One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. - opening lines to The Gift of the Magi by O'Henry

The Gift of the Magi by O'Henry is one of my favorite Christmas stories.

A beautiful story that teaches a lesson in gift-giving and sacrifice. The newly married couple desperately want to give each other a secret Christmas gift that each sells the one thing they hold most dear. Della sells her hair in order to buy Jim a fob chain for his watch and he sells his watch to buy Della a set of combs for her beautiful hair.

Here is the the end scene from the film I watched when I was just a girl. Hmmm, no wonder I'm a romance writer....



If you want to read the short story you can copy the link below into you web browser...

http://www.online-literature.com/o_henry/1014/

and remember as O'Henry writes... two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest.

In Liz Matis' latest PLAYING FOR KEEPS you will get a wildly sexy romance with depth and laughs. - Book Junkie

I've received the first review for Playing For Keeps from a book review website - called Book Junkie. I'm THRILLED beyond words - which is why I capitalized the word THRILLED.

Here is the review:

n Liz Matis' latest from Little Hondo Press, PLAYING FOR KEEPS you will get a wildly sexy romance with depth and laughs.

The need for change and a breath of fresh air is just what Sam Jameson needs in her life. As a journalist, just coming back from Iraq and a horrible experience she is looking hard for the next story, one that will take her mind of the trauma of what really happened in the middle east. Not to mention her PTSD, which she so happens to not be dealing too well with.

So what to do next. Well writing a few exposé's on a few rough and touch football players seem right up her ally. After all Sam is just one of the guys, and after Iraq she feels this is exactly what she needs.

In comes sexy football player Ryan, who just so happens to have been the star player in Sam's college girl fantasies. It doesn't help that he is now flirting with her and that really makes Sam out of sorts.

A really fun read, the personalities of each of the main characters really shine bright in this romance making you fall in love with them, flaws and all. After all I think that is what makes a story so great, is seeing that your beloved characters seem so real and human as you do.

With a strong supporting cast and a promised sequel this is a warm hearting and sexy romance that will surely heat up your cold winter nights.

A page turner, bring on the sequel.

Here is the website if you want to check out reviews for other books..

http://www.myfoolishwisdom.blogspot.com

So that is my awesome news for the day.

A transvestite spends her entire life trying to look as feminine as possible and I have clearly spent mine celebrating my masculinity. Vin Diesel

Vin Diesel is my celebrity inspiration for Jake Miller my hero in Going For It, my work in progress. Jake is a running back with the NY Cougars - he's got a deep sexy voice like Vin and has that whole 'rough around the edges' thing going but he can also be silly (did you see The Pacifer). When I'm writing I'm picturing Vin as the actor in the movie version of my book. And boy does it ever help!

So with this picture I'm guessing a shower scene?
Oh yeah.
I love my my job.

Sorry you'll have to wait until April of 2012 to read it. But you can check out the steamy shower scene in Playing For Keeps with Ryan and Samantha (and Jake and Hannah make guest appearances - um, but not in the shower - it's not that kind of book - lol) - just click on the book cover above and it will take you to the Amazon website.

Using celebrity inspiration to create your heroes....

When creating characters, especially my heroes, I find it helpful to select a celebrity who has the same look and attitude of the man I want to create. Sometimes it's a little like being Dr. Frankenstein. For instance Josh Holloway is the inspiration for Russ Rowland in Love By Design - looks are pretty much the same except I gave Russ 'outback sunset eyes' because he is an Aussie. His attitude is Sawyer from Lost, the character Josh Holloway played. When I was writing I would just picture him in my mind and his lines of dialogue would be right on the money - had me actually sighing in places - and giggling.

For creating my hero in Playing For Keeps, Ryan Terell, my main influence was Kevin Nash, a former WWE wrestler (even though Ryan is a football player). Totally arrogant on the outside, he fit the bill perfectly but on the inside? he is more like Dree Brees from the New Orleans Saints. Here is Kevin...

On Wednesday I'll post a picture of my celebrity inspiration for my current work in progress, Going For It. Meanwhile, if you're a writer - what's your process for creating your hero?
If you're a reader what celebrity would you like to see in a romance novel?

Six Sentence Sunday 12/4/11

Since last weeks snippet was such a success I will continue a little later in this scene. Victoria has just finished off Russ by licking off ALL the chocolate she painted on his body. While he recovers she begins drawing on herself with whipped cream - then she draws an arrow from her breasts down to her - well you know... and this is Russ' reaction.

Something inside Russ snapped. All the energy she zapped from his body returned like a bolt of lightning waking Frankenstein from the dead and his thoughts just as carnal and primitive as when the monster saw his bride. Picking her up, he threw her onto the bed. The line of whipped cream beckoned his tongue. “I don’t need any damn directions.”

Six Sentence Sunday - 11/27/11

Six from Love By Design - (Victoria and Russ - reality make-over decorating show)
In this scene Victoria has just finished painting designs on Russ' body with Godiva melted chocolate. When she was finished she moved back and examined her work—his body.

She took out the paintbrush that had been clenched between her teeth and said, “I might have a new career.”
“As a torturer?”
“Body paint artist.” Her feline smile clued him into what was going to happen next.
Little flicks of her tongue skittered across his skin as she lapped off the chocolate as if she were a kitten given a bowl of cream. Didn’t she realize she was toying with a tiger?

Top 10 Plot Devices to Get Alex O'Loughlin to Shed the Shirt (Hawaii Five-O)

Alex O'Loughlin plays Steve McGarrett on the re-make of Hawaii Five-O. I was so happy when he got this series because I missed watching him in Moonlight where he played vampire Mick St. John.( I would like to point out here that he's a lot like my hero Russ in Love By Design - he's HOT, Australian, and has ADHD )

Anyway, I'm enjoying Hawaii Five-O - however Alex could lose the shirt a little more often. Oh sure they try to work it in but us ladies want more! So I've come up with the Top 10 Plot Devices to Get Alex O'Loughlin to Shed the Shirt.

Alex plays Steve McGarrett so he will be referred to as Steve in the Top 10

10. Steve goes undercover at a male strip joint.

9. A waitress spills a tray full of drinks on him. (I guest star as the sassy waitress.)

8. They are investigating a crime scene at the beach, a woman is drowning and Steve being the former Navy Seal rushes in to save her. (I guest star as the drowning woman.)
Mouth to mouth ensues. :)

7. That darn global warming causes a heat wave to hit Hawaii. Off goes his shirt.

6. Steve must dive to a wreck at the bottom of the ocean to uncover evidence (I guest star as a mermaid?)

5. Steve and Dano bet who could beat who in a one-on-one basketball game. Off goes Steve's shirt.

4. A bullet grazes his shoulder and it needs to be stitched up. (I guest star as the naughty nurse.)

3. Steve is chasing the bad guys by a volcano – a spark from the lava hits his shirt and he has to take it off before it catches on fire – sweat begins to….oh, sorry.

2. Camera pans to his bedroom – he’s sleeping and wakes upon hearing a noise. He gets up to investigate. (I guest star as the woman in his bed? – no more likely the stalker who broke in.)

And the number one plot device to get Alex O'Loughlin's to shed the shirt?

1. Ummm…do we really need a reason? Just take it off, McGarrett. No female will notice if it doesn’t advance the plot.


There you have it. And for the good of my fellow woman if Hawaii Five-O wants to use any of these plot devices I won't ask for royalities - though I'm totally serious about being a guest star - I would have to bring the husband I suppose - AWKWARD.