Happy New Year! One of the ways I’m celebrating the New Year is by participating in the New Year’s Blog Hop wherein other authors and bloggers are sharing memories, books and giving away tons of prizes. Each stop on the hop has a chance to win a prize (including me) and there’s an overall grand prize.
I thought I’d share one of my more memorable ‘goofs’–I’m a reasonably intelligent person but I can also be ditzy at times (that is possible). It usually has to do with me saying something without completely being aware of my surroundings or who I’m with.
This particular instance was when I was an exchange student in Finland. I’m a senior in high school, and my host father is a member of the Finnish government, so he brings me along with his family to the New Year’s Eve party at the British Embassy which he’d been invited to.
So here I am, completely out of my element at this fancy New Year’s Eve party at a freaking embassy (LOL) and lo and behold, the son of the ambassador is around my age and cute. We start talking and I’m thinking how cool and romantic this is and what a great story this would make (you know, how you do when you’re a teenager) etc, etc. We’re staring out of these huge windows out into the embassy grounds and there’s fireworks going off. Back where I grew up, we didn’t do fireworks on New Year’s Eve, so this was new to me. Anyway, all quite atmospheric and I’m probably nervous as hell talking to this guy.
So what do I say to this cute son of the British ambassador to Finland? “Doesn’t this remind you of The Fourth of July?”
Yep.
In my memory, and mind you this is almost thirty years ago, he looks at me, doesn’t say anything, and walks away. I’m sure it wasn’t quite that abrupt, but the reality is, he took me for an idiot and left shortly after I said that. And if he didn’t take me for an idiot, then he was assuming I was a smartass. Whatever it was, cool moment. Blown by me.
This might be why I like to write romantic comedies with intelligent women being goofy sometimes. My new release is an erotic geek romantic comedy called BEER AND GROPING IN LAS VEGAS.
Here’s the scoop:
Can a djinn and a magic slot machine bring two geeks together?
Riley McGregor is a geek trapped in a Good Ole Boy body and as owner of a microbrewery, smart chicks never look at him twice.
Rejected by a geek who wanted to “trade up,” Mirjam Linna would rather immerse herself in work than be the girlfriend-of-the-moment. Stranded in a Vegas hotel, she makes a wish—a night of hot sex with the man of her dreams. It’s granted. She agrees to dinner, but afterward, she’ll say thanks, but no thanks, and see what’s on the SyFy channel. But when they meet, they’re surprised to find they had a shared connection in their past. Sparks fly as these two learn to be in the moment, be themselves and find love.
Fans of Star Trek, Star Wars, Monty Python, Firefly and Marvin the Martian will enjoy this romantic comedy.
Buy it now on:
More ways to interact:
trailer | goodreads | shelfari
Prizes!!
So, I’m giving away a $5 Amazon Gift card to one commenter drawn at random. Just make sure to leave your email address in the comment box (not just in the box that asks for email) so that you’ll also be eligible for the grand prizes as well!
Make sure to visit everyone else in the hop, as we are EACH doing a giveaway. Yep. There will be over 200 giveaways on each blog hosted by that Author or Blogger.
But that’s not all….
We have THREE grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 200 times!
Now what are those prizes?
- 1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet (US & International)
- 2nd Grand Prize: A $300 Amazon or B&N Gift Card (US & International)
- 3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more! (US only)
To visit the other participants, visit the blog hop host and start hopping!
Blog hop winners will be picked on January 7th.
Do you also have a memorable New Year’s Eve story you’d like to share?
| 
Evie
/ January 1, 2013Thanks for the giveaway! And Happy New Year!
by.evie at yahoo dot com dot br
Donna Cummings
/ January 1, 2013LOL — that is a great story — and it’s a wonderful experience for a writer to have.
Happy New Year, and I’m wishing you all kinds of writing successes in 2013. 
Angela Quarles
/ January 7, 2013Congrats, Donna, you’re the winner!
M.C.
/ January 1, 2013Happy new year! Funny anecdote…I hope you didn’t lose sleep over it
bedsidelight
ATgmailDOTcom
Mindy h
/ January 1, 2013Great story! And it does sound like a teenage romance….
mrs.hildebrand AT gmail.com
petulawinmill
/ January 1, 2013The boy was obviously a humourless snob to be so easily offended. You haven’t missed anything. A worthy boy would have laughed. And made some cheeky comment of his own. Have a great new year
p.winmill@hotmail.com
Angela Quarles
/ January 1, 2013So true!! Happy new year to you too!
Candice
/ January 1, 2013I was thinking the same thing as petulawinmill. Where’s his sense of humor? Happy New Year!
Regina Richards
/ January 1, 2013LOL! If he was that sensitive and humorless he didn’t deserve you.
regrichard60 @ yahoo.com
Tarah Scott
/ January 1, 2013Now this book piques my interest. I like it! Happy New Year!
LT
/ January 1, 2013very cool Blog Hop.. Happy New years to all
ms74lt@verizon.net
Kate Warren
/ January 1, 2013You were young. It could have happened to any American. At least you had the opportunity to experience a different culture. Some of us only dream of embarrassing ourselves in other countries.
katewarrenthewriter AT gmail DOT com
Kirsten W
/ January 1, 2013Funny story, I probably would have said something similarly embarrassing
aircdrewood(at)gmail(dot)com
laurie g
/ January 1, 2013Thanks for the giveaway! And Happy New Year!
parisfan_ca@yahoo.com
rhireading
/ January 1, 2013OMG I should so not be LOLing over that but it’s so the kind of silly thing I might’ve done at that age.
I thought the same thing of the NYE fireworks when I was living in Germany.
Happy new year Angela! I’m so going to have to keep an eye on you since you’re new to me and it looks like your writing is gonna be right up my alley.
always.and.never AT gmail DOT com
Mimi Smith
/ January 1, 2013Happy New Year
anasmithblue@gmail.com
Michel King
/ January 1, 2013That is sadly awesome! LOL
I love comedies especially about real things that happen to real people. Not because I like to laugh AT someone, but because I know how hilarious to observers it is when I do something dumb. It is just funny!
Michel_Lee_King(at)yahoo(dot)com
sionedkla
/ January 1, 2013Thank you so much for the chance!
Kassandra
sionedkla@gmail.com
Jessi Gage
/ January 1, 2013Well, this New Year’s eve was spent trying desperately to get home after holiday travel. We made it, almost exactly by midnight and were SO relieved (the kids too!).
Good luck with BEER AND GROPING IN LAS VEGAS!
jessigage at gmail dot com
ellaquinnauthor
/ January 1, 2013Funny story. They still don’t like to be reminded about it. You weren’t dorky, he was rude. Tweeted.
Cheryl
/ January 1, 2013This is such a funny story! It’s good to know that I am not the only one who sometimes speaks before she thinks.
ckpoisonedrose AT gmail DOT com
Cheryl
/ January 1, 2013And happy new year!
Rita wray
/ January 1, 2013I enjoyed your story of when you were in Finland. I was born in Turku. Happy New Year!
Kit3247(a)aol(dot)com
parisfanca
/ January 1, 2013Thanks for the great hop.Happy New Year!
parisfan_ca@yahoo.com
susan platt
/ January 1, 2013Happy New Year!
susanmplatt AT hotmail DOT com
chellesy
/ January 1, 2013Happy New Year!
chellesy.clay at gmail dot com
Tyler
/ January 1, 2013I enjoyed your story. I have none of my own.
Happy New Year!
t.abule (a) yahoo (dot) com
Joy F
/ January 1, 2013Thanks for the great hop.
magic5905 at embarqmail dot com
LaTanya Lawson
/ January 1, 2013Happy New Year!!!
The new book sounds like a very interesting read…
caiidynsmommie@gmail.com
Missie Jones
/ January 1, 2013Happy New Year. Thanks for the blog hop
Missie Jones
missie25524@netzero.com
ki pha
/ January 1, 2013Thanks so much for a great beginning to a New Year.
kp_kazamei(at)yahoo(dot)com
Jbst
/ January 1, 2013That was a cute although embarrassing at the time story.
Thanks for the contest!
strive4bst(At) yahoo(Dot) com
Shannon
/ January 2, 2013No memorable stories about new years. We went to bed pretty early since we have a toddler.
fencingromein at hotmail dot com
crisgzr
/ January 2, 2013Just think, if he’d not walked away and swept you off your feet –he had ‘first heartache’ written all over him!
I’ve offered a beer to a Mormon, told an Orthodox Jew how perfect a strip of bacon is in a grilled cheese, and said ‘Top of the Morning’ to a British royal -who also walked away muttering something about ‘bloody americans’
all in all -it was kind of funny!
cristinegasser (at) gmail (dot) com
Angela Quarles
/ January 2, 2013LOL, love it!!
cwoodring
/ January 2, 2013Thank you for the giveaway!!
chelseawoodring at hotmail dot com
kimmyl
/ January 2, 2013Thanks for the giveaway and Happy New Year!!!!! I can’t wait for all the new books that will be coming out in 2013!
readingdiva@ymail.com
Tammy Turner
/ January 2, 2013Happy New Year! Thank you for sharing your heart and your soul with us through your books for another year!
angelheart618@gmail.com
Toni Cosgrove
/ January 2, 2013My new years have all been rather bland and typical.Loved your story.I wonder…do you think they sit around trying to talk like us..like we do others??? just wondering…lol
peach_hugs@yahoo.com
hope your new year is blessed with much laughter
Alice
/ January 2, 2013Thanks for the giveaway and happy new year!
movie1997 @ live . it
Sandra
/ January 2, 2013Haha! Great anecdote. Funny!
Thanks so much for the chance to win. It’s a great way to start the year. No major resolutions beyond reading a lot (let’s go 50 books!) and staying active (jog, jog!), but I hope you have a great year
Thanks again!
hisboywonder(at)gmail(dot)com
donnablhmistress
/ January 3, 2013LOL, I would have said something like that too. Happy New Year!
Dawna N.
vampiremistress2010(at)gmail(dot)com
vicky b
/ January 3, 2013played games
happy new year! Thanks
mrsbrinius at comcast dot net
going to try to lose weight this year
Wendy Pogrant
/ January 3, 2013Thanks for participating in the hop.
wendy.pogrant@yahoo.com
Céline G.
/ January 3, 2013Thanks a lot for the giveaway!
Happy new year!
celine.guissart@gmail.com
jeannie platt
/ January 3, 2013Thanks for the give away as an american with british family members i can tell you they don’t like being reminded brits have a long memory even if it happened in 170ish years ago lol. He was rude you were being you lol…
j.m.platt83@gmail..com
jennirv4967
/ January 3, 2013super kewl giveaway, thanks for participating! If there’s a wrong thing to do in any situation, I’ll find it. LOL
jennirv4967 at gmail dot com
Dovile P.
/ January 3, 2013Thank you for the chance!
spamscape [at] gmail [dot] com
susana
/ January 3, 2013LOL. Happy New Year!
susanaellisauthor@gmail.com
Tin
/ January 3, 2013Thank you for sharing your story!
A few years back, we were having dinner out on New Year’s Eve when I got a call telling me that there was a fire near our house. Dinner ended early as we rushed home to make sure the kids were safe.
Thank you for the great giveaway!
- Tin (khriscc at yahoo dot com)
Elie
/ January 3, 2013Thanks for the great hop and Happy 2013
zenfoxflowerATyahooDOTcom
JanD
/ January 3, 2013On NYE, my friends and I waited for midnight outside while tending a fire so that lighting the fireworks would be faster.
bituin76 at hotmail dot com
Morebooksthanlivros Isabelle
/ January 3, 2013Sorry, lol but I don’t remember anything like that on New Year. I’m always saying stupid things at the wrong time though. lol
Happy 2013!
morebooksthanlivros@gmail.com
cassandrahicks
/ January 3, 2013Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
cassandrahicks1989@yahoo.com
Ronda Tutt
/ January 3, 2013Happy New year
mrsqueentutt@gmail.com
bn100
/ January 3, 2013no stories to share
Happy new year!
bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
Krista
/ January 4, 2013I don’t really do anything special on new years. Just spending time with family and friends. Happy New Year and thanks for the giveaway!
~Krista
pinkbonanza{ AT }gmail{ DOT }com
Heather Thurmeier
/ January 4, 2013Thanks for being a part of the blog hop! hthurmeier @ gmail . com
Mary Doherty
/ January 4, 2013Thanks for doing the Blog Hop and Happy New Year!
gatormaryd(at)yahoo(dot)com
Rae M.
/ January 4, 2013Oh aI am so glad I’m not the only one! Not that I was an exchange student in FInland. (Although that would have been weird if I was) But I fell like I am a reasonably intelligent person and I will say something absolutely ridiculous, goofy, absurd and any other adjetives that can describe how spazzy I can be.
So thanks for the story and the chance to win!
rae.gwendy(at)gmail(dot)com
Lacey T
/ January 4, 2013Thanks for the giveaway! Happy New Year!
laceyblossom1(at)gmail(dot)com
J Lenni Dorner
/ January 4, 2013He lifted an eyebrow and paused before his answer smug spilled out. “Why no, it does not remind me of the fourth day in July. It does remind me of a Saturday in June, when we celebrate Her Majesty.”
“Oh right. How silly of me. What’s say you and I go celebrate being young, fun, and good-looking? Our lips would look fantastic over there, don’t you think?”
Just thought I’d give you a happier ending.
j.lennidorner@facebook.com
Happy New Year from What-Are-They.com ! I hope you have a great one. Thanks for taking part in the hop.
Sue Holston (@SueHolston)
/ January 4, 2013Happy New Year!
Sue
sue_holston@hotmail.com
Michele
/ January 4, 2013Happy New Year
realityfun2@gmail.com
Drea
/ January 4, 2013Happy New Year!
My resolution is to spend more time on myself. I spread myself to thin.
~*Drea*~
dreabecraft(@)aol.com
Sherry Johnson
/ January 4, 2013Happy New Year,thanks for the chance to win.
dragonkeep62(at)gmail(dot)com
readsalot81
/ January 4, 2013The book sounds really cute
I have a mad love for everything geeky and/or dorky! No particular memorable moments stand out. But a few years back, I was at a New Years eve Party at my bosses house with my fellow coworkers and when the clock struck midnight, I remember being horrified at being in a room with all these stuffed animal heads. Left right after the clock struck midnight, too.
Thanks for the giveaway!
readsalot81(@)hotmail(dot)com
strawberryrosered
/ January 5, 2013HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE! I hope I never have a lack of a sense of humor. I’m going to lose 25 # and read 52 + books this year.
Judy
strawberryrose@earthlink.net
uilani25
/ January 5, 2013Thank you for participating in the New Year Blog Hop!
Best Wishes in 2013
uilani25 (at) hotmail (dot) com
donnas1
/ January 5, 2013Happy New Year!!
bacchus76 at myself dot com
Maureen
/ January 5, 2013Our New Year’s Eves are usually quiet nights at home.
mce1011 AT aol DOT com
cheryl
/ January 5, 2013love these hops and finding new authors. Happy New Year
msboatgal at aol.com
Jennifer Rote
/ January 5, 2013No stories here, Always home and usually sleeping.
wildnmild4u at yahoo dot com
Becki Wyer
/ January 5, 2013Thanks for being part of this huge hop. Happy New Year!!
rmwyer at shaw dot ca
catherinewolffe53
/ January 5, 2013Happy New Year! Thanks for the chance to win!
latishajean
/ January 5, 2013Thank you very much for the great giveaway and fun blog hop!
I wish you a very Happy New Year!
Latisha D
tishajean@ charter.net
gamistress66
/ January 5, 2013the book blurb sounds good
can’t think of any really “memorable” new year’s eve — mine tend to be quiet. happy new year.
gamistress66 (at0 aol (dot) com
Daniel M
/ January 5, 2013happy new year and thanks for the giveaway! – regnod(at)yahoo(d0t)com
Lisa Walker Liese2
/ January 5, 2013I want to start eating healthier this year.
Thanks for the chance and Happy New Year!
sqwalker2@hotmail.com
April Holgate
/ January 5, 2013I spent one New Year in China and that was different.
I love the title of the new book! What would Mr. Thompson think? Probably love it!!
Thanks for doing the hop!!
grapeapril75(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Missie Jones
/ January 5, 2013Your book sounds great
Happy New Year Darlin’
Missie Jones
missie25524 (at) netzero (dot) com
Mel Bourn (@MelCamino5)
/ January 5, 2013What a great memory. I love heroines who are intelligent but have a ditzy moment. We all have them sometimes..
Happy New Year.
Mel
bournmelissa at hotmail dot com
Miranda
/ January 5, 2013Happy New Year!
bones_mcp(at)yahoo(dot)com
Jennifer
/ January 5, 2013Happy New Year to all and thanks for the hop.
jkgf27@verizon.net
kimberly holgate
/ January 5, 2013no mine are actually quite boring and end with me ether falling asleep before the ball drops or just forgetting about it completely
kaholgate at ymail dot com
deb p
/ January 5, 2013Diet and exercise, thanks .
r.d1@myfairpoint.net
Natasha
/ January 5, 2013I usually just stay home.
Thanks for the chance to win!
natasha_donohoo_8 at hotmail dot com
valeshka
/ January 6, 2013Even with an IQ of 157, I am capable of some pretty weird, goofy, and stupid things. I also have a tendency for spoonerisms, and impromptu dancing as I try to keep from falling when my center of balance decides it doesn’t like gravity.
Most of my New Year’s Eves look the same. My mom and I traditionally have our “midnight meal” on New Year’s Eve (consisting of appetizers and snack foods) while we wait for the ball to drop. (We used to watch the Twilight Zone marathon on SyFy, but since we cut cable in 2012, we didn’t this year.) We sip on sparkling pear juice instead of wine.
tp DOT quixotic AT gmail DOT com
Veronika
/ January 6, 2013Happy New Year to you!
verusbognar (at) gmail (dot) com
Shadow
/ January 6, 2013Hi! Happy New Years! I spent the day with my family. We watched movies, put together a puzzle and toaster in the new year. Thanks for the awesome hop and all the giveaways! This is so fun! I love these hops! I always meet new authors, reconnect with old ones and my TBR list grows by leaps and bounds! Thank you!! Have a great day! Best wishes and many blessings to you!
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
Dita
/ January 6, 2013Thank you very much! Happy New Year!
dita(dot)skarste(at)gmail(dot)com
Stacey
/ January 6, 2013Happy New Year
staceyprice(at)gmail(dot)com
Amber Turner
/ January 6, 2013Happy New Year! My New Years traditions are easy, I spend time with my family and friends. I can’t think of a better way to ring in the new year. My resolutions this year is as always to loose a few pounds and spend a little more time with my family.
Ifightforlove36@gmail.com
myboo63
/ January 6, 2013thanks for the hop
myboo63@hotmail.com
AEKZ2
/ January 6, 2013Thank you for your giveaway!
annettekz2 AT yahoo DOT com
Katie Amanda
/ January 6, 2013Thanks for participating! katieamanda1(at)yahoo(dot)com
ash
/ January 6, 2013My funny story, well it was funny to us, was the fact that my fiance and I really wanted crawfish for New Years Eve dinner. He’s from Louisiana and we haven’t had it in forever! He and I we went out looking everywhere for it and still couldn’t find any. Later my mom and I went out and we finally found microwavable crawfish. We brought it home and he was like “in all my years…..I have never seen anything like that..” It was too funny. It came out good though, not as great as fresh crawfish but the best we could do!
Thanks for participating! Happy New Years!
Ash
Ashwayvpa (at) aim (dot) com
slehan
/ January 6, 2013Thanks for the contest.
slehan at juno dot com
Kaci Verdun
/ January 6, 2013Thanks for the chance to win! I’m looking forward to 2013, to moving and having my husband back from overseas!
kacidesigns AT yahoo DOT com
Stacy O
/ January 6, 2013Thanks for the giveaway!
amnell(dot)khalan(at)gmail(dot)com