Good News vs. Bad News

Me & my youngest on her 11th b-day.
Ignore the no make-up. I was doing
school pickup. :)

Happy New Year!

Yeah, I know, I'm a little late on the uptake here. This is the first week in a long time where I can actually sit at my laptop, take a deep breath, and write. My mind clears and the ideas run rampant. My fingers fly across the keyboard and before I know it there's a new chapter in front of me. I love it! Giddiness takes over after a good day of writing.

So let's get to a little Good News vs. Bad News here.  I'll just bullet point it all for you.


BAD NEWS:

• Some piece of trash hacked my bank account last week. They stole $380 from Charlotte, NC. I haven't been to Charlotte in nearly 10 years!! 
• My winter blues have kicked in and I feel extremely dreary all the freaking time (except when I've had a good writing day).
• My mom is still going through chemo. I'm in charge of her calendar & taking her to 98% of her appointments... some of which were sprung on me the day before.
• BOTH of my younger daughters are going into braces! The 15 yr old will get hers the end of February/beginning of March. And my 11 yr old will go into hers this time next year. 8 months of double braces payments. UGH!
• I will not be attending Book 'Em NC this year. With everything going on around here I just don't feel comfortable being that far away from home.
• I turned 39 on the 17th.  ACK!!!  Nooooo!!

GOOD NEWS:

• My bank reversed all the $380 that piece of trash stole from my bank account. Get a job, douchebag!
• Exercise, vitamins, & writing help me with the winter blues. And spring will be here soon!
• My mom's cancer has shown great results from the chemo!! We found out last week that all the small cancer spots are gone & the big stuff has shrunk dramatically. The doctor is hoping the next 4 rounds of chemo will get it all. And then maybe we can say the R-word!!
• Braces... Upside of braces... Hmmm...  Oh, I guess it's good I'll only have double payments for 8 months.  ???  Maybe?
• There's really no good news for not attending Book 'Em.  :(
• I turned 39, but I don't feel 39. Physically, I feel great!

Overall, that's about it right now. I'm anticipating more writing this year since my mom is moving into my rental house right down the hill from my house. I'll be able to keep an eye on her easier and still get my work done.  Hell, I drive by my rental, at the very least, 4 times a day just taking kids to and from school.  I'll be glad to have her close by AND be able to work, again. 

I hope 2016 turns out to be a great year for all of you.

Summer is in full swing.

As most of you know, it's summer here in Georgia. My three daughters are out of school and spending an extreme amount of time at home with me. Not that I mind. Oh, no. I actually enjoy not having to wake up at 5:30am every day in order for three girls to be ready to walk out the door by 7am (even though I do enjoy the amount of work I can get done on any given day by getting up that early).

It's only been a few weeks, so we're having fun relaxing and just being without daily obligations. My 17yr old has taken the SATs (for a second time to get a higher score), and then this week I stood on the sidelines and watched her going through her senior pictures. I wanted to cry when they put her in a cap and gown for a few shots. *Sniff, Sniff*

We still have a year of school before she graduates and runs away to college. But that doesn't stop me from sobbing inconsolably at the mere suggestion of her being gone. J/K! I'm actually helping push her out of the nest by keeping her on schedule with college applications and suggesting things she should be researching. I'm sure I'll cry when she does graduate and leave, and probably for a few days (months) after, though.

Anyway, enough about my soon-to-be exiled daughter. She's planning to be a successful doctor and I plan on her taking care of me in my old age. :D

Now for a little book updating....

I'm still working on book 6 in the Liz Baker series, To Kill a Demon. I'm pushing for that June 30th release date, but the closer I get the less I think it'll be ready by then. Hell, my editor is even out of town for a while. Eek!

So, anyway. There it is. I usually try not to write a book during the summer, but I will get this one out, one way or another. Yay for Liz Baker!  :)

Why I Love September.

My girls:
11th grader, 8th grader, & 3rd grader.

September, September, how I love you so!
Other than the lower temperatures, apple season, and the start of changing leaf colors, September is when my kids go back to school. It's the month I regain my freedom from complaints, arguments, the phrase "There's nothing to eat," and the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard to a parent... "I'm bored."

My kids went back to school two weeks ago, and it has taken those two weeks for me to get my household back in order. Before anyone asks, yes, I do make my kids clean during their summer break, but I like things the way I like things, so I put my house back into MY order when they go back to school. Which, in the long run, isn't too bad considering they were home for three months and it only took me two weeks.

Sooooooo.....

Now it's time to get back to work on new projects and old ideas. And boy do I have the ideas. :)

Over the next few months I'll be writing book 6 in the Liz Baker series and the first book in a brand new series. I'm hoping to release both of them in the early months of 2014. In the meantime, I think Author Jennifer Malone Wright said it best in her blog post titled, September is an important month for authors.

I wish you all a great week!

And the winners are...

Congratulations to Brandy, Lori, and Crystal!  They are the winners of the June blog tour giveaway.  Three Liz Baker books and two e-books were given away, and I hope you ladies enjoy the books.

Next up for me...  VACATION!  Woohoo!  I'll be leaving Sunday for a week of fun in the sun with my hubby and the girls.  Oh, and Rex the Chihuahua and Spike the Boston Terrier.  ;)

We'll be spending a week camping, swimming, grilling, sightseeing, relaxing, and possibly some mini golfing.  Can you guess that I'm looing forward to it?  LOL!  I haven't been out of town since February, for the Book 'Em conference.  It was fun, don't get me wrong, but it was work nonetheless.

Next up will be my middle daughter's 12th birthday party, touring a local historical site that will be in the next Liz Baker book, then school starting back, and then....

The Undead Conference and Anne Rice's Wolf Gift Ball in New Orleans in October.  Yay!

All in all, it's going to be a busy four or five months, and that's before the holidays come around again.  LOL.  It'll be crazy, but a lot of fun.

Learner's Permit: Valium Requested!

Sooooo, I've taken on the parenting task of teaching my oldest daughter how to drive. Tim isn't as secure in his ability to remain calm and reassuring when it comes to this task. Therefore, it has fallen to me.

I'm trying. Very hard. Trying to get through this parenting trial with the kind of grace that I've been able to hold on to throughout all other parenting obstacles. I laugh, encourage, smile, trying to make it light heartened and enjoyable, all the while not showing my teen the real turbulence inside. . .

Heart tightening, stomach clenching, breath gasping, FEAR!

Is it a Capricorn mother's reluctance to relinquish control of a dangerous motorized vehicle into the hands of her clumsy 15 year old daughter? Or is it that the aforementioned teenage daughter is a terrible driver?

I'm going to have to go with the first option!

She's actually performing very well. I'm very proud of her. She listens to my instructions, and doesn't even beg and plead to drive on an hourly basis. She has only driven over a curb in the high school parking lot once (inducing one of those stomach clenching moments). However, I'm kicking myself right now for never buying her a go-carts, or some other small "vehicle" when she was younger. LOL! Eek!

Anyway, this mommy is having a harder time than her teenager is with the learner's permit. I certainly hope it gets easier on my nerves as she improves in her driving skills. I have no doubt she'll glide right through her driver's test when the big day arrives, but will I have more wrinkles, an extensive amount of gray to cover up, and a minuscule amount of patience left when this is over?

Wish me luck! And if any of you out there who've been through this have any advice, I'd love to hear it. :)





*Image Credit: arinas74 @ Sxc.hu*

An update on my world.

As you may have noticed, the time between my blog postings has stretched. I'm currently in a rush to finish up Killer Intentions (Liz Baker, book 3) in order to get it into editing and production as soon as possible. The book is scheduled for a December release, but will probably be toward the end of December.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying the peace and quiet to work that the kids being back in school has afforded me. Not only that, but Tim has been working the day shift every other week here lately. That makes for very nice writing days.

I do all of my housework from the time I drop the kids at school until 9 A.M. After that I write from 9 to 1 P.M. and then a quick lunch before leaving to run errands and pick the kids up from school. I'm home between 3:30 & 4 P.M., when it's time to help with homework for three children, cook dinner, get everyone into showers/baths and then start bedtimes at 7:30 P.M. At which time, Tim makes it home from work (or is just leaving if he's on night shift) and it's time for me to stop for the day to relax. I watch about 2 hours of television--depending on the night--and then bedtime for me so I can do it all over again the next day.

Whew! Makes me tired just typing all that out. And that's just the week days. On the weekends I'm doing home projects (working on the little girls' bedroom right now), tending to my animals, and enjoying the time with my family.

So basically, what I'm trying to say is, you may not see too much of me online for the next few weeks. I'll be around, and will always answer e-mails/messages, but please be patient as I attempt to get Liz where she wants to be and still deal with family obligations. As soon as the story is in the hands of my editor I'll be back around. Until then, e-mail me if you need me. :)

Back to school celebration!

It's the first day back to school! Time for the 2011-2012 school year to begin. I hear the cheers of gleeful parents pushing their kids out of the house and cars with smiles on their faces and excitement in their hearts. "Have a good day, dear. I love you." Then they throw their hands to the heavens and scream, "WOOHOO!"

Or maybe that's just me. . .

After three months of summer vacation, several weeks of school preparation, and four school visits to two different schools last week, it's finally time for me to get back to MY work year. That's one of the best things about being a writer and stay-at-home mom; I can take off when my kids are out of school. However, I get antsy when I'm not creating on a regular basis. I miss my writing schedules, the worlds I work within, and conversing with my characters. That makes a new school year a time to celebrate. :)

So what do I have planned for my new work year?

• The third Liz Baker novel


• A new erotic novella


• A short Liz Baker story that will be given away on the website for free


• Preparing for & attending Book 'Em NC Conference & Book Fair in February


• Staying on top of the Turkish book releases

All of that on top of my regular mommy & wife duties: housekeeping, animal care, errand running, family member helping, school volunteer, and the many other things that I do on a regular basis. I also have some home improvements planned, but not yet scheduled.

If you're a parent with kids heading back to school, I celebrate with you! We all have different reasons for being excited, but that doesn't mean the excitement is any less. And if your kids are anything like mine, they're just as excited to be heading back.

Here's an exciting new school year for us all!

WIP & My Happiness

WIP is what writers call their most recent work in progress. If you're on Twitter or Facebook you've probably seen someone comment on their WIP from time to time. Well, that is if you're following any writers to begin with.

The other day I was complaining about not being able to get any work done on my current WIP: Liz Baker, book 3. However, yesterday I managed to crank out a good bit of work in it. YAY! I was definitely feeling like a happy camper when I was finished. How did I manage any work? Well, I had to do a bad mommy thing and sit the two younger girls in front of the television to watch a dvd movie. I got an whole 1 hour and 18 minutes of writing time. I won't say it was uninterrupted time though, as I had to stop halfway through to break up a screaming argument between the two of them. That's always fun.

Anyway, yesterday was a good writing day, leaving me feeling happy and relieved. There's something about the kind of release only writing allows me. I don't know if it's the same for all writers, but for me writing is something my mind craves, and without it I ended up feeling frustrated and disheveled. Even these blog entries aren't enough to satisfy the requirement. It's my outlet.

Before I started writing on a regular basis I had other things to occupy my desire for productivity. I bet you didn't know that I owned two different homemade bath supply companies before jumping into writing as a career. During those days when I became frustrated I'd go to my workshop and experiment with new soap fragrances and designs. create new bath salt combinations, order supplies I was running low on, or take pictures of new products for the website. It kept me pretty busy, especially during the holiday seasons.

But even all that didn't keep me satisfied. Only writing does that, and when I can't get the time to write I get frustrated...as you all witnessed the other day. Eek!

Anyway, Liz is well into her next adventure and I'm feeling light and shiny today. I'm off to do my weekly grocery shopping trip, visit with my mother and grandmother, go by the library, and stop by the post office. If I get it all done fast enough I *might* get the chance to scrap out another thousand words, or so. Fingers Crossed!

Week Two: Insanity Sets In

Summer Break: Week Two

This week isn't starting off the way I had hoped. Saturday went okay, but it all started down hill on Sunday morning. Yep, that's when the insanity started to grow. I knew things weren't going to go as easily this week as they did last week.

Sunday we had a family reunion to go to for Tim's mother's side of the family. We stopped down at FIL's house to see if he was ready; he was as far from it as he could be. FIL was having trouble breathing and I ended up calling 911 to take him to the hospital. That set it up with Tim going to the hospital with FIL and me taking the kids up the mountain to the reunion.

The day was beautiful for an outside family gathering, if only there had been family there. Yep, there were only 10 of us by the time I left, two hours after the scheduled time. Some were sick, the majority had a funeral to attend, and others just didn't show up. The kids were disappointed that their favorite cousins (and the only ones their ages) didn't arrive either.

At least we came back down off the mountain with full tummies and plates of food for later that evening. No cooking for Mommy--other than the more than two dozen homemade dinner rolls I made the night before and half were brought home due to no one being there to eat them.

There was a hospital visit with FIL (he has pneumonia, again) and then finally home for the evening.

That brings us to Monday. I won't even go into how screwed up that day was. Ugh! And it doesn't look like today will be any better.

I miss Liz. I miss my quiet days. I hate having to shush the kids all day so Tim can sleep. Now I remember why I'm always so relieved when school starts back. My fingers miss flying across the keyboard (which is probably why this entry is too damn long).

Whatever, I suppose. I'm now off to get dressed so I can run numerous errands, listen to whining children, and take more stuff to FIL in the hospital. Oh, and while we're there I get the enjoyment of making the children share the elevator button pushing responsibilities.

Money, money, money!

One of these days I'd like to have a money tree in my backyard. Anytime an unexpected bill arises you could just walk out the back door and pick a few dollars off the money tree and be done with it. When the weather starts to turn cold you just pick and harvest all you can before the tree shrivels up.

Awww, the things I could do with a money tree...

Why am I going on about the mythical money tree, you ask? Well, apparently money keeps leaving my house faster than it's coming in these days. Which in turn, gets me to wishing for a money tree. LOL!

My oldest had yet another orthodontist appointment today. I came home $150 poorer than I was when I went. We have to go back on the 20th for yet another consultation and then it's time toput the braces on. $5,000 is just an insane amount for this mess, but there's nothing a parent can do except to just pay it. It's that or let the child go through life with crooked teeth... and I won't allow that.

While I was sitting in the waiting room I chatted with another mother there. She had two daughters getting their braces put on today. TWO! At one time! $10,000!! Holy hell! But she was looking on the bright side and said that at least it would all be over with at once. LOL! Good for her, but there's no way I could afford to pay for two in braces at once. Nope, nada, no way in hell!

We both rambled on about the price of kids' clothing, gas, the ortho bill, and then how fast the kids grow. LOL! It was a collection of nothingness, but it wasted some time and who knows, we may even chat again with each other over the next two years of our lives sitting in that ortho's waiting room.

Now we have to go back on the 20th, then the oldest has an appt with her regular dentist in September, and then I'll have the ortho put the braces on in the end of October (the checkbook dictates that) and THEN it will be time to buy Christmas gifts, the oldest one's birthday, and the youngest one's birthday. AHHHH!!! More money, money, money.

Where's that money tree when you need one? Anyone have some seedlings you'd be willing to send me???

Here's hoping you're not having money issues today.

Only 2 more days until school starts here. That will help me relax for a change, at least. :-)

Today is much better than yesterday.

Yesterday was a rough day, but thankfully the girls went to the in-laws' house for a while. The hubby & I got to go out for dinner all alone and then we got groceries without kids begging for crap. We went back to pick up the youngest and the older two spent the night with their grandparents.

Once home it was late enough for the youngest to go to bed and then there was nothing but peace and quiet the rest of the night. Too bad I couldn't sleep. After sleeping so well the night before (my drug induced coma), I slept pretty bad last night. I laid there for 2 hours and then when I finally got to sleep the youngest woke me up with wet bed. BLAH!

Ah well, shit happens I suppose.

Today the girls are outside playing in the pool. Maybe they will be tired when they come back inside. The youngest has already decided she's tired and is now watching cartoons in my bed. LOL!

Tim changed the oil in the van and put a new belt on it. So he says the van is now "officially" ready for our 6hr drive next Saturday. LOL! I can't wait! Only 7 more days. Woohoo!