Daily Dish

American Idle is live!!!

2011-06-20T00:21:00.000-04:00

You can buy it for you Kindle HERE and for your other e-reader HERE ! And soon for your Nook, as soon as the B&N customer service folks get back to me. Whee!!

This was my first novel and I have a special place in my heart for it. When I sold this book (at auction! publishers fighting over it!), my dream of becoming a published novelist came true. I hope you laugh as hard reading it as I did writing it.

Yay! I'm back!!

2011-06-09T10:35:00.002-04:00

Ah, the wonder of the Internet!! I'm delighted to announce that I will be republishing my comedies and tween books and even writing more!! First, I needed new covers and thanks to writer and cover artist Kimberly Van Meter, I have gorgeous new covers to show off!! Next, I will be doing some electronic file conversion and making the books available for Kindle, Nook, and other e-readers.

So, drum roll, please! Unveiling new cover art:

Stay tuned for deets!!

hugs,
Alesia

ALESIA HOLLIDAY'S NEW HOME!

2008-11-24T19:41:00.004-05:00

Hi all! It was costing me a fortune to park a bloated website filled with not-so-recent books in cyberspace, so until the release schedule for Alesia Holliday comedies is back in the pipeline, you'll be able to find me here.

CONTACT INFO:

Email: alesiaholliday@gmail.com
Mailing address: PO Box 600024, Jacksonville, FL 32260

RIGHTS INFORMATION:

Lori Antonson
Foreign Rights Director
The Axelrod Agency
55 Main Street, PO Box 357
Chatham, NY 12037 USA
(518) 392-2100 - phone
(518) 392-2944 - fax
lori@axelrodagency.com

And please be sure to check out my new personality at AlyssaDay.com. Thanks!

*****************************************************************

Blog hiatus

2007-03-19T09:23:00.000-04:00

I'm suddenly on a moved-up deadline and will be going no-post on this blog. You can catch up to me at my Warriors of Poseidon blog or over at Literary chicks. happy March and April!
Alesia

National Bestseller!!!

2007-03-07T15:01:00.000-05:00

Wow! I just heard that ATLANTIS RISING hit the Bookscan bestseller list for the week ending March 4th, before it was even officially released!! Woohoo!! Thank you to every single person who bought a copy!
Alyssa, happy dancing!

It's RELEASE DAY!!!

2007-03-06T17:57:00.000-05:00

ATLANTIS RISING is the featured March romance novel for the Borders/Waldenbooks group!! They say:

For her first paranormal romance—and the first in a series—Alyssa Day (aka Alesia Holliday) plumbs the depths of the sea and her fertile imagination to create the lost world of Atlantis, where powerful, profoundly sexy warriors have taken an oath to protect humankind should its end be near. Conlan, the High Prince of Atlantis, has been sent above to retrieve Poseidon's trident. He surfaces on an Earth populated with vampires, witches, and shapeshifters: some fighting to save mankind, some plotting its destruction. As a Warrior of Poseidon, he is forbidden to desire a human, but when he meets a woman with an uncanny psychic connection to him, his desire is strong enough to break any rule.

In stores now!! Woo hoo, happy release day!
hugs,
Alesia/Alyssa

Day 2 of 14 days of December

2007-02-22T08:20:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was exploration - what works? what doesn't? what should I keep, but maybe rearrange? Today is back into the work. The trick with a funny mystery is to walk the fine line of balance between the serious main plot and the humorous secondary plots. I ask myself on every page: is this advancing the plot or deepening character? Or, in the best cases, doing both? When the answer is no, the scene has got to be cut, no matter how clever or witty I think the dialogue is. Story is all, and readers deserve the best.

Oh, if you're interested in reading an interview with me, go here. See you tomorrow!

The 14 days of December - in February

2007-02-21T10:06:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'm taking a page from the lovely Jenny Crusie and her very funny blog and starting the 14 days of December. That's December Vaughn, star of my funny, romantic, suddenly a bit paranormal mystery series. Because I have to finish her next book, BLONDE JUSTICE, before my lovely editor comes hunting me with her pitchfork.

So here's the issue. I have a wonderful new character, and he's trying to take over the book. Looking at it, I may have let him, a little. So I need to cut him down to size. Is it my fault that I'm having more fun writing a psychic astrologer who looks and sounds a lot like Alan Rickman than I am writing a lawyer? I know, I know. Discipline. Back to the ripping and rending.

New cover art!!

2007-02-07T19:46:00.000-05:00

for December's next book, coming out in August

The black pit of despair

2007-01-23T14:52:00.000-05:00

I am currently vacationing in the black pit of despair, the hellhole I visit at least once every book, where I'm sure I'll never finish it. I keep calling out to random passersby to throw donuts down. Maybe I'll survive, just rounder.

We confirmed the number of guests for my daughter's seventh birthday party at the dreaded Chuck E. Cheese. I'm making goody bags for the parents that involve sample packets of Tylenol and airplane-sized bottles of booze. Seriously. (And, also, how is my baby turning SEVEN?)

A new me, part 2

2007-01-11T08:30:00.000-05:00

Check out my post at Literary Chicks today for an update on the healthy challenge and a tribute to a wonderful author, Gerri Russell, who is the queen of persistence!

Happy New Year!

2007-01-03T14:13:00.000-05:00

Stop by at Literary Chicks on January 4th for my description of the new year and the 2 new me(s), if you have a chance. I'm busy finishing BLONDE JUSTICE, the second of the December Vaughn mysteries, for everyone who has been asking when her next book will be out. The depressed psychic astrologer who showed up wanting to sue over Pluto being demoted from planet status had the entire law firm in an uproar. And then Jake came back from being out of town only to find out that an old crush of December's from high school is circling around.

Oh, yeah, and there's that pesky dead body. December just can't catch a break . . .

the cookie exchange

2006-12-17T21:56:00.000-05:00

Oh, yes, you're going to love this story!! Go check it out at Literary Chicks. WARNING: It may make you major league hungry for cookies . . .

The care and feeding of writers!

2006-12-10T16:15:00.000-05:00

We're launching a fun week at Literary Chicks where our husbands are taking over the joint. Stop by and see what Navy Guy has to say about the Care and Feeding of Writers!

huMONgous holiday giveaway!!

2006-12-01T19:00:00.000-05:00

Wowser! Head over to Literary Chicks for the scoop on how to win this amazing holiday prize basket filled with more than $200 worth of goodies and autographed books! Good luck!

Book Club Shout Out!!

2006-11-29T08:58:00.000-05:00

I'm very pleased and honored to announce that my book, BLONDES HAVE MORE FELONS, is the featured December book club read at Jennifer Crusie's Cherry forums! We're planning to have tons of fun all month, and I'll be on the boards answering questions especially during the week of December 1st through 7th! So please stop by and join the discussions and learn what in the HELL I was thinking to even make it LOOK LIKE poor Daisy the dog died in the book . . . [OFFICIAL DECEMBER VAUGHN MYSTERIES DISCLAIMER: NO DOGS DIE IN THE MAKING OF THESE BOOKS!!!]

hugs,
Alesia

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-25T15:23:00.000-05:00

Since one of the blessings I'm most thankful for is my incredible luck having readers like all of YOU, I wanted to share a few of my holiday moments:

Science Boy in his favorite spot

The square pumpkin pie - I forgot until after the oven was preheated and the mixture was mixed and the crust was ready that I didn't have a pie pan any more . . .

Princess and her newly pierced ears and missing tooth

And the wonderful leg lamp ornament from A CHRISTMAS STORY that my darling husband found for me. "Must be Italian!"

I hope (for my U.S. readers) your holiday was filled with joy and too much pie and very little family drama!
hugs,
Alesia

My pug dogs

2006-10-16T10:21:00.000-04:00

Because people keep asking: This is Daisy (the apricot on the right) and Peanut (the fawn on the left), my furry babies. Daisy will be three on December 4th and Peanut will be one December 5th.

edible wedding dresses - the new craze?

2006-10-13T08:50:00.000-04:00

Let them eat cake - and wear it too!

Happy happy cover art dance!!!

2006-10-12T14:01:00.000-04:00

My evil alter ego Alyssa Day is doing the happy dance - check out her almost-final cover art (they're still planning to add a cover quote) here!

And the new website pages are in the works - can't wait!!!

There was karaoke

2006-10-11T09:40:00.000-04:00

Which is actually rather fun, in a scary way. Please see my post at the LC today on scariest karaoke songs - and worst songs in general!

Because I really need new boots

2006-10-10T17:51:00.000-04:00

And seriously, aren't these adorable?? I'm thinking one pair of each.

New Jersey

2006-10-10T11:31:00.000-04:00

So you evidently can't turn left in New Jersey. This is what? Everybody in the state broke their left turn signal at the same time? Some sort of political statement? Whichever it is, it meant an extra 20 miles in my years-long drive to the New Jersey conference Friday while I had a blonde moment and had to figure out the turn-right-to-turn-left conundrum.
Yeah. Like I said, blonde moment.
Anyway, pics are worth a thousand, and all that, and since the novella is due (how did that HAPPEN?? Wasn't I just finishing another book? Seriously, I'm looking into that space-time continuum rupture any moment now . . . )

Random thoughts

2006-10-04T09:10:00.000-04:00

Check out my post at Literary Chicks for random thoughts - I'm on my way to New Jersey for their fabulous conference and hard at work on the novella plus copyedits for ATLANTIS RISING, so life is a bit crazed . . .

A great reason to eat chocolate . . .

2006-09-25T16:18:00.000-04:00

The 2006 Pink and White M&Ms campaign is scheduled to run from August 15 through October 31, 2006, with Masterfoods promising to donate 35 cents for each 14-ounce package and 50 cents for each 21.3-ounce package of the candy sold during that period. Again, no mention has been
made of a maximum donation cap for this year.

So get your chocolate fix for a good cause!

How I nearly got kicked out of Colonial Williamsburg

2006-09-25T01:37:00.000-04:00

The problem was that my young son and even younger daughter were standing there watching the enactment where they were threatening to tar and feather a loyal supporter of the King for speaking out against Patrick Henry and the Revolution.

The problem was that they dragged the guy over to a post RIGHT IN FRONT OF US and pulled up his shirt and had a bucket of hot tar and my daughter started crying.

So naturally I couldn't stand for that. There may have been boos. Perhaps words like "If your cause is so weak that you can't allow dissenting voices to be heard, then you've already lost" may have been said. (To my surprise, one of Patrick Henry's cousins did come up and shake my hand and say "thank you," so that was cool.)

Then we ate ice cream and talked about how precious our freedoms are and how lucky we are to have them.

Wonderful place. We're definitely going to go back.

And don't get me started on Busch Gardens and HalloScream. To a Halloween junkie like me, it was wonderful!

Talk like a pirate!

2006-09-19T09:59:00.000-04:00

It's Talk Like a Pirate Day!! Which I'm doing quite well, since I have a miserable cold! And in other news, the cover quotes are rolling in for ATLANTIS RISING - I'm so excited! Or, I would be if I didn't feel like warmed-over death.

I wanna go to Exile Island

2006-09-15T07:41:00.000-04:00

Okay, the new Survivor. Not sure yet. The obvious ploy of "let's create a controversy by segregating the tribes" didn't faze me, since it's all about ratings and those producers are all ratings whores. But am I interested enough to keep watching? Unknown. The self-important writer who stole somebody's chicken ending up on Exile Island was pretty funny.

And, really, there are days I'd like to be on Exile Island. With nobody asking for anything, wanting anything, no telephone . . .

Of course, with a few amenities.

Don't dis the romance novel!

2006-09-05T08:25:00.000-04:00

Of all things, Dear Abby is trapped in some archaic view of what romance novels are all about. Go to the To Be Read blog to read more.

It's prize time again!!

2006-09-04T10:30:00.000-04:00

Join me at the Literary Chicks blog and play TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE for the chance to win cool prizes!

oh and i cut my hair all off

2006-08-27T11:43:00.000-04:00

maybe not the thing to do when you have deadline brain (and you can tell how tired I am in the picture, eek) but here it is:

My favorite part of every book

2006-08-27T11:35:00.000-04:00

is when I get past page 300. Don't get me wrong - I love all of it, the plotting is huge fun, writing and learning the characters, rewriting and rewriting until it's just exactly as I want it (at least for that day), but there's an extra kind of magic for me once I hit page 300. I know the characters so well that my fingers on the keyboard can barely keep with the voices in my head.
Of course, voices in my head proves once again that being an author has distinct similarities with having any of several mental illnesses.
But I love it.
Oh, and butter Chessmen and mint Milanos help, too.

I heart Tess Gerritsen

2006-08-20T09:32:00.000-04:00

If I didn't already buy her books, I'd start just for this very thoughtful and WONDERFUL post on reading books that you ENJOY. Go to her blog here.

I'm deep in the final week of the book, so won't be back until I can write THE END without revising it 17 times (the 28th is my drop-dead date). So have a great week, and see you then. With chocolate. And champagne.

And a nap, maybe.

News!!

2006-08-11T09:37:00.000-04:00

I have GORGEOUS COVER ART for ATLANTIS RISING!! Take a peek here!

And don't forget to check out Literary Chicks this week - we're running mini-contests again!

Book almost done! Hooray!!

On the road again

2006-08-05T19:49:00.000-04:00

Finally home from 16 days of travel! If anybody even MENTIONS getting in a car or on a plane to me in the next few weeks, there will be snarling.

Rita is a much better traveller than I am . . .

In the fog in Pennsylvania

Chatting with another Ohio State Buckeyes fan

Home at last discussing her travels with Daisy the pug

Rita goes travelling!!

2006-07-31T22:10:00.000-04:00

As an ambassador of RWA across the land (and because I TOTALLY have to show her to my family in PA and Ohio!!)

Rita in a hotel in Maryland:

The Norwegian basketball team goes GLAM . . .

2006-07-31T22:08:00.000-04:00

Me on Rita night with the always-lovely Kathy Caskie and Sophia Nash:

I'm in total shock!!!

2006-07-30T21:40:00.000-04:00

I won a RITA!!!! Best romantic novella of 2005!!! Here I am in my totally freaked-out, thrilled mode:

With my darling friend Dianna Love Snell, holding HER RITA!!

With my good luck roomie Barb:

With my brilliant editor and amazing agent!!

Friday night party!!

2006-07-29T13:50:00.000-04:00

Here's Lani and me at the RITA reception!!

We had a terrific time hanging out at the bar . . . um, big surprise, huh?

And here I am with my lovely agent, Steve, and my friend Nicole Burnham.

Barb tried her best to keep me in line, really.

Marvelous Day!!

2006-07-26T23:02:00.000-04:00

So today was the signing and it was amazing!! The terrific crew from the Suz weekend all showed up and gave me a standing ovation when they were standing in line at the booksigning!! All through the booksigning, everybody kept asking me about it - I LOVED it!! Virginia and I were so touched by the wonderful kindness.

And, drum roll please, today WAS BARB'S FIRST BOOKSIGNING - EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here she is in all her Caridad glory:

The view and day one

2006-07-26T11:49:00.000-04:00

This is the modern art outside of our window:

I'm just back from a lovely massage, which helped a LOT with the neck tension and stress of yet another night of NOT sleeping in a hotel, and off to have lunch with Barb and Michelle. Be sure to check out Literary Chicks for a weeklong conference update!!

Why I love Colorado!!

2006-07-24T00:19:00.000-04:00

I checked email before the dinner party, and was so happy I did!! Here is my wonderful news:

Nice Girls Finish First is a finalist in the Romantic Elements category of the Aspen Gold Reader's Contest!!

I loved Kirby so much I wanted so much to write her book and how much I adored Brianna was a happy bonus, so it's really amazing to receive this recognition for their book! Thank you so much to all of the judges of the Aspen Gold contest!

Suz Brockmann's wild and crazy reader weekend!!

2006-07-23T16:05:00.000-04:00

I am having the most AMAZING time!!! We're all here in Atlanta to celebrate readers - specifically, the incredibly talented Suzanne Brockmann has put together a weekend filled with more than a hundred of people who love books and love authors and couldn't possibly be more welcoming to guest authors Cathy Mann, Virginia Kantra, and me.

So far we've had a full day of fun and excitement and lunches and emergency runs to Starbucks (thank you, Aly, you are a goddess) and I wanted to post some pics:

Navy SEAL Tom Rancich telling how he came to be SEAL as the result of a practical joke . . .

Me telling how life as a military spouse is not always fun and games . . .

Our lovely hostess Suzanne Brockmann

Rob and Cathy Mann explaining wedded bliss in the Air Force!

dentists and packing and stress, oh my!

2006-07-18T10:54:00.000-04:00

Check out my fun blog on dentists over at Literary Chicks if you have time!!

I'm packing for Suz Brockmann's reader weekend in Atlanta, where I'll be a special guest author with Cathy Mann and Virginia Kantra. It should be a total blast!

Then it's a quick hotel switch and on to RWA National for the annual conference, seeing friends I haven't seen in forever, and the RITA ceremony, where I get to cheer for my friends and wear my rocking new dress to applaud the winner in my category. :)

Be sure to check out our blog at Literary Chicks next week for pictures and fun news from the conference!!

A fun new blog

2006-07-11T09:31:00.000-04:00

Found a fun new blog and it mentions SEVEN WAYS on its beach reads picks! Go here for The Daily Stroll.

Deep in the book, getting ready for Atlanta, life is crazed. Check out Literary Chicks for Hot Topics on the Emmy nominations if you get a chance.

Things that annoy me:

2006-07-06T13:25:00.000-04:00

Online services that are SOOO easy to sign up for - just a click of a button!!! But when you want to cancel, you can only do it by calling the 800 number during the hours of midnight to 3 a.m. on alternate Tuesdays when the moon is full. Then you sit on hold and listen to crap music for 87 hours.

Companies that advertise special prices that are really only applicable after the mail=in rebate. But when you mail in the rebate, you invariably get a letter back 6-8 weeks later saying that you're not eligible because you "did not include XX" which you know damn well you did include. All a very obvious ripoff, and you know they're sending everyone that same damn letter.

Not that I'm on deadline and cranky, or anything.

Independence day!!

2006-07-04T15:45:00.000-04:00

And a brand-new blog about seven ways to lose your lover over at the Literary chicks.

Happy 4th, everyone!! And a big THANK YOU to all of our military families.
hugs,
Alesia

SEVEN WAYS TO LOSE YOUR LOVER!!!

2006-06-27T17:21:00.000-04:00

Hello, all! Just a quick note to let you know that SEVEN WAYS TO LOSE YOUR LOVER is in bookstores today!! Romantic Times BookClub called SEVEN WAYS an "uproariously funny story filled with colorful and heartwarming characters" in a 4 1/2 star review!

Like so many women, Shane Madison hates confrontation. But also like a lot of women, sometimes Shane just wants a guy to hit the road, and fast. The solution: get them to break up with her. She started honing her techniques after the first guy she dumped-way back in eleventh grade- threw a baseball bat at her car, and since then she's become a master at getting men to make the first move (in the other direction). She's even shared her secrets with her girlfriends.

But some men, it turns out, just aren't made for dumping. And Shane's kick-him-to-the-curb advice might just come back to kick her in the you-know-what, when she starts dating a gorgeous new guy-who, unbeknownst to her, is out for a little revenge after his last girlfriend took Shane's advice.

Please visit my website for more news, appearances, a cool contest, and more!! I'll be in Atlanta for the Romance Writers of American conference and the RITA award ceremony -- my novella The Naked Truth About Guys is nominated for Best Novella! Wish me luck!

And stop by your local bookstore or go to my website for online ordering info and add SEVEN WAYS TO LOSE YOUR LOVER to your beach read bag.

Woo hoo!!! Release day!!!

Day one of summer vacation

2006-06-16T18:33:00.000-04:00

and the injuries begin already. I'm sunburned where I missed a giant spot on myself with the sunscreen and I tried to take my left index finger off with a paring knife. Aargh.
Luckily I have my new Dragon software - it's voice recognition and really does a pretty great job - so I don't have an excuse to slow down on the book. Love the book. LOVE the book. Mad lust for Alaric . . . and Conlan. Damn, I love me them alpha males.

A dress the color of the sea

2006-06-15T13:33:00.000-04:00

Writing about Atlantis seems to make me dream in shades of aqua and cerulean. I decided I need this dress for RWA in Atlanta:

In the book, deep deep in the book

2006-06-14T15:35:00.000-04:00

Alaric is turning out to be way more of an intellectual than I figured him for, and Conlan is more aggressive than I knew. Riley has more backbone than I'd guessed, and Quinn is just in so very much pain. It's always surprising how characters that I create can continually surprise me.

In upcoming book news, SEVEN WAYS TO LOSE YOUR LOVER is bringing in GREAT reviews! I'm thrilled that Sarah from Romance Junkies tackled head on the one issue I was most concerned with in the book - with a side business breaking up relationships, would readers dislike my (very lovable) heroine, Shane? Sarah wrote:

Surprising, considering the lives she is
toying with, but Shane is not heartless and wrecking relationships is not
something she enjoys, even if she is good at it. I also liked how in the
midst of all this breaking up, new relationships and friendships were
being formed. . . . Alesia Holliday really
impressed me with the way she tackled the tough subject of breaking up.

And then she had this to say!!

With
charming humor and bracing wit, SEVEN WAYS TO LOSE YOUR LOVER is a
well-written and satisfying story that will certainly have you in
stitches, with a few tears mixed in, by its end. Alesia Holliday proves
that she's a voice to watch in women's fiction.

That, plus the fab review and 4 and a half stars from Romantic Times, equal some terrific feedback for this occasionally neurotic author! Countdown: 3 weeks to release! Trade paperbacks have limited release compared to mass market, so please consider pre-ordering your copy now!
hugs,
Alesia, back to the book

AbracaWHAT??

2006-06-01T21:59:00.000-04:00

Just home from taking three kids (mine plus one extra) to Disney's Magic show live, and I think I'm permanently deaf in both ears. WHY do I sign up for these things??
Check out Literary Chicks this week - the talented Barb/Caridad Ferrer is guesting at the LC this month and doing a big giveaway of her first novel, ADIOS TO MY OLD LIFE (which is terrific!!).

Yes, I was the Death Fairy.

2006-05-25T20:52:00.000-04:00

and, surprisingly, my darling Navy Guy puts up with this kind of thing.

I'm not naming any names, because Marianne and Cindy would hate me for it . . .

Still a car chick

2006-05-10T23:20:00.000-04:00

I've decided this will be my next car:

And stop by the Literary Chicks this week for our cool theme week about comebacks, in honor of Lani's new book!!

Strawberries of death

2006-05-07T20:05:00.000-04:00

For my fun new mini-blogette with The Mystery Chicks, go here and read about strawberries of death. Really, my mind is a scary place.

Car accidents suck

2006-05-04T10:22:00.000-04:00

See my blog at the Literary Chicks today on car accident karma and all this week for a special theme week of what we do for love. I'm off to the coffee shop to work on some plot issues for ATLANTIS RISING.

chicago ROCKS!!

2006-05-02T23:50:00.000-04:00

Simone Elkeles and her team are the absolute Amazons of conference organizing!! The Spring Fling was one of the best experiences ever!! As soon as I get unpacked and organized, I'll have loads of details to share.

Researching Poseidon now and let me just say that those Greek gods and goddesses are one strange crew. Seriously. Let me just say that Jerry Springer would never, ever run out of shows . . .

TGIF!

2006-04-21T08:52:00.000-04:00

I'm off to D.C. and the Malice Domestic conference, then to Oakmont for the Mystery Festival - please stop by if you're around and say hi! Happy weekend!

Happy Easter!

2006-04-16T11:58:00.000-04:00

The eggs are hunted, the candy is being eaten, and life is fine. Except for the fact my son had me up at 4:15 a.m. - THE EASTER BUNNY CAME, MOMMY!!!!!!

Readers Room is a venue for interviews with some terrific authors - many of my favorites! So you can guess how thrilled I was when they invited me. Check out the cool interview with me here!

More Happy Dance Thursday

2006-04-13T21:02:00.000-04:00

My editor called and the mysterious and magical gathering known as the "cover conference" went wonderfully. The ideas for my ATLANTIS RISING cover are brilliant and I can't WAIT to see it!
In other happy dancing, we put up a family-sized swing with a cover in the back yard, so now I can take my notebook outside and work surrounded by my flowers and my pugs, who think the swing is their personal rockabye-baby nap haven.
Hope the Easter bunny brings you much chocolate! (If you're into that kind of thing . . .)

An early Happy Dance Thursday

2006-04-11T23:05:00.000-04:00

My darling friend Chris Feehan hit #2 on the New York Times list!! I LOVE when great things happen to great people!

TGIF musings

2006-04-07T20:06:00.000-04:00

Wouldn't the South Beach Diet be more fun if they actually shipped you to a beach to do it? When did ricotta cheese get fun?

Is there anyone in the world who enjoys filing? Or getting the tax materials together? If so, would you like to work for me? Even part-time? Sigh.

Only two weeks until the Malice Domestic conference and I get to meet all the lovely and crazy mystery readers and even crazier mystery writers. It should be a blast!

Happy weekend, everybody!

Happy Dance Thursdays

2006-04-06T15:02:00.000-04:00

I had a lovely time at the Williamsburg library last night - the incomparable Andrew Smith hosted a delightful evening. And fellow author Laurin Wittig was kind enough to come along so I feel like I made a new friend!

There was much happy dancing around here today, since I accepted an offer just yesterday for a new anthology from my wonderful editor! It will be a paranormal antho for me to promote my new Atlantis series and will come out in May of 2007! Stay tuned for details - as soon as I can officially tell you the name of the amazing RITA-winning author who is headlining, I will! :)

back to work now that I suddenly have another book to write this year!

Libraries and a new review

2006-04-05T11:39:00.000-04:00

I'm off to Williamsburg to speak at the Library tonight as part of the Book Festival! Stop by if you're in the area! I also heard that BLONDES and 7 WAYS TO LOSE YOUR LOVER got huge interest at the London Book Fair, so that was exciting!

Plus, a new review for BLONDES popped into the inbox:

"Blondes Have More Felons is a surprising, fast-paced story that will have you laughing one moment and on the edge of your seat the next. Alesia Holliday is a creative voice who definitely deserves reading. She has brought to life a cast of characters that deliver an outstanding story. The seemingly mundane is never mundane with December; even waiting for furniture takes on a new meaning with her. The sheer strength of December’s personality ensures that even when she is spouting legal jargon, this is one woman you want to know better. At first glance the story is light and fun, but as readers delve deeper into Ms. Holliday’s writing they will be impressed with the details and nuances she has seamlessly woven into the plot. Readers can only hope there are more upcoming stories with Ms. Vaughn."
5 Angels - Fallen Angels Review

Geeky Trivia Tuesday

2006-04-04T09:04:00.000-04:00

At a little after one in the morning, we'll have a signal event: at exactly 1:02:03, it will be 01:02:03 04/05/06. Won't happen again for a thousand years.

Crazy busy week

2006-04-03T20:05:00.000-04:00

I posted at Romancing the Blog today on wall banger books - Jenny Crusie and Bob Mayer are our guests at the LC this week - I'm teaching a class all month on putting the "humor" in humorous suspense. Plus I'm speaking at the Williamsburg library Wednesday night - stop by and say hi!

Retreating

2006-04-02T23:09:00.000-04:00

So I spent the weekend having a mini-writer's retreat with the talented and multi-genre writer Cindy Holby. She is working on a book that is so funny and real and warm that it's going to be utterly fabulous, and plotting out a series idea that is so freaking brilliant that naturally I wish I'd thought of it first. :) But in spite of all that brilliance and her newly-muscled buff self, you just can't hate Cindy. If you try, she'll tell you some story about roosters and elbows wearing slippers or sitting on marbles that will have you rolling on the floor laughing.

I think it's a southern thing.

Also, yes, I'll just admit it here FIRST before she outs me: I was following hideously bad MapQuest directions and plotting in my head while driving and blasting music and I got a little lost.

Okay, okay, already. I went from eastern Virginia to western Virginia . . . by way of North Carolina.

Don't ask. We're still not sure how I did it. I may have to write it off as a Blonde moment.

YAHOO!!!!!

2006-03-25T08:42:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it!!! I am so thrilled and honored to report that my story, The Naked Truth About Guys, from the anthology THE NAKED TRUTH, finalled in the RITAs!! If you don't recognize the name, the RITA awards are extremely prestigious - sort of the Academy Awards of women's fiction! I am going to buy every other book in my category - there are amazing authors in there! And check us out at Literary Chicks - Lani finaled too!

Send in the elves

2006-03-20T07:56:00.000-05:00

How is it March 20th??? I guess two solid weeks of family illness will do that to a person. I have copyedits to do on SEVEN WAYS TO LOSE YOUR LOVER, am three weeks behind on everything else, and must update my website and do my taxes.

In my spare time.

But at least I'm finally free today, because both children are well enough to finally be back in school!!

Today starts Lonely Hearts Week at LC in honor of Susan McBride's rocking new book - check it out!! Oh, and if anybody has any extra office-cleaning elves? Send 'em over.

TO DO lists

2006-03-15T10:26:00.000-05:00

I am an insane list-maker. I have lists for everything, and even lists to keep track of my lists, but the worst is my To Do list. It is currently 7 pages long, with 25 items on each of the 7 pages.

I'm resisting page eight.

Now, this is just wrong. Who has time in one lifetime to do everything on a 7-page to do list? Especially since the list keeps growing and pesky things like the flu I've got and my daughter has keep getting in the way. aarghh.

When I checked on Princess last night, after she'd fallen asleep, I noticed she was clutching her journal under one arm. After I gently extricated the book, I read what she'd written, and started laughing. Like Mommy, like daughter. My barely-six-year-old had her own to do list.

TO DO:
1. Eat brekfast
2. Play
3. Blow my nose
4. Eat lunch
5. Play
6. Watch a movie
7. Eat dinner
8. Play
9. Bath
10. Bed.

I want to trade lists. Seriously.

It's RELEASE DAY!!!!

2006-03-07T12:09:00.000-05:00

And I'm so excited!!! BLONDES HAVE MORE FELONS is out today in your local bookstore (and at your local online retailer )! And I blogged about my FBI file here, and about my not-so-evil minions here, and I'm just so delirously happy!! Oh, and check out our mostly (yes, I'm working on my part) updated Mystery Chicks website here.

For excerpts, my fab movie trailer, and more, go here. And have a wonderful day!!

I am SO LUCKY to have the best job in the world.
hugs,
me, off to a bookstore to admire my book hee hee

16 BLOCKS

2006-03-03T15:15:00.000-05:00

Navy Guy got home from the ship last night (he actually got to stand on the bridge of the Enterprise, how cool is that? I begged him to say, "Beam me up, Scotty!" but he wouldn't. Boring Navy dudes . . .) and today the kidlets were in school so we actually got to play hooky!!

We went to the mall, where it was so weird to be alone without small people asking for things, and to lunch, and to see 16 BLOCKS, the new thriller with Bruce Willis and Mos Def. (Judd's turn to pick the movie.) Bruce Willis was his usual taciturn self, but a little different as a drunk seeking redemption almost in spite of himself. Mos Def was suprising to me because I never expect much out of musicians turned actor, frankly. But he was definitely believable. I'd be surprised if he doesn't get some serious acclaim/bigger and better movies out of this.

It was MUCH better than I expected, very suspenseful, although as a writer I had a few problems with some of the things that happened (can't tell you without giving away spoilers), but the twists were fairly unexpected. Plus, you know, there was POPCORN. And Snickers Popables. This is rarely a bad thing.
Happy weekend, all!

Venting sunshine

2006-03-02T13:50:00.000-05:00

I'm finally recovering from the book that would not end, and I actually just sat out in the yard in the sun with the pugs for AN ENTIRE HOUR reading a book simply for pleasure.

Not for research, or because I was judging it for a contest or critiquing it or giving it a blurb, but just a book I bought in the bookstore yesterday because I WANTED TO READ IT.

I know you're shaking your head and saying 'what's the big deal?' but trust me, it was a very big deal to me. Which leads me to the alleged topic (sorry, once a trial lawyer, always a trial lawyer) - venting sunshine.

Lately, I feel like I've only been calling on my friends for help when it's about stress. Or sadness. Or something negative. But it occurred to me - out in the sunshine, which is where much of my inspiration comes from -- that they deserve to hear the good things, too. When I call to "vent" maybe I can vent some sunshine instead of always about the stresses and hard times.

So I'm venting sunshine today. It's going to get up to an unseasonable 70 degrees here in Virginia Beach, my darling children are both healthy at the same time and back in school, I had the day off to have my hair cut, and I read a book for pleasure. Now, I'm going to follow the example set by my wonderful dogs and take a nap. Life is good.
hugs,
Alesia
ps I'm responding to e-mails from my lovely readers and re-enabling comments, so if you have time and feel like it, vent a little sunshine of your own.

THE END THE END THE END THE END

2006-02-26T11:40:00.000-05:00

I finally finished the book that nearly killed me on Friday and shipped it off to my long-suffering editor. I am totally exhausted (rewrote the ending for the third time in a nearly 96-hour marathon of only 3-hour catnaps in between 18-hour work periods. This, in case you're wondering, is IN-FREAKING-SANE.

Also, very tiring. The endless pots of coffee made my stomach rebel, and I should buy stock in Tylenol. My neck and shoulders feel like they've been run over by a truck and my wrists are aching. But the book is done and I'm happy with it, which is the most important thing.

Whew. Pause for moment of happiness.

Anyway, I have tons of new reviews for BLONDES, and they're all fabulous, so I'll be back later with news. Plus I'm updating my website this week. Also, it's the final days to enter my contest to win a signed copy, so be sure to go to my website and sign up!
Happy almost-March!
Alesia

FIVE STAR REVIEW!!!!

2006-02-20T13:51:00.000-05:00

This just in - another AMAZING review of BLONDES HAVE MORE FELONS!! I'm so excited!! (Go here for the full review.)

***** This terrific mystery series simply overflows with the most zany characters that readers cannot help but fall in love with! Yet the mystery plot is extremely serious. As the reader, I certainly learned a bit about civil and criminal law. Funny thing is that the author did it in such a humorous way that I did not even realize that I was absorbing the lessons. Downright outstanding and highly recommended! *****

- HUNTRESS REVIEWS (Reviewed by Detra Fitch)

Because you want to chase a two year old when you're 64

2006-02-19T09:41:00.000-05:00

This story just makes me tired. I mean, really? Potty training and social security checks at the same time? WHY?

Annoying song lyrics

2006-02-16T08:31:00.000-05:00

I'm at LC today talking about the most annoying song lyrics of all time. Come over and post yours for a chance to win a free copy of BLONDES HAVE MORE FELONS!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

2006-02-14T08:35:00.000-05:00

What a super day it is turning out to be!! A reader sent me her wonderful review of NICE GIRLS FINISH FIRST, my first mystery review called BLONDES HAVE MORE FELONS a great beach read:
>>Blondes Have More Felons should appeal to a fairly wide audience. Berkley Prime Crime is releasing this book in early March, just in time for spring break. If you're heading for a sunny locale, Alesia Holliday's first mystery featuring December Vaughn would make a fine reading companion for the beach. - Mysterious Reviews, Hidden Staircase Mystery Books

and I surprised the kidlets with stuffed bears and candy and mushy cards. Today, I'm over at Romancing the Blog with a post about V. Day traditions - please pop over and share yours.
hugs,
Alesia

I got my book!!!!

2006-02-08T19:24:00.000-05:00

A special sneak peek - two hot-off-the-presses copies of my very first mystery and it's GORGEOUS!!! I LOVE IT!!! Can't wait till March 7th!!!

The sleepover birthday party and temporary deafness

2006-02-06T16:33:00.000-05:00

I'm still recovering . . . for all the gory details, go here.

WAHOO!! FAB REVIEW!!

2006-02-02T13:15:00.000-05:00

The lovely and talented Connie (no, I've never met her, but she is CLEARLY lovely and talented; just look at what she said about BLONDES HAVE MORE FELONS!!!) reviewed my book for Once Upon a Romance and was kind enough to forward me the review - she gave it 5 out of 5 stars!!!! And it is a spotlighted review at the site!! I LOVE this kind of review - especially when release date - March 7!! - is coming up so fast!

The review:

I’m sure when December Vaughn decided to start a new life and make a clean break from her comfortable-always-there ex-husband and her position as a corporate attorney to open her own practice hundreds of miles away in sunny Florida, she never expected conspiracy, sabotage, murder, attacks on her person and her car! And all for a class action suit.

Things don’t add up for December. Gorgeous Jake Brody, P.I., comes along and helps/bails her out, always when trouble’s found her. Mighty convenient she thinks. Is he the cause? A mysterious threatening phone caller (LOL) tells her to mind her own business. Mind her own business? What business isn’t she supposed to mind she wonders? He’s not very clear about that.

Is the caller behind everything, or is there someone orchestrating and delegating all the dangerous events? Or is it someone else altogether? Or maybe it’s an unhappy person from her pro bono cases?

We, the reader, start to figure things out much sooner (not every detail, there’s lots of questions still needing answered) than December does, but then we’re the observer and she’s busy watching out for killers and attackers and going through ninety-something boxes of discovery papers. Good thing she has such good help in figuring things out with her best friend/office manager, Max(ine), new hire, Mr. Ellison (he’s a HOOT!), and Jake. Not to mention assorted other colorful characters.

I won't even get into the other aspects of her life. I've spilled enough details already! You'll have to discover those yourself.

Alesia Holliday’s writing is a wonderful breath of fresh air. She has a way of transporting the reader to December’s side and takes them on the ride of December’s lifetime (to date). She takes all the potentially serious and physically hurtful situations and infuses them with a bit (a bit?? hmm, well...sometimes more than that) of lightheartedness. She gives us a wild, yet caring bunch of characters to laugh with and root for; the aforementioned Jake, Max, and Mr. Ellison. Then there's Aunt Celia and Uncle Nathan, Bear, her neighbors Emily and Rick, Daisy, and oh, I certainly wouldn’t want to forget the casserole brigade. (PLEASE, bring them all back in the next adventure!!)

Blondes Have More Felons is saucy and clever. Every word was a delight to read. Every scene vividly painted. A terrific blending of mystery and humor.

I have a feeling Alesia isn’t going to write the December Vaughn mysteries fast enough for me or for many of you who will quickly become fans of this series. I suppose I should comfort myself in the saying that reminds us that quality is better than quantity. But can’t we have both???

- Connie, Onceuponaromance.net

yes, that is the elusive Navy Guy

2006-01-29T13:30:00.000-05:00

or at least his hand and foot. :)

and madly conquering my slipper . . .

2006-01-29T12:38:00.000-05:00

And "big sis" Daisy

2006-01-29T12:34:00.000-05:00

Who is getting used to the newcomer slowly but surely. She even offered up the sacred stuffed hedgehog to play . . .

Sleeping Peanut

2006-01-29T12:27:00.001-05:00

fresh from her bath

2006-01-29T12:27:00.000-05:00

So I got this new puppy on Thursday. She is FREAKING ADORABLE and a tiny, 3.5 pound ball of pure energy! She runs till she drops and is making life very interesting. Her name is Peanut, and she and Daisy are soon to be best friends, I'm sure. Anyway, a pic is worth yada yada, so:

Big contest - much prizes!!

2006-01-22T19:06:00.000-05:00

Pop over to see us at the Literary Chicks and sign up!

OH. SWEET. MERCIFUL. HEAVEN.

2006-01-15T23:22:00.000-05:00

Seen on a writer's loop - a new book sold to an actual publisher:

>>GET STUFFED: The Home Taxidermist's Handbook, a guide to making useful household objects out of your dead, stuffed pets, to Lindsey Moore at Crown/Three Rivers Press, for publication in 2007, by Nikki Tilbury at packager Ivy Press. <<

As heard at cocktail parties across the land in 2007: "No, just put your wineglass down on Rover. He was a good dog, but he's a coffeetable, now."

Who says publishing is dead?? Oh, the potentially vile puns runneth over . . . And I thought only my deadline was making me delirious.

Going into deadline lurk

2006-01-11T10:30:00.000-05:00

So won't be around much, but please pop over to Literary Chicks, where there's something new going on every day!

fun interviews

2006-01-08T20:31:00.000-05:00

with all the new (and original!) Literary Chicks! To see mine, go here.

Suffering for your art

2006-01-08T11:19:00.000-05:00

So this artist chained his legs together to draw a picture of the image of . . . you know . . . legs in chains.

Except then he lost the key.

And where was he at the time? Camping in an ABANDONED MINESHAFT in the CALIFORNIA DESERT. (Darwin awards, anyone?)

He hopped for 12 hours through the desert until he found help. The sheriff's deputy said the drawing (which apparently came along for the hop) was: "a pretty good depiction of how a chain would look wrapped around your legs."

Seriously.

Fearless

2006-01-04T08:55:00.000-05:00

I want to be more like my daughter, who learned to ride her bicycle without training wheels in five minutes this week. By minute six, she was doing daredevil stunts. Sure, she fell a couple of times, but even as she sat there on the pavement, tears running down her face, she asked: "Can I do it again?"

She is my hero.

Too many times, I've let fear -- fear of failure, mostly, given my perfectionist tendencies -- hold me back from even trying. But, really, what's the worst thing that can happen? I can fall on my butt? People can laugh at me? OH, NO, NOT THE HIDEOUS LAUGHTER TORTURE!!

Yeah. Seems ridiculous, looking back at it. Let's resolve to be fearless together.
hugs,
Alesia

Wonderful news!!!

2006-01-01T19:07:00.000-05:00

The fab charity anthology BEWITCHED, BOTHERED & BEVAMPYRED I'm in with many other authors was nominated by Romantic Times BookClub as one of the best contemporary paranormal novels of 2005!! Since we all donated our stories and much of the proceeds are going to the International Red Cross, we are especially pleased and proud.

Thank goodness!!

2006-01-01T15:42:00.000-05:00

Scanning the news today, and I was happy to hear that they rescued the prairie dogs here in Virginia.
and
One of the top songs of the year has no apparent meaning whatsoever!! (but, hey, it's bouncy and has a good beat . . .)
and
The biggest buzz of the year? Went to an apparently psychotic actor jumping on a piece of furniture.

How can 2006 top that??

Happy New Year!

2005-12-31T11:13:00.000-05:00

Boy do we have big surprises coming over at the Literary Chicks! Also, go here if you want to play my if X, then X, but if not, then X game. (Trust me, it's more fun than it sounds!)
Happy New Year!
hugs,
Alesia

A lovely new review!!

2005-12-28T17:11:00.000-05:00

What a nice post-Christmas present - another terrific review for THE NAKED TRUTH! Lovesromances.com had this to say about my story:

The Naked Truth About Guys – Alesia Holliday
CJ is a reporter and a writer of a humorous column. She gets marriage proposals daily and her ‘soul mate’ sends her his lucky socks. Always seen as one of the boys, she is fed up with it all and her friend Paola takes her out for a makeover. What a change. So much so that Hugh, a co-worker who she has been lusting after for five months asks her out. Since she’s become more feminine she has trouble writing her column and she is wondering if Hugh, the ‘serial dater’ is really serious. She wants the ‘Grand Gesture.’

This was for this reviewer, by far the best story in the anthology. It made this reviewer laugh out loud and was so romantic and heart-warming. A little wacky, CJ gives the masculine world a big surprise. Her column is down to earth and hilarious. A little reminiscent of Sex In The City, this story will certainly grab the reader. One of the things that clinched it for this reviewer was…dare this reviewer say it? The hero reminded the heroine of Gerard Butler…swoon! A sexy, sassy read and a wonderful plot, Ms Holliday has written a winner. - Valerie, at Lovesromances.com.

Doesn't that just rock?? I love to be sexy and sassy! LOL. The full text of the review is here.

Happy New Year!
Alesia

SIX OH NINE

2005-12-26T11:11:00.000-05:00

Yep, that's what time my adorable son woke us up on Christmas morning. "SANTA CAME!!! SANTA CAME!!"
Me: What time is it?
Him: SIX OH NINE!!! SANTA CAME!! YOU AND DADDY HAVE TO WAKE UP NOW!!!

So we did. And since Santa didn't put together the toys this year, we spent HOURS putting together toys. (When I say "we," I mean Navy Guy, of course.) FOUR HOURS to put together the ESPN sports station (which is, frankly, the most amazing Christmas gift ever - it is currently taking up the entire center of our family room in its 6 sports and 21 electronic game glory).

Four hours. And the instruction manual had 87 steps. EIGHTY-SEVEN.

That's just wrong.

Poor Princess is still really sick, so we're off to the doctor tomorrow. But she's taking comfort in her new American Girl doll, and Daddy's last day of vacation is today, so he's having a tea party with her while I work. hee hee. I made him promise no mutant doll voices - she hates that. :)

I hope your holidays are very merry - whichever flavor you celebrate.
hugs,
Alesia, signing off till the new year

TRACKING SANTA CLAUS!!!

2005-12-21T14:28:00.000-05:00

I know many of my readers will be travelling for the holidays - please be safe!! And, before you go, I simply MUST point out one of our favorite family tradtions (the kids love it, too!!) Every year, NORAD uses all of its very sophisticated radar systems to actually TRACK SANTA CLAUS and the reindeer as they travel all over the world carrying presents to all the children.

Starting early on Christmas Eve day, we start checking the computer HERE for updates on where the big guy is!! You can see Rudolph's shiny nose leading Santa around the globe with hourly updates.

Happy holidays to all of you and Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate it from me, Navy Guy, Science Boy, and Princess. Hope you have fun tracking Santa, too!!

hugs,Alesia

Oh, and don't forget . . .

2005-12-20T10:28:00.000-05:00

The AMERICAN TITLE competition!! Romantic Times magazine and Dorchester Publishing's annual tradition to look for the next voice of romantic fiction! Please take a moment to go here and vote and help one of the talented finalists in her quest for publication.
A.

How is it December 20th????

2005-12-20T10:18:00.000-05:00

AARGHH. But the presents are all wrapped, the decorations are all up, and only one of the kidlets is sick . . . Did I mention I'm not happy with this cold-weather winter thing?? I MISS FLORIDA!

One thing I'd never miss is spam e-mail. Hate it hate it hate it. For a note about just how much, see here.

hugs,
Alesia, off to adjust the thermostat up to 72