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!

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