Year End!

Eleven days and counting until the cast comes off. I know it could be a lot worse, but I am not a good patient!

The good news is, I have to sit down and GASP! Work on my books!

Also good news is we were spared by the tornado's that ravaged Texas! However, the rain is unbelievable and our back yard is under water!

I have to laugh at the weather woman we always watch. Dallas has had over 60 inches of rain this year. As tall as a five foot person. And we're not done yet!

Wishing everyone a safe and Happy New Years!!!

Another Setback

I'm sorry to announce my manuscript, The Sin Bin, has been rejected by the second publisher.  The first editor rejected it because it wasn't Erotic or Amish genre. This publisher loved the concept but there were writing errors.

The editor gave me very good advice to correct the bad habits I've fallen into.

I have a tendency to tell rather than show situations. I also have used too many adverbs which made the manuscript way too long. Anything over 100,000 words is a flag to an editor that it's been over written.

I admit I felt crushed at first but then I felt a ray of hope. I sat down and opened up the document. Using the examples the editor had pointed out to me, I began my corrections, a paragraph at a time. Is there a more descriptive way to write this in less words? Do I really need that adverb?

It's a long tedious process, but I am determined to complete it and hopefully resubmit it.

This happened with my first book, When the Runway Went South. LazyDay told me what was wrong and I rewrote it and it was accepted. I hope this editor will do the same!

I've put my other two books aside for the moment so I can correct this one.

Things happen for a reason, I'm positive. Due to my broken ankle, I have time to sit down and complete this project.

Keeping Things in Perspective

Week two with the cast. I'm sorry I'm being such a big baby. There are people with worse problems so I must keep that in perspective!

So, on a brighter note, I've been really working on my writing! Since I can't properly work out and I can't drive, I sit at my makeshift office (the dining room and thank goodness no one is coming over for the holidays) and type away. It's quiet (with the exception of the twelve phone calls a day from telemarketers asking for the political polls) and I can concentrate.

I've done my Christmas cards and shopping, so this is perfect to get things done in the writing department.

Because of this, my daughter is exploring her culinary skills now she is responsible for making the dinner. My husband is helping out. Last week, I sent him to the grocery store and he came back with a two hundred dollar grocery bill with food that we don't usually eat.

This week, we went 'together' with my scooter and the bill was under one hundred dollars with food we do eat.

Because I can't use the stairs (because I'm a klutz), we now sit in  the same room and actually communicate with each other.

So, all in all, with the exception of a few things, this has been a positive situation!

Setback!

I don't know if you've been following, but the Saturday before Thanksgiving, I was on one of my power walks which I love to do because it's such a stress buster. Two blocks before home, I stepped on a pile of acorn nuts (we've had a ton this year) and when I came down, I slid and rolled my ankle. I didn't think much about it, thinking it was only a sprain. I could put my full weight on it and at least shuffle along. I could even wear low heels!

Come this Monday, I looked down on it and it really looked strange. It was swollen and if it was just a sprain, why wasn't it getting any better? I made an appointment with the doctor's office. I saw a Nurse Practitioner who thoroughly examined me and agreed something was not right. While having the x-ray, the tech confirmed it. My ankle was broken in two places. Here I've been walking on a broken ankle for ten days. Really?

They got me in immediately to the Orthopedic surgeon. Now, I have a non-walking cast on my right foot and will be wearing this for four weeks. I have to have an x-ray once a week to make sure it's healing properly. If not, they will re-break it and put in pins and rods. Let's pray it heals quickly.

You know, I'm an over achiever. I don't sit still for long periods of time and do everything for everyone. Do you know how hard it is to just sit here? Granted, now I have more time to write, but still. My mind is all over the board.

Oh, let me tell you about crutches? I am an exercise freak and consider myself pretty athletic. Nothing has prepared me for this. I've almost fallen more times than I can count and things you take for granted?  Showers? Sponge Baths. You can't carry things using crutches and no driving! Well.

I know it could be worse. I just read in the sports today where a Nascar driver is having surgery on his one leg and other foot. I just have to keep everything is perspective. I know.

I have my office set up downstairs in the rarely used dining room, so I can write. I pray for patience!

Perks of Being an Author

Gimpy here, reporting in! Yes, my ankle is still sprained and swollen but it is getting a little better. I am a bad patient. Let's face it. I can't sit still. Yes, I put up my holiday decorations. Yes, I vacuumed the house. Yes, I tried Black Friday shopping standing in long lines....

It was a productive time for me, I have to admit. I have written an outline for another manuscript but not sure which way I'm going to go with it. This makes three books I'm working on. When I tell people I'm an author, they open up to me and tell me the most amazing stories ever. There is so much life going on out there; some good, some bad.

The weather here in Texas is making me crazy. It's been raining for five straight days now. This is the wettest year in Texas, EVER! I can handle the clouds but I still need my sunshine! Now, they're saying maybe Monday afternoon.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Sunday Breakdowns

Sunday is not a day of rest in the Kasznia household. It is a day of appliance breakdowns. This house did inspire my first published book.

Of course, I'm upset about my ankle. Even though it happened a week ago, it does not feel any better and I'm tired of it. I think I'll break down and call the doctor. It's just that I've racked up so many medical bills this year with my SVT.

We drink boxed wine as well as bottles. Whoever opened the new Merlot box didn't close it properly so when we opened the door to get our orange juice, our fridge was soaking in Merlot. So, here at 7 in the morning, we're cleaning out the fridge. It did need it but I don't know about you, sometimes I need the right frame of mind to tackle a chore like that. I didn't have time to even think!

While doing that, the stone fell out of my earring. Thank goodness for Gorilla glue.

Why is is so cold in here? We did have our first freeze of the year. The downstairs heater isn't working. The upstairs is fine and our fireplace is working. Thinking of the cost to call on a Sunday warrants us to wear sweatshirts and call on Monday. All before noon!

Other than life, I have been writing on my two books while still waiting word on my submission of my seventh book. The thing is, even more characters are making their appearances as I write. It's becoming a really funny story! Can't wait to see how it ends.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

NFL Sunday!

I feel badly because a lot of folks have been asking about when my next book is coming out. I do not know! As soon as it does, I will let you know. No, I haven't given up on writing, even though I have suffered some discouragement. I have so many stories in my head, I can't help but put them down on paper!

As you know (or can figure out), sports are a big deal with me. Every time my NFL team plays, we go to a sports bar to watch. Since moving to Texas, we've found one that we like and patronize. However, over the six years we've been here, opposing team fans have not been very unsportsmanlike. Our team rivals, even thought we're not playing against each other, are really rude. Our rivals have adopted this place as theirs, making it very uncomfortable to visit. We've been crowded out to only one table and television (which has no sound) as their numbers have grown. Even the waitress staff have reduced us to second place. Apparently, our money is the wrong shade of green....

Today, we are trying a new bar. It's really a restaurant where people go for lunch after church, so you have to watch your language and not curse at a bad call. But, I think it's better then the treatment we have been receiving....

My prayers are sent to Paris...

Hazards of This Author

I tell you! What is one of the worst fears for me? When my computer doesn't work. Yes, I have backed up all of my books and important information, but still. The heart wrenching feeling when you press the on button and NOTHING HAPPENS!!!

You have to understand, I go through laptops like water. I don't know what it is about me. I am on my fifth laptop in less than six years. My husband still has his desk top from 2001!

When I decided to devote myself to a career as an author, I mentally prepared myself for rejections, totally rewritten manuscripts, mental blackouts and have learned how to deal with bad reviews, but I didn't realize the impact of not having a computer can do to you.

The sad thing is, in a prior life, I used to work as a Help Desk Assistant for three years. I know what kind of trouble can lurk out there if you're not careful. With this last laptop, I made sure it was for writing and checking emails only. I don't play games on it and I don't subscribe to any lewd webpages. I write and I promote my work via social media. That is it.

So who knew I could pick up Malware from Facebook, even though I have McAfee? Well, I did.

It was suggested by Office Max that I install Malware Bytes. I did and I thought I had the problem fixed. Nope. I turned on my laptop and it read: Your compute is at risk!" from McAfee. I tried running a scan and it wouldn't work. In the meantime, I kept getting messages from Malware Bytes that my trial subscription was about to expire. It did.

I dug into my files and found the original paper work for McAfee and mentally prepared myself to uninstall it and then go to my online account to reinstall it. For a fleeting moment, I thought I better uninstall Malware Bytes since I didn't want to purchase it. I did and lo and behold, McAfee worked! Apparently, they were in contention with each other. I ran a full scan and am a happy camper.

This morning, I made an English Muffin for breakfast. It was kind of crumbly and a huge chunk of it fell into the bottom of the toaster. (The toaster belonged to my mother in law who passed away almost eleven years ago.) It's a four slice which comes in handy when making breakfast for company. I carefully unplugged it and shook it into the garbage can but there was still this little piece wedged underneath a wire. I jigged it carefully with a knife and the piece fell out. Feeling triumphant, I put the remaining muffin in, plugged it in and turned it on. PHZZZZT! Now only one side of the toaster works.

Maybe I shouldn't touch anything else for the rest of the day...

Hope everyone had a good week!

It was my birthday week and I didn't get very much accomplished with my writing. I had a good day on Monday, Tuesday and Friday, but the other days were pretty much shot. I'm not really pleased where my characters took me on Friday and may have some discussions with them. This is suppose to be a comedy and it took a turn to the dark side. Maybe the weather had something to do with it since it rained here and we received an additional 5 inches from the 9 inches we had last weekend!

Halloween turned out well and we went through all of our candy. I did sneak in a bite size Butter Finger....something I haven't had in ages. Tasted really good, but one bite was enough!

Back to my author career. I have some major decisions to make and a great deal of investigative work to be done. Nothing is ever easy, is it?

Please pray for Beau. He is my friend's five year old kitty who is having some major health issues. He is very special and needs all the prayers he can get!

Waiting is Hard

I don't care how old I get but it will never stop. Waiting is the hardest part for me. My soul is saying to be patient and things will work out for the best. It might not be according to my plan but to remember, I'm not the only one in the universe!

To all my followers, I thank you very much for reading my books. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. If you liked the first one, I think you'll like the others! I feel my writing has improved since the first one due to the wonderful editors who have helped me along the way!

Now to the rain! Can you believe it? We've had fifteen inches of rain in the spring, then fell into another drought. All of were thinking, 'here we go again', and bam! We here only got around eight to nine inches but our poor neighbors to the south of Dallas were inundated with up to twenty plus inches. Now they're forecasting another round for next weekend.

Sending prayers to my friend, Barbara Huffert. Beau, her beautiful cat of five years, is under the weather and needs all the help he can get! Cutest little guy!

Learning Lessons in Life (Whether you want to or not!)

It has been a hectic week! I've had ups and downs and still have to work hard. I want to thank the RWA staff in guiding me out of an uncomfortable situation and making suggestions to further my writing career. Kudos!

The good news is my books are selling but sales have been disappointing with Not Just an Act and For the Love of  Par. I need to find a way to boost them and am exploring options.

I always try to see the good in people and that's my downfall. I don't want to be cynical but I can't help it at times. What is with people?

Example: Here in Texas, we have a chain of super gas stations such as Loves and Buckee's. I've never been to Buckee's and my husband decided to stop for gas.

Being curious, I decided to scope it out while he filled up. I left my cell phone in the car not thinking I would need it. This place is like a super WalMart for Truckers! Goodness! I used the bathroom and went outside to the gas pumps, thinking my husband was still there. He wasn't. I couldn't find him or the car anywhere. I waited outside the front for about fifteen minutes and yes, I started to panic. There was a woman, a mom, dressed in Baylor jersey with about five teenage girls, snapping their photos in front of the Buckee's Beaver statue. They were taking their time, giggling over the pictures. I wanted to ask if I could use her cell phone to call my husband. I explained the situation to her and she just walked away and said she was too busy. I almost cried and cursed her, but I kept the Sicilian in me quiet.

I'm only five foot tall and was dressed nicely. I wasn't going to rob her; I needed help. If the roles were reversed, I would've helped.

Fortunately, I spotted our car out of about eight hundred vehicles and ran to get my phone out. Sure enough, there was a text from him saying he was looking for me inside the store. When we hooked up, he told me never to go anywhere with out my phone and not to trust people. Be resourceful, he told me. Sad, isn't it?

Dilemma

Football season! Monica, my website designer, has a daughter on the drill team of our local high school. They are hosting a craft fair today and I promised I would drop on by to see what they had. Goodness! They had almost everything. The big thing down here is home made wreaths for your front door. Most of them were sports themes with the local high school and Texas college teams. Yes, football is really big down here! They were so pretty, I'd be afraid that somebody would steal them. They were not cheap either!

Back to being an author/writing experiences. I'm in the early stages of my career as an author. Yes, I did get a late start but writing soothes me. It's like playing the piano. Learning a new story and getting all the parts correct, so when it is read, it will be beautiful.

Just like music, your work is not liked by all. I get that and the only time it bothers me is when the criticism is negative just to say something mean. The more I read, I can tell by other authors they feel the same way. They have characters who are authors and you can tell they are speaking from their own experiences.

What really hurts is when you publisher seems to have given up on you. How do you fix that?

Keeping It All In Perspective

This is the first time in my life, that I'm writing two books at a time. It is really hard to keep your characters straight. I mean, one day, I want to focus on the drag racing heroine but the cruise ship heroine keeps popping up.  And vice versa.

So, I lock myself into a room, only to be interrupted by life. Cars not working, phone calls from long lost friends, dishwasher disconnecting from the housing unit, house plants who decide to uproot over night spilling all over the beige carpet. (No, don't have any pets, darn it.) Loved ones going through difficult times who need to talk.

Waiting to see if my next manuscript has passed the test, waiting for overdue royalty statements. Feeling pretty stressed out. But then I hear about my dear friend who is going through something ten times worse then me. It keeps me humble.

Sports Sunday!

Another Sunday filled with the NFL! Yahoo! Oh, wait! There's golf on as well. I am a team Jordan follower! I think he is an amazing athlete!

And don't forget Hockey starts soon as well!

No wonder I write books about sports since it's on our television 24/7!

Who is going to watch the eclipse tonight? I am! I should take a nap since my characters from the book I'm working on, kept me up all night. I swear, the night is when my mind is the most active.

I've had a not so nice week. In the sense, I've been lied to. You would think with my life experiences, I would not be so naïve, but I trust people really have good intentions. I'm crushed when they don't.

To cheer me up, we watched Hotel Transylvania and it improved my mood tremendously. Blah, Blah, Blah!

Believe in Yourself!

Another football season is underway and my team lost their first game. Ugh!
More time to write....

I have had a minor set back in my writing career but instead of feeling sorry for myself, (which I did for a couple of days, I admit), I decided to put my big girl pants on and to keep on writing.
I think what hurts the most is when people email me and ask when my next book is coming out. It's something I have no control over at this point in time.

But now, I am between two manuscripts and having the time of my life. Don't ever give up!

Reviews

http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/beta-reader-etiquette/

I am posting this as an article for people to take note.

As a writer, I try to perfect my work as best as I can. I can't tell you how many times I reread what I've written to make sure I'm getting what I want to say, across to my readers. I have other people review it even before I submit it to my editor for a hopeful acceptance on their part.

Even after one of my manuscripts has been accepted, I appreciate what the editor has to say. Especially when they make a suggestion constructively and in a positive manner. I feel they know what they're talking about and I will gladly change what they feel should be changed.

There is only one manuscript I've written in which it was suggested I change, but morally I couldn't do it. It is unpublished as of now.

When Flag on the Play was being edited, I had several people review it. I can't tell you how pleased I was when the editor said, 'good job,' or it would sound better if you explained it this way.' Sure! Not a problem!

I've received editors who have said, 'this character is too mean. No one is like that.' Um. Have you met my husband's aunt? But I changed it anyway. I felt she knew what works to sell your book.

We work long and hard with our editors to make a finished product. We can't please everyone and understand that point. When I read my reviews (which is really hard), I take notice of what the negative comments say. 'This plot was all over the place.' Why did you think so? 'This was boring, I couldn't finish it.' Why did you think it was boring? What were you looking for?

I think it's me. When I get down, I have a tendency to read other authors work and I find solace that they suffer as I do. So much, when they write one of their characters as an author who receives bad reviews, the truth is told. It's not just me.

As an example, one of my many favorite authors is Sandra Brown. When I moved to Texas (where she's from), I had never heard of her. I went to the library and devoured everything she had written. There was only one story I didn't care for but it was a different genre she had tried. But I didn't write a scathing review. As an author, she is entitled to try different genres.

Imagine my surprise, just last week in The Dallas Morning News Sunday edition, the reviewer just ripped her newest work apart. The reviewer said it was so boring and predictable. It was as if  Ms. Brown just took a formula from her past books and blah, blah, blah. Was that necessary? I didn't find this very constructive.

As I work on my two manuscripts, side by side, I remember what my negative critics say. I try not to have the plot all over the place and I try not to make it too boring and I try not to make the characters so mean (you really do have to meet this aunt) in order to make it a better story for you to enjoy. Isn't that what you want to read?

I am really excited! With the help of Monica, I was able to update my website! Thanks!

Also, I have another challenge I am pursuing for my next manuscript. Yes, I am still working on my drag racing romance but a fellow author challenged me to write something different. I am already deep into it and will let you know how it is progressing.

This Labor Day weekend has been fun so far. Yes, I started off with much needed lawn work, followed by being taken out to lunch; selecting dinner to grill and lots of swimming! Dinner was totally yummy and so has been the 'sleeping in.'

I am also doing a lot of reading. Right now I am totally into Lis Wiehl with April Henry. Good stuff!

Stay True to Yourself

August has not been kind to me, but I'm tough, right?

I went to an all girls' Catholic High School and a Catholic Junior College before I went on to get my masters degree in Music Education. My grades were not really that good, but I plugged away. I will tell you why. The nuns that I had as teachers were the best at helping you reach your potential. Yes, they were tough and I got angry at them when I felt they pushed me too hard but at the end? It was worth it. My piano teacher, my vocal instructor and the principal were behind me 100%!

One of my hardest subjects was Journalism. I remember my teacher's name. Sister Victorine. She would give me C's on my papers. We had to write about a variety of subjects. I wrote to get good grades. Finally, she told me the secret. Stay true to yourself. When I discovered my voice, my grades improved dramatically.

I had to make a very hard decision this week and it had to be one of the hardest things I had to do, but it wouldn't be me.  Thank you, Sister V!

Busy Writing

Busy working on my next book. Watching lots of Funny Car qualifying and eliminations. I'm hooked!

Still no word about The Sin Bin, my romantic comedy about hockey. Waiting is so hard.

Yay! School starts tomorrow. The library will be quiet again!

Sequel to When the Runway Went South

This week of my life reverts back to this book. What else can go wrong with things in our house? I'm afraid to ask. My husbands wants to stick a "For Sale" sign in the front yard and use the clause, 'as is'.

I ask myself if we are the only other home owners who have problems?

So far this year, money wise, has been the pool. I love my pool, but what a money pit! New pump, new O-rings, the Polaris gone wild, you name it. And that's just the motors! The surface needs to be redone and the pool's interior needs fixing.

Stopped up sinks to the tune of $250. Ouch!

Landscaping - previous owners planted trees outside our bedroom windows for privacy and noise reduction because this room does face the street. Guess what? One half of it's dying and we pay for grass, tree and shrub treatment.

Our rose bushes of six years have caught a disease and they're all dying.

Our fence sorely needs to be replaced.

The ceiling in the master bath over the window needs to be fixed from some water damage from the 'historic' rain fall we experienced this spring.

And just when I thought that was it, the garage door is not working.

Dealing with service men here in Texas is a nightmare. Not only do they cost and arm and a leg, they're always trying to sell you service contracts. Yes, they advertise coupons for $50 off repair services but then turn around and charge you a fortune for the service call.

My week ahead, as I'm trying to write my next book, is dealing with all of this.. ugh!

Maybe I will have a sequel to When the Runway Went South!

www.loiskasznia.com

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

I don't know if you have been following, but I have a new website! www.loiskasznia.com, designed by Monica Dyess. I think she did a fantastic job!

Part of the old systems person I used to be, I do want to be able to update certain pages of it such as my blog and books I'm currently reading. Monica has been kind enough to teach me some basics to do so.

Since I assisted in the Help Desk area of Dimensions, back in Reading, PA, I used to love trying to solve computer problems and learn new things. The downside of the job was the temperament of the VP's who would carry on like crazy if they had computer problems and they wanted it fixed RIGHT NOW! The rest of the employees were so much more understanding when their computers acted up.

Therefore, when we moved to Dallas, I kind of shunned away from computer related issues and concentrated on my writing. When my laptop crashed in the middle of writing Not Just an Act, I was forced to learn Windows 8.1 with the purchase of a new laptop. I know just enough to get by but not like I knew Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7!

Please check it out and let me know what you think!

Stimulating My Brain!

As an author, I do need my alone time with my characters to tell me what to write. I told you last week how busy my family has been with vacation and playing catch up.

I finally got a breather this Friday and it was wonderful. I was able to devote over eight hours of uninterrupted quality time with my new work in progress!

Of course, that all changes with the weekend. Mowing, gardening, house chores and more parties. Taking this Sunday to do what I want. Read some of my favorite authors work and keep up with my writing skills! I call it a Brain Refresh!

Travel Nightmare!

I need to vent about our weekend. Sometimes, the airlines drive me crazy!

My husband is a frequent traveler and has been this way for over 22 years. He has accrued countless air miles along with experiences which have taught him what to avoid.

We attended his high school reunion in Chicago over the weekend. We had a split flight. We flew from DFW to Kansas City, then Kansas City to Chicago.

When we arrived in Chicago, our one checked bag was not in the baggage area. We filed a report on the missing bag and went to our hotel with the instructions the bag be delivered there.

Being seasoned travelers, we knew to pack essentials in our carry on bag, so we were good for the night, but visions of running to the closest mall to pickup clothes were daunting. I am petite and have problems finding clothes, where my husband is a tall man and suffers from the same thing.

Fortunately, our luggage arrived at 7 am, the next morning and things were fine.

Coming back on Monday, THE SAME THING HAPPENED! We checked our luggage at O'Hare on Flight 1046, to arrive at Dallas at 12:50 at Terminal C. Lo and behold, our luggage was not there. The baggage CSR checked to find that our bag had been put on Flight 2312, WITHOUT OUR KNOWLEDGE and was waiting for us in Terminal A.

I don't know if anyone is familiar with DFW airport. It's huge. No one offered to get the bag for us. We were told to take the bus from C to A to pick up our bag. We waited for 40 minutes for a bus to come, in the 105 heat. Driver's excuse was that there were new drivers on the shift.

Put my writing skills to a test...how to complain effectively to get the desired results.

Only good news is? I've come up with another story for my books...

Branson, MO

This has been a world wind of a summer so far and it's not over yet!

Let's see...went to a destination wedding; went to a mechanical bull riding party, had company over the 4th of July, submitted my hockey romance, The Sin Bin, (no word from the publisher whether or not they accepted it) and went to Branson, MO.

Which is why I posted my Not Just an Act, which is based in Branson. We did things we haven't done from the last time we were there. We saw the other side of Branson which doesn't have the shows; it's where people really live. It is truly beautiful country with Table Rock Lake and the surrounding communities. And the boats? Whoa! I think that some of them cost more than the houses!

We had family with us and thanks to my brother in law, Dan, I now have a solid idea for my next book. The characters are really speaking to me. I need to buckle down and get busy!

Oh and the other thing? I passed driving my husband's new car test with flying colors! Doesn't mean I want to drive it. I'm still very attached to mine!

Milestones

It's done! I submitted my hockey romance to Lazy Day/Blushing Books! I hope they enjoy it as much as I had fun writing it!

My website is almost done! I will let you know when it's ready.

Now on to my next manuscript....

Relax? Ha!

Almost There!

What a great time with some really good friends on the Fourth of July! Thank you so much!!

This has been a really busy week for me and it looks like the coming week will be the same. Why, you ask?

I am determined to submit my book to my publisher this week. This means perfecting it as much as I can; writing my blurb to entice readers and finally building my web site with my awesome web designer. The folks I use to read my manuscript have been busy with their red pens and 'suggestions' which will make it a better story.

So, if I am quiet, you will know why!

Oh, did I mention the party we will host on Saturday for my husband's co-workers? Yup! I will be a bundle of nerves so keep the wine flowing.....

Author Dilemmas

As I said last week, I finally finished the first draft of my next Romantic Comedy. It's been a long time in the making due to lots of interruptions, but whew! I have distributed it for comments and corrections and am waiting for feedback before submitting it to the publisher.

This is my story and I write what I feel. Does it sell? I really don't know how well. I know my friends have bought my books and they are very honest about their feedback. A few of them have admitted that no. It's not their cup of tea and I understand completely. Then I have others who tell me how much they enjoy them and can't wait for the next one.

If they are not selling well, is it because I'm not advertising them enough? I have a professional Facebook page (Lois L Kasznia) and am on Twitter (LoisKasznia). I have this blog and am now creating a web page with the help of a professional. I have taken an ad out for the online Affaire de Couer July/August magazine to promote my work. I am also a member of Romance Writers of America.

My publisher, Blushing Books/Lazy Day promote all of their authors and do not single one out from the other. They advertise in the RWA magazine and are quite active in the writing community. They host seminars to attend but for me, it is a dilemma to attend them. I do not make enough money off of my books to pay for an airline ticket plus hotel costs, to attend them.

I have started a savings plan to remedy this problem but I wonder if other authors suffer from the same dilemma.

Another question I pose is my stories. They no longer fit into the direction of the company and I find myself in the middle. I do not write Erotica nor religious stories but I do write Happy Ever After stories about people who make mistakes and correct them. Maybe its because I always seem to see the good in people and believe that they can change for the better. Speaking of change; do I change my style?

Back to Writing!

These last two weeks have been very hectic! First off, I went on a Disney Cruise to the Bahamas for a destination wedding. It was only four days, but they were action packed. My mistake was trying to keep up with the younger generation, even though I don't think of myself as being old.

The week before the cruise, I spent time preparing for the trip; packing, cleaning, holding mail and the paper delivery. Oh, and what about my writing? I had to squeeze that in when I could.

When I got back, there were a deluge of appointments for repair and doctors but I did manage to finish the first draft of my upcoming book. I also made an appointment to meet with a webpage developer to help promote my books.

Back to the wedding. It was fantastic. The bride and groom saw to every detail and I have nothing but high praise for them. When we arrived at Orlando, I saw this gigantic cruise ship, with tons of kids running around and I said to myself...uh oh. Don't get me wrong, I love kids, but it's been a while since I've been around so many youngsters.

However, due to the wedding, every moment had been planned out and the ship did offer adult only areas. But I am always very aware of my surroundings and I now have lots of material for future books.

The flooding in our area of Texas has been of great magnitude but I feel blessed that our damage is minimal to what some others have experienced. It is true when they say, everything is bigger in Texas.

It feels good to be back to normal and will concentrate on the second draft of the book!

Entering the Home Stretch

I'm down to the last chapters of the book I'm working on. It is so frustrating because there is so much going on in my life, I really am struggling to find time to actually finish it.

We are going to be attending a wedding on a Disney Cruise which goes to the Bahamas. Very excited because we are so happy for the bride and groom in addition to going on a cruise again. It is a packed four day period and the preparation for it has so many details. I've tried to ignore it by burying my head in my work but I've been called out by my husband to get my act together. Argh!

What else has happened this week...our 28 year old patio glass table shattered into a zillion pieces. They no longer carry the model and to replace the glass costs more than what the table is worth. Way to start out the summer.

The booster pump to our pool burned out. You knew it was waiting just when the water turned warm enough for swimming.

Someone is pirating my books...

Not very considerate neighbors...

And it's summer...everything here is under construction. It takes three times as long to get anywhere! Great planning by the engineers!

Ready for Summer?

Last day of May! And what a wet one for Texas! We finally have a dry day and it looks like it will be that way for a whole week!

As an author, trying to get writing time in a busy schedule can be challenging, that's for sure. I try to make time almost every day, but life comes along and shoots all plans down the drain.

A good example occurred this week where I had warned my family...Leave me alone! I retreated into my writing cave and wrote for hours. However, when I went to bed that very night, my subconscious, or should I say, my characters spoke to me and complained they didn't like the direction of the plot. I woke up at three in the morning and agreed with them.

The next morning, I ended up rewriting everything to correct the plot. This is supposed to be a comical book about life and love and what I had written appeared too maudlin. I didn't want to go in that direction. I'm taking today off to clear my head (so I say now). Who knows while I'm catching up on my outdoor planting if one of my characters starts speaking to me again. In that case it's back to the writing cave.

Memorial Day vs Finishing Writing

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! Thanks to all who have served our country.
We have had quite the weather pattern here in North Texas. It has rained almost every single day for three weeks. We are water logged! This rain is of gigantic proportions. I know other places are even worse than us, but still! This morning, our pool was under six inches of water. I had to backwash it and since I'm the only one who knows how to do this in this household, just let me tell you. Family members got a lesson this morning. Oh? The mosquitos are terrible out there too!

Back to the book. I really didn't get to spend the time I wanted to and am really frustrated. I wish I could just lock myself away in a room for hours on end, but that's a fantasy, right? I love my life, don't get me wrong, but there is always something which comes up and I have to set my writing aside. Darn!

Putting a book together takes a great deal of concentration and effort. As an author, you strive to give it all you've got. Unfortunately, I'm a perfectionist. I keep changing things around, knowing it could be better. This is what I'm trying to achieve with this next story.

I read a really good book while running errands. (Could you tell there was an auto repair in my days?) The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner. Highly recommend this for aspiring authors who get frustrated when people change your story. Very good!

When it's done, I hope all y'all will like it!

Time Tables vs Life

I am jealous about the Romantic Times convention being held here in Dallas. I didn't know about it until it was too late and I missed the registration. I will keep my eyes peeled for next year. I would've loved to meet the authors who attended since they all have inspired me in my career. Next time.

I am working on my next book and am close to ending the story. My process is; I write freely until my back hurts and I need to stop. I then review what I've wrote; make changes and then come up with an ending. I then review my changes and if it's flat. I rework scenes or sometimes during the middle of the night, I come up with something that would benefit this story. When I'm satisfied with it, I will submit it to my editor. However, with this story, I'm struggling for a title. All of my others, it was the title came first and then the story.

I feel that I'm a very organized person. I give myself a time table of when I want things done, especially with my writing. The problem is that life doesn't always go along with my time table. Surgeries, car problems, weather (losing electricity) and little things like that seem to disrupt, but the upside is I have more experiences to write about!

And have I mentioned the floods in Texas this year? Yikes! I need an ark!

Cats versus Dogs

Happy Mothers' Day to all the moms around the world!

I'm 'cat sitting' for the next couple of days while my girlfriend and her family go on a cruise. I've watched these cats before and they know who I am. I'm the one who feeds them. They no longer run away from me because I'm a stranger. As a matter of fact, every time I go to the house, the cats immediately go their food bowls waiting for Lois to feed them!

I go twice a day. At seven in the morning and around five at night. That has been their schedule their entire lives. (Well, not really. My friend gets up at four to feed them and then goes back to bed, but there's no way in hell I'm going to do that so seven it is.)

The reason I bring this up is because my husband is not the animal lover that I am. We had our dog for thirteen years, so he is aware of the care needed for a pet. But, he's never had or liked cats before. When I leave to take care of them, he rolls his eyes as if to say, "I can't believe you're doing this." But he doesn't say it, but I know!!!

We are having some major storms in Texas today. We're flooding like crazy with lightning, thunder and funnel clouds. On Mother's Day, I dragged myself out of bed and drove through the flooded streets to feed the cats. It was really bad out there and I was scared. Fortunately, there was hardly anyone on the road. The cats rubbed along my feet while I prepared their meals. When they were done eating, as only cats do, I was dismissed.

I left and it looked better. I went home a different route, where I know the streets have a better drainage system. When I got home, my husband was waiting in the garage, glaring at me. He was livid! He heard me leave and got up and turned on the news to watch the weather. A funnel cloud had been spotted about five miles from my friend's house, didn't I know that?? Uh, no. There's storms all around us. I tried to explain that these kitties needed to eat. They've known this routine since they were young and both have sensitive stomachs. Once again I was treated with the eye roll.

Let's just say, but husband doesn't get cats...

Meet the Author

I did it! I had my first book signing of my life and I survived. Okay, I'm exaggerating a little. It was a Meet the Authors night at a local wine shop trying to support the town's authors. I liked it because it was small and intimate. There was free wine plus appetizers provided by a chef, who too, is trying to promote his cookbook.

My friends and neighbors were there as well to lend me support. I don't think I sold many books, but it was the exposure and experience that counted. I have spoken with our local Barnes and Noble and they said they too, support local authors. The lady I was to talk to had called in sick that day, so I will return on Wednesday to set up a time.

The other nice experience was to meet other authors and discuss our publishers and the editing process. It felt good to know my experiences were similar to theirs. We all agreed about reviews; a necessary evil. It still hurts when someone says something very unkind. I know I've had my share. One of the authors, whose genre is Science Fiction/Fantasy, said she had someone say to her..."Horrible plot and storyline. You need new drugs." But, what are you going to do? You need to have some pretty thick skin in this line of work!

Don't forget to follow me on Facebook at Lois L Kasznia

Weather in Texas Can Get Kind of Scary....

Released on 4/22! Don't forget to check it out!!

This has been a crazy week in Dallas as far as the weather is concerned. We've had so many severe storms these last two weeks, it's been crazy!

I grew up in the Midwest in Springfield, Il which I call tornado alley. I was used to going into the basement plenty of times the minute we heard of an upcoming storm on the transistor radio because we had lost power.

When we lived in Sinking Spring, PA, tornados were not that common and I loved watching the storms advance. We lived on a higher elevation of a mountain and would stand on our deck and watch the storms without any fear of being hit. Once, are a/c unit was struck by lightning but that was about it.

Fast forward to Texas, the land of no basements and fast and furious storms. We have a closet underneath our staircase where we hang out when there is a tornado approaching. That's it.  The realtor called it a 'fraidy hole'. (For those of you who have read my first book, When the Runway West South, it is a fairly true story!)

Our first year down here, we witnessed a tornado touch down on the ranch behind our house. The ranch has two resident donkeys; George and Penelope. At first, we couldn't understand why they were running around like crazy until we saw the tornado touch down briefly not far away from them. We ran into our closet and waited. We felt the house shake like crazy and wondered what was happening outside. We heard the rain pound on our windows and prayed they didn't shatter. Minutes later, it was over. We came out of the closet (no pun intended) and saw the damage. Our fence was down, our patio furniture and our landscaping was in the pool and felt we had really bad luck.

It was only when we ventured out where we saw the funnel had touched down only yards away from a daycare, uprooting a tree, missing the daycare by mere feet, we then knew we were lucky. This was in 2009.

In 2011, another stormy spring season. This time it was hail. I'd never seen anything like it. It didn't rain, it hailed. Golf ball sized hail for a good ten minutes. When we ventured out, our roof had been pummeled, our patio furniture shredded, our screens on our windows shredded and out a/c unit demolished. I am now petrified of storms. This is so not me who loves adventure but honest to God, I've been scared!

In 2012, my husband's car was pummeled by hail. He works in another city in the Dallas area and his office is in a one story building, like a warehouse. They have no place to go when bad weather comes along, so they've made a deal with a nearby hotel. They still have to park in the open, but the employees can go to an inside meeting room to provide shelter. Everyone's car was totaled, except ours. (It's an old car and we wanted it to be declared totaled. They repaired it and it looked brand new.) One of his coworkers, who has three young children rides around in her SUV with bicycle helmets for her three children as well as one for herself in case of hail!

Then, for the last couple of years, we've been in a drought. I tell you, not any more! I've prepared my 'fraidy hole for this upcoming season with fresh water, a battery operated radio and a flashlight. I remind you, this is a closet which can barely fit three people comfortably. The last time we used it, we started to drag other things in with us. Laptops, autographed pictures, collections of various items; it became a tight squeeze!

So when you hear about severe weather in the Dallas area, you know where you'll find me...and then another plot is born based upon a true story!

Careers

Don't forget the date! April 23, 2015!!

In the paper this week, there was an article about how seniors are trying to re invent themselves, once they've retired. It listed a number of men and women who have turned to writing, opening up their own business and volunteering.

So, I asked myself; are you ahead of your time or what? Let's just see...First off, I'm not really a senior, yet. I'm getting up there in years, but I don't look or feel my age and consider myself young at heart.

I graduated from the University of Illinois with a Masters in Music Education degree only to discover I was not really cut out to be a teacher. Especially Music where you ended up with close to three hundred students in one class for choir.

Next!

A claims examiner for Medicare which escalated in a career as a Supervisor at Blue Cross Blue Shield. There, I was introduced to programming and absolutely fell in love with it. It was like my Music Theory classes trying to make things fit to make things work smoothly. Kind of like a masterpiece.

Next!

Due to my husband's career, we moved to Pennsylvania. Didn't quite fit in 'career wise' with programming. With job applications when asked about computer knowledge, all they asked about was how fast could I type? Fortunately I was able to work from home with my Chicago based company. When they closed down, I was at a loss of what to do.

I took a stab and wrote two manuscripts that were rejected immediately. Dejected, I took on a job with IT but as technology progresses, my skills were out of date. This job helped me update them which I will forever be thankful for.

Next!

Moved to the Dallas area where IT workers were a dime a dozen and my resume was one of thousands. Trying to find a job and dealing with the Money Pit of a house, I had my hands full. I documented everything wrong with the house in an Excel spreadsheet and hence; When the Runway Went South was born.

I can't thank my editor, Staci, enough for giving me a chance and everything she has taught me. I still have a lot to learn.

So, this is my fourth career because you see, I'm not retired. There is too much going on in life to sit still.

Interecepted's Release on 4/23/2015

Cover Art for my new release on 4/23/2015!! Awesome!

I think one of the hardest things for an author is to get themselves marketed. I know the publisher helps, but you, as an author, have to do some work too. It's only taken me six books to realize it.

Flag on the Play was one of my most popular books and my editor, Staci, recognized it immediately. She promoted it to friends and peers and the sales took off.

Not so much of Not Just an Act or For the Love of Par. From my fans, I've received positive feedback on both of them, but not from the general public. There weren't any bad reviews, they're just not selling.

I am taking action.  With a nudge from editor Staci, and my author friend, Barbara Huffert , who kindly sent me this article to help market your book and I'm taking it seriously.

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are good social venues. I am on Facebook personally but Twitter is all for my books. I need to set up an Official Facebook page to promote my works. I need to set up an Instagram account.

GoodReads is a great place as well. I get event requests all the time, so I need to learn how to set up an event for each release. Is it hard? Sometimes I feel like a media misfit when it comes to tasks such as these.

I have also signed up for Meet the Author at a local place of business and our local Barnes and Noble. I have eBooks and the Office Manager at Blushing Books advised me to use post cards for me to distribute and sign. I ordered business cards too. I haven't had a business card since 2000!

My husband's company has tons of graphic artists and I asked one of them to design a collage for me using all of my book covers. It really turned out awesome and I will share with you very soon!

Writing is easy compared to Marketing, but I must do it if I want to succeed!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

Golf season is heating up!! I watched the ladies play yesterday and want to thank them for the inspiration for this book!

Enjoy!

A Day in the Life of Lois

Where does inspiration come from? For me, it's my everyday life experiences. My relatives give me plenty of ammunition that's for sure; god mother's slapping the bride to be at her bridal shower; another daughter throwing the bridal shower cake in the mother's face, again at the shower. These are true stories that I did not make up. I could go on....but then it would take the fun out of my next book.

I know this sounds inane, but for those of you who do get pedicures; has this ever happened to you? I've been in Texas now for six years. My stylist warned me about health issues at nail salons and I take her advice very seriously since I don't want to get nail fungus. Here's what happened.

I've been going to the recommended nail salon and the owner/manager speaks limited English. She understands what you say but her response is limited. I get it. I can't understand a word of Vietnamese, so I give her credit.

First appointment, I'm pleased. However when I go to pay, she points to the sign which says, "Cash preferred." Even though it's advertised they accept Visa and Master Card...oh well.

The next several appointments go well. I come with cash, but learn the manager gets the tips. No cash to the girls who have worked on me. Okay....

Last appointment (do you notice how I say 'appointment' and not 'walk in'?) It's for 10:00. A mother brought in her four pre teen daughters as walk ins about ten minutes before ten. This took up the entire nail staff. I waited twenty minutes before she filled up the spa. I should've walked out, but I really needed my nails done. Twenty minutes later, I was serviced. The manager then 'played nice' to me by sitting down and talking to me. I felt a little uncomfortable but just played along. In my mind, I'm thinking, she knows that I am on to her. The price of five versus just one pedicure. The tip is not going to be that much.

I go to pay with cash giving her a ten and a twenty, expecting five dollars cash back. She slams the register door shut and says, "We're even. My girls get five dollar tip!" And she walks away to answer her phone.  I was stunned! I tried to follow her but to no avail.

Do things like this happen to you? Why me?

Getting Even...

Getting excited! I just received the final draft for my upcoming book, Intercepted, from my editor! The tentative release date is April 22, 2015. I will let you all know if it changes.

This has been a real hectic year so far for me! I need to learn how to take deep breaths before I tackle things. I do find now that I'm older, I don't tolerate being taken advantage of lately. I used to go home and beat myself up if something happened but not anymore.

Yes, I let the offender have it yesterday. I might be petite, but don't mess with me. Yes, you did offer me something as a compromise and you had to send in the biggest person you employed to deal with me...so what? My husband is six foot five and I've dealt with big people for half my life, so you don't scare me!

What you fail to realize, I am still going to write your boss....so beware! Never mess with an angry woman!!

Getting there....

What a week!

Now that I'm feeling about 90% better (it's true, I don't know how to relax), I have run non-stop this week.

I don't know about you, but have you seen a hospital bill lately? I know when my parents were going through the last stages of their lives in 2007 and 2008, I reviewed them and thought they were astronomical. Well let me tell you, they were peanuts compared to my one night stay in the hospital. I requested a copy of my bill so I can forward it to AFLAC, our supplemental insurance. It almost stopped by heart! And that doesn't even include the surgery and the ancillary charges. I'm broke! Insurance covers the majority of it but with the higher deductibles and co insurance? I'm going to be eating a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a while!

Better news; someone recommended Play for Me for the library book club for next year. Thank you very much! Only drawback, is that currently, it's only in eBook format and not all of the members have a Kindle or a Nook. The librarian wants me to find out if I can get some copies to give to the library.

Next, a local wine shop is hosting a Writers & Wine event on April 30th of this year. It's a chance to sell and promote your books. I have signed up to participate. I used bookmarks to promote When the Runway Went South and I don't know if it was very effective. I am looking to print out business cards and postcards of my books. My creative side lives in my writing, not art. I am going to tap some resources to see if they can help me out.

I just want to thank all of you who support me. I can't tell you how much I really appreciate it!

I Survived!

I survived! I am now SVT - free! I just have to tell you about the surgery because I felt like I was in a hospital of the future.

They put me on a special magnetic table where I was hooked up with magnets on my heart to simulate the electrical system of the heart. Then there was a very large computer screen that showed a three dimensional display of my heart.

I was given gas for the procedure because I'm so hyper, I needed to be knocked out. However, I wasn't totally knocked out when they were trying to locate the errant tissue. Within ten  minutes in, the surgeon found it immediately. Of course I looked at my heart. I could see the blood running through the chambers of my heart in a fast moving red stream. Sure enough, there were tissues that stood straight up during the flow, literally knocking things out of place.

Then I was heavily sedated while they cauterized those tissues. Don't remember any of that. I had to lie still for six hours and then they kept me overnight for observation. Let it be told, you never get rest at the hospital. I guess it's okay because the nurses only are checking up on you for your well being.

The surgical nurse, who was excellent by the way, told me it is not uncommon to experience 'phantom' attacks. I will feel the symptoms of one about to occur because the brain still thinks that tissue is there. It never happens, thank goodness!

Also, one of my father's favorite antique clocks which fell off the wall two years ago, has been repaired! It's now hanging and ticking away happily. I know my father is smiling down at me from heaven!

Since this has been a really quiet week, I was able to get working on my next book. Excited about it!
Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers!

I am the worst patient ever....

I am basically, a healthy person. I have had my share of colds, headaches, sinus infections, female ailments etc, but this SVT is really getting to me. For those of you who don't know what it is, it's Supra Ventricular Tachycardia. A really fast heartbeat that is triggered by caffeine, stress or dehydration. It is a congenital heart condition which I inherited from my mother. (Thanks, Mom!)

The best way to describe it came from my current cardiologist. Just think of the electrolytes in your heart as a NASCAR race. Everyone is making a left turn making sure the blood in your heart is moving along. All of a sudden, there is a rogue group who decides to make a right turn...chaos erupts! Nothing goes right and your heart begins to pump even faster trying to straighten everything out. Hence, the heartbeat races to about 250 beats per minute.

What do you do? At first, it usually rights itself with in a couple of minutes. Dodged that one. But as time goes on, they become more frequent and the episodes last longer. The best way to stop them is to stick your face into cold water. The shock usually slows the heart rate down.

If that doesn't work, you 'bear down' as if you were having a baby; holding your breath to try and slow the rate down. If that doesn't work, try blowing through a straw. Usually, that will help.

The next step is to be put on a beta blocker. This is usually taken at night because it not only lowers your heart rate, it also lowers your blood pressure. In other words, it kind of knocks you out and when you do have an episode, it's not as severe.

When that stops working, the next step is to have a 'pill in the pocket'. When you feel an episode coming on, you take this pill immediately and it usually takes about an hour for it to kick in and slow your heart down.

I don't know about you, but when that happens, I get kind of scared thinking, when is this thing going to slow down? Your stomach becomes distended and begins to push on your diaphragm causing shortness of breath. The blood pressure drops so low, you see stars. Yes, I was rushed to the ER when the episode lasted for over two hours.

The last step which my cardiologist tried to prevent, is a Catheter Ablation, surgery. What happens, is the surgeon goes through your groin with a catheter to reach the heart tissue. He/she will try and simulate an episode to find the heart tissue which is causing the arrhythmia and zap it. This procedure is 98% successful. If it doesn't work, they will try again. If that doesn't work, a pacemaker will be implanted

.Guess what I'm having done tomorrow? Yes. I am petrified. The only surgery I've had is a colonoscopy.

Usually, it is an outpatient surgery; the recovery time is about 7 - 10 days, with no heavy lifting. In my case, they are keeping me overnight because the time of this procedure is later in the morning and I have to lie perfectly still for six hours. For those of you who do know me, I'm as hyper as they come. Yes, I will be sedated which is why they are keeping me overnight.

I've tried to keep my mind off of it by working on my next book....but I've lost all concentration. I'm writing and then all of a sudden, I have a question about this procedure and I go to google and then my concentration is shot! I'm so bad.

Please keep me in your prayers! Thanks!

American Sniper is a Great Movie!

I know we are late, but we just watched American Sniper. I read the book but the tale still moves me. Not a dry eye in the house! I'm following the trial avidly.

Exciting News!

What an exciting week! First off, my nephews and nieces from Toronto, came to visit for a whirlwind of two days. It's been two years since we've seen them and it was fun. Granted, they are only thirty years old and filled with vigor but since we are young at heart, we were able to keep up with them!

They are on a journey across the states, which they love. My sister, who lives in Canada, made sure they have dual citizenship and they love this country!

Their first stop was Phoenix. Then drove straight to our house for thirteen hours (there are four drivers to split up the time). Next stop was Austin. Then New Orleans for the Mardi Gras. Of course they couldn't skip Nashville since they love the television series. Pittsburgh is next and then home to Toronto. What a trip! Of course the weather is not good, so I wish them safe travels.

The other exciting news, is that my next book, Intercepted, has been accepted! Also, my publisher is now offering audiobooks which I signed up for. But the best news is now they will be offering printed books!

I don't know about you, but I have lots of aunts who just cannot accept the digital age when it comes to reading books. They love to read, but are not fond of the Kindle or Nook. They are anxious to read my books and I even have printed them out for them, but it's not the real thing as reading a book. Hopefully, this will solve the problem!

Ode to David Rupp

I would like to dedicate this Blog to my friend, boss and co worker, David Rupp, who passed away this past Tuesday of a massive heart attack. He was only fifty-nine years old and leaves behind a very distraught wife and daughter.

He was an intelligent individual and had a quest for knowledge that was unstoppable. He started his career at the craft vendor, Dimensions, located in Reading, PA. Dimensions started as creating needle crafts and grew into a multi line business of various crafts. In was purchased by Wilton in 2008 and with the exception of about twenty people, the plant in Reading was closed down. The jobs were moved to Chicago, where Wilton is located and the plant operations were outsourced to China.

Dave started in the plant but soon became the IT guru for the entire company. He taught himself AS400 programming and built the company's computer system. I came on board with the company in 2006 and worked for Dave. I had some AS400 experience but having a background in computers, I caught on quickly.

Not only was he intelligent, he was gentle, kind and had the patience of a saint. If you had a problem with your computer, he would drop whatever he was doing to help you. Same with me. If I had to help someone with their computer or printer and I couldn't solve it, he was right there to assist me.

Dave also knew I was struggling to become a published author. He would encourage me to look at various websites that would enhance my writing style; classes I could take at the local community colleges. He said he would gladly read what I had written but I never did share it with him. Come on! I write romance and he was definitely a guy's guy.

I hadn't seen him in about five years, but we kept in touch via LinkedIn. After the breakup of Dimensions, he did some work at another business in Reading but was laid off. The last I had heard, he had been doing some contract work on the west coast.

I miss you already, Dave. You will always have a place in my heart.

Super Bowl Sunday!

Because it's Super Bowl Sunday, I like to refer to Flag on the Play! Of course, none of my teams are playing but I will watch it for the commercials.

I don't read the sports section like my husband. I skim the articles to see if anything interests me or just to see if my team has won. It takes my husband close to a half hour to forty-five minutes to read the sports. I just got a kick out of what people are betting on for the big game. This is a big day for Vegas! There are bets such as; who is going to score first, what play is going to be first, etc, But what I got a kick out of was the bet of ; what color hair will Katy Perry have for her half time show? Chuckle!

I also want to thank all of you who do read my blog. It's very much appreciated!

I am having a ton of fun with my new book that I'm working on. I think I know something, but when it comes to writing about it, there's a lot of research needed. I find the time just flies by. I love to write!

As my friend, Barbara Huffert, would say;. Random Thoughts!

As I have written previously, my husband is a huge sports fan. Being from Chicago, he is partial to Chicago sports teams. He is a die hard Cubs fan and sadly to report, he lost his hero on Friday. Yes, Ernie Banks died.

All day yesterday, he wore one of his many Cubs jerseys and today when he went to play golf? Yup! Another Cubs jersey. Yes, he is very sentimental. The funny thing, is that my father who served in two wars, never showed his daughters any emotions to that extent. Yes, he would say he felt badly or it's a shame, but that was it. My father was trusted with Military Intelligence and could keep a secret forever too which always made me wonder. I think that is what attracted me to my husband. You always know where you stand with him.

On another note, I have traveled quite extensively to other countries and most of the United States. I have to admit in the States, my favorite places is of course, Texas, but ranking at a tie is Virginia and Arizona and New Mexico. As a matter of fact, my submitted, but not yet published book, takes place in Scottsdale, AZ.

I bring this up because my nephew and his girlfriend are working/vacationing in Scottsdale. When I sat down and wrote the book, I had no idea they were going to be there. I did my research from the many times we've been there and I am flattered they have reached out to me for help in what to do. They are avid golfers, so that was the easy part. Now they are in Sedona, which I absolutely love and I encouraged them to visit not only Flagstaff, but Jerome, where every day is Halloween.

I will freely admit it. I am jealous as hell! I wish I was there!!!