Places to Heat Up and Cool Down

I've had a bit of the wanderlust, lately. (Is it any surprise? I've been in virtually the same place for over six months!) While I have some short-duration writing-related travels coming up, I feel this overwhelming urge to pack a light suitcase, lock up my apartment, and disappear for a few months. Come this Fall, maybe I will. Until then, I'll have to scratch the travel itch with some internet-fueled heat-me-up and cool-me-down nomadic fantasies.

Top Five Places to Heat Up

It's warming up in Houston, but no so much that I'm bemoaning the heat. Hopping a plane to a tropical locale still seems like a good idea. (Check with me in a month and I bet it won't.) If I could get away to a steamy spot, here's where I might go:

Noordhoek Beach, Cape Town, South Africa

Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia

Moorea Island, French Polynesia

Ipanema Beach, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Santorini, Cyclades Islands, Greece

Top Five Places to Cool Down

Hot, beachy spots are all well and good, but the looming summer brings with it fantasies of cool weather spots that can take the edge off the sweltering months. Here are some destinations I'll be dreaming about when 95-degree temps and 95-percent humidity rolls into town:

Torres Del Paine National Park, Andes Mountains, Chile

Catherine Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia

Blue Lagoon Hot Spring, Iceland

Portage Glacier, Portage, Alaska

Ross Sea, Antarctica

Your turn. To where would you like to escape today? Is that different from last month? Or next month? What's your ultimate travel fantasy? Do share.

Hugs,
TLC
OH. MY. GODS. -- Dutton, May 2008
teralynnchilds.com

* The images in this post have been lovingly and respectfully borrowed from Lonely Planet, the cat's meow when it comes to traveler eye candy. Their Blue List books are especially inspiring.

The Boys of Summer ... and Winter

Few boys have hotter bods than die-hard athletes, especially those of Olympic caliber. So when we came up with the Fire and Ice theme, I knew immediately that I wanted to feature athletes of the Summer and Winter Olympic games. I expected to find a talented bunch, but let me tell you, I had no idea what kind of hotties I'd find listed on our team rosters.

The Boys of the Summer Games

Beijing 2008 is almost here--the opening ceremony is only five short months away--but here is a sampling of what you might see if you tune in for the competition.

Wolf Wigo
Water Polo












Gary Hall Jr.
Swimming








Keeth Smart
Fencing












Mark Ruiz
Diving












Giddeon Massie
Cycling








The Boys of the Winter Games

Torino 2006 is behind us, but Vancouver 2010 is fast approaching. Here are just some of the hotties you might see swooshing down the slopes or gliding across the ice.

Andy Finch
Snowboarding












Kris Freeman
Cross-Country Skiing












Jeremy Bloom
Freestyle Skiing
(also an NFL wide receiver)











John-Michael Liles
Hockey









Bode Miller
Ski Racing












Do you have any favorite athletes you can't wait to see compete in the next Olympic games? Please dish. Let the games begin.

Hugs,
TLC
OH. MY. GODS. -- Dutton, May 2008
teralynnchilds.com

Book Picks to Read in Fire and Ice

Ten Books to Read in Fire


Looking for the perfect beach read? Dreaming ahead to a summer filled with sun, sand, surf, and pages? Well, here are some beach-worthy books to toss in your tote, sunscreen not included.

1. Summer Boys by Hailey Abbott
   
2. Cruel Summer by Kylie Adams
3. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
   
4. The Au Pairs by Melissa de la Cruz
5. A-List by Zoey Dean
6. South Beach by Aimee Friedman
   
7. Pool Boys by Erin Haft
   
8. Secrets of a South Beach Princess by Mary Kennedy
9. Laguna Cove by Alyson Noel
10. Chicks Ahoy by Lynda Sandoval

Ten Books to Read in Ice


Glad that winter is still hanging on? Want to hang onto it a little longer? Pick up these cool-weather books, fix yourself a cup of hot cocoa, and prepare to keep the chill alive even while the world outside begins to thaw.

1. Icing on the Lake by Catherine Clark
2. My Life as a Snow Bunny by Kaz Delaney
3. Chalet Girls series by Emily Franklin
4. The Finnish Line by Linda Gerber
5. Snowed In by Rachel Hawthorne
6. Love on the Lifts by Rachel Hawthorne
7. Girl Overboard by Justina Chen Headley
8. Secret Santa by Sabrina James
9. Oblivion Road by Alex McAuley
10. Kissing Snowflakes by Abby Sher

So there you go, a broad selection of books--in no particular order--to suit every season. What books would you pack for the shore and the slopes?

Hugs,
TLC
OH. MY. GODS. -- Dutton, May 2008
teralynnchilds.com

Fire & Ice

We’re kicking off a new rotation called “Fire & Ice,” focusing on topics relating to hot and cold. It’ll be fun to see what we all come up with!

We’re opening with Books, and the obvious connection in my mind is the fact that I intentionally set How to Hook a Hottie in the ice and snowstorms of Spokane, Washington in January to offset the fact that Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress took place during a southern California Indian summer month.

So what steps did I take to assure the different seasonal feels?

Weather: Whereas I did not mention weather in Prom Dress (assume warm and sunny unless otherwise noted), I made a point of using snow, rain, sleet to Hottie to enhance scene mood.

Body language: I did a lot of group huddles for warmth in Hottie, where as in Prom Dress, the kids tended to sit or stand in normal body ranges.



Clothing: the teens in Prom Dress pretty much dressed like the ones I see at my local California high schools: shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops, sneakers. For Hottie, I exchanged numerous e-mails with a 17 year-old girl in a cold climate about winter fashion: coats, scarves, boots until I felt I could get it right.

Dialogue: Although I could have mentioned the heat in PROM DRESS, I believe I assumed it was a given between characters. But the storms were a source of conversation and concern in HOTTIE. I also used puffed of condensed air for important lines.


Driving: I frequently discussed road conditions and upcoming storms in Hottie, whereas in the southern California, all I talked about was traffic!

So...that about does it. I’d love to hear any fire and ice weather-related tips you’ve used in your writing or seen in books you’ve read.

Tina

Tina Ferraro
How to Hook a Hottie - Spring 2008 Children’s Book Sense Pick
Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress
The ABC’s of Kissing Boys, Spring, 2009
www.tinaferraro.com