Florida Marlins' Chris Coghlan named National League Rookie of the Year



Dude, I am SO happy about this. I loved watching Cogs develop over the course of the season and after the All-Star break, it really started becoming evident that he had an absolute legitimate shot at the RotY despite the fact that the Marlins are a bargain basement team and they never once played a nationally televised game, so the rest of the country had very little opportunity to see what Marlins fans (all twelve of us) got to see every day. Oh, and he did it playing a position he hadn't played since Little League and hitting in a completely unfamiliar spot in the order.

Just a few highlights:

On May 8, Coghlan made his big-league debut, going 2 for 4.

On May 10, in Denver, Coghlan made his first start for the Marlins in left, batting second.

On May 30, he took over for Emilio Bonifacio in the leadoff spot.

By the end of the season, Coghlan had emerged as not only one of the top rookies in the majors, but also one of the top leadoff hitters in either league, ending his inaugural campaign with a .321 average that place him sixth in the NL.

Only the New York Yankees' Derek Jeter had a higher on-base percentage than Coghlan's .397 figure among major-league leadoff hitters with at least 400 at bats. Jeter finished at .409.

Coghlan did most of his damage after the All-Star break when he hit. 372 and set rookie records not seen in decades.

His 113 hits after the break tied for the most by any NL hitter -- rookie or veteran -- in the past 45 seasons. His 47 hits in August were the most by a NL rookie in a single month since Wally Moon put up 52 in July of 1954. As if to prove that feat was no fluke, Coghlan had 47 more hits in September.

Coghlan became the first NL rookie in history to lead the league in hits after the Al-Star break.

I love when underdogs do well.

Interesting article on Publisher's Weekly today about the mysterious "Vine" reviewers on Amazon (AKA the Freemasons of Amazon-- Dan Brown should write his next book about them.)

I'm going to be blunt here and probably get myself in trouble-- as much as I tend to not pay much attention to Amazon reviews, I have a particular loathing for the Vine reviews. I don't like the program and I have no use for it. In my opinion, they're not reviewers. They're consumers and they have every right to their opinion, but they're like the housewives of the 1950s, offered free products in exchange for their thoughts, good or bad. Which is valuable, but I don't think their opinions carry the same weight as a traditional review, such as PW or Kirkus. Why? Because, again, they're consumers and while many of them might have the background by which to fairly and accurately judge a book, most of them, don't. And frankly, and feel free to call me a snob, I really don't want to see my book reviewed alongside a vacuum or a new Arizona Tea flavor. In other words, the PW or Kirkus reviewers, they review books. That's their gig. Yes, Kirkus reviews are notorious for being scathing, but at the same time, you get the impression that the reviewer is at least familiar with writing conventions such as tropes and POV and trends, so while their reviews may reflect personal taste, they also try to make a judgment on what they feel is the quality of the writing and are able to articulate said opinions. Of course, like anything, it's subjective, but there's a certain measure of weight that can be added to the review if you suspect the reviewer actually, you know, knows what they're talking about. The Vine program also seems to have a distressing predilection for distributing the ARCs to people who don't even read the genre in question. (Seriously-- look at the most negative Vine book reviews and tell me how many of them start out with some variation of "Not my usual cup of tea, but...")

Yes, I have personal reasons for this. Last year, when I competed in the Amazon contest, one of the rounds (the second, I believe) consisted of Vine reviewers reading the excerpts and judging them to see if they would go on to the next round, where a Publisher's Weekly reviewer would read the full manuscript. And as an added "bonus" the reviews were sent to the authors without the benefit of the rubric, so all the authors had to go on, were these "reviews." No, I didn't make it to the next round. No, my dislike isn't based on the reviews I got. By and large, they were okay, just divided (as usual, for me-- I tend to be polarizing and that's okay). No, where I started getting my serious hate on was when other authors who also hadn't progressed past that round received their "reviews" and were utterly devastated. These were people who were perhaps entering their first contest, with their first manuscripts. Were some of them bad? Yeah. Were some of them good? Yeah. (We had the benefit of being able to read excerpts ourselves online.) None of them, and I mean none were deserving of commentary along the lines of "You suck, this is a ridiculous story, go back to your day job as a garbage collector," which is essentially what some of these so-called reviews boiled down to. Even worse were the reviews that tried to justify their reasoning and were wrong. Things like, "No publisher will buy anything in First Person POV." (And for the love of biscuits and gravy, can we just let that old chestnut go already?) Or misjudging the genre in which a story was entered or worse still, beginning their review with "I don't ever read romance, so my review is going to be based on what I know of thrillers."

And these were the people judging whether or not an entry should progress in the publishing process since the first prize was a contract with Penguin and publication of the winning manuscript.

Again, consumer opinion is important, but in the real world, consumers don't decide at this level if a book is to be published. Demand may drive the purchase of a manuscript (a la the In Death series or Twilight, et al), but they don't get to decide if the manuscript in question is good enough to be published. They simply don't have the necessary tools by which to make that judgment, at least, not as evidenced by these Vine reviewers' comments. Trust me, some of them, they were downright vicious. (If you're curious, you can probably find some of them still online at the amazon contest forums.) So if you see a Vine review, make sure you take it a grainmetric assload of salt. And for giggles, see what else they've been reviewing.

ETA: Edited out the dog line because a)I'm sure there are good Vine reviewers and sweeping generalizations should be avoided and b) it was a cheap shot. mea culpa

ETA 2:When I was discussing this with my husband last night, he made me realize something that not only made perfect sense but made me look at the situation with a fresh eye-- essentially it was that my displeasure with the Vine program really began with how it was used within the contest rather than being upset with the program on the basis of it alone.

He's not completely wrong. However, I've still got other issues with the program that are illustrated pretty well within the PW article.

So, I've long been known for my predilection for creating soundtracks for scenes and manuscripts on which I'm currently working. But lately, I've also found myself tailoring what I'm listening to so it fits what I'm reading. It really started with What Angels Fear, which is the first book in the Sebastian St. Cyr Mysteries by C.S. Harris.

The books are Regency-set (the first one begins in 1811-- so far, book five takes place in July of 1812, as will book six, by the looks of it). I always love to have music on in the background while I read (no surprise, I'm sure) but these books seemed to demand something specific. I didn't want anything too intrusive or, as I came to realize, "inappropriate" which is to say, I didn't want anything that could potentially take me out of the world of the book-- if anything, I wanted something that would help me sink further into Sebastian's world.

So I found myself turning to film scores-- I started with Becoming Jane and Sense & Sensibility-- both especially well-suited since the films are set during the same time period as the St. Cyr mysteries and tend to evoke the era. From there, I thought, "Okay, we'll go with the scores for Jane Austen films," and found Emma (as long as I don't have to think about Gwynnie mangling the character I'm good) and Pride and Prejudice. Emma, in particular, really resonated, so I went in search of more scores by Rachel Portman. Found Nicholas Nickleby and The Cider House Rules and The Duchess all of which sounded very... English, if you will. Patrick Doyle is also awesome for this as well. I think Henry V is going to be in heavy rotation for Book Five, What Remains of Heaven.

So when I'm ready to settle in to read, I just start one of the soundtracks and away I go. By this point, I've listened to them so often while reading, that the Pavlov effect is more that I see scenes from the books rather than from the films when I hear the music. And while I'm reading, it's as if the scenes just leap off the page and really scroll through my mind with the effect of watching a film. They're richer and more deeply saturated in emotion and tension and drama.

Does anyone else do this to such a specific degree or is this just another example of me being a complete whackaloon?

The unthinkable happened-- Sue made me cry.

As expected, Kurt and his dad made me cry.

Hell, everyone pretty much made me cry.

Yes, I know it was a blatantly manipulative episode and I was good with that, dammit.

Sweet zombie Jesus if Jane Lynch doesn't receive an Emmy and/or Golden Globe nom, there is no justice.

Today's just a good sort of day, isn't it? Even if I'm feeling a little bit under the weather, I still have coffee, a comfy bed in which to hang, a laptop, so I can still work, plus two new releases to listen to while doing said work. First is Alejandro Sanz's first new studio release in over three years, Paraíso Express.



I'm super excited because he's just one of the most unique musicians out there today. Okay, admittedly, all of my favorites are unique in some way or form-- very out of the box and don't look at me that way because I know y'all are so not surprised I would be drawn to out of the box musicians. Ale really is a bit of an acquired taste, however. His vocals aren't pretty and pure, but they're raw and sexy and very, very real. Stylistically he's an intricate songwriter, with his melodies taking unexpected turns and very poetic lyrics. First single is unexpected in a different manner, because it's an English/Spanish duet with Alicia Keys. Their voices work really well together. (Except for the part with Alejandro's very, very unescapable Spanish accent during his English bits and even that is charming and awkwardly cute.)

( More ruminations and burbling and videos behind the cut to spare the innocent )


Finally, one last one, then I promise I'll quit spamming with vids. Forty years ago Sesame Street premiered and early childhood learning was irrevocably altered. Even though in theory I grew up with Sesame Street, it never intrigued me that much because I was already so far ahead of what they were teaching. Schoolhouse Rock was much more up my alley, (and humor-wise, I was much more a Muppet Show sort of girl). However, as an education major, I was reintroduced to Sesame Street and gained a fresh appreciation for not only how innovative it was, but how smart it was, evolving with the times rather than remaining stagnant. But some things, they're just classic and should never, ever change.

Take it, Kermie...

For your epic cake wrecks of fashion.

Seriously, only Latin awards shows manage to scale these heights of horror. I'm convinced that designers take all their OTT runway fashions and add shit to them so they can be worn at the Latin awards shows.

I'll start you out gently...

Oh Nelly... cap sleeves and shoulder pads? Really?



As Smart Bitch Sarah said to me, "I am perennially suspicious of any woman with thighs so thin you can drive a tractor trailer between them."

Amen, sister. And I have a fundamental distrust of anyone who assembles a dress from electrical tape, zippers, and cobwebs.



But wait, there's more!

I'm not sure if she belongs on top of a cake or in a bird sanctuary. It's kind of a tossup.



This would have been very nice if only whoever had designed the dress hadn't gotten carried away and added a self-fabric corsage/bunting to the left shoulder.



This was just flat-out misguided. The hair, the color, the cut, the posture! Miss THANG, please stand up straight, throw your shoulders back, and for god's sake, your feet!



(Now we get to the good ones...)

I got no beef with the skirt. I love that skirt-- the color, the fabric, everything about it. I could marry that skirt. The bodice on the other hand... First off, stark white against the copper satin? Really? Really? And curling ribbon as a trim/sleeve is simply never a good idea. (Side note, the lipstick? *shudder*)



This one needs no commentary. Period. Let's just let it stand in its own magnificent horror.

Oh, holy cats. Favorite romantic movie scene? Hm...

The Hub suggested that it might well be from Bull Durham and I think he was thinking when Crash and Annie finally do the deed. I acknowledge that that's probably one of my favorite love scenes, but to me, a love scene is a very different entity from a romantic scene. If it was from Bull Durham, I'd actually argue that it would be Crash's speech to her near the beginning of the movie, because you can visibly see Annie falling in love with him in that moment, although she stubbornly resists for nearly two hours more.

But favorite all time? Oh man... so difficult.

Honestly, it's a toss-up for me-- one is the end sequence of Sense & Sensibility starting with Colonel Brandon reading to Marianne followed by Edward's confession to Elinor. What I love about the entirety of that sequence is you see behaviors from each of the sisters that might have once been employed by the other: quiet, happy realization and peace on Marianne's part and passion on Elinor's.

The other one is the end of Moonstruck, with the entire family around the table, Rose laying down the law to Cosmo, Johnny breaking up with Loretta only to have Ronnie propose to her, culminating with:

Ma: "Do you love him, Loretta?"

Loretta: "Ma, I love him something awful."

Ma: "Eh, that's too bad."

It's just... life, you know? It's messy and funny and full of love and that's why I love that scene (whole movie) so.

(The Hub did say that he knew whatever I chose, it would no doubt have humor in it. He wasn't wrong.)

It's been one of Those Days.

Up at 5:30 (when I really didn't want to be up).

Phone won't stop ringing.

People won't stop talking to me. (Part of that whole phone thing.)

Both kids home sick. (They're actually mellow and no trouble.)

And I have to go to the store to get dog food because, you know, they appreciate the continued sustenance thing.

Even iTunes is mocking me with the song selections.

Bah.

My high school recently had a reunion. Apparently, interest in any kind of landmark reunion was pretty low for most of the classes of the early/mid-eighties, so a few people took it upon themselves to organize a joint reunion for the classes from 83-86.

There wasn't a chance in hell I was going. I don't have any friends left from that era except for a couple and they wouldn't go anyhow. The writer in me does admit to curiosity for the people-watching possibilities, but since the activities were over the same weekend as the Diva's birthday, it wasn't happening.

However, all is not lost.

The pictures have been posted online.

And it was more or less how I might have predicted it. The same people who I would have expected to attend a reunion, did. The same people who used to dominate the yearbook candid photos... did. People who look like they're trying too hard to hold onto their bygone youth? Check. The ones who always took any public opportunity to at least appear as if they were behaving like asses?

Yeah...

Pretty much as you'd expect.

Also, since I went to high school in Miami, there was a fair amount of Botox, bleach, silicone, and sun damage represented. (Not to mention some questionable fashion choices-- seriously, acid wash in your forties is NOT a good look.)

Not feeling as if I missed much. However, I have to think that there's a story there. I mean, what drives people to cling to those days so fiercely? I know there are people who had good high school experiences. Mine weren't terrible, but they weren't great either. I certainly wouldn't want to relive them or cling to them. I did it, they're over and done and I have very little desire to go back. I wonder if it might have been different if I'd attended a high school with a smaller attendance. I had over 2500 kids in my high school and 520 alone in my graduating class. I looked through those pictures and literally found myself thinking, "Did I go to school with these people?" And no doubt, they'd think the same of me-- aside from being the drum major of the band senior year, I was classic wallpaper material, always more interested in watching than in standing out. And in band, I had my tribe, so I had no need to look outside for entertainment.

I maybe have more interest in going back to Marching Chiefs reunions because many of those people, I maintain better contact with and feel as if overall, I have more in common with them, but even there-- I don't know. I think I'm missing the Way Back gene or whatever it is that drives people to revisit their pasts. I'm always moving forward, always looking to the future. Or maybe it's just that I revisit my past within my writing, touching on the things that were important to me.

Regardless... not feeling the loss of having missed the reunion.

I need to select an author photo. I have three I'm trying to decide between.

Okay, so first one is probably familiar to a lot of you. It was from my original batch of author photos taken nearly four years ago. Luckily, I still look more or less the same. I didn't use this one for the MTV Books, but I did use it as my author shot when I was a RITA finalist/winner. I still like it lots and lots and lots but perhaps it's time to retire these? (ETA to show what it would look like as a B&W, which is how it would be reproduced.)



Number 2 is a casual b&w that a friend took a couple of years ago. I really like it because of its casualness.



Number 3 is another casual pic, taken by my sister in Miami last year. I can crop it so there's not so much black space around it, but I like the feel of it.



So what say y'all?

(And no, don't have time to get new ones. I need to have this in very soon.)

Poll #1479888 Peektures!
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 54

Which one?

Reminds me of the current state of publishing...

Baby Blues- 11/01/09




Am I wrong?

Sadly, probably very appropriate. I kind of was Rachel as a kid, although not quite so much with the perky and outwardly ambitious. I was a little more internal. But yeah... I was definitely her.

Still sort of am, actually.

Found via jonquil

Name five effective uses of songs in movies or tv shows.

Cutting this down to five is going to be the hard part.

One of my absolute favorites, the wedding/reception sequence in Fandango that uses a medley of Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays' "September 15th/It's For You." You just feel the longing Gardner has for the Girl and his realization that this is it—his last dance with her and perhaps the last time he'll ever see her because it just hurts that much. Combined with his realization that it would never have worked. The beauty of love had and love lost. With a bonus shout-out to "Can't Find My Way Home" by Blind Faith running over the end credits. It's all so seamless and lovely and perfect.

( Fandango sequence )


"Both Sides Now" as used in Love Actually. Rips my heart out, Every. Single. Time. The look on Karen's face as she realizes Harry's been cheating. That he thought more of his lover than of her. The utter devastation that she feels she's been living a lie and that she has to pull herself together and act as if absolutely nothing's wrong for her children's sake. And that it all happens at Christmas. (can't find the scene. boo)

"El Tango de Roxanne" from Moulin Rouge. It's everything. The brilliance of taking an already classic song and reimagining it as an Argentine tango, perhaps the sultriest, most sensuous dance of all that encompasses every emotion from love to hate and does so in a blazing cacophony of movement, color, and music. It's a massive turning point in the film.

( El Tango )

"Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" from Strictly Ballroom. Yes, I'm an unabashed Baz fangirl. So sue me. But I think both he and Richard Curtis as so great with music in films. This just absolutely showcases so much. Fran's envy at not being like the others. Scott's realization that what he's been doing is kind of shallow and lacking in any real feeling. That the dancing he's longed to do, the dancing he's been doing with Fran, is different and better because of it. That he appreciates her for not being like the others. It's just sweet and tender and lovely.

( Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps )

Okay, finally, I think I'm going to go with "Telstar" as used in the episode "The Inheritance" of Mad Men (S2 EP10). It's at the very end, as Don and Pete are flying off to an aeronautics conference in Southern California and again, serves as a turning point. Thematically speaking, the song itself was to celebrate the dawning of the space age and was released about five weeks after the launch of the Telstar satellite in the summer of 1962. For the show's purposes, it was the first time we went out of the confines of New York and the Sterling Cooper ad agency and we got to see a Don (a couple of them) we had no idea even existed. It was the beginning of his rebirth, in a manner of speaking, when he pulled a disappearing act for three weeks and no one knew where he was. But at the point the song is playing, Don is simply sitting back in his airplane seat, smoking a cigarette and preparing to jet off to a new world. Stuck with me for weeks.

Week and a half, really.

Last Monday we found out our offer on the house we really, really, really wanted in Seattle was accepted. Tuesday I learned that Stars was going to committee, Wednesday, I learned St. Martin's wanted it, by Thursday, it was a done deal.

Yesterday I got some other potentially fabulous news, but I have to wait on that until it's a certainty. But I can be patient.

Y'know, thing is, I think the whole thing started the Saturday before. It was that morning that we had put in the initial bid on the house. More importantly, however, was what happened Saturday night. I finally, finally got to see Robin Williams in concert. When I say "finally" it has two different meanings. One is, that we were originally scheduled to see him back in March, but it was literally the show before ours where he fell ill and needed heart surgery. A big thing, since heart disease runs in his family. I was devastated, of course, but mostly because I really wanted him to recover. I have followed the man's career since the Mork & Mindy days. (Earlier, really, because I saw his first appearances on Happy Days.) I love a great deal of his film work (Dead Again= Best Cameo EVAR) even though, like any other actor, he's done some clunkers. I have multiple copies of Live on Broadway and Live at the Met. Hell, I even listened to Live at the Met when I was in labor with both of my children. Hey, y'know, the drugs can only do so much... laughter, on the other hand, makes all manner of pain disappear. Besides, it was a great way to freak the hell out of the doctors and nurses.

He, to me, is simply one of the funniest, most brilliant observers of human nature out there. It's so funny to watch him pick apart the world's weaknesses because he's so ruthless about picking apart his own. To say I adore this man's mind would be putting it mildly. (The Hub has often said that he could really only see me leaving him for one of two men: Jon Stewart or Robin Williams. What can I say? Brilliant and funny trumps all. Luckily, I have brilliant and funny at home, so no worries there, dear heart.)

So seeing him in concert wasn't just about finally seeing him since he'd rescheduled the show-- it was also about finally seeing him after close to thirty years. And because The Hub is a prince among men, when he bought these tickets for me as my Christmas gift last year, he bought the Super Delux-o Meet & Greet Package. Where we'd get to actually meet the man!

Okay, y'all who know me, know I simply do not get star struck. I don't do autographs. I can carry on a conversation with almost anyone, but in this case, may I just let loose with a hearty,

SQQQQUUUUUUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEE!!!!!

*ahem*

I will say, I was able to have a nice conversation with him. And I was even able to tell him, without stuttering or stammering, that I'd listened to Live at the Met during both my labors. To which he responded with "Fuck me!"

Hee!

But here's the thing. It was after that wonderful, fabulous Saturday where I got to meet a childhood idol and found him absolutely lovely and unassuming and truly grateful to meet his audience. Where I laughed and laughed and laughed like I haven't in quite some time, that everything finally fell into place. Because it was after that Saturday that we got our house and I got my book deal and all manner of lovely things fell into place. Coincidence? Sure. But I'm also going to look at it as a turning point.

And I have a lovely memento from it. (I look like death, but that's because it was my first night out after a minor surgical procedure ten days before. Don't care. I think my smile's about to split my face wide open. Also, don't care. It was WONDERFUL. (I do need to lose weight again. Maybe that'll be next...)




Now if I could only sing with the GLEE cast, life would pretty much be complete.

The Hub has started blogging.

He's ifigrowup and he's all by his lonesome in the blogosphere and while part of me wants to be all heartless and shit and make him climb uphill, barefoot, in the snow, to find his own folks, I'm just not that mean.

Okay, maybe I am, but I'll cut him some slack this time.

So go, check out his first post, maybe friend him...

Poor wee lonesome git.

Especially in light of our recent conversation...

Found during a quick drive-by reading of Jenny Crusie's blog:


“It is dangerous to let the public behind the scenes. They are easily disillusioned and then they are angry with you, for it was the illusion they loved. ”
— Somerset Maugham

Yep.

Works for me.

Brayne is all mushy after such a splendiferous week. (Although not so mushy I couldn't go on about reader entitlement on dubious_virtue's blog.)

But that taxed all the intellectual energy that remained within the fog of cheesecake and chocolate coma.

So I found a reader meme over at author C.S. Harris's blog that I thought looked like fun. (And by the way, book 5 in her delicious Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries What Remains of Heaven drops on November 3. MEEP!)

Anyhow, here we go:

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?

I'll drink (usually tea or Diet Coke) while I'm reading. Eating is more secondary. I think it's more that I'll continue reading while I'm eating, rather than having a specific "reading snack." Although Kettle Corn is always good for snacking.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?

Marking as writing? *shudders* Not in a fiction book at any rate. Non-fic books, since most of them tend to be research for me, are a different animal. I treat them much like I treated my college textbooks, using highlighters in them to mark passages. Also, the best invention ever are the sticky flags. Some of my non-fic books look like they have very colorful peacock tails.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?

Some form of bookmark, either a real one or an index card. Sometimes, if I know I'm only leaving a book for a few moments, I'll turn it over, but I never smash it flat. I try not to break the spines of my books more than necessary.

Fiction, nonfiction, or both?

Pleasure reading is generally fiction although I'll often be incredibly engaged by narrative non-fiction.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of a chapter, or can you stop anywhere?

Stop anywhere but I do prefer going to the end of a chapter.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away?

If it's used well within context then I generally don't need to. Clothing items I'll generally stop and make note of for later research, if only so I can complete the picture in my head.

What are you currently reading?

The first four Sebastian St. Cyr books- C.S. Harris
An Echo in the Bone- Diana Gabaldon
How to Be a Movie Star: Elizabeth Taylor in Hollywood- William J. Mann

What is the last book you bought?

Diary of a Wimpy Kid 4 (For the Boy and the Diva)

Are you the type of person who reads one book at a time, or can you read more than one?

I like reading one at a time, but I can read two if one is fic and one is non-fic.

Do you have a favorite time/place to read?

Generally evening, in bed. Or like today, a Sunday, in bed, with a football game on as background noise.

Do you prefer series books or stand alones?

Generally stand-alones, or maybe a pair of related books. Oddly enough, the series I enjoy most tend to be historical in nature (Sebastian St. Cyr; Outlander; Elizabeth Hoyt's Four Soldiers). I am considering starting Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden series since a good friend as well as my husband have devoured them.

Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over?

Anne Rivers Siddons for sure. If pressed for a book, I say Heartbreak Hotel.

How do you organize your books?(by genre, title, author’s last name, etc.)

Some combination of subject matter (for non-fic) and genre/author for fiction.

Mostly because my lovely, lovely agent as well as my new! fabulous! editor deserve them.

Dipped in chocolate even.

(What? Don't look at me like that. Once you see them you'll agree with me ::nods::)

We'll start you out gently... Alejandro Fernández, my inspiration for my delicious Taz in Stars.

In leather, 'cause I'm shallow like that



And a new pic in shades that makes him look all sorts of nummy.



Can't leave out poor Jonathan (although I can hear dubious_virtue screeching, "You didn't use the right one!")



Been watching Flash Forward and loving it. Especially love seeing Jack Davenport in a contemporary piece and OMG, all broody and hawt! (although this pic is from a play, it works for me)



( Now, the maybe not quite SFW pics )

This guy I'll leave out from the cut because I'm amused by the champagne bottle. (*is twelve*)



And for my most darling amy37 who also sold yesterday, so we will forever be book twins...

PMA PLACES BARBARA CARIDAD FERRER’S WHEN THE STARS GO BLUE WITH TONI PLUMMER OF THOMAS DUNNE BOOKS

Adrienne Rosado, of PMA Literary & Film Management Inc., is proud to announce the sale of North American rights to young adult novel, When the Stars Go Blue by Barbara Caridad Ferrer to Toni Plummer at Thomas Dunne Books.

From RITA award winner Barbara Caridad Ferrer comes a new novel, When the Stars Go Blue, a reinvention of Bizet's Carmen, set in contemporary Miami against the world of competitive drum and bugle corps. Soledad Reyes is our modern day Carmen, a passionate dancer, who is torn between the attentions of her musical prodigy boyfriend and a charming soccer player, who she can’t help but notice.

Barbara Caridad Ferrer is a first generation, bilingual Cuban-American, whose young adult debut, Adiós to My Old Life (MTV Books/2006), won the Romance Writers of America's 2007 RITA® for Best Contemporary Single Title Romance as well as being named to the 2009 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults list, awarded by the ALA. Her second MTV Books novel, It's Not About the Accent was released in 2007 with Publisher's Weekly stating, "…this twisting book amply rewards readers."



I know I don't have to articulate exactly what this means to me. Next to Breathe this has been the project that's meant the most to me, not just because of its content but also because of the journey it had to take. My gorgeous, wonderful agent gets her own Cabana Boy (or twelve) for so, so enthusiastically believing in this project and becoming such a great champion for it and as for my new editor Toni, I have been wanting to work with her for ages. It seems kind of perfect that it's on this book.

Finally, When the Stars Go Blue has found its rightful home.