Author Archives: Just Call Me Mel

BABY GOT BACK! and Front! and Books!

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Last night was chocolate covered awesome!

First off, I signed books at the Literacy Signing. And while I was doing that, I met my new favorite person: Helen.
Isn’t she adorable? And she’s fun, too. I told her she was going to be made famous in my blog today, so here I go making her famous. Helen was sent to me by a regular reader of my blog (HI LESLEE!) I can’t tell you how excited that made me! I was like a goofy little girl, all giddy and stuff. I channeled Sally Fields for a moment last night, “You like me? You really like me!”

Here I am at my little spot:Keep all cleavage remarks to yourself. I’m pretty sure I heard them all last night. DANGER: CURVES AHEAD!

After the signing, Maria Geraci’s family adopted me and we ate dinner at a fabulous Italian restaurant in the Swan. Our waiter was Fabiano and he was Fabuloso! (ok, true story here: We were discussing how I’m 41 years old and in all my many years, I never knew the Dolphin was both a fish and a mammal. And the Dolphin hotel is named for the fish not the mammal! I couldn’t figure out why the Swan had pretty swans everywhere and our hotel just had that weird looking fish!) Anyway Fabiano became my most favorite ever because he said “If it makes you feel better, you don’t look even close to 41. I would have guessed 31.” Ahhhh Fabiano! You just earned yourself an extra 10 spot in your tip!

After dinner, Maria and I joined the Divas for some Karaoke. There are pictures of me, Keri Ford and Amanda Berry doing a damn fine job of Baby Got Back–unfortunately I can’t find my camera cord this morning so you’re just gonna have to wait.

Trust me, they will be worth the wait….Thankfully, there is no video evidence. *she says as she runs off to check you tube just in case*

book signing event tonight!

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I will signing books (both BITE ME & LOVE SUCKS) for a charity event along with 300 other authors tonight. If you’re in the Orlando area, please come by the Dolphin! I’d love to see you, visit with you, get my picture taken with you and not feel left out like the red-headed step author. <–See what I did there? that's funny cuz I have red hair… Mel & Jill Monroe at Lit signing 2009

2010 “Readers for Life” Literacy Autographing

The “Readers for Life” Literacy Autographing has become one of the most popular events at RWA’s annual conference. More than 500 romance authors participate in this two-hour autographing event, and each year we raise thousands of dollars, which are donated to ProLiteracy Worldwide. Since 1990, RWA has donated more than $600,000 to literacy charities.

The 2010 “Readers for Life” Literacy Autographing takes place on Wednesday, July 28, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Walt Disney World® Dolphin Resort, Pacific Exhibit Hall, in Orlando, Florida. This event is open to the public; there is no admittance charge. Since the proceeds from this event are donated to charity, we ask that you purchase books at the event instead of bringing your own books. (RWA accepts cash, check, or credit/debit cards for book purchases at the event.) If you do bring books, please limit yourself to one or two books and consider making a cash donation to the cause.

Mel & Gena Showalter Lit Signing 2009

On my way…

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I’m East Bound.

See ya in a few hours Geraci clan!

I’ll be gone a week. I can’t promise to post every day, but I’ll try. If you’re in Orlando, I’ll be signing both BITE ME! and LOVE SUCKS! at the Literacy Signing at the Swan/Dolphin hotel. Come by and see me!

(also…just a friendly reminder that LOVE SUCKS! hit’s the shelves tomorrow. Don’t forget to buy your minimum of two copies copy!!!!)

my biggest fans are smurftastic!

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Ryan, my 10 year old nephew is my self-proclaimed biggest fan. He’s all the time talking about when BITE ME! goes to Hollywood, how he’s gonna be in the movie. And how he can’t wait to walk down the red carpet with his Aunt Mel.

Now, he’s never read my books, but he knows that one of the main characters is named Ryan which means he is a very. important. character. He has to be, right?

Well, my nephew is obsessed with my books being a big hit and he very badly wants me to write a 3rd book so the other day when I walked into his house he hands me a piece of paper and says, “Here’s your 3rd book idea.”

And now (with his permission of course) I’m going to share it with you:

The Final Bite
Author Meilisa Francass
Melissa Francis

The drama continues when one day Ryan was hit with a pistol andgot sent back in time to England and he meets his greatest challenge when himand his new friends have to fight Dracula and his vampire goons. Now they haveto kill dracula before sunset (I think he meant sunrise) [&]find out newromance in THE FINAL BITE.

That is truly a story made of 10 year old awesome.

Another thing that is made of awesome?
My friend’s daughter saw this and just had to buy it for me! Right now I’m calling him Count Smurfula but I’m thinking he might need a better name. What do you think? Any suggestions?

Pow! Bam! Wammo! and check out the Pink Camo!

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Thank you, Kitteh for sending this link. Best. Pug. Ever. (Next to Ruby, of course)

In other news…wanna take a sneak peek of LOVE SUCKS!? Go here. It comes out next Tuesday, yanno…

And it more fun news…Lola did my toes yesterday (sing with me! Her name was Lola, she was a toe girl…) Check out my Pink Camo Toes (NOT to be confused with Pink Camel Toe….ewwww gross)

And finally, yesterday was No-Wine Wednesday…(orange vodka–fewer calories) and we celebrated one of our favorite waiter’s (Trey) Birthday–with a limerick.

There once was a waiter named Trey
Who celebrated his 13th 26th birthday
He wanted a gift
But became quite miffed
When all the girls gave him was word play.

yo go girl(s)

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When a Mississppi school cancelled prom rather than allow a lesbian student attend with her girlfriend, I was mortified. But when Constance McMillen chose to fight instead of roll over, I cheered.

And today I’m cheering even louder. The court awarded her a $35,000 settlement and the school district is mandated to update their policy “not to discriminate based on sexual orientation in any educational or extracurricular activities or allow harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity.” Read the entire article here.

No matter what your opinion is on homosexuality, you have to commend this teen for her strength to fight for her rights. You go girl. We here at Mel-O-Drama give you 2 thumbs up with an extra dose of sparkle!

In other girl news: Clementine the Tart has not had her litter of love yet, but she’s getting close. Look at that BELLY!
I just hope she delivers before I leave for Florida next week. First of all, I need to see how many kittehs I’m gonna be GrandKittehMa to, and secondly, I don’t want her delivering while I’m gone. Plus I want some itteh bitteh kitteh love!!!
Now, who wants a Kitteh in a couple of weeks? I’m taking reservations now!

RUBY! the (not so) mighty water dog…

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Y’all know Ruby the Pug. She’s is the Owner of my Heart and the Ruler of my World. (Though Clementine the Tart is seriously trying to stage a coup and steal both titles away from Ruby the Pug. I think she thinks being pregnant gives her automatic dibs…)

Anyway, y’all also know I’m a lake girl. (well, a water girl…lake, ocean, river, pond, puddle, faucet, sprinkler…whatever. If it’s water, I’m there.) This past week weekend I took the boys to Lake Ouachita for a fun-filled day on the pontoon boat. I am Capitan, hear me Yar.

We decided that it was high time Ruby the Pug tagged along. Now, Ruby the Pug is all muscle. She’s rock solid. And has NEVER been in water above her little paws…so I stopped at PetCo and purchased her a life jacket.

Oh, and how she rocked that life jacket…

Ruby was excited about her adventure. She didn’t mind wearing the awesome that was pink and she absolutely LOVED the boat ride. I had very good feelings about Ruby the Pug becoming Ruby the MIGHTY Water Dog.
We stopped at an island and we let Ruby roam the bank while I got in the water. Of course, where I am, she thinks she needs to be…so she immediately ran toward me…and immediately freaked out when the ground was no longer beneath her feet. She paddled and paddled and paddled and finally made it to me.

and if I was in the water, this is where she sat. The. Entire. Time. I have a Pug Silhouette tan line. It’s lovely.
We tried several times to get her to swim, play and love the water without me.

but she always just ended up on the bank, staring at me from below, BEGGING me to end her torture.
So I finally did.

Ruby the Pug is much more a sungoddess than a water dog. Guess she’s not a Pisces like her momma…

Shameless Self Promotion: LOVE SUCKS!

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Next week, I’ll be in Orlando at the RWA National Conference. I arrive on Tuesday, July 27th. Do you know what else arrives that day?

LOVE SUCKS!

Wanna hear something funny? I haven’t read BITE ME! in book form. I’m terrified of reading it and seeing glaring errors or some weird plot hole or just discovering that I hate my own book.

But I have a copy of LOVE SUCKS! and I started reading it the other day. I wrote it at a very stressful time in my life, and honestly, I barely remember it. I decided it might be a good idea to suck it up and read it just in case someone asked me something specific from the book (it happens!) or to find out in advance if it is craptastic or not.

So far? I’m not hating it. YAY!

AJ Ashe is moving on. Sure she still has not-so-sisterly feelings for Ryan,
her ex-boyfriend-turned-step-brother, but there’s a new vampire in town and his
name is Alexander Archer. Caught between the desire to move forward with Sexy
Lexy and being drawn to her past with Ryan, AJ thinks life couldn’t get anymore
complicated. Yeah, right. When her mother’s pregnancy is threatened, it looks
like AJ’s long lost father is the only person who can save her. But Dad’s help
comes with a price. AJ is forced to join the evil side of her family, and a very
creepy shape-shifting demon is there to make sure AJ cooperates. All this and
she’s still got to plan the prom. Being a teenager is tough, but being a teenage
vampire just flat out sucks. Pun totally intended.

this weekend

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I’m making lasagna tonight. Jealous? 4 cheese and spinach. My mouth is already watering…

Tomorrow, I’ll be at the lake with the boys–tooling around in the party barge for the afternoon. I can’t wait.

Sunday I’ll be doing yard work. Hopefully it won’t be 1 million billion trillion degrees outside. Unfortunately I’ve been putting off mowing the backyard…and now it’s a jungle out there. Anyone have a bush hog I can borrow?

You guys got plans this weekend?