16 things about me...

My good friend Helen Hardt recently tagged me to list 16 things about myself. I think they're supposed to be somewhat interesting, but I make no promises. ;)

1) Favorite hot beverage? Umm, can someone say coffee? I love coffee so much that even my blog is brown. LOL

2) I started writing my first romance when I was 12. My hero's name was Shelby and my heroine was Dorian. The best part? I'd never even read a romance when I started mine.

3) I finished my first romance, Dangerous Illusions, in 2007. I started writing it in 1991. (No, that's not a typo.)

4) Since then, I've written two more books, both aimed at Blaze. The second of the two, Insatiable, includes characters from Dangerous Illusions (my "trunk" novel that will never see the light of day.) It took me 7 weeks to write the first draft. Guess it helps to spend 17 years with a set of characters, huh? ;)

5) I was expelled in my senior year of high school for non-attendance. When I was asked to leave, I had a B average in college-level English. So I was a somewhat advanced slacker.

6) I have 75% of the credits I need for a Bachelor's Degree, which I firmly intend to get one day soon. Once I got past my teenage years, going to school didn't seem nearly as traumatic.

7) My major in college was Criminal Justice. I'll probably end up getting my Bachelor's Degree in that, as well, though I have no idea what I will do with it besides hang it on my wall.

8) I read Helter Skelter about the Charles Manson murders in seventh grade. I read my first romance in eighth.

9) My favorite movie is Halloween, the original, and has been since I was a child.

10) My favorite song is a tie between "Don't Fear The Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult and "The Rose" by Bette Midler.

11) I love to drive. Fast. I nearly lost my license in my early twenties because of my speeding tickets. I've since reformed. Mostly. ;)

12) My favorite author is Nora Roberts/JD Robb. This year, I discovered Jeaniene Frost, who has become another favorite. There are lots of others whose work I really enjoy, though.

13) Until two years ago, I refused to read about vampires. I thought they were ridiculous. For the past two years, I've read about little else.

14) As much as I love writing, I love music just a wee bit more. I wanted to be a singer until I hit eighth grade and realized I probably wouldn't make it. Then I fell in love with writing.

15) I'm just as scared to be published as I am that I never will be.

16) Two things I really want? A fireplace and a hot tub. And yes, I live in New York, where the wind chill is about a thousand degrees below zero right now.

Now I'm supposed to tag 16 people, but I don't know that many people who would do a survey like this. So if anyone wants to do one of these lists on their blog, have at it.

My next post will contain my 2009 goals. First, I have to decide what I'm going to commit to doing, knowing some people I adore will hound me mercilessly if I fail. ;)