November Website Updates

Welcome to November!

It's a special month on the Playground because November is our birthday month! Can you believe we're four years old? We're so appreciative to everyone who's making this journey with us (and making it so much fun)! To celebrate, we'll be hosting a blog party on Friday, November 13th and we hope to see you there. As always, there are presents for our Honorary Playfriends, so be sure to come by for a chance to win.

But if that's not enough, we do have other things to keep you occupied this month.

Samhain author Vivi Andrews joins us in the Sandbox to talk about paranormals and staying warm in the winter: www.writingplayground.com/sandbox.html

As we get closer to the end of 2009, Diane O'Brien Kelly is back with another tax tips article - this time about all that glamorous travel - in School: www.writingplayground.com/school.html#tax2

Speaking of travel, we recommend Nicola Marsh's TRIP WITH THE TYCOON as well. Just don't read while hungry. : www.writingplayground.com/school.html#tycoon

In addition to our birthday party, we have some great guest bloggers lined up for November. Historical author Annie Burrows visits on 11/3; Romance author Donna Alward takes over on 11/11; Modern Heat author Heidi Rice comes back again on 11/16, and our chapter-sister Debra Webb joins us on 11/30 for the start of Guest Blogger Week.

Angel will be off guest blogging on the Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood on 11/23(www.rubyslipperedsisterhood.com) and the Problem Child will be at Tote Bags and Blogs on 11/17 (http://authorsoundrelations.blogspot.com/). We hope you'll come by and say hi there as well.

We also have to announce our winners of the Not So Scary Halloween Contest! Grand prize goes to Chris Jones of Texas and the runner up prize goes to Laura McIntyre of Oregon. Congratulations! (And as a bonus, the prizes have already been shipped - Smarty Pants is ahead of the game for once!)

We hope you enjoy the month of November on the Playground as much as we will.

Free Book Friday

I can't believe it's already been a month since our last Free Book Friday, but here we are again!

This month, I decided to go with a historical theme. As a teen, historicals were my real foray into romance. I started on books by Bertrice Small, Catherine Coulter and Jude Deveraux, who did one of the best time travels ever - A Knight in Shining Armor. Looking at my giveaway shelf, I realized I hardly ever read true historicals anymore. I don't know why. I used to love getting taken back to different eras in time where (for the wealthy at least) dinners and clothing were lavish and complicated affairs. I liked getting wrapped up in the decadence and formality of it all.

Historicals are great and the recent upsurge in popularity means there are tons of new ones coming out each month. I'm going to share a couple with you to enjoy. This month...

Before The Scandal by Suzanne Enoch

It Was a Scandal Waiting to Happen . . .

Colonel Phineas Bromley is a legend--on the battlefield "and" in the bedroom. Though he's won many wars, and even more hearts, nothing could prepare him for his new life. When Phin discovers that someone has been pushing his family toward ruin, he assumes the role of a legendary highwayman. Riding out in the middle of the night, hidden behind a mask, Phin heads straight into trouble . . . and into the arms of the ravishing girl next door.

Coming face-to-face with a masked man did not frighten Alyse Donnelly as it should have. Instead, she finds him rather dashing. But her foolish heart has led her into trouble before, and helping a fugitive may mean jeopardizing her own plans, no matter how enticing his kisses. Now, as the danger grows, Alyse must make a choice between freedom . . . and the chance for true love.

Don't Bargain With The Devil by Sabrina Jeffries

"New York Times" bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries delights and entertains with this novel of Regency manners and roguish passions -- fifth in her dazzling School for Heiresses series.

The future of Charlotte Harris's fi nishing school is in jeopardy when a charming Spaniard -- world-famous magician Diego Montalvo -- arrives to turn the bordering estate into a scandalous pleasure garden. Valiantly ignoring his wicked flirtations, outspoken Lucinda Seton vows to derail his plans and save the school, unaware that Diego's true mission is to spirit the long-lost heiress away to Spain for a handsome reward But before long Diego's heart is playing tricks on him, and Lucy is falling under the illusionist's spell. How can the Master of Mystery go through with his devilish scheme when all he wants is to make the lovely heiress his own?

The Secret Passion of Simon Blackwell by Samantha James

A cruel twist of fate changed Simon Blackwell's life irreparably. A man of intense passions, he resolved to deny his emotions and desires forever, taking refuge in the wilds of the moorlands and shutting himself off from the world. But on one extraordinary night, on a rare trip to London, the unthinkable occurs. An intoxicatingly beautiful stranger stirs the sensuous hunger he has sworn to resist. Simon Blackwell believed that no woman could tempt him.

"No woman . . . save Annabel McBride. "

Annabel knows nothing of Simon's secret pain. But one irresistible kiss plunges her into marriage with a man she scarcely knows, a man who hides a shattered past. She can feel the blistering heat of the fire that smolders within this exquisitely handsome man, making her yearn for much more than the union in name only he has promised her.

"But Simon dares not love again--for fragile love can be lost in an instant. And now Annabel must find a way to open his heart to the most glorious risk of all . . ."

To enter, comment today using the phrase - "I want to be taken back in time."

SP

Theater Thursday

This month I'm going to talk about Television on Theater Thursday. A conversation earlier this week has started me thinking about programming, scripts and the current lack of shows that are keeping my interest. I've even stopped tuning in to watch programs that I've been faithfully watching for years...I just don't care anymore. Maybe my suspension of disbelief has been stretched just a little too far. I'm not sure. What I do know is that while I usually have at least 1 or 2 shows I like to watch each night...I only have 1 or 2 each week that can hold my interest right now. Castle, So You Think You Can Dance and The Mentalist are about it. I'm looking forward to the return of Lost as well but that's more because I'm a masochist who can't leave a puzzle unsolved.

Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, Brothers and Sisters, Survivor, Top Model...none of these is holding my interest these days. I honestly couldn't care less if Izzy or George survived. How sick am I? Lately, I've found myself watching weird shows on The Discovery Channel, National Geographic and The Food Network rather than Prime Time Television. Ghost Hunters anyone? But even then it's only because I was flipping and thought, "Meh. Why not?"

And don't get me started on The Jay Leno Show. In my opinion, that is a waste of an hour. I've always been a fan of Jay's. I much prefer him to Letterman (however I prefer Letterman to Conan which is saying a lot). What really bothers me about the new show though is that it's taking time from some potentially good programming. I wonder if maybe the lack of 5 hour long shows each week is contributing to the overall lack of good choices.

There were a couple new shows this season that I wanted to like - Three Rivers because I love Alex O'Laughlin and hated what they did to him on Moonlight, Mercy although it looked really intense, Cougar Town because I was a huge Friends fan and Accidentally on Purpose because I liked the premise. Yeah. None of them excites me.

I'm wondering if it's me. If I'm just not in the mood these days to give a new show a chance. Am I overly critical? Are there fantastic shows out there that I'm missing? Or should I spend those hours on my elliptical instead of bemoaning my lack of television time? What do you think?

Instigator

P.S. And for those of you that were sure I'd be talking about the New Moon release set for later this month...here's the trailer for you to watch. :-)

Walkabout Wednesday - Rocket City USA

Huntsville, Alabama is located in the north central part of the state, less than twenty miles from the Tennessee state line. It’s the fourth largest city in Alabama with a 2008 population of roughly 177,000. The metropolitan area, which includes surrounding towns, has a population of over half a million.




The town was settled in 1805 by John Hunt. Hence the name Huntsville, though it didn’t get that name until 1812. Originally known as Twickenham, it was the first incorporated town in Alabama in 1811. It grew quickly because of the cotton and railroad industries, and cotton still plays a part in this area’s economy.

In 1819, a constitutional convention was held in Huntsville and the town became the capital of the new state of Alabama. Then on April 11, 1862, the city was occupied by Union troops during the War of Northern Aggression. After the war, the area became a center for cotton mills. Each mill had its own housing, school, church, stores and other supportive businesses. One of the mill areas, Merrimack, was recently placed on the National Register of Historic Places and the old mill offices were remodeled into a performing arts center.

The depression years saw a decline in Huntsville’s industry, but the city became known as the Watercress Capital of the World. There are still a few spots around where the cress still grows.

By 1940, Huntsville was a sleepy little town with less than 15,000 inhabitants. Then with the US’s involvement in World War II, the town was chosen as the site for a chemical and munitions manufacturing plant. The Huntsville Arsenal closed after the war, but by that time, Wernher von Braun and his German rocket science team had been brought to the US and they settled in Huntsville to begin developing the United States’ space program.

Marshall Space Flight Center was dedicated on September 8, 1960 by then President Dwight Eisenhower and we began the space race to the moon and became known as Rocket City USA. Huntsville is still heavily tied to the space program as well as the US Missile Defense Command. It also is home to the second largest research park in the world.

In terms of geography, Huntsville is located in the Tennessee River valley. Several plateaus and large hills, which we residents call mountains, surround the city. The area is also heavily dotted with caves in the limestone bedrock, and we have the occasional sinkhole or two. We are also the headquarters for the National Speleological Society.

The climate is humid subtropical, characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. Some years, we have outbreaks of tornadic activity in spring and fall, though tornadoes can occur during any month as evidenced by the November 1989 tornado that killed 21 and injured nearly 500 people. Snowfall is rare but occasionally Mother Nature will goof like she did on January 1, 1963 when she dumped 17 inches of snow on the city in 24 hours. The last significant snowfall was 13 years ago, and forecasters say we’re overdue. Because snow is so rare, the area has no real road equipment to deal with it, and the standing joke is that if you drop a tray of ice cubes on your kitchen floor, the city will most likely close the schools for the day.

Huntsville is also an official US Customs port of entry, which is why you can go into the McDonald’s near Huntsville International Airport and find members of the US Border Patrol. They are NOT guarding the border between Alabama and Mississippi; rather they are looking at the numerous air shipments that arrive from all over the world.

The city has three historic districts, numerous museums and parks, a large yearly music festival, a yearly arts festival in the park and an annual science fiction convention (of course we do because we’re The Rocket City). Performing arts abound, and the downtown area is highlighted by the Von Braun Center, which opened in 1975 and includes an arena where Elvis performed on May 31, 1975 and where Goldie Hawn’s son plays hockey for the local university. The VBC also plays host to the Heart of Dixie Romance Readers’ Luncheon each May.

Does Huntsville have any notable natives? Sure! There’s Tallulah Bankhead, the actress; Bo Bice, American Idol runner-up; Albert Russel Erskine, chairman of the Studebaker Corporation; the country music group Heartland; John Hendricks, founder and chairman of the Discovery Channel; Grammy-winning singer Brian McKnight; numerous MLB and NFL athletes as well a several Olympic medal winners; and Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia.

I like to say it’s one of the best kept secrets in the country. It’s international in flavor because of the high-tech industries and the universities yet still retains a small-town feel. Our schools are good and the cost of living is low compared to other areas of this size.

And if you’re ever in the area, y’all give us a holler and we’ll treat you to biscuits and grits, tea so sweet it will make your teeth hurt, and take you to eat BBQ at Angel’s husband’s restaurant.

Where do YOU live and what's it famous for?

A Tasteful Tuesday Guest Blog with Annie Burrows!

Oh, I think ballroom dancing is very Tasteful, and historical novels are all about what's Tasteful, so many thanks to Annie Burrows for bringing both to the Playground for today's Tasteful Tuesday!


Hi! I’m Annie Burrows, and I’ve never blogged on this site before. Just to introduce myself, I write Historicals for Harlequin, mainly set in the Regency era. And, for “Tasteful Tuesday”, I’m going to be talking about ballroom dancing, in particular, the waltz.

Fans of shows like “Strictly Come Dancing” or the US equivalent, “Dancing with the Stars” will not need to be told that the waltz is danced in 3 / 4 time with a strong accent on the first beat, and a basic pattern of step-step-close. The lady performing the waltz in these kind of shows usually wears something long and floaty that swirls as she twirls, and the man quite often adopts white tie and tails. It looks so tasteful, and romantic, doesn’t it, when you see couples such as Jade and Ian waltzing round the set of Strictly Come Dancing? And I have often set key scenes between my heroes and heroines during balls, describing the romance which sparks as they waltz in each others arms.

And yet, at the back of my mind, I always wondered how it could be possible to decide on a potential spouse during the course of one or two waltzes. And totally dismissed the old-fashioned notion that there was anything the least bit indecent about the waltz. Because, as I’m sure many of you know, at the time most of my stories are set, many people thought it was quite a shocking dance!

"We remarked with pain that the indecent foreign dance called the Waltz was introduced (we believe for the first time) at the English court on Friday last (reads an article from the Times of 1816)... it is quite sufficient to cast one's eyes on the voluptuous intertwining of the limbs and close compressure on the bodies in their dance, to see that it is indeed far removed from the modest reserve which has hitherto been considered distinctive of English females. So long as this obscene display was confined to prostitutes and adulteresses, we did not think it deserving of notice; but now…we feel it a duty to warn every parent against exposing his daughter to so fatal a contagion."

What? Voluptuous intertwining of limbs? A fatal contagion? Is that the same dance we’re talking about? Surely not!

Yet another group of people who strenuously opposed the introduction of waltzing to polite society were, strangely enough, dancing masters. They claimed that the basic steps were so simple, they could be learned in a relatively short time. Which might have posed a threat to their profession.

Simple! Hah! It might be simple for some people. Those who know their left foot from their right, for instance. But once I began to take ballroom dance lessons myself, I soon learned that doing the waltz is a vastly different experience from watching the waltz. For a start, you would not believe how much all that rising and falling makes your calf muscles ache. And then, once you master that basic step, there are reverse turns, spin turns, contra checks and hovers. Not to mention hesitations, and reverse spin turns.

But then, all of a sudden, something clicks, and…you’re dancing! And – wow! I could not believe how sexy it is, having my partner twirling me round, whilst holding me almost as closely as he would if he was just about to kiss me. It is, quite simply, one of the most erotic experiences you can have in a public place with all your clothes on! (The flip side is that there is no easy way to overcome the shock of being held, face on, by a man who is a virtual stranger to you. When he plants his feet between your legs, to push you into a reverse turn…yeeurgh!)

Ok, you get the picture. It is a very intimate experience, waltzing. Wasn’t it Oscar Wilde who described ballroom dancing as a vertical expression of a horizontal desire? How right he was! Now that I’ve done some waltzing myself, I can completely understand why it is that so many of the celebrities involved in “Strictly” embark on affaires with their dancing teachers. And why a girl could decide, during the course of one waltz, if she could marry her partner. Or not.

So, if you want to inject some romance back into your relationship, I can thoroughly recommend going along to your nearest dance school, and booking a course of lessons.

There is absolutely no guarantee you are going to end up looking like an Alesha Dixon, or a Tom Chambers (recent winners of Strictly…) My partner and I certainly don’t have “The Look”. For one thing, we are getting on a bit. And one of us (I won’t specify which) might possibly have two left feet. As one teacher remarked to my husband, whilst learning the tango, (which is supposed to be one of the sexiest dances) “You look about as romantic as if you’re pushing a trolley round a supermarket!”

But we are not going to give up our lessons. Spending the evening in each other’s arms, giggling as we blunder into the furniture, yelping as we tread on each other’s toes, and occasionally, gloriously, experiencing the triumph of mastering a complicated step, is always an utter delight.

And we can’t wait to get home!

Annie

Visit Annie at www.annie-burrows.co.uk. Annie's November book, Devilish Lord, Mysterious Miss, is available now. Click below to read the first chapter!

MOANday-Nathan Fillion

My current crush comes from a television show on Monday nights: Castle. I was late jumping on the bandwagon, because I’d gotten out of the habit of watching television on a regular basis. I would mostly just tune in to something vaguely interesting while I did something else, like write or read (weird, I know). I’d stopped watching most of the shows I was addicted to, because they had changed or been cancelled. Then my husband brought home the first season of Castle on DVD!



He’d always been a fan of Fillion from back in the Firefly days, when he played Joss Whedon’s version of a Space Cowboy:



I, on the other hand, appreciate him for other reasons. ;) I'm a sucker for bulging biceps...




He’s a superb actor with a great sense of timing, and reminds me of my hubby with his innuendo filled one liners.



But my favorite parts of the show are seeing him staring broodingly at the computer screen while he’s typing away. That’s probably the least interesting to other people, but I find a touch of communion with the character there, because I understand what that moment feels like.




So Nathan Fillion gets my vote this month because he’s relatable, and hunky!!!

Angel

Coming Soon!

This week is Theme Week! Stay tuned.

Tomorrow, welcome guest author Annie Burrows.

It's The Great Halloween Blog, Charlie Brown!

Tomorrow is my favorite holiday. I've resisted the urge to have a costume contest on the blog this year because you all are ninnies and wouldn't send in any pictures last time. Not even with prizes! So sad.

Anyway, so I love Halloween. Well, parts of it. I like the fun, costume, pumpkin and candy apple side. I like seeing teeny-tiny fairies and storm troopers at my front door with wide eyes and parent's urging them to say 'trick or treat.' I like making ridiculous little treats (yes, PC) like cupcakes that look like spiderwebs, deviled egg eyeballs, and Frankenstein cakes that bleed strawberry pancake syrup. I like caramel apples and popcorn balls and watching It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown on TV. I like carving pumpkins that make people look twice with surprise.

Unfortunately, with Halloween always comes the parts I don't care much for. Number one is the attitude-ridden teenagers that show up at my door for candy with a sense of entitlement. When I went out as a teenager, it was because I was dragging little kids around. Yes, I dressed up and yes, I collected candy, but there was a reason and I was certainly never rude. If one of them even looks at my pumpkins with thoughts of smashing them... anyhow...

Number two is haunted houses. The commercials are on the radio all the time and its just creepy. Aside from the one at Disney, I made it approximately 2 minutes in a Haunted House when I was 8. Out here they even have haunted corn mazes. As interested as I would be in walking a corn maze, I do not want men in masks with chainsaws chasing me around.

Last is the movies. Nearly every TV station has been playing bad horror movies nonstop. Is it too much to ask that Steel Magnolias be slipped in there between Saw IV and The Hills Have Eyes? Don't get me wrong - I'm all for the thrillers - Rosemary's Baby, Psycho, even the Exorcist, and I can appreciate some of the funny ones, but I have no interest in seeing half-naked teenaged girls getting impaled on meat hooks. Bleh. Give me Charlie Brown any day.

So, what's your favorite part of Halloween? Do you get into the scary stuff? What's your all time favorite scary movie?
SP

P.S. Don't forget that today is the very last day to enter the Not-So-Scary Halloween Contest!

Chocolate and Cheese

Last night the Playfriends and honorary Playfriend Lynn Raye Harris took an evening off to indulge in cheese and chocolate at the Melting Pot. They were having a Breast Cancer Awareness Ladies Night special and we couldn't pass up the opportunity to indulge and support this great cause at the same time.

This is a rare indulgence for me, being able to disappear during the week - on a school night no less. And while part of me felt very guilty for neglecting not only Zilla (who happens to be sick) and the girls but also my almost finished WIP, I managed to suffer through that guilt. Cheese and chocolate - not to mention good friends - will do that for you.

The Melting Pot has recently become our go to place for celebrations, commiserations and just escapes. I love it. It's messy. It's yummy. It allows for the potential of licking chocolate off of copious things. It's become a ritual for us.

Do you have a go to restaurant? Where's your favorite place to eat? Or do you have a favorite type of cuisine?

Instigator

Fall has fell -- addendum

This just in from a friend in the Denver, Colorado area. It's the view from her window.

ACK!

Fall Has Fell... well sort of

Fall officially began a month ago on September 22. But here in the South, September can still be pretty hot and humid. Things have begun to change, though, and I'm seeing signs that fall might actually be here. Today I saw these bright red maple leaves and the pumpkins and mums in front of the landscaping business near my apartment. They really should have a song for this time of the year -- maybe something like "It's beginning to look a lot like Autumn."







Temps at night have dropped into the 30's several times, and I've dug out some warm jammies for night and fleece pullovers for the day. However, sometimes it's still getting warm in the middle of the day, so I dress in layers and peel off one when the temps rise. Or the day could be like today and be rainy and dreary. It's not unusual this time of year to have a forty-degree temperature spread during the course of a week.






Some of the trees like this one I saw by the grocery store today have even dropped all their leaves, which makes for a dismal landscape. Pretty soon everything but the evergreens will look like this, and we'll be shivering and waiting for spring to come around again.


Is it fall where you live yet? Or is summer still hanging on? Or maybe you're in a part of the country that's already had snow. Perhaps you're around the other side of the world and below the equator and ushering in spring.

What's your weather like and what's your favorite season?

P.S. Our very own Angel is blogging today at http://www.rubyslipperedsisterhood.com/ . This is the group blog for the 2009 Golden Heart finalists and today is her first time guest blogging. Please click over and say hi to her and show the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood how friendly the Playground gang is.

Guest Blogger Kate Hewitt

You know how there are people you should just hate on principle, but you just can't because they're so dang nice and wonderful? Yeah, that would be Kate Hewitt. I should hate her because she has FOUR young children at home, yet she manages to be unbelievably prolific. And good humored. And nice. And she lives in New York City.

And she writes great books. And did I mention she's so nice? I can't not like her. ~sigh~

So give a huge Playground welcome to fellow Presents author Kate Hewitt.

Kate Hewitt on Waiting

No one likes to wait. I’ll admit I’m not the most patient person, although I’m trying to improve in this area. Even when I take a good book to a doctor’s or dentist’s office, I can’t help but get annoyed if the wait extends past say, 15 minutes.

Unfortunately, a writing career involves a lot of waiting. Anyone in this business, whether aspiring or multi-published, knows that when you send your beloved manuscript to an editor, the wait can be looong. Like months or even years long. We’ve all heard the stories about manuscripts languishing on an editor’s tottering TBR pile for years—just like we’ve heard the stories about people who heard back in maybe a day. Or an hour. Generally I want to shoot those people. Nicely, of course.


And of course, there’s more waiting in a writing career. There’s waiting for an editor’s response, and then there’s waiting for a response to revisions. There’s waiting for the book to come out—usually around a year after it was accepted—and then there’s waiting for the money you made on that book—which is another year. Just as a quick (no pun intended, really!!) example, my first Harlequin Presents, The Italian’s Chosen Wife, was first submitted in July 2006, officially accepted in February 2007, released in January 2008, and I received royalties from its sales in November 2008. And that is actually pretty much a best-case scenario in terms of time.

So, waiting. We writers do a lot of it. But I’m not here to moan about the waiting (I just heard from my editor on my 12th book, so it’s all smiles here, really!). I’m here, actually, to praise the power of waiting.

What??

Yes, really. Waiting—even, perhaps especially, enforced waiting—can give you perspective on your manuscript, your career, your creative process, even yourself. It gives you distance and objectivity that can be really hard to achieve as a writer, because we hug our stories so tightly to ourselves. Waiting can recharge the creative process, and sometimes it gives you those beautiful ah-hah moments. What’s an ah-hah moment? Well, for me, it’s the light suddenly going on in my brain, and I realize the crucial element that has been missing in my story, or how to fix a scene, or how to write the next chapter.

And the ah-hah moments always come when I stop brainstorming, or even thinking about the story, and just let my mind stew in its own juices for a little while. I wait. Then, when I least expect it—maybe I’m rocking my one year old at two in the morning or playing checkers with my five year old or brushing my eleven year old’s hair [yep, I have a lot of children!]—I get it. The ah-hah moment. It’s like an electric charge to my soul. Of all the writing moments—from thinking of an idea, to writing the first sentence, to getting that charge of realization, to writing The End, to holding the book in my hand, to holding the check in my hand, the ah-hah moment is my favorite. But there’s no guarantee I’m going to get it; it’s a little like waiting in front of an elevator and not being sure if it actually goes to your floor or that the doors are going to open [which in my ancient apartment building is a distinct possibility, alas]. So you need to wait—and hope. Think, and perhaps pray.

Now I write four books a year and I can’t necessarily wait for that little muse to land on my shoulder. Sometimes I just need to plunk down in front of my computer and write, even if it’s not something worth keeping, even if it’s painful and hard, because I’ve just got to get some words down. But there are some times when I recognize it’s better to close the laptop, take a step back, and wait for clarity, for creativity, for the ah-hah moment. Even if waiting is hard, or boring, or you forgot to bring a book to read.

Have you got an opinion about waiting in the writing process? And what’s your favorite part of writing? Just to make things fun, I’ll pick a winner from the comments posted and that person will receive a copy of my November Presents Extra release, Royal Baby, Forbidden Marriage.

Happy reading,
Kate Hewitt

Visit Kate's website at www.kate-hewitt.com. And you can read the first chapter of Royal Baby, Forbidden Marriage by clicking below:

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Books, books, and more books

I had intended to write my blog earlier in the evening. Instead, I’ve finally turned my computer on for the first time all weekend and am writing my blog at 10:30 at night. :) You see, the Playfriends were gone to our annual chapter retreat this weekend, so I haven’t been home since 11 am Friday morning. Then, the first thing I noticed when I walked into my home again on Sunday afternoon was that my husband had put together my last 2 sets of shelves. Finally, after much waiting, I have a whole wall of bookshelves in my living room!!! I’ve wanted this for a long time and can’t tell you how excited I am.

But of course, having the shelves up isn’t the end of the road. Now I have to put the books on them. I still had boxes of books in the garage that we hadn’t opened since our move to this house 2 years ago, because we had no place to put them. So I trekked out to the garage and started moving boxes inside. I’d completely forgotten how many of them there were!!! And how heavy!!!
I got most of the boxes inside, except for a couple of REALLY heavy ones I’ll have to get my husband to manage and a few boxes of cookbooks. Then I started peeking inside. Now, I vividly remember taking several boxes of books to the library before, trying to whittle down our collection in the process of moving. But as I started going through these books, I realized I had a lot more to get rid of.

Sorting Time!

Way more books have landed in the giveaway boxes than are going on my new shelves. I looked at each one and asked myself, Do I remember this book? Why did I keep it? Is it one I will read again? (I reread my favorites when I’m in the process of first drafting.) Does this story hold a special place in my heart? (written and signed by a friend, come from a special time in my life, etc) I also have a box of books set aside that are sweet romances I enjoyed during my teen years that I want to save for when my daughter reaches that age.

Yes, I’m excited about my new shelves, but only because I now have a place to display one of the most important aspects of my life: my books. And I want the books on those shelves to be “keepers”. The hardback copy of Little Women that I reread a bazillion times as a young woman. My first Harlequins. Stories that I reach for time and again because the characters are like old friends and I want to relive the magic of their love. Stories by authors who are wonderful friends and mentors to me, inspirations on my own journey to publication. I can’t wait for these to be a true part of our home.

So tell me, how do you decide which books to let go and which to keep? What is your most precious “keeper” book? Have you found a place to display your books or are your shelves overflowing (as I have a feeling mine will one day)?

Angel

Coming Soon!
We have lots going on this week!

Problem Child is blogging today at the Pink Heart Society! Join her on her field trip.

Tomorrow author Kate Hewitt will be guest blogging with us.

P.S. LeaAnnS is Pamela Hearon's winner from last Monday. Please contact Problem Child to arrange for your prize.

Every Little Bit Helps

I was reading someone's Facebook posts recently about how they're doing with this 100 word a day challenge. I guess the idea is to sit down and write at least a hundred words a day for a set period of time I'm not sure of. At first, it confused me. 100 words? That's two paragraphs. When I'm doing NaNo, my daily goal is 2000 words. I couldn't really fathom how 100 words a day would get you anywhere.

Until I applied it to housekeeping. I am not the world's greatest housekeeper. That, in fact, is my mother, so I will never wear that crown and I'm fully aware of it. Before my mother went to some intense therapy to determine why she was so obsessed with controlling her environment, she used to mop the ceilings. True stuff, but I digress... I don't like to clean. There are eighty other things I can do with my time. Unfortunately, I live with a packrat and four fur-babies that shed like crazy. When I lived alone, my cleaning habits were adequate because I just sort of cleaned up after myself as I went along.

It is no longer enough. I tried having a cleaning service come in, but I found I was cleaning up all the clutter (the real issue) before the cleaning lady came. Once all the clutter is gone, the cleaning is no big deal and certainly not worth what I was paying. I'm also kinda cheap, if I haven't mentioned that before. For that amount of money, I could pay my mother to come over and get my ceilings mopped as a bonus.

So (and this is where it loops back to the point) I've started my own cleaning version of 100 words a day. Instead of tearing the house down all at once, I'm going to clean one thing every day. I keep up with the kitchen out of necessity, but aside from that - one thing. Last night I cleaned all three toilets. The night before I swiffered up all the hard woods and linoleum. Tonight, I think I'll vacuum upstairs. Nothing earth shattering here, but its something. And a couple times, once I get started, I do a little more than I planned - maybe cleaning the sink or washing towels while I'm scrubbing toilets. A little something every night and maybe I won't feel like the authorities are going to declare my house a SuperFund site.

Now the 100 words a day makes more sense. There's progress being made and sometimes sitting down to write, even just a little, is the hardest part. It helps build the writing habit, and if you're lucky, maybe you end up writing not just 100 words, but 200 or 500 or even 2000 if you get on a roll.

Have you ever done a writing challenge like this or broken up your cleaning to get more done? Have you been able to stick with it for long?
SP

The Beginning

For all intents and purposes, earlier this week I wrote The End on my latest Blaze. I'm letting it sit for several days because I know I need to read back through it and smooth out a few rough edges but for the most part, it's done. (and just in time to meet my deadline too. :-)). I'm excited about this book as it's the sequel to my first Blaze, Whispers in the Dark.

But at the moment, I'm more excited about what comes next. After living for months with these people in my head they've finally moved on. And new people have arrived. I woke this morning with the opening scene for my next book rambling away in my brain. Already, I love these characters and I can't wait to get these words down on the page.

This is the part of writing that I absolutely love. The beginning. I know a lot of people loath this part...the trying to figure out your characters, the plot, the black moment, their conflict, blah, blah, blah. I love the fact that they're brand new and almost anything can happen. I love that one tiny decision on my part can change the direction of their book, their lives.

This euphoria can be a little dangerous. On several occasions I have been guilty of abandoning a project (just for a few days) for the greener pastures of the new characters and idea that's just burning to get out. The bright side? Even if I do (or rather, if I have the luxury of time to do this) about the time I hit chapter four or five that new shine has worn off and I'm full steam ahead into the 'I suck' section that I talked about several weeks ago.

Later today I'm going to write down the scene that was playing in my head. I can't wait.
If you're a writer, what's your favorite part of the writing process? If you're a reader, what do you get excited about starting?

Instigator

Doors & Windows

The last two years, I've written goals on a piece of paper on January 1st and filed them away in a small decorative box on top of my desk. Then at the end of the year, I see just how well I've done with meeting them.

Last year I did great. I exceeded the number of sales I'd set for myself with the confessions magazines and while I didn't finish writing a book, I wrote 50,000 words of it during the month of November.

On January 1, 2009, I wrote new goals, sure I could meet them. This is my list:

~ Finish writing a novel
~ Get my PRO pin
~ Pitch the novel at the RWA national conference
~ Write and submit 6 stories to the Trues magazines
~ Start a second novel
~ Get in shape and lose weight

I did finish the novel but I didn't pitch it at the conference because I had a chance to pitch it online at eHarlequin, where I got a request for the full manuscript. Unfortunately it was rejected, but the experience was fabulous and I learned so much. That opportunity earned me my PRO pin.

Then in July I added a seventh item: Survive divorce and come out stronger on the other end.

In 2005, we moved and our older son got married, and between the stress of those two things, my muse packed a bag and took an extended vacation to the tropics. She came back, though, in 2006 and I started my selling spree to the Trues. Things toddled along nicely until this year and when my world began to fall apart around me, the muse packed a bag, closed out her checking account, cancelled her subscription to the newspaper and applied for citizenship in another country.

Not only couldn't I write, I couldn't even read. Normally I read 4-6 books a month. I've only read 10 books all year. It's hard for me to sit still long enough to watch a one-hour show on TV even when I fast-forward through the commercials. Stress can be vicious. Aside from the mental effects, it has physical ones too. Remember my list above? I lost 15 pounds without dieting. I also lost a whole lot of junk when I cleaned out my stuff prior to moving into an apartment last weekend (thank you Playfriends, Playfriend spouses and Playkids for helping). The thrift store was excited.

Call it what you will -- a vacationing muse, writer's block or creative silence -- but it sucks, especially when you want to write and the words just won't come.

I recently had a small 2 x 3 inch ink drawing framed. My mom gave it to me and it sat in my kitchen window, still in the cellophane, without a frame, for over 25 years. I decided to frame it for my new apartment. It’s not a standard size so I figured I’d just have a new mat cut and put it in a standard frame. Nope. Wouldn’t work and look right. Soooo, $45 later it’s all framed and double matted and ready to be hung in a special place. What does this little thing say?



“God never closes a door without opening a window.”

I try not to focus on the closed doors behind me, and I've tried not to let my own personal drama spill over into other people's lives. But I figured it was time to say something here.

Rest assured I'm focusing on the open windows ahead. It isn’t always easy, but I’m going to do it.

I learned some lessons along the way:

Life is what happens while you are making other plans.
Crap happens.
Don't sweat the small stuff.
There is more than one reality.
Trust your gut.
Good friends and family are worth more than their weight in gold.

And my favorite is from a magnet my sister sent me when the aforementioned crap began to happen.

Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.

I've no doubt the muse will be back in the end.

And so we end on a positive note, how about Donny "Puppy Love" Osmond and the Argentine tango???