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Christmas is coming!

I grew up in a place where cooler temperatures on Christmas day wasn’t the norm. Where you got fewer gifts because there were so many people to buy for, so you appreciated the gifts you got.

Where seeing the family meant they all showed up at the same house. You spent hours drinking sorrel and eating the food all the women had prepared while everyone discussed politics, religion and told stories of days gone by or jokes.

I have fond memories of taking a nap after lunch, four across the bed. Playing cricket and or soccer in the yard. waiting for one of my aunts to announce the we the younger ones were needed to serve the older set. Because that meant it was time for tea, even though we were quite annoyed at the time.

Auntie Patsy’s black cake with Auntie Slyvia’s custard. Brandied fruit and a glass of sherry. Earl Grey poured out of Aunt Suzie’s Silver teapots. Granny and Grandpa listening and soaking every word said by their children and grandchildren, then quietly making some comment that would stun us all and then send us into the gales of laughter.

Listening to Parang and waiting for the carolers to show up to the house. I miss those days when we were all in the same place. But now we’re spread far and wide. We don’t’ get to talk often enough and everyone has their own family.

So to everyone out there Christmas is coming. Remember to send out your cards. They sparks fond memories of times past.

Oh and Will you sparked this memory:

Christmas is coming,
The geese are getting fat,
Please put a penny
In the old man’s hat.

If you haven’t got a penny,
A ha’penny will do,
If you haven’t got a ha’penny,
Then God bless you.

Eventful

My husband and I celebrated thanksgiving with family and friends and then our 6th anniversary.

Then apparently the world went mad people kidnapping children, Tiger Woods runs into a tree. Then those bold faced people crashed the White House.

Tell me who thinks it’s appropriate to crash the White House. Now they’re lying about it. Hello if your name isn’t on the guest list don’t show up. Really what has this world come to. Can we please show other countries that we are polite, thoughtful, sensible people.

The World at large already thinks of us as pompous, arrogant, rude and unintelligent. People like those who crash events, events that are important to this country’s image don’t think of this, they only think of themselves. They want attention. Their only goal to climb the ladder. Social or otherwise.

The truth is as long as we continue to reward this behavior we will never be rid of this image. Don’t give anyone a movie deal or a reality show simply because they had the bad manners and the gall to crash an event. Don’t reward this impolite ignorant behavior.

It is intolerable and the world at large thinks that this is how we behave in general. Lets stop this now.

Ok rant over didn’t even know I was going to rant, it just turned out this way.

It’s that time again!

Ok so I’ve now switched my focus to Thanksgiving and have planned my menu . Now I have to get to the store.

Yesterday I took the little one to the doctor because a strange bump had appeared on her hand. Turns out she has a ganglion cyst. We’re to leave it alone it may go away on it’s own. If it doesn’t and it keeps getting worse then we’ll have it taken care of.

As to my writing. It hasn’t been happening. At least not as much. It seems every time I sit down to write something happens. As I write this the dog is circling me . The little one is demanded my attention and husband is singing at the top of his lungs as he gets ready for work. Love them but they are loud.

See Ya!

Some disjointed thougths.

It’s been an interesting week in publishing. Angela James has signed on with Harlequin’s digital publishing arm, Carina Press. Harlequin has a self publishing branch which has lead to them losing their eligible publisher status with RWA. I wonder just how many phone calls and emails they got from their authors over that.

Anywho it just occurred to me that my children won’t ever be able to rebel. You’re laughing now. But you see I like all types of music so they are not going to be able to annoy me with it. And I keep current as well. Plus I’m the type to pick apart music and movies in an effort to understand what message is trying to be conveyed.

As for clothing, as long as you’re decently covered and it’s appropriate to the situation you can leave the house. So if one wants to go goth to a wedding it better be goth wedding appropriate.

So you see I think they are going to be pretty confused come the angst ridden teenager years.

PS as to the RWA vs Harlequin thing I’m just sitting back and watching.

Monday!

I’ve been sick. I feel crappy and It’s Monday. There are things going on right now that have me shaking my head and praying. Nothing to do with me just other people. It’s been an interesting weekend.
This week I will get my behind in gear and there will be no slacking. That of course depends on this throat of mine. Anyway here’s the song I used to hype myself up for today. Have a wonderful day.

Back to the grindstone.

I’m back from South Carolina and I’m seriously pouting. Well at least as much as my sore throat will allow me.

The retreat put on by the Lowcountry Romance writers was wonderful. I got to meet other author’s, aspiring and already published.

Author Ana DeStefano and Agent Michelle Grajkowski did an informative and thought provoking workshop on “Turning your Proposal into and I do!”

Author Cynthia Cooke did her workshop on “Writing Rules for rebels: We don’t need no stinking charts!” (Can you tell she’s sort of a panster).

Author Debra Webb gave us another even more intimate look into the publishing world, with her workshop “Breathing room”.

All this, walks on the beach, great rooms, great food and time to write made for a lovely weekend.

Okay so now here’s what I took away from these workshops:

1) Even though we like to think of ourselves as creative, we still need to remember that it’s still a buisness.

2) I already knew this but I think it still needs to be said. Publishing means deadlines, deadlines mean that you have to write. Which means you have to make writing a habit. It’s a job. This circles back to writing being a buisness.

3) Just because you get a contract it doesn’t mean that money will always be rolling in. Make wise choices and uncle sam will knock on your door if you don’t pay him. ( Just in case you didn’t know)

4) Be prepared. Ms. DeStefano made this clear . Be prepared. Know what you want out of a relationship with an agent. Do you need more than an email? Do you prefer phone calls? Would you like more frequent contact? Would you like them to help build your career or are you just looking for someone to negotiate your contracts.

5) Research the agents you are querying. (Again knew this but figured someone out there would need to know)

6) Go to workshops, attend conferences. It’s your job to know what’s going on in the industry. You don’t have to know it all but you don’t want to be blindsided.

7) Excercise your voice. That is, write. Every book is a chance to learn something new and a chance to excercise your writing voice.

8) Sometimes a book has to be shelved. You can always look at it another time and fix or rewrite it. But move on to something new.

9) Professionalism: Watch what you say, how you say it and how you behave. As a matter of fact sometimes it’s best to say nothing at all. If you’re a Newbie at this buisness then you don’t have the clout that some other NY Times bestselling authors have. (There is this thing called the internet that somehow manges to save everything)

10) Persistence is key.

11) Finish the book. revising can wait until it’s all on the page. Don’t just focus on the first 30 pages. you might just edit your voice out.

12) Don’t get bogged down with reference books or someone else method. Do what feels right.

13) Sometimes the process changes from book to book that’s okay too.

I can’t think of anything else right now but I’ll add to this post if I remember. Will put pics up when I finally get them off my camera. Bye.

Retreat!

I’m on the isle of Palm, South Carolina this weekend.

I’m on a retreat with a bunch of writers in this huge house with the beach outside the front door. I’m absolutely ecstatic.

So waving from the beach on the the Isle of Palm. Have a happy Saturday!

Fear!

Fear is an insidious thing. It pokes around until it finds a place to hide, just when you think you’ve gotten a handle on it, it rears it’s ugly head.

This happens every year with me. I freak out when it comes to having my mammogram. I conquer it, and every year I go get one. But just when I think that everything’s alright. Fear jumps out and paralyzes me.

You’re thinking that’s just plain crazy. Well it is and it isn’t. My hubby found me crying and pacing the bathroom and said: “That’s it either you call or I call but you’re going.”

See the hubby knows that I’ve been putting it off and he finally gave me the kick that I needed. Afterwards he held me because he knew that’s what I needed too.

Sometimes what you need to overcome fear is a good swift kick in the butt.

Normal

No one understands how much I like normal. Normal being no drama. But as a friend of my mine likes to say “Never a dull moment.” Of course he also like to say “bring drinks”.

I have to say today would be the day that there was never a dull moment but also a “bring drinks” moment.

Normal. I want normal. I like normal. Sometimes I feel doomed to live without normal.

Appearances

TBD

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