The Sister Spell

My biggest accomplishment over the weekend? Over 4000 words on THE SISTER SPELL! I am almost finished with chapter two. How's that for mind-blowing? I had nothing on Friday and by Monday morning I have 4000. I also managed to help Dh clean the garage, and walk about two hours.

Oh, oh, oh... Dh and I met friends for pizza at the Flying Pie. If you are ever in Portland, Oregon, you must stop there. Best pizza evah. Then we went downtown to a comedy club. I had never been. What a blast. It was so much fun. I love to laugh. Once the kids are gone and money is a regular thing... I want to do that more often. So, so fun.

Anyway, busy week ahead of me. I decided to put DASH away for a wee bit and get the first three chapters of SPELL finished.

I also have several articles to work on and I'm still doing the query challenge. So this weeks to do:

Get expert article sources for robotics
Get anecdotal sources for robotics
Send out questions for robotics
Get experts for CPP
Find anecdotal sources for CPP
Send out questions for CPP
Get 25 points for the query challenge
finish chapter two of SPELL
Finish rough of chapter three of SPELL

Have a great week!!!

This is where I'm Going!!!!!!

As many of you know, I've had quite the spring/summer. What many of you don't know is that my dh and I haven't been away together in almost ten years. We have always spent the money on our children. Yesterday, I made reservations for the SandLake Country Inn on the beautiful Oregon coast. This is the suite we will be staying in:



I am so excited... Our suite takes up the entire second floor of the house... four rooms. And the house has a fantastic history... It is built from a load of timbers from a shipwreck in 1894. This is what it says on the website: (www.sandlakecountryinn.com)

"At Sandlake Country Inn , we combine personalized service and privacy with amenities that you would expect to find at a luxury hotel. Your suite is fresh and comfortable, and you will be pampered with luxurious bubble baths, soaps, lotions, robes, jacuzzi spa tubs, fireplaces and much more. Imagine relaxing in your double Jazucci tub for two, then enjoying your sumptuous four-course breakfast while sitting in front of your own fireplace. It's a little slice of heaven!"

And this!

"During their stay at the Sandlake Country Inn Bed & Breakfast, guests may enjoy hummingbirds, hot spiced cider, roses, chess, romance, Mozart, fireplaces, deer, cookies at midnight, and a canopy of stars. We now are featuring our special home roasted coffee!" Another picture:

My Dh even told me to order the togetherness basket! "Come together over our now famous romantic picnic basket for two in a returnable hamper. You choose the perfect setting and we'll supply everything else for a memorable interlude (please order at least 24 hours in advance). Basket includes choice of smoked salmon (sliced turkey or roast beef can be substituted), hot soup, potato or macaroni salad, fruit, Tillamook cheddar cheese, fresh hot French baguette, Martinelli sparkling cider and Harry & David chocolate truffles."

We are spending two days there... I am so excited. I have a month to wait and then we are there. How will I ever get any work done???

When to Quit

When do you give up on a book?

I am struggling with my revisions of DASH and seriously considering setting it aside for a while. Maybe a long while. My mentor basically says there is no shame in that. Sometimes it is better to start a new book then waste time working on a book that isn't, well, working.

On one hand, I really hate doing that because I have an editor who requested a full. A different editor requested a partial, but I haven't heard anything. Of course, it's only been about four months and I've heard that HQ can take forever. I really love the story too...but I'm frustrated with it. It sucks to be over 3/4 of the way done with it and have it start to unravel. My agent isn't that enthused about the project, but is, however, seriously excited about the MG outline I sent her. (The reason I'm working on it without agent seal of approval is that I was between YA projects and have always wanted to break into series romance. My agent is okay with that.)

So here I am. Wondering if my time would be better spent elsewhere, right now. My agent would like to go out with the new proposal in September. I would like that too. On the other hand, I can't break into series fiction unless I get something out there. Of course, if it sucks, I can't break in anyway!

Thoughts?

Weekend Ho!

This week I:

Finished and turned in the revisions on LIPS
Edited and polished chapter nine of DASH
Gathered sources for article due Monday.
Sent out 21 pitches and Letters of Introduction to various and sundry magazines.
Got into the 2K8 group YAYAYAYA! (More on that later.)

Damn productive if you ask me!

Revenge of the Homecoming Queen!

So this is me, drowning my sorrows over nationals in a fab book, Revenge of the Homecoming Queen by super writing buzz girl, Stephanie Hale. She is my agent sistah and friend, so go buy her book... will let you know how wonderful it is when I finish it!

Color Me Envious

Of all those who went to nationals. I'm talking grinding my teeth with envy here. I think I even shed a little tear on Friday night when I heard that my cyber friend Trish, won the GH and my other cyber friend Barb, won a Rita for Best Contemporary Single Title romance. (Adios to my Old Life) And that's a Young Adult book, baby! I just wish I could have been there for the drinking, I mean, business opportunities. (Insert big sigh here.)

That's all I'm saying. And if anyone wants to send free books my way to ease the pain, (because I have heard that you all get slammed with books)just email me off list for my address.

(And no, this isn't a big fat ruse to get free books, this is real pain. Snicker. I mean sob)

Day in the life or Procrastination at its Finest

I get up this morning around eight. Way later than I usually get to the computer, but it's been too hot to sleep. So anyway, I have three things that need to be done this weekend. 1. The last few revisions in LIPS. 2. Chapters nine and ten in DASH and 3. An article for my main client.

I get to my computer and I have an email from a magazine that I would love to add to my client list. They liked the pitch, wanted clips. YAY! I know immediately which clips to send that would showcase the type of work I would be doing for them. Look through computer files. Can't find it. Break out the old floppies. Can't find it. One of the floppies, (the one I think it's on), freezes my computer every time I click on the file, causing me to reboot every single time. I do this three times. I've only had one cup of coffee. So I go through my hard copy clips. Can't find it. Run to the filing cabinent in the garage where my magazine clips are. Can't find it.

Breathe. Look up magazine online to see if they have archives. Nope. More coffee. I have now spent almost three hours of my work time looking for a single clip. I quickly find the other article I had in mind to send them. I call the magazine. Can they send me a copy? Yes. Thank god. Next week. Damn itttttt.....

Notice that the file with my hard copy clips in it is atrocious. Clean out file. Then notice next file has all sorts of weird stuff in it. Clean out that file. And on and on and on.

I am now surrounded by a sea of wadded up paper and have not even started one single thing on the list of things I have to get done this weekend.

Nationals, take me away.

Flabbergasted

Because of recent events (mother with cancer, book sellage)and future events (aging and author photo) I have decided that enough is enough and I need to do something about my health. My many year struggle with cigarettes is for the moment being won and it is time to fix the rest of me,namely, my butt, waist, upper arms, and cholesterol level.

I decided on the mediterranean diet because this was the closest to what I have done in the past to lose weight. Basically, lots of fruits and veggies, olive oil on everything, little meat and best of all, wine with dinner. On this wonderful diet I not only lost six pounds last week, but have found that I actually like to cook if it isn't fried meat and potatoes. the texture and flavors of cooking with fresh veggies, fresh herbs and olive oil is soooo fun! Last weekend, I made world class minestrone soup. I've experimented with pasta in creating fresh healthy non meat meals and made some that could be served in a restaurant. (yes, we still eat meat, but are trying to cut back)

I think the best thing though has been discovering how well wine goes with food. I know, it boggles the mind. Now I've had wine with food before, but I have never thought about what kinds of wine go with what foods... turns out merlot... goes great with strongly flavored mediterranean food. And cheese. I know, I know, there is a whole culture dedicated to wine and food, but somehow I missed it. Now I really know what they are talking about. Kind of makes your tastebuds salute your lips when the meal is finished.

On the docket for this week, finish revisions on LIPS and turn into editor. Finish two more chapters in DASH. Write an article and send out a slew of LOI's and queries:)

Is the Week Over Yet?

I hate when holidays fall in the middle of the week... I get all discombobulated. (Or however you spell that)

The mojitos were fantastic. Had a huge fresh vegetable platter, courtesy of my SIL and a huge fresh fruit platter, from my Mom and I cannot believe how much fruit and veggies three teen girls can eat! You'd think they have never eaten fresh food before... I'm like, "Hello!!!! I tell you all the time to have a peice of fruit!" I guess there is a difference when the pineapple/strawberries/raspberries/radishes/cauliflour, etc., is all cut and laid out for you. My mom made potato salad and even though it was good, everyone mostly just ate grilled chicken, fruits and vegetables. But the most of the veggies and fruits had been bought fresh from local farmers, so they were extra tempting.

Everyone took off and went to the local high school for the fireworks... except for me. I pretty much decided that I was too happy, full and satisfied to go someplace crowded, so I waved goodbye and watched the neighbors set off theirs.

So now I am supposed to get back to work? I don't think so! Dropped the girl off at dance camp this morning, have the wee foster girls for the afternoon and pick up my son at the airport this evening. Maybe I'll get some work done tomorrow!

Eyebrows and Trader Joes

No to do list this week. I think my friends find them as boring as I do. So I will talk about my weekend... which basically was a giant waste of time. I didn't write on Saturday. Like at all. I went to Trader Joes to get some vino, protien bars, pasta and various and sundry others. Not sure what all. I do love me some Trader Joes, though.

Yesterday, (when I was supposed to make up for Saturday with major bichok) I ran to the mall and picked up two work out shirts and got my eyebrows done.

Today is nothing but Bichok. Have to finish DASH, LIPS, send out four queries and finish one article this week. Plus our fourth of July BBQ to prepare for. Gawd, I hope there's going to be a a lot of Mojitos. Wait, it's my party. Snicker, oh yeah. Lots of Mojitos.