Skip to content

Lorraine Heath GuestBlog: Oliver Twisty

By Michelle Buonfiglio Wed., Jan. 7, 2009 , 7:48 am EST

CONTEST TODAY!!! Lorraine's giving one RCC a copy of her terrif new book, "Between the Devil and Desire!" Rules here.

From Michelle: Whether we're talkin' her much-worshipped western-set historicals or her veddy British ones, one thing rocks through all of Lorraine Heath's romances: the entertainment of her storytelling and the sexy fun of watching her wicked hot heroes fall for her delightful heroines. Please do check out her cool new Scoundrels of St. James series and give her your warmest, "Who knew Charles Dickens was so twisty?" Bella buongiorno...

From Lorraine: Thank you, Michelle, for inviting me to join you and the Bellas today! I'm so thrilled and excited about being here.

I was born in England to a British beauty and a Texan who was stationed at Bovingdon Air Force Base shortly after World War II-but I got to Texas as fast as I could. But leaving my doting grandparents, aunts, and uncles behind made things just a little lonely, because we had no family who lived close enough to us that we could see them every day, and my mom found the US to be a lovely but intimidating place.

So at a very early age, I was creating imaginary friends. My mom often told the tale of when we were crossing a street in Houston, got to the other side, and I threw a fit because she'd left my friend on the other corner. I couldn't be consoled until we went back across the street to retrieve him-someone only I could see. Bless my mom for indulging me and letting my imagination flourish.

I grew up in a small Texas town near Houston, population at the time was around 8,000. We had no movie theater so it was a real treat when we saw a movie in another town. I fondly remember the few movies we went to see: "Zulu," "Sound of Music," "Mary Poppins," "My Fair Lady," and "Oliver!" (Notice that my mom was partial to those with an Englishness about them.) And while I thought Oliver played by Mark Lester was precious, the Artful Dodger-played by Jack Wild-stole my heart.

When the idea of writing a series of stories with the premise that the characters were the people on whom Charles Dickens based "Oliver Twist," I knew that Jack Dodger-who represents the Artful Dodger-would be intriguing. His story is actually a bit "Oliver Twist", a bit "Great Expectations" as he has an anonymous benefactor who provides him with the funds to open his own gambling establishment.

While I originally envisioned his story involving his gambling establishment, characters tend to have their own opinions regarding how their stories should be told. In "Between the Devil and Desire," one of Jack's patrons-the Duke of Lovingdon-bequeaths Jack his London residence in exchange for which Jack is to serve as guardian of the duke's 5-year-old son. Olivia, the duke's young widow, is outraged that this scoundrel is charged with leading her son into manhood. And Jack, who trusts no good fortune, is working hard to discover why the duke would want him to be guardian.

From the outset, however, he and Olivia are at odds regarding the best way to manage the upbringing of her son and fighting a sexual attraction that both know can only lead to disaster. Jack knows that Olivia is far too good for the likes of him, and she-who has never even fantasized about doing anything improper-suddenly wants to be very improper indeed.

So my question to you is: what kind of hero do you like to be improper with? The scoundrel, the bad boy, the gentleman, the charmer? Do you like your heroes brooding or funny, easy-going or controlling?

***

Ain't It (A) Grand! -- There's more fun to be had (wink, wink) when you sign up for my NEW Newsletter List here (NOT in the myLifetime sidebar). That way you'll be able to keep utd on the RBTB dl when RBTB moves from myLifetime Jan 31.

***

Cool News!  HRH Princess Mia Thermopilis of Genovia GuestBlogs (along w/ Meg Cabot) Fri, Jan 16!!!  We're celebrating the new historical romance Mia's written, "Ransom My Heart!"Oh, and Meg's new PD10, "Forever Princess."
***
What were your fave books of 2008?

Check out this RBTB 2008 Year's Best Awards list to see if we agree,
then let me know your recs. New categories and industry/readers awards. :)
***

Who's GuestBlogging soon at RBTB? Jan 13 Kathryn Shay; 14 Gena Showalter; 21 Kris Kennedy; 23 Beverly Jenkins; 27 Lori Foster;

Two Cute Little Piglets

By GigglerificGal Tue., Jan. 6, 2009 , 5:40 pm EST


Only an innocent and adventurous child full of wonder would so openly and lovingly give a cute-but-muddy pig a big kiss right on the snout without worrying about where that snout has been! Too. Darn. Cute.

Photo from img142.imageshack.us
Via BuzzFeed

Posted in: babies, children, farm, cute kids, animal antics, pigs, petting zoo

The Cutest Animals With the Hiccups

By GigglerificGal Tue., Jan. 6, 2009 , 4:01 pm EST



Think that's the most adorable thing you've ever seen? Well there are so many others to watch!








Via BuzzFeed and Gigglesugar

Patricia Arquette Rejoins the Divorce Club

By Carla H. Tue., Jan. 6, 2009 , 2:41 pm EST

Another celebrity marriage bites the dust. “Medium” star Patricia Arquette filed for divorce from actor Thomas Jane on January 5, citing “irreconcilable differences.” The couple got married in 2006.

The Emmy-winning actress is seeking custody of the couple’s daughter, Harlow, who turns six years old on February 20. Last September, Jane was put on a one-year probation after pleading no contest to drunk driving.

Arquette was married to Nicolas Cage from 1995 to 2001, and she has a 20-year-old son named Enzo from a previous relationship.

You can catch reruns of “Medium” on Lifetime.

Photo source: Jason Merritt/FilmMagic

Jennifer Love Hewitt Splits From Fiancé

By Carla H. Tue., Jan. 6, 2009 , 2:40 pm EST

We’re sure lots of men will be thrilled to hear this news: Jennifer Love Hewitt is on the market again. Her publicist tells People.com that the “Ghost Whisperer” star ended her relationship with Scottish actor Ross McCall over the Christmas holidays.

The couple got engaged in November 2007.

Not that we’re psychic or anything, but we saw this split coming. We heard reports that the couple hadn’t been getting along for quite some time. And check out this photo of Hewitt and McCall at the 2008 Primetime Emmy Awards. He looks like he really doesn’t want to be there with her.

Tell us what you think about other celebrity relationships at Celebrity Romance Rater.

Photo source: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell Become Parents to Twin Girls

By Carla H. Tue., Jan. 6, 2009 , 2:38 pm EST

Congrats to supermodel-turned-actress Rebecca Romijn and actor Jerry O’Connell on the birth of their twin daughters Dolly Rebecca Rose and Charlie Tamara Tulip. Romijn’s publicist said that the actress gave birth on December 28, 2008.

The twins are the first children for the couple, who married in 1997. Romijn was previously married to John Stamos.

Check out other celebs who twins or are parents to twins.

Photo source: Fernando Allende/Splash News

Gigglerific News: Couple Owes Their Son a Toy Store After Winning the Lottery

By GigglerificGal Tue., Jan. 6, 2009 , 12:03 pm EST


Be careful what you wish for... and also what you promise your children in the event that you ever win the lottery! That's the lesson a British couple recently learned when they won a million pounds (about 1.5 million dollars) in the British Lottery.

Mark Myatt had previously promised his oldest son that if his dad ever won the lottery, he would buy him a toy shop. When the lottery win became a reality, Mark and his wife Trina took their sons Alexander, eight, and Oliver, three, shopping for toys instead of shopping for a toy store.

"I did have to do a bit of backtracking this weekend although he has still done very well," Mark told reporters. "He now has the Lego Star Wars Death Star set worth £300. Oliver chose a huge Thomas the Tank Engine train set — you can't move for toys in our house at the moment."

Photo by PA

Posted in: money, mom, dad, father, mother, prizes, children, toys, wacky news, lottery, winning, sons. family

L'Oreal Professionnel Giveaway!

By BeautyMaverick Tue., Jan. 6, 2009 , 6:55 am EST



Congratulations to the myLifetime.com member who won the previous Fekkai giveaway!

Now for your chance to win...

One lucky HTS readers will be gifted with a basket full of luxurious haircare products from L’Oreal Professionnel. Included in the prize:

Vitamino Color Shampoo
Revitalizes the hair fibre and provides enduring shine for fine, colored hair. Hair is shiny, healthy and easy to style.

Vitamino Color Conditioner

Nourishes and protects the hair fiber; Instantly detangles.

Vitamino Color Masque
Repairs and provides protection for color-treated hair with incell, a UV filter for hair, and derivatives of vitamin E and magnesium.

Age Densiforce Shampoo
Density enhancing, omega 6 enriched formula. Leaves hair feeling renewed with more body and radiance for a more youthful appearance.

Age Densiforce Masque
A deep conditioning masque which helps to reinforce hair structure for renewed radiance, softness, shine and a more youthful appearance.

Infinium
A flexible-hold hairspray which can effectively secure a style and yet still maintain a brushable, natural finish.

Elasticite
Curl corseting cream that transforms fine/curly textures into buoyant, brilliant curves and refined ringlets.

Fixatif
A superior hold gel that can be used to create extreme effects or subtle structure and detail.

Spirale Extreme
Tailored to define & calm coarse, curly hair while providing extreme moisture, humidity defense and lustrous shine.

Sculpt Paste
Transforms medium/thick textures into sculpted styles with medium hold and a semi-matte finish.

Smooth Ultime
Designed to richly nourish and tame, coarse, dry hair while providing curl relaxation, frizz control, and humidity protection.

For a chance to win this wonderful L’Oreal Professionnel prize package (valued at over $225), simply leave a comment on ANY post on this blog. The contest closes at 11:59 pm EST on February 2nd 2009, with one lucky winner chosen at random from the eligible entries. Click here for a full list of rules & regulations.

Posted in: haircare products, giveaways, l'oreal...

Look of the Day: Jennifer Connelly

By BeautyMaverick Tue., Jan. 6, 2009 , 6:05 am EST


Source: Jun Sato/WireImage

Jennifer Connelly showcased an intricate updo at the Tokyo premiere of "The Day The Earth Stood Still."

Posted in: jennifer connelly, brunette, updo, braids, look of the day

Shawna Sounds Off

By Lifetime Mon., Jan. 5, 2009 , 11:55 pm EST

Disgusted by the Scale
My initial reaction upon hearing the number 232 was disgust. The number disgusted me. On the scale, I could not bring myself to even look at it. I had previously worked really hard to reach a reasonable weight, and while my clothing size had been steadily increasing, I was never aware of exactly how far I had strayed. Not only did I once make my living from physical fitness, I never really had trouble losing weight. I knew the major differences even a minuscule change in my habits would make. So it was even more disappointing that I let myself reach that point. That realization was only made worse when the therapist, Stacy Kaiser, made us say our weights out loud. Attaching a number to a name still allows for a certain level of detachment. Saying it out loud forces you to actually admit to the world just how badly you failed.

Ready to Run
After the weigh-in, where we discovered our starting weights, Jessie led all five of us outside to a track for our fitness evaluation. There we then discovered our starting fitness levels. We were all nervous to run a track. I personally couldn’t remember the last time I had really been running, let alone put my body to the test. I had no idea what my current level of fitness was, and after the jarring disappointment of the weigh-in, I was not looking forward to another demoralizing revelation of my shortcomings. Before long we were running — well, jogging. Upon reflection, I saw quite a bit of similarities in our approach to that test as our general approach to exercise at that time, for everyone. I ran the track at a comfortable pace, then pushing the last of my energy in the final sprint. I didn’t know what to make of my results. Staring down that track, I really didn’t think I would make it all the way around without walking, but then the exact opposite happened. I ran the whole way, had the quickest time and wasn’t really that tired afterward. It left a lot of food for thought.

Therapy Time
In our first group therapy session with Stacy Kaiser, she stated her theories on the excuses we as overweight individuals use in our lives. I do agree that people make excuses and justifications to continue to keep harmful things in their lives. And it’s important to know what is motivating those excuses and what in your life you are compensating for by making a particular excuse. The biggest lesson I got from that session was to question myself more deeply about what it was I was actually doing to myself and why ... and what crutch being overweight represented in my life.

Fighting With Jessie
Not long into the process, the trainer and I bumped heads. In an ill-worded attempt to motivate, the trainer, Jessie, challenged my workout integrity. He cited my enthusiasm during the workouts in comparison to the other girls and what his expectations of my capabilities were. He stated that he considered me to be a natural athlete and considerably more capable than the other girls. So therefore, while I was already lifting the heaviest weights, doing the most reps of any given exercise and running the fastest on the treadmill, he still felt that I was not trying during my workouts. I did not appreciate his accusation that I don’t give 100 percent, and I was frustrated that I was held to a higher standard. Naturally, I was more than upset. Amidst harsh words and tears, we argued about the duties of a trainer to explain their expectations, the expectations I as a person have in regard to how I am spoken to, and the responsibilities of either party to make a workout challenging.

Facing the Scale Again
Then the first weigh-in rolled around sooner than I wanted. And the moment of truth was upon us. It was a moment carrying with it a lot of pressure. It was a moment that would determine the momentum of the entire program — how steep this uphill battle would really be. Not to mention the additional question to answer: Had the doubt on my commitment really been warranted? Again I was faced with staring at a number that, no matter how rewarding a representation of my hard work, would be a number I never wanted to see attached to my name. As I was so far away from any weight I thought reasonable, nothing that followed the laws of physics would manifest a number that I wanted to see. But despite all that, I was rewarded with a number that did in fact represent my hard work. The scale showed me and everyone the truth of the previous weeks.


I lost seven pounds — not the most nor the least. I had in fact been working hard; I could have worked harder, but I was putting forth a very good effort. It was a somewhat motivating result. It gave me a good gauge on the work involved in the coming weeks. Once you can attach a number to the effort you are putting forth, the reward becomes tangible. And reaching that 30 pounds at the end of the 90 days suddenly seems possible.

I’d love to hear from you as you watch me try to reach that 30-pound mark.


—Shawna

Posted in: diet, fitness, jessie pavelka, stacy kaiser, shawna mcclellan