Welcome to Mandy's Madhouse
Home of Romance Author
Madeline Baker/Amanda Ashley
Home of Romance Author
Madeline Baker/Amanda Ashley
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Newsletter & VampiresMY FAVORITE VAMPIRES THE VAMPIRE DIARIES my favorite vampire. I love a bad boy, and he revels in it  THE VAMPIRE DIARIES is easily the best new show on TV  DRACULA  DRACULA  TWILIGHT Twilight? I loved the books. Loved the movies. Can't wait for Eclipse!  MOONLIGHT  MOONLIGHT  INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE in Interview, I said, Now, that's a vampire!  INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE sexy vamp. I wasn't crazy about the movie, but I loved the book.  Interview with the Vampire odd choice for the role. People either loved him or hated him. He didn't portray Lestat the way I imagined him, but I liked him anyway.  BLOOD TIES adore Henry!!!! He's cute, has a wry sense of humor. Did I mention he's cute?  Dracula 2000 but Gerard Butler, oh, yeah! He's great in anything he does - comedy, drama, or hiding behind a mask.  KINDRED, THE EMBRACED was a wonderful TV series that ended too soon with the death of its star. The series is available on DVD.  LOVE AT FIRST BITE George Hamilton makes a very funny, very sexy vampire. If you've never seen this one, rent it. You'll love it.  as a vampire?? Oh, yeah, bite me, baby  MOVIES I'VE SEEN. ALICE IN WONDERLAND ~ I thought it was really good, but I wish Johnny would stop hiding behind freaky make-up!
VALENTINE'S DAY ~ It was cute. Might have been better with fewer couples. THE LIGHTNING THIEF ~ I really enjoyed it. EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES ~ Great cast, terrific story. Better take a hanky! AVATAR 3D ~ It's easy to see why this movie has already made a ton of money. It is the most imaginative, visually stunning movie I've ever seen. If it doesn't win the Oscar for Best Picture, there's something wrong in Hollywood. SHERLOCK HOLMES ~ Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law make a great team. The movie was practically non-stop action. A little more character development would have been nice. I'm sure a sequel is on the way. MOVIES I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO.........REMEMBER ME March THE BOUNTY HUNTER SHREK 4 May 21, 2010 ECLIPSE July 2, 2010 THE PRINCE OF PERSIA, THE SANDS OF TIME May 28,2010 TOY STORY 3 June 18, 2010 PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES 2011 DARK SHADOWS Johnny Depp 2011 THE LONE RANGER Johnny Depp MADAGASCAR 3 May 25, 2012 SHREK 5 2013 MY FAVORITE MOVIE LINES....Can you name the movies?"So, the lion fell in love with the lamb." "You're gonna need a bigger boat." "Snakes! Why did it have to be snakes?" "I've got a bad feeling about this." "It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage." "I never drink...wine." "Women need a reason. Men just need a place." BEST HAPPY-EVER-AFTER ENDINGS.........A Knight's Tale French Kiss Sweet Home Alabama Enchanted The Holiday Legally Blonde Doc Hollywood Last of the Dogmen Charade Rob Roy Field of Dreams Ladyhawke MOVIE ENDINGS THAT ALWAYS MAKE ME CRYThe Way We Were Spartacus Somewhere in Time  Looking back... Too good to be true! That’s what I thought when, after 31 rejections, I finally sold my manuscript to a book publisher. I never thought it would happen to me. And then came the day when an editor at Dorchester Publishing said she liked my book, but wanted another 10,000 words. Ten thousand words! Did she realized what she was asking? With trepidation, I re-read my manuscript, adding chapters, re-writing paragraphs, until, at last, I had come up with the required number of words. With hopeful heart, I mailed off my revised manuscript, and then the waiting began. No words have yet been invented to adequately describe the thrill of reading that letter of acceptance. At last, I was on my way to being a published author. I jumped up and down, danced a little jig, and literally shouted for joy as I read that coveted phrase, “We want to publish your novel…” Those few words more than made up for the numerous rejection letters I had received. As soon as I could speak coherently, I called all my favorite people and told them the good news. Their excitement added to my own. Today, years later, just thinking about that first letter of acceptance (and the advance against royalties that followed) has the power to thrill me all over again. So, if you’re still struggling to get that manuscript published, don’t get discouraged, and don’t ever give up. If it can happen to me, it can happen to you.  ON THE SUBJECT OF USED BOOKS...
Save a Writer, Buy a New Book! By Susan Gable The recent demise of yet another Harlequin line, this time the kick-butt heroine line Bombshell, got me to thinking, which, as anyone who knows me will tell you is always a dangerous thing. I heard from a number of readers who were surprised by the closing, because they had friends who just "loved that line!" I've also heard things like this: "I can't believe they closed that line. I loved that line. I read those books every month at my library." Before I go any farther with this discussion, I have to offer up a disclaimer. I love libraries. Especially as a child with a voracious appetite for story, I borrowed armloads of books from my local library. I love bargains, too. I shop like men hunt or play sports. It's a victory when I score a bargain. (New black cocktail dress, originally $79, marked down to only $16. SCORE!) Used books are great bargains. Swapping books, another great bargain. The new websites on-line, where you can "rent" a book, in a system similar to NetFlix, are also an interesting bargain. Good grief, even the airports these days have a program where you can buy a book, read it, then sell it back to them. What a bargain! But did you realize that those bargains could be putting your favorite line or your favorite author out of business? It's a difficult, touchy subject for authors to discuss. We don't want to appear anti-used books ('cause we're not -- not entirely, anyway), or make readers think we're money-grubbers, always harping on them to buy our books. We all know (believe me, we KNOW - most writers don't make anywhere close to as much money as people think we do) how tight money can be sometimes, especially with the rising costs of gas and heating fuel, and food, and taxes, and... well, you know. Everything. We've been known ourselves to sometimes borrow and trade books, or buy used. Or go to the library. But publishing these days is a strictly-by-the-numbers business, which means if the numbers don't live up to the publisher's expectations, a writer can kiss her slot/line/future contracts good-bye. "Where's SoAndSo's latest book? How come she hasn't published another story in that series that I love so much?" If you find yourself asking that question, it could be that your favorite, SoAndSo, got cut loose because the numbers of that last book in the series didn't do as well as the one before that. How did you get your hands on that last book? Did you buy it new, contributing to the continuation of the series, or did you bargain read it? Bargain reads don't count towards our numbers. Writers, especially those of us at the "lower echelons" of the publishing world, need our readers more than ever. Without you, there would be no point in what we do. (Well, okay, there's a certain satisfaction in telling yourself a story, but it's the audience that makes it truly special. It's a shared dream.) But now, because of the numbers, we need your support even more. Our careers, our lines, even our publishers, live and die by the numbers. So please, where and when you can, save a writer. Buy a new book. We'll all thank you for it. And that way, you'll have more choices of books in the future. Visit Susan's website Here  My Appy mare, Candy. Gone, but not forgotten. Cowboy’s Lament
No horses in heaven? Why, I’d rather stay outside Unless my favorite old red roan Is awaitin’ there to ride Cause my idea of heaven Is an endless sea of grass An azure sky, a crystal stream A snow-topped mountain pass A well-broke Texas saddle My battered old John B But most of all that big red horse A ploddin’ under me Now I’m not knocking angels Nor choirs of heavenly song Nor golden streets and pearly gates Or clouds that roll along But I’ve no use for silver wings A tune I cannot carry, and While golden streets might be grand I’d rather ride the prairie I’ve spent my life a’wanderin’ From sea to shining sea And that’s how we’d like heaven That old red horse, and me. Copyright Madeline Baker  Why "Star Wars" Is Better Than "Titanic"
1. Titanic's big, but it doesn't have hyperdrive. 2. Star Wars has WAY cooler action figure potential. 3. Yoda could use the Force to lift Titanic out of the water. 4. Leia is a princess, a senator, a freedom fighter, and Jedi material; Rose is just marriage bait. 5. Ewoks throw better parties than either first class or steerage. 6. When flying towards the Titanic, Wedge can't say, "Look at the size of that thing!" and really mean it. 7. It would be much scarier to get chased around the boat by a raving madman with a lightsaber as opposed to a handgun. 8. Titanic is egalitarian by portraying poor people as sympathetic characters. Star Wars is egalitarian by promoting bug-eyed amphibians to Admiral. And of course said bug-eyed amphibious Admiral manages NOT to lose his ship. 9.We know Cal is the bad guy because he sneers at the poor and treats his fiancee like property. We know Darth Vader is the bad guy because he strangles people and blows up planets for fun. 10. Yeah, Leo can dance, but can he fly an X-wing? 11.People have not lost their lives trying to re-create scenes from Star Wars on the bow of a cruise liner. 12. Rose braves icy water to rescue her man. Leia braves Jabba the Hut. 13. Han Solo would've missed the dang iceberg! 14. There are always enough escape pods in Star Wars. 15. Do you know what the Empire does to self-proclaimed "King of the World"? 16. If Luke were handcuffed to a pipe below decks in a sinking ship, he would use the Force to get the key. 17. "I'd rather be his whore than your wife" just doesn't have the same sting as "I'd rather kiss a Wookie." 18. Han is frozen in carbonite and turned into a wall ornament. Leo simply freezes. 19. We knew the boat was gonna sink. But who could've anticipated "Luke.... I am your father." 20. Two words: John Williams. One more reason added by one of my readers: Hayden Christiansen vs. Leo DiCaprio. Really, is there any contest? Custer Battlefield Preservation Committee
If you'd like to help preserve the Custer Battlefield, please send a donation to the following address: CBPC Box 7 Hardin, MT 59034 Questions? Call 406-665-1876 |
ExcerptsIn The Works
What I'm working on now Coming Soon
LOVE'S SERENADE
2-book anthology Amanda's Vampire Romances
NIGHT'S PLEASURE
Sequel to Night's Master NIGHT'S MASTER
Sequel to Night's Touch DEAD PERFECT
Vampire Romance NIGHT'S TOUCH
Sequel to Night's Kiss DESIRE AFTER DARK
Sequel to After Sundown AFTER SUNDOWN
Sequel to Shades of Gray SUNLIGHT, MOONLIGHT
Alien/Vampire Cerridwen Press
Books in Print
Time Travel
Signet Historical Romances
Leisure Historical Romance Series
RECKLESS EMBRACE
Includes covers and cover copy for Reckless Heart, Reckless Love and Reckless Desire Futuristic
Leisure Historical Romance
CHASE THE WIND
Sequel to Apache Runaway COMANCHE FLAME
The first book I wrote Fantasy
Anthologies
Anthologies
The complete list |
