Monday Needs a Laugh!

Who doesn't need a laugh on a Monday? Here are a few favorite chuckles from some of us at the Rockville 8. We hope they make you smile!

Nichole Christoff

What do you call an alligator who is also a detective? An investigator!

Misha Crews

Why is the farmer a pillar of his community? Because he's always outstanding in his field.

Lisa McQuay

What do you get if you cross an elephant and a rhinoceros? Elephino

Why couldn't the flower ride his bike? His petals fell off.

What do you call a computer that sings? A Dell

Keely Thrall

Let's makes like a shepherd and get the flock outta here.

What do you call a deer with no eyes? No idear.
What do you call a deer with no eyes and no legs? Still no idear.

What do you call a hot sheep? A wooly sweater.

Your turn!

Do you have a joke to share?

Midsummer Night's Reading Dreams

A number of the Rockville 8 ladies are out on vacation - and who can blame them?

But let it not be said that we can't field a varied and compelling beach read list however brief it may be! Read below for what Lisa, Misha and Keely are reading now and what we're diving into next - and let us know whose pages YOU'RE turning this summer!



Misha Crews

What I’m reading: Dark Angels by Karleen Koen

How’d I find it: I love this author, and always try to read anything she writes. Her first book, Through a Glass, Darkly, is one of my all-time favorites. Dark Angels actually came out several years ago, and somehow it slipped under my radar at the time of publication, so it was quite a treat to find it!

I recommend it because: It's overflowing with fascinating characters, complicated love stories, and intrigue. Lots and lots of intrigue! Plus, it's set in the 1600s, in the court of Charles II, and Koen handles the historical details beautifully.

What I’m reading next: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hopkins. 

Lisa McQuayWhat I'm reading: The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley

How'd I find it: I've read other works by this author and just adore her. I read Marianna first and couldn't put it down, even going back to my favorite parts to re-read them when I was finished. It stayed with me for a long time and I kept thinking about all of the plot twists and hint that she subtly gave us to lead us to the conclusion. 

I recommend it because: it has a fascinating setting, historical mystery, centers around a fascinating occupation, and the characters are unforgettable and well-drawn. 

What I'm reading next: That Thing You Do, by Maria Geraci. I met her recently and had some great conversations with her. I'm betting her books are equally wonderful. 

J. Keely Thrall

What I'm reading: Dominance Never Dies by Lexi Blake

How'd I find it: Funny story, in the wake of Fifty Shades of Gray, a pal recommended author Cherise Sinclair for anyone who wanted to read well done BDSM romance. I admit, I was curious so I scooted on over to Amazon, looked CS up and bought the first book at the top of the search...which happened to be book one of Blake's Masters and Mercenaries series. 

I recommend it (the whole series) because: it's goofy, over the top, kick butt fun. Blake's characters aren't people you'd meet in real life, but who the heck cares when you're having as much fun as they are blowing s*** up, roughing up the bad guys, and having kinky sex? That said, in each book, Blake deftly pulls the heartstrings as her h/h work for their happily ever afters. When I need a break from heavy, I love the wild, kooky ride I take each time I enter this world. 

What' I'm reading next: Good golly, I have no idea! Suggestions, please! 

In Which the Ladies of the R8 Leap into Summer

This summer the ladies of the Rockville 8 have a whole lot of fun planned,

from vacations to new books to a little something, something extra.

J. Keely Thrall:

Vacation: A staycation! Sadly, I’m not headed to RWA Nationals this year, but I *am* looking forward to spending some time at my condo’s pool! And wonder of wonders, I think it will be TWO FULL WEEKS. Aaaah, I can already feel my shoulders dropping from up around my ears as I turn into a boneless sloth...

Book release: Protecting His Own, by Cherise Sinclair, latest in her popular Masters of the Shadowlands series.This is a companion novella to the book Breaking Free, a look into Beth and Nolan's HEA. I'm also on tenterhooks for the next "Beyond" book from writing duo Kit Rocha. This post apocalyptic franchise swept me up in a whirlwind earlier this year and I'm salivating at the thought of getting my hands (and eyes) on the next installment of kinked out fun.

Movie: Star Trek Beyond (or pretty much any geek movie franchise installment. I’m not picky!)

Lagniappe: Earlier this year I submitted a MS to Entangled and received a "revise and resubmit" letter from one of their editors, with a due date of late June. Totally stoked to send it the requested edits and see where it takes me!


Misha Crews:

Vacation: I've been invited to Williamsburg, VA for a week's writing retreat. It's been years (decades?) since I've been to the Williamsburg area, and not only am I looking forward to hanging out with some writing friends and getting some good work done, it will also be fun to get reacquainted with a part of the state that I don't get to visit very often.

Book release: Neil Gaiman's The View from the Cheap Seats, which will be released at the end of May. I've pre-ordered the audio book, which he narrates himself (swoon!). Here's what the publishers say about it: "An enthralling collection of nonfiction pieces on myriad topics–from art and artists to dreams, myths, and memories to comics, films, and literature – observed in award-winning #1 New York Times bestselling Neil Gaiman's probing, amusing, and distinctive style. An inquisitive observer, thoughtful commentator, and assiduous craftsman, Neil Gaiman has long been celebrated for the sharp intellect and startling imagination that informs his fiction." Can't wait!

Movie: Hello, My Name is Doris. (It came out in March, but I missed it in theaters; now eagerly awaiting the dvd.) This movie looks hilarious and heartfelt, and those are two of my favorite things!



Lagniappe: Actually finishing my novel! I've been working on this book for years, and it seems unfair to leave the characters in limbo like that. It will be great to get it done and out into the world, and then get on to the next novel. It's going to be a great summer.




Mackenzie Lucas:

Graduation: My middle son is graduating high school in little over a week. Hoorah!!! I'm looking forward to this in that bitter-sweet way emptying-nest mom's do. Then summer will be all about preparing him for going off to university in August. I'm also looking forward to my own graduation from massage therapy school at the end of August. Yeehaw. Ready to get out there and get my business rolling.

Vacation: Hopefully a family vacation to the Outer Banks in July, if I can get it planned in the midst of the chaos that is my life right now.

Book release: Sweet Little Lies by Jill Shalvis. This is a new series start by Shalvis, set in a coastal town, probably much like her popular Lucky Harbor series. Can't wait to devour this one when it

comes out on June 28th.

Movie: Bad Moms, which comes out July 29th. Looks hilarious. And, oh-so irreverent, and yet strangely applicable from the trailer.

Lagniappe: I had to look this one up, because I didn't know what it was ... it's broadly known as "something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure." So, my lagniappe for the summer is looking forward to enjoying the sun and fun one day at a time as it comes, and to writing a new novella set in the Essence world as well as the first book in a new series. As well as enjoying my kids this summer. Guess I've got a lot of lagniappe.

Lisa McQuay:

Vacation: Outer Banks. A corner condo with an ocean view and a screened porch with breezes from the front and side. I can't wait to slow down, walk on the beach, read and just plain chill. It's been a hectic 2016 thus far.

Book Release: Kiss Me That Way by Laura Trentham. I read her historical series, Spies and Lovers, and absolutely loved the books. It's released on May 31, 2016 and I can't wait to try one of her contemporaries.

Movie: Jason Bourne. My husband and I love, love, love the Bourne movies and have watched them over and over. When I told him recently that the "Tires felt a little splashy on the way over here," he knew EXACTLY what I was talking about. I was so excited when I saw the advertisement on TV for the new movie that I ran to the next room where he was to tell him the good news.

Lagniappe: Finish my current Romantic Suspense novel. Get it to the agents who requested it. I'm currently doing a schedule to make that happen.

What are you looking forward to this summer?

Beauty and The Beast and The Rockville 8

Question: who loves fairy tales more than romance writers? Answer: pretty much nobody. And one of the most enduring and romantic fairy tales is Beauty and the Beast. So today, we at the R8 thought it would be fun to discuss our favorite versions of this multi-faceted and much-loved fairy tale.

Misha Crews

Which version is your favorite? Like everyone, I adore the 1991 Disney version (a book-loving Beauty, plus Jerry Orbach and Angela Landsbury? What's not to love?). But I think my favorite is the 1978 book by Marianna and Mercer Mayer.

Why this one? It's the first time I remember being exposed to this story. And even as a child, I was touched and fascinated by the idea that even the meanest, creepiest beasts might have a tender side. Maybe there's a reason why they roar and rampage. In addition to the romance, this story helped teach me to look past the exterior and realize that with everyone - beauties, beasts, and betweeners - there is always something going on underneath.

Mackenzie Lucas

Which version is your favorite?
Really, the only version I know is the Disney version. I'm sure there is a Grimm Brothers version or a Hans Christen Anderson version, but I've never read any of them or really seen any other versions televised on in the movies. So I'm sticking with Disney's Beauty & The Beast.

Why this one?
What's not to love? Dancing candle sticks and clocks. Plates and forks and teapots that sing? It's magical. Seriously. And the beast is a good guy underneath his bluster. Plus, there's just something attractive to me about a man who needs to be tamed. And I think Belle does a mighty fine job of it in this version. I also adore that she's bookish. ;0)

What one thing (if any) do you wish that version had handled differently, and why?
I wouldn't really change anything about this version. The part I personally had the most anxiety over was when Gaston leads the whole village to rise up against the Beast. For some reason that kind of injustice tweaks me the wrong way--kind of a falsely accused trope that I really hate. Jumps all over my sense of justice nerve.

I do believe that the Beauty and the Beast trope is a core story I use often in my own fiction. Sometimes the woman is the Beast and sometimes it's the man. Either way, love heals and tames all. Gotta love it.

Lisa McQuay

My Favorite Version:

My favorite version is the first version I saw, starring George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere (real-life husband and wife).

Why this one?

Trish is so luminous in this version and George is appropriately prickly and ill-mannered as the Beast. I liked the moody and mystical quality this production had.

What would I have handled differently?

I remember being slightly disappointed as a young girl that George wasn’t younger and more of a Disney-like hero. As an adult, I see that there’s a sexy quality and intensity to him that is quite attractive. I wouldn’t change a thing.

J. Keely Thrall

Which version is your favorite?

Well, I adore the Disney version. A heroine with brown hair like me! And she reads! And what a cute beast. Love your whiskers and your library, dude! But for this occasion, I’m going with Beast by Judith Ivory. It’s an historical romance, but set around the turn of the 20th century, still not an era often visited in romance. Its heroine is Louise, a young woman so beautiful men go slack-jawed when they see her. Our hero is Charles, a French sophisticate who is blind in one eye, scarred, and walks with a limp. Definitely a little beasty boy in the looks department.

Why this one?

Ivory’s writing style is lush and textured, her conflicts heartfelt yet emotionally grown up. This couple’s issues are not easily solved “if only they would sit down at talk it over.” Their HEA is hard fought, passionate, and satisfying.

What one thing (if any) do you wish that version had handled differently, and why?

I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m a consummate re-reader of books. I will read a story into the ground if I love it hard enough. But the opposite is true for me, too, and this book falls in the latter category. I was so entranced while devouring Beast that I knew reading it again would be like trying to get back-to-back holes-in-one on the golf course. Sure, the second ace is cool, but that sense of surprise, awe, and uniqueness is somehow lessened with the repetition.

For nearly 20 years I’ve held my full immersion into Ivory’s world locked deep in my heart, a “pure romance” epiphany that needed no further enhancement (for this same reason I’ve not been able to re-read Lord of Scoundrels [another iteration of Beauty and the Beast, perhaps??]. Thinking about Beast for this post makes me wonder: with 20 years more reading and 15ish years of writing under my belt, is it time to take Beast off the shelf and see whether it continues to live up to my hype?

Our Favorite Romantic Movies

Good morning and Happy Monday! We hope that your Valentine's Day was spent with someone you love. And if you live on the East Coast, we hope that you stayed warm during this very chilly weekend!

This week we want to extend the love of Valentine's Day by sharing some of our favorite romantic movies! And we hope that you'll feel free to share your favorite romances with us in the comments.

Nichole Christoff

MOVIE: The More the Merrier from 1943

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Determined to do her duty as a patriotic American during the uncertainty of World War II, Connie (Jean Arthur) sublets half of her Washington, DC apartment to ease the housing crunch. Connie counted on a respectable lady roommate, but when the doddering Mr. Dingle (Charles Coburn) cons his way into the lease, things seem all right--until he sublets half of his half to the handsome Joe Carter (Joel McCrea). Sparks fly even though Joe doesn't fit into Connie's Washington, DC world, and Joe is due to ship out on a secret mission. Add in the mores of the wartime 1940s and the machinations of the ornery Mr. Dingle, and hilarity ensues.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT: First of all, Jean Arthur is a treat. Cute, quirky, energetic, smart, strong, and able, she's the lady I'd love to be. Joel McCrea as Joe is an everyman, and he plays the strong silent type to a T. Charles Coburn's shenanigans are hilarious due to sharp writing, but also his deceptively cuddly demeanor. This movie was released in 1943, right in the middle of the uncertainty of World War II, and that's a very real part of this story. No one knows if they'll have tomorrow, just like our 1940s grandparents--and just like our military members and spouses, today.

FAVORITE SCENE/FAVORITE LINE: After Connie and Joe accidentally end up on a date, thanks Mr. Dingle's maneuvering, Joe walks Connie home--and he can't keep his hands off of her. Walking down the street, his hands are at the small of her back, the nape of her neck, her shoulders, ear, and throat. She's like a toreador with her cape as she politely but firmly redirects his touch. All the while, they cling to small talk about everything else except their feelings for each other and the fact Joe must leave for his dangerous mission. But they can't resist their attraction and end up in a mind-melting kiss that's a turning point for the remainder of the film. This scene is never out-of-bounds when it comes to 1940s propriety, but don't let that lead you to assume it's old-fashioned, cute, or quaint. It's smokin'!

Misha Crews

MOVIE: Enchanted April (1991)

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: In post-World War 1 England, four unhappy women from different backgrounds pool their resources to rent a castle in Italy for the month of April. As the wisteria and sunshine of San Salvatore works its magic on their troubled souls, the women begin to come into their own, and love soon follows.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT: So many things! The women are well-drawn and beautifully acted by Josie Lawrence, Miranda Richardson, Polly Walker and Joan Plowright. Their love interests (Alfred Molina, Jim Broadbent and Michael Kitchen) are quirky, flawed, as well as attractive and heroic in their own unconventional ways.

This film is a symphony of happiness, but it's never cloying or overly-sentimental. It's funny, beautiful, and so lovely that you can feel your spirits rising like an armful of balloons.

FAVORITE LINE: There are too many to count, but here's one of them: "In my day husbands and beds were very seldom mentioned in the same breath. Husbands were taken seriously, as the only true obstacle to sin."

MacKenzie Lucas

MOVIE: The Ugly Truth

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Plot summary as listed on IMBd (Because who can do it better? Right?) "A romantically challenged morning show producer is reluctantly embroiled in a series of outrageous tests by her chauvinistic correspondent to prove his theories on relationships and help her find love. His clever ploys, however, lead to an unexpected result."

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT: I adore enemies to lovers stories. Period. This movie is the epitome of that trope. *:) happy.

FAVORITE SCENE/FAVORITE LINE: My favorite scene is the salsa dancing scene. What I love about it is you can physically see the sexual tension building for these two in this scene.

Lisa McQuay 

MOVIE: Sense and Sensibility

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Two sisters navigating love in Regency England.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT: So much of what you know comes from what isn't said but portrayed subtly through body language and inflection.

FAVORITE SCENE/FAVORITE LINE: "What can I do?" - Colonel Brandon "Colonel, you have done so much already... " - Elinor "Give me an occupation, Miss Dashwood, or I shall run mad." - Colonel Brandon, Sense and Sensibility

Keely Thrall 

MOVIE: I Love You Again (1940)

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: William Powell is a con man with amnesia. When he comes back to himself after a hit to the head, he plots to rob himself-and his business-and skedaddle. The only thing he doesn’t count on is falling in love…with his wife, Myrna Loy.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT: The chemistry between Powell and Loy is present in all their movies, but this might be the sweetest and kookiest of the bunch. Watch for the cooing, Bill dancing solo, and Myrna debating whether or not to give her guy another bang on the head to re-“cure” him of amnesia. I prefer my romance with a big splash of laughter and these two are pros at delivering both. They have such a good time on screen together that it’s impossible not to join them.

FAVORITE SCENE/FAVORITE LINE: “Ever since you got off the boat, you’ve been chasing me like an amorous goat. You’ve tried your darnedest to make me fall in love with you and now you have. So from now on, I’m going to do the chasing, and believe me, brother, you’re going to know you’ve been chased.” ~ Myrna Loy just before she lays a kiss Bill Powell.

Word of the Year - 2016 Edition!

Each year, the ladies of the Rockville 8 dig deep to find a guiding word to shepherd us through the coming months. It's one of my favorite posts we do and this year I'm blown away once again by the results. Read on, then let us know what word calls to you for 2016! ~ Keely 

J. Keely Thrall
WORD: Release

WHY THIS ONE: I actually had a different word in mind - phoenix - for several weeks, as the need for rebirth and renewal in the wake of a difficult year called to me. But on Sunday I was pacing in my condo to get my step count up and I passed my deck of Angel cards. Each card has a different word printed on it that can be used for reflection and meditation. I guess I hadn't really noticed it when I picked it out before leaving for Christmas, beyond thinking the word fit in with the phoenix concept, but that moment, Release jumped into my bones and settled into place.

WHY THIS YEAR: Why Release? Because this year I'll be published - and have a real, true, "release" to share. Because this year, I'm releasing my stranglehold on some habits that no longer work for me. Because to make room for the new, I need to let go of the old. 

Because the Kraken of my creativity deserves to be unleashed upon the world. 

Evie Owens

WORD: Fling

WHY THIS ONE: Because it strikes me as off the cuff. The work of a moment. Not something that takes great thought. I live in my head and overthink the way I overthink. Take a shot. Give it a whirl. Just fling it out there and see what happens.  

WHY THIS YEAR: Why not?

Mackenzie Lucas
WORD: Core

WHY THIS ONE: Core Values. Remember what's important and build into it. Core Identity. Figure out who I am today, going into a new season of life, and embrace it. Core Strength. Build the strongest me possible to withstand the storms and celebrations life sends my way this year. 

WHY THIS YEAR: It's been a challenging year, with more challenges ahead. It's important that I focus on what's important to me, who I am in the midst of it all, and how to remain strong in order to be more than just a survivor, but a conqueror. 

Misha Crews
WORD: Wow.

WHY THIS ONE: I looked back over my words for the past few years: Forward (2012), Persist (2013), Do (2014), and Create (2015). And in each of those years, the word really did summarize my thoughts and actions for those 12 months: in 2012, I was moving forward after losing my dad so suddenly. In 2013, I was persisting with the good changes that I had started making the previous year: health-wise, family-wise and creatively. In 2014, my family and I shifted gears in a major way when we moved out of the house we'd lived in for over a decade; that was, indeed, my year of DO. And in 2015, my life has been freshly created: new town, new horizons, new healthy habits, an entirely new outlook. 

Now I want to make everything come together: gather up my loose ends and fragmented pieces, and just blow the socks off this coming year. When I look back at the end of 2016, I want to say, "Wow!"

WHY THIS YEAR: Because it's time. 

Lisa McQuay
WORD: Willow

WHY THIS ONE: “The willow which bends to the tempest, often escapes better than the oak which resists it; and so in great calamities, it sometimes happens that light and frivolous spirits recover their elasticity and presence of mind sooner than those of a loftier character.”

~Albert Schweitzer

I thought long and hard about my word for this year. Then I remembered the quote about the willow and the oak. In the past, there were times in my life where I locked my knees and resisted changes that I didn’t want. I am learning to bend with them and adapt so I can align my attitude and my actions to the situation. I don’t think that you need a “light and frivolous spirit” to do this. It can also be a conscious decision to let go of control in some situations.

I even love the way it sounds—soft, soothing and beautiful.

WHY THIS YEAR: I’ve realized that when times are hard, sometimes you have to sway with a situation, not against it. It’s exhausting to fight everything that happens to you or to rail against the circumstance. Better to move with the issue until you get through it. It’s much easier to bend with the storm than to let yourself be uprooted and toppled over.  

Nichole Christoff

WORD: Dig

WHY THIS WORD: I love this word! It's a cool word (Can you dig it?) and a working word (I'm gonna dig in!) and a word that encourages getting real (I'm gonna dig deep!) no matter what a new year might send my way.

WHY THIS YEAR: After plenty of changes over the past two years, such as a new home, a new day job, and three new novels published, I'm ready to dig what I've done (I'm enjoying all that redecorating!), dig into more projects (There are more novels to write!), and dig deeply into  the opportunities this new year will offer. 

Our Fantasy Holidays

The holiday season is a magical time: twinkling lights, flickering candles, our hearts full of joy. But it can also be one of the most stressful times of the year: cash runs short, shopping lines run long, patience runs thin. So this year, we at the Rockville 8 decided to give ourselves a mini-holiday from The Holidays.

Letting our imaginations run wild, we asked ourselves, if money were no object, if distance were not a factor and if family obligations were magically suspended, how would we spend the holiday? Where would we go, what would we do, and who would we do it with?  We hope our fantasies give you a break from the holiday stress. Feel free to share your own holiday fantasies with us in the comments!

Nichole Christoff

Where: A deluxe cabin in the Adirondacks

What: Is there anything more dreamy than an old-fashioned Christmas like the kind Mel Torme or Bing Crosby sang about? I'd love my own personal blanket of white, Jack Frost, and chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Snowshoeing in an evergreen forest by day, hot toddies at night, and heaps of handmade quilts on an antique bedstead in a luxury log cabin? Ahhh! That's the holiday for me!

Who: Book boyfriends are a-okay, but when it comes to my dream holiday, I'd want Mr. Christoff snuggled up in front of that fireplace with me.

Misha Crews

Where: Santa Fe, New Mexico. In the past few years I've developed a fascination with the American Southwest, even going so far as to set one of my novels there. Something about the confluence of cultures, combined with the vast landscape, which in pictures manages to be both austere and lush, captures the heart and inflames the imagination.

Photo credit: Christmas Pics for All

What: I would take Barbara Harrelson's Literary Walking Tour of Santa Fe, and spend hours wandering, listening to stories, and reveling in the spectacular greatness of storytellers, authors and literature. Then I'd spend Christmas Eve Santa Fe Plaza, admiring the hundreds of farolitas (votive candles in paper bags full of sand), drinking cider and singing carols.

Who: This took some thinking over! And with all due respect to my real-life husband, I think I would most like to take Mike Hanlon, the fictional character from Stephen King's It. This may seem like an unusual choice (not to mention that the fellow doesn't actually exist, except in imagination), but as a librarian, Mike would appreciate the finer points of the tour. He also has a sense of humor and an appreciation for history. Plus, if we were confronted by ancient evil, he would know how to defeat it. And after everything he went through in Derry, Maine, the guy could really use some time away!

Mackenzie Lucas

Where: El Camino de Santiago in Spain.

What: I've always wanted to do a pilgrimage. This is the Way of St. James, one of the apostles, and a favorite pilgrimage of Christians since the Middle Ages. After watching Martin Sheehan in The Way and Reese Witherspoon in Wild, I've desparately wanted to experience this kind of pilgrimage walk to see who I meet along the way and who I find deep down inside myself when challeneged mentally, physically, and spiritually to this degree.

Who: I don't think I'd take anyone in particular, but I'd be interested to meet other seekers along the way and learn their stories. It would be a fascinating journey.

Lisa McQuay

Where: Perhaps it’s the influence of Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol” but nothing says Christmas to me like England. Specifically, I’d love to be whisked away to Bath, England. I remember being fascinated the first time I read about Bath in a novel where the Regency heroine spoke of “taking the waters” there.

Picture from http://www.bathchristmasmarket.co.uk

What: I’d love to visit the Christmas Market in Bath. Tiny chalets are interspersed between the Roman Baths and Bath Abbey. Shoppers wander through the chalets, purchasing gifts, drinking mulled wine and eating mince pies. I’d also love to see the Christmas Carol service at the Bath Abbey. Of course, then I’d tour the city itself. After a full schedule of shopping, eating, touring, and caroling, I’d make a trip to the thermal spa to relax and wash off the dust of the day.

Who: My husband. I know that may sound boring but I’d only want him there with me. If he’s there through the tough times then, of course, he’s there for the fantasy trip.

Keely Thrall

Where: A Dude Ranch in The West

What: Riding dudes. No, wait! Riding horses. Yeah, riding horses. It’s not so much that I’m a fan of cowboys (although, come on, it’s not hard to see why a lady might linger over a pair of well-worn Levi’s). I’m not horse mad either. But ever since I first read the words “Big Sky Country,” I’ve felt a deep tug of longing to spend some time in Wyoming or Montana. The scale of the world is different there, in my imagination, the pace more relaxed, perhaps, and a little friendlier. What a perfect place to gather with family and friends for a little unplugged down time (as long as there’s hot water and indoor plumbing. Big sky, yes. Cold showers, heck no.).

Who: Lately, I’ve been falling in love with the Winchester brothers. I’m up to season 7 of Supernatural and I just can’t get enough of their emo vibe, even when I want to slap them upside the head when they act like doofuses (or possibly the writers’ heads when the plot goes awry). In Frontierland (Season 6, episode 18), Sam and Dean travel back in time to the Old West. Sam looks pretty hot. Dean wears a blanket. Snort. Regardless of Dean’s wardrobe fail, I think I’d take the brothers with me. Because if my holiday is ever invaded by monsters, these boys know a thing or two about saving the day.