Jamie DeBree's Blog, page 31
December 17, 2012
On Denial, Maintenance Plans & Cold Feet...
Prompt o' the Week: A woman sits at a bar, her friends on
the dance floor or otherwise engaged at the moment. A man sends her a
drink, but she refuses it, earning a shrug from the sender. A few
minutes later, there's a tap on her shoulder...
I'm
kind of in denial that it's only a week and one day until Christmas.
For the past several weekends, I've been so busy cleaning and organizing
and decluttering that I barely saw them go by, and this past weekend
was no different. Saturday morning I started mucking out our home
office, and I finally called it "done enough" Sunday night around 9pm
(roughly 3 hours before I started writing this post).
You
know how people always tell you that it's easier to keep something
maintained than to "catch up" later? Those people are right 99.9% of the
time, and when it comes to housekeeping, I'd wager it's 100%. And yet
most of us go for the "catch up" plan because we're too lazy to get off
our butts and do whatever it is that needs doing now, rather than later
when it's reached epic and overwhelming proportions.
Yeah.
One of my resolutions for the new year is not to be that lazy person.
Ironically, that goes hand-in-hand with the whole "maintain a healthy
weight" thing. Oddly, when one is maintaining a house (aka, keeping up
on housework), one is not sitting on her butt, so is burning calories.
I know. Crazy, right?
In
any case, back to my denial. No, I still haven't sent Christmas cards
out yet. Why? Partly because I keep thinking I need to write a nice note
in them, or include a Christmas letter, or a picture or...something
other than just signing my name with a greeting and slapping a stamp on
it. So...perfectionism, on a smallish scale.
That
ends now. Tomorrow night, cards will be signed, addressed, and stamped.
Mailed at work on Tuesday, and with any luck, people within a
couple-state area will get them by Christmas.
I
still have a couple gifts to get/make...but I need to get the anthology
I'm working on done and released first. The "to make" ones were a
special request last week, so I'm not sure those will actually get done,
but we'll see. Then it's just a matter of putting things in pretty gift
bags and delivering them to the proper houses on time next week. Easy
peasy.
About that anthology - Cold Feet
is a collection of five short stories from myself and four other
authors that all involve snow and bare feet (group shiver!). It's
officially releasing on Friday, so check it out if you're so inclined.
Or better yet, wait until next Tuesday, when all BSB ebooks are free for
the day. Watch for that promo code late Christmas eve...
Next
week (12/24 - 12/28) rather than my normal posts, this blog will be
silent on Monday and Tuesday (Christmas eve/Christmas day). Wednesday
I'll post my "year in review" for 2012, Thursday I'll post my
resolutions for 2013, and Friday we'll talk scheduling (aka, "How the
heck do we make those resolutions happen?"). If you're interested, drop
by. If not, it'll be safe to come back Monday, 12/31 for a nice, normal
(or as normal as it gets around here) weekly news post.
As for this week, the blog will run as usual, and here's what I really need to get done:
- Finish & publish Cold Feet anthology- Christmas cards- Scenes for my two drafts in progress- Finish the last of the gift buying/making- Wrap everything up (by which I mean place gifts in nice bags with lovely tissue paper)- Finalize plans for both writing and publishing in 2013- Finalize resolutions- Finalize preliminary daily schedule for 2013- Clean out/declutter bedroom- Work on non-fiction project for the new year
And
that's it. A *lot* of planning and plotting this week, but it's
tradition for me - and a good, centering one at that. My mind likes
order, even if it's all in my head.
Here's to a productive, merry week for us all!
the dance floor or otherwise engaged at the moment. A man sends her a
drink, but she refuses it, earning a shrug from the sender. A few
minutes later, there's a tap on her shoulder...
I'm
kind of in denial that it's only a week and one day until Christmas.
For the past several weekends, I've been so busy cleaning and organizing
and decluttering that I barely saw them go by, and this past weekend
was no different. Saturday morning I started mucking out our home
office, and I finally called it "done enough" Sunday night around 9pm
(roughly 3 hours before I started writing this post).
You
know how people always tell you that it's easier to keep something
maintained than to "catch up" later? Those people are right 99.9% of the
time, and when it comes to housekeeping, I'd wager it's 100%. And yet
most of us go for the "catch up" plan because we're too lazy to get off
our butts and do whatever it is that needs doing now, rather than later
when it's reached epic and overwhelming proportions.
Yeah.
One of my resolutions for the new year is not to be that lazy person.
Ironically, that goes hand-in-hand with the whole "maintain a healthy
weight" thing. Oddly, when one is maintaining a house (aka, keeping up
on housework), one is not sitting on her butt, so is burning calories.
I know. Crazy, right?
In
any case, back to my denial. No, I still haven't sent Christmas cards
out yet. Why? Partly because I keep thinking I need to write a nice note
in them, or include a Christmas letter, or a picture or...something
other than just signing my name with a greeting and slapping a stamp on
it. So...perfectionism, on a smallish scale.
That
ends now. Tomorrow night, cards will be signed, addressed, and stamped.
Mailed at work on Tuesday, and with any luck, people within a
couple-state area will get them by Christmas.
I
still have a couple gifts to get/make...but I need to get the anthology
I'm working on done and released first. The "to make" ones were a
special request last week, so I'm not sure those will actually get done,
but we'll see. Then it's just a matter of putting things in pretty gift
bags and delivering them to the proper houses on time next week. Easy
peasy.
About that anthology - Cold Feet
is a collection of five short stories from myself and four other
authors that all involve snow and bare feet (group shiver!). It's
officially releasing on Friday, so check it out if you're so inclined.
Or better yet, wait until next Tuesday, when all BSB ebooks are free for
the day. Watch for that promo code late Christmas eve...
Next
week (12/24 - 12/28) rather than my normal posts, this blog will be
silent on Monday and Tuesday (Christmas eve/Christmas day). Wednesday
I'll post my "year in review" for 2012, Thursday I'll post my
resolutions for 2013, and Friday we'll talk scheduling (aka, "How the
heck do we make those resolutions happen?"). If you're interested, drop
by. If not, it'll be safe to come back Monday, 12/31 for a nice, normal
(or as normal as it gets around here) weekly news post.
As for this week, the blog will run as usual, and here's what I really need to get done:
- Finish & publish Cold Feet anthology- Christmas cards- Scenes for my two drafts in progress- Finish the last of the gift buying/making- Wrap everything up (by which I mean place gifts in nice bags with lovely tissue paper)- Finalize plans for both writing and publishing in 2013- Finalize resolutions- Finalize preliminary daily schedule for 2013- Clean out/declutter bedroom- Work on non-fiction project for the new year
And
that's it. A *lot* of planning and plotting this week, but it's
tradition for me - and a good, centering one at that. My mind likes
order, even if it's all in my head.
Here's to a productive, merry week for us all!
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
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will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
December 14, 2012
Weekly Wrap - December 14, 2012
It's been an excellent week for words, and the latest anthology is
nearly ready for publication (which is good, since the release date is
December 21st), so I'm feeling pretty good about things right now. I
also plotted out the rest of my erotic romance series (fun plots &
settings, if I do say so myself), and got a start on plotting the next
BeauTEAful Summer short on the romantic suspense/adventure side.
I also sent three short story drafts off to the editor...so those should be done sometime early next year.
Crazy what happens with a little motivation, isn't it?
I even managed to write another installment for On Her Terms
- but as a warning, it's not safe for work, kids, or anyone who prefers
closed doors in the bedroom (or on a tropical island, as it were). So
read at your own risk:
Installment 13
There's also a new chapter of The Handyman's Harem Girl up at the Fantasy Ranch blog:
Chapter 22
And a new chapter of Jack at the Alex Westhaven blog:
Chapter 9
I even got a few extra scenes written for THHG, and I finished Jack as well, so that's with the editor at the moment. Like I said, it's been a good week.
As for reading, I finished Deadly Consequences by Lori Gordon - you can expect a brief review of that next week, and I also started and finished Tawna Fenske's Believe It or Not ,
which was insanely enjoyable as always and I'll be reviewing that...um,
sometime in the new year, I guess (just looked at the calendar -
whoa!). I may actually finish Split Second
(Catherine Coulter) by January...but it's kind of a muddled mess at the
moment and it's hard to keep picking up a book that you have to reorient
yourself to every single time you set it down. Annoying.
What am I reading now? A historical romance (western) by J. Carson Black titled Superstitions . I just started it, so no real comments one way or another just yet, though I'm expecting good things.
So...yeah. Good stuff all around, many words written and read. And that is just how it should be.
nearly ready for publication (which is good, since the release date is
December 21st), so I'm feeling pretty good about things right now. I
also plotted out the rest of my erotic romance series (fun plots &
settings, if I do say so myself), and got a start on plotting the next
BeauTEAful Summer short on the romantic suspense/adventure side.
I also sent three short story drafts off to the editor...so those should be done sometime early next year.
Crazy what happens with a little motivation, isn't it?
I even managed to write another installment for On Her Terms
- but as a warning, it's not safe for work, kids, or anyone who prefers
closed doors in the bedroom (or on a tropical island, as it were). So
read at your own risk:
Installment 13
There's also a new chapter of The Handyman's Harem Girl up at the Fantasy Ranch blog:
Chapter 22
And a new chapter of Jack at the Alex Westhaven blog:
Chapter 9
I even got a few extra scenes written for THHG, and I finished Jack as well, so that's with the editor at the moment. Like I said, it's been a good week.
As for reading, I finished Deadly Consequences by Lori Gordon - you can expect a brief review of that next week, and I also started and finished Tawna Fenske's Believe It or Not ,
which was insanely enjoyable as always and I'll be reviewing that...um,
sometime in the new year, I guess (just looked at the calendar -
whoa!). I may actually finish Split Second
(Catherine Coulter) by January...but it's kind of a muddled mess at the
moment and it's hard to keep picking up a book that you have to reorient
yourself to every single time you set it down. Annoying.
What am I reading now? A historical romance (western) by J. Carson Black titled Superstitions . I just started it, so no real comments one way or another just yet, though I'm expecting good things.
So...yeah. Good stuff all around, many words written and read. And that is just how it should be.
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
December 12, 2012
Recommended Read: City of Screams by James Rollins & Rebecca Cantrell
I've long been a James Rollins fan...he's an auto-buy for me, and has been since I first read Subterranean years
and years ago. My husband's a fan too. I like the Sigma series, but I
think the stand alone adventure novels are still my favorites. So
naturally when I saw he had a new series starting with Rebecca Cantrell
(who I can't say I've read much of before), I snapped up City of Screams , the initial short story post-haste.
Forgive me for not having the cover art to post - I couldn't find a
"clean" copy of it to pilfer, and was too lazy to email him for one (I
generally pick which book to feature the night before, so...you
know...). And no, I'm not personally acquainted with Rollins, though he
is quite active in the online writing community.
In any case, the cover doesn't matter so much, though he always has
good ones. I barely looked at this one, to be honest, because the blurb
drew me in immediately (well, and it's Rollins!). The story is typical
Rollins adventure - it's freaky, there's a ton of suspense, and a lot of
it happens at night. It's a quick read (hence the whole "short story"
bit), and I have to say I was a bit peeved at where it ended because I
*hate* cliffhangers when I know I'm going to have to wait months for the
next book (years, in my case, since he's published in hardcover first,
and I wait for the paperbacks - no, I won't pay major bucks for the
ebook, even a Rollins book).
But aside from that little cliffhanger nit, the story is great, and
will keep you on the edge of your toes. There's an abandoned village, a
native girl in trouble, two beasts who want...well, food, but maybe
something more, and a cave with a very gruesome secret. And that's all I
can really tell you, but it's only .99 cents, so grab a copy. Aside
from the cliffhanger, you won't regret it.
Now I need to go find some books by Cantrell to check out while I wait for their next one to come out in paperback!
and years ago. My husband's a fan too. I like the Sigma series, but I
think the stand alone adventure novels are still my favorites. So
naturally when I saw he had a new series starting with Rebecca Cantrell
(who I can't say I've read much of before), I snapped up City of Screams , the initial short story post-haste.
Forgive me for not having the cover art to post - I couldn't find a
"clean" copy of it to pilfer, and was too lazy to email him for one (I
generally pick which book to feature the night before, so...you
know...). And no, I'm not personally acquainted with Rollins, though he
is quite active in the online writing community.
In any case, the cover doesn't matter so much, though he always has
good ones. I barely looked at this one, to be honest, because the blurb
drew me in immediately (well, and it's Rollins!). The story is typical
Rollins adventure - it's freaky, there's a ton of suspense, and a lot of
it happens at night. It's a quick read (hence the whole "short story"
bit), and I have to say I was a bit peeved at where it ended because I
*hate* cliffhangers when I know I'm going to have to wait months for the
next book (years, in my case, since he's published in hardcover first,
and I wait for the paperbacks - no, I won't pay major bucks for the
ebook, even a Rollins book).
But aside from that little cliffhanger nit, the story is great, and
will keep you on the edge of your toes. There's an abandoned village, a
native girl in trouble, two beasts who want...well, food, but maybe
something more, and a cave with a very gruesome secret. And that's all I
can really tell you, but it's only .99 cents, so grab a copy. Aside
from the cliffhanger, you won't regret it.
Now I need to go find some books by Cantrell to check out while I wait for their next one to come out in paperback!
I'm not a
professional reviewer, I don't accept offerings direct from writers or
publishing houses (so don't email asking me to review your book - that's an
excellent way to ensure I never read it), and there's a very good chance
I know the authors of over half the books I'll recommend, so my opinion
is likely biased on any given day. This is just me telling you about a
great book I recently read. Nothing more, nothing less.
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
December 10, 2012
On Closets, Yarn & Decorative Shoes...
Prompt o' the Week: A tourist stops on a wide bridge to have a
caricature artist draw a portrait. When the artist is done, the tourist
is taken aback by the facial interpretation...
Do
you own any shoes that you bought with the *idea* of wearing, but
realized once you had them home that they really weren't ever going to
work for you but you love them too much to let them go? Or is that just
me?
This weekend hubby and I tackled the first
of our "get the house organized for 2013" projects: cleaning out and
organizing our respective clothes closets. Mine took longer, but it's
not for the reason you think. My husband actually has more clothes than I
do...but his closet was pretty much only clothing (and 10 billion
pillows because he goes through them like crazy...but I digress). My
closet, on the other hand, housed not only my clothing but also a good
half of my yarn stash (which is far, far too big for someone who rarely
crochets anymore, though I'd like to), a bunch of empty boxes, random
things like an unused paraffin bath, my mom's old bowling ball and
shoes, and miscellaneous Halloween items (which should surprise no
one).
It also contained several pairs of shoes
in shoe boxes. I have two different size feet, so when I buy shoes, I
try to buy one pair in each size, leaving me with a pair of perfectly
new but mismatched shoes in the end. Needless to say, I can't wear them,
and the only person who could would be someone with exact opposite
mismatched feet from mine. I think I'm going to try to sell them on
ebay...
In any case, there were also two pairs
of shoes in there that I absolutely adore - one a pair of TUK pumps in
neon green leopard print, and the other a pair of bright red Iron Fist
peep-toe heels with corset lacing and bows up the back and black skulls
on the top and sides. The TUK pair are half a size too small for one
foot, and one size too small for the other, but if I cut my toenails
really short, I could probably wear them for a limited time. The rounded
toes don't suit me (I have long, narrow feet), but I can't bring myself
to get rid of them...
The Iron Fist
heels...well, they're like my tall black lace-up "stripper boots". They
aren't made for walking, they're a half size too big for one foot and
they're too tall for me to walk in comfortably, so they'll probably
never leave my house. But I'm not getting rid of those either. Or the
stripper boots, dang it. And yes, I can walk in those for a limited
time, and they're too small too. Why don't the fun heels ever come in my
size, anyways? And a 3-inch heel (2 3/4 is perfect for me) would really
be more comfortable/safer than those 4-inch-with-platform shoes...
So yeah. Decorative shoes. And I'm not even a "shoe girl" (handbags are a different story)!
As
for the yarn...there's a ton. Half of it is all tangled up too, and
most of *that* is already started in various miscellaneous projects. I'm
going to have to get the scissors out to untangle all the knots, frog
(take out - rip it! rip it!) those old pieces and start over. The good
news is, I won't have to buy yarn for a very, very long time, and I have
plenty to make Mica and Lucy sweaters, both dogs booties, and some last
minute Christmas gifts by request. Now to find time to do all that...
ANYways...now
it's Monday (albeit around 1am), and it's time to get my head back in
"work mode". Last week I did pretty well with my list - although I
haven't gotten the anthology formatted yet (my fault for finishing my
story late - it's with the editor), and I didn't get my cards out yet
either. Still not bad, all things considered. Here's the list for this
week:
- Write & send out cards (Monday night!)
- Format and upload anthology
- Send out holiday email newsletters
- Serial scenes (finish the horror serial draft)
- Work on "OHT" draft
- Crochet last minute gifts
- "Wrap" gifts (we're doing bags this year - much quicker)
- Order more face powder (I keep forgetting!)
- Workout 3x (at least one swimming, and one weight training)
- Completely clean out and reorganize the office (next weekend's project)
- Work on getting the laundry completely caught up (ie, a load per day)
And that is *plenty*, methinks.
Here's to getting organized *before* the new year starts, instead of waiting until afterwards as usual....
caricature artist draw a portrait. When the artist is done, the tourist
is taken aback by the facial interpretation...
Do
you own any shoes that you bought with the *idea* of wearing, but
realized once you had them home that they really weren't ever going to
work for you but you love them too much to let them go? Or is that just
me?
This weekend hubby and I tackled the first
of our "get the house organized for 2013" projects: cleaning out and
organizing our respective clothes closets. Mine took longer, but it's
not for the reason you think. My husband actually has more clothes than I
do...but his closet was pretty much only clothing (and 10 billion
pillows because he goes through them like crazy...but I digress). My
closet, on the other hand, housed not only my clothing but also a good
half of my yarn stash (which is far, far too big for someone who rarely
crochets anymore, though I'd like to), a bunch of empty boxes, random
things like an unused paraffin bath, my mom's old bowling ball and
shoes, and miscellaneous Halloween items (which should surprise no
one).
It also contained several pairs of shoes
in shoe boxes. I have two different size feet, so when I buy shoes, I
try to buy one pair in each size, leaving me with a pair of perfectly
new but mismatched shoes in the end. Needless to say, I can't wear them,
and the only person who could would be someone with exact opposite
mismatched feet from mine. I think I'm going to try to sell them on
ebay...
In any case, there were also two pairs
of shoes in there that I absolutely adore - one a pair of TUK pumps in
neon green leopard print, and the other a pair of bright red Iron Fist
peep-toe heels with corset lacing and bows up the back and black skulls
on the top and sides. The TUK pair are half a size too small for one
foot, and one size too small for the other, but if I cut my toenails
really short, I could probably wear them for a limited time. The rounded
toes don't suit me (I have long, narrow feet), but I can't bring myself
to get rid of them...
The Iron Fist
heels...well, they're like my tall black lace-up "stripper boots". They
aren't made for walking, they're a half size too big for one foot and
they're too tall for me to walk in comfortably, so they'll probably
never leave my house. But I'm not getting rid of those either. Or the
stripper boots, dang it. And yes, I can walk in those for a limited
time, and they're too small too. Why don't the fun heels ever come in my
size, anyways? And a 3-inch heel (2 3/4 is perfect for me) would really
be more comfortable/safer than those 4-inch-with-platform shoes...
So yeah. Decorative shoes. And I'm not even a "shoe girl" (handbags are a different story)!
As
for the yarn...there's a ton. Half of it is all tangled up too, and
most of *that* is already started in various miscellaneous projects. I'm
going to have to get the scissors out to untangle all the knots, frog
(take out - rip it! rip it!) those old pieces and start over. The good
news is, I won't have to buy yarn for a very, very long time, and I have
plenty to make Mica and Lucy sweaters, both dogs booties, and some last
minute Christmas gifts by request. Now to find time to do all that...
ANYways...now
it's Monday (albeit around 1am), and it's time to get my head back in
"work mode". Last week I did pretty well with my list - although I
haven't gotten the anthology formatted yet (my fault for finishing my
story late - it's with the editor), and I didn't get my cards out yet
either. Still not bad, all things considered. Here's the list for this
week:
- Write & send out cards (Monday night!)
- Format and upload anthology
- Send out holiday email newsletters
- Serial scenes (finish the horror serial draft)
- Work on "OHT" draft
- Crochet last minute gifts
- "Wrap" gifts (we're doing bags this year - much quicker)
- Order more face powder (I keep forgetting!)
- Workout 3x (at least one swimming, and one weight training)
- Completely clean out and reorganize the office (next weekend's project)
- Work on getting the laundry completely caught up (ie, a load per day)
And that is *plenty*, methinks.
Here's to getting organized *before* the new year starts, instead of waiting until afterwards as usual....
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
December 7, 2012
Weekly Wrap-Up, December 7, 2012
Goodness it's been a busy week! Or maybe it just seems that way
because I spent most of it in frantic-writer-deadline mode. That flash
story for the anthology I was going to do? Yeah, it turned into 4,000+
words, which took me a lot longer than expected. So between that and the
serial scenes, I didn't manage to get any new words written on the NaNo
draft (hereafter referred to as "On Her Terms", since it's no longer
November). Dang it.
But there is a new chapter of The Handyman's Harem Girl up at the Fantasy Ranch blog:
Chapter 21
And a new chapter of Jack at the Alex Westhaven blog:
Chapter 8
So all wasn't completely lost. And I'm nearly finished with Jack too - though it will still be a couple of weeks out on the blog.
I actually haven't read much this week, which is pretty odd for me. I'm
still working on Lori Gordon's novella (and still enjoying it), but
that's about it. I may have read a few more chapters on Catherine
Coulter's Split Second too, but the book is just
so...disjointed. It's hard to remember when I put it down, even though
the story lines are all interesting once I finally jog my memory again.
Really, there's two really solid stories in there, and I wish they were
just two separate books, instead of all jumbled up together...
In any case, that's what I've been up to this week as far as books
go. Productive, but in a more linear way than normal. It's all good
though - progress is progress!
Here's hoping for some good reading time this weekend...
because I spent most of it in frantic-writer-deadline mode. That flash
story for the anthology I was going to do? Yeah, it turned into 4,000+
words, which took me a lot longer than expected. So between that and the
serial scenes, I didn't manage to get any new words written on the NaNo
draft (hereafter referred to as "On Her Terms", since it's no longer
November). Dang it.
But there is a new chapter of The Handyman's Harem Girl up at the Fantasy Ranch blog:
Chapter 21
And a new chapter of Jack at the Alex Westhaven blog:
Chapter 8
So all wasn't completely lost. And I'm nearly finished with Jack too - though it will still be a couple of weeks out on the blog.
I actually haven't read much this week, which is pretty odd for me. I'm
still working on Lori Gordon's novella (and still enjoying it), but
that's about it. I may have read a few more chapters on Catherine
Coulter's Split Second too, but the book is just
so...disjointed. It's hard to remember when I put it down, even though
the story lines are all interesting once I finally jog my memory again.
Really, there's two really solid stories in there, and I wish they were
just two separate books, instead of all jumbled up together...
In any case, that's what I've been up to this week as far as books
go. Productive, but in a more linear way than normal. It's all good
though - progress is progress!
Here's hoping for some good reading time this weekend...
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
December 5, 2012
Recommended Read: A Brewing Storm by Richard Castle
So we all know that Richard Castle is a fictional character played by the super charming and extraordinarily attractive ,
right? Does it surprise anyone that he's Canadian? I don't know about
you, but it seems to me that some of the best actors in the world come
from up north...
But I digress (do you blame me?).
In any case, some savvy marketer somewhere decided that the TV
writer Castle should publish books. And somewhere out there is an
anonymous writer (writers?) giving Castle a writing voice and stories to
tell. Which is just fun, I think.
In any case, while I have all the "heat" novels (those based on the
actual TV show), I haven't actually read them yet. Instead, I started
with this Derrick Storm short story, and was completely captivated in
about five seconds with the main character. That could have been because
he was hiding out in my home state of Montana (a good place to hide
out, just ask Teddy K. and several cult groups...).
Storm is the quintessential action hero. He's reluctant, but he'll
do what needs to be done however he sees fit, and no one and nothing
will get in his way. He thinks for himself, makes snap decisions based
on quick and very sharp analyses of details that most people miss, and
his past haunts him even though it makes him who he is.
Think Bruce Willis in Die Hard. Or the mysterious John Reese (Jim Caviezel) from Person of Interest (TV show).
Been done before? Of course! I mean, that's why we watch action
flicks - because we want to see a tough but flawed guy kicking ass and
beating the bad guys. And lots of explosions too. And car chases are
also fun. It's what the genre *is*!
A Brewing Storm delivers like a good action flick - which
is my whole point, and exactly why I loved it. If you're into action and
mystery and suspense, you'll enjoy this short story. I'm personally
looking forward to picking up the rest of the Storm books, and reading
the Heat novels as well.
If you aren't an action flick fan, you probably aren't going to
like this story either, sorry. I got hooked on them from a very early
age as my dad was (still is) a fan and I love 'em to this day.
Anyways, mad props to the mystery writer(s) behind this book. I love it, and I'm ready for more...
I'm not a
professional reviewer, I don't accept offerings direct from writers or
publishing houses (so don't email asking me to review your book - that's an
excellent way to ensure I never read it), and there's a very good chance
I know the authors of over half the books I'll recommend, so my opinion
is likely biased on any given day. This is just me telling you about a
great book I recently read. Nothing more, nothing less.
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
December 3, 2012
On Decked Halls, Egg Nog & Cleaning House...
Prompt o' the Week: There's a woman who comes
into a cafe once a week, always at the same time, sits in the same
place, and orders the same thing, via written note to the waitress. One
day, she comes in late, sits at a different table, and says one word
that changes the waitress's life...
It's December! Whoa. Weird. So much happened this year that it flew
right by, but it's been an oddly balanced year too, which is good I
suppose. I feel fortunate that with all the not-so-good things that have
happened, we had a lot of good stuff happen too.
An odd thing about this year is that despite the fact that I have
no money and really have to watch my budget from here on out (that car
payment/extra insurance is tougher than I thought it would be on the
bank account), I'm actually not in as "bah humbug" of a mood as I tend
to be around the holidays. Yesterday I got our Christmas tree up and
most of our decorating done, and while normally I cap the seasonal
decorating at one day, I think I might do a little more tonight while
waiting for Castle. Heck, we might even put more lights up outside next
weekend, weather permitting. If we could just get a little snow, I could
even potentially send cards out this week...
I know, I know. I'm probably going to sprain something if I keep this up.
We drank our first glasses of eggnog last week - and I have to say,
I don't remember it being quite so yummy in years past. A little
nutmeg, a little whipped cream on top...insane calories, but that just
means I need to get back to my workouts so I can burn them back off.
Same with the pumpkin pie I made last night - though that isn't nearly
so many calories. In any case, I dare say that despite the tight budget,
eggnog will be a fixture in the fridge for the rest of the month.
This weekend as I was doing my weekly cleaning and later the
decorating, I was thinking about how I want (need!) to dredge out my
closet, and the office, and the basement. Getting rid of a *ton* of
things not used or wanted, and really organizing everything else for
more efficient use of space. I keep thinking those are good projects for
January, but my husband is gung ho to get started (his closet needs a
clean-out too), and I'm increasingly thinking, why not just get it done
this month? We have three weekends between now and Christmas, and it
would be so very nice to start the new year with the house all organized
and in order. I think we'll start with the closets next weekend, and
just do one project a week to the end of the month. And then January can
be the time for starting new routines and using those spaces
efficiently.
All that to say...I feel good. Positive. Even though I have far
more to do writing/editing/publishing wise than I have time for this
month, I'm not stressed or anxious - it will get done. I've got a few
last minute gifts to pick up and/or make, but I'm oddly not worried.
Very "zen" about the whole thing this year, if you will.
Here's my list for the week - and yeah, it looks like a lot, but a few disciplined days and it'll all get done:
- Draft & edit a flash story for the Cold Feet anthology
- Serial scenes for the two blog serials still running
- Send drafts off for editing, now that NaNo is over
- Format the Cold Feet anthology for print/ebook
- Finish the Christmas decor
- Write & send Christmas Cards
- Draft holiday newsletters for my author names and the main BSB list
- Workout 3x (one of which should be at the gym, swimming)
- Clean out our closets this weekend (totally dredge, donate and reorganize)
- With any leftover time, work on the OHT draft
Yep...it's gonna be a good week, methinks. Productive too. I can feel it.
into a cafe once a week, always at the same time, sits in the same
place, and orders the same thing, via written note to the waitress. One
day, she comes in late, sits at a different table, and says one word
that changes the waitress's life...
It's December! Whoa. Weird. So much happened this year that it flew
right by, but it's been an oddly balanced year too, which is good I
suppose. I feel fortunate that with all the not-so-good things that have
happened, we had a lot of good stuff happen too.
An odd thing about this year is that despite the fact that I have
no money and really have to watch my budget from here on out (that car
payment/extra insurance is tougher than I thought it would be on the
bank account), I'm actually not in as "bah humbug" of a mood as I tend
to be around the holidays. Yesterday I got our Christmas tree up and
most of our decorating done, and while normally I cap the seasonal
decorating at one day, I think I might do a little more tonight while
waiting for Castle. Heck, we might even put more lights up outside next
weekend, weather permitting. If we could just get a little snow, I could
even potentially send cards out this week...
I know, I know. I'm probably going to sprain something if I keep this up.
We drank our first glasses of eggnog last week - and I have to say,
I don't remember it being quite so yummy in years past. A little
nutmeg, a little whipped cream on top...insane calories, but that just
means I need to get back to my workouts so I can burn them back off.
Same with the pumpkin pie I made last night - though that isn't nearly
so many calories. In any case, I dare say that despite the tight budget,
eggnog will be a fixture in the fridge for the rest of the month.
This weekend as I was doing my weekly cleaning and later the
decorating, I was thinking about how I want (need!) to dredge out my
closet, and the office, and the basement. Getting rid of a *ton* of
things not used or wanted, and really organizing everything else for
more efficient use of space. I keep thinking those are good projects for
January, but my husband is gung ho to get started (his closet needs a
clean-out too), and I'm increasingly thinking, why not just get it done
this month? We have three weekends between now and Christmas, and it
would be so very nice to start the new year with the house all organized
and in order. I think we'll start with the closets next weekend, and
just do one project a week to the end of the month. And then January can
be the time for starting new routines and using those spaces
efficiently.
All that to say...I feel good. Positive. Even though I have far
more to do writing/editing/publishing wise than I have time for this
month, I'm not stressed or anxious - it will get done. I've got a few
last minute gifts to pick up and/or make, but I'm oddly not worried.
Very "zen" about the whole thing this year, if you will.
Here's my list for the week - and yeah, it looks like a lot, but a few disciplined days and it'll all get done:
- Draft & edit a flash story for the Cold Feet anthology
- Serial scenes for the two blog serials still running
- Send drafts off for editing, now that NaNo is over
- Format the Cold Feet anthology for print/ebook
- Finish the Christmas decor
- Write & send Christmas Cards
- Draft holiday newsletters for my author names and the main BSB list
- Workout 3x (one of which should be at the gym, swimming)
- Clean out our closets this weekend (totally dredge, donate and reorganize)
- With any leftover time, work on the OHT draft
Yep...it's gonna be a good week, methinks. Productive too. I can feel it.
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
November 30, 2012
Weekly Wrap, November 30, 2012
I got very little done this week, and I'm not exactly sure why
aside from a severe lack of motivation. It happens to all of us
occasionally, and I find that feeling guilty about it doesn't really
help and often makes it worse. On top of that, it's that reflective time
of year that has me looking back at what I've done, what I wanted to
do, and where I fell short. That all leads to questions of how I want to
handle things in 2013, and that actually takes more brain-power than
you might expect.
In any case, I did still get some writing done, and some editing,
and some planning, and an initial draft of that Christmas letter too. So
all was most certainly not lost.
If you'd like to check in on Kat and David who I think were
weathering a tropical storm last week, I've got a nice long installment
up here:
Installment 12
There's also a new chapter of The Handyman's Harem Girl up at the Fantasy Ranch blog:
Chapter 20
And for fans of my horror alter-ego, a new chapter of Jack at the Alex Westhaven blog:
Chapter 7
As for reading...have you ever been in that mood where nothing you
start feels "right"? That was me this week - Ms. Finicky Reader. And
then I opened up Deadly Consequences by a writer friend of
mine, Lori Gordon, and finally found a story I could settle into. I'm
not too far with it yet, but really enjoying the mystery so far...
I also caught up on Carol Ward's serial stories, and made progress on Split Second by Catherine Coulter, so not too shabby!
So there you go...a little writing, a little reading, a lot of
editing (anthology stories) and that was that. Hopefully next week will
be more productive.
Reading anything good at the moment? NaNo-ers, are you still kicking?
aside from a severe lack of motivation. It happens to all of us
occasionally, and I find that feeling guilty about it doesn't really
help and often makes it worse. On top of that, it's that reflective time
of year that has me looking back at what I've done, what I wanted to
do, and where I fell short. That all leads to questions of how I want to
handle things in 2013, and that actually takes more brain-power than
you might expect.
In any case, I did still get some writing done, and some editing,
and some planning, and an initial draft of that Christmas letter too. So
all was most certainly not lost.
If you'd like to check in on Kat and David who I think were
weathering a tropical storm last week, I've got a nice long installment
up here:
Installment 12
There's also a new chapter of The Handyman's Harem Girl up at the Fantasy Ranch blog:
Chapter 20
And for fans of my horror alter-ego, a new chapter of Jack at the Alex Westhaven blog:
Chapter 7
As for reading...have you ever been in that mood where nothing you
start feels "right"? That was me this week - Ms. Finicky Reader. And
then I opened up Deadly Consequences by a writer friend of
mine, Lori Gordon, and finally found a story I could settle into. I'm
not too far with it yet, but really enjoying the mystery so far...
I also caught up on Carol Ward's serial stories, and made progress on Split Second by Catherine Coulter, so not too shabby!
So there you go...a little writing, a little reading, a lot of
editing (anthology stories) and that was that. Hopefully next week will
be more productive.
Reading anything good at the moment? NaNo-ers, are you still kicking?
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
November 28, 2012
Recommended Read: Rocky Mountain Angel by Vivian Arend
Vivian has been an online acquaintance of mine since...well, I
don't even remember how long ago. It was before I'd published anything,
in any case. I don't spend much time on Twitter any longer so I don't
chat with her often, but I'm an avid reader of nearly everything she
writes - and she writes a *lot* (which is to say, I have some catching
up to do on her books). She never, ever disappoints, whether you're
looking for super-steamy or a tad bit more circumspect romantic
encounters ("circumspect" being relative).
Rocky Mountain Angel is book four of the Six Pack Ranch series,
and awesome, as I expected it would be. I'd pre-ordered it quite a few
months ago, so I'd forgotten all about it until it was automatically
delivered to my Kindle in the wee hours of the morning not too long ago
(magic!). I was furiously working on my NaNo draft and I knew I
shouldn't start her book because I can't really just put them down once I
pick one up...but there's no reasoning with a reader in need of a fix
from one of her favorite authors.
I think it took me a couple hours to finish that night (I read quickly, thank goodness).
Rocky Mountain Angel is the story of a woman who's mother is dying
but no one is supposed to know. Allison finds out, and decides there's
no better excuse to come home than getting engaged - and bonus that the
guy she's always been attracted to agrees to help out.
The thing is, he *always* helps out whenever he can...but too much
helping the wrong people puts them in a bit of a sticky situation that
he'll need her help and support to get out of.
And I'm not telling you any more than that - other than it's an
incredibly intense, sometimes bittersweet read with an incredibly
satisfying ending.
Oh. And there's skinny dipping. Really muddy skinny dipping, so it's hot and funny at the same time...
Read it, and then go read the rest of her books, but you might want
to block out several weeks worth of reading time to get caught up...
don't even remember how long ago. It was before I'd published anything,
in any case. I don't spend much time on Twitter any longer so I don't
chat with her often, but I'm an avid reader of nearly everything she
writes - and she writes a *lot* (which is to say, I have some catching
up to do on her books). She never, ever disappoints, whether you're
looking for super-steamy or a tad bit more circumspect romantic
encounters ("circumspect" being relative).
Rocky Mountain Angel is book four of the Six Pack Ranch series,
and awesome, as I expected it would be. I'd pre-ordered it quite a few
months ago, so I'd forgotten all about it until it was automatically
delivered to my Kindle in the wee hours of the morning not too long ago
(magic!). I was furiously working on my NaNo draft and I knew I
shouldn't start her book because I can't really just put them down once I
pick one up...but there's no reasoning with a reader in need of a fix
from one of her favorite authors.
I think it took me a couple hours to finish that night (I read quickly, thank goodness).
Rocky Mountain Angel is the story of a woman who's mother is dying
but no one is supposed to know. Allison finds out, and decides there's
no better excuse to come home than getting engaged - and bonus that the
guy she's always been attracted to agrees to help out.
The thing is, he *always* helps out whenever he can...but too much
helping the wrong people puts them in a bit of a sticky situation that
he'll need her help and support to get out of.
And I'm not telling you any more than that - other than it's an
incredibly intense, sometimes bittersweet read with an incredibly
satisfying ending.
Oh. And there's skinny dipping. Really muddy skinny dipping, so it's hot and funny at the same time...
Read it, and then go read the rest of her books, but you might want
to block out several weeks worth of reading time to get caught up...
I'm not a
professional reviewer, I don't accept offerings direct from writers or
publishing houses (so don't email asking me to review your book - that's an
excellent way to ensure I never read it), and there's a very good chance
I know the authors of over half the books I'll recommend, so my opinion
is likely biased on any given day. This is just me telling you about a
great book I recently read. Nothing more, nothing less.
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
November 26, 2012
On Shopping, Weight Loss & NaNo Fail/Win...
Prompt o' the Week: Cupcakes are falling out of the trendy
list, and the owner of a popular cupcake shop needs to expand the menu
with something that will save the business. It looks hopeless, until
late one night a piece of paper is dropped through the mail slot with an
intriguing recipe on it...
Now that the Christmas season is knocking at the door (for some it's
already started, I know, but for me it doesn't start until Dec. 1), how
goes the shopping? I'm not a Black Friday shopper, having a healthy
dislike of shopping in general, large crowds and early mornings (don't
get me started on Thanksgiving day shopping), but I hope those of you
who were out and about got the things you wanted without injury or too
much hassle.
We tend to pick up gifts for
people as we find them throughout the year, so our list was about
half-done already, and my husband did some online shopping to get us to
about 85 percent done. I just have a few more gifts to buy once I get
paid on Friday, and I have those picked out online already, so we only
have to hit the stores for a couple specific things next weekend (only
one gift - the rest items that we want) and that will be it. Having it
mostly done really does take most of the stress out of the holiday
(especially since my idea of wrapping these days is a nice decorative
bag and some tissue paper).
Random people are
starting to notice I've lost weight, which is fun, since several have
commented on it when I've been wearing three layers of clothing due to
the colder weather. Since Jan. 1, I've lost 35 pounds, which may not
seem like a lot when you consider it's taken 11 months (and I still have
10-15 to lose), but it took me several years to put it all on, so in
perspective it's been a nice, steady drop. The oddest question I've
gotten though is, "Have you been losing on purpose?" It's not something
I'd ever think to ask, as I expect someone losing weight without meaning
too would probably respond to a comment on weight loss with, "Yes,
I've been sick" or something to that effect (and if they don't, is it
really our business?). People don't tend to lose weight "accidentally"
unless there's an illness involved, at least not that I know of. In any
case, it's not illness causing my weight loss, but rather an extreme
attention to calories & portion sizes and less sitting/more
activity.
The less sitting thing has had an
adverse effect on my writing, unfortunately. I used to have no issue
with sitting for hours and writing when I needed to, particularly in
November when racing for as many words as possible. Now however, my body
is used to a higher level of activity, which means I have less
tolerance for sitting for long periods of time. This isn't the reason
I'm not going to hit 50k words this November, but it's part of why I
really can't catch up. Rather than sitting and writing for most of the
day on Saturday and Sundays this month as well as most evenings after
work, I've been up and down, cleaning, socializing, and playing with
the dogs. Yes, part of that is just procrastination, but part of it is
just the fact that I don't feel like sitting as much when that's what I
do every weekday at work. My butt literally gets sore from sitting too
long, and I need to get up and do "something". Which is good for my
metabolism and ongoing health, and bad for the writing.
I'm
not behind on NaNo due to that though - I'm behind because I simply had
too much other stuff to do at the beginning of the month. Writing
projects to finish up, mostly. I bet if I added in the words I've
written on other projects this month, I'd easily have 50k...they just
didn't all go towards the NaNo draft. And that's okay. Because what the
NaNo draft has accomplished this year is to push me to write *more* in a
shorter time frame on a daily basis. And it's a pace I think I can keep
up for the long term too. So while I won't win NaNo this year, I'm
coming out with a faster steady writing pace, which was my personal
challenge for the month. In that respect, I win - it doesn't matter if I
don't sit for as long if I'm putting down more words in the time I *do*
sit...
In any case, I'll keep working on the
NaNo draft in December and hopefully finish it up for a February release
next year. It's a good story - different than what I normally write,
and I'm not sure whether it will be a novel or a novella now that it's
not under a specific word constraint, but I like how it's shaping up
either way. Fun, really.
So this week, it's
back to normal for me, and no more worrying about racing to the NaNo
finish, just writing as much as I can within my set writing times.
Here's the to-do list for the week...pretty straightforward, really:
- Scenes for 2 serial stories in progress- Half hour to 1 hour for OHT per day (NaNo draft) - Christmas letter- Decorating next weekend- Catch up on some BSB publishing stuff- Workout 3x and work the dogs out nightly. - Start scheduling editing/publishing projects for December- Schedule out major housecleaning projects for winter
A little writing, a little holiday stuff, some organizational stuff and workouts. Dang near balanced, I'd say...
Here's to a calm and productive week, whatever you're doing!
list, and the owner of a popular cupcake shop needs to expand the menu
with something that will save the business. It looks hopeless, until
late one night a piece of paper is dropped through the mail slot with an
intriguing recipe on it...
Now that the Christmas season is knocking at the door (for some it's
already started, I know, but for me it doesn't start until Dec. 1), how
goes the shopping? I'm not a Black Friday shopper, having a healthy
dislike of shopping in general, large crowds and early mornings (don't
get me started on Thanksgiving day shopping), but I hope those of you
who were out and about got the things you wanted without injury or too
much hassle.
We tend to pick up gifts for
people as we find them throughout the year, so our list was about
half-done already, and my husband did some online shopping to get us to
about 85 percent done. I just have a few more gifts to buy once I get
paid on Friday, and I have those picked out online already, so we only
have to hit the stores for a couple specific things next weekend (only
one gift - the rest items that we want) and that will be it. Having it
mostly done really does take most of the stress out of the holiday
(especially since my idea of wrapping these days is a nice decorative
bag and some tissue paper).
Random people are
starting to notice I've lost weight, which is fun, since several have
commented on it when I've been wearing three layers of clothing due to
the colder weather. Since Jan. 1, I've lost 35 pounds, which may not
seem like a lot when you consider it's taken 11 months (and I still have
10-15 to lose), but it took me several years to put it all on, so in
perspective it's been a nice, steady drop. The oddest question I've
gotten though is, "Have you been losing on purpose?" It's not something
I'd ever think to ask, as I expect someone losing weight without meaning
too would probably respond to a comment on weight loss with, "Yes,
I've been sick" or something to that effect (and if they don't, is it
really our business?). People don't tend to lose weight "accidentally"
unless there's an illness involved, at least not that I know of. In any
case, it's not illness causing my weight loss, but rather an extreme
attention to calories & portion sizes and less sitting/more
activity.
The less sitting thing has had an
adverse effect on my writing, unfortunately. I used to have no issue
with sitting for hours and writing when I needed to, particularly in
November when racing for as many words as possible. Now however, my body
is used to a higher level of activity, which means I have less
tolerance for sitting for long periods of time. This isn't the reason
I'm not going to hit 50k words this November, but it's part of why I
really can't catch up. Rather than sitting and writing for most of the
day on Saturday and Sundays this month as well as most evenings after
work, I've been up and down, cleaning, socializing, and playing with
the dogs. Yes, part of that is just procrastination, but part of it is
just the fact that I don't feel like sitting as much when that's what I
do every weekday at work. My butt literally gets sore from sitting too
long, and I need to get up and do "something". Which is good for my
metabolism and ongoing health, and bad for the writing.
I'm
not behind on NaNo due to that though - I'm behind because I simply had
too much other stuff to do at the beginning of the month. Writing
projects to finish up, mostly. I bet if I added in the words I've
written on other projects this month, I'd easily have 50k...they just
didn't all go towards the NaNo draft. And that's okay. Because what the
NaNo draft has accomplished this year is to push me to write *more* in a
shorter time frame on a daily basis. And it's a pace I think I can keep
up for the long term too. So while I won't win NaNo this year, I'm
coming out with a faster steady writing pace, which was my personal
challenge for the month. In that respect, I win - it doesn't matter if I
don't sit for as long if I'm putting down more words in the time I *do*
sit...
In any case, I'll keep working on the
NaNo draft in December and hopefully finish it up for a February release
next year. It's a good story - different than what I normally write,
and I'm not sure whether it will be a novel or a novella now that it's
not under a specific word constraint, but I like how it's shaping up
either way. Fun, really.
So this week, it's
back to normal for me, and no more worrying about racing to the NaNo
finish, just writing as much as I can within my set writing times.
Here's the to-do list for the week...pretty straightforward, really:
- Scenes for 2 serial stories in progress- Half hour to 1 hour for OHT per day (NaNo draft) - Christmas letter- Decorating next weekend- Catch up on some BSB publishing stuff- Workout 3x and work the dogs out nightly. - Start scheduling editing/publishing projects for December- Schedule out major housecleaning projects for winter
A little writing, a little holiday stuff, some organizational stuff and workouts. Dang near balanced, I'd say...
Here's to a calm and productive week, whatever you're doing!
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
