Where the Hell is the Fountain of Youth?!?

So yesterday, I got the mail from the box and there was a flyer advertising family portraits. Thinking of Christmas card goodness, I put the flyer on the small desk in my kitchen. My kids come in and spy it, asking all sorts of questions. “Who are these people?” “Is this baby me?” “What are they doing?” Blah blah blah.

I, of course, only half-hear them as I’m in the middle of making dinner. I hear them “pretending” that the family in the portrait is our family. “Hannah, this baby was me,” one of my daughters says. Then, I hear Hannah reply, “This is what Mommy looked like before she was OLD.”

**crickets**

W-H-A-T?? Old? MEEE? When the hell did that happen, and why wasn’t I given the memo? I turned on my own children, cursing the day I ever bore them forth, waving my cooking spoon about the kitchen like the Devil’s own pitchfork. “You are not my daughter!” I cry, shocked that my own flesh and blood would stab me in the back so ruthlessly. She giggled with demonic glee, reveling in the fact she’d gotten under my skin, EVIL seven-year-old that she is.

I do not have children. I have DH’s spawn. That’s my story and I’m sticking too it. I refuse to believe I’m an old woman at 32.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, my youngest daughter asked me a few minutes later if that baby on the portrait picture was my **get this** granddaughter. How old do my kids think I am?!?!?
Granted, 32 *is* old to a 7, 6, 5, & 3 year old. Might as well be Methuselah. But holy moly, people. I was ready to bust out my cane and start whacking people over the head with it.

I am NOT old, dammit. >:(

~~Becka

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for my husband.

Thankful for the four beautiful children he gave me.

Thankful for this house and the cars we drive.

Thankful for my cats, my dog and my lizard.

I am thankful for my friends, both in real life and online.

I’m thankful I’m able to do exactly what I love–writing books.

I’m thankful for my fans who read my books and love them. I’m thankful for even being published in the first place. I’m thankful to be with the publishers I am with, By Grace, Champagne, & Samhain.

I’m thankful to be an American, to live in the country I live in, thankful for the men and women who defend our country and give me the liberties I enjoy. I’m thankful for this life God has given me, and all the blessings I have.

Happy Thanksgiving!

~~Becka

Did You Know?

So I’m surfing tonight and I come across some random useless trivia. Usually stuff like this doesn’t really shock me, but this kinda did. If you watch the same kinda TV I do, then you know who Clancy Brown is. He’s been in a lot of great movies and TV shows. He was in the short lived but brilliant TV show “Earth 2” in the early ’90’s when the Sci Fi Channel was in its infancy:

And he also played the evil, but remarkably well-dressed Brother Justin on one of the coolest TV shows ever, Carnivale on HBO **until the bastages at HBO cancelled the series** (seriously, DH wants that sweet-ass “trenchcoat priest garb”):

He’s one of those men that you can’t decide whether he’s hot–or not. I look at him sometimes and it’s like “Hey baby” and other times, I go “eew”. LOL Maybe it’s the hair. I think he looks hot in both of the pictures above, however, he wasn’t too enticing on LOST, I must say. He played the guy in the Swan hatch with Desmond. (mmm, Desmond **swoon**)

OK, I just gotta, folks. Random pic of Desmond. Let us all collectively drool together.

Now there’s a man who should never ever EVER cut his hair. They showed him on LOST in a flashback with “shorter” hair. Just wasn’t as yummilicious.

Okay, okay, so back to Clancy. So he’s on the show I watch, Avatar: The Last Airbender. He plays Long Feng of the Earth Nation, enemy to the Earth King. I was searching through Wikipedia on Avatar the TV show and found Clancy’s page. Did you know he plays the voice of Mr. Krabs on Spongebob??

Now this totally threw me for a loop, because although there are those out there in the world that absolutely HATE Spongeboob, as we affectionately call him in the Goings’ household, we love ol’ Squarepants here in the Pacific Northwest. Some people find the show annoying, but I think it’s hilarious. It’s got a lot of adult humor in it. Sometimes it’s raunchy, and that’s what I love about it. I even have Spongebob checks. Yes, I pay my bills on Spongebob checks. Conveniently, here’s one with Mr. Krabs on it:

Stone me if you will, but I am not ashamed. Hi, my name is Becka, and I love Spongebob. **eyeballs crowd**

Anyhow, it shocked me that Clancy was the voice of Mr. Krabs, because I would have NEVER put two and two together. His voice is so deep and gravelly, that thinking of him as Mr. Krabs who laughs like a pirate– “Ar ar ar!” –is kinda surreal.

So Mr. Brown, wherever you may be, we lubs ya here in P-town. Word.

~~Becka

The Office

Anyone who wants to know what my sense of humor is like should watch The Office, both the British version and the American version. This show started off as a British show on the BBC, which DH and I watched until the show was cancelled.

Ricky Gervais, pictured in the back, is a comic genius. Dear God, anything that man puts out has me running to the bathroom lest I pee my pants. And that is no different with the American version of the show. It’s in it’s third season, and The Office here in the States is only getting better. The acting is superb and doesn’t seem forced at all. It’s “uncomfortable” comedy that only gets better the more you know the characters. Dwight is definately one of my favorites (pictured below on the left) because he’s so extreme. And of course, how could you forget the pseudo-office-romance between Pam and Jim? *OR* the totally awesome practical jokes they play on Dwight? Stapler in the Jello anyone? LOL How about the “Gay-dar?” Wheee!

Seriously, folks, I’ve never laughed so damn hard at a TV series before. And anyone who knows me, knows that when I laugh, I laugh LOUD. LOL Ricky Gervais actually produces the American show, which is probably why it’s such a great show. Just thinking about it makes me chuckle. I was laughing hard last night because DH and I watched a bunch of them we’d recorded. I was even laughing long after we’d gone to bed. DH asks me, “What’s so funny?”

I reply, “Three hundred sixty-four days until the next Pretzel Day.”

Chortle-Snort-Giggle-Wheeze-Cackle

~~Becka

Great review from Coffee Time

I’m so excited over my review from Coffee Time, I just had to share it with ya’all. This is for my newest release, my historical western – Holding Out For A Hero.

The author has crafted one of the most delightful Western romances I have read in a very long time. The zinging banter between Summer and Jesse alone makes the book such a fun treat. Never once is Summer a wilting wallflower and Jesse is a delicious reluctant hero. With Ms. Campbell’s trademark snappy dialogue and the perfect amount of steam to heat up the pages, this story is an witty, wonderful read from start to finish. Charissa/Coffee Time Romance

What’s your 4400 Ability?

So DH and I are watching a really great show (we’re Netflixing it, actually) called The 4400. Ultimately, it will probably get cancelled as all good TV shows do, but for now, it’s still on the air. We’re in the middle of season 2 so far.

I’ve taken the “4400 test” from the website, and I’m a Big Hearted Healer (echo echo), just like Shawn Farrell from the show. Click on Shawn to check it out. (Isn’t he a hottie?? Whew, I knew there was a reason I LOVED this show… heheheh)

The basic premise of The 4400 is this: 4400 people are abducted in a bright flash of light over the span of 50 or so years. Then suddenly, they are ALL mysteriously return over the Pacific Northwest in a BIG white ball of light with strange abilities. Those who were taken in the 1940’s are having trouble adjusting to present day, because NONE of them remember what happened to them, and it seems as if no time at all has passed. Now these abilities range from healing (as stated above), destruction, psychic, genetic, super-intelligence, etc…

Over the course of the show, you find out more and more about who abducted them and why, but it’s a great little show and DH and I enjoy it a lot.

It apparently airs on the USA network (thank the TV gods it’s NOT on Fox, or it would be cancelled for sure… Thank goodness “House” is still on the air… **knocks on wood** >>see Browncoat post below for details on the hated Fox network. LOL<<)

Anyhow, take the 10 question 4400 test and post here in the comments what YOUR 4400 ability is. Should be fun. And try to catch the show if you can. It really is a great show, and I wouldn’t steer you wrong. I think.

~~Becka

Beth’s Winner!

Thank you to everyone that came by for my roast, er, interview yesterday! And a big thank you to my fellow WAT authors for the great questions.

Without further ado, the winner of a download of choice from the posters is… Cathy!!!

Cathy e-mail me at cowgirlbeth@yahoo.com with your choice of downloads from my backlist, along with your preferred format.

I had lots of fun being interviewed. Can’t wait to see who gets on the hot seat next!

Dude, I Got Sooo Wasted!

Yup, I went out last night and got drunker than a skunk. Me and my girlfriends had a ladies’ night. We went wine tasting, bought said wine, and then proceeded to drink it. In fact, I was so far gone, I had to be driven home by my friend who was the DD. I tried to drink some water last night so I wouldn’t have a hangover this morning, but I fell asleep too quickly. I’m still recovering. Gah.

But it was dang fun, lemme tell you. No kids + No DH = Good Times. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family, but I love to have some “me” time too. The kids were shocked I was going out without Daddy, that’s how often I go out by myself. LOL

Last time I got plastered was on my 30th birthday. That was a hoot. We went bar-hopping. I don’t drink to get drunk. Mostly I drink on special occasions and only get a little buzzed. Last night, I had to hold my friend’s arm going down the stairs.

I love that sign above. Awesome. Unfortunately, me and my friends didn’t steal any traffic cones. Dammit.

~~Becka

Thank you Beth!

It’s time to wrap things up, and I leave you with the last question from Phyllis Campbell. What is your favorite story of all time and why?

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If you weren’t able to join us live, be sure to read all the posts and comments. There are other questions buried in the comment sections. Feel free to add your own comments!

Thank you Beth for being our first official interviewee…

Beth, would you dare…

Denise Patrick asked if there’s a place you’d like to use as a setting, but you just aren’t sure an editor would go for it? Why?