One of the things I love about the Murder She Writes authors is that the women they write about are strong and self sufficient. I’m guess that my own skewed vision of “the damsel in distress” may have been irrevocably altered by a lifetime love of James Bond movies.

It’s been over half a century now since the very first Bond Girl — Honey Ryder, played by Ursula Andress in a white belted bikini accessorized with an assassin’s blade — graced the silver screen and launched a million erections. Sauntering in from the surf just in time for the Sexual Revolution, Bond Girls weren’t considered sexist, but sexy.

But these women were much more than arm charms. When they were good, they were great: not just in bed, but in the field, too. And when they were bad, they weren’t just naughty minxes, but deadly villianesses as well.

The films’ screenwriters (adapting Ian Fleming‘s’ classic spy novels) never met a double entendre they didn’t like. Seriously: with names “Pussy Galore“, “Holly Goodhead” “Plenty O’Toole“, “Bibi Dahl”, “Kissy Suzuki”, “Strawberry Fields”, “Molly Warmflash”, “Xenia Onatopp“, “Fatima Blush”, “Bambi” and “Thumper”– and let’s not forget “Mary Goodnight”), what guy isn’t going to get the wrong idea?

(Note to all aspiring thriller writers: think porn, not corn…)

My own favorites were “Solitaire”, “Domino Vitali, “Jinx” “Paris Carver” and “Vesper Lynd”. Those names have an air of mystery about them, a promise that trouble is just around the corner.

Now that Daniel Craig has completed a third Bond film, and contracted for five more, I’ve been give the best of both worlds: more Bond Girls to inspire me — and the best guy candy ever.

Here’s to a few more tasty Bond-Bonds,

– Josie

CONTEST QUESTION!

Have a great Bond Girl name?
Post it below, for a chance to win a copy of my book
THE BABY PLANNER.

BONUS POINT!

When writing The Housewife Assassin’s Handbook, I considered giving my heroine a name worthy of a Bond Girl. But because the series is also a tip of the chapeau to
television’s domestic goddesses of the 1950s,
I chose the name Donna Stone.”

Email me at MailFromJosie@gmail.com
with the television show that also had a heroine by that name!

____________________________

WINNER TO MY LAST POST’S CONTEST:

EDIE RAMER.

Edie, please email me with your home address!

The big lesson is: I need to stop worrying about things I cannot control.  Youda thunk at my age I would have figured that out by now.  But it hasn’t sunk in.  Until this past year.  Now that doesn’t mean I’m throwing my hands up in the air and saying eff it, I can’t control it, so why worry.  Nope, 2011 taught me that while I can’t control what life throws at the ones I love, and I can’t shelter them from the pain of mistakes or tragedy, 2011 has taught me that I can survive it.  I have survived it.  2011 was a very good year and a very bad year

High points: My youngest son entered the Marine Corps in April and is flourishing.  I was worried about that one.  He’s a hard head and has authority issues, but he’s in his glory.  I could not be prouder of that boy, and so relieved he has found his bliss.

My eldest daughter and youngest son married their true loves.

My youngest daughter is pregnant with grandbaby number two.

I survived yet another one of hubby’s Achilles tendon surgeries.

I faced a couple of monsters in the closet. Ignoring them only caused me anxiety, so I just flung open the door (with the lights on!) and went at them.  They weren’t so scary after all.

I had a few books release, and wrote a few more.

The very bad part of 2011 was as many of you know the death of my nephew.  But even through Timothy’s death there were remarkable silver-linings. One of them was realizing just how resilient humans are.  My brother amazed me. How my sil held up, I still don’t know. Through their tragedy, I came to understand just how amazing we are as a species.  While we are experiencing excruciating pain, we still find ways to reach out and comfort others who are hurting too.  We have the strength to do what needs to be done, because it needs to get done.  We have the capacity to continue to love even though it’s terrifying.

I realized I am capable of so much more than what I am currently doing.  I feel like I have been idling for too long.  2011 taught me that there is no more time to waste.  I’m getting it done like there is no tomorrow.  Because there might not be!

So watch out 2012, I’m going to burn a swath right up your ass!

Did anyone else get a life lesson 2011?  Feel free to share.

But, before you do, please make sure you stop by MSW Monday to meet our newest murderous maven, Miz Josie Brown.  Josie will be blogging every other Monday and I promise you, you will not be bored.  Josie is a dear friend of mine and I could not be more excited to have her as part of our group.

Please make sure you stop by and give her a warm murderous welcome!

From Jen, Rocki, Lori, Toni, Laura, Sylvia, Debra, Sophie, Allison and moi!  May your holiday be merry and bright, may the year end with a satisfied smile and 2012 blast off with boundless enthusiasm.

For those brave men and women overseas standing watch, if I could, I would stand in your boots so that you could be home with your families this Christmas, but since I can’t (and it’s really not a good idea since I’m a wuss) I offer you my thanks for your selfless service and my prayers that you return home safely.

Click on the link below to hear A Marine’s Christmas song. It’s pretty heartwarming. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TT2WbneONWw&feature=player_detailpage

See you next year!  But before I go, I have one question:  What is your numero uno New Year’s resolution? 

I don’t usually self-promote on my blog days. Hell, I rarely promote other authors’ work (I let them guest!). But today, I’m not
only going to promote a cause I believe in, I’m going to challenge every one of you who reads this blog today to do something selfless for someone in need this holiday season.

Harry Moseley passed away recently.  He was 11 years old.  He died at home in his mother’s arms surrounded by people who loved him.  This kid was special, and not just in the classic sense, he was special because despite his own issues with an inoperable brain tumor, Harry reached out to his fellow countrymen as a voice and cheerleader for others who battled the nasty C word.

Harry was brought to my attention by my good friend Bonnie Hoffmaster who is another special person.  After contacting Harry’s mum, Bonnie worked tirelessly to gather writers and put together an anthology to help Harry raise funds for Cancer research.  The first anthology was released a few months ago, and while it did ok, Bonnie wants to do more. And because I was part of the first antho and want to do more, I did not hesitate when Bonnie asked if I would be part of the next anthology.

Here’s the blurb for Author Moments II

Harry Moseley, the boy who raised over 500,000 pounds for Cancer Research UK, is no longer with us – but his legacy lives on.

“Britain’s Kindest Kid”, Harry was more than a nice kid with a big heart; he was a real life hero.  A hero with an inoperable brain tumor who tragically lost his battle with cancer at the much-too-young age of 11.

Harry’s, “Help Harry Help Others” campaign continues his fundraising work in hopes that one day soon, there will be a cure
for brain tumors.  Joining Harry’s quest for research funds are an amazing group of romance writers, along with a wonderful cover artist, who have put together an inspiring anthology to raise money for Cancer Research UK, in memory of Harry Moseley.

Author Moments II is a collection of essays written by these talented writers. From the New York Times bestselling lists to the writer who is just beginning their quest, you will find this anthology filled with generous writing advice and anecdotes. It won’t matter where you are on your road to publication or even in your life journey, Author Moments II will fill you with love, laughter and a renewed hope that all thingsare possible when you care enough to come together and make a difference.

Like real life hero, Harry Moseley.

The Authors Helping Harry invite you to pitch in with them to help find a cure simply by purchasing a copy of this wonderful
anthology.

*As a bonus, each author has included an excerpt from one of their current, or upcoming, releases.

http://www.helpharryhelpothers.com/

http://authorshelpingharry.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Authors4Harry

http://twitter.com/Authors4Harry

Won’t you help Harry, help others?

But I am so not ready for the holidays!  Yet they are upon us.  When the hell did that happen? In less than two weeks, it will be Thanksgiving.  A month later Christmas then a week after that, we’ll be ringing in the New Year.  Holy, cow.  And while I often grumble about the work the holidays entail, this year I’m welcoming all of it with open arms.  Because if it wasn’t the season then I wouldn’t be seeing my youngest son for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I miss him so much it hurts.  I cannot wait to get my hands on that boy!  He flies in Thanksgiving morning and flies out Sunday night.  But he’ll be home for a minimum of ten days during Christmas.  Not only that, he’ll be home to celebrate his twenty-third birthday and to ring in the New Year with us. An added bonus this year is that my brother will be coming out for Christmas.  I can’t wait to see him.  My kids adore their uncle and he them, in fact, as you read this, he’s headed to Camp Lejeune to spend the weekend with my son and his new bride.

I’m doing something I haven’t done in years, I’m hosting Thanksgiving.  It will be union of families.  My family, our new in-laws and maybe a few friends whose plans are currently up in the air.  I’m not stressing.  Everyone is pitching in so that no one person has to bear the burden of it all.

The other good news is, because my family is growing in leaps and bounds, the kids have decided to draw names between them this year
and hubby and I have decided we’re giving our kids couples gifts.  That will alleviate sooooo much hair pulling and endless miles of zombie mall walking.

For each other, the hubster and I are throwing a holiday party to celebrate the reason for season with our close friends.  We haven’t thrown a holiday bash in a couple of years, mostly because I have been on crazy deadlines.  I’m very thankful for the fact I don’t have a
deadline staring me in the face until well into the New Year.

This is going to be a holiday season to go down in the books.  I can feel it.  We have endured some heart wrenching days this past year.  In fact, when I think about 2011, for me personally, it has pushed me to my emotional limits.  And I survived.  I feel like I’ve come out of an inferno, singed in places, burned in others, but alive.  More than alive, fighting alive.  Knowing what it all means, and not willing to give up one second of one minuet of one hour of living.

Many of you know, my family is tight.  Very tight.  So tight, we sometimes rub each other the wrong way.  Through adversity a person’s true character emerges.  I’m nodding my head as I type because it has occurred to me that my kids are made of some strong stuff.  I can say now that they get some of that from me, the other parts from their dad, but at the end of the day, they are the ones that have to dig deep and emerge from life’s adversities with fists raised in triumph.

This world is scary.  When I read the news about babies gone missing, coaches molesting kids, our service men and women coming home in pieces or in a body bag, and think of how those families have endured, I’m humbled.  But not surprised.  They’re made in America.  I’m made in America.  As Americans, we are like a tight knit family.  We bitch, we moan, we groan, we fight and we rub each other the wrong way, but when the chips are down, watch out, because we will stand united and have each other’s back like no other family in the world.

And that’s what this time of year means to me now: power of family. No more grumbling from me. I feel the power like I’ve never felt it
before.  I mean, I knew we Tabke’s were strong.  We stand up for what we believe, and always for each other, but when you’ve been brought to your knees by unimaginable heartache, fear and disillusionment, when you feel as if the world is falling out from under you, and you reach out to find every hand of every one of your children, brothers, sisters and parents reaching out to pull you up even as
they are falling apart themselves, it’s the most amazing, beautiful thing in the world.

So, yeah, this time of year is going to be extra special for me, not only this year but every year to come.  Like Gene Simmons says, “It’s good to be me.”

I want to say thank you to all of the veterans out there for your service and sacrifice, because of you, I am able to freely write this blog. You all deserve more than just one day to honor you.

I also want to announce the winner from my blog last month: Elaine G, email me at Kltabke@aol.com!

Now, tell me, why is it good to be you? Don’t be shy!