Romance Movies Quiz Week 4

It's the last week of my movie quiz giveaway. I'm so pleased with one of the answers to last week's movie quiz, that I'm going to post her answers for everyone to see instead of my own. I think she answered them better than I would have so here goes:

1. Kate was a doctor
2. Persuasion
3. A bad one. His father was cold, and got even colder when his mom left him (the father didn't even go to her funeral- she was dead to him when she left him)
4. He planted a tree and it was brilliant (for me) to watch it grow instantly
5. She went to an architectural firm to have her old brickhouse redone. The firm (VanGuard sp?) belonged to Alex's brother. there was a sketch of the lakehouse on the wall and she asked about it and found out he was dead.

The final movie is “Serendipity,” starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. It’s about a couple who meet but don’t keep each other’s numbers, believing that if they were meant to be, fate would draw them together again. For years, they regret that decision and dream about each other. What will they do about it? This one is a little easier than the last one.

1. What book did Sarah write her number down in for Jonathan to find by fate?

2. Who attempts to find the other first?

3. What constellation did Jonathan find on her arm with her freckles and which now reminds her of him?

4. Who gives Jonathan the book with Sarah’s signature inside?

I'm actually sad this is the last week as it's been great fun. I can't wait to see what answers you have for this quiz and to find out who loved this movie.

A Weird Feeling

I just had to get this off my chest and do a blog post on it. It's happened to me several times already, but twice it's been quite creepy and weird. Sometimes I write something in a book and it later comes out in life. The first time was when I wrote my first adult novel. The story was set in my home town, Newcastle, and I made up a new shopping mall near the casino. There was no such thing at the time, nor was there any talk of it in local media. When I read through my novel about a year ago to consider revising it for a second edition, I noticed that and goosebumps ran up my arm. How uncanny that we now have a new mall in the very same area. I'm not denying that maybe I had heard something in the media, but I don't think so. I was trying to think where a good place to put this imaginary shopping mall would be and I came up with near the casino. Maybe the developers and I had similar thoughts.

Well, it's happened again but in a different way. I'm working on a book which is kind-of a follow-on of "Wedding Gown Girl," not that it follows Kienna's story, but rather Elaine (the bridesmaid's) story. It does feature Kienna as her friend though. Anyway, Elaine's brother is trying for the Olympics as a swimmer. Elaine has sworn that she will never date an athlete but she falls for one of Mick (her brother's) team mates. This romance is about all the conflicts and barriers to their love - one of them being Mick's overly-aggressive protection of his sister against Win. I began to do research, to explain Mick's behaviour, on "roid rage" which is excessive aggressiveness caused by abusing steroids.

It's very upsetting what happened to Reeva Steenkamp. If anyone has been following the latest news, it is believed that Oscar Pistorius (a South African Olympian runner) murdered his girlfriend, Reeva. Of course, nothing is confirmed and I'm hoping against little hope that he didn't murder her on purpose as he professed. Today there was a news article on "The Sun" website about the police finding steroids in his home. They suspect his aggression towards her could be caused by a mixture of "roid rage" and excessive alcohol usage. Strangely enough, as soon as I heard what happened, I thought of all the research that I'd been doing and I told my husband that maybe it was because of steroids. It seems that my thoughts right in the beginning may not have been far off.

I just can't believe how many book ideas always seem to come up after I've written them.

My first children's book was about a car that spoke and drove itself. Not long after I'd written it, the movie "Cars" came out. I knew then that my idea wouldn't get published as it was no longer original. In retrospect, my writing was in its beginning stages then so that was probably more the reason why it didn't get published. (If you are keen on a sweet, silly kiddies' book about a car that talks when it goes into a magical land, you can get my book on Smashwords for free - Buggy's Adventures in Motoland.) Here's the link: Buggy 1

So, I had to share how strange this all is to me - how the ideas of the universe seem to collide sometimes like an asteroid hitting the earth. I'm wondering if anyone else has gone through the same experience as a writer or am I the only one?

I sincerely hope that Pistorius is not guilty and that Reeva's family deals well with their grief. This story has been very upsetting as a South African to follow. For a sportsman that we respect in our country to possibly do such an awful deed or to be falsely accused of such, is quite disturbing.

Romance Movie Quiz Week Three

It's one day until Valentine's Day and I realise I didn't buy everything I wanted to buy for my very wonderful, special man! It's also frustrating because although I'm a writer, I struggle to put into words exactly how much he means to me without sounding sappy! Anyway, I hope he feels the love because it's very real!

The answers to last week's movie quiz are as follows:

1. Joe Fox brought his niece and nephew into Kathleen Kelly's bookshop.
2. Kathleen's username online to communicate with Joe was "Shopgirl."
3. Joe finds out that "Shopgirl" is Kathleen when he peers through the restaurant window before they are to finally meet and sees it's her.
4. Joe's dog's name was Brinkley.

The third movie is “The Lake House,” starring Keanu Reeves (don’t you love his husky voice?) and Sandra Bullock. This movie has some paranormal in it in that the two connect through different time frames via the post box at the lake house.

1.         What profession does Kate have in the movie?

2.         What book did Kate leave at the train station which Alex picked up?

3.         What type of relationship did Alex have with his father?

4.         What did Alex do for Kate outside her apartment block which wasn’t finished being built when he went there?

5.         How did Kate discover that Alex was dead?

Please leave your answers in the comment block with your email address so I may contact you if you've won.

Book Giveaway Week Two

It's a week and a day until Valentine's Day. Ten years ago, I received a very precious Valentine's Day present - a soft, cuddly and crying bundle that is now a beautiful child. When she was born, I was wearing a red checkered dress and the nurses didn't even take the dress off. She's always had a heart full of love for those around her.

In case you were wondering, the answers for last week's quiz are as follows:

1. Tony became a chef and opened a restaurant.
2. William sold travel books in his bookshop.
3. William spilt orange juice on Anna.
4. Anna kissed William in the doorway of his bachelor pad after coming in to wash off the orange juice.
5. Anna stayed at the Ritz Hotel.
6. William realised he should stay clear of Anna when the public opinion of her seemed more important to her than their relationship.

And now for the quiz for week two.

Another movie I adore is “You’ve Got Mail,” starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Interestingly, Kathleen Kelly runs a bookshop too – but a general one passed down from her mother. It’s about a couple that develop a close relationship online but are actually enemies in real life (besides there being definite chemistry between them.)

1.         Joe Fox is opening up a mega-bookstore in New York. Who does he take to Kathleen’s little bookshop?

2.         What is the username that Kathleen uses to correspond with Joe Fox unknowingly online?

3.         How does Joe respond when he finds out that Kathleen is the woman he’s been corresponding with?

4.         What is Joe’s dog’s name?

Please put your answers in the comments block and put your email address so if you've won, I can contact you.