If Only the Internet Came in Scratch 'N Sniff

Already tired of fighting the crowds and traffic after the long weekend, but still have gift shopping to do for friends who are Perpetual Kids? Uh-huh. Thought so.

Check this out: Ever hear of a cologne that smells like Play-Doh? How about Dirt? A Cosmopolitan? Or Birthday Cake? How much fun are those scents?!

Or for the carnivore in your life...There's the Bacon Wallet. Yep. The website says it all: "Elvis would want you to have this."

And you don't have to fight for a parking space. Can't beat that.

So, do you have a favorite scent from childhood?

Michele

In the Immortal Words of Monty Python...

And now for something completely different!

Since The Writer's Vibe is dedicated to...well...writing, I've decided to dedicate this blog to randomness and fun stuff. And boy, have I found some random stuff out on the Internet! LOL

Wanna know if you're pregnant? I've found a website that offers an ONLINE PREGNANCY TEST. Yes, that's right, folks. It'll tell you through your computer whether to expect a bundle of joy. ;-)

And guess what? It'll tell you the sex of the baby and who the father is as well! But what if you don't like which father it picks? Well, just tell it to pick another one! LOL

I'd like to announce that I'm expecting a baby girl and the father is Janet Reno. And even better...My husband is expecting a baby boy and the father is the Mailman. Isn't that sweet?

Don't forget the birth certificate...

Click the link to get your

Free Online Pregnancy Test

Have fun!

Michele

The Writer's Vibe

Looking for me? :-)

Catch me over at The Writer's Vibe where you'll find posts on craft and the business of writing, interviews with writers and publishing professionals, new book releases and signings, and information about writing events. That's right! We're shaking things up, so hop on over and join us!

Michele

Cerritos Library Event

Thought I'd pass along this bit of news, as it sounds like a blast!

Enjoy an afternoon tea with 6 fabulous writers! If you’re in the Southern California area, check out this event at the Cerritos Library.

Sunday, September 17 from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Love is in the Air - An Afternoon Tea in the Skyline Room

The Friends of the Cerritos Library will host an afternoon tea with five local Romance writers. The participating authors are Maureen Child, Barbara McCauley, Sandra Paul, Charlene Sands and Patricia Thayer. Local resident and author Louzana Kaku will moderate the panel discussion. Books will be available for purchase. Cost per person is $20. Register before Friday, September 8, as seating is limited. Please contact Janice at (562) 924-2474 or Chitose at (562) 926-3565 for more information.

Holy Scooter Gangs, Batman!

Scooter gangs rule the streets in Italy. They seemed to travel in packs and appeared fearless when nearing any car. It was like a game: cars vs. scooters. And they’d get bonus points when a pedestrian screamed and jumped back onto the sidewalk.

Yes, I added to the bonus points total over and over again. Every time I stepped out onto the street I had to keep my eyes peeled for scooter gangs. I swear, they’d materialize out of nowhere. I’d start to cross when there wasn’t any traffic, but then PRESTO, there they were…aiming for me. Does that sound paranoid? I tend to think that way. A lot.

But what struck me most was that we never knew if it was going to be a student with tattoos, a scooter chick dressed in Italian chic, or a business man in what my family and I liked to call a “scooter suit” (seen in photo above). But we learned to look out for one another, so when someone shouted, “Watch out--Scooter suit!” or “Careful--Scooter chick!” we knew exactly who was aiming for us. And that, my friends, is how we survived the mean streets of Firenze and Roma.

We also turned the noun “scooter” into a verb while driving the roads. We had walkie-talkies in each car as we caravanned from town to town and more than once someone in one of the cars would declare into their handset, “We’ve been SCOOTERED!” This meant that a scooter gang had darted out in front of the car and separated it from the other two cars in our party. I’m not sure why they felt the need to do this…Perhaps to weaken us. But it never worked, as we managed to reunite and become more seasoned, aggressive drivers, like the Italians.

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right? Hmm. That can also be applied to the life of a writer…

Take care,

Michele

Harry Potter's Hedwig Has Nothing on Duke

For three nights, we stayed in the famous Dalhousie Castle, outside Edinburgh (pictured below). Built in the 13th Century, Edward I stayed there just before he defeated William Wallace, Oliver Cromwell laid siege to the castle and the nearby Rosslyn Chapel (ring any bells, Da Vinci Code fans?), Queen Victoria had tea there with one of the Ramseys of Dalhousie, and yes, it is haunted as well. What more could you ask for in a castle?

Well, how about a falconry? Okay! My family and I had the fabulous opportunity to meet and help feed a falcon and owl--up close and personal. We couldn't pass up the chance to do this at a non-Disney built castle, as the United States is sorely lacking in medievalness.

The owl in the picture above is Duke, who would swoop down to snatch his meat, and then he'd hang out on my arm until my muscles burned from holding up his weight. Man, he was heavy! Originally, I wanted to fly the itty-bitty screech owl in the picture below. He was so cute...I could've put him in my pocket and walked around! But as you can tell by my windblown hair above, it was a blustery day and it would’ve been torture for the tiny owl to have to fly just then. However, I fell in love with the majesty and strength of Duke, who could probably carry a Nimbus 2001 wizard's broom without faltering.

An hour and a half didn’t seem like nearly enough time to spend with the fascinating birds—we could’ve stayed for hours and hours, but we did have other places to go that day, including Rosslyn Chapel (only a few minutes from Dalhousie Castle).

Okay, I have to tell you that visiting the chapel was quite surreal. In 1996, the chapel had a total of 6000 visitors that year, but this year, they expect to reach 150,000. And the residents of the town are still a bit stunned by the amount of buses and tourists that ramble down the streets of their once sleepy hollow. Once inside the chapel, I felt as if I had entered Disneyland. People everywhere. But the chapel personnel are charging visitors to enter, so they've been raising the money needed to restore the building, inside and out. And they thank Tom Hanks for that.

Oh, and we were told by the gentleman working registration at the castle that a few months ago the chapel's vicar (or priest?) became fed up with the crowds, as he could no longer hold prayer and services there. So he packed up and left. A definite downside to the fame.

So what about you? Have you ever visited a place that has changed because of a work of fiction? Or even just looked at a place in a different way because of something you've read in a work of fiction?

Michele

Visiting Story Settings

In a post a few months ago, several of us discussed places that resonated deeply with us. You know, the kind of place that feels as if you'd been there before? This is what I felt in certain areas of London, especially Hyde Park and Chelsea. In the top photo, I'm on Rotten Row. You have no idea how excited I was to finally see that infamous road! My family thought the heat had stewed my brain because I wanted my husband to take my picture on it. My husband kept asking, "You really want a photo of this dirt road?" But it wasn't just ANY dirt road--it was Rotten Row! As you can see, he's not quite the history buff that I am. That's all right...I've forgiven him. ;-)

In the story that I'm currently writing, Rotten Row makes an appearance, so it was pretty cool to be standing in the same place where I'd set my characters.

And in the bottom photo, I'm standing on Cheyne Walk in Chelsea, next to the Thames. Several of my characters live there in books one and two of my series, and while walking along that particular street, I realized it looked EXACTLY as I had imagined it! Exactly. Even down to the where the trees were planted. I felt as if I had strolled down Cheyne Walk more times than I can count, yet it was the first time I'd ever been there.

So what about you? Have you ever visited a place that you'd used as a setting? Did you get the details right? Or terribly wrong?

Tell me, tell me!

Happy Writing,

Michele

P.S. Did any of my friends notice that I am NOT wearing black in those photos? Just checking... :-)

Views of Wildlife in Hyde Park (scroll down for pix)

Thought I'd show you some of the wildlife we found while wandering Hyde Park one evening. We set out on our walk with the intention of researching the park for my current story and this is what we discovered...Yes, I am a brave, brave soul and will go to great lengths to get the details just right for my art. ;-)

One is of a squirrel eating an ice cream on a stick. Yep, even the British animals know how to eat without dirtying their hands. I bet they eat their pizza with a knife and fork, too. It's just plain wrong that they should have better table manners than most Americans. Sheesh.

Another is of a swan gliding along the Serpentine, which was one of what seemed like a hundred or so swans and their signets. Absolutely peaceful--well, except for the geese that kept honking and begging us for food.

Then there's one of a DOGGY! Ahem, I mean an adorable Terrier prancing along a path near Kensington Palace. There didn't seem to be a leash law in the park because a multitude of dogs enjoyed racing through the tall grass as they chased one another, the water fowl, and the squirrels.

And the last is of a wild and free-spirited couple enjoying each other's company in the unkempt grass near the Italian Fountains. Relax, the man was wearing a pair of shorts...I think. Maybe not. Oh, well, they seemed to fit in with the other animals.

Happy writing,

Michele

Beauty in a Scary World

In light of the news this morning, I thought I'd post two photos of beauty. (And thank God that my family left the U.K and Italy a few weeks ago, rather than this week.)

The sunflower field grew just down the hill from the villa where we stayed. Every few kilometers or so, we came upon such a breathtaking view of happiness.

As hot and humid as Tuscany was, we didn't complain because we knew we'd be treated to an amazing sunset, a gift. Although, we did joke that according to the weather reports, it was hotter in Florence than in Tel Aviv and Cairo. That's pretty darn hot for a beach girl from Southern California! But just look at the colors that blanketed the hills and valleys every night.

Is there a particular setting, book, memory, ect. that brings you a bit of happiness when things get a bit scary or rough?

Take Care,

Michele Cwiertny

A New Photos Page

I finally have a Photos page set up on my website. Yay!

Most of the pictures are from the RWA conference in Atlanta and there are a few of my friends and writing buddies as well. You can check them out by clicking the link in the sidebar or by typing in www.michelecwiertny.com.

As a preview, I've posted the photo of me with bestselling author Christina Dodd, whose writing hooked me once I read her historical romance THE RUNAWAY PRINCESS several years ago. She's absolutely gracious and charming, and she didn't even bolt when she saw me eagerly heading in her direction with my camera in hand. Thanks, Christina! :-)

Oh, and by the way, Christina's keynote speech in Atlanta ROCKED!

So tell me...Who among your favorite authors, heros, mentors, movie stars, or anyone have you always wanted to meet and take a picture with? Have you had the opportunity to do so?

Can't wait to hear your stories...

Michele