If you need to reach me for any reason or you feel a need to comment on a closed post, feel free to email me. It’s full of spam, too, but I got to have a contact email and creating a new one won’t solve the problem since it’s publicly posted and they’ll just add the new one to their list as well. I really wish these people would find something more constructive and less inconvenient to do with their time.

• I am a chronic hair twirler. Most of the time, I don’t even realize I’m doing it until someone points it out. I’ve done it since I was a baby, when I twirled my mom’s hair around my finger. Now, it’s primarily my own hair I twirl around my finger mostly because hubby’s is too short and he doesn’t really like me messing with it. :p
• I watch SciFi movies and shows and I write erotic SciFi romance, but I’m not much for reading SciFi. There have been a few SciFi romance books I’ve read and liked, but for the most part, I tend to shy away from them for some reason.
• My dad is responsible for my love of SciFi movies and shows.
• I have more health issues than I have fingers.
• I can go all day without the TV on, without realizing it.
• Music has a way of making me feel better.
• The louder the music, generally the better (unless there’s a migraine involved).
• I’m a level 85 Human Deathknight in World of WarCraft (WoW), though I have other toons as well. (Currently working on a Goblin Deathknight )
• I primarily play an MMORPG (multiplayer) by myself. It’s rare for me to group up with other players.
• Deathknights, Mages, and Hunters are my top three favorite classes in WoW.
• Warlocks and Shamans are my least favorite characters in WoW.
• When my health is acting up, I tend to play games because they’re the only thing that I can focus on enough to shut out (mostly) how bad I feel at the time.
• Fantasy games are my favorite. The hack’n'slash type where you can change your gear, modify your character’s stats to suit your tastes.
• I was in a car wreck in March of ’94. Concussion. Was told it “changed” me, yet no one can tell me how it changed me. Highly aggravating.
• I have a pretty little scar on my left temple from the wreck and still, on occasion, remove glass from it. I busted out the driver’s side window with my head.
• I cannot play first person games of any type because of an injury to the left optic nerve during the wreck I was in.
• I have more than a dozen cichlids in my 55 gallon tank, and I raised every one of them from the time they hatched as tiny little things. They are the offspring of 2 pink and 2 black “convict” cichlids. Sadly, I no longer have any of the originals. The last one meeting her demise at the end of Oz’s (my cat’s) claws after he decided it would be fun to go fishing. : (
• We’re having to put locks on the aquarium lids to keep Oz out, because he’s figured out how to open them.
• I learned to crochet when I was 4 from my grandmother.
• I have numerous pairs of crocheted fingerless gloves, because I keep losing half the set.
• Met my husband online.
• Married my husband in a funeral home.
• I have a thing for names starting with the letters “C” and “D”, though only one of my kids has a name (middle) that starts with one of them.
• My oldest son’s middle name came from the romance novel I was reading the day he was born.
• My ex-husband only agreed to name our son Lucas so he could say, “Luke, I am your father.” And I so wish I was joking on this one.
• I am frequently told my sense of humor is somewhat lacking.
• I’m the oldest of 3.
• I am currently aunt to 1 super beautiful niece and 2 very gorgeous nephews.
• I know I should, but I rarely reread posts before posting them.
• And I bet you didn’t know this, but I’m a chronic rambler. LOL

Today, my youngest daughter, Jamie, turns 14 and my very good friend, Joseph turns a number I won’t disclose. :p

Hope you all had a wonderful birthday with many, many more to come.

Love you all,
Heather

• The movie Priest. It has moved up the list of faves to cohabitate the #1 spot currently  held by Hellboy (the first one). Can’t explain why I like it so much, but I do.
• Anything Sci-Fi, which could explain why I like to write the stuff. I love the possibilities presented in a sci-fi world. (Though I intensely DISlike the SyFy channel. First off, how dumb is it to spell it with y’s? Secondly, since when is wrestling sci-fi? And thirdly, most of what they show is B-rate crap, IMO, though I do enjoy Alphas, which is a SyFy show, so go figure on that one.)
• Diana Palmer books. Can’t explain this one, either, but she was the author of the very first romance novel I ever read, Magnolia. I’ve been hooked ever since. Her books are my most frequent rereads.
• The Dark Hunters by Sherrilyn Kenyon, but only certain ones. Retribution was awesome, IMO. Cowboy + vampire? What’s not to love. I also enjoy Kyrian, Talon, Zarek, Valerius, Wulf, Wren, Vane, Fang, Dev, Sin and of course, Ash and reread them often as well. Some of the others, didn’t really care for all that much.
• The Legend of Zelda video game series. LOVE IT! This game series is at the top of my favorites list and will most likely stay there for eternity. The newest addition to the series comes out 3 days before my birthday this year, and I cannot wait! So when I disappear for an unknown amount of time come the end of November, you now known why.
• Gizmos and Gadgets. If it’s techy, I’m interested. I’m currently looking into a new phone and a tablet device. Have yet to make up my mind, though.
• My Kindle. LOVE IT! Best reader I’ve had yet, and Amazon Customer Service totally rocks! I take my baby everywhere I go.
• World of WarCraft. It’s a game I cannot beat, even after more than 4 years of playing. Considering I beat most games (Zelda excluded) within a couple hours, it’s a nice change of pace, and there’s always something to do in game to keep me busy. I know it’s an MMORPG game, but I mostly play solo. There’s lots to do that I can do by myself without the drama of strangers added in. It works for me, and that’s all that matters.
• Vampires and Cowboys, as if you couldn’t guess that one from the DH entry on this list. And when the two are combined, it’s even better. There’s just something about a man in a cowboy hat and duster with a gun strapped to his hip. Love it.
• Pepperoni and bell pepper pizza from Pizza Hut. Even if I do pull the peppers off, I love the flavor they add to the pizza. And Pizza Hut because they’re the only place I can handle the pepperoni from, since most places are too spicy for me.
• XXX Vitamin Water. It’s so good. I could drink the stuff all day long if my husband could afford to keep me in it.
• Criminal Minds. My favorite TV show (currently) hands down. Though I also really enjoy NCIS, Alphas, Grey’s Anatomy, Castle, 48 Hours, Hawaii Five O, Sister Wives, and I’m trying out this seasons new offerings. So far, 2 Broke Girls is high up on my list as well, but that could be because Kat Dennings stars in it and I really like her.
• Comedians Jeff Dunham (Peanut and Walter rock!) and Gabriel Iglesias. Both men are just too funny for words.
• Pumpkin Spice candles. Can’t stand pumpkin, but love the candle scent.
• Chance perfume. My absolute favorite, though I have Giorgio Red as well as Vanderbilt.
• Yellow Roses and Daffodils have to be my favorite flowers along with Buttercups. First two, luckily, don’t seem to bother my allergies. Sadly, the buttercups do.
• Bags, bags, and more bags. I don’t care what size, what color, what brand, or what type. Backpack, tote, purse, messenger, shopping, book–doesn’t matter. If it’s a bag, I love it. Add in one of my other faves, like with my gold Zelda purse that looks like an original Nintendo game cartridge, and I’m even happier.
• Socks. I live in socks. I only take my socks off for a shower. Cannot go without my socks. I like the thick, fuzzy slipper socks the best.
• Crafts. I love to crochet, I attempt to knit, I do plastic canvas, and I’ve conquered the sewing machine (a recent achievement, I assure you.) I like to create things, regardless of the medium.
• My favorite of my heroines I’ve created is Alexis, from the Mystik Guardians series. She’s a kick ass vampire, and though she has her flaws, she knows what she wants and goes after it, no matter what anyone else has to say about it.
• My favorite of my heroes I’ve created is Cortland Masters from Crimes of Passion, the first book I ever wrote. He’s a cowboy, need I say more? I do? Ok, he’s just wonderful. He knows he loves the heroine and goes after her, determined to win her over no matter how long it takes.
• This BMW concept car, because it looks scifi-ish and I LOVE sci-fi. I could so see myself enjoying a car like this, however, it’ll never happen. Even if it did make it to production, I would never be able to afford its price tag. *sigh*

I suppose that’s a long enough list… for now. Until later,

• Chain emails/texts/posts on social networks.

1. If I wanted my PRIVATE email address spread all over the internet, I would have it posted for all to see. This is what the BCC feature in your email is for, to protect the privacy of those in your address book. Please use it.
2. If I didn’t have an unlimited text package on my phone, FWDed texts would seriously piss me off for eating up my data package allotment.Either way, they still annoy the hell out of me.
3. Most of that crap is fake. A hoax. SPAM! If peeps would take two seconds to type that stuff into a place like Google before hitting the FWD button, they’d know this and stop the insanity before it further spreads. And some big company is not going to pay you for every email you forward out to your friends. It’s just not going to happen, no matter how badly you might wish it was so.
4. Those emails that have the warnings posted at the bottom. You know, the ones that insist you send this to X number of your friends or something bad will befall you or you’ll have good luck if you do forward it on. I call bullshit. I never forward that junk on, and if you really expected me to, you really don’t know me very well, do you?

• My husband saying “tooken” instead of “taken.” I cannot stand it and want to scream every time it comes out of his mouth, which is why he makes certain to say it as often as he can.
• My son thinking I can’t open a door or turn on a light by myself. Yes, I have limitations, but they don’t extend to those two things (unless I have my hands full, but that’s an exception and not the rule :p )
• Elderly people glaring at me for using a disabled parking space. I have a placard. I’m allowed to use the space. You don’t have dibs on it just because you’re older and I’m younger, so please go glare at someone else for a change. I am under no obligation to let you have it just because you don’t think I deserve to use the spot. Honestly, I’ve gotten to where I just glare back, daring them to open their traps and say something. No one has… Yet.
• Careless drivers who don’t watch where they are going, and I’m not necessarily talking about while driving a car (though some car drivers around here could use a lesson in paying attention–at least 2 people have been run over IN A STORE PARKING LOT). I was nearly mowed down by some woman with a shopping cart in the store yesterday because she wasn’t paying any attention to anything around her as she zipped through the aisles. Seeing as how I’m already injured from last week’s fall and have other health issues, being hit (especially with how hard and fast she was pushing that thing) wouldn’t have been fun.
• Stores dragging their feet about restocking the shelves. I could do a whole post ranting about this alone, so I’ll leave it at that. ;p
• People chewing sugar-free gum around me when they KNOW I’m deathly allergic to it. Can’t claim they forgot or didn’t know, either, because I remind them when they pull it out. Does it stop them? Oh no. In fact, it doesn’t even slow ‘em down. So gee, thanks for the concern.
• Being left out. I’m nosy by nature. I can’t help myself, so I can’t stand it when something’s going on and no one wants to fill me in. Or I’m the last to know because everyone thought someone else had let me know. Again, thanks for the thought. :p
• People who think just because they are online, hidden behind an avatar, they can be the biggest jackasses and jerks in the world. If it’s not okay to do in person, trust me, it’s not okay to do it in a virtual world either. Yes, you have a right to play the game you’re paying for, but so do I. Harassment is not okay, whether it be in the real world or a made up one. So get over your jerky little self and go find another hobby.
• People who text and drive. To me, that’s just pure stupidity on their part, and especially for some people, talking on the phone while driving isn’t all that smart either.
• People who text/talk on their cellphone during a movie. I didn’t pay an outrageous amount that we couldn’t really afford to listen to you yap at someone not even there, or distract with that annoyingly bright little screen on your phone. I can’t really complain about people who talk to their viewing companion, because well, sometimes the need to make a comment on what you’re watching becomes too great and you’ve just got to say something. But hey, at least when I do it, I tug hubby’s head really close and whisper it in his ear so only he hears me.
• Someone who takes an author’s FREE read from his/her website, puts it into a “collection” and attempts to sell it. If I, the creator of the story, am not trying to make money on it, what makes you (hypothetical you there) think you should make money off it? Not that attempting to sell works the authors have for sell is any better, but that’s also another rant.
• When hubby sees me typing and decides he has to tell me something right that moment. I’m usually mid-thought and don’t hear a thing he says and then he gets cranky. Yo, your bad timing, dude. Not mine. You could at least let me reach the end of my thought before yammering on at me. Yes, we get into this little argument quite frequently, but he loves me anyway. Same goes for the kiddo. I swear, he is a miniature version of his dad in many, many ways. I’ve got it in stereo; it seems.
• My dad on the phone. I’m sorry to say it, but it’s true. Why? He calls me. Starts talking (hardly get a word in edgewise) then starts insisting that I need to hurry up and tell him what I needed to tell him because he really needs to go for whatever reason. Um, you called me, not the other way around. Oops. Funny at times, but really annoying at others.

Failed trip to the ER (long story that still pisses me off royally [I left before ever seeing the doc]) and a visit to the clinic later (wonderful doc!), I find out it’s not broken (YAY!), but it still hurts like the devil. I’ve been under strict orders to stay off it as much as possible for a while and give it time to heal. Not the easiest of orders to follow when you’re home alone most of the day, but I think I’ve managed pretty good. However, pain meds have messed up my regular med schedule, which is never good.

Today, started out pretty good. Woke up feeling rested and with the muse whispering about the Monster WIP in my ear. Thought today would be the day I finally got back on track. Boy, was I ever wrong.

When I got back from the bus stop, I dropped my Kindle as soon as I got out of the car and it went bouncing across the driveway. Fortunately, my M-Edge Executive cover protected Ms. Kindle quite well. Not a scratch on the case or the Kindle. I decided to forgo my pain meds this morning since my foot is better (still hurts but not unbearably so), and attempt to get back on track with my fibro meds. Sadly, the fibro meds kicked in before the anti-sick meds did and I feel like total crap at the moment. Then, my laptop went flying off the side of the bed, and to top it off, it’s starting to rain. *sigh* I can’t seem to win for losing today.

So, the day I’d planned to spend working on the Monster WIP is now being spent curled into a ball, focusing on not being sick, and watching TV as I tried to forget how crappy I feel.

I know, I’ve been quiet again lately. I’ve been trying to pull myself back together and get back into the swing of things (again!). This year hasn’t been the greatest, though I guess in many ways it could be much, much worse. We’ve had to deal with multiple loses in the family just within the last few months, which leads to a level of chaos all its own. School started back, so we also had a new schedule to get used to, which I think we’ve finally managed to do, so that’s a plus. Throw in a severe allergy attack (not quite enough for the ER, but damned close) and just the effects of all the stress, and yeah, the last few weeks alone have been rough. But there is a silver lining, I guess you could call it.

The muse is finally back, however, she’s being very uncooperative. She wants to ignore the Monster SciFi WIP and dive into something paranormal. In fact, she’s so insistent, that she’s tossed maybe a half dozen new ideas at me over the last two weeks. I’ve been writing down notes, and maybe a short scene or two, in hopes of placating her enough to get her back on task, but so far it ain’t workin’. She’s a stubborn one, this muse o’ mine.

Got a bit of a surprise on Facebook last night. Since I opened the page over there, I’ve gotten numerous messages that go something like: I’m looking for a girl I went to school with named Heather Holland, are you her? No, I’m not her. #1, my name has never legally been Holland. It’s just a pseudonym because when I sold my first book I blanked on a name to use, and my Mom claimed my last name changed too frequently to use the one I had at the time (we won’t go into how it changed again, just a few short months after that first contract, thus proving her right) and Holland was the first name that popped out of Mom’s mouth. #2, I have never lived in any state other than Arkansas. In fact, I’ve barely ever even been out of the state, so there you go. #3, You can tell some people look at the name and start typing messages without reading any of the available information over there, or they’d know these things before sending me messages because it’s the first thing I put in that little info box. :p

Anyway, there’s a point to all of that. Last night’s surprise was someone looking for, of all things, ME. As in me, me. Not the author me, but the person behind the author me. And if that wasn’t enough of a shocker, it was someone I knew more years ago than I care to count and someone I’ve never forgotten. To say I was shocked, floored, in a state of disbelief would all be the understatements of the century. And of course, my husband was sitting beside me when I let out an excited little yelp and looked at me as if I’d grown a second head, but after I explained it to him, he was pretty cool with it. He’s just awesome like that. See why I call him my real life hero?

Now, back to the things I’ve been dealing with lately. Besides family issues, health issues, and new schedules, I’ve also had to deal with hubby tinkering with things he shouldn’t (though in his defense he was trying to help) and losing parts of the Monster WIP. Granted, it worked out for the better (not that I’d ever admit that to him), but it still doesn’t take away the mind numbing, heart aching sting of losing an untold number of pages due to someone else’s mistake. I’ve lost count of how many pages (sometimes entire chapters) that man has lost since we got together. I have finally given him a warning. If he ever touches my writing computer again, I’ll do physical harm to him. It’s just to write on. PERIOD. No games (besides what came standard on it), no internet (I turned the wifi off), bare necessities installed (MS Office is the only thing I installed) and in fact, I uninstalled several things that I thought useless. I think I have less than a dozen programs installed on it, can’t say the same for the one I’m currently working on. :p So long as Office works, I see no need for updates, which is what he was trying to do when he FUBARed it and had to reinstall the OS. He did save part of my files, but not all because he didn’t copy them all before doing the wipe. I keep my files organized in folders, unless it’s a current WIP then I save it on the desk top, which are the files he missed–all the current ones.

But despite all that, I admitted something to him the other day. He already knows he makes me believe the thing I write about, but he never realized that each time I read a romance novel, it makes me realize just how good I’ve got it. I have the hero in that book, without the meanness that some heroes exhibit in some books, without the super dangerous jobs they often have, and without the Alpha quality that makes me want to slug most romance novel heroes in the nose. Yes, I abhor being told what to do and when to do it, but that’s another story I’d rather not go into. lol

So anyway, I guess what I’m saying is the man inspires me, in more ways than one. He encourages me, like no one else ever could. He helps me in ways I never thought possible. How so? Like now, he’s helping me to outline a couple of series ideas I’m currently toying with as I attempt to get Madame Muse back on task. He’s my sounding board, my idea man, my go-to guy when I need to know if something would work out the way I’m picturing it, which sometimes leads to a mountain of laughs. Maybe I need to sit down with him soon and talk out the Monster WIP. With luck that will get Madame Muse back on track… I hope.