Adding To My List Of Things To Do....

I've decided to join our church choir.

Why?

For one thing, the choir director has asked me several times in the past two years; plus my daily QT has been about using our gifts/talents to glorify God and encouraging people to be active in Church life.  And so I slid into my pew yesterday and opened my weekly bulletin:

"We need help....our choir is looking for new members...."

Ok, Lord....I get the hint....

My previous objections were,
1) I'm not Catholic, so would I be comfortable staying by myself while the rest filed up to the front?  I already do it, and the choir doesn't perform that often at the front of the church anyway, so who cares if I don't partake?

2) The spouse isn't happy with the two nights I'm already gone; is he going to object to this?  I asked him.  He said he didn't mind.  I reminded him this would be every Wednesday, after the youngling's practice.  Again, he said he didn't care.  The big test will be when the choir starts singing at various Masses....

3) I'm on a perpetual sinus alert.  But I already sing karaoke, despite my stuffiness or having diminished hearing in my right ear, so what's stopping me from the choir?  I love to sing; Becky needs members; I'm going.

Again, just wait until Lent, and I have to attend a different service.  Will the spouse start griping then?  We'll see!

"I'd Like To Thank The Academy..."

Oops...that should be READERS....Seriously, I feel as if I've won an Oscar.  Last weekend, I received an email:

"Kenzie, did you know Teacher's Pet was nominated in the P&E Best Romance Book category?"

No, I didn't.  I'd been voting every day for Carol Preflatish's book, Saved By The Sheriff, and had noticed TP wasn't there on the first day.  Apparently, somebody penciled me in; I didn't know we could do that!  This was Sunday afternoon; the poll closed Tuesday evening.  I promptly went on a wild 'vote for me' spree, since I was currently in a 13-way tie for 22nd place.  I wanted to make the top 20, at least!

Imagine my surprise when I checked back (usually 3-4 times a day...okay, maybe more often than that, lol!) and watched my name rise into the teens....approaching the top 15....and then challenging Carol for the 10th spot.  And when the official results were in, Teacher's Pet ended up in a 2-way tie for 11th; Carol's book was 9th, and another SCP author was in the 10th spot.

So thank you, whoever nominated my book in the first place!  Either I've got great friends, or someone out there really likes that book!

And speaking of my first 'baby', I received this in the mail on the 10th:


"OMG!  This book is hilarious!  They are like bunnies but it's also very sweet..."





And today....


"Teacher's Pet was one of the best books that I have read so far this year.  I would also put it up against everything I read in the last two years in fact.  The only thing I could fault with is that it ended."






Thank you!!!!!  As soon as I get the link to her full review, I'll post it.


Not a bad Friday the 13th after all!


Also, earlier this week, my editor contacted me about Class Reunion, so it looks as if that book will be releasing this year!  And, managed to sell one copy of Appetite For Desire last month, so hey....people are starting to notice me:)  Right now, we're in the cover stage; trying to match up pictures a friend sent me and trying to see if one of her poses can be used in the cover.  Since B happened to be one of the people responsible for the brainstorming which led to Class Reunion, she and I thought it would be neat to use her as the model.  And thankfully, Marci agrees.  B and K (the other person responsible for coming up with details in CR) are tickled beyond belief.

Online Overload Or Just Catching Up?

First of all, in order to win a Kindle Fire, see details here.  Molly's got all the links on her blog.

I don't know if I'm still in catch-up mode from the holidays, or just experiencing internet addiction, but it seems my computer time needs adjusting.

Do you remember the Daughtry song "Home"?  The bridge of the song says, "Be careful what you wish for; you just might get it all; and some that you don't want..."

Since 1985, I've dreamed of being published.  And it came true first in 2003, then again in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, and it looks as if I'll have four more released this year.

Since joining a local crit group, I've lamented the need for a laptop, and was finally rewarded one last year.

And since experiencing wifi, we purchased a router but it was several months until we figured out why it wasn't working properly.  And now three people can be online at the same time, in different rooms of the house.

So why am I complaining?  Maybe it's online overload.  I find myself getting stressed if I realize it's 10am and I still haven't checked my twitter account.  Or that it's noon and I'm still in my jammies, catching up on face book.  The SU asked me the other day who were all these people I was telling him about, and suddenly I couldn't remember where I'd actually 'met' some of them.  Was it on an author loop?  Face book?  Or through another Face Book friend?  In other words, they are people he's never 'met'.  And rolls his eyes.  Just like when I 'forget' he's not as invested in my characters as I am.  

Ever have conversations like this?

Spouse:  What are you thinking about?

Me:  Wondering if Natalie's hair is shoulder-length or longer....and if she's got a perm.

Spouse:  Who the hell is Natalie and why do you care about her hair?

Me:  Well, I'm about to write the dance scene and wonder if she'd want her hair up in  bun or loose-

Spouse:  Oh, you're talking about the damn book again.  I thought it was a real person!

Remember when the only thing you had to do when you sat down at the computer was check your email, then bring up your document and write?  Now it's check email, social media, chat digests, chat loops, blogs, email account again (or even a different one!), then get up and stretch or force yourself to eat lunch or even close down the computer for a while.  But then later you're back....and go through the list again...and suddenly it's two hours later and you STILL haven't opened your document.

Or maybe my current disillusionment is because I've been swamped with edits the past six months, and have barely been able to put down new words?  Yes; the thrill of having a new release is still with me; I'm not so jaded that it's 'just another day'.  No; I celebrate; I make the family take me out to lunch or dinner; I drink wine; I give treats to my crit group and karaoke peeps.

But something's going to have to give, if I want this to continue.  I'm either going to have to not be so nosy about my 300+ friends statuses, or only clean out my spam twice a day instead of every other hour (lol!) and get back to the business of writing; else I'm going to have a very long dry spell between books, considering five of them are still swirling around in my brain and due to be released around the year 2014, if I can buckle down.  I really prefer not to keep you hanging any longer than necessary!

Anyway, Happy Birthday/Anniversary Secret Cravings:)  And good luck to whomever wins that Kindle Fire!

Catching Up

Where did the past week go?  I'm so disoriented about time/day/dates it's a good thing we have one of those daily calendar things in the bathroom!  Forget the actual calendar; if I don't know what day it is, what good will that tell me?

Sigh....it's hard to believe this time last week I was packing in a fog, not knowing what clothing to take or even knowing how long we were staying at my parents' house.  I think I cried every day last week.

But now it's a new year; a new week, and new challenges to face.  If you stopped by my post yesterday (today IS Monday, right?) over at The Writer's Evo blog, you saw my goals for the coming year.  Some are rather ambitious (de-clutter my house?  Move us into a better house?), while other are dependent on outside forces (IF my spouse is awarded his disability, and IF it comes in time for that trip in August and IF the spouse agrees to either take us or let me go down there) and sales (did you notice Teacher's Pet was finally released three weeks ago?  Spread the word; I need a nice fat royalty check in April, lol!).

Seriously, I'm thinking of making some changes around here.  Since my campaign to join the TWE was successful, where does that leave my blog?  Maybe I'll begin posting twice a week here, instead of once a week or hit-and-miss.  Would you like that?

I'm also catching up on stuff which happened while I was busy baking/editing/celebrating/grieving.  For instance, my publisher's 1st anniversary Blog Hop.  I'm due to post on the 7th and am just now getting around to posting the details.  Why is it everything in my life happens at once?  I guess it keeps me on my toes, lol!

Anyway, go here for the blog hop details and good luck!  I'd like to win a Kindle Fire also; I think my Sony bit the dust the other day.  I'll find out when I charge it back up.