New York City!

I was shopping in NYC on Sunday with my mom and sister. I love going to New York. A tingle of excitement runs through me the moment I enter the Lincoln Tunnel, and builds until I emerge into the city. I especially love the Christmas season and all its twinkling beauty. In case you're wondering what to get me for Christmas, check out the jewelry picture from Harry Winston. Ah...I'm such a dreamer.

Sally's Musings...Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is just a few days away and, like I'm sure all of you, it makes me think about what I'm thankful for in my life. Family, friendship and good health are certainly tops when I make my thankful list. But for today, I want to think in less broad terms.

I'm thankful for the fact that my husband and I always kiss goodbye and say, "I love you" before we leave the house. It was a ritual that started when we first married, and continues today. You never know what the outside world has in store for you. If fate should intervene, those simple words and parting kiss will be a lasting memory.

I'm thankful for the quiet beauty of watching my son sleep. Nothing can be more peaceful than seeing a child sleeping in total comfort. No worries exist in that moment. Not a care in the world. Pure beauty.

I'm thankful for my friends who I can talk effortlessly to for a couple of hours, yet it seems like a couple of minutes. And when the call ends we still have more to say. When we talk again the conversation resumes easily as it meanders here and there, wherever our minds take us.

What are you thankful for?

Sally's Musings...The X-Factor

I've been reading a book that has fabulous reviews from Booklist and Publisher's Weekly. I assume with such high praise, the book must be an engaging read. It is not.

Don't get me wrong. The writing is good. The general premise of the book holds a promise of interest. So why am I bored? As I read each chapter, I find myself skimming over the words. I'm not interested in the story. I don't care what happens to the characters. Nothing grabs me in this book.

It makes me wonder what other people saw in this story. What inspired them to write a glowing review of a piece which strikes me as ordinary. This is also comforting, in a sense, when I think of all the rejection slips I've received for manuscripts I have submitted for publication. The draw of a story is a personal experience. I don't think anyone can answer exactly why a story appealed to them. Sure, you could list character attributes, plot lines, or just plain good writing that appealed to you. But it's the unexplained feeling you get when reading a story that makes it your own. The writing may be good, but if you don't have a feeling about it you simply don't care about the story.

This is similar to how we are drawn to certain individuals in our lives. We all know people who, at least on the outside, appear to be someone we may enjoy spending time with in some capacity. But then we are bored for no particular reason. Another person comes along who fascinates us, for reasons we can't exactly pinpoint. We may not be able to explain the feeling. But when it is there, you simply can't deny its presence.

Sally's Musings...My Love Affair With Elf

My son had a terrible cold this weekend. So, yesterday we watched Christmas movies all afternoon. In between munching on popcorn and mozzarella sticks, we watched The Santa Clause, Jingle All The Way, Home Alone, and my personal favorite, Elf.

The whole premise of this movie is hysterical. A human elf going to New York City in search of his real father. Will Ferrell was the perfect casting selection for this childlike man elf. His expressions in this movie were priceless.

One of my favorite scenes is in Gimbel's. The department store manager announces that Santa is coming to the store the following day. When Buddy the Elf shrieks, "Santa!" with such unbridled joy I can't stop laughing. That scene is so funny every time I see it.

Another classic scene is when Buddy walks into the meeting with the acclaimed children's author, who happens to be a little person. The author is insulted when Buddy assumes he is an elf, likely from the South Pole since he's so angry. The fight that ensues between the three foot tall man and a six foot tall Buddy is laughable. Especially when Buddy gets his butt kicked.

There's so many funny scenes in this movie. I just love it every single time I watch it. I wish they'd make an Elf 2. But it probably wouldn't be as good. Sequels never live up to the original.

New Contract!

I'm happy to announce that I signed a contract with MuseItUp Publishing this week. This contract is for my novel, Obsession. Here is a sneak peek into the story...

A slow drizzle of rain pelted the freshly mowed grass of the cemetery. Wet blades of green clung to Joanna’s black pumps as she solemnly walked to the burial plot. Simon held a large, black umbrella over her and Jilly as they walked in silence.

It seemed as if the whole town came to the funeral service, only about one hour earlier, but Joanna had insisted on a private burial. Family and close friends only.

She sat on the hard folding chair sitting in front of the flower-adorned closed casket. Despite the humidity, she shivered, thinking of her hand touching Jared’s only a few moments ago for the last time. In her heart, she knew his soul, his spirit lived on. His earthly body was only a casing for his true soul, which now looked down from Heaven at her. I know he’s in a better place. A place without hurt or death. But what about me and Jilly? How are we going to live without him?

Jilly looked unusually small today in her dark funeral dress. She gripped Joanna’s hand and sat hunched over, staring at her father’s casket. She hasn’t said a word since finding out he was killed. Will she ever find her voice again? Joanna’s head hurt with all the troubling thoughts swirling around in her mind. I can’t think about that now.

The pastor said words, but she could not understand them. The words, like the murmuring of condolences spoken to her at the funeral, jumbled together into an unrecognizable blend of sounds. I can’t do this. This can’t be happening to me.

She felt tears start to rise up within her, and she pressed her eyes shut for a moment, hoping to shut out the scene in front of her. Opening her eyes again, she watched as Jared was slowly lowered into the ground, and tears stung her face. Don’t leave me, Jared. Her silent pleas were unheard. The only man she’d ever loved was gone.
* * *

She looks so beautiful in black. His gaze traveled over her appealing form draped by the dark material. He liked how pale her face looked today, almost ethereal, like an angel from Heaven. Her hair was pulled away from her face in a brown tortoiseshell clip, revealing the delicate bone structure of her face. He watched her sit on the sofa, picking at her full plate of food. She lifted her head, her sad blue eyes looking expectantly around the room, and then suddenly clouding over as she looked back to her plate of untouched food.

He longed to go to her, to touch her, to tell her everything would be okay. He would glide his hand over her silken hair and whisper softly in her ear, to reassure her and to make her know that he would always be there for her. Her blue eyes would gaze into his, the sadness starting to melt away, and she would see him, the real him, for the first time. And she would know in that moment they were meant to be together.

He shook his head, feeling slightly unsettled about his fantasy—the fantasy he so desperately wanted to become a reality. One day it will be my reality. One day very soon. Now that Jared was out of the picture, thanks to him, there were no more obstacles deterring him from her.

As it should be. Jared had stood in the way of his happiness for too long. From the moment he knew Joanna was destined to be his, Jared was an obstacle for him. A smile spread across his face. Not anymore.

He gripped his cup of coffee tightly, and it spilled over his hand. Grabbing a napkin from a nearby table, he wiped the liquid away. He glanced back to the couch where Joanna had been sitting, but it was now unoccupied. He quickly put his cup down and went off in search of her.