Happy Halloween
October 31, 2005 by Melissa · Leave a Comment
I love Halloween. I really don’t get dressed up anymore, but I do like to see the kids decked out. It is something that, especially in the South, has been getting harder and harder to do without offending anyone. At least in San Antonio, where they celebrate the Day of the Dead, we don’t have that problem. But, it started several years ago when we lived elsewhere in Texas.
We had some friends who became very conservative over the span of a few years. They decided that Halloween was evil and allowing your children to dress up was ensuring them a place in hell. No really, they thought my three year old, who was dressed as a butterfly princess that year, would go to hell because she dressed up for Halloween. Now really, I have no problem with people having this view. And I know a lot of people don’t do Halloween but opt to go to church or some type of civic center for Harvest Festivals and things like that. More power to them because I do believe that everyone should have their own system of morals, and for the most part, these were good people. Then, their daughter told mine she was going to hell. That, I have a problem with. Along with the emails each year sent to me telling me that I was a bad parent because I celebrated Halloween. When they sent one set one year, I politely explained that while I believe in their right to their own beliefs could they please not send those emails to me. When the did it the next year, I sent them pics of my daughter dressed up as Dorothy, because I know how they hate The Wizard of Oz. They didn’t do it again.
I guess what I am getting at is that I am confused as to when we became so nosey about our neighbors? I mean, we have always loved gossip, I see that. It is human nature to be curious, IMHO. But when did we get to the point when we think everyone should think as we do? There seems to be a group of people who think that way. And if you don’t believe what they do, you are evil in their eyes. I know that there has always been people like that. The KKK, the Nazi regime, or even the McCarthy hearings couldn’t have succeeded without them. But, I am appalled at the number of people who actually think they have a right to tell me what to do, or you, and this goes to the heart of the problem some have with erotic romance. They think it is dirty to read or write explicit sex scenes, so NO ONE should see them. I say, get a life. I am too busy with mine to keep up with the attacks, so I figure these people need something in theirs to make them complete. They pick demonizing everything from The Wizard of Oz to healthy sexuality to fill their lives. Tolerance is all but lost to most of these people. And they seem to be getting more and more press, and more influence in our country.
But, for the moment, we still have Halloween.
so, if you like Halloween, dress up, have a ball and please stay safe. For those of you who don’t for whatever reason, have a good night of reading, watching TV, or spending time with the kids and family:) I am off to work on edits.
Sex Vs Violence
October 29, 2005 by Melissa · 6 Comments
So, I am ready to bitch. I have a cold, feel like crap and you fair people get to read my bitchiness. I have a real problem with our country and the need to smother anything about the human body or sex. Oh granted, Coors can have their TWINS commercial, even while the owner of Coors tries to run for the Senate under the guise of someone who is really conservative. But what I see more and more in this country is a movement to suppress sexuality while at the same time reveling in violence.
Case and point number one. I read a diary on another blog about how they went to go see The History of Violence. The couple behind them, for some unknown reason, brought a couple of kids, probably around the age of 10 or 11 to see it. Now first off, this is an R. No children. That should have been the first clue. Ya know, they say 17 and older for a reason. But the title alone should have kept these people from bringing their children. Even from the short previews you can tell it is an extremely violent movie. Even without it, I would think twice, as a mother of a preteen, of taking my kid to see it. Okay, no I wouldn’t because I would never be a jackass like these people were apparently. But you want to know what these people complained about, and the reason I am going to the movie or renting it the first day it comes out? There is an explicit 69 scene in it with Viggo and Maria Bello who plays his spouse. Not the fact it deals with grown up issues of violence and that Viggo’s family is terrorized by Ed Harris. No, the sex. Because, since that is natural that is bad. Hell, I am all up with they showed a hot scene between a wife and husband who have been married for awhile. Right on. That and well, come on, it’sViggo. Show me a woman who doesn’t want to see that and I say you found a corpse.
But, I must move onto my next bit of news I saw today on a blog. A small town in ND thinks the male revue, The Thunder from Down Under, should not play in their town. Jamestown’s religious leaders have decided that men taking off clothes is bad for the town. Fine. It is their town, they can do what they want. The problem I have with it is just a few weeks ago they had an ultimate Fighting show, where the men in that probably are dressed almost as skimpily, but you can take your 5 year old. And once again, it is okay to be violent, it is not okay to be sexy(in a show that would have been for 18 and older).
This goes to the heart of what is wrong with the American view of sex and violence. Sex, a natural function, is frowned upon. It is used to sell everything under the sun, but we are taught to suppress the feelings. By getting upset with a sex scene, that a 10 year old shouldn’t see either, but not with the violence it sends a message to the children. Violence is acceptable. Sex is not.
I do not feel children should be exposed to sex. There is a rating on the movies for a reason and my 10 year old doesn’t get to see some PG 13 cause guess what? SHE ISN’T 13! She sees many of them but there have been a few we have said no to.
The human body, I have no problem with. I am still confused about the Janet Jackson boob outing. I mean, it was just a nipple. But, what do I expect when the Attorney General of the US at the time was so afraid of boobs, he had something draped over a statue.
Blame it on my European upbringing. Granted, my folks grew up in Pittsburgh, but I spent a huge part of my youth in Germany and there was nudity on TV. No biggie. It is JUST a human body. There is nothing dirty about it. Plus, my parents dragged us from one freaking museum to another, so we saw plenty of nudes. My sister and I have not become degenerates and other than a mutual love of sarcastic comments, I doubt my parents are overly upset with the way either of us turned out.
But, according to some people in the US there is something wrong with nudity and the human body. Unless you strap it in spandex and beat the hell out of your opponet, that my friends, is what we call family entertainment.
UPDATE: And then I saw this story about a father attacking a referree at a game. But, I am sure they can’t mention the word condom because that would influence the kids.
Being the Uncool Grownup
October 24, 2005 by Melissa · Leave a Comment
I had a great time with MB last night. MB has moved more to writing women’s fiction in the last year or two but neither one of us has a problem with that. I know a lot people would, especially since hers borderlines on inspirational, well it is but not romance, more women’s fiction for the Christian woman, but it is no problem.
We went to Dick’s Last Resort on the Riverwalk and I met two of her fabulous students. And I behaved myself and didn’t talk politics with them, lol. That always gets me in a fight in Texas. But, it was odd, being with a friend I knew from HS with HS students. My kids are younger and I have yet to deal with a teenager in my house, but being the uncool adult wasn’t that new to me. I have two nieces who probably think of me that, lol. But it was a little surreal being with someone I went to HS with and in that position. I was now the adult they wanted to ditch, and I remember that too well. Wanting to taste a bit of freedom and being stuck with adults. What a downer. They really were great kids from the time I spent with them, just as MB had claimed.
San Antonio is cold tonight so I am picking a book, while I wait for edits, and snuggling deep. Too many years where the bugs didn’t die has thinned my blood a bit. And, just for the record, no writing today:(
Kally donated the pic, but then…there were things I left out lol
Meeting with MB
October 23, 2005 by Melissa · Leave a Comment
Today I get a treat. I am leaving the house this afternoon to meet up with a friend of mine, Mary Beth. MB and I graduated from high school together, where we were in band together, and then found each other again at a RWA conference about 14-15 years later. She stayed in our hometown, where we saw each other off and on until I started following around DH in his military career. I have lost contact with a lot of my friends from HS and college, but MB and I now have this connection. We are both writers, and that is something very unique.
Now, some of you non-writers might be skeptical. But it is. None of us can really explain why we have this need to tell stories. How people started talking in our heads, or why we put ourselves through something so painful as the writing process. I am often described as self-centered and single minded when it comes to my work. I have to be. I have to horde any time I can carve out from cleaning the house, cooking dinner, taking kids all over the place, teaching my preschooler, and the worst thing IMHO, laundry. So, to find someone who understands that sickness, that urge, and who remembers the same music from HS, is a joy.
Aly donated the pic!
Spending Time with Nora
October 22, 2005 by Melissa · Leave a Comment
Well, I have accomplished nothing in writing today. I opened a suspense I need to rework, it is complete, plot and everything, but there is one problem. IT SUCKS! I swear. I wrote this thing about two years ago and thought it was the bomb. Now I see that it is just a bomb. The heroine needs to die. No really, she does. I want to kill her, and that isn’t good. So I have a feeling I will either say screw it(which I think about because this for NY and no one in NY is interested in my writing) or rewrite the whole damn thing.
I have been engrossed in reading. Do that when I want to come down froma deadline. I needed inspiration so I had picked up Nora Roberts, Blue Smoke. Pretty good. I like Nora. I know a lot of writers will say they don’t but I do. I have since been going through my old books, and will work my way to my favorite, Carnal Innocence. That is a great book, set in the south and steamy just like the setting. I guess when you make it big, you will always have your detractors. But I like Nora’s books. Not every one she writes, but that would be impossible, lol. But there is something about her heroines, her heroes, the way they deal with each other that just get to me. I especially liked Birthright. Thought it was one of her best. Problem I had with Blue Smoke is that I read it while my husband was TDY(military business trip for you civies) and some parts of scared the bejesus out of me, lol. But again, I really liked the heroine, and LOVED the hero. And, on top of it, the woman has nerve. When a lot of other authors didn’t say much about the RWA debacle this spring and summer, Nora stood her ground. She didn’t have to, but she did. I admire people who stand up for what they think is right, and she did with style.
So, I am off to a bath filled with my bodacious bath oil from bath junkies, and another Nora book.
bad melissa
October 22, 2005 by Melissa · Leave a Comment
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Okay, I have been bad. I admit it. I finished up ALHP, including the seven love scenes, and then I goofed off. I read, I hung out, and since my husband was TDY, pretty much tried to keep my head above water with the kids.
As I awaited edits, I got to work on Hunting Mila, the sequel to Seducing the Saint. I love writing futuristics. Okay, I love writing all three time periods, but it has been awhile since I wrote one of my action adventure Futuristics.
I am also preparing my workshop I am offering to my hometown chapter of the RWA, the Red River Romance Authors. That is next month, but I need to refine my character worksheet.
So, although I have no looming deadlines, I have been working, here and there. I don’t get much done while DH is gone. He helps so much, it is felt when he is gone. How spouses who work outside the home do it, I have no idea.
But, now I am in the mood to write and I have stuff to do. Fall finally showed up here in South Texas with a cold front that moved in early this morning, and that is my kind of weather. I love the nip in the air, it gets the creative juices going.
So, I am off to go shop for groceries…ICK, and then I might just work a little. Thanks to Stephanie Vaughan for the pic.
Home at last
October 4, 2005 by Melissa · 3 Comments
Well posts were few and far between because of internet access. Plus, I am sad if I do not have good looking men to post.
We had a fabulous time, met some wonderful people, and sold some books. We have many pics that will get posted, many of them are scary, some are not.
It is so good to be home though. I don’t like being away from my kids and hubby that long. Or my bed. Love my bed. And I am itching to finish up ALHP. Kally Jo got a sneaky peeky at it while she was here and there are parts she was cracking up so hard she had tears in her eyes. But really, it just might be the two of us who thinks it is funny:) That happens ofen with us.
Well, I am still trying to get the house back in order, get everything organized for Kally to leave, and probably going to plow through ALHP tonight for work. I will post more as I get more rest and have some brain cells that are functioning.
Oh, and wait until you see some of the GREAT prizes we picked up:)
Thanks to Kim B for the great PIC.
