It's been a few days...

I know it's been a few days since I wrote anything, and I feel bad about that. But I did get a proposal done for my editor at Silhouette Intimate Moments, and got it printed out, so I wasn't sitting around eating bon-bons!
My husband had a couple of days off and rebuilt our basement stairs, and they look great. One more thing ticked off on the to-do list.
I just found out that my brother has been reading my blog, so Hi Rob!
The weekend was really busy. Sat. morning we went to my BIL and SIL for breakfast, did some shopping and then came home to make pizza for everyone else to come to our house. And that crew tried to teach me to play a card game called Auction 45s. I'm so lousy at card, let me tell you. And I'd love to reneg at everything. I'd win much more often! LOL
Today, after an equally busy Sunday, my husband decided to cook smoked fish for breakfast, and I have been desperately trying to get rid of the smoke all morning. Scented candles can only do so much.
I'd open a window, but at 10 below with a windchill of 20 below, I'm not that anxious yet. Look, if anyone has a way to get rid of a fish smell, send it on!

Not a bad day

Although my daughter was sick in the night and is quite proud that she threw up more times than her boyfriend, plus the fact that my husband is home today, I had a fairly productive day writing. I even went snowshoeing with my husband. We found a trail through the woods and enjoyed the calm late winter day.
When we got home, I discovered I had a royalty cheque from Hard Shell Word Factory for my novel, All For A Good Cause. Glad to see it's still selling. Heck, no, I'm thankful!
In fact I was so pleased, I went down the weight room and worked out for 15 minutes. I believe one mustn't strain themselves. LOL!
But now, the floor await sweeping, a much needed task. It'll give me time to ponder my next chapter.

Volunteering. Rewards and slopped food

I volunteered at my kids' school today and got Mr. Noodles slopped on me. It ran down the inside of my legs and in the bathroom, I looked like I'd peed myself. At the break after lunch, I had to duck a ton of balls in the gym, and nearly got dinged once by one speeding soccer ball.
I used to be athletic, but now, in my 40's, I've kind of lost the muscle tone, and my vision isn't as good as it once was, so ducking and dashing out of the way doesn't come as quickly as it used to.
Tonight should be better, after I do up some minutes from another volunteer organization I belong to. Then I can sit down and do some writing. I deserve it so much!! LOL

Wiped and it's only 2 pm

I've had a really tiring weekend and teenagers and family are testing my endurance, so this is probably not the time to be blogging, but what the heck?
I've had the pleasure of writing this weekend and brainstorming with my SIL, and even hit upon a new way of compiling the inner conflict of my characters, but right now, all I want to do is sleep and forget that I'm grouchy and can't please everyone all the time.
The retreat I attended was to teach women to be courageous, but it taught me patience. Only now is the mid term exam and I am failing miserably.
I need a time out.

Two Minutes!

I've got about 2 mins before I must dash out for the day. Plus I'll be gone all weekend.
But, I'm feeling pretty good. I got 5 pages done on my next story!!
Must dash!

I'm starting a new story!

Today is the day I want to start a new story. And clean the van, and do laundry and exercise and pack for a weekend away from the kids and make a nice pot roast for supper....
Heck with it, writing first. Even if it's only an hour.
My SIL gave me a pic from an Avon catalog and we both decided that the man in it will be my next hero. I'm going to paste it above my PC and hopefully he'll boost my muse.
Oh, yeah, today we're probably going to buy this one car we've been looking at to replace the van, (hence the need to clean the van) and that leaves me to go to the bank to do all the financial stuff which I don't really care for, but will do it just the same.
I'm reading "The purpose driven life" by Rick Warren, and he says how I react to the things around me determines my eternal future. So today, I'll attempt to smile and get through it all. With the Lord's help, that is.
So, in light of what I've read, I've decided that
Life is a series of pop quizzes, for which I'm not really prepared.

The Big What if down the tube

Okay, I've finished my RITA books and I've sat down to pound out a possible story. But my story idea sounds familiar, so I slip into the internet to see if I can find it. It's an amnesia story, but I can't remember where I've heard it and I don't want to rewrite a story I've read. (please no jokes about my memory!!)
Anyway, I discover that there are a lot of people out there that hate amnesia stories and once I read them, I firmly concluded that I was not going to write an amnesia story.
So what do I do with my heroine who is looking for love? I've got a great setting, a dynamic loveable heroine, and no hero for her.
Drat.
Back to the drawing board.

The great return!!

Today, I can feel my muse returning. I could envision a scene in my head and there was that warm approving feeling that went with it. It was almost an ah-ha!
I have about four stories I want to write, and this one scene belongs to a fifth. It's a looking for unconditional love story. I may write out the synopsis and let it stew a while as I try to sort out the others. I'm the kind of person who likes to finish one task before starting another.
A brilliant writer, I can't remember who, said to push away these stirrings for a little while, so they build up a bit. And my friend Norah Wilson said that it's good to 'fill up' once in a while.
Which is all actually a good thing, since I have to finish that last RITA book. I can hardly wait to see how the books I judged did.
But by then, I should be well and truly into my writing again.

a rejection

Well, I got a rejection from one of my editors today. All bummed out about it. I'm still reading my RITA books, but hope to finish this week. Then I'm going to dive into my writing. I have a couple of books I'd like to write or at least polish up the proposals. I always find it hard to dig deep into the story without first writing a bad first draft. It's like I have to get to know the characters first.
Maybe I'll try that Book In A Week again to see if I can't find something in the stories.
What did I do right for those first two books Silhouette loved?

A small update

Saw my SIL today and she wants the younger kids who will attend our seminar on sex ed to be educated separately. It was funny because she was talking all about sex in the church vestry and each time she mentioned something about it, my husband had just come up beside her. As soon as he would hear a few unmentionable words, he'd roll his eyes and turn away.
On another funny note, at our Valentine's dinner last night, our pastor passed around his wedding photos. (25 years ago) and we all got a good laugh. My, but we change, don't we?
Well, have to eat lunch and my hubby and I are off snowshoeing. Yes, there are parts of this world that still have lots and lots of snow!

Up too early

Well, I'm up early. And yesterday I didn't get that bathroom cleaned, so maybe today. Maybe.
Tonight we are going to a Valentine's dinner and my hubby and I are reading off a funny bit of prose. DH has his memorized and I've read mine once. Oh, well.
These RITA books are keeping me busy. But I've got a really good one now, so I'm not really complaining. In fact, the author of this book has really matured as a writer since I last read her stuff, so it's nice to see and realize that.
Well, the world of the living, including that bathroom, awaits. Beside my PC is my daughter's gerbil, busily chewing on an empty toilet roll.
Later today, I'll tell about the sex ed conference my SIL and I have cooked up for our very nubile daughters. (complete with breaks, critiques and welcome speeches)
That'll make for interesting reading!!

Sex education!!!

Okay, today my SIL and I were to present to our children, ages 13-17, a seminar on sex ed. But it's been postponed while we get our crap together. My SIL found a great website that reflected our values and had tons of info, but nothing on Outercourse, which I am to lecture on.
And my SIL also gave me a great little book on sex from a Christian's POV, saying, "Read this. You'll need it to spice up your books. Your love scenes need to be hotter."
Oh.
I'm supposed to be lecturing these kids on sex and the virtues of keeping your virtue, while this hot little book is sitting on my bedside table!
And worse, our daughters want their boyfriends to attend. My daughter's boyfriend's mom also wants to attend. And rightly so!! My daughter's a pretty tempting little dish for a young man supposedly on a diet!! LOL!
To add to all of this, March break is coming up and I still have to read two more RITA books, plus, I can hear my muse calling me!
OOOHHH! Good news!!! I got that bathroom cleaned. Yeah!!

Avoiding Housework

I'm avoiding housework. Blogging is working, right? Actually, I've been playing around with this blog to figure it all out. I think I've got it. Of course, if you're reading this, hey, I *have* got it!
Now, back to housework. There's a toilet upstairs with my name on it. Yuck!

Update on the picture of me

I thought the credit for the picture of me would come along with the photo, but it didn't. So here it is, and it deserves to be mentioned.
Crystal Allen took the shot, and Staircase Studio did the hair and makeup. It took all day, mind you, and we had tons of fun, except that my makeup artist wouldn't let me have any of the wine because it would smudge the lipstick. Other than that, it was a great day and I got some wonderful pictures thanks to Crystal.

My First Post!!!

Okay, it's storming outside and my daughter is upstairs getting her boyfriend to wax her legs. Must be true love.
I'm trying to creep into the 21st century with this blog, so bear with me.
It's the 10th of February and I'm still deep into judging my RITA books. What a big job! I love it, but it steals so much time. But since I can't write because of my daughter's screams from upstairs, I may as well read and create a blog, which, I may add, I didn't know existed a month ago.
Who else finds technology speeding past them?