I’m feeling sort of lousy this morning. Dunno why.

But since it’s Only the Good Friday, that means it’s time to put the icks behind me and dwell on … next Friday. That’s when I leave here after lunch, head over to the Akron airport, pick up my good friend Ann, and head down to West Chester, OH, and join authors Lori Foster, Dianne Castell, and a whole bunch of others for Dianne and Lori’s Author-Reader Get Together.

I heard about it last year, too late to go, but after being at the Romantic Times Convention and digging the vibe of everyone in attendance, and then hearing how much fun everyone had at last year’s Dianne and Lori’s Get-Together, I had to go this year. Having Ann is what tipped me over the edge of temptation. She’s great fun to be with.

Best of all, I’ve gotten to chat with some of the women who’ll be there, via e-mail loop. Wow. Again, there’s that creative, fun, zany vibe. I’m pysched.

Ready for the icing on the cake? There’s a book signing being held on Saturday from 2-4 (use the above link for locations and stuff). Lori’s graciously allowed us self-published authors to bring our own books and handle all financial transactions ourselves (which is the scary part. I married the Tour Manager for his math skills, you know!).

I’m bringing 40 copies. With close to 300 attendees, I’m now afraid that’s not enough.

BUT if I sell them all (and the signing is open to the public, if you’re nearby!), I’ll make a donation to Lori’s charity of the year, The One Way Farm Children’s Home of Fairfield, OH. A donation beyond what I’ll spend on raffle tickets and other goodies, that is. A donation out of my profits.

Demo Tapes. Lori Foster. Lots of folk who love books for the same reason I do: they rock.

And great company for the ride down and back.

Yep, if that’s not good, I’m Trevor’s favorite bass, the one with the cracked neck that can’t be played anymore.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am no bass guitar.

See ya in Cincy.

And check out the other Only the Good participants, will ya? Even better, come join us! Spread some good throughout the world. I feel better just for writing this. THAT is the power of good.

You’d better believe I’m over the moon about my beloved Pittsburgh Penguins returning to the Stanley Cup finals for the second year in a row. Is the second time the charm? Time will tell.

In the meantime, here’s some bits about hockey:
1. The last time a team lost in the final and returned the following year to try again was in 1984. The team? The (much vaunted) Edmonton Oilers.

2. Back then, I wasn’t the hockey fan I am now. Hell, I was trying to survive high school.

3. Then I went to Graduate school — at the same school the Penguins’ current head coach, Dan Bylsma attended. I believe he left just as I was arriving.

4. Bored in the middle of a cornfield, that January, I was able to do something that the Penguins’ first Stanley Cup years had awakened in me: the desire to play ice hockey.

5. I spent so much time at the campus Ice Arena that I liked to joke I got my Master of Fine Arts degree in ice hockey.

6. (It’s actually in fiction)

7. All that time on the ice, in the locker rooms, hanging around the pro shop and the Zamboni room crew inspired a novel.

8. I actually landed an agent for that novel. Clearly, he wasn’t the world’s best agent.

9. Every now and then I think maybe I’ll put it out from under the bed and revamp it.

10. But we’re all having way too much fun with Trevor and the band. How does ice hockey figure into a rock band’s life?

11. I’ve spent many Penguin games sitting in the stands (we have the second-best seats in the place, I’m convinced of it. Who’s got the best? The players) trying to figure that out.

12. My fictional town of Riverview is home to a baseball team, The Otters. Maybe a hockey team ought to move in, too?

13. While I debate (and your input is quite welcome), join me in cheering on my Penguins, will ya?

Let’s go, Pens. I want to dance with Lord Stanley again.

A few weeks ago, I introduced you to Mona’s Middle Eastern Eats. I had so much fun creating this new restaurant in Riverview that I wanted to explore it further. So… here goes.

1. Mona’s is actually owned by Steve Greenblatt, who grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey.

2. Steve was identified in first grade as being of gifted intelligence.

3. Sadly, Steve was adopted by parents of average intelligence, who assumed that their boy would be fine.

4. Steve graduated in the top 100 of his graduating high school class of 839 and went to college at Columbia University. His major was listed as Undecided.

5. Junior year, Steve dropped out of Columbia without having ever declared a major.

6. He found his way across the country and landed in Berkeley, CA. Tune out, drop in, dude.

7. A rich Marin County woman found him in a bookstore one day three years later and took him home. She needed a pretend son for an upcoming trip to the Middle East.

8. So Steve went.

9. Steve found his calling, at last.

10. Upon returning to the Bay Area, the Marin County woman proved too smothering. San Francisco wasn’t big enough for the two of them.

11. Steve made his way to Riverview. Went to work in a homeless shelter, where he lived. Nights, he went to the library and read cookbooks. He smoked a lot of weed. And he dreamed.

12. A return to the Bay Area was brief. It lasted long enough for Steve to milk the Marin County woman for the start-up costs for his dream.

13. And Mona’s Middle Eastern Eats was born.

Be sure to leave me a comment so I know you were here. And then, it’s off with you to visit all the other cool Thirteeners out there!

It’s been awhile since I did a Booking Through Thursday question. I’ve been able to resist them until now…

Here’s the question:

Are your eyes bigger than your book belly? Do you have a habit of buying up books far quicker than you could possibly read them? Have you had to curb your book buying habits until you can catch up with yourself? Or are you a controlled buyer, only purchasing books when you have run out of things to read?

With 526 books (not including what’s on my nightstand and in my book club bag, so 560 isn’t out of the realm of possibilities) sitting here, waiting to be read, you bet I’ve got a small book problem.

It comes from two places: one was the flood of credits and trades I got when I began online trading. I had books here that I’d kept for years, not sure how best to set them loose on the world.

And then, I won a sweepstakes, where everyone sends a book to the winner — except for the winner (who doesn’t know s/he has won until the books start arriving), who sends one to a decoy.

That was three years ago when I won that sweepstakes. I’m still working on reading those books.

*sigh*

All of you who know me from Win a Book, THIS is why I rarely enter the contests I post about! I shall get through this pile. I really shall. Granted, it was easier when I was reading 12 books a month, but … I’ll get there.

It’s been one of those weeks. Again. I seem to be having more of them.

1. Trevor would tell me to change it. Just… change it. Believe me, if I could, I would.

2. In the hoopla that’s been this week, I forgot to announce the winner of Colette Gale’s Bound By Honor. Let me do that now.

3. That’d be Janel, as picked by Opening Act #2 (pick a number between one and nineteen, babe. Nine? Okay. Thanks.)

4. Since my massage yesterday, I’ve been walking around with Whiplash stuck in my brain. Huh. How about THAT?

5. Ahh, the Golden Age of Hetfield (use that Whiplash link to see what I mean). Yum.

6. Mitchell’s still cooler.

7. And hotter.

8. I spent a big chunk of Wednesday on Demo Tapes — Year 2. You’re going to like it.

9. I’ve been too busy to really devote the proper time to ANY of my fiction, but I’m aiming to have Demo Tapes — Year 2 done before the Bridgewater Book Fest in September.

10. I’m not listed on the website (sniff), but I’ll be there, copies of Demo Tapes in hand. That’s why I want Demo Tapes 2 to be done by then.

11. I have a bunch of Trevor-rich outtakes ready to go. And a few to finish. I miss Trevor. In his own way, he keeps me sane.

12. I have this goofy idea that’s totally Trevor-inspired. Now all I need is the time to implement it. You’re going to love it.

13. Okay, off to it. Be sure to leave a comment so I know you were here! And if you’re not seeing me in your feed, be sure to update the link. We switched WordPress platforms and the feed might be messed up. Or not. Like I said, it’s been one of these weeks!

Even though it’s almost 2:00 and the first time I’ve sat down at the computer ALL DAY, and even though the whole week has been like this, full of little nuisances that have made me utterly fed up and crazy, there’s still been a lot of good to talk about. A lot of it has happened online, too.

First off, Colette Gale stopped in for a Featured New Release spot. She offered to send a book to one lucky winner, so if you like your Robin Hood steamy and sexy, drop on in to the contest post and enter yourself.

Speaking of Colette, Bound By Honor was waiting for me in my much-maligned PO Box (that’s a Win a Book joke!) when I stopped by after my morning workout. I can NOT wait to read it. Tomorrow, as I have Penguin tickets tonight.

Yeah. Penguins. Won the game Wednesday night. Definitely a good thing.

But WAIT. There’s more.

Reverse to Monday before we can dwell on what the Pens will do tonight (when last seen by me, they were eating lunch. But that’s another story.). Dar at Peeking Between the Pages reviewed the Demo Tapes. Tuesday, she had me stop in for a cool guest blog. Be sure to read the comment trail, not just the post itself. Yes, I AM just like you! Feel free to knock me around if that ever changes!

And lastly, the one thing I managed to do this morning before realizing I had to take my car in for service was find this. It’s another review of The Demo Tapes, over at Bookish Mom Reviews. Rebekah has invited me to return for a guest blog or interview; I’ll be setting that up soon.

Yep. It was a week full of needing new brakes (ouch!) on my beloved sports car, of getting stuck in construction zones, of a kid who didn’t make himself visible to his sibling, causing Mom to freak out when #2 said, “Where’s #1? I didn’t see him in bus line or on the bus.”

Yeah. You know what I’m saying. All those little things.

And a lot of great literary talk. Let’s focus on the literary stuff. Check out all those links. You’ll feel as good as I do.

Now, let’s go Pens!

Last week, for whatever reason, I thought it would be fun to write about Trevor’s favorite foods. You guys seemed to have fun with it, too, so when my good friend Wylie asked me to list Mitchell’s favorite foods this week, it seemed like a great idea.

1. Potato chips. Notice how often he’s eating them? Sheesh. The man loves his chips. Don’t try to steal them, though.

2. Tomatoes, charred on his grill.

3. Pan-seared fish, such as snapper or swordfish (thanks, Ann!). Best when prepared with a fruit salsa of some sort, heavy on the lime juice.

4. Anything grilled. Anything. Even things you thought couldn’t be grilled. He’ll try it.

5. Fruits and vegetables. Yep, Mitchell loves ’em. He’ll gladly sit down to a meal and find it’s a heaping salad. (Meat optional.)

6. He’s always the first to devour the backstage veggie tray, especially when it’s got cauliflower and red pepper on it. He’ll munch the pepper slices like they’re potato chips.

7. From the healthy to the barbecue… Big Buck’s Best Barbecue and Big Buck’s Bodacious Sauce hold a special place for him. He’s been all over the world, eaten all sorts of barbecue, and still says Big Buck’s is the best. And yes, he’s a suck-the-rib-clean kinda guy.

8. Ice Cream, of course. While he’s not as avidly sexual about it as Trevor is, there’s something about a good vanilla cone — despite the old taunts from big sister Amy about how, with his silvery-blonde hair, he looked like a vanilla ice cream cone when he wore khaki pants as a kid. (And now you know why he never wears white. ANYWHERE.)

9. Pizza. In moderation.

10. Veal. Who cares if the cow’s raised in a box, it tastes good when it’s dead and sitting on his plate, cooked to perfection.

11. French fries, especially when they’re shoestring cut. Thin and crispy, they accompany a heaping salad well. (this outtake is still in the half-finished stage. Stay tuned!)

12. Whipped cream. That’s all I’m saying.

13. Orange juice. Mitchell’s drink of choice.

I honestly can’t say what inspired me to think of Trevor’s favorite foods, but here you go… In no order, until the last one, which truly is Trevor’s #1.

13. bacon (see Trev wax vaguely poetic about bacon here)

12. Pickles, the sour kind that make your mouth pucker. Best when given to Mitchell right before he takes the stage. Or maybe in the middle of the set, but you’d better be ready to run really fast afterward.

11. M&Ms. Fun to pop in your mouth. Gives an idea of what it might be like to be a stereotypic rock star who pops drugs like they’re candy.

10. Pot roast. Whenever Mitchell’s mom says she’s making this for dinner, Trevor shows up. He even showers first.

9. cookies. Sonya sends the guys care packages from time to time, but every now and then, a store-bought cookie hits the spot.

8. Bananas. This is Trevor we’re talking about, after all. Same thing with uncut cucumbers and zucchini. Hey, no one ever said the boy WAS original. Just that he IS an original.

7. Which explains why he’ll occasionally suck a lemon. Trevor likes the lemony fresh smell (so much better than the fake smell in all those cleaners promoters like to use in their dressing rooms) and besides, the rest of the guys shudder when he does it. He’s been known to chase it with a spoonful of sugar and a big drink of water. Dissected Lemonade, he calls it.

6. Corn on the cob. Unless some idiot promoter has hired a caterer who’s turned it into mush. Corn on the cob should be firm. You should be able to sink your teeth into it, slobber all over it, lick the salt and butter off your hands, and wind up with a naked cob at the end.

The sexual innuendo you’re seeing in all that is entirely your own. This is about food, people. Not rock stars and their sex and drugs. (Well, except for the M&Ms)

5. Pancakes. A favored breakfast of the entire band. Trevor used to thoroughly douse them in store-bought syrup until Eric one day made him try the real stuff. For once, Eric was right.

4. Pizza’s always good, but free pizza? Even better. (Beware if you use this link; it’ll put you smack in the middle of Green Hair Week. You may feel lost. If so, read the entire sequence.)

3. Ice Cream — before the band gets too big (and even a little bit after), before the fans find out (and even sometimes after), Trevor likes to talk the tour bus driver into stopping at an ice cream store for a cone before they hit the road. He waxes poetic about it here. One day, I’ll write the scene where he and Mitchell dress up in trench coats and convince Kerri to be their Bond girl…

2. Root beer. Way better than the stuff the rest of the band drinks. AND it doesn’t make Trevor turn into Hank.

And the granddaddy of Trevor’s diet:
1. Meatball subs from Harry’s Hoagies. ‘Nuff said.

Last week, Janet and Megan took the suggestion of blogger Chanda and asked if we’d like to make a Thirteen about weddings.

My thirteen was already done, so I decided to hold off on the prompt until this week. I figured it’d be a good one to ask the ShapeShifter boys about, since it’s been awhile since we last heard from them and I know you’ve missed them as much as I have.

So…

Thirteen things about Weddings, ShapeShifter Style

1. Trevor’s opposed to weddings and anything related to them. After all, weddings are the gateway to monogamy — according to him.

2. Daniel, on the other hand, dreams of marrying Val. Properly — in a church, even though he’s never set foot in one. And her in a long white gown with a train and veil that trail halfway up the aisle. The problem is, Val doesn’t share this dream. Never has.

3. Eric creates a third factor in this equation. The son of a Presbyterian minister, he grew up believing in marriage, life-long marriage. He’s watched his parents weather some tough spots and is committed to finding the woman who can do the same with him.

4. Add in Mitchell, who never thought one way or another about marriage. Yeah, both his older sisters were married by the time he met Kerri. Yeah, his parents have a great marriage. But for him? He’d thought it would never happen, so why dwell on it?

5. Back to Trevor, who also thinks marriage is a way to hold yourself down. When there’s someone else to consider, life isn’t as much fun.

6. Look at Daniel, Trevor will say. He missed how many nights with the rest of the band, hanging at Roach’s, because Val was *insert whine here* tired and wanted to go home?

7. And then there’s the arrangement Daniel and Val have. Since Val doesn’t like being on tour with the band, she gives Daniel some freedom. So long as he doesn’t get their names, or see them again.

8. Eric takes a different approach to the women he meets on the road: they become friends, for as long as the relationship can be sustained.

9. Trevor can’t stand this, of course. Girls aren’t to be friends with. They’re to love and leave.

10. Val’s opposition to marrying Daniel means that Mitchell is the first band member to get married. He does that during Trevor’s Song.

11. Needless to say, Trevor’s not happy about this. About the marriage. About the choice of women. About losing his best friend and partner in crime.

12. Eric and Daniel think it’s great that Mitchell found Kerri. Eric’s dad performed the ceremony, which was held in Daniel and Val’s back yard. The reception was a lot of fun, too.

13. Don’t even bring up the idea of kids around Trevor. Just … don’t… go … there.

I didn’t think I had much for Only the Good Friday this week. I haven’t read anything worth raving about, we just got back from vacation…

Sometimes, you’ve got to look beyond the obvious. Or look into the corners of your life, into the things we take for granted.

Like the fact that I had a fantastic writing day yesterday, and a great editing session. That’s writing one book and editing another, for those of you keeping track at home. And nope, the one being edited was NOT the Demo Tapes: Year 2. That means I’m working on more than I’m talking about.

If you’re my Facebook friend, you probably saw my status today: royalties came in on Demo Tapes: Year 1. That’s good. That’s very good. Recent stats claim that most self-published books sell under 200 copies. I haven’t hit that benchmark yet (YET), but I’m determined to blow the roof off it. Remember, the more copies of The Demo Tapes that I sell, the sooner you guys will see Trevor’s Song. How’s THAT for incentive?

Yep, it’s a good Friday over here. I’m feeling very strong and optimistic.

And now, if you’ll excuse me, Mitchell’s up to no good in the book I’m writing, and I’ve got an outtake in progress in which Trevor’s in fine form. Not to mention what I’m cooking up for next week’s Thursday Thirteen…

Miss me?

We got home on Monday but between settling back in and the abrupt resumption of real life, I’ve been quiet. Time to change that.

Thirteen Things I did on my Spring Vacation

1. Bumped over the Rocky Mountains in a puddle jumper.

2. Stayed at a four-star resort. You should, too. Amazing food. Better staff.

3. Hauled along a stuffed doberman, the class pet. Took lots of absurd pictures with said doberman that had other vacationers laughing along with us.

4. Visited Arches National Park. There are 17 hikes listed, according to difficulty level, at the Visitor Center. We conquered about 13 of them, including the hardest one in the park.

5. That hardest hike is into the Fiery Furnace area of the park. Yes, it’s as narrow and nerve-testing as the pictures make it look. Yet it was also great fun and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

6. The highlight, however, happened after we drove our rented Chevy Trailblazer down a very washboarded, unpaved road to the head of the trail. We were headed out to Tower Arch.

7. We sat and had snacks underneath the arch. You can still see where the arch’s discoverer, Alex Higgenbotham (I think that was his name), wrote his name on the wall (but don’t touch!)

8. Tower Arch is masculine and tough. There’s no doubt about it. If you want grace and beauty, try Delicate Arch or Landscape Arch.

9. I loved Double Arch. In fact, the whole windows area is pretty cool.

10. Did you know that the soil is alive? Out in Arches (and in neighboring Canyonlands), it is. Called Biological Soil (this year; it’s had other names in years past, but it’s the same stuff), it’s very cool. And, in places, very hard to see. Don’t step off the marked paths.

11. And did we see others going off-trail! This is how and why I became a conservationist. I don’t understand how people can come to the National Parks and be dazzled by their surroundings, yet show so little respect for something so important. Hello? Don’t you want your grandchildren to be able to see this, too?

12. On our final day in Utah, we drove over to Canyonlands National Park. If you’ve never been there, let me tell you, it’s so big, so vast, so amazing … the Tour Manager and I joked that it’s not real. It’s just a great big painting. I’d love to return and do some serious hiking in there. I’m talking multi-day treks.

13. Our last stop before heading home was Grand Junction, CO. I think I could live there — or so I said until I heard the weather forecast. Snow. In mid-April. Regardless, Grand Junction looked like a great little town. We found a great Mom-and-Pop Mexican restaurant that was open on Easter Sunday, too.

There ya go, boys and girls. Six days distilled into thirteen things. I can’t say I was as easy on my camera… just like my Yellowstone trip last year, 500+ pictures made the editing cut. Not all will go into the album I’m going to make, but most will.

More from Trevor and the rest of the gang in the days ahead.

This was going to be a letter, but as it evolved, it’s really a blog post. So… here it is.

I feel a real need to say a big, loud, public thanks to everyone at the Metallica Club and the various groups (band, management, label, and so forth) as well as the organizers of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony who made it possible for me and the Tour Manager to attend last weekend’s affair. Without the chance to buy tickets through the MetClub, I’d have probably never seen a dream come true: To attend a RRHOF induction ceremony.

It probably sounds odd that a writer dreams of the sort of boring (in theory), stuffy (in theory) industry event as was staged last weekend. But before this writer chose fiction over all else, I spent a long time positioning myself to work in the music business. I turned down not one but three job offers from one record label, alone. There were other labels, too, who showed interest in having me come work for them, but in the end, I couldn’t deny it. Writing fiction is what I’m meant to do.

Choosing one life over another doesn’t always mean the end of the dreams that fueled me through long nights on stage crew, through delicate discussions with record label reps over why I couldn’t play their bands on my radio show, or through interviews with musicians that didn’t go quite the way I’d envisioned (The Great Kat was an experience I will possibly never get over). Certainly one glance at my fiction will show that I never truly left the music world. I can’t go; I belong here, even if it is on the sidelines. Hardly a candidate to watch most of my music-related dreams come true.

Yet I continue to find a way. My desire to learn promotions from the inside was realized when I stepped up to throw together a fan convention. Oh, I may not have had to deal with guarantees and gate receipts and all that, but I did it nonetheless. In typical Susan fashion — some would call it Metallica fashion — I found a way to make it happen on my own terms. I jumped in, both feet first, and came out at the other end standing upright. Maybe a little battered, a little bruised, but definitely wiser and richer for the experience.

Same for last weekend, although the risks were fewer. So were the obstacles.

If anything, it was easy. Entered raffle for tickets. Purchased tickets. Lined up place to stay, at an exclusive bed-and-breakfast that only cost me a copy of my book. Two babysitters vied for the honors of putting up with my children. We drove 105 miles. Jumped the public transit. And voila. Dreams came true.

Being there became bigger than simply watching my favorite (real-life) band be honored. From the moment the TV broadcast began, I was reminded of my true love for music, not simply for the one band who’d enabled my presence at the ceremony. Earlier in the day, as my family had toured the Museum, I’d tried to give my kids a feel for the bigger picture. How bands like Little Anthony and the Imperials may have been allowed to get up on stage and perform, but they weren’t allowed to be served dinner by the same people who were paying them for their gig. How rare a woman like Wanda Jackson had been, rocking out alongside the boys. We owe these pioneers much, the least of which is for the songs and melodies they produce. They changed the world.

Once upon a time, I’d dreamed of being one of those people who work behind the scenes. I wanted to be one of the people who make the musical magic happen for the thousands and millions of a band’s fans. I wanted to be able to stand at the side of the stage and look past the band I was working for. I wanted to look out at the audience and know that I was, in part, responsible for their being there. My first novel was about a woman who does exactly this. It’s safely under my bed now, but anyone familiar with my fiction knows that it was the start of something great.

I chose a different route from my musical ambitions, a route where I am both entirely behind the scenes and, simultaneously, the star of the show. But it’s where I can meld my two loves into one. Best of all, I can share it with anyone who picks up my book or who stops by my blog. Choosing fiction over my music career didn’t mean an end to those old dreams. There was no box to shove those ambitions and fantasies inside of, no lid to close, nothing to keep them from laying, dormant, until the time was right and they could come true.

Yeah, it took my membership in a certain band’s fan club to make it happen. That’s why I owe a huge thanks to the people associated with Metallica and with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. There’s an old saying that the means don’t justify the ends. This time, they most certainly did.

Now, onward to conquer my next dream. I have so many, it’s hard to choose which will come true next. And that’s the beauty of it. I didn’t choose this; it fell in my lap. It’s reminded me of my love for all music, not just the heavy stuff I usually prefer. It gave me more than I expected, and for me, that’s how it’s best.

Yep, I’m packing up the Tour Manager, the kids, and Trevor and heading out West for a few days. Time to clear my head, reconnect with my beloved mountains of the western US, and … well, maybe I’ll celebrate the Big 4-0 or something equally as stupid. (I will, however, be ignoring Passover, like the Heathen I apparently am.)

I’ve got one post ready to auto-post, but won’t be here much to moderate or return visits. I’ll catch ya when I return. Hopefully by then, it’ll have stopped snowing in West of Mars-ville.

Those of you travelling for Passover seders or Easter festivities, do so safely. Have super holidays and I’ll see you once I’ve come face to face with the Mighty Colorado.

This week’s Sunday Scribblings prompt was “celebrate”.

This one is so obvious that I, The Tour Manager, am stepping in. Susan being wiped out from
the celebration in question has something to do with it too . . .

Life’s full of things to celebrate. Heck, it’s good to make up excuses and rationalizations to hold a celebration. They’re uplifting, affirmating, and a whole list of other positive things.

But, once in a while, there are celebrations that are unique and extra meaningful to you for one reason or another. This weekend was one for us, especially the rock-and-roll author slash former metal DJ. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I can’t put the pictures here because of copyright reasons, but here’s about 6,000 words worth of a truly special celebration.

‘tallica’s RRHOF Induction

And believe me, the other people whose work and careers were also celebrated leading up to the guys in those pictures were every bit as special and spectacular.

For Only the Good Friday, I wanted to point out that I’ve been so busy moderating comments from first-time commenters and returning visits that I’ve been too busy to write.

This is good because…

… it means you guys love me and want to be part of what’s going on over here. And you want me to be part of what you’re up to.

… it means that I get to be inspired by you. It’s all Leah’s fault. She left me a comment, asking what Melody did when Trevor made a crack about her age.

C’mon. That has to be written.

But like I said, I’ve been too busy to do it. Which is good because…

… it lets me ponder the scene more. Envision it in my overworked brain. Really focus on it and let it develop as it should.

… focusing on Melody is keeping my mind OFF tomorrow’s adventure. I’m going to be seeing a lot of people I haven’t seen in almost six years. Not all of them are going to be glad to see me, I expect. (and likewise…) But I’ll smile and put on a pleasant face and talk up the Demo Tapes and …

… like me or not, you’d think they’ll pick up a copy, if only to see if it’s bad. That means, of course…

… more book sales, which are always sorely needed when you’re trying to stage a Trevolution.

SO. Don’t expect to hear from me until Monday. I’ve got one very good thing I’ll be busy doing:

Living a few dreams. The Induction Ceremony. As a published author.

Well, okay. I’m not a VIP at the Ceremony and there are some who say I’m not good enough to be considered published. But there are others in multiples who disagree. Maybe it’s only half the dream coming true, but better half than none at all….

Check out more Only the Good at This Eclectic Life!

I was surprised at the number of you last week who commented that you didn’t know what taboule is. You poor, sheltered people! This mixture of parsley, bulgur wheat, onions and/or scallions, and tomatoes, all tossed in a light, lovely lemony, garlicky, olive oil dressing… Oh, it’s to die for. The combination of flavors makes your tastebuds come alive.

So as I was thinking of a way to incorporate taboule into my second Thirteen in a row, I decided to create a new restaurant in my fictional town of Riverview. Why not? After all, I love Middle Eastern food. And since Mitchell likes his food on the healthy side (as opposed to Trevor, who thinks grease ought to be a food group), Mona’s Middle Eastern Eats came to mind.

On the menu at Mona’s…
1. Taboule, of course!

2. And hummus and baba ganoush. These purees (of chick peas and smoked eggplant, respectively) define Middle Eastern food for many. Mona’s makes both in-house and often hopes they don’t run out by the end of the day.

3. Falaffel is a classic. Chick pea patties are deep-fried and served with a yogurt sauce. At Mona’s, you can have them as a sandwich, wrapped in a freshly-baked pita, if you’d like. Or you can have the appetizer style: little balls of flavored goodness.

4. Most people know about grape leaves. Stuffed with either ground lamb and rice or other goodies like chick peas, these can be served either cold or hot, depending on your filling preference. Mitchell likes them cold ’cause they’re easier to pick up to eat. They are also fun to play with; they make great pretend cigars.

5. And then there’s Kibbee. You can usually get this lamb and wheat delicacy raw or cooked. With raw meat, there’s always a chance it can make you sick. (Sort of like oysters) Mona’s does its best to make sure the raw version won’t make you swear to never return, but it’s hard to find locally-grown, grass-fed lamb that’s processed in a clean enough plant. They are considering removing the raw option from the menu.

6. Shish Kebab! This can be chicken, beef, or even lamb. Chunks of meat slow-roasted on a skewer with lots of vegetables, served over rice… oh, the heaven. There’s a variation of this that Mona’s is famous for. It’s called kefta, and Mona’s makes it with ground beef and lots of cinnamon and other spices. It’s not the most appetizing to look at, but consider where it’s headed once you put it in your mouth. That’s what matters.

7. Greek salad. C’mon, does this need a lot of explanation? Iceberg lettuce, kalamata olives, rings of red onion, feta cheese, cucumber, all liberally doused in a light lemon-garlic-olive oil dressing. Very similar to the dressing for taboule. Only different.

8. Fatoosh. Take the flavors of taboule, add lettuce, baked pita chips, mint, cucumber, and chicken, and you’ve got yourself a main course. If you want to take your leftovers home, Mona’s will give you fresh pita chips, as they will get soggy if not separated out.

9. Spinach pie. dough baked with a spinach-and-onion mixture inside. Big enough for dinner and surprisingly heavy, thanks to the dough.

10. Stuffed cabbage. What, you thought the Eastern Europeans had the market on this stand-by? Not even close. Mona’s will stuff the cabbage leaves with a lamb-and-tomato mixture, and serve it in a homemade tomato sauce that is light and tasty.

11. Moussaka. Layers of eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, and ground lamb smothered in cheese and accompanied by a light sauce. Mona’s brags that this is their signature dish, but they actually sell more of the kefta.

And for dessert:
12. Halva. Mona imports this sesame-seed candy from Turkey. It arrives wrapped in its own package, like a candy bar. And yes, there are some chocolate-coated varieties available. This is Eric’s not-so-secret indulgence. He never leaves Mona’s without buying a half-dozen — without the chocolate.

13. Baklava. This classic honey-and-nuts dessert in its light phyllo dough really needs no explanation. Unlike most else at Mona’s, this is not baked in-house. Rather, Mona employs an off-site baker whose job is to do nothing but bake trays of baklava, one at a time, with love and care. And lots and lots of honey.

While Mona’s is entirely fictional, this sort of Middle-Eastern menu isn’t. For help and inspiration, I used the guidelines of my own knowledge of these foods (especially as the Tour Manager makes them), as well as the menu from local favorite ali baba. What their website lacks, their food more than makes up for.

Happy eating this week! If I’ve inspired you to try something, be sure to come back and let me know — unless you didn’t like it. No need to make me feel bad!

I’m sitting here, waiting for the second draft of The Demo Tapes — Year 2 to print out, and it dawned on me that today’s March 31.

This is the first time I’ve gotten all sentimental about this date.

You see, this here blog turns four on Saturday. That’s the day I’ll be doing this, so I’m writing the birthday post now. Besides, it’s easier to call March 31 the end of the year for my blog. It gives me a nice, neat cut-off date for The Demo Tapes collections.

Yep, today’s the end. The end of Year 3. The next time I post some fiction, I’ll have to open a new folder on the computer and start forgetting to store things in it. It’ll be Year 4.

This isn’t something that should make me sad. Three years consistently blogging, with over 600 posts to my name (and more at my Win a Book blog); that’s a record to be proud of. And I am. Don’t get me wrong.

Ready for the but in all this? It’s that I started this blog to drum up interest in Trevor Wolff and his book. I’ve done that. I’ve got a very nice little volume of stories you can buy for yourself and your friends.

Yet the novel’s unpublished. Hell, it’s uncontracted.

This is where I feel like a complete and total failure. I shouldn’t, I know. But I do. I mean, today’s an ending, and endings are the spot for feeling down. For looking back over the whole thing that’s brought you here. For trying to figure out where you went wrong, and how to fix it.

One of the biggest things in the past year, other than The Demo Tapes — Year 1, has been the move of the blog. It’s still not finished; the header’s still not done, I have all sorts of stuff to finish off. I’m proud of this new blog. I’m glad you guys weathered the move with me, given how fast and unprepared any of us were for it. I’m glad to see many of you joining me over at Red Room, too. I have plans for how I’m going to use that site. Stay tuned.

In the upcoming year, Win a Book will also be moving over to the Westofmars.com platform and domain. I have plans for it, plans that’ll take time from my writing. But I believe that all us writers are in this thing together, and that continuing to grow Win a Book will benefit all of us — writers, readers, publishers. Anyone with a stake in books.

I don’t have a crystal ball. I don’t know what’s ahead. All I know is that Year 4 looms, and with it is the promise of the biggest, best year yet here at The Meet and Greet, as well as at West of Mars as a whole.

I’m glad you’re along for the ride. Thanks.

After I stopped at one of my favorite boutiques for the shirt, it was off to the post office. An envelope was waiting for me. And inside the envelope, something more precious than gold.

Dreams DO come true, boys and girls.

I decided to join Shelly’s Only the Good this week. Why don’t you jump in? You know you can’t resist the goodness that is This Eclectic Life!

It’s been a week where it seems that everything has inspired me one way or another. Here are thirteen things that got my brain churning.

1. Taboule. I have cravings for taboule, and it follows that a certain fresh-food-loving character I write about would, too.

2. Mandatory Metallica on XM radio. You long-time readers know about me and my Metallica affliction, especially when the band takes over satellite radio for a month at a time. But it was this line in particular that got me — “Metallica got thrown off our tour bus” — that is so rich with possibilities.

3. Harriet Klausner. Yep, the mega-reviewer over at Amazon. Rife with controversy, this woman who has registered almost 19,000 books at BookCrossing intrigues me.

4. Thanks to Bunnygirl, I learned of this awesome real estate blog called It’s Lovely, I’ll Take It. Most of the pictures make me glad I’ve got this house in this neighborhood, but this picture in particular spoke to me.

5. The rust on the trunk of the car in front of me yesterday.

6. How about this prompt at Easystreet Prompts? Change that street into the scene of a multi-day concert and those people into rockers who have never seen this sort of devastation first-hand before…

7. A dad at Opening Act’s dance studio who walks with a cane. More about that later…

8. Watching YouTube videos of bands I like and seeing their road cases by the side of the stage.

9. A book review that mentions a plot point where the main character falls in love with her professor.

10. Grapes.

11. Pumping gas.

12. A particular pair of blue eyes. And before you try to follow my thoughts, Trevor’s eyes are brown and Mitchell’s are hazel.

13. Bands on tour walking past each other backstage or in hotels, who never get a chance to say anything more than, “Hi, how are you?” to each other.

Look at some of that list, will you? Especially those of you who think you’re not creative. You ARE; it just takes practice. Let life inspire you, and be sure to seek inspiration from others who are Thirteening this week.

1. I’m not a big fan of computer games. I should be writing, not playing games.
2. The Tour Manager plays fantasy stuff on his desktop. We don’t need a console.
3. Then I heard about the Wii Fit. It’d be good for my bad hips.
4. Next came the promise of being able to fly like Shaun White.
5. Around Hanukkah last December, the Wii showed up. So did the Fit.
6. Proving why he’s the Tour Manager, we’d gotten a hell of a deal on it. (Can you see Fit for Free? I sure can!)
7. Then the announcement: Guitar Hero: Metallica. For the Wii.
8. I figured… I suck at making music. I can hear something and tell if it’ll be a hit (or I used to do that, anyway, back in my radio days). But to make it? FAIL. Massive failure.
9. But still…
10. Guess what showed up on my front porch this morning?
11. Guitar Hero: World Tour
12. I had to set it up before the Opening Acts got home from school. You know, to make sure it works right.
13. What do you think? In an alternate fictional reality, are people anxiously awaiting Guitar Hero: ShapeShifter???

Be sure to see what other people are Thirteening about this week. Me, I’m going to pretend I’m Mitchell Voss… or, rather, watch the Tour Manager and the Opening Acts show me how it’s done.