I know I've been quiet for a while, but I've been on vacation. We drove to Scottsdale, AZ to visit with relatives for the Christmas holiday.  It is a two day drive and we have never been through that part of the United States. It was absolutely stunning. The mountains and deserts in New Mexico left me breathless.  On the way home, we tried 70E in AZ which was stunning as well. Didn't do much for our time frame but the scenery was well worth it.
We arrived in Scottsdale at our timeshare (we were just there in March) only to find the heat, fireplace and emergency flashlight didn't work. We told the management but due to the holidays, repair personnel were unable to fix it, so we dressed warmly.  The days were not bad, it was the nights that were really cold.
Sunday, we went to see the Chicago Bears play the Arizona Cardinals. It was fun. Then on Monday, we visited relatives we hadn't seen in quite a while. Tuesday, we celebrated Christmas with other family and on Wednesday we were on the road again heading back home.

Also, my first round of edits for Play for Me came to me and I was really anxious to start on them. I tried looking at them in the car, but it was a bumpy ride. I then wanted to print them out but I couldn't find a printer that worked. So, I had the laptop on in the car.
I am really pleased with the suggestions that my editor made and have tackled it now that I'm home. I am excited about his story and can't wait to share it with the public.

I wish all of you a safe and wonderful New Year!

This is the cover of my next book coming out in late January or early February 2013. To say I'm excited is putting it mildly. Thank you so much Lazy Day Publishers!

Recovering from a wild weekend with my family from Toronto. I took them for Texas style BBQ, which they loved. It was warm enough to play golf.  Then on Sunday, I took them to Cowboys' stadium and they were in awe. My sister's team, the Steelers lost and she was mad at her two sons and their wives for buying Cowboy's jerseys and hats. Threatened she was going to sell their return tickets to Toronto. lol.

On Monday, I took them to Grapevine Mills Outlet Mall where they dropped a lot of money and then off to the quaint and lovely city of Grapevine for some very yummy lunch. They all flew home last night.

I am very angry at our Verizon Fios. We lost our service of phone, TV and Internet on Saturday and the earliest, THE EARLIEST, they could get someone to look at it is this Wednesday. Where is customer service?  So I am sitting here at the trusted library trying to catch up on my online duties

I felt like the Chevy Chase movie, the one with the Christmas lights...my husband worked really hard on putting the outside Christams lights in a new design. We tested them out on Monday and because of the amount of lights, it did cause a problem Our televisions, phone and internet kept freezing. Not actually losing power but kind of like when your computer freezes. Since it was dark, he just unplugged them and said he would deal with it later. Then I went to get a drink out of the fridge only to find out my dishwasher (only three years old and of course out of the warranty) had overflowed onto the kitchen floor.

So the next morning, I called the appliance center who advised me to unplug it. Really? I asked for a service man to come out. He did the next day and was thoroughly stumped because he couldn't find anything wrong. He said the dishwasher cycle is like a computer processor and if there was a power surge and the dishwasher was not shut down properly, it would run into a loop.  Aha! So, ninety-six dollars later, the Christmas lights were "rearranged".

Then I really got excited when I received an email from my publisher that my second book Play for Me is on it's way to the editor. The release date is late January/early February 2013.

My sister from Toronto, my nephews and their wife and girlfriend are coming to Dallas this week. I haven't seen them in two years and this will be the first meeting with Brad's girlfriend Sam. They have never been to Dallas and I can't wait to show them around!

It's a beautiful day outside today, so I'm trying to be optimistic even though there is some not nice news. My brother-in-law is sick and he finally agreed to go to the doctor. Flu like symptoms even though he had a flu shot. Next, is talk of potential layoffs due to lackluster sales. Ugh!

I love Texas but not all of the reptile critters. I chased a gecko out of my living room yesterday. I didn't kill him because I know he eats bugs but can he please stay outside? Then when I went to water my pansies, there was a dead snake in my pool. EWWW!

I love meeting new people. Yesterday while watching football at the bar, we sat with a lovely couple that we just clicked. He is a pilot and his wife is from Venezuela. I loved hearing her talk. Turns out she's Italian just like me and we swapped childhood stories. I know my husband was a little miffed that I wasn't paying attention to the game and we lost but it was a great time.

I am going to pray for my brother-in-law as well as the not being laid off status. 

Back to writing!

First off, I'd like to congratulate my friend, Barbara Huffert for winning the 2012 NaNoWriMo.  I am so proud of her!

Next I want to thank my family for helping me decorate the house for Christmas. We went all out this year because my sister from Toronto and my two nephews are paying us a visit soon. It will be their first time to Texas.

Now that my Christmas cards are out, the house decorated, presents purchased, I can get down to writing. No more distractions!

I think I've rewritten the blurb for my next book at least eight times. I keep changing it. It's really a funny story and I hope the readers chuckle all through out while reading it.

Also, I have started an outline for a new story which keeps getting bigger and bigger. I have so many ideas running in my head that I can't type fast enough.

Back to work :-)

Can you believe it's almost Thanksgiving? Where has the time gone?

Having a history of sending out the first Christmas cards, I looked at the calender last Sunday and totally freaked out. Last year, I sent them out the day before Thanksgiving and my friends chided me that my card was not the first one. I had to take in account I now live in Texas and not PA. So on Monday, I did my mail merge and printed out the labels; Tuesday, I hand wrote messages and had all of them in the mail by 5 pm Tuesday evening!

This worked out perfectly, because I got an email on Thursday from my editor to start my housekeeping on my second book due out in late January or early February 2013!  I am so excited and so thankful for Lazy Day Publishing for giving me an opportunity of a lifetime!

The news is filled with doom and gloom.

On a happier note, I spoke to some old friends this week. I tried to give them words of encouragement on moving. I have moved quite a bit in my life and each place is different. The two worst moves happened when I was in grade school and we moved from Chicago, to Springfield, IL. I had to leave all my friends and try to make new ones. Where we lived in Chicago was a neighborhood. We were in and out of each other's houses all the time. In Springfield, we lived on two acres, across the street from a farm and our neighbors were retired folks. Not too much fun for a fourth grader. If I wanted to see my friends, I had to ask my mom to drive to their house. She would get kind of cranky about it at times, but I got over it as I matured. We went back two years ago at Christmas and I saw then my parent's appeal to the area. I could definitely go back there.

My second worst move was from Chicago to Sinking Spring, PA. I had to give up my job while my husband just loved his. I had to give up the close proximity of my family still in Chicago. My husband traveled 70% of the time leaving me alone to raise my daughter. But then, I made an effort to find new friends and new ways of family support. I discovered long, lost relatives in New Jersery and New York, so in the end it all worked out.

Our move to Dallas (with the exception of our house which inspired When the Runway Went South) has been fun and I don't regret it one bit. I think with each move you more or less have to reinvent yourself. Just be brave and remain positive.

Also, this weekend was a blast. Our ex-neighbors sold their house and bought a farm. (Just like Springfield and also one of the people I spoke to.) We went to visit them and found it refreshing. Hay rides, horseback riding, chasing cattle, ponds, lots of open space and feeling really relaxed. It was definitely good for the soul. I highly recommend it!

Got through my birthday, great lunch with my friend, Linda, thanks! Received the questionaire about my cover art for the publication for my second book, Play for Me. Now I'm really excited!  Mowed, cleaned the house, worked, ran errands...whew!

Spoke to my relatives in New Jersery, DC and New York. They are fine, just frustrated without power and phone service. They all teased me about how good my timing was from moving from PA to Texas:)

But the strangest event was my trip to Barnes and Noble book store. Since they always have different cashiers, I always tell them about When the Runway Went South. and how they can view it on their nook.  I didn't think anything about it and I exited the store to my car. A lady started calling my name and was running after me. Startled, I turned around and this lady handed me her business card. She is a struggling author who is trying to get published. After speaking with her, our genres are totally different and I tried to help her. You see, I read everything. Being the anal person I am, I have kept an Excel worksheet of every book I've ever read; the author, title ,genre, publisher and editor information if available. She looked at my list in surprise but I told her to try the publishers who did support her genre. She told me what a great idea it was to keep a list I've done and I'm thinking to myself..duh...Lois. You should get some business cards printed up as well!

My heart goes out to all of my East Coast friends!  May Giant food stores have enough bread, milk and eggs for everyone and don't forget the wine! Or beer. May God Bless!

Spent a wonderful week in San Antonio, TX! Also, took a day to travel to Fredericksberg, TX in the Hill Country for some good wine and a nice visit to the Pacific War museum. My father fought in the Battle of Leyete Gulf and survived. The ship next to his was sunk, so I'm lucky I was born!
Memorable time at the hotel with swimming and intertubing down a lazy river. While at the Mall of the Shops of La Cantara, was stung in the shoulder by a bee. Youch did that hurt! Topped off the week with dinner at the River Walk. Our house is still standing (whew). Only thing to mar the vacation is our Uncle Joe died on Saturday after a courageous battle with luekemia. May God rest his soul.

I always love it when relatives come in from out of town! Not only do I get to show off my city of Flower Mound and Dallas, I get to eat out at my favorite restaurants! I don't have to cook. Yeah!!!

Hello to all!  Hope everyone had a good week!

I know some of you will make fun of me but I am so proud of myself! I finally drove to DFW airport and made it there and back in one piece! It's been under construction since we've moved here three years ago and things change on a weekly basis. Normally, someone else drives there but not this time!

Also, we went to see the Chicago Bears play the Dallas Cowboys at Jerry's world. That stadium is amazing!

The next day we went to the State Fair. Texas sure knows how to roll out the carpet! Had a great time with the nicest people. It's so refreshing to see people smiling!

Back to work on my new book series...

It's a beautful rainy Saturday here in Texas. We haven't seen this kind of rain in a while, so it is a welcome sight!

However, I'm very excited about the State Fair of Texas! It has awesome fried food (my once a year indulgence), great shows and events. It started Friday and will last for three weeks. The weather (with the exception of today) will be awesome; highs in the low 80's and lows in the 60's. Can't wait to go!

I grew up in Springfield, Ill, the state captial of Illinois. I would go to the State Fair there in August. It was so hot, it was not unusual for someone to pass out. I remember they had great Lemon Shake ups, though!

So at the State Fair of Texas, we will go get our coupons for food, watch the dog show, maybe the pig races (awesome names for the contestants), watch the Marine Corps band, definitely the car show and then sit back and catch this awesome Celtic Rock band, The Kildeares! It's well worth it! Hope all y'all will get to experience it! :)

Hope everyone is having a great week!
I grew up in a very close family with loving grandparents and parents. When my grandfather died at the age of 77, I was crushed. He had been in failing health and you think you're prepared, but you're not. Everytime I would see a man who looked like him, I would tear up. That was at the tender age of 14.

In 2006, my parents started to fail in their health. I lost my father to Prostate cancer in September of 2007 and then my mother died of a broken heart in April of 2008. I took them to many doctor's appointments for their health, cardiologists, doctors, hospitals and then the nursing homes. They were my good friends and I miss them to this day.

The thing is, I still have a soft spot for the elderly and every time I see someone who looks like my grandfather, or parents, I start to tear up. Even now! I'm not going to reveal my age!

So, the other day at the cardiologist for me (I have SVT) the waiting room was filled with clones of my parents at their last visits, wheelchairs, walkers and oxygen bags. Needless to say, I couldn't stop the flow of tears running down my face. I wanted to hug them all and tell them I loved them! The receptionist asked if I was okay and I said yes, a little embarrassed and she understood. I made sure I said hello to most of them as I waited.  I can't tell you the look of appreciation they had that someone took the time to talk to them as a person. They are good people! May God Bless!