How many of you had to suffer through watch this movie? I have a "tween"...she's nine....and she's in love with this series. Needless to say, I was stuck in a theatre on Sunday.

Twenty seconds into the first scene where the basketball jocks all break out into song during the middle of the championship basketball game, I leaned over to my daughter and said, "It's a good thing your dad isn't here." She ignored me. My six year old son, however, who went with us because he foolishly figured ANY movie with popcorn had to be better than staying home, couldn't agree more. He sat through the 2 hr movie with a frightened look on his face. And when it was over and we walked out of the theatre, his only comment was, "Mom? Next time *I* get to pick the movie, okay?" I called my hubby on the way home and told him he has nothing to worry about...his son is ALL boy.

There were some good things, don't get me wrong. Though both of the first two movies in this "trilogy" were on TV, I never watched them all the way through, so this was my first time with the cast of HSM. I will admit that I did enjoy some of the dance numbers, and the romance between the two main characters was "sweet" (although very unrealistic...what 17 yr old boy do you know hides out in a treehouse with his girlfriend and DOESN'T put the moves on her???). And I like that it's opened up my kids eyes to the idea of the arts. But as a parent, I kept thinking about how I'd have to discuss with my daughter the reality that real-life high school isn't like this. Million dollar high schools with top of the line EVERYTHING (I've never seen a roof like that in my life!), dancing in the halls, double lockers and students dressed by Gucci don't exist. At least not where we live. And sure enough, as we were leaving the theatre and before I could even utter a word, my daughter announced, "I can't wait for high school!"

I'd much rather my daughter watch something wholesome like this rather than some of the other crap that's out there, but I'm really glad this is (hopefully) the last movie and I don't have to suffer through watch it again. At least until it comes out on video. Oh boy...

This past week I got some good news. I was asked to be a part of a romance author panel for a workshop to be held at the 2010 Public Library Association Conference. The workshop still has to go through the approval process, and I won't know for sure if it's a go until sometime next year, but just to be asked is a real honor. Especially when I saw the other authors who have agreed to be on the panel. I'm truly flattered to be included in this awesome group.

In other good news, I got my first review for STOLEN FURY. Coffee Time Romance gave it four cups and said:

"Elisabeth Naughton can spin a tale to captivate the reader and take them for a ride. The locations in this book are some of the most exotic but are still just a backdrop to the main characters. The hero and heroine are both flawed but still loveable and therefore believable. The author really took the time to look into the Puerto Rican and Greek cultures to make the story authentic. Rafe has a sexy Spanish accent with which he says the sweetest things every woman would love to hear. Ms. Naughton skillfully kept the identity of the villain a secret to the very last chapter and I was shocked upon the revelation." --Delane, Coffee Time Romance

The review won't go up until sometime in December, but all in all I was pleased. One down, many more still to come.

STOLEN SEDUCTION is done, gone, off to my editor. Technically, I came in under the wire (it's still the 14th here. LOL). I'm zonked and going to bed. Tomorrow I'll probably be a little sad the series is over. Tonight I'm too tired to think straight.

But I do have two questions...

WHY do computers decide to go on the fritz the week leading up to a deadline????

and

WHY do 3-yr olds decide to have a meltdown day when you're on a time crunch????

First a funny story...

So I haven't picked up a book in almost two months, other than mine. I've been too busy writing and doing promo for STOLEN FURY. Last week I finished SEDUCTION and sent it to my CPs. Then - waiting - looked at my TBR pile and picked up good friend - Alice Sharpe-'s July release from Intrigue - The Lawman's Secret Son. Now, I love Alice. We chat nearly every day. I knew all about this book before it was written. We brainstormed parts and pieces along the way. I've ONLY waited to read it because I knew it would distract me and I needed to stay focused. So I pick the book up and start reading...and proceed to chuckle...and chuckle...and chuckle. NOT because the book is funny (it's not a comedy at all, but it IS a GREAT RS and I'm really enjoying it). No, I proceeded to laugh out loud because I came across three names - THREE - in the first 50 pgs alone that are in my books. You're thinking, "yeah, not a surprise. You two chat all the time." True, but we never ever talk about names. And Alice hasn't read my books yet. What's so funy is we're on the same page namewise without even knowing it.

But I digress...back to the CPs...

Two of mine get big HUGE brownie points for reading on a time crunch. I owe them...BIG time, since the book is due Wed. and they dropped everything to read for me this weekend. So a BIG shout-out to Joan and Lisa...THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! You girls are da bomb. And you both caught things I totally missed. What would I do without you???

Do you use CPs? I've heard of published authors dropping their CPs after they sold. I can't imagine NOT working with mine. They're worth their weight in gold.

So I finished STOLEN SEDUCTION over the weekend. I have to say, for wanting to kill my hero several times in the process, I'm very happy with the way it turned out. Sure, he has his moments, but I think that's part of the reason I love him. Hopefully readers (and my editor!) will love him, too. Right now I'm going back through, cleaning up a few things before sending the book to my CPs. Then next week it's off to my editor.

In case you haven't seen it yet, STOLEN FURY is available for pre-order at the following places:

Amazon.com
Barnesandnoble.com
Borders.com

Ann Aguirre and I had a discussion today, though, about the whole pre-order thing online. As most of you know, the first two weeks of a book's release are important number-wise for lists like USA Today and the New York Times Bestseller. Technically, pre-orders are supposed to count in those first two week number calculations, but if a distributor happens to ship a book a few days early (which does happen), then those numbers don't always end up counting. I've had a few people asking me when to get the book...so I'm hoping if you're planning on buying the book anyway, that you wait until the release and buy during those first two weeks. (Though it is so totally cool to see the cover up on Amazon.com!!!)

In other news, I got an email from the art department that they're working on the cover for STOLEN HEAT. I can't wait to see it. When I can, I'll be sharing it here with you.

And finally, I just found out I'm going to be a featured speaker the month of June for the AskAnAuthorPro loop through RWA. I'm really looking forward to that. So mark your calendar.

Okay, back to clean up. What's new with you?

Coming Out Of My Deadline Cave...

...for a rant.

Okay, I was going to keep quiet on this topic, but I just can't anymore.

I'm sick of politics. Wait, let me rephrase that. I'm sick of entertainers expounding their opinion on politics. If you are an entertainer - of any medium - your job is to entertain me. Period. Your job is not to sway me to your political viewpoint. I'm an adult. I have my own views. If I wanted to know yours, I'd ask. When I watch your movies or listen to your music or read your books, I want to be entertained. I want to lose myself in the worlds and characters you have created. But when I'm reading your book or watching your movies or listening to your latest CD and you've done the above, then the whole time your product is in front of me, I'm not focused on your art, I'm thinking about your last comment regarding so-and-so during such-and-such debate. Doesn't matter if your comment was positive or negative, or even if I agreed with it - it's still in my brain. Do you really want me thinking about that when I'm devouring your product? I don't think so. And here's why...look at any poll related to this election. They're all close to 50/50. And stated simply, that means 50% of Americans are not going to agree with your political position, no matter what that may be!

The class-act entertainers, in my opinion, do not use their celebrity to push their own personal political agendas. They know that while they may be on top today, that could change in a heart beat tomorrow. They could just as easily find themselves at the bottom, struggling to gain fans once again. Instead, they work at the grass roots level, they volunteer money or time. They don't send out political messages or leave snarky comments on message boards or publicly cheer or pout about anything political. Because they know people remember.

Yeah, yeah, I know. Some of you are thinking, "But I really BELIEVE in this. I can make a difference NOW!" Good for you. I'm glad you feel so passionately about what you believe in. I do, too, but the reality is elections come and go. Politicians serve a few years and are gone (at least from the White House...the Senate's a whole other ball of wax), your career will span decades. There are entertainers - writers, actors, musicians - I won't read, watch, or listen to, simply because they went off the deep end politically...no matter WHAT their viewpoint...even if it agreed with mine or not. Are you really willing to risk your career just so you can post a few snarky political comments about the election?

I don't want to get into a political debate. So please, if you leave a comment, don't tell me who you're voting for and who you aren't. But I am curious about your opinion on this topic...do you think entertainers should be using their celebrity (and careers) to expound on their political views?