Linda Lael Miller's Blog, page 12
September 28, 2011
Goof Off Day
Today, I'm doing art--okay, more properly, I'm experimenting with the supplies I bought yesterday, at Hobby Lobby, where I got into a wonderful conversation with a gentleman visiting from England. He and his wife have friends in Spokane, also artists, and the two couples trade visits. Anyway, I told him about my latest passion, doing gel transfers on little metal sheets, and he showed me a set of vinyl letters for his project--said he'd come 7000 miles to find them. :)
Conversations like this one often happen to me, because I always have such a wide variety of stuff in my shopping cart. Everybody wants to know what kind of project I'm working on. Hard to explain, because the end result doesn't matter nearly so much to me as the process. I love to try something I've seen on TV ("That's Clever" is back! Reruns, alas, but still my favorite.) or on Youtube. Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine has a website with free tutorials on all sorts of things, and that's where I got hooked on the transfers and of course there are all sorts of online art courses, too.
Yes, it's a goof off kind of day, but I'm also doing some brainstorming for the next "Big Sky" book, which I intend to start next Monday morning.
Special note to Judy, sister of Bill Scott. Did you email me? I didn't receive it. Please try again, with your name in caps on the subject line.
That's the news for this gloriously beautiful September morning. Oh, that sunshine, gilding every needle of every pine tree. Throat-catching beauty.
Be kind, be glad, be grateful.
Conversations like this one often happen to me, because I always have such a wide variety of stuff in my shopping cart. Everybody wants to know what kind of project I'm working on. Hard to explain, because the end result doesn't matter nearly so much to me as the process. I love to try something I've seen on TV ("That's Clever" is back! Reruns, alas, but still my favorite.) or on Youtube. Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine has a website with free tutorials on all sorts of things, and that's where I got hooked on the transfers and of course there are all sorts of online art courses, too.
Yes, it's a goof off kind of day, but I'm also doing some brainstorming for the next "Big Sky" book, which I intend to start next Monday morning.
Special note to Judy, sister of Bill Scott. Did you email me? I didn't receive it. Please try again, with your name in caps on the subject line.
That's the news for this gloriously beautiful September morning. Oh, that sunshine, gilding every needle of every pine tree. Throat-catching beauty.
Be kind, be glad, be grateful.
September 27, 2011
The News from the Triple L
"Big Sky Country" is finished! Whew!
And, to make the day even more exciting, "A Lawman's Christmas" hits the stores today.
Now, I'm off to celebrate. :)
And, to make the day even more exciting, "A Lawman's Christmas" hits the stores today.
Now, I'm off to celebrate. :)
September 26, 2011
Finished! (Almost)
I spent the weekend revising "Big Sky Country"--not a lot of changes, as I rewrite continually as I go along, but a word here, a phrase there, a story fact my editor and I had agreed to change--the usual. That brought me to this morning--and the last chapter, and possible epilogue, of the book. I'll be winding the story up today, and I'm both excited about that and sorry to let go. :) As always, I've come to love these story people of mine.
Yorkie-Bernice insists on two walks a day now that she's grasped the concept, so she and I toured the property twice on Saturday and twice more on Sunday. I did a little bit of art work, too, but not much. I need some gluing and painting every day, though, the same as Neecie needs her walk.
I'm behind on everything, it seems. But I'm happy, and I'm grateful.
More tomorrow.
Yorkie-Bernice insists on two walks a day now that she's grasped the concept, so she and I toured the property twice on Saturday and twice more on Sunday. I did a little bit of art work, too, but not much. I need some gluing and painting every day, though, the same as Neecie needs her walk.
I'm behind on everything, it seems. But I'm happy, and I'm grateful.
More tomorrow.
September 23, 2011
The Book Club and Other Things
A fine time was had by all at Shirley Allings' book club meeting last night. Few things are more fun than enjoying food (it was my free night) and congenial conversation about one of my favorite subjects: books!
Thank you, Shirley and Matt and all the attendees.
This morning I woke to find that I had--picture me uttering gasps of dread here--No Internet Service. I checked every router and even called my bookkeeper to make sure the bill had been paid. :) Whatever the problem was, it's been fixed. It scares me a little to think how dependent I really am on being able to go online--and makes me grateful for the easy convenience that is the norm. :)
Today I will draft the last chapter of "Big Sky Country", and do my polishing and revisions over the weekend. On Monday, I zap the works to my saintly editor, Joanie, via--yep--the internet.
My new book, "A Lawman's Christmas", will be in stores on Tuesday, the 27th. This is the story of Clay McKettrick, who founded the Texas McKettricks dynasty. If you loved Tate, Garrett and Austin, here's your chance to see how it all began.
We're enjoying lovely fall sunshine here in Spokane. We're all hail and hardy, people and critters, and the internet is working.
Who could ask for anything more?
Thank you, Shirley and Matt and all the attendees.
This morning I woke to find that I had--picture me uttering gasps of dread here--No Internet Service. I checked every router and even called my bookkeeper to make sure the bill had been paid. :) Whatever the problem was, it's been fixed. It scares me a little to think how dependent I really am on being able to go online--and makes me grateful for the easy convenience that is the norm. :)
Today I will draft the last chapter of "Big Sky Country", and do my polishing and revisions over the weekend. On Monday, I zap the works to my saintly editor, Joanie, via--yep--the internet.
My new book, "A Lawman's Christmas", will be in stores on Tuesday, the 27th. This is the story of Clay McKettrick, who founded the Texas McKettricks dynasty. If you loved Tate, Garrett and Austin, here's your chance to see how it all began.
We're enjoying lovely fall sunshine here in Spokane. We're all hail and hardy, people and critters, and the internet is working.
Who could ask for anything more?
September 22, 2011
Writing
Today, writing is just about all I can think about. I am SO CLOSE to finishing this book. I will probably complete the draft tomorrow and spend the weekend doing the revisions and polish.
Yesterday, they laid the new hardwood floor in the guest room, and there was lots of hammering, sawing, and vacuuming. :) Today the workmen will be back to add a layer of varnish, but that's pretty quiet work as I understand it. :)
Under 2 pounds lost on the D.I.E.T. this week, but that's fine with me. I love the convenience of this program, and have no problem staying on it.
Tonight I'm going to a meeting of a good friend's book club--they read "The Man from Stone Creek", a personal favorite of mine, and we're going to discuss it. How much fun is that? It's a good thing this is my free-night, because there will be food.
Jean, it was great to run into you at the hair salon the other day. :) See you soon--I can only resist Barnes and Noble for so long.
The sun is shining and Bernice thinks she's a big star on Youtube, Twitter, this blog and Facebook.
It's all good.
Yesterday, they laid the new hardwood floor in the guest room, and there was lots of hammering, sawing, and vacuuming. :) Today the workmen will be back to add a layer of varnish, but that's pretty quiet work as I understand it. :)
Under 2 pounds lost on the D.I.E.T. this week, but that's fine with me. I love the convenience of this program, and have no problem staying on it.
Tonight I'm going to a meeting of a good friend's book club--they read "The Man from Stone Creek", a personal favorite of mine, and we're going to discuss it. How much fun is that? It's a good thing this is my free-night, because there will be food.
Jean, it was great to run into you at the hair salon the other day. :) See you soon--I can only resist Barnes and Noble for so long.
The sun is shining and Bernice thinks she's a big star on Youtube, Twitter, this blog and Facebook.
It's all good.
September 21, 2011
That Sound You Don't Hear---(You Lucky Thing)
Is the thump of hammers and other tools as workmen replace the ugly carpet in the guest room with hardwood to match the rest of the house. Mary Ann and Jen have been busy removing wallpaper these past few days. Now that the new floor is going in, the cats are hiding under my bed and Bernice has finally stopped yapping but is sticking pretty near my feet. :)
What a day to be working on the final stages of a book. :) (Why did you schedule the project, then, you ask, as you well might.) It's simple: I thought I'd be finished by now. Instead, it's going to take all of today and all of tomorrow and probably Friday for the polish, but then "Big Sky Country" will be ready!
There are some great contests coming your way--one of the prizes is a trip to Vegas for the big rodeo in December! I'll post links right here on the website. (Hint: start thinking about your favorite holiday cookie recipe. :))
For today, that's the news.
Make it fabulous.
What a day to be working on the final stages of a book. :) (Why did you schedule the project, then, you ask, as you well might.) It's simple: I thought I'd be finished by now. Instead, it's going to take all of today and all of tomorrow and probably Friday for the polish, but then "Big Sky Country" will be ready!
There are some great contests coming your way--one of the prizes is a trip to Vegas for the big rodeo in December! I'll post links right here on the website. (Hint: start thinking about your favorite holiday cookie recipe. :))
For today, that's the news.
Make it fabulous.
September 20, 2011
Spaced Out the Blog
I was so busy writing on "Big Sky Country" yesterday that I didn't even remember the blog until I was too tired to write it. :) Something was off with the number of pages I'd written, too, so I went back and sure enough, I'd skipped Chapter 14 completely. Yikes. I had to renumber everything which, of course, meant I had one less chapter written than I thought I did. Mayhem! Confusion! I am essentially right-brained, and things like that tend to throw me more than they should. Alas, I'm writing Chapter 18 today--though I thought I was writing it yesterday.
Oh, never mind. :)
Hair cut today--I look like a walking haystack. Of course when I'm this close to finishing a book, I hate to interrupt the process in any way, but my hair is about to be declared a federal disaster area, so off to th shop I go.
I'm downloading a ton of new audiobooks from the iTunes store. Tuesday is new book day.
Yeehaw!
Time to go and eat my breakfast.
More tomorrow.
Oh, never mind. :)
Hair cut today--I look like a walking haystack. Of course when I'm this close to finishing a book, I hate to interrupt the process in any way, but my hair is about to be declared a federal disaster area, so off to th shop I go.
I'm downloading a ton of new audiobooks from the iTunes store. Tuesday is new book day.
Yeehaw!
Time to go and eat my breakfast.
More tomorrow.
September 16, 2011
So Close
I am so close to finishing this book! And I'm already chomping at the bit to get on with the second story in the series. :)
I continue with the D.I.E.T. and, this is amazing, but I don't miss being able to eat whatever I want, whenever I want. The BistroMD plan is so varied and so easy--I just microwave and eat. No thinking about calories, or fat grams, or carbs, or anything like that. I lost another 2 pounds this week and I'm pleased with my progress, but it's the convenience of it all that makes me love it so much. The food itself is usually great, and if you don't like something (Tofu Curry Stew for example), you can just go to the website and say, "Please don't send me that, Ever Again." :)
I finished listening to "Becoming Marie Antoinette", by Julia Grey, last night. Zounds! There's a whole second book, continuing the story (okay, we all know how it ends, but the getting-there part is fascinating.) I can't wait to get my hot little hands on the sequel! Nook-wise, I'm in the middle of "Mrs. Tom Thumb"--quite an interesting story.
Our weather is cooling down as we approach the autumn (my favorite season, by the way) but we're still getting lots of glorious sunshine. Bernice went out with Jen this morning and hiked all over the property, lookin for turkeys. Alas, they continue to evade her. :)
That's the news for today, my friends.
Enjoy your weekend.
I continue with the D.I.E.T. and, this is amazing, but I don't miss being able to eat whatever I want, whenever I want. The BistroMD plan is so varied and so easy--I just microwave and eat. No thinking about calories, or fat grams, or carbs, or anything like that. I lost another 2 pounds this week and I'm pleased with my progress, but it's the convenience of it all that makes me love it so much. The food itself is usually great, and if you don't like something (Tofu Curry Stew for example), you can just go to the website and say, "Please don't send me that, Ever Again." :)
I finished listening to "Becoming Marie Antoinette", by Julia Grey, last night. Zounds! There's a whole second book, continuing the story (okay, we all know how it ends, but the getting-there part is fascinating.) I can't wait to get my hot little hands on the sequel! Nook-wise, I'm in the middle of "Mrs. Tom Thumb"--quite an interesting story.
Our weather is cooling down as we approach the autumn (my favorite season, by the way) but we're still getting lots of glorious sunshine. Bernice went out with Jen this morning and hiked all over the property, lookin for turkeys. Alas, they continue to evade her. :)
That's the news for today, my friends.
Enjoy your weekend.
September 15, 2011
I'm On a Roll!
Writing like a crazy woman!
Be back tomorrow.
Be back tomorrow.
