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10) Tripping reviews and winning Nano

9) finalling in the Eppies and placing third in Barclay Gold – my first 2 published contests, and winning the Emily

8) Getting my own laptop

7) Writing and contracting 2 novellas and a short story (5 contracts in 13 months)

6) Hot Shot and Bull by the Horns release date

5) Trish and my booksigning

4) Trish’s visits

3) The ds becoming EIC

2) Holding Where There’s Smoke in my hands

1) Where There’s Smoke release date – everyone made such a big deal, my boss even called the TV station to interview me!

About 50/50.

1) Books needing minor revisions: Something to Talk About, Breaking Daylight, Ghost Hunters, Vanished

Revised STTA, BD and Vanished, Vanished was rejected, the other two are still out

2) Books needing major revisions: Eden’s Promise, Beneath the Surface, Spy Girl, Vampire Hunters

Revised Surface

3) New book: Midnight Sun for Nano – I’ve been wanting to write this book for YEARS.

It’ll have to wait another year.

4) Learn how to promote my books.

Still learning.

4) Always have something out for submission – the way I have my revisions scheduled, I should be submitting every other month.

This I do.

5) Look into contests for pubbed books, as well as for unpubbed manuscripts of pubbed authors.

Entered Barclay Gold, NRCA and Gotcha.

6) Limit time online – I’ve been better about this until this month.

HAHAHAHAHAHA! Thank you Twitter, Good Reads and Facebook. And Google Reader. And forwarding Gmail.

7) Work on flexibility.

Getting better

8) Work on house keeping.

Ummm….

9) Read a book a week.


Read 60 books this year, which works out to more than one a week. Some took me forever, though.

10) Learn how to relax!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

11) Lose 20 pounds and take better care of myself – my skin and everything. Stop leaving the house without make-up!

This lasted maybe a week.

12) Pay off 2 bills.

No.

13) Be better about holiday prep and birthdays – no more last minute stuff.

Did get better.

I also wrote 2 novellas, 65,000 words on a historical and an essay, and judged a ton of contests and did monthly critiques.

Movies I’m looking forward to-you'll notice neither My Bloody Valentine nor Friday the 13th are on here, though seeing the Winchesters on the big screen is very tempting. And I found out yesterday that Jared filmed Friday the 13th in Austin and drove to San Antonio almost every weekend. Wahhhhh!

Defiance with Daniel Craig



2012



Watchmen



Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince



Wolverine



Terminator Salvation



The Ugly Truth



Star Trek



The Wolfman

Sherlock Holmes

Nottingham

Please say a prayer for my friend Lupe. Remember a few months back, I asked for prayers because her son was getting a bone marrow transplant. He lost his battle the day after Christmas. I just don't know how to help her. It's the worst thing I can think of.

Trippy Texas weather yesterday. I was in capris, sandals and a t-shirt when I swept the patio, turned on the AC in the main part of the house, opened windows in the back. The boy needed a ride to band practice, and on the drive there, in the difference of a breath, I felt the difference in the weather. Seriously, from one breath to the next, I felt the weather change, and when he opened the door at band practice, the temp had changed drastically. It was still cloudy, though. The dh and I stopped at the bank and Academy, and when we walked out of Academy, there wasn't a cloud in the sky. We weren't in there that long at all! Weird.

Anyway, I made a list of books I'm looking forward to in 2009.

Stolen Heat by Elisabeth Naughton (I just got the first book, Stolen Fury!)

Stakes and Stilettos by Michelle Rowen



A Not-So-Perfect Past by Beth Andrews

Larissa Ione’s new Demonica books





The new Virgin River series by Robyn Carr



Warning Signs by CJ Lyons




Her Very Own Family by Trish Milburn

Heartbreak River by Tricia Mills J



Venus in Blue Jeans by Meg Benjamin



In the Hunt and John Winchester’s Journal





The Geek Girl’s Guide to Cheerleading by Charity Tahmaseb



Black Hills and Vision in White by La Nora

Hotshot by Catherine Mann

Hot Pursuit and Dark of Night by Suzanne Brockmann



What I Did for Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips



Dogs and Goddesses by Jennifer Crusie




What books are you looking forward to?

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Here's a list of the best movies I saw in 2008.

3:10 to Yuma

Blood Diamond

Gone Baby Gone-talk about your moral dilemma!

Atonement-Not one I'd watch again but I'm glad I saw it

Dark Knight-have seen at least 5 times

Sex and the City

Juno

27 Dresses-bought it

Iron Man-bought it

Vantage Point-great twists and storytelling

Wall E-bought it

Wanted-innovative

What were your favorites in 2008?

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Here's the thing. I have 8 copies of my book left. There are 3 contests I'm thinking about entering.

The first is

Book Buyers Best

Judges: Industry professionals
Deadline: January 10
Cost: $35 and 5 books

The second is:

The Golden Quill

It includes a Best First Book Category.
Deadline: January 10
Cost: $25 and 5 books
Doesn't say who the judges are.

The third is:

The Yellow Rose

Judges: booksellers, librarians, reviewers and reader group members
Deadline January 24
Cost: $25 and 4 books

What do you think? Is it worth it to enter any of them? Which would you enter?

I finished my Texas historical (still unnamed.) I'm not crazy about the ending, but that's always the case. Tomorrow, the synopsis and query, then I'll start revisions. The boy wants to go spend his money, though...

My dad sent me this while I'm waiting for the guys to wake up!

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After 2 days of running around, I plan to stay HOME today. I've lost my recipe for sugar plums, so will make sugar cookies and braid bread today.

I'm a little lost. For the first time in my life, we won't have Christmas Eve at Mom's, because she, my step-dad and Baby Brother are in OK with her MIL, who is ill. My SIL called last night..."What do we do???" So we decided to do nothing. My SIL is having Christmas dinner tomorrow, so she's going to spend the day getting ready. I'm going to bake and work on my novel. And clean house...again.

Mama Kitty is fixed, and hiding out. NOT happy with us. And she's older than we thought. She's around 5, the vet said. She acts like a kitten, though! But no more heat! YAY! Peace cost us $115. Worth it.

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I’ve been thinking about my grandmother a LOT the past few weeks, mostly because she loved Christmas, and I’ve been reading books I think she’d love.

A few things that remind me of Gigi are
books and reading
Christmas
Pastries/candy
Going to new restaurants/trying new products
Cold fronts
The change of seasons


A lot more things than I realized remind me of Renea.
Calendars (I almost cried at Hung Fong’s because she liked those calendars)
Cold fronts (they’re a big deal down here)
Greeting cards
Tamales
Elvis
Cozy pjs

There’s a tree on the way home from school that I heard Cindi describing one time as her favorite tree. It’s a huge red oak and just beautiful and full. Every time I see that tree, I think of her.

When I go to Guenther House, I think of Trish. (It’s harder to think of things when someone lives far away.) Okay, when I see Twilight stuff. And YA stuff. And SPN stuff.

So I started thinking about what might remind other people about me.

Chocolate, probably
Diet Coke
Reading/books
Pink things
Cozy pjs
Starbucks
Cats

What reminds people of you?

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This is like my mom's dog, who I'm dog-sitting. My step-dad's mom is very ill and they've gone to OK to see her.

I've made a list of what I want for Christmas. See what you can add.


1) A new contract
2) Stunning covers
3) Endings that we know from the beginning
4) Characters with great chemistry
5) Glitch-less printers
6) Endless laptop batteries
7) Discipline (or, 4 extra hours in the day!)
8) A royalty check that will pay the car payment-or the insurance payment
9) Books that promote themselves ;)
10) Endless inspiration, like below

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You know, I watch a LOT of movies and a LOT of TV, but I've only seen 6 of the movies and 4 of the nominated shows (including the ones listed for best actor or whatever.) And believe me, Vicky Cristina didn't deserve all this.


1. BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures
b. FROST/NIXON
Imagine Entertainment, Working Title, Studio Canal; Universal Pictures
c. THE READER
Mirage Enterprises; The Weinstein Company
d. REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
An Evamere Entertainment BBC Films Neal Street Production; DreamWorks Pictures in Association with BBC Films and Paramount Vantage
e. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros.; Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros.

2. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a. ANNE HATHAWAY – RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
b. ANGELINA JOLIE – CHANGELING
c. MERYL STREEP – DOUBT
d. KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS – I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T’AIME)
e. KATE WINSLET – REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
3. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
a. LEONARDO DICAPRIO – REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
b. FRANK LANGELLA – FROST/NIXON
c. SEAN PENN – MILK
d. BRAD PITT – THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
e. MICKEY ROURKE – THE WRESTLER

4. BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. BURN AFTER READING
Working Title/Releasing Company; Focus Features in association with Studio Canal
b. HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
Summit Entertainment, Film4, Ingenious Film Partners, Miramax Films; Miramax Films
c. IN BRUGES
Blueprint Pictures; Focus Features
d. MAMMA MIA!
Relativity Media, Playtone, Littlestar; Universal Pictures
e. VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
Mediapro; The Weinstein Company

5.BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. REBECCA HALL – VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
b. SALLY HAWKINS – HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
c. FRANCES MCDORMAND – BURN AFTER READING
d. MERYL STREEP – MAMMA MIA!
e. EMMA THOMPSON – LAST CHANCE HARVEY

6. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. JAVIER BARDEM – VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
b. COLIN FARRELL – IN BRUGES
c. JAMES FRANCO – PINEAPPLE EXPRESS
d. BRENDAN GLEESON – IN BRUGES
e. DUSTIN HOFFMAN – LAST CHANCE HARVEY

7. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
a. BOLT
Walt Disney Pictures; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
b. KUNG FU PANDA
DreamWorks Animation SKG; Paramount Pictures
c. WALL-E
Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

8. BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
a. THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX (GERMANY)
(DER BAADER MEINHOF KOMPLEX)
Constantin Film Produktion GmbH; Summit Entertainment, LLC
b. EVERLASTING MOMENTS (SWEDEN/DENMARK)
(MARIA LARSSONS EVIGA ÖGONBLICK)
Final Cut Productions Aps; IFC Films
c. GOMORRAH (ITALY)
(GOMORRA)
Fandango; IFC Films
d. I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (FRANCE)
(IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T’AIME)
UGC YM/UGC Images/France 3 Cinema/Integral Film; Sony Pictures Classics
e. WALTZ WITH BASHIR (ISRAEL)
Bridgit Folman Film Gang/Les Films D'Ici/Razor Films/Arte France/ITVS International; Sony Pictures Classics

9. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
a. AMY ADAMS – DOUBT
b. PENELOPE CRUZ – VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
c. VIOLA DAVIS –DOUBT
d. MARISA TOMEI – THE WRESTLER
e. KATE WINSLET – THE READER

10. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
a. TOM CRUISE – TROPIC THUNDER
b. ROBERT DOWNEY JR. –TROPIC THUNDER
c. RALPH FIENNES – THE DUCHESS
d. PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN – DOUBT
e. HEATH LEDGER – THE DARK KNIGHT

11. BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
a. DANNY BOYLE – SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
b. STEPHEN DALDRY – THE READER
c. DAVID FINCHER – THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
d. RON HOWARD – FROST/NIXON
e. SAM MENDES – REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

12. BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
a. SIMON BEAUFOY – SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
b. DAVID HARE – THE READER
c. PETER MORGAN – FROST/NIXON
d. ERIC ROTH – THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN
e. JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY – DOUBT

13. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
a. ALEXANDRE DESPLAT –THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
b. CLINT EASTWOOD – CHANGELING
c. JAMES NEWTON HOWARD – DEFIANCE
d. A. R. RAHMAN – SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
e. HANS ZIMMER – FROST/NIXON

14. BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
a. “DOWN TO EARTH” — WALL-E
Music by: Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman
Lyrics by: Peter Gabriel
b. “GRAN TORINO” — GRAN TORINO
Music by: Clint Eastwood, Jamie Cullum, Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens
Lyrics by: Jamie Cullum
c. “I THOUGHT I LOST YOU” — BOLT
Music & Lyrics by: Miley Cyrus, Jeffrey Steele
d. “ONCE IN A LIFETIME” — CADILLAC RECORDS
Music & Lyrics by: Beyoncé Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Scott McFarnon, Ian Dench, James Dring, Jody Street
e. “THE WRESTLER” — THE WRESTLER
Music & Lyrics by: Bruce Springsteen

15. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
a. DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
Showtime/John Goldwyn Productions/The Colleton Company/Clyde Phillips Productions
b. HOUSE (FOX)
Universal Media Studios in association with Heel and Toe Films, Shore Z Productions and Bad Hat Harry Productions
c. IN TREATMENT (HBO)
Sheleg, Closest To The Hole Productions and Leverage in association with HBO Entertainment
d. MAD MEN (AMC)
Lionsgate Television
e. TRUE BLOOD (HBO)
Your Face Goes Here Productions in association with HBO Entertainment

16. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
a. SALLY FIELD – BROTHERS AND SISTERS
b. MARISKA HARGITAY –LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
c. JANUARY JONES – MAD MEN
d. ANNA PAQUIN – TRUE BLOOD
e. KYRA SEDGWICK – THE CLOSER

17. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
a. GABRIEL BYRNE – IN TREATMENT
b. MICHAEL C. HALL – DEXTER
c. JON HAMM – MAD MEN
d. HUGH LAURIE – HOUSE
e. JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS – THE TUDORS

18. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. 30 ROCK (NBC)
Universal Media Studios in association with Broadway Video and Little Stranger Inc.
b. CALIFORNICATION (SHOWTIME)
Showtime Presents in association with Aggressive Mediocrity, And Then...
c. ENTOURAGE (HBO)
Leverage and Closest to the Hole Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
d. THE OFFICE (NBC)
Deedle Dee Productions, Reveille LLC, Universal Media Studios
e. WEEDS (SHOWTIME)
Lionsgate Television

19.BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. CHRISTINA APPLEGATE – SAMANTHA WHO?
b. AMERICA FERRERA – UGLY BETTY
c. TINA FEY – 30 ROCK
d. DEBRA MESSING – THE STARTER WIFE
e. MARY-LOUISE PARKER – WEEDS

20. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
a. ALEC BALDWIN – 30 ROCK
b. STEVE CARELL – THE OFFICE
c. KEVIN CONNOLLY – ENTOURAGE
d. DAVID DUCHOVNY – CALIFORNICATION
e. TONY SHALHOUB – MONK

21. BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. A RAISIN IN THE SUN (ABC)
Sony Pictures Television, Storyline Entertainment, and Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment
b. BERNARD AND DORIS (HBO
Trigger Street Independent Productions in association with Little Bird and Chicago Films and HBO Films
c. CRANFORD (PBS)
A Co-Production of BBC and WGBH Boston.
d. JOHN ADAMS (HBO)
Playtone in association with HBO Films
e. RECOUNT (HBO)
Spring Creek/Mirage Productions in association with Trigger Street Productions, Everyman Pictures and HBO Films

22. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. JUDI DENCH – CRANFORD
b. CATHERINE KEENER – AN AMERICAN CRIME
c. LAURA LINNEY – JOHN ADAMS
d. SHIRLEY MACLAINE – COCO CHANEL
e. SUSAN SARANDON – BERNARD AND DORIS

23. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. RALPH FIENNES – BERNARD AND DORIS
b. PAUL GIAMATTI – JOHN ADAMS
c. KEVIN SPACEY – RECOUNT
d. KIEFER SUTHERLAND – 24: REDEMPTION
e. TOM WILKINSON – RECOUNT

24. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. EILEEN ATKINS – CRANFORD
b. LAURA DERN – RECOUNT
c. MELISSA GEORGE – IN TREATMENT
d. RACHEL GRIFFITHS – BROTHERS AND SISTERS
e. DIANNE WIEST – IN TREATMENT

25. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
a. NEIL PATRICK HARRIS – HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
b. DENIS LEARY – RECOUNT
c. JEREMY PIVEN – ENTOURAGE
d. BLAIR UNDERWOOD – IN TREATMENT
e. TOM WILKINSON – JOHN ADAMS

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So yesterday I posted that I wanted to hear from one of my editors.

I did.

Rejection. Kinda bummed my morning. By the time I got home, though, I'd decided to submit Surface to her, and she requested it within an hour. My hopes are not up. And it's rough to write when you're feeling this way, ya know?

I made a Facebook page yesterday and I already have more friends there than on MySpace. I still like Good Reads best, because there's stuff to do. Like I need stuff to do. And just FYI, if you ever need to find friends, go to Trish's page. That woman knows EVERYBODY. I did find a HS friend. I recognized a couple of names, but didn't think they'd remember me. I knew Yvonne would...we survived Catholic School together.

Oh, and if the R wasn't enough, I have a terrible sore throat, the kind that makes it hard to swallow. Joy.

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From Angela James at Samhain:

In a blog post elsewhere in the blog-o-sphere, Teddy Pig lamented that epublishers don’t publish a top ten bestseller list for the year. I accepted his “challenge” and at the beginning of 2009, Samhain will be publishing their 2008 bestseller list. But I wanted to make it a fun event, and do some other reader-driven lists, so I put together a quick (only five questions) survey for Samhain customers to choose their favorite books and covers. Please take a moment to fill it out and help us compile some “best of” lists to publish with our bestseller list of 2008.

Samhain Survey

It's one of my favorite days of the year....the last day before vacation, full of possibilities! Here, a few days early, are my goals for the two weeks.


1) finish Texas book, write query and synopsis
2) write short story
3) breakfast with Mom
4) lunch with JoAnn
5) lunch with other teachers
6) see SIL and family
7) research trip to Brazoria
8) finish Christmas shopping
9) read 2 books
10) clean house
11) mail contest books
12) enter 2 contests
13) finish Christmas baking
14) critique
15) get Mama Kitty fixed
16) take boy to get eyes checked
17) take boy to get his license
18) at least one trip to the library
19) Oh, yeah, Christmas

It would be lovely if I would hear from one of my editors before they take their break, but if I don't feel like working, why would I think they would?

A cold front is coming in tomorrow night. We've had 2 full days of FOG and another day predicted. Bleh!

In case I needed more proof I'm not Stephen King, here's his list of the 10 Best Books in 2008:


1. The books of Robert Goddard
2. The Garden of Last Days, Andre Dubus III
3. When Will There Be Good News?, Kate Atkinson
4. The Tenderness of Wolves, Stef Penney
5. Nixonland, Rick Perlstein
6. Heartsick and Sweetheart, Chelsea Cain
7. Hollywood Crows, Joseph Wambaugh
8. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larsson
9. Old Flames, Jack Ketchum
10. The Good Guy, Dean Koontz

I didn't read any of them.

Dear Author has had lists from each of the reviewers. I haven't read a lot of them, either.

Here's my list, though some weren't actually released in 2008, and there aren't only 10:

Into the Fire by Suzanne Brockmann


Not Without Her Family by Beth Andrews


Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips


A Firefighter in the Family by Trish Milburn


Mustang Wild by Stacey Kayne


PS I LOVE YOU by Cecelia Ahearn (in a different way than I loved the movie.)


Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer


Rules of Gentility by Janet Mullany


Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts


Lifelines by CJ Lyons


Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione


Santa's Angels by Janet Kaderli

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For readers and writers:



For writers:

Five Sexy Scenes

Manic Readers Romance Novel with a final judging by Bantam.

We watched The Mummy 3 last night. Visually stunning. Liked the horses in particular. Very creepy. Not crazy about the evolution of the O'Connells, and while I appreciate Maria Bello as an actress, I had a very hard time with her as Evie. Once I stopped thinking of it as a sequel, I enjoyed it more. Still, since the first Mummy movie is my Favorite Movie, this one disappointed overall. Brendan's still ripped, though.

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Alas, not cold enough (or wet enough) for an ice day!

I have really written myself into a corner. TONS of conflict and I see no way out. And last night I didn't sit down for more than 30 minutes at a stretch (that was the longest, during Heroes-OMG). I know my next 2 scenes and that's it. I wish I had gotten up early to write, but it was hard to get out of that warm bed!

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I slept TERRIBLY last night. I couldn't fall asleep, then the dog barked at 1:30 because she was still outside. I didn't go back to sleep until 3, then woke at 5:30. Teaching should be FUN today.

The weather is changing. We were 80 yesterday and right now a front is blowing in that's going to take us into the 30s this afternoon. I love this weather....only all my pants need to go to the cleaners!

Finally started Pagan Stone yesterday. Is gooood, but print is tiny.

Also made gingerbread men and molasses cookies this weekend. Yay!

And while I was awake last night, I figured out the next two scenes in my Texas book.

Would someone please tell me what to get my guitar-playing computer geek husband????