Tuesday, October 18, 2011

You Like My Book!!!

Just saw something which made my day!  A reader commented the following:


"OMG, Wild At Heart... just read it... LOVED IT!!! Kenzie. you rock... felt like I was there, absorbing every word, i stayed up til 3am to finish, I think the only thing that would have been great was if Ethan would have gotten with Lori after Rehab lol."


It's like winning an OSCAR; complete strangers tell you they LOVE your work, and suggest ideas for sequels:)


As for costumes....each character tells me what they're wearing.  And the only time I've done a Halloween Party, I've based their costumes on past experience:


For example, my alter-ego's characters attended a 'Come As Your Favorite Fantasy' party, and dressed as punk rocker; a flasher; a mechanic; Dracula; and Army get ups.  In a later book, they would dress as Robert Palmer's Back Up Singers and yes, even had a Robert Palmer.   They compete in a Halloween Costume contest against a pregnant nun, a Coke can, M&M candy, and Hershey's Kiss.  Amy and Caty dress up as Dorothy and Glenda from Wizard of Oz, and Amy even refers to a previous Halloween when Matt gets the wrong costume, ruining her plans.


Maybe I need to incorporate a Lady Gaga costume into one of my next stories?

Monday, October 10, 2011

"Why Don't You Understand? This Is The Story Line!"

Scene:  Friend of Kenzie's house, with Barbie Townhouse.

Kenzie holds Malibu Barbie, dressed in silver sheath and Lillian, Barbie doll with changeable hair, dressed in tennis outfit. Both dolls are on top floor 'bedroom'.  Obviously Barbie is getting ready to go to a dance with Ken, and Lillie is helping her.

Downstairs, K holds Ken, dressed in formal wear.  A smaller doll, Skipper, 'answers' the door.

Skipper:  Hi Ken.  Barbie's upstairs.

Ken:  I'm ready to take her to the prom.

(Barbie gets up and gets in elevator to go downstairs):   I hope I look alright, Lil.

Lillie (follows Barbie to elevator):  You look GREAT!  I wish I could go.

Barbie:  Maybe Ken's friend Tom will be with him.

Both dolls arrive downstairs and greet Ken.

Barbie:  Ken, where is Tom?  I thought he was going to take Lillie.

Ken (looking puzzled.  K roots around in toy box and finds the Lone Ranger):  Am I late?  Oh...you're Lillian?  Gee, you're taller than I am.

Lillie:  You're wearing a mask?  I want to see what you look like.

Tom:  No can do, ma'am.  I've got to be able to save damsels in distress at any moment.  And I can't be recognized.  Can you ride a horse?

Lillie:  Uh, Barbie, I guess I'll sit this one out.

Skipper:  I'll go!  I love to ride horses!

Tom and Skipper go off.  Ken, who's been propped up beside the townhouse, turns to Barbie:  Shall we?

Kenzie:  Are you insane?  Skipper can't go to the prom with the Lone Ranger; she's only in the 6th grade!

K:  Well, at least she's shorter than Tom.  What boy wants to be seen with someone who towers over them?

Kenzie:  He was supposed to throw her over her shoulder.  Then at the prom, while dancing to "Close To You", he agrees to take off his mask and they fall in love....and then some bullies try to take Barbie away from Ken and a fist-fight happens, so everyone escapes on Silver after the tires are slashed on the camper....

K:  I don't want to play anymore.  Let's go outside.

**************
The above scenario is one reason I liked to play by myself.  I had the story line mapped out, or at least somewhat developed in my head, and couldn't understand why it wasn't 'obvious' to my playmates.  I couldn't TELL them what was going to happen; I just 'knew' it.  And it wouldn't be for another three or four years before I had the skills to WRITE it down.

I acted out my own continuing version of movies and books.  And got frustrated when no one wanted to go along with it.  And when my hormones kicked in at age 14, I inserted myself into romance novels, mainly the civil war era or Victorian historical ones.

I devoured Jean M Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear and especially Valley of the Horses.  And when I got to college and found out how much fun sex could be, I started writing it.  But there was a problem:  I was so descriptive, the only thing I could find in comparison was found in my dad's Playboys (my sister and I used to get them out and make fun of the girls.  I loved reading the comics though!).  But what good Christian girl read that sort of thing?  So I put them away or in one case, destroyed it.

And then in 2002, I found the Ellora's Cave site and ordered two books.  And a whole new world opened up!  Here were the books I wanted!  And I didn't have to be embarrassed, because no one could see me with them in my hand at the store!  (Yes, I've been too embarrassed to check out or buy the Kama Sutra, and it took me until 1994 to be comfortable buying condoms, even though I'd been married for three years by then!)

So yes, I'm a good Christian gal with a wild side.  I'm also finally getting comfortable enough to let her out occasionally.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda...

I don't have a lot of regrets in my life, but there are a few....

I wish I hadn't....
-Desired to 'fit in' so much in HS:  All my friends had boyfriends, and instead of being happy with my non-attached status, I took the first one offered.  (Can we say co-dependant???)

-(wished I HAD) seen the writing on the wall and gone after my Soul Mate instead of thinking my date was 'mine' (he wasn't; I should have told him where to go that night and maybe my SM and I would be together??)

-Given up on said Soul Mate when I DID tell my supposed boyfriend to take a hike.

-Lost patience when a 'surprise' was 'coming soon'.  Essentially gave up the chance to visit Hawaii....

-Spent all that money self-publishing.  If I'd been a little patient, maybe things would have been better?  (Although it DID show me how to promote myself, so it wasn't entirely all bad.  Chalk it up to learning experience...)

-(wished I HAD) chosen another major in college, one which gave me the skills to find a GOOD PAYING JOB?  (But then again, if I'd married my SM, I'd be fairly comfortable, instead of watching the pennies...or maybe even divorced, so maybe Life with him wouldn't have been so merry?  Who knows?)

-Been so anxious to move out of the city after storage unit being broken into and made a better choice of buying a house...(But then again, everything happens for a reason....)

Yes, I am not in control of my life.  Everything which has happened to me has made me the person I am today. And a little wiser, and more cautious.  And most importantly, I'm finally comfortable being ME.  I'm not seeking approval from the opposite sex; I know my SM is waiting for me.

I have readers who enjoy my work.

I have good friends who like to hang out with me.

And, I've raised three good kids. (Okay; the jury's still out on #3, but he has his good moments!)

What about you?  Any big regrets you'd like to share?  I'd love for Q to be able to show me what my life would have been like, if I'd changed a few decisions....with the option to return to my current lifetime, of course!  (Star Tren TNG, if you're unfamiliar with that character!)