C.A. Salo's Blog, page 23

Life Changes

So many changes going on or have already happened.
A great one is my new day job. I love it!! But by the time I get home, eat and clean up, I'm down for the count relaxing on the couch like a potato :-) 
So writing has been on a Sunday only lately as yesterday was the first Saturday in a long time to where I haven't had to run.Did I take advantage of that? Well, yes, I did. I didn't get out of my yoga pants, worked from the couch and watched my DVR'd shows I'd missed during the week.
Worked from the couch, why yes I did. I decided I wanted a laptop. So my wonderfully awesome hubby, took all the specs and looked to see what I could get asap.
He called me in and showed me the one.
Ready...He said it goes with my 'quirkiness' :-)
I'm loving it!!
So the change of a new job has helped with my writing--in a way. I've been working on one of four short stories for my publisher Whiskey Creek Press Torrid. So I've gone from Sunday only writing to more :-). Works for me.
Now to stop falling asleep on the couch in mid thought.
So I'm hoping this change will encourage me to be an online presence again.
~~
On another note. I've seen a sneak peak of my new cover forAstéri the Commander


So have a great Sunday!!
Read lots and stay Spicy!!
C~
"He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery." ~ Harold Wilson

Happy Valentine's Day ;-*

Happy Valentine's Day
May lots of chocolate and love flow your way.
C ~              

www.authorcasalo.com

2016 has been AWESOME so far...

Is looking to be a GREAT year!!!!
So far, I've submitted a manuscript and have been contracted for it with WCPT (Whiskey Creek Press Torrid), with a three book series in mind ...
... have started a new day job, which has started out AWESOMELY ...
... have been asked if I'd like to submit several short stories for a possible project ...
... and I have baby guppies in my new fish tank ...
Those little tan and black fishes are my babies :-) 
How much better can it get??  I'm willing to find out!!!!
Stay Spicy!!                     
C ~
www.authorcasalo.comwww.torridbooks.comwww.wilderroses.com

Super Bowl - Favorite Brewski

It's almost Super Bowl Sunday Time and you know what that means...BEER.Ok maybe not at your house, but as beer and I have a bi-annual relationship, I'm kinda picky on what I like.My husband introduced me to Dos Equis, Yep, like it.'Nough said, LOL.
Stay Spicy & Drink Responsibly!!
C ~ 

www.authorcasalo.com

Lazy Day

So as the title says, it was a lazy day at home today, and I'm posting this at 7:43 PM, LOL.
As you can see above we have a cup of hot chocolate with homemade whipped cream.My son is awesome!!
Also used a gift from yesterday's holiday party with my RWA chapter one of the members made for everyone. Homemade bath salts. :-)  Loved it!!
Made pork chops for dinner, then worked on some decorations for the Christmas tree.
It was a good day to relax and do nothing...well almost nothing LOL.
Read Lots and Stay Spicy!C~

Back in the Writing Mode :-)

So I've finished my office wall finally...well ok, it will probably NEVER be finished LOL.
But my husband finished my customized white board months ago. He worked faster to get it done hoping it would help motivate me to come back into my office / writing / reading room, and the poor thing has just been hanging there until recently.

It works great!! I bought the Expo Bright Sticks Fluorescent wet erase bullet point 'markers' and have had plot, characters and worlds sectioned out. I even wrote on the bottom of one chapter that 'I needed a bigger board' lol. He said, "There's no room for it." Next house I guess ;-)
Then my dad brought me down some Broyhill cabinets all the way from Pennsylvania. :-)
I have some stuff on the shelves, but have plans :-) I have plans :-).

My son told me my writing is no longer my 'hobby' so I needed to find another avenue to relax. He's right! Writing has not been my 'hobby' in a long time! It's a career I want to take full time and exceed at. So I've two ideas to try out to see how I like them.

1. I've decided to make a wedding album, as we've been married almost three years and I still cannot find one I like.

2. On the bottom shelf of the cabinet closest to the windows, I'm going to try my hand at constructing a Fairy Village. ( I put some of the materials and books on my Christmas wish list :-) )

And the wonderful news since last week -- I've been able to sit down and plot out two more books. I have one more to go for a series I want to do and the first manuscript is already finished.

You don't know the relief of being able to have plots flowing through my mind, that the well has opened up again and it's filling with the freshest water one could ever imagine.

NOW I KNOW I'm on the road to recovery!! And it's given me the hope that I'm going to be ok, that I can work through anything that comes up and hits me smack in the face like a wet diaper :-) LOL, YUCK!! Hahahaha.

So my office / writing / reading room is not completely finished in decor, nor will it ever be knowing me LOL. My husband is helping me pick out a comfortable chair to sit in when I don't want to be at my desk to read or write. Of course it has to be big enough for the fur baby lol. Elvis sits everywhere I do.
Elvis waiting for me to sit down and start writing :-)
He's also mentioned getting me a new chair for my desk, as I gave my newer one(the one above) to my son when his broke ;-) MOM's it's what we do LOL.

Stay well everyone and Stay Spicy!!

C~

Apology to my Readers, Publishers & Friends...

So it’s been a while since I’ve been online, especially social media. It’s not something that was foreseen and I had little control over, even though I wanted to and for that I apologize to my readers, publishers and friends.
Being diagnosed with an invisible medical issue was hard enough, but the effects were a bit harder as it was something I was not prepared for.Thankfully I have an outstanding doctor who saw straight into the problem and jumped on it immediately.
I’m still battling with some issues from this diagnosis, so for now I’ll be keeping what it is to myself. I know thousands of people out there deal with it on a daily basis and speak of it openly, but I’m not ready for that and may never be.
Those who read my blog or posts know I don’t usually post anything that is not ‘author’ related in some sort. I’m a very private person. Even with my personal accounts where I have only family and friends on, I don’t post anything to personal.
I do want to say I’ve had the utmost support from my immediate family, best friend and (day job) boss! Support I never thought I’d have, and for that I offer the most heartfelt thank you!
My goal this year was to have two completed manuscripts sent into publishers.
Well I can say that has not happened. I did finish one, at the beginning of the year when my RWA chapter started our Prod Your Muse competition for its members. 
I can’t guarantee it today, but I’m hoping to have it sent into one of my publishers before the end of December.
That is my new goal!
I knew I was feeling better when I went and sat in my writing/reading room (my office J ), just sat there, dusted a little…OK a lot J, then a few days later had a plot rumbling through my skull and the very next weekend sat down and outlined it.
Then this week during my time off for the holiday, I had another plot rumbling, sat down the day after Thanksgiving and outlined that one as well. WHAT? You thought I was shopping on black Friday?? You’re crazy LOL. Only on-line J  (I worked to much retail in my younger years to even want to step foot outside my house on that nutty day J)
I can’t say I’ll be posting every week or twice a week (Fun Drink Friday) But I’m going to give it a shot. I want my routine back!

Here’s to routines!! (Coffee mug held high) J

Fun Drink Friday - White Summer Sangria

From Our friends at: Midnight Mixologist
Remember to drink responsibly and stay spicy                                                                 

C. A. SaloIndulge in the Spicy Side of RomanceThe Minotaur’s Mate – Now Available
www.authorcasalo.com

Quotes on Writing

You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you. ~Ray Bradbury
I try to leave out the parts that people skip. ~Elmore Leonard
If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn't brood. I'd type a little faster. ~Isaac Asimov
Books want to be born: I never make them. They come to me and insist on being written, and on being such and such. ~Samuel Butler


I'm not sure if this qualifies as a 'quote' but my favorite is from Albert Einstein.
When he had a study offered to him at Princeton I believe, they asked him what he'd need beside a desk, chair, pad and pencil. His reply was a 'wastebasket to hold all my mistakes.'


Have a great Sunday all!!Keep Reading and Stay Spicy!! C. A. SaloIndulge in the Spicy Side of RomanceThe Minotaur’s Mate – Now Available
www.authorcasalo.com

Back in the Saddle ... Maybe

Sorry, I'm not talking about horseback riding, although I would love to hitch a saddle up and go for a ride.
~~ Memories floating back from childhood ~~ Ahem, oh sorry...
Nope I'm talking about being back on-line. I haven't posted for the last few weeks, due to a back issue, which hopefully has been straightened out.
I went Friday for a shot and now the wait is on to see if it works.If yes, then we know what the issue is and I can go to physical therapy to work on the issue.If not -- well, that's why it's called the practice of medicine.
During my day job I'm at the desk & computer about 7 hours and then come home do all the good stuff like, cook then usually write or something book related for an hour or two, and go over my son's home school work he had for the day.(Last year of home school high school) YAY we have a graduate!!
But because of this back thing I've only been able to sit and write or do book stuff maybe one day a week (Usually on a Sunday), if I'm lucky. So the past 8 months have literally been HELL, especially lately. 
I'm used to going, going, going! Not -- oh damn I hurt, oh damn that hurts, oh damn, oh damn, oiiii, ouch, my back is killing me!
Hey I know I can't do the same things I did in my 20's,  I'm in my 40's and slowing down -- slightly, but this is ridiculous!
I've hurt so bad, I just crash on the couch after the day job. Saying its find your own for dinner tonight and passing out by 8.Yeah starting to feel like an older lady here. 

Working off the smart phone while laying down is not my area of expertise and I hate doing it. So until I'm forced to or it's my only dang choice, it probably will not be happening anytime to soon.
Keeping my spirits up this shot will work!!
Hope everyone has a GREAT Sunday and rememberKeep reading and stay Spicy

C. A. SaloIndulge in the Spicy Side of RomanceOther Kin 2 in 1 Release Now AvailableThe Minotaur’s Mate – Now Available
www.authorcasalo.com