Trials and Tribulations

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Ditzy Chix and Cindy Dees Rock!

My Madonna Key pal Cindy Dees is a Rita finalist in the Long Contemporary category!!! Woohoo!!!! While I'm admittedly disappointed that not one Madonna Key book finaled, it may be the power of the series grows from book to book due to the tight weaving of all the interconnecting threads.

And get this, three of the Ditzy Chix are either Rita [Kristi Gold for Short Contemporary] and Kimmi Duffy and Mary Gardner for Golden Heart...how cool is that!!!!!!!!!! What a stellar awards ceremony it's going to be at National this year. I'd better take plenty of throat losenges as I'm going to be yelling a lot. :) Carol
posted by Carol Stephenson, 10:35 PM | link | 1 comments |

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

AI: Peter Noone

Okay, okay. I know I go long periods of time witihout posting and then post a bunch at once. My mother if she was alive would be smiling indulgently at this post. As I sat on the sofa tonight as American Idol came on, I perked up when they announced the theme was the 60's. Now I was a teeny-bopper in the 60's, playing the music with the volume turned up all the way. So I would have been in 7th heaven with the songs alone.

But oh no. I virtually shrieked when they announced the 60's stars who had worked with the contestants: PETER NOONE OF HERMAN'S HERMITS!!!!!!!

I idolized him. I bought every album, every magazine with either a picture or an article on him. I kept and probably still have a scrapbook. When the Hermits performed at the Ohio State Fair, I waited in line for hours to get close to the stage. The first time my heart was broken was when Peter announced his engagement...how dare he...didn't he know the perfect girl was waiting for him?

To this day, I'm still a fan. Two years ago when the newly formed Hermits performed at the Kravitz hall, I was there and buying both a CD and T-shirt.

And my heart still goes pitty-pat. :) Carol

P.S. Up until tonight, I thought the girls were kicking major butt. However, Peter hammered home to the guys that it was the melody in the 60's that mattered and darn, if the boys overall gave their best performances tonight.

Something tells me I'm into something good....singing off-key as I go to dig out my Herman's Hermits CD



posted by Carol Stephenson, 8:35 PM | link | 1 comments |

Dancing with the Stars

Ho-hum. The opening episode was less than exciting. There were a few possible performers who might develop, but on the whole everyone was stiff and uncomfortable. To give them credit, the shorter rehearsal time may be having a significant impact. I think it's a shame that the show continually gives the one dancer..Sheryl, Cheryl...whatever her name is...who has won the past two seasons one of the more coordinated stars. I think it would be more interesting if the last season's winner gets one of the worse to work with. I'd like to see one of the other dancers get the spotlight as they're all talented.

And beef about Entertainment Tonight. I admit; I've watched the show for years. However, I'm either walking out of the room or switching the channel lately. They really need to get off the Anna Nicole drivel. They have gone on and on for months now; it's like one of those old sensational magazines from the 50's. Please. There are so many disfunctional people in Hollywood. Find one of them to beat to death for awhile. :) Carol
posted by Carol Stephenson, 6:48 PM | link | 0 comments |

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

RIO Award of Excellence Nominee!!!!

For the life of me, I couldn't access my blog last night to post the glad tidings...SHADOW LINES has been nominated for the Reviewers International Organization's Award of Excellence in Romantic Suspense!!!!!! I'm soooooo thrilled. Here's first the list and then the link to the list of nominees. We'll find out the winners next week. :) Carol

2007 RIO AWARD OF EXCELLENCE SHORT LIST OF NOMINEES

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
72 Hours - Shannon Stacey
A Whisper in the Dark - Linda Castillo
Drop Dead Gorgeous - Linda Howard
Hit Hard - Amy Fetzer
Home Before Midnight - Virginia Kantra
Killing Me Softly - Jenna Mills
Shadow Lines - Carol Stephenson
Time to Run - Marliss Melton
To The Brink - Cindy Gerard
Veiled Legacy - Jenna Mills
You Belong to Me - Patricia Sargeant

http://rioreviewers.blogspot.com/
posted by Carol Stephenson, 9:22 PM | link | 0 comments |

Harlequin Readers' Choice for Madonna Key!!!!!

While SHADOW LINES didn't win Fav on the Edge of Your Seat book, Madonna Key won for Favorite Continuity/ Mini-Series tonight at the Harlequin Red Carpet ceremony. Woohoo!!!!!!!

:) Carol
posted by Carol Stephenson, 9:19 PM | link | 0 comments |

Monday, March 12, 2007

The time change

I really, really, really wish they would quit mucking with the time. I do not adjust to the leap forward changes. In fact it may take me up to two months before I have my legs back under me. I'm very sensitive to any changes in my sleep environment [vacations are for fun, not rest for me], and screwing around with the time is a major 'no-no' to my body. I have a 9 a.m. phone conference with a doctor tomorrow morning, and I just don't know how I'm going to make it. I will, but I'll be miserable. Then on Wednesday, I have a 9:30 a.m. motion hearing in Fort Pierce...meaning a two hour drive for me. Can we say 'getting sick'?

Sigh, Carol
posted by Carol Stephenson, 9:44 PM | link | 0 comments |

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Babes in Bookland

This afternoon I attended a booksigning by Rhonda Pollero and Karen Kendall at Joanne Sinchuk's Murder on the Beach Mystery Bookstore. Rhonda and Karen are members of the Babes in Bookland group and boy, are they a hoot and a half!! The Babes in Bookland graciously sponsored the Saturday breakfast at our recent 'Fun in the Sun' Conference, and you couldn't meet a nicer, more entertaining group of authors. After today's booksigning, we all went out to dinner and had a great time. If you want to check out the books or blog of these talented authors, go to

www.babesinbookland.com


:) Carol
posted by Carol Stephenson, 9:22 PM | link | 0 comments |

Aussie Release/Harlequin Readers' Choice standing

Shadow Lines is going to be released 4/07 in Australia.

http://www.eharlequin.com.au/cgi-bin/catalog.cgi?Blurb+9780733577833


And so far it's maintaining a respectable 3rd place in the Harlequin Readers' Choice voting:

The Firebird Deception by Cate Dermody
(17 votes) 11%
Shadow Lines by Carol Stephenson
(36 votes) 24%
Awaken to Danger by Cathy Mann
(40 votes) 26%
Relentless by Jo Leigh
(58 votes) 38%


And if you need those links one more time ,

To register [if you're not already an eharlequin member]:


http://store.eharlequin.com/membership/login.jhtml?memberType=quick


Main voting page for Readers' Choice

http://community.eharlequin.com/webx?14@227.m7claUtH1DK.0@.4a83fdff

Fav on Edge of Seat:

http://community.eharlequin.com/webx?50@227.m7claUtH1DK.2@.4a8446bc

Best Miniseries/Continuity [Madonna Key was overall nominated in this category]:

http://community.eharlequin.com/webx?50@227.m7claUtH1DK.2@.4a84487f


Thank you for voting! Carol
posted by Carol Stephenson, 9:31 AM | link | 0 comments |

Thursday, March 08, 2007

AI Shocker

Okay, two people made it into the top 12...albeit nice people...that don't belong at that level of the competition. All one had to do was listen to the fabulous Carrie Underwood to understand that two lucked in due to screwy voting segments. That's the most unpredictable aspect of the competition...if two singers appeal to the same voting segment, then the votes get split, allowing another to squeak by those two singers. Oh boy. At least my very favorites all made it through. :) Carol
posted by Carol Stephenson, 8:56 PM | link | 0 comments |

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

AI: The Girls Have It

I repeat, the boys should be kissing the ground that they had this final week of not having to compete against the girls on American Idol. The final six should all be women. The guys simply aren't in the same singing league. But what a pleasure it is to watch the joy of singing exhibited by Melinda and Lakisha. Here's to the battle of the Divas. :) Carol
posted by Carol Stephenson, 8:56 PM | link | 0 comments |

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Harlequin Readers' Choice Nominee!

SHADOW LINES is one of 4 books nominated for Favorite Edge of Your Seat book in Harlequin's Reader Choice Awards. Here's the link to vote. If you're not registered in the community, it's an easy process. This is so exciting for me! My first nomination.

http://community.eharlequin.com/webx?50@280.X1CGazZH1mF.2@.4a8446bc


Then if you loved the Madonna Key series, it's a nominee for Best Continuity/Mini Series:

http://community.eharlequin.com/webx?50@280.X1CGazZH1mF.2@.4a8446bc


Thank you!!!

Carol Stephenson
SHADOW LINES, Madonna Key #4
Silhouette Bombshell
posted by Carol Stephenson, 7:50 AM | link | 0 comments |

Monday, March 05, 2007

Judging books

I hate judging other authors' books, but the Rita contest requires those who enter to judge in other categories. That means I will get books not necessarily in a genre I love. I've devised a system where I have set a bottom score for any book that meets its genre's requirements. In other words, if it contains the elements a reader would expect, then the book automatically has a baseline score [and no, I won't disclose the number]. Then I add/subtract for inventiveness, voice, the flow of the writing, motivation, etc. But bottomline, my final score evolves around the emotion...did I laugh, cry or sigh? [since I entered romantic suspense I don't get to evaluate whether the book kept me on the edge of my seat ]. Did I care if the heroine and hero did end up together?

This year I was lucky as I had two books that had me laughing out loud at times, but the two best had me sobbing my head off. I found two authors whose talent amazed me. So however the overall results come out, I count myself lucky as I got to read seven authors whose work I appreciated on different levels. Maybe they won't be Rita finalists, but each and every one hit their marks in their respective genres. :) Carol
posted by Carol Stephenson, 7:58 PM | link | 0 comments |

Friday, March 02, 2007

A slight shot to the gut

Eharlequin shut down the last of the Bombshell boards this week; they've been archiving them bit by bit. Now if a Bombshell author has good news, there's no where to post to let the fans know. I'm hopeful for a sale to Silhouette Romantic Suspense, but if it happens, I won't be able to connect with those people I came to visit with so much on the Bombshell boards. So I actually feel sad as it is one more reminder of the loss of the line and circle of kindred spirits. Carol
posted by Carol Stephenson, 7:39 PM | link | 3 comments |

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Enterprise, AL

Since my sister moved to Montgomery, AL, I've developed an interest in the state. After all, I drive through a fair portion of its countryside to visit my sister. So my heart and prayers go out to the people of Enterprise and their devastating loss today due to the tornado. With Montgomery located to the west and north of Enterprise, I called my sister to make sure she was all right. So far so good for her area, but my sister said the local coverage of Enterprise is showing horrific damage...and the storm system isn't done yet. May the rescuers find everyone missing and may no more storms hit the area tonight. Carol
posted by Carol Stephenson, 7:14 PM | link | 0 comments |