Friday Freeday

Years ago when my grown daughter was in elementary school, they used to have what they called Friday Freeday.  Which meant each child could bring one toy from home and play with it at recess. This was first or second grade, I think.  I still think of that term, for whatever reason, and it still makes me smile.

Anyway, I made great progress on the novella yesterday.  However, after I shut the computer down for the day and went to the gym, I realized I'd made a mistake in a scene.  I've made the same mistake in the past, so you'd think I'd know better.  Ahem.  Anyway, today I'm going to fix it.  It's a fairly easy fix and I'm glad I realized it before I finished.  I'm very close - about 2300 more words to go until it's done! 

And today is Friday - which is still the end of my work week.  I rarely work on weekends, unless I have a looming deadline.   Back in March or April, I bought a Groupon for Kirby's Steakhouse.  We're going to use it tonight.  I paid $30 for $60 worth of food.  I looked at their online menu and their steaks are HUGE and pricey, so I'm going to see if I can talk Lonnie into splitting one.  We'll see.  Anyway, I get to dress up (yay!) and have a nice steak dinner.

I just looked through my photos and I don't have a photo of a steak to put up here.  Sorry.  The above is from the internet and I can't make it larger - it gets too distorted.

Happy Friday everyone!

Thoughtful Thursday

I've been working, working, working.  While my editor STILL has not approved the synopsis for the book that's due in, er 4 days, I've been writing the short on-line read.  I like it.  I really do.  I hope to finish it by Friday, let it sit over the weekend, go back and re-read it next week, and then send it.  It's due 7-10, so it at least, will be on time.

Then I guess I'll go back to writing the Romantic Suspense.  Obviously, it won't be turned in on July 1st.  Oh, I also need to turn in a synopsis for the next Nocturne by 7-15. 

Meanwhile, longing for cooler temps, I made a crockpot of sausage and shrimp gumbo on Monday. 

We ate that for two nights - it was delish!  Then last night, we went to our usual Wednesday night hangout - Beef O'Brady's.   We always get a pitcher of Killian's Irish Red beer.

Today I'm finished with doctor appointments for awhile.  So I'm going to work, avoid the heat, and work some more.

Short equals more difficult

As I'm working on the Nocturne online read, I'm again reminded how hard it is to write a complete story in just 10,000 words or 50 pages.  I haven't written one since I did a couple of Nocturne Bites back in 2008 and 2009.  While I do enjoy the short (6 page) chapters, I am again reminded of all the extra (and unnecessary) words I tend to use when I write.  Cut, cut, cut.  Ruthless.  And Painful.

I'm just about finished Chapter 3 and moving on to 4.  I can't Fast Draft this because I have to write very tight and sparingly.  So my internal editor is having a field day and I'm questioning every word choice, every scene.  Not good.  But I should finish the first draft before the end of the week, despite a dentist appt today and a mammogram on Wednesday. 

Oddly enough, since I became a full time writer, I completely resent external errands and appointments.  I used to relish them, because they got me out of the day job office and I got a break from customers and employees.  Now, they only interfere with my writing.

Speaking of which...  Wish me luck.

Here's a picture of my writing space.

Monday Resolve

Today I'm buckling down.  I've got 3,000 words written of the 10,000 needed for the novella.  Planning to hit at least the halfway mark today.

Also going to the gym, probably just for cardio. 

It's going to be over 100 degrees here today, which you'd think I'd be used to after living in Texas for 34 years, but I'm not.  Obviously, I never will be. 

We did swim yesterday.  Here's Libby, my 11 month old Boxer puppy, with her BFF Stephanie.

The pool is my favorite temperature.  It's 88 - still refreshing, but not freezing.  I love when I can just walk down the steps into the pool and swim. 

The dogs wore themselves out swimming.  All three of them swam and played frisbee and generally had a great time.

After, Lon cooked bratwurst on the grill.

A satisfying end to the weekend.  Now I will just have to avoid the heat and get a lot of writing done.

 So Friday morning we went to the lake.  Spend the day there and as dusk settled, we listened to music, drank beer, and relaxed

This morning we got up at 7 and went outside and drank coffee.

We did some chores around the place that we'd been putting off.  Then, once we'd finished those, we came home.  Got home around 3 and swam.  Cooked salmon on the grill.  Now I'm catching up on email.

Doesn't this salmon look delicious?

Summer

I haven't been in a long time.  Years.  Yet to me, this is the epitomy of summer. 

It's sherbert.  Hubby had ice cream.  What fun!

Too Much Thursday

This is the view from the boat when we're out on the lake.  I'm missing the water.  And the lake lot.   I need a break, so I'm debating making a trip out there.  The only thing stopping me is the weather forecast.  They're saying triple digit heat.

Last night, after work, this is what I had to "take the edge off".  Delicious!

Anyway, I turned in the revised synopsis and chapter and am now writing the on-line read.  Better get back to it.

Different Thoughts

The world is made up of different people and everyone views things from their own perspective.  I understand that.  But when one person continually says and does destructive things to others, especially when the others are just trying to help/befriend them, I will never understand.  And when they are told their actions hurt someone, how on earth they can immediately discount that and try to blame it on something else, confounds me.  This person long ago alienated everyone around them.  Now they have been given a second chance.  And I can see everything headed down the exact same path once more.

Sad.  Really sad.  I know there's Karma and what goes around goes around, but that doesn't make it hurt any less.

That's my "Deep Thought" for the day.

I did get two more of my old Precious Gems books up for sale on Amazon. 

Want You Back

And True Dreams

Thoughtless Thursday

It's Thursday and I have nothing to say.    I'm working still, fragmented, unsure.   Therefore, I think I'll work on getting another one of my old Precious Gems up for sale as an ebook.  So far, my Desert Fire has sold 20 copies.  Not great, but not bad either for an obscure little book I wrote back in 1997. 

I did get the cover art for my September book THE COP'S MISSING CHILD.  I'm not sure about it, but since I have no control over it.... ta da.  Here it is.

The hero in my book does look like this guy, but not as skinny.  Still, I'd envisioned a different cover.
Now I'm interested to see what my October book cover will look like.

Time Got Away

So time got away from me and all that shitz.  I've been buried in working on the galleys and now I've got to turn my attention to the short (thank goodness) synopsis that's due 6-20.  I have a books (yikes!) due July 1st and STILL haven't had the synopsis (that I turned in on 3-15! and rewrote and returned in) approved.  It makes me a bit nervous, especially since I'm nearly at 50,000 words written of a 70,000 word book. 

We had to replace our hot water heater and the plumber is here now removing the old one, after which time he'll reinstall the new one.  It's much more expensive than I thought (isn't it always), but once it's done, it's done.  Right?

I was going to try to take my mom on a short trip to Biloxi, MS (the Beau Rivage periodically sends me free airfare and hotel as they're part of the M-Group, ie; Vegas = gambling = me like).  But I waited too long to call and it was all booked.  Which is disappointing for both me and my mom, but at least it won't interfere with the Chemo she's about to start.  Assuming she does start it - she appears to be wavering on whether or not she will.  Basically, the purpose is to prolong her life a few months, but she's not sure if the quality of life will deteriorate and make those few months worthless.  It's a decision only she can make. 

So I'd better get back to work, but I didn't want my little blog to think I've been neglecting it (and you, dear reader!)

Too Much To Do

Sorry, I haven't posted in awhile - I sort of freaked myself out with my list of deadlines.  So I've put my head down and have been working, working working.  I have under 100 pages left to write on the first draft of my next HRS, tentatively titled The Millionaire Cowboy's Secret.  I've come up with a premise for my Nocturne On-line Read and need to whip up a short synopsis for that.  I answered questions from the Copy Editor for my October Nocturne The Wolf Princess.

And then today AA's came.   Sometimes known as Galleys, these are the book proofs, printed out exactly as they will appear in the published book.  This is the author's last chance to read them over, check for typos etc., and make corrections.  They'd due back next week, so I've now stopped everything to work on them. 

My husband felt so bad for me between the depression, family issues, and work load, that he bought me a one hour massage Groupon.  Yay him!  Today he also took me out for lunch and a little retail therapy - a quick shopping trip inside Kohl's (my dad had given me a gift card for my birthday AND I had a 30 percent off coupon).  You can't beat that!  And all of it done on a lunch break!

Now I'm back to work on the AA's, drinking some freshly brewed peach tea.  It's drizzly and gray outside, which is perfect for writing.  I'm hoping to get through the AA's fairly quickly so I can get back to work. 

Wish me luck!

Meandering Monday

I almost didn't post today.  There's so much going on in my personal life that I just couldn't face writing words - any words.  Then I realized that writing is my job and I have a book due July 1st and a proposal due June 20 and a novella due July 11th, and yet another proposal due July 15th (Holy crap!!) so of course I can't just shut down and curl up in a ball, even if I want to.  And part of me does.  However, writing is now my only source of income and if I don't produce, I don't get paid.  Just like when I worked in insurance, I couldn't take the day off simply because I had family member issues, it's the same here.

Those thoughts led me to address something else - the life of a writer.  People (Non-writers) think writing is all fairy dust and moonbeans, like we sit down and words simply flow from our fingers, la de da de da, and before we know it, there's a book.  Done.  Then we unwind our pink feather boa and trip down merrily to get more bon-bons before we start again.

News flash.  It's not like that.  Not even close.

Writing is work.  Damn hard work.  Often rewarding work, but it requires concentration and committment.  There is plot, character arc, sexual tension, motivation, a thousand things we have to keep in mind when writing a book.  And even when our stomach is tied up in knots, worrying about various family members, we still have to sit our ass in the chair and try to enter the world we created, and become those characters.  Books don't write themselves. 

I've been back to trying to do the fast draft and I managed one day of 14 pages and one of 15 - even though the Powers That Be at Harlequin have not yet approved this book.  Of course, once I hit the desired page count/word count, it's not like I can sit back and go - yay, all done!  Oh no.  I have to edit, which involves deep immersion (note to self - buy those noise cancelling headphones) and often takes just as long as the writing does.  Editing always involves cutting and more writing and just thinking about all these deadlines brings me close to a panic attack.

So that's my post for today.  Now I have to get back to my paying job.

Question

Why does it bother me so much, the sad lonely puppy the next door neighbors have exiled to the back yard?  She runs to the fence every time I go outside with my dogs, and cocks her head to listen when I speak.

Why do I stay awake at night, worrying about this dog whose name I don't even know?  When thunderstorms roll in, why do I toss and turn, worrying if she has shelter, when her own owners don't seem to mind if she's drenched and shivering?

And in the heat of the day, why am I peering through the fence a dozen times, looking to make sure she has shade, water, and that she's not drowning in their swimming pool, when they don't seem to care if she lives or dies.

No toys, no human interaction, no love.  All the things my own dogs take for granted and this dog, of some unknown mix of shepherd and collie perhaps, has none.

Though I have too many dogs of my own, I yearn to comfrot her.  As if she's a lost child.  I want to introduce her to the joys of fetch and tug of war.  I wonder if she's wormed and vaccinated, and if heartworms are already burrowed in her heart.

In her neglect, I feel pain.  This is not my dog yet... she is a lost soul, a puppy who will never have a chance.  And I want to take her in, love her, and let her know the kind of happiness my own dogs take for granted.

There are a hundred - no a thousand, like her out there.  Lost.  Banished to a back yard - at night, when every sound must terrify a pup so young - and yet this one is so close, I can't help but weep. 

Poor puppy.  I'm sorry.  I will try to help you any small way I can.