It’s not even out and I already hate this movie.

If you haven’t heard of it, you obviously don’t watch NBC during Prime Time. I haven’t seen one movie so heavily marketed in a LOOOONG time. It looks “cute”, but all the annoying promo has me leery. I don’t need to be reminded about it every 10 seconds, NBC.

I can’t wait until the movie is out and the promo finally leaves me the heck alone. I’m surprised Jerry Seinfeld himself hasn’t called me yet to make sure I’ve bought advanced tickets. Sheesh.

~~Becka
http://www.RebeccaGoings.com

I have found the Mother Lode of all wheat-grain bread loaves! And completely by accident, I assure you. The other day, I was shopping in Costco, and as we all know, the Costco in Hillsboro, OR is the biggest one in the US. Well, maybe YOU didn’t know, but we in Oregon like to brag. Anyhow, what you SHOULD know is that Costco gives you a bajillion free samples of food on any given day.

So on the day in question, I was wandering down the cereal aisle and came across a lady making toast. I thought, “Hmm. Kinda hungry for toast.” I grabbed a piece, took one bite, and immediately sprinted to the bread wall with the rest of the ravenous toast-loving shoppers. Dear Lord, this stuff is wonderful. And it’s not even made with FLOUR!! I didn’t know that was possible. What kind of bread is it?

Healthy Way Twenty Loaf

The “twenty” stands for the twenty grains they put in it. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am SO the opposite of buying organic and healthy. Nine times out of ten, if something says it’s organic, I go the other way – in part because Oregon (Portland in particular) is known for it’s “granola-eating hippies” and I just cannot stand the whole organic kick ’round these parts. HOWEVER, this bread is da bomb biggety.

It’s got kind of a nutty flavor and is perfect toasted with REAL butter – no margarine crap, folks **eyeballs crowd**. Buy real butter, you cheapy cheapertons, and partake in some yummy yumminess.

Now, I think Healthy Way is a Canadian bread maker. I’m not sure if you can get it if you’re A.) not a Canadian and B.) don’t live in Oregon/Washington. Perhaps you can order it off the website link above? I dunno. But if you find this bread in your local grocery, buy it. You won’t be sorry (unless you hate wheat/organic/grain breads). I actually haven’t had it for a sandwich yet, as I’ve only eaten it as toast for my breakfast, but I’m sure it would be wonderful. But I’ve learned one thing.

Now, every Costco shopping trip will include a few loaves of Healthy Way Twenty.

~~Becka
http://www.RebeccaGoings.com

Okay folks, I know I haven’t had a Hottie in a few weeks, so this week, I’m not going to disappoint you again. This week’s Hottie is a man I actually considered a few months ago, but ultimately lost to Hugh Jackman. Ever since, he’s been flying right below my Hottie radar, that is, until I recently saw 3:10 to Yuma with a girlfriend of mine for my birthday. Who is this man? Mr. Christian Bale.

Now, Christian is my age. I’ve been watching his career since Empire of the Sun way back in the day. I love “growing up” with actors and watching where their career takes them. Christian has made some crazy choices in his movies, but there’s one thing in common with them all: Christian shines no matter what he does.

But it goes way beyond just another pretty face. Christian has done his best to “hide” the fact that he’s a damn fine-lookin’ man. He’s either dirty and gritty (3:10 to Yuma, Reign of Fire) or starved and emaciated (The Machinist) **never do that again, Christian, please…I’m begging you not only as a woman but as a mother. Eat a sammich!** OR, he could be the most yummy man to ever walk the face of the earth (Batman Begins, Equilibrium).

Now, Equilibrium is easily one of my FAVORITE Bale movies. If you haven’t seen it, you *must* go rent it or put it in your Netflix queue. Becka’s orders. It kind of has a “Matrix” feel to it, without all the computer downloading into your brain kinda stuff. lol But Christian is HAWT with those guns he wields. Mmm… Another favorite is Swing Kids, but that’s because I LOVE swing music and swing dancing and wish I could cut a rug like the kids in that movie. Perhaps one day Christian can teach me? And then there’s Treasure Island with Charlton Heston, one of the *best* Treasure Island movies ever made. The movie that you cannot find anywhere on DVD. **sobs**

And because I love cowboys, how could I close this post with anything other than Cowboy Christian? Heheh Congratulations, Christian Bale. You’re Becka’s Hottie of the Week!

~~Becka

http://www.RebeccaGoings.com

Okay folks, I’m going to go waaaaay out on a limb here to talk about something I ain’t never yakked about before… Christian Hip-Hop. I LOVE IT!

So by now, it’s no secret that I listen to Christian music. Frequent readers of this blog will remember HotW’s that included Chris Tomlin and Michael W. Smith. Now, I have another new kick.

Let me tell you, this hit me by surprise, as I’m sure you’ve already guessed. I’m not a big fan of hip-hop in general. Sometimes the bass line drives me nuts or the melody is only four notes repeated over and over…and over–with some person singing lyrics that don’t really go with that melody. In the past, I’ve liked Will Smith, but he’s about it. However, he did a lot of rap, which I understand is a different genre. But I actually don’t really know… Perhaps someone can enlighten me.

Well, to start my little story, it all began with a movie called The Gospel. I rented it one evening because it looked like a cool Prodigal Son kinda movie. If you haven’t seen it, it’s about an African American family with strong roots in the church. Good GAWD it made me wanna be on a Southern Baptist choir, girlfriend! *snort* But the song that really caught my … ear? was VICTORY by Yolanda Adams:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-pop-up/B0007XT8CQ001001/104-1990107-3813512

Wow, the girl can SANG! Love love love this song, and I even have it on my iPod and frequently belt out VICTORY while doing the dishes (and dancing, sadly) lol.

After I heard this song, I kinda lamented, because I love this kind of song, but have no idea where to start in the hip-hop Christian world to find more like it, because even the rest of Yolanda’s songs doesn’t sound like “that one.”

Then the other day, I was listening to my local Christian radio station here in Portland, 104.1 The Fish, and they played a song by Mary Mary entitled SHACKLES (PRAISE YOU). Well hallelujah and pass the potato salad! A~N~O~T~H~E~R O~N~E!

As you may have already guessed, after hearing it ONCE on the radio, I immediately went on iTunes and bought the song, and it too now sits next to VICTORY on my iPod. Check it:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-pop-up/B00004T0Q1001004/104-1990107-3813512

It might not sound like much on Amazon’s crappy sampler thingy, but trust me, the song makes you want to go all Blues Brothers at Church! Praise the Lawd!

LOL!

If you’re looking for something “different” in your library of Christian music (and who isn’t? ) then check out these two songs. And PLEASE tell me of any other awesome Hallelujah Hip-Hop for Him. *GRIN*

~~Becka
http://www.RebeccaGoings.com/

Yeah, yeah, I haven’t been around for awhile, missed two Hotties in a row without a word, blah blah, yadda yadda.

In other news, let’s talk about TV shows that suck, TV shows that rule, and who I think is getting the ax this season.

First up to bat: Heroes. Hit. This show is very popular and I LOVE it. It’s got a guaranteed third season, and it could be one of those shows that will continue on into perpetuity. Unless subsequent seasons begin to suck, meaning, they continue to bring more and more characters into the mix until you’re in a “LOST”-esque WTF? moment.

And on that note: LOST. Hit. Yeah, it’s still got it, even if it still PISSES ME OFF!! *ahem* The show won’t be back until February *choke* but they promise to air it with no interruptions. I think we’ll need a few more shows of recap, guys. Pretty please? Because those recap shows got me all giddy. /sarcasm They say LOST will only go on for 5 seasons. I’m “lost” in that I don’t know what the hell season we’re in. After this season airs and is done, I might not fricken’ care anymore. My brain is already numb. I’m only gonna watch this one in February because I’ve invested so much of my life in it already. And then there’s Desmond. We love the Desmond.

Next up: Journeyman. Hmm… iffy. I pick miss. DH and I record the show and have been watching it since the beginning, but it just doesn’t have that UMF a TV show needs. It is one of those blah “take it or leave it” kinda shows. Okay, he goes back in time to save lives. Yay. Why? What? When? Who? How? Okay, so I assume they’re going to ‘tell us’ over the course of the show. But if I’ve learned anything from Heroes and LOST, it’s that drawing out the mystery SUX ASS and giving you the answers bam! bam! bam! KIX ASS. It’s up to you to decide which show SUX or KIX I’ve referenced above.

Bionic Woman. Miss. Are you kidding me? Even Starbuck from Battlestar couldn’t save the show. We watched the first one and took it off our DVR list to record. It’s a stinker, through and through. Perhaps we didn’t “give it a chance”, but GACK, if they want me to sit through more than one episode, you gotta make me care about some rogue Bionic Woman who can Totally Kick Bionic Woman II’s Buttsky. Personally, I wanted STARBUCK (or Sarah, whatever her name is in the show) to win the day. I hope she still does. Even Totally Hot Asian Guy couldn’t save this one for me.

Life. Hit. LOVE it. Okay, okay, so I’m biased about Damian Lewis. If it were ANYONE ELSE in the role, I probably wouldn’t like it. He MAKES the show for me. It doesn’t offer anything new to the TV viewing public, aside from some guy who’s trying to figure out who framed him (aren’t we all?) while spewing some mystic drivel while solving cases unorthodoxly. Is that even a word? Anyway, I love this show and I’m hoping Damian’s good vibes will save this one. It’s replaced Prison Break for me. I don’t watch that show any more. In fact, is it still on?

Chuck. OMG, Hit. LOVE LOVE LOVE this show, and not even because Jayne from Firefly is in it. I love the humor, the over-the-top-ness, and wow, the main guy is an uber-hot-geek. I’m crossing my fingers that this one stays on the air. The opening credits need work, tho. Not so much a fan of those. But this one hits close to home because the Mr. and I are such Uber Geeks (echo echo) ourselves.

Pushing Daisies. HIT! Hit, hit, hit. If you like the weird and eccentric, you’ll love this show. If you love all things Tim Burton, you’ll love this show. I don’t believe the man has anything to do with the show, but it’s VERY much his kind of weird… weirdery. However, this one is so off the wall, that it will probably get canceled by the suits who don’t understand a good thing when they see it. TV shows need a bit of the strange and macabre mixed with dark comedy. And dear Gawd, the episode where the big guy was knitting almost had me running to the toilet lest I pee my pants. This show is like a cross between Tim Burton and Lemony Snicket. It’s one of those odd stories that as a writer, you kinda wished you’d thought of. Pray to the network gods this one doesn’t go on the chopping block…

Yeah, that’s about it for now. Anyone watch the same drivel I do?

~~Becka
http://www.rebeccagoings.com/

Next year, when things settle down and I have no looming books to finish, I’m going to kick back and try my hand at writing a Silhouette Desire for Harlequin. I feel like my “voice” is suited to category romance rather than single title, and now that I have experience and a fanbase, I think I can pull it off. Recently, I wrote my query letter and my synopsis, as well as a blurb for my Desire-hopeful.

I’m probably not going to send it in for awhile, perhaps after the holidays. I want to be sure to give myself enough time to finish the book if/when the editors at Harlequin request a full.

My mother asked me the other day on the phone why I don’t write for Harlequin. I really didn’t have an answer for her, other than they rejected some of my earlier work and I’ve been too dang busy as of late to write anything for New York. Now that I have some downtime coming (hopefully lol), I’m hoping to break into the Big Boys.

For one, to see if I can do it, and second, I truly believe I can write a book worthy of their line. I’m not trying to be pretentious, but I’m just saying I believe my voice is category. I have lamented in the past that I would never rise to the ranks of the single title authors I know. The main reason being, if I had to write a 150,000 word novel, I think I would keel over dead. I much prefer the 50-55K range, exactly the range of the Desires. And my plots are very category-esque, so I think I’d be a shoe-in.

Now, if I can only convince Melissa Jeglinski, head editor of Silhouette Desire, that I walk on water… Heheheh

Here’s the blurb of the book in question, entitled (tentatively) THE TEXAN’S SWEET SURRENDER:

Wealthy cattle baron, Zane Tucker, is unwilling to become saddled with a gold-digging bride. After his father’s untimely death, Zane reverts to what he does best; riding the range with his cattle. That is, until his housekeeper gets hurt and Zane has to tend to everything himself, unless he can get some help fast. He’s grateful when his brother Ian lends him his housekeeper–until Zane finds she’s the one who got away.

Zane is sure Beth is after more than a mere job, more like his bank account. But when Ian moves in on Beth, wild mustangs couldn’t tear Zane away from claiming what’s rightfully his.

~*~

Does that sound like a Desire? I sure hope so. The synopsis I wrote is one of my best, so I’m crossing my fingers, toes, legs, arms, eyes…. Say a few “lucky chickens” for me, mkay? I wanna be a Desire author! Let’s hope one of these days, you’ll see my name in your local grocery stores and Targets. Oh yeah, and those “bookstores”. LOL

~~Becka
http://www.RebeccaGoings.com

I’m getting started on writing this bad boy. I’m pretty damned excited! My contribution is TOMB, so don’t blink or you might miss my cover in the above video. Enjoy!

~~Becka

http://www.rebeccagoings.com/

Get Your Monster Name

~~Becka

http://www.RebeccaGoings.com