Sheryl Crow Adopts Second Son
Sheryl Crow is expanding her family. The 48 year old singer has adopted another son, saying on her website, “Wyatt has a new little brother! Levi James was born April 30.” Wyatt, 3, was adopted in 2007.
Chace Crawford Arrested on Pot Possession
Gossip Girl hunk Chase Crawford was arrested early Friday morning for possession of marijuana, according to People.com. The 24 year old actor was arrested in a pub parking lot in Plano, Texas after police discovered one marijuana joint in the car he was in. Crawford was charged for a misdemeanor, having two ounces or less of marijuana. What do you think of his mug shot?
Interview with Wendy Wax
Samantha Robey
ChickLitPlus.com
Q: Why do you love writing?
I don’t think there’s anything more rewarding than having the opportunity to create characters and the worlds they inhabit out of nothing but imagination. It’s even more incredible when these characters and their lives become real and important to others.
The letters and emails from readers telling you how much they’ve enjoyed something you’ve written or complaining that you kept them up all night reading, are best of all.
Q: You have worked in radio, television, and film. If you had to pick one to have a career in one, which would it be and why?
I have a soft spot for radio, probably because that’s where I started. I began at the college station, moved into voice over commercial work, and did a stint in Tampa as the host of a live radio show called ‘Desperate & Dateless’ during a time when I was both!
I’m also drawn to radio because, like writing, it requires a lot of imagination and is more about what’s inside you than what you look like or how others perceive you.
One of my favorite college classes was an exploration of early radio. We used to listen to the old shows; the ones families used to tune into each week before television existed. I was fascinated by the visual images that were created just by using voice and sound effects.
There was a really great comedy routine where you could actually picture Lake Michigan being emptied and then turned into a gigantic hot fudge sundae. It ended with a plane dropping the maraschino cherry on top!
Q: What do you hope readers take from your books?
I hope they enjoy themselves; that for however long it takes them to read one of my books, they can leave real life behind and escape into people and places that interest them and they can relate to.
Q: How do you find fresh ideas for your characters?
I don’t know exactly where they come from. I’m a pretty instinctual writer and the kernels of story ideas come out of the headlines or things that I observe around me.
I write women’s journeys—stories about women discovering who they are and what they’re made of. My characters are often an amalgamation of women, or at least the kinds of women, that I know or have met.
Q: Is there anything that really surprised you about being an author or the writing industry in general? Maybe any good secrets or inside tidbits you can share?
I was certainly surprised by how brutal the publishing industry can be. There’s writing and then there’s getting and staying published, which are very different things.
The Accidental Bestseller, which was recently reprinted in mass market paperback, is definitely an inside look at the publishing industry. I’ve joked that ‘the names have been changed to protect the innocent,’ but it’s as true a look at what it is to be a writer today as I was able to write without having to label it non-fiction.
It’s the story of four critique partners who’ve been friends for a decade and who discover just how far they’re willing to go to help each other survive the industry.
It’s up for a Rita Award, which is really interesting since the book actually begins with one of the characters sitting at a very similar awards ceremony waiting to see whether she’s won a prestigious writing award that she hopes will revitalize her career. Of course, now I wish I’d written her winning!!
Q: What type of research do you conduct for your books?
Research comes in all different forms and in any given book there can be lots of different things you need to know and understand. In Leave It to Cleavage, I had to learn about the bra industry, beauty pageants, small town policing and some really interesting forensics issues.
I’ve also researched talk radio, advertising, divorce, construction, financial theft, politics and ballroom dance, just to name a few. It’s pretty much impossible to write a novel without needing to learn about things you don’t know, and I think it’s really important to understand what you’re writing about and get your facts straight. The more you know, the more realistic your scenes will be and the more authentic your characters feel.
Q: What was the best part about growing up in Florida?
The beach! I grew up on St. Pete Beach, which is that comma shaped barrier island on the west central coast of Florida that curves into the Gulf of Mexico. It’s still my favorite beach in the world and walking barefoot with the white sand squinched between my toes is the most relaxing thing ever. My current work in progress is actually set there, which is a lot of fun.
Q: When you were growing up, what did you think your career would be one day?
I’ve always loved to perform, and when I was little I just wanted to be famous—whatever that means!
Later I wanted to be a famous journalist or a famous stand up comedian. I’m not as worried about the famous part anymore—it is, after all, a pretty relative term. I feel really fortunate to get to make things up for a living.
Q: What is your advice for aspiring writers?
In The Accidental Bestseller each chapter begins with a quote about writing. I was originally looking for one to begin the book and found so many that resonated with me, that I used as many as I could.
As I mentioned earlier and wrote about in The Accidental Bestseller, it’s not an easy business. In addition to talent, the most important thing is probably persistence. Frankly, you have to really, really want it in order to hang in through all the ups and downs a writing career typically entails.
Chapter one begins with John Steinbeck’s quote, “The profession of book writing makes horse racing seem like a solid, stable business.” John was right!
Another that sums things up is from James Baldwin who said, “Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline, love, luck—but most of all, endurance.”
Q: Where would be your dream vacation?
On a white sandy beach, with the sound of the waves washing gently onto shore, reading—for as long as I wanted to without any interruptions. I’ve joked that I could read a book a day if my family would leave me alone long enough, and I’d like to put this theory to the test!
Because I love the beach so much and to celebrate the release of The Accidental Bestseller in mass market paperback, I’m running a contest for those lucky enough to get to one. Just take a picture of yourself reading a copy of The Accidental Bestseller on the beach—any beach— submit to my website www.authorwendywax.com I’ll post it on my facebook page http://www.facebook.com/authorwendywax ,
and enter you to win a beach bag full of my favorite books!
Forget Me Knot by Sue Margolis
Abby Crompton, owner of a trendy London florist boutique, is struggling in her relationship. While everything may seem picture perfect to outsiders, Abby fears there is something array with her fiancée Toby. Other than their complete opposition in the social aspect- Toby comes from a highly wealthy family, Abby not so much- but now their lack of any activity in the bedroom is making Abby unsure of her future wedding plans. When she is running late to meet the dreaded soon to be mother-in-law, Abby confronts her fears of an elevator and promptly gets stuck in one. While waiting to be rescued, Abby confides all her doubts about her impending marriage and fiancée to the handsome stranger that is trapped along with her, filmmaker Dan.
Abby’s embarrassment is elevated when she later meets Dan in a business setting- he is going to be directing a film where scenes take place in Abby’s boutique. While continually assuring her that he doesn’t think anything less of her and the inebriated personal babble she bestowed on him, Abby finds herself thinking of Dan in a more romantic setting. When her relationship with Toby comes to a direct halt, Abby wonders if anything more could happen with Dan. Before she can even begin to rebound,, she finds some unsettling news that Dan has been hiding from her, and gives up hope on that budding relationship. But following all great chick lit patterns, Abby is able to find love in the end even after all the false starts.
Forgot Me Knot is a romantic delight from British author Sue Margolis. A lightweight comedy that chick lit readers will enjoy. This was one of the better books from Margolis in my opinion, the characters were a riot, especially the heroine’s mom who finds a way to stand up for what she believes in during a cruise vacation gone bad. The storyline moves along quickly, and remains charming throughout.
Plato’s Closet- Get Money for Your Clothes!
If you have never checked out Plato’s Closet, I highly suggest you do. I learned about Plato’s Closet when I moved to Des Moines, and was told that they carry name brand clothing for cheaper prices. I was excited about that, so made my way over to the store. And sure enough- the store was crammed full of name brand jeans, shirts, even shoes and purses! I quickly found a simple, inexpensive way for me to continue dressing trendy and keeping up with the latest styles during college. What I liked even more- Plato’s closet buys their inventory from people like me and you! They prefer to take in “gently used, name brand” materials, and then they give you cash for what they take. And lately, it’s more than just clothes and shoes that are being bought back. This past weekend, I went with a box full of shirts, dresses, shoes, book, even hair products- yes hair products- that was bought. I made a quick $50 just getting rid of items that I no longer need or want. Taking a glance around the store, I saw nail polishes, scarves, belts, etc. that are now being bought from people for resale. I will say though, there are going to be times when your things are not bought. I took in a dress that was super cute, still had the tags hanging on it, but it wasn’t taken. And sometimes they say DVDs are too scratched, or other items are not in good enough condition to re-sell. But I say give it a try. Throw things that you know you don’t want or need in a box and let it accumulate, then take it in and hope for a good chunk of change to come out of it- and shop the great selection while you’re waiting! Check out the Plato’s Closet link below to find the store closest in your area.
Looks to Die For by Janice Kaplan
Lacy Fields is thriving in life. A great job as an interior designer, a successful and loving husband who works as a plastic surgeon in Hollywood, great family and friends. But when the cops explode into her house one night and arrest her husband Dan for murdering a wannabee actress, Lacy feels her life getting turned upside down. Convinced that Dan is not a murderer, but feeling like everyone- including Dan’s attorney- thinks he’s guilty, the mom who loves designer shoes and sparkling jewelry decides to launch her own investigation into the shady world of fame, money, and scandal. She certainly doesn’t expect what she finds- ex-cons, ransom notes, a dead body in her own trunk, being taken hostage. But determined to stand by her man, nothing will knock down this well-dressed amateur sleuth as she works feverishly to clear her husband’s name and put the pieces of her family back together.
Looks to Kill For, the first of two Lacy Fields mysteries from well-known author Janice Kaplan, will give readers plenty of suspense along with the posh LA lifestyle the heroine is living. The mystery is puzzling, with enough plot twists and character assumptions that will keep you guessing until the end, and the celebrity name dropping is delightful for chick lit fans. Kaplan’s witty writing along with the pull of a love story will keep readers wanting more from Lacy Fields.
Workout for Toned Arms
One area of my body that has no trouble getting toned is my arms. I swear, my biceps will look more toned if I spend two hours simply channel surfing. For this reason, I often skip total arm workouts or any focus on weights because my arms will start to look too toned- and I don’t want to look like I’m getting ready to arm wrestle at the drop of a hat. But recently, Shape.com posted a great exercise plan that will not only tone your biceps, but firm up triceps, shoulders, and adds a little cardio into the mix. This workout is great not only for arms, but gives an extra oomph to the full body. Check out the full workout here!
GIVEAWAY: 3 Copies of The Cougar Club by Susan McBride
Meet three women who aren’t about to run and hide just because the world says they should be on the shelf and out of circulation.
Kat
Her life seems perfect until she loses her high-powered advertising job and catches her live-in lover in a compromising position-with his computer!
Carla
This sexy TV news anchor is in danger of being replaced by a twentysomething blond bimbo. Wasn’t it just yesterday that she was the up-and-coming star?
Elise
A married dermatologist, Elise thinks her plastic surgeon husband is playing doctor with someone else.
Kat firmly believes that aging gracefully isn’t about giving up; it’s about living life with your engine on overdrive. So this unofficial “Cougar Club” quickly learns three things about survival of the fittest in today’s youth-obsessed society: True friendship never dies, the only way to live is real, and you’re never too old to follow your heart.
I have 3 copies to giveaway of The Cougar Club by Susan McBride! Susan has graciously sent me the copies to give to away to readers. It’s easy to win- post a comment here, on Twitter, or on Facebook. Winners will be posted on June 9th. Good luck!
Interview with Suzanne Beecher
Q: How would you describe Muffins and Mayhem?
It’s a memoir that makes you laugh and cry and cook. My hope is that as people are reading the recipes and stories in my book, that they’ll be reliving some of their own. People write books for all sorts of reasons, but I had two: I’d been writing a daily column for seven years (at the time) and I wanted to learn how to do something different—to challenge myself. And the other reason was that it had taken me such a very long time to finally learn to like myself and feel comfortable with Suzanne. From “Muffins and Mayhem” Chapter 20: Writing the Recipe for My Life: “I have just enough confidence in myself and just enough doubt to write about my worries and fears, to make fun of myself, and invite people to laugh along with me. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could all feel comfortable enough to laugh at ourselves when we screw up? A laughter that stays with us, tucked away inside, instead of feeling shame? Hopefully when people read the words I write they’ll go easier on themselves and find that soft place to fall.”
Q: What gave you the inspiration to write this?
Hundreds of readers email every day after they read my column at DearReader.com and tell me their stories. One of those emails was the inspiration for this book.
Dear Suzanne,
I have been following your Dear Reader column for several years now. I am so grateful you are willing to share with your readers a glimpse of your life, whether it’s happy or sad. Let me introduce myself: I am a 43 –year-old mother of three children ages 8, 10, and 11. I have been diagnosed with late-stage metastasized lung cancer.
Knowing that I won’t have the privilege of walking my three young children through their tough teenage years and adulthood, I want to prepare a scrapbook for each of them to fall back on when they are down and have no one else to turn to. When I was reading your column about the “writing inspiration” folder you keep, it strikes me to the core—that’s exactly what I want to prepare for my kids. Something to inspire them to be the best person they possibly can, and to pick their spirits up on a rainy day when things feel out of control and they need to get themselves grounded again.
It would be greatly appreciated if you can share some pointers with me as to where to find these inspiring books, articles, quotes, etc. Thank you for your time!
Yours sincerely,
Priscilla
In my reply to Priscilla, I told her that some of the most precious things I own are the photo albums and recipe box that my Grandma Hale passed on to me. Whenever I thumb through the albums, or I’m following the recipe on one of Grandma’s recipe cards, I feel like she’s standing right beside me in the kitchen. It such a comfort, and the memories come flooding in. I suggested that Priscilla create recipe boxes for her children, including favorite recipes and stories. Write down on a recipe card the things from her life she’d like to pass along to them—recipes for their lives: how to make an impression on someone (give them an example of something she did)when it’s okay to tell a fib and then tell them one of her little white lies. What’s the best gift anyone ever gave her? What were the things that really scared her in life? How did she feel when they were born, when she was diagnosed with lung cancer and she realized the outcome.
Priscilla did make recipe boxes for her children and unknowingly, she left behind a gift for me, too. I didn’t realize it until I wrote back to Priscilla, but for years I’d been creating my own recipe box, and the stories I discovered in it inspired me to write this book.
Q: How were you able to tie in your love of cooking with writing?
Cooking is involved in every area of my life. I cook for fun, to relieve stress, to enjoy the fun of giving away baked goods and sometimes even casseroles to other people (I have list of folks who are always willing to take food off my hands when I get into a cooking frenzy) my grandchildren love to cook with Grandma and when I can’t seem to write and need inspiration because the blank screen is way too intimidating—I put my laptop on the kitchen counter and in-between mixing and stirring, I write.
Q: What was the most difficult part about writing Muffins and Mayhem?
The concept of how to approach writing a book was foreign to me. I’d been writing a daily column at DearReader.com for seven years, so in the beginning every time I’d sit down, intending to work on material for a book, I’d end up writing a column instead, because that’s what was familiar to me. Many times throughout the writing process, I felt like the “big pretender”. Since I’d been so involved with the publishing industry, (producing the online book clubs) people assumed I knew more about how to approach writing a book than I really did. But as you’ll read in Chapter 4: “Pretending My Way to Success,” at least pretending was something familiar to me.
Once I got my bearings and was into writing the book, then the biggest challenges I faced were emotional. Reliving scenes from my life and finding the courage to be honest with readers and myself—sometimes it felt a little too personal. Which is odd for me to say, considering my daily column is all about my personal life. But it was a cleansing, growing experience and I love the finished book—it feels like me.
Q: What are some of your items to cook/bake?
Some of my favorite recipes are Skunk Beans, (one of the main ingredients is a can opener). This recipe is simple to make, but you’ll get RAVE reviews and it keeps in the refrigerator all week long. If you’ve never tackled making a pie from scratch, because you were afraid of the crust—read Chapter 8 “A Not-So-Perfect Pie Crust” about 96 year-old Amy, and then mix up my Never Fail Pie Crust, slice up some apples, and make an apple pie. Nothing compares to eating a slice of warm apple pie, right out of the oven.
Q: Do you have any horror stories about cooking gone wrong?
Two little eggs. Who would’ve dreamed what a difference they could
make. I was mixing up Grandma Hale’s Red Velvet Cake recipe for
Easter dinner, but when I poured the batter into the pans, it was
stiff. Granted, I hadn’t made this recipe for a few years, but
something didn’t seem quite right.
Hmm, shortening, sugar, vanilla, eggs–whoops–I forgot to add the
eggs. I knew it was too late. The old adage “better late than never”
does not apply to baking. I was amazed at what two little eggs could
do (or not do) to a recipe.
It reminded me when I was listening to a pastry chef on television going on and on
about how you should only use large-sized eggs in a recipe,
“Remember that you’re adding liquid when you add eggs. A large egg
is about 1/4 cup. Don’t use jumbo, or extra-large…” And she
continued her egg sermon with what I thought was hoity-toity,
trying-to-impress-me advice.
Well, okay, so now I’m impressed. She’s right. But I thought I might as well bake the cake and see what I
ended up with. Two, dry, 9-inch round cakes–one with a bunny-hill ski slope on the
left side, that’s what I ended up with. But I decided to push
forward anyway and frost the darn thing. I used Grandma Hale’s
frosting recipe and followed it to a tee. But after I filled in the
ski slope, I ran out of frosting.
Okay, let’s take inventory. Company’s coming in one hour. There
isn’t any time to mix up another cake. The stores are closed, so I
can’t buy a replacement dessert. Presentation counts a lot in how
food tastes, another quote from the friendly pastry chef. Well, she
was right about the eggs, I hope she comes through with this
advice, too. So I set the layer cake on top of a white paper doily,
added some colored sprinkles and jelly beans, stuck three pinwheels
on the top, and then turned the cake around so the bare
backside–where I ran out of frosting–didn’t show.
Presentation does not make up for lack of taste. We all took a
couple of bites, agreed that it wasn’t my best work, and decided the
rest should go in the garbage. But when I was just about to toss the
cake in the trash, my 85 year-old father-in-law, bless his heart,
insisted that he wanted to take the masterpiece home.
Q: I will admit- I have a lot of the above stories! Being in the kitchen has never been my strongest point. Any tips you could give me?
Be willing to toss your mistakes and expect to make mistakes. The first time I make a new recipe, it rarely turns out as good as the second time around. Cooking isn’t any different than any other hobby or new venture we try. And then sometimes mistakes turn out better than the original recipe. That’s how my “Whoops! Banana Bread” recipe was born. I was in the middle of making a banana bread recipe when the doorbell rang; it was the UPS man. But a few minutes later, after I’d went back to mixing up the recipe, I realized that I was following the recipe above the banana bread—similar but the wrong recipe. So I decided to improvise; added a little of this and a little of that and ended up with a “Whoops!” that tasted better than my usual banana bread recipe.
Suzanne’s Whoops! Banana Bread
1 1/4 cup mashed very ripe bananas (the riper, or browner, the bananas are,
the better the bread will taste)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup shortening
2 eggs
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (overflowing) chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of either a 9x5x3 loaf pan or 4 smaller loaves. Beat all ingredients together, scraping bowl. Beat just until blended. Pour into pan(s).
Bake until wooden toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center. About 50 to 60 minutes baking time for one loaf and about 35 minutes for smaller loaves. Immediately remove from pans after you take out of oven. Cool on a wire rack.
Q: What are some of your favorite genres to read?
I love to read nonfiction. I also got hooked on reading history books, written for teens, when I was homeschooling our son. And I enjoy reading poetry now and then. My two favorite poetry books are: Poems Old and New and girls by Helen Ferris (the copyright is 1957 and my copy doesn’t even have a cover any longer).
Q: Can you explain to readers what your Dear Reader website is and why we should all join?
It was the summer of 1999. My husband and I were working together in his software company. Most of the people who worked for him were stay-at-home moms, working part time from their homes, so they could be with their children. Frequently one of the moms would comment, that when her children were old enough she wanted to go back to college.
So one afternoon, when I heard the frustration in Cathy’s voice about wishing she could go back to school, I asked, “Why wait? Your kids might not be going to school for three or four years, but you could start reading about whatever subject you’re interested in right now.”
Cathy was not amused. “Look Suzanne, I cook, clean, do school activities, take care of my children, and work part time for you. I don’t even have time to shave my legs and you expect me to sit down and read a book!”
Good point. I guess I’d forgotten how little free time my husband and I had when our kids were young. In-between managing our businesses, trying to get kids off to school in the morning and then transport them to music lessons and sports afterwards, it was a real juggling act. So that evening when I was preparing our daily company email, on a whim I started typing in the first few pages of Tuesdays with Morrie, a book I’d just finished reading. The next evening I typed in a little more, continuing to send short installments with each company email.
Four days later, No Time to Shave My Legs Woman called. “I’m embarrassed to admit it, Suzanne, but I’ve been sneaking over to my computer late at night to see if company email showed up yet, because I’m hooked on the book.”
So if sending part of a book, to a busy stay-at-home mom, could inspire her to add reading to her “to-do” list, what would happen if I sent daily book club emails to millions of people? And that’s how my online book clubs at DearReader.com were born. (By the way, before I continue, I need to tell you that taking copyrighted material out of a book is illegal, which my loving husband pointed out to me at the time. I assured him it was for a small group of women and that’s how creative ideas are born. But that still doesn’t make it legal. Not to worry, I have permission for all of the books I use at my online book clubs today.)
I knew how to build a website and I could envision what the book clubs would look like, but how was I going to get permission to use material from published books? Silly, naïve me, I thought if I called a publisher they would call me back. When they didn’t, I tried sending a fax and then an overnight letter. Finally it was my persistent dialing that reached a Random House executive. She decided to take a chance on my online book club idea. But a week later, when we were supposed to finalize things, my contact was gone—literally. The recording on her phone said she didn’t work at Random House any longer, “Press one if you need further assistance.”
So I had no choice but to begin again. Eventually I connected with someone else at Random House and I started getting permissions. I figured I could name-drop and easily get other publishers on board, too.
When that didn’t work, I baked chocolate chip cookies and sent them overnight with a one-page letter. I realize a business letter and chocolate chip cookies might seem like strange bedfellows. But I loved to bake, and I needed to stand out, and who doesn’t love a homemade chocolate chip cookie—like the kind Grandma used to make?
What a difference when I’d call a publisher the day after my package arrived, “Oh, you’re the cookie woman! I’m sorry we didn’t get back to you yet.”
Today, eleven years later, over 375,000 people read at my Dear Reader online book clubs every day. I’m still baking cookies for publishers—because it’s fun—and I bake for readers, too. Every month there’s a Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway at the book clubs. Stop by, if you’re name is drawn I’ll bake and overnight two-dozen homemade cookies to your front door.
Sound a little crazy? Yes, but a little crazy means we have a lot of fun. When you sign up at one of my free online book clubs, in addition to test-driving great books (every Monday through Friday you receive an email with a 5-minute read) I write a daily column, and I give away other “crazy” items: bubble machines, heating pads for kitties that live in cold climates, vintage aprons, garage sale goodies, measuring cups, journals, and I’ve even shopped for socks for book club readers.
I invite you to join the fun at www.DearReader.com and if you like my style, you’ll love my new book, Muffins and Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life. Read a sample at www.MuffinsandMayhem.com get a signed book plate, and discover my “goodies” for book clubs that meet in person.
Q: What would be your best advice for aspiring writers?
The secret to writing is to write. I know, it sounds like a simple clique, but it’s true. Write (and read) every day and you’ll become a better writer. Obviously there needs to be a spark of ingrained talent, but even if you were the most gifted and talented writer—talent without courage and confidence in your abilities will leave you feeling empty. And empty will show up on the page, and empty is a miserable life. I used to be a reluctant writer—okay, so I’m being kind to myself. I was a mess. Didn’t believe in myself (you’ll read about it in Muffins and Mayhem) even though other people did and would tell me they loved my work. I write a daily column at DearReader.com and the turning point in my career was when I finally decided to believe and accept the wonderful gift I’d been given—that I am a writer. What a glorious “high” when the writing is flowing.
Q: Where would be your dream vacation?
My dream vacation would be a repeat of the first time my husband and I rented a cabin in the Smoky Mountains. The brochure called it a cabin, but really it was a huge, luxurious home high up on the hill. Looking down into the valley below; circular bales of hay in neat and tidy rows, and he wild flowers—it was picture perfect. The house had three levels; the backside was completely covered with windows and sliding glass doors. No need for curtains so high up, and no neighbors. A spacious game room on the bottom floor, billiards, ping pong, flat screen TV with all of the extras, and a foosball table. The main floor: cathedral ceilings, a fireplace, high tech electronics; TV, stereo, wireless internet, a view to “die-for” through the sliding glass doors that led out to a surround-the-house deck. A full kitchen, three bathrooms, Jacuzzi tub bathroom looking out over the mountains, three bedrooms and even the wildlife was a dream come true. Every morning wild turkeys would come and sit on the split-wood fence near the kitchen entrance. When my husband and I first walked into the house, we looked at each other and in unison said, “Call the travel agent and book this place for the entire week!” We lived in dream land for the week, but we’ve never returned for another visit. How could anything possibly live up to the memories we have of that vacation?
