Back

I’m back…after being MIA for a bit. But I’ve been missing for a really good reason. I’ve been working on the sequel to Reckless Bounty titled Maximum Velocity. I’ve also been participating in the KIA Marathon over at RWA online. My group is the Shadow Dancers and so far we’ve been doing really well!

Well, I'm off to write some more!

~Marly

Taxi

Last night, I watched the movie Taxi starring Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon. I laughed my butt off. I literally had tears in my eyes. Oh…I definitely recommend it for anyone that wants to have a good laugh and likes a good thrill ride! Ann-Margret was equally funny playing the part of Jimmy’s mother.

~Marly

Under The Weather

I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather these last few days. Needless to say, my productivity level has been minimal. So, I did what any normal woman would do…I slept and I ate some comfort food…what would settle well on the tummy anyway…which wasn’t much. And when I wasn’t sleeping…I watched Television. Yeah, it’s been a lot of fun around here. Oh…and I saw Martha again today. Jamie Oliver was on there…and let’s just say his segment wasn’t long enough. So that bummed me out. Really. I don’t know how popular he is in the States, but he’s pretty well known up here in Canada. So, for the first time in watching a new Martha episode, I felt cheated. I loved the makeover story…but well…I feel Jamie could have had some more airtime…he seemed a bit rushed. And they didn’t need to cut back on the bedroom makeover segment either. Enough said.
Here's Jamie's website for anyone that might be interested.

Jamie Oliver

~Marly

Ghost Whisperer

Yesterday I watched a new show called Ghost Whisperer starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. I was actually impressed by both the show and her acting abilities. She never used to be one of my favorites but her acting abilities have definitely grown. Anyone that is into the paranormal, and loves shows with heart, then this is a must see for you! I give it a ten. The characters were richly drawn and the interaction between them was superb. I also liked the little touch that they gave it when she sometimes doesn’t know if she’s seeing ghosts until they “see her” and notice that she can see them. Her assistant in her antique store also did a great job. It’s good to finally see a show that doesn’t drone on about the negative things in life even though some of the main players in the show are ghosts. And I hope they keep the great work up! Also, I liked the fact that they have her character, Melinda, already being in a faithful relationship with her husband. Nice touch. Now we hopefully won’t have to go through the whole angst of will they or won’t they? I hate it when shows do that, dangling the romantic relationship in front of you, until they ultimately put the characters with other people. I also like the fact that her husband is supportive and comforting. I really, really hope that they keep on getting better with each episode instead of taking that road of no return. Okay, that’s all for tonight.

~Marly

Hurricane Rita

I'm sending out thoughts and prayers to everyone that is in the path of hurricane Rita. Stay safe!

Marly

Martha

My Television viewing of last night consisted of Martha Stewart’s new show The Apprentice: Martha Stewart. Let’s just say, I think I’m hooked on the The Apprentice: Martha Stewart and her other new daytime show, Martha. But that’s a good thing, right?

~Marly

Comedy Legend

I watched Bob Hope’s The Princess and the Pirate last night.

The Princess and the Pirate

I laughed my butt off. Those classic comedy movies are great stress relievers. And as we all know, Bob Hope was a comedy king.

~Marly

Aurora

Last night was Stargate Atlantis night. I was almost afraid to tune in…as I haven’t been too impressed with the last few episodes. But I was in for a most pleasant surprise. This episode actually portrayed the characters the way I like to see them portrayed. The funny banter between McKay and Sheppard was back…and even more astonishing I’ve begun to warm up to the character of Ronen…or maybe it’s just the actor. Anyway, the episode was called Aurora and it was definitely a great lead up to their mid-season two-part cliffhanger.
The other night I watched Johnny English for about the twentieth time. I love that film. And while it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, the humor in it cracks me up every time. Of course, there’s a gross part in the film that I could do without but I’ve learned to overlook it now. And the theme song sung by Robbie Williams is pretty hilarious and catchy as well.

In other news the writing is coming along and I’m right where I want to be. So that’s a definite good thing.

~Marly

A Little Piece Of Heaven

Three words: Homemade Banana Cake.

~Marly

Mimosa!

Scent of the day: Mimosa…not the drink…the scent. As an extra bonus for this blog entry, the lingering scent of mimosa was used to portray a spirit in the 1944 mystery/romantic movie The Uninvited.

The Uninvited

This movie is one of my all time favorites and I highly recommend it to anyone that’s looking for a spooky yet heartwarming movie.
Mimosa is a native plant from China. The Chinese call it the tree of collective happiness. Common name is the Silk Tree. A Florentine Nobleman, Fillippo Degli Albizzia introduced mimosa to the US in 1785. It was naturalized from Maryland to Southern Florida, west to eastern Texas and north to Indiana. Mimosa is also found widely in the Mediterranean. The tree flowers between June through to August. The bark and the flowers are used for medicinal properties. You can find mimosa scented soaps and perfumes. So, the next time you are looking for a scent to use in your story think about introducing Mimosa to your character’s life. Research has also shown that the flowers of the mimosa tree have a sedative effect…so think about that when next you need to relax your characters.

~Marly

Reflection

I’m back. I finished the revisions of Do or Die this week.
The events of the last few weeks have opened our eyes and our hearts. Hurricane Katrina dealt a devastating blow to many, and my heart goes out to everyone involved and affected.

I thought I might start up a little fun feature on my blog called scent of the day, week or month, as I am known to go into deep writing mode. Since we as writers sometimes like to use flowery scents, citrus scents among others, to enhance our scenes, I thought this might be enjoyable to explore. So come with me on my fascinating adventure through scents of our lives.
Stay tuned: Mimosa, coming soon!

~Marly

Deep Writing Mode

Hey everybody,

I’m sorry that I’ve been MIA this last week…I’m up to my ears revising my latest romantic futuristic action adventure DO OR DIE.

~Marly

Romantic Films

Last night I watched two really good classic black and white films. One was from 1936, and the other was from 1945. I have to say…I never get tired of watching films from this era. For the most part they leave you with a happy go lucky feeling that always improves your mood.
The movie from 1936 was MY MAN GODFREY, starring William Powell and Carole Lombard. They both gave an excellent portrayal and the romance between the two lit up the screen. From my humble opinion I’d have to say that this version is MUCH better than the one made in 1957. I’ve found that remakes either sink or swim…and for me they usually pale in comparison to the original.
The second movie made in 1945 was THE STORK CLUB, starring Barry Fitzgerald and Betty Hutton. This movie was also a feel good romantic comedy. It showcased the love between a couple that had been married for forty years and the love between a marine just back from the war and the woman that waited for him to come home to her. Both were touching and sweet heartwarming movies that actually had a plotline. If you’re looking for great romantic films I highly recommend both!

Sprinkling some faerie dust your way,

~Marly

Long time, no blog

Hey everybody just thought I’d pop in and say that no…I haven’t dropped off the face of the Earth. I know it’s been a couple of weeks...okay more than a couple of weeks since my last post but who's counting. Anyway, I’ve been busy writing. I’ll try to pop in again in the next few days or so to write a proper update.

Sprinkling some faerie dust your way,
~Marly

It's Raining, It's Pouring

Okay, so I’m sitting here writing this blog entry while rain pelts against my office window. Where did the week go? I can’t believe my last entry was on Monday. I’ve been so busy writing and living my life that the week just flew by. Anyway, most of the writers I know are at this moment gearing up for the RWA National conference in Reno. Alas, I won’t be there this year…but I expect full reports from my friends.

Well, I think I hear thunder in the distance so my Internet time is almost up…

Sprinkling a little faerie dust your way,
~Marly

Urgent Warning!

I’ve been visiting my regular blog haunts this morning, and I just noticed an extremely important warning on Deidre Knight’s Agency Blog. Anyway, I urge any of the readers of my blog to scoot right over there and read her warning.

Knight Agency Blog
Please take the time out to visit her blog. I would elaborate further, but I think it’s best if my readers hear it straight from Deidre.

~Marly

I'm So Excited!!!

I’m so excited. Tomorrow I’ll be getting my copy of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Yesterday, I read this interesting article about how the Canadian copies of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince will be printed entirely with recycled paper that is free of pulp from ancient trees. Ancient trees are generally defined as being trees that are at least 150 years old. The Canadian Publisher of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is Raincoast Books. Activists say their printing of the book will save more than 28, 000 trees. To give you a visual picture of that number they say it is more trees than what will fill New York City’s Central Park. Wow.

Sprinkling some faerie dust your way,

~Marly

Spellbound

I just skipped over to Marjorie M. Liu’s blog, and I just have to rave about the cover to her book Shadow Touch. It’s one haunting cover. The color scheme is catchy and there is just so much to entice the eyes. Okay, I’m going back to my writing now,

Sprinkling some faerie dust your way,
~Marly

Spitting Nails

Okay here’s one of my biggest pet peeves in some people. People that can’t seem to mind their own freaking business! Why can’t some people just concern themselves with what is going on with their lives, instead of sticking their noses where they don’t bloody belong? And I’m sure I’m not alone in having this viewpoint. Here’s another thing that really ticks me off. People that seem to think they can talk for other people. I mean give me a break. I’m perfectly capable of speaking for myself, please and thank you. There’s no need for anyone to put words in my mouth. I’m a pretty private person, and I like to keep my business just what it is-MY BUSINESS! I don’t really like to air my business, and I don’t appreciate being backed into a corner. I especially don’t like being forced to defend myself or anyone else that has been put into the corner with me.
Newsflash, I believe in treating people with respect, and I believe in being nice almost to a fault…but don’t piss me off. I can and do bite back. I’m sick to death of people thinking that being sweet and kind is a weakness that they can exploit. Or worse, they think that I’ve got fluff between my ears. Well, I guess I can only say one thing. Those people that think they can push me into a corner aren’t worth the time or trouble. I really do try to see the best in people…but sometimes it’s just a lost cause.

I’m off to write,

~Marly

Prayers

My thoughts and prayers go out to all of the people of Britain, following the horrible terror attacks in London.

~Marly

Wonderful News

Just popping in to announce some fantastic news. I’m pleased to say that I have accepted an offer of representation from Cheryl Ferguson of the Ferguson Literary Agency.

Sprinkling some faerie dust your way,
~Marly

Sunny and Hot

Okay it’s hot up here. Really, stinking hot. That’s not to say that we don’t get hot temperatures up here in Southwestern Ontario at this time of year because we do. The humidity can kill you. But you know it’s bad when a woman from New Mexico up here on a business trip turns to you and says, Oh, my God! It’s SO hot here. So, I think that sums it all up. Then she kept saying, but you don’t understand I live in the desert. Yes, ladies and gentlemen it’s that hot here. Heavy, and hot. Yuck. The only thing I can say is thank god for air conditioning. I think I’d really be dying if I didn’t have that.

Well, I’m off to journey to the wonderful world of writing.

*UPDATE* I received some fantastic news today. But I’m too sleepy to go into it right now. So stay tuned for more either tomorrow or the next day. *UPDATE*
Sprinkling some faerie dust your way,
~Marly

Rainbow

Well, I’m a little ticked right now. Actually, it’s been bugging me since I heard the news a couple months ago, but now I just have to say something. And since I have a blog, I figure this is a good place to start speaking.
I must admit I really, really like the show Stargate SG-1 and its spin off series, Stargate Atlantis. My commentary for this blog will be on the new season of Stargate Atlantis. I have to say, I’m already disappointed even though no new episodes have aired. It’s that hit your head against your desk kind of disappointed, if anyone that’s reading this can relate to that. Anyway, this post pertains to the character of Aiden Ford, and his portrayer Rainbow Sun Francks. Anyone that is a fan of Stargate Atlantis probably already knows that Rainbow’s character has been written off the show as a regular cast member. This information made me shake my head when I first heard it. I mean, his character did enhance the show, and in my opinion he was a vital member of the Stargate Atlantis team. I will miss his presence on the show. A LOT. What can I say? I liked his character. And Rainbow’s smile does light up the screen. :) He heated up my cold nights, I’ll tell you.
To make matters worse, I’ve just seen photos of the “new” Stargate Atlantis Team. Let’s just say I was not impressed. Of course, my other favorite characters will still be on the show, but from what I’ve seen of the photos the dynamic of the show has changed, and in my opinion it hasn’t changed for the better.
It may just be my own perception of the new character Ronon Dex, but he gives me the creeps. Really. Made me shudder just to look at him. Now the actor may not be creepy once all that hair is removed, and he breaks character. I understand that the man is an actor, and this is his way of making a living. But the glint he’s putting in his eye, still spooks me. Let’s just say I don’t find that attractive in men. You can see the photos I'm talking about by following this link:

Gateworld

Now, some people may rave over his character, and some women might think that he’s hot. But I’m not one of those women. All I can say is this to the TPTB at Stargate Atlantis. BRING RAINBOW BACK!!!
Okay, well, that’s off my chest now. I can be rather long winded when I’m worked up.
On another note, the repairman came by yesterday and fixed the washing machine. So, that’s the end of that little drama. Now, I have to do laundry. Happy days are here again.
This just in: I've updated my website to include the excerpt for my romantic futuristic, Do Or Die!!! So check it out, when you can!
I’m off to the wonderful world of writing.

Sprinkling a little faerie dust your way,
Marly

Rosemary And Thyme

In this installment of my blog I will be talking about one of my new favorite shows. It’s a British series, and for my American friends I will include the url to their website just in case they don’t get the show in their area. I’m a big fan of British TV, and this series in my opinion is one of their best exports. It’s a murder mystery show that I guess could be dubbed a cozy mystery, with a dash of comedy relief. The writing is superb, and the locales they use are simply stunning. The English gardens and estate grounds that they show are beautiful and really enhance the show. I also enjoy the research on the different facts of gardening that they include in each program.
The rapport between the shows two main characters is also a joy to watch. I know I mentioned Harry Potter’s Aunt Marge in yesterday’s blog, and this blog actually ties into my previous blog. What is the link you might ask? Well, I’m getting to it. I have to say that while I find the character of Aunt Marge unbecoming, the actress playing the part is very gifted. If you check out the Rosemary and Thyme website you’ll see Pam Ferris who portrays Aunt Marge in Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban in the role of Laura Thyme. Her talent astounds me. Pam Ferris was also in the new Miss Marple movie Marple: 450 From Paddington, in which she portrayed Elspeth McGillicuddy. Her range of talent still amazes me. Felicity Kendal plays Rosemary Boxer, she’s a delight to watch as well. They create a gardening super sleuth duo. No matter what they always get to the bottom of the murder mystery. Sufficed to say, I highly recommend this show. Here's the url:

Rosemary&Thyme

The writing went well today, but no new news unfortunately. My website is still in the updating process and I’ll be glad when the html faeries finally finish it. Oh, how I wish! Unfortunately, the html faeries only exist in my imagination. I’m a one-woman show, when it comes to updating my website. Sad isn’t it? LOL
Tonight, I’ll be at a chat featuring Marjorie M. Liu as one of the participants. It’s at 9 pm Eastern and if you’re interested in attending you can find out more by visiting her journal.
Anyway, I must get back to my writing.

Sprinkling some faerie dust your way,
Marly

Feeling Mellow

Well, it’s that time again. Time to write another blog entry. My fingers are poised and ready and I’m hoping that some words of wisdom will pour forth soon onto this page. First off, I’m feeling better than I did on Saturday night, so that’s a good thing.
Sunday passed by quietly and quickly, come to the think of it. I watched Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban for about the hundredth time. I have to say the part where he inflates his aunt is still one of my favorites. You know, that little trick could come in handy sometimes. :)
I have Loreena McKennitt playing on my itunes and I’m getting ready to become a writing warrior.
Oh, and as for my words of wisdom: life is hard, wear a helmet. :)

Sprinkling some faerie dust your way,
Marly

Little Rant

It’s Saturday night and I’m taking some time out from writing to post this blog. First off, I’m feeling frustrated. Not frustrated with my writing mind you, but just frustrated with the way that some people behave and treat others in this world of ours. I know I’ve said that I always look on the positive side of things, and I normally do but this has been bugging me for a bit now.
I really hate the way that some people nitpick and backstab. It’s almost as if they get sheer enjoyment out of doing that. I mean why can’t they just stick to their word no matter what? This whole thing where people put on a fake façade so that you’ll be drawn into their little web really irks me. Just be genuine. I know, I know. There will never come a day where everyone will be like this. Human nature, and all that. But still, a gal can dream can’t she?

Anyway, I’m going to get off the internet go and watch something light and humorous and then maybe write a bit more before I turn in. I’m also going to grab a nice hot cup of tea. That always hits the right spot. And come tomorrow I’ll be back to my old self. You know the self that only sees the positive things in life. But for tonight, I’m firmly entrenched in this mood.

Marly

It's Getting There-slowly, but surely

So here’s the scoop. I finally updated the excerpt of Twilight’s Kiss on my website. One down, several more to go. I’ll get to them eventually. Really, I will. The writing is coming along, so no complaints there. The creative juices are flowing.
We have a repairman coming by on Tuesday, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that he’ll be able to fix it in one visit. Here’s to hoping.
Anyway, back to writing.

Sprinkling some faerie dust your way,
Marly

It Will All Wash Out

Our washing machine had a temper tantrum yesterday, and then well it conked out. I was quite agitated for a while, but then I got over it. The thing is this hasn’t been the first time, and it’s only a couple years old. It’s one of the new energy efficient front loaders. I guess they just don’t make washing machines the way that they used to. Then there’s the story of trying to get a repairman in. I might as well, pull out my hair, for all the good it does. It’s still on warranty and for goodness sakes it takes forever just to get someone to come out and look at it. Then if I’m really lucky he’ll have the part in his truck. I’m really hoping this will be the case, as I don’t particularly care for the alternative.
But since I always try to remain positive, and I’m always looking for the silver lining, here’s the silver lining. I won’t have to do laundry for the next few days. But that laundry will pile up…so well you can see where that leads. Piled up laundry. Oh, happy joy.
Now, let’s see…the writing is coming along quite nicely. I haven’t had any groundbreaking news, but I’m still thinking positive thoughts. The website is…well…I’ll get back to updating it soon. I tend to put those sorts of things off, and opt to write instead. I mean who needs the bother? Ha. Ha. No, seriously, I will get back to it. Those excerpts are calling to me. Especially the three new ones that I need to add. Their screams are the loudest. I’ll be deaf soon, if they keep it up. I think I’ll go find some earplugs.

Sprinkling some faerie dust your way,
Marly

Sunny Day

Okay, this is my first blog entry. It’s early morning here I’ve just pulled an all-nighter writing. I’m working on my latest manuscript, which happens to be a romantic futuristic. I’m having a lot of fun with this one, but then I always enjoy my writing. I guess if I didn’t I wouldn’t be writing.

I’m also in the midst of updating my website, by updating some of my excerpts and adding some new ones from some of my other works, so stay tuned for that. It might take me a while to get all the updates done, as my writing comes first. And to be honest, I’d rather be writing my stories than writing html. Ha. Ha. But that’s the truth. I’ve been putting it off, but the time has come. The last update was months ago, and a lot of things have changed in that amount of time.

Well, it looks like it’s going to be a good day. I’m listening to The Corrs, and feeling happy with all that I’ve accomplished. Now, back to writing, and then maybe I’ll get a few hours of rest.

Sprinkling some faerie dust your way,
Marly