It's Monday

Do I have to be creative - about food - on a Monday? Really?

Ah-well... to be fair it IS mid-morning on a Monday...and when I get peckish - and in need of a snack - I can get very creative.

Fair warning this first list is NOT compiled of healthy foods:

Candy corn and dry roasted peanuts. Fabulous! Add m&m's if you want a choco-rush with it.
Peanut butter and pretzels (I fib to myself and say it's better than the candy corn thing)
Cold pizza (I try to control myself and take the smallest available slice)

In the health conscious category - like when just looking at my jeans makes me wince:

Cottage cheese and grapes
An apple with a slice of cheese or peanut butter
Yogurt with a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips

You might notice a few of my food vices (like coffee) or my fave snacks (of either category) occasionally show up in my books and shorts - all available at Echelon Press or Amazon

Happy Snacking!
Regan

You Go For the Dancing!

Prom when I was a junior was full of good news and bad news.

Good news: I had a date (my super cute boyfriend), a killer dress, and no curfew to interfere with the after party.

Bad news: My knee was toast, surgery imminent, and dancing was a major question mark.

If I could even attend Prom was a big question when they scheduled my surgery for the Monday before the Saturday night event.

The good news was they could fix the knee - the bad news was they weren't sure what would be required. The good news, I had the best surgeon in the state - he worked on all the college football players so the man knew his knees (and mine too, I hoped). The bad news, (way back at the beginning of the Bronze age) this new thing called arthroscopy might find a more serious, involved problem.

I was determined to know if I would dance on Saturday. No one could tell me until after they went into the knee. Grrr. But not having the surgery guaranteed NO dancing. More grrr.

I won't bore you with the gory details of pre-op (where my dad totally embarrassed me by asking the surgeon if I'd be ready for spring training)...or post op where I embarrassed myself by asking repeatedly if I'd be going to prom.

Suffice it to say I spent Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday rehabbing my knee, making sure I could walk properly without staring at my feet and planning my hairstyle for the big night.

By Saturday there was only good news: I was walking well, we had a great time, and we danced and danced and danced.

My prom memories are second to none - I hope you enjoy yours!
Regan
author of Pixie Chicks and the Shadows of Justice series available from Echelon Press.
by the way, that's a Renoir called Dance at Bougival

Fashion On The Go

What does one wear for a secret garden excursion? Is it casual or formal? How do you even know where the portals will take you...to your first kiss, or away from a sneaky set-up?

The Pixie Chicks can fill you in. After a night of performing and supporting the football team while buttoned into the slightly itchy wool uniforms, these girlfriends and their marching band pals get comfy in jeans and warm sweaters and head to Hobbitville, secret garden extraordinaire, for some much needed downtime in the moonlight.

Lana, the pixie who never sleeps, provided the following tips for always looking your best:

First, be bold or stay home. I love bright colors and patterns, but in tops, not bottoms. You can dress jeans up or down, from tailored to peasant looks, but patterned bottoms can really limit your options. Like that pic I found of my mom with lime green and navy plaid pants - ACK!

Second, know yourself and your faves. When you wear your favorite colors and styles you'll be more relaxed and at ease in any situation. So if your friends tell you they're planning to pop over to Paris, you'll be ready to tag along. Or if they give you some runaround, you'll look confident while you outline the reasons why you won't be left behind.

Third, it's the shoes, or even better - boots. But puh-lease not those white patent go-go things from the lime-plaid era, or the wannabees that are trying to make a comeback. I'm always the first one out of the ridiculous spat-covered shoes we march in, but the first of us pixies into the shoe department of any store. There's no such thing as too many shoes...Flip-flops or pumps, or those strappy sandals that are so IT this spring...

What? Time's up? As if I don't have lots more to share...maybe I'll sneak into a post or two on Regan's Realm when she's busy with her other stuff. She's working on this whole reading adventure thing...

ttyl, my Fashionistas!
Lana, the sleepless pixie

Discover Lana and the rest of the Pixie Chicks at Quake!

Page Turning Technology

It's Wednesday, day four of Read An Ebook Week! I've been everywhere I can be, blogging and tweeting about my new-found joy of eReading. Honestly I've been surprised how easy it was to get started and get reading!


Thought I'd miss that new book smell. I was wrong. I'm totally into that instant download gratification.

Thought I'd miss turning pages. Wrong again. I can read Surviving Serendipity with one hand...can you?

The best part? My palm already goes everywhere with me, so I'm never without a book - without having to carry a book!

Discover these great authors in the eBook format that fits you best:

Locker Shock by Pam Ripling

Mr. Mysterious by Alyssa Montgomery

Death Match by Sam Morton

Happy eReading!

Regan
download your copy of Regan's Pixie Chicks today!

P.S. leave a comment (with your link) and you could win a free Quake download.

The Perils of Team Projects

It was probably Socrates, or some equally impressive scholar and mentor, who came up with the grand plan of partnering students for a single project, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. There wasn't a school year that went by that didn't involve at least one of these ominous team efforts. If the word on the street is right, partner projects seem to torment students today as well.

Oh, it all starts out fine, especially if you like who's on your team, but then someone (usually the person with all the notes) gets sick, someone else's dog eats the diorama, or someone just 'forgets' their part. Knowing you'll share the final grade, do you cover the weak link on the team, or just cross your fingers and hope for a miracle? When it's over, do you prepare a power point and take your case to the teacher, clearly labeling everyone who dropped the ball?

Partner projects are supposed to teach us how to work with others, how to organize an effort and how to blend individual talent into a cohesive presentation. Nice theory, but how do you make it happen? How do you influence others to participate when they'd rather use group research time to catch up on their sleep?

Looking back, I have to wonder if partner projects weren't created just for the amusement of the administration. It might have started as a social experiment complete with hidden cameras: leave children alone with an assignment and watch the sparks fly – from a safe distance. Or maybe those pesky projects gave the super smart kids a chance to be popular. Everyone envied the group with the genius, especially if they could convince the genius to do all the work.

I suppose partner and team projects are really opportunities to learn how to learn and there's no doubt it takes lots of practice to learn how to play nice with others. I'm trying to recall a team project that went smoothly…and coming up empty. Unless marching band counts? That's where I learned to apply humor, compassion, and snack foods in equal measure to soothe the wounded and weary during long practices and competitions.

Are there any perilous team tales in your past - or present?

Regan

Download the first Pixie Chicks story at Quake today and find more adventure with Regan's Dream Works novella in the Missing anthology available now from Echelon Press.
To learn more about Regan visit her website or her blog.

When I grow up...

At thirteen I wanted to be a clown and travel with the circus. I was determined to attend Clown College. By sixteen I was looking at a vet school – except I nearly failed Chemistry (much like Brie of Pixie Chicks). So plans changed again. One teacher wanted me to go into journalism (far, far from the chemistry lab). Others urged me toward sports medicine.

At thirteen my daughter became part of a 'career focused' school program. This program means a special standardized test in which personality traits, inherent skills and general interests are all stirred up and the result reveals the best slice of the career pie chart. Good plan, very informative test – but it means she has to declare a major - in high school - ack!

While my daughter discovered a slice of career pie in line with her strengths, she has friends who are very talented in the arts who were told (at thirteen) to give up their dreams and choose something 'practical'. How heartbreaking! Our dreams often point toward the best outlet of our strengths!

I'm not saying you don't need to find a paying gig so you can live independent of meatloaf night at mom's house, but being uniquely YOU isn't a curse. Being an author is cool, but not always 'practical'. It took me a long time to accept that words are my biggest strength and then mold that strength into a career.

As a mom, I think I've managed to combine clowning with basic medicine and a little kitchen chemistry. Whatever you want to be at thirteen, it might not be exactly what you become when you grow up. Then again, it might just be the springboard to the best YOU ever!

Regan
Click here to read the Love Me Love My Book interview with a Pixie

Click here to buy Pixie Chicks from Quake!
Visit me at Regan's Realm or on my website

Pixie Preview

It's Friday and I'm happy to jump back into Teen-Seen! Fridays were important to me during high school. As the marching band drum major, it meant a pep rally and a football game in the fall - preferably a home game where we could march the halftime show - and then getting goofy after the game while not getting caught doing anything too troublesome. In the winter, we took a pep band to the basketball games - lots of fun! - followed by more goofiness. This Friday is great because I'm leaving for the beach to relax and brainstorm with a writing buddy. I don't plan on swimming at this time of year, but we'll have fun walking and watching the waves for dolphins.

What's your favorite way to spend a Friday?

Since Pixie Chicks is a short story (and a heck of a value at only $2!) I chose an excerpt from page 5 rather than page 59:

While Austin confirmed the evening's details once more, Brie opened the instrument locker they shared, reaching past the flutes, piccolo, and text books to find her brush. Checking the small mirror, she tucked away the platinum blonde wisps already working free of her barrette. When the first bell sounded, the four girls walked as a unit from the band room, toward their respective homerooms. Brie sighed, relieved she'd dodged an inquisition when Claire asked, "Where's your necklace?"

"Oh!" She patted herself where the pendant should've been. "Must've forgotten it." The second bell sounded, momentarily saving her from the slew of questions dancing in Claire's vivid green eyes. "Later," she mouthed.

The pendant she'd won for outstanding service to the band program in junior high had been around her neck every day since. Until that chilling moment today, when she'd found a cut and paste 'ransom' note stuck to her dresser where she always placed her necklace at bedtime.

There are four girls in the group, Brianna (Brie), Claire, Lana, and Austin. They've been friends practically forever and know each other inside and out. Platinum-headed Brie is the plotter of the team – a responsible kid but she's got a gift for organizing and a way of turning everything into an adventure. Trust me, all the girls noticed the absence of the ever-important necklace and you'll enjoy the journey she makes to recover it.

Just for fun, here are some answers to FAQ about the Pixie Chicks:

Ms. Black, did you have a pack of friends like the Pixie Chicks in high school?

Well, you have to realize dinosaurs roamed the earth during my teen years. The pterodactyl patrol made it especially difficult for us band geeks to sneak into our Hobbitville.

Do any of the Pixie Chicks have a greyhound?

Not yet, but stay tuned for an unforgettable appearance of a 'greyt' dog. You can read about the many real dogs in my life at my website.

Who is your favorite Pixie?

Oh, not fair! I'd happily count any of them as a friend – or even a daughter. Although, when you factor in Lana's insomnia...

Happy Friday!

Regan

Pixies are shaking things up at Quake!

Prepare for Pixies

Four very different girls are best friends and so inseparable the drum major for the marching band dubbed them The Pixie Chicks when they were freshmen. Together they face the typical challenges of high school (homework and guys) and the atypical mysteries of the secret band hangout known as Hobbitville (how DO those statues become portals?)

Inspiration for the series came from my teenage nights spent sneaking about my hometown on several covert missions through a very unique neighbor's garden. I don't think there's a statute of limitations on trespassing, but still - Shhh, don't tell! No, sadly in our case the garden statuary didn't transport us to other cool gardens, or launch us into curious mysteries, but the risky fun we had made for great adventures – at least in our minds. LOL.

Naturally, each of the characters has their own issues and agendas, but one of my favorite quirks is Austin's ability to know every detail about every hot guy in the vicinity. The other Pixies find this informative and amusing, and more than a little scary. After all, Austin doesn't look like a stalker!

As for me, Regan, I'll be posting to the Teen Seen on Fridays. You can wait for blurbs here, or find out more about me and my books at my website. For example: we foster retired racing greyhounds (you can expect a few to pop up in future Pixie tales), have two keeper greyhounds at the moment, two cats, a parakeet (who is sure he's a small, feathered person) and two finches. It's a little like Noah's ark meets a petting zoo, without the admission fee (or the reptiles). Hmmm...maybe I should change that - the fee, not the reptiles!

Happy reading,

Regan

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To buy this $2 e-book click here!