My Golden Apple award

Nothing humbles you more than when people come together to honor you on behalf of something you love to do.

On September 17th, I was awarded the AUTHOR OF THE YEAR, Golden Apple.
It was an honor to accept at the 60th Anniversary of Harlequin who also accepted publisher and Editor of the year.

I share this award with everyone who has helped to make my writing journey possible and hope to walk with me to whatever success the literary powers that be gives us.
This was a great day for me and one that I shall never forget.

A million thanks to RWA/NYC for this wonderful honor

What's in a name

Love is not a mystery.
It's magical

A world without the laughter of children.

My mom has a saying. “It may not be what Ya’ll say it is, but it sure looks like what it is from here.”

This is right of there with DINIALBLE PLAUSIBILIY issued by the government. In other words, that Big ass “silvery” object you saw in the sky, “is just a weather balloon. When in reality you know it’s an AREA 51 space ship from the Planet “where ever”.
It’s all right up there with closing schools for snow days but not when there are massive cases of N1H1 (swine flu). Not Massive cases you say? It’s like a cockroach, one is waaaay too many.
If that doesn’t kill us, the cure they create in a bunker somewhere in Cheyenne Mountain will. You do remember Stephen Kings, THE STAND?


Now I don’t want to be the person standing on the corner with the sandwich board sign that says the END IS NEAR, however if you look at the stats, the birth rate is down,
Continuing a 12-year decline, the U.S. birth rate has dropped to the lowest level since national data have been available, according to statistics just released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The rate of births among teenagers also fell to a new record low, continuing a decline that began in 1991.
The birth rate fell to 13.9 per 1,000 persons in 2002, down from 14.1 per 1,000 in 2001 and down a full 17 percent from the recent peak in 1990 (16.7 per 1,000), according to a new CDC report, "Births: Preliminary Data for 2002." CDC analysts say the birth rate is dropping as the increasing life span of Americans results in a smaller proportion of women of child childbearing age.

Female babies born far exceed the amount of male births.
Several researchers, however, have reported apparent recent declines in the proportion of male births, in the US, Canada, Denmark and the Netherlands. These declines have been very small but statistically significant. Fewer boys are being born than would be expected on the basis of the recent historical worldwide average.
Sandwich board sign not withstanding, I am sure you have all seen the movie CHILDREN OF MEN with Clive Owen where there hadn’t been a viable birth in over seventeen years or so, well if we ain’t in it, we are speeding toward it. There have been several movies made on this premise and Television series based on the desolation of the male populace whereby women are the only sex left and to keep the population seeded they used stored sperm or men who are in a cryogenically induced stasis until needed.

Personally I like the men and want them around even if they do get on our nerves. I don’t want a world without them especially knowing that there are just some females I can’t stand.

Gene Roddenberry would be proud

Well its official, I really have always been in love with Mr. Spock.

My friend and Co-writer Kathye Quick left me in the dust the first week the New Star Trek movie came out and went to see it all by herself (selfish heffa!). She later of course she came out and told me that I had better see it and soon. SO I did and I can understand why she didn't want to share that Trekker moment.

True Trekkies never cared if regular people liked the series or not, it has become (with all respect to George Lucas) a FORCE to be reckoned with.

I remember in 1965 when T.V. guide announced the new fall Line-up and they talked about an innovative– waaaaay-ahead-of-its-time series called, Star Trek. The second they introduced the characters I could not wait for the first airing date in 1966 and have been a fan ever since.

Gene Roddenberry took chances with his cast, after-all, times weren't then what they are now (even though we still have many of the same problems.) He had an assorted and eclectic array of alien creatures, some of which were painfully inadequate in the really scary department and some down right silly, but it was a show that I could not/will not let go.

I almost had to take to my bed with a fever when the show was unceremoniously cancelled, and I was one of the thousands who wrote T.V. Guide and the network to express my ire about the termination of such a great program. The underground was seething, and began building a cult of fans that is unrivaled to this day.

I attended Star Trek Conventions at the Coliseum and yes, I pushed little kids out of the way because they didn't have a clue about the show that their parents did.

Like an addict I itched as I waited for syndication. I jonsed like an alcoholic for just one taste of J. Tiberius, one sip of Spock and waited breathlessly to see what guest or not-yet-a-star would appear on the show. Do remember Gary Lockwood, France Nuyen, Fred Williamson (yes! The Football star turned
Blaxploitation movie actor, Jeffery (Jesus) Hunter, Glenn Corbett, Michael (was married to Babara-I-dream-of-Jeanie Eden) Elinor (Pretty Woman) Donahue, Lawyer Melvin Belli, and of course a pre-Starsky and Hutch, David Soul to mention a few.

Like most I learned to live in re-run heaven and saw every episode so many times it was like watching the TWIGHTL ZONE episodes. I could not get enough and pushed some of my other favs like Bonanza, The Virginian and even Mission Impossible by the wayside.

It was years before the finally produced the first Star Trek Movie called Star Trek The Motion Picture. Un-Original, but it didn't stop me and every other Star Trek lover from coming out in force. As a matter of fact I was interviewed by Channel Seven Eye witness news when I exited the theater in New York City. (I can't believe I was ever that young and thin).

Now, here we are in 2009, more than forty years since the first air date of a beloved series and we have a brand new movie, and what a spectacular vision of special effects it is and giving us an insight of our most beloved characters in their youth.

The casting was perfect and James (THE REBEL) Kirk was spot on. I will however admit I never saw that OTHER little, but most delightful curve coming. It's the kind of exceptional writing that you just don't get now a days.
While I have never really been a fan of prequels, this one is phenomenal and a must see.

IT IS AWESOME!

A new Novel , A new Story of Love

Single Heart, Single Love
Patt Mihailoff


When her torturous Indentureship is bought out by Cole McCayne, Jade a woman of questionable ethnicity finds herself pressured into marrying him and traveling up to the high country in the Salida Mountains of Colorado.

He seems a hard, secretive man and she questions him relentlessly about his intentions and is tersely informed that the only thing he wants from her is to be a caregiver to his young son and keep house at his ranch.

Jade begins to move Cole in ways he’s wanted to forget, and when he finally acts on his feelings, they are both left confused and trying to ignore the love that has gripped them both.

Still, there is much he doesn’t tell her, but little clues about his past begin to surface. Why won’t he talk about his dead wife? and what has the Nakoa, the powerful Sioux chief to do with any of them?

CYNTHIA AND CONSTANTINE

Kathye Quick's New book Cynthia and Constantine is a must read for all lovers of chivalry and true love.
Kathye's attention to detail and characterization is just one more example of how a novel that is filled with the elements we've come to adore should be written.
Enjoy Kathye's latest and deliciously enjoyable novel is available at WILDROSE PRESS