I am not a morning person. Never have been. Lisa and Alice – my National roomies the past two years – do this great impression of me shuffling around in the morning sans coffee -clothing skewed, hair all over hell and back, one very bleary eye open. I have to admit, it’s a pretty funny impression. (Though, for the record, I look nothing like that!)

The past few days I’ve been having trouble sleeping, so instead of lying in bed trying to will myself back to sleep, this morning I got up and decided to work. (In the dark, no … Read more »

So remember I was talking about my laptop keyboard yesterday and the whole “sticky crumb” thing? Yeah. Well. It got me.

Yesterday one sticky ‘e’ key turned into a ‘you lose your computer for at least two weeks’ thing. Turns out it wasn’t something stuck underneath the key (wahoo for cake!), but that the key itself is damaged (or the stuff underneath the key…I’m not sure what you call that little rubbery thing the key is attached to. It’s just too technical for me). Solution, of course, is that it has to be repaired. And because my laptop is … Read more »

Contrary to what I thought would happen, my world did not magically transform to perfection when I got the call. (I know, weird, huh? I can’t quite figure out why.) The Gremlins still fight, they still expect me to chauffeur them around, cook their meals and tie their shoes (okay, the five-year old still expects the shoe thing. Thank goodness the three-year old is happy with his Velcro Spiderman shoes). The toilets still need scrubbing, the dogs continue to bark despite my telling them over and over that because I’m going to be a published author now, I can’t continue … Read more »

I always knew writers were amazing people, but I didn’t know how amazing until this past week.

I can’t begin to tell you how many people have contacted me with congrats on my first sale(s). Some I expected – those in my local RWA chapter, my critique partners, close friends and family – but many I didn’t expect, especially the numerous writers I’ve met along my path to publication who I never in my wildest dreams suspected would remember me or honestly care about my sales. Each time I open my email and there’s a new Congratulations! message in my … Read more »

Hodgepodge title, but that’s the way my brain is working these days. 😉

In case you’re interested, today I blogged about my reaction to getting the call at my chapter blog – the Mid-Willamette Valley RWA Blog. Stop by and say hi! I’d love to see you there.

My daughter’s 9th birthday is Monday, and tonight’s her big slumber party. The boys are going to a girlfriend’s house and I’m taking the band of pre-teens to see the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus concert movie. Ay ya ya…wish me luck. There’s only so much Hannah Montana I can take. After that, … Read more »

I have news to share.

This morning I accepted an offer for a three-book deal from Dorchester Publishing!!!

The offer was for my 2007 GH finaling manuscript – Make Me Believe – and two more. It’s been a crazy couple of days filled with agent phone calls, contract negotiations and a bit of stress, but it’s finally starting to sink in.

I sold!!!!

I still can’t believe it.… Read more »

I haven’t done this in a while, but I figured, what the heck. 😉 I’ll give it a whirl.

13. Coffee with a dollop of sugar-free whipped cream on top.

12. Jell-o 60 calorie pudding packs (double chocolate is my favorite).

11. Lean Cuisine meals (hmmm…I’m seeing a pattern here). Salisbury steak is the best.

10. Pedicures. I love pretty toes.

9. Running. (I blame Connie…though thanks to her I’m in better shape than I’ve been in 3+ yrs. If I go to Nationals, she’s talking me into running the SF half marathon … Read more »

That’s the question I’m grappling with these days.

I’ve done three so far – Reno, Atlanta, Dallas. All have been great. I’ve had a wonderful time, learned a lot, networked, networked, networked. I know the networking in and of itself is invaluable, but this year I’m still undecided. The first year I went it was all new and exciting (and Reno was cheap!). Atlanta was worth it because I won the conference registration in a contest and extended my stay to visit relatives in Alpharetta. And Dallas was a yes because I was a GH finalist. This year – San … Read more »

My revisions are out the door and off to my agent. (Woohoo!!! Thanks to J for reading and critting for me so fast – J, you’re da bomb!) Feels good to get those done. Now I’m back to the grindstone on the wip – which I haven’t looked at in probably a month – ay ya ya. I’m halfway done and want to get through the first draft by the end of March.

Since the house is a pit and laundry’s been neglected for over a week, today is catch up day. But hopefully I’ll get some time to reread … Read more »

), but the Giants are the only NFL team I’ve ever loved. It started in high school when my English teacher used to do soda can bets on the Sunday games. I picked the Giants and have stuck with them since. My mother loves to tell the story of the time (in my sophomore year) she took me to NY and spent the whole day showing me the sites…you know, The Empire State Building, Ellis Island, The Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Tiffany’s…and I, being oh-so-wise, was more impressed driving by Giant Stadium on the way into the … Read more »