Last week I was in Vegas for four days. I hadn’t been there in over thirty years, so you can imagine the changes since the time I visited it. Back then, it was nothing more than a desert town, with some nice hotels, built on the stories of mob money. When we arrived, I thought we had landed on a different planet, than the one I currently occupy. Vegas without a doubt, is a world unto itself.

We drove across the desert so I could take pictures. I had been in the Mojave and Death Valley as a small child, but I don’t have any memory of it. So seeing it through the eyes of an adult and photographer was amazing. It really is beautiful, in a desolate and sad way. Poppy described it as, solemn and humbling.

The way the landscaped changed from sage brush to the Joshua trees or Yucca plant as they are often called, was rapid. Dotted here and there were the abandoned buildings, where a cafe once stood, or a house out in the middle of nowhere. It made me wonder who once lived there, and if they found happiness in such a empty place. Next year I want to go across when the cactus bloom. The flowers are supposed to be amazing.

But back to Vegas, if you haven’t been there, it’s an experience just going in and out of the casinos. The architecture was stunning. But then I’m a country girl and anything taller then a few stories hold me in awe. The interior lobbies were breath taking. The casinos were, well, casinos.

We walked up and down the strip, going in and out of casinos and hotels; just to see what each one looked like. During the day the streets were slow, because of the 112 degree heat. But at night the streets came alive with all types of characters from all walks of life. There were Mexicans trying to hand off cards for escort services. Most of those cards were discarded, and littered the side walks with pictures of the young women, impossibly well endowed.

Then there were the bachelorette parties. Young women brazenly walking up and down the strip, with “Stripper 101″ loudly and proudly printed on their shirts, as they carried long tall glasses of something that I’m sure inebriated them senseless. They often wore absurdly high stilettos, that if they stepped on a crack they’d certainly break a leg. I wondered if their fiancee knew what they were up to. But it’s that old saying again, ”What happens in Vegas.”   

Poppy is a thirty year veteran of law enforcement, and could pick out a hooker of both high and low class at a glance. That was fun.

All of this and so much more as we wondered down the street at night, just to see what we could see.

We had our anniversary dinner in the Eiffel Tower restaurant during a thunderstorm. I didn’t bring my camera. With every flash I regretted a missed opportunity for a picture. The food was good, and it was romantic, but damn I wanted those pictures.

From there we went across the street to see the fountains of the Bellagio Hotel, holding hands, listening to the music as the fountains kept time, as if they were water fairies in a dance. The crowd became uncommonly quiet as the water danced across the pond rhythmically.  

We went on to the MGM Grand to see Cirque Du Soleil, which was amazing. We had front row seats. The story was an incredibly skillful romance, with breathless athleticism. I envied the actors abilities.  If I could get over my fear of heights that is what I’d want to be when I grow up.

Around every corner, in every restaurant and bar, there was a story. It seems in Vegas, everyone is from somewhere else, and had found themselves there following some dream not yet realized. Vegas is pure entertainment, and a sad idealistic place, where dreams I’m sure come true for some, where others are forced to make a living far from those original aspirations.

Question of the Day:  Where is your favorite vacation destination? Or where are you going this summer?

When life sucks, our natural tendency is to want to go off and hide somewhere.  Sleep.  Eat comfort food.  Isolate.

Unfortunately, life sucks a lot.  For me and hopefully for you, it’s compensated by far more happy times – good friends, loving family, exhilarating victories, etc.

As a writer—in particular one striving to publish—days can seem like a veritable roller coaster.  Recently, I just got the news that my current ms, part of a series, had full editorial support at one house (the editor I would have worked with LOVED it) but was shot down by marketing because the department felt it had too many debut authors to break out in the next year.  As the editor told me, it was a case of right book/series but wrong time.

I can’t tell you how good it felt to hear “compelling voice, phenomenal world-building, tremendously sexy and emotional romance and well-drawn characters” instead of the usual, “good but eh.”  And I can’t tell you how horrible it felt not to make it all the way to a sale or to miss the opportunity (at least for now) to work with an editor who is super smart and who “got me” and my characters.

Sleep.  Eat comfort food.  Isolate?

You bet.

I did all that. 

And then I got right back up and started on my new ms.

I also decided to put together a marketing plan that I hope my agent will submit along with all future manuscripts.  A marketing plan is crucial in this economy, I believe, because it will tell publishers everything I am willing to do to sell books.  It’ll show them what I can do to make their jobs easier, and indicates that I am savvy about what publishing and marketing a book entails.

Also, stayed tuned Chasing Heroes Members because for the July cheat sheet, we’re going to give you an outline of what a marketing plan should include!  If you’re not a member already, all you need to do is send an email to angels@chasingheroes.com with the word “join” in the subject line!

QUESTION OF THE DAY:  How do you deal with life giving you lemons?

I got a little crazy the other night.  My husband was away [for a few days] and I tend to do projects and stay up late when he’s on a trip.  This time, I roped my son [6] and daughter [8] into my fun.  

We dyed our hair.  

Red.

Blue.

Purple.

It’s a temporary color [though I’m blonde, so it took REALLY well and may take more than the 18 washes touted in the instructions to go away].  My son has blue spikes.  He LOVES it.  My daughter has the rainbow, including a touch of green.  

And me, let’s just say I’m feeling sassy.  

How I feel with my new fun colorful head of hair got me to thinking about heroines and how they look, and more than that, about how they look feeds into how they feel about themselves and how they behave.

My mom HATES my colorful hair, but I kind of like it.  Because it makes me feel a little different than I normally do.  It makes me feel a little younger.  A little zanier.  A little more daring and wild.  And all those feelings give me a little emotional charge.  

Why’d I do it?  Because it’s summer!  It’s fun!  It’s liberating!!!

Will I keep it?  Probably not.  I might tame it down to one fun red streak or something [husband hasn’t seen my colors yet, and he might think I’m crazy].  But every now and then it’s good to remind yourself that it’s okay to be different.  It’s okay to have fun.  It’s okay to behave outside the box and try something zany and new. 

And we should have our characters do it, too.  Give your heroine rainbow hair.  Or have her do something fun and daring just to see how she handles it, and more than that, to see how those around her respond.  

Question of the Day;

What’s something crazy you could have one of your heroines do to test her boundaries?

The Proposal

High-powered book editor Margaret (Sandra Bullock) gets down on both knees in this romantic comedy, and proposes to her executive assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds). They’re not in love. Oh, no. She’s a Canadian who’s about to be deported and her job replacement will fire Andrew the second Margaret’s gone. Thus, the wedding bells.

Despite bad and so-so reviews, I really enjoyed this movie. I love Sandra Bullock and she’s hilarious as Margaret Tate. Especially when she has to butter-up her super shy author and talk him into going on Oprah Winfrey to promote his book. ROFLOL.

The chemistry between Sandra and Ryan wasn’t super hot or anything, but it was cute enough to provide two hours of fun entertainment. I probably wouldn’t buy the DVD, but I’d totally go see this movie again.

Question of the day: How much power do movie critics have? Will you go see a movie that has bad or so-so reviews?