It's all Tori's fault

Yeah. You heard me. Tori. ALL Tori. She did it.

She blogged not too long ago about Dr. Who. If you haven't seen it, then by God, google it and check it out. And what did I do? Well. Crystal just happened to see that it was on Sci-Fi channel, and she decided to watch it.
And I'm hooked.
HOOKED, I tell ya!

Now for the funny part...hehehe.
I have this affinity for British shows. I absolutely love them. The accent. The dry wit. I've always been interested in what the Brits have to offer. And Tori knows dang good and well I go weak in the knees for the accent. (Tori: You're not right. No. Seriously.)
I have an editor who emailed me the other day and asked me if I was British. *blinking* I almost fell out of my chair laughing.
You know...me...hayfield...hick. I sound like sped-up molasses.
I told her the Limeys would clutch their collective hearts and fall over in a faint.
But she says my phrasing has a lot in common with British authors. *beaming* Isn't that awesome?

We've been gone all day, and I'll blog about that tomorrow. I just needed to give credit where credit is due.
Grins*

Love the one you're with

I can't get this song out of my head. So, I'm blogging about it.
You know...the song that states, "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with."
This applies to more than just relationship between individuals. It can also refer to our relationships with things.

I, personally, want to write a humorous Chick Lit. And I have this damn idea for one in the back of my mind. But I'm not sure if I can pull it off. In fact, I've liked very few Chick Lit that I've read. So maybe I'm writing a Romantic Comedy?
Right now, I know that it's not time for me to approach the Chick Lit/Romantic Comedy. I'm loving the one I'm with right now. Which is currently book 2 in 4 and two Erotic Romances.
And it's also hard when you see someone pull off something so well that you're aching to try and do. Almost painful.
But on the other hand, you know when you're meant to be with someone or something. You get "the click." And even if it's unpopular or others don't understand...stick with it. Your hopes and dreams aren't subject to a popularity contest.
I may not love the one you're with, but you damn well better. And if YOU don't, then trade-up. Because life's too short.
Grins*
still humming

Try, try again

It's easy to give up. Many people make it a way of life. A habit that becomes so ingrained that they automatically resort to it when times get tough. But that's no way to live.

Becoming good or better at what you do takes time and practice. Even the phenoms put in a little time to hone their skills. Or a lot. *grins*
People must invest themselves in the goal to succeed. No deposit--no return. When was the last time you got something for nothing?
The world doesn't owe you a living, a good time, or a soft place to rest your head. It takes a bit of effort on your part.

When I seriously started pursuing a career in writing, I was scared shitless. All the talk of agents, queries, synopsi, and publishers. It was enough to drive me stupid without half trying. I picked up Jeff Herman's book. I immediately googled the hell out of all of the above. I worked my butt off to get information to better myself and my odds of success.
I'm STILL learning. There is not one day that goes by that I don't learn something new. I refuse to let setbacks keep me down. Because there are only two things to do when you're down. Stay there or pull yourself up. I won't let myself atrophy because it's a little harder to accomplish something than not to.
Sure, there are brick walls. Hurricanes. Tornadoes. And roadblocks. But everything and anything is surmountable when you give it your best shot.
And if you've tried and given it your everything...then there's no shame in failing or succeeding less than you had hoped. The only shame is not trying.
Grins*
This inspirational post brought to you by the letter "C" and the number "7"
Though I don't think Sesame Street would use profanity. LMAO

I'll be chatting tomorrow!

Hi everyone!

You can pop by whenever you like and chat with me on Love Romances Book Club. I'll be posting excerpts, chit-chatting in general, and offering giveaways. I'll be on and off ALL day, so anytime you can make it is fine.

And I'll be attending my oldest chicken's first honor band this evening. She sits SECOND chair. You know how much I LOVE that. hehehe
So be prepared to hear far too much about my evening. How it was. What they played. How beautiful my oldest looked. You know, the usual Proud Mama stuff. *grins*
I'll try and take some pictures to roundout the embarrassment. It's the least I can do.

Have a nice night!
Grins*

Have I been this way before?

Shamelessly pilfered from Paperback Writer on her blog.
Who were YOU in your past life?

Your past life diagnosis:
I don't know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation. (I KNEW I was a studmuffin previously! I'm feeling rather validated right now.)
You were born somewhere in the territory of modern USA South-East around the year 1875. (I bet I got to wear chaps. Man, I love chaps.)
Your profession was that of a teacher, mathematician or geologist. (Do teachers get to wear chaps?)
Your brief psychological profile in your past life: Such people are always involved with all new. You have always loved changes, especially in art, music, cooking. (This rings true. I bet I was the first male teacher to wear chaps. Or...I could have taught something OUTSIDE the classroom. hehehe)
The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation: There is an invisible connection between the material and the spiritual world. Your lesson is to search, find and use this magical bridge. (If I find the bridge...do you want to come along for the ride? I'll bring snacks.)
Grins*

And speaking of dinosaurs...

Prehistoric times were brutal. Smaller creatures were low on the food chain for the big boys. The T-Rex ruled the world with fierce teeth and bloodthirsty tendencies.
And then he evolved.
Into my middle chicken.

That girl can put away meat like she has a hollow leg. Carnivorous. I honestly think that a T-Rex would tuck it's tail and run away in terror from her.
Case in point:
We went to an all-you-can-eat buffet the other night. Middle chicken proceeds to load down her plate with steak, beef tips, roast, and pork chops. Then when she's through with that, she looks up and says, "I don't know whether I want ice-cream or another steak."
I had to laugh. Because the last time we were there, she ate FOUR pieces of steak. For her birthday last year, she ate five pork chops. The girl can put away the protein.
She doesn't much care for bread and such. She would rather have meat. And lots of it.
We told her she better purchase some cows when she's older, or else she'll be broke. She got this rather disgusted look on her face and said, "I'll buy it in the store. I don't want to know it."
LMAO
So I guess as long as it's nameless...it's fair game.
Grins*

The green screen

Do you remember watching Jurassic Park and being in awe of the dinosaurs? Huge panoramic shots of miles upon miles of creatures that we never were able to see before. It was utterly magnificent.
I recall sitting on the edge of my seat, marveling at the realism of it all.
But it was only movie magic. A few (Okay, more than a few) clicks and strokes to make a prehistoric world come alive. Industrial Light and Magic is one of the leaders of these kind of special effects. Computer animation. Making the impossible...possible.
And the green screen.
A marvelous device that can make literally ANYTHING appear behind or around an actor. I remember watching the making of "The Matrix." And that scene where Nemo bends backwards and all those little bullets come flying at him. And the Mr. Smith that becomes LOTS of Mr. Smiths. And I was amazed.
What more can they do? I pondered silently.
They can damn near do anything. I saw an article in a TV guide where an actress from ER was sitting on four steps. And behind her was this HUGE brick building. And in the next picture, she was sitting on the four steps in front of NOTHING--but the magnificent green screen.

Writers don't have this option. Or at least not writers of books. There is no green screen. You can't shout "Run program!" at your manuscript and expect a lush setting of your choice to magically appear. There's no one behind the curtain of the Wizard, if you get my drift.

Words are powerful. They create. They destroy. They can be used to do great things.
Because when I write about an island with palm trees, white sand, and blue ocean...each person will process it differently. You may have coconuts on the sand. Wild flowers blooming hapharzardly along the treeline. A ship set sail on the ocean, masts billowing in the breeze.
Because readers don't need green screens. They have the gift of choice and preference.
When I write, I don't tell you what to see. I take you by the hand and lead you gently into my make-believe world. I have a map. But you, dear reader, have the green screen. And that's better than anything out there in the world of media that they imprint on your retinas. Because these images are imprinted in your mind. We share them. And that's the gift.
Grins*

My imagination: Friend or foe?

I like my imagination. For the most part. It comes up with lovely ideas. Twists. Turns. All kinds of fun.
But when it becomes overactive or taps into my subconsiousness...the party ends.

We were watching Animal Planet something or other last night. The show was about people who got too close to wild animals and lived to tell about it. (I added the last part. Because, you know, some people won't be telling the tale.)
There were grizzlies, polar bears, lions, snakes, and sharks. Pretty, pretty, pretty, shudder, shudder. Oh. And some kind of freaky crocodile. It was kind of green/yellow.
And it wasn't a bad show. This one man actually shot pictures of a shark DOWN ITS THROAT. (Yeah. I think that deserves caps.)
The guy wanted to get pictures, but the shark was not feeling it or something. The shark opens its mouth, and I swear to you, I could see its tonsils. The camera actually shot inside it. I thought that was neat.
Apparently my imagination had other ideas. Oh, did I mention that I'm very susceptible like that? You can beat me over the head with something, and I haven't a clue. But small things seem to crawl under my skin.

It's bedtime. I'm all tucked. And, of course, I'm awake until after midnight because I have sleeping issues. But when I DO fall asleep, I wish I was awake.
I dreamt (had the nightmare from hell) that I was in my house that had sharks and crocodiles under the floors. And then there were rectangular holes cut from the floor where people could actually SEE the water.
And I have this handy little device that helps me track the evil spawns of water so I knew where NOT to be. I'm turning it on. Moving it around. And then I walk over to this rectangular hole (Cue the "She's an idiot" music) and push a button that says "Track" on it. A bright, red beam shines into the water. And at first all I see is seaweed. But I KNOW something is in there. (Note to self: Set alarm earlier) So I proceed to keep pushing the button and all of a sudden, the scariest, most full of teeth, jacked-up shark I've ever SEEN moves forward.
(Small note of self-congratulation: I didn't wet the bed)
Why do I DO this to myself?
And since I feel so comfortable with y'all, let me freely admit that I woke up at 4:33 am and had to go to the bathroom. I was so scared that my feet would sink right through the floor that I waited around forty-five minutes for my irrational fear to fade. I thought about throwing the cat down first, just to check. All for the greater good. No one from the ASPCA need contact me.

Is this a writer's affliction? I know Stephen King says he hates to go down to the basement because he just KNOWS there's a velociraptor down there with its claws outstretched, waiting for him.
If you're so inclined, let me know. I hate to be alone in my neurosis.
Grins*

Popularity contest

What makes someone popular? The adulation of others, yes?
And some writers have followers that will buy their books no matter what. The "auto buy" option. I have a handful of those on my list. And I'm proud to say that I have a handful of people who "auto buy" me.
But I've come across something new and different this past week. LKH has a new book out. Micah.
I have heard nothing good about it. From the cover to the content. In fact, Mrs. Giggles, has rated it a 02 on a scale from 0 to 100.
I've never read LKH. But I know enough about her books to know it's the Anita Blake series. Heavy on the undead and sex. Lately she has taken a lot of flack over everything. Her characters are stale. Her writing is lacking. Sites are popping up that take shots at her.
What went wrong? I am honest to goodness serious. I want to know.
Has her writing simply detiorated over time? Has she gone back to the Anita Blake writing well one too many times? Is she starting to become a parody of herself?

Because writing is like everything else. It comes and goes in cycles. And only those that know how to reinvent themselves will survive. Hell, Stephen King is the Cher of the horror genre. It's all still scary and immensely well-written. But he has evolved. He's writing about terroristic cell phones, people. The man keeps up.
I like James Patterson's Alex Cross novels. There are a lot of similar plot lines in them, but something about them keeps them fresh. And he's not afraid to kill a major character off. I can appreciate that. And for Stephen King, it's almost a prerequisite.
I'm still iffy on Nora Roberts. She likes threes. And I can understand that. It's a great motif. But the minute she introduces all the men in the first book, you know who matches up with who. It may be comforting to some, but I find it cloying sometimes.
However, JD Robb continues to fascinate me. Eve and Roarke are together. Forever. Peabody and McNabb are paired. Mavis and Leonardo. That dynamic doesn't change. But everything else does. And that's what keeps her at the top of my "Who I want to be when I grow up" list.

It's good to push the envelope. Take some risks. Shake up the status quo.
But do it with style. Knowledge. And accuracy. Because reinvention keeps it fresh. And who likes a stale read?
Grins*

Occupational hazard

I received two books in the mail the other day from a contest. One I immediately liked from the cover. The other, not so much.
So I decide to pop open the more aesthetically pleasing one and try it on. It's not like I need to be editing my short story for Summer Sizzlers for Torrid or anything. *big grin*
And it's not bad. It's from a USA Today Bestselling Author. She has about nine books out and has won the RITA. No names will be mentioned. But I will say that I had never heard of her before.
I'm a third of the way through, and I've noticed an alarming trend. I'm not reading it. I'm STUDYING it.
Instead of diving in and taking everything at face value, I read passages and look at how she uses description. What order she describes in. When she inserts back story. I don't know whether to cheer or cry. This is a borderline book for me. It's not an immersion book. You know, such as Harry Potter or Amy's new book, Unexpected Complication. (Amy, I'll be pleading with you in a private email about a signed copy.)
And it's not like the Sil. Desire I picked up at a thrift store and slogged my way through. And when I was done, I literally threw it away. And I NEVER throw away a book.

The book is okay. It has funny parts. I like the characters. They have depth. They're engaging. All that good stuff. It's just not stellar. I can see what's going to happen and could in the first couple of pages. But it has just enough oomph to keep me reading til the end.
The only really fascinating thing I've read and noted, is that the author uses punctuation marks for description. I found that interesting. I can't remember the hero or heroine's name. I know the plot line. But everything else seems interchangeable.
So I'm pondering. Danica, are you pondering what I'm pondering? (Oops! That's the Take Over the World pondering. A whole other email. hehehe)
I'm simply pondering what in the heck sold this book. What was the key? Was she in the right place at the right time? Does she know someone who knows someone? Does she go to conferences? WHAT?
Because it's a good story but unremarkable.

And since I know how to put those url's in now the neat way, I had a couple of things to say.
Book buying is EXPENSIVE! I go on a bender about once every four to six months. For those of you with TBR piles past your eyeballs, I envy you. BUT...readers such as myself can go to different sites around the web and enter contests. And let me tell you, there are some hellacious books to be had. Authors will post contests and give their books away as prizes. They will also have chats and give away downloads. My Lord! It's literary Utopia courtesy of the web.
If you're interested, check out:
Romance Junkies
Coffee Time Romance
The Romance Studio
Fallen Angel Reviews
Love Romances
And there are so many more! (And no, there were no kickbacks involved in the making of this blog post. LMAO)
So, if it's a sickness for you as it is for me, then check 'em out.
And when you find the magical publishing formula, you can let me know about that. I mean, besides the stars lining up, the editor having a good day, and me having a voodoo priestess say a blessing over my manuscript.
Grins*

I didn't win the CAPA

*sigh*
I was against some pretty heavy hitters, as I've said before. And Christine Feehan won for Dark Secret in the Paranormal Category. My second release, Perfect Timing, was nominated in the same category.
I've never read Feehan and don't plan on starting now. But I've heard of her and pretty much realized that I was cooked. *grins*
It was so nice to be in the same category, though. I can't discredit that. Not to sound incredibly hokey, but I was pleased just to be there.

So I guess I'll persevere and rock right along with myself. Write some more books. Submit for reviews. Do my literary thing.
And mebbe, just mebbe, I'll win the sucker one of these days.
Grins*

Images

I was watching CMT this evening when I noticed something. A LeAnn Rimes video, the new one if that helps, was playing. And she was looking for someone special. That was the gist anyway. So she zips through all these blind dates and whatnot. And while some of them were questionable for my tastes, some of them weren't. But she wrinkled her nose at all of them.
Until, of course, the Greek God she lusted after in her apartment complex bumped into her and made her spill her laundry. Then there were hot gazes exchanged and such. END VIDEO.

So. Individual taste certainly accounts for something. And each of us has certain preferences. Hair color. Eye color. Height. Weight. Clothes. Do you find yourself gravitating in the image rut? If you're single, do you look for that one person who fits all your criteria? And if you're married/taken, do you gravitate towards someone who looks like your spouse?
I can find almost anyone who has at least one characteristic I find desirable. And I love looking. *grins* That'll never change.

And for the writers...do you find yourself writing a certain type of hero/heroine? I'm not just talking Alpha or Beta. I'm talking about deep traits that reflect maybe your POV or habits?
I made my first heroine addicted to Diet Pepsi. hehehe
Such is the power of the keyboard. But then I've had heroines who drink coffee. I don't touch it. These aren't life-altering things.
But maybe if all my characters adore animals. Love to read. Are blunt. Then I see little images of myself shine through. And I find it difficult to have my heroine have the hots for a man who isn't desirable, at least in some aspects, to me.
It's a wide world out there. And I don't really think you have to look like a cover model to be attractive. It's a widely accepted image, but one that doesn't impress me much. Unless there's a lot more behind those eyes and smile.
Grins*

Women behaving badly

What IS it nowadays?

There are shows on TV like "Daddy's Spoiled Little Girl" or something of the like. A show literally called "Girls Behaving Badly." This simply perpetuates the "Let me pout, and I'll get anything I want" mentality.
I like to watch Spike TV for UFC and CSI. And I'm bombarded with advertisements for videos such as "Girls Gone Wild" and all that crap.
I'm not suggesting we go back to the days of pinafortes and such. But can't we at least have some couth? Some class? A little bit of dignity?
And when Jessica Simpson sashays into a pizza parlor wearing an outfit cut down to there and barely covering her ass, I say FORGET IT! You're not selling pizza bites anymore, you're selling the sexual innuendo attached to it.
How many times have we heard "sex sells"? Too many. Way too many.
You can be clever without being trashy. Sure, it takes more effort. But the result is worthwhile. And it won't show legions of little girls that it's okay to act slutty. It's NOT the norm. It's NOT acceptable.
I don't want my girls to think it's okay to flash their breasts. Call me old-fashioned. Hell, I don't care what you call me. I'm not backing down off this one.
When did it become acceptable to watch a multi-millionairess get oral with a hamburger while hosing herself down? And where the hell was her Mama?

That brings me to marriage.
For all the talk of what marriage is, here's what it's not:
It is NOT
a quick fix
a temporary situation
a trial live-in
the answer to the baby question

But for some unknown reason, that's what some people perceive it as. Young females especially.
"Oops! I did it again! *giggle* *giggle*"
This irritates the hell out of me. And what receives the most media coverage? A runaway bride. (Who is getting a book deal, but I digress) Britney Spears. And young, seemingly intelligent, wealthy women who trade boyfriends like pairs of shoes.

I begin to wonder where the good influences were for these women and why they grew up to behave so badly. Because once upon a time, they were little girls searching for things to make them happy. The sad part being, they still haven't figured it out.
*hopping off soap box*
Grins*

If you knew the destination, would you change the journey?

*tapping fingers*
I believe I've already discussed my lack of patience. But somehow I find myself very accepting of my situation as far as my professional goals go. Quite frankly, overnight success in the author field is a joke.
But I'm constantly amazed by how many stories there are. And the journeys are all different. Families who support. Individuals who support themselves. Friends who chip in. Friends who could care less. Writers who have had three books squirreled away for fifteen years and just now feel the need to publish them. Writers who have finished their first book and can't wait to submit it yesterday.
I know it's hard to wait. Heaven knows it isn't my favorite thing to do.
So. I'm sending out huge hugs to those who wait. And those who have gotten the call recently. Those who are taking the same journey. And those that simply stop by to see what's shaking.

I know where I'm going. I know where I've been. And I'm still loving the road I'm on. Bumps and all.
Grins*

I have old people manners

I've come to realize that I have old people manners.
You know, the "no-nonsense, I'm not taking sh*t" manners. The "I don't know who you're fooling, but you're not" manners.
The "I'm going to tell it like it is" manners.
How did I age so quickly? I really don't know.
One minute, I'm all nice and polite. The next, I don't have the patience to deal with idiots. Now, I'm not simply talking about being ugly. Because I'm not. I'm simply adopting the "Life is too short to deal with your idiocy" view. You know the manners of which I speak.
And life IS too short.
Why should I have to deal with people who cannot pull their craniums out of their lower orifices? Why should I have to deal with people who can't find their butt with both hands?
Why, I ask you, why? *sigh*
Ignorance is one thing. Blatant stupidity is another.
So, I'll just bip along and enlighten people where I can. The old-fashioned way.
Grins*

The calm before the storm

This is probably the last post for a couple of days. We have plans for this weekend which don't include my having computer access. *gasp* *wheeze*
I'll be back on Sunday afternoon/evening sometime. I will then promptly put the modem IV in and get my fix.

I've noticed that things are fairly calm here right now. I've finished the short story for Torrid. I'm mentally working on another erotic romance. (It has a few hitches in it. I'm reworking it in my noggin.)
But this too shall pass.
I know that I'm about to have The Portrait in edits. I also have two books coming out in June and July which still need the bookcovers done. And I have visuals for both. So the lovely Cover Artist and I will have to hop all over that.
I simply have this feeling of impending hecticness. Rather like strolling along, smelling the flowers, and then getting your ass blown clean out of your shoes. You know. Like that.
:)~~
We'll have to see. Updates and rants as they happen.
Enjoy the weekend!
Grins*

Mental stimulation by Snark

We all know what Snark is. It's that sarcasm that drips from one's tongue with an edge so sharp it often leaves figurative blood.
And I love it.

I'm not necessarily enthralled with the bitter, short, cut-your-testicles-off snark. No, no.
I like the witty, acerbic, delivered-with-a-smile type snark.
And that's why I love House. As Entertainment Weekly so aptly put it: “Hugh Laurie… the British actor is the thinking woman’s sex symbol.”
He is hot. I'm sure he does things to my frontal lobe that are illegal in all fifty states.
His character is bitter. Hateful. And strives to piss people off. But underneath all that is a man that has been hurt both emotionally and physically. And when the audience catches a glimpse of the mortal man and not the ass...*sigh*...it's a sight that can move most anyone.
Hugh Laurie is not traditionally handsome. (Though, I do admit to liking the stubble. So sue me.) But his wit is unparalleled.
I like the character, Gregory House. But I caught Hugh Laurie on Leno one night. And let me tell you, I laughed my ass off. He is so self-deprecating and entertaining that I could have watched him the entire time. And I have to admit...those baby blues are most beautiful.
Looking at him isn't a hardship whatsoever, but listening to him...stimulating.
Sex DOES start in the brain, you know.
Grins*

Secret Lives of Women

I've found an interesting new show, "Secret Lives of Women." It airs on WE (Women's Entertainment)
They have these informative little shows about: plastic surgery addicts (I'm watching it right now), transsexuals, shopping addicts, etc. And it is fascinating! Of course, I'm the type of person who looks in other people's medicine cabinets. People are so neat to learn about. I like to know what makes them tick. What they like. Why the like it.
The psychology of people stirs my interest.
I don't have to understand it. I simply have to accept their POV's and then see if I can see why they feel that way. The human condition is a vast and consuming puzzle. And I like puzzles. *grins*

And completely unrelated...I sent off my Fall Fires submission today. I sent it to a trusted friend who looked it over and came up with the most brilliant blurb. I rather suck at that, so I'm eternally grateful. She also liked the story, so I'm doubly indebted.
I helped out at school today with the clarinet players in the band. And I have to say that I enjoyed it. I'll admit to being a little nervous about dealing with some of the older students. No need. They were all very pleasant and seemed to take direction very well. Isn't that something?
The band director says she'll check and see when another time would be good for me to come in again and work with them.

You know, there are times when I look at other people's lives and think, "Gee. I don't know much about anything. I know a little bit about most things because I'm a sponge. But what can I use as my life experiences to enrich my writing?"
But that's ok. I've found that I have just enough for myself to write those books. Even though I'm not an expert on much of anything. And I had it in me today to help out at something that I was (once upon a time) pretty damn good at. Enjoyable. Very enjoyable.
Grins*

My Aquarius Overview

I had to do it. I just HAD to do it.
I clicked on Tori's link to check out the horoscopes for Writers and whatnot. And this is what it said:
Aquarius: '06 brings new blood, in a good way. The projects you create or buy now are more in tune with the real you. A new genre or a new approach to an old one is to be expected. Try and be flexible. The only thing certain in your life now is change..go with it.

Well, I'm glad they clarified "new blood" meant "in a good way" and not me harming myself with my keyboard or writing utensils. And then they REALLY screw me up and put the word "flexible" in there. *sigh* The only thing certain is change? Good? Bad? Ugly?

I think I'm too tired this morning to decipher this. Maybe I'll give it another go when I've had more than five hours of shut-eye.
Grins*

Technical mishaps

What is going on???
AOL is bouncing my emails like it's an enjoyable pasttime. Blogger is telling me that I'm "forbidden" to view my own blog. What in the world?
I've had two lists drop me because AOL is not delivering my mail. Irritated? You betcha. Then when I log-on to blog this morning...I am forbidden to access it. I'm slightly mollified by the fact that there were several people experiencing the same thing.
So I'm trying to cut and piece the blogs I go to and find the links on there so that I may bloghop this morning. It was dicey, let me tell you. On my blog, I have all the lovely links I need. And I just go down the line and do my business.
On a sidenote: Let us all hope and pray that Stephanie's favorite number is 7. Because that means I'll be able to get a copy of Amy's book. *doing the Hallelujah dance*
And OH MY GOD! I just now figured out how to put a link behind someone's name.
Well. Then. *polishing knuckles on shirt* I suppose I'm not in as bad a way as I originally thought. hehehe

I'm working on my submission to Fall Fires for Whiskey Creek Press Torrid today. I should be able to finish the rough draft today, edit tomorrow, and then send it off by Friday. *fingers crossed*
And a totally, most likely inappropriate, question...If you read erotica...do threesomes bother you? Does that encroach on the romantic aspect of the read? I'm rather curious myself.
A fellow author and I were discussing it the other day. Some reviewers really don't care for it. But we all know how subjective they are. I'm talking about READERS. So let me know. If you don't want to leave a reply...email me at chryswriter@aol.com
Grins*

Practicing schizophrenic

I'm of two minds.
Now let me explain.

I'm a fairly liberal person. I believe as long as people are not hurting each other, they have a right to pretty much do as they wish. (Please don't take this out of context.) I believe that people have unalienable rights to live and love as they choose. I believe that even if I don't agree with a book, magazine, or movie's content...it should still be available for those who do.

On the other hand, I'm extremely conservative with the chickens. The dating issue has come up again. DATING! Can you believe that? We're talking twelve-year olds here. Michelle, quit laughing. I mean it. *grins*
But since their friends are doing it...well, I don't think I even need to finish this thought. But let me reiterate...they're not doing anything. Period. I don't care to be a Grandma before I'm forty.
But that's society nowadays.
And let me tell you what started this. It wasn't even the chickens. *laughing*
I'm channel-surfing last evening when I saw Cruel Intentions on ABC Family channel.
For those of you unaware of what this movie is about...I'll shed a little light on the subject.
It's about rich step-siblings who are always trying to one up the other by playing cruel jokes on other people. Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy fame) is the witch sister. Ryan Phillipe is the brother. She is awful. A more manipulative, cruel teenager could not possibly be found.
And then here comes the bet. Sarah bets Ryan that he can't take this wholesome girl's virginity (Reese, later Mrs. Phillipe). If she wins, she gets his car, his pride and joy. If he wins, he can nail her any way he wants. Yeah. You read the last sentence correctly.
Did I mention Sarah was a skank in this movie?
Anyway, the movie's actually pretty good. But NOT for children. I wouldn't let anyone under sixteen even THINK of watching this movie. And the fact that it was on ABC Family channel just burns my ass.
Is it okay for me to watch it? Sure. I have the mental capability to look at the situation and say "Whoa. What a whore. I hope she gets what she deserves." My chickens, alas, don't have that fine-tuned capability yet. They are susceptible to things that they aren't even aware of. And that is what scares the bejeezus out of me.

And for my funny story of the morning...I still need to have "the talk" with the middle chicken. She has been avoiding this like it will physically pain her. So I sneak in a little pre-talk while we're headed to town to buy shoes. She knows she's trapped. So I casually bring up the question as to when this talk will take place. Then I segue into if she knows what sex is. I cover the basics with that (more in-depth later). And she looks at me and says, "Mom. I'm trying to keep my breakfast down."
Grins*

Anticlimactic

I just wasted my time. Seriously. And that irritates me. I persisted in reading a book that I didn't really care for to begin with, but I was hoping against hope that it would get better.
It didn't.
The author is one of my favorites. The premise sounded interesting. But the whole character dynamic rather inhaled.
And the big hero/heroine conflict? It was juicy. And oh man, I was SO looking forward to the big blowout. Needless to say, I was sorely disappointed.
The hero SHOT the heroine. Took away her chances of having children. And then repeatedly lied to her. Over and over and over again.
But she loves him.
Well, no shit.
But she could have made him suffer a bit more, in my opinion. I was looking forward to her lighting into him like she had nothing better to do with her time.
Didn't happen.
UGH
It was just a big bunch of "bleh". And that's really too bad.
This is seriously one of my reading pet peeves. If I stick it out and read every damn page, then I expect a literary pay-off. Shallow? Mebbe. But I'm being honest.
And the ironic thing is that I read another one of her books two days ago and couldn't get enough of it. Makes me wonder.
They can't all be gold. And I understand that. But when my expectations are fairly high, then the letdown is almost painful.
Grins*

This time I'm the tree

Hey everyone!
Remember that post about my Mom being the tree, and I'm the nut that didn't fall far from her?
Well now I've got a nut of my own. LMAO
Last night, my oldest chicken attended a band competition for solos, duets, and trios. She had a duet with a flute player. And they got a ONE! That, my lovely friends, is a Superior. She received a nice, blue ribbon and was tickled.
I honestly thought I was going to shed a tear at first. I was so damn excited!
So that was my lovely news for last evening. And other than that...same ol' stuff around here.
I'm thinking about the writing again. But I'm still reticent about hopping back in full throttle. Maybe I'll be circumspect.
Yeah. Me. Circumspect.
Quit laughing. Stranger things have happened.
Grins*

I need one of these

LOVE IS IN THE AIR















Robyn Masters is a workaholic. She lives, eats, and breathes her job. When her boss, Maddy, tells her to take a vacation or she's fired, she reluctantly packs up for a week away from it all. Maddy's house is the perfect place to be alone until the next-door neighbor shows up. And he's scheduled an intervention of his own.
"Intervention" coming in the Spring Flings Anthology from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid available April 2006.

OK

All right y'all. I'm back. And I'm going to make it. One way or the other.
Apologies for the previous post. And I even waited a day to write it. Venomous, isn't it? *sigh*

My creativity has dried up over the past couple of days. Too much stress for it to breathe and flourish. But I'm feeling better. And shit happens. I'm simply going to roll with it and move on. I've had much worse happen. My huge problem with this situation is that it felt like a sucker punch. And that hurt a lot worse than something that was half-assed expected.

The day that this problem cropped up, I received an entry in my Bravenet guestbook on my website. This is what it said: God gives every bird a worm, but he does not throw it into the nest.
A gentleman named Bob left it. No website. No anything. But you know what? It was soothing to me.
I depend on words a lot. And as much as the ones hurled at me hurt, these actually made me feel better. I can find solace in them.
So thanks Bob. Wherever you are.
Grins*

WARNING!

IF YOU DO NOT CARE FOR RAMPANT CURSING AND SELF-PITYING...DO NOT READ THIS POST. I'M SERIOUS. THE 'F' WORD IS USED IN ABUNDANCE. AND I'M IN A BAD WAY.

Life fucking sucks.
You know my dream? The one where I was able to write books, build a career, and be happy in general? That's been postponed. I've now been told to get a job. A real job. A job that has some considerable financial contribution to this household. Because what I'm doing now is such a waste of time.
I wouldn't have quit my other job if I knew this is where I would be 3-4 years later. And it just pisses me the fuck off. Never mind that I'm hurt. No. Never mind that. Never mind I trusted this person to keep their word. Fuck a bunch of that, too. Because times change. And I'm expected to flex/bend/whatever to keep the status quo. I don't have a choice really.
Do I wish that my books generated a sizable income? Well. Fuck yes. I suppose I do. Was I working my ass into the ground to achieve that? Well. Fuck yes I was.
And now that I've pulled baby chicken out to homsechool, I'll be losing myself once again to everyone else's wants. Fuck writing. Fuck even having time for writing.
I'm so damn miserable right now that I can't even cry.
Oh...and my personal relationship that I don't want to lose for anything? That's fallen to shit, too. I'm seriously about to lose my fucking mind.
Why is it that misery really DOES love company?
It needs to get the fuck out of my head and heart and just get the hell on. I can't take much more.

Another fine mess

I've done it again. How? I have no idea. Just gifted, I guess.
Tomorrow, I will be going to the chickens' school during band. I will then attempt to help all the lovely, little clarinet players out. I've also been asked to come in at least once next week.
Yep. You got it.
I'm a band nerd from way back. LOVE band. And now my oldest chicken is playing the same instrument that I did for years. The band director told me that their tone (all the clarinet players) needs improvement. Then she asked if I could come and give them pointers. *laughing* And I jumped at it.
Obviously, I have no better sense.
Part of me is excited. And part of me is scared I'm going to flub up. But this is their first year of band, and I had six years of it. I made honor bands. I sat fairly high up in the clarinet hierarchy. So why am I so stressed?
Performance anxiety.
It's different when you're sitting in a group of three or more. You blend. Sounds mesh together. But I'll have no one to blend with. It'll be the simple, stark sound of one clarinet.
I'll let everyone know how it shakes out.

And...a question for y'all. Where can I find a reliable listing of romance fiction contests? I'm thinking about subbing to a couple to get my work in front of a larger print editor. Any comments will be highly appreciated.
Grins*

And the translation would be...

I'm reading an old Sil. Desire right now. I'd say late nineties. (On a sidenote: It's not very good. The heroine is too wishy-washy. The hero's not too bad.) And I've come across something that triggered one of my pet peeves.
Insouciant
I'm a fairly well-read individual. And I don't mind bipping along in the literary world and finding words that I don't know. That's what a dictionary and thesaurus are for. And I'm not afraid to use them.
But this author uses this word at least half a dozen times. And for those of us who didn't or don't know what it means...the thesaurus says "carefree."
All right. Carefree. I can get into that. But when an author repeatedly beats me over the head with a word that simply sticks out like a sore thumb because they raided the thesaurus and GOD FORBID they use the simpler term...I become ticked.
I like broadening my literary horizons. It helps me with the writing and whatnot. But having to look up words that really don't even BELONG in a work, well that's just a waste of time and energy. And it really works out to me not buying another book from that author. Period.
Because an author who does this breaks one of the golden rules: Thou shalt not interrupt the flow of the story.
Let the smiting begin.
Grins*

What do you think?

From AOL News this morning:
Envy Confessions from Moms.
What's the main thing you envy about another mom?
32% Her organized life
29% Her looks
20% Her house
11% The way her kids behave
8% Her husband

I know a lot of y'all are Moms. Most of the blogs I visit are from ladies who are Moms. I'm a Mom. And we often weave our writing, our everyday lives, and our children through our blogs. So here's my question: How accurate do you think this is?
I'll admit to having a twinge on envying a Mom's house and looks. That's it. NO ONE has that organized of a life. And if they do, then there are major problems underneath. That's my opinion. I don't envy another Mom's kids behavior, because quite honestly, I think my chickens are very well-behaved. I've had compliments before about the way they act outside the house. And good God, they're not perfect! But they're children. And at least they have personality. *grins*
I don't envy another woman her husband. Ever. The grass may LOOK greener. But then again, it may be over the septic tank, too. Ya know what I mean. And if a woman is truly happy with her husband, why would I envy that? I love it. For her. NOT for myself.
But a Mom's looks? Oh hell yes. I have always wanted to look like one of those women who can roll out of bed and look good just by running a brush through her hair and pulling on jeans. And I know a few of these women. I would say it has to be genetics, but I'd be lying. My Mom is in her fifties and looks great. I look completely like two different people. I can look raggedy as all hell (catch me in the middle of a writing frenzy) or half-assed decent (going out or having to attend a school function for the chickens). Amazing that.
I also have envied, at times, another Mom's house.
When I say that mine is in need of repair, I'd be glossing over a bunch of facts I don't care to share. Needless to say, there is a lot of work to be done here.
But all in all I wouldn't trade it. The surface may look better for other Moms. The side you gaze at may be polished. But there are things we can't see. Problems we aren't privy to. So I'll take my flawed life as it is and be happy.
But damn! I'd still like to look good with a little less effort. LMAO
Grins*

It never fails

Last night, after I got the van back, I needed to go to Wal-Mart and pick a few, basic things for this weekend. Milk, bread, cheese.
So I'm thinking that I'm just going to hurry up, bip in, and bip out. Uh huh.
All the girls want to go. And we're a raggedy looking group. It's late. They're called night clothes.
I had on blue sweats, black tank, and red flannel. This ensemble was set off beautifully by my blue shiny flip-flops and pink and white socks. My hair was brushed, for the most part. No make-up. None. No powder. Lipstick. Hell, no chapstick.
As soon as we pull into the parking lot, I swear, there were at least a dozen people from the kids' school.
I just shook my head. Because, you know, it never fails. Fortunately for me, I don't really care much, either. *laughing*
I handled my business, and we left.
I could have had my hair done, make-up on, and been dressed up. I wouldn't have seen a soul. Go figure.

I'm working on my Erotic Romance today. But it's rather stop and go. I have a lot of things on my mind. And I'm sorting while I'm writing. Maybe I'll do some reading tomorrow. Right now, I'm rather antsy. Maybe that'll settle in the next couple of days.
Enjoy the weekend!
Grins*

TGIF

I don't have major plans or anything. But I'm simply glad it's Friday. I don't do mornings, and I RELISH the days that I can sleep in past six something.

Baby chicken is doing fine with the homeschool stuff so far. *grinning* It is, after all, only the first day. But she has done three math worksheets, six English worksheets, and written three paragraphs on two different television shows. Next week, I'll have a lesson plan made up. I think I'll do that Sunday.

I'm working on my short story submission for WCP Torrid Fall Fires. It's coming along, but I think I may zip over and work some more on my Erotic Romance. And I believe I'll take some time for myself this weekend and just read.

OH! Almost forgot! I can't remember if I blogged about this or not. But I read Cell, by Stephen King the other day. It reminded in parts of Dreamcatcher. But I found myself, for the first time, studying his words and not just reading them. Fascinating. Utterly fascinating. I feel as if I can pull out the pieces of Stephen King in his dialogue. There's something about the lilt of certain words and how they're used.
In the back of the book, there's a handwritten first chapter of his next book to be released 10-06. The title is Lisey's Story.
And I'm going to sound like a goober, but oh well. There is something about reading his work written in his own hand. He makes his a's different. The a's that make me think of penguins. Does that make sense? LOL They look just like I typed them on here. And his asides. And his underlines. It's as close as I'll ever be to seeing his work in progress, I'm sure. But what insight.

I don't handwrite my work often. Just usually notes and whatnot. I tend to type from thought to fingers. How do you do it?
Grins*

*ahem*

Now that I've vented, I feel loads better.
*grins*

I'm working on my Erotic Romance and starting my submission for Whiskey Creek Press Torrid's Fall Anthology, Fall Fires. The story is in my head, and I should be able to bang it out in probably four or five days, depending on what else I work on.
I tried to cut the rest of my script for Virtually Yours. Oh geez! It's hard. I don't know if I cut everything I should, but I know the script guy will let me know.

And I read something which I absolutely loved! Lora Leigh's Nauti Buoy was picked up by um...Berkley, I think? They bought out her contract and contracted the sequels. Isn't that awesome? I don't even know the woman, but I'm happy for her. Just goes to show that the good stuff, no matter the publisher, stands a chance. I love that.

Well, I'm off. Must work on the anthology piece.
Grins*

Unprincipled Principal

Yep. Big warning. This is a VENT. A RANT. And generally, a bitch session.

I'm sure some of you know how fed up I am with the school situation. Well, after the principal took my child in and verbally attacked her, I decided to homeschool baby chicken.
Went and talked, and I use the term "talked" lightly, to the principal. And do you know what the unethical liar did? Tried to tell me that it was all my baby's fault. She's been "empowered."

Okay. First. So what? Aren't children supposed to be empowered? And second...the witch of a woman who speaks out of both sides of her mouth proceeds to tell me that Cara's problems are all of her own making. Nevermind the piss poor decisions this individual made. No. Nevermind that. And nevermind the fact that I have REPEATEDLY talked to this principal about what a clusterf*ck the schedule is and how it affects the children.

So I proceeded to let the principal know that the problem stemmed from her. Period. And no matter how hard she wanted to put the blame on someone else, it rested solely on her. And then I yanked my baby out. And I feel 100% better.
This stupid individual has lost a gifted and talented child. Because she is a poor decision maker and a liar. Period. I hope this realization slaps her in the face fairly soon. And I'd love to be a damn fly on the wall when it does.
But you know people like this...denial. And lots of it.
But nevermind. Baby chicken is home with me. And let the learning commence.
Grins*

Feeling good

I'm still writing, mind you, but as for now I've typed 6500 words today. Isn't that awesome? I knew I wanted to work on my Erotic Romance. And it has simply seemed to flow through me today. I can't believe it. I'm usually happy with half that. But the words kept coming and coming. And who am I to deny them?
My emails seemed to be slower today than usual, so I wasn't constantly checking to see what was happening there.

I think I'm about to wind it down for the day. My wee, little brain is tired. And I'm at a good stopping point.
Hope your Monday was a good one. The chickens were home today because our roads were so damn hazardous. Hopefully their heinies will be schoolbound tomorrow.
Grins*

Overview

Mr. Chance seems to be working out. He hasn't messed with the cats at all. But birds? OH MY! He goes crazy. There must be no winged individuals on the property. Go figure. I think it's the Black Lab in him. He's a pretty boy. May have to take a picture and post it.
I tested him earlier. He knows how to sit. *blinking* I'm in shock. And he will gently take food from our hands. Isn't that something? But...God forbid...do NOT turn your back on him because he will tackle you from behind. And he's a big boy.

I tried to get into cutting the rest of the words out of my script for Virtually Yours. Good grief! It's rather hard. I'm hoping to tackle it again tomorrow. ACK! Who knew?

I've got an interview up at Romance Junkies. Here's the url: http://www.romancejunkies.com/artman/publish/article_5511.shtml
Yeah, I should have changed that to a tiny url. *grinning* Sorry 'bout that. If you've got the inclination...check it out.

I think I'm going to work on the script for Virtually Yours again tomorrow and hopefully finish the cuts. And I WANT to work on my next erotic romance. So I think I'll make that a priority tomorrow. I'm antsy to see if my publisher will want the book I just sent to her. Patient, I'm not. *laughing* But working on something else will help me.

Enjoy your Sunday!
Grins*

Ayuh, I'm 34

Well. It's here. I'm officially a year older. Thirty-four to be exact.
I didn't do much today.
But I did go out last night. Drank VERY tall drinks with lots of alcohol, and shook my groove thang at a rate that would have driven my children to therapy. In other words...lots of fun.

Today we drove to pick up the kids from my Mom's. And, of course, last night all Winter broke loose here. I kid you not. Mother Nature obviously saw me heading for a good time and decided to call in the reserves.
Oklahoma was hit hard. And it's still being hit. It's a balmy 14 degrees here right now. And on and off with the sleet and snow. UGH. Keep in mind I was wearing shorts about four days ago.
So...drove to pick up the kids...and lo and behold...there's a dog that someone dropped off there. He's a black lab/pit mix that's under a year old. Mom already has a dog, but she didn't know what to do with the boy.
Our dog, Star, wandered off. I say wandered off because we didn't find her in a ditch, and she wouldn't leave us for the blazing hell of it. Either coyotes got her, or she got lost. But she never came back. So we were sans dog.
And the kids were heartbroken.
In short order, we've decided to give black lab boy-Chance-just that. A chance. If he behaves, then he can stay. If he messes up our feline utopia, he goes.
The kids are ecstatic. And this dog is BIG and still a pup. So we've settled him here at the house, and I'm hoping it works out.

And something that I wasn't going to blog about, but I can't seem to get it off my mind.
On the way to the club, there were at LEAST a dozen accidents. We hit a particularly bad one on the I-40 and I-35 split. We were in the line for at least half an hour. And it was only about a mile.
And when we got up closer, there were lots of police, firefighters, and ambulances. And then we passed a little car. A compact. It was a light color. Maybe white. Or silver. It was pushed up against the side of the barrier, facing the wrong direction.
I wasn't driving, but I looked over and thought I could see a head slumped over the steering wheel. I was puzzled why there wasn't a police or fire person helping out. And I mentioned that to my friend. I thought the airbag has simply deployed, and the person was unconscious.
She turned to me and said, "There was a towel over the person's head."
And then it hit me. Somebody lost their life that night. And this overwhelming sadness gripped me.
It was a reminder. Just a reminder. That life is precious. And I was thankful for my thirty-four years, even as I was praying for this person's family.
Nothing is guaranteed. Not tomorrow. Not your next birthday. Not the next hour.
Don't live for your regrets. Don't tell yourself that you'll do it tomorrow.
Just live.
Live.
Crystal*

The nut doesn't fall far from the tree

Today I spent the day with my Mother. We always do lunch near my birthday. We decide to go down to Sulphur and check it out.
Sulphur has these huge parks, spring fed lakes, and massive hiking trails. Bear that in mind.

So we bip down there. It's a bit of a drive. Then we go to the Nature Conservation Center. You take that and start down the trail. We do.
Mom is wearing sandals. I have flip-flops. Off we go.
We come to a fork. Two options. To the right and on the concrete. To the left and up a rock trail.
Mom and I are invincible. Up the rock trail.
And up.
And up.
And oh God help me...up some more.
We are literally standing in a cluster of cedar trees where I don't think even the deer roam. And we continue to walk.
Mom: I don't see anything familiar.
Me: We can keep going. I'm sure we'll end up somewhere. *Being a tad bit of a smartass*
Mom: Okay. Let's go.
And so we walk on.
We come around another bend, going uphill, when Mom spots the top of a hill about thirty feet away. There's a line of trees. And now I'm informed that maybe that's the top of the hill with a panoramic view, and we can check that out. Suuuuuuuuuuuuure.
Between us and the top of the trees are brambles, thorns, and cactus. Not to mention low-lying branches.
Did I mention the thorn bushes?
Mom looks at me: Think we can make it?
Me: No problem.
Mom: You going first?
Me: Oh yeah. Just follow me. *my IQ has dropped lower than my shoe size when my pride is involved.*
And so I begin cutting left, right, forward. Right, duck, left.
It takes us fifteen minutes to walk thirty feet. But we made it. And what do we see?
NOTHING! LMAO
More trees.
We somehow make it back to trail without being too jacked up. And off we go again. Eventually, we end up back where we started.
We're out of breath. And we're laughing. Oh yes. We're a brilliant duo. If one of us doesn't think of it, the other will. My girls don't stand a chance.
We did about five miles. One of which I'm certain was trying to get to the top of that damn tree line.
But it was a great day.
Grins*

Good news!

I've been hit and miss with my emails lately. I've tried to answer what I can and then file the rest. But I finally opened one that talked about the CAPA and PSYCHE awards at The Romance Studio.
So I decided to go and check it all out. And what should I find? ME! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I'm nominated under Paranormal Romance for Perfect Timing. OMG!
What a rush.
So please send good thoughts. And if you're nominated in the same category...best of luck to you.
Grins*

Addicted

My chat last night went well though there weren't many people there. I think the whole time issue had a lot to do with it. I have the damndest time trying to remember whether I'm adding or subtracting an hour or two. *sigh*
I have another one at the end of the month. I'll see if I can get it together a little better.

I've just signed a contract for an erotic short story due out July 2006. It's called "School's Out", and it will be in the Summer Sizzlers Anthology for Whiskey Creek Press Torrid. I need to get my rear in gear and write a short for the Fall Fires Anthology. I'm leaning towards paranormal this time.
I've also signed a contract for another short story. This one will go in the HATE Anthology from Whiskey Creek Press. The title is "What Goes Around." And it's a rather delicious turn of events. *grins*

I had this idea...*laughing*
It's an Erotic Contemporary Romance. And the title came to me last night. No pun intended. *laughing* Now I'm torn about which direction to go now. Maybe something to sleep on.

And my addiction? Spyro: A Dragon's Tale. OMG. I'm not much for playing video games. Translation: I avoid them like the plague. In fact, I don't remember playing any since Pac-Man. Yeah. You heard me. Pac-Man. Anyway...picked this up for the chickens...and I'm hooked. And now I'm stuck in this one part that I can't get out of. And so I'll be looking for "guides" this evening. Um...ya know. Cheats. hehehe
Wish me luck!
Oh! LMAO
Happy Valentine's Day!!!
Grins*

Ain't too proud to beg

Yep. That's me.

I'm chatting tonight at The Romance Studio http://theromancestudio.com/ at 9:00 pm EST. This translates into 8:00 pm my time. I think it's about 6:00 pm for the West Coast.
If you're not doing anything and have the inclination, I would LOVE to have the company. It's my first solo chat, and I'm a tad bit freaked out. Just a tad. *snorting*

I'll be giving away dowloads of Virtually Yours and Perfect Timing. Depending on the turnout, I'll probably give away downloads of LOVE An Anthology and Winter Wishes. That last one is NAUGHTY. *grins*

And even if you don't drop by, enjoy the rest of your evening.
Grins*

Currently

I borrowed this from Tess http://tshjourney.blogspot.com/
And now you're up-to-date.

current clothing: Blue, shiny flip-flops. Black tank top. Black pants.
current hair: Chestnut, shoulder length, straight ('cause I IRONED it)
current mood: PFFFTTTTTT
current refreshment: Diet Pepsi. Are you kidding? LOL
current annoyance: My tooth is killing me. My children are annoying me. And I can't get a grip on the very beginning of my latest work. I'm stressed about my first solo chat tonight. And I have to go BACK into town to pick up my friend from work at seven. ACK!
current avoidance: The current work in progress. Oh, and cooking. And making my bed. And doing dishes. And...pretty much everything.
current smell: Roses. I just bought a dozen red and a dozen white. Pretty. *grins*
current thing you ought to be doing: Working on my chat tonight. WRITING.
current thing or things on your wall: A whole lotta nothing.
current IM/person you're talking to: Gee. I don't much care for IMing. Every once in awhile. And I'm always talking to myself, if that helps.
current jewelry: Both my rings are sitting in the cleaning solution right now. I'm thinking of getting one of those earrings higher up in my ear. I've heard that rather smarts, though. Thoughts?
current book: I'm kind of reading Nora Robert's Flower Trilogy. But I'm waiting on my copy of Cell by Stephen King.
current worry: Not enough white space in here to take care of that. Let's just say financial and sanity. That about covers it.
current favorite celebrity: I really like Hugh Laurie. And I really dislike all these little flaky twits such as Jessica Simpson and Brittany Spears. Erk.
current obsession: How to make everything come together smoothly. Oh...and how the hell to get this latest manuscript started.
current love: That person has highly irritated me right now. Will rent this space out. LOL
current longing: More time, less children interruptus, and a finished manuscript or three.
current disappointment: SEE: Current LOVE
current lyric in your head: Okay. Either Pump It by the Black-eyed Peas, Dont'cha by the PussyCat Dolls, or Honty Tonk Badonkadonk by Trace Adkins.
current music: Usually I'll roll my media player with Reba. But it's silent right now.
current favorite book: Always my own. Even when I'm pulling out my hair.
current favorite movie: This is difficult. I can't think of anything that floats my boat right now. I rarely see movies anyway. But I AM looking forward to Pirates of the Carribean 2.
current wish: For a little sanity and a little "me" time
current happy thing: A day to myself in the near future.
current undergarments: White, satiny things.
current desktop picture: My AOL expressions is a mass of red hearts. My desktop is blue water with a tiny island and three palm trees.
current plans for tonight/weekend: I've booked my mother to babysit the heathens Friday night. At which point in time, I will put TOO much make-up on, drink too much, and generally tear it up. My birthday is Saturday, and by God, I'm going to bring it in right. LMAO
So what are you currently doing?
Grins*

Heathens

Definition--strange and uncivilized

That would sum up my children to a "T".
Something is happening here that I don't quite care for. All the chickens think that misbehaving is the way to be.
I'm serious.
I got THREE pink slips for the kids Friday afternoon. Misbehaving on the bus. Granted, the bus driver IS a witch. But still. It's ridiculous. And now I have the pleasure of getting up at five o'clock tomorrow to take my friend to work. (I usually just let her use the van) Then I get to take the chickens because they're not allowed to ride tomorrow. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
And my oldest chicken is STILL failing Health.
To say I've been in a sour mood this past weekend would be putting it mildly.
So no TV. NO dance. So on and so forth.
*sigh*
Normality. How I miss it.

Professionally...I've started another book. Of course. *laughing*
It's the insanity that keeps me sane around here. Trust me on this. I was picking out names yesterday. FUN! I absolutely love that. And I'm still toying with the hero/heroine names. Still cementing a couple of plot points. I have parts of the middle and ending down.
Now I just have to write the story.
Grins*

They're getting younger all the time

Some brilliant individual from down the road (in the next city. The rest of the boonies are towns out here) decided to hold a Valentine's Dance. And ALL the little townships nearby are invited.
First: The two older children are grounded. Bad grades just aren't conducive to their rear ends going to an extracurricular function.

But my middle and youngest chicken? Oh yeah! They're all excited about it. They are in FOURTH and FIFTH grade. The dance is for grades 4-8. Now, let me tell you, there is one hell of a lot of difference between a fourth grader and an eighth grader. Am I the only one who sees this?
The fifth grader asked this little boy, but she doesn't know if he's going with someone else or not. And my baby...MY BABY...has a date.
When I looked over at her and said..."No kissy. No touchy. No nothing." She looked at me, grinned, and said..."Mom. It's not a (insert visual of girl chicken using fingers to make "quote" marks) CRUSH date."
Oh. My. God.

The dance is being put on by the Firefighters Association from the city. There will be chaperones. Concession. All that good stuff. But if I decide to let my children go...there will be one more thing. ME.
Oh yes. The Mama. And if that's not copacetic....too damn bad.
I'm still undecided. I really hadn't planned on spending my Saturday evening watching young people huddle up in groups beginning the adolescent ritual of flirting and whatnot.
*sigh*
A dance.
Grins*

Just a little nip/tuck

And no. For once I'm not talking about the show. *sigh* Julian McMahon.
*blinking*
What was I saying?

Oh yes. Nipping and tucking here. Since I've finished my first manuscript for the year, I'm concentrating on editing my script for Virtually Yours. I read through it once. Then I started going through and cutting out the superfluous stuff. This is so humorous.
I used to struggle with description and adding words. Now I'm sitting here and cutting approximately 70 pages. Superfluous indeed.
But it's fascinating.
Some scenes are pertinent to the story but don't move it along quite like others. And then having to go back through and snip, snip, snip is an eye-opener. I've cut a lot of introductory scenes. Scenes that ramble on with a little more background than needed. But seventy pages? WOW
Then again, once I started snipping, the rest came a little easier. Now hopefully I won't cut off a limb or something else that this story needs to keep. *fingers crossed*
Wish me well.
Grins*

Horoscopal Truisms

I love making up words. *laughing*

Anyway...I was inspired by Tori.
My horoscope for the day:

Chrys, It's time for you highly-strung Aquarians to slow down in order to gain a deeper understanding of your own self-worth. Sometimes you are so caught up in the moment that you forget how much intelligence you can bring to a situation. Your thoughts are becoming more diffused, and this can stir up anxiety for you. Don't worry; the clarity will return soon enough. In the meantime, let your dreams be your guide.

Highly-strung? Who? Me? *blinking*
Have anxiety? Who? Me?

*looking around*
Sometimes these horoscope things are a tad bit spooky.
LMAO
Grins*

I breathe in, I breathe out

I did it.

I finished Fire Goddess and sent it off.

You know, I sometimes don't realize how much writing means to me. Nor how quickly I zip through some of it.
November 7, 2005, I had 30,000 words. I finished today at 67,900 words. And I hardly worked at all the first two weeks of December or January.
Makes me wonder what I could accomplish if I put my mind to it. LMAO

I was so stressed out about not having submitted anything this year. And then I began to think about what I've done. What I have coming out. And what I want to accomplish.
Heady stuff, that.

Two anthologies in January.
Time Travel Romance in February.
Anthology in April
Erotic Paranormal Romance in June.
Paranormal Romance in July.
Anthology in August.

Not bad for someone who was about to hyperventilate about a week and a half ago.
But I still want to finish three more novels this year, find an agent, and write at least four short stories.
I also got my script back and need to cut some pages out of it. I'm tackling that Thursday.
I'm not sure what I want to get into next. Probably my HQN submission. That and possibly the sequel to Virtually Yours.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!!
Grins*

In my head

Here's what's rattling around right now:

If it was easy...everyone would do it.
I'm going to make it. (My self-imposed deadline)

Any other thoughts are promptly discarded for the two above.
Not sure when I'll blog again. I think I may have to wait a couple of days for my brain cells to regenerate. Then again, one never knows around here.
Also...received my script back and need to cut approximately 60-70 pages. That will, of course, wait. LMAO
Grins*

Conspiring

Well then.

Something died this morning.
My damn monitor.

Let's talk for a minute on what the odds of that happening are. It's less than a year old. I have a book to edit and another to finish. Rather difficult when I don't have a damn monitor in which to see what the hell I'm doing.

So I pulled my old one over here. (A little note...I'm technologically inept.) And I switched the new monitor with the old one (Circa 1980).
Is everyone getting the pretty picture?
Two inches on the left side are utterly skewed and screwed. It has this whole hourglass thing going on.
And yet I persevere. Because I'm bound and determined to finish what I've started. Dammit.
I mean, really.
Sanity is a small price to pay. Right? Right?
Grins*

Font Face

There are many times when we blog, that we hide what we're truly feeling so as to be witty or succinct or whatever. It's so easy to let our font roll around in all its prettiness while hiding our whiny, bitchy, hateful, crass (well...you get the picture) selves.
I refuse today.

I am damn dog tired. Tired, I said. I'd yell, but I don't want to put forth the effort. I'm so tired that I don't want to be in my own skin. I'm so tired my little eyeballs are red, hot pokers in my face. Yes. I'm that flippin' tired.

Do I still have to finish my book in *looking at calendar and wincing* 6 days? Well, hell yes. And I will.
But for now, I'm simply going to slide my arse back into bed and get some rest.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Insult of the day

One of my good friends bought me "An Insult A Day" calendar. It's a little cube that sits on my desk that entertains me every morning when I rip another day off.
And today is a gem, folks.

"They say that the new digitally animated star of Final Fantasy, Aki Ross, has eyes that give the eerie illusion of intelligence--not unlike those of George W. Bush." Joan Rivers

I'll be chuckling about this one all day long.
Grins*

Yeah. I'm a kink.

A Winter Wishes review. Available now from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid.

In Baby, It's Cold Outside, Emma Sinclair gives us an enjoyable read about two neighbors who discover something special on a stormy winter's night. Humorous and sexy, I loved how it ended.
Faunication, by Becca Furrow, is a story about two people who pass each other every day, brought into extraordinary circumstances. It was one of my favorites, because the idea was so creative and fun. Sexy and romantic.
For His Delight, by Karen Mandeville, is a well written explicit story about a couple who push the limits of comfort to please each other.Even though I'm not a fan of this type of story, I think those who are,will enjoy it a great deal.
In Hot Winter Nights, a boss who wants more from an employee than typing, makes her an illicit offer, she can't refuse. While I wasn't comfortable with the premise, the sex is HOT, and everything comes together well in the end. Kendra Clark is the author.
Naughty and Nice, by C'ann Inman, is a fun read about a bored wife, who decides to liven up her sex life at her best friend's Christmas party. With very hot, very explicit sex, it was a great story. It does have a mention of F/F, so be aware. The ending is great!
In Run for Your Life, Barbara Baldwin has another winner. Running from a man who wants her dead, a frightened woman is rescued from freezing, by a tall dark handsome lumberjack. Romantic and sensual, this is awonderful, feel good read.
Thawing Winter, by Jenna Howard was my other favorite. A hot sexy, story about a bad, bad boy, who awakens the passions of a very good girl, this was a great read. I especially liked that the author used the man's perspective a lot. I can't wait to read more from this writer.
The Lesson is a historical romance set in England by Emma Wildes. A newly married lady seeks tutoring lessons from her husband's best friend. But the tutoring she seeks could break up both the marriage and the friendship. Not my favorite, because the subject matter was distasteful to me, it was well written and the seduction scene was wonderful.
The Painted Lady by Tilly Greene, is a story about a model who has one last gig before retirement. When she is hired to be used as a canvas for body paints, she finds herself in a ticklish situation. This is an interesting twist in a love gone wrong story, and even though there were some loose ends, the sex was hot and the ending yummy!
The Resolution Solution is a story about a woman who finds herself at a crossroads on New Year's Eve. When the handsome doctor that she has the hots for shows up out of the blue, will she be able to keep her resolution of no meaningless sex? Peggy Hunter has written a hot sexy story that was a great ending to an excellent book.

All in all, I really enjoyed this anthology. It had something for everyone's sexual tastes, and all were fun reads. Reviewed by Char @mayreviews.com

LMAO! I loved this review.
Grins*

Latest review!!!

WOOHOO!!!
Perfect Timing, my Time Travel romance, has received Five Angels and a Recommended Read from Fallen Angel Reviews. *dancing*
Here's the link: http://www.fallenangelreviews.com/2006/January/Janet-PerfectTiming.htm
It will be available February 1st from Whiskey Creek Press.

And now it's back to the ol' grindstone.
Grins*

Re Re Re

No. I'm not singing.
Dammit.
I'm redoing. Rewriting. And reediting my manuscript I'm working on right now. *sigh*
I'm a firm believer in "click"'s. When I feel that something is right, I get the "click." And something has been bothering me about this book for a little while. On and off. A niggle here. A niggle there. And finally it hit me yesterday.
So I'll be working on this like a mad woman all this week. Because BY GOD!!! I'm finishing this sucker by the 7th. Watch and see! LMAO
I'm right around 58,000 right now, so I'm pleased with that. And now that I feel as if I'm on the right track, should be smooth sailing. *snort* Anyone buying that?

I want to apologize for not bloghopping to my usual spots. And I miss y'all! (TORI: I taped a two hour movie on BBC with Robson Green and haven't even WATCHED it yet! ACK! I can't wait to see it!)
But I've literally warned everyone around me... I HAVE A DEADLINE! LEAVE ME ALONE! I will be sociable AFTER the firefight. Two of my friends (who don't write) probably think I've gone mental. But then again, they should be used to that by now.
Grins*

Grass roots

Well. Not exactly. I'm working more with grass SEEDS right now. A little sprinkle here. A little sprinkle there. *tapping foot*
I'm not exactly the most patient person in the world. *laughing*

But I feel good about the publicity progress that I've made today. And I think I'll send out brochures every quarter. And I cannot tell you how good it felt to fold, stamp, and send those suckers out. *GRINS*

I'll let you know if my lovely brochures paid off or not.
Grins*

What the lizard said

I've been so busy this last week that I've extended my own deadline for my main "in progress" work for another week. So D-Day is February 7th.
I've edited one full length and one short story. I had an all day chat. I have an interview to fill out. And I spent all day yesterday looking up addresses to send out brochures. So it's not like I've been eating bon bons. LMAO

Now. For my lizard tie-in.
I'm sure y'all know the Geiko gecko. He's so damn cute. *ahem* Anyway...have you seen the commercial where his little lizard friend (with the cutest accent) is informing a couple of other lizards that *paraphrasing* We could have the greatest information in the world but if no one knows...it's just a stray, little fact. *end of paraphrase*
That resonated with me. You know. I could have the best book in the world. *small snort* But who would know unless there was some sort of information highway? And how in the world do you know how to spread the word and who to spread it to? The mind boggles.
I think I've let everyone know about my book (first release) on all my loops and to all the fans I can reach online. So I needed to spread the word to others. And that's what I'm working on right now.
Good thoughts!
Grins*

BUSY!!!

Today is going to be one heck of a day.
I'm chatting at Love Romances Book Club all day. It's an absolutely fantastic time!
I'm also editing What He Wants and my short story, "Intervention", in the Spring Flings Anthology.
And sometime today, I need to write at least 2000-3000 words on my book that I've given myself a deadline for.

My oldest child has been sick since Saturday with nausea and now she has welts that itch. I'll be taking her to the doctor this afternoon.

My good news is that I checked Fictionwise to see what was going on with Virtually Yours (yep, that' s me...a slave to the numbers), and I noticed it was #30 out of over 2200 on the Romance bestselling list. This is HUGE to me! I could barely sit last night from the excitement!
Grins*

Editing

I'll be arse-deep in editing and finishing my book 1 for the hind end of this month. But I thought I would dedicate this post to editing.
And here's what I have to say. I'm going to be using generalizations because I NEVER want to hurt anyone's feelings or make them feel bad. (Unless they cut me off in traffic. But I digress.)

Editing is hugely important in writing. I used to mostly be a one shot writer. Meaning I would write the story once and basically (BASICALLY) be done. Then I would go through and self-edit. Then I would submit.
I've changed. It's actually like a metamorphosis of sorts. I will go through and write it once. But I will always start a little farther back and then edit as I go up to the point I stopped at. And now I'm tackling subtle layers of description. This is my weak point. And I've gotten better. Believe me. My strong point is the characters. I never really have to tweak their dialogue or patter. That comes natural to me. (And yes. I run dialogue in my head ALL the time. *laughing* I actually got up from my desk Thursday to go to the bathroom and had to sit right back down because the dialogue wouldn't quit, and I didn't want to lose it.)
Now after I write it once, I will go back through and layer description. Tighten. Shift a little if needed. I give it a day or two while working on something else. Then I go back and edit the whole thing.

Still with me?
When an editor is assigned to my book, I want to send them the best product I have. So between contract and editor, I edit myself again. Okay. I haven't had any problems with most of my editors. But I do have a problem with an editor who wants to, in my opinion, "co-author" my book. I have a serious issue with that. And it frustrates the living daylights out of me. I wrote the book. I know what I want. And when an editor will take my work and tweak to THEIR liking, I become a little short and irritated. (Hold up. I'm short and irritated anyway. LMAO)
Anyway...my frustration builds until I'm so seriously sick of it, that I want to throw up my hands. I had a rather upsetting experience with one who played with my manuscript to his/her satisfaction. And now I've run across the same problem with the one I'm editing now. And let's just say...I'm not giving an inch. So. I'm trying to lower my blood pressure and take it one step at a time.
Hoping for the best!
Grins*

Yesterday, today, and tomorrow

Yesterday was a good time on the WCP Reader's loop. I absolutely LOVE to talk to everyone over there. Too much fun! That went well, and I actually squeezed in some writing. Almost 3000 words, so that is ALWAYS good. If I go a little under, I always feel like I could have done more.

Today I'm not doing a whole lot of anything. I'm going to work on my book, but I'm not going to be quite as manic. It's rather a laid back kind of day here, and I'm going to enjoy that. No big pressure from myself to do anything but peck on the book and do the mound of dishes in the sink.

Tomorrow is a major running around day. Bills to pay. People to see. *rolling eyes* Too bad the computer cord doesn't stretch that far.
I've taken into consideration about not exercising everyday...so tomorrow will be my day off.
And I've lost two pounds! Now, when I first saw that, I was highly disappointed. But then I thought...HEY! Two pounds a week is good stuff. I'll be down at least forty pounds by May. And wouldn't THAT be lovely? *grinning* So I'll take my two pounds and be happy with them.
I doubt I blog tomorrow...So enjoy your Friday!!!
Grins*

Failure is NOT an option

I'm a self-motivated individual. And it serves me well. I'm also fairly strict on the chickens because I know their potential.
So...when one of the chickens has a "D" on a math paper, and another one is failing Health, I tend to become a little cranky.
Now let me explain a bit.
If my children were "average" students, then I would accept average grades. But the oldest is "A's" and "B's" (She's in middle school. It was straight A's until then. And let me just further say, I forgot how hard it was to remember dates, equations, and explorers. *rolling eyes*)
The middle chicken is straight "A's." Thus you'll understand my total unacceptance of a "D" in Math. And the baby chicken? Straight A's. And it comes fairly easy to her. Needless to say, the other chickens don't think she's quite right. *laughing*
But here's the deal:
It doesn't seem to bother them the way it bothers me. Why and when did they come to accept mediocrity? I don't like it. And I think it sets a bad precedent.
I'm driven. And that's fine for me. And I'm not going to stand over the chickens and crack the whip incessantly. But by God! Show me a little ambition or something!
I realize that there's quite a lull at the beginning of school and right after Christmas Break. Sometimes it's hard for kids to get back into the swing of things.
And I've come to the point of making out study guides for the middle school chickens. (They were loathing my existence last night.) And this is so they'll LEARN something.
It's so easy to let things slide and just throw your hands up. But a true test of someone's mettle is when that person digs in and does their damndest to do a task (even if it's displeasing) to the best of his/her ability.
Failure is NOT an option.
Grins*

I pumiced my butt last night

Unintentionally, of course. *laughing*
I thought I would hop in the tub for a nice, hot relaxing bath. I sprinkled in the pink bath salts so I would smell good. And then I soaked myself. Lovely.
Then I thought...what the hell? I can pumice my feet real quick. So I squirted this little foot stuffs on one foot and rubbed it all over. It has those little pieces in it that is supposed to scrub off the old skin and whatnot. I rinsed that foot and then started on the other. When that one was done, I put both feet back in the water and then moved to grab my bodywash.
Lo and behold...my heiney was sliding on little pumice pieces. It wasn't unpleasant. It wasn't pleasant, either. A little odd, sure. *grins*
So. I grabbed the loofah and went to town on my feet and legs. And then when I moved back to do the shoulders, I rubbed against the pumice again. By this time I'm thinking..."Whoa. My butt will be so shiny someone could fix their hair by looking at it." LMAO
Moral of the story. Maybe do the pumice on the tootsies last. Lesson learned.

On the writing front...approaching 50,000 words on my novel. I want to have it done by February 1st. That's the goal.
Grins*

Fair to partly crappy

I didn't do anything I was supposd to yesterday.
I didn't exercise. I didn't eat right. I didn't work on any manuscript at all. It was my day off. *grins*
Today I have a list of things to do, and I'm tackling them one by one. I'm not too worried about the exercise thing because I've only missed one day this month. And I'm going no processed carbs today because I had some yesterday. Not too shabby.
I wrote 3000 words on Friday, so I am pleased with that.

But I am cranky. YEP. Cranky. I think it has to do with the fact that my children are going to be home tomorrow for Martin Luther King Day. *rolling eyes*
They are rubbing me the wrong way. *looking at clock* And it's early yet.
I ran out of soda yesterday and am not buying anymore for awhile. I have a bunch of Crystal Light lemonade. And hopefully it will be making Crystal...light. *grins*
I've heard back from my scriptwriter. I'll have to cut about 60 pages. This is going to be a new and different experience. Ought to make for interesting days.

The LOVE An Anthology Authors have a chat this week at Whiskey Creek Press Reader's Group. My day is Wednesday. There will be prizes everyday and a download of LOVE at the end of the week. You can join the group by clicking on the banner at the bottom of my page.

I'm off! Wish me luck!
Grins*

Any given group

I've discovered in lo my many years that in any given group...there will be a peacemaker and a troublemaker. There are wide variances in-between, but these two will always be represented.

My baby chicken went to a birthday party/sleepover last night. And yes. There is most definitely a troublemaker in that group. She's not happy unless someone else is unhappy. And if she can say something cruel and hateful...so much the better. She's 11.

And then when I worked concession last night. At homecoming. For four hours. *ahem* Two boys (whom I ADORE) got into it right behind me. I thought they were wrestling (playing around) at first. Because one had the other in a chokehold of sorts. So I just turned around. Then the father of one of the boys came flying around the corner and broke it up.
Needless to say, I was speechless. These two are good friends. They're good kids.
When I asked around later to see why in the hell they were fighting...I heard it was over a female.
Yeah. You heard me. A female. These children are twelve. But there's a little group of girls that seems to start trouble. And isn't that ridiculous? My sixth graders have already been asked to go on dates. Let me reiterate. IN SIXTH GRADE.

I will consider letting them group date when they are fourteen. Period. And no serious one-on-one dating until they are sixteen. Does that make me a strict parent? Maybe. Will I flex on this? Not at all.
Kids are growing up faster and faster these days. It's my job to be the voice of reason. The voice in their head. WHATEVER IT TAKES! And I will. Whether they like it or not. *laughing*

But back to the group mentality.
This applies to adults, too. And that's a damn shame. I don't know what takes a person and turns them into someone who is happiest when all else are miserable. But I do my damndest to stay away from them.
The peacemaker? Sometimes me. I like to keep the peace. And I'm trying to teach my kids to do the same. However...they also know they don't have to take anything from anybody. The baby chicken informed the girl that it was too bad that the troublemaker didn't want to be at any parties that my baby was at. She was going to miss out on a lot of great parties. *grins*
Crystal*

Hot titles for the month

*doing a little dance*
Okay. I have two short stories in the LOVE Anthology from Whiskey Creek Press. And one story in Winter Wishes from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid. BOTH are #1 on the hot title list for this month.

Isn't that awesome? WOOWOO!
Okay. That's my professional news. That...and I need to get my ass in gear on two of my manuscripts. And there ya go. *grins*

And personally, I'm thinking of joining the same gym my sister goes to. She seems to like it, and it's a 24/7 gym. Yay! She's willing to flex around her schedule. I'll have to work around the chickens' school and stuff.
I would like to go as soon as they get on the bus, but I don't think she's a morning person. Pffftttt
The kids had a basketball game this evening. And they won! WOO! I get such a kick out of watching the 5th/6th graders play. There is some talent there. Can't wait to watch it develop. And the oldest chicken was a starter. *grins* That's my baby.
I volunteered to work concession for Homecoming tomorrow. I believe temporary insanity has taken over. My kids aren't playing. It's the high school. But it will be PACKED! The whole band will be there, so my chickens are participating in that. Me=band Mama.

Hope your Friday is wonderful!
Grins*

The first step is admitting you have a problem

Okay. I've admitted to OCD, anal retentiveness, and being a nut in general.
But here's a little secret. I have a paper problem. *sigh* It's true.

I have a love/hate relationship with the stuff. Paper is great! Hard copies of whatever I need. And it comes in all sorts of colors and with logos and well...you know. But here's the problem. It procreates. I know it does. If I leave out two sheets of paper...the next day there are six. And when I leave out three...well the party must go on WAY into the night. Because the next day there are about twenty or so.
And when the kids come home, Mama gets the papers. And I'm afraid to throw one out because some of the teachers have this aggravating little habit of losing the students' papers. And I'll be damned if I don't need the back-up for evidence.
Every once in a great while, I'll hole-punch, file, and put away the paper. But give it a month, and I'm right back where I started.
Suggestions? Hints? Medication?
I would love to know how y'all deal with this. I'm trying to be strong and just make a clean sweep.
But see my hands? They're shaking. Don't know if I'm ready for complete separation or not.
For now, I'll self-medicate with my Diet Pepsi.
Grins*

Spit and polish

*sigh*
Editing today. I really find this to be a monotonous part of the whole writing process. Necessary, yes. But still evil. *grins*

Halfway through and will finish tomorrow. Thank goodness.

I'm slightly edgy today. It only started when the kids came home. Mondays are hell on earth around here. Chickens have homework for hours. Rather cuts into my working time. So I'm looking for a hot bath later. Can't wait. And then maybe these lovely knots in my shoulders will go away.

I was tweaking my website today and found a small problem. My calendar says I have a chat January 28th. Problem being--that's all it says. I have no idea where. Or what time. Brilliant, eh? *smacking self in forehead*
Let's hope this comes to light before the appointed time.

Virtually Yours has moved from the #10 bestseller to the #9 bestseller on Fictionwise for Whiskey Creek Press. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
These numbers will be the death of me yet.
Grins*