Wednesday, August 31, 2005

On Gleeking. Or Gleecking...or...

I have no clue how's it spelled. None. But my daughter can do it.

"Mom!" she says coming into the room. "I can gleek."

"Excuse me? Aren't you to young to gleek?" At this pooint I have no clue what's she's talking about, but it sounds faintly dirty. If anyone gets to gleek in this house it's gonna be me.

"No, gleek, Mom, gleek. You know how sometimes you'll be eating or talking and a small spray of spit squirts out of your mouth?"

Know it? Some of the worse times in my life are when I accidently gleeked during a job interview or a date or something. I just called it a weird thing. Or the end of my life as I knew it.

"Yeah."

"I can do it on demand." And she does.

I stare, fascinated. "Do it again." She does. "No way! How do you do that?"

We head in the bathroom and she gives me a few lessons on gleeking. Unfortunately, I am not a gleeker. I roll the crap out of my tongue for fifteen minutes. Nothing. My daughter on the otherhand is a veritable font of spittle. Who knew?

It figures. I am a random gleeker.

And no. You can't use this in your book cause it's all mine!

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

four agents

That's the count as now. Four agents want to look at my little unfinished work, On the Edge. Or the first book in the RInk Rats Series. I also have one agent that wants to see it as soon as it is done and edited. That is exciting. Except I am not going to get my hopes up. Been here before. Yes, I write better now and yes, the concept and the idea were perfect...but still. Okay. Maybe just a little up. I wouldn't be human otherwise.

I have a 16 item to do list this week. I got four done. Oops, nope, make that three. Of course one of those things was to finish up chapter 6 and I worked on that quite a bit. And getting out the agent packets took a long time. So hopefully I will finish up some other things today.

But this morning I am going to use one of the new laptops we bought the kids and stay at the rink. Because our gas bill was 300 dollars last month. It's all the back and forth. Sometimes it is five times a day. Stupid. So she either stays all day or I stay until she is done.

Speaking of which. She is behind me throwing a fit to go so I'm off!

Sunday, August 28, 2005

For Lease

One slightly used writer.

Writer of two nonfiction books, countless articles for national and regional magazines, and one audio book, wishes to trade nonfiction credits for full time fiction career.

Writer is only slightly neurotic, but with great potential. Many ideas and marketing strategies for fiction works. Enthusiastic and has many references.

Greatest strenth: Work Ethic
Greatest weakness: Impatience

Seeking professional literary agent with a sense of humor, business savvy, and hands on approach. Must be willing to contact writer once a week. Must have many contacts throughout the publishing world as writer would like to work in both Romance and Young Adult. Must be able to ignore drunken missives on MRI day.

In exchange, writer will bow down and worship you.

(well, maybe not worship... but I'll be real grateful)

Friday, August 26, 2005

Nervous Breakdown

My, my, my.

Big things afoot for the career. Or not. I'm sort of to the point where I think that whatever I write is redundant tripe and I should give up. And I just know the good stuff won't happen to me. But it might right? I mean, I could end up getting the agent of my dreams. I really hate the uncertainty. And I hate not being able to tell people what is going on. And the reason I can't tell people is because I broke the rules and if it doesn't pan out I don't want people to say, "that was stupid, why did you think you would be an exception to the rules?" Of course, if it does end up working out then I will be one of the few who broke the rules and it worked.

So when did I become the sort of person who didn't expect good things? Oh, Yeah. The day they told me I somehow beat the odds and came down with an incredibly rare brain tumor. Yeah. That was it. Oh and when the doctor told me the chances of getting a secondary tumor from the radiation were extremely slim, I just laughed. Which is why I drink a bottle of wine every MRI Day. And the last one... not too long ago led me to the next paragraph.

Last MRI day I did something so stupid I just can't believe it. I was under the influence of my MRI bottle of wine. Then I tried to fix it and was even more stupid. She, who shall not be named, knows what I am talking about and I hope I will be telling this story when I am rich and famous. Until then, I hope it never gets out.

The tiara club went well. I wore my tiara and one other person did as well. I had a nice showing of about ten. Am hoping for twice that many next time. But I will have a nice report back to the boss. I won't tell her about knocking my chair over.

And my parents are here. Oh, and they are getting back together again. The story is too long to get into. But I guess I am happy. After all my 89 year old dad would be happier.

I should just get back to work. Lose myself in something besides worry! HA!

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Never a Beauty Queen

Now, I am not traditionally beautiful. Or pretty. Or even cute actually. I used to pass for cute sometimes when my hair was long and glossy and my skin tanned. I have lovely colored skin... and I used to have a pretty amazing body when I wore high heels. But at 40, cute just doesn't work anymore. I'm not even well groomed and love to sit around in sweats and a t-shirt. No, I'm not whining. I have a point.

Today I have to run a tiara club meeting. When I signed up for this it was called a Power Hour and women in business would get together and network. "Oh, I can do that!" I told my editor.

Then she changed it on me. Now it's the tiara club. She wanted to add an element of fun to the meeting. Yay. She even bought me this gorgy, very expensive tiara. Today is the first meeting of the tiara club and we are meeting in a very popular restaurant. People are going to see me in my tiara and know I was never a beauty queen. My editor won't be there this time. I think I will see if anyone else is wearing a tiara and then slip mine off at the last minute. See, even at 40 peer pressure gets to me.

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

These are the slots of my life

Everything in my life has slots. I feel as if my life were one big in- mail slot with everything catagorized. You know the kind, the ones you set on your desk to shove papers in that you are supposed to get around to filing later only six months go by and you haven't even looked at it? That kind. I have the northwest woman magazine slot. I have the fiction slot. I have the freelance slot. I have the mommy slot. I have the figure skating club slot. I have the wife slot. I have the home slot. Sometimes my slots collide. Too much going on at one time. Not sure which slot to put stuff in or if it is even worth slotting. This morning I had the mommy slot, the freelance slot, the NW Woman slot and the wife slot all clamoring for attention. What about the I need a shower slot?

Maybe I should tell them all to slot off?

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Morning... I think

Stayed up way too late last night working on my fiction. I integrated another crit to it and worked on chapter 5. I have like 83 pages now, so I'm slowly but surely coming along. I just wish I could see this morning! Have to take the ice princess to the rink and then get back to work. I'd rather go back to bed.

I sat down and did quite a bit of plotting on On the Edge. I worked each chapter out on a 3x5 card and attached them together with a paper clip. I started with the ending so I knew where I was going, I just had to figure out how to get there. I think it is going to help a lot as I write. I have never done that kind of plotting before, so this is new to me. How do you plot your novels?

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Not so much chaos

I have been a bad, bad girl. I have been working on my fiction to the exclusion of my nonfiction. I made zero bucks this week. Sigh. I am just so excited about my project. The writing is going very well. Better than very well. I just finished up chapter 4 and I think it's pretty darn good. I revised and edited chapters 1-3 and I think they are pretty darn good too. I am excited learning about my craft in my YA class and I think Lauren is a fab teacher. She has been giving me some good ideas on revising and it has made a big difference. Of course, my crit groups has made a world of difference in my writing as well. I totally recommend the Lauren's class, though. Will add her blog soonest. She and her agent Nadia (I would spell her last name out, but don't want to slaughter it) are doing a book on Writing YA for Writer's Digest books... how cool is that? I knew it was a fab class!

So now I am on chapter 5 and not wanting to stop to work on the different kinds of bedwetters or how to help baby sleep through the night. At over 15,000, I am a third of the way done with the book. Not sure of what is going to happen... some of it is a bit sketchy, but I have faith it will turn out. I also have a couple of ideas for adding depth to a couple of my characters.

Next week is going to be a very busy week. I hope to get some more work done on my YA, but I have a lot of NW Woman stuff to do. I would love to get some big advances and just live off my fiction!

Dream on eh?

Monday, August 15, 2005

Can we say chaos?

Got my desk put together. Got my stuff put away. Felt ready for the day. I wasn't. ACK!

Can we say Chaos? I didn't know wether to do my NW woman work or my bread and butter pay the bills work. I tried to do both... but was highly distracted. Then I had a focus groups luncheon to go to as a NW Woman rep. It was a free lunch, but NO Martinis! Sigh. I think better after a drink or two. At least I think I do;-) Snort. I did have a good time and made a lot of contacts.

Also had coffee with a friend at 7am, found some sources for one of my articles and finished up another one. Unfortunately, I don't seemed to have saved chapter four of my fiction WIP. Piss!

Okay must rush off and find a cool place to hang. And I mean cool as in cold. Don't care about "cool". Hee.

Saturday, August 13, 2005

sorta back....

And sorta not.

My computer is set up on the kitchen island and I am in my wingback chair, squinting at the screen because it is too far away. I have a laptop, but it doesn't have enough memory to take the verizon download. So here I am.

The remodel was far more difficult than I had planned, but that is generzlly the case, is it not? My marraige may not make it through it, (I don't know what I ever saw in that controlling, perfectionistic man who has appointed himself Mr. Quality Control!) But at least when I get the house it will be a gorgeous one! With new floors even and a brand new paint job! Am waiting for Mr. Mean to give the okay on ordering my new desk. I know I really shouldn't wait for him and if he waits too much longer, I won't. Making me nuts. The new desk is fab. Ultra modern which may sound like it clashes with the dark cherry Queen Anne tables I scored at the garage sale, but since they are in another section of the great room, hopefully not. It is a black stell and glass jobby shaped like an L. http://www.staples.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StaplesProductDisplay?prodCatType=2&storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&productId=92177

Will look wonderful against my dark red walls and lovely new floor. And the cool new art I also scored at the garage sale, black and white photos of old Portland.

Okay, that is all for now! Must get back to getting my house workable. I hope to be up and running by Monday. I still have to prime and paint the molding and finish the doors. Am tired of going potty behind a blanket... I want a real bathroom door!

Sunday, August 07, 2005

Heading out

Just wanted to let you know I am going to be offline for a few days... It is time to do the floors. The painting is finished except for touch ups and we rent the sander tomorrow. Wish us luck. My husband is having anxiety attacks.

Is going to look so fab when we are done! I did the Skating Club garage sale yesterday and am so glad I did... I bought five black and white prints of old Portland for a buck each! Then I bought a gorgeous coffee table/end table set for 65 dollars. It is dark cherry Queen Anne style and unbelievably beautiful. WIll go perfect with my dark Currant Jam walls and soon to be mahogany stained floors! Now I just need a new couch. Hee!

see ya people!

Thursday, August 04, 2005

I was a Madwoman

To have looked forward to this!

House is a mess. Will get to a hundred degrees today and I have to be done by Sunday so we can start the floors on Monday with everything dry.

Am still able to work a bit, but no fiction. No crits.

Must go paint.

Monday, August 01, 2005

Monday Madness

Am excited about the week. Well, sorta. Here's a breakdown:

  • Writing: I just finished most of an article due today and it was actually pretty fun to write. I still have to get in touch with one expert for permission on something... I hope that will go easy and also be fun:)
  • I got some great feedback on my YA fiction and it is getting better and better. I honestly think if I work hard I can send the first three chapters to that interested agent this week.
  • Homelife: I am painting my house this week! YAY! It has needed it so badly for such a long time. I took all the stuff off the walls yesterday washed the first ones with TSP and edged the ceiling. Today I need to Paint the ceilings and start doing the priming edging on the clean walls. If I get that done I may wash the other walls. But probably won't get to it. I have to finish this week cause next week is refinishing the hardwood FLOORS!

So I am pretty stoked. I will no doubt be exhausted soon!