Who's On Stage?

I have to take a break from writing. :P

That means comedy time with my fav characters from Animaniacs.

Off we go into the wild blue yonder...

You might be wondering why I'm quoting the first line of the US Air Force song in my subject line.

Good Reason #1 - My hubby is in the Air Force.

Good Reason #2 - Said Air Force is moving us to Hawaii in August.

Yup. We got orders. We be moving.

It's not a surprise for me because I've been sitting on this news since Valentine's Day. The hubby warned me that we had a HIGH probability of being shipped out to Hawaii. I've been stewing over that for the last few days wondering how much of advanced notice they would give us.

So that's my news for the day. Back to writing.

Wiped Out Early AM

I woke up late at 3AM. Normally I'm up around 9/10 PM (this is all eastern) but I was really tired and just wanted more sleep.

I opened my eyes, stared at the ceiling, took in the darkness, and my mind was going a mile a minute thinking up plots and scenes and character interactions for a series I didn't even know I was going to write.

Charmed Lover is part of the Caveat Emptor series that will be coming out with Changeling Press. I didn't know Charmed Lover would even be a series until I wrote the end and some mysterious question mark popped up. My muse is evil just like me, what can I say? *shrug*

I spent three hours dropping close to 6000 words on three separate novellas for the Caveat Emptor series. I mean typing, typing and more typing. I didn't even stop to chew my nails or think about if a scene or word was working for me. I had to get all the scenes out of my head and onto my computer before I forgot something.

As I was typing, my muse came up with more stuff to type and fleshed out storylines and gave me resolutions. At the end of the flurry, I was left with a basic outline for all of the books in this series except one. I'm sure that one will come to me later on, possibly when I wake up tomorrow. It's fluttering at the back of my brain now. I'm not listening to it though since I need to work on Pet's Pleasure.

I had plans to work on another story for Changeling Press, but it seems that story is going on the back burner (again) so I can get the Caveat Emptor series finished.

On top of all that, I jetted out of the house to run errands at 9AM:
- Wally World to get MegaMind, which they didn't have because the lady in electronics said they don't stock movies except on Tuesdays (FAIL!). But I picked up my nephew's birthday present (he's a St. Patty's baby) and plastic totes that were on sale.
- Drive past MovieStop thinking I can get MegaMind there but they aren't open for another hour. Screw that. I'm not waiting.
- Target is in the same parking lot, so I stopped by there. One frantic search later, I get MegaMind and... oh hey, they have a Starbuck's on site. Might as well get some vanilla scones too (love those things).
- Then it's off to my last stop, which is Staples. The hubby got hacked so I had to get him a copy of Norton 360 since MacFee SUCKS. Bonus is that it came with a $25 rebate.

One hour later, I get home and finally... FINALLY I can eat breakfast (or is it lunch at this point?). I'm calling it breakfast since I hadn't eaten once since waking up (I do that sometimes). Suffice to say, I am wiped out. I still plan to do some writing on Pet's Pleasure. That will be nice and relaxing... I hope.

Catching Up

I feel like I'm in a perpetual game of catch up. Every time I think I've pulled even, something else pops up and throws me behind again. That shouldn't be the case since I'm not working part time anymore.

Oh well. So long as nothing is neglected, it's all good... I guess.

2 New Titles for Changeling Press

You read the title right. I have TWO new titles coming soon to Changeling Press.

The first is my very first vampire title. Yup, I'm one of those authors now. :P I love vampires (if you read my blog, you knew that already). It only makes sense that I would write a vampire book eventually. Actually I have several planned but this is the first one I've finished.

The second title is part of a Changeling Press multi-author anthology featuring coffee shops and the naughty things that happen there. :P

Look for Charmed Lover and Chamomile Nights soon. More info will be available at my website... as soon as I update it.

Time for Cuteness

It's more youtube vids 'cause I'm fresh out of things to say. :P

BEHOLD THE CUTENESS!!

Spotlighting Me

Join me over at 'Write Life of Andrea & Corrina: Chicks of Characterization' for a week long spotlight of me and my books to date.


21 Feb - Spotlight on Eris by D. Renee Bagby
22 Feb - Getting to Know Author D. Renee Bagby
23 Feb - Find Out What Critics Are Saying About Author D. Renee Bagby
24 Feb - Excerpt from Eris (Adult)
25 Feb - And Introducing... Harley on the Rocks by Zenobia Renquist


Check back to this post for updates and links for the rest of the spotlight week.

First Review: Harley on the Rocks

Check me out. I got my first review for Harley on the Rocks:

4 Stars

"I like the way the relationship builds between Koi, Davis and Harley. I loved the interaction between the three main characters and the Friends-to-lovers concept. The humor and witty comments really help make this story flow."
~ Debby, Mammy Wuvs to Read!

Random Previews: February 2011

And here it is February. My how time is flying. :D Let's see what the movie trailer people have in store for me today.


- Apollo 18 (22 April 2011)
Horror in space. Interesting. In this day and age when everything has been seen and done, finding new ways to tell the same old story is king. It's a tried and true plot and I like the twist. But, I'll wait for the DVD.

- I Saw the Devil (4 March 2011)
Korean film. Man when it comes to psychological thrillers/horror no one does it better than the Asian community. This looks twisted as hell. I think I really want to see it. The sick person in me is loving it. Man's wife is brutally murdered by a serial killer that he then hunts down and torments relentlessly whenever the serial killer tries to kill. *eg* I also love the tagline -- He's not getting revenge; he's just getting started.

- The Bleeding (25 February 2011)
I'm surprised I never mentioned this one before. I could have sworn I did because I've seen the preview before. But if I didn't, let's talk about this now. You know me and vampires. I'm there. It's the Cain and Abel story with a vampire slayer twist. Toss in hot chicks, explosions, guns, and DMX and you gotta a movie I just might have to see in theaters.

- Black Death (11 March 2011)
It's 1348 and the black death is ravaging the country. Everywhere there is death and destruction, except one village remains untouched. Is it the will of God or does another powerful entity hold sway? One knight has traveled there to learn the truth. I hope he finds it 'cause I'm not watching this to learn what it is.

- Hop (01 April 2011)
They finally put up a trailer. Okay, I HAVE GOT TO SEE THIS. Live action with a CG bunny. It seems to the heir to the Easter Bunny title would rather tour the world than take over the family business. He's bunking down in Hollywood until his stardom dreams come true. This looks too cute.

Movie Review: I Am Number Four

I Am Number Four


Basic Premise
There nine of them scattered all over the world. They are the saviors of their race and ours. They are being hunted in order, one by one. Number one through three are dead. He is number four. He only wants a normal life as a high school teenager, but destiny has bigger plans.

Blasts From the Past

More cartoons from my childhood, courtesy of Nickelodeon...

Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics



David the Gnome



Noozles



Maple Town



Seems I'm an anime fan from way back. :P

Who Remembers This Gem?

Truly Outrageous

It's truly, truly outrageous. Truly, truly, truly outrageous. A fantasy. Being anyone I want to be. And on top of it all, you're here with me.

That's right! It's Jem and the Holograms day on my blog. Here's all my fav songs from the show I watched religiously as a kid.

Glitter and Gold



She's Got the Power



Broadway Magic



Deception

Love

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hotel Curse Continues

Two points don't make a straight line but three points do, and I can see where this line is going. My hubby and I are cursed when it comes to hotels.

Case #1 - San Francisco, CA
I don't even remember what year it was. The hubby and I decided to do a fancy evening out with an overnight stay at a hotel in San Fran. The name of the hotel is unimportant as is the overall stay (since that's a whole other blog post rant), but this is where the curse started. I set up the reservation and asked for a room with a king bed. We got double beds. I complained at the desk about the difference between the reservation and what we got. They gave us the "based upon availability" speech.

Oh well. Suck it up and deal. At least we got a room.


Case #2 - Baltimore, MD February 2009
The hubby is home for two weeks (I think it was two weeks) after spending six months in Iraq. The two weeks is a break before having to go back for another six months. He planned it for around Valentine's Day. I figured a night away from home with a fancy dinner was in order.

I set up the reservation at a quaint hotel on the Inner Harbor. Reservation is for a room with a king bed. What do we get? If you said double beds, you're already catching on to the theme of this story. Yup, we got double beds. Again!

It can't possibly be a trend. It's just a weird coincidence. That's all.


Case #3 - Baltimore, MD February 2011
Here we go again. Another Valentine's Day celebration. Another hotel (different from the one in 2009 for multiple reasons) and another reservation for a room with a king bed.

Do I even need to say it at this point?

*slump*

I'm going to add this to our list of curses. We have the TV show curse -- if we rarely catch a TV show that looks interesting and that we want to watch, chances are when we catch it again it will be the same exact episode we saw the last time we caught it. This happens ALL OF THE TIME to both of us. Matter of fact, I think it's gotten worse since we got married thus making the TV show curse stronger.

But back to the original topic. I'm beginning to think I should reserve a room with double beds just so I can be pleasantly surprised when they give us a single king/queen.

V-Day Early

It's Saturday. The hubby and I are celebrating Valentine's Day today rather than Monday, that way we both can enjoy it.

We're going to a fancy hotel in the Baltimore inner harbor and eating at a very fancy (read - more expensive than it needs to be) restaurant. It's our once a year splurge on something decadent, and our Valentine's gift to each other.

I doubt we're the only couple with this idea, celebrating Saturday as opposed to Monday. When I booked the hotel, they reported only having five rooms left. Hopefully it won't be too nutty when we get there.

One Day, One Man... Nice

I'm surprised I've never posted this before. Just an indication that this man will one day be one of the best directors out there. :P

TRS Release Party

Join me today at The Romance Studio Release Party site for a chance to read excerpts and for a chance to win a copy of Harley on the Rocks.

Musings About Baijiu

I would like to take this moment to share an experience I had this past Saturday (05 Feb). I attended a Chinese New Year's party at my hubby's friend's apartment. She is a wonderful cook who offered up the traditional 14 dishes. I can't remember them all so I won't list them, but they were good. There's this whole list of requirements for the 14 requisite dishes that I need to look up since I want to try this one year.

But on to the purpose of this post. Baijiu. My stomach is protesting even as I type.

The host of the Chinese New Year's party pulled out a few bottles of baijiu so that everyone could take a shot. Everyone had to do it, as it was a tradition amongst that crowd. Please note at this time, that two people cut out early on in the party and now I know why.

Okay. Baijiu is a Chinese grain-based alcohol. Basically their version of sake or vodka. Unlike sake or vodka, baijiu tastes like ASS. I don't know what sadistic bastard would create such a foul-tasting and just down right disgusting drink. And said sadistic bastard obviously had a brother or a friend, because they decided to sell it. It has survived and the process is passed on.

WHY?!!!

For more analytic information about baijiu, visit the wiki site.

While some may say my reaction is due to the fact that I don't drink much alcohol, that isn't the case. EVERYONE was hurting after drinking that crap. The only person who didn't react like someone who had just swallowed poison was my hubby, because he'll drink anything (and this proves it). The sicko actually had FOUR shots. FOUR!!

The man I married, ladies and gentlemen.

Still don't believe me? How about YouTube evidence?:




Skip ahead to 3:10 to see his reaction






And if you still doubt me, then buy a bottle. You'll have to go to a liquor store that sells a wide variety of imports or an Asian market to get it. And make sure the label is Chinese or you might be getting a cheap knockoff made to appeal to a western audience.

This stuff is a frat party drinking game's worst nightmare. I will NEVER drink it again. EVER. It's enough to make you stop drinking alcohol all together.

Yuck.

Writing Update 07 Feb

The first chapter for Harley on the Rocks is available to read at my promo blog - D. Renee Bagby Presents First Chapters

Also, my hubby helped me name the female lead of my latest novella. Some might think, "Just pick a name," but it's not that simple. I have to make sure not to repeat a name I'm already using (I have several books started). I also have to choose a name that sounds/feels right and doesn't annoy me.

You might be wondering how I could write the book without having the main character named. Simple. I use a place holder, usually "AAA". I do that for all the characters without names, just working my way down the alphabet. Usually heroines are AAA and heroes are BBB. Once I come up with a name, I do a "Replace All" with match case. Problem solved.

It's a trick another author (who I can't remember now) told me. I no longer get hung up trying to name a character, thus keeping me from actually writing the book. Very handy.

Big Game Follow-up

I'm not a football fan. I'm one of the however-many-percent of TV viewers who watches the biggest football game of the year for the commercials. Yup. I'm one of those. :P

So here's my top picks:

Chevy Bumblebee (FAVORITE)



Chevy Ms. Evelyn



Eminem Brisk



Chrysler Eminem



Bridgestone Carma



Volks Beetle (vote for cutest)



Audi Luxury Prison (vote for most original concept)



This one doesn't count as a big game ad (for some reason) but I saw it during the pre-show so it counts for me. :P


McDonald's Bears (friggin' hilarious)

Writing Update 05 Feb

First things first. Gale Stanley gave me a nod on Books & Blurbs blog today. Stop by if you want to read a spicy excerpt from Harley on the Rocks.

I'm feeling all accomplished today. I started a story for a Changeling Press themed line on 02 February and managed to put down over 10,000 words on it between then and now. Except for the character descriptions and the sex scenes, the book is pretty much finished. I still have to name the main character, but that's just a matter of looking at a list of names and picking one.

Today is a Chinese New Year's party with friends of the hubby and tomorrow is the big game. So I probably won't be able to jump back into it until Monday. I'm just happy I got it done and so quickly. For a little while there, I was struggling with an idea to fit the theme.

Next up is a vampire novella. This will be my first vampire book in a looooong line. I'm thinking this one shouldn't take too long since it's already halfway finished. I also need to get it finished soon to meet my deadline. :P

Contest at Cyber Launch Party

Author Island is hosting a party for my new release Harley on the Rocks at Cyber Launch Party. Stop by and leave me a question about my book in the comments section and you are entered to win a free copy!

Contest at JoJo's Book Corner

Join me over at JoJo's Book Corner for a chance to win a signed print copy of ERIS.

Contest ends Sunday (06 February) and the winner is announced on Monday (07 February).

New Release: Harley on the Rocks

It's 04 February somewhere in the world and that means HARLEY ON THE ROCKS is out now!

Read an excerpt BUY NOW

Harley on the Rocks by Zenobia Renquist  Cover art: Bryan Keller ISBN: 978-1-60521-593-8 Genre(s): Guilty Pleasures (Contemporary) Theme(s): Interracial, Ménage, Bisexual and More Length: Novella

Book Summary Harley's got the hots for her best friends -- two gorgeous hunks who're in love with one another. Helping them spice up their sex life can't be such a bad idea -- can it? Friends with benefits, nothing more. Harley's heart has complicated the issue. She wants to be more to Koijirou and Davis than a temporary fling, but she doesn't want to ruin their friendship. If it comes down to a choice between sex and friendship, can she handle the consequences of the choice she makes? Read An Excerpt BUY NOW