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A Shot of Inspiration…
I’m staying at the lake this week and my intention is to write. No more jotting down ideas on the backs of envelopes or making hurried notes across a scratch pad while I’m doing a quick laundry switch in between editing gigs. No more working out dialogues between my characters by talking into my little DVR while I’m throwing something into the crock pot before heading upstairs to work on someone else’s books. No more feeling deprived because my focus is on fixing other writer’s work instead of writing myself. I’ve worked my rather ample behind off all summer (although sadly, it’s still there–don’t you wish when we say we…
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September Memos…
…yes, I know, I know! It’s already October…sheesh! Dear September, What happened? One minute it was Labor Day weekend and we were sitting around a giant bonfire and eating fried fish; the next I’m turning over the page on the calendar in the kitchen. How exactly did I lose almost 30 days? One of which, by the way, just happened to be my birthday! Confused and aging fast, Nan *** Dear DIL, Thanks so much for helping make the surprise for Son so very much fun. The look on his face when I showed up on your doorstep with a 38-pound box of LEGOs in my arms was priceless.…
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Life Gets in the Way…
…thus, I’m behind on my blogging. I could give you the litany of things that are keeping me from my true love, writing—both blogs and novels, but that’s not very interesting. Instead, here’s a quick update on my darling friend, Dee. She’s waiting to hear from MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Her oncologist had Mayo send all her test results down there. They’re famous for diagnosing sarcomas and he feels strongly that we need a second opinion before we start pouring chemistry into her. So, basically, we’re still waiting. But Dee is back to work and pretty much maintaining her sanity by taking it day by day. We went…
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Community
The older I get, the more I crave community—like-minded people who enjoy the same things I do, who believe in the same things I believe in, who want the same things I want. Not just in the social sense, but in all areas of my life. It’s why I joined the local chapter of Romance Writers of America when I began writing again. It’s why I belong to the Editorial Freelancers Association, why I meet up with my fellow local freelancers every so often, and why I read the blogs I read and participate with comments. It might even be why I rejoined Facebook after leaving for a while, although…
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August Memos
Time for memos, just stuff I’d really like to rant about, but I don’t have the time… Dear Dr. Abby and Stacy, You’re geniuses, both of you. I’m a new woman. Well, okay, maybe not a new woman, but at least a way more comfortable old one! Flexibly yours, Nan *** Dear Damn Tiny Ants in My Kitchen, Okay, so we’ve bombed you, smashed you, ant-trapped you, washed you down the drain, and wiped you up with wet paper towels and dropped you in the trash, and yet somehow, you keep reappearing. Go away. Go away immediately! Ick, Nan *** Dear Muse, Welcome back. Big love, Nan *** Dear Coach…
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Am I a Writer?
My summer has literally disappeared and I’m damned if I know what happened to it. One minute it was April and we were opening up the lake cottage and the next, it’s almost September and the nights have already turned cool. My personal life has been an upheaval of joys and sorrows, while in the meantime, I’ve been working practically nonstop all summer long. Working is always a good thing, except that it interferes ferociously with my writing time. If I work for eight or ten hours, I’m loathe to sit down at the computer again after I stop for the day. But yesterday, I worked on my romantic suspense…
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Time to Fight, Fight, Fight
With permission, I’m going to tell you about what’s been going on in my world for the last few weeks and why I haven’t been as a good a blogger as usual. I’m having a tough time focusing on much of anything right now because my heart and mind are so absorbed by my sister/friend, Dee. She’s in trouble…medical trouble. After seven arduous weeks of testing that included two weeks at Mayo Clinic, she’s been diagnosed with liposarcoma of the retroperitoneum. Google it if you want more details, but suffice to say, she has a malignant tumor in the back of her abdominal cavity and it’s sort of taken over…
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Overwhelmed…
…and unable to think. I haven’t posted in about two weeks and that makes me very grumpy, but here’s the thing. My life is overwhelmed with work right now. Not a complaint, simply a fact. And my brain is so fried by the end of the day that I can’t come up with a decent blog topic to save my soul. I’m so grateful that the salvation of my soul doesn’t depend on my producing a scintillating blog because right now, I’d be in deep trouble. So how about some pictures of our trip to see our new little grandson last month? I knew you’d be thrilled. First, Nanny, Pops,…
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Book Review!
Book blogger, Mrs. Condit Reads Books, posted a super nice review of RULE NUMBER ONE today. Please come by and check out what she has to say. If you leave a comment, you’re automatically entered into a drawing for a free e-copy of the book. Love to have you stop by and talk to me!
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A Letter to Cameron
My Dearest Grandson, Being a parent didn’t prepare me for grandparenthood—I know that sounds silly, but it is so true. Of course, all the basic baby care stuff is there. I know how to change your diaper, feed you a bottle, pat you through a tummy ache, and snap up your onsie. What I wasn’t prepared for was the overwhelming love I feel for you, little guy. And it’s different from the love I feel for your daddy not more intense, just different. When your dad was born, I knew from his first breath that he would be always be the love of my life and he is. I tried…