more animals

When I joined SARA in 1997, Janet Kaderli was one of the first people who befriended me. We were both music teachers, both seeking publication. Janet found it with two children's books about Texas heritage, but she had this terrific story and publication eluded her. I read it at least once in manuscript form and thought it was adorable, perfect for Silhouette Romance, but alas, no. I suggested Avalon, and after a really really long time, this book is finally here.



I read it again over the weekend and all I can say is, this is going to be a new tradition for me, reading this book at Christmas time. It's a dual identity hero, a la You've Got Mail, where the heroine falls in love with him in one form and doesn't want anything to do with him in his other identity. All of this is set in a department store at Christmas, with a struggling single mom, an adorable little girl, and a man who wants to change who he is.

Janet will be here Wednesday to talk about her book, and I will give away a copy to one lucky commenter! So come back by Wednesday!

more animals

The boy and I stayed in our pjs all day yesterday. I read TWO books, A Virgin River Christmas and Santa's Angels. Less than 500 pages between them, but still. Feels good. Then I watched Swing Shift and Flirting with Forty. A good lazy day. I haven't written for 2 days now, though.

This week:

1) Get to teacher store for construction paper and paint
2) Go to grocery store
3) school party
4) write 7000 words on Texas book
5) write SOMETHING on Vamp Hunters
6) think about baking
7) faculty meeting
8) critique group (blast, guess I'm not baking that day)
9) keep up house (I'm doing okay, it's the yard that's suffering because of the early sunsets, and me not getting out of my pjs on Saturday)

I have approximately a kabillion books to read and some I REALLY want to get to. Dawnkeepers is good, but long and the print is TINY. Amazing world building, but it's taken my 5 weeks to read. Okay, so it was during Nano, but still.

So I finished it, and now I need to dive into my stack. This one's next.



This one's soon after. I've been DYING for Gage's story.



My friend Janet, who will be a guest here next week, has a new book out. I read the manuscript, but it's an adorable book and I want to read it again!



I've heard good things about this one and look forward to reading it.



Then I have about a dozen ebooks, and another half dozen I want to buy at Wild Rose Press, not to mention the books I have from the library. So I'm taking the day off to read! (Okay, let's see how long I can keep away from the computer.)

When was the last time you gook a day to read? What books are you looking forward to?

more animals

I watched Wanted last night and It. Was. Awesome. Not just the incredible effects and stunts, but the story. GREAT pacing and tight writing and terrific conflict. Pretty gory, and hearing Morgan Freeman saying some of the words he said was just wrong. Terrific black moment (that maybe some people saw coming, but I pictured something different.) Anyway, I highly recommend.

I'm blogging today at The Samhellion about tortured heroes (Dean and Jack Bauer.) Come say hey!

more animals

I thought that picture was appropriate since SPN is on tonight (though a rerun.)

Report cards went out this week and yesterday I had a phone call, 2 emails and a handwritten note. Nothing negative, just concern, which is good, but parent conferences are my least favorite part of the job. I feel helpless, ya know, and walking a fine line between being honest and not hurting their feelings. And we had a meeting during planning (for which everyone but me and the woman conducting the meeting was 20 minutes late...grrrr) about a new task we have to do that is redundant and overwhelming. I went to talk to the union rep because there's a law about not too much paperwork which takes us from our teaching.

And after dropping $40 at B&N this weekend, I got a 25% off coupon for this Saturday. It wouldn't bug me except that I haven't even read the books yet!

And I got rejected from Sourcebooks. Form letter.

And then I read about Black Wednesday, which makes it feel like I'll never get picked up by NY.

At least the boy got his driver's ed completion certificate.

I also found this, which is pretty cool: Rose's Colored Glasses Calendar

And a cold front came in. I love cold fronts.

And this came up in my Google Alerts this AM: Where There's Smoke review

What are you feeling positive about today?

more animals


So I joined Twitter and played with my MySpace page this break, but.....now what? Twitter seems to be a kind of stream-of-consciousness thing, but you have to make the effort to log in, right?

And MySpace...I finally figured out the blog thing, but what else do you do? I added music, but I probably won't remember to go back over and even listen!

Can anyone tell me the point? Or is there one?

more animals

I’ve finally reached the big plot point in my western. I need to finish revising Vamp Hunters. I want to write a new short story. I want to write a new RS in case Susan rejects BD.

And between cat in heat and dh getting up every 2 hours, I don’t feel very rested. (HE'S getting the Tylenol PM tonight!) At least I get home at a decent time today, unlike the rest of the week. Of course, then I have to do laundry....

Why isn’t there more time???

more animals

Squeee - another awesome review for Bull by the Horns! Fallen Angel Reviews gave it 5 Angels. Bull by the Horns

I went to spend my B&N gift card and ended up spending double. Sigh. Then went to get the Christmas soaps at Bath and Body, and gifts for my kids at the dollar store. Expensive night.

I also got my Christmas cards done. Just need my address lables and stamps. And FINALLY finished the boy's driver's ed paperwork.

1) Get used to an alarm again, though the latest I slept over the holiday was 7.
2) Finish up Nano book
3) Work on Vamp Hunter revisions
4) blog at the Samhellion blog
5) keep up house

more animals

Yesterday was nuts. I could not focus. There was so much to do, and I couldn't settle to do one thing.

I went to Office Max, and good thing. They only had 5 of the printers I wanted. I was the third person.

I went to Home Depot and Walgreens, then came home and started decorating. The dh and I went out to breakfast at our favorite restaurant, then I came home and started laundry. Then I revamped my website and decorated some more. Then I worked on the ds's driver's ed stuff. He's a little short on behind the wheel experience. Then I decorated some more. I have my decorations in 3 places and I'd run between them. Then I napped ;)

And my computer came, so I had to update it so it had everything I need. And I can decorate my desktop with Winchesters ;)

We ate at 4:30. Weird for us. Then I worked on the ds's driver's ed stuff. And did laundry. And decorated the tree.

We watched an old Mystery Science Theater movie and I wrote until my battery died.

I'm still not done decorating, and I didn't even get out all of my stuff. I'm taking a bunch to school because I just don't have room for it. And I had some UGLY tree ornaments. WHAT was I thinking?

Oh, and Mama Kitty? Definitely not preggers. How do I know? Because she's wild in heat. The dh wants me to take her to get her fixed NOW. Yeesh.

Today I want to go to BN to get Pagan Stone and Bath and Body (have you tried their Lavender Chamomile soap? Soooo good.)

more animals

First, go to Trish's blog and congratulate her on her GOOD NEWS!!!

then come tell me if you got any good deals on Black Friday. I'm heading to Office Max now....

My laptop should be here today!!!

And I finally updated my website. Pretty! MJ Fredrick I can only use 3 pages with this new program, but I can fit all my bookcovers.

more animals

This year has had a bunch of highs and lows, but on the whole I feel very blessed.

I'm blessed by my family and friends, near and far.

I'm blessed by my writer friends who get me.

I'm blessed to be published, and having more projects out, and more I'm excited to work on.

I'm blessed to have a job I enjoy (most of the time) and a class I love.

I'm blessed to have a house I love, that I'm able to open up to friends and family.

I'm blessed to have a smart boy who takes initiative. Sometimes.



I'm grateful for my kittehs, even when they fight. And my sweet puppy.

I'm grateful to be able to go out to eat when I want.

I'm grateful for computers and email!

I'm grateful for DVDs by mail and Tivo :)

I'm grateful for a rocking season of SPN.

I'm grateful for JDM being back on Grey's.

I'm grateful for cozy pjs and fuzzy socks, Diet Coke and Nestle brownies.



I'm grateful for low gas prices, a low electric bill and a full pantry.

I'm grateful for my TBR pile and my DVD collection and my iPod.

I'm grateful for my library's hold service and internet search engines.

I'm grateful for blue jeans and yoga pants.

I'm grateful to have won Nano early ;)

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and have a chance to count your blessings, not just today but every day.

I hit 50000 at about 11 last night. I still have 2 huge plot points, so I'll be working on this some more until I go back to work. Then back to Vamp Hunters.

Yesterday was actually my most productive day. I think I wrote 7000 words, went to the cleaners, library, Lowe's, the grocery store, Blockbuster and got lunch, and cleaned both bathrooms. I also signed up for my free month of Netflix, since so many movies come out in December and so many shows will be on hiatus. I should be getting Tropic Thunder, Fred Claus and a Mystery Science Theater movie today.

Today I clean the laundry room and the mudroom. Maybe the kitchen a little, since I'll be getting Christmas stuff out on Friday. Oh, and I need to blow the leaves off the patio and run to HEB again because I forgot a pooper scooper for the litter box.

We saw Hancock last night and I really liked it but thought it was WAY too short. And the twist they'd kept so carefully hidden all summer is in the previews for the DVD. Urgh. But......I wonder at the message, you know? Anyway, I don't want to spoil it for anyone. But it was worth watching, and only 90 minutes.

My laptop should be here Friday - yay!

Oh, and how cute is JDM here? I know people are sick of this storyline, but....

see more puppies

Baby Brother pointed something out to me yesterday - I've developed a thing for guys with dimples.







And the architect of this obsession:



Yep, 6 of my last heroes have had dimples. What about you? Do dimples do you in?

see more puppies

I've been to breakfast, to the nursery, to a cute little boutique and JoAnn Fabrics. I've done my newsletter for the first time since August, tried to update my website and fed all the animals. Oh, and I replaced my laptop. I believe I can sell the broken one back, and the new (used) one should be here by early next week.

I also bought the Sexiest Man Alive People. Other than Hugh and Javier, I didn't agree much. Michael Cera was in there and none of the J's were? (That's Jared, Jensen and JDM. Oh, and Justin Chambers.) Also, only a teeny picture of Gerard Butler. Hmph. They need to consult me.

I haven't written a word, though, and I'm going to take a nap. I need to cut 7000 words! But I did get Baby Brother to help me with some research. And we discovered the man who we thought was one of the Old 300 (the first Americans in Texas) was actually here 11 years before that. And he was an herb doctor. Cool.

more animals

I jinxed myself yesterday. I didn't get hardly ANYTHING done after the dh came home, and I napped for more than 4 hours.

I do know where to go next in my Nano story, but it might make it impossible to sell. Sigh. Story of my life.

I got my first review for Bull by the Horns! Squee!

I've decided I'd rather fix my laptop than buy a new one, but the dh was supposed to take it to the repair guy yesterday and didn't. Shocking.

Last night I was sitting down with dessert (pumpkin pie cheesecake from Marie Callender's, which my dh got free from work) and my cell rang. When I saw the number, I knew it was one of my kids, but not which. I answered and all she said was, "Mrs. Fechter. Pirates of the Caribbean is on channel 31." Isn't that funny? I still don't know who it was!

Okay, this week I'm off, but not off, you know?

1) Complete Nano story
2) update website
3) send out newsletter
4) decorate for Christmas
5) help Trish with new blog we're starting
6) get the boy's drivers ed paperwork taken care of
7) breakfast and shopping with Mom
8) work on promo idea for WNP
9) judge Emily entries (arrived Friday night)
10) paperwork for WRP
11) make a MySpace for MJ
12) Watch Hancock
13) go to library, cleaners and post office
14) clean house

more animals

The first scene of a new story woke me at 4 AM. I've only been writing my historical for three weeks! How can I be seduced away so easily?

So yes, I'm writing that first scene while it's fresh.

I can't decide if I like Fringe or not. I do like Joshua Jackson, who I saw was one of People's Sexiest Men Alive.

I do like The Mentalist. A lot.

I saw Grey's, and as much as I love JDM coming to my TV every week, Denny and Izzie are having the same conversation over and over. I have to say, the last scene broke my heart. I would have made a different choice, and not just because it was Denny. If the love of my life returned, I would want to spend every moment I could with him. (Okay, I'm married to that guy, but if anything happened....)

I think that's the problem I'm having with my Nano book, come to think of it.

Today should be a productive day for me. The first day of vacation usually is. Already I've edited 50 pages of my short story, entered the NRCA, changed the litter, done a load of laundry and paid the bills.

more animals

So Dean is sleeping with an angel and Sam is sleeping with a demon. Interesting. Haven't seen Grey's yet, it's not on iTunes yet.

The bad thing about Nano is all the stuff I'm putting off to complete when it's over.

I have to do the boy's drivers ed paperwork.

I have paperwork to complete for TWRP.

I have to update my website and do a newsletter.

I have some WNP promo stuff to try.

I have to go to the post office.

We'll not even talk about Christmas shopping.

I hate thinking about all that, which is why I'm using Nano as the excuse for putting it off.

What are you putting off? Or do you get it done as soon as it comes in? At least next week is Thanksgiving break....and I don't have to dress up again until December.

more animals

If this book sells and you read it, you will know when I wrote it. I have some serious projecting going on, starting with the Little Red Hen syndrome and, um, some frustration with the husband. Hmm, I wonder where that came from.

I do think I've written myself into a corner. Something that I'd meant to happen later in the story happened a couple of evenings ago. I don't know if I have enough story to make it to 70,000 words, which is where I need to be for Harlequin Historicals. All I can do is keep going....

Great TV night tonight. I am Not Answering The Phone.

more animals

Had a big package waiting for me when I got home from tutoring yesterday. Yup, an R from Silhouette. Unsympathetic characters and dark elements. Le sigh. BUT I said I'd move forward and I already had a request for it from my Hot Shot editor. I hope she loves it.

Funny story, though. After tutoring, one of my students said, "Don't forget to go to Blockbuster." I asked him why. He said, "You always tell us to remind you to go to Blockbuster after tutoring." See, because new movies come out on Tuesday, and I tutor on Tuesday. This week, though, Wall-E came through the mail. I may trade it for Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants today, though.

And speaking of - how amazing was Wall-E??? I LOVE him!!!

more animals

I had five kids out yesterday! It made for a quiet day, but FIVE?

And my class won a field trip for raising the most money with the fundraiser. I don't know if you remember, but I loathe field trips. But the kids were sure happy. No idea where we'll be going.

My mom pointed out that I never relax, that I'm always working on something. I told her I'm afraid to stop writing. I couldn't explain why, exactly, but I still don't have a second book ready for Samhain, or for TWRP Champagne line. I'm still aiming for NY, now with my contemp romance, my historical and my paranormal. I have 3 books to revise, not counting the historical, and 2 more books plotted out, not to mention a ton of ideas that I'm itching to write. I don't see a time when I could take a break in the immediate future, lest an opportunity passes me by.

Do you feel that pressure? Do you give yourself a break? If you do, do you feel guilty?

more animals

I wrote over 8000 words yesterday - a personal best! And I have less than 20 posts on Google reader. I made my goal of 30,000 words by Saturday!

1) Get to 40,000 words in Nano
2) Go to arts and crafts show with Mom
3) SARA meeting
4) teacher luncheon
5) enter NRCA
6) do paperwork for TWRP
7) go to bank
8) go to grocery store
9) clean house


So it's a pink shirt. Look at his shoulders.