see more puppies

I’m blogging at The Wet Noodle Posse today about Nano.

I stole this from Megan Crane

What's the last thing you wrote?
And finished? A short story I submitted to TWRP. Currently working on revisions on last year’s Nano novel, my vampire hunter book.

Was it any good?
I LOVE my short story. Different for me, very, but I wrote it in 3 weeks because I was just so driven. My vamp hunter book is better than I thought, actually.

What's the first thing you ever wrote that you still have?
A book of holiday poems that I wrote probably in 3rd grade.

Write poetry?
Not anymore ;)

Favourite genre of writing?
Depends on my mood. Now I’m reading straight contemporary romance, sans suspense

Most fun character you ever wrote?
Alex in Breaking Daylight. He was such an ass.

Most annoying character you ever wrote?
Oh, I’ve done my share of Mary Sues. The one who ran the B&B in the first romantic suspense, I guess would be the worst.

How often do you get writer's block?
I’ll get hung up on a scene or even a phrase, but I don’t really have writer’s block.

How do you fix it?
I work on something else, or another aspect of the story, like a soundtrack or a collage.

Write fan fiction?
Not as such. My two paranormals were inspired by Supernatural, though.

Do you type or write by hand?
Both. Mostly type these days, though.

Do you save everything you write?
Sadly.

Do you ever go back to an old idea long after you abandoned it?
All the time. Some ideas just have SOMETHING in them I can’t let go.

What's your favorite thing that you've written?
Something to Talk About. I love love love that book.

What's everyone else's favorite thing that you've written?
So far, Where There’s Smoke, since only it and Hot Shot have been released.

What's your favorite setting for your characters?
The jungle, apparently. Considering I’m not wild about being outside, I’ve written a number of wilderness books.

What's one genre you have never written, and probably never will?
Sci fi. I’m just not that into it.

How many writing projects are you working on right now?
Just the one revision. I did final line edits for my Wayback book and I’m waiting to hear on a couple of submissions and planning my Nano book, but only writing the one.

Do you want to write for a living?
You bet.

Have you ever written something for a magazine or newspaper?
My first short story ended up in an obscure magazine. I have a copy somewhere….

Have you ever won an award for your writing?
Two Emilys, 4 Golden Heart nominations and a Maggie nomination, among other contest finals.

Ever written something in script or play format?
Only for school ☺

What are your five favorite words?

“turned,” “looked,” “that,” “he” and “she.” At least, that’s what my editors say. My favorite sounding words are “empathy,” “reluctant,” “trepidation,” “bemused” and “effervescent.”

What character that you've written most resembles yourself?
Some have more aspects than others. Kelly, in my first manuscript, has a lot, Abby, the B&B owner and Veronica, the heroine in the short story I just wrote are the most like me.

Where do you get ideas for your characters?
I love what-if. Where There’s Smoke is a what-if story, and my characters grow from that. What if this person grew up to be that person? What would cause this adult to act this way? Creating characters is my FAVORITE part of writing.

Do you ever write based on your dreams?
My first Nano book, Surface, Ghost Hunters, this year’s Nano book….so, yeah, all the time ☺

Do you favor happy endings, sad endings, or cliff-hangers?
Happy endings! I don’t even want to read or see a movie with any other kind of ending.

Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write?
Actually, yes, but I’m not too bad at spelling anyway.

Does music help you write?
I love having a soundtrack for each book, to put me right in the novel, and drowns out other distractions.

Quote something you've written. The first thing to pop into your mind.
Right! I wish I could.

Famous People Meme — Which famous person in each of the following categories would you like to meet?

Author — Nora Roberts

Movie Actor — George Clooney

TV Actor — Jeffrey Dean Morgan ;)

Musician/Singer — Bono

Historical Figure — Laura Ingalls or Elizabeth Blackwell

Fictional Book Character — Virginia Kantra's McNeills, or Nora's Quinns, or Gage from The Pagan Stone

Fictional Movie or TV Character — The Winchesters....or Veronica Mars and gang...or the Gilmores

Enter the ICHC online Poker Cats Contest!

Amie tagged me with 6 unusual things about me and Natalie tagged me with 10 unusual things, so I’m splitting the difference, because dang, I just can’t think of that many things about me you don’t already know!

1) I got strangely atwitter when I found out my Brad Paisley CD was ready from the library.
2) I survived my first night with my son in another town. We’ll see how I do when he’s in another STATE.
3) Next to chocolate, my favorite food group is salt.
4) I love bracelets but hardly wear them because it’s too hard to put them on and too hard to write when I wear them.
5) Nothing makes me happier than a full fridge.
6) I once took my entire Trixie Belden collection on a road trip to CA in the backseat of a Cutlass Supreme, with me and my brother and my step-brother in the backseat. I also started my first story on that trip. I was nine.
7) I have 5 calendars – my Supernatural one, my Pirates one, one on the fridge that’s a to-do list, one on my computer that sends me reminders and one at school with my lesson plans sketched out. (I’m not even counting the chores list on my dry erase board ;) )
8) I had a pony. Her name was Penny. She was mean.

Today, I need to do taxes, put the sheets on the guest bed, type in revisions on Vanished and clean bathrooms. I think the dh will do the floors since I’m, you know, doing taxes. And I hate doing the floors.

I decided against the plotting retreat, the Merritt deadline has been extended, which means I have more time to find a “magic moment” scene in my book and I haven’t touched Wayback all week.

BUT I have a release date for Where There’s Smoke – March 14 for the ebook and September 12 for the print!!! WOOT!

What is wrong with me? I have the house to myself all morning, perfectly silent, and I can’t get any writing done! I get on after dinner, TV on (sometimes 2!), guitars plinking, and I write. Weird.

I did sit outside after lathering bug spray on, and read Entertainment Weekly ;) It was gorgeous yesterday morning. Still, about 10 mosquitoes hovered over me at all times.

I thought I finished Ghost Hunters last night, but realized the emotional payoff was missing. So I need to fix that today, as well as go to the grocery store. Then I can give BD all my attention.

SARA is having a special meeting this month - if you're in the area, come on down!

Next SARA Meeting

Wednesday August 15 6:00 PM

Joe’s Crab shack I 10 and De Zavala

SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER

Capt. Robert “Pete” Peterson, U.S. Navy, Ret. And a former SEAL will speak about the SEAL selection process, training, mind set, etc.

Joining him will be his wife, a former CIA operative in three different countries while he worked as an embassy attaché

SEAL and CIA Can’t beat that!

Please come with questions for both of them. This promises to be a very exciting meeting


Elizabeth tagged me with a Pop Culture meme! Here are the rules:

1. Go to this link at Pop Culture Madness (scroll down - see the list of years on the left?)

2. Pick the year you turned 18

3. Pick five songs from that year

4. Wax nostalgic about each song and why it’s special

5. Pass it on to 5 more friends

1) Rebel Yell – I snuck out to see this concert. We had first row, and Billy Idol was so stoned he couldn’t stand up. We also only had like 6 tickets, but 7 people, so had to do some creative, er, sitting.

2) Hm, the website lists I Will Follow and Pride in the Name of Love both as hits that year. I Will Follow was from Boy in 1980 and Pride in the Name of Love was from Unforgettable Fire, which I thought was a 1985 release. Anyway, I Will Follow was the song U2 performed on the Tom Snyder show and made the dh go crazy for them. Which in turn made me go crazy for them. Obsessed? ME???

3) Wake Me Up Before You Go Go – yes, I had a Go-Go t-shirt in dayglo orange.

4) Purple Rain/Let’s Go Crazy/When Doves Cry – LOVED the movie. Saw it a few times at the theater and many MANY times since.

5) Like a Virgin/Holiday/Lucky Star – I remember listening to them on the way to college every day my freshman year. On cassette tape.

I tag Trish, Colleen, Michele, Marianne and Natalie.

Elizabeth tagged me a couple of weeks ago! Bad Mary!

There are rules for this game and here they are:

1. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
2. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.


8 Random Things About Me:

1. I've always been in the top row for pictures. Yes, even faculty pictures, till this year, when the stage curtains cut off the tall people’s heads.

2. I usually love rain, but now I JUST WANT TO BE DRY! Sunshine…I love sunshine!

3. When I was in 2nd grade, my mom took me out of school for over a month without telling anyone, so we could go to CA while my dad was going to computer school. I still passed.

4. I'm afraid of birds so much, I won't even walk through the bird house at the zoo.

5. My dh taught me to drive standard, and when my brother (the healing one) found out, he told my dh, “You have WAY more patience than I ever gave you credit for.” Now I have to return the deed – teaching my ds.

6. I can't stand being late. I'm almost anal about getting anywhere on time, and nothing gets me more upset than people who are habitually late. I'm talking 20-30 minutes late.

7. I’ve never not owned a cat.

8. I hate, hate, hate going to the dentist!

Two names you go by:
1. Mary
2. Mary Helen

Two things you are wearing right now:
1. Roswell t-shirt (that glows in the dark)
2. athletic shorts (otherwise known as pajamas)


Two things you would want (or have) in a relationship:
1. trust
2. love


Two of your favorite things to do:
1. watch movies
2. Read

Two things you want very badly at the moment:
1. More money
2. to finish this book!

Two pets you had/have:
1. 4 cats
2. dog

Two things you did last night:
1.sang karaoke
2. barbecued pizza

Two things you ate today:
1. brownie
2. Diet Coke


Two people you last talked to:
1. my husband
2. my son

Two things you’re doing tomorrow:
1. write
2. go to the Bath and Body Works sale

Two longest car rides:
1. We went to CA when I was a kid
2. Driving to Atlanta

Two favorite holidays:

1. My birthday (should be a national holiday)
2. Christmas

Two favorite beverages:
1. Diet Coke
2. Crystal Light Raspberry

Four things About ME!
Things you may not have known about me:
1. I have a MySpace, but most of my friends are my students ;)
2. I love bacon but hate ham.
3. I worked 2 days in Haagen Dazs at the airport and just never went back to work
4. I'm not very good with money.

Four jobs I have had in my life:

1. worked at Winn's, a local 5 and dime that's no more
2. worked at Eckerd's
3. worked at a craft store
4. teacher

Four movies I would watch over and over:

1. Pirates of the Caribbean
2. Lord of the Rings
3. The Mummy
4. Raiders of the Lost Ark

Four places I have lived:

1. Clinton, OK
2. Sunnyvale, CA
3. San Antonio
4. uh, that's it

Four of my favorite foods:
1. hamburgers
2. chocolate
3. strawberries
4. Cherries, the darker the better

Four places I’d rather be right now:

1. At breakfast ;)
2. At the beach
3. on a road trip
4. The Grand Canyon

I tag:

Trish
Michele
Natalie
Kelly

It's good to be loved!

1. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.

2. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.

3. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.

4. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

8 random facts/habits about me ...

1. I have a messy car. Receipts, coupons, books, even some jewelry. I think there might also be a pair of shoes….

2. I’ve bought ONE CD that isn’t a soundtrack since grunge music went out of fashion.

3. I love to buy things online because I like getting fun mail. Got my new Clark sandals yesterday!

4. I keep meaning to scrapbook my GH stuff, but never do. It’s all in a drawer. Why am I surprised? I think those photo boxes are the best invention ever – all my son’s baby pictures are in there!

5. I don’t really like to drive. Especially now that EVERY route to my house has construction! It’s a conspiracy.

6. I count down to summer by how many more lunches I have to make.

7. As many crushes as I have, I only have sexy dreams about my husband.

8. I’ve only bought 4 bottles of hard liquor in my life, and 2 were for my brother’s Halloween party! The other two, I still have.

I tag Toni, Bonnie, Marianne, Mary Beth, Kelly, Michele, Colleen and Sarah!