My last book of the year!!!

Yea! Another book out!

Yep, I have a release. If Not For You came out on Thursday. This is my 'homage to Eric Clapton book' (not really, but Eric does figure in the plot). I came up with the idea for this book when I got a letter that had my address on it but someone else's name.

"Hmm," thought I. "What would happen if a woman got a letter addressed to someone else and it was a threatening letter?"

So I started to consider why -- and how? How would someone get a letter like this? Was it on purpose? If on puropse, then why?

And who did it?

That's when I came up with what I think is a doozy of a plot. When you first read it, you think, "Nah, that's a coincidence. That's too much of a coincidence."

Then you start to realize that it was all part of an overall scheme and it really wasn't a coincidence after all.

'Ooh. Interesting plot twist,' I can hear you say.

Or at least, I hope I hear you say that! {smile}

Happy to be shoveling ...

Yep, it snowed again. Mostly slushy stuff, with a little layer of ice underneath, just to make it challenging to keep my balance.

I shoveled the driveway then dug out a path to the bird feeder to toss down grain for the critters. It's the Solstice, and I always celebrate the equinoxes, solstices, and cross-quarter days (Halloween, May Day, etc.) by giving the critters some chow.

Now I'm snugged down in my little abode and ready to write, watch Christmas DVDs (White Christmas probably) and I may even drink some cocoa in flagrant violation of my Atkins diet. After all, it's the holidays, isn't it?

I'll be offline for a while, so I hope those out there in Cyberland have a safe and relaxing holiday. Do something nice for yourself and above all, enjoy it. We only go around once (that we know of, that is; if you read my books, you'll know I'm not so sure about that), so try to have fun while you're here!

I may have to build a snowman today ....

Thinking back ....

On my other blog with the Mavens, we're talking about 'regrets' this week. I specifically asked folks if they'd had a conversation, event, or email that they regretted sending.

I've been considering this. I think I view a 'regret' as 'something I wished I hadn't done'. That's probably not the dictionary definition, but it's how I think of it. Given that, there's little I regret that I can remember (I probably was worried at the time, but can't recall it now).

I guess I'm viewing this past year as a learning experience. When I look back ... whoa. {shake head} I've started blogging, I've got a MySpace page, my web site is whipped into shape, I've sold books, I've given talks ...

Regrets?

Nah.

Or maybe one. Check my Mavens blog tomorrow to see what it was.

And the loop-de-loop continues

Well, just when I was working myself into a good peeve about the copyright nonsense (see previous post) I got a release date for the Pig Book and an ISBN number, so I can finally start planning my promo.

Well, yea!

The book releases on 2/29 and will be in print on 8/29.

Well, yea!

And I heard from my other editor and she wants to buy the next book in the History Patrol series. This is my 'present day' book in which I set in motion some events that won't really wrap up until Book 7.

Well, yea!

Once again, I am glad I am a writer. {insert smilie face here}

Yes it is cursed

Nope, the publication date can't be changed.

This means I can't enter it in any contest where I had planned to enter it. I feel like this poor book is not being given any chance to succeed.

I need to think how to proceed with this. It just makes my life a bit more complicated ... no, a lot more complicated.

Oh well. Nothing I can do about it. I'll have to do what I can with what this publisher is giving me to work with (which ain't much). Others have succeeded in a similar boat, right?

But it still ticks me off.

The perils of publishing

If you get my newsletter, you'll see more details about this in a week or so (and if you don't get my newsletter, why not? sign up for it!)

I got my galley proofs back from my editor for The Pig Book and I noticed it had a 2007 copyright. I want a 2008 copyright since the book won't be available until 2008 and a 2008 copyright means I can enter it in 2008 contests.

So my editor checked and apparently there's some little loophole thing where they want a 2007 copyright on it. This has me seriously bummed out because it means I won't be able to enter the book into any contests. Now believe me, I know that a contest or two will not make or break the book, BUT ... I think this is one of my best books and I'd like to put it out there and maybe get some recognition. So

BUMMER!

My editor is negotiating with my publisher and I'm hoping we can change the copyright date. This combined with other things that have happened (again -- check my newsletter) make me wonder if this poor book isn't cursed.

Stay tuned ....

... and another perfect day to write ...

Except today I had to go to work .... Oh well, I came home early and after shoveling a bit, I did some more work and NOW I can sit down and write.

It's a winter wonderland out there. Not much of a wonderland if you're driving, of course. And I saw a few kids who were let out at the bus stop and they were really trudging through the snow.

But all in all, it's shaping up to be Winter again. We haven't had Winter in Minnesota for a while, so I have to get my Winter Attitude back. Snow will happen and nothing to be done for it, but try to make the best of it ...

and write!

It's a perfect day ....

... to stay inside and write.

Yep, the first big snow of the year. It started about 2 hours ago and it's blowing and whipping around. I'm going to go out soon and start shoveling, then I'll come inside and do some more writing.

I enjoy days like this, where I am forced to stay inside and get caught up. There's something about nice weather that makes me feel I need to be out and about. But bad weather -- heck, the police are ASKING us to stay home! And I'm happy to oblige, as long as it doesn't last for days on end.

So here's to snow ... as long as it falls conveniently on the weekend and not when I have to drive in it, I don't care ... let it snow!