Hi, my name is MissMeliss and I’m writing a book. No, too cute. Better use my real name. Hi, I’m Melissa and I’m writing a book. *sigh* My real name is frumpy and dull, and doesn’t have the energy I need to make myself believe in this book-thing. Sorry Mom. I tried to change it once when I was nine – do you remember? I said I hated my name, and wanted to be “Kate,” because it was pert and upbeat and kind of spunky.

You humored me, and let me be “Kate” for about three hours, before I realized I didn’t really want to be “Kate,” after all. It didn’t fit. But it was sort of fun to try on her skin for a bit. I kept Kate’s attitude, except she’s now called Marin (yes, like the county) and she’s in my book.

The one I’m writing. The one that takes a bunch of cafe vignettes and braids them together with a connected story, and that is really amazing in my head, but that I keep putting off working on because I’m scared. What if it sucks and no one buys it. Except. I don’t think it sucks. It’s less than fine literature and more than chick-lit, but I’m pretty sure my writing isn’t completely suckful. I mean, I get paid to sling words together that are far less interesting than this book, so that’s got to be a sign, right? I think I’m afraid of finishing it. Of selling it. I hate the selling process.

Could someone just lock me up in a room and make me write for three hours a day? Could someone feed the dogs and Fuzzy and bring me coffee and bagels with sun-dried tomato cream cheese and chocolate croissants that are warm enough for the chocolate inside to be melty, while they’re at it?

Firefox thinks “melty” isn’t a word. Firefox does not get to decide these things. In my universe, “melty” is a perfectly fine word. It isn’t quite “melted” like molten cheese, and it’s not all sticky and tacky like something that is “gooey” but it’s warm and kind of squishy and malleable.

See, I can use “malleable” and “melty” in the same sentence and the universe won’t blow up, or anything.

Hi, my name is Annie M. Klein. No, it really isn’t. But I used that as a pen name when I was ten, I think. It’s a re-distribution of some of the elements of my given name. The one my mother gave me. All of it. Pen names are important when you’re ten. And I’ve always used my middle initial. I like it. It sort of balances the first and last name, and makes things more official. I feel sad for people who don’t have middle names.

Hi, I’m Melissa A. Bartell, I’m a writer. Am I? Am I a writer, or am I just a hack? And why do I sometimes feel guilty for changing my last name when I got married? Fuzzy’s last name is so much easier to spell, and it symbolized a new beginning, a new adventure. I didn’t do it because I HAD to, or was EXPECTED to. Part of me still feels like I lost some street cred when I did it, though. As if I ever had any.

Hi, I’m MissMeliss.
I’m thirty-seven, but the guys in the improv troupe I’m part of think I’m much younger.
I’m five feet tall. Exactly.
I have brown hair with pink highlights. A LOT of pink highlights. I think my hair is about 75% pink now. Like a raspberry mocha.
The picture of the woman with the pink hair I use in my profiles? The face is me, the hair’s a wig. My stylist won’t let me go quite that pink, and frankly, she’s right not to. The highlights…they’re better.

A touch of pink. A dash of spunk. A lot of words and music, pens and ink, dark chocolate, designer coffee, red wine, and rare meat.

That’s me.

Melissa.
MissMeliss.
Blogger, singer, improviser, voracious reader, cellist, vampire fiction fan, cook, dog owner, collector of shoes and hats, friend, daughter, lover, wife, writer.

Yeah.
Writer.

Scribble some words of your own, or read others here.

For those of you just tuning in, Alliterative Saturday is when I use alliteration as a jumping-off point for sharing the highlights of my week.

Autumn: It’s here, it’s here! Finally officially here! I always feel as if season changes should come with some sort of fanfare, with trumpets blaring, bells ringing and children singing silly songs. Instead, I will settle for the fact that even if the thermometer says it’s 91 degrees today, there’s a distinctly autumnal tone to the sun’s warmth. If it’s possible for there to be a “cool 91” as opposed to a “hot 91” (sort of like a long cup of milk) we have the former.

Apples: We bought Braeburns at the grocery store when we went shopping on Monday night, and last night I had one with some very sharp cheddar. Bliss in every bite. There’s something so perfect about the combination of crisp, sweet-tart apple and sharp, smooth cheddar. The dogs shared the snack and they agree.

Audio: I received in the mail a sample CD of “Mozart’s Greatest Hits,” with a little booklet of liner notes. Part of me thinks this is stupid and kitschy, but the other part thinks it’s quite a clever way to get classical music more exposure.

Artichokes: At that same afore-mentioned grocery store trip, I bought an artichoke. I love them, and almost never have them. I had to tell the cashier what it was, and he looked at it, and looked at me, then back at it, and his next words took my voice away. “I always thought,” he said, “that an artichoke was a kind of fish.”

Amusement: My writing companion for the past week has been one Nicholas Knight, vampire cop, as personified by Geraint Wyn Davies. I was a fan of the show Forever Knight when it was originally on over a decade ago, and we bought the first season DVD last year, but I wasn’t really in the mood for it. Right now, I am, because I like the accents, and it’s familiar enough that I can write to it, but I’ve finished season one, so now need to acquire seasons two and three, which are both out.

Angel: And speaking of DVDs, the box set of Angel is being released at the end of October.

Appetizer
What is your favorite type of art?
I like sculpture, and I like fiber arts, but my favorite school of painting is the Impressionists. Degas dancers, Seurat’s pointillism, and almost anything by Mary Cassatt appeal to me.

Soup
When was the last time you got a free lunch (or breakfast or dinner)? Who paid for it?
Our smoothies from Jamba Juice were free last night, because their register went down in the middle of the transaction, and the manager didn’t want to make us wait. Does that count?

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how emotional are you?
On average, maybe a strong six. Kleenex commercials and national disasters don’t make me cry, or anything, but I do empathize with the families of soldiers who don’t come home. Of course, one week a month all bets are off and I soar to about a fifteen.

Main Course
Approximately how long do you spend each day responding to email?
(I corrected this question because I hate that people pluralize email by adding an unnecesary ‘s’.)
I’ve never stopped to add up the time – if blog comments count, at least an hour or two, but I read and write quickly, and type 90 wpm, so possibly less than that.

Dessert
To what temperature do you usually set your home’s thermostat?
We have a ton of computers, so we keep the house fairly cool – around 70.

In this world, there are cat people and there are dog people, and while we can usually get along with each other, there are some fundamental personality differences. One thing we all have in common, however, is that we love our pets, and we love it when our friends get pets too, so that they can know the pleasures and joys of having small furry creatures running around.

I am a dog person, and one thing that drives me crazy is when people adopt dogs that are completely unsuited for their lifestyles. You do not, for example, buy a shepherd and then keep it in an apartment with nothing to herd. Yes, they can be great pets, but they’re also working dogs who were bred to their jobs. Without a purpose, they can be moody and destructive.

For this reason, I’m a big proponent of researching dog breeds before you ever visit the adoption center, the pound, or the breeder. One new site for this, that presents the information in a friendly manner is Great Dog Site. It’s a new-ish site, still finding its rhythm, but it’s already got a great collection of breed information.

As a Chihuahua owner, and a fan of the breed, one thing I like about the site is that they include the information that Chihuahuas are not toys to be carried, but dogs to be walked, and that they should never be overfed. I’ve heard my vet comment more than once that we have the only Chihuahua in their client list who isn’t overweight.

GreatDogSite.com allows users to submit pictures of their own dogs, or suggest additional information for each breed article.

I like the site because the information is well-presented and useful.
My dogs give it two paws up. (Each.)

Thirteen Things about MISS MELISS Things that Begin with S Sailboats: While I’ve only been sailing a few times, I have a great affinity for the romance and wonder of wooden boats. One of my fantasies is to sail as crew. One of my favorite things to do when it is rainy outside is brew strong tea, and curl up with books that chronical sailor’s voyages. My all-time favorite is Tania Aebi’s first book, Maiden Voyage. San Francisco: Tony Bennett isn’t the only one to leave his heart there. I’ve poked all around the city by the bay, and never once has the city touched me with anything but positive energy. Fuzzy and I had our second kiss in San Francisco. Sharks: While I learned to like hockey because of the novelty of living within walking distance of the arena where the San Jose Sharks played, it is the animal, not the team, that makes this list. It should be no surprise that I am fascinated by these big fish – after all, I devoted an entire Thursday 13 entry to them during Shark Week 2007. Side Order of Life: This show premiered on Lifetime TV a couple weeks after Army Wives, which I love, and quickly became one of my favorite shows. Watching it every week is much like a continuing live-action chick-lit novel, and I’m still enjoying it for escapist entertainment. Siesta: While I’ve never really been a fan of napping, working at home has put me into a pattern of working from morning through mid-afternoon, then breaking for a few hours to rest and read, and then resuming work when the sun is beginning to go down. I’ve always been very nocturnal, but this way, I’ve been able to keep a daytime shift and still indulge in the late nights that I love. Singing: I started singing when I was little and have barely stopped since. When I’m working, I hum or sing, and when I can’t stare at the computer screen for another second, I get up, blast music, and dance and sing around the living room until I feel energized and my head feels clear. Skating: I grew up in the seventies and eighties when skating parties at ice and roller rinks were all the rage. Cheap, innocent fun. With music. I prefer ice skating, and have nice skates that I almost never use, because none of my friends skate, and skating alone isn’t fun. Sky: The stars, the moon, the planets…I love to gaze up at the night sky, and wonder, or dream. When the night is dark enough, I reintroduce myself to the constellations, and one of my favorite things to see is the moon in daylight, because it reminds me of fantasy planetscapes. Sneakers: I love shoes, especially sandals and boots, and I have quite the collection, but for comfort and happy feet, nothing beats a pair of sneakers. My walking sneakers these days are a pair of white Reebok freestyles, but I’m loving the pink Converse All-Stars Fuzzy gave me for my birthday as well. I once said that I only wanted jobs where I could wear sneakers to work. I have one now. Starbucks: While they do not have the best coffee in the world, they have brough espresso to almost every neighborhood, which makes me incredibly happy. Also, there’s something to be said for a consistant product. Finally, the folks at my neighborhood Starbucks always compliment my hair. Sushi: I could eat sushi every day and never get sick of it. Sashimi, sushi rolls, nigiri, I love it all, except the octopus. I can’t stand the texture of octopus, and I don’t like the concept of eating an intelligent creature. Stationery: I love the texture of paper, the feeling of linen fibers beneath my pen, the colors and styles and engravings that are used to personalize it. In my desk, I have a box just of single sheets of stationery (and envelopes) left over from favorite sets that are otherwise gone. I can never have too much stationery. Swords: Fuzzy really cemented my love of swords because he collects them, but really, what’s not to love? They’re beautiful, and carry such history, and I like the notion that in order to kill someone with a sword you have to be connected to them, through steel, even if it’s only for a moment. Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

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When good friends of ours spent time in the Virgin Islands last year, I have to admit I was more than a little jealous. I mean, I am all about the island vacations. Sun, sand, surf, and sleep are the perfect combinations for me.

Fuzzy, on the other hand, hates the beach, and is afraid of the water, which is why I’m psyched about finding http://www.caretbay.com. What’s so special about this site? Well, is specializes in renting out St Thomas Villas, and not just any old villas, either, but villas with swimming pools, beach access, and luxury appointments.

In fact, the villa currently being spotlighted, Villa Nicolette, offers an eight-person hot tub, your very own Tiki bar, plasma televisions, computer access, and wifi.

Wifi in paradise: I ask you what more does one need?

What’s really great about these villas, as the website makes clear, is that while the rental fees change depending on how many bedrooms you choose to use, the entire villa is yours. (Presumably, they lock off the unrented bedrooms to save cleaning and laundering.)

Don’t get me wrong, I love hotels. I will always love hotels, but if you’re spending a week at the beach, having your own villa is definitely the way to go.

I bet even Fuzzy would agree.

Because people asked about the moon picture in my last Wordless Wednesday post:

It was taken from the rolling chair in my living room, looking up at the very top row of windows that form the back wall of my living room. The top of the window is about 18 feet off the floor.

The misty quality is because we have light-filtering screens on all our windows.

The blur is because it’s really difficult to stay perfectly still in a rolling chair.

Thank you all for your favorable comments. I’m still returning visits.

I have a friend whom I haven’t seen since before I got married, and whom I still owe a visit. She lives in England, and we used to plan elaborate vacations where I’d stay in one of the best London Hotels and we’d go clubbing and see theatre, because really, what is a trip to London without taking in a show? It just as wrong as visiting New York without spending a couple of hours in a darkened theatre on Broadway.

We recently reconnected through IM and FaceBook, so in case you were wondering if the latter is of any use, it is.

She heard her accent on my answering machine once, and thought she sounded common. I think she’s rather uncommon – baudy, funny, talented – she always made me laugh, and pushed me outside myself.

Writing about her accent reminds me of the time I had to chase down mortgage clients by calling a bunch of Glasgow Hotels, when there was a problem with their loan closing. I finally bribed a concierge by promising to FedEx money for him to take his partner out of a night of pub hopping. Yes, I really sent it, and yes, it was a business expense. And yes, after said concierge tracked down the borrowers in a toney restaurant, the loan did close.

While we’re on the subject of hotels, let’s add Edinburgh Hotels to the mix. I found a mystery novel set in one, picked it up, then put it down without buying it, and now cannot remember what it was, though the description of the story is sort of haunting me.

I like expensive hotels. I like them so much, in fact, that the narrator in my first NANO Novel, Illusions of Motion was named Zoe, after a character in a movie who lived in a hotel and had a famous musician for a father.

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