It’s the day after Thanksgiving and it’s colder today than it was the last time I blogged. And hell, it snowed six inches yesterday! :blink_tb:
My husband’s family is as they always are, loud and lots. Kids running around, screeching and playing, he and his brothers and brother-in-law talking with his dad and getting louder and louder, mother-in-law in the kitchen washing dishes for an hour while she chats with her daughter and daughters-in-law.
And me, trying to stay out of the way but help at the same time. My MIL has OCD big time and she likes things done a certain way. She also makes some of the oddest food (IMHO) for Thanksgiving. :ponder_tb: Like sweet potato casserole - what’s odd about it? How about orange juice, pineapple, butter, canned yams, and two granny smith apples? Ick. Talk about a sugar coma.
And what she called “scalloped corn” - creamed corn, canned corn, squashed ritz crackers, raw eggs, cooked with unsalted saltines smashed on top.
Um, how about just a sweet potato? Or a plain old dish of corn? :surrender_tb:
I tried to insert a bit of me so I made some homemade rolls, which came out pretty damn good if I say so myself. :innocent1_tb:
Anyhoo, finally wrestled my laptop away from DH so I could blog and check e-mail. Looking forward to some hot turkey for lunch and my brother-in-law scrumptious cheesecake - OMG it’s better than anything you can buy.
Miss everyone online and I promise to be back to normal in a couple of days. :bye_tb:
Archive for November, 2005
My blogging will be spotty for the next five days as I’m in CT for the holiday. It’s pretty frigging cold, especially for a girl used to warm North Carolina. It’s supposed to get up to 35 today. Brrrrrr. :gulp_ee:
I’m enjoying sitting around and doing nothing. Life is slow when you’re in your late sixties (as my in-laws are), which is just what I need now. Slow and easy.
I swear I’m going to try to write, and work on Maddie, but it feels so good to do NOTHING. :smile2_ee:
Off to do some more… nothing.
I was completely shocked to discover that I won a review award for The Reward. (Whew, try saying that five times fast.)
In the JERR (Just Erotic Romance Reviews) newsletter November 20, the reviewer gave it their Gold Star Award.
In an amazing review by Suni Farrar, she said this about The Reward:
“This story is so close to real life that I easily forgot I was reading about fictional characters. This book was a masterpiece in my opinion.”
Wow. To have someone, a total stranger in fact, tell me that my book was that memorable and call it a masterpiece touches me beyond words. I literally had tears in my eyes. I thought “Yes, yes!!! This is what I was meant to do!”
It’s motivation to continue, even though I’m exhausted half the time from working a full time job, being a full time wife, mother, homeowner, and struggling to be an author.
My mother was excited because in the review, Suni mentioned my “flawless grammar” - :laugh_tb: - which is true, a lot of times, it isn’t mentioned. She’s proud of me, not only for getting the award, but for being a published author. That’s how she introduces me to her friends too. “This is my daughter. She’s a published author.” :king_tb:
Anyway, top of the world Ma! I am leaving tomorrow for a trip up North (look out!) for Thanksgiving and my 20th high school reunion. It will be cold, but fun. I’ll probably be scarce online, but I’ll check in at least once a day.
Most of the time when I write, I set my own deadlines. You know, like “I am going to finish the first draft by this date” or “I will finish editing by the end of the weekend.”
Sometimes I meet that date, sometimes I push it out a bit, but I keep myself on track (at least 85% of the time anyway :wink_ee: ).
So, here I am under contract for a new book with Loose Id :thumbup_tb: for The Education of Madeline. And I have an actual deadline to send the complete manuscript to them. It’s the first time I’ve ever sold on spec and I have to say, it feels grrrreat!
I think I will complete the MS before that date, but it’s so exciting to work with a deadline. I know, I know. Geek. :dunce_tb: I can’t help it though - it’s part of the path I’m traveling and each new experience is so different and exciting!
I was trying to finish a rewrite on something else, but Maddie is calling me today… must work on it - and race with Sasha to get more written.
By the way, it’s the lovely Sasha’s birthday today! Be sure to stop by her blog and say happy birthday!
Today was a busy day. I am leaving for a trip on Tuesday so I’m trying to get all my errands done today. Then the boys and I went to a library book sale and spent hours browing. Who can resist 50 cents for a paperback and $2.00 for a hardcover. I could have spent all day there. Geez, didn’t even get to look at the romance section. Never made it there!
Anyway, now I’m packing, or trying to, and making sure I get all my stuff done. I’m off! :bye_tb:
