Anyone Still Here?

I woke up this morning from a bad dream.

I was at a conference, I think National, and somehow I'd become the person no one wants to be around. Non-writer friends from my past hooked up with long-distance writer friends from my present, and all blew me off. No one wanted to go to events with me or work on my pitch. I went to a workshop or planning event, and I was early, but it had already started and no one wanted me to sit with them. No one was mean or anything, but the only person who was really nice was the gay guy Mary lived with.

I don't know what that dream is really trying to tell me, but I decided I need to start blogging again, before I lose connections that are important to me.

Some things that have been happening while I've been failing to maintain my relationships:

Jody/Ellie/Writer & Cat has some really exciting, unique, squee-worthy news to go along with her recently released not-ready-for-Disney fairy tale.

Mary released not just one, but TWO first books.

Trish is running an ongoing contest while she works on her upcoming Harlequin American and YA books.

Speaking of Harlequin American, Cathy's next one is soon to be out, and The Family Plan is still available. She just met her deadline for her newest, but I can't remember the release date for that.

Lisa also turned in the proposal for the third book in her trilogy--first one is here, second one to be released this summer.

Vicki, Vicky, and Misty, the Un-Vicki(y), are going gangbusters in sales of their domestic shapeshifter anthology.

Kitty Keswick has a really cool Lipstick Personality Analysis thing up on her web site, in preparation for her first YA book release.

And Megan, while between books for a little while, has a collaboration with Lauren Dane up next, followed by Stranger, my favorite of her Spice books. Somewhere in there will be a novella with Avon Red, a Spice Brief, another Spice novel, and a non-magic fantasy collection with Berkley.

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So what have I been doing while I've been neglecting all my blog-related relationships? Mostly editing work and running in circles with my kids (you know, the whole chauffeur/cook/housekeeper thing.

But I've also finished Renegade, a novella that should be a summer release:

Trex Samuels has lived her life for her best friend, Jake. Her job as an information broker allows her to stay in one place and keep tabs on Jake, who travels the world using his unique gifts to save abducted children. Trex is the closest thing to a home he has, and she waits for his infrequent visits that always bring both joy and pain.

Things change when this time, Jake is on the run from the law. This time, he is haunted by his failures, tormented by waking nightmares.

This time, he’s brought a partner.

Dan awakens in Trex a new craving, but one that doesn’t eliminate the old. When she realizes the men need her, that she has the power to banish their demons—however temporarily—they embark on a journey of sensuality and desperate pleasure. In the end, she not only has the power to heal them, but to set them free. And only one will come back to her.

And I'm working on Letting Go, a May/December erotic romance with a cougar (as in older, not shapeshifter) heroine! That one should come out in September.

I also have:

Agent-recommended revisions on Fight or Flight (previously known as Unbreakable and still without a final submission title)

A new novella to write and submit, working title Afterlife

First revisions on Hummingbird

First revisions on More Than You Know

At some point, agent-recommended revisions on Under the Moon

Then I can start a new novel-length manuscript. That will probably be November. Hey, NaNo! Maybe I can three-peat!

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I've seen a bunch of movies lately. I won't launch into a long review on each, but briefly:

Forgetting Sarah Marshall: About what you'd expect from the Apatow-related club. Made me laugh a lot.

Nim's Island: Decent. Well enough acted and shot so that you don't think about all the stupid plot holes until after you've seen it. Kind of disappointing resolution.

Premonition: Not the ending I would have liked, but it fit the story, which was twisty and intriguing. Sandra Bullock could act out the phone book for two hours and make it wonderful.

Smokin' Aces: Bloody. Kind of flimsy plot. But wow, what a cast. Jason Bateman continues to freak me out (also saw The Kingdom, which was much better than I was led to believe--LOVE Jennifer Garner!).

The Devil Wears Prada: I don't know what all the fuss was about. It was fine. Predictable. I did like the non-stereotypical characterization, or maybe I should say the stereotypes that broke out of their boxes.

The Assassination of Jesse James...: Slooooowwww. Beautiful, and well acted, but verrryyyyy slllooowwww.

House of Wax: Because of Jared Padalecki, of course. Freaky, and I hated the way he died, but Chad Michael Murray was surprisingly heroic. He'd make a good action hero.

I just got the Entertainment Weekly summer movie preview, and, as usual, there are a bunch of movies I can't wait for. A sampling:

Wanted: Angelina Jolie! Kicking ass! Bending bullets! So hot.

Iron Man: I adore Robert Downey Jr. And speaking of...

Tropic Thunder: Looks very funny

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Made of Honor: I love best friend romances!

Journey to the Center of the Earth: It's got Brendan Fraser! Long-time readers might remember that he was my first obsession. And speaking of BF...

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

Get Smart

Wall*E

Hancock

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This is a big week, TV-wise. Not only has Fox reportedly (but still not officially!) renewed The Sarah Connor Chronicles for 13 episodes this fall, we get three shows back this week:

Reaper, which I won't really miss if it doesn't get renewed (and it's not looking good), but enjoy muchly when it's on.

LOST, which is getting so much hype for its three-hour finale we're all doomed to disappointment, except this show never disappoints me. Nope, not even with Nikki and Paulo. I liked Nikki and Paulo.

And, biggest of all...

Supernatural! You knew I was gonna say that, didn't you? Yes, the Winchesters are back to fill my soul, except of course one 42-minute episode won't be enough to do that. Before the preview for next week rolls, I'll be craving more. But if you ignore the fact that they ended on a pretty down note six weeks ago, this episode, "Ghostfacers," looks wonderful. I saw a clip, and had to stop it before it was done because I was laughing so hard and loved it so much and didn't want to spoil any more. These guys are the best guests from the first season, and crack me the hell up.

SPN trivia: The actor who played Ben in "The Kids are Alright" is the young Speed Racer in the upcoming seizure-inducing movie.

Okay, that's probably quite enough to be getting along with (I'm listening to Harry Potter again [Prisoner of Azkaban at the moment] so you're lucky that's the only British turn of phrase I've used today. :)

I promise I shall endeavor to blog more often, and less windily.