A good villain isn't always hard to find!

Good morning!

Well, I'm fresh from the Jonas Brothers concert at the Bradley Center last night. And let me just put a few things out there:

1) I wasn't born when the Beatles hit the US.

2) I was too young when the Monkees and Partridge Family were at their peaks.

3) I was too old for New Kids, Backstreet Boys, and NSync. (Well, I was married and working on kids, which is pretty much the same thing.)

What I'm saying is that I've always been just on the outside of whatever the huge pop music wave is. But not the girl child. Nope, the girl is 12 and full on into Nick Jonas. So, I braved the mean streets of downtown Milwaukee (and one very mean parking structure) and we went.

I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't that show! Those boys can put on a show! (I suppose it's easy, given the unlimited amount of MONEY they have access to, and the fact that they are young enough and fit enough to get through a song without being winded...ahem MIKE RENO!)

On a side note, I think I have found an interogation method we can use on terrorists...make them sit in the crowd at a Jonas Brothers concert. The shrill shrieks of 20,ooo preteen girls (and forty guys...we counted) will most likely change any terrorists' mind about the wisdom of wanting 70 virgins all in one room. (Okay, in my head that's hysterical...hope you're laughing!)

But the point to all this is that a writer can find inspiration in all things. And last night's concert was no exception. First rule of concerts: Where there is music, there will be dancing. Second rule: If you want unobstructed views at a concert, then BUY FRONT ROW SEATS. Otherwise shut up and dance!

The woman behind me did not get the memo on how to behave at a concert. She sat there with her two tiny daughters (another side note: If your children are too young to up past 8, then maybe they're too young for the concert experience....) and every time my daughter and her friend got up to dance (you know, like the other 20,000 girls and 40 guys in the biulding) she would ask me to tell them to sit down.

Really?

Yes, apparently her two young girls, ages 4 and 6, were unable to STAND UP AND SEE THE STAGE like everyone else. No, they sat, motionless, in their chairs and every time a Jonas would yell, "GET UP" they would whine about not being able to see.

Well, when you sit in section 415 ROW C, you're going to run that chance.

Finally, I told the girls to move out of the seats I'd paid for and stand in a small space next to our seats where they wouldn't block "everyone's" view. (Yes, the woman had the GALL to say "No one can see around your girls.")

She shouldn't have done that. See, the Jonas Brothers since and remake of "Sweet Caroline." I love Neil Diamond. I'll dance for Neil. So when they tore into that, I got up and jiggled my fluffy fanny in her face...and I didn't sit for at least three more songs. Her girls, who pretty much sat and yawned through the concert, could see just fine, thank you, so she couldn't say a thing.

Immediate revenge is good. But revenge in print, now that's special.

I spent the hour in the parking garage writing notes on this woman, making her the villain in my next book and killing her in a most creative, and fun way. I won't tell you how, but when my third book (Aren't we getting ahead of ourselves?)comes out, there will be a scene at a rock concert, and that woman will get hers!

So, when you have a case of writer's block and you're looking for some inspiration, just look around. A good villain isn't always hard to find!

On a final note, I'm off to the Wisconsin Dells for the weekend. I'll be sharing a condo with my parents, my brother, his two small children, his older daughter, and my girl child. Oh, and no alcohol allowed. You can bet I'll be writing!

Meanwhile, if you're bored this weekend, head on over to my friends at www.thewildrosepress. Sandi Hampton has a great book out called "Last Chance at Love" If you like civil War era books, check out Meg Henesy's "Shadow of a Southern Moon." Or, my friend Stacey Joy Netzel's "Chasin' Mason." Or, you can just check out my author page! Remember, DREAM IN COLOR comes out 4-23-10!

See ya!