn on the TV

My all time favorite comedy?

SAVING SILVERMAN
5 Carly Hearts – :love2::love2::love2::love2::love2: - make no mistake this isn’t brain surgery but that’s exactly what makes it so much fun. For me, it was Jack Black before I knew who Jack Black was. I’m a huge Neil Diamond fan and when these guys start to play Hot August Night in wigs, I’m hysterical. But what’s the best is the bathroom humor. What’s funny is, I bought this on DVD so I could own it, not realizing it was uncensored. I HATED IT because guess what? Dirty humor isn’t funny when it’s every other word. When it’s unexpected moments that come out of someone’s mouth, you can’t help but roar with laughter. My friend Sharon recently picked it up for me in Target in DVD in it’s old Rated R version. Good thing. My VCR tape was wearing out.

TALLEDEGA NIGHTS
5 Carly Hearts – :love2::love2::love2::love2::love2: I saw this with my daughter tonight. My ten year old. I think I’ve mentioned this before but I’m a pretty permissive mom when it comes to these kinds of movies. She’s my movie buddy and we loved this one. Again, not brain surgery but if you want to spend the night laughing and being shocked that you’re actually laughing at something so ridiculous, this movie is for you. This movie for me was reminiscent of …

DODGEBALL
5 Carly Hearts – :love2::love2::love2::love2::love2: - because I could not catch my breath when these poor bastards ran through the street blindfolded and the old guy threw wrenches at the guys heads for training.

‘Nuff said.

My old favorite …

OVERBOARD
5 Carly Hearts – :love2::love2::love2::love2::love2: - and again, it’s so unbelievable, it’s actually funny. Goldie Hawn, a wealthy bitch gets amnesia, and Kurt Russell brings her home as his wife and mother of his obnoxious rambunctious boys to get revenge for her not paying him on a construction job he did for her prior to the amnesia. He brings home Salvation Army clothes to prove she lived there … She holds up a dress and he says, “You were shorter then. And it was before you lost the weight.?” To make this movie complete, it’s a romantic comedy. Love it.

And last but certainly not least …

WEDDING CRASHERS
5 Carly Hearts - :love2::love2::love2::love2::love2: - just because I couldn’t catch my breath watching it.

I bow down to writers who can put this all on paper, hand it to an actor and KNOW they can pull off funny. Funny isn’t easy. It’s hard. Probably as hard as us writing love scenes if not worse.

As for MIAMI VICE, well, when I wrote last week’s blog, I was really enjoying the old version. I’ve since decided I have no desire to see a dark movie when I could go and laugh instead.

Next up? BARNYARD because … what happens in the barnyard, stays in the barnyard.

Am I the only one who hates dark, hates scary, hates sad endings and will only watch either comedy, romance or a blend of the two?

I hope you all have a week filled with

I’m about to rant.

For those of you who read my post last week about the top ten “worst booksigning comments” let me update you. I almost made it through the 2 hour signing–which went very well for the most part, with a big crowd of supportive readers–without hearing any of those 10 “ugh” comments I talked about last week.

Then SHE came.

Get this in your mind: Mid-sixties. Powdered-white face. Bright red lips that were pursed to about the size of a dime. Brighter red hair frizzed out, long and ratty, flying in a bunch of directions. And an air of condescension that wafted around her as thickly as her gaggingly sweet old lady perfume.

Got it?

Guess which one she said. Really, you probably don’t even have to go look in last week’s archives to know…if you think about it for two seconds, I’m sure you’ll nail it…

“Oh, I don’t read those books.”

My first response: :biteme:

Man, we couldn’t even make it through one signing without a superior, pretentious literary snob with lousy hair making it her mission in life to look down on the four of us. I mean, imagine our gall, we jezebel heathens who had the audacity to say hello to her when she kept lurking (and I mean, this woman came back at least four times, including after she’d paid for her purchases!) around our table.

Her whole comment was this: “I don’t read those books, I read literary fiction and non-fiction, biographies and such.”

I smile. Say “Oh, I read those too.” (When what I really wanted to say was “Look, Witchy Poo, I Read The Red Badge of Courage, The Scarlet Letter, The Grapes of Wrath and The House of the 7 Gables when I was in FIFTH grade, so don’t look your pointy nose down at me.”

Not satisfied with her “general” put down, she has to go on. “I read one of those romance books once. By Nora Roberts. And I did NOT like it.”

I keep my smile, thinking “Oh, I’m sure Nora Roberts is gonna be so freaking crushed to hear that.”

Then she adds, “I just found it entirely inappropriate and offensive.”

So, very curious (though I suspected I knew the answer) I looked up at her and asked, “What, the sex or the violence?” (since I wasn’t sure if she was talking about a J.D. Robb book.)

That mouth grew even tighter. I’m talking pencil eraser size here, and she spits out, “That sex. It was all over. There’s no need for that kind of content in any book.”

Let me pause to say, I am NOT–repeat NOT–exaggerating about this. The woman was incredibly rude, offensive and obnoxious, to my face, stopping people behind her from coming up to get a book, all so she could comment on how unnecessary sex was.

Hmm…made me wonder if she’d ever had it.

Anyway, back to the convo…my reply, “Well, I understand you might not have liked it, however romance is a very broad genre, with a little something for everyone. And some readers quite enjoy the more sensual aspects of some novels.”

I was trying to point out the wonderful–non-sexual–Steeple Hill novel of my signing mate (the lovely and talented Rachel Hauck) when she interrupted.

“They would NOT miss all that sex for a minute if it weren’t there! If you would just leave it out, readers would still read the books. It’s only because the authors are shoving it at them that they put up with it. But I won’t.”

Well, color me educated.

I sat there fuming, watching as she walked away, wondering how quickly I’d find out whether or not she was wearing a wig if I leapt over the table and grabbed two fistfuls of her hair. Somehow, however, I restrained myself.

But that’s not the end. Because the crowd picks up a little, I get busy, then I glance over and see the same woman standing and looking at Roxanne St. Claire’s books. Roxanne, being the charming sweetheart that she is, engaged her in conversation, while, under the table, I stabbed her in the leg with the tip of my pen. Fortunately, we are interrupted at that point by a local reporter, who’d come to cover the signing for the “society” page. (I didn’t know we even had a society page, nor why a handful of romance authors would qualify to be on it. But hey, free publicity…

So, we do the interview, we pose for pictures. And guess who is lurking around this whole time, holding a bulging Barnes & Noble bag (probably filled with the biography of Mother Teresa, and classic novels by Steinbeck, Hemingway and Sidney Sheldon :snort:.) I can’t figure out why this judgmental woman is still sticking around until a few minutes later, when I see her spewing her judgmental, narrow-minded opinions to the reporter! I kid you not, at the end of the event, the reporter told us the woman had come up to her and given her an earful about the smut we were peddling.

Good thing Witchy Poo had left by then because I might have been tempted to go a little postal on her saintly ass.

So, there you have it, another example of the witless wonders who make it awfully dang hard to be a self-confessed romance novelist.

Fortunately, right afterward, Roxanne, Rachel, Karen Hawkins (adorable woman–great writer!) and I grabbed up our posses and went to T.G.I. Friday’s for a pig-out and enormous margaritas. :cocktail: But I can’t deny that I kept my eyes peeled for my number one fan…if I’d seen her again, I think I’d have offered her a free copy of one of my books, promising her it didn’t have any of that (gasp) nasty sex stuff in it.

Personally, I think she really needs to read a hot sexy romance novel…even if she has to hide in a closet with a flashlight so nobody will ever know her deep dark secret. People like that usually do.

The winner of Friday’s Jungle Madness is …..

Karen G. (Friday’s Post #65)

Congratulations and don’t forget to email me at: carlyphillips@mac.com
with your snail mail so I can send your prize!

And now for our Sunday funny. I’ve been trying to impress on my teenager the importance of sunscreen on her porcelain like skin. Showing her my chest and sunspots hasn’t helped so ….

Enjoy your summer and use protection.
SUNSCREEN, people. Get your mind out of the gutter.
Or back into our books.

PS: this came to me after I posted the cartoon and it’s well worth using here:

A man came home from work and found his three children outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard.

The door of his wife’s car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog. Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked
over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall.

In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing.

In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.

He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that something serious had happened.

He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls.

As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went. He looked at her bewildered and asked, “What happened here today?”

She again smiled and answered, “You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world I do all day?”

“Yes,” was his incredulous reply.

She answered, “Well, today I didn’t do it.”

Hi, all! Carly’s computer is in the shop, which means so are the questions ya’ll have sent for the Saturday Chit-Chat. So we made one up. Here it is!

What scenes are the hardest to write? Which ones are the easiest?

JEL: It depends from book to book, but mostly, the love scenes are the hardest. Clearly, it’s not because I’m comfortable with the subject matter, but because it’s a challenge to merge the level of emotion with the level of sensuality I like in my love scenes. I struggle over ever word. The easiest scenes for me are usually scenes with lots of dialogue–confrontation or discussion scenes where I can blend in a little humor. I love those.

JD: Like Julie, I find the love scenes the most difficult to write, mainly for the same reasons. I find that writing a love scene can take me DAYS, because I want to get it just right. That, and after 40+ published books, I want to make the scene as different and unique as I can between these two characters. For me, I find that “layering” really helps. I start with the basic sex scene and position, and from there add dialogue, internal thoughts, and the emotional impact and intensity I’m looking for in that particular love scene. I also make sure that I’m using words that evoke lots of sexual tension and sensuality and go back and make sure those are woven in, too. The easiest scenes for me to write are ones with lots of action. Those take off and fly, and hopefully make up for all the time and angst I took over writing the love scenes!

JEL: It’s funny that Janelle mentions action scenes. I used to be able to write them really quickly until Marisela. Now, they are incredibly choreographed and since I’m not a martial arts expert, I do a lot of research before each action scene, particularly those with weaponry and hand-to-hand combat. Car chases are fun, though.

CP: Transitions are always difficult for me to write. How to get from point A to point B without being boring. Love scenes are always tough. Apparently putting them in the right place has also become a challenge for me, LOL. The first 3/4 of the book is a bitch. It’s so much easier on the downhill slide at the end! So what’s left that’s easiest for me? THE END.

LK: I have the biggest problem right around chapter 3. I usually love jumping in and starting a book–the excitement and curiosity about discovering these new people and their story will usually carry me through to that point. Then I realize I have to have some kind of plot and it’s just been too dang long since I’ve had an in-person Plotmonkey fix, so I always sweat awhile while I get my head around where I’m going. Pressing through that “early-middle” part is always my biggest writing challenge. As for easiest–I love writing “first meet” scenes between the hero & heroine. I just love those scenes in every book and I always try to make mine unique and sassy, special and sexy. They set the tone for the book and the relationship and the characters…and believe it or not, they tell me a lot about where I’ll be going with these peopled.