With a nod to today being Good Friday, I thought I would fix a nice breakfast for my fiance.  We got up early today and watched The Passion of the Christ which neither one of us had scene, and so I was wide awake…and hungry.

The meal was nothing out of the ordinary, but he thought it was extraordinary.  I make bacon (in the microwave), scrambled eggs (Egg Beaters, actually), and grits. 

I can see the face you’re making.  Grits?  Bleck.  Just the name alone brings up melodic bars of “Dixie” and it being nothing but peasant food.  Okay…I’ll use the name I saw on an “Easter Brunch” website:  breakfast polenta.   It’s all corn.  Ground corn.  Polenta is corn.  Grits is corn.  But grits get a bad rap because people don’t know how to cook them and serve the properly.  Well I do.

My secret is a little light cream or fat-free half and half.  Instead of using all water when you cook the grits, substitute the last 1/4 of a cup with the milk product.  Then, add butter (I use Brummel and Brown yogurt butter) and a little bit of salt — don’t over do it.  This way, they’re creamy and buttery and yummy.

My secret with my scrambled eggs is the same thing…add a little bit of fat-free half and half before you put them in the pan to cook.  I also add American cheese while scrambling and I don’t over do it.  I was at a friend’s house where her son’s were cooking breakfast and they scrambled the eggs for at least 10-12 minutes.  No wonder the pan had to soak the rest of the day to be cleaned!  LOL!  The secret to good scrambled eggs is a pan set at medium and let them slowly cook.  Keep them moving, swirling, scrambling…and once they have set, take them off the flame.

Okay, so it’s not some culinary delight, but it’s something you can use every day.  Go forth and try grits!  They’re not just for Southerners.  And if you can’t deal with that…just call it breakfast polenta.  LOL!

In any case…spend today in thoughtful silence, fellowship with friends and family, and most of all thankfulness.

Hugs,
Marley = )

A letter from a fan and inspiring writer:

Dear. Ms. Gibson:

I love your books and want to be a writer one day myself. I do a lot of writing in school and I read message boards of other writers on the internet. I keep seeing all of these things people say that I don’t understand. Things like GMC and POV and TSTL and BICHOK. I feel like the writing world is a secret club with a handshake I don’t know yet. Can you help explain?

LOL! (That’s “laughing out loud” = ) Yes, I can help! Because ten years ago, I was in your same shoes when I jumped on message boards. It’s like jumping into the middle of a social club that you weren’t invited to. But once you’re there, you’ll see that everyone is friendly, helpful, and willing to help mentor you along.

Acronyms are crazy, aren’t they? Let me explain the ones you’ve asked about.

1. GMC: This means goal, motivation, conflict. Every good story must have these elements. Every character must have these elements. Even the bad guy. Even the minor characters. You might not use them or write them for all characters, but you, as the writer, need to know what motivates all of your players…what their end goals are…and what’s inside them that keeps them from achieving that goal (conflict) that they have to overcome. Debra Dixon has a great book on the subject if you want to read up more on it.

2. POV: This is simply the “point of view” that your story is written in. Do you see everything from the heroine’s POV, the hero’s, from an omniscient one? There’s no right or wrong…only what works for your story.

3. TSTL: This is a fun one that stands for “too stupid to live.” It’s when a heroine (most often times) is just too stupid for her own good. She knows there’s a vampire-werewolf-alien hybrid hiding in the closet to attack her, but she still opens the door. She’s really stupid…and in the end, the reader hates her and wants her to die. LOL! Seriously. You don’t want a character that just doesn’t get things. You want smart characters in the book that can take care of themselves or the ones they love.

4. BICHOK: This is a term I learned from my local RWA (Romance Writers of America) chapter in Boston. It means “butt in chair, hands on keyboard,” which is a crude way to say “if you want to write a book, quit talking about it and sit your tail down in the chair, turn on the computer and actually do it.” There are so many people who want to write books…they talk about it all the time, but what they need to do is to ACTUALLY do it. That’s what BICHOKing is all about.

I hope this answers your questions and if I can help out more, please let me know. If anyone else has writing-related questions, I’m here for ya!

Hugs,

Marley = )

Okay…as a writer for teenagers, I have to keep abreast of what’s hip, cool, and in the foreground of pop culture.  I can’t tell you how much it upsets me when on the day after Japan’s THIRD earthquake, I see that the Yahoo top story is “Tori Spelling Tweets ‘I’m pregnant!’”

Really?

Seriously?

Pop culture…it alludes me sometimes.

Look, I’m all for following stars, entertainers, pop culture news, etc., but some of it really makes me scratch my head. I need someone to explain the allure to me.  Can you help?

What’s the attraction to…

1.  Justin Bieber:  I don’t think I could tell you one thing he sings, but I see him everywhere…in every teenage boy in public, at restaurants, at arcades, everywhere.

2.  The Housewives of…: Fill in the blank with whatever city.  Why do I want to watch a bunch of spoiled, rich people wasting money and causing drama over things that don’t matter?  Why not use your fame, personality, and money for GOOD?

3.  Jersey Shore:  Again…people behaving badly.  Why do I need to spend my time with these foul-mouthed, socially inept, uneducated slimes who sleep around, get drunk, and fight people?  I really don’t get it.  Do people watch it to hate them? 

4.  TruTV’s reality shows:  Their tweets kill me…seriously…”Black & Gold: Full Throttle Saloon were renewed for new seasons & we’re adding episodes of ‘Lizard Lick Towing’ to the 1st season!,” “Southern Fried Sting featuring boobs, bad girls, and bowling,” and “TruTV’s 20 most spazzed out moments.”  Do we *really* need to encourage the idiots of society?

5.  The Kardashians:  Who are they?  Where did they come from?  Why do I care anything about them?  What is their point?  What do they add to society?  Why do they all look exactly alike?  Are they clones or androids?  And WHAT did Bruce Jenner do to his face?!  If I see another notification for “get the Kardasian look,” I’m going to scream!

And finally…

6.  Baby Bumps:  When the Oscar coverage reverted to, “There’s Natalie Portman. What is she going to wear tonight to showcase the bump?”…well…if anyone says this term to me, I’m going to smack them into the middle of next week.  ‘Nuff said.

So…anyone care to weigh in?

Thanks to everyone who entered to win a copy of GHOST HUNTRESS: THE DISCOVERY, which comes out on May 2nd!

The winner is….

Shanese Mullins

CONGRATS to Shanese! Keep watching for more giveaways!

I know I’m prejudiced in the matter, but my little kittens are THE CUTEST little fur babies on the planet.

If you don’t believe me, just check out this new photo I snapped of them napping together yesterday.

Madison and Boo just adore each other. As much as their daddy and I adore them.

And, in case you haven’t seen it, please check out our video application for the Purina Cat Chow Correspondent position to be announced on May 15th!