The 2014 Golden Globes Fashion Wrap-Up!!

The Fictionista


Remember this from my blog post last January?

"January, for me, is all about the Golden Globes and fashion.

This was one of the best ceremonies in a long time, thanks to Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. The ladies were funny and classy and they kept things moving. In fact, the only thing I didn't like about them was that I didn't see them enough! I hope they're back next year, but I wonder if repeat performances will ruin the perfection of this one."

The awards ceremony gods listened to me and the funny ladies were back!! Next year, I'd like to be at the ceremony, sitting at a table with Ben & Jen. "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there!"

Here's my breakdown of the ceremony:

The Hollywood Foreign Press (HFP) got it right: Andy Samberg and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. It's a really funny show. And since they didn't give my girl Mindy Kaling and The Mindy Project any love...

The Hollywood Foreign Press (HFP) got it right, Part Deux: Elisabeth Moss in Top Of The Lake. It was a great mini-series directed by Jane Campion and I'm so glad Moss was recognized for it. She's smart, sexy, vulnerable and flawed as a detective investigating the disappearance of a 12-year old pregnant girl. If you haven't seen the show, and you like crime dramas, I think it's streaming on Netflix.

The HFP got it wrong: Behind the Candelabra.  I can't even... *dry heave*... It's... *sigh*

Best Monologue Joke: "Gravity is nominated for best film. It's the story of how George Clooney would rather float away into space and die than spend one more minute with a woman his own age." ROTFLMAO


Now, the fashions...

Best dressed

Lupita Nyong'o in Ralph Lauren. When I saw her, I gasped. Gorgeous. The dress was simple and stunning. And on her skin tone... breathtaking.


Worst dressed

Paula Patton in Stephane Rolland Couture. It pains me to say this because I'm a big fan of Paula's and she's married to the sexy Robin Thicke (interracial love, holla ;-) ), but this dress did nothing to emphasize her beauty or her great figure. 


Overrated

Cate Blanchett in Armani Couture. I am a fan of Cate's past choices and she looks beautiful, but I wasn't overwhelmed. Not like I was when she wore this (see below) to the Oscars in 2000. 

Did you watch the Globes? What did you think? And what was Jacqueline Bisset "on"? ;-)


Finally, on another note, I am thrilled to announce that my debut novel, The Tycoon's Socialite Bride, will be released next month from Entangled Publishing!! I can't wait for you to read it. If you like the flavor of my blog posts, then you'll love the story.

Make sure you join me next month for more about my debut release and my Grammys ceremony and fashion recap!


Tracey Livesay's debut novel will be released with Entangled Publishing in February, 2014. She blogs here on the third Monday of every month. If you like the flavor she's bringing, you can check out her blog, Mimosas at Midnight or Like her Facebook page.

Winter Movie Time, y'all!

The Fictionista


It’s that time of year again. 

Not the Holidays!

It’s winter movie time!!

After a summer of big blockbusters that were long on plot, short on character development, we reach the time of the year when the studios bring out the big guns. Award season is just around the corner, (award fashions!!!) and studios want members to see their favorites before they begin voting.

Here’s a list of movies I’m looking forward to:

The Hunger Games-Catching Fire: Read and loved the books and enjoyed the first movie. I’ve heard the second is even better and I can’t wait to see Jennifer Lawrence kick some ass.

Out of the Furnace: The commercials for that movie scare me. That’s a place I would never want to be stranded. I don’t care if Zoe Saldana is there or not.

American Hustle: Great actors in decked out in 70s disco gear? I’m so there.

In the next few weeks, with family visiting and school-less kids, you’ll want a break from all the “togetherness.” J Go see a movie. Get a bucket of popcorn, x-tra butter (holiday calories don’t count), a cherry cola Icee and immerse yourself in a visual treat.

What movies are you looking forward to?

Here’s wishing you and yours a safe and loving holiday season!

Tracey Livesay's debut novel, The Billionaire's Socialite Bride, will be published by Entangled Publishing in February 2014.  She blogs here on the third Monday of every month. If you like the flavor she's bringing, you can check out her blog, Mimosas at Midnight or Like her Facebook page.

'Tis A Gift To Be Sexy: Who Will Be People's Next Sexiest Man Alive?

What a glorious time of year this is! The leaves are changing, Thanksgiving is still in the future, and the elections are over. Today I want to remind us of a lesser known November occasion, one that isn’t on most people’s calendars. Put a big red circle around the 16^th.

That’s the day People Magazine crowns this year’s Sexiest Man Alive.

I’m not sure who will take home the title this year. Last year Channing Tatum was the big winner. Last year is also the first time I started to really question the process.

Let’s be clear before I start with the complaining. I am not going to tell Channing Tatum that I had a lovely time but I’ve got an early meeting tomorrow morning. That would be terribly silly, wouldn’t it? He’s not a bad looking fellow at all.

But is he sexy? Is he?

I don’t want to say no … but I can’t say yes.

Sexy, to me, is about a hell of a lot more than looks. Strength of character is sexy. Experience is sexy. Intellect is super sexy.

I’m not saying that I don’t see that in Channing Tatum. I will say I had to go to GQ to see what, if anything, was really going on inside the pretty. I just think – and yes, my mouth does burn a little to say this – we can do better.

How? Well, let’s look at Benedict Cumberbatch.

Benedict was just named Empire Magazine’s Sexiest Movie Star. He’s got depth of character (that's my favorite picture of him), he doesn’t take himself too seriously, and he does a great Chewbacca impression. Is it too much to hope that he’ll end up on People’s cover this year, too? Probably. But I’m hoping anyway.

Who else? I checked out Glamour UK’s gallery – they put this contest to the popular vote – for some ideas. 

First I imposed a couple of restrictions.

I’m not sure anyone under the age of 25 is even old enough to be sexy. Seriously, if you’re younger than 25, you don’t know the world, yourself, or what you want well enough to be sexy. That would keep Justin Bieber off the list of candidates. I’m sorry, I just can’t think of a single reason Justin Bieber would be sexy.

 Because experience is sexy, I don’t think New Jacks, Johnnies Come Lately, or other Flavors of the Month should be on the list of candidates, either. This should also exclude those candidates who haven’t really been doing anything lately (bye bye, Taylor Lautner).

Having said all that, a quick look see at the gallery turns up some promising candidates. Robert Downey Jr. is still one of my favorites. His trip back to the world from rock bottom, his perspective on the journey and on his new place in the world, and his rock-solid grasp of who he is – all that makes him big-time sexy. Idris Elba is right up there, too. I like the way he works as a black actor – he doesn’t let it force him into or out of anything. Black is a part of who he is, and it’s an important part, but it’s not all there is, and he won’t let anyone forget it.

When all is said and done, I just want to see more of a focus on the sexy instead of just the hot. Granted, this might mean a shift in emphasis away from the young and the very young. But the good news is that sexy is much more durable than hot. Once a man is sexy, chances are that he’ll always be sexy. For a hot man, the future is far less certain. Even if he stays hot, which does happen from time to time, there will always be someone younger and hotter waiting in the wings.

Sexy is evergreen. Maybe that’s why this annual ritual is such a good fit for the winter, right?

Alexa Day's ILLICIT IMPULSE is a finalist in the Erotica category in the 2014 EPIC E-Book Awards. Check out this story of two friends, a friend with benefits, and a pill that suppresses the bonding hormone wherever e-books are sold, and watch for Alexa right here on the first Wednesday of the month, on Facebook, or on Twitter every Thursday night for Scandal!

Fall TV Living Up to Expectations?

Fictionista

Last month I talked about the shows I was most looking forward to. Now, an accounting to see if the shows lived up to my expectations.

Scandal: Shonda Rhimes and company did not disappoint. It was a riveting hour full of intelligent writing, great scenes and OMG moments.

Scandal was just named the #1 Twitter TV show, based on Nielsen statistics and its premiere was watched by 11 million people. If you're not watching--and I don't understand why you aren't--Season 1 is available on Netflix. Get started. :-)

Sleepy Hollow: I am loving this show. It's fun and entertaining with clever writing and incredible chemistry between the leads. Last week's episode had Crane wondering if he needed to change his look to fit the period, which leads me to believe a make-over is coming. And I can't wait. Tom Mison is a good-looking man who needs to be liberated from his 18th century hair and uniform. It's already been picked up for a second season, but the first season only got an original order of 13 episodes, so it'll be a long wait in between.

As an author of interracial romance, it does my heart good to see the interracial pairings (BW/WM) on TV. Between Scandal, Sleepy Hollow and the Tomorrow People (best friends) fans of interracial relationships aren't relegated to niche fiction on the internet.

What new shows have caught your attention this Fall?

Tracey Livesay's debut novel, The Billionaire's Socialite Bride, will be published by Entangled Publishing in February 2014.  She blogs here on the third Monday of every month. If you like the flavor she's bringing, you can check out her blog, Mimosas at Midnight or Like her Facebook page.

Does Fall Entertain You?

Fictionista

If you’ve been following my blog posts, you know Fall is my favorite season of the year. I love the crisp weather, the color palette and the yummy scents and tastes: pumpkin spice lattes & apple cider.

But #1 on my list of why I love Fall is the new TV season. Every September, the networks bring back our favorite shows , if we’re lucky, and introduce us to some new ones. The show I’m most looking forward to returning is Scandal on ABC. It’s a smart, sexy, grown-up show and Kerry Washington is lovely as lead Olivia Pope. My Tivo is also primed for New Girl and The Mindy Project on FOX.

Of the new shows debuting, I can’t wait to see:

Sleepy Hollow: a very different take on the classic Washington Irving story. Not only does it change Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman's origins to the American Revolution but the story finds the two returning in the modern era, where Crane teams with a police officer).

S.H.I.E.L.D:  a team of agents, investigate phenomenon in a world where superheroes and villains have begun to exist. 

Happy TV watching and let the leaves fall full of color!

Check back with me next month and I’ll let you know how I felt about Scandal’s first episode and if the shows I’m excited for lived up to the hype.

Tracey Livesay's debut novel, The Billionaire's Socialite Bride, will be published by Entangled Publishing in February 2014.  She blogs here on the third Monday of every month. If you like the flavor she's bringing, you can check out her blog, Mimosas at Midnight or Like her Facebook page.

If Stephenie's making it, I'm buying it *sigh*

It's no secret, I love the Twilight Saga. Twi-hard, Twilighters, Twi-mom, ... whatever; I'm all in on the books and ESPECIALLY the movies. So when Stephenie Meyer came out with a book, not part of the Twilight saga, called The Host, I was skeptical. Why is she wasting her time writing different stories. Give me more Cullens, more Wolfpack, more Volturi. Midnight sun, anyone?

I didn't read the book.

When I saw they were making a movie out of the book, I wasn't surprised. The billion-dollar Twilight franchise was ending. Why should the gravy train end?

I didn't go see the movie.

No one else did, either. The movie didn't do well at US box offices, although international sales helped it exceed its budget, which is more than a lot of movies can claim. Still, to say its box office performance was a disappointment is an understatement.

A couple of weeks ago I was sidelined with the flu. I don't get sick often, but when I do, it's bad. Bad enough that my family leaves me alone, which means they only burst into the room once every couple of hours. I was in bed, unable to sleep, but bored with the over 300 cable channels at my disposal. (I know, first world problems ;-) ) On a whim, I rented The Host.

I loved it.

It's the story of an Earth that's been invaded by an alien race, literally. These alien creatures invade human bodies and take them over, a la Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The essence/soul of the human usually cede to the alien, but some souls are strong. Stubborn. They refuse to go away. That's what happened to Melanie Stryder and as the two essences share the same body, it's the journey of the human side's fight to reclaim her body and get back to the people she loves.

If you love sci-fi, you'll love that part of the story and the look the director envisioned. The alien side of the world has a clean, modern, sleek feel completely at odds with the earthy, neutral tones of the human side of the world.

I'm conflicted about the love story. It's another triangle, and it was clear, to me, that one couple was the "meant to be" couple, but I thought the heroine had way more chemistry with the other guy. Of course, I've been reading a lot of menage romance lately, so I was hoping the movie would take an interesting twist in the end, but, alas...

Still, I really enjoyed this movie and am bummed that there won't be a sequel, although the movie ended in a way where that may have been possible. I'm even going to get the book, because I love comparing and contrasting the two mediums.

If you're in the mood for a good sci-fi movie, with a bit of teenage angst, give it a try.

Tracey Livesay's debut novel, The Billionaire's Socialite Bride, will be published by Entangled Publishing in January 2014.  She blogs here on the third Monday of every month. If you like the flavor she's bringing, you can check out her blog, Mimosas at Midnight or Like her Facebook page.

True Love... in black & white.

Connect with me on Facebook & Twitter!!!

WARNING: It's dire out there.

There have been some big headlines recently. Let's take a spin around the cyber dial:

Supreme Court decisions (United States v. Windsor): In light of my recent post about Loving Day, it is preposterous that we are still debating the right of two consenting, non-blood related, adults to marry. This decision, allowing same sex couples who are legally married access to federal benefits, is a giant step forward. But the Court declined deciding the constitutionality of those unions. So for those couples who live in states where same sex marriage is illegal, I guess you're shit out of luck.

Texas House decision: The same men who scream, stomp their feet and proclaim the government must get involved in women's reproductive health issues and make abortions "a thing of the past," are the same men who carry laminated, pocket-sized copies of the Second Amendment.

Trayvon Martin decision (Florida v. George Zimmerman): And we're three for three... I have no words for this verdict. I'm a former criminal defense attorney, so I have strong, not positive, feelings about prosecutors. And those views did not change as I watched the prosecutor deliver an underwhelming closing argument to cap off a weak case. An underlying chant of "reasonable doubt" was the backdrop of most of their theories. Still, a battle raged inside of me.

A young black man was dead. And then his killer was acquitted.

While my heart was heavy and full of anger at the decision, I was not surprised. I believe Trayvon was racially profiled; that Zimmerman saw him, didn't recognize him and thought he was a delinquent. It was inconceivable to Zimmerman that Trayvon could be a resident, or guest, in the gated community. A split second assumption he wouldn't have made if Trayvon was white. But I also believe once he confronted Trayvon and the situation exploded (after all, a young man, who was doing no wrong, was suddenly accosted and questioned by a stranger who wasn't a police officer) Zimmerman feared for his life. And THAT split second decision, not the one before it, is the one that legally matters.

Blame the blanket simplification of the Castle doctrine, the law that told Zimmerman, in his capacity as a resident and neighborhood watch officer, if he believed his life was in danger, he had the right to use deadly force in defense, even if he could have retreated. It's the same law many site if they shoot someone who breaks into their home. Blame the lingering stench of our nation's history, still afraid to have a meaningful dialogue about race and politics. But don't blame the jury. The verdict, itself, is not an indictment of the jury system. I think the women on that jury followed the law, as it was given to them. Requiring them to render a verdict based on what they believe versus what was proven, would make them no better than the Emmett Till or Rodney King juries.

Cory Monteith: Young star of Glee, dead at 31. Like texting/drinking and driving and senseless violence, the celebrity lifestyle is a killer of our young. Seriously, this is a problem.

Tracey Livesay's debut novel, The Billionaire's Socialite Bride, will be published by Entangled Publishing in January 2014.  She blogs here on the third Monday of every month. If you like the flavor she's bringing, you can check out her blog, Mimosas at Midnight or Like her Facebook page.

True Love... in black & white.

Connect with me on Facebook & Twitter!!!