New Year’s resolutions

I can see from the blogs out there that people have buckled down and written out their new year’s resolutions. So I guess it’s time to present mine. Here we go:

1)

2)

3)

4)

…

Oh, I could go on for ages. In fact, seeing as it’s Thursday, I could write a whole Thursday Thirteen list about my new year’s resolutions.

But as the wiser ones amongst you might have guessed – I didn’t make any. C’mon, what’s the point? Every year I vow to lose weight. Sigh, if you could see me, you’d know that every year I fail dismally at that one. Then I could vow to get at least four manuscripts written in 2008.

*ROFLMAO*

I am undoubtedly the slowest writer in the world. I’m a one manuscript a year kind of a gal. Lord knows, I wish I could write faster – but nope. Not I. I’ve come to terms with that.

Then I could vow to be a better mother and spend more quality time with the kids. Hello? It’s all I do. If the kids are not at school, they’re with me. Racing to activities, having friends over, going to the beach/zoo/park etc. How much more time can I spend with them?

See, it’s easier not to make any promises to myself. At least that way I can’t be disappointed. Nevertheless, I applaud those of you who have made your resolutions, and hope they become a reality in 2008!

Now, on a completely different level, the new releases are out at Samhain. The first books of 2008. How cool is that? (And no, I haven’t been posting all the new releases. I’m too lazy. See, I could resolve to post them all, but well, we know by now what would happen to that resolution…)

Wolf Unbound by Lauren Dane $5.50 $4.68	The Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke by N. J. Walters $5.50 $4.68	Shaking Off the Dust by Rhianna Samuels $6.50 $5.53
Noble Hearts of Ellan Vannin by Gloria Wiederhold $6.50 $5.53	Hunter’s Moon by Rose Marie Wolf $5.50 $4.68	Dangerous Grounds by Shelli Stevens $5.50

Have you guessed which one I have marked off on my TBB list? Dangerous Grounds by Shelli Stevens. Sounds fabulous. Besides, I just learned that Shelli took a strippercize class to research this book. I think she deserves to sell 1000s of books based on that alone.

The Seduction of Shamus O’ Rourke sounds good too. Looks like I might have to get the first few books in NJ Walters’ series and do some catching up.

Jess

Thursday Thirteen

Oops. Haven’t done this in a couple of weeks.

Right, school holidays begin for the summer here. So I’m gonna try think up Thirteen ways to entertain the kids during December/January:

1)

The beach (That’s Bondi in the pic)

2) The pool

3) The zoo

4) The aquarium

5) Movies. Lots of them.

6) The wildlife park

7) Picnics in parks

8) Playdates. Lots of them

9) Bike rides

10)Holiday (only getting away for ten days in Jan tho. There’s a lot of entertaining to do before then.)

11) Going to see the Christmas lights/decorations.

12) Lots of walks and adventures in reserves.

13) Lazy mornings in bed reading and watching TV. (Okay, that one’s more for mum – but I’m on holiday too you know.)

I would be ever so grateful for more suggestions. Anyone have any???

Jess

Thursday’s Thirteen

Thirteen Reasons to celebrate:

1) I finished writing the book.

2) I finished writing the book.

3) I finished writing the book.

4) I finished writing the book.

5) I finished writing the book.

6) I finished writing the book.

7) I finished writing the book.

8) I finished writing the book.

9) I finished writing the book.

10) I finished writing the book.

11) I finished writing the book.

12) I finished writing the book.

13) I finished writing the book.

Okay, so it’s a week late, and I had intended to post this last Thursday, but that’s okay. Apart from rereads and rewrites (which is my favorite part of book writing,) I finished the damn book!!!

Jess

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen words I’ve used too many times in Steve’s Story:

This time it’s not my internal editor cracking her whip. It’s my real life one – Carrie. I can easily picture these words highlighted in her edits, with not so subtle warnings to find some new and different phrases. (Um, that’s assuming-and hoping-that one day she will be editing this book…)

So here’s the list:

1) Damn

2) Barely

3) Intense

4) Tantalize/tease/torment/torture (Counting these four as one because I tend to use them interchangeably.)

5) Breathe/breath/breathing

6) Devastated

7) Ache/ached

8) Hell (used as an expression, not as a place.)

9) Realize/realization (That’s one I’ve overused in all my manuscripts!)

10) Future (But there is valid reason for typing it so many times. I promise.)

11) Jean-clad (Bet you never expected that one. A member of my critique group picked up on it. Thanx, B!)

12) Groan/moan/gasp (Yep, use them interchangeably.)

13) Gawk/gape (Same story.)

Jess

Thursday Thirteen

Okay, let’s have some fun with this one.

13 hot hotties:

It doesn’t matter what they’re wearing, they are just ridiculously sexy…

 

 

Jess

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen of my favorite songs:

(Okay, so it’s not so easy to remember songs under pressure, and I’m pretty sure I’ll change my mind on half of these in the next five minutes. But here they are for now, diverse and perhaps odd to some…)

1) Angels: Robbie Williams

2) The one: Elton John

3) Piano Man: Billy Joel

4) We’ve got Tonight: Bob Seger

5) Bohemian Rhapsody: Queen (Well, isn’t it everybody’s fave?)

6) Summer of ’69: Brian Adams

7) Lonely Sky: Chris de Burgh

8) Hotel California: The Eagles

9) Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay: Otis Redding

10) You’re still the one: Shania Twain

11) Fields of Gold: Sting

12) Angie: Rolling Stones

13) Flying without wings: Westlife

Jess

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen ways I procrastinate:

I am the world’s biggest procrastinator. If I can put something off I do. See, I’m putting off writing this list. Okay, 13 ways I avoid working on my current MS the morning…

1) Make myself a cup of tea. (Can’t even switch on the computer without it.)

2) Have to check emails from the night before.

3) Must respond to all those emails from the night before. Even the ones that don’t warrant a response.

4) Quickly browse the internet. (Well, what if there’s a new review for Ask Adam, and I’ve missed it?)

5) Open the file I’m working on and and read from the beginning. (Just to recap what I did the day before.)

6) Remember I haven’t unpacked the dishwasher, so race to kitchen to do that.

7) Come back and check new emails.

8) Respond to new emails.

9) Darn. Dirty washing. Have to put a load in the machine.

10) Which reminds me, I have to fold the load in the drier from yesterday.

11) All the work has made me hungry. Time for breakfast/peanut butter sandwich.

12) Can’t have breaky without another cup of tea. Hmm, no wait…coffee

13) Oops, better check if any emails arrived while I was out the office.

Takes me a long time to finally started…

Jess

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen things about Jess Dee:

1) Jess Dee is a pen name. (Surprise!) I chose the name based on two of my favorite people in the world.

2) Jess means God watches (Hebrew). Dee means Good luck (Irish).

3) Originally, my pen name was Jessica Dee. Jessica Dee is a porn star with HIV. (Understand why I changed the name?)

4)When not writing erotic romance, I’m a wife and mother, leading a regular life.

5) I adore food. Any food. Junk food, and anything with sugar in it top my list.

6) I make a yummy cheese cake.

7) Last year I did something I never in a million years dreamed I would – I went sky diving.

8) I grew up in South Africa.

9) Now I live in Sydney.

10) I am 38 years old. (But only just.)

11) I will not let anyone else pack my dish washer. If someone does – I will repack it. (Okay, go ahead, call me obsessive compulsive…)

12)My hubby and I have the same birthday (but he is three years older.)

13) My lucky number is 8.

Jess

Thursday’s Thirteen

Ah, another first for me. I’ve never done the Thursday thirteen before.

Here we go:

Thirteen Australianisms I love:

1) No worries, y’awright and it’s all good

2) G’day mate

3) Ute (SUV)

4) Daggy tracky dacks (Ugly tracksuit pants). Didn’t have a clue what this meant when I first arrived here.

5) Barby (BBQ)

6) Chrissie (Christmas)

7) Duuhlin’ (Darling – can be used when refering to a woman or child, in place of mate.)

8) Macca’s (MacDonalds)

9) The affectionate “O” at the end of a name. (eg, garbos/garbage collectors; ambos/ambulance drivers or paramedics; Danno/Daniel)

10) Dacking (The term assigned to the act of pulling down someone’s pants.)

11) Marone (Spelled maroon, pronounced marone)

12) Arvo (afternoon)

13) Sickie (Sick day)

These are just a few. If I sat down and really thought about it, I could come up with hundreds more. Ah, you gotta love Australia!

Jess