4th of July……….

I know I’m late...as always. First let me say, we were supposed to get out of work early today. Yeah that didn’t so much happen for me. Plus I totally blanked out that it was Thursday. Crazy I’m losing my mind it seems. But I do seem to remember the past well enough.

Perfect segue….

The 4th of July means fireworks and celebrating our country’s independence. It’s a day off of work to celebrate this milestone with family and friends. And 25 years ago on the 4th of July I did just that.

It also happened to be the day I met my HHB. We were both teenagers. I had just graduated that June, him the year before. And we were celebrating with our respective friends.

He lived in a town about 15 miles away, and I had a date that night with a musician who was playing at the 4th of July celebration there, so I was just hanging out with my friends till then.

Needless to say, when a cute guy on a motorcycle yelled for us to come over, I was a bit apprehensive (not knowing him and all – but knowing of him). My friend knew them so we went. (Yes, it was a pick up) :-)

One thing led to another, we hung out and took his bike for a ride in the country, where he kissed me for the first time – and yes I saw fireworks. They were real, not imagined, but they were there!

I knew that night, he was the one. Oh and side note - I was bad - I stood up the date I did have for HHB!

Love at first sight? Well I’m not sure about that, but it was certainly lust at first sight. But you know what, we’ve been together for 25 years and we still celebrate the 4th of July like we did the first one...

Kissing under the fireworks.

So I didn’t so much get independence on the 4th of July, but I got something much better.

How did you meet your significant other?

HAVE A GREAT 4TH – I HOPE YOU ALL SEE FIREWORKS WHEN YOU LOOK INTO YOUR LOVERS EYES.

XOXO
LKap

We're in the new house...and I'm sick

Really, no kidding. We moved for several days after the movers moved the heavy stuff and yep, I got sick. The whole bit, sneezing, coughing, aching, and just general feeling like crap.

But, both Science Guy and I love the house. :)

I promise to be back sometime this week with more interesting stuff.

Hugs ( and sniffles),
Vicki

I love a great, hot, sexy book to relax to….

And I haven’t had much time to do that lately. What, with family in town last week and part of this week. I love family don’t get me wrong – but it’s like a good cocktail. Too much of a good thing and you’ll pay for it for days.

Then there is Bella (the new kitty). Lord that cat cracks me up, but oh she’s a stinker. We let her run our room before HHB comes to bed. Needless to say, she likes being the center of attention. Hence, no reading time there.

I’m supposed to be writing as well. Okay, so that’s not going so well right now. I shut down to be with family and now have to reacquaint myself with the book and the characters because they aren’t talking to me. I think they want to be the center of attention too. Oh but in saying that, new characters are talking to me. They get no time except to write down the concept.

It’s been told to me that I need to read to be a better writer. Well, hell when am I supposed to do that, I ask?

But I need to do it and I will—if for nothing else then to relax. Which will lead me to the next dilemma—which book to read. If you’ve seen my TBR you’d understand. I’ll be looking for the next hero or two to take my mind off life as I know it.

So what is it you do to relax?

XOXO
LKap

Slow Down

This poem was sent to me by a friend. It's said that the poem was written by a young girl with terminal cancer. Although it has the doctor and hospital's name at the bottom, I'm not sure if it's true or not. But the words are beautiful and I hope you enjoy the moment.

Sometimes life gets so very busy with buying houses, raising kids, working a day job, and yes even writing. For me, I realize that sometimes I just need to slow down and not let everything pass me by in a blur without taking the time to enjoy the beauty of all that's around and in me.

Have you ever watched kids

On a merry-go-round?

Or listened to the rainSlapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?

Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

Do you run through each day

On the fly?

When you ask How are you?

Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done

Do you lie in your bed

With the next hundred chores

Running through your head?

You'd better slow down

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

Ever told your child,

We'll do it tomorrow?

And in your haste,

Not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch,

Let a good friendship die

Cause you never had time To call and say,'Hi'

You'd better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere

You miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,

It is like an unopened gift....

Thrown away.

Life is not a race.

Do take it slower

Hear the music

Before the song is over.

Dr. Dennis Shields, Professor

Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology

1300 Morris Park Avenue

Bronx , New York 10461

The next few days will be filled with moving into the new house and I'll be without internet for at least one of them. LKap will be here on Thursday and I'll be back hopefully by the weekend.

Hugs,

Vicki

House Update and the Winner of Tap and Gown

First, a quick apology to everyone for not posting the winner this weekend. If you’ve been reading the blog then you know Science Guy and I have bought a house, which means we’re major busy in the packing arena. Fun? Not so much. Moving to our place? Fabulous!

We close on the house tomorrow. Or at least we’re set up to close tomorrow. I’m quickly learning in the world of real estate and banks that can change. Fingers crossed tomorrow will happen since we need to move the moveable that the movers who come on Thursday can’t.

Now to the fun part. The winner of Diana Peterfreund’s last book in the series, Tap and Gown is….

Patricia!!! WhooHoo!!! Please email me at vickilanewrites@yahoo.com with Tap and Gown Winner in the subject line to claim your book. If I don’t hear from you by next Friday, the randomizer will choose another winner.

For those who didn’t win, this is a wonderful series and the link above will take you directly to Borders where you can purchase your own copy. It’s one you’ll want to read more than once.

Hugs,
Vicki

Hair Ramblings…

So as of right now we are a little under a month until RWA Nationals.
Why am I rambling about my hair you ask?
That would be because we’re only a little less than a month away from RWA Nationals, and anyone who knows me, knows I’m a freak about my hair.

Again why the freak out?

Because I went yesterday to get my hair done and my girl is going out on maternity leave this Friday – HOLY CRAP!!!! I have short-ish hair which means in 3 weeks I’ll need it done again. The horror I’m telling you. I’m Freaking Out!!!

Seems every time I find a great stylist something happens: they move (when they’ve lived here their whole life), they get pregnant, or just decide they don’t want to do hair any longer.

Can you feel my pain? Do you have as hard a time as I do finding the perfect hairstylist?

Oh dear what is a girl to do?

Got any of your stories to share? I need company in my misery ;-D

XOXO
LKap

It's Here!!! I'm Happy and Sad

The last book in Diana Peterfreund’s Secret Society series is here. We’ve had the privilege to go along Amy’s journey and now we’re reaching the end.

This past weekend I got to see Diana at our chapter meeting and it was great. She’s a long distance member now and so we don’t see her near often enough. Having a book signing with her there was icing on the cake. And since I like to share when I have cake, I’m giving away a copy of Tap and Gown

Here’s the backcover blurb:
Top secret societies . . . bizarre initiation rites . . . campus love triangles . . . political shenanigans . . . Diana Peterfreund has dazzled readers and critics alike with her Ivy League novels, hailed as “impossible to put down” (Publishers Weekly) and “witty and endearing” (New York Observer). In this final installment, Eli University senior Amy “Bugaboo” Haskel and her fellow Diggers are preparing to face real life in worlds far beyond the hallowed halls of Eli University.

For Amy the countdown to graduation has begun, and suddenly the perfect ending to a perfectly iconoclastic Eli career is slipping from her grasp. Her new boyfriend’s been made an offer he just can’t refuse. Her fellowship applications haven’t even been filed. And the young woman she’s chosen to take her place in Rose & Grave—the country's most powerful and notorious secret society—seems to come complete with a secret life already intact.

Lunging toward the finish line, Amy finds trouble around every corner, from society intrigues and unlikely stalkers to former flames and mandatory science credits. Surely it couldn’t get worse . . . until Initiation Night explodes into a terrifying scene and into a last test of wits for a young woman just trying to make it out of the Ivy League in one piece.

And click here to read an excerpt.

If you already have your copy please do not leave any spoilers in the comments. We can do that later on.

To enter leave a comment about your favorite scene in any of the first three books. You can as many comments as you’d like to be entered. This weekend, the randomizer will choose a winner.

Smiles,
Vicki