Winners Notified!

I've emailed the readers who won the books. Thanks to everyone who participated, and to the winners, I hope you love the book. I always enjoy novellas for the quick stories with just enough time to get involved and invested in the characters! :-)

Working, finally, on something brand new and totally different. I'm nervous, but having a great time writing it so for now, I'm just going to keep moving forward. It has that unfolding feeling. I keep getting new ideas to take the story deeper. This may be one I end up writing entirely for myself, but so far, I'm loving it! And any writing is also learning.

Wishing everyone a great week!

Fridays are for Reading

Right?

And about two pages of writing. I've just started a totally new idea, cause the others weren't working for/with me. I told a friend about the story, and she asked me how I'd market it. I don't know, but she rightly pointed out I have to know. The biz part of this job often bewilders me. However, if I keep moving on the idea, maybe marketing will become more obvious.

I've also had a great reading day. END IN TEARS by Ruth Rendell. I love her Inspector Wexford books, although I'm coming to the end of this one knowing I'm not going to discover all about a family issue going on with him. (Seems to me the Inspector Wexford books take too long to come out!) However, I love the characterization she paints with a few spare strokes, and I love that she faces the gritty side of life, but still gives this series enough "cozy" flavor that reading each book is returning to old friends in a familiar, beloved spot of the world.

Gotta go finish! I'd love to be able to mete out such a treat, but I won't even pretend I'm going to sleep before I get to THE END.

How does your cat show?

The beloved and I are watching poker. This may be the one thing we have in common--we both like to watch poker. During the most recent commercial I was hopping it to the steeping teapot when some very cute kitties caught my eye. Has anyone ever heard of a cat show? Apparently, there's one called Cat Minster. This is not to say I watch too much TV, but I can't miss that! (I thought I'd post a cute Kitty photo, too.)

Absolutely no way to connect this to writing, except that I've had several entries for the book contest through email and I'll be drawing over the weekend for the winners.

Best of luck to everyone who's entered!

Late Night Blogging

As I'm a night owl with only dial-up access, it's easier to get online at night. But I was thinking--this is late-night to me, even if I'm the worst insomniac. It's not late night to my children. The world has changed since I was a twenty-something. We did stuff at all hours, but it was unusual to suddenly go "Let's get a pizza at midnight." My offspring are often just beginning to start their socializing, even if it's just a movie and eats at home, at ten or so.

That's the kind of small thing that makes a story authentic when you're writing about twenty-somethings, and it's not something I always remember. Until one of my offspring lets me know he or she is off to have fun about the time I'm starting the flosss/brush ritual. Sure, they're adults, but I can't wait until they have adult children! I never believe in the old turnabout is fair play adage. It seems like asking for bad Karma, except I hope my kiddos remember the panic on my face and realize it's not easy being a mom of twenty-somethings! Think they'll apologize? That might be a scene for fiction! :-)

Stuff You Don't Know You Need

I'm late to the blog tonight because I had a great time having lunch with other writers today. We talked for about 4 hours, so I also didn't get much work done, sort of. Talking about writing and thinking about goals--that's time well spent for any writer! So, thanks to the four friends who invited me! :-)

Now, for the stuff you don't know about--I'm watching a home improvement show again--one must feed one's addiction! This is one where a designer with excellent software tells a family how to fix up a place that's well within their budget, so they're essentially getting more with a little sweat equity. I have a feeling I need this software to make up character's houses! :-) Or would that lead to more procrastination?

Time for sleeping!

Want a book?

This week, TEMPORARY FATHER should be hitting bookshelves. To mark the week, I'd like to give away three copies of ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS.

This is an anthology I wrote with Brenda Novak and Melinda Curtis. To win a copy, just add a comment with the names of the hero and heroine in each of our novellas in ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS. I'll draw three names at the end of the week. Best of luck!

Anna

Quiet Day

Today.

My girl went back to school, and frankly, I'm just happier on the days she's home. Guess I'll cuddle with the kitty and read a good book. It's not always this hard to say goodbye to her, but I just need some comfort food for the soul. :-)