M.J. Fredrick's Blog, page 98

Goals for the Week of Trish's Visit

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When Trish learned she'd be in Texas in January and wanted to swing by for a visit I was like, "YES! Nothing happens in January."

Pretty sure I jinxed myself.

This week:

1) Getting observed

2) Mandatory faculty meeting/training

3) Baby Brother's bday

4) Tutoring

5) A birthday bash for my SIL's sister (80s themed—how fun!)

I am taking off Tuesday so we can do the tourist thing, and maybe canceling tutoring on Thursday...

Hmm

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So I'm reading Hard to Hold by Stephanie Tyler, about a Navy SEAL who rescues a doctor from Doctors Without Borders who is being held hostage in Africa. While she is recovering, he visits her in the hospital though she doesn't know he's there. They reunite later, and I think they're heading back to Africa. Oh, and she's a senator's daughter.
Don't Look Back, the book I contracted in July, is about an Army Ranger who rescues a doctor from the World Health...

New Tivo

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We took the plunge and bought a new Tivo. Technically, it's our first to buy--the first was free if we signed a certain agreement. But this one is an HD one, and though we don't have HD yet, the dh wanted to be prepared. However, this one has a dual tuner (I can record SPN AND Grey's!) and holds more than the 40 hours our old one did. AND it streams Netflix movies and will be quicker to watch Amazon on-demand.
Still, it's taken two days to set up. Last...

You Should Read This Book

Jo Banks has been seeing ghosts since she was six, sonormal was never really an option. Embracing the weird and shunning normalcy makes her the top Ghost Exterminator in her region. Then she meets Wyatt Haines, the uptight, materialistic and irritatingly sexy owner of a successful resort chain.

Wyatt's new Victorian inn is extremely haunted and the Commando Barbie Ghost Exterminator is just the girl for the job. Except Wyatt doesn't believe in ghosts, or Jo, or anything outside the norm...

My New Soulmate

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Yesterday I was listening to Joanne Rock's workshop on caring for the emotional health of a writer and there were so many things about what she said that were just like me. So much, it was eerie.
She said when she's working, she likes to hear the dryer running. That is ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS! I love being home and hearing the laundry going.
She works out plot problems by writing a long email to her friend. Ask Trish how many times I've emailed her with a...

Fun News and Questions I Still Have About Avatar

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I WON! Elisabeth Naughton picked ME for her $100 Amazon Gift Card. The choices, the choices!!!! What would you buy with $100 to Amazon? I wonder if you can pay for Amazon Prime with a gift card.
We saw Avatar again yesterday, this time in 3D. I have a couple of questions.
Why doesn't Jake's hair grow in cryo? When he comes out at 5 years, he has the perfect jarhead haircut. Yet 3 months of being with the Na'vi, he's as hairy as, well, pretty hairy.
Do Na'vi...

Getting Grouchy

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Apparently I am goal-oriented. I do not know how to relax. I imagined myself spending weekends reading in my big chair but instead--I'm painting. And cleaning. The house looks great, but the dh is shoving the computer at me. "WRITE SOMETHING."
The hardest part is the evenings, when I settle down to the TV. I can't settle to watch shows, I can't settle to crochet, or to read. Last night I made a digital collage for the cruise ship story. But yeah, I'm going...

Goals for Second Week of Writing Hiatus

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Breaking Daylight is up for Book of the Week at The Long and Short of It!

1) finish judging GH

2) blog at 007 blog

3) keep up house--Trish is coming next week!

4) start painting bedroom

5) finish paperwork for Samhain

6) start exercising—maybe if I get in the habit now I can keep it up when I pick up writing again.

Soggy

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It rained ALL day yesterday. ALL day. And the night before. Radar looks clear this AM, so I'm going to check out getting paint for the bedroom. Even if I get one wall done this week, I'll be happy.
My best friend from HS found me on Facebook. I can't convey how happy this makes me. We shared EVERYTHING together, and somehow, after she married, we lost touch. I know I was going to school and working and was married myself, so maybe it was just lack of time...

Beginnings

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So it's been a week (almost to the minute) since I've written fiction. The good thing is I've not been inundated with ideas. But I have some old ideas trotting out, like they're auditioning or something.
I have three romantic suspenses that I have pretty good beginnings with.
I have a hostage negotiator story, where the hero is the negotiator and the heroine is a mediator who's being held hostage in the first scene. The beginning was strong enough to final in...