As a person who has story people in her brain for most of her life, I’m not sure how the other half lives — by this I mean non-writers.  My brain is constantly churning out ideas, working out details to stories I’m currently working on, stories written by other people, stories that may never happen.

I finished my m/f/m menage, which has a level of angst, but for the most part is a short, sexy read. My current WIP, a m/f erotic romance, but my brain is definitely nudging me towards darker elements.

Two nights in a row I dreamed of serial killers (who knew Tom Hanks was so lethal with a baseball bat?!), alien infestation (they multiplied like tape worms but were the size of green onions, which has put me off those for a while) and a phantom tattoo which completely covered my body and ruined my day.

Clearly, my brain wants me to write something with teeth…..and guts.  I’m not sure where that fits in my current work load, but I guess I’ll have to make it happen. Or risk more jerked-awake-by-terror nights.

Sasha, who needs more hours in a day

Behold the magic that is the Crock Pot!

I had no idea the love affair I would have with this item until I was living on my own. While mine is an older, more 70s looking unit (complete with orange and olive dancing motif) it gets the job done.

From tortellini soup to chili to lasagna to teriyaki chicken the thing has yet to let me down. My house smells like delicious stew because I tossed in a can of tomatoes, onions, carrots, celery and potatoes.  Nothing better after a Monday then to come home to a home cooked meal that took less than 5 minutes to make.

Long live the Crock Pot! Guaranteed to make Monday simma down.

Sasha, who has awesome stew

Yep. I said your library. I am a writer, and I do want you to buy books, but I’m both a reader and a realist. If I had purchased every book I read, I would still be working off debit accumulated in the third grade.

As an ill child, I spent more time indoors with books the first 10 years of my life and if left to my own devices could read about 1,200 pages a day.  Of course if I did that now, no writing would get done and I would quickly get fired for showing up to work both zombiefied and reeking since showers would be out of the question.

My local library is a beauty (see below) and is networked with two satellite branches which are about twenty minutes away. After a long absence I went back to my branch and found it had become even more amazing, expanding the Blu Ray collection and stocking Samhain print titles!

I could easily spend hours perusing the shelves and never fail to be inspired by a trip to the library. Take twenty minutes. Go to your local library. And kick Monday blahs in the junk.

Sasha, who wishes she was going to the library instead of the EDJ

True story and nothing cutesy to add at the end. I was defending my childhood home with my mother (deceased for several years) and my niece (8) who didn’t look or act like herself.

The zombies were people we knew in the neighborhood and instead of been grotesque, unstoppable creatures bent on brain consumption, these zombies just had goofy grins and bad fashion sense (they all wore baggy Looney Tunes tee shirts).

But they were pretty much unstoppable.  At one point I had to rest from beating one with a baseball bat because it didn’t fight back, but wouldn’t lie down or go away.

Dream me was calm and methodical and hellbent that no one was going to infect my niece — though I didn’t seem concerned about her parents at all — and I was pretty sure my mom was infected.  We finally closed down the house — apparently zombies can’t figure out mini blinds!– and got the garage door closed with one dog in the garage (not ours) and another outside (ours). I woke up at the thought of our lab-chow mix turning into a zombie.

So what’s the point?  First, my brain is wants me to write more. I always get crazy vivid dreams when I haven’t been writing enough.  And more importantly, I thought this was a better answer to the ubiquitous “where do you get your ideas from?” question that every writer encounters.  Clearly, I write stories in my sleep.

This is the second time that zombies have invaded, which means I’ve got a zombie story somewhere in me.  Obviously it’s trying to eat my (subconscious) BRaaaAAAAAaaaaAAAAIIIIINNNS!

Sasha, who is going to stock up on baseball bats

Since I missed last week, I decided to go for a two-fer today and mention a movie and soundtrack combo.  This combo is a one-to-punch guaranteed to hijack my brain and make me want to watch (and listen) on loop:

This movie is that illusive mix of comedy and mystery that is amazing (when successfully pulled off) and cringe worthy (when it falls apart).  Mysteries are my first love and I’ve always wanted to write a comedy-mystery hybrid but it just doesn’t seem meant to be.

I know a lot of people were disappointed in the choices of Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law as Watson and Holmes but I gotta say the casting director deserves an award. It’s a brilliant bit of work — yes, they both are very sexy men but their camaraderie is the best on screen bromance I’ve ever seen. (I’m sure there is Downey/Law slash just due to this movie). Their timing is impeccable and the movie has a Steampunk feel which I love in movie form — mainly because my writer brain can’t wrap around it.

And the soundtrack! As I was watching the movie, I knew I wanted it, but it’s even better than I had hoped. It’s the oddest use of stringed instruments I’ve ever heard and I love it. Wish I could find more music like it. Great music to write to.

Why would I prescribe either to kill the Monday Blahs? Why that’s elementary, my dear…

Sasha, who wishes she could watch the movie RIGHT now

…I’d totally marry them.  It’s been a rough week or so and this post is supa late. Not to mention that Monday’s Monday Mention didn’t go live.

I could make a big deal about it, or I could put on my Big Girl Panties and get a move on.  This week I’m concentrating on two different (please, God, please) short stories which will both need better titles once I actually finish them:

Two Nights in Chi Town (m/m contemp):  Jon is better at brokering deals than he is at relationships. His boyfriend has dumped him and he’s more upset about the busted bottle of wine than he is that the relationship is over.

Leo is the ultimate good time guy. Quick with a smile and even quicker to party, Leo has had his eye on Jon for far too long. Now that he’s a free man, Leo is going to show Jon that two nights with him are enough to build a lifetime.

Succubus Shenanigans (m/f/m paranormal): As a succubus, Renalia knows that one human man would never be enough, but what about two? She’s managed to avoid any liaisons with her good friends Tate and David, but when she goes into heat and they are the only men around, boundaries will be crossed, secret desires will exposed and their friendship will never be the same.

Okay, so I’m not great with blurbs…and I’m still a little Nyquil Hung Over, but it’s not too bad, right? Right?

Sasha, who desperately needs more sleep

…we like short shorts!  For the record, I have noticed that most of my posts this year revolve around something pop culturey. I’d like to say that’s going to change, but I know me too well and it’s not likely.

But it’s February in Chicago, and though it’s been unseasonably warm, no way in hell am I even considering short-shorts, mini skirts or the ever popular hot pants. I’m talking about short stories ….and my inability to wrap my writerly brain around them.

Before being published, my stories were all loooooong, bookish things which I usually discovered were the first in a series/trilogy about 30,000 words into the thing. This might be one of the reason I never finished any of them. (Notable exception being Beauty, a 77K monstrosity which still is in the ugly Edit Me PLEASE phase).

As a reader I will accept a story as short as 2,500 and it’s literally just a scene from the character’s lives. As a writer, my brain will not accept the same. I try for a short and then BAM! way over word count and possibly headed to sequel land. Light was intended to be 10K and ended up being 28K. Dare was intended to be 5K and ended up being 18K.

*sigh*

And yes, this is just a long, drawn out way of saying I’m currently dancing with what I believe could be my first actual short. A little bit of m/m, dirty fun which is currently at 5,500 …and counting.  I’m ever hopeful though.

Sasha, who might need someone to hold her

For the record, I love football. I am not one of those people who believe you can either like sports OR romance books and can get quite ranty about it if given the chance.

But, if watching tall well built men battle it out to victory isn’t your thing (hello? are you alive? do you have a pulse?!) then Puppy Bowl might be more to your liking.

I defy you to watch cute furry little bodies — all from animal shelters —  cavorting in an attempt to “play ball!” and not get all melty.  This year they introduced a kitteh halftime and a piggy cheering section.

If you missed this year’s and want to view some highlights, click here Video is guaranteed to cute the Monday blahs away.

Which old draft?! The Serial Killer one!  Okay, clearly my brain is fried, but since I finished the first draft of the story that has been gnawing my brain since last summer, I feel like I’m entitled to a tiny bit of foolery.

The Serial Killer Romance is definitely romantic suspense, but I’m not sure how sexy it will be.  The draft topped at at nearly 33,600 and will have major edits as my killer’s POV changed from 3rd to 1st. *shudder*

For now, I’m just glad it’s done and I don’t have to think about it for the next few days. On to In the Blood, my tattoo-gone-awry WIP. I’m so ready to jump into Micah and Lorelei’s story!

Sasha, who’s excited for new words

I might write romance, but most rom coms make me want to set myself on fire.  And don’t get me started on those schmaltzy-someone-has-to-die-so-you-cry romantic movies.  My heart belongs to comedies …and movies where things blow up. And the A-Team is a mixture of both.

It took me a while to see it, but the A-Team was more than worth the wait. I’m old enough to have seen the tv series (if you ever want a WTFug laugh, catch some older episodes) but this is one reboot I can get behind.

Yes, there is some major man candy (Bradley Cooper and Liam Neeson, I’m looking at YOU!) but it’s got a solid plot, plenty of explosions and a quote I want to use as my motto for the rest of the year:

“Give me a minute and I’m good. If I’ve got an hour, I’m great. You give me six months, I’m unbeatable.” – Hannibal

The A-Team, guaranteed to kick the Monday Blahs in the junk