Susan Grant's Come Fly With Me Blog

I have moved!

2010-04-15T12:47:00.000-07:00

All my older posts and comments will remain archived here, but my blog has a new home as of April 14, 2010--at susangrant.com! One-stop shopping, it makes it easier for me to update my website and blog more often like I do at Facebook with fun stuff as well as business. See you there!

~Sue

Please help!

2010-01-14T08:05:00.000-08:00

I made you all an easy link to donate $ to the quake victims. The Red Cross site has been glitchy. I hope it means the donations have been overwhelming. Please don't give up!

CLICK HERE

UPDATE: A Thank you and pics from Lt. Dan!

2010-01-06T10:26:00.000-08:00

For all those who've mailed Boxes of Home to our adopted Marines in Afghanistan, or are thinking of sending one (let's keep it going!), I have news--and some GREAT pics of the guys enjoying what we have sent!!

Just wanted to thank everyone for all the awesome packages we have been getting from you guys. My Marines are grateful and the local Afghans thank you also. We are grateful for everyone over in America looking out for us. Marines had a good 2 day break for Christmas, we cooked some turkey—that we bought from locals. Everyone just watched movies and relaxed for the first time that we have been here. I even took a shower with water that I boiled on a propane stove. Once again thank you everyone, you are in our prayers.--Lt Dan Redmon

Thank you from the Marines!

2009-12-21T00:10:00.000-08:00

Remember the Marine I mentioned, and the request for some holiday cheer? I received these notes from Daniel's father, with whom I fly at united airlines, and Daniel's wife. Thank you one and all! I'll forward anything else I hear.

From his father:

...I recently heard from that his Marines had 9 boxes from/or mentioned your name...I think Michele was going to email you, but we haven't been able to get much info from him for over a week. I know they are conducting a big operation to cut Taliban supply and communication lines. (I have to get that from the news...he doesnt say anything about missions).

I heard he mentioned that one of the boxes was full of little toys and how they enjoyed giving them to the children. They are in a farm region where the kids dont have schools, so they obviously had never received such a wonderous gift as a toy! can you imagine what it would be like to be the deliverer of such a thing to a child! Daniel enjoys passing everything out to his Marines and having them also share with the villagers, especially the children.

So, I'm not sure what the count is, or any further details (such as names) as yet. I'll let you know when I hear more.

Your thoughtfulness has already resulted in some joy and comfort to our Marines and a bunch of little Afghan children- feels wonderful doesn't it! The example and giving of people like you has really warmed our hearts during this Christmas season....

And...from Daniel's wife:

...I'm married to 1st Lt. Daniel Redmon, currently serving in Afghanistan. I was so impressed by the initiative you took by blogging in support of my husband and the other Marines over there. I know that Dan is currently enjoying the DVDs you sent, which he took out to the field with him to watch on his laptop with about 15 Marines crowded around it! They don't have a lot of free time, but it's rough to have free time and nothing to fill it with! Not only are these Marines benefitting from your generosity, but their families are too. Knowing that Dan is enjoying some comforts from home is very reassuring to me. It's tough to think about him there, but it helps to know that so many people are thinking about him. Not only thinking, but doing something about it. It's just awesome!

I can't imagine the stress of knowing a loved one is over there in harm's way. You all are amazing, the BEST. Thank you all for your generosity. Happy Holidays and New Year!!!!!! xxxoooo

Do you recognize any of your favorite authors in this link?

2009-12-17T13:01:00.001-08:00

ROMVETS before and after

(shush) The Science Fiction Romance That Harlequin Doesn't Want You to Know About :)

2009-12-15T18:05:00.000-08:00

Galaxy Express blog weighs in on the SUREBLOOD cover mock-up

Meet Banzai the Champion!

2009-12-10T10:43:00.000-08:00

Last year I received the coolest fan note from a reader of my books. Erin breeds and shows Smooth Collies, a herding breed, and she told me that if she ever got puppies out of her champion that she was going to be showing at the world famous dog show in Westminster she'd name one "Banzai" after the kick-butt heroine in my futuristic action romance The Legend of Banzai Maguire. Well, she did, and over the year I've been collecting the news and pictures of Banzai's namesake as she advances through the championships. I'm so proud and wanted to share. You can visit Erin's website here, and see more of these beautiful dogs! Congratulations, Banzai!!! Win big at Westminster!!! Erin, please keep us up to date on Banzai!

Would you consider sending a "Box of Home" to some Marines?

2009-11-21T09:46:00.000-08:00

Susan Grant here. One of the guys I fly with has a son who is a young Marine lieutenant embedded with his platoon in Afghanistan. I was appalled to hear how primitive their living conditions are, showering outside shivering in “solar showers,” running out of hot coffee on cold nights, and out of books and DVDs to keep their minds entertained when they aren’t out there being shot at. I also learned they’re given a “list of supplies” to BUY and bring with when they are deployed (to ease the US Gov’t bill, I suppose, but come on, many of these guys have young families and no $ to spare for their own personal comforts. They are also tough and would NEVER complain or ask for such things. So, I want to do it for them :).) Would you help make the harsh winter months a little brighter for these Marines?

Below is some info for those interested in sending a box of "home" to these guys in Afghanistan. My pilot friend told me that the US Post Office has pre-paid boxes that you can cram in as much as will fit. I plan to hit Target later and start stuffing. One note--if you are interested in sending any bags of Starbucks coffee--a huge hit in this platoon, apparently :)--please have it ground first.

Any food packaged for room temperature salmon, tuna, chicken, etc. They like to give candy to the children: suckers, smarties, anything they can carry in their pockets. They could also use anything to make the chickens they purchase from the villagers taste better, like spice packets, shake and bake type coating, hot sauce (in some bubble wrapping I think to keep it from shattering). Jerky, handi-wipes, peanut butter (I’m thinking those big plastic jars), cookies, Christmas candy like fudge etc. (You know they’d gobble up anything homemade!). And a special request from the guys: If there are any DVDs at home you no longer watch much, they’d appreciate those, too. Magazines (cool “guy mags” especially, old or new, and also paperback books. (romances, too, I would think!)

Ask others you know if you like. We simply can’t give too much! Everything sent to Daniel will be community property amongst his 40+ Marines. There are also several more platoons of 40+ marines each in the area...so overflow will go to them.

Thanks for showing kindness to these guys--they are combat marines in direct, hostile confrontation with Taliban--they’ll appreciate even the smallest gesture!

1st Lt Daniel Redmon

2/2 G Co

Unit 73080

FPO AE 09510-3080

(US Postal Service flat rate boxes are around $11 to send to this address)

Thank you so much!!!!!!

Susan Grant, veteran, USAF, www.susangrant.com

New Covers!

2009-10-14T11:00:00.000-07:00

Hooray! Here are the new covers for the Star trilogy being re-released all at once in May 2010. If you click on the titles above each cover the links will take you to the place at my website, where you can read more about each of the books in the series.

The Star King

The Star Prince

The Star Princess

SUREBLOOD now has back cover copy

2009-09-16T17:04:00.000-07:00

The epic plot of my 8/10 release SUREBLOOD: a Tale of the Borderlands...AKA Borderlands #3 has been squeezed into 2 publicly acceptable, hope people carry it home, back of the book cover paragraphs. Glad my editor is good at doing this because I sure ain't (eesh, I'm even talking like my space pirates now...) Without further ado, here it is (barring any more publisher tweaks):

Torn apart by lies and deception...

Five years ago, rival space pirate captains Val Blue and Dake Sureblood stole one incredible night together. But their brief, passionate history ends with the assasination of Val’s father and the condemnation of Dake's clan. Now, Val struggles prove her mettle—to herself and to dissenters within her own people. Every successful raid is a boot-heel ground in the burning memory of Dake Sureblood--and their secret son is a constant reminder of their shared past…

Ambushed and captured before he can clear his name, Dake Sureblood returns from hell to expose the true killer of Val’s father. But as the identity of their enemy becomes chillingly clear, the former lovers must put aside their mistrust and join forces to protect their clans--and their precious son.

A thank you and a sneak peek scene

2009-08-26T10:41:00.000-07:00

As a thank you for mom, blogger, pilot's wife, and author Kimber An and her great review of The Warlord's Daughter on her blog (Sabra the "commando nanny"-- loved that), I wanted to treat her and you to a scene from the upcoming SUREBLOOD, which I imagine will be one of the few Space Pirate single mom tales on the shelves. Enjoy!

###

From the 8/10 release SUREBLOOD: A Tale of the Borderlands by Susan Grant (#3 in the Borderlands series)

Back on Artoom, Val’s long strides made short work of the distance between the dock and the village. As she passed the practice fields, she stopped to watch new apprentices go through their drills. It embarrassed her that funds were so tight that she couldn’t afford to outfit them with zelfen armor, but local livestock provided plenty of sturdy leather. She peeled off her shipboard jacket and hung it over her shoulder to enjoy some of the first sunshine of the season. She always needed these few solitary moments when first returning home. Body armor was shed onboard the ship, but before she walked through her front door she had to let down her emotional armor. Her clan and crew needed Captain Val; her family needed her.

Captain Val, Mama Val. It was as if she were split in two with the halves constantly shifting and grating like continental plates on a fault line.

Birdsong drew her attention to the budding trees lining the path. Ebbe-apples weren’t native to Artoom. Conn had brought them home long ago. Fates knew where he’d found them. She’d helped him plant the seedlings when she was small, no more than Jaym was now. It remained a vivid memory--the summer sunshine, her father, such a hero to the clan yet so doting with her. “Someday you’ll walk along with path long after I’m gone, Valeeya,” he’d said. “Look at these trees and think of me.”

She lit a cigarette and dragged squatters weed into her lungs. It had an instant mellowing effect against the memory of Conn’s prophetic words. I do think of you, Papa. Always. The trees had gone to bud, and some were beginning to blossom, looking as they did that cold, rainy day she’d kneeled at Sashya’s feet and listened to the woman compare the babe in her belly to the new life on the trees. Her mother had been right. Jaym had brought new life with his unexpected existence, pulling Sashya back from the brink of despair.

“Mama, Mama!”

Every nerve ending in Val’s body strained toward that exuberant, high-pitched cry. She grinned as her son raced across the practice fields to meet her.

“Mama!” Sunlight glowed on Jaym’s golden head. His face was alive with excitement. Pure joy filled her heart as he barreled into her full-bore, jumping high to cling to her body, uncaring of the leathers and thick weapons belt. He wanted his mother, and she wanted her boy.

“I have so much to tell you!” He plucked the cigarette from her lips and threw it down.

To her surprise, she got choked up at the innocent act of caring. She was a narco addict, had been for years, and only her son seemed to mind. She buried her face in his silky hair. My baby. He smelled like dirt and sunshine and buttered bread. It wouldn’t be too long before he was too big to carry, and racing to meet his mother would be beneath his male dignity. “I love ya, boy.”

“I love ya, too, Mama.”

“How much?”

He arched back in her arms, his skinny thighs squeezing her waist as he flung his arms out wide. “This much!” He was getting a little old for their ritual but was still willing to play along.

The boy’s as much of a charmer as his father was, she thought with an accompanying, familiar pang of guilt.

“What wrong, Mama?” His gemlike eyes probed deeply, the way his father’s had, wanting to know even what she wasn’t quite willing to reveal. “You look sad.”

“Aye, a little. I was looking at the pretty trees and thinkin’ of your grandfather. I miss him.” He was too young to understand the rest. She gave him a squeeze. “And I missed you!”
He let her drop him back on his feet, holding her hand as they walked toward the house they shared with Sashya. “What’s all this news you wanted to share?”

“Well, Ferren’s teaching me to swim!”

“Is she now?”

“So I can go on sea raids. I don’t want to just be a space pirate, but a dirt-side and sea-farin’ one, too!”

“Ambition is good.” She laughed. Ferren could hold her breath longer than what seemed humanly possible, and once she was underwater, she was as agile as a fish. She even hinted to Val that she’d once had the ability to breathe underwater. To this day, Ferren refused to reveal her origins, but if her people were anything like she was, her homeworld was a special place and Val could understand the secrecy.

“And,” Jaym went on expansively, his brown-blond hair gleaming. “I’m gonna be the best raider Blue Clan’s ever seen! I’ll chase those greedy, lyin’ Surebloods to the ends of the stars and beyond! Like this.” Out came his imaginary dozers from their holsters. He whirled with natural grace and fired his two sticks. “Got ‘em, Mama!”

Her heart clenched with maternal worry. Like the romping of camp dog pups, the boy’s play was the precursor to real battle. She had no qualms about sending clansmen into battle. Sending her child was another matter entirely.

Jaym ran off toward the practice fields, picking up another, longer stick as he went, swinging it like a plasma sword.

Slaying imaginary Surebloods.

Hells. If only the boy knew the truth about his origins.

Jaym had kept Val’s heart from growing hard; he’d brought her joy in so many unexpected ways, but as deeply as she loved him, he was a reminder of her failings the night her father was killed. Jaym’s father was their clan’s sworn enemy. To reveal his paternity to the rest of the clan would endanger his life and cast her loyalties into doubt. What would happen to her and to Jaym should someone ever figure out the truth?

###

© 2009 Susan Grant
The Contents is only for your personal use. You may not distribute, exchange, modify, sell or transmit anything you copy from this Blog, including but not limited to any text, images, audio and video FOR for any business or commercial purpose without permission from moi. Thanks!

Next Book!

2009-08-19T15:03:00.000-07:00

Finally! My space pirate book has a title: SUREBLOOD: A Tale of the Borderlands! Stoked that it has "blood" in the title! Think of how many vampire fans will pick it up by mistake! :)

Sureblood is the hero's last name

Coming Soon!

2009-08-09T09:21:00.000-07:00

It's not totally official yet but I think the dates and titles have stopped bouncing around (for now).

May 2010-- The Star Trilogy--rerelease! New covers, new low price, and all at once: The Star King, The Star Prince, and The Star Princess. For new readers, it's a great way to get familiar with my earlier books. For collectors--alert, alert, these will be repackaged for the '10 release, so the older versions out there will soon become Hard To Find.

August 2010-- SUREBLOOD: A Tale of the Borderlands. This is my long-awaited space pirate story and #3 in the Borderlands series

Cool View From Above

2009-07-29T06:32:00.000-07:00

Wow, I haven't updated the blog in a while. I post regularly on Facebook. To Leanna and others, I thank you for your comments! I didn't realize they were being held for moderation--since May. Eesh, how embarrassing. (blushing).

The other day I was flying out of Honolulu International headed to Tokyo Narita, Japan, not a usual route for me as the 777s usually fly that trip and not the 747. A Hawaiian layover was a real treat, like a mini-vacation. On the way out, I saw the most drop-dead gorgeous sight: the ocean below was awash in the most amazing colors of blue I've ever seen from the air. I believe the area is known as French Frigate Shoals. Took these shots with my Blackberry. Kinda makes you want to anchor there in a sailboat for a week, snorkling and fishing for dinner, doesn't it?!

Is it the Thunderbirds...or...?

2009-04-24T09:44:00.000-07:00

...me!! At the controls of the 747-400 the other day flying to Narita, Japan. This cool shot was taken by the United flight going to Osaka, Japan as they passed under us.

A grass-roots effort on my book's behalf

2009-04-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

May it bear fruit!

Read about it at Galaxy Express

A podcast!

2009-02-26T03:34:00.000-08:00

I did a podcast. I hope you enjoy!

A Rare Peek at a Remote Area

2009-02-17T08:46:00.000-08:00

On the way to Osaka the other day, we were routed very far north...right over the Kamchatka Peninsula. I can't remember the east coast ever being clear enough to see the ground, because the scene was stunning. Volcanos everywhere--huge ones. I didn't bring my camera but luckily one of the other pilots did, and we got these shots between the two of us. Incredible landscape, and sooo remote! Oh, the screen depicts UHPP, which is the identifier for a big airport there: Petropavlosk. We are told to land there only if on fire or engines out (more than one). In other words, it's not an ideal choice, but the only one in this area.

Layover: Osaka, Japan

2009-02-11T09:30:00.000-08:00

I’ve blogged about many different countries, but never Osaka, Japan. Why? It’s my least favorite layover. Taipei used to take that prize, but thankfully the 777 fleet inherited that trip some years back. Unfortunately, we got Osaka in exchange. It’s not the city of Osaka itself I despise; in fact, back in the day when we used to stay in a hotel downtown, I loved going there, visiting the glorious old castle, haunting the underground eateries for Okonomiyaki, a kind of local pancake or pizza made with chopped cabbage and egg topped or mixed with red ginger, yakisoba noodles, tenkasu (tempura crumbs), corn, green onion, squid, shrimp, dried bonito flakes, bean sprouts, and an optional sprinkled of hot chili power. Then the hotel was switched to one wa-aay out in the boonies, far from downtown, near to the cargo docks and an area known for a trade and convention center, providing a complete absence of culture or anything at all to do.. It’s not a layover; it’s a sentence, each excruciating hour spent there a hatch mark mentally etched in the hotel wall. Yet, it’s a productive trip pay-wise, almost 22 hours of flying punctuated by a single overnight in the hotel. It’s also where I can get to be the flying first officer as opposed to the Bunkie (relief pilot), meaning I get hands on the controls and a landing. The FAA requires we pilots have three landings every 90 days. It may not sound like a lot but we international types can fly only so many trips in a month in which most have two legs total, and with a crew of two or three first officers to one captain, well, we fight over the few landings like hungry coyotes over a jack rabbit. And so to Osaka I must go.

This time we took a route that brought us over Alaska. Rare clear skies offered the treat of a glorious view. You can almost see the curve of the earth. This is the mountain range where the volcano Redoubt is making news as it gets ready to blow.

I ate while the scenery rolled by below. Here is a typical "yummy" crew meal:

Then it was time for my rest break. The bunkie relieved me, taking my seat as I left for the bunkroom in the cockpit and made my bed:

Sweet dreams:

Three and a half hours later I was awakened by the chime. A couple of cups of coffee and about three hours later we landed at Kansai International. It was approximately 5 pm local, about 1 am body clock time (ouch!). I got to land, and it was fun as always. I’m always grateful and a bit amazed that this is my job, that I actually get to fly this venerable, whale of a jet, which surprisingly is quite graceful and maneuverable. On our final approach, the sun was setting and the cities ringing Osaka Bay--Osaka, Kobe--glittered like sequined patches on black silk. A hundred feet from touchdown several dark forms whizzed past. Birds. No surprise that the Hudson water landing is in the back of my mind in that second, all of the pilots’ minds, but had we hit our feathered friends at least the asphalt wasn’t far below!

After clearing customs, I dozed during the long, 45 minute bus ride, exhausted. With a sense of resignation, I drag my bags through the luxurious lobby and to my room. The work day is over. I sip a drink in my room, check e-mail and unwind. By 8:30 pm I’m asleep.

I wake at 10:30 pm, for it’s morning at home. I take two melatonin lozenges then am able to sleep some more, until about 3 am. I get up to write until the café opens.

Here’s the view from my room.

Very sterile, industrial, lacking the charm I love about Japan. On the higher floors there’s a great view of the docks where the huge container ships load and offload. It’s fun to watch sometimes, to imagine where the ships are going--or where they came from.

The hotel is 5-star excellent, a no-expense-spared property with acres of wood and stone.

Even the elevators are decked out.

It is simply gorgeous, but out in the middle of nowhere. I imagine it would normally rely on companies and business folks attending shows at the convention center next store but with the economy as poor as it is worldwide, it was a ghost town.

I love a Japanese breakfast.

read and ate then returned to my room to write until I could workout. I tried sleeping before the late afternoon pickup back to the airport, but couldn’t. I was tired when I got to the plane. It was the middle of the night body clock time. It was a marathon of effort staying awake until my break arrived at about 5 am home time. My break was an allotment of only 2.5 hours. The chime didn’t wake me this time. I woke to a pounding on the door and the Bunkie yelling, “Sue! Wake up!” lol. I usually never sleep that heavy but needed it. Refreshed, I performed my first officer duties for the captain’s landing at San Francisco International about 3 hours later. I drove home to Sacramento, about 2 hours away. It is Tuesday. I am tired. Friday I do it all again.

How did this happen?

2009-01-29T16:44:00.000-08:00

I just found out, quite by accident, that Library Journal chose Moonstruck as one of their Top Books of 2008!! This, as I understand it, is a huge deal. Reading the announcement, it sure seems like it:

Best Books 2008

Listen up, Barack Obama! You'll find useful reading on LJ's annual Best Books list, from Stephen Hess's What Do We Do Now? A Workbook for the President-Elect to Mahvish Rukhsana Khan's My Guantánamo Diary: The Detainees and the Stories They Told Me and Raja Shehadeh's Palestinian Walks: Forays into a Vanishing Landscape. It's not all politics, though. From fiction debuts by Uwem Akpan, Nam Le, and Saša Stanišic´ to works from masters Toni Morrison, Philip Roth, and Marilynne Robinson, from a biography of Shakespeare's wife to a chronicle of Sixties “girls like us,” and from accounts of divorce and madness to hot thrillers and cool how-to, this list has enough to occupy anyone for the coming year.

I mean...holy sh--wow! Right? Sure, you gotta scroll down to get to romance where Moonstruck is listed--as one of six...SIX. Hundreds, maybe thousands of romances released last year and they picked six. Here, here's what they said:

Grant, Susan. Moonstruck. HQN: Harlequin. ISBN 978-0-373-77259-9. pap. $6.99.

A Coalition starship admiral and a Drakken warleader, former bitter enemies forced to work together to keep a fragile peace from unraveling, find mutual respect and unanticipated love in a passionate, fast-paced futuristic tale that should satisfy both romance and sf fans. (LJ 6/15/08)

So, did I hear this from my publisher? My editor? My agent? Other authors? My mommy? No, no, and no! Dude, do they even know! The only writing news I've had in a 24-hour period is a bit of a sucky review on a major website for my new book and someone blogging about finding my debut book in the 69 cents dump in CVS! Seriously!

But MY BOOK is a TOP READ of 2008 in LIBRARY JOURNAL! Yay for science fiction romance!!!

So what if no one noticed. I'm gonna throw my own party, just like my cool aunt is throwing her own 80th birthday party, because dang it, she's feelin' like celebrating even if no one else is. No one's around, the kids are away, the boyfriend is away on business, but hell the cats and dog are here, along with three bottles of champagne leftover from the New Year's party. Heh. And ya know what, all y'all are invited to partay with me cyberly!

Oh, and by the way, Loretta Chase, Susan Kay Law, Pam Rosenthal, and Sherry Thomas are the other 5 sharing the spotlight with me. Congrats to you! I won't assume anyone told you! :)

Interesting link, and a few comments on the Miracle on the Hudson

2009-01-27T13:03:00.000-08:00

Sorry to be so delayed in responding to the numerous questions after the US Air accident. My flying schedule has been a bit heavy, and crisscrossing the Pacific can get in the way of best intentions. Yes, I've had many a bird-strike in my 30 years of flying, but nothing ever left more than a dent. None ever got sucked in an engine. Thankfully that really is rare, in general.

I am glad to see The Other Pilot, the first officer, finally being given credit for the safe and happy ending to that flight that day:

(pic courtesy of group on Facebook)

Every time I saw a reporter write: the pilot, I groaned. In the cockpit there is a TEAM, not "A" pilot. There were two highly trained fliers in there that day and the first officer was actually the one flying when the birds hit. Sullenberger took the controls at that point so The Other Pilot could run checklists, make radio calls, talk to the people and the flight attendants, and try to get those &*$% started. The Other Pilot was no doubt flipping switches like crazy trying to get those motors started, putting the fire out...until they ran out of time and altitude. Both deserve all the kudos on the world, and, yes, they were, in Captain Sullenberger's words, just doing their jobs. Next time you hear someone ragging on the flight attendant for forgetting to put ice in a drink, or scolding the pilot for landing late, remind them that the primary responsibility and focus of these CREW MEMBERS is to keep them SAFE.

That said, take a look at THIS:

Don't forget, my brand new release, The Warlord's Daughter, will be out February 1st!!! I hope you'll look for it and do your part in helping me lighten my flying schedule. :)

And the winner is...

2009-01-19T16:05:00.000-08:00

I'm posting very quickly from Hong Kong on a wireless signal I've managed to briefly kidnap so I must be quick. I'm about to fly home and will be out of contact until sometime Tuesday, USA time. But I promised the 19th would be the day I announced the winner of Warlord's Daughter. At the moment I looked at my laptop after booting it up the time showed "16:03". Trying to use a random method, I thus timed 16 by 3 and it gave me 49. There were 43 comments as of that moment. I counted through and went 6 more and landed on Natalie D.!!! Yay for you, Natalie. Send me your snail mail and I'll shoot ya off a book. I wish I could give everyone a copy. For everyone else, please look for the book around the 1st. And for those trying my stories for the first time, start with Moonstruck. It's not mandatory to do so but it'll add so much to enjoying Warlord which is second in the series.

For all of you who left such wonderful comments--THANK YOU-- and also questions about the recent Hudson River landing, I'll definitely be back to answer those and offer my views on that accident as a pilot. Probably a bit later in the week.

OK, see y'all on the other side of "the pond."

The Warlord's Daughter!

2009-01-13T10:43:00.000-08:00

February 1st sure is coming up fast. This was really apparent when the door bell rang, luring me away from my laptop and the next in this series, my space pirates book. Whaddya know, it was a box of books--The Warlord's Daughter!

So! Who wants a copy--for free, signed by moi--and before most people can find it in the stores? (that is, if the stores adhere to the laydown date). You know you do! Here's the deal: Just leave a comment here on my blog...about anything: the book, my other books, anyone's books, the weather, your favorite place in the world, your favorite food or recipe, why you love your husband/boyfriend/girlfriend/kid...anything at all! I love getting to know the people who are nice enough to visit my blog and comment, so go on and do it, and before January 19th. I'll pick a name and send you the book. But you'll have to contact me after I post your name. I've had a prize go unclaimed in the past because the winner never checked back!

The Warlord's Daughter

2008-12-29T20:27:00.000-08:00

The first review appeared online HERE, and it's a good one! The reviewer is known for being quite positive in all her reviews, but I'm going to let myself believe she seemed a little bit more excited than usual by this particular story.

Seasons Greetings, and a hike in Hong Kong

2008-12-23T09:46:00.000-08:00

I've got a stockpile of travelogues stacked up but not the time to get them posted. I've been visiting family and friends and staying places where there is no internet (gasp!). Finally I have returned to where there is a signal.

On my last trip to Hong Kong I mentioned to one of the pilots I was flying with that I was looking for a new place to take a walk. He pointed out a hike up the mountain that is a paved trail leading to police barracks. He warned me that it was steep, and that the beginning of the road was hard to find. Feeling adventurous, off I went. I found the road after about 20 minutes of winding through a crowded marketplace.

The road led into forest/jungle.

As you can see from the trail leading up to the left, it was extremely steep. (actually, this photo doesn't do it justice) It was the steepest grade of any paved trail I'd been on.

I saw a number of frail-looking elderly ladies walking oh-so slowly. I knew they'd soon be turning back, as I moved quickly past them. I thought I was in decent shape, but fell into a routine of step-step-step, pause and sweat, step-step-step. I tell ya, there was nothing as humbling as when the first of those old ladies passed me! They knew how to pace themselves! I told myself that they must do this every day (they were still climbing when i decided to turn back after about an hour of this.)

In between the trees, there were glimpses of the city below. Just stunning.

It was a great workout. I intend to do it again.

I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! A special thank you to all my readers for enjoying my stories, and to my friends and family for your love and support. You make my life a wonderful thing!

nature's greetings of the season

2008-12-01T11:50:00.000-08:00

I'll be posting a few travelogues shortly, but wanted to share these pics I took the other day...at home of all places! The little maple tree in my suburban patch of front yard looks so pretty with the sun shining through the leaves. Pausing to notice it reminded me to remember that in this chaotic time of year, especially, it's sooo important to take time to just be.

Second chance! Your chance to WIN an autographed, hard-to-find copy of CONTACT!

2008-11-05T08:42:00.000-08:00

Once again, I'm offering up a chance to win a signed copy of CONTACT, my 2002 RITA award winning book about a 747 "hijacked" by aliens. It is hard to find, so it's my gift to you for the holidays. Check out the contest page at my website.

My first Military Suspense is Now Out! Plus, Darkest Touch on tour

2008-10-29T06:20:00.000-07:00

First, the info on my latest release, then all about the Darkest Touch below:

MISSION: CHRISTMAS with my novella "Snowbound with a Prince" has hit the shelves. It's a limited time release. By the end of November it will be gone.

Mission: Christmas by Lindsay McKenna and Susan Grant

On a humanitarian Christmas drop in Northern Europe, USAF pilot Kat Wallace reunites with Prince Alek, a rebel leader out to restore his people's freedom. Cut off from the outside world, they join forces to survive…and battle a fiery attraction.

(Also Available in eBooks)

Here's the latest book on the Blogosphere tour...just in time for Halloween:

THE DARKEST TOUCH by Jaci Burton

He’s a hunter, a savior, a seducer.

And she just can’t get enough…

THE DARKEST TOUCH

Ryder. The man was just as sexy as she remembered him:

Tall, lean and dangerous, a demon hunter with the body of a god…

But archaeologist Angelique Deveraux has little time for lust. She’s been hiding a gleaming black diamond, a prize everyone wants—including Ryder—and now she’s running for her life. Hot on her trail is Ryder, a legendary demon hunter she desires but can’t quite trust, a man with an insatiable need for danger and a few dark secrets of his own…

As sparks ignite between the rogue hunter and his latest prey, Angie’s world is rocked again when her twin sister vanishes, stolen away by the same dark forces stalking Angie and the black diamond. With Ryder offering protection— and more —suddenly a woman who’s never trusted anyone is falling for a man who isn’t afraid of anything…except losing his heart. Now, as an all-out demon war erupts and Angie’s family secrets unravel, Ryder’s demon-hunt and Angie’s quest to save her sister are about to collide. And when they do, it’ll send these two wary hearts on the wildest adventure of their lives—and maybe even save humankind in the process…

Cover: http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/26610000/26610969.jpg

Excerpt: http://jaciburton.com/thedarkesttouch.html

ABOUT JACI BURTON
Jaci Burton was born and raised in Missouri but now lives on an acre-and-a-half in Oklahoma with her husband Charlie and five unruly dogs. Jaci loves to write about passionate relationships with sometimes stormy outcomes but always a happily ever after.

REVIEWS

~Romantic Times Bookreviews~ Gifted Burton adds more dark thrills and sexy danger to her well-paced story as these protagonists must fight to choose their destiny.

~Wild on Books~ THE DARKEST TOUCH is a brilliant addition to this saga that cannot be missed by fans of erotic paranormal romance!

Website http://www.jaciburton.com

some flying pics

2008-10-12T15:07:00.000-07:00

I thought you might like to view some photos that may help convey what it feels like to be flying a 747 on one of those long Pacific crossings. I took a few pics on my trip to Hong Kong this past week. I will bring my camera to Shanghai later this week and hopefully post a new travel blog.

Enjoy!

view out the left side:

view out front (the Pacific was particularly glassy that day, location: south of the Hawaiian Islands, north of Midway Island:

best seat in the house:

view to the center and right:

at 34,000 feet, we are well above the storms:

Triple the news: I'm a double PRISM Winner! On Tour! And the contest winner is announced!

2008-10-10T17:37:00.000-07:00

I have some wonderful news to share! My 2007 release My Favorite Earthling has won First place in The Prism Contest, and How to Lose an Extraterrestrial, its sequel, has placed Second Place! The Prism Contest is gaining a reputation in the industry for recognizing the best in Futuristic, Fantasy and Paranormal romance fiction, so placing in the contest is quite an honor!

For a complete list of Prism winners and finalists, please check the FF&P website.

Now, on tour! The debut book in a brand-new paranormal series by Deidre Knight! Read on--At the end, I have posted the winner of my Mission: Christmas contest.

RED FIRE by Deidre Knight

“Powerfully sensual and mind-blowing,”* Deidre Knight’s novels have set the standard for boldly erotic paranormal romance. Now she unleashes an electrifying new series in which seven Spartan warriors, immortal protectors of humankind, battle their passions—a collective weakness that could lead to their downfall.

Eternity has become a prison for Ajax Petrakos. Centuries after he and his Spartan brothers made their bargain for immortality, Ajax struggles to maintain his warrior’s discipline. His only source of strength is his hope that he will soon meet the woman once foretold to him—the other half of his soul, Shay Angel.

Ajax searches for his destined mate on the haunted streets of modern-day Savannah, but he isn’t the first to find her. Shay, the youngest of a powerful demon-hunting clan, can see the monsters that stalk the steamy Southern night—an ability that draws the deadly attention of Ajax’s worst enemy.

As she and Ajax race to solve a chilling prophecy—one that could spell Ajax’s death if they don’t succeed—a fated passion arises, threatening to sweep away everything in its path.

*Romance B(u)y the Book

Cover: http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/27450000/27456218.jpg

Excerpt: http://deidreknight.com/red_fire_excerpt.html

ABOUT DEIDRE KNIGHT
Deidre Knight is president of The Knight Agency, which she founded in 1996. Since that time, she has grown the agency to national prominence, landing authors on every major bestseller list. Deidre began her writing career at age nine, when her award-winning essay on Barbie was published in her hometown newspaper, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She has been writing in one form or another ever since. After nearly a decade of working with Knight Agency clients, helping them discover their creative potential, her fiction debut with NAL in 2006 marked the fulfillment of her own lifelong writing dream. She is excited to embark on yet another new and fulfilling creative journey.

REVIEWS
“White-hot immortal warriors, heart-pounding romance, and thrilling action. It doesn't get any better than this!” --Gena Showalter, New York Times Bestselling author of The Darkest Pleasure

"Deidre Knight has created a fascinating world of gods, demons, and immortal warriors. Her heroine, Shay Angel, is both strong and sympathetic, a woman discovering powers she never knew she had. Legendary Spartan Ajax is handsome, seductive and haunted -- a hero to inspire delicious dreams. I can't wait for more!" –Angela Knight, New York Times Bestselling author of Master of Dragons

“Hot Gates, hot men, myth and magic in modern day... Red Fire flies above the rest. Sign me up for more Gods of Midnight!” – Jessica Andersen, bestselling author of Nightkeepers

"Scorching hot with a pace that never lets up." --Christina Dodd, New York Times Bestselling author of Touch of Darkness

“Knight provides an intriguing new twist to both Greek mythology and legendary Spartan warriors with this searing new series, as she sets up an alternate world that begs to be explored.” – Jill M. Smith, Romantic Times, 4-Star Review

“Here is a story as rich and as vibrant as any myth, and for those who are interested in the paranormal, Red Fire is a real feast for the hungry and a no holds barred winner.”—RomanceAtHeart.com

Website

http://www.godsofmidnight.com

~~~~~~~~~~

MISSION: CHRISTMAS WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!

Okay, thanks to everyone who entered (and left lovely comments), The winner is... *fumbles with envelope* ... Cindy!

Congrats, Cindy! Write me--I need your street addy and the names with which to autograph your two books! (okay, aren’t we all a wee bit jealous that Cindy already has some of her holiday shopping done?)

Thanks, everyone! Remember, the Moonstruck contest on my website is still ongoing! Have a great weekend!

more updates and a blog contest

2008-10-04T10:01:00.000-07:00

Before I get to the contest, I just wanted to let my Australian and New Zealand readers know some great news!

I've accepted an invitation to be a keynote speaker at the very first Australian Readers Convention. I'll also be on several author panels. It looks to be a fantastic time and I can't wait to visit. Please check the ARRC site for more and updated info.

I'm running a contest on my website to win a signed copy of Moonstruck, but exclusively on my blog, I'm celebrating Christmas early!

I'm giving away TWO copies of my November 2009 release Mission: Christmas, a military romantic suspense (and first NON-paranormal). I'll autograph one copy for the lucky winner, and one for a person of his or her choosing (to be used as a holiday gift or stocking stuffer, perhaps?) Or simply enjoy the experience of reading the book before anyone else can! The winner will be chosen from those leaving comments for me HERE on the blog. The contest deadline for the Mission: Christmas contest is: October 10th. Good luck!

updates to susangrant.com

2008-09-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

A contest! News on new books! New covers! And, at long last, a Warlord's Daughter Excerpt is posted!

susangrant.com

Chance to win Moonstruck!

2008-09-23T13:14:00.000-07:00

Enter here: Vicki Lane's blog

http://vickilane.blogspot.com/2008/09/moonstruck-by-susan-grant-contest.html

On an Early Morning Walk in Hong Kong...

2008-09-08T21:38:00.000-07:00

I always prefer walking or jogging outside to the confines of a workout room. In Hong Kong my favorite time to exercise is just as the sun is coming up. It’s early September and the air is very warm, still, thick with moisture, an instant coating on the skin as I leave the air conditioning of the hotel. Sunrises here are topical and lush but with a hushed softness: silver and lavender and peach making the harbor look like a pastel drawing. Skyscrapers are futuristic spires, hawks soaring between them. Hong Kong is a city of such contrasts, and one reason I love it so much.

It’s quiet as I cross the street to the walkway that follows the harbor. The elderly have beat me out here--men and women, some quite ancient, doing their odd, rhythmic exercises down by the water. I want to take a photo of each one. Each person is their own story.

The smells as I walk along are not pleasant. Whiffs of decay--fish? Dead bodies? Salt and seaweed?--come and go, but the views make it worth it. This is one of the busiest harbors in the world--or was; it's certainly one of the most famous, but this time of day it’s peaceful. Only a few tiny fishing boats, an anchored cruise ship, a billionaire’s yacht, and a coast guard cutter slice silently across the glassy water. It’s Sunday morning and the old ferries that ceaselessly carry crowds between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island haven’t started.

A movement on the chunks of cement at the bottom on huge pilings catches my eye. I glimpse the trailing edge of a huge white rat and its thick pink tail before it disappears between the rocks. I have never seen a rat this large. No exaggeration, it’s bigger than my cat. Seconds later, a woman is heading toward me, her two little dogs tip-tapping along at her feet, unleashed, their little pink tongues lolling. They are smaller than the rat. I decide not to warn. They’ve done this before, I’m sure.

I keep going, past a cluster of waterside food vendors, the store-fronts still closed with metal shutters. Up on one service counter, his back to me, a man sleeps where later bowls of noodles and soft drinks will be served. I marvel at (1) how he does this without rolling off, and (2) he must be either very thin or short to be able to fit there. He does not become rat food...this night.

A pair of westerners jog by in designer gear. Tourists, they look out of place. Then again, I probably do, too, even though I don’t feel it. I’ve been coming here on and off since 1989, before the city was even returned to the Chinese.

I reach the end of my circuit and reverse course. The sun is higher. It’s getting hot. The first ferry of the day chugs away from the pier belching black smoke. The elderly still exercise, each in a trance of movement. The sleeping man is now gone. And down where I saw the rat, a woman kneels, an empty can of cat food on the sidewalk next to her as she slides food on a piece of paper under the chain link fence. I’ve seen people feed pigeons and squirrels, but never rats. Now at least I know why they grew so big.

Coming soon--my first non-paranormal!

2008-08-20T05:30:00.000-07:00

It’s a military romantic suspense with a USAF pilot heroine stranded overseas with a rebel pilot/prince (yes, kept that bit of fantasy element in there!. It comes out this November and is already up on Amazon. Fun!

Mission: Christmas (my contribution: "Snowbound with a Prince")

New Cover!

2008-07-02T18:15:00.000-07:00

This is for THE WARLORD'S DAUGHTER that comes out in Feb 2009. It's #2 in the Borderlands series. I'm very happy with it. It sets the tone sooo much better than my last, plus I have to say I love the artwork. Thoughts?

Surfer Chick!

2008-06-26T14:15:00.000-07:00

I've been traveling A LOT, but fell behind posting travelogues. Here's the first of several I've backlogged. Once of the advantages of my traveling is having so many diverse experiences that many times make their way into my stories. Something I never thought I'd try is surfing. For one, I'm a menace (to myself, to others) on a skateboard, and I tried windsurfing a few times and failed. I just don't have the balance required. Or so I thought! On a recent trip to Hawaii, I learned to surf--miraculously--and LOVED it. Seriously, this is really incredible for a clutz like me. Granted, it was on gentle "roller" waves in Waikiki and on a longboard (long, wide--even I could stand up on it) but still, wow! There's nothing like the quiet whooshing of being up on a wave, riding it in. I'm hooked!

With my instructor:

waiting for the wave

getting up on the knees:

almost there:

woo!

I'm not sure how I'll work this into a book, but, dude, I will, I'm sure!

For Mother's Day

2008-05-06T14:07:00.000-07:00

With Mother's Day coming up, I wanted to share this yummy tidbit:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Shari Teams With Extraterrestrial Writer!
Making a 'berry' great best seller.

Not too long ago, best selling author, local writer, airline pilot and mother, Susan Grant looked to another Sacramento mom in business and used her true story: that of a famous Sacramento-based chocolate-dipped strawberry entrepreneur for the fictional persona she was creating in her latest book. This is Grant’s 10th published book and since its recent release has appeared on national bestseller lists.

Susan’s heroine Evie, and her budding chocolate strawberry business, is based on the real-life Shari Fitzpatrick. “Meeting Shari and talking with her about her early days in the business really brought Evie to life for me. They share the same smarts and bubbly personalities—and best of all, the talent for creating to-die-for-delicious treats” says Susan.

“When Susan first approached me about this new book, I must admit I was hesitant in letting someone create a character based on me for a science fiction book! In fact, at first, my husband wasn’t enthusiastic about the project, fearing I could be misrepresented. But I was intrigued by the idea and interested in meeting Susan” says Shari. “When I first met her I was impressed by the fact that this petite woman can land a 747! It was an honor to help her create Evie.”

HOW TO LOSE AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL IN 10 DAYS (HQN Books) is about a divorced mom who’s forced to offer shelter to a “reprogrammed” Terminator-like assassin as part of a witness protection program. She bets he won’t last 10 days in her chaotic, teen-filled Roseville home, and, boy, does he prove her wrong! This is the third book in the Otherworldly Men series, fun romantic comedies about a near-miss alien invasion.

Treat Mom to a great read, and a great eat this Mother’s Day!
Shari’s amazing gourmet dipped strawberries are shipped overnight, nationwide all year round and are available online at www.berryfactory.com by calling 877-7-dipped and in all Greater Sacramento Area Shari’s Berries retail stores.
In 1989, Shari Fitzpatrick opened her first retail store, the home of the nation's leading brand of hand-dipped strawberries, in Sacramento, CA. What began as a hobby and gift idea years before soon became a passion and a booming business, resulting in four successful retail locations in the greater Sacramento area.
Today Shari has is focusing her creative energies by expanding her offerings through her latest company, The Berry Factory™. Considered the “Founder’s Reserve Label”, her exclusive collection has taken hand dipped berries to the next level. In addition to Shari’s original creations, The Berry Factory features a variety of innovative new selections including Cheesecake Berries™, Caramel Apple Wedgies™, Baseball Berries™, a Private Label Reserve Zinfandel wine and for the holidays, Candy Cane Berries™. The Berry Factory ships gourmet gifts nationwide.

HOW TO LOSE AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL IN 10 DAYS is available at all major bookstores and in dozens of countries around the world. Look for MOONSTRUCK, the next book in the series to hit shelves in May 2008! Visit Susan on the web at www.susangrant.com

How to Lose an Extraterrestrial in 10 Days

HQN HQN

Happy Spring

2008-03-22T23:05:00.000-07:00

I'm here, I'm okay, I'm just busy finishing a book. Once it's done I'll post some new travel blogs! In the meantime, here's a trailer for my new book that comes out the end of May:

Public Agitation

2008-02-02T19:48:00.000-08:00

So, when I'm not writing, I'm exercising my right to free speech. Check out your fav United pilot at her very first picketing event. (Photo taken at the state capitol, Sacramento, CA.)

There were about 30 other pilots there to help get the word out about the loss of our pensions.

Forbidden Love

2008-01-22T14:12:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share this thought-provoking blog:

Jacqueline writes and reviews with such intelligence and insight. I love that my new book Moonstruck inspired her to pen the above blog.

New Book, New Release Date

2008-01-08T15:31:00.000-08:00

Here's the cover for Mysteria Lane. (follow the link to learn more) It was supposed to be an August 08 release. Now it's slated for October (which makes better sense--it's a fun and spooky read being released around Halloween):

A Very Mute New Year's Eve...and a Monkey

2008-01-06T12:06:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all!

I ended up with a trip flying to Hong Kong over New Years. We left San Francisco on December 30th and arrived about 7 pm New Year's Eve in Hong Kong. I was really looking forward to being out and about that evening to see how NYE is celebrated there. In particular, I was hoping to see the fireworks. Many times spontaneously, there will be fireworks shows at 8 pm above the city buildings ringing the harbor with the skyscrapers themselves playing a role with a light show. Did you ever see that YouTube video of the house decorated for Christmas, and the lights changing to the tune and beat of the music of the TransSiberian Orchestra? That's what it reminds me of.

The crossing to HK was notable for two reasons. First, during the flight, we received a terror alert of almost the highest level. It began with a message from United via our onboard computers that asked for all the flights to check in immediately. These procedures were adopted after 9-11 and I can only describe them in the vaguest of ways here, unfortunately. We train for receiving the messages, but I've never done it for real. So we get the demand to check in, then learn some minutes later that the alarm was triggered by an incident on a domestic plane where a man was standing in the aisle in front of a woman and child and...how can I say this in a family blog...whacking the monkey. He refused to stop until he was, um, done. Apparently a struggle ensued, triggering the alert to all UAL planes. Definitely a first for us. The guy's probably looking at a court date and some creative 'splainin to do once he gets home. (And here I thought the only danger was that you could go blind...)

Second, I lost my voice. I had a bit of a sore throat, but didn't think much of it. Took my Airborne and went on my way. But during the nearly FIFTEEN HOUR FLIGHT it worsened into laryngitis, and all I could do was whisper. So, I didn't go out. No sense whispering in a noisy bar. When I walked into my gorgeous suite overlooking Hong Kong Harbor, I knew I'd made the right choice. Here's a shot of some of the buildings decorated for the holidays. Note the green and red light borders:

Apparently on NYE, they do the fireworks at a shopping center 10 minutes from the hotel. For this tired pup, that was too far to go. In fact, after being up around 24 hours, I fell asleep about a quarter to midnight only to be jolted awake by what sounded like every car horn in Hong Kong blaring. I jumped up and got this shot of what little fireworks there were:

The next morning, sipping coffee and savoring the fine view:

When we do these uber-long flights, we bring 4 pilots. Two sit at the controls and two behind them. After take-off the relief pilots, aka "the bunkies" whose job is to relieve the flying pilots halfway through the flight retreat to the bunkroom to go to sleep. A bunch of people asked me where we actually sleep on our breaks that on the longer flights like this one can be as much as 6 and a half hours long. Here's what the bunk room and the bunk beds look like. They are in a sound-proofed room inside the cockpit:

Well, it's not the Westin but it beats a coach seat, yes?

Next up this month: Osaka, Japan and Shanghai, China. Wishing a happy and healthy 2008 to all!

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T20:09:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all!

Yes, I know I've gone a while with no travelogue. See, I went to Sydney again, and then again, and figured everyone was burned out on that city for a bit, but I'll be spending New Years Eve in Hong Kong and will do a travelogue from there. I wonder if there will be much of a party since they celebrate Chinese New Year. We'll see. I'll report in and let you know. In the meantime, I wanted to share an article written by a dear friend about a wonderful group I'm blessed to be a part of:

ROMVETS--military women who have turned sword into pen
by Lindsay McKenna

Copyright 2007 Lindsay McKenna
All Rights Reserved

Who expects women in the military to be writers, too? There are more than you think!
They have wielded the sword of Patriotism for their country and now have
transformed it into a pen to write marvelous stories. Come join us as you learn
about women warriors who are also creative authors as well!

OUR HISTORY

ROMVETS was created in July,
2002, by retired USAF Colonel Merline Lovelace and her coharts. Merline was one
of the first women base commanders in the USAF!. There was an RWA conference in
Denver. Some of our women vets who attended (and this is not a complete list),
were Jo Ann Ferguson, Cindy Dees, Candace Irving, Susan Grant, Pam McCutcheon
and Carol Umberger, among others. Jo Ann Ferguson remembers,”We all were
delighted to find each other, because some of us knew some of the people there,
but no one had known everyone...or known they were ex-military. We met in a
small bar and decided this one get-together had to be part of something bigger
and lasting.” Merline formed the loop based upon all the women’s desire to have
a place for writer vets. Shortly after that, Lindsay McKenna joined the
burgeoning group. The list decided upon a name for their web site two years
later, in August, 2004. With the help of Pam McCutcheon, our favorite geek, she
created the ROMVETS web site in October, 2004 and we were now online.
(http://romvets.com) From that small nucleus of a half dozen or so women vets,
ROMVETS has grown to over eighty women! We call ourselves a ‘company’ (because a
company is comprised of 120 people) and we’re sure we’ll hit that number soon.
This web site and list are exclusively for women veterans who have proudly
served their country and who are also writers.

When you are in the
military, it is a separate world from the ‘civilian’ one. For one thing,
teamwork is stressed over the individual’s merits. Secondly, living in the
military framework changes a woman’s outlook on how she sees and lives in her
world--even after she leaves the service via separation or after a twenty or
thirty-year career. There is a lingo, a unique slang, and a way of seeing the
world through the military lens of life that makes these women tigers of a
different stripe.

ROMVETS come from the Air Force, Navy, Marine
Corps, Army and yes, even the FBI. And, we have women on our list who have
served in other countries, such as Carol Spenser, who was in the Canadian Air
Force. Or Barbara Phinney who was in the Canadian Forces/Army, and Judy Gill,
another Canadian, who served as a nurse. Some of our writers were enlisted and
some were officers. Some are active duty right now and serving over in Iraq.
Some had twenty year careers and some had two or three years in the military. It
really doesn’t make a difference because being in the military is a shared,
common experience that stays a lifetime with an individual. We boast military
Academy graduates from the Air Force, Army and US Navy. These women were on the
cutting edge of breaking down the male bastion that was entrenched in these
academies and consequently, are part of a very rare few individuals who toughed
it out to show them women were just as good--or better--than any man in the
military. What a man could do, they showed a woman could do. And of course,
every ROMVET was saddled with that challenge whether she was enlisted or an
officer, also. This toughening up has been a blessing in disguise because as a
writer, one must buck the odds, take a lot of rejections and still keep on
going--our eyes on the prize--getting published.

One thing they are
not different from the civilian populace is the fact that all ROMVETS are
writers. Each woman on our company roster is either an aspiring writer or a
published author (from ebooks to being published with the big name publishing
houses). Because we are teamwork oriented, ROMVETS serves as a highly positive
and reinforcing list for all of its members. We trade information easily and
with trust among the members. What is said, is kept on the list. Military
veterans understand what ‘top secret’ means and they know how to handle personal
information in a way that protects the woman who is speaking on the list. This
trust comes directly from our military service and indoctrination.

As a result, the members are free to share their publishing
experiences, their struggles to get to print, agent information, editorial input
information as well as a hundred different facets of what a writer needs to know
to successfully negotiate the publishing realm. We rave with joy when one of our
vets gets published. We jump up and down in celebration when one makes it on a
vaunted list, such as the New York Best Seller or USA Today list. We shriek with
delight when one of our vets wins a major award at RWA. We do a lot of
celebrating at ROMVETS.

The teamwork cannot be over emphasized
because it is positive support accorded to each writer on the list. And if
you’ve been to writing conferences I’m sure you’ve seen the green-eyed monster
of jealousy, competition and envy from certain individuals. You won’t find it at
ROMVETS because we have ‘each other’s back’ (an old military terminology which
means we protect the person or people we are with). And, because all women on
the list have served their country, there is a high regard and natural respect
that is accorded automatically to each member, regardless of what branch she
served in or whether she was enlisted or officer or academy graduate.

What is also fun and interesting is that each ROMVET has unique
knowledge due to her military experience. We have intelligence officers, pilots
(3), meteorologists, satellite communications, linguists (Arabic, Russian),
medical field (nurse, physician), electronics field, administration, JAG
(attorney), sonar, logistics, CID (think: NCIS the television program), surface
warfare officer, combat correspondent, supply, military police (MP), aviation
machinist, personnel, signal corps, cryptology, electronic intercept, artillery,
civil engineering, computer programer, transportation, Security police K9,
command post tech, Communications, surface ships, contracting and OSI. To say
the least, when it comes to military jobs, ROMVETS has the field covered!

Best of all, when a writer needs to know about a certain weapon, a
flight term, or other in-depth military info for the book she is writing,the
ROMVET who has that expertise shares it with everyone on the list. We all grow
in our education (and admiration of the ROMVET who has this experience) as a
result. ROMVETS has become the military Google equivalent and it has served us
well.

The teamwork also has yielded another wonderful dynamic:
Merline Lovelace, USAF, and Lindsay McKenna, USN, got together at the Romantic
Times conference in St. Louis in 2004 and came up with an idea. They said: “What
if we put together a twelve book series concept to help our younger ROMVET
writers get established?” They wanted to create a vehicle that could help their
sister writers get into a known publishing house by being the co-captains
(co-copyright) on their idea. Both writers are USA Today bestsellers and know
the industry from nearly two decades of working in it. They came up with the
idea of TIME RAIDERS, a paranormal concept, and Lindsay pitched it to Tara Gavin
at Silhouette Nocturne. Before pitching the idea, Lindsay asked all the ROMVETS
list if they’d like to participate in the concept. About seventeen volunteers
did and so for 2004 and 2005, Merline and Lindsay honed the series concept and
worked with the interested ROMVET writers. Of course, they couldn’t promise that
these ROMVETS would get chosen for the project because that would ultimately be
up to Tara Gavin, the editor. The concept, however, was based upon the military
mindset of teamwork and that two or more heads were better than one.

The outcome of this is that Tara chose four of seventeen volunteers
to write the first four books. Those writers are Lindsay McKenna, Cindy Dees, PC
Cast and Merline Lovelace. If the Time Raiders concept and series is a success
with the readers, then Tara will go back to the list of volunteers and choose
however many more she wants. The books are being written in 2008 and will
showcase through Silhouette Nocturne in 2009. Needless to say, the ROMVETS used
their collective teamwork, creative ideas and allowed those who wanted to
volunteer, to have a chance at writing for this project. There aren’t many other
lists who have ever tried this series idea and been successful. But then,
military women know how to work as a team and can power through things and get
them done when others find the challenges too daunting. It is the ‘can do’
spirit of the military running through the veins of the ROMVETS that makes this
ongoing series possible.

The first four proposals for Time Raiders
has been approved. Lindsay McKenna will lead off with the first book, to set the
template,and then Cindy Dees follows with book #2, then PC cast with book #3 and
finally, Merline Lovelace will round out the first four books offered to readers
of the paranormal. They have collectively come up with the concept--believing
that group dynamics and ideas are the best way to go on a project of this size.
The more brains and creativity you put on an idea, the better it becomes. And
Time Raiders has evolved into a highly unique world building concept that we
believe will please and thrill the readers.

And, in the spirit of
military teamwork,there are about a dozen ROMVETS who are getting together in
Jackson Hole, Wyoming in June, 2008, to spend a vacation together. We intend to
be creative and who knows? We might start up another series concept where some
of our ROMVETS can get published or show cased. One never knows! The energy and
magic of the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks will certain inspire us.

In the end ROMVETS are like the Four Musketeers: “All for one, one
for all,” as we support one another as writers and as military veterans.

WANT TO JOIN ROMVETS? HERE’S HOW!

Are
you a woman military veteran? From any country? Are you serving now? Or have
served? And you’re an aspiring or published author? Come join us!

Our web site is: http://www.romvets.com/ so check us out.
The
web site is taken care of by Pam McCutcheon.

Me again: If you are a woman veteran from any military service from any country in the world, you can join. Just contact me and I'll put you in touch with Merline our ‘commander’ of the ROMVETS list.

a Moonstruck sighting!

2007-12-19T07:01:00.000-08:00

Exciting news: Moonstruck is finally available for preorder HERE! woo!

I do want to wish you one and all a very happy holiday! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

New Cover

2007-10-24T09:47:00.000-07:00

This is the launch book in my new Borderlands series, which I'm very excited about bringing to the shelves. Moonstruck is quite dark and emotional. This is the cover I received today. Your comments?

A Stroll in Sydney--with Bats!

2007-10-18T13:11:00.000-07:00

Last week when I was in Sydney, Australia, I took my usual long walk/hike in the Botanical Gardens . It's close to my hotel and right downtown on the harbor. I just love this place.

I started out walking toward the opera house. Look at the immensity of the building and the texture of the "shells":

Here's a view of Sydney you usually don't see. Looks tropical, doesn't it? And so modern. Lovely. This is a view from a path in the gardens:

Look at the trees in the gardens! They're HUGE. This one's bigger than my entire back yard:

I developed a fascination with the bark of the various trees. It's like a fingerprint; each trunk is unique. Here are a few shots:

Along the way I came upon a flock of cockatiels grazing! At home I see these only in cages. They were adorable:

Once of the most fascinating creatures in the park (other than the muscled male Aussie joggers, that is) are the resident fruit bats. Look at them all! They fill the trees! The first time I saw them I couldn't believe it. One of these days, if I won't get trapped inside the gates, I'd love to be there at dusk when they take flight:

They really ARE cute, like little foxes with wings:

I zoomed in and discovered something I hadn't realized--They don't really hold on with their feet/claws. That's probably just for reassurance. They have these little hooks on the "elbow" of their wings. Is that cool or what?

I hope you enjoyed going on the nature walk through the botanical gardens with me. Happy Halloween!

PS--I thought you might enjoy this video of my Academy roommate's daughter, now a cadet herself, jumping out of a plane!

My New Home

2007-10-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

Your home is a

Philanthropic Time-Lord's Mansion

Your kitchen consists of dilithium-powered food replicators, manned by obedient robot slaves, who are sure to never, ever rebel. I mean, it's preposterous to even consider it. There's a Chocolatessen, which is rapidly becoming your favorite room of the house. Having one is also becoming a trend among your wealthy neighbors. Your master bedroom is the size of a small barn, with carpet thick enough to reach your ankles. Your study has every science fiction title ever written. One of your garages contains a life-sized X-Wing fighter, and KITT. (KITT was a gift from a well-meaning uncle.)

Your home also includes a robot repair bay, where your mechanized servants are routinely fitted with new restraining bolts. (It's just a precaution.) Your guests enjoy your animatronic replica of the cantina at Mos Eisley. Outside is your radio telescope, listening constantly for alien transmissions. Especially invaders. They'll come eventually, even if nobody believes you. (Nobody does.)

And, you have a pet -- a doberman pincer named "Warren".

Below is a snippet of the blueprints:

Find YOUR Dream Home!

Blood Sausage Update

2007-10-07T18:02:00.000-07:00

When I was in Sydney over the weekend, I ate at the buffet in the hotel where months ago I was tricked into eating Blood Sausage because it was labeled deceptively as Black Pudding...and it had been removed from the items! Could it be that my blog influenced the menu planners? Were they ashamed at tricking non-UK visitors who assume pudding means pudding? In its place was "stuffed mushrooms." They looked like mushrooms, and tasted like mushrooms, stuffed with cheese that seemed to be cheese and not some organ meat or bodily fluid from livestock. If anyone knows another name for "stuffed mushrooms"...don't tell me.

Good morning, Vietnam

2007-09-02T11:48:00.000-07:00

For a few years now United has flown to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in Vietnam. I never had the opportunity to fly this trip, and truly that was fine by me--it is six days of work on the opposite side of the clock in heat and humidity and thunderstorms with low pay for high hours away from home (I got a mortgage and kids) and no thanks!--but this month the trip appeared in my schedule all on its own (a consequence of being relatively junior on the seniority list, sometimes your schedule surprises you!). Working over Labor Day weekend notwithstanding, I was actually excited to see another place I'd never been.

On the first day, we flew from San Francisco to Hong Kong, arriving in the evening. This is one of my favorite hotels for a layover. It's on Hong Kong island with fantastic views of the harbor. If you are lucky enough to get a high floor (this time I was on the 31st) it's like being up in an airplane. I always sleep with the blinds open because the city looks like gemstones, sparkling against a sky and water that takes on all the colors of the sunset and sunrise.

I can sit at the window and watch the harbor for hours. In this photo, I loved the contrast of this junk sailing by the cargo ship sailing by the cruise ship:

The next afternoon we flew to Saigon. (The real name is Ho Chi Minh City, but the airport identifier is "SGN" so we all call it Saigon. I later learned the locals call the central downtown area Saigon and the outlying sprawl Ho Chi Minh.) It's a quick flight, only about 2.5 hours, but it's in the middle of the night body-clock time and that makes it harder, especially since there are no relief pilots on such a short leg to do all the other duties, so my workload as a first officer is effectively doubled. I did not nap well, so felt even more tired. But oh, well! (I'm not whining; I'm just sayin') Anyway, I knew we'd be down there in no time with thoughts of a cold beer as a reward after we arrived. The captain had flown to Saigon many times. You take off out of Hong Kong, fly over the China Sea, then you are there. United dispatch warned us that they saw thunderstorms all up and down the coast and solidly all over the south of Vietnam. None of it panned out, though. The airport was mostly clear and the skies amazingly empty. The captain likened it to coming in to Des Moines in the middle of the night--you are the only one on approach--and I agree! Except that jungle below us looked pretty dark, and I don't remember corn fields looking quite that desolate.

The terminal was brand new--I mean like Opening-Day new. It was its second day in operation. Apparently the contrast between this terminal and the old one is marked, according to the crew I flew with who had been there many times. As I would soon learn, it is the dawn of a new era for Vietnam, especially Ho Chi Minh City. What it looks like today will not be the way it looks in ten years.

I managed to sleep about 5 or 6 hours, not so easy on the opposite side of the clock, but I feel rested. The room feels humid. The next morning, this is the view from my hotel. Times Square Flat Iron building, Saigon style!

I ate a traditional local breakfast (as I try to do in all the places I visit). A Vietnamese breakfast consists of Pho (pronounced "fuh") which is rice noodles in a delicious meat-based broth with chicken (or beef) into which you add basil leaves, raw bean spouts, chilis, and these other leaves I had no idea what but they tasted good. Vietnamese coffee is a city favorite; people were drinking it hot and cold all day in cafes all over the city. It's thick, caught-in-your-teeth thick, and you pour syrupy condensed milk in it that makes it creamy and very sweet. Woke me right up!

I hit the ATM in the lobby for some dong, the local currency. It is about 16,800 dong per dollar. I took out a...million. So for a mere 60 USD, I was a millionaire for a day!!! Though it did feel awkward offering others dong, "do you want to see my dong? My dong is bigger than your dong") Then it was time for sight-seeing. First, the old presidential palace which is now a museum.

For some reason, there were soooo many chairs, all beautiful and Chinese style, in every color, all over the buildings.

The museum was pretty much a boring bust...except the basement, which was used as a bomb shelter. It's like a time warp, with rooms filled with 1960s and 70s vintage electronics.

Apparently these tunnels, closed to visitors, lead to the Saigon River and other places under the city, at one time, an escape route for the president:

One of the more unusual collections I've seen. I've heard of glass frogs and ceramic roosters...but (real) elephants' feet?

On the roof, a replica of the helicopter the president would have used for escape. Note the red targets. I'll talk about those next:

OK, the targets. In 1975, in the fall of Saigon (or when Saigon was liberated, depending on your perspective, of course)double agent/pilot Nguyen took a USAF-made jet and dropped a bomb through the roof of the presidential palace. He was an instant hero. Where the bomb fell is commemorated here...and there, by red targets. Nguyen is now a high-level airline exec for Vietnam Airlines, I hear:

Then it was back outside and into the traffic, which endlessly fascinated me. I've been to A LOT of cities, but never have I seen so MANY vehicles filling the streets, even in Manila with its Mad-Maxian jitneys. I crossed a street only once during my stay, and hope I live to never have to do that again. "Don't make eye contact with the drivers and don't stop" was the advice given to me by a local to use when crossing:

The whole family can ride on one scooter:

You weren't safe off the streets, either. The scooters zipped across sidewalks, too, just like in Taipei and other cities, but here they even zoomed into stores, which of course makes parking oh-so convenient.

Throughout the city, there would be random spoils of war displayed. For instance, this USAF F-5 in front of an administrative building.

I arrive at the Remnants of War Museum, formerly known as the American War Crimes Museum. There were three main buildings. One is just for photos, pretty horrific many of them, including a bunch of pics of people being tortured and the offspring of Agent Orange victims, horrible deformed, as well as US planes and soldiers getting blown to bits.

Internment as art. Despressing as the concept is, I found the cement, glass shards and barbed wire interesting on an artistic level:

These are the "Tiger Cages" where many were imprisoned and tortured, complete with photos and actual gear used. Like the Topography of Terror museum in Berlin, I found this museum disturbing and depressing--not for seeing what the USA did, but knowing all sides do horrific things to other humans in all wars; it doesn't matter whose side you're on.

More spoils on display:

Adding to the despressing atmosphere was the third world with a capital "T" surroundings. After a while it was all too claustrophobic and I bailed out.

Back outside into the traffic again!

There were many examples of French/colonial architecture throughout the city:

This is the Notre Dame Cathedral, contructed entirely of stone brought from France in the early 19th century:

When I was there, a couple was taking their wedding pics outside. They hadn't gotten married there. It's just a tradition to take wedding photos at various famous locations around town. They do this sort of thing in St. Petersburg, too, I remember.

The post office. Famous for being leftover from French Days:

My impressions of the city after that one long day of sight-seeing? It's far behind other Asian cities in modernizing, woefully far behind, very "third world", but seems poised on the threshhold of becoming a real player in the economics of the region. In ten years, I can see it looking VERY different, skyscrapers in a business district, etc. I can recall being in Beijing back in 1989, and it looked a lot like Saigon in many ways. Now you can hardly recognize the city. Case in point, the new airport terminal. I did love mingling with the people. My guide told me that something near 80 percent of the population is under 30. Everyone acted extremely friendly, and if you showed any interest at all in the culture and food, they were so happy to explain and help.

I possess a low maintenance body. Most of the time I don't worry about what I eat. Something must have gotten to me, though, because the next morning when it was time to leave for the airport to fly back to Hong Kong (3:30 am wake-up call!) I had myself a good case of "diya-leer" as the lady making the announcements in the Tokyo airport calls it. A sick pilot takes some coordination--not to mention self-discipline--when you are the one flying the plane. I used the lav just before take-off, and, sweating, waited for 18,000 feet so I could tear off my seat harnesses and get back to the lav! New anti-terror procedures require a barrier to be pulled across the small hallway between the lavs and the cabin on the upper deck, which is where the 747 cockpit is located. It's new and none of the flight attendants are real comfortable with erecting the barrier just yet. Picture me hopping and sweating until that barrier was up. Not pretty! When I got back to Hong Kong, I was so happy for the modern, air-conditioned hotel room and slept the rest of the day.

The next morning it was time to fly home and I was as good as new.

Cycling in Denmark (aka off the beaten path)

2007-08-12T10:14:00.000-07:00

One of the best moves I made in planning my recent trip to Europe was hiring Jon Martin to take us on a bike tour of Copenhagen. We found his information in Rick Steves' 2007 travel guide to Scandinavia, in the Copenhagen section. After experiencing an almost Epcot (Disney) feel in some of the cities due to massive herds of summer tourists, Jon took us off the beaten path. If you want to see Copenhagen as only the locals do, and view places few conventional tours go, then this will be as fun for you as it was for us.

One of the highlights of a day filled with highlights was seeing Christiania. It's an autonomous part of Denmark founded by and still run by a group of hippies who seized some old military barracks over 30 years ago.

But not for long. It was a real snapshot in time seeing Christiania, because it looks like it will soon vanish. A law has been passed ending the commune's de facto autonomy. Already people are getting eviction notices, according to Jon.

Not more than a 10 minute ride from the city, we arrive.

Next is a photo of Jon telling us that we are about to enter Pusher Street. "Pusher," I think, assuming it is a Danish word. Still not getting it, I listen to Jon explain how there was more "wheat" sold here than any other steeet. With my mind still in the Middle Ages from the historical sights we have just visited, I'm thinking how cool for the kids to see this, as I imagined stockinged farmers bringing bales of wheat to market hundreds of years ago.

Then Jon tells me to put away my camera because "illegal transactions" take place on Pusher Street, and if you have a photo of it your camera can be seized for evidence. I chuckle, thinking he is kidding, but I do. After all, in Russia, one couldn't take pictures in many of the museums. So off we go. As we round the first corner, I am hit with the smell of marijuana. "Weed," not "wheat" I immediately realize, as I stare in horror not at the sight of the open air hashish stands, or the hippies and Euros of all sorts smoking or buying it, but at my kids' delighted expressions. Cool--I can see the word glowing in their eyes. I imagine my daughter's friend, whom I took along with us, e-mailing home to let her parents know:" Sue took us to a street where we got to see people doing drugs!"

The street is filled not only with hippies--and some of the best people watching ever--but herds of pit bull dogs. One lumbers across my path. I see the locals stop to watch--will the outsider hit our dog. It grows suddenly and eeerily silent; a cloud passes over the sun. It's like the old West, the bad guys glancing up from their card game at the new sheriff, smoke wafting across their hardened faces. I squeeze the brakes, hard. The pit bull escapes my screeching tires. The locals go back to smoking and buying, and I survive my crossing of Pusher St.

The rest of Christiania is pristine countryside.

The houses are self-constructed and totally outside any building codes. All but one home, Jon said, has been given orders to be torn down.

I loved this house (foreground)--it reminded me of something out of a post-apocalyptic thriller:

The streets were dirt with very few cars.

Another house. Or maybe aliens landed. It's hard to say...

Then, across the river, one can see the first of the new, planned developments in this area. These are expensive homes. Within a few years, this will be what Christiania looks like, a wealthy area.

We are nearing the border, in just a few minutes of biking we wiil leave this...

...going out the gate and reentering the European Union

to find ourselves back in the city:

What an abrupt change! Gorgeous, modern Copenhagen, and so different from Christiania.

I highly recommend than if you are in good enough shape to do it, take an independent bike tour of the cities you are visiting. There's no other way to see the sights up close and personal than with a local, and especially with one as personable and knowledgable as Jon Martin.

The Mother of All Blog Posts

2007-07-15T12:01:00.000-07:00

(whispering) I'm alive...

I got myself in a real pickle where I had two full novels to write in about 6 months. Combine that with raising my teens, where my primary focus lies, and jetting around the world in my job as a commercial airline pilot and I was no longer sure how to work in an online presence, which I love to have but couldn’t realistically accomplish while fulfilling my other obligations. I realize it looks like I dropped off the face of the Earth! I didn’t see just how much so until recent letters from fans and friends poured in asking where I was. (You know who you are--thank you!) They worried I was ill, or had eloped and moved to Finland, or that I, too, was doing a stint in Promises, OR, that I’d been abducted. (the truth is, every time the aliens abduct me, I tell them my two high-schoolers and my border collie Must Ride, too, and they always dump me off the ship! (Sigh.))

To ease your worries, no to all. I’ve just been working hard at the writing, very, very hard, and have otherwise been happy and productive. As a mom with 2 jobs, I just don't know how to be as available as many authors seem to be online. To be honest, I don't know how they do it. Clearly, I am not as capable, organized, disciplined as they are, so I did some soul searching regarding the Internet and my blog: I don’t want to abandon being Out Here...so, I made some internal compromises. I’ll try to adhere to updating the blog only about once a month. It will free me up to be more active in the comments section and make longer posts. I really do love keeping up with this blog! That said, I present to you the Mother of All Blog Posts.

Travel news:

I just returned from another adventure! This time not for work. This was for pleasure, and what a pleasure it was! I took my kids and my daughter’s best friend on a trip to the countries that border the Baltic Sea. It’s an area of the globe I’ve always wanted to visit. From biking through Copenhagen to touching a section of the Berlin Wall, to eating lunch with a Russian family in their pre-Soviet era flat, we did it all. I just adore traveling and think I am a gypsy at heart. My kids have caught the bug, too. Especially my daughter who said when I asked her where she wanted to go next, “I don’t care, as long as it’s traveling.” I’m with her! I didn't want to come home!

Here are a few of the 900+ photos. This trip pumped up my muse so much, I have stories bursting out of me.

First we visited Tallinn, Estonia. It is one of Europe's finest examples of a medieval walled town because of the city's miraculous survival of the wars. The turreted wall is still mostly intact. We had fun exploring the nooks and crannies, and feeling the ancient vibes.

But modern tech is slipping in everywhere--note the satellite dish on the centuries-old building:

Then it was on to Russia. The cathedrals of St. Petersburg were stunning works of art. Many like St. Nicholas were badly damaged during WWII. The city is adrape with scaffolding and canvas coverings as the city painstakingly repairs the neglect leftover from Soviet times:

I never thought about the individual domes, or that they would have so much detailing. But they do!

I like this photo of a Russian grandfather that I took in the gardens of the Catherine Palace outside St Petersburg. His little granddaughter kept him on the move, and I had only a fraction of a second to shoot, but I think his expression says it all, the love between members of a family:

The palaces were extraordinary, the wealth displayed staggering. No surprise there was a revolution. We visited both the Catherine Palace and Peterhof, the summer palace of the Czars:

Next we traveled to Finland. As I will post in my writing news below, I'll be doing a Christmas themed novella in 2008. It just so happens that while in Finland I spotted Santa on his day off. You know he lives in Lapland, right? Here he is in the Kauppatori Market Square in Helsinki, calling The Mrs. on his cell phone, when I got this pic of him using my zoom lens:

I think the camos were left over from the last elf uprising. (The Claus needs to know when to be alpha or the elves will roll right over him)

I was so taken with the fresh produce in the market. This is only one of many photos I took of the stands. I love salmon--raw, cooked, smoked, barbequed--and so do the Finns. The extent of salmon varieties had my mouth watering:

But they eat ... reindeer. (Do you think Santa knows? Was that why he was at the market that day? I wonder what happens to the sled pullers when they retire...or the ones that don't make the team...oh God...)

From Finland we sailed to Sweden. On the way I witnessed an area on this beautiful planet Earth to where I must return. It's called the archipelago and it consists of 10s of thousands of islands and islets, many with lovely little summer homes. It takes five hours at least to sail through. This is where the Swedes vacation, and my God, they do it right. I was transfixed by the serenity. My only regret? It was overcast and the lighting did not do the scenery justice. But, I'll be back...

I was enchanted by Stockholm. The time there was all-too short. It is a city to be revisited when I have more time and money. My friends know that I love Absolut Vanilla vodka. I sip it from the freezer and straight-up. Needless to say, the Absolut Ice Bar was a must-see stop on our itinerary. All of us loved it! It is the first of the ice bars now cropping up around the world, built by the Ice Hotel people. The ice is imported straight from Santa's backyard--Lapland. The kids sipped lingonberry juice, and me? Absolut Vanilla, of course!

Just mosey up to the bar (made of solid ice) and grab a glass (also ice.)

Take a seat on the reindeer skin lined seats (all ice, of course). It's minus 20F inside, so a warm place to park is a must!

And enjoy...

Since Stockholm is built on a marsh, many of the old buildings have started leaning. That above shot reminds me of a beginning art student's attempts at learning perspective!

Then I had a majorly fun "author moment" when I was drawn in to this book store in Old Town Stockholm. With a sign like this, how could I not?

Just for fun, I asked if they carried any Susan Grant books--and they did! How fun is that?

After Sweden we crossed the Baltic Sea once more to Germany, where we traveled 3 hours roundtrip on a bus to have the opportunity to visit Berlin. This was a favorite stop. My kids will never learn as much history in school as they did witnessing it in this incredible, resilient city.
Here is my son, 6-feet-tall but dwarfed by the memorial built to remember the Jewish citizens killed by the Nazis. It's an eerily beautiful but controversial structure. Controversial because there are no signs telling you what it is (or even that there's a museum underneath), our guide explained. Some say it's this way because the Jews didn't know what was to happen to them when they were "relocated" and this attempts to express that:

The Berlin Wall.

Most of it has come down, but the entire length is still marked by cobblestones:

Some areas are intact and you can touch:

Some are on display behind plexiglass and you cannot:

All the panels left tell a story I hope the world never forgets. Unfortunately, history repeats itself.

After Berlin, we traveled to Denmark and the city of Copenhagen, where we went on a 5 hour bike tour of the city with Jon Martin, operator of City Safari. It's just him running the company, so don't expect big-business, but that's precisely why I loved the tour he gave us. I loved the colors of the buildings lining the many canals in the city.

I have to admit the love story between Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik has me charmed. I've followed it since I saw banners in Sydney announcing their engagement(she is from Australia). I've even been to the Slip Inn, the bar in Sydney where they met. Sigh. :)

This trip was a fantastic experience.

Now, for some writing news!

How to Lose an Extraterrestrial in 10 Days comes out in...10 days! This one is special for many reasons. The issues I touch upon on in this work of fiction are, unfortunately, quite real. The slave trade is back--in high gear. However, this time it’s not limited primarily to Africans. People of every race are enslaved in almost every continent. Not only adults. It’s estimated that over ten-million children work in abysmal, slave-like conditions from private homes to brothels to the plantations that produce the cocoa for our cups of hot chocolate. Unbelievably, the number of slaves of all ages--today, worldwide--is more than double the number of those enslaved in the entire 400-year history of the transatlantic slave trade! And, yet, it goes almost unnoticed in our modern world. While I couldn't promote this book as I wished I could, I do hope the story will speak for itself and open people’s eyes. I hope that the story can help in some small way, sending out ripples of awareness like a pebble dropped into a vast lake.

What you can do: The UN’s International Labor Organization has a website where you can learn more. Then tell a friend to tell a friend. A future where no human owns another is one that’s within our grasp.

The wonderful blogger scifi chick has posted an interview with me. If you haven’t read her blog, it is great. She's also an artist. Her work is amazing and I hope to have a chance to buy some for myself one day.

What’s coming up in Susan Grant books? After a bit of a break between books (August 07 to June 08) my stuff will inundate the shelves! Here’s what I know so far:

June 2008: Moonstruck: A tale of the Borderlands (kicks off a new series)

Summer 2008: Mysteria II (anthology with MaryJanice Davidson, Gena Showalter, PC Cast)

Summer/fall 2008: Untitled (likely another Borderlands Book)

November 2008: Silhouette Suspense anthology (gasp--a NON-paranormal. It’s a 2-fer, a two-in-one military suspense with a Christmas theme in a book with bestselling author and sister Romvet Lindsay McKenna).

2009--another novel

Now do you understand WHY I've been scarce? Eesh!

As I mentioned in the interview with Angela, I’m over-the-moon excited about Moonstruck. Basically, it’s a deeper, more complex series spin-off of the Otherworldly Men books, and kicks off the science fiction romance Borderlands series, what I hope will be an ongoing. Moonstruck takes place almost entirely on a spaceship after the Drakken surrender and concerns the difficulties in combining the former enemies (as well as Earth) in a cohesive force. They have to learn to work together, and it makes for some great conflict! I pair old enemies: Coalition Admiral Brit Bandar and former pirate Drakken Warleader Finn Rorkken on a ship crewed by Drakken, Coalition, and Earthlings. I’ve never, ever written a couple with more chemistry. It wasn't anything I did--they are fully responsible. They wrote this book, I simply sat there and typed as fast as my little fingers could go. I particularly enjoyed writing a high-ranking female officer who is as legendary in her military as Patton was in mine.

If you have a blog, or are a reviewer, librarian or bookseller, please contact me to get on the ARC list. I plan to send these out early...as in SOON. Can I say again how excited I am for this one to come out?

Last, I heard Dorchester will re-release my very first book Once A Pirate with a NEW cover! (the link leads to the old version, as I have no date yet for the new) Hooray! I just love how Dorchester keeps my entire backlist in print. Sometimes the stock empties out but they always eventually refill. Three cheers for publishers who know what readers want! And while we're cheering publishers, more for HQN who are open-minded enough to allow me to write my genre-mutts!

So my friends, how is YOUR summer going? What have you read lately that you loved? Where have you traveled and enjoyed? And as always, talk food to me. Food! I adore food! (everything but black pudding which I smartly avoided while in Europe! I must have a dozen or more photos from the meals we had, everything from beef stroganoff and borscht in Russia to pastries in Germany.

Forgive my long absence and I'll see you around online!

[FLYING] Bloody Sydney

2007-03-29T15:35:00.000-07:00

I finally had the chance to return to Sydney, Australia, after a long absence. It’s one of my favorite layovers, but it seemed I kept getting stuck with China flights with the occasional Japan. The flight down here was uneventful. We bring 4 pilots. As I was slated to be a relief pilot--i.e. I don’t get to take off or land this time--I had first break. We took off about fifteen minutes late as directed by Sydney Air Traffic Control. Sydney ATC directing operations halfway around the globe in San Francisco, you ask? Yep. There’s a curfew for Sydney that is strictly enforced. Really, really strictly. Rumor has it that airlines are charged 250K USD for every airplane that lands before 6 am. Since we were scheduled to arrive at 5:57, we took the delay on the ground in SFO rather than having to fly a holding pattern 13-14 hours later in-flight. After take off, by about 11:30 pm, I was happily, drowsily falling asleep in the bottom bunk in our soundproofed bunkroom located behind a secret door in the cockpit. Next time you’re traveling on a 747, come upstairs to visit before the flight like people often do and ask to take a peek where the pilots sleep. Most find it interesting to see our “bedroom.” I’m always amazed at how many people think two of us stay up the entire time! When we got to the hotel about 8 am, two calendar days later (I try not to think about this) I was able to get a 2-hour nap to add to the four or so hours I’d gotten during the night. I’ve been so tired lately, sleeping was easy. Usually I’m way too hyper for naps (or don’t sleep well in the bunk because of turbulence, etc.) But I was meeting dear friends for lunch and wanted to be at least semi-conscious.

The lovely and talented--and RITA winner!--Isolde Martyn and her charming husband John met me in the lobby and we enjoyed a long lunch catching up. Thanks to them, I discovered a fantastic new restaurant only a few blocks from my hotel. It’s called Heritage Belgian Beer Café. The atmosphere and the food are fantastic. (Kangaroo loin is on the menu, btw, but having tried this once and not been impressed, I skipped it in favor of Flemmish beef stew.) I’m not a big fan of Belgium beer, preferring Chinese, Mexican, or Japanese brews, but John set me up with a light refreshing wheat beer that was lovely especially with a sliver of lemon. One thing that was fun about this pub was that a part of the floor was left cut-out. Covered with thick glass, it revealed part of the old Rocks district left from the 1800s. After we parted company, I nixed plans to take the ferry to Manly Beach (it was showering by then) and walked all over to all my favorite haunts, while buying requested treats for the kids (black licorice from Daryl Lea, and Cadbury bars from Woolworths) until I was tired all over again. I finished up a synopsis due my editor (it’s called juggling two careers, but the flying and the writing do seem to compliment each other) and by 6:60 I was in bed.

By 2:30 am, unfortunately, I was up. So I worked on more writing stuff until it was breakfast time. I would have gone out looking for a place to eat outside, but figured I could better work on my copy edits while eating if I stayed in the hotel. They have a nice buffet. Usually, it’s the same stuff. But this morning there was a new item. It was called “black pudding.” Except, it didn’t look like pudding; it looked a like dark sausage. It actually looked yummy, so I took a small piece to try. It’s rare I come across a food that I haven’t eaten or heard of, so unless something looks strangely gelatinous, or is pulsing, or is raw and isn’t fish, or has claws, I’ll try it. It was really yummy! Salty, savory. There were some lighter colored thingies in the sausage I wasn’t too sure about, but I removed those. So I went back and got a few more pieces to eat with my scrambled eggs. I kept thinking I should ask the waitress what it was, but they were busy. But something kept nagging at me to check: a back-of-the neck prickling of instincts. Back in the room, I googled “black pudding,” went to Wikipedia and discovered black pudding is another name for...blood pudding (insert horror music).

“It’s a sausage made by cooking animal blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled. Blood sausage is a more recent North American term for the same as well as a useful term for similar blood-based solid foods around the world.”

Bleeaaaaaach! Bile rose in my throat. I’m fighting the urge to vomit even as I write this! Yet, I read on... “Pig or cattle blood is most often used; sheep and goat blood are used to a lesser extent. Blood from poultry, horses and other animals are used more rarely. Typical fillers include meat, fat, suet, bread, barley and oatmeal.”

Pray it was not goat blood!!! Not that it matters at this point. Blood mixed with oatmeal! What would the Quaker Oats man say?! Ugh! It can’t get any worse! I’m going to go brush my teeth AGAIN! I wish I were bulimic so I could upchuck at will, but my body won’t cooperate! Blood sausage. Ugh! I’m going to have nightmares for a week!

Anyone out there LIKE this stuff KNOWING what it is? I liked it...until I found out the ingredients. Anyone ever eat something THEN find out it was something straight out of Fear Factor? Please share and get my mind off this!

[FLYING] Sacrificing to appease the gods of aviation

2007-01-15T20:14:00.000-08:00

So I learned of this blog that posts loads of aviation related stuff. I think this falls under the "stranger than fiction" category, but there’s a story about Turkish Airlines mechanics sacrificing a camel to celebrate finishing the work on some jets. I'm going to suggest the technique to United. It would save space in shelters, reduce pet overpopulation. And if it does well, we can expand it to include virgins. Hmm...that just spawned a great idea for a new book, post-apocalyptic, of course, but aviation-themed, sort of a Mad Max meets Airplane.... Heh.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/12/AR2006121201384.html/

[WRITING] Santa Came Early

2006-12-23T10:10:00.000-08:00

I wasn't even a good girl this year (the subject of future blogs, perhaps?), but Santa-baby came through. He used his magical powers to see the kernel of goodness beneath my crusty exterior and rewarded me justly. Wait, I'm too young to be crusty, okay, call me Crusty-Broad-in-Training, but the kernel of goodness is there--I swear! I'm truly excited to announce that:
Sony Entertainment, my new FAVORITE entertainment company, has optioned all four stories in Mysteria for a miniseries!!! It'll be a while between this stage and production, but that hasn't stopped PC Cast, Gena Showalter, MaryJanice Davidson, and I from shopping for our Red Carpet gowns!

Gena's got a fun idea going on over at her blog: For those of you who have read Mysteria, which actors/actresses can you picture playing the characters? Hmmm, for Harmony, possibly Beyonce? And for Damon, that's a toughie, someone like Clive Owen or Hugh Jackman but a little younger... What do you think?

(credit for the great photo goes to the totally talented & fab Kelli!)

Fly Without Ever Leaving the Ground

2006-12-13T09:43:00.000-08:00

If you’ve followed this blog for a while you’re familiar with my trips to the hellish Chamber of Horrors, a.k.a. United Airlines Training Center in Denver, CO. There, aside from being subject to the blatant, almost gleeful cruelty of the inquisitors, I gain landing currency, handle emergencies, train for low, almost zero visibility approaches, and avoid midair collisions. The simulators are so realistic that once you are immersed in the training, you forget you’re on the ground. But...you are, and that’s the point here.

See, flying a plane uses all five senses, not only visual, which is all a simulator offers along with some simulated but mostly inaccurate motion. I’ve been flying the Boeing 747-400 for almost 10 years now. It’s like being married to someone for a long time. I know the sounds it makes and mostly always why. I can sense something going wrong before it does because of the subtle way it handles or sounds, or even smells. I’ve figured out what NOT to do to get it all riled up. I know what makes it happy. It’s even gotten to the point that I know the various planes in the fleet and their little idiosyncrasies, like the ones that drink too much (gas). You can’t get any of that in a simulator.

But not everyone has access to 180 million dollar airplanes. Worry no longer! Now no pilot will have to be inconvenienced searching for a real plane to fly. A home PC with some kickass flying games, some time bought in the simulator, and this eager pilot wannabe will soon be sitting behind the controls in YOUR plane ready to fly you and your children to Grandma’s house! Sound exciting? A little too exciting for me!

There’s been a scary but inevitable development at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) the folks that make the world's aviation rules. They’re now going to let prospective pilots earn most of their experience in ground-based simulators. Because...it saves money! It’ll allow foreign airlines (Asia, Middle East) that face shortages of pilots (ahem, maybe it’s because they don’t let women fly??!!) to get their flights crews trained and hired faster. Most likely, the change won’t take effect in the USA anytime soon, but buyer beware if you’re planning travel overseas, especially on “bargain airlines.”

Oh, the article also states ever-so casually that only co-pilots can be trained this way. The captain still has to have “100s of hours” of flight time. Gah. That’s nothing. I stopped counting when I passed 10,000. I remember how I felt at “100s” and it wasn’t very experienced. Luckily I was still in the USAF flying little jet trainers with just me and one student to worry about.

Here’s the link to the article.

There's even a lovely shot of the Torture Chamber!

I want to wish you all a lovely holiday!

Sexy Back

2006-11-11T21:42:00.000-08:00

Here's my August 2007 cover! He looks a lot how I picture Reef (from the back, anyway!). And I love how they did the hands lifting up his shirt. (the back shows her lifting his shirt to expose his stomach! Very nice) Although this book is fun and playfully sexy in the same tone as the two previous, the plot touches on some pretty serious issues, such as child slavery and trafficking (we get to see some of Reef's history and how he got to be a Reef). I think the term is called a "dramedy."

As soon as this book's handed in, I get to work plotting a brand new series beginning spring 2008 with a second book coming summer/fall 2008. Very exciting. I'm returning to my SF romance/space opera roots, finally, with a sweeping epic like the Star series, but in a time far in the future. I've got loads of notes and ideas popping. I can't wait to see what direction this takes me.

And don't miss the post below about a recent layover in Japan.

A Trip to the Temple

2006-11-10T16:03:00.001-08:00

I've been scarce because of deadline and a book that won't quit giving me a hard time. I love the characters...it's just that they're not cooperating. So I went in search of some zen on my last trip.

On my last trip to Narita, I took the bus into town as soon as I arrived at the hotel and changed. My favorite place to go on layovers there that isn't a bar or restaurant is a beautiful temple. Far from being a mecca for bored airline pilots from all over the world, Narita is actually a tourist town built around the Narita-san Shinsho-ji temple that brings in visitors from all over the country. An official description that I found says: The Naritasan-Shinshoji Temple is dedicated to the light god Fudo and was founded in 939, during a rising instigated by Taira Masakado in the area of the present day prefectures of Chiba and Ibakari. The Emperor Sujaku had the statue of Fudo in the Jingoji Temple at Kyoto brought to Kozugahara (to the west of the Shinshoji) in order to secure the god's help in defeating the rebels. When the rebellion came to an end in 940 with the death of Masakado, a temple was built in Kozugahara to house the statue, and in 1705 this was moved to its present site.

Many of the buildings and pagodas are in fact centuries old. An incense pot scents the grounds and calms me the moment I set foot through the gates. After a long flight it's utter zen for me. The park is huge and amazingly beautiful. Ponds with big, plump koi. winding paths. Statues of gods and priests with prayers taped to them by worshippers and visitors. (A friend told me once the monks collect the pieces of paper periodically to send the prayers to heaven. Are they burned? Is that correct? If anyone knows, please post.) I love the colors of the leaves in the fall, the dusting of snow in winter, the color of the plum and cherry blossom trees in spring, and especially the richness of the summer with the heavy humidity and lazy singing of the cicadas. I want to remember to bring a pad and sketch or paint one of these days.

Have you ever visited a place of religion at home or around the world that imparted such a feeling of spirituality and tranquility that it's tangible? Where was it?

Here are some of the pictures of the surrounding park I took a few of weeks ago...

I love the way visitors dress up the gods with little hats and scarves so they don't get cold. Those papers are the prayers/requests people leave.

The light looked so pretty coming through the trees. I need to get a better camera. This one's 5 years old and only 3 megapixels. Oh, Santaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

I just received another new book cover & would love your comments! I'll post it next--promise.

My Favorite Earthling

2006-09-29T11:13:00.000-07:00

I just saw the cover for my next space-opera romp and I'm too excited not to post it! They're saying sexy sells, so that's what I got. What do you think? I feel it'll work better than the "slapstick" look of Your Planet or Mine, the first book in the trilogy. My Favorite Earthling is #2. The books are fun, but aren't cornball, which Planet's cover and copy may have mistakenly relayed.

Here's what the back copy says in case it's too tiny to read:

Even a Goddess can have a bad day...

Keira, warrior-queen of the galaxy, is as famous for her beauty as she is for avoiding marriage. But when an upstart little planet called Earth threatens her world with its fleet of spaceships, the fate of her people lies in her hands. She must bind herself to a barbarian from the rogue world...or face the destruction of her own!

She's what he never knew he always wanted...

Confirmed bachelor Jared Jasper knew the trick Earth pulled on the alien invaders wasn't a permanent solution. What they needed was a peace treaty. It just never occurred to him that he would wind up on the bargaining table. Playing the pushover groom to a mouthy alien babe who knows how to use a plasma sword is not exactly his idea of fun. But with six-billion people depending on him, he doesn't have much choice--sleep with the enemy...or bring on interstellar war.

Strange bedmates? You bet. But this alliance may turn into a romance the likes of which this galaxy's never seen!

So, woo hoo! I can't believe it's coming up so soon. I feel like I just finished the thing--hey, I DID just finish the thing! It's even already on Amazon for pre-order. http://www.amazon.com/My-Favorite-Earthling-Susan-Grant/dp/0373771924/

I've been down and out with a cold, so I haven't flown in a while, but on Monday I head out to Beijing and am bringing my camera, so give me a week and I'll be posting about my adventures there and back!

On Airline Pilots

2006-09-13T15:53:00.000-07:00

I’m thinking this will be a bit of a rant, but I’m overdue for a rant, don’t you think, seeing that I’ve not ranted one single time during the history of this blog...unless I don’t remember ranting, which is entirely possible with writing deadlines, teenagers, and jet lag distorting my reality...

Ahem. Onward to the topic of this post, which is, also uncharacteristic of this blog, a serious one.

Last night while flying home from Japan, I indulged in some pondering on an issue that has been bothering me for some time: the reputation of commercial airline pilots and why it is so poor. Cruising at 36,000 feet, I puzzled this out as I listened to radio chatter on 123.45, the VHF frequency used by pilots of all airlines to communicate about weather or turbulence ahead, who’s at what altitude and when they might be climbing. A China Air pilot could help you out just as easily as Virgin or another United plane. Last night as I listened, the pilot I was flying with jotted down notes and did math to get the most comfortable ride for the passengers as well as using methods to conserve fuel at the same time. Every half hour or so, I plotted our position on a chart, comparing it to where our GPS navigation said we were supposed to be, while keeping up with what the weather in San Francisco would be when we arrived. Hours on end, we did our jobs, like we do on every flight. But how many passengers in the back fretted that we might be sleeping in the seats, not paying attention, maybe even working off the drinks we downed prior to arriving at work?

Why would I think that? Well, I'll tell you.

Flash back to a little over three years ago: I was in court before the judge who was deciding the matter of my divorce. A little background: I’m home a lot. I work as few as 8 nights a month, a luxury allowed by my seniority and an international schedule with long overseas flights as opposed to multiple domestic hops. But not everyone understands how our schedule works, and the judge made a few assumptions from the bench that weren’t accurate. So, I attempted to clarify. She stopped me, showing me the palm of her hand, and she sneered, “That’s okay. I know all about airline pilots.”

That stopped me cold. What did she mean? How did she know “all about airline pilots?” And what the hell was so sneer-worthy? But deep down I knew the answer. Airline pilots are rich playboys (or girls), cocky, risk-loving, and immature...if you believe the legend perpetuated by the pilot wannabe immortalized in the movie Catch Me If You Can. And it seems a lot of people do. We’re seen as sort of oily, lumped together with used car dealers and ambulance chasers. Of questionable morals, airline pilots are overpaid, under-worked prima donnas. Wherever did this perception come from? It makes no sense to me.

One would think there’d be respect for any profession where you are responsible for hundreds of lives, where you need to have a vast store of knowledge at the ready to use in a split second without warning and without hesitation, possibly under conditions simulating combat. I would think there’d be respect for anyone required to be a professional in their private life, too, taking care of the mind and body with decent rest and nutrition and exercise so as to be in top form for the rigors of air travel and all the crap that accompanies it, shifting time zones, working against the body clock, odd meal times, etc. Emergency room docs have that respect, so do police and firefighters, but not, apparently, commercial pilots. Why is that?

I remember just after 9-11 hearing everywhere I went the kudos and thanks going out to law enforcement and public safety officers, soldiers, too, people expressing their gratitude, which these heroes did deserve, but just once, once, it would have been nice to hear someone say thanks to the airline crews who had to leave their fearful families at home when it was time to go back to work, families worried for our safety as we climbed back into the planes in the chaotic weeks after 9-11. Getting the world’s transportation system back on its feet was just as important as security in many ways, but not once did I hear anyone comment on our courage in doing so. I don’t think people realized it? But hearing my youngest say before I went out the door that day, “Mommy, please don’t fly into any buildings,” was one of the most gut-wrenching things I ever had to experience.

Let me tell you how impressive your cockpit crew is on a typical flight. I hope it will reassure you the next time you board a plane. A big percentage of the pilots who bring you to places were military pilots, like I was. Some still are, serving in the reserves and the Air National Guard. Many more have advanced degrees. These are bright, bright people, the very best. Many could have been surgeons or engineers, but they chose to follow their love of flying. Though I think in coming decades you will see less of this. Aviation will no longer lure the best people. Faced with the decimation of salaries and benefits, the best will simply go elsewhere, where their skills will be properly compensated. Left manning your cockpit of the future will be the second tier. But that is a problem to be faced by our children’s and grandchildren’s generation, and it will be a problem someday, mark my words.

Speaking of the gutting of my profession, and please understand I am not complaining but only stating fact, I am now living on less than half the salary I earned in 2002. But my mortgage hasn’t changed. In fact, it has gone up. Expenses like groceries have, too. Let me just say that there are times it is a weeeeeeeeeeee bit tight in the Grant household, as I’m sure it is in many airline pilots’ homes, especially those 60+ year-old pilots who retired only to see their pensions go poof. At 46, I at least have some years to get some money saved, but they’re screwed, to put a fine point on it. But, I make it a policy not to lay awake at night worrying about what I can’t change. In fact, I often joke about it all because in black moments, humor is a lifesaver. In fact, my irreverence surfaced in a newspaper interview. (link may require a one-time, no obligation registration) The joke I made about the lack of furniture in my living room, something brought up by the reporter, not me, torched off a firestorm of hate mail. “You airline pilots are ungrateful,” wrote one man. “You should be happy you’re at least getting some retirement! (meaning $800 to live on as opposed to zero). Yeppers, I should be happy, a college degree from the USAF Academy, 25 years flying jets, 17 years with this company, and I should be happy to get a tenth of the pension I was promised. And how dare I joke about the lack of furniture, humor that somehow keeps me sane, as you, my blog readers, well know. “You are a spoiled brat,” ranted one woman--a pastor’s wife!--“You airline pilots are nothing but a bunch of whiners.”

In the end, the bitter anger on the part of the public directed toward my profession shocked me. Why is this? Like I said, I have no answers, only speculation. Why do you think this is? What is your opinion of commercial airline pilots? If it is negative, how did it get that way? Some say it’s been perpetuated by the airlines themselves, but that seems so diabolical. I’m just curious and will be interested in seeing any comments you care to leave!

I’ll close saying that despite some public opinion out there, I remain immensely proud of my flying brothers and sisters. I know what we do and how few people can do it. I know how good we are, how professional, and how much we value the lives of those we fly. With tens of thousands of aircraft taking off and landing every day, and with accidents so rare, I hope you take a moment to appreciate this, too, as we appreciate each and every one of you who buys a ticket and trusts us to fly you there safely.

The Merry Everyday Crying Bar

2006-08-29T17:06:00.001-07:00

The last time I was in China, I heard about this bar. In the tradition of stringing together English words that apart are perfectly fine but together make no sense, it’s called the Merry Everyday Crying Bar (not to be confused with the Christmas Hotel in Narita, which with its black, painted over windows serves as a creepy place to have an affair with your office secretary…but I digress.) The Merry Everyday Crying Bar is where you go to, well, cry. It has a few tables, a sofa, and a whole bunch of boxes of glasses that the customers are encouraged to throw against the wall to vent their emotions. And if you’re not feeling quite sucky enough to cry, or your stiff upper lip prevents you from sobbing your heart out, the bartender has plenty of pepper or onion juice to speed things along.

Or the sad songs they play over the speakers might help.

It seems the proprietor used to run a matchmaking agency. Word has it that he met so many people suffering from broken hearts (not clear if this was his fault or not) that he got the idea in his head that his clients needed a place they could cry their eyes out, naturally…or onion-juice induced.

Who goes there? White collar workers with no other way to vent their pain, migrant laborers looking for an outlet for being treated badly, and airline employees without pensions (okay, taking fictional license with that last part). The bartender never charges the laborers for crying, though, even at a loss of income. They don’t earn enough to pay for the glasses, and besides, their sobbing adds to the atmosphere.

I heard of another new fad sweeping China: beating plastic figures that represent bosses, ex-spouses, or cheating lovers. Oooh, I like this one better. You could have a box with matches and gasoline (could get dicey, though, but there are no fire codes in China), and knitting needles, and pots of boiling oil. Vent all your frustrations for the price of a few drinks. Just think how great you’ll feel at the end of the night!

Think some enterprising entrepreneur should introduce this to the USA? How about a franchise? Who knows, the next Merry Everyday Crying Bar could be opening in YOUR neighborhood.

Dining With an Inquisitor

2006-08-09T12:35:00.000-07:00

Hey. How d’ya like the blog’s new look? My web people “skinned” it for me to match the look of my website. Why do they call it that? Skinning? I cringe every time I hear it--picturing taking skin off chicken breasts. Bleck.

I’ve hardly had a chance to sit still since the end of July, thus the lack of blog posts. Plus, promoting YOUR PLANET OR MINE?, I’ve been everyone else’s guest blogger, it seems. With only a couple of days off between each overseas trip, I’ve been in recovery mode. I’m doing almost all my flying the first half of August to allow me to be home the last half of the month as my kids start public school for the first time.

So what country has been on the menu this month? Japan! Although I miss Sydney, the 3-day Narita trip has been proving a nice fit with my home life. There are fewer distractions like sightseeing and shopping. Eating, though, still proves a temptation.

But first, the Inquisitor.

So, this last Narita trip I show up only to find I am flying with one of the Inquisitors. (see my previous blogs on the Chamber of Horrors).

Not only is the captain an Inquisitor, he's more than just an instructor--he's what's known as a FAA Standards Captain, and is the most infamous of them all! But the Inquisitors, even Standards Captains, are also pilots, so they, too, need to keep up their flying currency, thus his appearance as the captain of my trip. I see his name before I see him. I want to flee. But what could I do? It was too late to call in sick. Plus, I needed the landing--on this particular trip, I was the FLYING first officer.

Much to my shock, the Inquisitor was a good guy! Somehow, he’d managed to leave the stench of evil back at the Chamber of Horrors and almost seemed to relish his freedom from the torture he inflicts on innocent pilots weekly in his job there. To my shock, as well, we had much in common, both of us USAF pilots during the 80s. Hours were spent reminiscing over the killing of brain cells on all those too-late Texas nights. His kids were of similar ages to mine, so we shared that as well. So, I’m thinking, hey, this trip is actually turning out to be FUN. When we arrived in Narita, we made plans to meet for dinner at The Bon.

As always, The Bon was packed with crewmembers from various airlines. We shared a table with a couple of Austrian Airlines flight attendants. I love this place. It’s a sort of an all-you-can-eat of Japanese food place, down a winding street near the temple in the village. On the downside, it was about 95 freaking degrees outside, even in the early evening, and even hotter in The Bon, where they cook the gyoza and chicken (and oddly, the french fries (see photo) on a fire grill.

Mopping sweat off my face with paper napkins, I devoured the food: salad for starters with corn and this delicious Asian dressing, followed by the first of what would be TWO platters of gyoza (pot stickers). They are the BEST gyoza of any restaurant foreign or domestic I have ever eaten. Sitting there, I consume so many, I fear I am about to pop like an over-fed goldfish. The Inquisitor watches me in horror, but I cannot stop. This feast is accompanied by chicken and vegetables, and of course, cold beer.

It was finished up by a quick stop at the Jet Lag Club:

Needless to say, I didn’t eat anything the next day. It’s two days later, and I’m still full. Ah, but it was soooo worth it.

What are some of your favorite places to eat--home or abroad? And what’s your favorite dish there?

Beer as Currency

2006-07-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

As I’d mentioned in a previous post, with the new way we are required to bid our schedules, I’ve been getting fewer (okay, no) flying trips. I never used to run out of landing currency. Never. But for the past 6 months or so, all of my trips are coming up as Bunkie IDs--meaning, I baby-sit the controls during the night while the flying guys sleep. Boooring. We call it “Dozing for Dollars.”

On flights over 12 hours, we bring two bunkies (The official term is non-flying pilot.) for a total of four pilots. For flights under 12 hours (namely SFO-NRT (Tokyo) we bring one bunkie for three pilots total). The FAA requires airline pilots to log three landings every 90 days. At the end of the last 90 days, I had only 1 out of 3 and had to get current in the simulator. But at 6 months, you have to have had three AIRPLANE landings (The simulator no longer counts). Having had no luck in May pulling flying trips, even though I’m going to great places like Sydney, I decided I had to get serious about getting my 3 landings before the end of June, when I’d turn into a pumpkin. Seeing that I’d also planned a desperately needed vacation to Tahiti during that same time , an event the Dominatrix of United, aka Jennifer, would surely seek to ruin in order to re-train me, I knew had to do something. But what could I do? Beg? Plead?

Exactly.

So, I started e-mailing the respective captains before each flight, explaining my situation and groveling for a landing. I got nothing but “no’s” and even a few “hell no’s.” (No matter, they-who-refuse-me will expire in humiliating ways in future novels--IOW, never piss off an author). So, I changed tactics. I began to bribe. Along with my usual pleading, I said I’d buy them beers when we got to the layover. Suddenly, the captains starting saying yes (even though they must make nearly twice what I do). In less than a week, I’ve gotten two landings!!! (And they were sweet, too (my landings), I might add, which either disputes the old saying that practice makes perfect or eerily confirms the importance of the simulator as a realistic training tool). I’m raiding my checking account once again (you think beer in Japan is cheap??!!) for the third and final landing that will keep me out of trouble (and Jennifer’s clutches) for another few months.

Epilogue: I did receive my third and final required landing, and went on to (finally) find success bidding with our new system. I'm giddy with delight to report I've actually gotten several recent landings without having to buy them, flying as the Flying First Officer and not the Bunkie! What have YOU bartered for lately...and what did you put on the bargaining table? Come on, fess up. Hee hee.

I'm ba-aack

2006-07-05T18:59:00.000-07:00

The vacation was fantastic. We did a lot of SCUBA and snorkling and I've officially fallen in love with the oceans in that part of the world. The water is so turquoise that you can't believe it's real. Most of the isles of French Polynesia don't have beaches per se, you have to get out to the "motus" on the reef, but there you'll find coconut palms, the silkiest sand and crystal clear water. It's achingly perfect. Yeah, I thought about running away to the South Seas...but then there was the mortgage...and book responsibilities, and, well, I dragged myself back to real life. Gotta write faster so I can afford another vacation!

I had exactly one day "off" before having to head right back out to work. I flew to Japan on the 4th. One of my very best friends, a 777 pilot, was also there on a layover so we ate in her favorite Brazilian restaurant Teco Teco with the guys on her crew and then finished up at the beloved Jet Lag Club (no I am not making it up--it's a real place!):

Owned by former Sabena flight attendant and his wife, it's the coolest place. Reminds me of the bar in the movie Star Wars that Chewie and Han Solo hung out in...if you replace the aliens with jet-lagged crew members!

Beijing Blue-Light Specials and Chinese Nails of Perfection

2006-06-18T08:12:00.000-07:00

I recently flew a trip to Beijing. I didn't visit the Forbidden City as I’d planned. Instead I was lured into the dark, secretive, and oh-so satisfying world of shopping for pirated items. Wait, not pirated, sorry, (mumbling): faux items.

The Chinese government is trying to crack down, though. Raids are sporadic, but shop owners pull up stakes and move frequently. Luckily, there are hundreds of restaurants with “back rooms” and anonymous-looking office buildings with dozens of floors of unmarked doors that they can lease. Here’s where you’ll find the best bargains. But only airline crew and regular travelers know of them because the locations are all word of mouth, leaving the typical tourist to be ripped off on the streets--not so much in price, but in the quality of the items. We airline crew are offered “Best Quality” because if you screw with us, we won’t return and word will get around. After a few hours of walking into restaurants, passing through the kitchens, and into a warren of stuffy and hot back rooms, or trips up a scary elevator to floors with numbered doors, through which you enter a paradise of cheap-but-excellent quality purses and watches, I felt a little like a junky in search of “da fix.”

But the night before, I had the most interesting nail experience. See, I’m about to go on vacation...a real, blissful vacation to the South Seas. So I wanted to get a nail fill--that’s acrylic powder painted over your real nails so they can grow long and your polish lasts for weeks. There’s the pedicure place we go to, located inside a shopping market. The night we landed, I went over there for my pedicure--and foot massage, ahhhh--and asked the ladies if they do acrylic fills.

To begin, they did the manicure thing you never get at home: cuticles, etc, then the fill began: it was all done by hand, painstakingly, each nail filed, acrylic-ed, filed and buffed until each was a work of art! They don't use the filing machines here like at home at the "nail lady" where I'm in and out in under an hour. It went on and on...for hours, over 2 I think (I lost track because I was so tired from flying here that after a while I was drifting in and out of consciousness!) Sometimes several ladies were working on me at once. Then my nails were lovingly and painstakingly polished. Oh. My. God. I have never had such perfect nails in all my life. But...would I do it again? Hmm. Maybe. Probably. It cost only 12 bucks, US, but it took FOREVER! Maybe if I'm not so tired and I bring a book to read...a BIG book.

One of the Chinese flight attendants told me this joke: If Adam and Eve were Chinese, we'd still be in Paradise. Why?

Answer: They'd have ignored the apple and eaten the snake!

Ha!

Well, I can honestly say I will NOT be missing flying while I laze on a tropical island sipping drinks with exotic names and little paper umbrellas in coconuts. Wishing you a lovely few weeks and a fantastic Fourth of July, should you live where it is celebrated!

Horror at 33,000 Feet: Attack of the Killer Slime

2006-06-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

I'm posting this from Japan. It really is the perfect trip. It's only two nights away from home, plus I got to FLY. I had the first leg to Japan: Narita International Airport which serves Tokyo although it is strangely 2 hours away from Tokyo. Soon after takeoff from San Francisco International, I glanced over at the captain's side window...and saw some dark splatters. Did we hit a bird? We all agreed we must have, but we didn't feel anything. Where's the blood and feathers...and why's the stain brown and spreading like cat vomit on my kitchen floor during hairball season? Guts, the captain determines. Makes sense to me. But as we continue to accelerate to 320 knots and we head out over the Pacific, the brown slime continues to spread until it has covered a good deal of the captain's side window (located just forward of his left shoulder).

With a feeling of dread no doubt shared with characters in cheesy horror flicks, we realize we do not know what it is...and if it will eat through the window, invading our frail human bodies to use us as hosts in order to take...over...the...world!!! (er, sorry. But I am a writer and the scenario did go through my mind.) The captain DID gamely offer to switch seats, however, which I declined. Silent seconds tick by. He touches a tentative fingertip to the glass...and his finger comes away brown and we realize that some of the stuff...IS...INSIDE. (insert bloodcurdling scream and the screen goes black)

Okay, cut to our satellite radio call to maintenance after level off where we learn the brown slime is not a hostile alien life form but lowly window sealant that was not given the proper time to dry before we took off. The window is fine--it's attached by bolts not the sealant--and the captain with a look of relief, loosens his seatbelt. This horror story, at least, had a happy ending.

Onward to Narita, skirting the Alaska and the Aleutian Islands as we complete the quick (for me, Sydney and China girl) 10.5 hours flight. The captain is an ex-Navy pilot and says he'll have to buy me a beer IF when I land, the nose wheels straddle the runway centerline, I land in the touchdown zone, AND I receive at least one unsolicited customer compliment. If not all criteria are met, I have to buy HIM a beer. So, of course as we are descending, there is turbulence with warnings of very stronger bumpies in the area. Heh, no problem. As we are on final approach, the airplane ahead of us reports windshear: a 10 knot loss of speed on final. As if that will scare me. But I have to carry extra speed now to compensate. We are landing on runway 34L. There is a cross wind out of the northeast 040 degrees at 17 knots. Piece of cake, that's just like what the inquisitors give in the simulator at the Chamber of Horrors. I soar over the threshold a little hot and with a slight acceleration trend on the airspeed. With my wing low into the wind and opposite rudder pressed to straighten the nose, I land on centerline and so sweetly soft, too, although a little long due to the extra speed. Ahhhh. I can taste that Asahi now.

You know what, though? I didn't get one freaking compliment from a passenger. 298 people onboard and not one, NOT ONE, thought to say, "Are we down yet, because I surely couldn't feel the wheels touch." So, I lost my beer. Know what? Next time you fly and the landing is really good, and especially when you feel bumps and gusts on the way down, pass on a little compliment to your needy pilot. You will make her or his day. (and possibly earn them a beer!)

Good news was: the captain was such a good guy, he bought me a beer after the flight anyway!

Oh! I'm "plogging" on Amazon, too. It's what Amazon calls the blogs you can post on your books' pages. They will be different from what I post here, more book and promo related whereas this blog is dedicated to the flying side of my life. So, come see and leave me a comment if you like! (whereas although I see and love reading every one of your comments--and keep 'em coming!--I do not normally reply to comments left here due to the sheer lack of time. However, I do plan to respond as time permits over at Amazon) >>>>>
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0373771061

Mine! Mine! Mine!

2006-05-16T17:01:00.000-07:00

Remember the Aussie seagulls from Disney's FINDING NEMO and how they shouted: "Mine! Mine! Mine!"? It's not fiction.

All month I'd looked forward to visiting the fabulous Fisherman's Market in Sydney for some fresh seafood, namely salmon sashimi, which is so much fresher and cheaper there than at any of the restaurants at home. I dreamed of it, even. (I know, sad and strange...) So, as soon as I arrived, I took a nice, long brisk walk to the pier, purchased a box of sashimi, wasabi, soy sauce, some barbequed octopus and prawns (not to be missed in Sydney), and a bottle of wine (a delicious Hunter Valley Chardonnay with a screw top so I could carry the extra back to the hotel room for later).

Sigh...isn't it beautiful? The perfect lunch...

(The view of these barefoot Aussie men readying their sailboat for a sail was quite nice, too, I must say):

However, it looked like the rest of my lunch was trying to escape its box one tentative tentacle at a time:

Yet, my biggest concern was with the gulls
who are very aggressive stealing food at the market. They were all over the tables when I walked outside. This one and his friend had already landed when I sat down. Ha. Think again, boys! To my shock, all it took was one look to scatter them. Maybe it was because that one look was so deadly and so cold, an assassin's stare, that they didn't dare try a second time to steal a nibble of MY lunch, not if they didn't want their greedy little beaks squished in a blob of wasabi! So, for this one day, I claimed my spot at the top of the food chain and held on with everything I had. "Mine, mine, mine!"

Skirt Trouble

2006-05-07T20:01:00.000-07:00

Twice a year, pilots who fly the 777 and 747 aircraft must return to Denver for a checkride. I’ve posted about it previously here. The mid-year proficiency training, called a PT, is two fun-filled (snort) days. It starts out with a 2-hour review of procedures, followed by about 6 hours of annual emergency procedures training/review, followed by four hours in the torture chamber, um, I mean the simulator the next day. Doesn’t it sound like fun? One thing about the inquisitors, er, the training folks at United, they really know how to show the pilots a great time!

So. Every once in a while, I make a fashion decision that I end up regretting. Call this one of those times. After all these years at United, I thought it was high time I wore a skirt to training, seeing that it’s oh-so girly and something I never get to do on the job.

It's not like I didn't think it out, okay? The skirt was long and flowy, so I figured I’d have no problem moving the fabric where I needed to accommodate the steering yoke while flying the sim and still hiding my panties. But little did I know the sim wasn’t the issue--the formerly low-key afternoon spent reviewing emergency procedures was. They’d altered the emergency training portion of the PT to include...personal combat--yes, self defense--which totally caught me off guard.

I mean, we've TALKED about self-defense since 9-11, sure, only we've never actually done it. But now United feels we pilots must join the flight attendants in the air-born version of Kill Bill. Maybe it'd would have been nice to have some advance notice of the curriculum change, but hey, that’s water under the bridge now--or, more accurately, wind under the skirt, which I so memorably got to experience while playing the game of...terrorists storming-the cockpit door!

Oh! Then we got to do Gilligan’s Island when the instructor made all fifteen of us pile into a life raft. (Always fun watching the boys play with the radios and the survival kits.) All in all, it was great training and a good refresher...just not skirt friendly.

Next time I’m wearing pants. Leather pants...with studs and steel-toed boots.

Before I go, I wanted to step up on a soapbox. Publishers make ARCs (or advance review copies) of novels to give to reviewers and booksellers before a book’s release. They are labeled not for sale. To do so is like stealing from the author because we receive no money from the transaction, and no compensation for all our hard work. I recently learned of several ARCs for sale on E-Bay for my upcoming quirky, sexy anthology MYSTERIA. You can read more about it at PC’s blog. Authors everywhere hope that if you see an ARC for sale, you won't buy it. Better yet, report it as you would any stolen property.

For A Great Cause...

2006-05-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

Author Brenda Novak is hosting a nationwide auction to raise money to combat juvenile diabetes from which her son suffers. There are many fabulous items, and I wanted to point out the gift I have donated. Please consider bidding on it or the other items. Thank you so much!

Come Fly With Me: Bestselling author and pilot Susan Grant’s entire backlist and travel coupons:

To see this item go to:

Come Fly With Me Gift Set

http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/

Hopelessly Un-cool

2006-04-25T21:38:00.000-07:00

Okay, so freed temporarily from deadline, I let myself loose on the Internet. Most fascinating to me is the proliferation of blogs since I last peeked out of hibernation. Most depressing to me is seeing what a geek I really am. There are soooo many blogs written by ultra cool folks (who'd never dream of typing multiple "o"s after a word), savvy vegans who live in New York City or Seattle and wear black clothes and listen to ultra-cool bands and music and read ultra-cool books I've never heard of, all visited by similarly ultra-cool visitors with anime-photo likenesses of themselves with ultra-cool names I don't understand whose profiles describe interests hopelessly beyond me, and who post mega-times during said day or week, seemingly online All the Freaking Time. By the time I was done with my blog tour, my eyeballs were streaming down my cheeks--not a good condition for a pilot--and I felt like the blogger version of Napolean Dynamite.

As for you Ultra-cool Bloggers, I so admire you. I can never be One of You. So be it! I will continue to write my nerdy blog about my day job!!!

Oh! I did learn it's The Thing To Do to sign off your blog post for the day with Music Last Listened to. (or something) So, here we go...

Ashlee Simpson, "La-la" (because it is on my daughter's i-pod which I use it when I go work out because I don't have one of my own!)

So, how un-cool are you? (someone make me feel better)

Red Tape in Red China

2006-04-18T21:05:00.000-07:00

Yeah, finally got this puppy up and posted. Thought it would be good to post before I fly out to Hong Kong in the morning. I’m so excited to spend a layover NOT holed up in the hotel room writing for once! Woo! What to see, what to do... Hmm...I think I need glasses after this last deadline. I'm serious! I can hardly see. I hear getting glasses is really cheap in Hong Kong and the other pilots and flight attendants know of a place. I’ll let ya know what happens. (Can I get a massage with that?) Wow, with bifocals on, I’ll finally look like a real 747 pilot, ya think?!

Lemme tell ya about the red tape tangle I experienced on my last trip to Beijing. Few US airlines have the route authority to fly in and out of mainland China, so I’m one of a small pool of international flyers trained to do so. Yes, I know, I'm special. It’s not the easiest task, flying in and out of China, but it’s always interesting! One thing most pilots take for granted here in the US and much of the world is that all pilots are required to speak English on the radios. Knowing my language ability--or lack thereof--I thank God for this. At one time back early in the last century, French was almost selected to be the language of aviation. Yow. This would not have been pretty. For me. I doubt anyone on the face of this Earth can mangle this lovely tongue in quite the same way I can. I mangle English enough as it is, but it’s a sin to do so with French. Maybe if I had a French boyfriend, I could practeeese, but I don’t and, oh, well. Anyway, it’s easy to see the reason for having a single language being spoken on the radios: for one, you can understand the controller and they can understand you. Um, for the most part.

Example of in-cockpit communication in a foreign land:
Controller to pilot: “United 888, cleared to tohjuk fgeeuer noffird orp.”
Pilot to other pilot: “Say what?”
Other pilot shrugs and keeps flying.
Pilot to controller: “Say again for United 888?”
Controller to pilot: “Cleared to tohjuk turn right fgeeuer noffird now!!!”

The thing with flying in mainland China is that the controller speaks “English” to you, but Chinese to everyone else. So you know what he’s telling you (sort of) but you’ve got no clue what he just told the other guy. It makes it very difficult to maintain your situational awareness, especially in poor weather. I’d like to know if someone had to go missed approach, or was sent to holding, etc, for the heads-up value, but tough luck. Another thing with flying in China is that they use meters instead of feet and meters-per-second instead of knots for wind. It’s not so hard to convert, but it’s just One More Thing. It’s why those ice cold Tsingtaos taste so good when you land!

This particular flight to Beijing was about 12 1/2 hours which somehow didn’t seem so long. I think it was because I had my book filling my brain. Pondering the final scenes kept me alert and the grinding boredom at bay. We had four pilots along. Two of us had first break and spent the first 5.5 hours of the trip sleeping, aka “Dozing for Dollars.” But when I came on duty over the Aleutian Islands, it was to rare and gloriously clear views. The weather in California has been so mud-sucking soggy. Yet, for the trip over much of the Aleutians and northwest Russia, it was spectacularly clear. (something’s really wrong with our global weather when Siberia is having a nicer spring than Sacramento...). During the flight, the Chief Purser (aka the boss flight attendant) came up with the crew documents for us to fill out. Everyone on the crew--there are usually 19 of us total--has to fill out their name, passport number, China visa number and what, if anything, unusual you’re bringing into the country. There are two of these forms filled out in duplicate. Then the purser confiscates everyone’s passports to be surrendered upon arrival to the Chinese officials. This is the ONLY country where you surrender your passport before arrival and step into the country without it in your possession. Kind of creepy. So after landing, we’re waved through booth after booth, officious bean-counter after bean-counter, and get to the desk where the purser is to be given back our passports. As all 19 of us gather around the big booth which is always just high enough to make you feel small, meaningless, and insignificant, and the officious bean-counter, hereafter known in this blog as OBC, actually M.F.OBC which I will not translate because this is a Family Blog, shook his head and declared, “Not right.” Brain-dead from the long flight, we all stand around, me and the other Pilots Who Are Not The Captain leaning against walls and trying to stay awake. (it is about 3 am home time). Time drags on. Fifteen minutes later we learn the problem is that of the two pieces of documentation gathered during the flight, one isn’t filled out right. There is a Meeestake. But there is no other sheet. No blank forms with which to re-do it. But to get into the country, we must have both papers filled out. But there are no blanks. But we can’t enter China unless we have two acceptable ones. You get the picture here? You ever see the movie The Terminal with Tom Hanks? We can’t leave the %&*$ airport.

Luckily, we bring along language-qualified flight attendants. Un-luckily, even fluent Mandarin was not enough to make headway with the MFOBC. This kid had to be like 24 years old, dressed like Napoleon Bonaparte with gold braid and an algae-green uniform. But he had to defend the borders of his homeland and that meant holding the entire crew of a 747 prisoner in the terminal for 45 minutes and counting. Finally, one of the other pilots has a brilliant idea: use his cell phone to call long distance overseas to United Airlines Headquarters--in Chicago--and explain the problem. Normally, no one’s cell would have worked, but he happened to dance salsa as a hobby (I am serious) and had local Chinese salsa-dancing friends (yes, really) and so had a local cell card to use. About 30 minutes later and after much praying and swearing, a higher ranking OBC arrived and with one word whispered in the ear of the MFOBC we were in. In!!!!!! Yes! Hands out like beggars, we got our passports back and pushed through the gates into Beijing and our bus to the hotel. And what’s the very first thing that greeted us? STARBUCKS. Yes, a Starbucks is the VERY FIRST thing you see when exiting the gates at customs in the Beijing airport.

Oh! Oh! I updated my Site of the Month, Week, Whatever with the website of my New Favorite Author: Elizabeth Vaughan. Come join me in laying sacrifices at her feet. If you haven't read WARPRIZE, do so. Otherwise you are seriously missing out on some amazing reading. This is no plug from any association of authors. This is MY true gush. I LOVED this book. WARSWORN just arrived tonight on my doorstep--at Amazon premium prices I might add. Can't wait to dig in.

So, where have YOU been?

2006-03-20T09:09:00.000-08:00

This is a cool link:

Travelblog

You can mark what countries you've visited and it generates code for your webpage or blog. Here's where I've been:

With all the traveling I do, I amazed there is so little red. Maybe it's because I've been to like a gazillion little nations, like Singapore or Haiti, etc. In the next couple years I'd love to travel to Antarctica, S. America. Africa, the Nordic countries, and Russia. that ought to fill in the red a bit. How about you?

Tomorrow morning I fly to Beijing, China. I'm on deadline and have to spend most of my time writing, but will try to get out and about if the weather is nice. Maybe the Forbidden City this time. Will report back on the trip. Flying in China is always...interesting (to say the least).

Tales from the Chamber of Horrors

2006-03-14T21:16:00.000-08:00

The FAA requires commercial airline pilots to have a minimum of 3 landings every 90 days. I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but when you take into account there are 4 of us fliers on most trips (I'm speaking international here, domestic is a whole other story and getting landings is NEVER a problem), and usually only 2 legs, over and back, someone's going to get shortchanged--i.e. someone gets to land and somone gets to drool (oh, and talk to the passengers on the PA). Add vacation into the mix or the luck of the draw when bidding for certain days off, and 90 days can go by real fast, and here you are, getting ready to expire. This happened to me last week.

The landings desk as we call it is infamously run by the most brutal and heartless of the United schedulers. She has to be, because think about all the whining she hears when calling to assign a pilot a landings session in the simulator on their day off. So, Jennifer, aka Dominitrix, calls me, as always, choosing the ONE day I can't be away from home (after all, these ARE days off, but whatever) and after giving me 48 hrs notice to get my butt to Denver, answered my: "But I have no one to watch my kids that day," with an ever-so-slightly bored, "So?"

So, I beg friends to watch the kids the night before and after school the next day, and at 6 am I am on a flight to Denver, in coach (ugh) after waking up at 4 am. I get to Denver, and the dread increases. I do not like being here. Denver is a fine city, but it is forever linked in my mind with...The Chamber of Horrors, aka the United Airlines Flight Training Center. It's the largest commercial aviation training facility in the world. All United pilots are trained there, and a bunch of other carriers, too, from China to Russia, and most notably Air Force One. It can be a crowded place--1/3 of United's flight attendants are trained in emergency procedures at the facility, too. The C of H operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and has almost 800 full-time employees.

I am scheduled for the 4 hours simulator with an instructor and 3 other pilots, also running out of landing currency. But do you think we each jump in the seat, grab three hops, and go home? Nah, that's for sissies. I'm up first. I take off, come around for an instrument approach in low weather, and am told to go missed approach. So, I go around, I come around again, and the instructor fails an engine. I land low visibility with 3 engines running. I take off again, back to 4 engines, and just as I rotate to take off, the inquisitor, er, I mean instructor fails an engine. Again, I bring it around and land. Except this time it's clear. But JUST clear is for weenies. He throws in a 20 knot crosswind. I land, all engines are given back, and I come around one last time, in a normal landing. This is repeated for each of us. I finally get back to the airport and barely make a 5:30 flight home. Good news, I get first class. Bad news, they only served a cold meal. But good news--liquor! I get back home around 8 pm, pick up kids, and finally fall into bed around midnight. I think I slept. But it may have been a coma imitating sleep!

This is the image United presents to the public of the Flight Training Center:

And this archive photo of a simulator looks innocent enough:

But I feel the traveling public needs to know the truth. I was able to sneak out at great risk a photo of what it really looks like inside one of these simulators (warning: disturbing image):

Needless to say, I am very much looking forward to my Sydney trip this weekend. And, no, I won't get to land...

Even the Writer's Life Has Its Perks!

2006-03-04T23:52:00.000-08:00

(whispering) I'm not supposed to be here tonight; I'm supposed to be writing. MY FAVORITE EARTHLING is due in April. My calm, freakishly efficient 13 year-old daughter reminded me that's still 5 weeks away. But 5 weeks never feels as short as when you've got a book to write!

Consequently, while in Sydney I spent much of the layover in this glorious city holed up writing in my hotel room. (whaaa)

But while I was there, I received an e-mail from the amazing Shari Fitzpatrick! My character Evie in MY FAVORITE EARTHLING, the book I'm writing now, decides to pursue her dream of making her talent for candymaking into a business, so I was hoping to interview Shari about how her making chocolate covered strawberries in gift baskets for clients in the real estate business blossomed in a national, multi-multi million dollar business. So on my way home from the airport, we met and I asked my questions. Now, it may not be a box of designer shoes like Mary Janice Davidson gets, but, hey, look what Shari brought me:

Omigosh, these are incredible. The best strawberries EVER. I'll leave you today with the link to her website where you can order. http://www.berries.com/

Why I Am A Hotel Diva

2006-02-19T12:05:00.000-08:00

Last week I flew from San Francisco to Hong Kong. Because of extra strong headwinds, the flight was a whopper in length--14 hours and 30 minutes! (that's long, even for me) But I was rewarded with some VERY rare clear views of Siberia:

And I bet the real estate is cheap in this neighborhood:

Okay, on to the Hotel Diva thing. It's all United's fault. When we travel overseas, security and safety are important factors for the crew, and the airline takes this seriously, especially since 9-11. But in order to ensure the best security for the crews, top notch hotels must be selected. So wherever I layover internationally, it's in a 4 or 5 star hotel. Over the years, I've gotten so used to this that when I travel with my family, I find my 3-star budget hampers my 5-star taste in accommodations! When I walk into the room, I expect thick towels, luxury soaps, granite or marble bathrooms, deep feather beds with loads of pillows... Anything less is, well, just mass-market. Now, if only I could figure out how to get my 3-star traveling budget up to match my 5-star tastes... Although these photos don't do the views justice, I wanted to share:

That's it for now. I'll report in from Sydney at the end of the month.

Jim, oh Jim, you kept me up all night

2006-02-03T14:49:00.000-08:00

The Sydney trip: With 62 hours away from home, 26 of those spent In The Air--do the math, ouch!--being able to sleep on the airplane is necessary for survival. In the cockpit there is a sound-proof (more or less) bunkroom with bunk beds, pillows, sheets, blankets. Often you'll see the pilots dressed in jammies as they sneak out to the lavs during their rest break. The 14 hours flight to Sydney was uneventful, a little rough in patches as all flights over the equator's intertropical convergence zone are bound to be (where the northern hemisphere air collides with the southern and makes thunderstorms and, well, bumpies).

When you're trying to sleep, those "bumpies" feel like someone grabbing your mattress and shaking it. Level one is your miniature poodle jumping up in bed with you, level 2 your German Shepherd, 3 your spouse, 4, your 400 lb wrestler spouse, and 5...that's an asteroid that crashes through your bedroom ceiling and hits the mattress. Repeatedly. The worst we got on the trip to Sydney was 2.5.

Sydney was glorious--it was summer time, something this kid sorely needed after all this No Cal rain. I took the ferry over to Manley Beach and ate lunch al fresco in my favorite restaurant The Bower. It's right on the beach--plastic tables and chairs, delicious food and a nice wine list. I ordered the grilled barramundi with pumpkin gnocchi, and wine. Something about fresh seafood and a chilled Aussie chardonnay...ahhh. Afterward, I picked up chocolate-covered ginger for a good friend (Tim Tams? Nah, THIS is the Aussie treat!) And also several bags of the local soft black licorice from Darrell Lea's, another can't-get-nowhere-else specialty, and was asleep by 6 pm. I woke up at 2 to write (that deadline is breathing fire down my neck) then by lunchtime it was time to fly home. And then I met Jim.

Jim, Jim, Jim. He kept me up all night. He was a category 3 cyclone lurking out in the South Pacific and sprawled across our flightpath like a fat dude in a recliner in front of the TV, holding a can of beer in one hand and a remote in the other. United dispatch warned us, but there was no other path we could take home, so we had to fly through the bands of weather associated with...Jim. When we asked for an update during the flight, they wrote back that "Jim is starting to fall apart." Worried, I typed back: "Maybe he should seek counseling." I received, of course, no reply.

Our weather radar shows us the individual cells, so we can keep out of the bad stuff, but it's always bumpy nearby. We were due to swing by Jim during my hour rest break. (of course). Out of that 4.5 hours, I'd say it was level 2 to 4 bumpies for 4.499 hours. Needless to say, by the time I got home, I'd been up 30 hours. I'd like to say I'm recovering peacefully at home, but the way my schedule fell this month, I am off to Hong kong tomorrow. But it's going to be in the high 60s, low 70s and sunny--a small window during the year when Hong kong is actually gorgeous! Maybe I'll hike up Victoria Peak. Or...maybe I'll just sleep alone. (IOW without Jim.)

Shanghai-ed

2006-01-23T17:42:00.000-08:00

The route we took to Shanghai went over the Aleutian Islands and the Kamchatka Pennisula, skirting Japan and down through China. A long flight. When a flight is over 12 hours, we bring three first officers and one captain. We split the flight in half, 2 sleeping right after take off, a switch halfway through when the other 2 go to bed. I'd flown with the other FOs before. Nice guys. Actually, most of the pilots I fly with are good folks. However...sigh...every once in a while you come across someone who's difficult. This captain, oh boy, he was a piece of work. I'm a professional, we're all professionals, we deal with the tiresome captains in a safe way. But you know that the mutiny on the Bounty thing? I can understand how something like that could happen. I'd never consider mutiny, don't get me wrong; I'm just saying is that he got me thinking about Captain Bligh, and months and months with a guy like that on a small ship. I'd probably have jumped overboard and swam to an island, too!

I really enjoy Shanghai. The city is one of contrasts--very cosmopolitan, very modern skyscrapers mixed with dingy apartments and hovels. Besides being the land of fabulous shopping and replica aka knock-off purses & designer clothing, and 6 dollar massages that are to die for, Shanghai is known in my book as a place for fantastic food. I have a little mom & pop type place near the hotel that I like and often bring back takeout from there. This trip I decided to try something new: #14 special, translated as "perch in sweet sauce and pine nuts." It sounded pretty good. But when I got it back to my room and opened up the styrofoam container, I was shocked to see Mr. Perch's yawning maw, and all the way down to his little fried tonsils:

And all they supplied with which to consume him was a pair of chop sticks! His fried lips grinned in challenge, daring me to turn away in disgust. You think I wimped out? No way! I was hungry! The first thing I did was groan as I removed his head. (I shoulda been a neurosurgeon) I dropped it in the paper bag the food came in and put it outside in the hallway. Blech. Then I mixed the fish with some steamed rice, trying to avoid obstacles and choking hazards like fins and a tail. Ugh! Next time I want fish, I'll stick to shrimp!

The next day it was time to go home. Despite knowing it'd mean 10 more hours with Captain Bligh, I was anxious to get going. On the 747 the cockpit is upstairs, forward of the upper deck business class area of seats. Because we are so out of the way, few people ever come to see us. But this time we had a Chinese family come visit-- a dad and four children, 2 boys and 2 girls. (Interesting, I'd thought there was a one child rule, but maybe it doesn't apply to the wealthy and upper middle class--and there really is a true middle class in China now, living in Western style subdivisions with 4000+ square foot homes, SUVs, designer clothes, the whole America dream. They even give the children western names like Isabelle and Emily). Like these two adorable girls who loved sitting in the pilot seat more than their brothers did! THIS is the future of China:

Thanks for coming along with me on my trip to Shanghai. Next week I'll go to the "Land Down Undah"--Sydney, Australia! And summer time!!! Woo!

Potty Freedom

2006-01-14T11:33:00.000-08:00

I was all set to fly to Narita (Tokyo's International airport that is weirdly nowhere near Tokyo) when the chance to fly a military charter from SFO to Frankfurt in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom opened up. Not only was the trip the same amount of days (3), I'd make more money, would get to fly an airplane load of good-looking Marines, and I'd get to deadhead home (fly as a passenger as opposed to flying the plane). So I traded away my Japan trip.

But no Marines in sight. The airplane we flew over was totally empty! I tell you, it's almost a little creepy flying a huge 747 with only 7 people inside. Don't get to see it very often. It must have cost buckets of money to fly an empty 747 all the way from San Fran to Frankfurt (it was going on from Frankfurt with a new crew, also empty, to Kuwait) but the government was paying for it...

I took a pic stranding in the very back and aiming toward the nose.
The front of the plane is soooo distant, it almost fades away--lol:

There were no flight attendants on board, just a fueler and two mechanics, and they certainly weren't going to cook meals or make us coffee so we did all that ourselves. It was kinda fun, brewing Starbucks in the galley and prepping our "TV dinner" meals by putting them in the ovens. We could leave the cockit whenever we wanted! We could get coffee whenever we wanted! And best of all? I could go potty whenever I needed to!

I think that's been the most onerous change for us pilots, post-Osama, becoming virtual prisoners in the cockpit behind our barred and locked reinforced doors with lock-out features and a peephole. We can no longer simply pop out of the cockpit to go pee. I've heard some say that the incidence of bladder infections and kidney ailments in pilots has skyrocketed. On the 747, we can't block the lavatories with a food cart, so we have to call a flight attendant--actually 2 FAs, one to stand guard in the cockpit and the other to guard the lav. The flight attendants are busy, so needless to say, it isn't easy to do this. Calls to the cabin will often go something like this:
Pilot to FA: "Do you mind coming up, we have to use the lav."
FA: "I'm in the middle of my service."
Pilot: "But, I have to go."
FA: (exasperated sigh) "Why didn't you call twenty minutes ago?"
Pilot: (pressing thighs together and trying not to think of waterfalls) "Um, I didn't have to go then...I have to go now."
FA: "I'll get up there when I can."

It's like being back in first grade and you wanted your parents to stop the car so you could go pee in the gas station.

Once we got to Frankfurt, I could have laid-over for 31 hours before heading home as a passenger in Business Class. But I just wanted to go home, so I got permission to forfeit the layover and head home right away, which meant getting right back on a flight to SFO. So 10 something hours over, and 11 something hours back, nearly 24 solid hours on a plane in the air. Granted, althoughI got a First Class seat on the way home, a delicious sleeper seat, wonderful food and wine, followed by my 3 hours car drive home, walking in the house only one day after I left, I was wiped out after spending almost a solid day traveling nearly non-stop. All I can say is: Don't Try This At Home.

Next stop: Shanghai. I'll report in next week with the latest in Chinese shopping bargains. (wink)

Sue's Rules for Flying Survival

2006-01-06T09:25:00.000-08:00

Okay, wrote 5 pages today. Not enough, but it is a start. I like my interstellar assassin hero.

Since this is basically from an e-mail I wrote a friend, I thought I could post it with little time-suck penalties. Next entry will be next week from Tokyo. Until then, ciao! (actually, sayonara)
...
After over a quarter-century of flying jets, I've accumulated a few rules. A recent trip from Frankfurt to San Francisco reminded me of Rules 13 and 14:

13. avoid emergency landings at airports with names you can't pronounce
14. avoid landing anywhere with the words "only in a dire emergency" in the notes.

When flying from Europe to the west coast of the US, the hop over the “pond” (the Atlantic Ocean) is quite short, only a few hours. But after you leave the shores of Scotland behind, there’s not a whole lot in front of you but ice--and Iceland, a very pretty place judging from the quick glimpses I’ve had on the few time I’ve flown over it where it wasn’t overcast--and a bleak, desolate place called Greenland. Unlike the GINORMOUS mass of land we're used to seeing on the flat distorted depictions of the world map, Greenland is little. It takes about an hour to fly over and that’s it.

After crossing Greenland, you’re into northern Canada, where there are lots more places to land if you have an emergency. But for those couple hours over the far north Atlantic when you’re past Iceland and not yet to Canada there ain’t a lot of options should you have to put the airplane down Right Now. (a rare situation, but one we have to be ready for nonetheless)

When we fly over Greenland, we have our books out and ready because there are pages of rules on what to do and how to do it should the airplane experience the sort of emergency where you have to descend immediately, like for a major fire or depressurization, which is, like i said VERY rare. But you always have to be prepared anyway. Everyone I fly with treats this seriously. I can't speak for the other airlines, but I’m extremely proud of United pilots for being so well-trained, and us international pilots in particular.

The problem with descending over Greenland is that peaks over 12,000 feet are as common as SUVs in suburbia. If we have to land somewhere in Greenland, likely we’d go to Thule, a military base with a nice long runway. But the thing is, our route takes us right over Kangerlussuaq, on the west coast of Greenland, whereas Thule AB is well north of our usual route, 600 miles north of the Arctic Circle.

Our books say: “Diversion to Kangerlussuaq should only be attempted in a dire emergency. There are no medical or passenger handling facilities. At night or in IMC, the dangerous terrain is not visible. The approaches are non-precision and for runway 10 only. The approach to runway 10 is along the north side of a steep-walled fjord. The VASI provides less than standard obstacle clearance. There is high terrain in all quadrants. Significant wind shear can be expected.”

Okay, translated:
1. There's no Starbucks
2. You can’t see %$*#
3. the approach could lead you in as much as 30 degrees angled off the runway centerline and that'd be considered "okay"
4. When established on said approach, the rocks below are VERY close--both below you and on the sides (the fjord)
5. You’re $%&# out of luck if the wind is from the wrong direction.
6. And if all that isn’t bad enough, the final notes inform me that I can’t use the autopilot or usual approach guidance in the very-high-tech 747 because the airport is not converted to WGS-84 standard (Google it) and we have to fly the approach using what is basically WWII technology!!!

No. Thanks. Really.

The best pix I have of Greenland are on my cell phone and I don't know how to get them off of there but here are a couple taken with my digital camera on past trips:

A rare sunny summer day at the Greenland shore:

Sunset and the moon over Greenland:

Want to see for yourself? Have you tried this yet? http://earth.google.com/ My son showed it to me. You can type in a place or an address anywhere in the world and it zooms in. I told him to type in Kangerlussuaq. When he asked me how to spell it, I had to go look it up. (reference Rule 13) And when I saw the place...needless to say, I'm sticking to Sue's Rules 13 and 14. In other words, I will not be landing at Kangerlussuaq anytime soon.

So I have a blog...

2006-01-05T11:55:00.000-08:00

It's a whole new world for me and I'm kinda excited about it. I resisted blogging until now because I was worried it would be a major time sucker. Bad news: I was right; the set-up has taken all &*$% day. Good news: I haven't eaten anything since an early morning lo-carb smoothie, which ties in to my post-holiday diet! Woo! Okay, that's me, always looking for the silver lining. Back to the time-sucking thing. Before Christmas, I handed in a book I wrote in 3 months. That's fast for me and it nearly killed me! Now, my next is due April 15th...giving me, yep, only 3 months AGAIN. (panting) You can do it, Sue. You can do it. All it requires is discipline. (Say again? I don't recognize the "D" word.) Naturally, I haven't started said book yet. Okay, so I have a messy chapter written and the rest is in my head, a place as chaotic as my house is right now post-Christmas. But I have a plan, a brilliant plan. I'm NOT going to do a daily blog. I'm going to have a fly-along-with-the-pilot blog!!! (no snickering, I'm serious.) I'll post while away on each trip overseas and make comments about the flight, what happened onboard, incidents, the cool things about flying commercially that people don't know (and maybe don't want to know!), with sometimes snarky, sometimes helpful travel advice, you know, as in how you as a passenger can avoid getting strip-searched after a flight (or CAN get strip-searched, I guess, if you like that sort of thing). And I'll pop in from time to time with neato book stuff. I mean, what else is there to do in the middle of the night in a foreign country on the opposite side of the globe and body-clock. (before you make any suggestions (grin) remember, my teens are Internet savvy and may find their way here...!)