The Brownies are almost upon us!

It's such a good cover, it's worth duplicating...

I got my print version of the Brownie book. Man, that's an odd experience, to hold the book in my hands. I'm pleased with the print quality, although I wish it was a 'regular' paperback (the smaller size). It's more of a trade-paper size and so came out a bit thinner than I wanted.

Hey ... maybe I just need to write more!

Anyway, check my web site next week. There'll be link there!

Whew ... I finished HP

I finished the Harry Potter book today, and boy, am I relieved.

The last 3 books have been like a marathon, trying to slog my way through a complicated plot. They really need Cliff Notes for those books. All of them really needed some editing and there were several saggy spots in this latest one that had me skimming and skimming.

Despite my negative comments, I'm glad that HP has done so well. It's gotten kids interested in books, and that's no mean feat in today's world where there's so much competition for entertainment dollars. And the whole theme of half-bloods, etc., will hopefully make people look at how racism and elitism can flourish even in the magical world.

I'm just sorry that it became such a huge phenomenom (did I spell that right?) I think good writing was sacrificed and I think there are better books out there (To Kill a Mockingbird comes to mind) that deal with similar topics. But perhaps we need a Harry Potter for this generation the same way we needed a Gone With the Wind, or Mockingbird, or other books for other generations.

I'm just glad the damn series is done with and we can all get on to the next big thing.

Hey ... maybe it'll be my next book! Who knows? {wink}

Life has a way of happening ...

I had this really great idea yesterday for a blog post.

I was sitting at my computer, working on my WIP (which is going really great, thanks for asking), and I thought "{insert great thought here}".

Yep. I lost it. See, I was sitting at my computer but I was also doing laundry, playing with the cat, working on my WIP, and answering email. A typical day for me.

So I got up to put the clothes into the dryer. Then I stumbled over the scratching post and stubbed my toe. Stubbed? Nope. I think it's broken. I may go to the doctor tomorrow for confirmation, but man oh man, it hurts. I taped it up and am hobbling around today.

By the time I got back upstairs and was sitting at my computer, the Great Thought was gone, vanished, into the ether. So you're stuck with this post about the Great Post that might have been.

I was grumbling about it today, thinking, "Man, that was a great idea. I wish I could remember what it was. It was great. If only life hadn't gotten in the way of ..."

Then I realized. Life got in the way of ... life. It's one of those Zen things. You know -- "be one in the moment, enjoy the moment," etc.

It's all part of the big game of Life, even breaking my toe on the scratching post. Enjoy it. It's the only one we get (well, not really. Not if you write reincarnation stories like I do, which leads me to ....)

The next release. Coming soon to a publisher near you. My reincarnation time travel romance. "Forgiveness" releases in two months, and I'm already anticipating it. It's going to be a tough one to explain to people, but for those who discover it, it will be fun, I promise.

More on that later. For now, though ... prop up the foot and hope for the best.

And watch out for those scratching posts.....

Yikes! Too busy to post?

No excuse, I know, but I've been swamped!

I got back from my conference last weekend, and haven't had a chance to sit down and think, much less think about blogging.
Everything went well at the conference, but it wasn't quite as rewarding as it has been in the past. Perhaps I'm getting jaded. Next year I'll be going to a whole different set of conferences, so I'm thinking that will pique my interests again (I really wanted to use the word 'pique'. I love that word).

And work has been busy, too. We're in the middle of a big effort, plus it's a whole new company (we was bought) so I'm still learning the ropes there. Annoying but hey, it pays the bills.

Plus I'm gearing up for a new promo op. This is a year-long gig at a web site that gets a lot of visitors. I get cover art in rotation on their site, I get some chats and blogs, and a bunch of other stuff. So I need to get that all arranged.

I do wish that stack in the in box would go down. I'd like to finish the book I'm writing!

Off for a week ...

I'm posting early, but that's because I'm off to Dallas for a conference. I leave tomorrow morning.

I know -- Dallas in the summertime. A little taste of hell, right? Probably. I'll stay inside in the air conditioning at the bar and hang out with some friends.

I'll be pitching some books to an agent and editor and will see friends, many whom I only see once a year at this conference. So it promises to be busy, busy, busy. I'll be back on Saturday and will update you all on how it went next week.

Stay cool!

I'm having a lot of fun writing my current book. This one is another 'light' mystery, set in Florida and it's got characters I really like. They were in another book I did and I thought they were so much fun I brought them back for another book. Here's hoping I get both books published someday!

I really write by the seat of my pants, and this book is no exception. As I was writing one scene, a new character popped in and all of a sudden I had a subplot -- a really good subplot! That's such a gas when that happens. I can now figure out the ending of the book, because I want to wrap up the plot and the subplot all at one point. I have a good sense now of where I can do that.

Cool!

Happy summer!

Here we are, in July with all the heat, bugs, and humidity ... nothing to do but sit back, sip a cold drink, and relax, right?

I'm going to try that for a few days. I've got the Fourth off, so I'm going to get some writing done, do a little napping, maybe do some gardening, followed by a pink drink (maybe a vodka lemonade?) I have to go to work on Thursday and Friday, but I have next week to look forward to. I'll be on vacation most of the week, and while it will be a hectic vacation it is vacation nonetheless.

So I think I'll haul out the suitcase and start thinking about packing (more on that later). In the meantime ... that pink drink might await me.

I missed my blog day!

I did something yesterday I haven't done in a long, long time.

I read a book.

Yep. I sat down and read a book. I haven't done that since ... last year maybe? I've just been too busy writing and researching and chatting and ... well, you get the idea. Those of you who know me know that reading a book a day was nothing for me. In fact, it was a regular occurance.

I wish I could say it was time well spent but it wasn't. It was from one of my favorite authors, but her last 4 or 5 books have all been so different than her earlier ones (and there's about 18 books in the series). I get the feeling she's struggling with her writing any more. I still love to read about the characters but the plots feel weak and thin.

But I've come back to my writing energized and ready to go.

Once I read the 100 or so emails I have stacked up.