Photos from the 2007 RWA Conference

Ok, I promised I'd post a couple of pictures of me in a cowboy hat and light-up feather boa, so here they are! I'm having a fabulously good time, in case you were wondering!

These were taken at the RWAOnline "Ropin' Romance" party, and the feather boas were given out to everyone who served on the volunteer committee. Just wish you could see the little blinky lights better!

I've posted a lot more pictures on the PHOTO GALLERY section of my website, if anyone's interested. Wanna know what Anna Campbell, Tawny Weber, Stacey Kayne, C.L. Wilson, Toni Blake, Caridad Ferrar, Elizabeth Boyle and other well-known authors look like? Pop on over and take a look!

Christina Hogrebe, Agent Extraordinaire

I am incredibly fortunate enough to be represented by one of the finest literary agencies ever, the Jane Rotrosen Agency. At Rotrosen, author representation is a team effort, and when I call or email anyone there, I know I'm speaking with or dealing with true professionals in every sense of the word. Support, enthusiasm, industry savvy, editorial input, advice, hand-holding, friendship, laughter - it's all there.

But let me give you an example of how Christina Hogrebe (in the black dress - isn't she gorgeous?) went above and beyond the call of duty for me the other day.

Christina and I decided to go on a culinary adventure this past Friday by visiting a Tex-Asian fusion restaurant (recommended by Rachel Ray), called Fuse. Tres' chic, no? We hopped in a cab and dined on Chili Scented Edamame, assorted sushi, chicken and steak while we talked about life, love, business and all things in between. I had another appointment back at the hotel at 1:30, so we thought we had plenty of time to catch another cab and make it back, but when we walked out of the restaurant, it was pouring down rain. It was right about this time that I realized that I had NO IDEA which meeting room I was supposed to go to once I made it back to the hotel (somewhere along the line I'd lost the email that held that particular detail.)

We called a cab and were informed that it would be there in less than ten minutes, so we waited. And waited. And waited. Now time is getting short, it's pouring down rain, and I have an important meeting to get to and no way of finding out where it is short of running through the halls of the Hyatt, looking for a sign.

So what does Christina do? She goes outside (in the rain), and does her best to hail a cab, telling me to stay inside and dry so I'll look nice for my meeting. But this is Dallas, not NYC, and cabs aren't as plentiful as one might think (perhaps they'll melt if they get wet?). Christina sees one a block away, and starts in that direction, gets halfway there before the cab we called finally shows up. Once inside, a very damp Christina whips out her trusty cell phone and starts making calls, trying desperately to find out the details of where I'm supposed to be. Office? Check. HarperCollins main number? Check. Marketing department? Check. Voicemail? Dead end. By this time, we're back at the hotel, and almost out of options. I honestly believe Christina would've run through the halls like a madwoman with me, searching for the meeting room, except that I took pity on her dampness and sent her off for a well-deserved break.

The good news is that I found the meeting room with nary a minute to spare, but it never would have happened if it weren't for Christina, willing to stand in the rain to snag us a cab.

That, my friend, is a good agent.

Guest Blogging Today at Romantic Inks

I've got tons of stuff to say about the RWA convention, but I decided to spill some of the beans over at Romantic Inks, where I'm today's guest blogger. Pop on over if you'd like to read a little "dish" on some of your favorite authors!

A Quick Hello From The Road

How could I let Friday the 13th go by without doing a blog entry? I'm still in Dallas, attending the RWA conference, and it's been a total blast. I've seen so many of my friends, met so many new ones, had a great time at some parties and soaked up some industry info in workshops. (I now finally understand how all the different Amazon features work, and how much clout the big booksellers like Borders, BAMM and Barnes & Noble have over your actual publishing career). I can't wait to post some pictures, but that will have to wait until I get home and can upload them from my camera. (Tune in this weekend if you'd like to see me in a light-up featherboa and cowboy hat - who says I ain't fashionable?)

This may be an unlucky day for some, but so far my Friday the 13th has been a great one. I was given a fabulous thank-you gift by Theresa Mobley, who won a free registration to the conference through one of my website contests. It's an absolutely gorgeous trinket box, in the form of a bejeweled spider! I love it! I'll post a picture of it, too. Thanks, Theresa!!!

Anyway, I'm off to have lunch with my agent, then tonight is the big HarperCollins dinner party. Tempted though I may be, I might have to leave the light-up featherboa behind. It just doesn't go with my dress. :)

Terri Does Dallas :)

As of tomorrow morning (early), I'll be off to the "Signature Of Success" conference in Dallas, Texas. It will be a dizzying round of meetings, workshops and parties, for which I haven't even begun to pack. I'll be having tea with local booksellers, breakfast with my editor, lunch with my agent, mixing with other authors, meeting new people and hanging out with old friends. I can't wait! My agent and I are going to check out a Tex-Asian restaurant recommended by food-diva Rachel Ray, I'll be attending a dessert reception for finalists in the Golden Heart contest, a publisher party at a place with the cool name of Hotel ZaZa, and an agency party at Tucker's. In between all this I'll be attending as many workshops and publisher "spotlights" as I can. Oh, and I'm also on the planning committee for my online chapter, RWAOnline, so I get to be silly and hand out awards at our "Ropin' Romance" party on Wednesday night. Yeehaw!

In addition to all this, I'll be cheering on five of my best buds as they vie for coveted Golden Heart awards (which is RWA's version of the Oscar), given for the best "as-yet-unpublished" manuscripts of the year. Carla, Beth, Anna, Kim and Sheila all deserve one of those beautiful golden heart necklaces, and I can't wait to see who gets one! (Well, Carla already has one, but who can ever have too much jewelry?)

All of this makes me remember the very first RWA conference I went to back in 2001, in New Orleans. I didn't know a soul. A single soul. I didn't know anything about publishing, period, other than what kind of books I liked to read. All I knew was that I wanted to be a writer, and if I was going to accomplish that goal, I needed to educate myself on the industry. I needed to take some workshops, soak up some knowledge, learn the ropes and the whos and the hows and the whats of what it took to get published. I didn't know my POV* from my HEA* or my GMC* from my TMI* (don't you just hate acronyms? They make you feel so stupid). I didn't know how to plot, or how to write a query letter or what the heck a synopsis was (other than a noun that meant a "summary").

Now, six years later, my first novel is less than two months away from showing up on the shelves of major bookstores everywhere. I'm going to be able to walk into Borders, Barnes&Noble, Books-A-Million, Chapters... heck, even Wal-Mart and Target... and see my work on the shelves. It's mindboggling. Right now, I have three books under contract, and several others in the works. I'm truly blessed.

The moral here is that if you want something bad enough, go out and get it. Don't wait for it to come to you. Put in the time, put in the effort, grit your teeth, and go for it. It ain't gonna happen otherwise.

See you when I get back from Dallas!

*Acronyms explained:
POV = Point of view (a character's viewpoint)
HEA = Happily ever after (necessary for romance, not necessary for non-romance)
GMC = Goals, motivation, conflict (always necessary, regardless of genre)
TMI = Too much information (never necessary, also known as "telling" instead of "showing")

Winners of the "Wedding Stories From Hell" Contest!

Well, I thought I'd attended a few bad weddings in my day, but you guys take the (wedding) cake! I had a hard time choosing the winner of the worst/best "wedding from hell" story, until TIANNA sent in this one:

When I was 25, my best friend’s wedding was a fiasco. Her brother-in-law tried to french kiss me in front of my husband who had a fit and threatened to use his military training to do major damage.

The bride and groom waltzed across the dance floor gracefully, until he dipped her deeply and promptly dropped her. Afterward, the groom got drunk and urinated in a potted plant on the edge of the dance floor and his pants fell around his ankles. Afterward, everyone had a blast telling the bride of his insufficiencies.

The mother of the bride spent hours before the ceremony wrapping rice in lace so all one had to do was untie the ribbon and throw the rice. Many people chose to throw little rice missiles at the couple, giving the bride a black eye. She fell against the groom when hit with the rice, pushed him down the steps of the hotel and he broke his leg. They spent their wedding night in the hospital and their dream trip, a honeymoon in Hawaii, was cancelled.

TIANNA is the winner of an autographed ARC of DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY, and has my thanks for making me laugh so hard my stomach hurt! But there were a couple of other really good stories, too, so I've decided to award both OLIVIA and SHEILA with autographed cover flats and other goodies from me and fellow Avon authors Julia Quinn, Jenna Peterson and Kerrelyn Sparks.

Olivia's story about about an unfortunately cake-cutting incident made me cringe (talk about adding insult to injury!):

Posed with knife in hand, the bride and groom smiled at each other while the photographer angled for that perfect shot. The cake was a glorious creation with four tiers towering over a bubbly water fountain. Three more tiers of cake stood on either side with miniature bridesmaids and groomsmen lined up on bridges reaching from the main cake. Real flowers adorned the sides and floated in the fountain.

The groom moved, slipped, and fell into the table.

The guests watched in horror as the top tiers of the cake seemed to slowly shift off the towering pillars, slide into one of the side cakes and crash to the floor.

I was not a wedding guest, but the caterer who had made the cake, too. Then the brides mother had the gall to blame us that the cake was set up incorrectly and demanded a refund.

While SHEILA'S sharing of her not-so-intimate honeymoon experience made me giggle for days!

My husband-to-be and I were poor as poor could be. My father offered to set up his camper at a nice state park. At about 3:00 in the afternoon on a bright Florida day, we arrived at our beautiful honeymoon spot in a car clearly marked with "just married". Other campers were enjoying the afternoon and the park was full. We raced inside and consummated our vows only to discover my father hadn't put down the stabilizers. So the camper had shaken from side to side. When we walked outside, the entire campground clapped.

Thanks so much to everyone who entered for sharing your wedding stories from hell! Tianna, Olivia and Sheila - your goodies are in the mail!

Calling All Spirits...

Have you ever wondered what the spirits themselves might think of seances? If spirits truly exist, what makes us think they're so eager to talk to us?

Personally, I don't plan on hanging around after my life is over - I believe there's someplace/someone/something else waiting for me, and once my earthly life is done, I'm on to bigger and better things. Whatever "unfinished business" I may have here, it'll have to remain unfinished. The people I love will hopefully know that they were loved, because I try to show them that now, while I'm here.

Seances have been around a long time - there's even mention of one in the Bible. In the first book of Samuel, Ch. 28, the king of the Israelites, Saul, consulted a woman known as the "Witch of Endor" to call up the ghost of the recently departed prophet, Samuel. He wanted advice on the war against the Philistines, and unfortunately for Saul, received only a prediction of his own downfall. Which happened, by the way.

History is full of famous people who were fascinated by the idea of communicating with the dead: Mary Todd Lincoln, Harry Houdini, and Thomas Edison, to name just a few. Personally, I think it's not only selfish, but dangerous to hold seances. Those who have passed on should be left to rest in peace, not nagged at by relatives who crave one last word. And by dangerous, I believe you should always be careful when opening a door to the unknown - who knows who, or what, might step through it?

So, how about you? Ever attended a seance? Do you believe they could actually work?

The Boo-Boo That Comes Back To Bite You

When I was eleven years old, I was hit by a car. I was riding my bike home from guitar lessons at the local rec center, balancing the guitar case on my handlebars (we think we can do anything at that age, don't we?). I almost made it. About a block from the house, I saw a car coming, and we reached a fork in the road at the same instant. Would the car fork right, or would the car fork left? If so, which way should I go?

Needless to say, I made the wrong choice. I steered my bike directly in front of the oncoming car - my fault entirely. The next thing I knew, I woke up in somebody's front yard, with my head in my mom's lap. (As an aside, this was one of what my family calls a "Zelda moment"; from down the block, my mom heard the screech of tires and the sound of an impact, and ran out of the house calling my name, knowing that I'd been in an accident. She was the first person on the scene.)

I was very lucky. Aside from being knocked unconscious and having some serious bruising along my left side from the impact, I was okay. Or so I thought.

Now, umpteen years later, my doctor feels that the recent trouble I've been having with my left shoulder is the residual effect of that accident. A little over a month ago, I began having pain when I lifted my arm. It quickly progressed to pain when I pushed, pulled, or lifted anything with that arm. He calls it "impingement", and believes I may have had a small tear in the muscles of the shoulder that never healed, but never bothered me until now. The tear may have gotten larger, or the muscle become inflamed. So now it's x-rays and MRI's, cortisone shots or arthroscopic surgery, physical therapy or whatever.

The good news? I'm going to get an hour-long massage today, doctor's orders. WOO-HOO!!

Andy Warhol Was Right, Kinda

Andy Warhol had a famous quote, which goes: "In the future, everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes." And while I'm hardly famous, I did get FIVE minutes in the local paper last Friday, which means Andy was at least 1/3 right. :) Anyway, since this is my hometown newspaper, it was a pretty big deal for me. So here's the article, and the photo that ran with it:

5 Minutes With Terri Garey, Tampa Novelist

Published: Jun 22, 2007

Tampa native Terri Garey has raised three children and worked with computers. But what she really wanted was to write novels. Years of effort will pay off Aug. 28, when Avon Books publishes "Dead Girls Are Easy." The novel stars Nikki Styx, a woman who finds she can see and hear the dead after she has a near-death experience. There are also a romance (with her doctor) and a murder mystery. It's funny and creepy.
___________

It says in your autobiography you were into "The Twilight Zone" and "Dark Shadows" as a kid, and also you had a crush on Rod Serling. A crush?
He was a pretty handsome guy! He had that dark hair, and I've always had a thing for the dark-haired guys. I liked all those shows - "Shock Theater" on Friday nights and "Creature Feature" on Saturday afternoons with Dr. Paul Bearer. I just absolutely loved him and the sheer campiness of what he did. I think that had a huge influence on me.
I really loved the idea that you could be scary and also make people laugh at the same time.

Which is what you do with your book.
That's good to hear because that was my goal.

At what point did you decide, "Hey, I want to write a
novel?"
I've always loved to write and always loved to read. It wasn't until about six years ago that I really got serious. I had more time because the kids had grown up.
I had an unfinished novel under the bed, and my husband said, "You should take it out and finish it." So I did. It was horrible.

So I wrote three more, and really started studying the publishing industry and participating in writing conferences and writing contests. I sent out my novels and got a nice fat stack of rejection slips. But I kept trying.

Which book is "Dead Girls Are Easy" for you?
Five. And I have since written the sequel ("Where the Ghouls Are," to be released May 1, 2008).

Why the interest in the afterlife and dead people?
Well, I hope you won't think I'm crazy, but my family has had a paranormal experience. We lived in a haunted house.

I don't think you're crazy.
No, you think I'm insane!

Before we bought our house, we were renting a house [in Palma Ceia]. My stepdaughter came to me one night, and she looked freaked out. I asked her what was wrong, and she said she had gone to the bathroom and while she was in there the bathroom door opened and the figure of a man appeared outside the door.

I asked her, "Why didn't you scream?" And she said it wasn't scary like a horror movie. The man just stood there and then sort of faded away. I asked a neighbor about the history of the house and found out there had been a murder-suicide there.
That was enough to convince me. We moved out a few months later. That was just too weird for me.

Kevin Walker/Tampa Tribune

Your Mission, Should You Decide To Accept It...

My husband is a serial love note writer (I know, I know... you hate me). He leaves love notes stuck to my computer screen, stuck to the mirror in the bathroom, in the drawer where I keep my hair scrunchies, in my car, on the refrigerator - wherever he thinks I might find them after he's left for work.

It doesn't take him long, and as you can see, he doesn't always say much. It's the fact that he does it that makes it special.

When my kids were little, I'd do the same for them - I'd stick a little love note in their lunchbox (back when they weren't embarrassed to actually bring lunch from home), even though I knew that they (being boys) would roll their eyes and scrunch it up so their friends wouldn't see it. I got a secret pleasure in imagining that moment when they found the note and read it, knowing that even though they thought their mom was nuts, they couldn't help but know I put it there out of love.

So what I'm challenging you to do today is to think about those people you love the most; your spouse, your kids, your best friend, your sister, your mom. Then take a minute, maybe two, and write them a teeny little love note. Hand it to them, mail it to them, put it where they'll find it when you're not around - just write it.

Such a teeny little thing. A teeny little thing that could mean so much. Do it!

A New Season Begins

Two of my favorite shows had their season premieres this week, FINALLY providing a welcome break from reality shows like American Idol, Dancing With The Stars, and America's Got Talent (ok, I may watch AGT because I adore Sharon Osbourne and I have a soft spot for The Hof, but in general, I'm not a fan of these types of shows). DEAD ZONE has always been one of my favorites - I love the concept, and I love Anthony Michael Hall. I did not, however, love the premiere episode. *SPOILER ALERT* It was so.... not-DEAD-ZONE-like, and they killed off Walt! Walt, the sexy. Walt, the handsome. Walt, the good dad, the faithful husband, the all-American hero, the all-around-good-guy who you wish lived next door just so you could watch him mow his lawn, Walt. And not only did they kill him, they ended the episode with this totally sappy scene where Johnny Smith (Anthony Michael Hall), "sees" Walt's final moments, and gets to relay his dying last words to Walt's pregnant wife. "Ti amo, Sarah." Lifetime movie, anyone? It was far, far too melodramatic and unnecessary. And did I mention they killed Walt?!?

Then, last night was THE CLOSER, with Kyra Sedgewick, who if I didn't love both her and her character, I'd totally hate for having great hair, and being happily married to Kevin Bacon all these years. (Kevin Bacon is yet another cute, nice guy I wish lived next door so I could watch him mow his lawn, or practice guitar in his garage, or something.) Anyway, THE CLOSER came much, much closer to hitting the mark with their premiere, aside from the extremely graphic opening scenes. I mean, I like cop dramas as much as anyone, but I do NOT want to see, up-close and personal, a ten yr. old girl in her jammies who's been stabbed in the heart and had her throat slit for good measure. It was, in a word, overkill (excuse the pun). But I was happy to see that Brenda Leigh Johnson, Kyra's character, had not lost her moxie over the summer, and that the show's producers have decided to deepen her character even further. I'm looking forward to seeing how things work out between her and her boyfriend, Fitz, and watching her kill her suspects with kindness just before she moves in to wring their confessions from their lying, murderous lips.

Gee, I sound a bit bloodthirsty after all, don't I?

What's A Widget?

Is this cool or what? My publisher made this awesome countdown clock (otherwise known as a "widget") that keeps track of the days, hours, minutes and seconds until dead girls are easy hits the streets!

I've never been obsessive-compulsive, but I have a feeling I'll be checking my widget over and over (and over, and over...) GAH!!!

Get this widget!

Little Five Points, Georgia

A few years ago, while visiting my sister, she took me to a weirdly wonderful area of Atlanta called Little Five Points. (That's her on the left, with her arm in the air, as we pose in front of one of the many psychedelic murals that adorn the streets of Little Five Points.) L5P, known as "Little Five" to the locals, is the "Haight Ashbury" of Atlanta - an eclectic center of liberal thought and cultural diversity, a collection of not-quite-typical businesses run and frequented by not-quite-typical people, surrounded by beautiful, gracious old neighborhoods full of Victorian homes.

Oddly enough, or perhaps not so oddly, I felt right at home. This is an area where free expression is in the air, blending with the scent of sandalwood incense, fresh-brewed coffee and unemptied dumpsters. An area where young people with blue hair and nose rings chat with chubby tourists in socks and sandals; where dreadlocked rastas play steel drums for tips; where happy families and bored teenagers wander in and out of kitschy stores like The Junkman's Daughter (right) and cool bars like the Vortex are packed to the gills on Friday and Saturday nights (the skull below is the entrance to the Vortex).
"Wow," I thought to myself. "What a great setting for a story!" If these walls could talk, and all that. And that's how the idea for Dead Girls Are Easy was born.

The idea was this: What if someone who lived and worked here, a free spirit who believed in "live and let live", found out that some spirits weren't as free as hers? What if a Goth girl who'd always found the dark side of life to be cool and intriguing, suddenly discovered that the dark side really existed? What if she "died" and came back with the ability to see and hear the dead? How would becoming an unwilling "ghoulfriend" to the dead change her, without forcing her to change who she really was?

I guess the big question my main character, Nicki Styx, now has to ask herself is this: In the age-old battle between good and evil, can you do the right thing without assuming the missionary position? :)

Simple Pleasures

I joke about keeping my blog interesting, saying "nobody wants to read about what I had for breakfast". Well...um... wanna know what I had for lunch? :)

A peanut butter and banana sandwich. (Or as Elvis would've have said, a peanut butter and 'nanner sandwich - it was his favorite, and he liked them fried. How do you know these things, Terri? I have no idea. Consider me a fountain of useless knowledge.) Anyway, when I broke from writing today to fix myself lunch, alas, the cupboard was pretty bare. (That's what happens when you're on a short deadline - piled up laundry, dust bunnies and empty cupboards.)

But there was the jar of peanut butter, and there was the banana. It was sublime. I haven't had one of these since I was a kid, and I'd totally forgotten how good they were. Forget the frying pan, though - Elvis was on drugs, remember? :)

It made me think about other things that make me happy, things that are so simple I often overlook them or take them for granted, like:

1) Finding the perfect outfit, on sale. :)

2) Laughing with someone over a glass of wine.

3) A spontaneous hug or kiss from a certain two-and-a-half year old.

4) Waking in the middle of the night, snuggled next to my husband, and falling right back asleep feeling loved and safe.
5) The way my dog greets me every morning with a happy whine and a goofy doggy grin.
6) Hearing the wind in the trees.
7) Watching the bright red cardinal who visits my bird feeder.

Think about it. What are your simple pleasures?

Another Contract, Another Bear!

This is my dear friend, Mona Risk, and her new friend, Sergei. Does Mona look happy or what?

Mona found out last month that her touching story about a Belarussian general out to save the child victims of the Chernobyl disaster, entitled TO LOVE A HERO, will be published by Cerridwen Press! Continuing the tradition established a few years ago by my friends at the Writers Playground, Mona now finds herself the new owner of a custom-made Build-A-Bear (modeled after her hero, natch) and a gorgeous fountain pen engraved with her title and the date the book sold.

Mona writes medical romances in exotic European settings, and she knows of what she speaks! She's a former chemist herself, has lived and traveled all over Europe, and has nine doctors in her immediate family! She's also a delightful person, and I'm so happy her dream of writing has finally come true.

Congratulations, Mona!

June Contest - Wedding Stories From Hell

As I mentioned last week, I've been asked to participate in a ghoulishly themed anthology entitled "WEDDINGS FROM HELL"(Avon Books, May 2008).

Fellow authors Maggie Shayne, Kathryn Smith, Jeaniene Frost and I will put together four fiendish tales of paranormal pandemonium centered around (you guessed it!) big, fat supernatural weddings. :)

In keeping with that theme, my June 2007 contest is called "Wedding Stories From Hell"!

Leave me a comment here on my blog, or send me a private email by clicking on the happy couple, and tell me a story about the worst wedding you've ever attended; the ugliest bridesmaid dress you've ever seen (or had to wear), the most embarrassing wedding toast you've ever heard, the biggest Bridezilla you'v ever had to put up with, the drunken groomsman who groped you at the reception - whatever wedding horror you've had to endure! The winner will win a signed ARC of Dead Girls Are Easy, and I'll feature the top three stories on my blog and my website.

Good luck, and I can't wait to hear about your wedding stories from hell!

These Ain't Your Mama's Paper Dolls

It was a rainy weekend here in Gatorland, and while I did manage to get some writing done (really! I did!), I also killed an hour or so creating this ghoulishly delightful pair, who shall henceforth be known, affectionately, as Boris and Natasha Gravesley.

Are they cute or what?!? It's hard to see in the photo, but they're incredibly 3-dimensional, cut from a pattern onto heavy card stock, and glued into place (the detail on the back is just as detailed as the front, and they're rounded, not flat). I'm a very visual person, and I'm using them as inspiration for my current work-in-progress, an anthology of paranormal tales entitled WEDDINGS FROM HELL. (I usually put together a collage, but this weird little couple was just too good to be true.)

I wish I could take credit for the artistic genius that went into their creation, but alas, all I can take credit for is stumbling upon an awesome website called RAVENSBLIGHT. Here you'll find over 300 paintings and photographs on display, free paper toys,free music, free PC games, and a few other dark goodies, all created by a like-minded (as in weirdly twisted) guy named Ray O'Bannon. I plan to make more of the paper toys in the future, and I've already downloaded some great music for my next Halloween party.

Boris and Natasha's wedding must've been a scream. :) Can't you just see them on top of a gothic-themed wedding cake?

In Which I Photograph the Photographer

In keeping with my effort to share as much of my journey to publication as I possibly can, I'd like you to meet Cliff McBride, staff photographer for the Tampa Tribune. :)

Cliff came by my house yesterday to take my photo for the newspaper article I talked about the other day. I can only hope he's as good at taking those photos as he was about making me feel relaxed and comfortable before he did it. I was really nervous before he got here, but he put me immediately at ease. We chatted about books and the effort that goes into writing them; booksignings and other quirky Florida authors like Tim Dorsey and Dave Barry; our kids and our property taxes. :) He was a great sport about having the camera turned on him for a change - I gave him a tour of my house, and even let him pick the spot where he wanted to be photographed (this is my family room - Cliff thought it was "airy and cheerful"). :)

It was a wonderful experience, and Cliff's a great guy. Considering how much camera equipment he had weighing him down, he must stay in pretty good shape! That belt around his waist went all the way around, and the camera was humongous!

Now I can only hope he makes me look younger, thinner and prettier than I really am. *tee-hee*

My Five Minutes

I got a really cool phone call last week:

ME: Hello?

HIM: Is this Terri Garey?

ME: Yes.

HIM: Hi, Terri, this is Kevin Walker. I'm the book editor for the Tampa Tribune. I think you're seriously insane, and I need to interview you.

ME: Why, thank you! I'll take that as a major compliment!

Bottom line, the book editor for my local newspaper read the ARC of DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY, and he liked it! He called it "funny and unique". He said some other stuff, too, but I was too busy trying not to hyperventilate to catch it all. :)

So a few days later, we did the interview, and I'm going to be featured on the front page of the Tampa Tribune's "Baylife Insider", in a new column called "Five Minutes With...". As in "Five Minutes with Terri Garey, Local Author".

And he promised to do a review in the book section a little bit closer to the actual release date (August 28th), and wants me to give him a "heads-up" the end of September, so he can do another article on my annual Halloween party/fundraiser, a/k/a MADAME ZELDA'S HAUNTED GRAVEYARD.

Is that cool, or what?

'Scuse Me While I Gush

Ok, if you're reading this, you're just gonna have to bear with me. I've been told that my blog is not a place to place personal information (duly noted), but I'm going to do it anyway (duly ignored).

The Memorial Day weekend lies ahead, and while I'm as patriotic as the next person, this weekend bears a personal significance to me (personally, even). It is, and always shall be, the holiday that changed my life.

Sixteen years ago, my next-door neighbor tried to set me up for a blind date. I say "tried" to set me up, because I was having none of it. I didn't care that the guy she was trying to set me up with was "good-looking", had a "good job", was once a "captain in the Marine Corps", or "loved kids". I didn't care. As in, "blah, blah, blah... whatever".

I didn't need a man. Didn't want a man. Had two little boys to raise, bills to pay and a job to go to. Happily ever after didn't exist, and I was living proof. Thank you, but no thank you. I could manage on my own.

But my neighbor was pushy. And determined. And even after I'd failed to show up at her house for a "impromptu meeting" over the barbeque grill, she didn't let me off the hook. I still remember the phone ringing, and her saying, "Don't you need to borrow the weed whacker or something?", knowing perfectly well I had a perfectly good weed whacker already, and that I knew how to use it. I still remember giving a heavy sigh, looking at myself in the mirror (torn jeans, dirty t-shirt, whiny kid pulling at my leg), and saying "Okay, okay. You win. I'm coming over, but I'm not staying."

And then I remember walking up the front steps to her door, holding one kid, dragging the other, and thinking, "What am I worried about? He'll take one look at us and I'll never see him again." Then a vague memory of her opening the door, and this drop-dead gorgeous guy in running shorts sitting on the arm of the couch in her living room, smiling at me. Talking to me. Talking to my kids. I kept my original promise to myself and only stayed a few minutes. The weed whacker and I were SO outta there.

I went home, fully expecting to never hear from him again. But I did. My friend said he wanted to call me, but I - ever reluctant - agreed to only giving him my work number. Which he called. Which is when I agreed, a little less reluctantly, to meet him for lunch.

And sixteen years later, I can honestly say that happily-ever-after isn't over yet. It hasn't turned into "unhappily-ever-after" or even "meh-ever-after".

It's been great. Every year, great. So this Memorial Day, I'm telling you (whoever you are), don't give up on the "happily-ever-after". Hang in there.

And I hope you have a friend or a neighbor who's just as annoyingly persistent as mine was.

Weddings From Hell

Well, I can't hold it in any more - my editor has asked me to participate in an anthology with one of the most awesome paranormal authors out there, the incredibly prolific Maggie Shayne!! The anthology is entitled (in case you couldn't tell from the heading for this post or the Corpse Bride poster) "Weddings From Hell". Two other paranormal authors, Kathryn Smith and Jeaniene Frost, will also contribute.

This is one of a series of "From Hell" books from Avon HarperCollins (if you haven't picked up "Dates From Hell", by all means do! I particularly loved Lori Handeland's contribution, called "Dead Man Dating".) One of the coolest things about being asked to contribute was that I was told "do whatever you want!", as long as I stick with a paranormal theme and um.. weddings, of course!

I do believe my DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY character, Nicki Styx, is in for a major "wedding from hell" experience, in more ways than one!

I'm planning a June contest on my website to celebrate, so look for further details soon. Right now I've got some writing to do!

We Have A Winner!

Audrey H. of Gulfport, Mississippi is the lucky winner of a signed Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY!

I want to thank everyone who entered the contest, and as a consolation prize I'm offering a bookmark and a signed coverflat to anyone who drops me a line.

Just click on the grave to get your free ghoulish goodies! (and don't forget to include your mailing address - I won't share it, I promise!)

You're In "The Soup" Now!

Does anybody else watch "The Soup" on E! (Entertainment channel) TV? It's a satirical look at current events, pop culture, reality tv and celebrities (sort of like Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show"), only a lot funnier. It's cheesy, tongue-in-cheek, oft-times downright ridiculous, and hosted by the hilarious Joel McHale.

The hubby and I caught it by mistake one night while channel surfing, and we've been hooked ever since! Skits, ad-lib, and a "SNL" vibe, all mixed in with a review of the current week's TV viewing. A total recap of the madness that is American TV.

Regular weekly features include "Chat Stew", where Joel does a weekly recap of talk shows like Tyra Banks, Dr. Phil, Oprah, The View, etc. What's really funny is that he never makes up any of the clips - the things people say on television are unbelievable! Then there's "Reality Show Clip Time", "What the Kids Are Watching", and my favorite, "Most Disturbing Video of the Week", which is what The Soup's staff choose as the oddest thing that's been shown on television during the past week.

Plus, I'm completely in love with Lou, the little Chihuahua who gets featured in many of the cheesy little skits they do to introduce each segment of the show. (Here he is auditioning for American Idol). Is he cute, or what? (So is Joel McHale, for that matter - I do love a man with a sense of humor!)

Anyway, if you need a good laugh or just want to shake your head at what America considers entertainment, check it out, and let me know what you think.

Lily or Morticia?

Okay, I have a confession to make: I always wanted to be Lily Munster.

While Morticia Addams was the more overtly sexy of the two women, Lily was my hero. Kind, tolerant of her bumbly husband, Herman, and that hair! Oh, that hair. That streak of white just screamed "coolness" long before the word "Goth" mean anything except a shortened term for an ancient tribe of barbarians. The overly dramatic makeup, the plush interior of her coffin, her eternal optimism in the face of living among those silly, silly humans. Her children were happy, her Grandpa lived in the basement, and dear Spot always got his giant chunk of raw meat on time. She was even kind to her "homely" niece, Marian.

Not to diss Morticia Addams, though. After all, she was rich, sexy and adored by her husband. "Oh, Tish, I love it when you speak French..." but all that arm kissing would have left me wanting to slap poor Gomez into the middle of next week. And who would name her little boy "Pugsley"?

So in the age-old debate of Lily vs. Morticia, (What? You never heard of this debate? Have you been hiding under a tombstone or something?) Lily gets my vote. What about you?

What A Sweet-Tart!

I went out to dinner with my sister and her husband the other night, and right after the main course I had to excuse myself to take a phone call. When I came back to the table, dessert was being served (I'd ordered a yummy lemon tart with raspberry sauce). I didn't know it, but while I was gone, my sister had whipped out an ARC of DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY and pitched it to our server, who not only took down the title and my website address, but decided to serve me up a little something special.

Wasn't that sweet? The tart was pretty good, too! Thanks, Misty!

One Of The Hazards Of Being A Writer...

A Banner Day

Web banners or "banner ads" are a way to advertise yourself on, you guessed it, the World Wide Web. People usually think of them as those annoying ads at the top of a page, but smaller banners have become a great tool for use as part of a signature line, also known as a "siggie". They can be used in forums and message boards, imbedded in web pages, blogs, MySpace, or whatever. :) Not only are they a cool visual aid, they can be linked to take a person anywhere with a single click.

So here's my new banner (clicking on it will take you to my website). Whaddya think?

We Need To Talk...

Oh, how my husband cringes when he hears the dreaded phrase, "We need to talk." :) Luckily for him (this time!), I'm referring to an online chat I'll be participating in tonight at 9pm EST in the Knight Agency's chatroom. (It's very simple to enter the chat - just choose a username, hit enter, and you're in!)

Literary agent Deirdre Knight has kindly invited eight authors published in the fantasy, futuristic and paranormal genres to get together in cyber-land and chat about their books. Deirdre is not my agent, btw, but she's published in the sci-fi/paranormal genre herself, and so tonight we're talking books, books, books.

Hope to see you there!

Fortune Favors The Brave

...or so they say. :) I can't say I'm a big believer in fortunetelling, but I've done lots of research on it, and I do find it interesting. I've only had my fortune told once, by a little Russian woman in the back of a NYC strip mall/flea market, where she kept a little room, open to passing shoppers. (It seemed cheesily appropriate at the time.) The first thing she said when she looked at my palm was, "You don't like anyone to tell you what to do."

Gee, is it that obvious? :)

It's amazing how many bizarre methods have been used throughout the centuries to pierce the veil between the known and the unknown. Everybody's heard of palm reading, crystal balls, Tarot cards and tea leaves, right? Well today, in honor of Friday the 13th, I thought I'd post 13 obscure, little-known ways used to tell fortunes. These are all true methods, none of them made up (as evidenced by the very official, deeply scientific addition of "mancy" to the end of each word.) :)

Ailuromancy: Observe how a cat jumps.

Keriomancy: Study the flickering flame of a candle.

Oomancy: Crack an egg into a glass of water and study the shapes the egg white forms in the water.

Bibliomancy: Open the Bible and read the first passge you see to learn your fortune. (In some Christian denominations, this is grounds for excommunication.)

Scarpomancy: Predict someone's future by studying their old shoes.

Scatomancy: Predict your future by studying your own..um..excrement. (Not to be confused with spatulamancy, the study of "skin, bones, AND excrement.")

Tiromancy: Study the shape, holes, mold, and other features on a piece of cheese to determine your future.

Alphitomancy: Feed a special cake to an alleged wrongdoer. an innocent person will be able to eat and digest the cake; a guilty person will gag on the cake or become ill. (Hey! Many people have eaten my cooking and gone on to live normal lives!)

Haruspication: Study the guts of an animal, preferably a sacred one.

Hepatoscopy: Study on the animal's liver; ignore the rest of the guts.

Dilitiriomancy: Feed African benge poison to a chicken. (You've got those laying around, right?)

Uromancy: Predict someone's future by studying their urine. (No thanks! But you know I had to include it, didn't you?)

There, now you're up to date on obscure methods of fortunetelling. Maybe it'll come in handy when you're stuck for small talk at your next party! :)

One Of Those Days...

Ever have one of those days when you just can't seem to focus?

The day started out great when the UPS man dropped off a big envelope full of cover flats for my upcoming book, Dead Girls Are Easy. I even got a copy of the HarperCollins Publishers September 2007 catalog (which is what the publisher uses to present upcoming books to booksellers like Borders and Barnes & Noble). That was kinda cool, because now I can see how I'm being "marketed" by my publisher. My first novel is being described as "hip and sexy", more specifically, "Medium meets Ghost Whisperer, with a dash of Grey's Anatomy". Can't beat that with a stick, as we say down South!

The cover flats are gorgeous and colorful, and I absolutely LOVE that both the title and my name are embossed (raised print). This cover is going to POP! on the shelves, and I'm happy about that. Now that I have the cover flats, it's time to start going and talking to my local bookstores. The idea makes me more nervous than you can possibly imagine - how incredibly ironic that writers (who are in general fairly solitary people) have to do a lot of face-to-face work to once they achieve the goal of being published. (Ah, now there's a blog for another day!)

At any rate, I have books to write, revisions to finish, and a marketing plan to work on, but I can't seem to focus on much of anything today for more than five minutes, and it's driving me nuts. Just like the kitty. :)

Only he's way cuter.

I'm Giving Away an ARC!

As hard as it is to pry it from my hand :), I'm giving away a signed Advance Reader Copy of
Dead Girls Are Easy. ARC's are limited edition, first run printings, which are sent to reviewers and booksellers before the actual novel is released. They contain a few typos (which is to be expected), as they've only been through one round of copy edits by the time they're printed. If you look real close at the bottom of the photograph, you can see how it's clearly marked "Advance Uncorrected Proof/ Not For Sale".

I'll even put a cute little sticker on it that says, "Signed by the Author". :)

Anyway, visit my WEBSITE to enter the drawing, which will be held Saturday, May 19, 2007.

ASKED AND ANSWERED #2

Every other month I ask a question of the published authors at RWAOnline, and every month many of them are kind enough to answer. :) This month's question was: “WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THAT ‘WINNING’ MANUSCRIPT THAT TOOK YOU FROM SUBMISSION TO SALE?”

Cathy Clamp credits both her agent and good timing for her first sale to Tor. “The manuscript had already been rejected by Tor, but that was before my editor was hired, before the romance line was conceived, and before we had an agent. The manuscript itself didn’t change, but was resubmitted at a time when Tor was searching for paranormal romance with unique characters and an unusual POV.” In Cathy’s case, there’s no question that persistence paid off. Her third book, Captive Moon, is currently a finalist for the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for Best Werewolf Romance.

Harlequin Blaze author Tawny Weber believes that learning from her mistakes was key. “Because I’d spent quite a while targeting a specific editor and sending submissions to her, when I submitted this particular manuscript I made sure to use every bit of feedback I’d received from her. That’s one of the things she commented on later, that I never made the same mistake twice. Apparently, I learn well.” Tawny’s first novel, Double Dare, will be a March 2007 release.

Claire Delacroix feels she owes her long-term career to the ability to take constructive criticism. “The difference for me was a good rejection letter. The manuscript was rejected but the editor took the time not only to tell me what she thought was a problem, but to say that she’d love to read it again if I figured out a way to address that issue. It was a huge change and required that I essentially toss the second half of the book, but I saw her point, did what she suggested, and it worked.” Claire has since written and published twenty-three historical novels and several contemporaries under the name Claire Cross. “Many authors seem to believe that editors are just being nice when they say good things about a work that they don’t ultimately buy, but that’s not been my experience. It’s easy for an editor to write “This isn’t suitable for us at this time.” It’s much harder for an editor to pinpoint the reason she/he doesn’t think the work is marketable as it stands, and it shows an interest in the work when the editor takes the time to explain as much to the author. Instead of trying to figure out “the secret language of rejection letters”, I sometimes think that authors should just read the rejection letters that aren’t form letters and take them at face value.”

Author Holly LaPat, writing as Sierra Donovan believes it was a matter of finding the right publisher. “Silhouette Romance turned down my first book, Love On The Air, but added that another publisher might feel differently. I took that advice rather than trying to change what I had. I submitted to Avalon, and they said yes.”

Kate Duggan, writing as Kate Pearce gave herself permission to write naughty. “It began as an experiment to see how far I could push the envelope of my steamy sex scenes. After I finished it, I hid it at the bottom of my desk drawer for two years because I found it difficult to believe I’d actually written something so erotic. It took a lot of coaxing from my mentor, Julia Templeton, to get me to let her read it and ultimately send it out to Ellora’s Cave – who bought it!”

Silhouette author Gail Barrett feels that characterization was key. “What I think I did right with that first book was that I really nailed the hero. He was so real to me that I actually got depressed when I finished writing it – I didn’t want to leave his world! And I think that’s what made the difference. My characters took over instead of me pushing them around.”

As for me, Terri Garey, I would have to agree that characterization played a huge role in my first sale. The heroine in both my upcoming novels, Dead Girls Are Easy and Where The Ghouls Are, is a former Goth girl named Nicki Styx. Nicki just wants to run her business, live her life and immerse herself in fun and fashion, but her life is changed forever when she wakes from a near death experience with the ability to see and hear the dead. A cool chick like Nicki doesn’t like to take “no” for an answer, and when she sprang full-blown into my head, demanding to tell her story, I had no choice but to let her!

Timing, persistence, great characters. “Pushing the envelope”, taking constructive criticism and learning from our mistakes—more golden gems of advice from the published authors of RWAOnline. Thanks so much to all the authors who participated in this month’s topic, and I hope everyone enjoyed the first-hand insight. The next Asked and Answered question will be: “WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS THE BEST METHOD OF PROMOTION?” Websites? Reviews? Word of mouth? Look for the answers in the next edition of ASKED AND ANSWERED.
_____________________
Terri Garey is the author of two upcoming paranormal tales, Dead Girls Are Easy and Where The Ghouls Are. Both novels are about ghosts, voodoo and an extremely unlikely psychic - a former Goth girl who becomes an unwilling ‘ghoulfriend’ to the dearly departed. Dead Girls Are Easy will be an Avon September 2007 release, followed by the sequel, Where The Ghouls Are, in May 2008. Visit Terri on the web, or stop by her favorite haunt .

Old Boyfriends Rock! Literally.

My first serious boyfriend (i.e., the first boy I kissed), was when I was in the eighth grade. Billy was the neighbor of a girlfriend of mine, and even though we didn't go to the same school, we saw each other regularly after school and on weekends. Billy was a guitar playing rocker, even in the eighth grade, with shaggy hair and an actual band (that I can't remember the name of). He called me every night, and though it took it a little while to work up the nerve to kiss me, he did it in most romantic way any girl could imagine - he took me for a moonlight boat ride on the lake, and while we were out in the middle, all alone, he leaned over and gave me a kiss. Talk about your romantic evening! It was a chaste kiss (as were all of them - we were only thirteen, after all) and I'm forever grateful to him for giving a memory like that to cherish.

But as so often happens in the teenage world, we both moved on to other people and other interests, luckily with no hard feelings. And then, last year (thanks to Classmates.com), I got an email from Billy. Not only was I thrilled to hear from him, I was thrilled to learn that he'd never given up his dream of becoming a rock star. :) He now goes by the name Billy Angel, and he's the lead singer in The Rockabilly Band (any Brian Setzer/Stray Cats fans out there? Then you'll know what I'm talking about), and is also a DJ on a local radio station. He has a beautiful wife, and he's living his dream - what more could I guy want?

I just wish I could see him play, one more time, but alas, he lives in Big Sky Country and I live in Gatorland. I think about him from time to time (and I hope he doesn't mind that I just told the world he was the first guy I ever kissed!), and wish him well. Rock on, Billy!

Raines

Have you seen the new TV show called "Raines"? It stars Jeff Goldblum as a detective who sees and hears the dead. (Gee, right up my alley, wouldn't you say?) I was so excited when I heard about this series because, quite simply, casting is everything, and casting the quirky yet charming Jeff Goldblum as a guy who talks to the dead was brilliant.

I know he isn't handsome in the traditional sense of the word, but I've had a crush on him for years. That wide-lipped, sensual mouth, those slumberous eyes, that playful sense of humor. Plus, he's tall, lean-hipped and looks fabulous in either a suit or jeans. Every time I see him I wonder if he's as good in bed as he is on the screen, and every time the mental answer comes back, "Oh, yeah." At the very least, I'm sure he's a fascinating conversationalist, and any time spent in his company would keep me on my toes.

Anyway, I've seen both episodes of this new series, and I absolutely LOVE it. The twist *SPOILER HERE* is that even though the people Raines sees are dead (crime victims), they're not actually ghosts, per se. They're hallucinations. Which means they can't help him solve the crimes that killed him, because they only know what he knows. They talk to him, but he's really talking to himself. Of course, in the end, all this talking and getting to know his victims helps him discover who killed them. It's witty and clever and... did I mention it stars Jeff Goldblum? :)

Watch it!

Golden Hearts and Playground Parts

The Writer's Playground is a group of 20 women who came together three years ago in the spirit of fun and encouragement. We were a motley crew of diverse styles and genres :), but we cheered each other on, encouraged, nagged, and inspired (the hunks were for entertainment purposes only. Really). Tawny's naughty and Tammy's sweet, Marlene is nurturing and Betty's bawdy, Sheila's a whipcracker and Kimmi's a firecracker... we all have our parts to play, and considering how far apart we are in locations and personalities, those parts add up to a pretty amazing whole. It's truly astounding how far we've come together, and, oh my... what fun we've had while doing it!

Over the past three years our little group has seen some incredible successes: eight of us have gone on to become published, eleven have finaled in the prestigious Golden Heart contest (a total of nineteen times!). One Golden Heart winner, one American Title contest winner, and more smaller contest wins among us than I can possibly count! We must be doing something right, hm?

Plus, we have great fun at conferences! :)

But today I want to give a special shout-out and a huge HOORAY! to my friends Beth Burgoon, Kim Duffy, Carla Hughes, Sheila Mohs, and Anna Sugden for finaling in this year's Golden Heart contest! Anna and Beth will battle it out (once again) in the Long Contemporary category with MORTGAGED HEARTS and ALL OR NOTHING; Sheila finaled in Paranormal with her sexy pirate story, TIME TREASURE; Kim Duffy (writing as Lindsey Brookes) has broken through the GH barrier with her fun Young Adult, MY BEST FRIEND'S A REAL DOG; and Carla has finaled in the Inspirational category with her Roman historical, TO LOVE A GLADIATOR.

I'm so proud of them all, and can't wait to cheer them on at the RWA national conference in Dallas this coming July. You can bet we'll have a wild night, win or lose. These women are all winners in my book!

I Double Dare You Not To Smile!

Check out this picture of my dear, sweet friend, Tawny Weber! (Pay no attention to the "Captain's Wench" t-shirt - Tawny's Johnny Depp addiction is legendary). :) Tawny is holding her first (of many, I'm sure) books, a Harlequin Blaze entitled DOUBLE DARE. The publishers in NYC seem to be raining down manna from heaven and making dreams come true this week!

DOUBLE DARE is what you call a "HOT" read... which makes perfect sense considering who wrote it. Tawny's quite the hottie herself! (It's true - Johnny Depp doesn't know what he's missing). If you wanna read about a naughty lingerie designer out to prove what a bad girl she is, and a sexy undercover cop who can't wait to find out, this is the book for you!

Enjoy the thrill, Tawny, and I'm so glad I get to share it with you!

The Squeal Heard 'Round The World!

No, it wasn't a high-pitched sonic boom or your smoke alarm going off this morning, it was me squealing when a box of galleys for DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY was delivered to my door! I wasn't expecting them this early, and I was floored!


"Galleys", also known as ARC's (Advanced Reader Copies), are the bound, pre-proofed version of your book that is sent to reviewers and booksellers (a sneak preview, if you will).


Here's a closer view of what the cover actually looks like:

Isn't it cool? I guess this is the official "unveiling" of the cover! The first time I saw it, I thought, "Whoa," but within five seconds I was thinking, "Yeah!". I just love it. All Halloweeny and spooky and cool and funny. It fits the book perfectly, and look at my name on top! LOL

Even better, the back cover copy is not what I thought it was going to be - it's even better! I haven't been able to stop smiling all day!

Holding that actual book in your hand makes an incredible journey finally seem real.

Wow. It's a good day.

Paying It Forward Pays Off

A few months ago, I attended a writing conference. There were a lot of agents and editors in attendance, and after the conference was over I wrote an industry article entitled AGENT NEWS FROM NEW JERSEY. My theory was that there were a lot of people out there who were dying to know the details about specific literary agents (there's only so much you can learn from the Internet, after all), but weren't able to attend conferences or fly to New York and find out for themselves. :)

Anyway, I just got a very nice email from a woman named Esther Pemberton, who after reading my article, queried agent Mary Sue Seymour. In the true tradition of happy endings, Esther has now signed on as one of Mary Sue's clients!

Congratulations, Esther, and thanks for letting me know that my article helped somebody achieve something so wonderful! Best of luck in your writing career!

Fifteen And Counting...

My husband and I celebrated our 15th anniversary the other day. Fifteen years of wedded bliss. :) (Really!) Unfortunately for us, our anniversary fell on a day that was filled with family drama and trauma, loaded with angst, and all around crappy. I'll spare you the details, but it was a pretty bad day. At the end of it, both Captain America and I wanted nothing more than to go to bed and pull the covers over our head (together, of course). But in the end, I looked at him and he looked at me, and we started talking about how blessed we were to have each other to help us through days like the one we'd just had. And how we'd had fifteen years of supporting each other, through good times and bad; and how we'd love to have fifteen more, then fifteen more after that.

So I picked up my purse, he grabbed the car keys, and we went out to dinner, even though we were both worn out. He gave me a sweet card and I gave him a funny one, but we gave each other a whole lot more than that - we gave each other smiles and laughs and good memories to wash away the strain of the day. When the sh*t hits the fan, it's really good to have someone you can depend on to tilt the fan in the other direction, at least for a little while.

And you know what else? You don't always have to be the one who needs the fan tilted. Tilting it for someone else makes you feel just as good. So the next time you've had a really bad day, pick up the phone and call someone who might be dealing with some crap of their own, and do a little cheering up. You'll cheer yourself up in the process.

Your Weight On Other Worlds

Ever wonder how much you'd weigh on the moon? I mean, c'mon - weightlessness must be cool! On the moon, you could eat all the chocolate you want and still float like Neil Armstrong, right?

Um, no. According to this INTERPLANETARY WEIGHT CALCULATOR, I'd weigh about 20 pounds on the moon (dag nabbit!), and so would you. I'd tip the scale at around 50 pounds on Mars, achieve my ideal weight on Venus. :)

It's a fun way to spend 2 minutes, and see some great graphics of the solar system. Go check it out!

Specters and Spirits and Ghosts... Oh, My!

I did a guest blog for a friend of mine the other day, Sandy Barkevich. (Thanks again for having me, Sandy!) :) Since I'm up to my neck in revisions and proofing, I thought I'd republish it here as today's blog entry. Here it is:

-------------
My name is Terri Garey, and I once lived in a haunted house.

Too dramatic? Okay, let me try again. (Even though it’s true.)

*ahem*

Hi, my name is Terri Garey. Why yes, my name does rhyme, doesn’t it? (Go ahead and giggle. Everyone does. ) I write paranormal romance for Avon HarperCollins. My first book, DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY will be released September 2007, followed by the sequel, WHERE THE GHOULS ARE, in March of 2008. Both novels are about ghosts, voodoo and an extremely unlikely psychic—a former Goth girl named Nicki Styx, who runs a vintage clothing store in Little Five Points, Georgia. Poor Nicki has a brush with death—as in she dies, in case you didn’t get that—and comes back to life as an unwilling ‘ghoulfriend’ to the dead. Nicki finds out that the sweet hereafter ain’t always so sweet, and the here-and-now can be just as tricky. Throw in the hunky doctor who saved her life, some great sex, and a healthy dose of chills and giggles—well, that pretty much sums it up.

There. Was that introduction better? Now you more about me than most of my neighbors do.

So why do I write ghost stories for a living? In large part, because I once lived in a haunted house (see introduction #1). Because I live in the South, where ghost stories and a belief in things that go bump in the night is common (the cockroaches alone will give you nightmares). Because my mother had a near-death experience, and claimed to see angels at her bedside the week before she died. Because my very first crush was on an actor who played a vampire on the classic Gothic soap opera, Dark Shadows. Because I never missed Creature Feature on Saturday afternoons. The Addams Family and Munsters reruns were the staples of my childhood, as were the campy old black and white movies like “Abbot and Costello Meet The Mummy”, but X-Files, Medium and Bones are the staples of my adulthood.

In short, because I’ve always been fascinated by the dark side, while clinging to the light with both hands. Which is kind of what happens to Nicki Styx in DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY. I mean, I love to hear about ghosts, but I wouldn’t wanna see one.

Which brings me back to the time I lived in a haunted house (c’mon… you didn’t think I’d drop a juicy tidbit like that and then leave ya hanging, did ya? What kind of “teller of ghost stories” would I be?). So here it is: When my husband and I were first married, we moved into a rental house in an older part of town. My teenage stepdaughter came to me one morning with a bizarre tale of how the bathroom door had opened all by itself, and the ghostly figure of a man had stuck his head around the door and “peeked” at her. Oddly enough, even though she was frightened, she hadn’t felt the need to shriek the house down (which is what I would’ve done), because she said the whole experience was more “eerie” than frightening. The man faded away while she stared, and then she went back to bed, trying to tell herself it was a bad dream.

I, on the other hand, was pretty freaked. So, I went next door to the neighbors, and asked what they knew about the history of our house. They were more than happy to share. It turns out that ten years earlier, the house had been the scene of a murder/suicide. The man who owned it had been quite a “player”, and one of his girlfriends had finally decided that if she couldn’t have him, no one would. So she came over one night, shot and killed him, then shot and killed herself. Creepy, huh? Even creepier was the fact that his body was found in the hallway, outside the bathroom door. I’ve got the actual newspaper article to prove it.

We moved out less than a month later. I just couldn’t take knowing two people had died there under such tragic circumstances, and I kept expecting somebody to pop up and shout, “Boo!” (or worse) any second. The house is still a rental property, which doesn’t surprise me one bit.

How about you? The French surrealist poet Paul Eluard once said, “There is another world, and it is in this one.” Anybody else out there with a ghostly experience you’d care to share?

Proof Pages and Tombstones

Aren't these tombstones cute? I just got the "proof pages" for DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY, and this graphic will be used at the start of every chapter! I just love it. The perfect little touch that really fits the book.

What are "proof pages", you may ask? They're the actual, typeset pages of the book, the very last step before the book is printed. I can now see that my first paperback will be 384 pages long (something I've always wondered - the page count of a manuscript is completely different from the page count in an actual paperback). I can see my copyright page, my dedication page, everything... just as it will look on the shelves.

It's mindblowing, actually. :) What's also mindblowing is that this THE FINAL TIME for going through and looking for typos (which I've already found, including one on the very first page), and correcting them with my trusty red pen. Wish me luck, and here's hoping I don't go blind in the process!

'Til Death Do Us Part Takes On New Meaning

Ok, time for today's "News Of The Weird". In case you haven't heard this story yet, there's a couple in Missouri who plans to have their wedding in a graveyard:

It's not the traditional "till death do us part," but Scott Amsler and Miranda Patterson believe getting hitched in a graveyard is just thinking outside the box.
Come September, the Illinois couple expects to pledge their undying love among the dearly departed in this St. Louis suburb's city cemetery, even though those who approved the request are dead set against seeing it become a trend.
The wedding wouldn't be out of character for Amsler, 27, a computer expert for a financial company by day and rehabber of old hearses by night.
The graveyard, he said, just has a certain tranquility and thriftiness for nuptials the young couple insists will be small, private and traditional - except for the bagpipes, Amsler's refurbished hearse and the throng of eternally silent witnesses.
"People are going to think how they want. I don't actively try to convince people that my interests are normal or logical," Amsler said. "I'm not a freak or Satan worshipper or cult member. It just goes with our theme."

I say "more power to 'em". Quiet, peaceful, a beautiful gazebo and an even more beautiful view, according to the bride.

The fact that the future groom gave the future bride a customized hearse named "Edgar" for a wedding gift far outshines the location of the nuptials for weirdness, if you ask me. :) What do you think? Is it disrespectful to get married in a graveyard, or not?

I Am, Therefore They Spam

As much as I hate to do it, I've been forced to enable "Comment Verification" on my blog. In the last couple of weeks, I've noticed a major increase in the amount of "spam comments" being left by morons who want to sell viagra and vitamins, low-interest loans, weight loss supplements and auto insurance. I deleted and ignored, sighing in annoyance but figuring I could deal with it without having to put any readers who'd like to leave comments through an extra step.

Yesterday, however, I got one trying to direct traffic to a "Lolita" sex porn site. I certainly didn't visit it, but the links made it clear that this particular spammer was promoting child porn, or at least, pornography involving women made to look like children.

All together, now - can we say "EWWWWW?"

Until someone, somehow discovers a way to track these spammers down and shut them down permanently, my only option is to block them through comment verification. They seem to be like cockroaches, multiplying exponentially. Does anyone have any other suggestions on how to get rid of these spam vermin?

A New Look!

Ok, so you may have noticed that my blog looks a little different these days. :)

In anticipation of my upcoming releases, DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY and WHERE THE GHOULS ARE, I've given both my website and my blog a "makeover" to go with the cool new covers that Avon will be providing for the books. That little image at the upper right of this page (a woman's leg coming out of a crypt) came straight off the cover of DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY.

Yep, that's Nicki Styx's leg. You can just tell what a bad girl she is, can't you? :)

I have to be honest when I say that dayglo green and dayglo orange never entered my mind as colors that would one day be representative of my "brand" as a writer. But what I've learned is that the universe knows you better than you think it does... not only have I always been a total Halloween fiend, I now get to enjoy the colors and the images all year 'round!

So I decided to embrace my inner orange (and chartreuse), and go with the flow. And you know what? I love it! How about you?

An Eternal Embrace

I find this photo incredibly touching.

These two young lovers died and were buried together an estimated 5000 years ago, during the Neolithic period. They were just recently unearthed by archeologists:

ROME, Italy (AP) -- It could be humanity's oldest story of doomed love.

Archaeologists have unearthed two skeletons from the Neolithic period locked in a tender embrace and buried outside Mantua. The site is just 25 miles south of Verona, the romantic city where Shakespeare set the star-crossed tale of "Romeo and Juliet."

Buried between 5,000 and 6,000 years ago, the prehistoric pair are believed to have been a man and a woman and are thought to have died young, as their teeth were found intact, said Elena Menotti, the archaeologist who led the dig.

Further analysis showed that the woman died from an arrow to the chest, while the man died from an arrow to the spine. I can't help but wonder what their story really was - did she die first and he lay down next to her, taking an arrow to the spine? Or was he dying, and she lay down to be with him, dying where she lay? Or did others who loved them both pose them carefully after death?

It's so obvious which was the man and which was the woman. So sad. So incredibly tender.

Valentine, Be Mine

I'm happy to report that my handsome husband, Captain America, will live to see another Valentine's Day! (That's the way he looks at it, not me, though it's kinda nice to be able to inspire that kind of fear in a man. *g*)

Anyway, he greeted me this morning with a sweetly romantic card, and a beautiful Murano glass necklace. The man knows I love cool jewelry. I'm wearing it right now, as a matter of fact.

And what did I get him, you ask? I got him a reading lamp to put by his favorite chair. Not the most romantic gift, I know, but one I knew he would like. (I sent him flowers at work once and was delicately told that most men appreciate TLC more than flowers.)

And hey, Valentine's Day isn't over yet. :)

I'm On Amazon!

Omigosh!! DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY is available for pre-order on Amazon.com!



Earlier today, just on impulse, I went to Amazon and 'searched' for myself. And there I was! The cover art isn't up there yet, but will be soon (I saw the cover last week and it is awesome... I can't wait for my editor to give me the go-ahead to use it on my website!)

Do you have any idea how bizarre it is to see my name and my book title up on Amazon.com? I mean, my husband and I have bought SO MANY books there through the years, read so many reviews (reviews! ack!), browsed and searched and bought to our heart's content.

And now I'm up there, with other authors. It kinda makes it real.

Omigosh!

What A Guy Wants For Valentine's Day

My husband likes to call Valentine’s Day “Fear of Death Day”. He claims that every February 13th, desperate men like himself can be found in the card section of any drugstore with glazed eyes and panicky expressions, frantically reading through syrupy cards that they wouldn’t touch any other time of the year - each and every one of them petrified with fear at the thought of almost forgetting a Valentine for that special woman in their lives.

We women know better than to wait until the last minute, don’t we? We love looking through those romantic cards, not satisfied until we find the one that expresses our feelings perfectly. Or we go for humor, thinking our men will appreciate that more than flowery sentiments. But who are we really doing it for – them, or us?

The male perspective on Valentine’s Day is, quite obviously, very different from the female perspective. While we want romance, they just want to stay out of trouble – and perhaps, if they’re very lucky, a little bit more on the side (so to speak). They don’t want flowers at the office (too girly); those sexy underwear you bought him last year was only worn once (too uncomfortable); and those boxers with the big hearts on them are still in his drawer (too ridiculous). So what do they want?

Maybe this year we should look at Valentine’s Day a little differently. Not that we shouldn’t expect that special card, or that bouquet of posies, or that perfume we like so much – we do deserve some romance at least one day a year – because romance is what women want. But perhaps we should also consider what he really wants (aside from you greeting him at the door wearing nothing but a smile :).

Is he a sports fan? How about two tickets to the next game and your promise to cheerfully go with him, dressed in something you know he likes? You can stand one game, can’t you? If you can’t bring yourself to go that far, how about a hand-written IOU stating that during the next televised game he watches, you promise no interruptions of any kind and his favorite snacks on a tray beside the couch?

Does he work too hard? How about a Saturday or even just an evening when he can be completely alone – no kids, no yardwork, no dinner dishes, no honey-do list. You take the little darlings to the movies, to your sister’s, to the mall, or anywhere that gets all of you out of the house for a while.

Does he have any hobbies? A magazine subscription to Car & Driver, Runners World, Muscle & Fitness, Field & Stream or Sports Illustrated shows you’re paying attention to his interests, even if you don’t share them.

Does he cook? A new saucepan or a sharp set of knives isn’t out of line for the man who fancies himself a gourmet. If his skills are limited to the grill, a new set of outdoor grilling tools is probably well overdue.

A deep thinker? Can’t go wrong with a gift certificate to your neighborhood bookstore, and the promise of an uninterrupted few hours browsing to his heart’s content.

Is he Dad of the Year? A special photograph of the kids – either taken by you or professionally done – nicely framed in a masculine style (vs. cutesy), gives him something to display on his desk.

Does he like sweets? Who doesn’t? How about a freshly baked batch of chocolate chip cookies, or even just a bag of Hershey’s kisses to keep in his desk drawer?

Of course, if all else fails – never underestimate the old saying “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”. His favorite meal, served by candlelight (perhaps a little Sade or Sinatra on the stereo) is sure to be appreciated. And after dinner, who knows? Just how special and romantic was that card he gave you?

Toppled Tombstone Pins Vandal

Ok, here's a weird news story from the Atlanta Journal Constitution that I just had to pass along. It creeped me out a little, but also made me laugh. I'll summarize:

A man was found last week in a Lilburn, GA graveyard, pinned beneath a headstone.

Police arrested Ezekiel Dejesus-Rodriguez, 24, early Saturday morning shortly after pulling him out from under a granite gravestone.Lilburn police found him about 2:40 a.m. after answering a call about moaning and shouting in the area. They found him screaming "No!" in the graveyard, according to a police report.

(Apparently, this disrespectful jerk had gone to the cemetery in the middle of the night, and knocked over NINE headstones. The ninth grave marker (or whoever was under it *cue spooky music*) decided not to let him get away with it. The guy ended up with a broken leg.)

Now here's the rest of the story: according to the cemetery caretaker, by the following Wednesday, eight of the tombstones (except the one who pinned the jerk) were standing again, and he didn't know how they got that way!

All the other stones had been returned to their proper place Wednesday, he said."We have talked to a few people who have put their own stones up. But we can't find anyone who claims to have put someone else's stones up," he said."We don't know how they all got put up. And no one has touched that one."

So whaddya think? Did the spirits of that cemetery get revenge on the guy who desecrated their graves?

An accident? Gravity? Bad luck? All I know for sure is that I would hate to be lying in the dark, leg broken, pinned by the weight of a marble headstone, while the dead lay all around me. The dead I hadn't shown any respect for.

Gives me the shivers.

A Few Feathers, Some Broken Eggshells

Well, it's official - my nest is empty.

My youngest son has moved into an apartment with three of his friends, and the house already seems so... well, empty.

I went into his room yesterday after he left and sat on the bed. Much of his stuff is still there, of course - the posters are still on the wall, the sports trophies are still on the shelf, the prized collection of glass animals that he's been gathering since he was a little boy (he's an animal lover and a Biology major) are in their case. I think those made me the saddest of all; young men don't play with little glass animal figurines, now do they? His priorities have shifted to bigger things (as well they should), like his friends and his grades and his social life and his future.

I helped him load a few boxes into his car yesterday, washed and folded his new sheets, bought him new pillows and a lamp, and generally kept a cheerful, upbeat attitude about the whole thing. But the whole time I was thinking, "It's the end of his childhood. I'll go to bed at night without knowing he's safe in his room, and when I wake up in the morning he won't be there. He won't be there ever again, not in the way it was before." And so, yes, I shed a few tears, alone there in his room, and I'll probably shed a few more.

I know it'll be okay. I know it's part of the pattern of life: we give birth to our children, but we don't own them. We spend the next eighteen years or so trying to give them wings to fly, but oh, how it hurts when the winds of change start blowing. Despite my feelings of sadness, I hope an updraft catches him and bears him aloft to where he can see the world laid out before him like a treasure trove. And I hope he chooses his treasures wisely, and handles them with care, just like he did those little glass animals.

They, along with his father and I, will still be here whenever he wants to visit.