Saturday

It's Saturday and I'm at my computer.  My book is due 9-1, which is a Sunday and since 9-2 is Labor Day, I'm turning it in on Tuesday 9-3.

It's going well.  I've been writing like the wind.  It's easier when you figure out the ending.

On another note, I got a box full of my October Book, Texas Secrets, Lovers' Lie.  I adore this cover.

My Favorite Time of the Day

I love mornings!  Especially mornings here in Texas, since the summer days often are unbearable.  I love getting up as the sky is growing lighter, but the sun hasn't yet risen.  Outside, the birds are just starting to wake.  Sometimes, the cloud display in the sky is gorgeous, back lit by the coming light.

It's great that I can walk in the morning.  Think about whatever book I'm working on at the time, and about other things.  I feel gratitude more strongly in the morning, and give thanks for my life, my home, my family, my pets, and my friends.  I love my job as a self-employed writer.  Though I sometimes miss my formerly hefty salary as VP of an insurance agency, I don't miss the stress and the time sucking job.

I love that I can be outside when I once was leaving to begin the long drive to work.  I love that I can be with my dogs all day.  And if I get stuck on a part of a book, I love that I can take the time to work it out.

Before this, I spent my days rushing around.  My blood pressure was high and I was miserable.  Even the larger salary can't compensate for that.

That's one of the things I can honestly say is great about being over 50.  I can honestly say I truly know myself and what matters to me in this life.

Mid-Week Musings

My friend and critique partner  Anna Adams is used to getting panicky and/or whiny emails from me when the writing isn't going well.  The books I'm working on now, The Wolf Siren, was a joy to write - at least for the first half.  Then a family crisis erupted (my mom got septic shock, almost died, spent some time in a nursing home, and I had to arrange hospice and get her back to her own house).  I missed two weeks of writing due to that, then too a much needed vacation and missed another week.

When I came back to the story, it wasn't the same.  At all.  I couldn't get back to it, and began trying to slog through writing it.  I'd lost my mojo and my joy in the story and couldn't seem to get it back.  I whined to Anna, because this book will be my 28th for Harlequin and my 38th published, and by now you'd think I'd know what I'm doing.  Right?

Nope.  Sometimes I make it harder on myself than I need to.  I created outlines, stuck to them, and gradually got back into knowing the characters.  Then a secondary character (who I'd planned all along) walked on to the stage and BAM.  I had to go back and insert stuff about her so she can have a bigger role.  Because I can see the next book is going to be about her.

I love when stuff like that happens.

So here I am, 11 days away from deadline.  I'm on track again and hopeful the story will turn out all right.

Wish me luck.

Monday Again

It's back to work time for me, though not to a day job, just to my writing job.  Which is fine.  After spending years working outside the home, I zealously guard my weekends and don't even like to sit down at my computer for very long.  Until it's close to deadline (like now!) 

So I wrote a little bit on Sunday, but more importantly, I fixed a plot problem that's been nagging me.
And I enjoyed the beautiful weather - waking up to high 60's, low 70's and having highs about 91 or 92.  For August in Texas, that's pretty amazing.  So we grilled out, hung around the pool, and swam.  The dogs played.  It was lovely.

This morning I got up at 5am rather than my usual 6 and took my little foster dog Katniss in for her Heartworm treatment.  We had to leave her at the vets and she gets shots of poison to kill those nasty worms.  She will be very sick  and once she comes home, she is on absolute crate rest for 30 days.  If she moves too much or gets excited, the dying worms could cause a blood clot in her heart and kill her.  Note - I just tried to post a picture of Katniss and every dang time I do, the web pages shuts down.  Not sure why, but it sucks. 

UPDATE - I found out it's a compatibility issue with IE, so I'm using Chrome.  And voila, picture.

Here's Katniss

AND HERE's THE HEART CONCERT!
I was also going to post a few pictures from the Heart concert I went to on Thursday night.  But there goes that idea.  It was a lot of fun and good music.  I was surprised at how much the opening band, the Jason Bonham Experience, sounded like Led Zeppelin.  Amazing. 

Ah well, I do have work to do.  The book is due 2 weeks from today. 

Sorry

Yes, I know.  I such at blogging lately.  I've been working full tilt on the Nocturne THE WOLF SIREN which is due on 9-1 and will be out Feb 2014.  I turned in the short story for the online read, and did the line edits on it, so that's done.  I've managed to make it over to my mother's house twice to visit.  She's on hospice now.  And I'm continuing to try and manage my elderly father. 

Plus, I'm counting calories and losing weight.  Logging everything in the Lose It app on my I-phone.  I lost the cruise weight almost immediately, and lost two pounds this week.  I log my weight every Monday.  I still walk - mornings now as it's hotter than Hades here in Texas. 

And I'm doing my volunteer work for Legacy Boxer Rescue (www.savetheboxers.com)  I did a home visit this past weekend for a lovely family who wants to adopt one of our dogs, and now I'm helping set up what we call Meet and Greets with the three she's interested in so far.  I finished foster sitting a dog named Pollock (after some college football player they said) and my own foster dog Katniss got spayed and will have her Heartworm treatment on the 19th.  After her two days at the vets, when she comes home she will be confined to her crate basically for one month, only allowed out to eat and use the bathroom.  Heartworm treatment is awful and as the worms are dying, they can cause blood clots.  Worse, it's entirely preventable with one little pill one a month. 

After Katniss recovers from this, I plan to put all my energy into finding her forever home.  And getting back to resistance/weight training.  And submitting two new proposals to Harlequin since I'll be out of contract. 

I'm going to be busy. 

I'm Still Standing

Sorry, sorry, sorry little blog and readers.  I am still alive and kicking.  I just had a crazy bout of family stuff to deal with, which appears to be temporarily settled.  Then we went on the vacation I mentioned, and sorely needed. 

And I had a story to turn in for a Harlequin Short On-line Read for Romantic Suspense.  I just did that (and I love the story!).  Now, I have a 80,000 word Nocturne due on 9-1 and it's only half done.  Three weeks of family drama plus one week of vacation put me WAY behind.  I shall persevere.  (And pray!)

My foster dog Katniss got spayed this week.  That was a big hurdle for her due to her being so ill initially.  Once she recovers from that, we've got to get her Heartworm Treatment done, and then she can go to her forever family, whoever that may be. 

And now for my trip.  I'll post a few photos every day (though they're all on Facebook, if you're my friend there!)

UPDATE!  I've been trying For a week to post pictures, but Blogger won't let me.  It keeps shutting down IE.  So, if you want to see my pics, go to www.facebook.com/kwhiddon1

My apologies.  $*@*# Blogger.

Wednesday

Sorry for my absence.  I'm writing when I can, but mainly struggling with some major family issues.  I promise to re-blog when I can.