Right now I’m toying with the story I promised my neice I’d write. She’s…. about 10 (yeah, I know. but she lives 4 states away and I see her once a year). Anyway I toyed with the idea and found it’s pretty freakin’ tough to shift down to that reading level and ignore all the voices telling me I can’t do this or that because it’s not historically correct. I’m making it more paranormal than I’d anticipated, but that gives me that breathing room my inner editor needs. Usually that bitch is sound asleep. Cracks me up I’d have issues with this story.
Funny thing is, as I write this kids story, I realize how damn much potential it has for subsequent books. Yeah. Go on, muse, laugh it up, ya shit-covered fuzzball. I’ll lock you back in the basement you keep it up.

Er, sorry. had a mental lapse there for a minute. The nascar story has been sent and I check email with a bit of fear these days. Of course, of course, of course, once I hit send, I can think of several places I’d like to get in and could notch up tension or make it better. *enter dramatic eyeroll* Does this happen to other writers or just me?

Anyway, just to keep this blog on the map, thought I’d update ya’ll with proof I am insane, and alive and well. Figuratively speaking. Happy reading!

I finished the synopsis today and will be sending this off this week. Forgot how this process twists the gut. geesh.

Because he says I need to, big shout out to my dear husband “S”, whose recovering nicely from surgery on his elbow. Love you, honey!

I’ve got a second Nascar book “done” as far as writing. It needs heavy editing and I’m going to really try to add more tension and chemistry between my characters. The story line just doesn’t hold the heat like Trophy Girl did. I think it’s time to pull that story out and start working on it. Are you guys up for a SECOND Nascar story? (With cameos by some of the same guys and gals featured in Trophy Girl?)

Husband’s surgery went well. He’s recovering better than he has from previous surgeries–and I hope that continues in the days to come.

Supposed to get a boat-load of snow last night. Didn’t happen, but I guess that’s a good thing. I’m sure there were lots of people on the road last night while I was in bed (ha!) and I’d rather it be safe. Snowing really good now. Not sure we’ll get the foot of snow they’ve threatened, though. Lake effect is a fickle thing.

Only real new years goal is to get my site back up and organized. Gonna start working on that today, since I really don’t have any other plans. ‘cept maybe a shower and some food. Cheers!

Ha! Isn’t that a weighted question. I’d love 24 hours of complete silence. I mean, no nagging OMG I forgot this or OMG how am I gonna get that done from the internal voice. No day job draining me. No TV or Computer seducing me. I’ll even step away from the baking and crafty things on my agenda for 24 hours of bliss. (No, husband-honey, you can’t come because you’ll distract me.)
What will I do with it? Other than sleep, take a long, hot bubbly bath that I deserve, I want to write. I want to relax my mind enough to let the creativity flow. I want to explore the stories I’ve started and expound on them, I want to jot down new story lines so I can flesh them out later. I want to reread work I’ve done and get it ready to submit. Yeah, fat chance I’ll get those 24 hrs and even if I did, I’d never accomplish all that. It’s Christmas. It’s time for dreams.
Honestly though, the season continues to inspire me. I’m writing when I can, dreaming up new stuff, some I write down, some I let float away. I’m joyous that I still can write, still want to, even though my creativity and ability has been choked by real life of late.

On a different front, my daughter has been accepted to her school of choice, Purdue University. She’s still pending a scholarship or two and will be applying for more, as well as working with the Army and ROTC to make sure she can start classes on time and will avoid deployment while in the program. (She’s okay with deployment, but none of us want to see yanked 2 months into her freshman year and sent oversees.) She’s maturing like crazy with all these intense decisions. (But they’re still weighing on me…. nah, you didn’t expect otherwise, now didja?)

I’ve been very absent online and I apologize to my friends for that. Think of you often and follow your lives via twitter and blogs more than you realize. Love you all and Merry Christmas!

I’ve been working on two quilts with my daughter. One’s hers, another is a co-workers bday/Christmas present. Can I remind you how it pains me to have a Chicago Bears logo anything in my house. B, you know I love you, but….

I’m looking forward to 2010. It’s gotta get better, right? Hope all of you who manage to straggle in and read this have a wonderful day surrounded by love and cheer.

~Mel

I do have much to be thankful for, and I will constantly remember that. My friends probably think I’ve fallen off the face of the earth, my editors likely believe I’ve abandoned all intention of ever finishing another book (sometimes I wonder). Truth is, I’m alive, well enough and have been using my writing as more of a stress relief than an focused ‘job’. Thank God for pen and paper.

Wasted a damn hour and a half tonight trying to get Automatic Upgrade to work. Hah. what a joke. Did manage to move some files over so I can rebuild my books pages and all that other fun stuff.

In case any of my 1.1 readers didn’t know, Haunted Redemption was released in ebook from Ellora’s Cave. This was my contribution to the Things That Go Bump in the Night V anthology a few years ago.
I’m not sure how I feel about that. I hope all who have an opportunity to check it out now that didnt the first time enjoy.

It’s my bedtime. Morning comes at a ridiculously early hour these days. Gah.

K, back to writing now. *wink*

Written about 10 hand written pages in the last couple of nights, and got about 3 typed in. This book is kicking my ass–and it’s a rewrite, technically! Just struggling with making the ending pop the way it can, and not cop out with an easy, expected ending.

Got a new pet. Local school isn’t allowing pets in the classrooms anymore so Elvis the Guinea pig now lives with us. He’s a cutie! Still have the ferret. and all those monster cats. We’re gonna charge admission to the petting zoo here soon!

She’s back now. But we got news she’ll almost definitely be shipping out, as in deploying, October of next year after she finishes AIT during the summer.

That wasn’t what we wanted within 1 week of getting her back. Damn hard for a parent to digest when looking at a 17 yr old honor student with high hopes of college. Guess that’ll be delayed about a year while she “sees the world.”

Yeah, I only SOUND like I’m taking it well. I think I’ve half died inside trying to absorb it all. I’ve tried to work on writing in the last couple of days, but that’s not going so well.

Crap. Ferret into havoc. I’ll have diversions somewhere, somehow. I’ll push on. And likely spend the next 14 months enjoying the company of my “little girl” before she ships out.