Betsy Horvath

Author: Betsy Horvath

  • HOLD ME Countdown – The Cast of Characters

    Hello, everyone!  Welcome to the HOLD ME Countdown. For the next couple of weeks I’ll be publishing some special posts to lead up to release day – 9/5/11. Let’s get the show started with a rundown of the cast of characters.

    And away we go!

     

    LUCAS VASCO – our hero

    FBI Special Agent Lucas Vasco has been through quite a bit in his life, and he’s learned to expect the unexpected.  But he certainly didn’t think the past would bite him in the butt when he jumped into a car at an intersection and asked for help.

    KATIE MC CABE – our heroine

    Katie McCabe is still trying to come to terms with a bad breakup when Luc jumps into her car and sends her running for her life. After everything he’s done to her, she really shouldn’t find him so damned appealing.

    FRANKIE SILVANO

    Frankie Silvano is a hit man with a reputation for insanity and for never having been arrested. Now Katie has broken that perfect record and humiliated him in front of the police.  So, he has to make her pay.  No question.

    DAVID ALLEN

    True, David Allen is Luc’s FBI squad supervisor, but the two men have known each other for years. Nothing can ruin their friendship…right?

    JUSTIN NEMES

    A former FBI special agent, Justin Nemes left the Bureau in disgrace.  He’s spent a great deal of time during the intervening years blaming Luc for that fact.

    MAUREEN MC CABE

    Maureen McCabe is Katie’s mother.  And she just might find herself grateful for her training in karate.

    LIZA ANDERSON

    Beautiful, blonde, and built, Liza Anderson knows Luc well.  Really well.

    MELANIE GRANT

    Melanie is Katie’s foster sister with more secrets than Katie ever dreamed possible.

    SPOT

    Spot is either a large dog or a small bear. Sometimes it’s a little difficult to tell.

     

    And there you are. The cast of characters. Oh, what wonders will await us over the next couple of weeks? Only time will tell…   😀

    35 days to release day!

     

     

  • Pre-Countdown Decoration Post

    Don we now our gay aparrel….

    Blogosphere?

    Fa la la la la la la la la…

    Blogosphere? What are you doing?

    Hey, yo. Bets. Pretty good, eh?

    What…what is all of this?

    I’m decoratin’

    Decoratin’? *shakes head* I mean, you’re decorating?

    Yeah.

    And singing…Christmas carols?

    Yeah.

    Um…why?

    Because…*turns. stares* Hello, I’m getting ready. Duh.

    O-kay…Ready for what?

    For your countdown. You know. The countdown to your book release day on September 5.  HOLD ME.  Labor Day.  Countdown.

    *gasp* You…you remembered? You remembered THE day?

    ‘Course I remembered. I’m the freaking blogosphere, aren’t I? The blogosphere remembers everything you do until you die and even beyond.

    Well, thanks. I think. But seriously, I can’t believe that the Blogosphere–

    –The entire FREAKING Blogosphere–

    –Cares about my release date! *blinks back tears of joy*

    Well, *fiddles with some ribbon* Um…okay, maybe I overstated a little bit.

    Uh….huh? Didn’t you just say–

    See, I’m the part of the Blogosphere that actually knows you exist. I’m your little corner of the world, so to speak.

    Oh. *contemplates Blogosphere* Is that why you’re so short?

    Hey! Veritcally challenged, thank you very much.

    And puny? And weak? And transparent?

    *crosses arms* Are you just going to stand there and insult me?

    No, no. Of course not. Sorry.

    I mean, look at all of the great decoration work I’ve done! Your FAQ page looks smoking hot, and I’ve got Christmas lights and ribbons all over the blog page.

    Yeah, those puce ribbons are just… awesome.

    I think so too. *smiles happily* Never knew what puce was until that bitch Wikipedia chimed in. Always has to offer her two cents. *mimics* I know this…I can tell you about that…Gets old. But this time she was right.

    So, to get back on track…This is my first pre-countdown to release day decoration post. What am I supposed to do?

    Hey, I don’t give a sh..damn. Why don’t you talk about what’s coming up?

    Oh, okay. Marketing. I can do this. *clears throat* Oh, I wish I’d known you wanted to do this. I would have put my notes in order. *shuffles paper*

    Would you just get on with it?

    Okay, okay. Get off my back! *clears throat again* Ladies and gentlemen–

    Do you really think there are gentlemen out there?

    Shhh!

    I mean seriously. It’s a freaking romance novel.

    Quiet! Okay. Ladies and Gentlemen. I’m pleased to announce that the HOLD ME countdown will begin on Monday, August 1st when I’ll post the first chapter–

    What? You’re giving away the first chapter?

    Hush!

    I mean seriously. Why buy the cow if you get the milk for–

    Quiet! As the month goes on, I’ll be posting lots of extra things, including some more excerpts–

    Cow, Milk, Cow, Milk

    –and some new vignettes and interviews with the characters–

    Which you haven’t written yet.

    Shut. Up.  Um, where was I…Oh, yes. And a contest. And, if I ever get my act together, I hope to post an interview my editor, Rhonda.

    Hi, Rhonda! How YOU doin’? *wink, wink*

    Blogosphere. Are you trying to pick up my editor on MY time?

    ‘Course not. *sly smile*

    GAH! I’m done! I’m so done with you. Out!

    Out? Hey! What about–

    OUT!

    Yeah, yeah. Kicking out the Blogosphere. Good marketing plan.

    Don’t you mind my marketing plan! Get out!

    I’m going. I’m going. But you’ll come running after me sooner or later… *Blogosphere leaves the post*

    *sigh* Yeah. I probably will. But I’ll switch out all of these puce ribbons first.

    I heard that!

    Quiet! So, um, anyway. Please join me tomorrow, August 1st, for the beginning of the countdown to HOLD ME’s release day.

    Thank you.

     

  • Fear and Daring

    Last weekend I started reading Bob Mayer’s really terrific book: Who Dares Wins: The Green Beret Way to Conquer Fear and Succeed.  I immediately got stuck in the introduction.

    The reason for this is because in the introduction of the book, Bob issues a few simple challenges.

    1.  Write down the thing you fear the most.

    2.  Write down the one thing that motivates you the most.

    3.  Look at the conflict between what you fear in #1, and what motivates you in #2.

    I’ve been thinking about these three challenges a lot this week.  I started reading the book to help me conquer my fear, but trying to drill down to what my primary fear actually is has been emotionally challenging. I’ve had to look into some dark places in my thought life that I’d rather avoid.

    I was also reminded me of one of my favorite quotes, and I thought I’d share it with you.

    “As you think, you travel; as you love, you attract. You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you. You cannot escape the result of your thoughts, but you can endure and learn, can accept and be glad.

    You will always come to the place where your love (your most abiding and intense thought) can receive its measure of gratification. If your love be base, you will come to a base place; if it be beautiful, you will come to a beautiful place. You can alter your thoughts, and so alter your condition. Strive to perceive the vastness and grandeur of your responsibility. You are powerful, not powerless. You are as powerful to obey as you are to disobey; as strong to be pure as to be impure; as ready for wisdom as for ignorance. You can learn what you will, can remain as ignorant as you choose. If you love knowledge you will obtain it; if you love wisdom you will secure it; if you love purity you will realize it. All things await your acceptance, and you choose by the thoughts which you entertain.”

    James Allen

    I invite you today to join me in thinking about what you fear, what motivates you, and the conflict between the two.  I invite you to join me in thinking about your thoughts.  We may not be able to escape the results of our thoughts, but we can learn.  We can see the path we’re walking on.  And maybe we can bend the path to a different direction.

     

  • Before Instant Gratification

    The other day I posted something on Facebook and went back to look for responses about a minute later.  When I realized what I was doing, I laughed at myself.  Then I started thinking about how instantaeous everything has become.  And that, in turn, started me thinking about how much things have changed, even in my own lifetime.

    For example:

    I remember when the office where I worked got our first fax machine. It was one of the ones with the heat sensitive paper that grew brittle and rolled up after a couple of days. My coworkers and I all stood around it, watching it like it was the holy grail, marveling as a letter from across town rolled slowly out. I remember turning to the girl next to me and saying, “If I send something, someone in another STATE will see it right away!” She nodded, eyes wide. Now I can email documents anywhere, at any time with (basically) just the push of a button.

    I remember when the bank where I worked got one of the first ATM machines. It was HUGE and wasn’t connected to anything but our bank, so you’d have to drive there if you wanted to use it. Now I pay all of my bills over the internet and don’t even have cash half the time because I use my debit card.

    When I was a kid, my mother, never a great cook, fell in love with Hungry Man frozen dinners. She loved them because they cooked so fast in the oven. Why, they took under a half hour! Now she complains if she has a frozen dinner that takes longer than 3 minutes to cook in the microwave.

    I remember what a big deal it would be for my father to get a phone call from his brother (my uncle) in Oklahoma because it was LONG DISTANCE. After I graduated from high school, I lost track of a number of friends because it cost so much to call them. Now I’m in touch with people across the country and around the world through social media and email.

    I remember waiting for the TV Guide to come out with the Fall Preview issue because I could plan which shows I wanted to watch and dream about them before the season started. I remember the planning that would go into arranging schedules around a particular show. Now I can pull up almost any movie or tv show I want to see instantly, either through cable or DVDs I own.

    I remember when I had to go to the library to do research or check out books. Now all I have to do is turn on the computer.

    In a lot of ways, I think the instant energy surrounding us today is wonderful. I’m glad that I can be in such close contact with family and friends, old and new. I’m glad that I can be a part of people’s lives, even if they live on the other side of the world. I like being able to pay my bills without needing to write out checks (yuk). But as everything winds faster and faster and faster, as interactions and debates happen ever more quickly, I need to remind myself to slow down. To relax. To take my time.

    Maybe I’ll go to the library.  Or use the oven the next time I cook something.

    Nah. I’ll go to the library.

  • The Danger Of Being An Author

    In my mind, I became a writer in the 2nd grade with my masterpiece: “What I Did On The Weekend” and the stories I told myself about Speed Racer.

    I became an author for the first time in the 5th grade when I started publishing limericks in the 5th grade newspaper. My position was solidified when my elementary school published my longer work, “Herman, the Unhappy Loaf of Bread” in an extremely limited print run (one copy) and put it in the library. All at once I was concerned about marketing and audience satisfaction and shelf placement. I kept going to the library to see if anyone had taken my book out.  No one ever did.

    I had a long publishing dry spell after “Herman,” but I can say with certainty I was always a writer. For a while I just told myself stories in my head and didn’t write them down on paper, but I was still a writer. Even when nobody was reading, I was still a writer.  It’s only recently that I’ve once more become an author.

    It seems to me that the “author” is the public persona, while the “writer” is about the actual product. The craft. A “writer” writes. An “author” sells. “Writer” is the child playing on the swingset. “Author” is the adult trying to be responsible. There are some writers who never turn themselves into authors and market what they’ve written. There are some authors who only concentrate on selling product without making the effort to write it. But being both “author” and “writer” is essential if you want to be successful as a writer. Um, author. Oh, you know what I mean.

    In my own life, it’s come to my attention that the “author” part of this mixture can be a little dangerous. You’d think that the writer-child would be more compelling, but I’ve been finding it easier to get lost in the marketing. There’s a lot of immediate gratification in the social interaction, in the quest for reviews and blogs, in Twitter and Facebook and Google Plus. I’ve been finding it easy to say “Yes, I am an author”, and forget that I have to be a writer first. It’s easy to bask in the spotlight (however small that spotlight may be) and forget that to be an author you actually have to write something.

    Because if you’re not a “writer” then the “author” is empty.

  • Coffee Talks

    Hi.

    Hey.

    Mind if I sit here?

    Go ahead.

    *silence*

    So, um, can I ask you what you’re doing in my blog?

    Sure.

    *silence*

    Soooo, what are you doing in my blog?

    Sitting.

    I can see that. Who are you anyway?

    I’m Coffee. Duh.

    Coffee?

    Yeah.

    Well, what in the heck are you doing sitting in my blog?

    Waiting.

    Waiting? For what?

    A poem. A word. Something.

    You want me to–

    I mean, I wake you up every morning. I keep you awake all day. When you don’t think you can face the world, I’m right there for you. And what do I get in return? Nothing.

    I wrote you an ode—

    Yes, you wrote an ode. Weeks ago you wrote an ode. Then nothing. No call. No note. No mention on Facebook or Twitter.

    Well, I–

    You don’t bring me flowers. You don’t sing me lovesongs. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

    But–

    All you do is take me for granted. But do I complain? No.

    Well–

    I tried to get your attention. I started ripping up your stomach from the inside. But all that did was make you turn away from me.

    Well–

    I don’t think you even SEE me anymore. I don’t think you even know I exist. I don’t think you…love me.

    You’re wrong! You’re wrong, Coffee! I know I’ve been writing poems to Social Media—

    Yes. I saw.

    –but I still love you. You know how much I love you. You know how I depend on you. You’re my best friend, my dearest companion.

    Well–

    Just…just don’t leave me. Don’t leave me alone! Don’t leave me to face my old uncaffeinated self! Don’t go!

    Well–

    Please. Please don’t go…..please.

    Well…okay. If it means this much to you, I’ll stay.

    Thank you. *sob* And you won’t rip up my stomach anymore?

    I can’t make any promises. I am who I am and you have to accept me.

    Oh, Coffee. I do accept you. I do. I’ll just take antacids.

    Fair enough.

    *embrace*

    Oh, Coffee. I’m so glad we’re friends again.

    Me too. Wait. Let me add the…milk.