One happy momma!

Yesterday my oldest came home full of excitement.  She'd been invited to attend the Billy Lancaster Forestry Youth Camp.  Turns out that only two students from her entire school are invited each year, and she was one of them.  How can a proud mommy say no to that?  Ultimately, I filled out the paperwork and wrote the check.  LOL.
This will be her first summer camp away from home... four nights away!  But, she's a teenager now and she's very excited about it.

On the note of excitement, this is my 600th blog entry!  When I started this blog I never would've imagined I'd reach 600 entries.  Much less have enough to talk about to fill 600 entries.  LOL.  Sure, many of my posts are simply rambling family stuff (which has been pointed out to me recently that others do enjoy reading), but in reality I wanted people to see the real me.

There are so many authors out there who only write blog entries when they have book information to share.  While that's good and fine, I like to see more from my favorites.  I think a reader can feel more connected with an author when they can see that your day to day life is just as hectic as theirs. 

We aren't confined to a little room cranking out sentence after sentence (though some of us would like to be).  *Raises Hand*  Nope, we have families, spouses, children, pets, other obligations, errands, bills, trials and tribulations just like everyone else.  Heck, sometimes I find myself envying the writers who CAN lock themselves away for hours at a time to work, with no interruptions.  But I wouldn't trade the time with my kiddos for anything in the world.  Soon enough I'll be able to work how I want to, and then I'll probably miss being interrupted by little ones.  :-)

Okay, before this rambling entry ends I want to let everyone know that if you aren't a member of my Facebook Fan Page now is the time to join.  When the page reaches 500 members I'll be giving away 1 of my Alex & Fiona e-books (winner's choice).

Oh, and I uploaded more pictures of our puppies to my Facebook album yesterday.  They're now 2wks old and have eyes.  LOL.  Check out the Fudge's Puppies album for some lovable cuteness that'll make you go, "Awwwwwwww!"

Good news when you least expect it.

Morning, morning!  Time for another new week.  Can you believe it'll be April in a few days?  Spring really is here to stay.

The weekend was a busy one and definitely went by far too quickly because of it.  But now it's time for a new week, new work, new plans, new exhaustions.  However, the kids only have four days of school this week and then they're out for Spring Break.  Ten day of not having to hear the alarm clock, not waking up before the sun rises, and spending time with the kiddos without having to rush around to and from school.

I'm thinking we'll take them to the aquarium (since we have a family membership) and if the weather permits we'll go for a mountain drive and picnic.  And I'll use that time to take our spring pictures.  Here's our family shot from last year:

It was a nice day in the mountains last year.  Hopefully this year will be just as nice.

Oh yeah, the good news part!  I received some great news yesterday about my second Liz Baker book (Kill Me Next Week).  You never know when something happy and exciting will come your way when you least expect it.  Kill Me Next Week is aiming for an end of the year release, so it looks like I better get on the ball with finishing it up.

Of course, in the meantime we gotta get Time For Death released and out to the masses.  Only a few more weeks before Liz is introduced.  I hope my Alex & Fiona fans will enjoy Liz and her sassy attitude.  She's quite spunky when she wants to be.

Another event coming up in April would have to be the celebration of my marriage to the man who rocks my world, and who makes a great research partner for certain book scenes. ;-)  Our 16th anniversary will be rolling around on April 9th.  I haven't decided how we'll celebrate yet, but my mother will have the kids that night...  Hmmmm...

Okay, I'm off to get some work done. Have a wonderful Monday and week ahead!

Disappointment is never fun.

Morning everyone!  Did you know that it's Friday?  Woohoo!  I love when the weekend finally arrives.  I get to sleep until the sun is actually up on the weekends.  Not only that, but the kids only have four days of school next week and then they'll be out for Spring Break.  I'll get ten days of no alarm clock!  Yay!

Yesterday was Kindie Sign-Up Day and the youngest did fabulously.  She passed her kindergarten assessment test with flying colors and is all signed up and ready for school to start in September.  It was a lot of paperwork and time spent standing in line, but it's all done.  She's now telling everyone that she's a kindergartener now.  :-)

Okay, onto the part about disappointment.

As many of you know, Tim and I have been planning to have a vow renewal ceremony on the beach of Tybee Island, Georgia for our 17th wedding anniversary, next year.  Well, our 16th anniversary will be here in only two weeks, and Tim still doesn't have a new job.  When he does get a new job, he won't be there long enough to have vacation time by the time our anniversary week rolls around next year.

Soooooo...

I've had to cancel our renewal.  :-(  It makes me sad, and I waited as long as I could before calling it off, but in the end I had to make the call and just do it.  I'm very disappointed, and hate that the economy has gotten this bad, but you gotta do what you gotta do when you have a family to support.

Hopefully he'll have a new job soon and we'll at least get to go to the island for our summer vacation, but even that is all based on him getting a new job first.  In the meantime, my next goal is to put enough of my article money aside for us to do a few small trips while the kids are out for summer this year.  We can only plan for the here and now right now.

Anyway, I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend. We have a birthday party to attend on Saturday evening and Auntie Amanda (my sister) is planning to take the kids to see "How to Train Your Dragon" Saturday morning.  They should have a great time.

It's that day already?!

Today is a big day in my household.  It's only Thursday to most of you out there, but for us it's Kindergarten Sign-Up Day!  Our youngest is so excited for today to finally be here.  She turned 5 in January and is in such a rush to start school like her sisters.  I, on the other hand, simply can't believe my baby is old enough for kindergarten already.  Yet, I'm finding myself a bit giddy about her going to school as well.

When she starts school, and with fate's good graces in Tim's job department, I'll be home all alone during the day!  Six hours of uninterrupted writing!  Ahhh, imagine all the work I'll be able to get completed each day.  I'll actually be ready to end the work day when school pick-up time rolls around.  I'm quite a bit excited for that prospect.

Now I just gotta wait 'til September gets here.  :-)

Anyway, I have to take her to school at noon, with a folder full of papers to prove who we are and where we live (even though 95% of the school employees know who I am and who my kids are, lol) to fill out page after page of paperwork while she takes her kindergarten assessment test.  The last time I did this was five years ago, right after she was born, with daughter #2.  At least this time I won't have a baby in a sling strapped to me while juggling everything else.

By the time the youngest is out of this school, I'll have been a parent of a student there for 13 years!  Wow!

Okay, that's enough rambling this morning.  I hear Tim pulling up from taking the big kids to school, and the little one will be awake soon toocount down the next few hours.  You have a fantastic Thursday and remember that the weekend is just around the corner.  I'll be daydreaming about five months from now.  ;-)

The love of books started early.

Yes, I'm a writer so, technically, I'm suppose to have a love of books.  But you'd be surprised at how many writers don't read.  I'd assume it'd be quite difficult to enjoy the written word if you don't actually read it.  Nonetheless, my love of books started at a very young age.  Even further back than I can remember.

I always had a book on hand when I was a child.  There are even old school teachers who remember me as "the girl who was always reading."  I kid you not!  I remember specifically in middle school when I got the "privilege" of being office runner for the day (a boring privilege to say the least) and one of the teachers came in and said, "Every time I see you you have a book in your hands." 

It wasn't a bad thing at all.  Goodness no!  I always took it as a compliment.  Don't know why, but I did.

When I was a bit older, I'd save my babysitting money for a trip to the mall.  Back then that was where the only bookstore in town was.  I'd save and save until I have enough money to buy several new books at once.  We didn't go to the mall often and I wanted to make sure I'd have enough books to last a while.  Of course they never lasted long enough.

By the time I got a job I was splitting my earnings between music, books, and gas for my car. LOL.  Even then, I had quite the list of books to read, but I'd also been able to go to the library as often as I liked (since I drove myself then).  I remember the day I got my library card...  Awww!

As I said, my love of books started very early.  I just didn't realize exactly how early until I came across the very first book I'd written.  No, it didn't have to do with toddlers or vampires.  It was written in crayon; bound and covered with green construction paper and yarn; and had a title page that said, "Written by Author Christie Grant."

It had been packed away for years in a stack of old school papers my mom kept.  She'd given me the papers years ago, but they got pushed to the back of my closet and ignored.  That is, until the other week when I decided to start organizing my paper clutter.  That's when I found the story about a little Indian girl whose parents gave her all sorts of gifts and goodies.

I suppose I was in the 3rd or 4th grade when this "book" was written, but the discovery of that little project proves that my love of books started much younger than I remember.  And I'm so glad it did! :-)

Luckily, my own children are following on the same track, however, I can tell them exactly when their love of books started...  At birth!  I've read to them since they were born.  All three love going to the library; they devour new books; and I only have one left that even requires my reading services any longer (and she starts school in the fall).
So there!  I love books!  And I'm happy to say that my children do as well.  Life is more exciting when you have a good book to fall into.  :-)

Have a great Wednesday, and go pick up something new to read.

Hoping for a calmer week.

Last week was one crazy, busy week.  Let's do a little recap....

• Monday: Puppies born, Announced Time For Death's release, Started the Facebook fan page.
• Tuesday: Introduced Liz Baker to the world.
• Wednesday: Shared Time For Death's intriguing cover. Had the oldest's Quiz Bowl meet.
• Thursday: Bought Tim new field fencing to get him out of my hair.  That backfired & ended up making more work for myself.
• Friday: Let everyone know about the goodies I'll be giving away on April 30th. Worked on the field fencing. Went out with Tim for a date night that ended up being more stressful that we bargained for.
• Saturday: Finished up the field fencing work (yay!). The middle daughter had a sleepover.  Turns out 9yr olds are MUCH louder than 13yr olds during sleepovers. I didn't get in bed until after midnight.
• Sunday: Woke up, got numerous kids fed. Sent the guests home with their parents. Nursed a headache the rest of the day while just being lazy on a rainy Sunday.

Whew!  I think I'm tired all over again just from reading that.  Not only that, but I missed getting any writing done all week.  I miss my story worlds.

The only thing on the schedule for this week is kindergarten registration on Thursday.  I can't believe our baby is already old enough for kindergarten. Sure, we have until September, but still.  I got to hold a 3 month old baby yesterday. Awwww!  How is it that our baby is so much bigger than that now?  The years sure do fly.

On the upside, I only have 5 more months until all three kids are in school and I can work without kiddly interruptions.  Hopefully I'll also be able to work without husbandly interruptions as well.  *Fingers Crossed*

Well, I'm off to fix some breakfast and start my day.  Thinking it'll be a good day to plug my ears with music and work while pretending I'm so into it that I don't notice Tim or the youngest talking to me.  Yep, that sounds like a plan!  Tremmel Crossing here I come!  (<--- Where Liz Baker lives)

Have a great Monday!

How will I celebrate Time For Death?

I'll celebrate Time For Death by giving YOU something!

On April 30, 2010 my new series will debut with book 1, Time For Death.  This book has been a longtime coming and I want to celebrate it's arrival into the Book World.  In order to do that, I'll be holding one of my online chats and giving away some goodies to one luck attendant.

I'm sure you've seen other giveaways that require an exorbitant amount of your time to enter:  Post this on your Twitter for an entry, bring five other people for an entry, sign off the rights to your firstborn for an entry.....  And while I'd love for you to do those (well, not the children. I have plenty of my own, lol), it's not necessary to be entered into the giveaway.  You simply have to show up for the chat!

The last time I did a chat was for Christmas.  It was a lot of fun and many people showed up.  I'm hoping this time will be just as fun with even more people showing up.

Okay, okay.  You're probably wondering what I'm giving away this time.  It took me a few days to figure that out myself, but it has finally hit me. As a writer I like to promote other people getting into the spirit of writing down their own words, thoughts, ideas.  Not only that, but I want to share the love I have for all of my books and their lovely covers.  Sooooo....

I'm giving away:

1 - personalized ink pen (I even ordered one for myself because I loved the way it looked)
1 - notebook with Time For Death on the cover
1 - autographed 11x14 collage poster of all my book covers

I thought about a coffee mug too--you could drink your coffee while writing--but after receiving a broken mug from AC, I changed my mine about that.  I'll stick with stuff that won't break in the mail.  LOL.

When it gets closer to time for the chat I'll post pictures of everything.

When:  April 30, 2010

Time:  8pm - 9pm EST

Where: Christie's Chatroom (link will be posted at a later date)

Why: To celebrate & give away goodies!

I hope you'll make note of the event and stop by to celebrate with me and for your chance to win.  I'll be sending event invites on Facebook and numerous other social networking sites.  :-)

The washing machine just buzzed; I suppose that's my signal to get off here and get some housework done.  Have a wonderful day!

After the death.

Good morning everyone.  It's nearly the weekend... finally!  I don't know about you, but this has been a long week for me.

Aside from all of my normal weekly stuff, I've had all the book release information to handle and dish out and the oldest had a Quiz Bowl meet last night.  This was their last one and we left the younger girls with the in-laws so we coul watch the meet in peace.  Unfortunately, our school didn't win, but the kids looked like they were having a lot of fun.  That's all that really matters in the end.

When the sun finally comes up this morning I have to head out to Lowe's with Tim and pick up two new rolls of field fencing and posts.  I'm hoping this job will keep him busy for about three days.  I'd love to have some quiet time to work.

Speaking of work, how did everyone like the cover for Time For Death?  I've heard good things from the few who saw it before the debut.

I know that this is Time For Death week, and it's still a month from releasing (unless you're lucky enough to pe-order), but I want to talk a little about book two.  This is the Liz Baker series, after all. 

In book 1 we meet Liz, her friends, and some of her eccentric ways.  She learns about her true parentage, secrets that had been kept from her all her life.  Not to mention, the truth about vampires... They exist!

In book 2, Kill Me Next Week, Liz finds that she really doesn't know as much about her world as she thought.  More secrets from the past are thrown her way.  More supernatural creatures reveal.  And don't forget about the smokin' hot men and healthy love life. 

Ah yes, Liz has a lot to learn about the world outside her small town and the walls of her bar when she travels to the gates of hell...  ATLANTA!  Someone who seemingly needs her help turns out to be a master of disguise, and a murderer out to use Liz's powers against her.

Kill Me Next Week is the second book in this series and I have plans for at least three more.  Liz will meet new people, monsters, creatures, and all of them residing right here in the south.  You never know what you'll find around the next corner!  Evil truly exists, and Liz will have to fight it in ways she never imagine.

Okay, that's it for today.  I need to have a little breakfast before getting changed and heading out.  The 5yr old is still sleeping and I'm taking full advantage of it.  Have a wonderful day!

The first look at Time For Death.

Click to see a larger version of the cover.
Good morning everyone!  Happy St. Patrick's Day.  Are you wearing your green?  It's the middle of the week and I have a goodie to show you.

<--------------  Isn't it lovely?!  Click on cover to see it larger.

I think it realy symbolizes the turmoil Liz is going through during the story.  The monstrous, swirling storm clouds as red as blood, along with the darkened cabin make 100% sense when you read the story.

I received my proof copy of Time For Death yesterday.  I've been expecting it, and even though I have the computer file of the cover, I wanted to wait until I saw it in print, in my hands, to make sure it looked as good in reality as it does on the computer screen.  That's why I planned this blog entry for today instead of Monday.
With this approval of the cover, Time For Death is just one step closer to its April 30th release date.  The biggest excitement to come will be when the book gets its listing page on Amazon.  That tends to take several weeks because Amazon only updates book information once or twice a month.  Now we just wait.

I have added a Pre-Order option to the website.  All pre-ordered books will be shipped before the April 30th release date.  How's that for an incentive to pre-order?  LOL.

Now, before I go for today I want to introduce you to the newest members of our family.  Our outside dog, who we adopted as a stray when she was a teeny little puppy over 3yrs ago, just surprised us with four little rats.....

There are three dark brown ones and a single white with brown patches.  Fudge (our girl dog) is quite protective of her new babies and we've respected her privacy... other than a once a day check on them all with praise, petting and treats for the mommy.

And here's the mommy when we brought her home.

Awww, that was so long ago.  She's a big dog now.  :-)

Okay, that's it from me today.  Be sure to come back tomorrow when I discuss Kill Me Next Week.  What'll happen with Liz in book 2?

Alex & Fiona e-books on sale.

 

Just a quick note to let everyone know that all three Alex & Fiona books are now only $3.99 in their e-book formats on Amazon.  "But I don't have a Kindle," you say.  No worries!  Did you know that Amazon offers a FREE Kindle for PC?  Yep, you can enjoy e-books just like everyone else.

If you'd like to purchase your own e-book copy, here are the books in order and linked to their Amazon pages:

A Midnight Infatuation (Alex & Fiona, book 1)

A Birth at Dawn (Alex & Fiona, book 2)

A Twilight Abduction (Alex & Fiona, book 3)

Come back tomorrow to see first public display of the cover of my upcoming release, Time For Death.

Liz Baker revealed.

Today's blog entry is all about the heroine in my new Liz Baker series.  Before I start a new book I like to do a character interview.  It helps to decide how the main character should act, feel, their likes, dislikes, interests, etc.  Here are a few of the questions and answers from my interview with Liz.  She's quite the rambunctious one!

Name: Lizabeth May Baker (but my friends call me Liz) And yes, my mother left the E off on purpose.
Age: 32
Friends: Old best friend from school (is married/divorced with kids), fuck buddy, current best friend (too busy with her internet business), employees are friends, but still employees.
Family: Mom deceased, Father a drunken pot smoker, sister lives in Savannah, GA with her hubby and three sons.
Job: Owner and bartender of a bar in a small Georgia town. Use to be a partner in successful internet company.
Location: Tremmel Crossing, Georgia
What foods do you like? I use to really enjoy chocolate fudge. It was smooth, sweet, and just so good. But with fudge, you can't really eat a lot of it: it's just too sweet. I also love a nice shot of coconut rum. It's great when you need to get through those last few hours of working with drunks and lunatics.
Listen to Music? Music! Ah, I love music! I listen to it all the time. I have a jukebox in the bar and it's always on. If no one is feeding quarters into it, then I'm over there turning it on myself. Music is a must-have in a world as crazy as this one.
Dislikes: Nosy people, Cigarettes, Drunks, tomatoes, bad breath
What Kind of Man She Likes: Strong, flirty, easy to talk to, can make her laugh, at least one tattoo is a must (shows that they can take some pain), doesn't mind spending money on her, doesn't smoke--at least not around Liz or in her house.
What Kind of Man She Dislikes: prejudices of any kind, straight as an arrow, thinks women are possessions, thinks he's in charge, clingy, too much facial hair (that stuff is so uncomfortable to kiss), drunks, drug users.
How deadly are you? Liz knows how to fight. She has a hefty attitude that usually prevents her from actually having to land any blows. But if the need arises, Liz is right there busting heads and bruising egos.
Do you have any artistic skills to speak of? Art? No. But she makes the best pina coloda in the county!

These are just a small portion of the interview that Liz participated in.  She gets bored very quickly, so it was like pulling teeth just to get what information I did get out of her.  Maybe I'll eventually get her to agree to another one... just to see how the changes in her life after Time For Death have affected her thoughts on such things.  Even fictional characters must evolve when life gets hectic.

Here's a little something that I posted a few months back about Liz...

What Liz Would Do

• Liz would tell someone to get out of her damn bar just for sitting on her expensive pool table.
• Liz would have sex in a graveyard in the middle of the night.
• Liz would wear a sexy Halloween costume out in public without caring what others thought.
• Liz would be able to pull off that sexy Halloween costume because she doesn't give a damn what other people think.
• Liz would tell someone to fuck off if they looked at her with even a hint of disrespect.
• Liz would sacrifice her entire world for the people she loves.
• Liz would happily stare at a sexy, shirtless man, letting her mind wander to naughtier things, even in the most inappropriate of moments.
• Liz would call her cat a spoiled brat while still rubbing its tummy & enjoying its purring.
• Liz would buy everyone in her a bar a round of drinks just because she's having a good day.
• Liz would happily rule the world with a gentle touch, but an iron attitude when needed.

That's it for today.  I hope you enjoyed getting to know a bit about Liz.  She's definitely a fun character to work with.  She can be quite stubborn at times, but in the end she's just being herself.

Remember to pop back in tomorrow for your first glimpse at the Time For Death book cover.

Time For Death releases.

Good morning everyone!  This is going to be one busy week.  Not only that, but  have some exciting news to share with you this week.  Every day I will be sharing something new.  Here's your news for today.

My new series will debut with book one, Time For Death, on April 30, 2010!  Woohoo!  I'm very excited and happy that Liz Baker will finally be sent out into the world.  I even have some beta readers who are excited about the release, and they've already read the book.  LOL!

Here is the description from the back of the book:

Liz Baker, a 32 year old small town bar owner, thought it would be a normal evening of sex in a cemetery with her longtime beau, until she spotted someone in the distance, and all normality in her world ceased to exist.


After several murders in her small town of Tremmel Crossing, Georgia, Liz comes to the realization that the murderer is coming after her, and he’s more dangerous than any human could possibly be.


With the help of her dead mother, bar bouncer, and cemetery lover, Liz learns that the murdering vampire was sent by her biological father to claim her as his own. Only then does she discover her real parentage and underlying special powers.


However, the vampire sent to claim her has powers of his own, most importantly the power to control her mind, emotions and desires. She wants him, needs him, her entire body aches for him, but she soon finds out that she must fight back to save the lives of her friends and loved ones. Only death will release her from Marcus’s powerful hold, but who will die first?

Every day this week I will be sharing something about this new series, ending on Friday with some special Release Day details.  Be sure to come back tomorrow for "Liz Baker revealed!"  You'll get to learn a little bit about Liz, her likes, dislikes, quirkiness, and much more.  Then Wednesday I'll be sharing the first glimpse at what Time For Death looks like.  Thursday will be "After the death."  And Friday is all about celebrating!

I hope to see you back here tomorrow, and every day this week.  Now I'm off to get today's work started & planning for the big day.

Highlights of the week.

Happy Friday morning.  It's cloudy with rain coming in soon, but the week turned out quite fabulously.

Here are a few of the highlights....

1. I was told I looked "slim".
2. I found out that I'm "sooo cool!"
3. Got a new filing cabinet for paperwork organization.  Woohoo!
4. Finished the book edits... again.
5. Tim helped clean the house without being asked.
6. I finally received a phone call that I'd been waiting a week for.
7. Tonight is the kids' night at Mom's.
Today will be a pretty simple day.  With all the work I've been doing this week there's nothing left on my to-do list for today.  Of course I'm sure I'll find something that needs to be done.  LOL.  That's just how I roll.

Positivity has been very helpful in my mood this week.  Then again, it could have been those several days of sunshine and warm temps last weekend that jolted my system.  Either way, I've a great, highly productive week and planning for the same next week.

Speaking of next week.  I will be sharing the cover for Time For Death next week.  I think it's spectacular and represents the story quite well.  It definitely shows the turmoil in Liz's world.  One of my beta readers for the story has already declared that she thinks it's "f--king awesome!"  LOL.

Okay, I'm off for now. Hoping your weekend is wonderful!

So far, so good.

Thursday morning has arrived with the knowlege that this week has been a productive and surprisingly satisfying week for me.

Not only have I accomplished everything on my to-do list for the entire week--leaving nothing for tomorrow--but even more than that has been completed.  And, if that's not good enough, Tim helped clean the house every day.  Woohoo!  I think he's realizing that his days at home are numbered.  I'm pushing him to do something with his time until a job is procured.

Yesterday, another step in the publishing process was completed; putting Time For Death a little bit closer to a release date.  Hopefully it won't be much longer until I can show you the cover art.  I'm thinking maybe the end of next week.  *Fingers Crossed*

I'm excited to finally have this story on its way to the world.  Soon I'll be able to shift my focus solely to book 2.  I have several books planned in this series and can't wait to get moving.  The future is open and full of promise!

This morning we've been doing a bit of pre-Spring cleaning.  I started cleaning the kitchen, but Tim came in and took over (not that I'm complaining).  Then I moved to cleaning out the coat closet, so Tim came and put the big winter coats away for me.  Then I moved to cleaning the fireplace.  You guessed it, Tim came along and took my place.  LOL.  He was definitely in a cleaning mood. 

Anyway, the house is pretty much spotless and I have two loads of laundry to fold and put away.  Think I can get him to do that?  LOL.

Now that the housework is finished, it's time for me to head out to pick up some postage stamps and take a bag of trash off.

I hope you have fantastic day!  See you back here tomorrow for a recap of the week.

It's all gone.

Morning all.  Welcome to Hump Day.  Well, it's done it.  The last four days of nice weather are all gone.  Rain moved in overnight and isn't suppose to be out of here until next week.  Boooo!  Hisssss!  Shoooo!

Oh well, I have enjoyed the nice spring-like days and I'm looking forward to many more of them.

Nonetheless, I still have a busy day, even if it's not brightened by sunshine.  I've been determined to make this week a good one, and so far it has been.  Monday and Tuesday went well, with everything getting marked off my daily to-do lists.  Today's list is a bit shorter--most of the work has been done already.

For the most part, today will be centered around getting more edits done.  I have a goal of being finished by the end of the week, and if things go like I've planned that won't be a problem.  Liz is being quite cooperative this time around.  Of course, that's probably because this is like the sixth edit on this book and there's not as much left to fix or change by now.  LOL!

I suppose it's time I get to work.  I hope you're having as nice a week as I am.  Hopefully the sun will decide not to wait until next week to reappear.  *Fingers Crossed*

Tuesday: A continuation of a good week.

Morning, morning, morning!  Yes, I'm up and chipper on this lovely Tuesday morning.  I told you yesterday that I am determined to have a good week, and therefore will have a good week.

Yesterday was great. I finished everything on my daily to-do list and more.  The day turned out beautiful and we even spent several hours outside, and ended up having a late dinner because of it.  Today is suppose to be just is nice (though rain is in the forecast fo the rest of the week).

Okay, so it is Tuesday, and some of you may be lagging this morning.  If so, pop over to author Paige Tyler's blog for a weekly pick-me-up on her Tasty Tuesday entry!  She'll definitely perk your mood right up with her weekly show-n-tell moment.  ;-)  And if you think her blog is steamy, you should really pick up one of her e-books.  Oohhhh-La-La!  I've read Librarian By Day and it's HOT!

So, this morning I have to head out for some grocery buying and to pick up a new filing cabinet.  You know all of those papers you're suppose to keep for like 7 years... Forever!  Well, I've decided to get out of the cardboard box that annoys me anytime I need to search through it for something and organize everything into a new filing cabinet.  I separated everything by year on Sunday, and now I have stacks of papers all over the dining room table, just waiting for a new home.  LOL.  This will make it much easier & help me on my household organization path (like we're ever off that path).

After I get home it'll be back to book work.  I finished editing 9 chapters yesterday and plan for just as many today.  I've gained a newfound excitement toward this story and I'm so looking forward to finally saying it's complete and moving onto finishing book 2.  Determination is key!  Be determined to get something done and it will get done.  At least it does for me.  LOL.

Now that I've shared a half-naked man, my disorganized paper box secret, and a bit of chipper-ness with you, it's time for me to head out.  Have a fabulous Tuesday and I'll see you back here tomorrow.  :-)

What do you have planned for the week?

Good morning.  Looks like it's time to start another new week.  At least it's starting out the right way here... sunny!  Unfortunately, that won't last with the rest of the week's forecast calling for rain.  Gotta take it when you get it.  :-)

The weekend was just lovely for us.  Both days had bright sunshine, warmer temperatures, and a happy family.  We spent most of Saturday working outside.  I managed to clear away fallen leaves from the few plants that are starting to peek from the ground.  I cleaned out the front flower bed and readied it for spring planting.  All I have left is to add some dirt from my compost bin and plant fresh flowers. 

Yesterday I decided to make sure this new week is a good one.  I've always been one determined girl, and when I decide to make something go the way I want it to, it usually does just that.  I'm not saying it doesn't take work (cause it definitely does), but when I make up my mind that's the way things will go.

I made myself a day-by-day list of the necessary items that need to get completed each day.  I've already marked off three things for today.  Then I include things I'd like to get to, if everything else gets done in a timely manner.  When I work like this I generally complete everything by the end of the week.  It's when I just go random, willy-nilly that things don't get finished.

Anyway, things are planned, things will get completed, Tim will probably end up frustrated with my schedule, but I'll be a happy mommy and writer when the week ends.  ;-)  I'm sure all you moms out there know the saying, "When Mom isn't happy, no one is happy."  That's exactly how it'll be this week. 

So, it appears that I need to get started on my big projects for today.  If you get the big ones done first you'll have plenty of time to get the smaller things completed.  Then again, sometimes you just want to finish all the smaller tasks before jumping into the one that'll take longer.

Have a lovely day!  Be determined to have a good/productive week and you'll be surprised.  It just takes a bit of happy thought, organization, and determination.

Thursday morning around here.

Good morning all you lovely people.  It's nearly the weekend, again.  The week has been a busy one, yet going by very quickly.

This week my time has been occupied with book work, discussions about book cover designs, formatting, and numerous other tasks that involve a book's release.  Plans are moving along slowly, but steadily.  It takes time, and persistence, but hopefully in the next few months I'll have another story for you to enjoy!  *Fingers Crossed*

This new series of books is a bit different from my Alex & Fiona books.  Sure, there are the supernatural aspects of the story (i.e. vampires), yet this time our main character is a sullen, smart ass, southern girl while won't take shit off no one.  She knows what she likes, knows what she doesn't, and even the best, most mind-blowing sex she's ever had can't relinquish her hold on her senses.  She'll ultimately do what's right--what's expected of her--even if she hates every minute of it.

Within the next few weeks I'm hoping to share a cover design with everyone.  From there, it's just a matter of time 'til the release.  :-)

In the meantime, those of you who received my newsletter yesterday morning already know about this...  The rest of you, here's the fun announcement I promised.  Just for those of you who haven't yet found your way into Alex & Fiona's life together.  :-)

Anniversary Celebration in April

Next month Tim and I will be celebrating our 16th wedding anniversary. To commemorate our special day, I will be holding a special e-book sale on April 9th. My e-book prices will be cut in half for 12 hours.


You'll be able to pick up A Midnight Infatuation, A Birth at Dawn & A Twilight Abduction for only $2.50 each. You'll be able to get all three for a grand total of $7.50!

This sale will only be through the e-book links on my website and will only be for 12 hours... April 9, 2010, 9am-9pm.

I will, of course, post about this on my blog and send out a reminder in my April newsletter so no one will miss the big day. I wanted you wonderful newsletter subscribers to know about it first.
I hope you'll take advantage of this opportunity to own all three Alex & Fiona books.

Well, that's it from me today.  I have to go out for groceries, and then back home to make some phone calls.  After that it'll be more book work until pick-up time at school.  My other "worlds" must be interrupted and put on hold when the children need me.  That's the suffering of a mommy who just happens to be a writer.

As much as I'd like to lock myself away and write all day, I'll happily wait until the youngest has gone to school to enjoy that privilege.  They're only small for so long, you know.  :-)

I wasn't expecting that today.

Good afternoon everyone.  I've had one busy day so far, and I wasn't really expecting it to turn out that way.

First off, the oldest had an orthodontist appointment this morning. Tim took the big girls off to school with a light rain falling. As soon as daylight arrived the rain started mixing with snow. Within the next hour it was a full blown heavy snow falling, with flakes about the size of half dollars. They were huge!

By 9am the ground was covered.My phone started ringing... family members wondering about school, the oldest asking if she could go home with great-grandmother because said great-grandmother was there picking up a cousin, and others asking if I knew how much snow we were suppose to get. Then I got the call that schools were closing.

We were already dressed due to the upcoming orthodontist appointment, so we rushed off to pick up the middle daughter from elementary school and the oldest from great-grandmother's house. It was still an hour and a half until the ortho appointment though. We stopped by the pediatrician's office for my youngest daughter's vaccination records (their computers were down when we were there last week) for kindie sign up in a few weeks; went to the bank to make a deposit; and then with 45 minutes left we took the kids to spend 30 mins in the library.

Finally,we made it to the orthodontist's office and the oldest had her check-up.

After all that, everyone had grumbling tummies and we decided to eat lunch out.

NOW, we're home.  Whew!  I was planning on the ortho appointment, but not the rest.  The day certainly got away from me when snow showed up.  Of course, now the snow has stopped and everything that was on the ground has melted away.  And school wouldn't even be out yet if they hadn't called it off.  LOL.

Anyway, that's my craziness for the day.  Time for me to attempt to get some book work done (yeah right, with everyone home). Before I go, remember that my monthly newsletter goes out tomorrow. It has a fun announcement in it, especially for anyone who has been wanting to order any of my Alex & Fiona books but hasn't gotten around to it.  Be sure to sign up today so you don't miss it.  :-)

Happy Tuesday!

Want a discount on Alex & Fiona?

During the month of March, readers can receive 10% off purchases of my Alex & Fiona series.  All you have to do is shop through this link and use code IDES during checkout.  Offer expires March 31, 2010 at 11:59 PM EDT  It's that easy! 

Welcome to March.

Good morning!  Here we are entering yet another new month that happens to line up on a Monday.  I've always thought of that as a great way to start a month.  Get the first Monday out of the way and move on.  Of course, it could be that I like months beginning on Mondays because payday on the second Wednesday of the month comes even quicker.  LOL.

I spent the weekend working and spending time with the family.  Tim & I had Friday night to ourselves with the girls at my mom's house.  We spent it at home making dinner, watching movies, drinking, and having a great time together.  We even slept until 9am the next morning.  Talk about nice!

Saturday we cleaned house, did laundry, cleaned the car, and spent the day with the kids.

Sunday, boy, Sunday was interesting.  The in-laws were out of town for the weekend, meaning we didn't have to go anywhere.  I spent most of the day working on formatting Time For Death.  Decisions have been made, plans are being worked through, and I'm feeling quite optimistic about this new book series.  I know Liz will be glad that I'm moving forward with her life.  LOL.

Speaking of good new.  My March newsletter will go out to al subscribers on Wednesday morning.  I'll be making a fun announcement in it that I hope may people will take advantage of. Don't miss it! (Click here to sign up)

As a way to prepare for new things, I did a little updating to the website over the weekend.  Mainly just some organization and moving things around.  During the work, I was thinking about moving this blog over to the website.  What do you think?  It would take me some time to get it set up, but at least then the blog would be right where everything else is at.  Let me know what you think ---->  (Survey link)

All right, time for me to get going.  Tim took the kids to school, I've already fed the youngest and folded two loads of laundry, and it's time for my breakfast before getting back to work for Liz.  She's quite demanding at times, and now that I'm ready to finish her first story she's even more demanding.  LOL!

Have a great Monday!