It’s soon time to start my seedlings.

I know what you’re thinking. It’s January. Are you nuts?

No. I love flowers and want to enjoy them as soon as possible and as for all as possible, so I start my seeds in early February and transplant them outside in early May. But since I have a few weeks before I start, I decided to take on another plant project--my Poinsettia.

My DH and I received this poinsettia as a gift from the Cancer center of which he is a patient. I’ve never had one this big. It is absolutely gorgeous and I want to keep it year around, and hopefully enjoy it again next holiday season, so I did a little research.

Poinsettias (euphorbia pulcherrima) are actually desert plants and are native to Mexico and Central America. The Aztecs called them cuetlaxochitl. Poinsettias were introduced in the United States in 1825 by Joel Poinsett, the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico, and quickly caught on as a popular Christmas plant.

Poinsettias are not poisonous. However, the sap is a little caustic and may cause skin irritation, and certainly can cause indigestion if digested. So if you’re handling the plant, it would be a good idea to wear gloves.

You can keep your poinsettia in full foliage well into February if you place it where it will get at least six hours of bright indirect light and where it is out of drafts, both hot and cold—not near windows or heaters. The flower of the poinsettia is actually the yellow centers. The red or white are actually leaves. After the flowers start to drop off, gradually decrease watering the plant until the bracts all drop, then allow the plant to dry out completely (the poinsettia is a desert plant). Now, store the plant somewhere with a cooler temperature around 50 degrees. Remember we are trying to recreate a Mexican Winter, so a 50 degree basement or garage makes a fine location.

When the temperature in your area warms, around 50 degrees overnight, you should repot your plant, using the same pot with fresh soil and start to gradually water again. Remember, gradually is how you stopped watering. Also, start to fertilize every three weeks.

In mid-August, cut the plant back. Cutting back to three to five stems will produce a bushy plant with big flowers. Don’t prune your plant any later than September, if you wish it to bloom for the holidays. Bring plant inside when temperatures become too cool.

To get a poinsettia to reflower you have to keep it in total darkness at least 14 hours a day for eight to ten weeks in a cool place (55-65 degrees). If you start this procedure around October 1st, color should return to the bracts by mid-December. IMPORTANT; Any exposure to light will prevent flowering. Cover the plant using a light-proof bag or place it in a closet. Night time temperatures above 70-75°can decay the plant or prevent flowering.

Here are some tips for making your poinsettia last during the holiday season.

• Place the poinsettia in a sunny window.
• Do not let any part of plant touch cold window panes.
• Indoor temperatures, from 60 to 70°F, are ideal for long plant life.
• High temperatures will shorten the life of the colorful bracts.
• Water only when the soil is dry.
• Placing your poinsettia in a cool room 55 to 60°F at night, will extend blooming time.
• Do not fertilize when plant is in bloom.
• Avoid temperature fluctuations and warm or cold drafts.

There you have it, all that I’ve learned. Now, to put it to practice. We’ll see if I have the same beautiful poinsettia next Christmas season.

Imagine my surprise when a note popped up on my screen stating I was to blog here today. (INSERT A PICTURE OF A BLUSHING, WIDE EYED WRITER HERE) Then I came to the blog and saw Patrice's opening line and thought whew I'm not the only one. (Thank you, lady. I'll team up with you anyday.)

This week, I ordered my DH to find me penicls that have good erasers because my schedule seems to change from hour to hour and my daytimer is a mess. My gosh, it's only January 13th.

At times, life can be like one of those twirly, upside down roller coasters, which I hate BTW. Or bummer cars, which I love. You know what I mean. You’re going along at a nice steady pace, the sun is shining on you, the temperature is perfect and, well, everything is just grand. Then out of no where, CHOAS drops in your lap. Your plans along with your great intentions are thrown right out the window. Grrrblonk!

Sigh. What to do?

Shrug it off. Take a deep breath and start again. I mean what else can you do, right? Giving up is not option. (I got that line from a critique partner a few years back. Good one, huh?)

If you need to take a step back for a moment, do it. A hot bubble bath helps the BP. Or spend time with a good friend. Or read a great book. In other words, do something for yourself. If you don't take care of you, how can you take care of choas?

Okay, those my words of wisdom today.

Have a great weekend everyone and if you need a great book to read check out the ones written by these wonderful Fuzzy ladies. It's a collection of great ones.

www.autumnjordon.com

I love to be entertained and romantic stories and movies do it for me. Stories where two people meet, sparks fly, and stuff happens. Stories that have you, turning pages or popping popcorn into your mouth, and wondering how in the hell the pair will work things out and earn a happily ever after life together. I’m no different from anyone else. Reading or watching them provides an escape from the pressures of real life and we all need to do that once in a while.

In a really great story, each act of the story lives up to its purpose.
The beginning not only has to grab its audience’s attention but it also has to set the tone of the story, introduce characters and make you care about at least one of those characters. The story should start at the dire point in one of the main characters lives. This character doesn’t necessarily need to be the hero or heroine. The event could occur to a secondary character, but their predicament does have to have a direct affect on the hero or heroines lives within a reasonable time period. A perfect example of this type of opening in a book is Brenda Novak’s story The Perfect Couple. I don’t want to give away too much for those you haven’t read this awesome book, but in the opening scene you see a young boy escaping from one of the two villains. His escape drives the villain to immediately capture another victim which is the heroine’s daughter. Exciting, right?

I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and soon found myself entering the meat of the story, otherwise known as the middle. Most writers hate writing the middle as they fear it will sag. Sagging middles leave the audience dozing off, lying the book down—never to return, or leaving the theater. In order to avoid a sagging middle, the author has to up the stakes, create a twist, change a character or introduce a subplot that conflicts with the main plot. We’ve all seen GOT MAIL, right? At the crest of the middle, Joe Fox realizes he doesn’t want to rack up failed relationships like his father and decides ShopLady is his perfect mate. He just needs to convince her they were meant to be. The author changed the hero and created a twist. And yes, up the stakes. We were no longer dealing with a business take over tale, the story becomes the personal, a relationship starts and romance blooms. At this point, I was totally invested in the lives of the characters, and wouldn’t budge from my chair until I knew the heroine and hero would be alright.

Which brings us to the end. Simply it has to be satisfying. The end should wrap all threads and be so thrilling, it’s the first thing your audience recalls when thinking about your story. Right now, I’m thinking of the moment when a trembling hero, despite his fear of heights, climbs a couple floors of a fire escape with roses in his mouth and then while holding the heroine says “What does she do when he saves her?” The response from the heroine, “She saves him right back.” You got it. Pretty Woman.

Do you have any examples you’d like to share?

Today, I'd like to discuss the element of time, in writing.

The statement below was made by a reader on a book discussion list to which I belong:

"After Paris it all began to fall apart for me. A lot of skipping around—unexplained time periods went by that didn’t make sense. He was in Puerto Rico, running for his life. Then he was beaten in New York. In the next scene, the heroine was upset because he was gone for months, but the timeline did not support her feelings.” (Disclaimer: The locations in this passage have been changed to protect the author.)

Did you hear her frustration with the author's work? I did.

Have you read a story which made you stop and wonder either how much time had gone by or how did a claimed span go by so fast? I’ve read stories where the time lines were totally off.

I remember in one book while the clock stuck midnight on New Year’s Eve the heroine wondered how she would provide for her unborn child. She thought this while stroking her flat stomach. Because of one missed period, she’d taken a pregnancy test earlier in the day. Pages later, it was spring and she gave birth to a full-term health baby boy. Spring stopped me. The seasonal identifiers didn’t fit the timeline of a normal pregnancy. The story, which had drawn me in, lost me right there. The author hadn’t done her job.

I’ve also read stories where the author didn’t use any time descriptor words or phases such as the next day, or later that morning, or years passed before. Which can leave the reader feeling lost.

Here's another example: Jonathan’s jaw tightened before he turned and slammed the door. (End of Chapter. Next chapter begins.) Jonathan didn’t know what to expect when he opened the door. The whole house was barren. Everything he’d owned was gone.

As the reader, do you know how much time has gone by? No. Jonathan could’ve closed the door and reopened it in peek-a-boo fashion for all we know. Which if he did, this story would have paranormal or psychological-thriller elements. But if our hero had been gone for days, weeks or months, we would see an emotional conflict.

How do you ensure a proper time flow for your story? Map it out. Draw a line. Write the important events that happen to your characters along the line and then chart in seasonal bits and pieces. If your hero is going to be gone for six months and he leaves in July, when he returns in January the weather, food, etc. should reflect the month’s setting in the area.

Also, remember to ground your readers by using time related phases.

Example: There was no more to say. Jonathan’s jaw tightened. He stalked out and slammed the door behind him. The next morning when he returned home the entire house was empty. His life had disappeared overnight.

See the difference?

A new year is knocking at our door, and if you’re like the majority of the human race, you’re planning to set goals for 2011. You have a burning desire to tackle an area where you think you need to improve yourself or your life. You visualize where you want to be in a few months or by the end of the new year or even years down the road. Come midnight on January 1st, you’re totally focused. Your jaw is set and you’re determined to meet those goals until ...da, da, da! …your first set back.

If your goal is to get up earlier, the set back will be the morning you oversleep. If your goal is to lose weight, your set back will be the first cheeseburger or candy bar you’ll gobble up. If your goal is to write every day, the setback will be the day life took over and you didn’t have a minute to boot up your computer or grab a pad and pen.

It’s important to keep in mind when working towards your goals that there will be setbacks. As sure as the sun will rise in the east, there will be setbacks. They happen. How you handle them will determine if you will make your goals.
Like a cowboy who gets thrown off his horse, you need to get off your butt, dust yourself off and get right back in the saddle. Like a ball player who gets thrown a third curve for a strike out, you need to shrug off the disappointment, study the pitcher and stand up to him again. Like the chef whose cake falls, you need to start over. I could go on with the analogies, but you get the picture.

Hints for making your 2011 goals.

1) Make your goals reasonable. Something you can control. And be specific.
Ie: (Non-writing related) I want to lose X number of pounds in 2011. (Writing related) I want to write my next book- 350 pages.

2) Write the goals down. Yes you can have more than one. Excelling at one might help your determination to do better at achieving the other. Post the goals where you will see them every day.

3) Break the goal or goals into manageable bits.
Ie: I will write 10 pages a week.

4) If you’re the type of person who needs to report to someone, an accountability partner, find one and set up a schedule to report. IMPORTANT NOTE: Keep in mind there will be weeks, maybe several in a row, when you are the one having trouble making your goal. Remember that cheeseburger. It’s okay. There will be weeks when you will shine.

5) Don’t get depressed when a mini-step toward the goal is not met on time. Life happens. Computers crash. Kids get sick. Husbands come home with candy hearts. Enjoy life. A happy person is more productive.

6) Mondays are the first day of the week for many of us, probably because of the business world, and the day of the week we seem to be most productive. It’s a mind thing. If you have more time to exercise or write on the weekend, try thinking of Saturday as being your first day of the week. Make a calendar labeling Saturday as the first day of the week if that will help you. Again, it’s a mind thing.

7) For the most part, we know our schedules for the week. Plan the minutes or hours you’ll work toward your goal out.

8) Make a list of things that have stopped you from making your goal in the past. Post that list too and don’t go there. Ie: Television, email, over volunteering, buying junk food, over stocking the pantry.

9) Remember the old adage. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

10) Remember this saying: Just do it. It says it all.

I hope my list will help you make your goals in 2011.

With the holidays looming in front of us and while we still have a few minutes to actually read and plan, I decided to post this blog/recipe which could save your sanity and help you continue to write right through the busiest sesaon.

Ingredients you will need:

Several Holidays stacked on top of each other.

One home or an apartment already in desperate need of cleaning will do.

Family members—The number depends on your lifestyle.

A ton of shopping.

Several hours of gift wrapping.


A day or two of baking and cooking.

Friends or social events. Some say this is optional. I do not. Add a bunch.

A dash of cleaning-up.

A ream of blank pages.

One Golden Heart contest or publishing deadline (personal goal can be substituted)
A calendar.

A dash of relaxation.

1) First, grab the calendar and slap it on your refrigerator.


2) Set the word count necessary to complete your deadline or goal and write it at the bottom of the calendar.

3) Cross off the holidays—these days are to be spent with your family and friends. No writing!
It’s okay, really. The only business you may conduct on those days is to interact with others and enjoy life. Think of the opportunity to people study.

4) Cross off the days you will need to shop, either for gifts or holiday groceries. The tonight before my shopping spree, I make a map or list of where I’m going and what I’m going to buy. No impulse buying. I hate shopping, so there is always a plan. I’m up early and out the door and when I return home hours later I’m dead, so writing is not on my to do list for that day.

5) Mark the next day to wrap all gifts. Do not wait. You can write in the morning, during breaks or after the last bow is placed neatly on the last package.

6) Cross off a day before the holiday for cooking and baking preparation. You
can slot in an hour of writing in the morning, but do not include the word count in goal grid.

7) X off a day before the holiday to do a run through cleaning of your home. Again you can slot in an hour of writing in the early a.m. but do not include this word count on your grid.

8) Mark the calendar with all social events.


9) Highlight two days. These are floater days. Save them for the unexpected chores that always seem to pop up. These days can move anywhere, anytime.

10) Now count all the days that are not crossed out. Divide your word count goal by that number. Then add 100 words. Why add 100 you ask? It’s a mind thing. Trust me.

11) Each unmarked day, sit butt in chair, set the timer and crank out the words.


12) Finally, resist the urge to add stress. It’s tempting I know, but adding the pressure will only cause defeat.

When attempting this recipe you must realize it takes organization and discipline but the end results are totally worth it.

I'm leaving the DH home with a well stocked refrigerator, fresh baked apple pie and instructions to feed the dogs and cat too, and taking off.

I’m so excited. It’s been over a year since I’ve attended a conference or workshop. This weekend is the New Jersey Romance Writers conference and I’ll be there. Even
though, my novel, EVIL’S WITNESS, is up for the notable award, 'Golden Leaf Best First Book' that is not why I’m excited. I can’t wait to be surrounded by other writers and learning more about the craft and industry which I love.

I’m sure you understand how being surround by like minds is no matter where your interest lay. When you’re with others who understand your passion, it’s like walking among the stars. I’m eager to meet face to face friends I’ve made online and to see those I haven’t seen in months or since the national conference in DC. I actually feel like a sponge ready to soak up knowledge in the workshops I already have highlighted on my schedule. I’m also a little nervous about taking an agent appointment, telling her about my new wip and hearing her thoughts on the romantic suspense genre in today’s tight market.

So today, I’ll be tweaking my pitch and getting my books and promo material ready for the book signing which is another reason for me to be excited. This will be my very first RWA conference signing.

God, it’s going to be a blast! If you’re in attendance, please say hi or join me in having a Midnight In Paris Martini.

If you have any conference tips, throw them at me. I'm so excited, I know I'll forget something.

I always get this compelling urge at the change of seasons to grab a pencil and pad and head outdoors to record the details of the passing season before forgotten and to capture the transformation occurring. No other equinox creates a stronger desire in me than summer to autumn.

Maybe it’s because my creative writing professor, whose class I took in the fall semester, gave my class an assignment doing just that. She instilled in me the importance of using sensory perception in my writing—all five senses.

In the task, after we wrote down all the visual details that popped at us, we were instructed to take notes blindly. Yes, with our eyes closed. It is amazing how our other senses become much more acute when one or two are shut down. Sounds that escape you everyday become apparent. Words to describe the things you touch will go beyond soft, hard, cold or hot. You’ll find the sunshine and the breeze has a taste. Odors are the most powerful in bringing lost memories to the forefront of your mind. You can use them to divulge a bit of character’s back story.

After we wrote all we could using the other four senses, we had to open our eyes and rewrite the visual using different terms. The world really does look different the second time around.

I’ve heard a great novelist uses all five senses on every page. I’ve yet to find any of my favorite authors doing so, but I do see they do at every opportunity. They make the world they’re building and the characters they’re drawing so real by using subtle meticulous details.

So, today, on the first full-day of autumn, join me. Grab your pad and pencil and head outside. Capture the world around you and then review the pages you’re working on and see where you’ve missed the opportunity to flesh out your world and characters. Come back and tell me something new you experienced.

The end of the RWA conference is drawing near. From all the reports coming to us who stayed at home, it was a fabulous event. You didn’t have to be in Orlando to feel the energy. It sizzled across the net.

Kudos to the RWA staff for pulling this super conference off after the tragic flooding in Nashville. You are amazing and thousands of RWA members are truly indebted to you for your dedication.

Tonight we will know the names of the published and unpublished RWA members who’ve been chosen as the best of the best by their judges. I can’t wait to see if a few of my friends will reap the title winner, but even if they don’t they can be assured they are indeed winners. They’ve achieved a level many only dream about.

And speaking of dreams, I’m sure many have come true on the magical grounds of Disney. Over the next few weeks we will hear squeals all over the loops, spawn by the success stories. Congratulations to all who threw off their introvert capes and shined and brought home the requests.

If you have a story and want to share, the Pink Fuzzy Slippers will squeal with you.

Now in the wake of the RWA energy, I’m going to work on my next wip. And, I
promise to stash away $3.00 a day so that I can go to New York next June.

In approximately ten days, two thousand romance writers will travel to Orlando, Florida for the RWA National convention in hopes of learning more about the craft and industry, networking, and or gaining an editor or agent’s attention. Many seasoned authors have blogged or added posts on their websites advising first time attendees of what to expect at the huge event, what to wear and what they need to bring, such as business cards, but I’ve yet seen a post telling them about the most important element--confidence.

Confidence is defined as the quality or state of being certain. As you walk among the other attendees, be certain that you are a writer too, even if you’ve yet to publish. If you have put words to page, you are a writer. If you have a burning desire to learn the craft, you are a writer.

Hold your head high. Be a sponge and soak up all the knowledge you can. The conference has an amazing list of speakers from which you will learn tons. Focus on workshops that target your weaknesses and remember the only question that is stupid is the one not asked.

Don’t be afraid to talk to people, including editors and agents. They’re people too and they like to talk about other things besides books, which is their work. We all know there is more to life than work. Make a connection.

Smile. Be yourself. I’m sure you already have a boat load of friends. Attending a conference is an opportunity to make more. I’m truly grateful for the hundreds of friends RWA has provided me.

Have fun. Yes, attending a conference is considered work, it's tax deductable, but who says work can’t be fun.

Now repeat after me. I AM A WRITER who can learn more about my craft. I AM A WRITER who always has room for another friend. I AM A WRITER who will pitch with confidence!

HAVE FUN,
AJ

Every woman has a different vision of how their fantasy man will both look and act. Like yummy snacks, not all of us crave the sweet. Some of us lean toward the savory or the even the zesty hot type. And still, sometimes we go to the dark side and crave the unusual morsel or even both at once?

In EVIL’S WITNESS, which releases at THE WILD ROSE PRESS today (June 18), I have several male characters, but two are images from my fantasies. You got it. My hero, John Dolton, and my villain, Victor. While both men are physically different and John would turn my head first, they both possess traits I find attractive.

Emotionally, John is a tortured, rogue agent. Sort of a badass kind of guy. He likes to get down and dirty, but he cleans up real nice. This quiet type always, always gets me. I don’t care if he is an FBI agent or a cowboy or regency count. My heart pounds. I want to save them from a life of loneliness. And John’s dark, soulful eyes… Well let’s just say I could stare into them forever.

Excerpts from Evil’s Witness:
…“And this is Agent Dolton.” Zohara indicated the man who stopped in mid-pace and faced the large pane mirror.

The gun which hugged the center of the man’s back made Stephanie shiver.

He turned and his coal-colored eyes traced over her.

She openly returned his assessment. Except for the gun, he didn’t look like an FBI agent. He wore his dark brown hair longer than she thought allowed by the FBI, curling at his shirt’s collar. His square jaw was shadowed with dark stubble. His casual light blue shirt pulled across his chest and looked as if it came from the dryer and not the dry cleaners. He wore jeans, well worn….
**********

Victor on the other hand, projects the persona of well groomed professional. Tall, olive-skinned, polished men always catch my eye. More than their good looks, I think it’s their air of confidence that draws me to them. And Victor is very confident.

Tidbit from Evil’s Witness:

Did the FBI think he was stupid?

Holding a bouquet of daisies, Victor leaned against the counter while a nurse checked for the room number of a Myrtle Haupt and glanced down the corridor checking where Steph Boyd was roomed. The room was easy to spot. An armed guard barricaded the door.

“Keeping track of patient’s names day in and day out is almost impossible,” Nurse Lillian Michaels said, glancing up at him with a shy smile.

“I’m sorry to take up your time. I’m sure you are very busy.” Victor smiled back. He knew the woman was impressed with him and planned to use her innocence to the fullest.

“Here she is. Mrs. Haupt is in room D133.” Her gaze dropped to the flowers. “Beautiful flowers.”

“Yes. My great aunt’s favorite. I know she might not know me but I’m hoping the flowers will help. She used to help me pick wild daisies for my mother when we visited at my grandfather’s farm.” Victor inhaled as if the memories were almost too much for him to bear, straightened and with a mask of confusion said, “D133. Which way is that?”

“I can show you. I’m going that way.” She grabbed a tray filled with paper cups.

“That would be so kind of you.”

They strolled down the hall, chatting. The agent gave them a minute amount of attention as they passed by, but Victor knew if the agent was worth anything he’d memorized a full description of him….
*********

While Victor tried his best to take over the story, John won out and my heroine Stephanie went for John of course.

Excerpt from Evil’s Witness

“Shh.” John’s hands found her hips and pulled her even closer—hip to hip. The butt of his gun poked her ribs. No protective vests shielded her from the feel of him.

His burning gaze told her of his plan only a moment before his lips, full and hot, crushed hers.

His hands trailed down her backside, lifting her into him. She ran her hands up his strong arms. The world reeled away, leaving her and John alone, enjoying the warm comfort of each other as their bodies molded together.

“Hey! Hey, buddy. What are you doing there?” A man called from a short distance.

John pulled back. Instantly the air between them cooled and Stephanie shivered, wanting more of him.

“Calm down, Mac. The lady and I are on a coffee break. Right, babe?”

Dazed, her gaze locked with his. She knew what he wanted from her.

“Miss?” The stocky man wearing a bloody butcher’s apron glanced at her purse before his hard glare landed on John. The man’s burly arms hosted clamped fists and his stance changed. He was ready to pounce on John at her word.

“Leave us alone. We’ve only got ten minutes.” Stephanie slowly laced her arms around

John’s neck and flashed a wicked smile at the man. She went up on her toes and buried her face in John’s neck and nibbled away, enjoying the salty taste of him.

So what type of man turns you on? Come one tell me. In celebration of my release today, I'm going to give one lucky commenter a download of my last release OBSESSED BY WILDFIRE. You can be anywhere in the world, but you must be 18 to receive, since the story is rated spicy. I'll post the winner Saturday noon EST, right here on this blog. So come on, tell me what's your fanasty man like?


EVIL’S WITNESS available from The Wild Rose Press, Barnes & Noble and Amazon NOW!


Visit Autumn Jordon at www.autumnjordon.com

Trailer link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_WrmpGf4l8

No part of this post may be copied or reproduced without the expressed permission of the author, Autumn Jordon.

I remember lying in the hospital years ago, looking around at the ward full of beds filled only by a few. I wondered if the Army really thought there were so many pregnant women on this base that they needed all these beds.

I was young and naïve. Two years prior we saw the end of the Vietnam War.

My husband was on assignment. I had just had my first child, a boy, and I felt so alone. I was a thousand miles away from home and family. Not a long distance now days, but in the seventies I might’ve well been across the globe. There was no instant communications. No pictures sent across cyber-space. No text messges saying I love you, miss you, take care coming at me in an instant.

The walls of the ward were not decorated with funny characters, but were clean stark. There were no televisions in the ward. No radios. My meals were not served to me in bed, but rather placed on a long table in the center of the room where my trio of fellow new-mothers gathered to eat whatever was served in the mess hall that day. Strangely, I felt comfortable. I was an ARMY BRAT. My son was now an ARMY BRAT—born into the 101st Airborne.

With nothing but time to heal, I stared at the empty beds and wondered how many men had been treated here? My pain was nothing compared to what they must felt. Some had died in this very room.

In that defining moment, I grew. A sense of pride like I’d never felt before welled through me as a melody of taps wafted the air on base. I still get choke-up every time I hear the woeful tune.

The nurse handed my baby. I stared at his innocence while his tiny fingers curled around mine and I thanked all the souls that had given so much so that my son would know freedom like none other in the world.

Please take a few moments this holiday weekend and remember the women and men who gave so much of themselves for your and your children's way of life.

Ps: Be proud. List the branch and division of any family heros who’ve served or are serving our beautiful country listed in your post.

Cursor.. Cursor…

What would you do if someone told you your story line didn’t work? None of the elements worked? It in fact, the plot sucked? Would you give up on writing the story, because after all, time is precious and you have so little now and you can’t afford to waste it? Would you give up?

This actually happened to me. I was told by someone in my early writing days that my idea would never sale. I was told this by someone whom I admired. The words hurt and I never forgot them even though I did forgive the person for being so harsh. I also let the story go for a number of years until I met another author at a conference who I hadn’t spoken to in a while. She was signing her books and doing very well. (Back-story: Muliti-pubbed author also had critique the first three chapters of that same book years ago. We we’re both pre-pubbed at the time) After our initial greeting and hugs, the first thing out of her mouth was, “Did you ever finish that book?” When I hung my head and said, “No.”, she asked, “Why not? I loved that story. I still remember the scene….”

I can’t tell you the feeling of JOY which welled up in me as I listened to her enthusiasm for my story. I hugged Multi-pubbed author again. YEARS later, she still remembered my story. That is the goal of every writer, at least of those I know. God, I love her.

From the moment I spoke to her, I started working on that book. The ideas flowed. The characters once again came to life, and I was HAPPY.
The moral of this blog is to tell you, don’t ever let any ONE person stop you from writing the book of your heart. Passions for books are so subjective. There are books on the NY Times list that I wonder how they got there. I’ve tossed books aside because they weren’t my time or the money I spent on them, and they are those I’ve read released from small publishers that have touched my heart and will remain on my keeper shelf.

Now, I’ll let you know. I finished my story. Its first pages went on to final in the Golden Acorn contest. It won the NJ Single title PUT YOUR HEART IN A BOOK contest, it was a 2009 Golden Heart Finalist and Evil’s Witness sold. ;>) GRIN.

EVIL'S WITNESS releases June 18, 2010. Please visit my website to view trailer and for more info. www.autumnjordon.com

You know what I love about THE PINK FUZZY SLIPPER WRITER’S Blog? The diversity of the posts. Even before I’d become a regular contributor, I’d stop by (often) and not only read the blog of the day but also skimmed ones that I missed. Life does get in the way. Quick examples: Because of Joanne’s Deals of the day, I’ve picked up bargains I didn’t know were out there. Because of Beth’s beautiful posts, I’ve learned America's history, gardening facts, and I bought the perfect Christmas presents this past season (BURT’s BEE BALM) for my daughter and DIL’s. (They love them, Beth). Mona has taken me to exotic places. Ones I can only dream about visiting. Mary R’s blogs make me chuckle and we all need to remember to laugh. All the PFS posts are awesome and have taught me so much about the world I live in and the craft of which I’m a student; writing.

So, in keeping with the multiplicity of the blog, I’m writing about my weekend plans and sharing a few great recipes. If you’re following me, you’re probably not only a writer or reader, but also a busy woman. Wait! Is there another kind of woman? I think not. Anyway, anything that makes my life easier I gobble up. I hope you enjoy both the post and the dishes. WINK.

****
There is something magical about the word weekend. Just saying it makes me want to jump up from my chair, fist in air and yell, “I’m so ready.” The feeling of delight probably stems from my childhood school days. No more math books. No more teachers. No more dirty looks because I won’t put the fiction book aside. Is it the same for you?

As Friday afternoon rolls around, I always start to plan my weekend, making a list of chores I want to tackle and pleasures I want to partake in. If you’re like me, the items on your chore list out numbers the things you really want to do, like kick up your feet, read and relax.

What is not on either list, are meals. It’s a given you’ll have to make them. After all the family needs to eat, right? I actually hate the question what is for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I do. Really. So knowing this, if I want to enjoy my weekend, I plan my meals out ahead of time and head to the market. It’s one less thing I need to think about. So this weekend my DH and I will be enjoying the following recipes and I thought you might like to try them too.

Green Pepper, Cheese And Bacon Omelet

2 eggs , 1/2 green pepper, cleaned of seeds and cut into pieces , 2 slices of bacon also cut into bite size, 1 tablespoon butter and Seasonings to taste

Separate 2 eggs. Beat yolks. Beats egg whites until stiff. Cook bacon and green pepper over med heat with part of the butter in a large frying pan. Until bacon is browned. Remove from frying pan and mix with beaten yolks eggs. Fold in egg whites. Add rest of butter to pan and then the mixture. Flip. Add cheese and fold.

Honey-Rosemary Stuffed Pork Chops
This recipe is from McCormick. It’s delicious. www.mccormick.com/Recipes

Makes 4 servings. Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 1/2 cups chopped Granny Smith apples
3 tablespoons honey, divided
2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
2 teaspoons McCormick® Rosemary Leaves, finely crushed, divided
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Powder
4 boneless center-cut pork chops, 1-inch thick (about 1 pound)
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper, Ground
1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 5 minutes. Add apples; cook and stir 5 minutes longer or until slightly softened. Spoon mixture into small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the honey, almonds, 1 teaspoon of the rosemary, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and garlic powder; mix well.
2. Cut a horizontal slit in center of each pork chop to form a pocket. Spoon 1/4 cup of the apple mixture into each pocket. Secure with toothpicks. Mix remaining 1 teaspoon rosemary, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Coat pork chops evenly on both sides with rosemary mixture.
3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet on medium-high heat. Add pork chops; cook 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until browned. Mix broth and remaining 2 tablespoons honey until well blended. Stir into skillet. Cook 5 minutes longer or until pork is desired doneness. Remove pork chops from skillet; keep warm. Cook mixture in skillet 3 minutes longer or until reduced by half. Remove toothpicks from pork chops. Serve pork with sauce mixture.

Molasses Banana French Toast

1 large Egg, 2 Tablespoons of milk, 1 Tablespoons molasses, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 slices of Wheat bread, 1 pad of butter, 1 Banana
Beat together the eggs, milk and vanilla in a bowl until smooth. Dip the wheat bread slices in the batter until coated on all sides.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with touch of PAM. Place half of the bread slices into the pan, and cook until golden brown on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Place on plate cover with sliced Banana and dizlle syrup on top. The sweetness of the banana makes more molasses unnecessary.

Salsa Chicken

I picked this recipe up somewhere. I can’t remember where. It’s been so long. I’ve tweaked it a little to make it my own. It’s quick (when you’re doing yard work all day that’s important) and oh so yummy. I’m serving with rice and black beans.
Makes 4 servings. Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes
1 package Taco Seasoning Mix, 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into large bite size pieces, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) no salt added diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup chopped onion and ¼ chopped green or red pepper, 1/3 cup apricot or peach preserves

Place Seasoning Mix in plastic bag and add chicken and toss, coating the pieces.
Warm oil in large skillet over medium heat. Carefully, add chicken. Cook, stirring often, about five to seven minutes or until chicken is lightly browned.

Stir in the tomatoes and preserves. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes. I serve over rice with either Black beans or refried beans. Add a little shredded lettuce to the side for visual appeal and crunch.

I hope you're enjoying our bloggers this week. All four brave women trained with real life law enforcement agencies. Help me welcome a graduate of the El Paso County Sheriff's Office Citizens Academy. Welcome Donnell Bell, writer and woman with a hair-trigger muse. I'm not talking about a muse with her trigger finger on the hair spraycan trigger, either!

When I started my fiction career, my protagonists consisted of lawyers, politicians bankers and engineers. But I loved mystery suspense so naturally a cop or two always existed on the fringes. Still, I could never bring myself to make my hero a cop. Why?Because even though I’d watched every cop show from Dragnet to the Streets of San Francisco to Hill Street Blues to Law and Order, studied police procedure and bought every Deadly Dose book available, I didn’t know cops. What made them get up every morning or how they thought. And because I didn’t know them, how could I get into the head of one and create a three- dimensional character instead of a paper doll look-alike of one of these famous shows?

So when someone told me that the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office had a Citizens Academy, not only did I enroll, I was the first in line. The secretary handed me the forms saying, “Don’t worry, you have plenty of time.” At that I smiled. She didn’t have a muse sitting on her shoulder arguing the point.

So how did the Citizens Academy help me bring a character from flimsy cardboard to dimensional? It started from the sheriff on down. He started out the six-week session and explained what it was like to be a politician, to answer to the county and its budget constraints, to oversee the massive Criminal Justice Center (e.g. the El Paso County Jail)
and be held accountable. He also talked about personnel, he made us laugh, talking about how deputies can’t drive and how he wished he could take the reverse out of squad cars at times. And then he became serious and discussed the very human component and made us consider the issues we wouldn’t normally consider.

Next came the commanders and the workshops, and again the stereotypes were left at the door. When the Vice commander arrived in his tie-dyed shirt to talk about narcotics, meth labs and undercover work and showed up with a marvelous sense of humor and a twinkle in his eye, he eradicated every preconceived notion I’d ever held.

On television we see the vice cops enter the premises and take the bad guys away. We know there’s often the risk of the lethal bullet. On the other hand, we don’t see the health
risks they take entering these contaminated sites on call outs, or the mental anguish they face when they see what a methamphetamine dealer puts his child through, cooking crystal meth right next to the Frosted Flakes and his teddy bear.

Thanks to the Citizens Academy, I’ll never look at entering a hotel room the same way.
One vice cop said even when he’s on vacation he carries a can of spray starch. When he enters the room he sprays it on the wall. It doesn’t hurt the wall he said, but if the wall turns black, he not only leaves the room, he goes to the front desk and demands his money back then leaves the hotel. Meth not only kills its victims, it leaves a trail of destruction from innocent bystanders, renters, landlords and neighbors. I can’t stress how aware this made me of this cancerous threat to society, or how much I support stiffer laws and penalties of both users and the greedy idiots who make the stuff.

The six weeks covered every department, from computer-aided analysis crime-scene re-enactment, the detective division, guns/shooting range, patrol, the victim’s advocacy,
search and rescue, homeland security/emergency response, internal affairs to a tour of the jail and dispatch. And as I sat through these courses and learned what it took to run this well-oiled machine, I got a glimpse of what made these people tick. One, they were selfless, two they were fearless and three, they didn’t require much sleep or praise.

And the muse sitting on my shoulder went “Aha,” and my first cop protagonist came to life, resulting in a 2007 Golden Heart finalist nomination. Do I recommend the Citizen’s Academy? Heck, yeah. I also recommend taking it a step further. If you have the opportunity to get involved with your local law enforcement, do so. Become a volunteer or even a recruit. That’s what the Citizens Academy’s about, after all. I give you my word; you’ll get more than you’ll ever give back.

Copyright© 2007 Donnell Ann Bell

http://www.donnellannbell.com/

http://fivescribes.blogspot.com/

Sometimes I get this feeling that if I don’t act now, right now, today, a knocking opportunity will be snagged up by someone and lost to me. In the past, this feeling has led me to jump before I was dressed for the part, or so to speak, especially as a writer new to the publishing world. The end result didn’t lead to good news.

As writers, connected by the world-wide net, this urge to jump can occur almost every day. Because of technology, our circle of friends is much larger than it was say ten years ago and hardly a day goes by without someone sharing great news; they final in a contest or won, they gained the interest of an agent or editor or they actually signed with an agent or sold their work. We feel happy for them but ( I don’t know how this possible) in the very same moment we feel that urge to push our unpolished baby out the door, knowing in our hearts it’s not ready.

There is truth in the old adage PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD or in FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT. Bad first impressions take years and a ton of work to undo. I learned my lesson quickly and now each time I hear someone's good fortune I congratulate them and take my baby for a walk, for only I know when it will be ready for the public's critical eye.

So I’m wondering today, have you felt this way? And if so what made you pull in the reins--if you want to share? And how do you know when your baby is ready to be shown off?

We’ve all heard the old adage, ‘When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. ‘ The saying is an optimist’s advice to a pessimist on navigating the hard times of life. But how much lemonade can one person make? Or drink?




If you’re going to keep it for yourself, I guess you’d get tired of the drink real fast. The smell of lemons would sicken you. The acid would burn your skin. Sweetness would be lost on your taste buds. But, if you’d plan to share the lemonade with your family or friends, you could make a little more, right? Others might be able help you put things into perspective. Maybe help tweak your recipe.

And if you decided to look beyond those first thoughts and think outside of the box, you’d realize you could experiment, develop a really great, unique recipe for lemonade and share it with the world. Doing so, might lead you down a path you’d never thought of taking. One that might be the sweetest road you’d ever traveled.




Cheers!

Have you ever wished you had more time and then get it and then waste it? I know I have.

I’ve often said I wish I had six hours more in the day and the energy to go with it. But that is never going to happen, right?

I’ve had days when there was nothing pressing on my agenda and I could’ve used the day to catch up on chores or activities that I’ve longed to do, but instead I became an eggplant who participated in a Law & Order rerun marathon.

Should I be upset with myself? No. Not if it only happens once or twice a year. Everyone needs the kick and just rest once in awhile. Wasting time, letting opportunities to do what you really want to do slip away, day after day, can lead to depression. So the question rises—how do you stop wasting time?

My best tool for not wasting time, is to make a list of things you want to accomplish each month, each week, each day. Some of you may have taken Margie Lawson’s workshop on Defeating Self-defeating Behaviors. In that class, Margie suggests people make such lists. I’ve made lists for years and I was so happy reading from the Psychologist that I was on the right track.

Some people might say, I don’t need a list, I know what I have to accomplish. My answer to them is, I do too. I know what I want to accomplish, but by making a list I prioritize my tasks, I set deadlines and I set goals. In other words, I have a plan.
Some might also say, I don’t have time now and you want me to take more time to make a list. Shhhh..Secret! It takes a few minutes. Usually, I’ll make my list in the morning, but sometimes I might start my list for the next day the night before and finish it off in the morning. And, just so you know, at times, things come up during the day and they’re added to my list and another chore might be moved to the next day. But having that list with me every day motivates me to not waste precious time.
So as an example, here is my list for today.

1) Deep edit chp 3 and email to reader. DONE

2) Write post for PFS Blog. DONE

3) Deep edit chp 4.

4) Exercise

5) Pick out outfits for up-coming wedding/vacation

There’s more, but these are the chores I really want to accomplish today. Note: exercise is on my list every single day. A 30 minute walk is exercise.

Okay, so what is on your list today?

Margie Lawson —psychotherapist, writer, and international presenter— developed innovative editing systems and deep editing techniques for writers. She teaches writers how to edit for psychological power, how to hook the reader viscerally, how to create a page-turner.

Thousands of writers, from newbies to bestsellers, have learned Margie’s psychologically-based deep editing material. In the last five years, she presented over fifty full day Master Classes for writers in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

For more information on Margie’s lecture packets, on-line courses, master classes, newsletter, and the 3-day Immersion Master Class sessions offered in her Colorado mountain-top home, visit: www.MargieLawson.com.

NOTE: I included a promo piece for Brenda Novak’s Diabetes Auction below the blog. You’ll see my diabetes auction donations – that include:
 A WRITE AT SEA CRUISE
 A FLYING GETAWAY
 An IMMERSION MASTER CLASS
Fun! Fun! Fun!
PLUS -- More fun!

Check out the cartoon Dare Devil Dachshund Contest on my web site. You could win one hour of my Deep Editing brain. www.MargieLawson.com
THANK YOU!

A big Colorado bear hug for Autumn Jordon for inviting me to have fun with Pink Fuzzy Slippers today. Thank you!

No Cookie Cutter Characters:
Use Your Multiple Personalities!
By Margie Lawson

We all know writers are quirky. I believe writers have multiple personalities too.

Not at a clinical level.

Not at a need-to-be-hospitalized-in-psych-ward level.

But definitely at a Ha!-I-can-use-this-part-of-me-I-didn’t-know-or-barely-knew-existed level.

Writers have multiple creative selves. They can dig deeper and deeper and deeper, and tap some amazing personalities to enrich their stories.

NOTE: I used the power of Deep Editing nine times in the fifty-one word opening of this blog:

1) Rhetorical Device: Epistrophe – ending three or more phrases or sentences in a row with the same word or phrase

2) Rhetorical Device: Polysyndeton—using the same conjunction multiple times in a list of three or more words without any punctuation

3) Two Hyphenated-Run-Ons -- easy to spot ;-)

4) Creative Paragraphing – Creating White Space – which picks up pace

5) Power Words: quirky, multiple personalities, psych ward, amazing, enrich

6) Backloaded: quirky

7) Specified what something was NOT

8) Sentence fragments

9) Cadence

Was that opening smooth?

Was it written in a compelling style?

Did it make you want to read more?

You may not be a fan of hyphenated-run-ons (my term). No worries. Don’t write them!

If you learn how to apply, tweak, and amplify my deep editing techniques, you’ll have hundreds of new tools in the deep editing drawer of your writer’s tool box.

Hmm . . . Let’s see a blah version of the opening.

Writers could use more of their personality to create more interesting characters. They may not know they have these other selves within them. It doesn’t mean they’re crazy, but they could learn to plumb the depths of their personality to add fodder to the character building process.

BLAH. BLAH. BLAH. CLICHÉ, CLICHÉ. BLAH. BLAH. BLAH.

Now – we’ll return to the hopefully-not-blah blog. I’ll rewind and rerun the opening.

If you want to tune your CADENCE EAR, you could read it out loud.

We all know writers are quirky. I believe writers have multiple personalities too.

Not at a clinical level.

Not at a need-to-be-hospitalized-in-psych-ward level.

But definitely at a Ha!-I-can-use-this-part-of-me-I-didn’t-know-or-barely-knew-existed level.

Writers have multiple creative selves. They can dig deeper and deeper and deeper, and tap some amazing personalities to enrich their stories.

Writers usually infuse their main characters with personality traits that are engaging or enraging.

Sometimes they stick a trait on a character like they are pinning the tail on the donkey.

Hee Haw!

The personality trait may be close to the right fit. But like George Clooney’s suit, it better be meticulously tailored.

How do you tailor a personality trait for your character?

You try on that character’s personality. You audition that trait.

You consider how that trait could have initiated, what needs it meets, how it developed, how it morphed, and always, how it impacts all facets of their personal and professional life, career choices, interests, relationships . . .

Writers can use METHOD ACTING to boost emotional authenticity.

Method Acting is a psychological approach to acting.

Gee – Those who know me won’t be surprised that I’m recommending an approach that is psychologically based.

Method Acting involves having a performer tap their memories and experiences and use them to access emotions. Use them to make the character’s speech and movements emotionally credible.

Method Acting includes relaxation, sense memory, concentration, affective memory, moment-to-moment, and the magical ‘What if?’

With Method Acting -- on stage, the actors are not portraying stereotyped roles.

With Method Acting -- on the page, characters are not portraying cookie cutter personalities.

Writers are motivated to put creative energy into developing their main characters. What about the others?

How could you make your support characters more authentic? More real on the page?

Think multiple personalities. Think Method Acting. Think missed opportunities.

What happens if you have a typical support character deliver typical dialogue lines, wear typical clothes, move in typical ways?

The typical reader will skim.

Beware that you don’t make a support character so fascinating that they are too prominent. Writers need to create the right balance to be sure the wrong character doesn’t steal the page or steal the scene.

Like actors, all characters can be vital cast members. There are no insignificant actors. If an actor has a role, he should own that role and be that role as directed.

There are no insignificant characters. For every character in a book, the writer has to own the character and own the directing role too.

I was impressed by an interview with award-winning actor William Hurt on National Public Radio. One comment stuck in my mind like the tail on that donkey.

William Hurt said that an actor in one of his scenes complimented Hurt on his acting. Hurt was disappointed. Disappointed.

Hurt said he was disappointed because actors should be so immersed in owning their roles, that they can’t separate themselves from that role to observe the scene.

No cookie cutter actors going through their lines in a scene with William Hurt. He expects full immersion. He expects them to live in the character’s skin.

Have you imagined living inside each of your characters?


Crush your cookie cutters. Dig into the cookie dough to sculpt your characters.

Access your multiple personalities. Give your characters a presence on the page that boosts your writing toward a bestseller list.

Copyright © 2010 by Margie Lawson. All Rights Reserved.


NOTE: I used several more Deep Editing techniques in the rest of the blog. Did you notice them? Feel free to post one or two!

WRAPPING UP:

It’s your turn! Chime in.

Post a comment –or tell me Hi!

YOU COULD WIN A LECTURE PACKET!

The winner may choose a Lecture Packet from one of my six on-line courses.

I’ll respond throughout the day as my job allows and be back on the blog again tonight.

I’ll draw the name of the WINNER at 9:00PM MountainTime. I’ll post their name on the blog about 9:30 Mountain Time.

PLEASE KEEP READING!

I am teaching Empowering Characters’ Emotions on-line in March.

With over 300 pages of lectures, it covers body language and dialogue cues—and teaches writers deep editing techniques.

The registration deadline for Empowering Characters’ Emotions is Feb. 27th.

You can access links to register for my on-line courses from the home page of my web site. www.MargieLawson.com

FYI: If an on-line course does not fit your schedule, Lecture Packets ($22) are available through Paypal from my web site. Thank you.

BRENDA NOVAK’S DIABETES AUCTION!



NYT Bestseller, Brenda Novak, donates an amazing chunk of her life to fundraising for diabetes research. She gives months of her energy, creativity, and what would have been writing time, family time, self-time to her DIABETES AUCTION.

For writers – it’s a warm-your-heart win-win. Bid on one of the hundreds of items, support diabetes research, and you may win an experience that changes your life.

If you're not familiar with this auction -- it's a gold mine for writers!

My husband and I love to support the Diabetes Auction. With over 1000 donations, if I don’t mention our donations . . . you might miss them.

Yikes – a Missed Opportunity!

Margie’s Donations:

1. A set of six Lecture Packets

2. A 50 page Triple Pass Deep Edit Critique

3. Registration for a Write At Sea Master Class
by Marge Lawson on Deep Editing Power, April, 2011.
Donation by Margie Lawson and Julia Hunter.


4. A FLYING GETAWAY FOR TWO

You select the destination – any place within 600 nautical miles from Denver.

A weekend, you and a friend, plus my pilot-husband flying our four-seater plane, me, a night in a hotel, and a two-hour deep editing consult. The consult is on the ground, not while we’re flying. ;-))

5. Registration for an IMMERSION MASTER CLASS session!

A $450 value . . .

The three-day Immersion Master Class sessions are designed as a personalized, hone-your-manuscript experience focusing on deep editing. The sessions are held in Margie’s log home at the top of a mountain west of Denver. Participants will concentrate on transforming their manuscript into a page-turner. The winner may attend a session in the fall of 2010 (depending on availability), or one of the four sessions offered in 2011.

THE DIABETES AUCTION runs from MAY 1ST to MAY 31ST. You can tour the
Diabetes Auction site now. http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/

Brenda Novak is my hero. What a way to give back.

Thank you for joining us today. I appreciate your time.

All the Best…………….Margie
www.MargieLawson.com

It’s snowing in my area of the world today. A great day to keep my fingers on the keyboard, but where and how will I find inspiration?

IDEA! Brainstorming.

Let’s kick the muse kick out of bed.

How do we do that while stuck inside, you ask?

Simple. Pictures.

Look at each of the pics below and using the picture write the opening line or lines for a book. Do as many as you want. Make them as long as you want.

Come on. You can do it? Let’s have some fun.


#1






#2







#3



#4








#5








I’ll kick us off. Off the top of my head quick one liners as I need to get this posted. LOL.


#1 “She’s forming.”
#2 Ally Chase took the drop of Satan’s blood on her tongue like a good angel.
#3 She felt as old as the turtle in the tank.
#4 “Olives and spaghetti. Are you pregnant again?”
#5 “If only he had known, their kiss this morning would be their last.”



Autumn Jordon
2009 Golden Heart Finalist
www.autumnjordon.com
Obsessed By Wildfire voted best book of the week at http://www.longandshortreviews.com/LASR/recentrev.htm