And now, for something a little different...

I've wanted to post about the mother/daughter day I had last Saturday, but I had a reason to hold off. I wanted to surprise a friend of mine, and he reads my blog. Now that I've seen him, I can share here.

My daughter and I both needed eye exams. I've been having a hard time looking at my computer monitor for the last month or so, and really wanted to get contacts, again. She needs glasses to practice driving. So we scheduled our appointments for the same day, same time. Our eye doctor du jour was fantastic. Funny, engaging and highly entertained by our quirky personalities, he made the appointment fly by.

Afterwards, we stopped at Target and bought (gasp!) hair dye. Yep, I caved. I decided I'd had enough of the haphazard and plentiful white streaks in my dark hair. We arrived home, ate dinner and then headed over to my neighbors house. She cut my hair, and then kindly offered to do the dye job for me.

I've been calling the color of my hair chocolate covered cherry. Indoors, it looks very rich, dark chocolate brown. In the sunlight, it glows burgundy. I love it! I also love the fact that I can see without having to slap glasses on my face. And, oh yeah, sunglasses are so much fun!

My friend's reaction to my appearance changes was a little anti-climactic, but that's a real friend for you. They see the you, inside, before they ever notice the outside. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Third blog stop for The Fiction Class

Today, you can see what Jenn thought of The Fiction Class by Susan Breen. Please stop by her blog at Jenn Hollowell: Working Writer!

Review - Bikini Season, by Sheila Roberts

Bikini Season
Sheila Roberts
St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN # 978-0312370800

"Erin Merritt has returned to her scenic hometown of Heart Lake to plan her wedding, but when she repeatedly runs into her childhood crush, she wonders if she’s engaged to the wrong man. To make matters worse, all the stress is making her eat, and now she can’t fit into her wedding dress.

Erin enlists the help of her cooking club--Angela, Megan and Kizzy--and the Teeny Bikini Diet Club is born. The women make a pact to get slim enough to wear their bikinis to the lake by summertime, a pact that changes their lives forever. With a little help from her friends, Angela faces her fear that her marriage is crumbling. Megan confronts the self-esteem issues that have always held her back. Kizzy deals with her husband’s efforts to sabotage her diet and keep her overweight. And Erin learns some important truths about love."

I reviewed Sheila Robert's On Strike For Christmas a few months ago. Now she's back with Bikini Season. I love the way Sheila writes. She invites you in and then shows incredible skill as hostess to the world she has created.

Bikini Season is no different. I could relate to the characters. I've struggled with my own body issues and body image at times. And what woman hasn't cringed when she hears the words bikini shopping?

I really liked the book. I liked that the characters grew, stereotypes were represented, but not overblown and Sheila uses humor more often than not. Bikini Season is just in time to stash in your beach bag and enjoy while lounging on a blanket, sipping lemonade!
(April 2008, pp 304, $13.95)
Reviewed as part of the virtual book tour hosted by Pump Up Your Book Promotion

Sixty degrees of separation

I don't have any new books on my bedside table today. I'm still in the process of reading the ones from last week.

I'm getting my work cleared from my desk this morning, so that I can go play this afternoon. The projected high temp for today is 60! And sunny! I'm playing hooky this afternoon. Even if it's just running errands, I will get outside and soak up some Vitamin D.

The second stop of Susan Breen's blog book tour is today. Head on over to Blog Stop Book Tours to see where she is appearing.

Have a great day and a great weekend everybody!

New magazine sources

If you're just starting out in the freelance writing world, or you've been doing it forever, new magazines are something you want to keep track of. Here are the links to websites, if you're looking for more information.

• Wooden Horse Publishing
• Magazine Yellow Pages
• Mr. Magazine

Another way to break in to the world of writing for magazines is to search online, using the search terms "call for submissions" or "calls for submission". You'd be amazed at what will turn up.

That's all for today. I'm off to work.

Interview - Christine Norris, author of The Crown of Zeus

Today's 5 Q&A is with Christine Norris, author of The Crown of Zeus

1.) Who are you?
I'm a substitute teacher looking for a permanent teaching job who writes because she loves it, living in New Jersey. I also love reading and making crafts and movies and Ugly Betty.

2.) Have you always had an interest in Greek mythology?
Pretty much. Not just Greek mythology, but all mythology appeals to me. My next book relies on the mythology of Ancient Egypt, and I've been researching ancient China lately for the third book in the series. I love to see how the mythology is woven throughout the culture that supports it.

It's not just mythology, but folktales too - I'm a huge fairy tale fan.

3.) How did the idea come to you to incorporate magic, adventure and mythology for young adults?
I love fantasy, and I wanted to do something different. I'd written two 'high-fantasy' books already - plenty of wizards, dragons and fairies - and I was looking for something outside the usual 'stuff' that's in the bookstores now. I started with the idea of the big manor and the secret library, and the rest sort of fell into place. I'm not an outliner, I let the story come to me. But once I started, I couldn't stop. I have ideas for the rest of the series, and I can honestly say I know how the last book will end. I don't know everything, but I do know that.

4.) Have you received any feedback from kids who have read your book?
Not yet, mostly because e-books are still sort of new, and I don't know that many kids read them. I like e-books, almost as much as paper, and I think kids, who are always into the techno stuff, would like them too.

But I know at least one YA reviewer has a copy and I'm waiting to hear what she thinks. All the adults who've read it have liked it, which really makes me think I've hit the mark. My first two books were well received by kids, though, so I'm hoping this one is as well.

5.) What's next?
The Ankh of Isis. Tentatively scheduled to be released in e-book by Samhain in July. It's the second in the series. I'm working on the third as we speak.

The Crown of Zeus will be out in trade paperback on Dec. 29, 2008.

Thanks so much, Christine!

Stuff and such...

The Blog Stop Book Tour of The Fiction Class by Susan Breen begins today. Head on over to Thursday Bram to see the first of ten reviews. The nine other blog addresses are listed at the Authors On Tour page.

The book reviews and interviews scheduled for April here at Virtual Wordsmith are as follows:

• April 2 -Interview - Christine Norris, author of The Crown of Zeus
• April 7 - Review - Bikini Season by Sheila Roberts
• April 9 - Interview - Sheila Roberts
• April 11 - Review - Birthing the Elephant by Karin Abarbanel and Bruce Freeman
• April 14 - Review - The Right Way To Write, Publish and Sell Your Book by Patricia Fry
• April 16 - Interview - Patricia Fry
• April 22 - Review - Fifteen Minutes of Shame by Lisa Daily
• April 24 - Interview - Lisa Daily

There may be a review and interview the last week of April, but you'll have to stop back to see.