Like many others, I’m stopping at this point to think over the last year and plan for the next.  There have been a few things about 2009 I’ll be happy to leave behind, including some wonky health issues, but as I stop to review, I’ve realized I’ve had a lot to be thankful for this year.  I’ve also got a long list of things to look forward to.   I thought I would share a few and hope you will do the same!

Great Things in 2009

Wonderful Family and Friends Some years things happen that spotlight the people who truly hold you in their heart–and vice versa.  You know who you are!  Love you!

My New Office!  I’m so happy to have such a great space of my own–and I’m really looking forward to working in it this year.

Great TV and Movies I indulged in some great entertainment this year!  In TV I got hooked on True Blood, continued my affair with Big Love and enjoyed an entertaining season of Survivor.  I saw some great movies on the big screen with All the Boys, including Star Trek and Avatar, and I have a long list of others I want to catch up with on DVD, including Up.

Great Books I read some good YA with the kids and a couple of oldie-but-goodie sci-fi series with the Eldest Boy.  I enjoyed a great Urban Fantasy, The Better Part of Darkness by debut author Kelly Gay.  In my fave sub genre of Historical Romance, I loved the continuation of Claudia Dain’s Courtesan Series, Liz Carlyle’s Night and Day series and the super finale of Sabrina Jeffries Heiress series.

In the new year, I’m looking forward to trying a couple of new books recommended by friends, including The Help, by Kathryn Stockett.  I’ve also been waiting for the historical paranormal series by Lydia Dare, starting in April with A Certain Wolfish Charm.

The 007s! I’ve had a fabulous time blogging here and getting to know so many of my 007 sisters so much better–and all of you posters, too!  I’m really looking forward to lots more in 2010!

What are your great memories of 2009?  Do you have any movie or book recommendations for me to try in the new year?  Anything you are looking to leave behind or something special coming up in 2010?

I know the holiday is behind us. We’re climbing free of the mountains of shredded wrapping paper and the tangle of ribbon. Our trees look forlorn and naked without the heaps of packages underneath them, and if we hear the saccharine strains of one more Christmas song, we’ll heave something heavy at the stereo, but I couldn’t leave the holiday behind without talking about my favorite Christmas tradition: the holiday movie!

In my house, it’s forbidden to watch Christmas movies before Thanksgiving. So by the end of November, pulling out the stack of DVDs is like opening a gift a month early. Holiday movies are a time for all of us to curl up on the couch under mounds of blankets with bowls of popcorn. We begin right after Thanksgiving with THE MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET—the original with Maureen O’Hara and Natalie Wood, of course. From there, each night brings a new jewel of Christmases past.
The classics:

WHITE CHRISTMAS with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye.
Barbara Stanwyck and Dennis Morgan in CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT.
THE HOMECOMING—a TV special that spawned the Waltons television series.
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE—no explanation needed

Then there are the ones we cherish from our childhood:

RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER
FROSTY THE SNOWMAN
HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS
A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS
THE CHRISTMAS STORY—“you’ll shoot your eye out, kid.”

And finally, newer additions to Hollywood’s celebration of the holiday:

CHRISTMAS VACATION
ELF
THE POLAR EXPRESS
THE SANTA CLAUSE
SCROOGED
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

As you can see, we spend a lot of nights this way!

Some families bake. Some stand in freezing lines of shoppers on Black Friday. Still others get together for caroling parties or to trim the tree. We all have our own ways of connecting during the season. My family chooses to come together to watch a host of feel-good Christmas films. And as I put away the decorations, sort through the presents, and eat the last gingerbread cookie, I know that next year will bring a return of a treasured tradition: the holiday movie.

Does your family have a special way to celebrate the season? Or a favorite movie you have to watch every year? I’d love to add to my list!

Okay, I admit it:  I’m a geek.  (This doesn’t exactly come as a shock to those of you who have known me for a while!)  I have a degree in mathematics and design websites for a living.  It’s a little hard to hide the geek factor there.    I married another techie, and we live in a house with approximately 2 computers per inhabitant.  We think this is perfectly normal.  We give techie gifts to one another:  One year, hubby gave me a laptop for Christmas.  I gave him a Blackberry for our anniversary one year.  So geeky gifts are kind of par for the course around here.  We like our gadgets!

So my husband’s gift to me this year wasn’t really an exception.  I’d been desperately wanting to upgrade my ancient cellphone, but have put it off for a variety of reasons.  I was in serious lust with the iPhone, but I wasn’t willing to switch cell providers to get one.  I tried out a couple of other touch screen phones, but I seem to have bad luck with them.  (Kind of like those automatic sinks in public restrooms.  They work fine for the rest of the world, but I have to do some sort of bizarre rain dance in front of them to get them to work.)  My husband’s Blackberry had a keypad, but the tiny screen (and ugly rendering of websites) was a definite minus.  So I hemmed and hawed and dragged my feet.  In the thirty-two seconds of free time I had leading up to the holidays, the Droid television ads caught my eye, so I looked up the specs online. Large screen, slide out keyboard tray, good web rendering… plus a 5MP camera, since I never seem to have my camera handy when I need it.  It looked like a winner.  I filed that away and went on with my normal holiday panic preparations.

But hubby was obviously paying attention, because I found a Droid in my stocking Christmas morning. Now I am obsessed with getting it all set up and playing with all the gazillions of applications available for it.  (Haven’t found a DRM-capable ereader yet, but the Droid runs on the same platform as the Nook, so I have high hopes.)  It was the prefect gift for a geek like me.  (And yes, I wasted no time in telling my husband, “This is the droid I was looking for.”  Given that he and the kidlet were engaged in a lightsaber battle at the time, the reference wasn’t exactly lost on him.)

My husband will tell you otherwise, but he’s pretty good at guessing just what type of gift I’d like the most.  (He always prefaces his gifts to me with, “If you don’t like it, you can throw it at me.”  For the record, I have yet to toss anything back at him!) Over the years, he’s given me lots of lovely, thoughtful gifts, both geeky and, er, more normal.  And I guess I take that for granted.  I recently heard several acquaintances talking about the absolutely horrible gifts their significant others had given them.  Some of them were nice gift items, just inappropriate for the recipient.  And some of them were just plain awful!

So now I’m curious… what are the best gifts that you’ve received?  Even better… what are the worst gifts you’ve gotten?  Is your significant other good at guessing what kinds of things you’d like?

The wrapping paper has been tossed out. The giftbags folded up. And with the exception of a few lingering packages intended for those we’ll see later in the week on New Year’s Eve or Day, the presents have pretty much been opened up by now. What did you receive from friends and family over the past month that made you smile? Was it an item you’d been hoping for? A gift that surprised you? Time to bake a favorite recipe with a beloved relative? The chance to see a good movie/play/sporting event while on vacation? Extra hours to sleep in? Or a long-awaited trip to a fabulous destination? Please share!

And, another question: How do you feel about 2009 now that it’s rapidly approaching its conclusion? For some, perhaps, there will always be a sense of post-holiday letdown. (I frequently get into a little slump after our Christmas festivities end.) Others tend to look to the year ahead with excitement and irrepressible hopefulness. (My New Year’s optimism usually starts to kick in around Martin Luther King, Jr. Day…although, I’ll admit, my desire to seriously work out doesn’t show up until much closer to Valentine’s. Just ask my friends at the gym! :-) And some joyous individuals are still in the midst of their celebrations — content to leave all year-end reflections for early January when they return to the regular routine. What about you?

Finally, do you have a particular wish for the New Year? A vision you’re holding near to your heart for how you’d like 2010 to end? If so, I have my fingers crossed for you… I hope you’ll see it realized. Happy final days of 2009, and best wishes for the start of 2010! May the New Year be one of peace, good health and dreams come true.

Merry Christmas! Santa says the winner is…

Wait! Not so fast.

I have two more prezzies to add to our giveaway.

Our family was privileged to visit Peru this past summer so our lucky winner will also receive a hand-woven scarf from Chinchero, Peru and a Peruvian woven knapsack to hold all their new treasures.  Let me show you where we found one of these treasures.

We travelled to Chinchero, Peru, which is at an altitude 12,400 feet.  It’s a heady feeling being at the same level as the mountain tops.

We walked these streets of Chinchero. Then we were thrilled to watch these lovely ladies demonstrate how they washed and dyed the alpaca (baby llama) and sheep wool.

The weavers use local plants and insects to create colourful woven items. 

Although interesting, this isn’t why you dropped by today’s blog. You want to know who won the mother lode of treasures we’re giving away and you want to know now, right?  

First let’s give a big round of applause for all who participated in our Super Secret Santa Giveaway.

(Cue applause)

This holiday giveaway is our way of saying thank you for visiting our little sanctuary amongst the wide and woolly world of blogs. You folks rock!

The good new – despite his hectic schedule, Santa dropped by last night and delivered the name of our winner.  Hooray for Santa!

And the winner is…

(Cue the balloon drop on the winner)

Congratulations, Lisa Glidewell!!!  You’re our big winner!!!!!

Very shortly your mailbox will be overflowing with presents arriving from all over the place. It’s our way of giving you an ongoing Christmas chock full of gifts.

No matter how you spend this Christmas, we at www.nobodywritesitbetter.com wish everyone the very best for the holiday season. May the New Year bring you good fortune and much happiness.

Gail

Note: Today’s the last day to enter our Super Secret Santa Give-Away! Click here to learn how. The draw will be made late this afternoon, and Gail Fuller will announce the winner tomorrow.

Good luck to all who entered, and Merry Christmas!

And now for my post!

Anyone else decorate for Christmas with pets in mind? You know, no tinsel this year, because the kitten might eat it. Tie that tree to the rafters so the Saint Bernard’s tail doesn’t whack it to the ground!

Our pets are usually pretty good around Christmas. Our current cat, Keisha, a spirited tortoiseshell, uses the tree watering system as her personal water bowl just like her Siamese predecessor did, but so far she hasn’t knocked down the tree. The Christmas I was five, though, I remember waking up to a crash in the middle of the night a few days before Christmas (I can pinpoint my age because we only lived in the house in question for one Christmas). The tree my mother had so carefully decorated had come whipping down…courtesy of the cat. As an adult I’ve lived in fear of this happening again, but so far it hasn’t. That doesn’t stop me from imagining the possibilities, though.

And so, in memory of my old Siamese cat, Seiki, and with apologies to the descendants of Clement Clarke Moore, I offer my version of ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas:

…EXCEPT FOR THE CAT
by Cindy Procter-King

Was midnight before Christmas, when all through our shack
Not a creature was stirring…except for the cat.
The stockings were strung twenty feet in the air,
In vain hopes that The Fanged One wouldn’t discover them there.

The kidlets were snoozing all tucked in their beds,
While plans for stealing catnip danced in the fuzzy beast’s head.
And DH in his sweatpants, and I with the dog in my lap,
Had just flopped into bed after imbibing enough eggnog to induce a 12-hour nap.

When from the living room below there arose such a crash,
I flew out of bed and down the stairs like The Flash.
Tore around the corner and tripped over the Yule log,
Righted myself, but nearly threw up my eggnog.

For the tree I had so lovingly sprayed with canned snow
Now lay on the ground, broken ornaments strewn to and fro.
When, what to my widening eyes should appear,
But a miniature tiger, and eight alley cats to fear!

Our cat was their leader, so clever and quick,
I realized then he was up to his old tricks.
More rapid than mice, his feline minions they came,
While I screamed up the stairs to DH with no shame,

“The cat door! It you forgot to close!
Now every cat in the neighborhood is upon us!
They’re scratching the furniture! They’re climbing the walls!
How will we ever get rid of them all?”

DH made no sound; he was still up in bed,
Having drunk enough eggnog that he lay as if dead.
So, left alone with the wily beasts, I knew,
I had to save the Christmas tree—and all the toys, too.

And then, ears a-breaking, I heard the cats howl
As they pummeled the lights and the gifts while they scowled.
I swung my hands wildly and screeched just as loud,
“Get out of my house! Get away, get away, get away NOW!”

My cat arched his spine, from his head to his tail,
His fur was all matted with tinsel and hail.
His gift of catnip he had flung from the tree,
And he looked like a wild animal, eyes glittering with glee.

His nose—how it twitched! His cat cheeks, how hairy!
His jaw—how it gaped, his mouth red like a berry!
His sharp teeth were flashing like Wolverine’s claws,
The sight of which would give anyone pause.

A branch of the tree he now gripped in his teeth,
And of course he’d destroyed my new Christmas wreath!
He had a fat face and a full-of-food belly,
That swung as he yowled at me like I was his lackey!

He was high-strung and arrogant, a right nasty Siamese.
But I laughed as I gazed at him, to keep him well-pleased.
As he strutted toward me, his meows rang through my head,
Which quickly gave me to know that I had much to dread.

He hissed to his underlings, “Out of the house now!
My human will clean this mess, and no one will know!”
Then, sticking his tail straight up to space,
And giving a wail, to the warm bed he raced!

I know I’m his slave, so I sprang into action,
While away tore his minions before I could catch them.
As I heard him purring upstairs while DH snored with delight,
I thought, “Happy Christmas to all—no thanks to the cat, because I’ll be up all night!”

The world of Personal Branding is never too far from my mind, but Christmas time always serves to remind me of how much “who” we are affects “what” we do this time of year. 

Whether it’s giving purchased Christmas gifts or homemade treasures, baking for family and friends or hitting the town for a whirlwind of Christmas parties… or staying home and enjoying cocoa and a warm fire while reading by the Christmas tree… or counting the days down to the magic of Christmas morning: Christmas brings out our most authentic selves. For myself, I find that I take the time to reach out, re-make connections, and even attend a party or two. One of my favorite Christmas celebrations comes a bit early, on Solstice, and New Year’s Eve is an elaborate event for me – even though I usually celebrate it very quietly. All of these rituals – gift giving, reaching out, sharing with family, the unique ways we mark special days – are part of who we are… and the gift we really give to others, especially this time of year, is just that: ourselves.

I’m always amazed at how even the most jaded of my friends can be touched by the unexpected joys of the holidays – the excitement of a child on Christmas morning, the wonder of a starry sky, the bracing chill of a perfect winter’s day. It’s as if we give ourselves permission to take pleasure in the little things, to take a moment to step away from the hurry and rush of the logistical side of the season, and remember the magic that takes us back to simpler times. It’s in those moments that we are our true selves – either the child we once were, or the believer in hope, or the wide-eyed giver who wants only to see the happiness on another’s face. That true, authentic expression of who we are is worth holding on to the entire year, worth finding ways of sharing even in early March when it is STILL COLD and yet Spring is nowhere in sight, or in deep July when the air is so thick with humidity that it takes on a personality of its own. Christmas is less of a season than a reminder of who we really are when we are our best selves – and that’s a gift of value no matter what time of year.

So here’s today’s Question: What gift have you given that you feel was a true expression of your best self – whether because it had personal meaning, it touched the receiver in the way you hoped it would, or it was considered the perfect kind of gift for you to give?  I’ll include mine below in the comments section to get things started.

And for those who are interested in developing their own Brands, I am leading an online class with the Mid-Willamette Valley RWA starting early next month. January is a perfect time to launch a Brand, so I’m definitely looking forward to the class!

Merry Christmas, everyone! And may 2010 bring you amazing joy and prosperity.

Don’t forget to enter the Super Secret Santa Giveaway and get some great reading material.  For your chance to win, just email nobodywritesitbetter@yahoo.com and tell us the Super Secret Santa Code (Hint: It’s what Santa says when he laughs).  Gail Fuller will announce the lucky winner on Christmas Day!

Because I’m such a book nerd, half the folks on my Christmas list get books. The other half get bookstore gift certificates.

To make the gift certs more personal, I try and include some kind of handmade bookmark. One year when I had way too much time on my hands I dried flowers and pressed them between sheets of vellum, and another time I made homemade paper from denim jeans. Most years my bookmarks are far less ambitious: inspirational quotes, snapshots of my kids or travels, lists of fave books — all cropped with decorative scissors and tied with a festive ribbon.

This year my bookmarks featured my all-time favorite recipe, Buttermilk Crusted Blackberry Cobbler (see comments section for the recipe). I printed the recipe on kraft paper and attached a short raffia ribbon with blackberry beads tied on the ends. From-the-heart, simple and sa-weet.

And speaking of sweet treats, this week the 007s are serving up a bundle of books and other goodies. See Barb’s post on Dec. 18 for a list of all the treats we’ll be giving to one fantabulously lucky blog reader. For your chance to win, email nobodywritesitbetter@yahoo.com and tell us the Super Secret Santa Code (Hint: It’s what Santa says when he laughs).  Gail Fuller will announce the lucky winner on Christmas Day! Good luck!

Now for our question: What was the last book you gave someone as a gift and why? Or…what book do you want for Christmas? Or…what’s your must have sweet treat around the holidays? Joy & Peace to all!

Around the time my children became teenagers, I told them the only reason I didn’t staple their lips shut — or worse — smother them in their sleep, was because I wanted grandchildren someday.

As of last spring, my 32-year-old son­ (yes, I conceived him when I was just six years old) had been married for nine years with no progeny, and my still-single 27-year-old daughter had been torturing me for eons, saying she wasn’t sure she wanted children (she now admits this was purely to push my buttons).

I wondered if—after listening to me threaten their existence throughout their adolescence—my kids possibly feared for their lives.  So I promised, if either of them was inspired to procreate, I wouldn’t bump them off after they reproduced.  Now, I can finally shout it to the world.  I’m a Grammy!

My grandson, Samuel Reason (I think they’re hoping for a sensible child) Kellogg, was born at 10:31 a.m. on Friday, December 18th, weighing 7 lbs. 14 ozs. and measuring 21 1/2 inches.  Here he is (RIGHT) at only 5 minutes old.  He doesn’t like those bad bright lights! He enjoyed his first bath even less.

An hour later (LEFT) our Santa Baby was sleeping peacefully after filling his belly. I made that little Santa hat for him)

I love kids, and family is the number one priority in my life.  I loved being a mother, so it’s no surprise my favorite novels are stories featuring children and teenagers, or that I’m inspired to write books about family relationships.

Unfortunately, there hasn’t been a big market for hearth and home stories outside of category romance (part of the reason I’m still unpublished). And the shorter length of series books and the strict parameters of tone and content limit the scope and subplots of those books.  However, things may be looking up.  I just read in a Publishers Weekly article that there may be a resurgence in contemporary romances, so perhaps that will include some single title home and family stories.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/index.asp?layout=talkbackCommentsFull&talk_back_header_id=6633494&articleid=CA6707062

One of the things I enjoy this time of year is most of the Christmas stories and anthologies have family relationship themes.  It makes me wish the single title publishers would print more of them all year round.  In the last two or three years, it seems the only contemporary single title romances editors will buy involve paranormal elements or murders.

For some strange reason, publishers and producers think if a subgenre becomes popular it’s the only thing they should produce.  For example, when was the last time you saw a Western on TV?  All we get on the boob tube are detectives, doctors, or psychics.  This all-or-nothing mentality is tantamount to the restaurant industry saying, “People love steak and lobster so let’s forget about serving any vegetables.”

Publishers are crying that books sales have fallen off.  Wouldn’t you think they’d realize more diversity might boost sales?

How about you?  Are you  in the mood to read more big contemporary romances with family dynamic subplots that don’t include vampires, ghosts, or dead bodies?  Or are you one of those readers who still can’t get enough of ghoulish novels?  There’s no judgment here.  Everyone is entitled to their taste.  Do you think readers’ preference is directly proportional to what’s being published today?

Don’t forget to enter the Super Secret Santa Giveaway and get some great reading material.  For your chance to win, just email nobodywritesitbetter@yahoo.com and tell us the Super Secret Santa Code (Hint: It’s what Santa says when he laughs).  Gail Fuller will announce the lucky winner on Christmas Day!

 A top secret message from Santa

Good morning 007 Friends:

 Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to help the folks at Nobody Write It Better celebrate the holiday season! 

One lucky visitor will receive a mailbox full of Secrt Santa gifts and goodies from the 007 authors.  Among the writers participating:

A copy of Dangerous as Sin by Alix Rickloff

A copy of According to Jane by Marilyn Brant

A copy of Borrowing Alex by Cindy Procter-King

A handmade bracelet from Theresa Ragan

A woven Peruvian knapsack from Gail Fuller

A totebag full of goodies from MJ Fredrick

An electronic copy of For His Eyes Only by Avery Beck

An anthology of time travel romance including a story from Maureen McGowan

Stolen Fury, Book 1 in the Stolen Triology by Elisabeth Naughton

A copy of Romeo, Romeo by Robin Kaye

A copy of Her Cinderella Season by Deb Marlowe

A copy of Where the Wind Blows by Caroline Fyffe

Some tea to sip while you enjoy all these great reads from Barbara Wallace

This is a terrific way to extend your holiday season – and get some great reading material.  For your chance to win, just email nobodywritesitbetter@yahoo.com and tell us the Super Secret Santa Code (Hint: It’s what Santa says when he laughs).  Gail Fuller will announce the lucky winner on Christmas Day!

 Good luck!  And Happy Holidays!