Music Monday – Old Alabama
Yesterday was the Daytona 500. It was bittersweet for me. My driver, Kyle Busch was in a wreck on Saturday in the Xfinity race. His right leg and his left foot are broken and required surgery overnight. (more…)
Late Racing Post
I wrote this post Sunday night and told y’all I’d be writing one every week about the race. I spent the better part of the day updating the Books page of my website and was late getting started on the race (thank goodness for the DVR). I shuffled some things around. Some covers went to the top, some to the bottom, but most all of them were grouped or regrouped differently. Much like the race in Phoenix over the weekend.
It’s all about strategy for these guys. Short track racing. New surface. Different tire. Different fuel cells this year. It’s not just about the new cars and new paint schemes, though I’ll admit, looking at all the bright, shiny new designs is really cool. My son and I buy several new die-cast cars a year. I can’t even begin to tell you how many he has. Hundreds. Me, I have 7. But I seem to keep adding more… It’s a fun little thing we share.
The #18 finished in 6th. He led quite a few laps. The #47 (Bobby Labonte, my other driver) finished 16th. This was really a good effort for him and I’m proud of the comeback he’s been making the last couple of years. This was the second race of the Nascar season, but after all the hype and drama of Daytona and speedweeks, it’s now time to get down to business. It’s all about the points, leading laps, winning races, figuring out those ever important strategies of fuel mileage, when to pit and when to stay out, when to hang back and when to make a charge toward the front.
These guys and their crew chiefs are always thinking, always trying to find the edge, always trying to figure out how to make the best of what they’ve got, how and when to take the time to change things up, tweak things, add here, or take away there. It’s not all that uncommon for authors to do that too. Or anyone really. Maybe that’s one of the reasons I like sports. There’s thinking involved, there’s trying to one up and man up and do better. There’s always someone with that winning strategy that can pull it out in the end and make us all wonder just how in the Hell they did it. I know most people don’t see the appeal, especially with racing. It’s not just about them going around in a circle turning left all the time. It’s the scuffles on the track. It’s the tempers. It’s the wrecks. It’s the strategy in the pits. It’s the arguments. It’s the paint schemes. It’s the rivalries. It’s the thinking involved. It’s who hit who at the wrong time in the wrong spot (and it’s Danica Patrick having a temper tantrum and telling her teammate to give her plenty of room…). It’s intense at times. It’s fun.
Denny Hamlin and the #11 Fed Ex Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota won the race in Phoenix on Sunday. Congratulations to them. Though, that #29 there behind him, did his damnedest to catch up and win. He just didn’t have enough fuel left. See, again, strategy…
(photo courtesy of ESPN Radio 104.5FM)
Next, it’s on to Las Vegas. Kyle Busch and his brother, Kurt are from Vegas. Maybe I’ll get lucky and one of them will win!
Y’all have a great day!
~lissa
Miscellaneous
It’s not been a very exciting week. I’ve spent it trying to get back to myself. I’ve been a bit down, a bit muddy in the head, restless, etc… I caught up on some shows I’d DVR’d, watched a few movies, watched hours of cooking shows on Food Network and Cooking Channel, read a little bit, napped, did some writing by hand, made a few lists on some new ideas. I haven’t talked to anyone really and have only tweeted a little.
I don’t know other authors like this. I’m sure there are some, but, none that I know specifically. I go through these periods and usually when I come back on the other side, I’m motivated, inspired, and my writing is better.
I’ve also gotten a few really good reviews this week, but…
Okay, one said the story ended too abruptly without the reader knowing what happens after… Well, honestly, what’s wrong with a little imagination? I don’t write ‘I love you’ endings. I don’t write a lot of complete endings where everything is spelled out. I lose a lot of interest in books after the couple gets together and I even get bored with writing too much after it. I realize this is me and most people want a more complete ending with ‘I love you’ and everything spelled out. I know I need to learn to write it and am working on it. I actually added an epilogue in my seasonal book, Arrested Holiday. And I’m gonna tell y’all, it was hard for me.
Another review for another book of mine said that the hero and heroine’s involvement, how it began was highly improbably. My issue with this is… yeah, it is highly improbable, but then, 90% of the romance novels, novellas, quickies, etc… that I read are so far beyond probable and possible and realistic that most times I roll my eyes and think ‘yeah right!’ At the same time, this is fiction, this is fantasy and if we can’t venture into dreams come true because of however improbable the idea is…what are we doing?
A lot of my books have down to earth people, real people, plus sized girls, real jobs, not at unlimited amount of money and resources, and only once have I written about someone that might be famous and well-off. I have a few other books about this kind of hero, but, if the average woman can’t fantasize about him, about the actor, the singer, the race car driver, the football player without being reminded of what is improbable, then why create the fairy tale in the first place? I want realistic characters. I want the everyday, independent woman. I even want the everyday, independent man. I do though, want a little bit of fantasy in my books. Not so much that I can’t relate in any way, shape, or form which is what most romance and erotic romance is to me…too much that I can’t relate to, but there’s some out there that are perfect for the real woman. That’s my goal as a writer.
Over last weekend, I found that I had gone down a size. Weight Watcher’s is working for me. Slowly. But it’s working. I’m eating real food, not having to limit carbs or fats or sweets or meat or coffee. This is good for me. I agree with the sentiment that if you don’t have choice, you aren’t likely to keep at it for long. Then again, other people have more will power than me. I am proud of myself however. I am enjoying playing with food again, trying new recipes, tweaking old recipes, having a little Halloween candy, and again, my coffee. Y’all know how I am about my coffee.
Some of my new favorite ingredients are: Light Butter, Turkey Pepperoni, Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges, Celery, Gingersnaps, Reduced-Fat Sliced Cheese (provolone, swiss, colby-jack), Pesto, Goat Cheese, ground chicken/turkey, Italian Turkey Meatballs, Gourmet Garden Herbs and Spices.
Y’all no doubt have noticed all the race car pictures. We live down the street and around the corner from most of the NASCAR race shops. These images are from Joe Gibbs Racing, home of Kyle Busch, Denny Hamiln, and Joey Logano. Also down the street we have, Hendrick Motorsports, Ganassi, Rousch Racing, Petty Racing. A few miles up the road, you’d find Kyle Busch Motorsports, Penske Racing, JR Motorsports, Red Bull Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing. In the other direction, up a few miles, would be Richard Childress Racing and Kevin Harvick Incorporated.
Race shops are all over the place here. If you watch Speed TV, they are just down the street and around the corner.
And though I know many of you aren’t fans of NASCAR, it’s a big part of my life because it’s a big part of my son’s interest in life and well, I’m good with sharing it with him, having something to do together, enjoy together. Y’all know how important it is to me to be a part of what makes my kids happy. I can’t imagine NOT wanting to share things with my kids, creating those memories, being able to talk with them. So, from time to time, I’ll post pictures from the race shops. Just indulge me…
We had a great time at the races in Charlotte, and y’all KNOW I was absolutely ticked when Kyle lost. But, it was fun still to be with the crowd and with my family. Drunk people are the most hilarious. There were these 4 women, two of which were so drunk they couldn’t walk without help. The one woman just thought she was the shit and it was so funny. They had tickets and seats somewhere, but they either didn’t know where or didn’t care. They were walking around our section, sitting in whatever 4 empty seats they could find or until someone came and asked them to move. Well, after about an hour of them moving around, stumbling up and down steps, falling into each other, a non-drunk woman there with her kids and husband, went and found the cops. We never saw the 4 women again.
Now, I don’t have any problems with you wanting to drink beer. I do have an issue with how many drunks drive after sporting events, but, what I don’t understand is why pay so much for tickets and drink so much that you have no idea what’s going on? Seriously, why? Aside from the fact that you provide me a great deal of entertainment, but why drink SOOOOO much that you can’t remember your name, the name of your team or driver, or where you parked your car?
Anyway, I don’t really have much else to talk about today, but knew I needed to spend a little time with y’all. I need to see about planning dinner, eating a bit of a snack, go to the store, find the new cupcake and jelly roll pans I need for baking the next couple of weeks (red velvet cupcakes and coca-cola cake) along with the birthday present for my neighbor’s son.
I’ll be posting tomorrow for Snippet Saturday so tune in, though I forgot what the theme is… I’ll have to go look it up. My ‘Noles aren’t playing this weekend, but will be playing Thursday night.
Cracklin’ Rosie comes out Tuesday!!!!
If y’all haven’t joined in the Night Owl Romance web hunt (banner to the right), why not? Go hunt!
I’ll be participating in a hunt starting Sunday as well where I’ll be giving away a copy of Cracklin’ Rosie! You can find more information at Samhellion.com
I’ll be chatting on Wednesday at Kris Cook’s place, doing an interview on Thursday at Drea’s Place, celebrating the release at the Romance Studio on Friday.
In case y’all didn’t know, Jaz’s book, Ink Spots has been contracted by Ellora’s Cave. I’m so very excited by that… Arrested Holiday, which is coming from Loose Id at some point, is in line edits. I’m going to be participating in NaNoWriMo in November.
Lots coming up!
Have a great weekend, y’all!
~lissa
Coming Soon!
Coming Soon!
