Popping In

Working on print galleys for Fall Into Me.

Booksigning for Memories of Us went relatively well -- my mother and sisters always come to hang out and I did sell several copies as well as copies from my backlist. One lady bought my entire backlist -- that was really cool.

Need to be working on Gone as well as my anthology novella. See print galley note above. ;-)

Came home with three books today. Had the hardest time picking them out. Leigh and I talked about both of us being in a reading slump. Not sure what's going on with me, but nothing seems to appeal. Maybe once school is out . . .

Um...

I'm under deadline on revisions. Today. I'm still polishing transitions and layering. I've been working, I swear -- I even have photos of me at the computer at five 'til midnight on New Year's Eve (just too swamped to upload them here right now...later, I promise).

Today is Monster #1's b-day. He's FOURTEEN. How can my baby be fourteen?!

Trying to finish revisions before the tree guy comes. Last time, I had to go rescue him three times because the motor kept cutting out on his truck and he couldn't get down from up in the air. Hopefully today, he won't need rescuing.

Tree-guy-not-damsel-in-distress. Now there's a new trope for you.

Hope you're having a good day!

Sshh!

I have a secret.

And Now . . .

You will notice yet another poll, one dealing with a holiday read in the works.

Just Another Manic Monday

My siblings and me with my parents at my mom's 65th birthday party. I love how the Christmas lights on the tree make my brother look like he has devil horns. My sisters will, of course, get the wonderfulness of that image, considering he has Daddy's bald head.

I'm caught up on grading! Whoo! Well, at least until I get 35+ portfolio proof essays from the juniors tomorrow, plus freshman rough drafts of the same assignment. And on Wednesday? Fifteen senior project research papers, each in the ten-page range. Big junior essays on the American Dream in Modern and Post-Modern American Literature due Friday. Midterm is a week from tomorrow, so I have to stay on top of this.

Did I mention my edits on Facing It are due in ten days?

On a lighter note, I've posted a poll. My 20th high school reunion is on the 28th and I'm trying to decide if I want to go or not. I thought I'd give you the option to weigh in on my decision.

Oh, shoot! I just remembered after our "how we should be evaluated" chat today, I promised the juniors a rubric tomorrow. Have I typed said rubric? Um, no. Well, guess what I'm off to do . . .?

Monday Musings: Movies, Kids & Writing

Scenes from Winfree's hometown -- the school where my mom (and Paula Deen) attended elementary school. Also coincidentally part of the campus where I now teach. It was constructed in the 1930's.

Over the weekend, I previewed the 1963 film version of Lord of the Flies so I could show it to my seniors this week. I'd heard it was a great adaptation; however, I was greatly disappointed by it. Usually, I prefer the book to any movie, and this was no exception. Although parts of the film were well done, there was so much on the page that didn't translate to the screen, and I ended up feeling cheated. The ending, especially, disappointed -- the ending dialogue was cut and so all of the subtext of Golding's denouement, with its skillful point of view shift and cutting irony, was lost. The kids will still love having a movie day, but I'm interested to hear their take on the film versus the book.

Next up in Brit Lit? 1984. I'm excited! I love teaching it, although it is a major challenge for me.

The juniors are reading The Great Gatsby in American Lit and wrapping up their Post-Modern projects this week.

Freshmen? They've just come off The Quest, which they didn't do so well with. I hate that because generally if students don't do well with it, I end up playing prison guard instead of teacher . . . and if I wanted to be a prison guard, I'd go apply for that job. Anyway, they are continuing to work on their short story unit. I'm ready to move to the second unit, which continues to explore the short story and its elements, but includes a creative-writing component.

On the writing front, I recieved an email that Truth and Consequences was chosen for Samhain's Kindle giveaway in October. More details to follow.

I'm still working on revisions to Facing It, Chris and Ruthie's book. I'm also thinking through the plotting for a new WIP, a contemporary romance. Here's one of the photos I picked up for my hero, Vince Falconetti:

I'm off to do some school plotting. Hope you had a great Monday!

Sunday Check-In

Scenes from St. Augustine -- The Atlantic Ocean, off Vilano Beach

I was going to post football pics, but left my camera in the car and was too lazy to go back for it. Our boys played so well last night. I'm really proud of them. We actually scored! Final score, 16 to 6.

My first paper for Educational Research is turned in. I have edits due tonight, grades due tomorrow. After today, I need to work on new units and revisions for Chris's book (due the end of September).

I haven't been as active on here the past few days, and y'all I'm sorry, but my life has little of interest going on right now. Hearts Awakened is still holding on at number ten on the bestsellers list, which is nice, but I'm pretty sure you're tired of hearing me yak about that. I'm trying to update my website but have a ways to go on that. I'm at a crossroads writing-wise as I try to figure out what project I need to tackle next.

Other than that, I got nothing. What are you up to?

Have a Great Weekend!

I'm painting and laying floor.

Tick and Cookie are loose in the Samhain Cafe. You can win print copies of His Ordinary Life if you go hang out and chat.

Keeping Track

Scenes from St. Augustine -- I should be able to tell you the name of this house, but I can't. It's on the side street which runs off of San Marco and down between the oldest drug store and the new parking garage. I snapped it because I love the feel of it, with the Spanish-style second floor balcony and the dormers and that painted stucco.

I am within about 2K of finishing Fall Into Me. Now, if I could just sit down and go straight through those scenes. But nooooooo. It's not happening like that. That would be too easy.

Mary (MJ) can't believe I posted a countdown to school. I actually need that ticking clock to keep me focused on what needs to happen in July. That would be . . .

1) Clean out Monster #1's closet.

2) Clean out Monster #2's closet.

3) Get my classroom ready (I always do this before preplanning. Preplanning is for, well, planning.)

4) Clear book closet in mobile unit for Connie. (I am so excited about sharing a unit with her!)

5) Write year, semester and unit plans for Brit Lit, Amer. Lit, 9th Writers Workshop, 9th Lit

6) Make August calendars for above classes.

7) Turn in Fall Into Me to Anne the Editor Goddess.

Then there's the renovation TTD list for this week:

1) Paint bedroom ceiling

2) Repair wall under bedroom window (Monster #2 put his knee through my dry wall trying to look out the window)

3) Paint bedroom walls

4) Paint dresser and headboard

5) Prime bedroom floor

6) Install bedroom flooring

7) Stage furniture.

Do you make TTD lists? Or are you a play-by-ear kinda person?

Yes, I'm Talking About the R Word

Scenes from St. Augustine -- Another shot of the town square. Look how cool and shady it is . . .

Believe it or not, it's been five years this summer since I returned to writing after taking a sabbatical for about a year. Steph has blogged about how she misses the good ol' days of our early blogging, when it was new and fresh and we didn't know who was watching us. Scariest moment of my blogging life? Having an agent show up to comment that I really shouldn't talk about rejections on my blog. They didn't like to see that. Best moment? Having Deidre Knight show up to comment on one of my posts. That was cool.

But the truth is, rejection is hard. It's demoralizing. It's frustrating.

As an admitted control freak, I've learned that one of the hardest facets of being a writer for me is the letting go involved in submitting. However, the letting go is crucial. I can write a great book. I can put it out there. And that's where my control of the situation stops.

In the past five years, my outlook on submitting and rejection has changed. Early on, I took each rejection letter to heart. Doing so chipped away at me. I let it beat me down. However, over time and through some non-writing circumstances, I changed and that, to paraphrase Frost, has made all the difference. The rejections still sting. Sometimes they make me crazy.

But.

My new attitude is this -- I can write a great book. I can submit it when it's requested. And I can let it go. At the time it goes in the mail, I've done everything I can do. At that point, it's a fifty-fifty shot and the outcome depends on the person on the receiving end. She (or he) will either like it or not. If I get a rejection, I can roll with that. That means pick it up, write something new, start all over again.

Recently I was cleaning out the office so we could complete the renovations in that room. In my old desk was the folder full of rejection letters. I considered throwing them out. I ended up carting them to school. Why? They're going on my wall as a montage, with a headline on them that will say something like "you don't lose until you quit." I think. I'm still thinking through that part. If you have suggestions, I'm open!

I Can See the Finish Line!

Scenes from St. Augustine -- Flagler College. Is that a gorgeous building or what?

I'm in the last chapter or so of Fall Into Me! Whoo!

Only endings are the hardest parts of anything for me to write. And once it's finished, that means I'm on page one again . . .

Checkpoints

Scenes from St. Augustine -- The Oldest Drug Store. It has a poltergeist, supposedly the angry spirit of Indian Chief Tolomato (sp?). I know this because we sat in the dark in there one night while we listened to ghost legends. There's a headstone belonging to the chief in the store. Monster #1 knocked on it. I'm like, kid, didn't you see Poltergeist?!

I'm less than 10K from finishing FALL INTO ME (the new title for Troy Lee's book). If I turn it in early, I'm seriously tempted to take a week, maybe two, off from writing. Tempted, but then my brain is thinking . . . you could get a great start on the fall project in two weeks. But I don't want to burn out, either, and I've been writing fast this summer.

I'm officially half way into my graduate degree. I only have five more classes and I will be finished! Well, then there's three years of doctoral work. I think I get a break between this current class and the next one. That would be nice.

What about you? If you write, do you schedule yourself time off or is it all-writing, all-the-time?

Monday, Monday

Scenes from St. Augustine -- I love this photo. I took this close to dusk, sitting on the bay front in front of the Castillo while listening to our ghost tour guide.

We made major progress on the office this weekend, and I'm wiped out. This week's plan:

1) Minimum 7K on Troy Lee and Angel (now titled Fall Into Me -- I love that title).
2) Paint the bathroom.
3) Install the wainscot in the bathroom.
4) Clear the master bedroom . . . and paint.
5) Take Monster #1 to tennis lesson.
6) I'm sure there's lots more . . . but my brain doesn't want to work this morning

Here's my updated progress on Fall Into Me:

62,076 / 80,000 (76.0%)

It's going really well. I figure 40 more pages . . . about 2 more weeks . . .

What projects, writing or non-writing, are on your agenda right now?

Wait. Is It Really Almost July?!

Scenes from St. Augustine -- The World Famous Love Tree! In Romancelandia, it would be the lurrrrve tree. It stands in front of the Love Tree Cafe (which contains an antique shop -- be still, my beating heart!) and right next to the Tolomato Cemetery (the haunted one that contains the remains of the exploding bishop. I kid you not -- he exploded, supposedly during his funeral.) Anyway, the Love Tree has a palm tree growing out of an oak. Kiss someone beneath it, you're stuck with them for life. Yes, the DH is doomed.

Wow, where did June go?! Well, yes, I know where the first week went -- you've been looking at photos of it for weeks. Actually, June's been pretty productive. The living room renovations are about 50% complete (I'm waiting on my sliding glass doors). The master bath is coming along nicely (I painted the ceiling and primed the walls yesterday). I've written 26,589 words on Something More in the last fourteen days. I completed one graduate course and started another one. Hearts Awakened is through final line edits.

July is going to be terribly busy. We need to finish the master bath, the master bedroom and my office before we re-tackle the living area and kitchen. (But we are almost finished! I can't wait. I want my life back!) I have to complete SM and give it a good editing before I turn it in. I have print galleys due on Hold On to Me. I'm teaching an online writing class through Wine Country Romance Writers. I need to get ready to write the next book (I'm in the thinking stages). I'll be embroiled in EDUC 6672 and I have to prepare for the coming school year.

But busy is good. Busy is just . . . me. :-)

What You Need

Scenes from St. Augustine -- St. George Street. Lots of historic buidings, closed to auto traffic, lots of great shopping and restaurants, not to mention a fun place to just walk, soak in the atmosphere and people watch.

I spent the evening at Mary's last night. Ever not realize you really need something until afterward? We talked, looked at her pictures from England, laughed, talked some more. I really needed to spend time with her! I'd smiled and laughed until my face actually hurt, but it felt great.

Jamie joined us for a few minutes after the UGA College World Series game and I was able to pick his brain about accident reconstruction, which I need for Troy Lee's book. Mary inadvertently gave me an idea for a book, one I'd toyed with while I'd played with the concept of a cold case trilogy, but I think it might be too close to the book I want to work on this fall.

On the writing front . . . made a little over my 1000 words yesterday, but it was painful. At least I'm producing. I'm hoping once I hit the next emotional/plot high point, my speed will pick back up. Current word count: 54,028 out of a targeted 80,000.

Pet Peeve #1

Scenes from St. Augustine -- Potter's Wax Museum. I've never wanted to do this one, but the DH picked it as one activity for us. It was actually kind of fun, and I was tickled to see the Seinfeld crew there. (Is it just me, or does Elaine look like some demonically possessed Barbie doll?)

Seinfeld was one of my favorite shows, because even though it was a show about "nothing," it really was a show about characters. For the most part, you could count on the characters to stay, well, in character.

Another of my favorites, when I had time to watch, was Law and Order. I like the police procedural, but even better was the tiny nuggets we gleaned about the characters over several seasons. (And I love how they used New York the setting as a character.) Even with minor inconsistencies (Does Cragen have chidren or not?), the characters remained themselves.

One of my pet peeves in movie, television and book series is characters who go wildly out of, well, character. For example, I loved The Mummy with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Wiesz. The second was a wild rolic, but left me with a niggling sense of dissatisfaction I didn't figure out until I'd watched it the second time. It was Evie and her character changes. Now, I'm sure living ten years with a swashbuckler would alter a shy, slightly goofy librarian, but she turns into a Lara Croft-wannabe? I don't think so. (Yeah, yeah, I know . . . she's channeling the reincarnated Egyptian Lara Croft, but please.) It bothers me enough that I'm not sure I want to see the third Mummy movie, due out in August (although I know I'll end up seeing it).

So . . . what's your number one pet peeve as a reader/viewer?

**

On a side note, yesterday's 1000 words was like pulling teeth. I expect today will be the same. I hope this breaks soon . . .

Sunday Check In

Scenes from St. Augustine: The bay front historic district at dusk, from the vantage of the Castillo de San Marco.

Check it out! My progress on Something More since June 15 (last Sunday):

51,749 / 80,000 (64.0%)

What I need to accomplish this week:

1) Print assignments, etc. for the grad course I'm starting tomorrow.

2) Wrap up lectures for the writing class I'm teaching, get ready to start teaching the next one.

3) Write minimum of 7K on SM.

4) Finish clearing the office so we can demo in there and work on it. (I'm tired of renovating -- I'm ready to be finished!)

5) Clear construction debris from the backyard.

Get this -- we won all the spindles to redo my front porch on ebay. 58 spindles, which would have cost me $3-$4 each at Lowes, for $.99. We have to pick them up about an hour away, but I'm still saving money (and reusing materials that would have gone into a landfill). But do you know how weird it will be to walk up and hand this guy $.99 for over a $100's worth of material?

Coquina!

Scenes from St. Augustine -- A shot from the top of the Castillo de San Marco. Ponce de Leon and his men sailed through that channel beyond the palm trees (so did Sir Francis Drake, several years later). That's Vilano Beach to the left, where we always stay. It's gorgeous, not very commercial (although it's becoming more so, sadly). The walls of the Castillo are made of coquina, a seashell-limestone mined locally. The white stuff is where the fort has been repaired. After surviving many, many attacks (coquina absorbs cannonballs, go figure) and turning over only as part of treaty or surrender, the Castillo is not holding up as well under a quarter of a million visitors each year.

Not much to talk about today. I've been writing, writing, writing -- more than 13K in the past week. I'm loving how Troy Lee and Angel's story is shaping up so far.

How was your Friday? Up to anything interesting this weekend?

Climbing the Lighthouse

Scenes from St. Augustine: The St. Augustine Lighthouse.

My photo doesn't do justice to the sheer size of this building. When you're standing on the ground, looking up, it's huge -- you have to tilt your head back to see it all. If you're from Manhattan or Atlanta or anywhere there are tall buildings, no big deal. But when you live in an area where the tallest buildings are five or six stories tall, this thing is massive.

The lighthouse has 219 steps, in the circular stairways I showed you yesterday. It's fourteen stories tall. The area around it is beautiful and the view when you get to the top is stunning.

Being in St. Augustine for a week while editing HEARTS AWAKENED was a special treat for me. I was immersed in Mark (Cookie) and Tori's story, part of which takes place in St. Augustine, which holds many of the secrets of Mark's past. It had been five years since our last visit to the Oldest City, and I loved rediscovering all of my favorite places while finding new ones. After climbing the lighthouse, I did manage to work it into the dialogue and even into Mark's past, although I didn't set a scene there. Everywhere we went, I'd think, "Hey, Mark and Tori went here. Or this is where they were when . . ."

And I took photos. Lots and lots of photos.

Hearts Awakened is due to release in September, so look in late August, early September for a virtual book setting tour -- photos of the setting to whet your appetite. I love their story and I'm excited about the upcoming release, so be prepared -- I'll probably be talking about it a lot.

I'm also excited about Something More, Troy Lee's story. I passed the halfway mark on it yesterday! It's really closely linked to Mark's book and actually interleaves with it in a couple of places, something I've never tried before.

So the writing is good. I'm no longer standing at the base of the lighthouse, looking up. I'm about halfway there, looking out the window. 39,000 more words and I'll be here, gazing miles out to sea:

Another scene from St. Augustine: The awesome view from the top of the lighthouse, gazing out at the Atlantic Ocean.

Crossroads and Taking Stock

Scenes from St. Augustine: View down the stairs at the St. Augustine Lighthouse (if you're a Ghosthunters fan, you know Jay and Grant ran up and down these stairs, chasing a "shadow" later seen to peek over at the cameras, just as I'm doing here). Those are my toes, not the ghost's toes.

The photo seemed apt, since I'm hitting the "taking stock" point. I hate this, by the way. I don't know why. I don't have difficulty doing this in the teaching career. There is a very concrete plan for that and I take stock on that plan, on my classroom plan pretty regularly. Ditto on the house renovations. There's a plan, I know the plan, I work the plan, I monitor the plan.

But in this terms of taking stock, I feel lost, almost like I'm almost endlessly circling those steps above, not sure where I'm going, not sure if I'm going in the right direction. I think it comes down to not knowing for sure what I want. What do I want? Is the thing I'm currently seeking what I want or merely what I think I'm supposed to want, because everyone expects you to want that? If I do want it, why do I want it? And what if I want something else entirely and don't know it?

And once I figure out what I want, how do I get there?

Then I get into the need vs. want. What if I what I need is at odds with what I want? What then? And how do I know the difference?

It's enough to make my head hurt. But I really have to get a handle on this. I'm not good at simply flailing around without a plan.

So tell me . . . how do you figure out what you want and need? Help me out here. ;-)

**

Word count check: 40,211

Whoo! That's past the halfway point!