Friday, January 30, 2009

Finally!

Things To Do This Week:
-Get contract in mail. DONE! (Damn snow...)
-Finish Cover Art form. DONE!
-Email said cover art form. DONE...two attempts, but it's on its way!
-Mail Christmas presents to Canada. Forgot inventory list...I'll have to do this next week.
-Tear apart Off The Clock story. Characters are supposed to be OFF THE CLOCK when interacting, not at work! Doing this later today...
-Attend Anny Cook's chat tonight at LRC. It's at 7pm, and currently it is only 2:30 in the afternoon.
-Settle down and get back to work. I may have a deadline soon, and I'd like my MS to be as clean as possible!

Monday, January 26, 2009

Thank You:)

Thanks for all the warm congratulations over the weekend:) I'm starting to settle down and get back to work this morning.

Today I have to mail in my contract and start work on the cover form. I'm also doing laundry; my oldest went on a BSA campout and I think he wore everything he owns in order to stay warm and dry. He had a great time, but the majority of his wardrobe, including three fleece blankets, are wet, cold, and in the laundry chute.

I also need to go to the store and get a few staples, as snow is coming through our area. We're supposed to get 2-3 inches tonight and another 4-6 inches tomorrow night! I probably won't leave the house until Thursday...

Back to reality. I promise no more gushing until my release date is known. Okay, who am I kidding? Anything related to this contract is going to be blog post fodder, ha ha!

Friday, January 23, 2009

Somebody PInch Me...

I was offered a contract.

By an E-Pubb, Freya's Bower!!!

I'm new at this, so I'm not really sure if I'm allowed to reveal everything yet, so here's a sample of what was waiting in my inbox when I woke up this morning:

Congratulations! We would like to offer you a contract for your story All She Ever Wanted.

Attached you’ll find a copy of the author contract. Please read it carefully....


Am I dreaming? I just got the 'please revise and send back; if it shows improvement, we'll offer you the contract...' email yesterday afternoon! I worked on it after dinner and emailed it back shortly before 10pm! Who knew she was going to work late?

Pardon me while the reality sets in.

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Okay; got myself under control again. I'm fanning myself; OMG,OMG, OMG.....

As I said, will someone pinch me please? I've only wanted this for oh, say, the past 18 months!!!!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Fingers Crossed!

I noticed the email subject and I forgot how to breathe. Would it be good news? Bad news?

"I really like the new beginning!"

Whew!

My fingers and toes are still crossed. And yes, I'm breathing again.

Stay tuned!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Thanks Tracy!

Another Survey...

Couldn't resist...Tracy posted this on MySpace the other day. Enjoy:)

Are you into anyon​e? Lol... that just sounds so ridiculous...

Do you put your subje​ct on befor​e you type your post or after​?​​​ Before

Whose​ house​ were you at last besid​es your own? Mom and Dad's.

Have you ever had chick​en pox? Yes; 1st grade. We passed it around the neighborhood!

Song playi​ng right​ now? No music playing; hubby has TV on. But Linkun Park's Shadow of the Day is running through my brain!

Who are your last three​ texts​ from?​​​ No text (no cell phone)

What are you doing​ tomor​row?​​​ Writing and reading. Normal Wednesday stuff.

What cell phone​ servi​ce do you have?​​​ When I get it, it will be a GO phone. Cingular??

What does your last text messa​ge in your inbox​ say? No texts...no cell phone!

Where​ were you last night​? ​​​Home.

Where​ were you at noon yeste​rday?​​​ Home. It snowed yesterday.

Next vacat​ion you'​​​re going​ on? Lori Foster's in Cincy. Otherwise, sending the family to MN and staying here ALONE! Ahhhhh, bliss!

What'​​​s somet​hing you reall​y want right​ now, be hones​t?​​​ A contract for next book. Financial security.

How have you felt today​?​​​ Ok.

When was the last time you saw your #3? Christmas

Who are most of your messa​ges in your inbox​ from?​​​ Yahoo: Digest loops. AOL? Jan.

Last perso​n you talke​d to on IM? Jackie.

Are you happy​ at the momen​t?​​​ Yes.

Who was the last perso​n to call you? Kristy. I really need to call her back...

What brand​ of shirt​ are you weari​ng?​​​ White Stag sleepshirt

Do you drool​/​​​snore​/​​​etc? I've been told I talk in my sleep.

Do you prefe​r to call or text someo​ne?​​​ Call. No cell phone.

What'​​​s somet​hing you could​n'​​​t live witho​ut,​​​ other​ than the obvio​us? Iced Tea, sugar, chocolate.

What'​​​s somet​hing that will alway​s cheer​ you UP? Pets, kids, receiving an acceptance email...

What was the last thing​ you said out loud?​​​ 'Your deposit is here." (Referring to hubby's unemployment deposit on the card)

Hones​tly,​​​ do looks​ matte​r to you? Initially, yes, but if the guy has a great personality, then it doesn't matter. Some of the best-looking ones can be total morons.

Do your paren​ts call you by any embar​rassi​ng nickn​ames?​​​ Dad used to.

Is there​ a certa​in word that you alway​s forge​t how to spell​?​​​ It used to be 'tomorrow'...always out in an extra 'm'. Now it just varies...or is the cause of dyslexic fingers. I can spell; my finger's can't!

Are there​ any books​ in your room?​​​ Too many

Do you take too many surve​ys?​​​ No

When it comes​ to datin​g,​​​ what'​​​s your prefe​rred age range​?​​​ Any age, as long as they're older than my kids, lol!

Do you like to cuddl​e? ​​​Yes.

Where​ did you sleep​ last night​?​​​ Bed

Anyth​ing unple​asant​ comin​g up soon?​​​ I hope not

How many hours​ did you sleep​ last night​? 8.

What was the last gift you gave to someo​ne?​​ Does a birthday cake count? Otherwise, Christmas gifts.

Are you hungr​y?​​​ Yes

Do you like orang​e juice​?​​​ No; can't stand to even smell it.

Do you like your eye color​?​​​ Yes

When was the last time you playe​d with Play-​​​Doh?​​​ ???

Do you have any pierc​ings?​​​ Ears

Who was the last perso​n you took a pictu​re with?​​​​ Laptop Society members at Applebee's.

Was yeste​rday bette​r than today​?​​​​ We'll see.

Who were you with? ​​​​Family

What is more impor​tant,​​​​ happi​ness or trust​?​​​​ Can't have either without the other, so I'd say they're equally important.

Do you even know how to do the laund​ry?​​​ Yes

What is your new years​ resol​ution​?​​​ To get e-published

Do you hate when peopl​e smoke​ aroun​d you? Yes; it makes my asthma flare up.

Last time you had a sleep​over?​​​​ Christmas; spent the night at my mom's. At my house? Can't remember.

What'​​​​s the last thing​ someb​ody gave you? New computer

Are you gonna​ be home alone​ tonig​ht?​​​​ No; writer's group, and everyone's home.

Would​ you go into publi​c looki​ng like you do now? No; I'm in my jammies

Are your nails​ paint​ed?​​ No

Do you have sibli​ngs over the age of 21? Yes

Friday, January 16, 2009

Thanks Tracy!

Grab the book nearest you. Right now. Turn to page 56. Find the fifth sentence. Post that sentence along with these instructions on your blog. Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

"This was one of Pete's older motors, as he built it well before Chevy came out with the ZR1"

Sorry...the closest book at hand was my husband's Street Rodder magazine!

Trying to stay warm today...it is now up to 10 degrees!

Friday, January 9, 2009

Is This Idiot Serious?

Saw on the news that a man who is going through a nasty divorce wants his soon-to-be ex-wife to give back the kidney he gave her.

WHAAAAT??

How stupid is this? It's not like you can just cut it out and give it back!

'She cut out his heart, so now he wants to cut out her kidney," joked the anchoman.

Yes, I believe that if the woman breaks off the engagement, she should give back the ring. But if HE calls it off, she should keep it, unless it was a family heirloom or something.

But a body part?

No way.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Reader Questions and Answers

A few questions were raised on The Deadly Vixens, concerning e-pubs vs print. Specifically, have I ever read a book so badly written it made me want to stop buying e-books?

The answer, of course, is a heartfelt NO; I don't think I'll ever stop reading, either print or e-books!

I have had to question my taste in reading material, however!

Case in point: I read two books by a certain author and actually thought, 'Why the hell did they feel the need to write this?' To me, it would have been a story better suited to Hustler magazine, or some other forum. There was really no romance; no HEA; and no, you're not going to drag the author's name nor the publisher out of me. I will not read any more of this author's work, even while this particular author is gaining popularity. Maybe if I read another couple of excerpts which grab my attention, I'll give them another chance. After all, maybe it was a fluke, and the subsequent books are nothing like the first two?

There's another series I've read two books of, and was not impressed with either the storyline or the plot. However, both books have been nominated for awards. So does this mean my taste in reading material is questionable, that I cannot discern a good book from a bad one? Or it it strictly personal choice? After all, there are Academy Award winning movies which I found extremely boring!

But just because the mass readers and critics love a certain book does not mean I'll necessarily like it. And no, I won't stop reading books just because I stopped reading a particular author or story.

Update on Edits:
Keep your fingers crossed; I just sent the MS back for approval! I'll let you know what happens!

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Last Day of Vacation

Returned the 'grandkids' yesterday, and am now involved in 'Operation Reclaim The House', ha ha:)

Time to take down the Christmas tree and outside lights;

Time to put away the new toys and quietly dispose of last year's broken ones;

Time to relax and watch Kung Fu Panda (or any other movies acquired last week) before I return to my writing schedule;

Time to readjust to the spouse being home, as he was officially laid off from the pipeline Friday afternoon.

What are you up to? Did you take any time off during the holidays, or did you work through them?

Condolences to the Travolta family; I cannot imagine losing a child.