@VickiBatman - The Top Ten, er, Two Top Tens!!! #movieaddict #MFRWorg #warfilms

The Top Ten, er...Two Top Tens!!!

On Facebook, someone is always posting something about movies or great lines from movies, and I often respond to these topics as I LOVE movies. So when someone mentioned their top ten movie list, I wondered what my top ten are.

I thought about what would make my list. I decided the Number One factor is if the movie is on TV, would I automatically tune in? Would I watch because I love it and every single time I see it, I get the same what a wonderful film feeling?

I found I have a Top Twenty or Two Top Tens. In no specific order:

Mr. Roberts – the making scotch scene is hilarious and William Powell’s last       

It’s a Wonderful Life

Stalag 17 – William Holden is brilliant.

Sixteen Candles

Breakfast Club

Philadelphia Story – “C K Dexter Haaavvveeen” scene and Cary Grant

White Christmas – great songs

Raiders of the Lost Ark –Did you see it FOUR times when it was released?

Casablanca

Bridget Jones’s Diary

Love Actually

His Girl Friday – the snappiest dialogue ever and irresistible Cary Grant

Man Who Shot Liberty Valance – there’s a real conundrum in this one

Silverado

M*A*S*H*

Rebecca –I often pontificate on this gothic mystery.

Rear Window – a peeping photographer sees a murder

The Quiet Man – John Wayne should have won an Oscar for this one.

The Thin Man

Millions

So what did I discover about my list?

6 Christmas-ish movies

4 War films

2 by director John Hughes

3 by director John Ford

2 by director Alfred Hitchcock

2 featuring Cary Grant

2 featuring William Powell – yup, big fan

Some are funny.

Some are mysterious.

Some are adventurous.

Please share your top three!

Vicki Batman left off Star Wars and James Bond; however, which to take out? Find her funny romantic comedy mystery, Temporarily Employed at: Amazon

Nothing like a summer action thriller - Mad Max #actionadventuremovie #MFRWorg #lovemovies

Movie Mom on 

Mad Max: Fury Road 

Post-apocalyptic is not my cup of tea. I didn't even see the other three Mad Max films with Mel Gibson (he will always be the best in The Year of Living Dangerously). I wanted to see this film because of...Tom Hardy. 

Ever since I saw Locke and The Drop, Mr. Hardy has caught my eye. Since seeing Mad Max, I've seen him in Lawless and several others.

Mad Max: Fury Road is a post-apocalyptic action film by George Miller, the fourth in his Mad Max franchise. Fury Road stars Tom Hardy as "Mad" Max Rockatansky and Charlize Theron.

In a desert wasteland where gasoline and water are scarce, Max joins forces with Imperator Furiosa to flee the cult leader Immortan Joe and his army.

My thoughts: I liked the movie and Mr. Hardy and Charlize Theron were good. It was never boring. In fact, it took off and never stopped, not even for a good rest. The neat thing about post-apocalyptic films is the creativity in the costuming and scenery. Someone had a good time, especially with the vehicles. And I'll never look at chrome in the same way. I decided I'm not a 3D person. My son, who went with me, saw it again not in 3D and enjoyed it much more. Definitely not for youngsters.

FMI: Wikipedia

Are there specific film genres you prefer to watch?

#handbag Monday : With just a little tweaking, a new treasure #accessories #fashion #shoes #MFRWorg

I love needlepoint and I love handbags. Often, I find a great bag that might just needs a little tweaking. This one had flimsy gold snakey-like handles. Not very substantial in the hand. And it looked very dated.

So on a trip to JoAnn's, I found the clear plastic beaded handle and added it with split rings inserted into the connecting spots on the frame. 

Voila! Now, the handbag is more up-to-date and the whole thing just pops with color.

















Have you ever tweaked a handbag or an accessory so it really reflects YOU? 

My inner funny is revealed in my work. Lately, that is my romantic comedy mystery, Temporarily Employed: New job. New love. And murder. Desperate for cash to cover the basic necessities, Hattie Cooks takes a temporary job where she uncovers an embezzling scam tied to the death of a former employee--the very one she replaced. Find TE at: Amazon

Have you discovered #handbag Monday? Vicki shares a new treasure #MFRWorg #RLFblog #fashion #accessories #lovehandbags

Handbag Monday with

...Vicki Batman

By now, you know of my extreme love for handbags and how I shop on ETSY for super dooper finds. Recently, I found this extraordinary needlepoint:

What looks odd here? Does it look dated?

The colors really popped and the bag was in great condition. Not a bad size although my regular wallet didn't fit well and I switched to a slimline version which I prefer anyway. 

This bag cried for a new handle. I happen to have a clear beaded one and changed away. What do you think?

  I really like the handle much better. The gold slinky ones did add the pizazz I was looking for with the nifty colors. BTW, I paid $34.99 for this cutie.

Have you every adapted a handbag?

#Movie Mom : Good Kill #military #drones #films #MFRWorg

Movie Mom views...

An Air Force pilot becomes disturbed when flying drones and questions his missions with the CIA.

The film: stars Ethan Hawke, January Jones, and Bruce Greenwood. Mr. Hawke was praised for his strong acting.

My thoughts: I didn't see this movie at the theater because it was showing in a suburb about an hour away and I was like what???!!! The indie theaters nearby get great films and this one will show up. It didn't. 

Recently, Handsome and I upgraded our audio/visual system and now have Netflix. While trying it out, we scrolled through new releases and I saw the poster for Good Kill. I pointed it out to Handsome, saying we wanted to see it but didn't because...

Anyway, Ethan Hawke gives a great performance. The movie moves at a good pace and was never boring. Not familiar with everything military, this was a good glimpse into the life and the jobs soldiers perform. Although the subject matter can be disturbing, I thought a lot about it afterwards. Definitely not for kids.

I want to share this part: drones are involved. My dad served on battleships and aircraft carriers in WW2 and he was part of a drone crew as a mechanic. Not nearly the same as what today's drones do; yet, they have been around longer than we think. 

Welcome to Lia Davis & A Leopard's Path #MFRWorg #RLFblog #WROTM

Lia Davis is a mother to two young adults and three equally special kitties, a wife to her soul mate, and a lover of romance. She and her family live in Northeast Florida battling hurricanes and very humid summers. But it's her home and she loves it!

An accounting major, Lia has always been a dreamer with a very active imagination. The wheels in her head never stop. She ventured into the world of writing and publishing in 2008 and loves it more than she imagined. Writing is stress reliever that allows her to go off in her corner of the house and enter into another world that she created, leaving real life where it belongs.

Her favorite things are spending time with family, traveling, reading, writing, chocolate, coffee, nature and hanging out with her kitties.

Stolen from her family as an infant, Ana Darwin-Andrews has to piece together her past and present. Her whole life is a lie. There’s only one man she feels she can trust, but even he has secrets.

Kieran Michaels keeps a tight lid on his past, but the Onyx Alpha knows his darkest secrets. Kieran will stop at nothing to destroy the rogue before the past is reveled. Ana can never discover his hands are as bloodstained as their enemy’s, because life without her is not an option.

Her whole life was a lie.

Well, not her life exactly. Her biological father wasn’t the one she’d grown up knowing. Keegan Andrews wasn’t anything like the man who raised her. The monster, Felix, who’d stolen her from her true family and taught her to believe the Ashwood Falls Pack—the one she should have grown up in—was the enemy. The only thing Felix didn’t lie about was the fact that her mother was dead. He’d just left out the part where he was the one who killed her and stole Ana from her womb.

Ana clenched her teeth and gripped her coffee mug a little tighter. Life since coming to Ashwood and meeting her real family had been…nice. And challenging. Some of the younger Pack members still stared at her like they were waiting for her to turn on everyone. She couldn’t blame them really.

Releasing a sigh, Ana fingered the rose-shaped locket she’d worn for as long as she could remember. When she’d met Keegan in the summer, he’d told her it had belonged to her mother, Cate. It was she who’d picked the name Zorana. While Ana loved the name, she had always felt it a bit too exotic for her.

You can’t dwell on the past forever.

Ana forced her muscles to relax and leaned against the doorframe of the MoonRiver house she was temporarily staying in with Blaine—her brother and leopard Alpha of Ashwood Falls—and his two mates. She sipped her coffee as snow flurries drifted from the sky. The crisp early winter air soothed her cat, even while it tantalized the woman. She loved winter, loved the cold and snow. However, the sight in front of her was far from the magickal image she’d expect from the first snowfall.

MoonRiver used to be the wolves’ den before they merged their Pack with Ashwood. Now, Ana saw the full impact of the war that had pushed Luna to merge her wolves with the leopards over thirty years ago. Few homes still stood, and those that did were not unscathed. Others were either completely destroyed or just plain uninhabitable. The sight made the attack on Ashwood a few months ago appear like a training exercise in comparison.

Shame, pain, and outright rage whirled inside Ana like a cyclone. She had once called the monster responsible for all this Father. Not anymore. The dark veil had been lifted, and now she saw the truth.

Felix Darwin would pay for every life he’d destroyed.

And she was going to help make it happen.

Find Lia Davis at: 

Website: http://www.authorliadavis.com/

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/mBWx5

Facebook author fan page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Lia-Davis/137761469629592

Facebook Fan Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/368820509920377/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/novelsbylia

Tumblr: http://novelsbylia.tumblr.com/

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/liadavis35/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5829989.Lia_Davis

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Lia-Davis/e/B007Z0BH7S/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

About.me: http://about.me/AuthorLiaDavis

Get a personalized ebook at Authorgraph: http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/novelsbylia

guest #author Laurel Wanrow on #handbag Monday-something beaded & pretty #MFRWorg #accessories #fashion #shoes

Handbag Monday with 

...Laurel Wanrow 

Hi Vicki, Thanks for having me over today! Though we’ve met numerous times through RWA, I never knew what a handbag girl you were, probably because all—well, 95 percent—of us are carrying great little bags at conferences. LOL. I hate to admit it, but day-to-day I make do with a zipper-pocketed travel pouch. However, when it’s time to dress up, I transfer my basics to a beaded bag:

Ha! It’s probably not what most of your readers expected, but this fits me perfectly! I love nature and gardening and have planted my postage-stamp yard to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. And the best part? The butterfly is purple, my favorite color!

Simply delightful, Laurel. Most times, I carry something small for evenings out!

I love bright colors and so does my Victorian artist heroine, who happens to carry just as unconventional of a handbag…which I’ll wait to share with you and your readers when I visit you on July 8^th at Get Lost In A Story.

I know we’ll be discussing my debut release there, so for now can I leave your readers with just this teaser for The Unraveling?

A proper Victorian artist must learn to use her bloodline's wild magic to help the shapeshifter she loves, or become what she fears most: another cog in a magnate's plan to control agriculture.

My steampunk fantasy romance is on a preorder sale before it releases June 23^rd.

I often update my author page on Facebook  (https://www.facebook.com/laurelwanrowauthor) so stop by to chat!

Have a great Monday!

Laurel

Judy Alter on weird food: tongue, liver & more AND her book Desperate for Death #murdermystery #cooking #MFRWorg

My neighbor looked at me one day and asked, “Where did you learn to eat all these strange foods?” I told him I guessed it was two sources: the home of my childhood, and my marriage to a Jewish man. 

I eat things that other people won’t. I eat liver, sautéed or in pate or chopped liver, though I hated it as a child. I can cook it now so that it’s really good but no one will eat it with me. I grew up on kidneys and bacon. Wanted to try them again recently but the market says you have to order a case. Uh, no thanks. I know I don’t have that many friends who would eat them with me. At the deli, I love a corned tongue sandwich or pickled herring.

Top to bottom: half a tongue sandwich, chopped liver, pickled herring. Photo by Mary Russell Rogers; food courtesy of Carshon’s Delicatessen, Fort Worth TX.

I can eat escargot, though they’re not my favorite. I’d really just as soon have the French bread and buttery garlic sauce without the actual snails. I tried mussels, haggis and neeps (mashed turnips) in Scotland and liked them all, though I would not want haggis too often. Calamari? Often too chewy, but I’ll try. I love anchovies and sometimes I mash up sardines with onions and lemon for a sandwich spread. I make a killer caviar spread sometimes for Christmas, and I love oysters, raw or fried. (Won’t touch oyster stew—my folks always had it on New Year’s Eve.)

As a child, I disliked potatoes, eggs, and pickles—the latter mostly because we never had them at home. Now, I only wish most of the good ways to fix potatoes weren’t fattening and eggs didn’t raise your cholesterol, because I love them almost any way you can cook them. And pickles? There’s nothing better to me than a crisp kosher dill. But olives? Nope. I really don’t like them, no matter that they’re passion food.

Judy’s secret to cooking liver: My mom was an outstanding cook, and much of what I know about cooking comes from her. But, bless her, she cooked liver, then believed to be good for you, until it was tough and, of course, my brother and I were commanded to eat it. Now we know it’s not so good for you, but occasionally it’s a break from routine menu items. Here’s the way I cook it now:

Take a fresh, thinly sliced piece of calf liver and coat both side generously with lemon juice; let it sit for a few minutes. This gets rid of the gamey taste. Melt butter (use real not margarine and definitely not a soft spread which has too much water content). Over medium high heat, sauté the liver quickly—you don’t want it pink but you want it soft. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm. Add chopped onion to skillet and cook until softened. Add more butter and lemon juice, sauté briefly, and serve over the liver. Great with browned onion rings, mashed potatoes and a green vegetable or salad.

Just email me if you want to know about cooking kidneys. I honestly did make a beef and kidney pie once.

LOL, Judy! I think the only weird food I make is a tuna sandwich. 

Before Kelly can get fit together the pieces of the dangerous puzzle, she helps the family of a hostage, rescues a kidnap victim and attends a wild and wonderful wedding.

Find Desperate for Death at: Amazon

Find Judy at: Website

Thank you, Judy, for sharing weird food and your new book!

Ashley Fontainne & Growl : When Evil Arrived.... #MFRWorg #RLFblog #lifechanging

Taylor Bellott is a photographer from Hot Springs, Arkansas. While my mother and I were in his gallery one day, drooling over the amazing photographs he has on display, we came across a picture that took our breath away. We knew it would be the perfect backdrop for Growl, since the story takes place in Mississippi, and water is a major plot theme.

Mr. Bellott was kind enough to allow me to use the image for the cover. Once he sent me the jpeg copy, I played around with it in Photoshop and created the final version:

My name is Sheryl Ilene Newcomb. And yes, my initials are S.I.N. A funny little piece of whimsical humor my parents found amusing when I arrived. Mom and Dad were two high school sweethearts who adored their guns, their beer, and their self-appointed titles of King and Queen of the Rebellious Rednecks. The day I was born, they didn’t think anyone in the town would have the mental acuity to put two and two together to discover their little inside joke. Shame on the pathetic excuses who called themselves teachers in this dreary city because Mom and Dad had been right: no one caught on to their little attempt at humor.

Then, it turned out to be true. Looking back with wiser eyes now, my family and I concluded that the events leading up to my transformation started the summer I turned nine. But the day we realized there was a problem, and no turning back, was a week before I started my senior year at Junction City High. The day the fangs and claws appeared and the monster inside of me emerged. When mutilated corpses appeared near a pile of brush down by Caney Creek, everything changed.

That day I changed—forever—because evil woke up and growled, its ominous rumblings heard by every living thing in Locasia County, Mississippi.

Growl is now available on Amazon.

The first chapter of The Magnolia Series - Book One: Blood Ties, is also included at the end of Growl. I am very excited about this trilogy, penned with my mother, Lillian Hansen. 

#handbag Monday guest author Pamela Aares: The Heart of the Game #baseball #MichaelKorshandbag #accessories #MFRWorg

Handbag Monday with

Pamela Aares!

The Heart of the Handbag

I've never had a real handbag before this one. My husband bought it for me for my birthday last year. His sister once ran a darling boutique in Santa Ynez and she helped me choose it. 

I needed a handbag that would work for the country- we live on a small farm in Sonoma County and my 'city duds' are stored deep in a closet perhaps only to be pulled out for a few parties or evening events in San Francisco. I wanted a bag that would be a country and yet a bit 'blingy' so that the bag itself would serve as a dress up accessory to my jeans and ever-present bulky sweaters for the foggy days. What do you think? Did my sister-in-law hit the mark? In any case, when I strap the handbag across my shoulder and head out, I feel enveloped in love. And that's a wonderful feeling!

Pam, your hubby did great. 

Speaking of the Heart of the Handbag, my latest release, THE HEART OF THE GAME is out now.

Cody Bond’s life has never been anything but tough. He left the rodeo circuit to become an MLB catcher and won’t let anything―not his wreck of a family or intimate relationships―interfere with his success. When a charity polo match, and Zoe Tavonesi, the beautiful cousin of a teammate, convince him to get back in the saddle, he realizes his catcher’s gear protects him on the field, but it can’t protect him from the desire Zoe awakens.

Get it at any vendor and here's the kindle link:  Amazon Kindle

Adventure, romance, and a hot baseball jock. Hello! …What’s not to love? It’s truly a love story you will swoon over.~ Worth the Read Reviews

If you'd like to hear about new releases or deals, I'd love to have you in my newsletter community! You can  click here to Sign up for my email newsletter

Pam: I read --I think-- your first in this series and loved it! Thank you for showing off your handbag and your new book on Handbag Monday!

Yummy chocolate! Stacy Hoff shares Chocoball & Season of Love #boxedset #anthology #MFRWorg #RLFblog

Welcome to another Season of Love author, Stacy Hoff!

In honor of my short story, Love Delights, appearing in the newly released romance box set, Season of Love, I whipped up this chocolate treat. I was in the mood to create a brand new dessert since my story is all about the hero and the heroine (ex-lovers) having to compete for a winning ad campaign for a gourmet chocolatier. I actually grew the mini-strawberries surrounding the chocolate marble. How does it all look? 

Chocolate marbles are my take on the type of desserts that would be made by the Love Delights chocolate company. My marbles, though, are much simpler than the succulent, decadent, bonbons I envisioned for my story. Still, the real-life versions are tasty and take less than two minutes to make. Just melt some chocolate chips on a very low flame. When the chocolate is warm and tacky in texture, add a small dash of vanilla, and then ball up the mixture in your hands. Viola! Their fudgy-goodness is ready immediately. Add anything on top of them, from confectioners sugar to colorful sugar crystals. You can pair your marbles" with fruit or ice-cream (especially when the chocolate marbles are still warm). Yum!

Love Delights 

Short story in the romance box set Season of Love by Stacy Hoff

Two co-workers and former lovers vie for the same job promotion in their NYC advertising agency. The agency's next Creative Director will be the one who pitches the better ad campaign to a major potential client, Love Delights, a gourmet chocolatier. Too bad they both need more time, and each others' help, to come up with the perfect pitch.

Can they win over the client? And each other? Because this Valentines Day, the agency's finances and their hearts are on the line.

Find Season of Love at: Amazon

Find Stacy Hoff at: Website  Facebook   Twitter  Nights of Passion

Have you ever made up any recipes? What inspired you?

Join the Season of Love authors on Facebook for their June 5 party from 7-9pm! Chats, giveaways, and tons of fun at:   Season of Love

Karilyn Bentley who isn't a #handbag fan, does have something to share & a great deal on a book! #gooddealbook #MFRWorg #RLFblog

 Handbag Monday...er, Wednesday!

Hi Vicki! Thank you for having me back on your blog! Today, I'm showing off my big bag purse. 

Now, as you probably know, I'm not a purse girl (don't be hating!). I go through one purse at a time and when it wears out, I buy another. But this one is a keeper. Look at the cute little butterfly on the handle! I use this bag when I travel on planes since it can carry my medicine, jewelry, Kindle (or a paperback book), sweater and my normal purse. That means it qualifies as one carry-on bag for the plane. Awesome, eh? And another great thing about it? It was free with a clothing purchase at a store that is no longer in business.

Guess what else is discounted? My first published novel. That's right, Magical Lover, the first book in the Draconia Tales series, is $0.99 until tomorrow, 6/4. There's not much time left on this deal! Here's the blurb and excerpt:

In a world where men can become dragons, Thoren is one of the most powerful. As a shape-shifting Draconi, Thoren wants nothing more than to continue searching for Halfling children, and returning them to Draconia. The last thing he wants or needs is a mate-until he meets Keara, an outcast unaware of the power that lies within her. Keara doesn't know what to make of Thoren or of the magic he practices. She learned early to keep her magic hidden-her witchy red hair and green eyes are burden enough. When Thoren offers his hand in place of a forced marriage with Lord Simon, Keara jumps at the chance to leave her town behind. But she fears Thoren will shun her when he discovers the truth about her abilities. Can Thoren convince Keara she is his lifemate, or will her secret talent be the wedge that drives them apart?

Excerpt:

 “I know enough to realize she denied you.” The stranger growled at Lord Simon, his voice gentling as he turned to Keara. “She will take me though, won’t you?”
Keara locked her gaze on the stranger, drawn by his green eyes that looked so much like her own. She had never seen green eyes on anyone else, but knew what they meant. Remembered what her grandmother had told her about them.
“Green eyes are the mark of evil, girl,” the old woman liked to say. “Be wary of them.”
The wind whipped the stranger’s hair about his face. A chiseled jaw topped by firm lips that whitened around the edges and a long straight nose comprised a face tightened in anger. His compelling eyes bored into hers.
She couldn’t stop staring at those eyes, all the while his fingers continued their steady pattern against her mark, sending sensuous feelings coursing through her veins.
A stranger or Lord Simon? The man whose touch sent zingers of pleasure throughout her body, or the possibly crazy, but socially acceptable man who might have her best interest in mind. Did she actually think that?
There was no choice. It took two tries to get the words out of her dry mouth.
“I’ll take you.” She lifted her chin toward the stranger and said a silent prayer he would spare her life.

Find Magical Lover at:  Amazon  TWRP

Find Karilyn at: Website  Facebook  Twitter  Pinterest  Newsletter

Thank you, Karilyn, for showing off your stylish bag and your book!

The color Purple on #handbag Monday w author J. M. Maurer #fashion #accessories #shoes #MFRWorg

Handbag Monday

Welcomes J. Maurer. Let's check out what she brought to show off:  

Nestled somewhere in their closet, some women have a handbag in every shape, size, and color they would possibly need. Admittedly, I’m somewhat one of them. Even as I admit that, I am practical with neutral colors that tend to match most anything I choose to wear. Except for this handbag, which is my favorite. Yes, it is purple. 

And yes, I use it all year. I don’t particularly care if it’s a fall color, as my son so eloquently has pointed out. I love it!

Jackie! that purple is absolutely gorgeous and I'd carry all the time too. It is similar to my favorite style, the Kelly bag. Well done!

It’s simple and has a roomy inside. So why do I love it so much—other than the fact that it is an awesome shade of purple? Well, we often travel out of state with my son’s baseball team. Believe me, I’ve learned to cram in a lot of necessities into my handbag for these three to seven day excursions. With all of the extra goodies I’m carrying around, there is one item inside my handbag that I never have to worry if I’ll ever find it—my keys.

In my humble opinion, all handbags should have the attached key clip like this bag does. In fact, it is now the first thing I look for when I’m shopping for a new handbag. J

Every day, Jessica Winters does what she does best—bury herself in patient care within the walls of the neuro intensive care unit, keeping herself busy to escape the dark sadness that controls her life. But the day she sees Matthew Moi, the intriguing man seated at her new patient’s bedside, her shattered heart begins to frantically beat once again. 

As Matthew pins his mesmerizing gaze upon her, trying to distract her with his humorous and playful banter, she does her best to ignore him. Somehow he already knows a great deal about her, breaking down Jessica’s barriers and awakening her soul, drawing her out of the darkness and into his arms. 

When her painful past resurfaces, revealing truths that threaten her future, Jessica struggles through her issues and fights to stay on a healing path . . . seeking love.

Find Seeking Love at: Amazon

Find J. M. Maurer at: Website  Facebook  Twitter  Goodreads

Thank you, J. M., for showing off your stylish bag. Love the color!