Christmas Time is here

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Amanda Jayde

Which means new movies to watch!

The Christmas holiday is almost as good as Memorial Day weekend here in the states for launching really good movies, of course during Christmas you tend to get more serious movies (as they are pushing for Oscar contention) and Memorial Day is mostly popcorn movies (meaning movies that are fun to watch but will never really get a nomination for anything) and big action and sci-fi.

This Christmas 2 movies that I have been waiting for over a year opened.  The first one is The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.  I have been a HUGE Lord of the Rings fan for a while now and I loved the Peter Jackson movies – they were fun to watch, they had a lot of action, the story and visuals were AHHHH-mazing.  They were the Star Wars trilogy for a new generation.  So when it was announced that Peter Jackson was going to do The Hobbit I was a happy girl.  Then the casting happened and I was even happier.  I am a HUGE (understatement of the year) admirer of Richard Armitage so to find out he was going to have a major part in this I was a happy happy girl.

Richard Armitage plays Thorin in The Hobbit

Richard Armitage plays Thorin in The Hobbit

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Feliz Navidades!!!!

Posted on December 26, 2012 by Amanda Jayde

Hey lookit me getting all bilingual … Here’s to hoping you all had a wonderful Christmas or Hanukkah or Yule or Kwanzaa …. or whatever you may celebrate this season.

As for me, I’ve been getting into the spirit for the last 2 months – ugh!  In my day job, one of my responsibilities is putting together our corporate Christmas party which this year was Luau themed.  The party is a HUGE undertaking – imagine planning a wedding for 150 people … yeah that’s what I do EVERY YEAR.  With the exception of picking dresses and such, but catering, venue, dj, centerpieces and even giveaways for every attendee (Usually some type of glass) and I have to stay in budget, so needless to say on top of the regular Christmas craziness most people go through I have to do last minute party things … but ya know what?  I love doing it and this year was deemed the BEST PARTY EVER!  Which of course is a double edged sword because …. well … how do you top it?  Alas I have 2 months until I have to begin planning NEXT year’s party so I won’t worry about it until then LOL.

On the writing front – book 3 is coming along slowly, again the whole holiday thing snuck up on me – have I mentioned Thanksgiving was held for the first time at MY HOUSE AHHHHHHH so much for a quiet long weekend of writing and going somewhere else to eat … still it went well there too.

Back to the book – I’m really excited about it, I think in a way it will serve as a gamechanger in the larger story arc of our Benandanti friends, but it will also still have a fantastic love story at its core, and this one is going to be a rollercoaster ride.  If you’ve read the end of Beneath the Blood Moon you know that Rebeka and Niko are not your ordinary mated couple.  I think once I get into the meat of the story I am going to fly right through it.

I’m hoping 2013 will bring me a new genre as well.  I am crossing my fingers to complete a contemporary story that will kick off a 3 book series AND I’m hoping to start plotting a historical series (woohoo men in cravats, who could resist?)

Tomorrow I’ll write about the other thing I’ve been doing this holiday season … Watching MOVIES!  Two of my favorites: The Hobbit and Les Miserables!  See you then!

Until Next Time.

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Almost year end

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Amanda Jayde

Well the election is FINALLY over – whew it seemed as if it lasted years instead of months.  This living in a swing state was exhausting, I never thought I’d be so happy to see erectile dysfunction, tampax, and menopause commercials in my life!  Alas, they have returned and I don’t have to be worried that there will be six political commercials each time the shows I watch go to commercial.

But now that election day is over, we get to Thanksgiving and right on the heels of that is Christmas and then the New Year (providing the Mayans were wrong LOL).  I had a list of things to do before 2013 and yet none of them looks as if they are going to come to pass – my fault entirely.  I’ve just been feeling blah – but hopefully that will all change in the next few weeks.  I’d like to get something accomplished.

That said, I hope to make some headway on book 3 of the DARK WOLF SERIES.  I like the outline, love the characters, am very excited on what this story will bring … just haven’t found the right push to MAKE me write it … sorry :/

I have been listening to P!nk’s new album which is full of great inspirational music (I love writing to music) so I’ve got that going for me.  And I have also decided to give you all a NEW family tree.  You can check it out here. 

I hope all is well on your ends!  Talk to you soon!

Until Next Time,

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It’s Halloween Time

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Amanda Jayde

Samhain, All Hallows Eve ….

No matter what you call it, this time of year is always a little spooky.  It gets dark earlier, there is a crispiness to the air (or at least there was when I lived up north), the leaves on the trees are changing just before they fall leaving the trees bare and slightly gnarly and of course everywhere you look on TV there is always something scary on to watch.

I love Halloween, have since I was little and I LOOOOOVE scary movies.  Of course, living alone in a subdivision where my house is basically all the way in the back with no lights except what I turn on keeps me from watching anything at night (yeah I’m a chicken).  Still, I love to watch “kid-friendly” shows so I was very excited to see that ABC is going to air one of my favorite holiday shows …. “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!” 

I remember watching it as a kid and I remember buying the book at a book fair in school and sitting reading it to my mother.  There were others of course, HBO used to air a cheesy 80’s movie called “The Worst Witch“, which starred Charlotte Raye (The Facts of Life), Tim Curry (Rocky Horror) and a very young Fairuza Balk (The Craft) which is also based on a book.  Another of my spooky faves includes the always fun to watch “Hocus Pocus” starring Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker, but not all are child friendly I also love “Practical Magic” (also from a book – see a pattern?) , “The Craft”, the “Scream” movies and anything by Stephen King (boooooooooks). 

Those are the ones I will watch by myself with no problem – however, there are some that I wouldn’t watch alone no matter what (and I’ve seen them SEVERAL times LOL) first and foremost is …. “The Exorcist” – love to be scared by that movie and it doesn’t matter that I’ve been watching it since I was a little kid, no matter what, it scares the bejeezus out of me (read the book too).  More recent movies are the “Paranormal Activity” series – yeah I know some love it, some hate it – I admit it scared me (well the first 2 did, I have yet to see 3 and the commercial for 4 freaks me out).  There are some good ones coming out as well “Sinister” looks to be a pretty good scare and “Silent Hill Revelation” looks to be promising.

So what scares you?

Until Next Time,

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10 ….11….12…

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Amanda Jayde

That’s the date peeps! 

Well let’s do a quick catch up session – I am taking part in a friend’s challenge for October, it’s called Write and Wine – yup, we write whatever we can everyday and get to drink while we do it.  It’s a win/win!

So, I decided that I would edit my contemporary – only I hit a snag about a week ago, you see I wrote this story a loooooong time ago and always knew I would rewrite it and edit it into something I can be happy with.  With that in mind, I wrote notes and kept them … except now I have no idea where half my notes are LOL!  As you can imagine it’s frustrating to get to a crossed out section that has a handwritten notation that says “insert scene with Falcon and Jasmine here”  well …. WHAT SCENE???  Ugh … needless to say, I got frustrated and put it to the side in favor of Book 3 of the Dark Wolf Series – at least that one is well outlined and I know where all the pieces are 🙂

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Never Forget

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Amanda Jayde

Today I ask that you all take a moment to reflect, make today about kindness and forgiveness.  It’s not about holding grudges, or being political.  It’s not about hatred or snarkiness. 

Today is about remembrance and blessings.  Please take a moment to tell those who are most important to you that you love them.  Take a moment to thank a police officer, firefighter and especially those in the military for the sacrifices they make.  Remember not only those who were lost in the attacks, but those who survived and who are dealing with the aftermath.

Never Forget.

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Been Gone a While

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Amanda Jayde

And I’m sorry for that.

I WISH I could say I was writing like a fiend, however …. that’s sadly not the case.  I do intend to begin writing like a fiend this week.  I’ve made promises to myself that included having at least 3 books out this year (or 2 books out and one in production) sooo I need to get crackalackin on that.

Book 3  of the Dark Wolf Series is pretty much plotted out and I’m excited about it, I just haven’t had the desire to write it, I guess I’m not that excited … LOL.  So it looks like that won’t be the book submitted.  I do have the contemporary that I need to edit so I think that’s the one I am going to concentrate on mostly. 

Let’s see ah yes, yesterday was my birthday and I had a wonderful time … so much so that I think I’ll do a birthday giveaway.  What am I going to give away?  Well you’ll have to check the contest page here to see ….

I guess that’s all for now.

Until Next Time,

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Fanfare …

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Amanda Jayde

Of the Olympic sort.

I love the Olympics, I love to watch and root for the various countries.  I love to see the competitions, root for the little guy and stare in wonder at how years of training can either end in success or defeat (sometimes painfully).

My favorite things to watch are the opening and closing ceremonies.  The pagentry, the sometimes over the top spectacle.  This year I’m doubly excited because it’s London, which is on my bucket list of places I’d like to visit.  I remember watching 4 years ago and the opening ceremony in China and just being awed by it all.  Amazing. I wonder what London will be doing to try to top it.

My favorite sports to watch have always been Gymnastics – both male and female.  I remember watching in 1996 and seeing Kerri Strug stumble and injure herself only to make that vault again and win gold.  I remember crying (I am SUCH a sap) as Bela Karolyi carried her to the podium.  It was history I watched and I was proud and excited. 

I also love the diving and swimming competitions.  I remember seeing Greg Louganis hit his head on the board and being scared for him or watching Michael Phelps set a record for number of medals won.

What are some of your favorite events and memories?  Will you be watching as the world unites and competes?

Until Next Time,

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Another Post on Inspiration

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Amanda Jayde

I have the most fabulous group of ladies that I am fortunate to call friends.  In fact I have several and a lot of them fall into different groups, such as friends I grew up with (who are more like family than friends), then there are my school friends, my best friends and so forth and a lot of time the groups tend to intermingle and you get a different grouping of friends.

The particular group of friends I am speaking about today are the ones I “talk” to daily.  Talk is in quotes because we don’t actually hear one another.  We’re spread out around the eastern half of the country (except one who is in Hawaii) and we speak via email, text and facebook – everyday … really.  These are the women I bounce ideas off of, these are the women who make me laugh, they have pushed me and lifted me when I thought I was done.  These are the women who have taken each step of my journey towards publication with me.  These are also the women who when I have a crazy idea – push me to go for it and write it then pile ideas onto me … and I love them for it – even when I know there aren’t enough hours of the day for me to actually get everything I want done.
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Recipe – Unbaked Oreo Cookie Balls

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Amanda Jayde

What is better than curling up with a good book? Curling up with a good book AND eating something deliciously decadent.

I found this recipe on facebook where fellow author Mahalia Levey posted it. If you don’t know who she is I urge you to click on her name and visit her site – she is a fantastic writer who, like me, writes spicy stories that steam up your summer nights. Her current release is Shut Up and Kiss Me. Just look at this fantastic cover:

Anyways on to the recipe 🙂

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