Archive for April, 2006

April 20, 2006

12:06 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized

Can you believe it? I don’t really know what to talk about! If you want to hear it, I’ll ramble about my day yesterday. If you don’t want to hear it, stop reading now.

Took my youngest to the doctor - he had to get shots, which wasn’t fun. Then we went to Target and spent too much money, and I bought the new Plum Sykes book The Debutante Divorcee (her 1st novel Bergdorf Blondes was pretty funny), so that was cool.

Then I let the kids play outside but baby boy was tired from lack of real nap and shots, so we went inside and they watched a new movie, some crazy Barbie movie that creeps me out. The animation is weird, I can’t put my finger on it, but it’s creepy.

Read my latest copy of The Romantic Times Bookclub magazine. I like to read the reviews, especially the bad ones. Not because I get a thrill out of someone getting a bad review (cos I don’t - if that happened to me I would be devastated) but cos I like to see what the reviewer found wrong w/ the story. “Lack of plot,” “no chemistry,” “hated the heroine,” etc. helps me see what they’re looking for. Of course, every reviewer is different but still. Plus, I like to see what’s out there, the creative plots, the fun titles. The titles of these books are so great! Makes me want to read them just because of that.

Put baby boy to bed by 5:30 (wow!) and had dinner with daughter. Then she took a half hour shower (I had to force her out - she’s 3 and a shower hog) and her daddy made it home before she went to bed so she was thrilled.

Watched a little TV, wrote about 1,000 words and was in bed by 10:30. Also caught a mouse. I live in the country, our house is only 5 years old, but already the mice have found holes and they sneak in, esp when it’s cold. My husband noticed the cats hanging out around the refrigerator so I set out a sticky trap and in a couple of hours - caught! My cats are worthless. They’ll kill everything outside but rarely inside. Losers.

And that’s it. Isn’t that exciting? Not going anywhere today so it ought to be a VERY exciting day.

By the way, I had to email Mills & Boon about my NOT receiving the April Mod X’s and they had to resend them out to me. So now I wait again. Isn’t that depressing? Come May 1st I’m ordering the May & June together so I’ll have 4 more coming to me. Yipee!!

Ok, so I rambled. Sorry. Maybe I”ll have something more profound to say next time. Adios!

April 19, 2006

10:38 am • Filed under: Uncategorized

Ok, I’m a dork. And I’m definitely not into country so much, but I had to find a way to show my excitement somehow.

I had a breakthrough yesterday. I don’t even know exactly what triggered it, but I wrote a little over 2,000 words. Do you know how good that feels? I know most of you do. I feel like a heavy weight has been lifted from my shoulders - it’s name is Writer’s Block and I think it took a hike.

I’ve read that there’s no such thing as Writer’s Block, that it’s something we do to ourselves, etc, etc. Well, I believe it is something we do to ourselves, but I’m still callin’ it what I think it should be called. Cos it is definitely a block we put in our minds that we can’t seem to get past, and let me tell you, it frustrates the hell out of me.

And it wasn’t like I didn’t know where to go next. I have a pretty thorough outline, a good grasp on my characters, a lot to work with. I guess I just didn’t know how to do it. I needed to push through.

In my cruising of various blogs (see yesterday for that), I discovered a lot of us were going through the same thing and just at this moment I’ve had a relevation. I think we all have Spring Fever. Don’t you remember being in school and not wanting to do your homework, not even wanting to be in the building? You just wanted to go outside and do something, you didn’t care what it was. Anything was fun on a warm spring day.

So instead of keeping myself inside, forcing myself to write, I’ve been going out with the kids for a while, then I come back in and write like a fiend. And I think it’s helping.

I hope those who are in a slump are out or almost out. I feel good, though I know this won’t last. Cos once I’m done, then I need to go back and edit, revise, layer in stuff - oh, what a process.

The joys of writing, let me tell ya!

April 18, 2006

12:16 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized

Yep, got a bad case. Not necessarily of my own blog. I like blogging, I find I blog about 5 days a week but it really doesn’t take long to do it. It’s fun, and a way for me to write and share w/ my friends, mostly my writer friends.

Nope, I’m talking about blog cruising. Just recently I’ve started doing it A LOT.

I’m all over the damn place. Now, the blogs I’m cruising are mostly writer-types. Favorite authors (’oh, she’s got one too??? Yea!’ is my normal reaction), new authors, author/friends, aspiring authors, aspiring author friends, romance group blogs — the list goes on and on.

I read a lot of great stuff on them. Funny bits, pics of hot dudes, advice, great discussions, things that make me think…and sometimes struggles, heartbreak, frustration. All things I can relate to at one point or another.

Anybody else out there blog cruisers? Care to share any favorites? I have a lot of them I read (and I need to create more links to them on my page) but a particular favorite right now is Jill Shalvis (I have her link in the list) - she is hilarious. She can take a family situation and make it sooo funny. And she writes a pretty good book too.

So share your favorite blogs! I would love to hear about them.

April 17, 2006

11:33 am • Filed under: Uncategorized

That’s what I’m telling myself. I need to get motivated. I’ve let every possible distraction distract me. I need to stop. I did some edits on the first two chapters Saturday night, but other than that, I’ve written nada. Zip. Zilch. I need to get a move on!

My Easter was nice, though it rained. Luckily enough, we did the egg hunt for the kids before the rain started. My husband’s family came and we had good food and good conversation. The kids had a great time and were on a complete sugar high. And that evening my husband and I had a good night bonding over a television show.

He’s a manager at an RV dealership, and there’s this new show on A&E called “King of Cars.” Well, even though it deals w/ cars vs. RVs, it’s still a dealership and what they show is so like where my husband works (and where I used to work), it’s interesting. A lot more enthusiasm on the TV show. Which my husband finds inspiring. Now, just to let everyone know, my husband isn’t some cheesy salesman (though they’re down there, let me tell ya), but he’s really good at his job. But sometimes he gets discouraged, like we all do, and he needs a little inspiration. I’m glad to see he’s getting it from the King of Cars.

Ok, I totally diverted but that’s all right. I’m allowed to ramble. I’m in a rambling mood, I guess. I have to admit, it’s still early and I snuck a few pieces of Easter candy. Maybe I’m on a sugar high.

Think it’ll help me write? Wouldn’t that be nice!

April 14, 2006

7:26 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized

Oh, gosh, I am so so stuck. And it’s so so annoying. (And by the way it’s raining so so hard but that’s beside the point).

Anyway, I’ve stalled on my wip. And it irritates me. My husband was watching the kids and I thought “Ok, I’ll write, I haven’t written in –don’t want to mention how many– days.” Didn’t happen. I did do some research, very helpful research regarding my hero, his profession, a last name for him (can you believe I didn’t have a last name for him???). Glad it’s done, it needed to be done.

So I thought that might inspire me a little bit, make me want to get back at it.

Didn’t happen.

I decided to blog about it instead. Here I am, stumped. I think I’m gonna go watch America’s Next Top Model on the TiVo. Maybe that will inspire me. Yeah right!

Everyone have a good Easter!

April 13, 2006

1:20 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized

All right, all right. I’m posting a couple of pictures of the guy who inspired me to create my hero. Here he is:

Yeah! My hero is based on a reality TV star! How lame is that? But look at him - he’s hot! Dark curly hair, smoldering eyes, nice bod. I wouldn’t toss him out of bed for eating crackers.

Kaysar from Big Brother 6. Made that show worth watching. Supposedly Big Brother 7 is an All Stars with America able to choose who goes into the house. I’m hoping he’ll make a comeback. Make another summer of watching BB worth it.

Now I need to go write something. Cos yet again I didn’t write one word yesterday. Shame on me!

April 12, 2006

11:47 am • Filed under: Uncategorized

So…vacationing with two small children is not much fun. Actually, my daughter, whose 3, was fine. She was so glad to be spending time with her grandma, loved holding her new cousin, generally had a great time. My 12 year old got a little bored, but had a great time with his uncle (his idol) and got some new stuff. My 18 month old - did NOT have a good time. At all. Missed his routine, his house, his naps, his bed. Very, very difficult. You should have seen the smile on his face when we came home! He smiled all night long. Poor guy. Change is hard.

I haven’t written a word in - ssh, don’t tell - five days!!! Oh my gosh!!!! I really need to get cracking. I brought my laptop but never cracked it open. Just never got around to it. So this week, I need to write. A lot. I’ve missed my characters. They’ve been talking to me the last couple of days, asking me when am I going to get back at it. I told them to hold their horses, give me some time. But they’re getting really impatient. They remind me of my children.

So have any of you paused on the writing ‘cos of life and then felt guilty? Had your characters talking to you, making you feel even more guilty? I’m pretty sure you all have…

April 7, 2006

12:12 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized

Vacation all I ever wanted
Vacation have to get away
Vacation meant to be spent alone…

Oops. Hear the needle scratch across the record. Oh - that doesn’t happen anymore ‘cos we listen to CDs. My bad.

Thought I’d quote an old Go Go’s song (I’m not sure if I got the words right but that’s what I heard when I was 12) in honor of my mini vacation to my parents’ house. But alas, I’m not spending my vacation alone. I’m spending it with my three children, my parents, their 2 dogs and 2 cats. My husband is working in Florida - he called me last night to say that he went swimming in the ocean, in the hotel pool and ate at Bubba Gump’s. What a jerk.

I’m gonna see my new niece on Sunday. She’s almost a month old! Can’t wait to hold her. I’ll see my grandma, some of my friends, and deal with the rain. Yep, it’s supposed to rain this weekend. Again. Which is such a bummer cos it’s so nice today. I CANNOT WAIT for this RAINING STREAK to be OVER!

So I’m leaving in a few hours for a five hour drive up north. Wish me luck that I don’t get stuck in rush hour traffic in Sacramento and that my children behave.

Have a great weekend everyone!

April 6, 2006

11:41 am • Filed under: Uncategorized

I know, I know it sounds ridiculous, but I’ve done it. I’ve wrote too much.

I went on a bender yesterday. Just wrote like a fool. Wanted to push over the 30,000 mark so I could think “I’m half way done.” And I did it. I not only pushed past 30,000, I made it all the way to 32 plus. I should be thrilled, especially because I’m going out of town for the weekend and won’t get a chance to write at all.

And yeah, I’m thrilled, but I’m also tired. At one in the morning I had two kids sitting on my bed, wide awake. One of them crying for Daddy (he’s out of town for work) and one just happy to be bouncing on my bed. I wasn’t too thrilled about all of this.

Besides, my carpal tunnel is hurtin’ like nobody’s business. All those years of working in a office, typing away like a mad woman did damage to my wrists, and right now they’re killing me. Ibuprofin has become my best friend. No fun.

So I’m thinking maybe this little vacation to go visit family and finally meet my new niece is necessary. I need to relax and more than anything, I need to rest my wrists. Especially my left one (I’m a lefty) - it hurts!

Ok, enough of my whining. Anybody else get aches and pains when they write? All hunched over your desk, laptop, whatever? I can imagine all the ailments. Fill me in on yours! Let’s moan and complain together.

April 5, 2006

11:02 am • Filed under: Uncategorized

Since I talked about my hero yesterday, I thought I’d talk about my heroine today…

She’s gone on a long journey to get where she is, and she’s not particularly happy with the journey she made. She feels like she followed the roadmap her mother laid out for her, rather than her own. And so at the beginning of this story, she’s finally put her foot down and done something for herself. Without worrying about other people’s opinions or the consequences of her actions. Which, of course, puts her in a situation that she’s not too happy about at first, but c’mon, she’s with my delicious hero so she can’t complain too loudly, right?

Well, she does. Even though she’s attracted to him, he makes her a little nuts. She’s just as stubborn as he is, though, and they certainly give each other a run for their money.

I like the fact that she says what we all want to say, that she’s not going to let anyone bring her down anymore, and that she wants to better herself. And even with all of this big talk of independence and being strong, she still has a soft side, a vulnerable side that she can’t help but show to the hero. And when he sees it, it softens him, and allows him to show his vulnerable side as well. But as soon as these two realize their guards are down they’re all about putting them back up again as fast as they can.

What a bunch of dolts.

But eventually they’re gonna figure this thing out and live happily ever after. And I’ve been writing furiously to get to that point, feeling both ready to enjoy it and sad that it’s going to have to end. These two are taking me on a fun ride!

I hope someday they can take everybody else on a fun ride too!