Stupid Pleasures

I'll admit it. Sometimes I discover an odd show on television and then I have to record it. My latest discovery is Ninja Warrior. It's filmed in Japan and is a competition of strength and agility where men and women compete against a course. If you fail an obstacle, you land in icky water. Check out this video:



Lots of upper body strength and balance required. And there's some interesting characters that show up for every competition even though they tend to fail miserably and often funnyily (new word) on the first obstacle.

So what's your stupid television pleasure?

Deadly DeLeon

Stuff to be thankful for

Happy day-after Thanksgiving! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and are still gorging on leftovers. I had a wonderful day with lost of family, lots of food, and lots to be thankful for. But more on that later… first I have an apology to make. If anyone stopped by last Friday you might have noticed something. Or a lack of something, namely, my blog post. Yep, I totally forgot. I’m claiming baby induced amnesia. It makes me forget everything. I won’t even go into how many times the big boy has called me from school politely asking if I planned on picking him up that day. Doh! So, sorry for missing you all last week!

But, in addition to the duh! moments brought on by baby, I also had another really good reason for forgetting to blog last week. (Here comes the stuff I had to be thankful for part…) I was celebrating. Big time. Remember those “other projects” I was talking about a couple weeks ago? Well, I can officially announce what they are now. Last week I contracted for 4 (yes… 4!) new books in 2 new series! Wanna know what they are? (Please say, yes, ‘cause I’m dying to share...)

I sold two books in a brand new mystery suspense series to St. Martin’s Press. And, get this, they’ll be published in hardcover. (Zoiks!) The fist book in the series is called PLAY DEAD, and is a Mr. & Mrs. Smith style story about a former assassin who fakes her death to escape the life. Only 15 years later someone has caught up to her and is making it his mission to see that she stays dead for good this time. PLAY DEAD should be out in 2013.

And, as if that didn’t make my week enough, I also sold the first two books in a new young adult mystery series to Harper Teen! The first of those, DEADLY COOL, will be out in 2012 and centers around a 16 year old high school student who turns amateur sleuth when her cheating boyfriend becomes the prime suspect in a murder case.

To say I’m excited about these new projects is a total understatement. I can’t wait to get started on them! Now, all I have to do is find time to write all these books. Not to mention the next book in my Hollywood Headlines series. Gee, it’s a great thing I don’t have any distractions like a new baby or anything. ;)

So, how was everyone else’s week?



~Trigger Happy Halliday

The Assassin Gets Schooled...

Mr. Assassin, lookin' good in Baghdad.

So, we're sitting around the table and my friends are talking about sex. They are complaining that they only have it once in a while and how that's not enough.

Me: Oh, that's real nice. Considering I'm not going to get any until May! Pass the saltpeter please.

Friend-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named: (she's a single mom) At least you know WHEN you're going to get it next!

Happy Thanksgiving! (I'll be eating a little crow.)

The Assassin

Time To Be Thankful . . .

Winner!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chelsea B. Your name was pulled out of the hat. Please email me you snail mail address at christie (at) christie-craig (dot) com

And make sure you come back next week, I'll be running another contest.

CC

Time To Be Thankful—It’s Release day for Another Christie Craig Book

It’s almost Thanksgiving, but today’s the day. Divorced, Desperate and Deceived hits the stands. Today, readers will see my baby looking up from the bookshelves. I’m hoping the cute puppy on the front will reach out and pull the potential buyers in and beg them to take it home with them.

You’d think that after having had six novels—five from Dorchester and my very first from Silhouette years ago—hit the stands, the thrill and the anxiety would have faded. Not quite. Oh, I’m no longer hiding out in the bookstores, wearing a wig and a trench coat, taking notes to how many people pick it up, and blocking people’s path when they try to walk past it without noticing my masterpiece. Nope, I’m over that. (Funny how a couple of restraining orders can take the thrill out of my promo efforts.) Now, I just hang out at the grocery and drug stores and slip it into people’s baskets when they aren’t looking. Much better success. I’m kidding, but it is tempting.

Ahh, but the thrill of a new release hasn’t changed. I still almost have to pinch myself. I think one reason I still feel the high is because I worked so hard to get here. I heard so many “Noes” before I finally got my “Yeses.”

When I do my rejection dump at writer conferences, I often get asked, “How did you do it? How did you keep going?”

The answer is rather simple and I’m afraid I’m not near as wonderful as you might think. I just couldn’t quit. Writing is in my blood, these stories come to me and if I don’t write them, I don’t get to find out what happens to the characters. Writing is a big part of what defines me. However, when I look back, I remember the sting of those rejections, but you know what I remember most? I remember, and I’m forever thankful for everyone who helped me keep going: The contest judges who read my manuscripts and said such wonderful things about my work or gave me a little suggestion. My critique partners who keep saying, “It will happen, Christie. It will.” My family who saw me put hours upon hours into a career that gave nothing back for year, after year, after year, and yet they never lost faith in me.

I’m even thankful for those rejections. They made me stronger, they made me work harder. So today, I hope if there is something you’re working toward, I hope you have people to support you, I hope your dream is so tightly wound around who you are that quitting isn’t an option. Because I’m here to tell you, meeting goals is something to holler about, it’s something to celebrate. It’s downright awesome.

And you guys are awesome, too. Without you, without readers, I wouldn’t have this career. So thank you all. Happy Thanksgiving. Now, it’s your turn to tell me what you are thankful for. One lucky commenter will win a signed copy of my book.

And don’t forget to visit me and read my humorous blogs at these other sites where I’m also giving away books:


West of Mars: (What Song reminds me of my book?)
Romance in the Backseat http://ritbs.blogspot.com/2009/11/ten-questions-for-author-christie-craig.html(10 Questions I get asked most often.)
Enchanted by Books: (Five Things you Didn’t Know About Christie Craig) See I still have a few secrets.)

I also have a humorous feature posted at Dorchester: What it Takes To Be A Christie Craig Character. Along with the feature, we’re running another contest, a short essay contest, "Do You Have What it Takes to be a Christie Craig Character?" and I’m giving away a wonderful cozy Cypress housecoat and a copy of Divorced, Desperate and Deceived. http://dorchesterpub.com/Dorch/SpecialFeatures.cfm?ID=2752

Monday Afternoon Movie Review

Sorry, guys. Got busy this morning and half a day got away from me. Saw The 4th Kind yesterday. For those of you that haven't seen trailers, the 4th kind of contact is when aliens abduct you. The movie was touted as based on the real-life story of a doctor in Nome, Alaska and has what is purported to be original footage of interviews mixed with reinactments of everything else.

Of course, that tall tale didn't last very long, and someone blew the whistle on them and pointed out that there is no "real" story - it's all a marketing ploy a la Blair Witch Project, if any of you remember that marketing hype.

So it's all a big fake, but the movie was decently done. Nothing to get excited over and likely more of a rental than full pop for the movie theater, but I've definitely seen worse. Paranormal Activity was definitely more creepy, though.

Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!

Deadly DeLeon

November 24th, is release day for Christie Craig's Divorced, Desperate and Deceived and she's going to be guest blogging all over the internet and giving away free books:

West of Mars: http://westofmars.com/blog/

Her own blog Killer Fiction: http://killerfictionwriters.blogspot.com/

Romance in the Backseat http://romanceinthebackseat.com/

Enchanted by Books: http://booklover07202.blogspot.com/

She also has a humorous feature posted at Dorchester: What it Takes To Be A Christie Craig Character. Along with the feature is running another contest, a short essay contest, "Do You Have What it Takes to be a Christie Craig Character?" and she's giving away a wonderful cozy Cypress housecoat and a copy of her book. http://dorchesterpub.com/Dorch/SpecialFeatures.cfm?ID=2752

Black Friday '09 anyone?

A week from tomorrow it happens again. Throngs of intrepid bargain-hunting warriors will hit the malls and department stores in search of those great deals that last from 5 AM - 9 AM or 11 AM depending on the chain. Already there are websites set up with 'leaked' Black Friday ads so serious shoppers can plan their attacks.

Okay. So I'm usually one of them. And yes, I've peeked at those ads once or twice. And made a few lists. But this year's list is different from past years'. For me--and I suspect--for many other Americans who are feeling the pinch. While Christmas is generally a time for gift 'wishes' to come true, this year I imagine many folks will be a bit more--discriminating--in their purchases, going for functionality over flair.

Times are tough all over. Many state governments are facing huge budget deficits and must cut their spending to balance their checkbooks. Our state is no different. To avoid drastic layoffs, furlough days (i.e. days off without pay) have been mandated. So Santa will have to tighten his rather large belt this year.

HO HO HO.

So here's how my shopping list has adapted to the new budget restrictions:

Wish I Could
42 inch LCD HDTV
New HP Laptop
Cashmere Sweaters
Wii system with Wii Fit
Large set of pots and pans

Can
$2 DVDs
8 GB Flash Drive
Electric throw
$8 running suit
Micro meals

You get the idea...sigh.

Good thing Christmas isn't about the gifts.

So how is your gift-giving shaping up? Are you changing your purchasing habits this year? Buying less? Going for needs rathers than 'wants'? Will you be venturing out among the masses come next Friday morn?

Even though I won't be power-shopping this year, I'll probably drag my tail to the local stores to observe the craziness. Purely for writing research purposes, of course. :)

~Bullet Hole~