Twenty Three Days...

Angel Tree done and garland over mantel up. Today's project is Snowman Tree and finish outdoor lights. (Yes, I'm working too. Work first, decorate later!) And speaking of outdoor lights. I bought one of those blow up lawn decorations, a cute Santa sticking out of a chimney. I pull him out of the box, plug him in and he blows right up, looking cute as can be. Then I watch as he deflates. Grinding my teeth, I fiddle with the fans attached and the cord, and sure enough, he pops back up again. That's better. Then he deflates again. Okay, I'm cranky anyway 'cause most of last years chasing lights don't work, so now I'm silently swearing. He inflates again. I watch him through narrowed eyes, not trusting, and sure enough, he deflates. I'm considering kicking Santa, here, I'm getting so irritated, but I swear instead--outloud, this time. As he inflates once again, it occurs to me. He's supposed to do that. Duh! I quickly apologize to Santa and the Christmas Gods who are having one hell of a laugh at my expense. Okay, so I'm not the brightest bulb in the string. I have my moments, this just wasn't one of them. Santa is now up on my roof, popping up and down out of his chimney, waving at passer bys. Today the 8 foot Snowman goes up. At least, I hope he does...

Only Twenty-Four Days...

Happy December One! The countdown officially begins for me. Twenty-four frantic days of shopping, decorating, eating, baking, celebrating, wrapping and non-stop Xmas music. I'm knee deep in decorations and knock on wood, no bad light strings inside. (Outside is another story, for another time) I admit it, I'm a little kid when it comes to Christmas and a sucker for decorations that move and make noise. (Just got the Hallmark Snowman--he sits at a piano and plays and sings--too cute!) I'll put some music on tonight and decorate one tree. Okay, confession time. I have three trees. Snowman Tree. Angel Tree. Mish-mosh tree. I used to have Nutcracker Tree, but thought maybe I should scale down a little. Wouldn't want anyone to think I overdo it or anything... Here's wishing you a wonderful Christmas and may all your dreams come true!

Virus X 2

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. I've been offline since my Norton detected a virus that had gotten into my computer. Off to computer hospital, where my "doctor" got my baby up and running again. Very very annoying. I went camping to the Colorado River for Thanksgiving. Was with a large group of friends and family and we had a great time. Ate wonderful food, laughed a lot, sat by the fire and talked, went for boat rides, played Scrabble (though I truly was not worthy--there were some serious Scrabble players there!) and had lots and lots of fun. The weather was perfect (I even got a sunburn) and at night, so many stars! I'll put some pictures up soon on my site. So back to the title of this blog--why? Because I came home from all that fun with a virus--the kind that makes your throat hurt, fever and chills! I'm much better now, thank goodness, but I don't want to see any kind of virus again for a long long time!

Back From Vegas

I'm home and rested from my trip--had a fabulous time! I even won a little money! The conservatory at the Bellagio was awesome, with pumpkins the size of a Volkswagon bug and flower displays to knock your flip flops off! The new Wynn hotel was a blast, the employees there nicer than any other casino and the buffet! Oh my, don't get me started! Let's just say I think it's the best I've had. Probably the priciest, though, too, but worth every bite. (Well, actually it was free, sort of--after getting a player's card and putting 50 points on the card, I got two buffets for free--didn't take me much gambling to get those 50 points!) Didn't get a chance to check out the shops, but I would have just been window shopping. Just didn't have enough time to do everything I wanted--next time! Glad to be home and back to work. My heroine, Kiera, was is currently giving my hero, Sam, a piece of her mind and Sam's about to "shut her up" if you know what I mean...

Elvis--Here I Come!

Viva Las Vegas Baby! I'm leaving for Sin City in three hours and thirty-four minutes. I've worked all weekend and I'm taking a break. Just for one day, mind you. It's a forty-five minute hop from Burbank to Vegas and air fare is cheap. Leave today, play, eat, take in the new Wynn hotel and the Bellagio conservatory, then home tomorrow. And back to work... My hero is on the edge of his breaking point...can't wait to see what happens when he snaps. Wish me Luck!

Five Minutes a Day...

It's not easy to quiet the restless mind. Life comes at us in warp speed these days. Cell phones, fax machines, instant messaging. Where are the still moments? The moments when we can dream, when we can move into a peaceful place and simply think without being bombarded by the craziness? We need to make those moments. No one is going to give them to us. We must demand them. We need to say no more often to others, and say yes to ourselves. Even five minutes will help, but I challenge you to start with fifteen. Set the timer if need be. Close your eyes, put your feet up. Let the quiet absorb you and see what comes to you. (Not the errands or cleaning or work projects--they must wait outside your mind) This is when you refill the well, calm the spirit, heal the soul. Breathe. You deserve it. Don't ask for permission from anyone but yourself . TAKE IT, then seize the moment.

Gone Gardening

I spent Saturday planting flowers. Snapdragons, pansies, violas, stocks, delphiniums. Five hours straight, friends. My flower beds look great, but every muscle in my body aches. I am bruised (wheelbarrow fell over on my leg) scratched (those nasty rose bushes got me good) rash (trimming the morning glory, I think) Soaked in epsom salts till I looked like a prune, and I still ache. It's a good ache, though. Feels good to get something done! Though it's never really done. Watering, trimming, weeding, feeding. Still, it's a labor of love, bruises, scratches and all. It's a lot like writing. After hours of sitting in front of the computer, digging around inside my characters head, I often come after feeling a bit bruised and definitely achy. Some times I have to dig deeper, and there are rocks and roots blocking my way. But I have to keep hacking away so I can get that one beautiful flower to grow. And when it does, there's just nothing like it. And then there's the next scene, the next chapter. The next book. Like gardening, it's never really done, but it doesn't matter. It's a labor of love.

Gender Bender

Did you know that non-living things have a gender? 1) Ziploc Bags are Male, because they hold everything in, but you cansee right through them .2) Copiers are Female, because once turned off; it takes a while to warmthem up again. It's an effective reproductive device if the rightbuttons are pushed, but can wreak havoc if the wrong buttons are pushed. 3) A Tire is Male, because it goes bald and it's often over-inflated. 4) A Hot Air Balloon is Male, because, to get it to go anywhere, youhave to light a fire under it, and of course, there's the hot air part. 5) Sponges are Female, because they're soft, squeezable and retainwater.6) A Web Page is Female, because it's always getting hit on. 7) A Subway is Male, because it uses the same old lines to pick peopleup. 8) An Hourglass is Female, because over time, the weight shifts to thebottom. 9) A Hammer is Male, because it hasn't changed much over the last 5,000years, but it's handy to have around. 10) A Remote Control is Female. Ha! You thought it'd be male, didn'tyou? But consider this - it gives a man pleasure, he'd be lost withoutit, and while he doesn't always know the right buttons to push, he keeps trying!

For Glowing Skin...

I read this last night and tried it this morning: Mix a little baking soda with your liquid facial cleanser and gently scrub, then rinse well, pat dry and apply moisturizer. This is a great exfoliater and leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth, and you don't have to go buy anything! (that's the best part!) My skin felt great all day. I don't know about you all, but I need all the help I can get. If you try it let me know what you think.

And We're Off...

Happy November everyone! I always feel that the beginning of November is the official starting time for the holidays. Like we're all racehorses, in the chute, waiting for that bell to go off so we can run like crazy in circles toward that finish line. Not that I don't enjoy it, mind you. I LOVE the holidays. I'm a nut for Christmas (boxes come out of attic in exactly 21 days) But like everyone, I have a tendency to do too much and suddenly get overwhelmed. Have to constantly remind myself to slooow down, have a cup of herbal tea. Take a lavender scented bath. Light a candle. Put on some Christmas music. But I'm ahead of myself. This month, I want to concentrate on remembering to be thankful for all I have. Not the "things" (though I do like my things, too!) but my family and friends and the fact that I woke up today. That's a good thing! Now to get that Halloween stuff packed away...

Trick or Treat!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Here's a little treat for everyone! go to http://toilette-humor.com/carve.html (it's not toilet humor--just fun!) Hope you all have a good one! I'll be handing out candy to all those little hobgoblins and princesses. I can't wait!

Be Careful What You Ask For...

Everyone knows the saying, though we don't pay too much attention to it... All my bird and squirrel feeders have always been in the far back with my garden, but I thought, "Wouldn't it be great to put a feeder right outside my window in my office?" I could sit and type my little heart out while my feathered friends flittered about. So I did it. Happily, ignorantly, I put food out, not sure if they would come so close. I'm only on the other side of the glass, maybe three feet away. Oh, they came, all right. They not only came--they devoured! Blue jays, sparrows, towhees, squirrels--and that's just in a few days. Wait until the word spreads! So I didn't put food out for a couple of days, thinking, "They'll go away. After all, I have lots of feeders in the far back." Wrong again. They not only fight amongst themselves (the squirrels are the worst) they sit out there and chirp and squawk and chatter, telling me they are out of food and why am I sitting on my butt in front of that box and not feeding them. I guess I'll get used to it. Sort of like tuning out kids when they're complaining, only I can close the blinds on the birds and ignore them. Gotta go, there's a blue jay pecking at my window, waiting for his breakfast...

Of Mice and Men...

My husband, the Great White Warrior, has emerged victorious! The daring, the strength, the cunning. Oh, but my heart is aflutter. I shall prepare him a Victory Feast tonight. Macaroni and cheese, maybe?

What's in The Attic?

There's a critter in my attic. For the past few nights, it wakes us up, making noises that sound as if it is building a condo up there. My husband thinks it's a rat, but if that's a rat making all that noise, it must be a mutant. My hubbie has gone up three nights in a row, setting traps. Clever critter that it is, (not my husband, the rat mutant,) it manages to snap them, gobble up the bait and then probably sits back and laughs his a** off. My husband has proclaimed war. I hear him climbing up there right now. Tonight he is setting FOUR traps. I'm sure THAT will work. I need my sleep, ladies. It might wound my hubbie's pride, but tomorrow I'm calling the exterminator. I'll let you know how things turn out.

The Dilema

It's Friday night. I've turned off my work brain. My only thought is that pumpkin spice muffin I bought at Starbucks earlier. It has a soft cream center and pumpkin seeds on top. But there's a problem. One muffin. Two people Should I share with my husband? I mean, this is the best muffin ever made on this planet. The BEST. He did say he wanted to go on a diet. So I'd be doing him a favor if I ate if myself, right? But the guilt would keep me awake. I do have pills for that, though. Oh, shoot. Okaayy (hear me whine) I'll share. That's true love, girls. Here's wishing you a fun-filled pumpkin spice muffin weekend.

What I Know Now

I was just asked by a fellow writer, "What's the one thing you wish you had known before you began writing?" My first thought was, nothing. I was blissfully ignorant of what it required to write a book. I might not have even given it a try if I HAD known. But that said, on further reflection, there are two things I wish I'd known. #1. You don't need a college degree to write a book or get published. Even if you wanted to publish a book about getting a college degree, you still wouldn't need one! There are lies we tell ourselves (I'm not young-pretty-rich-smart enough, etc.) and we need to stop it! Stop it right now! What you need is desire, perserverance, talent and dedication. There is no college degree for that. I'll add one more thing here. You have to write. Let me repeat that louder. YOU HAVE TO WRITE. Enough said. #2. There is no secret handshake. Honest. I'd tell you if there was. There is no one you have to know or be friends with to publish a book. This is called "kidding yourself." You have to do the work, do it well, and keep doing it. Sounds simple? It ain't. And now that I've spouted off for the day, I'm off to find out what happens when my heroine comes face to face with a woman who just might be her--oops! Can't tell you...

Oops, I Did It Again...

I really made a blunder (again) That's the problem with writing before I think. My blog on A Soldier's heart should have also included daughters, wives, sisters and mothers. I applaud ALL our military, BOTH genders. At my brother's Pig Roast a few weeks ago I had the honor to meet some wonderful young women in the military. I SO admire them and their dedication to their job and their country. I apologize for not including all you amazing women in my original blog. You gals rock!

Recovering from Retreat

I'm back from a writer's retreat! Had a great time, though we stayed up way too late every night. One of our topics was Susan Elizabeth Phillips' "Ain't She Sweet?" It was a spirited discussion regarding her characters and the story. We all agreed she's a wonderful writer. We also discussed the subject of "Flow" and creativity. We're all working on ways to improve getting into the zone, staying focused and just letting the work come. Now I'm hoping I can do that! Back to the real world here tomorrow. For tonight, though, I'm going to watch a movie, read, set the DVR to record Desperate Housewives and Gray's Anatomy , then go to bed. My poor little brain needs rest.

The Heart of a Soldier

This is a very special e-mail I received from a dear friend. Her son just arrived in Iraq and this is his letter home. I'm so proud I know this brave young man. And I'm proud to be an American. To all of you who have sons, husbands, brothers, in Iraq, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I'm going to go hug my kids and my washing machine... Greetings from Iraq. Sunday oct 9 2005> Where to begin, well I miss everyone back home. I> really don't like it here, Actually it's a shithole.> The food is decent at the camp I'm at right now...> although we're just passing thru so I don't keep my> hopes up. I am still living in cramped quarters. yes> 10 guys can get into a 20 sq ft room.> I have heard good news from my chain of command but> unfortunately I cant let you guys know.... for> security reasons i assure you. But we are going to> be safe and I will keep my head down.> I am very proud to be the only member of our Family> to go to war> > > To my parents.... all 4 of them, I love you guys and> hope you are proud of what Ive accomplished> To my brothers, I miss being able to chill and drink> a beer (hey im 21 now right?)> To extended family ...) I wish i> could be there for the river... again> To malissa... I love you and miss you so much....> just thinking of you keeps me going.... and that's> all the time.> to anyone i didnt mention specifically... I have a> lot of reflection periods... out here is shitty...> it makes me see how fortunate we are in the states.> dont take anything for granted.. like showers or> washing machines.... things i dont have... ( yes i> still bathe) but with a 2 liter bottle of water.> > well thats all the time I have to talk... even this> is a privelage rarely earned... I hope to write you> again and tell you im safe and sound yet again.>

Well, Shut My Mouth

Had to share this one! Here's a blooper that one news station and its viewers will be talking about for years to come... A young, pretty newscaster turns to the weatherman and says, "So, John, where's that 8 inches you promised me last night?" That stopped the news for a few minutes...

A Man and His Jeans

My husband has been wearing a pair of old worn out jeans (he's been wearing them since long before it was trendy to wear old worn out jeans. ) We're talking "old" here. Frayed, stained, knees wearing thin, holes in butt pockets and even a small rip in the crotch. Still, he refused to throw them away. Nearly had a tantrum when I tossed them out one day. Faithfully, he retrieved them from the old clothes pile. The rip at the crotch continued to get bigger, the knees thinner still, and the hole in the butt spreading a little wider. Then last week, it happened. The crotch split all the way from front to back. One loud, shreading rip and for those close enough to witness the tragedy, they now had the answer to the age old question, "Briefs or boxers?" I almost even felt sorry for him, that somber, I-lost-my-best-friend look on his face. He tossed them in the trash, then went off to Sears. I must have passed by those jeans a dozen times, glad to see them where I thought they'd belonged years ago. But each time I passed the trash, I was reminded of the trench he dug for my first rose bushes. Unloading rocks for my pond. Building my shed and chicken coop. The storybook garden he started for me. So I retrieved them, washed them, and hide them in my sewing room. I'm not sure that surgery will reconstruct them, but I'm willing to give it a try. If I can, I'll wrap them up and surprise him. Hey, who knows, there might be a few more projects in those old jeans yet. I know I certainly have a long list...

Words of Wisdom on Kissing and Avalanches

Laughter is proven to boost your body's immune system, reduce stress and even reduce signs of aging! So when I read this and cracked up, I thought I'd share... Questions concerning love and wisdom were posed to a group of children, ages 5 to 10, regarding love. Here's my favorite: Question: WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE? "Never kiss in front of other people. It's a big embarrassing thing if anybody sees you. But if nobody sees you, I might be willing to try it with a handsome boy, but just for a few hours." Kally, 9 Here's another one, by Bobby, age 8 "Love will find you, even if you are trying to hide from it. I've been trying to hide from it since I was five, but the girls keep finding me." Regina, age 10 "I'm not rushing into being in love. I'm finding fourth grade hard enough." And last, but not least, Roger, age 9 "Love is like an avalanche where you have to run for your life." Ain't that the truth...

Don't Look In MY Closet...

I love Halloween. I always decorate, but last year I REALLY decorated the inside of house because I was having a surprise birthday party for my daughter. I turned my library into my "spooky room," with glowing masks in the dark, scary graveyard music, flying bats, candlelabras and a life size skeleton. One of the guest's (Shelly) five year old (Austin) didn't like that room (understandably) and wouldn't go near the door. Now forward ahead to Easter (last April) and Shelly and Austin are at my house for my annual Easter bash. Austin still doesn't like the "spooky room" Shelly assures Austin that there's nothing to be afraid of, that all the spooky stuff is gone now. Austin cautiously enters the room with his Mom, looks in the all corners, then points to the closet. Shelly says "It's fine sweetie, there's nothing in the closet, either." Of course, when she opens the door, that's where I hang my skeleton... Poor Austin. I may have to pay for therapy one day...

Surprise!

Who doesn't love a surprise? And when it happens as I'm writing, it's so very, very cool. In BLACKHAWK'S LEGACY, the surprise was Teresa (okay, if you haven't read the book, you have no idea who I'm talking about, if you have read it, then you're probably surprised that she was a surprise) Teresa didn't exist in my first draft of the book, then one day as I was writing along, the skies sort of opened up and dropped her write into my book as a major character. She was, and is, very special to me, and I intend to give her a book of her own one day. Anyhoo, back to yesterday, I was writing a scene, trying to get some "sparks" flying between Kiera, my heroine, and Sam, my hero. And up pops this gangly teenager who practically takes over the scene. I had to literally remove him by tweaking his ear and telling him to stop staring at Kiera. Picture Jessica Alba for my heroine, David Borneaze(I don't know how to spell his last name) for my hero. The guy who was Angel, from Buffy. That's what makes writing so fun, lads and lassies. The unexpected, and when a character just feels SO real, like you really really know them. I'm off to see what surprises me today, and may all your surprises be GOOD ones!

SEASONS?

Who says California doesn't have seasons? We certainly do. Flood season, fire season and earthquake season. We are currently in fire season! My house and yard are covered in ash and soot from the wildfires in the area I live. Yesterday the sky was filled with smoke and raining ash. The smell of smoke was heavy and we had to keep the windows closed. Ash is still drifting from trees and bushes. It's a mess, but thank God it's under control now. Today is a gorgeous day! Blue sky, in the eighties and that feel of fall is in the air. In spite of our "seasons" I do love living in California. I wouldn't want to shovel snow, tornadoes and hurricanes scare me, I'd really miss the beach and where else (except maybe New York) would you be sitting next to Pamela Anderson or Nicholas Cage at a restaurant? (Who ordered white salmon, BTW) The toughest part for me is the weather is so nice, I don't want to work! Like today, I'm tiptoeing around my work computer (I have a phobia about getting a virus and losing my work so I write my books on a separate computer--just one of my bugaboos) I SO want to drive down to the beach, sit at one of my favorite little restaurants, watch the waves crash and sip iced tea. But I won't. I will get to work, knowing that once I'm "in the zone" there isn't anyplace else in the world I want to be.

Wordofthedayblog

We all know the saying, "If you build it, they will come." Well, I'm about to find out! This is my first blog, and I've decided to set up my own little teensy weensy spot on the Internet with what I call Wordofthedayblog. I'm shooting for five days a week--but sometimes it might be more, sometimes it might be less. (Can you tell I have a commitment issue here?) To be honest, I find the whole idea mindbloggeling. (Couldn't resist) But I'm eager to give it a try, and while coming up with a topic everyday sounded a bit overwhelming, coming up with just a word felt like those soft sheepskin slippers my daughter bought for me last Christmas. Extremely comfortable. I make no promises I will have anything at all interesting to say--and certainly no promises of dazzling anyone with my intellect--this is really not the place to come if you're looking for subjects of great significance to human kind. I'm simply going to pluck a word out out of my brain and see what, if anything follows...So today's word is...SHELF. Shelf? you ask? What kind of word is that? Well, as I glanced around my office, I noticed the first book (this is a day of firsts, after all) I wrote. There it sits, in a neat little box, bound with a rubber band, sitting on the top shelf of a closet. It was a Civil War romance novel, the story of a beautiful woman named Brianna who is on the run from bad guys, and the rugged, angry hero, blinded in the war. Alas, it was rejected (my first rejection!) and I admit, I was devastated. Writing is hard work and takes a little piece of your soul every time you sit down at the computer. I wasn't sure I was cut out for the business. (Which famous sports writer said, "writing is easy, you just sit down and cut open a vein."? Nearly talked myself out of it a hundred times. (writing, not cutting a vein) But I hung in, and eventually, after a second book was rejected, I finally made my first sale, which was a Desire, Woman Tamer, (never liked that title!) a book I wrote more on a lark than anything else. So now here I am, thirty books later and there that first book still sits on the shelf, exactly where it belongs, a reminder to me of where this amazing career has brought me (sitting here writing this for one thing) and the joy I have telling my stories. Don't give up your dreams, girlfriends. You may have to put them up on a shelf sometimes, but never give them up!