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Not QUITE as far as I'd like to be, but pretty respectable for less than a week. Also, decided to do my edits on BD before I do my revisions on the paranormal, so got through 30 pages yesterday. No sewing, but I did get to JoAnn's for the Halloween fabric.

The boy is at college orientation. I miss him. He'll be back Thursday evening.

I finished Bitsy's Bait and BBQ, cried the last 40 pages. Now I'm diving into Black Hills.

I'm guest blogging today at Elisabeth Naughton Not only could you win a print copy of Hot Shot, but you could win a $100 Visa gift card! Come say hey!

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1) party for boy (HOW do I have an 18 year old?)
2) help boy make choices for college, since orientation is this week (again, HOW do I have a COLLEGE student??)
3) write query for short story
4) paranormal revisions
5) guest blog and SPN Sisters blog
6) continue busting tail on RS (10000 more words)
7) breakfast/shopping with Mom and BB
8) Go to JoAnn’s for pumpkin fabric (I. Must. Have.)
9) Make skirt, cut out another
10) Research trip to Austin
11) Read Nora’s Black Hills and Linda Howard’s Burn
12) Grocery store/library
13) Nap/exercise/keep up house

I think I will go back and get this one:



This one's fun, but really, what do you do with it?



And you know me and classic cars:





Again, what do you do with them?

And I thought this one was awesome, too.



Why do I have to be obsessed?

I snoozed in a bit, until a little after 7. Might have slept later but dh kept snoozing his alarm. I woke up, made breakfast, turned on my computer....and saw an email from my Samhain editor.

She offered me a contract on Breaking Daylight!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTT!!! Of course, there are revisions, but I got offered the contract FIRST, which is new ;) SOOOOOO excited. I'm dancing and freaking out the cats.

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I have recurring places in my dreams. I don't know that I've ever been to these places, necessarily, but I feel like I could drive right to them.

The first is a store, a craft store, I think, in a shopping strip not far from my house. In my dreams, I always have to get there super-early, like before dawn, so I'm always driving in the dark, and waiting out front for it to open. In my dreams, it's not always open, so I have to take advantage when it is. The place always has seasonal decorations, and is laid out the same way every time.

The second is a big house in the center of town. It's old and it's been converted into something else, in my dreams, it's usually a restaurant or tea shop, but this house is big, too big for it to really be one of those things. And it's an unhappy place. I don't like going there.

The third is a combination ice house (convenience store/corner store) and bar. It's a privately owned place on the far side of town, isolated. It's kind of trashy, and I'm always going there late at night with my grandmother. There are always several men hanging around, kind of scary men, but I'm not scared. (Probably because my gma would kick their butts if they tried anything). I always feel like I'm on an adventure.

I wish I kept better track of what was going on in my life when I dream about these places. I dreamed about the craft place this week and the big house last week. I don't know what that means.

Do you have recurring places in your dreams, places you've never been?

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I finished my second short story yesterday, so today I get to start a brand new book! Woot! It's all plotted and everything (at least I think I have a plotting board around here somewhere.) It's an RS, and I'd love to have the rough draft done by the time I go back to school in 5 1/2 weeks. Possible? We'll see.

I have to say, though, writing novellas is pretty fun. I've written 2 this summer. Of course, the faster you write, the more queries and synopses to write..more titles to come up with. But it's not so painful when you get a new idea, like I did yesterday, about a divorced couple and a deserted island.

Also made a skirt yesterday. I was too tired to try it on though.

So here's Ethan, my bodyguard ;) Can't wait to dive in!

My new cover!!! Isn't it stunning?

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1) The dance as seduction. God, I love to get my hero and heroine together on the dance floor. All three currently pubbed books have a dance scene. Couldn’t work one into Surface or DLB, but BD has one. STTA does, too. I love getting them in such close proximity. Fun!
2) The hero giving the heroine the coat he’s been wearing. She smells him on it, feels his warmth. Yum!
3) Small town stories
4) Forced proximity stories
5) Reunions

I was trying to think of more things we see in books than plotlines but I couldn’t think of anymore. You?

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This picture is scarily accurate.

Okay, the other cupcake recipe was GOOD! Here’s the recipe:

Cream 8 oz of cream cheese with 1/3 cup sugar. Add an egg and a pinch of salt. Blend. Stir in 8 oz of choc. chips. Set aside.

Make a cake mix according to direction on the box. Fill cupcake papers 2/3 of the way.
Add one spoonful of the cream cheese mix to the center of each cupcake (will sink and act as filling.) Bake as directed on the box.

Mmmm.

We had fun yesterday. We watched the movie INDEPENDENCE DAY while it was hot, then walked over from my mom’s place to my uncle’s, where they’d made a “pool house.” They had an inflatable pool inside a tent. Hey, it kept it clean, which was a problem I had last year. So my uncle and Baby Brother got in the pool, and my aunt, mom and me put our feet in and ate snow cones. Then we ate the armadillo cake (think Steel Magnolias) that Baby Brother made, and watched fireworks from a rise in front of my uncle’s house. We could have seen better if the hills hadn’t been in the way.

It was so windy, and we worried someone might light fireworks and set the dry grass on fire. There would have been no stopping it. Thank goodness people were reasonable.

On our way out, though, my other brother called. They had to take his basset Betsy to the emergency vet. She couldn’t stand and she was shaking a lot and her breathing was labored. I called later and they were on their way home from the vet, who said it seems to be spinal. He suspects a herniated disc. They’re going to try steroids to see if that helps, but if she’s not better in a week, they have to put her down, since surgery’s cost prohibitive. (He’s still paying for HIS back surgery.) This will be terrible. Betsy’s the same age as my dog, Stormy, but she’s like their child. So send good thoughts, please!

This week is going to be another busy one. I hope I can keep up!

1) revise short stories and start revisions on paranormal
2) write synopses and queries for both short stories
3) start busting tail on RS (I want rough draft done by summer’s end) (10000 words)
4) 2 essays for a promotion opportunity
5) One day of JUST DOING PROMO
6) get ready for son’s 18th birthday (WAAAAHHHH!)
7) breakfast with Mom
8) lunch with writer bud
9) make 1 skirt, cut out another
10) grocery store/library
11) nap/exercise
12) keep up house

Already 80 degrees at 6 AM. My electric bill is not to be envied.

I hit all my writing goals yesterday, bought more fabric (need to stop now), and made cupcakes. Let me share the recipe:

Mix large brownie mix. Place foil cupcake liners on a baking sheet and fill 2/3 of the way. Top with Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. Bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes.

YUM.

Also, Rachael Ray's Vacation show on the Food Network was set in San Antonio last night. I emailed Trish that I've only been to 4 of the places she mentioned. The dh and I were making a list.

Oh, and I ordered a bunch of stuff from Vista Print with my cover. Woot! Tried ordering a small poster and mug from Cafe Press, but the image resolution wasn't good enough for the poster, so I will wait.

This evening we're going to my parents' place in the country for barbecue, then are heading into Seguin for fireworks. I need to make another batch of cupcakes before then (different recipe. If it's good, I'll share) and get my goals met. Off to work! Have a great 4th!

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Alas, I don't have permission to put my cover up until it's on the website, which should be next week. Wahh!

I'm on a wedding kick right now, which is weird because I don't write weddings, as a rule. But ever since we went to that wedding in the Hill Country back in March, I've been drawn to wedding stories. In fact, the novella I'm writing now is a wedding story, just not the wedding of my hero and heroine.

Apparently I'm not alone in this. I've already read this:



And I just ordered these, a series about bridesmaids for one wedding. I saw a review and had to have.









And I'm looking forward to this from my friend Meg:




Do you like wedding stories? Do you have a favorite?

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Okay, first of all, I have my cover for Surface, and it's STUNNING. I asked for permission to post, and will as soon as Anne gets back to me. It's reminiscent of a Linda Winfree cover, with the couple on top and a tropical ocean scene below. The hero is touching the heroine's face, and they kinda look like Pacey and Joey from Dawson's Creek. Can't wait to show you. The covers are incredible.

Second, I barely got 1000 words written last night. I'm meeting with my CP in a couple of hours to brainstorm, so today should be better, though it will be another day of running around.

Yesterday, I went to breakfast with Mom and BB in Seguin. We had the SWEETEST waitress. Then we headed to the Wal-Mart (you have to say it like that in a small town.) We drove through the historic district, and let me tell you, this place is the PERFECT small town setting. See, when I was a kid, we'd spend a lot of time there because my grandparents' land is halfway between Seguin and San Marcos. Seguin had a great pool, and we'd go almost every day. Anyway, lots of memories in Seguin, and never have I wished to be rich so I could help restore some of the businesses to the town square.

So we did Wal-Mart. I got Danskin yoga shorts (bliss) and 2 more pieces of fabric (total is now 6, one thing to make a week. Plan to always have something cut out, starting tomorrow.)

After Wal-Mart, we drove out to the land (we call it The Place) and ate our snacks and Mom cleaned up a bit for Saturday's party. I got home at 2 and CRASHED. So yeah, not a lot of writing last night.

Better make up for it now!

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Finished the paranormal at 11:45 last night. So finished two novellas in less than a week. Now, revisions.

I signed up for Book in a Month, JuNoWriMo, at the eHarlequin site. I plan to write 2000 words a day, while working on revisions on both novellas, one at a time.

Last night I went for my walk, since I’d run errands in the morning. And…a dog followed me home. I was ready to put signs up in the neighborhood—dog found—but the dh wouldn’t hear of it. Worse, Skippy and Stormy wouldn’t hear of it. I gave it some water and food, and hope it found its way home.

I’m blogging today at Supernatural Sisters and heading out with Mom and Baby Brother. Then, come home and start a new novella.

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I'm ALMOST finished with the paranormal. Just the big emotional reunion scene, and that's it. Then, revisions. So, last Jensen pic for awhile.

I heard today that Mary Jo Putney has a new book out. I used to LOVE her books. Now, I never have time to read them. Same with Betina Krahn, who has a new Blaze Historical out now. I have a pile of Theresa Medeiros, and Pamela Morsi and JD Robbs. I don't even remember where I left off on the JD Robbs. I would love to read Lisa Kleypas's historicals, but my TBR is already creaking my shelves.

What am I reading? Friends' books, for one. Even those are stacking up. I've only read one Terry McLaughlin, one Anne Mallory, one Diane Perkins, one Stacy Kayne, one Tawny Weber, one Stephanie Feagan, one Colleen Gleason. I haven't even read one of some of the others, but I won't say who ;)

Clearly I need to read faster. After spending 2 weeks on Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (from the library), I read Natalie Damschroder's Renegade on Friday, and read Bella Andre's Wild Heat in three days. Next up, Critical Care by my friend Candace Calvert.

Who do you wish you had time to read?

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I finished a short story Saturday night. I'm very happy with it, except the ending, natch. I need more emotion, I think.

My goal for today is to finish my paranormal. I have maybe 4 more scenes, including the climax. I'm already over 30,000 words, though, and need to snip in revisions.

I'm getting ready to set aside my revisions on Vampire Hunters. I think the plot is okay, but there's something missing. I can't put my finger on it. Also, it's very short, only 52,000 words. Who will buy that? One of my cps told me that her author help group, Rose's Colored Glasses is doing an online workshop with Donald Maass's workbook. Hm. I have that workbook. They're doing a chapter a week. I signed up, will see if it helps. Not sure what to do otherwise.

Have you used Donald Maass? This book has been sitting for almost 2 years (it was my second Nano book.) Have you ever not been able to figure out what's missing in a book? I'm just not as proud of it as I should be.

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This past week, I didn’t leave my house after Tuesday afternoon, except for my walks. This week seems a bit busier.

1) Celebrate Fourth with family
2) Finish and revise paranormal
3) Finish and revise short story
4) write new short story
5) Target with son
6) Get gift for Cindi’s oldest, deliver
7) Go to JoAnn’s, get new pattern because I don’t like the one I used last week
8) Blog at SPN Sisters
9) breakfast with Mom
10) lunch with writer bud
11) sew 1 t-shirt dress and 1 skirt
12) grocery store/library
13) nap/exercise daily
14) keep house up

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I did great yesterday AM. I edited my daily goal before I went for my walk, got 6 pages before my break at 11, completed a skirt:



While I was watching the news after All My Children, I saw where Farrah died. I was sad, because I LOVED Charlie's Angels, and let's face it, I've always been into pop culture. I knew a lot more about her than I thought.



I napped while the boy went to work, got up when he came home. I was working on my pages when he said, "Hey, I think Michael Jackson died." He'd seen the TMZ report. I jumped on Twitter and the rumors were flying, but nothing had been confirmed. Then NBC confirmed. I was never a fan, but he was just so hugely popular when I was growing up. It made me sad. He was only 50.



The dh came home and heard that Jeff Goldblum died, which freaked me out, because I LURVE Jeff Goldblum, but we found out it was a hoax. Terrible, terrible hoax.

So between all that, I met my writing goals, but still haven't finished Pride&Prejudice&Zombies.

Oh, I'm blogging today about kisses at The Samhellion. Come say hey!

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I know that as soon as I say this, I'm going to have typos here. I know, no matter how carefully I read over it, there's going to be a mistake.

Because I'm ranting today about typos in blog posts, emails, book excerpts, and especially in the latest muddle over at ESPAN. I saw editors--editors! Who I know and trust!-- misuse it's and its. Many of the writers misspelled and misused words, which did not help the cause, you know? I understand a lot of the responses were written in the heat of passion, but people. Read what you've written.

Just today, an author tried to "wet" my appetite for a book.

Often, they wish to "peak" my interest.

Oh, and at the bakery the other day, the label on a pack of bread products declared it hamburger bun's. Like I tell my kids--the rules haven't changed since 1st grade. More than one--add an S, not an apostrophe S!

I'm certainly not perfect. I misuse lie and lay, and further and farther. But if you are presenting yourself as a writer, do your best to know the rules!!!

Rant over.

I wrote 4000+ words yesterday. This morning, I planned to sleep in (even took a Tylenol PM to see if I could sleep until dawn), and my big boy kitty crashed open the bedroom door. Now he's stretched out (see, I was going to use lie/lay but wasn't sure so I changed it) beside my chair, all innocent. Yesterday I didn't walk or do any sewing. I think I'll go for my walk now, then come home and write, then sew during All My Children.

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I have a weird sense of urgency to write today. I've fallen behind since I haven't been home much the past 3 days. I'm 3500 words behind my goal on the short story, 1000 words behind on the paranormal and 25 pages behind on the revisions. So....once the dh goes to work, I'm pounding out words until the battery dies. Then I might clean the bathrooms. Maybe.

I'm thinking about doing a book in a month challenge for July. I know some will be at National, but does anyone want to join me?