Category: Ruminations and Crackpot Theories

Observations on life in general.

The Delta (Reluctant) Hero

(DISCLAIMER: This blog post originally appeared on Cathy McRae’s Bits & Bobs on Feb 11, 2015.)

Fleshing out Stoker Smith, hero of my new release, AND JERICHO BURNED, was a bit of a challenge. You see, he’s a werewolf. And werewolves, as opposed to the general population, are very alpha. Stoker is intimidating, dominating, and confident: all signs of alpha maleness. And yet, he’s not an alpha male. At least, not in his pack. He’s delta. A real middle of the pack kind of guy.

He has no desire to lead anything, mostly because leading would involve thinking and making decisions, and he has many more important things to do than clutter his brain with details other people are more qualified to ponder. Mostly he likes to compose music. He co-writes most of the songs performed by Toke Lobo & The Pack, the country band his pack alpha started. When he meets Lucy Callahan, heroine of the book, even making music takes a backseat to wanting to take her home and start making babies with her. His ultimate bliss is within reach–except for one or two things.

First of all, there’s Lucy. Lucy thinks. She plots and strategizes, and even failure doesn’t stop her from doing it again. Stoker knows he should be flattered when the pack alphas listen to her, because that’s an honor, but he and Lucy are delta. Deltas don’t think. His mate needs to learn that.

Then there’s her sister, Michelle, who is now part of his family. He promised Lucy he’d get Michelle away from that heavily-armed religious cult she joined. The pack alphas don’t want to hear that, so he has to deal with it himself. And while he’s capable, he’d much rather be led.

Except when someone hurts Lucy. Revenge is his and his alone. And that’s what makes it a romance.

Spring!

February of 2015 was the most brutal February on record for the city in which I live. Brutal cold, brutal snow. In the top 5 of the worst winter sites in the nation. Is it any wonder my neighbors, family, and friends are rejoicing in blue skies (when they peek through), sunshine and warmth?

Here are my spring flowers in bloom. I honestly never thought I get to see them due to the snow cover.

APRIL 2015 CROCUSAPRIL 2015 BLUE FLOWERSAPR 2015 CROCII

Next spring, I want a field of daffodils where the backyard pool once stood.

Me Time

Lately I’ve felt overwhelmed. Too much to do and not enough time. Every day I murmur a prayer of thanksgiving because my children are grown and gone. If I were still doing the mom thing . . . I can’t even contemplate it.

It’s not all bad. I’m realizing my lifelong dream/ambition of being a published author. It’s the peripheral obligations that are getting me down.

One of my goals for this calendar year is a monthly date with myself. Too bad I haven’t had time to do that. I barely have time to get in a weekly session of yoga. My second quarter goal is to add another half hour of exercise into my week. But exercise isn’t me time. It’s a peripheral obligation that takes away from the writing time.

I’m in serious need of not only a date with myself, but some substantial me time.

  • I’d like to go to a baseball game.
  • I’d like to do some real cooking on the weekend.
  • I’d love to go to a movie with my husband.
  • I have several ideas for custom music mixes I’d like to work on.
  • Reading without guilt would be so nice!
  • I’d like to sip a glass of wine and relax when I get home from Day Job.

I would also like writing time. Writing is my dream. Something has to give.

Another one of my goals this year is “say no.” Don’t be surprised when you start hearing me say it more often.

Mad Men, Sad Commentary

The second half of the final season (I hate that marketing ploy) of Mad Men premieres tonight. I will watch it, although with great reluctance.

Several years ago, my husband and a co-worker each insisted I needed to watch the program. Eventually I relented, and TV Stevie cued up the DVDs. We binge watched together (his third time).

From the beginning, the show made me uncomfortable. Hideously so. Although I started working in local TV a good 10 or so years after the time frame of Mad Men , the depiction was realistic. Too realistic.

After I caught up on the story, TV & I watched the show every Sunday night. I would see comments on social media about how well written the show was. I suppressed a shudder. A friend asked me who thought the program was written well. Men? Of course. But that wasn’t my issue. If the program wasn’t well written, it wouldn’t evoke the negative reaction.

A few weeks ago, I finally figured out why I hate the show. Entertainment is about the fantasy. That’s what romance book editors tell their writers all the time: people read romance for the fantasy. Escapism. Mad Men is about the reality, and I didn’t like those times when I lived them. Why would I want to revisit something so awful?

In December, TV Stevie and I binge-watched True Blood, which is about the fantasy. I loved it so much more than Mad Men. What woman wouldn’t want to be irresistible to hunky men?

Will I watch part two of the final season of Mad Men? Probably, but it has more to do with doing something with my husband than it does watching because I want to know what happens to Don Draper. I really don’t care.

How Will My Garden Grow?

The snow is finally melting. I saw tulips peeking up next to the edge of the snow crust. I still can’t see any crocus.

lawn March 01 lawn March 02

Part of that is because the landmarks in my back yard have changed since last spring. The pool is finally gone, the patio extension was in progress when the weather turned to . . . standard stuff for this part of the world, and I have a mud pit waiting for wallowing. . . under the snow.

Now that April is nearly upon us, I’m thinking about that space again.

One thing I know I want is herbs. Basil, parsley, chives, and cilantro at the minimum. TV Stevie would probably like a tomato plant. I think a container garden is the way to go. I don’t want just a low-maintenance space, I want a no-maintenance space. I want to take my laptop outside and write. I want to sip fruity ice tea and bask in the heat and light. (Yes, I ordered my Celestial Seasonings Cool Brew Iced Teas on Monday; they arrived on Wednesday. I am all set there!)

“Only to the timid is April the cruelest month.” ~Amanda Vail, Love Me Little.

I think April is filled with possibilities.