Busy, busy, busy

I just found out that the Harlequin pitch for SSE line will be in April...which means I need to get crackin' on finishing up this ms! I only have about 1 chapter left to write but LOADS of editing. And I do mean loads. I've been trying to shut off my internal editor, but the time to let her free is coming soon.

I've also enrolled in two online classes since January. The first was the Susan Meier class I mentioned a few posts ago. This class was very useful and helped me see why published authors do the things that they do. The other one is still going on--Plotting and Motivation with Laurie Schnebly. I am lovin' this class. Already I've had a lightbulb moment with my wip. Laurie pushes you to boil your character's motivations down to one word. And you know what--it really helped to clarify things in my mind. Now I can see on which motivations I should put the focus in order to create the biggest conflict. It's all so clear now. Yay! So I'd definitely recommend the class to all you writers out there.

So on top of the house-messing bathroom reno going on in our home right now, I'll be busy for the next few months. But it's a good kind of busy and is ensuring that the weeks until Spring arrive pass by in a blur.

Hope you're all enjoying the last few weeks of Winter!

Knock on Wood

Have you ever, in a moment of weakness, wished for a non life-threatening injury that would knock you off your feet, just for a little while, so you could have some time to yourself to write?

Take it from me...DON'T!

I verbalized that very wish to a colleague at work the other day, only half-kidding. That same night I had a gall bladder attack--a first for me. Wow, was it painful. And after some research I found that the most effective cure for gall stones...have them surgically removed. I'll have to go to the doctor to determine if that is required, but the thought of that scares the stuffing out of me, even if it would net me some quiet time.

Was someone listening up above and decided to either a) grant me my wish or b) show me that wishing for injury is a very bad thing? Who knows. But one thing is for sure...I'll never forget to knock wood after such a statement again.

Pitching Away

Yesterday I emailed my pitch off to Donna Alward's Perfect Pitch contest over at eHarlequin. The winner will be lucky enough to have Donna as a mentor for a year. What a great opportunity!

I quickly discovered that writing a good pitch is not as easy as I'd imagined. But Winnie Grigg's eHarlequin workshop was such a big help (for anyone struggling, I'd highly suggest heading over and reading the workshop notes). With so few words to get across the main characters and conflicts, every word is precious. So I agonized over each one. Endlessly. Needless to say, I was very happy to get it to a place in which I was happy with it and finally hit the send button. Yay!

Donna, being the incredibly thoughtful author that she is, is not going to keep us in suspense for long. She'll be announcing the winner by Monday or Tuesday.

I'm crossing my fingers, toes, legs, arms...

Hope

I had a dream last night that an editor called to tell me how well written my ms was and how much he liked it. Is this a sign??? I'm choosing to take it that way.

I pulled out my dusty ms yesterday (OK it's a computer file that can't get dusty, but you get the idea) and lo and behold, as I started reading what I'd last written, I discovered that it isn't half bad. It's funny because when I was writing it, I was sure it was complete and utter crap. I guess time does heal all wounds.

So with a renewed faith in my writing ability and a dream to give me hope, I carry on.

New Year's Resolutions

I've decided that I need a kick in the butt. That's all there is to it. So I signed up for an online course called "Write That Book" through the Yosemite Romance Writers. It's a work at your own pace course, so it should work fine with my other commitments. And the most important thing...it will force me to write!

I'm very excited about what the new year will bring. The only thing I can control in this crazy business is my writing, and I plan to write the best damn book that I can. I will finish this thing in 2010! You heard it here.

Feel free to remind me in a few months ;)

Time Outs

Last night, my mother took the kiddies so DH and I could have a much needed night out. I can't even begin to describe what a difference it made to have a night out as adults to talk, joke, eat non-kid friendly food. I love motherhood, but every once in a while us mothers (and fathers) need some time to recharge our batteries and remember that aside from being mommies and daddies, we're also people. People that have needs as well.

It reminded me of the writing process. In the past 2 months I haven't felt like writing...at all. But little by little, I'm getting my mojo back--that little voice inside my head that used to tell me that I could do this is becoming vocal once again. And I'm ready to listen. Finally.

Maybe every once in a while we need to step back from this crazy ride that is the pursuit of publication to remember that there is more to life. Only then can we realize that we would miss it if it wasn't in our lives driving us slowly insane.

Am I out in left field on this one? Does any one else feel the same way? Have you had to take a break from writing to rediscover your love?

Christmas Chaos

The Christmas season is upon us and that means shopping, wrapping, baking...all past times that I love (okay, maybe not the wrapping). But what about writing?

With an unexpected vacation day today, I really should have plunked myself in front of my keyboard but instead I did the much needed running around that's been haunting me. And I feel terribly guilty. In the past, a day off work with no kids would have meant seven or eight uninterrupted hours of writing. But I just didn't have it in me today. Am I a slug, or what?

On the upside, in my travels I did pick up Brenda Harlen's newest SSE. Hopefully that will get me in the mood to start writing again.

Would it be wrong to ask Santa to tuck some motivation in my stocking this year?

Hello, Old Friend

Not to say that you're old (LOL), but just that I've been away for far too long.

Where to start on what has transpired since I was last here? Well...sickness for one. I was the first one in the house stricken with the H1N1 flu, and it was nasty. And because I'm a loving wife, I shared it with my DH (aren't I nice?). Lastly, my DD2 (almost 4 years old) got it...and BAD. She was so sick that for the first time in her life, I was truly scared for her. Luckily, I was able to get the magical Tamiflu and after 3 days of pure hell she was feeling better (just in time for Halloween).

But that's not where the excitement stops. Oh no. 6 days after DD2 recovered we were booked to leave on our family trip to Florida. Talk about cutting it close. Not to mention that DD1 had not yet had the dreaded flu and we spent that entire week expecting her to come down with it at any minute.

Fast forward past much fresh orange juice squeezing and so many vitamins that I feared she'd begin to jingle, and everything turned out wonderfully! DD1 never did get sick, we had a wonderful trip and all is well with our world once more.

But all of this excitement means that my writing time has been nil. Nada. Zilch. And so, sadly, I will not be entering the Golden Heart this year. Sigh. But there's always next year, right?

Panic!!!

Panic has set in...

A few months ago, I made a promise to myself that I was going to finish this ms and enter it into the Golden Heart this year. As the beginning of October hit, along with it came a stark reality...I only have 2 months to finish, polish this thing and get it mailed out! Add to that an upcoming trip and birthday for DD2 and I'm in some serious trouble.

I don't have that much left to write before I hit The End. That isn't what scares me. It's the editing. The first draft is pretty rough, so I know there is going to be a LOT of editing. I'm determined not to go back on my target, but I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with the whole thing.

I almost wish I could get up really high and get a bird's eye view of this story so that it could all become crystal clear...like when you're reading someone else's story. Do you ever feel like that? Any tips you could share would be greatly appreciated!

What's your Happily Ever After?

The house is quiet. A rarity for a Sunday morning.

My mom offered to take the kids for a sleep over last night so DH and I could go out and celebrate our wedding anniversay. So we jumped at the chance for a night out.

As of Monday, I will have been married for 13 years. Worthy of a night out, right? The kicker...we've been together for 22 years. Considering that I haven't yet hit the big 4-0, I think it makes us, as a couple, pretty unique. We were high school sweethearts, however we waited 9 years before we got married. In those 9 years I went away to university, coming home only on weekends when my studying schedule would allow. My DH started a career with a schedule that made it difficult for him to come visit. And yet through it all, we managed to stay together. Not because it was easier to stay together. Because it was too hard to stay apart.

So there you go--my own little romance novel. Maybe that's why I've been drawn to this genre. What about you? What's your story?

The drama that is my life

This past week has been filled with bad luck.

It all started during an evening speed walk with my friend. Imagine our surprise when a barking German Shepard emerged from the side of a house and proceeded to CHASE us across across a busy street. An energizing walk turned into a speed-run for our lives (or so it seemed). Very scary. Note to dog's owner: Giving your vicious dog a cute name like Ollie doesn't make him less scary. Just sayin'.

And then in the same evening, not five minutes later, we narrowly missed being spattered with egg thrown from a car full of teenagers. Stupid, to say the least. I mean, really, what's the point?

Then the kicker. This morning, I pulled into the day care to drop off the kiddies, and when I returned to the mommy-mobile, it wouldn't start. Nothin'. Dead as a door nail. So after calling a tow truck, waiting for the nice driver to arrive and start it, I drove promptly to the garage and had a new battery installed. The whole ordeal landed me an hour and a half late for work and a whole lot lighter in the pocket book. What a way to start a Monday.

But bad things happen in threes, right? So that should be the end of my crummy luck. I can hope anyway.

Anyone else out there having crummy luck, or is it just me?

I'm weak...

I did it.

I gave in to the travel itch and booked a family trip to Orlando. I know, I know, all those reasons I gave still have merit, but the kids are only small once, right? Soon they won't want to hang around with us. They'll be too busy with friends and *gulp* boys to want to go see Mickey and Minnie with Mom and Dad. So I'm going to eat it up while I can.

I can rationalize anything.

I'm a writer, after all.

The Travel Itch

What is it about the Fall that makes me want to book a vacation?

Maybe it's the impending Winter and mental flashbacks of digging out from under several feet of snow. Or maybe its the thought of the sun setting at 4 pm and the cold, dark drive home from work. Or the memory of the -20 C temperatures that leave us shivering in our warmest Winter gear. Whatever it is, it almost had me convinced to book a trip to Orlando this week. I came really close. Even had DH convinced. Until reasonable thought returned reminding me of the outstanding bills, car maintenance that needed to be done, my shaky work environment--none of which are conducive to spending thousands of dollars visiting Mickey and friends.

Darn.

So I have no trip booked. I'm dreading the thought of Winter coming. But on the plus side, I have a week of vacation time unaccounted for.

I smell a writing week in my future.

Go Read My Story at Read-a-Romance.com

One of my short stories is going to be posted at http://www.read-a-romance.com/ starting Sunday, Aug 30. If you've got a few spare minutes, please stop by and have a read. It won't take long. And don't forget to rate it so I can see how many people stopped by.

The title is Home is Where His Heart Is. It's a story that was inspired by a time in my life when my husband was traveling a lot for work. I was at home thinking how much fun he must be having traveling all around North America, eating in restaurants every night, sleeping in hotels. Turns out, excitement is all in the eye of the beholder.

If you'd like to drop me a line, I'd love to hear what you think of it.

When I grow up...

...I want to be Jodi Picoult!

I know, I'm a little slow on the uptake, but I just finished my first Jodi Picoult novel, My Sister's Keeper. I had not seen the movie, so I had no idea what to expect in this book other than what I'd seen in the movie trailers. I'm so glad I was clueless.

This book was fabulous. Not just a great story, but great writing. She wrote it in 6 different points of view, and each was executed flawlessly. Each story line held its own and yet she managed to tie them all together beautifully.

I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read the story, but let's just said it's been a LONG time since a book has made me cry...like actually cry. This book had me sobbing. Now that's a good book.

This was the kind of book that makes me want to be a better writer, makes me want to evoke that kind of emotion, to leave people talking about my book long after they're finished it.

If you haven't had a chance yet, definitely put this book in your To Be Read pile.

I'm about to start another of her books, Vanishing Act. I wonder if I'll be raving about this one in a few weeks time?

It's Official...

I didn't final in the Golden Opportunity contest. I did come in 6th out of 17 and got some great feedback, which is worth it's weight in gold. Once I'm finished with the first draft, I'll go back and revise the first chapter keeping those comments in mind. Hopefully it'll make my ms even stronger.

Onward and upward, right? It's all we can do.

Contests and Short Stories

By today, all the finalists of the Toronto Romance Writers' Original Golden Opportunity Contest will be notified. The calls started last night, and my phone did not ring. Not sure if it will today, but either way I'll be getting my scores/comment sheets this week, so that is something to look forward to. I haven't entered this ms into any other contests, so it will be interesting to hear what they have to say.

In other news, one of my short stories will soon be appearing on Read-a-Romance.com. I'll let you know when. Hopefully you'll go by, have a read and give it a rating on the site.

Yup...still here

It's been a while. I knew this would happen. As soon as I went back to work after vacation, writing took a back seat again. *sigh* Other than a half hour here and there, I haven't had any solid writing time for 3 weeks. And frsutration is setting in once again.

It doesn't help that it's summer and here in Southern Ontario we're finally getting some seasonal weather. The last thing I want to do is keep the kids inside on a gorgeous sunny day so that I can write. But summer is fleeting in this part of the country, so we need to embrace it with both hands (restraints may also be required). Fall will be here before we know it, and with Fall comes... SCHOOL!

My youngest will be starting school this year. *deep sigh* My Baby. Hope I don't break into tears when they play the National Anthem on the first day like I did with DD1 (and it had nothing to do with national pride). I just can't believe how quickly she's growing up. Every mother says that, I know. But there's a reason for that...it's true! The only upside is that with DD2 in JK, I will have 1/2 day once a week for writing time. I guess that's what happens. As they grow up, I'll get more time for me. As good as that sounds, not sure I like the trade off of losing those baby years. But I don't have much choice in the matter, do I?

Woo hoo!

Another 2000 words today! I'm loving this vacation--or make that my stay-cation. If I had a good solid month of days like these, I could finish this draft, no problem.

Honestly, I think I'm more like 75% done rather than 50%. I tend to write light, and I know I'll have to go back and layer in detail when I edit, so I'll leave room to do that. I'm guessing that I'm about 4-5 chapters from THE END. Woo hoo!

Even though I'm going to have to go back to writing at night and lunch hours very soon, I've made so much head way this week that now I'm itching to write. I may even try and squeak a few hundred more words out after the kids are in bed tonight.

Look at me, acting all writerly.

Happy Dance!

2600 new words yesterday!

And no editing!

And the best part...as I hit a part in the story when I didn't quite know where to go, something remarkable happened. The story took an unexpected twist, something that I had never even considered adding until that moment. And now I am so excited about where it's headed. It makes so much sense!

I'm off to write. Hope I can add another 2600 words today, or better yet...more!

Progress

See that little word metre thingy on the side...have you noticed? It's getting bigger! Yay! I added about 2000 words yesterday (today considerably less since I was distracted by a very important shopping trip, LOL), and plan to make even more tomorrow.

I'm determined to have a reason to attend next year's RWA conference, and for me that means entering the Golden Heart contest. And wouldn't it be sweet if I managed to final? I know, one step at a time. For now, I'm going to focus on finishing my first draft (although its been revised so many times I don't think I can call it that any more), no matter how rough and dirty it may be.

It's all about the progress.

Murphy's Law

The muse is finally working again, and I have no time to write. But all of that is going to change...soon. On Monday I'll have 4 whole daylight days to write for hours uninterrupted. Whoopee! I can't wait. It's supposed to be nice outside too, so my cup of coffee and I can take the writing outside.

Does it gey any better?

Happy Canada Day!

Today is Canada Day for us canucks. A day to celebrate our nation, to spend time with family, friends, and most importantly...a day off!

I started the day with a brisk sweat provoking walk with a friend, and now I'm energized! What a great feeling! With DH at work (unfortunately, the theatre doesn't stop for holidays), and kiddies home and itching to have some fun, there won't be any writing during the day. But I hope to sneak some in this evening.

In the meantime, I'm sure the day will be filled with loads o' fun. Hope yours is too.

And for all you Canadians...

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Urggg!

I'm getting anxious to spend some real, uninterrupted time on my writing. Okay, I manage to grab an hour here, twenty minutes there, but it's just not cutting it. I spend as much time reviewing where I left off as I do writing. It's frustrating, to say the least.

But for right now, it's what I've got, so I've got to make do. Anyone have any ideas as to how to make the most of sport writing spurts? Do you have a system that works?

Birthday and Progress

Yesterday was my birthday, and I was spoiled rotten over the weekend. Dinner out with DH, breakfast in bed from the kiddies (with Daddy's help, of course), and a lovely cake with my family on Sunday evening. A wonderful weekend like that does help take the sting out of a birthday.

As for the WIP, I shined up my first chapter (with the help of lovely CP, Jude) and entered it in Toronto Romance Writer's Golden Opportunity Contest. Its the first contest I've entered in a very long while, and I'm hoping to get some valuable feedback from it. As for finaling...that'll always be the dream, but I won't hold my breath. I need all my brain cells.

Such is life

Even though my week of uninterrupted writing didn't turn out quite as I'd planned due to DD1's visit from the flu fairy, I still managed to get down 5500 new words. Not bad for a week that was intermixed with sofa snuggles, fetching drinks, and cleaning vomit (yuck).

But the one thing that the week did give me is a new found determination to finish this damn book! Now that I've gotten the partial down on paper, I'm seeing new depth to the story that wasn't there before. I'm getting better at layering in tid bits that reflect the character's personality and conflicts without the back story dump that I'd previously used. I think I'm getting the hang of this!

So rather than going back to polish the partial, as I'd spent so much time doing in the past, I'm charging on. I'm determined to get this story down before my muse flies the coop again.

She's not getting away so easily this time!

Bliss...

I'm spending this week writing. Just me, my laptop and an endless number of empty pages to fill. This is this first time I've had so much consecutive time to write with no kiddies about, so I'm lapping it up. Yesterday was a little less productive than hoped due to a sick kiddo at home, but today there are no excuses.

So what am I doing here?

I'm off to write!

Back at it

After much obsessing I finally gave in and resubmitted my story to Woman's World after waiting 6 1/2 months. I'm pretty such it got lost in the mail somewhere. So now I go back to the bottom of the pile and get ready to wait another couple months. Oh well... at least I'm subbing.

And while I was at it, I also mailed off a children's story that I wrote a few months ago. It's Halloween themed, so I wanted to send it early enough to make it for the Halloween season if they choose to publish it. I only sent it off to one Canadian Publisher. I do want to send it to others but I need to do more research to decide exactly where. I'll get there.

As for the romance MS, I've been doing a lot of work on nailing down the internal conflicts. I really think it's going to pay off in a stronger story. I hope to get some writing time tomorrow to try out my theory.

Hope your writing is going well.

It's been a while

I'm returning from my little blogland hiatus, and guess what...nothing much has changed! Yup, how sad is that? Two months away and I'm still in the same spot. I'm still working on my WIP, and still haven't heard on the story I sent to WW on August 25.

It's been 5 months. At first I thought that was a good sign. Its the longest I've ever had to wait for a response, so maybe that meant it was being passed up the line, I thought. But then I read on a yahoo group for aspiring WW writers that someone else had recently sold her story and she mailed hers in September. So, has it been passed up to a senior editor? Possibly. Has it been lost in the mail? Possibly. Should I stop obsessing about it? Definitely.

Moving on. I've decided to start working on the synopsis for my wip. I know, there are many different schools of thought on when to do the synopsis...before starting, during, when complete. But I was really feeling the need to nail down the story and the conflicts, and writing the synopsis is helping loads. Once I'm done I'll send off to my CP Jude for a quick boo (by the end of the weekend, I've promised) and then it's back to progressing the story.

So what's new with you?

I'm Ba-aaack

Sorry for the long absence, but I just got back from a 10 day vacation comprised of a Disney Cruise (heavenly!) followed by a relaxing stay at a Florida condo. Needless to say, it was a shock to come back to snow so early in the season. Who ordered this white stuff anyway? Definitely not me. I want my palm trees and sun shiny skies back!

So now that I'm back it's nose to the grindstone. No more excuses. Starting today, I'm going to stop worrying so much about what I'm writing and just write...even if it's not romance. Hopefully that will get the juices flowing. I'll let you know.

New blahs

To add to my previous blahs, I got an R on the short story revision that I sent to Woman's World back in July. I was really hoping this would be the one. But at least I've got another story with them. All hope is not lost.

Thanks for the great suggestions on getting rid of my writing blahs. I especially love the day dreaming one, Jude. An excuse to escape into my own head for a while with no expectations...sounds divine!

On the upswing, a cute Halloween story that I wrote and my daughter did the illustrations for won 1st place at the Fall Fair at my daughter's school. I'd feel a lot better if I hadn't beaten out a bunch of 6th graders, LOL.

*Sigh* Has it come down to this?

Feeling blah

What do you do when you're feeling blah and unmotivated to write?

This is my challenge right now. Too busy to write during the day when I'm feeling motivated...but when I finally have some time in the evening after getting the kiddies to bed, my mind draws a blank. My creativity goes out the window.

Any tips on how to get the mojo back into my writing life? What works for you?

Today's the Day...

If you'd like to swing by and have a read, today's the day that my short story, entitled Starting Over, is posted over at Read-a-Romance.com.

There are a lot of other great stories there too. If you've got a few minutes to indulge, you won't be disappointed!

Good News

I just had some good news...one of the shorts that I wrote is going to be featured on the Read-a-Romance website next Monday, October 6th. Read-a-romance.com is the premier online choice for free romantic reads. So please stop by and tell me what you think.

If you forget, don't worry; I'll remind you ; ) !!!

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

As I was trying to think of a title for this post, Dory's song from the movie Finding Nemo kept playing in my head. Nothing too exciting to report, but I just keep swimming, swimming, swimming...


The short story has been mailed to Woman's World (on my father's B-Day, so I'll be sure to remember the date), I had a fabulous couple of hours of writing today (during daylight hours, no less) helping the word metre thingy to grow nicely, and DD1 has successfully completed first day of grade 1.

And I'm still swimming.

Here's hoping I'm not in need of any life vests in the coming weeks.

More WW

I'm just finishing offer another short story to send to Woman's World. It's one that I wrote a few month's back and after some feedback from a very wise CP, I decided to take a little space from it until I could sort out the true conflict. Well, I think I cracked it, and it's better than ever... I think. *G*

I haven't heard back yet on the revision that I sent in for the other WW story, but I want to make sure I have something else out there to take the sting off if I get the dreaded R. *shudder*

On the novel writing front, I haven't had much time to get absorbed in Mitch and Cait's journey, but I'm hoping to escape with my mini laptop tomorrow night and get back into it. Oooo...can't wait!

More eye candy

Now that's some serious inspiration!

Now back to bringing Mitch and Cait to their HEA.

Brain Storm

Just had a brain storm with regards to my wip. The H and h dated in highschool but something about their previous relationship didn't sit right with me. I kept assuming that they had been dating for a while, but then why wouldn't he know certain things about her? How could she keep them hidden? Then it dawned on me...it's because they didn't date very long--maybe just a month or two. So she was able to keep things hidden, stay distant. Now it all fits together!

It's funny how on piece of information can make all the difference to your story. So I'll leave you with this scrumptious photo of Mitch Roades, NFL football player and hero of Home to Stay?.

Can you see why I can't get this story out of my head?

Updates

My revised short story is probably already on some one's desk at Woman's World. Yippee! I wrote "Requested Material" on the envelope hoping to hurry things up, but another woman on the WWW writer's loop who had a revision request said that she waited 5 months to hear back. Yikes! Oh well, it takes what it takes.

My other writing is progressing nicely. Each time I sit down to write I try not to stop until I hit 1000 words. It's been working well. If only I had more time to BICHOK. DH and I are on vacation with the kiddies for the next week, so hopefully I'll be able to wrangle some alone time.

Hope everyone is having a great summer!

Happy Dance!

No, it's not a sale, but the closest I've ever gotten!
Yesterday I got a very thin letter from Woman's World magazine in response to a short romantic story I sent them in March. Assuming it was a rejection, I opened it up with a heavy heart. Imagine my surprise when I saw the words "happy to take another look at it..."!

She was requesting a small change and then suggested she would look at it again! That's a revision request, right? Right?

So off I go to make the small change while cutting back a few words to accommodate the change. I just hope I don't screw it up. Keep your fingers crossed for me...

Ah, Bliss

This afternoon I sat outside on our back deck overlooking the perennial garden and wrote; the birds were chirping, the sun was shining, and the words were flowing. I can only imagine how nice it would be if that were my JOB everyday.

I can dream, can't I.

Look at that word metre!

I'm trying not to get too obsessed with word count, but look at that word metre thingy! I'm up to 17.5% complete. Woo hoo!

I refuse to even think about the fact that I have 82.5% left to go. My glass is half full, people. I'm on a roll. I'm gonna nail this sucker while it's still fresh.

Gotta go write (tee hee).

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today is my thirty--grumble, grumble--th birthday. At least it's a beautiful day here in southern Ontario...helps take some of the sting out. We're having a quiet day here, taking my daughter to a dance recital rehearsal, having a few family members over for dinner, and maybe end the day with a bit of writing. My DH's gift to me was a mini portable PC that I can take to a coffee shop, while waiting for DD at dance class, anywhere really. Hope to try it out at the local Tim Horton's tonight.

Does he know me or what?

My Collage

Well, here it is...the collage for my wip. Can you guess what the story's about? No? Guess you'll have to wait till it's done. I'm such a tease ; )

DD and I had a lot of fun making this. She even liked hearing what all the pictures represented. Who knows...maybe I've got a future romance writer on my hands.

So Long Gone

It's been a crazy two weeks...hence my absence.

I started the month with the best of intentions of completing a challenge over at catauniversity.com--write 25,000 in a month. I was making good headway writing every day, and then boom...I hit a wall.

My sister had a baby last week, so on top of making baby gifts, rushing to the hospital for the birth, visiting the bub at home, all on top of the day job, time slipped through my fingers. And now I am so far behind that I don't think I have any hope of getting back on track.

It's kind of depressing. I really did think I was going to be able to do it, to actually write half of my book in a month. I suppose that I can still continue on my own, but there was something about having the whole group working toward a common goal that I found motivating. And now that everyone has moved past me, I feel... I feel...left behind.

What about you? What keeps you motivated?

Check it out!

I was fooling around with Picasa and found this cool feature that will create a collage of your photos. Sooo...here is the collage for my new WIP. FYI...I started working on a new project since I wasn't feeling the love for the last one. Fickle, I know, but as my wise CP told me, if you're not enjoying writing it, scrap it. So I have...at least for now. I put it aside to work on this one that has me rarin' to get at it. The pictures are inspiration enough!

Meet the Cast

Meet Naomi Bryson and Griffin Sloan, the stars of my current WIP. I checked out Rachel Weisz as Jude suggested and although she is gorgeous, I wasn't able to find a photo that really made me feel the connection.

And then I found this shot of Sandra Bullock in a tank and it seemed to fit. I'm picturing the sassiness of Miss Congeniality with her looks at the END of the movie.

So now...no more stalling. It's time to get these characters to their HEA.

In need of inspiration

I'm hoping to get some help from my cyber-friends. I'm having trouble coming up with a heroine inspiration for my WIP. She is brunette, cute, natural looking, more comfortable in workout pants and t-shirt with her hair in a pony tail. She's in shape, and as a rock climbing instructor she's pretty tough. Any actresses coming to mind?

My initial though was Hilary Swank, but I'm rethinking that. She not quite cute enough for my mental image (I'm picturing brown doe eyes and a smattering of freckles--but the freckles are negotiable). Here is a picture of the hero, if that helps.

I'd love to hear any thoughts you have. I hope that once I have a clear visual of my heroine, my muse might just start working again.

Winner!

No, I didn't win a writing contest, but I did win a contest run by Harlequin Romance authors Jennie Adams and Donna Alward. The prize...hardcover copies of both of their new releases! Yippee! I always get such a thrill from adding new books to my growing library and reading them will be an even bigger thrill. Thanks, ladies!

On the writing front, the winners of the Instant Seduction contest have been chosen and will be notified before Easter! Since there were over 600 entries, I'm not expecting to be one of them, but I am excited to read the winning entries. Good luck to everyone who entered. It would be so exciting if someone from the eHarlequin community won!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

In case I don't make it back here on Monday, wanted to wish you all a happy St. Patricks Day. I'll be working and then going to a memorial service for my Romance Writing teacher who passed away last week, so have a frosty mug of green beer for me!

Something New!

I just knocked off another short story for Woman's World, and I LOVE it. It's got the feel good emotion that I think my last story was missing. And the thing I like most about it...it's believable. I can actually see this scene unfolding...somewhere. And since it involves a couple on the brink of divorce, I think there are many women who will be able to relate to it. The idea just hit me one day, and I wrote it in a few hours. It's funny how quickly things can move along when you love what you're writing.

Hopefully I'll get it in the mail tomorrow. And then it's back to the waiting game. Last time it took 5 months for a response. But at least when I'm waiting I feel like a real writer instead of a 'wanna be' who talks about writing but never really does it.

Maybe this one will be the charm. WW is a tough nut to crack, but I'm determined to do it!

P.S. What do you think of the new blog template? Wanted to change things up a bit but not sure that I love it.

Sad

I had some very sad news yesterday. The man who taught me my first Romance Writing course, the man who got me excited about the genre and made me feel as if I really could make it in the industry, passed away yesterday.

His name was Tom Torrance, and he was a wonderful teacher. At 57 years old, he taught many writing classes at my local college: Romance, Writing for Publication, Grammar for Writing, Writing Children's Stories...and the list goes on. He was so knowledgeable and a wonderful man personally as well. He was always the first to cheer you on when you submitted somewhere and to encourage you to try again if you received a R.

His death is a tremendous loss.
I'll miss him.

Subs and progress

I'll be subbing something tomorrow. Yay! It's a non-fiction article for a woman's mag, not romance, but the thrill is the same. I get such a rush from putting my words on paper for someone else to read and hopefully love. This story is very close to me since it's the tale of the events that convinced me that my father (who'd passed away 2 years earlier) was with me on my wedding day--a topic that never fails to bring tears to my eyes. I'll let you know how it goes.

On the romance writing front, I've started my new wip and I'm finding that there is still so much I need to nail down about my characters. I know I'll continue learning things as the ms progresses, so I'm just trying to make notes as I go so I can answer the questions early on in the process. Don't want too many surprises later.

Hope your writing is going well too.

Rejection and new hope.

Got a rejection last week for a short story that I subbed to a woman's magazine back in September. At least it was a good R...said that it was nicely written but too close to something they've already published. So I'm determined to find a unique angle.

But on the plus side I'm working on 2 new projects.

The first is another short story. It's rough right now, but I'm just trying to get it all down now. I'll polish it up later.

I'm also very pumped about my new ms. I've been doing a lot of work on understanding who my characters are--something I didn't do enough of with my first ms. And given the R it received, that's probably what was wrong with it. Needless to say I can't wait to get writing.

So much to do, so little time.

I made it!

The deadline for the Instant Seduction contest through Mills and Boon was yesterday, and I made it...just. I was still making revisions a few minutes before I hit the send button. But I think I do my best work under pressure, so we'll see how it goes.

I'm sure the competition for the contest is pretty steep, so I'm not holding my breath. But at least I know I gave it my best shot. Not much more I can do.

Good luck to all those who entered.

Tagging myself

How lame is that?

Saw this on Judy Jarvie's blog and thought I'd share six non-important things/habits/quirks about myself with all of you. So here goes:

1. I LOVE candy. Any kind of candy. I'm not picky. If I buy a bag I can't stop till it's gone. In honour of Vanetine's day, I'm currently enjoying a whole bag of cinnamon hearts. Spicy!
2. I cry easily. Give me an emotional situation, and I have a very hard time keeping my eyes dry. Sometimes I really hate it.
3. I'm a pack rat. Love to keep things for unknown reasons. But what if I need it one day...
4. I hate jumping in the shower first thing in the morning, although I have to do it 5 days a week. Heaven to me is lounging in my pj's with a hot cup of coffee. Drives DH crazy! He's a get up and go kinda guy.
5. In university, I was so afraid to flunk out that I barely went out the entire first year. Then I woke up, LOL.
6. I hate putting away laundry. Don't mind sorting it, washing it, folding it, but hate putting it away.

Okay, it's your turn to post six interesting/quirky things about yourself. C'mon, we wantta know...

The worm is growing...

No, this is not a reference to an erotic romance (ha, ha).

Take a look at the right side panel...see my new word meter? And it's got words in it! I'm making progress!

This is the story for the Instant Seduction contest, but isn't the one I originally started with. Given how long I'll end up spending with the story, I figured I better love it. I didn't, so I moved on.

This new story is based on a short story that I wrote for a contest and loved. It's coming along nicely, but I better put my butt in gear. The contest deadline is Feb 14.

Eek! Only two weeks?
Gotta go...

My baby is growing up

Last night I took my oldest daughter to get her first real haircut...and she's five years old! She had a little trim before, but this time she had her hair really cut...11 inches cut! Yikes.

The reason? She's donating her hair to an organization that makes wigs for children that have lost their hair due to sickness or injury and can't afford to buy them. I have to admit I did shed a few tears before the actual cutting. I feel like like I'm saying goodbye to my baby and welcoming a little lady...and it's a little hard for a mother to take.

But once I saw it done, she looked so beautiful and grown-up that I wondered why we hadn't done it sooner.

And it makes me feel really good to know that someone will be getting some use out of my baby's beautiful hair.

Excuse me while I go hug the pony tail one last time.

Time for reflection

Here I am on new year's eve--alone. Well not alone...I have my kids, but they'll be in bed long before the strike of midnight, so I'll be ringing in the new year alone. DH has to work tonight, as he has for the past 3 years, but usually I have somewhere to go. But the flu bug has invaded our house, so I'm assuming that we're not welcome at other people's houses (I don't blame them...it's a nasty bug that I would want to spread to anyone).

So all this alone time has left me with time for reflection, time to contemplate what I've accomplished this year and want to accomplish in 2008:

2007

• Started the year receiving a year's worth of free books from Harlequin after winning the Ultimate Reunion contest. What an ego boost! And let me tell you, my TBR pile is ready to topple!


• Entered Harlequin's Ultimate Secret contest and won an Honourable Mention and a free book. Nothing to sneeze at.


• Submitted my novel Her Client's Wishes to Mills and Boon/Harlequin Romance. It was rejected in November, but I did it! I wrote a book!


• Wrote and submitted a romantic short story to a woman's magazine. I'm still waiting to hear on that one.


• Started a new wip (Taking Care of Business) aimed at the Mills and Boon Modern Heat imprint and specifically the Instant Seduction contest for which the prize is an editor for a year! What could be better? I feel really good about this story. I learned a lot writing my first novel and won't make the same mistakes twice.

2008

• Finish and polish the first chapter and synopsis of my new wip for the Instant Seduction contest (deadline of mid February)


• Finish and submit my wip to M&B. They can't buy it if I don't submit!


• Get published in short fiction. Writing short fiction allows me to feel as though I'm accomplishing something since sometimes the length of a novel can seem beastly and beyond reach.

There. That wasn't so bad. I can do all of those things in a year, can't I? Well with my spare time tonight I guess there's no better time to start than the present.

Have a happy new year everyone, and most importantly...happy writing!

Tis the season

Tis the season to get all warm and squishy about everything that you're grateful for in your life, so here I go...

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing my oldest daughter perform in her Christmas concert. So there's my baby--the little girl who was so shy she pulled her skirt up on stage last year--singing her heart out in the front row doing all the actions like a pro. I was so proud of her. I think we have have an actress on our hands. That thought makes my husband cringe since he's worked in the entertainment industry for way too long and worked with way too many spoiled actresses, but I keep telling him that our daughter would be different because, of course, she's perfect!

And then today as I watched my two girls having so much fun playing in the bath together, laughing and squealing with delight, I realized how truly blessed I am. I really can't ask for more.

OK, warm squishy stuff is over.

Needless to say I haven't gotten much writing done. Tis also the season for procrastination. I'm hoping that once my shopping is done, the baking is complete, and all the get togethers are over, I'll have some time to sit down and write.

Here's hoping its not February before that happens.

Merry Christmas to everyone. Hope you have a joyous holiday!

Moving On

I've started working on a new story, and you know what...it feels good. Fresh characters, fresh story--it's exciting.

Have all of you read about the new Presents contest? It's sounds like a great opportunity to get noticed, so I think I'll aim this WIP in that direction (more of a Modern Heat vs traditional Presents). What the heck. It's time to mix things up.

Are any of you planning on entering?

Yuck

After 4 months of waiting, I got the dreaded R from M&B today. Yuck. And to make matters worse, it was a form R. So I have no idea what I did wrong. How can I be sure that I don't do the same thing again?

On the plus side, at least I can finally put this story to bed and move on to something new. I've been working on one story for far too long. Maybe that was part of the problem--maybe it had gotten stale.

So onward and upward.

Still sucks though.

It's Over

No, I'm not referring to my writing career, at least not yet (LOL).

My long awaited trip to Disney World is officially over, and I'm having some trouble adjusting to a reality that is not sugar coated and sprinkled with images of Mickey Mouse and Tinker Bell. Disney knows how to do it right. Everything about the parks is perfect, including the service. You really can't ask for more. My daughter had the pleasure of having her hair styled like a princess in the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique and everyone in the salon played their parts to perfection. They treated her like a real princess from the moment we walked through the door (maybe a little too much since I had to remind her later in the day that she wasn't really a princess, and I wasn't really her servant, LOL). Here is a picture of my two perfect princesses with someone you might recognize.

Needless to say, I was sad to leave such a wonderful place. Although I wasn't sad to see my own bed and to sit down for more than five consecutive minutes. I think I need a vacation from my vacation!

Crazy for Disney!

Our upcoming trip to Disney has me totally obsessed with everything Disney related...hence the vampire Mickey pumpkin.

The anticipation of our trip is definitely making the waiting more tolerable. I'd almost forgotten that my response from Harlequin could be winging it's way across the Atlantic as we speak.

*gulp*

Frozen

And no, I don't mean the weather.

I've reached the final scene, the point where it all comes together, the H and h realize that they were meant to be together and they finally get their HEA. So you'd think I'd be chomping at the bit to get it finished...

Nope. I'm frozen. Can't seem to find any words that would be sum up what they'd be feeling at this point. So I've avoided the computer. Um, correction...I've avoided writing on the computer but have embraced blog hopping and Disney researching whole heartedly. Not very productive, I know.

On the eHarlequin boards one person posted that she hasn't yet heard back on her partial sent to M&B back in May. I sent mine in July, so I think I have a bit more time to polish this off.

Senseless rationalization, I know.

In the home stretch

I only have one more chapter to go in my revisions! Yay! The problem is that I find the end the hardest part to write. All the loose ends have to be tied, the emotion at its strongest, and above all else it has to be fulfilling for the reader. Not an easy order to fill.

I'm pushing myself to have this done before I leave on my Disney trip. I don't want to have that hanging over my head. If there is anything left to do, I want it to be minimal, so that when I get home from my trip to find a revision request in my mail box (the power of positive thinking), I'll be ready to mail it within a week or two.

As my own form of motivation, I've added some photos of my hero and heroine, Owen and Tess (quite a hot couple, huh?).

Enjoy.

Disney...here we come!

Now that we've spilled the beans about our upcoming trip to our kids, I can post as many pictures as I like. Yay! Although my oldest daughter wasn't quite as excited as I thought she'd be, I think that has more to do with her not truly understanding what it means to go to Disney. And my youngest doesn't understand any of it, but I know she'll love it just the same.

The only time I've been to Disney was when I was 6, and I still remember it as being a truly magical experience. I can't wait to share it with my kids! We're having breakfast with Cinderella, and she is getting her hair done up like a princess at the Bipitty Bopitty Boutique (my youngest doesn't have enough hair for that *g*). It's going to be soooo much fun! *squee*

All I have to do now is hope that I don't get a big fat R right before our trip.

Keep your fingers crossed...

Giving Thanks

In Canada we're celebrating Thanksgiving this weekend. And in my family that means turkey, desserts and craft shows...yay!

I have a lot to be thankful for this year: two beautiful, healthy kids; a wonderful marriage; family I love...and in just a few hours, my husband and I will be telling our daughters that we're going to Disney World for the first time! They are going to flip!

Somebody pass the tissues...I'm getting weepy just thinking about it. *sniff*

Time is a Tickin'

Next week it will officially be 3 months that M&B has had my ms. Yikes! Panic is starting to set in. What if they ask for the full? What if they don't? I keep plugging along with my polishing, but I've found some parts that I'm not happy with and have been working to improve them. The progress is slooowww. What if I'm not ready, and they request it? I know they won't expect it right away, but how long is too long to wait?

My husband says that I should stop messing with it, but I can't do that until I know its the best I can make it.

So onwards and upwards I go...

Anniversary

Tomorrow is my 11 year wedding anniversary, but we've been together for 20 years. Yup, you guessed it...we were high school sweethearts.

Actually, my husband was my first serious boyfriend. Many people ask if I feel like I've missed out by not having experienced relationships with other men. My answer: absolutely not. I found the best early on. Why would I throw that away simply because it happened earlier than it happens for most?

And then my husband said something today that was so sweet, and it reminded exactly why I love him so much, why I've always loved him. We were talking about how our lives would have been different if we'd made different choices, and he said:

"The best thing I ever did was kiss you at that bus stop."

That was our first kiss, the kiss that started it all. And 20 years later, he's still my best friend, my soulmate...

...and I wouldn't change a thing.

Free Book

I just received my free book from Harlequin for being chosen as a Honourable Mention for the Ultimate Secret Contest. It's a yummy Debbie Macomber. Can't wait to dig in to it.

I love getting things for free...especially books!

Next Best Thing.

I may not have been one of the three winners of the Ultimate Secret contest, but I did win an Honourable Mention...yay! I had no idea, so it was a nice surprise when I logged on to read the winning entries. And to top it off, I win a free book!

A great way to start the day.

To read the winning entries (which were great BTW), click here.

Sorry...I didn't have a chance to put together a TT list for today.

*hangs head in shame*

But I did submit a romantic short story to a woman's magazine today. They say that their wait times are between 1 and 6 months. So I can add it to my list of reasons to run to the mailbox everyday.

Darn!

Darn--I didn't win the Ultimate Secret contest.

The winners received emails yesterday and my inbox is filled only with ads for Cialis and stock tips. I definitely would have noticed an email from Harlequin.

Oh well. Back to our regularly scheduled program--focusing on my WIP. I think I might also try a short story for a woman's magazine to mix things up. Gotta keep it interesting, you know.

Thursday Thirteen #2

The winners of the Ultimate Secret contest were due to be notified yesterday, but I didn't hear anything :-( So I'm going to distract myself with TT. Thirteen reasons that I looove writing (regardless of whether I win anything): 1. Creating characters and making them do what I want. Hmm...does that mean I'm a control freak? My husband would say 'yes'. 2. The different ways the written words can used in many different ways to express the same thing. 3. It's an escape to an exciting world where everyone is attractive, glamorous, and witty. Not that that isn't around me all the time in real life... *snicker* 4. There's something satisfying about seeing the words on paper (or computer screen). It gives me a sense of accomplishment. 5. I love seeing the look on people's faces when they realize I can write. I'm not just a pretty face, you know. LOL! 6. The endless possibilities for stories. 7. Using something I see or hear in real life in my stories. 8. Polishing something I've written until it's so good it positively shines. 9. Talking with other writers about writing. It's something only another writer can understand. 10. Watching someone I love read my work. 11. Being recognized for my writing (pleeease let me win the Ultimate Secret contest...pleeease). 12. Learning from other writers. Reading is research, you know. So I don't need to feel guilty about it. 13. Blogging about writing. I really love it! Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Thursday Thirteen #1

I'm jumping on the Thursday Thirteen band wagon...better late than never. One of my Face Book friends recently posted some pictures taken of her in the 80's, and it got me thinking about all of the groan worthy 80's fashion trends. Which ones do you remember? Are you too embarrassed to admit the ones that you followed? 1. Big Hair - Lots of hairspray and teased up high! Gotta love it! 2. Banana clips - I have to admit that I wore these...in my big hair. But the funniest thing is that I saw a woman wearing one this week! Who says the 80's are dead? 3. Colored Mascara/Eyeliner - Always extra thick! Blue, purple were the popular colors used. Guilty! 4. Torn Workout Top - Those maniac chicks, gotta love 'em! Some workout tops were also cut on the bottom to expose the stomach area. Most were worn off the shoulder. I was never brave enough. 5. Skinny Ties - Those leather ones were soooooo cool! 6. Lace crop tops - With bra underneath. If a white lace - white bra. If black lace - black bra. Again--never brave enough. Or maybe it was that my mom would never have let me out the door. 7. T-Shirt Clips - They looked like a ring with a bar through the middle and you threaded the bottom of your shirt through them. 8. Shaker Knit Sweaters - Shaker Knit refers to the type of stitch used to make these sweaters. The longer the better. Yup, I had a bunch. 9. Polo shirts - Shirts with collars (collars usually worn pulled up). Plenty of colors to choose from - pastels were a favorite preppy color. 10. Peter Pan Boots - Short, suede boots that all girls wore with their pin stripe jeans tucked into. Loved these. 11. Reebok high-tops - With no or untied laces. Mostly for the boys--or Tom boys. 12. Penny Loafers - My best friend had these. 13. Legwarmers - Flashdance made these even more popular than they already were! I admit, my mother knitted me a pair. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Love this feeling.

I had the best writing session tonight. Thanks to some advice from a very talented Harlequin Romance author (you know who you are, Trish Wylie), I was able to work through a scene that has been causing me headaches. It's a crucial scene, and it just wasn't working for me--until Trish helped my to tighten up my conflict and now...ta da...it all makes sense.

I love it when that happens. Maybe this isn't hopeless after all.

Fingers crossed.

Done!

I sent in my entry for the Ultimate Secret contest through eHarlequin. Yay! I still have another week before it's due, but I wanted to get it out of my hands so that I could turn my attention back to my WIP.

Winners will be notified by September 5th, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. The prize is great...a year's subscription to the Harlequin line of your choice. My current subscription will expire in December, so that would be nice.

But for now, I've got to put it out of my head and get back to Her Client's Wishes.

Check it out!

Check out this video for my new favourite song...

http://music.aol.com:80/video/online/brad-paisley/1933391

Even if you don't like country music, you'll appreciate the cast. It's hilarious!

Back in the Contest Circuit

I've been debating as to whether I was going to enter the Ultimate Secret contest on eHarlequin. With no story ideas banging down my door, I wasn't sure that I wanted to divert my attention from my WIP... until last night.

It hit me like a bolt of lightening. I started typing and typing and typing until I almost had the maximum 1000 words. The only problem...I hadn't yet incorporated the secret (kind of a key element, huh?). So on my lunch hour today I revised, added some more, cut a lot, and now I'm only about 80 words over the limit. I figure I'll let it simmer for a few more days before I do the final chop and polish and then submit.

But I have to say that I'm very excited about my entry. I'm not sure if I'll win, but at least I can say that I gave it my all. What more can I ask for?

Is anyone else out there entering? If so, how is your entry coming along?

Back to work.

Well, my vacation is now officially over. It's back to work tomorrow (groan).

I've been on vacation for two weeks, so you'd think I'd get a lot of writing done, right? Wrong. Having two kids home with me had something to do with that. But that's OK; we had a great time together, and I know it'll be hard for them to go back to daycare tomorrow--about as hard as it will be for me to face the mountain of work that will be awaiting my return (groan again).

But there is a silver lining...I'll have my uninterrupted lunch hours to write again. Yay!

Focus on the positive. Focus on the positive.

Feeling Sunflowery

It's a beautiful August day, and I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy. DH and I are both on vacation this week, and I'm hoping the entire week is as beautiful as it is today.

Thought I'd share a photo of the sunflowers my kids and I grew in our garden (I had to dodge untold numbers of bees to get this photo). They're huge--the plants are about 7 feet tall. It's the first time I've attempted sunflowers and I'm looking forward to harvesting the seeds.

Hope you're having a great summer day!

The moment has passed.

Have you ever had one of those moments when you think, "What the hell am I doing? I can't write! No one is ever going to buy this." I recently had one of those moments... a moment that lasted two days. The result--I got nothing done. Nada. Zilch. No writing.

Well now, avoiding writing is bound to fix the problem--not.

So what changed? I had some awesome feedback from a HR author. She gave me that little confidence boost by saying some very nice things about my writing (*blushes*) and also by telling me that all authors feel that way sometimes. Even published authors. Yay! I'm not a loser destined never to get published.

So I'm back on the wagon polishing away at my ms.

Have you ever had a momentary (or not so momentary) lack of writing confidence? How did you get over it? Please share since I doubt I'll have another's kind words to get me through next time.

My Chocolate Flirtations chapter

Remember a while back I mentioned that I participated in a writing round robin? The story is called Chocolate Flirtations, and this week my chapter was introduced.

It's a quick read--less than 1,000 words--so feel free to stop by the site and check it out. It'll give you a taste for my writing style. And if you do, please pop back and let me know what you think. I never pass up an opportunity for feedback.

Hope you enjoy it!

My baby has landed!

I received a letter from Harlequin M&B today telling me that my partial arrived safely and would be reviewed "in due course." So very British--I love it!

I'm beyond relieved that I don't have to wonder if it got lost in the mail somewhere. I guess the only issue now will be if it gets lost in the slush pile.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that that doesn't happen.

"I'm so excited....

...and I just can't hide it."
Strange but that was the first tune that popped into my head *g*.

I am very excited. After reading my first three chapters, my editor (aka my sister) got so excited about reading the rest of my book that she gave me deadlines for getting the rest polished up and ready for someone other than myself to read.

You know what...I love it! I love having a goal to work towards, and I like being accountable to someone else (makes it harder to take a break just because). And I am so motivated that I'm actually ahead of my one chapter a week deadline. At this pace I'll definitely have my full all polished up and ready to send to Richmond just in case they ask for it (the power of positive thinking ;-)

Tagged!

I've been tagged by Sri...

So, here are the rules:
A. Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves.
B. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed.
C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

So here we go. Here's more than you ever wanted to know about me...

1. I was a band geek. Yes, I played trumpet in my high school band. I was pretty good too. But don't ask me to play it now. My lips are out of practice. LOL!

2. I'm hooked on Facebook. My husband says I need an intervention (LOL). But it's so much fun to find people I haven't seen in years. Like a high school reunion without having to get all dressed up. So if you're on Facebook, stop by and say 'Hi'.

3. I HATE cleaning. It's just one of those things that I get absolutely no satisfaction from doing. I get so little free time; why would I want to spend it polishing and scrubbing? We've had a service coming in to do it, but we're going to have to let them go and I'm dreading having to start spending my weekends cleaning the house again. I know, I know: poor me.

4. Apart from my University days, I have always lived in the Niagara Region of Ontario and have no plans to move. I love it here. We have all the amenities of a large city and yet I can drive two minutes and see horses and farms. What more could I ask for?

5. I spend almost every one of my at work lunch hours writing. It's one of the few times that I can get uninterrupted writing time when I'm not too tired to form a complete thought.

6. I'm determined to be a published author. Even if my current ms gets rejected, I know that I'll keep writing. I have to. It's in my blood.

7. I love to travel. I haven't been able to do much of it since we had our kids, but as soon as they are old enough to travel easily, I intend to take them to see the world. OK, maybe not the whole world, but at least the warm parts. We're planning our first family plane trip right now...to Disney! I can't wait!

8. I have a degree in Psychology and an MBA in Marketing. When I talk about making a career as a romance writer, my mother often says "But what about your education?" I try to explain that education is never wasted, and that the discipline I learned will help me to be a better writer, but I don't think she gets it.

Okay, now it's your turn to reveal your inner-most secrets. If you read this, consider yourself TAGGED!

So Sad...

Two years ago at this time, I was getting ready to board a plane to Reno...to go to the RWA national conference. Last year I was too busy with a 7 month old baby to be nostalgic, but this year...I'm really wishing I was going too.

I have to say that the whole experience, if a little overwhelming, was sooo motivating. One speaker in particular sticks in my mind: Debbie Macomber. She told the story of how hard it was financially for her family when she decided to stay home and write. So hard in fact that she almost gave up. But her husband encouraged her to give it a bit longer. And now look where she is. Best Seller. Internationally renown. Ahh. We can all dream.

She also said something that really hit me. Every time she felt guilty for spending time writing instead of spending all of her time with her children, she thought about what it taught them to see their mother trying so hard to do something that she loved. That, my friends, was when I broke into tears. It was like she read my mind. Whenever my husband says he'll take the kids out so I can have time to write, my heart tightens a little at the thought of the fun that they'll have without me. So what keeps me going? The dream of my daughters one day stepping up to the front of their classroom on career day and proudly introducing me as " My Mom, the Romance author."

Sniff, sniff.

Does anyone have a tissue?

I Did It!

I finally mailed my partial to Richmond! I can't believe it's in the mail winging it's way to the UK. I even paid extra to have it get there within 3-5 days. Silly, I know, but I've worked on this manuscript for so long that I can't wait to find out if they want to see more.

If they do, I'll be over the moon...whether or not they end up buying it. Remind me of that in a few months.

My stomach is in knots...already.

Can someone pass the silver bucket? I have a feeling I'm going to need it.

On Track

Thanks to everyone who's offered their support and encouragement. I'm still on track to submit this week. The plan is to put it in the mail on Friday. OMG...that's tomorrow!

Breathe, breathe.

I'm still toying with my synopsis. But at this point, I don't think the changes that I'm making are that significant. Mostly just changing a word here and there. I know that a single word isn't going to make or break the ms, so I need to just get over it and send it in.

I'll keep you posted. I'll need some serious hand holding once I put this sucker in the mail. I'm a submitting virgin (tee hee), so I'm very nervous.

Success!

I gave in.
I sent my first 3 chapters to my sister. So far she's read the first chapter, and you know what...she loved it! And I truly think she's being genuine. As an added bonus, she actually found the funny parts funny! Yay! When I'm writing something that I think is humourous, I never know if other people will think so too. Looks like I succeeded!

I'll be writing my query letter today and will be submitting early next week.
I can't wait!!!

Family Time?

My sister recently asked if she could read my MS.

Not a big deal, right? Then why am I so worried? Worried that she'll hate it. Worried that she'll tell me she loves it, but I'll be able to tell that she hates it. She is a voracious reader, but she usually reads historicals and they always have some...umm...sexual content. I close the bedroom door. She's been such a big supporter that I don't want to turn her down, but I also don't want her to be disappointed with the story either.

What do you guys think? Do you let family read your wip?

Mammy!

The funniest thing...my 18 month old DD calls both me and my DH mommy or "Mammy". Today when DH dropped her off at daycare he said she started crying and calling for him..."Mammy! Mammy!" It breaks my heart to hear that, but knowing that she stops crying as soon as we're out of sight, the day care provider must have gotten a kick out of it.

On the writing front, I am just about to make the final revisions on my partial. I printed out the pages and went through them with a fine tooth comb and was amazed at the things that I didn't notice when it was on the computer screen. So it was time well spent. And I'm still on track to submit by the end of June. Yay! Every time I think about actually submitting I get this excited flutter in my stomach. I'm actually going to do this!

Remind me of this wonderful feeling a month from now when I'm clutching the silver bucket.

Wednesday Writing Romp - Chapter 3

More Chocolate Flirtations comin' right up...

Here's chapter 3

First Page Challenge

As part of Julie Cohen's first page challenge I'm posting the first few paragraphs of my WIP, Her Client's Wishes. I'd love to hear comments:

“Wait, wait!” Tess shouted over the uneven clip-clop rhythm of her sensible heels on the black polished tiles. She hobbled towards the rapidly closing elevator doors attempting to balance the weight of an overstuffed briefcase on one shoulder while trying—unsuccessfully—to prevent the coffee in her other hand from sloshing through the hole in its plastic lid.


If she missed the elevator, she’d have to wait at least five minutes for the next one. She didn’t have the kind of time to spare. Not today.

Please, not today.

Comment: She's frantic, rushing to something very important to her that she absolutely can't be late for. Hopefully this makes you wonder what that is. Also she's the kind of woman who wears sensible shoes--no stilettos for this one.

Tess Morgan scanned the crowd of elevator passengers hoping that if she was able to make eye contact with just one of them they’d have to hold the door for her, right?

Unfortunately, making eye contact with anyone in a busy downtown Toronto elevator was down right unheard of. Avoid eye contact at all cost: the cardinal rule.

Her hobble advanced to an ungraceful scurry, but still no one made a move to hold the elevator.

The doors slid shut in her face.

After five years in this city why did she still hope for the same courtesy she’d get in her hometown? She was always disappointed.

Comment: She's not from Toronto and not used to the ways that people behave in big cities. Hopefully this gets across the idea that she's from a small town.

Wednesday Writing Romp - Chapter 2

So, are you ready for more?
Want to learn more about the crazy woman who doesn't like chocolate? Are you wondering what will happen when she's forced not only to indulge herself but also to spend 24/7 with her pushy client Grant Severson?

Click the link below to read chapter 2 written by Debi Phillips.

Chocolate Flirtations - Chapter 2