More hot & sexy vampire goodness… (And I couldn’t decide which of these was my favorite, so you get a triple dose of hawtness. You’re welcome.  :uhoh )

Even though it’s been on my calendar for months, I just looked at the date…then looked farther down at a later date…& realized that the New Jersey Romance Writers conference where I agreed to give a wee speech is coming up really, really soon.  Like in only two short weeks.  Can you say, Aaaaaaaaaaaghh! :whhhat

Where did the time go?  How did it get to be October already?  And what the heck was I supposed to talk about again?

Oh, yes, I remember—Fear of Failure, Fear of Success.  Kind of a tall order, huh?  But I’m probably a pretty good person to speak on the subject, since (much like Adrian Monk) I’m afraid of lots of stuff.  Spiders, snakes, earthquakes, tomatoes, my basement, pink lipstick, bad perms…

The fears of failure & success are a little different, of course, but I’ve got plenty of those, too.  And although the rapid passing of the summer months has caught me somewhat unaware, I do have a few notes jotted down for what I want to talk about.

But since I’d like to cover as many specific fears as possible, I thought I’d do a quick poll to see if any of my fellow writers out there (unpublished & published alike) might have more to add to the list.

So think about it…  Where the business of writing is concerned, what are your biggest Fears of Failure & Fears of Success?

Let me know, & you may just make it into my speech.  Anonymously, of course. :stalker

Vampire’s Kiss

Take a French Martini, cross (ha ha—get it? “cross”) it with a Vampire, ditch the juice, add a splash of bubbly, and you have given birth to a Vampire’s Kiss Martini. The taste of the drink itself is anything but scary; it’s actually very elegant and something that would work not only for Halloween, but for Valentine’s Day or any Champagne occasion. For its intended holiday, it is perfect because the Chambord gives it a dark, almost black color.

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz Finlandia Vodka
1 1/2 oz Korbel Champagne
3/4 oz Chambord
red sugar for rimming

Preparation

Rim the glass with red sugar (use food coloring) or drop in a set of wax vampire teeth for a real surprise.

Pour vodka and half of the Chambord in a martini glass.

Top with Champagne.

Pour the remaining Chambord over the back of a spoon to make it float.