The queen is dead. Long live her memory.

Connie Shillingburg died this weekend. She was a red-headed spitfire who taught history and English in several schools. We met at Edmond Memorial High School when I was a student teacher. I was fortunate enough to work with her and share the same book club, but I was most fortunate to call her a friend.

She inspired me. I loved that she loved traveling, reading, and laughing. Before she retired I asked her what she wanted to do post-high school. Aside from spending time with her grandchildren and traveling, I don't remember any other solid plans. She had always had fun in the classroom and dressed up in costume. I suggested she come to my English classes as Queen Elizabeth I. After all, she knew the history and shared a lot in common with the matriarch. Both ladies were witty, bullheaded, and highly intelligent. For several years, she visited my classroom and others. Among other tales, she regaled us with nursery rhymes about Queen Elizabeth and phrases we use today that originated in Elizabethan times. She made the queen real and made the people of her time--including Shakespeare--that much more attainable. For a couple of years I ran a Renaissance Festival for the ninth grade with the help of Creative Writing Club and Shakespeare classes. The queen reigned at the event. My ninth graders always seemed to be a little in awe of her. Even the representative sent to determine if our school was a Blue Ribbon School was enchanted by her. The woman had a list of classes to observe, but when she came to mine Connie was there, so she stayed for most of the hour!

Connie added to her repertoire and traveled around the country as Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria, and most recently Lydie Marland. (I think she impersonated another great lady or two as well.) In 2006 I had the pleasure of co-writing and performing a short play with her. I played the ghost of Mary Queen of Scots, and she played an Elizabeth I on her deathbed. Not only were our costumes spectacular, but also it was a good time. For Oklahoma's Centennial celebration, she conjured Lydie Marland. I wrote a feature article for Distinctly Oklahoma. Working with Connie was always a pleasure.

She is missed.

Home again

We've had a little time to recuperate from the trip, but we're both still exhausted. Our big plans of going on an adventure this weekend have been set aside in favor of being lazy. After Garrett brought me home from the airport I went straight to bed. I even slept on the plane, which is really saying something about my sleepy level because I'd just purchased Janet Evanovich's Fearless Fourteen.

We have new neighbors. First of all, there's Vincent the friendly guy who moved in downstairs while we were away. He said, "Hey, it's nice to meet youse guys." Yep, he really did. For those of you familiar with Evanovich's books, he looks like my idea of Morelli. He lives alone and I noticed passing by his window that his furniture looks remarkably bachelor-ish; however, he drives a modern station wagon. So, he kind of fits the Morelli mold in that respect, too.

Our other neighbors are quieter and furrier. A family of bunnies lives in the bushes below. Plus, there's a family of chipmunks in the same hedge. I told Garrett I wasn't sure if I'd recognize a chipmunk and he said, "They look like mice with fluffy tails." Not long after he offered that visual, one shot across the street and back again. A tiny bird was on the ground, and I noticed they're about the same size. The red squirrels outside our window continue to entertain us.

The wildlife in NJ isn't what we'd expected.

Old Friends

The end of my two week stay in eastern Oklahoma was capped off with dinner at PF Chang's in Tulsa with three of my oldest friends. At one point or another, we've all lived in different states. Now, Ange and Amanda (the ones on the ends) live in Oklahoma, Katie lives in Minnesota, and I live in New Jersey. We haven't all been together in five years, but the stars aligned and we got to visit for an evening--in between knock-knock jokes from Katie's eldest little girl! (Hey, some of them were even funny.) It was a nice way to end my visit.

HAWK workshop

The workshop went well last weekend. As always, Bill Bernhardt and the HAWK staff created an environment catered to the previous year's requests and critiques. Authors of HAWK books, a tv personality, a lawyer, a marketing director, and more offered workshops for attendees. It was a full two days.

A couple of years have passed since I've had a shot at teaching, so getting back into the groove was fun. I wholeheartedly approached my Indiana Jones theme by taking a bullwhip and throwing snakes (not real!) into the audience. Indie has a lot to teach writers about revision. Hopefully, the attendees learned something because I certainly had a good time. When my book comes out on November 18, I look forward to the opportunity of teaching/speaking engagements. If you know anyone who is interested, just send me a line.

Here are some worthy comments from the speakers:

"A pile of rejections doesn't spell doom if it's a pile of rejections from the wrong people."--Melissa Flashman, an agent at Trident Media.

This comment should inspire writers to not only research the genres agents like but to also keep trying. When discussing a hook for a query letter or pitch, she said that clever words don't interest her, but genre does.

"Smaller press can make you a priority on a list. A book that sells 10,000 copies will sell that many no matter who publishes it. If that’s the case with your book, consider that because people look at your numbers. It’s often the ones with the big advances that have difficulty selling the next book because the numbers are in the red." Paul Taunton, an editor at Random House

Not only am I thrilled to work with HAWK, a smaller house, but Paul's words reassured me that HAWK was the right house for my book. They really have made me a priority by allowing me to have a say on everything from final edits to book design. Where else can a first time writer get that sort of respect?

Below is a pic of some of my writing friends--old and new--who were at the workshop.

Baby Shower

When some friends learned I was in in the state for the last time before baby Max arrived, they quickly organized a baby shower. In addition to some adorable, easily packable things, they were thoughtful in considering how I'd have to get it back to NJ, so they gave us a generous gift card. Garrett and I are really blessed with good people in our lives. Thanks, girls.

I doubt the waiter had ever waited on so many pregnant women, but he fit right in because he is expecting his baby boy to arrive within the month. I think five mommies-to-be sat at the table. One of them delivered a baby girl this week. Congrats, Larra!

Here's my mom cutting the cake.

Not only was the cake adorable, but it was the only cake I've ever tasted that I thought was as good as my wedding cake. It was delicious. They said it was from Brown's Bakery.

My mom carefully cut around the booties. She tried to save them because she thought they were so cute. We met friends for lunch the next day and she'd hoped to show them. However, even though we stuck the cake in the fridge immediately, when we opened the box at lunch the next day, we were shocked. The top of the cake had absolutely no icing at all. Still, it tasted great!

There were several blue balloons at the table, but I took this one with me to the three different hotels I stayed in for the rest of my trip. It brightened each room and made me smile.

It's hard being away from so many friends and family--especially during pregnancy--but you girls really made me feel happy.

Pics from Brett's wedding weekend

Many of you wanted to see pictures from my brother's wedding, so here they are.



Lisa wanted to get married outside. Due to unpleasant Oklahoma weather (no shocker there!), her wish was unfulfilled, but I took this picture of the couple in the location where she wanted the wedding. Pretty, huh? It's their backyard! (When it comes to making things grow, my brother got all of the good genes. I've been known to kill a cactus.)

Here are my mom and dad at the rehearsal dinner barbeque. After watching the wedding video, my dad said he was going to shave his beard because he didn't recognize himself. My mom claims he's working on being the "town character."Notice Garrett made sure I had a nametag on my belly for Max, too.An hour before the wedding, Lisa noticed her garter was missing, so I went to a store that sold them. They didn't have blue, but it seemed to do the trick anyway. Here is her beautiful and aromatic boquet, basket for the flower girl, pillow for the ringbearer, and garter.

Lisa did a very good job in making the wedding elegant. However, she surprised Brett with a few special touches. After the vows, they turned to walk down the aisle. The music? Star Wars. The groom's cake was also a nod to their love of cinema. That's Boba Fett and Padme Amidala.

Lastly, here's a pic of the couple as they cut the cake.They returned from their honeymoon today. I hope it was fabulous--and that they don't mind me posting all these pics. Just know that if you're my friend or relative, I may very well put your picture on this blog!

Tummy pics

I've been out of town, so I've not downloaded/uploaded any pics in a while. Tomorrow will be week 29, so I'm bigger than these pics show. I feel silly posting these, but since many of you requested them, here goes...

WEEK 25
This one was taken right before my new sister-in-law's bridal shower on June 9. Garrett and I were at Lake Tenkiller.

WEEK 26

The interview

Being on the news last Thursday was an experience. I couldn't believe how nervous I was. (For those of you who watched, you probably heard my voice quiver on the second sentence.)Encouraging emails from friends bolstered my spirits. Knowing nice people were out there watching helped me gain courage. Thank you! Everyone we encountered at News 6 was kind, too. It seemed like a fun place to work.

On the way there, I practiced with Garrett different possible questions. Prior to that, my mom "interviewed" me as well. (Yes, I know, they're indulgent.) Of course, none of us anticipated the actual questions. Plus, I was thrown off when they realized they'd misplaced the cover to Glamour. Maybe they'll have me back in November to talk about the book since most of it was promoting the writing workshop this weekend, which, by the way, is still open for registration.

After all was said and done, I was in the building no longer than 15 minutes. Garrett and I checked in, and they let us through the door. Next thing I knew we were sitting in the studio. Beside me was a lady wearing a major set of headphones, and a few feet in front of us was a woman working the computer and teleprompter. On an elevated stage sat Glenda Silvey and a doctor answering telephone questions.

A few moments later, the smiling camera man rushed to me and said, "You're up next." Agh! He led me to the stage and clipped a microphone to my sweater. Glenda told me they were going to ask me a bit about being a writer and the workshop. My head was still spinning when she asked the first question...live.

The experience was worth repeating. If there is a next time, I'll know more what to expect!

My brother is married!

My brother married his sweetheart on Saturday. They've dated for seven years. After the preacher announced them "husband and wife," my uncle cried, "Hooray! Hooray!" Obviously, it was an event many of us have anticipated for years. We had the rehearsal dinner Friday night and the ceremony on Saturday.

It was fun to see family and meet my brother's co-workers, friends, and new in-laws. I was impressed by how truly nice everyone seemed to be. Also, I was so grateful that Brett and Lisa planned the event on a date I could attend. It was a special time.

Garrett purchased a Flip video recorder and put it to use. He originally wanted it for the baby but rushed to get it in time for the wedding. He hoped to catch a blooper for America's Funniest Home Videos, but the wedding went smoothly. I look forward to seeing the clips he took this week. I interviewed him and the best man after the bride and groom left in their abused car. Garrett and David have the same "haircut" and claimed they'd seen a couple of really hairy guys around the car, so I guess they're cleared.

Unfortunately, I cried during the ceremony, which alarmed the bride and her mother due to the belief that the tears cried during the wedding are tears the bride will shed during the marriage. Since I'm not much of a crybaby, we decided my tears didn't count since they were probably due to pregnancy hormones. Still, it was touching to see my brother taking his vows, winking at his bride, and being the happiest I've ever seen him in my life.

When I return to NJ, I'll post pictures.

Tulsa News Channel 6

If you're able to watch the news on 6 in Tulsa, OK, this Thursday, tune in! You'll get to witness my first interview. I think we'll discuss HAWK's workshop and Glamour. I'm scheduled for 12:40.

Release date is set!

Glamour is set to be released November 18!



HAWK has been kind enough to postpone the release so that I can travel and publicize after little Max is born. So, I'm planning to be in Oklahoma around November. I hope to see you all then.

HAWK Writing Workshop in Tulsa, OK

3 reasons to go to Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 21-22, 2008.
3. Tornado season is mostly at an end by then.
2. The HAWK Writing Workshop is a good one.

1. I'm speaking at the HAWK Writing Workshop!

I've attended previous workshops and have been thrilled at the different approach taken by HAWK. It's not like any conference I've ever attended. There is a personal touch that makes you feel comfortable and opens you up to learning. This year promises to be even better--and not just because I plan to dazzle my (captive) audience. The model for the weekend changes each session, so just because you've attended one before does not mean you know what to expect. The organizers really seem to pay attention to feedback and give attendees what they want. For example, this year the first day will have two tracks: one for fiction and one for non-fiction. The next day will be focused on selling your work.

One of my favorite aspects of the event is that it's a real workshop. Sure, speakers will talk to you and pull some of the lecture-y stuff you get at conferences around the nation, but here they also give you activities you can use in your writing as well as the opportunity to practice new skills. For example, one year we had a one-on-one pitch practice session. I watched others give their pitches and get critiqued as well as practicing my pitch. The experience was invaluable for pitch sessions as well as query letters. The personal contact with speakers and other attendees makes the learning continue beyond the sessions.

Learn more information here. Check out the faculty here. Register here

Sex and the City

The girls are back in town!

I saw Sex and the City in New York City yesterday. The movie was not a disappointment. On the contrary, I think I may even like it better than the tv show.

Yeah, I know, sacrilege.

Don't worry, I won't spoil it for you if you've not seen it yet, but it was refreshing how they picked up on the ladies' lives at the current time. It was interesting to see how they've changed--and stayed the same. Carrie's outfits are still too avant garde for me.

Just like the tv show, one thing stayed the same: eye candy for fashionistas. There is no doubt that fashion trends will soon follow. I'm not saying I like them all, but here is what I noticed...

Belts. Waist-cinchers were everywhere. Below is a pic with Miranda and Samantha in their nod to the 80's. Hmmm, SJP's little man suit is looking awfully 80's, too, actually. Charlotte, as ever, looked classy and divine throughout the film. I won't show more pictures of her because doing so may act as a spoiler if you've not seen the movie yet.

Feathers. They were in Carrie's hair. They were on runway models. They were even on a bag Charlotte carried. Expect to see them. Don't be shocked if they're blue.

Studs. Sure, a girl can always accessorize with a handsome fellow, but I'm talking about the kind worn in a gang fight in an old Michael Jackson music video. Again, a time-warp to the 80's but with a twist. Carrie wore this belt in a couple of scenes. Also, Samantha wore a dress with studs around her neck and along the shoulder. It was like she'd gone crazy with the Bedazzler.Pearls. Make it a long strand as seen above. Carrie wore these often. The other ladies wore long beads, too. However, Carrie even slept in hers.

Roses. These flowers were everywhere. They were in several scenes in expected places like tables--tightly clumped arrangements in gorgeous and interesting colors. However, they also appeared as a floral pattern in clothes as seen below. (Is it just me or is the line of that red dress part of what was wrong with 80's fashion?)I couldn't find a picture, but I loved the white jacket Carrie wore that consisted of white fabric roses.

Shoes. Certainly, the girls know how to rock a pair of shoes. In the movie, you'll notice they begin doing it in strange combinations. Chunky gladiators are worn with really girly dresses.

Metal. Whether it's an entire ensemble or only the accessories, these girls bring on the Midas touch. I'd also like to note here that I loved the Cinderella motif throughout the movie. Miranda seems to epitomize the idea of transformation through her style. She's never looked better. Again, see below for an example.

Let me know what you thought of the movie and what trends you predict!

The difference between NYC and NJ

I look pregnant. Really pregnant.

I know this because three people in the last week have congratulated me, asked my due date, etc. Also, many people look at my belly and give a little smile. I love this new experience. It's like kind strangers are wishing our little Max well. Plus, I no longer fall into the questionable category of pregnant vs. fat. I look as pregnant as I am!

Which is good since I'm 6 months along.

And you'd think it would have perks on public transportation.

However, I've learned an ugly fact about where I live.

In New York City, people notice I'm pregnant and open doors or offer seats on the subway.

On NJ transit, I stand in the aisle of the train while people look at my belly, look me in the eyes and then--I kid you not--close their eyes and snuggle back into their cozy train seats. This is while I'm standing, uncomfortable and thirsty, waiting for fifteen minutes on a delayed train before our fifteen minute ride even begins. (Thank goodness there are usually seats available for the 45 minute connecting ride!)

I know what you're thinking. She's had one bad experience. NO.

I didn't mention the attitudes at first. Now there is an established pattern. It wouldn't be so bad if the meanies weren't so blatant and smug about being comfy while they know I'm not. And, I know it sounds presumptuous of me to expect a person to be polite to a pregnant or elderly person, but that's what our society is supposed to do, right?

So, whose mama taught 'em right? NYC or NJ? Draw your own conclusions.

Jazz in the City

We went into the city yesterday and wandered around Chinatown. I followed a lady with a picture of bags who kept saying, "You like Chanel? You like Coach?"

Sure. Why not?

Garrett followed behind like a body guard. Their system was pretty high tech with one girl calling ahead to another. They also had a guy who seemed to be the head of the operation walking up and down the sidewalk. After a block or two, we were passed off to another girl who led us to a minivan filled with bags. Oh yeah.

We met up with our friends Stephanie and Josh who took us to a little place called Jule's Bistro in the East Village. It was tasty. The jazz music began at 1:00 and was peppy and good. The band was quite entertaining--the lead even imitated a trumpet just by pursing and blowing his lips. Seriously. Few would know it wasn't an actual instrument. Plus, if you're in the area, it has cheap drinks. Where else in the city can you get mimosas, kir, and sangria for $4.50? Not that I had one. They did serve my apple juice in a tumbler so that it looked like a whiskey, though.

movies

Since many tv shows are on hiatus for the season, we've caught up on movies.

27 Dresses
G's opinion:Thbbbt! 2 of 5 stars. Complete chick movie. Nothng in it for guys. Didn't hate it. I reserve 1 star for Romeo and Juliet.
B's opinion: 2 of 5 stars. Nothing new. Completely predictable. Didn't love any of the characters. Great concept many gals can identify with, though.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
G's opinion: 4 of 5 stars. Good, classic adventure. Over the top with Hollywood humor.
B's opinion: 4 1/2 stars. Exactly what I expected from the movie. Cornball jokes, fight scenes, unvelievable situations. I was content and joined the others who applauded the movie at the end. Unlike Transformers, this long awaited continunation of my childhood entertainment was smart enough to include the theme music. Satisfied nostalgia.

Dan in Real Life
G's opinion: 3 of 5 . Not a feel good movie. Mostly for the girls.
B's opinion: 4 of 5. Hilarious! I laughed out loud through most of the movie. Admittedly, it's a different sort of humor. If you liked Sideways, you'd like this one. Steve Carrell's subtle humor shows in his face and the situations with the family members are believable conflicts.

Superbad
G's opinion: 3 of 5. Childish humor but good escape movie.
B's opinion: 2 of 5. A 12 yr old boy's fantasy of filling a movie with phallic drawings and humor. Granted, some of the scenes were funny. Michael Cera always manages to be charming and funny, but Jonah Hill (and/or his character) got on my last nerve. Christopher Mintz-Plasse was pretty good and is an inspiration to dorks everywhere.

American Gangster
G's opinion: 4 of 5. Good violence. True story. Good stuff.
B's opinion: 4 of 5. Sent me to Wikipedia immediately following the movie because I wanted to see what happened to the characters. Learned that some of the situations weren't exactly the same, so know it's BASED on a true story, not a documentary. Still, it's a different angle on organized crime in the NYC area as well as an interesting angle on the rise of the drug scene in an historical perspective. Plus, with Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington, the acting is beyond reproach.