Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day, my lovely blog friends! :)

If you're like me, you're maybe not as into the whole "give one another a whitman sampler" tradition as most, but my husband and I do have a very special thing that we do every year to celebrate this wonderful day.

We watch V for Vendetta and eat steak! This is why I'm excited that V Day has come 'round again. Gonna eat me some cow, watch me some distopian goodness. What could be better?

Love, people. Love. I obviously was lucky enough to find my soulmate. Who else would not only put up with such rituals, but participate in them with gusto?

Here's hoping you have a wonderful V Day however you might celebrate it, and whomever with :). Much Love!

Tell-the-Truth Thursday!

This is a tradition that I shamelessly stole from the lovely Lisa & Laura Roeker over at Lisa & Laura Write.  These gals are some of my favorite people because of their hilarious blogging, and now they even have a book out!  (Check out The Liar Society  if you need a good YA read.  I have yet to buy it, but this will be remedied shortly!)

ANYWHO, once per week, it's time to spill.

'Fess up.

Air the dirty laundry.


That's right.... it's time to Tell the Truth!


Here are my truths this Thursday:

1.  When I have a new project, I lose my freaking mind.  If you doubt me on this one, ask my poor, eternally patient husband.  This past weekend I was working feverishly on my short stories, and realized I was slipping into old habits of going bat tits insane whenever I have a project I'm excited about.  When I'm like this I have two speeds:  Cracked Out and Asleep.  I don't have time for silly things like "food" or "not working on stuff" because I can eat and not work on stuff when I'm dead, RIGHT GUYS.  Oh...wait...

Apparently, that whole "balance in all things" mantra requires a little practice ;).

2.  I love pork rinds.  I recently discovered low-carb dieting this year while losing a few pounderoos, but this means I also discovered the sweet siren song of Los Chicarrones, the most delicious way to eat pork fat since bacon.  And you don't even have to cook it!  You can just shovel them into your mouth while watching Biggest Loser, or dip them in cream cheese while writing.  Yes, I know this makes me a redneck. 

But if loving pork rinds is wrong, I don't want to be right!

3.  I have a total crush on Peter Dinklage.  Who is Peter Dinklage, you may be asking.  Well not only was his the super famous author dude in the movie Elf, but he is also playing Tyrion Lannister in the HBO series, Game of Thrones.  I mean, okay, he may not be the best choice for me, since he's 4'5", and I'm 5'9", but if he ever leaves his wife and my husband gets hit by a bus or something, he should totally call me. 

Maybe it's just because I *LOVE* the Song of Ice and Fire series written by George R. R. Martin, so maybe I'm transferring some love his way after watching that show.  Still, Peter, if you're reading this?  You're muy caliente. (like a spicy porkrind)


So, gentle readers, what are YOUR truths this Thursday?


Stealth edit:  I just googled "Peter Dinklage is" and HOT was one of the first things to come up.  HA!  Vindicated.

Book Review: The Marriage Project

*Disclaimer! I received this review copy for free and am totally keeping it. Mwahahahah...


Hi, guys!

I'm taking a break from my blogging break to tell you about a fun book I just finished reading: The Marriage Project: 21 Days to More Love and Laughter. This is a Christian look at how to make your marriage.. well... cooler, in 21 days.

Now, usually I don't use the word "fun" about Christian non-fiction books or any books on improving your relationships. I don't like it when books imply that my marriage isn't awesome, interprets the Bible for me, or tells me that I need to change in any way shape or form. After all, I Know Everything And Am Always Right. Please. I need advice like I need to go on a diet. Oh... wait.

This books surprised me in the best possible way :). The author, Kathi Lipp sounds like a woman I want to have a beer with. She doesn't preach, but simply gives us a head's up on what she and her husband did to bring back the fun and flirting into their marriage. The book is laced with humor and personal stories, giving details on how she and her husband are making their marriage (the second marriage for both of them) work while raising a handful of surly teens. If she can make that work in any possible universe, I'm all for listening.

The best thing about this book is it's super practical. It has little projects that you do with your spouse (or on your own if they're not into it), that get you in the habit of thinking well about one another. On one day you may write a list of why you respect your husband, and he may write a list of reasons he loves you. On another day, you are encouraged to flirt with your spouse via email or "sext" (hehehe). On another day, you may let him watch Rambo: Revenge of the Forest Ninjas while you snuggle on the couch. It's basically making a habit to hang out with one another, be a little sexy, and do nice things without being asked.

Oh, and another thing? The lady encourages good Christian couples to get freaky. That endeared me to her right away :). Being intimate with your spouse really is something that often gets sidelined, but is so necessary to keep you close. One of your weekly "projects" is getting busy. Sometimes, planning it can be even more fun...

One other thing I enjoyed about Kathi's book is that she gets the differences between men and women without going all Medieval on our asses. Men feel loved when they are respected, and women want to hear that they are loved. Men show love a lot of times through action--he may clean the gutters to show you he cares--while women use words and affection. He may be tapping his foot waiting for you to notice that when he's balancing the checkbook, he's really saying "I love you," and you may be waiting to hear the words and getting pissed off. It helps to take a step back and realize the differences. Then, you can better appreciate one another.

I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a fun way to reconnect with your husband, wife, or significant other. I feel like my marriage pretty much rocks, but I still found helpful things in this book that made me look at my husband in a new way. Check it out--it's funny and low pressure. I'd love to hear about it if you decide to do The Marriage Project yourselves!

I'll be back blogging regularly on 5/3/10 :). I miss you guys--have a great week!

The Results Are In.....

My BOOK LOVE CONTEST was a ton of fun, but now it's that time...

Time to declare a winner (or three)!

Since I am nothing if not scientific, I put the names and points for everyone who entered into a random number generator hat, and made my lovely assistant husband pull out the winners!

So, without further ado... our winners aaaaaare:

Crystal in First Place!

Crystal, even though you just joined my blog today (yay!), I put you in the hat, and you won a $25 gift card to your book retailer of choice, and your choice of either chocolate, coffee, or a fancy bookmark :). Please email me at rebeccaknightbooks(at)gmail(dot)com with your preferences and address!

Lisa and Laura in Second Place!

You ladies are blessed with good fortune! You've won a copy of SHIVER by Maggie Stiefvater, or a Synopsis Critique from yours truly (which I don't think you need, since you have a wonderful agent, but hey, just checking), and your choice of chocolate, coffee, or a bookmark. Email me!

Cipherqueen in Third!

With the most Book Love and eleven total points in the contest, it's only right that you win some love! You've won either SHIVER or a synopsis critique (whatever LiLa doesn't pick), and your choice of chocolate, coffee, or a bookmark. Please email me as well!

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS!

And hey, the Book Love doesn't end here ;). Remember to show authors and aspiring authors your support however you can!

So, I'd like to know: What's the best book you've read lately?

Blog Chain: Writer's Voice!

Oh, hey, guys, I didn't see you there!


I was just staring off into the distance thinking about how awesome it was when I saved all of Earthlandia from the evil, dragon flying wizards, all with one sweep of my Fell Blade of Agmarr.


That was pretty schweet.


I do stuff like that all the time.


Oh, this?


This is my War Bikini.


The chainmail keeps the goods protected, but leaves me the agility I need on the battlefield.


The boots are there because it's a wee bit cold out today.


Don't want to catch my death, after all...



***


This round of the Blog Chain, the sorcerous Sarah posed the question:


How did you discover your particular voice as a writer?

I don't think it's much of a secret to anyone who knows me that I'm a huge geek. I've always loved dressing up and having make-believe adventures, reading Tolkien, day-dreaming about the day the robots take over civilization and enslave us, and playing games involving more dice than a back alley in Vegas.

Because of my Incredible Geekdom, I've always loved science fiction and fantasy, but have had very particular tastes. I think I found my "voice" in my writing by thinking about what I liked about the genres and what made me put books down.

Likes:

Awesome adventures!

Maps in the front of the book!

The apocalypse!

Mythical beasties!

Super cool magic!

Pet Peeves:

Weak, whiny bitches!

Chain mail bikinis! (Cause, seriously... who is trying to stab you in the crotch? Why not just wear armor or go naked? MAKE A CHOICE!)

Magic systems that are explained in so much detail they cease to be magical! (See: Midichlorians)

Trying too to speaketh liketh it's Ye Olden Timez!

Not trying hard enough to speak like it's the old times, dawg!

Mystical nomadic races that are actually just black people with arm bands.

Basically, while writing Legacy of the Empress, I was thinking that I wanted it to be the kind of awesome old school fantasy I loved, but without the things that made my brain itch. I wanted to be magical but realistic; medieval but accessible; action-packed but with girls having some cool roles, etc.

Luckily for me as a reader, a lot of contemporary is like this, whether it's urban or classic :). I guess I could say, I write the kind of book I'd want to read, pure and simple!

How did you find your voice as a writer?

As a reader, what kind of things make you love a book, or put it down for good?

Please check out the chainmail-clad Cole before me, and the karkadaan-slaying Kate posting tomorrow!