Monday, November 22, 2004

The furnace people finished with our floor yesterday. While my office is pretty much unscathed, the same can't be said about the apartment. No damage, but huge mess. The husband and I set about restoring some semblance of humanity (and get the huge pile of stuff off the bed) last night, which resulted in my weeding out a shopping bag full of books we know we're not going to read/read again. That was actually kind of theraputic (plus interesting to see how our reading tastes have changed over the years; I know much much better what I want now) though we did run out of trash bags.

While I've been working today, the husband has been hard at work (at least that's the plan; I have no reason to expect him to deviate) making the place human again. We also have (joy of joys) new bookcases from Target to put together, so I am charged with borrowing a friend's phillips head screwdriver on my way home. Since this means I will have real live shelves upon which to plop my oodles of books, you bet I will remember.

Found a bunch of Elaine Duillo covers (which I collect) that I'd thought were misplaced, so very happy about that. Which reminds me I need to stop being such a chicken and mail the dingdang art specs already.

Had a good art morning (though I am still in the "undead" degree of exhaustion) -- finally figured out the right measurements for the background paper I want to use on my Christmas cards. Bemoaning the fact that I have such gorgeous autumn paper and such little actual autumn left (because the day after Thanksgiving is the day I turn my seasonal papers over to Christmas, and retire the autumn ones until very late August.) Good writing as well -- expanded the scene with the bad guy and his lackey, to ensure the safety of the brat and am now working on the connective tissue to mush that together with the scene before it.

Did I mention being tired? We both slept exceedingly well knowing the furnace people would never bother us again. Though we'll love them next week when the heat actually goes on. Thankfully it's been temperate and hasn't gotten really cold here.

Reading Virginia Henley's Insatiable, and while I enjoy her voice and love the time period, I don't think this is going to be one of my favorite Henleys. A Woman of Passion and Undone were gorgeous.

Thursday, November 18, 2004

Some days, you write ten pages, and some days you play Sims. I'll leave it up to you to guess which was yesterday and which was today. Hint: nag group was last night, and I impressed them, yes I did. Impressed me, too, which was even nicer. I am well and truly hitting the middle-middle of the WIP, which is a delight. I love middle-middles for all the angst and turmoil they can contain, but at the same time, I dread them for the spectre of sagging that may come upon them. That is them, meaning the middles of the books, not the middles of me. Especially since..ah, I will stop right there, as I am doing the end of the day babble.

It wasn't all Sims -- though my twice-widowed Betty has the worst luck finding a new beau to help her with her four darling simkids-- I did make a lot of domino pins, even gold-leafed the edges of some of them, and ventured into the Christmas theme realm. So that was a pretty productive day. I'll be cranking to go at more writing tomorrow, since my "what happens next" machine is in full gear. Also, I did edit yesterday's pages. Nag group gals insisted I insert something about the villain assuring another character that the heroine's bratty half-sister (which they wanted to slap, which is good, because that's the intent) was never in any danger. Which she wasn't, but hey, she's eight.

Some heroine stuff over here, some hero stuff over there, some time together, and then the bigbad makes his move, tra la. Boy, do I love this writing business. Beats the stuffing out of retail, I can tell you that. :)

Before I go, I am placing a personal ad: Married white female seeks historical romance novel, 1066-1750 for quiet evenings during furnace-free weekend. You, me, the MIL's hand-stitched quilt and a space heater. Publication date not an issue, but middles of series need not apply. Must be willing to travel in purse, as I may need diversion while appliance shopping with husband on Monday.

Thursday, November 11, 2004

Thank God for postal workers and Rhapsody book club. My reading slump is broken. What do I find in yesterday's mail but the two latest books in Beverley Lewis's Abram's Daughters series? Woohoo! Love, betrayal, faith and the human condition played out in an early to mid 20th century Amish community.

::pause for happy Snoopy book dance::

Now I have the stregnth to go on. Having one book to read gives me a firm footing to go look at others as well. I normally like to juggle at least two books, preferably three or four. My brain works best when dealing with a small number of things at one time, which makes me the queen of multitasking.

Also very happy with the way last night's Lost went. Man, oh, man, I want to require the entire romance publishing industry to sit down and watch every episode of this show. So, so, so many great storylines going on in this one, each one original, and unique as well as surprising. Last night, I gasped, I jumped, I held my breath. Sun got caught speaking English. We found out why Sawyer is such a sleaze. Rock group guy and pregnant Aussie gal...lovely. Most of all, Sayid.

The man pushed himself to his limits and beyond, and learns the limits of his perceptions. Love, love, love this show. Every character has so many facets that I do not read when Lost is on. I usually do have a book with me when watching TV, but Lost and Survivor (tonight, yay) are exceptions. I love finding out about one character's (or pair, if they travelled together, like Sun and her husband...I'm blanking on his name, so think of him as "Mr Sun.") backstory per episode. I think Sayid's is next week.

::bounce bounce::

Can't wait.
Thank God for postal workers and Rhapsody book club. My reading slump is broken. What do I find in yesterday's mail but the two latest books in Beverley Lewis's Abram's Daughters series? Woohoo! Love, betrayal, faith and the human condition played out in an early to mid 20th century Amish community.

::pause for happy Snoopy book dance::

Now I have the stregnth to go on. Having one book to read gives me a firm footing to go look at others as well. I normally like to juggle at least two books, preferably three or four. My brain works best when dealing with a small number of things at one time, which makes me the queen of multitasking.

Also very happy with the way last night's Lost went. Man, oh, man, I want to require the entire romance publishing industry to sit down and watch every episode of this show. So, so, so many great storylines going on in this one, each one original, and unique as well as surprising. Last night, I gasped, I jumped, I held my breath. Sun got caught speaking English. We found out why Sawyer is such a sleaze. Rock group guy and pregnant Aussie gal...lovely. Most of all, Sayid.

The man pushed himself to his limits and beyond, and learns the limits of his perceptions. Love, love, love this show. Every character has so many facets that I do not read when Lost is on. I usually do have a book with me when watching TV, but Lost and Survivor (tonight, yay) are exceptions. I love finding out about one character's (or pair, if they travelled together, like Sun and her husband...I'm blanking on his name, so think of him as "Mr Sun.") backstory per episode. I think Sayid's is next week.

::bounce bounce::

Can't wait.

Tuesday, November 09, 2004

Well, thanks a lot, AOL Music. Not only am I in a reading funk (one of those just finished a good book and now nothing is appealing ruts) but after browsing around, I happen to hit on Johnny Mathis. Found "Wonderful, Wonderful." Played it, and was instantly whisked back to mumblemumble years ago, watching Days of Our Lives, when a distraught Jack Deveraux had locked himself and his estranged wife, Jennifer, in her TV studio, determined to win her back. His heartbreaking performance (in true desperate guy mode) of "Wonderful, Wonderful," complete with top hat and cane (or am I remembering that wrong?) had me almost in tears as much as he was. Romantic. Very, very romantic. Big guy ready and willing to sacrifice dignity and be a total goof if it will help win (back) the heart of fair lady. Haven't watched Days in years (heh) but that stuck with me, and came flooding back with a vengeance. (Pardon me while Alanis Morrisette's "Unsent" runs paralell in my mind with the Mathis song. I blame the husband for introducing me to that one, also....gah, can't remember title, but it's the one with the recurring "what are you, my (blank)/you (blank) me like you are my (blank)" line in it)

At any rate, I'm in that mood again. Where I turn into an airport dog sniffing around current releases and TBR mountains looking for the right sort of historical romance (pause to hum along with "Hands Clean" which I clicked on since AOL music did not have the song I was looking for. And yes, L, the relationship in the song *is* an icky one; it's supposed to be.) ::sigh:: Add in the fact that my writing for the day is a disjointed mess, and I have to show the scene to my nag group tomorrow night. Nowhere near ready, but it's finally falling into the right place. Which is better than staying a mess, right?

"Flinch." That's the song. Gorgeous.

Friday, November 05, 2004

The wind knocked the puter out twice today, and I refuse to count how many times the printer jammed when trying to print out flyers for our local RWA chapter. It's been one of those days.

Hopefully can get some writing or reading done (still on the Small, it's been that little time to read this week . Rats, rats, rats.) There is a change in the wind, notably at our RWA chapter. New people taking on different responsibilities. Well, me at least. Giving someone else a try at what I've been doing. Flyers are not my strong point, I can say that much. B�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
The wind knocked the puter out twice today, and I refuse to count how many times the printer jammed when trying to print out flyers for our local RWA chapter. It's been one of those days.

Hopefully can get some writing or reading done (still on the Small, it's been that little time to read this week . Rats, rats, rats.) There is a change in the wind, notably at our RWA chapter. New people taking on different responsibilities. Well, me at least. Giving someone else a try at what I've been doing. Flyers are not my strong point, I can say that much. Briefly considered kicking self, but that wouldn't do any good, so I'm going to hand them off with a smile. I can do what I can do and that's all that I can do. New challenges and all that.

Started a notebook for The Wild Rover yesterday. Blank book, actually, for notes, maybe new writing when it's time for that. I bought it a few years ago; don't remember how long, but a while. I do that with beautiful blank books. I'll see one, fall madly in love with it, have to buy it, but with no purpose in mind. I take it back home, stick it in the office, and it lets me know when its project has arrived.

This one, with its 18th century handwriting borders, volunteered when I was poking around for something to put said notes in, so I took it up on its offer. It's actually a gardening themed book, with country/semi antique illustrations here and there; it remains to be seen if that will make it into the actual book, but it fits in its own way. Still need to alter the cover. I have a thing about the word "journal" -- don't like it-- so have to cover that, and also the picture of gardening implements on the front. Needs to have something more evocative of the actual book I'll be writing within its pages.

The weekend is going to be packed full, starting with laundry tonight, so while I am carrying my Orphans in the Storm notebook with me, I'm not expecting too much until Monday morning. Though I do have a very good outline for this next patch, so I'm looking forward to that.

All in all, another week, more story.

Monday, November 01, 2004

Happy November, and happy happy Monday. I know I am the odd duck in loving Mondays the way I do, but that could be, at least for today, since I am feeling human after the icky flu, and blazed through a good art morning. Collaged a whole mess of mumblemumbles (stuff I’m making for Christmas and don’t want to ruin the surprise) which put me in a great mood for tackling writerly things.

Actually checked my "official" A Hint of Seduction email, and lo and behold, I had mail. Woohoo. Went through, answered, and some good things look like they could come of it. At the very least, nobody said "go back to retail, you talentless troll" which of course is something that goes through the back of my mind every once in a while. Mind you, I know enough to kick it to the curb as I go on my merry way, but it’s always nice to get mail.

But, writing. Surprised myself by whipping out the blank book in my purse and scribbling through two pages yesterday while waiting for a friend to arrive and whisk me off to church so we could help move from the old building to the new one. Ah, I love being mean to my heroes, and a couple of characters surprised me.

Any writer will know what I mean. That "hey, you guys didn’t tell ME that!" kind of thing, when there you are, writing or typing down the movie that’s playing in your mind, down to the vapour coming out of the horses’ nostrils on a chilly morning, and wham bam, characters start chattering on about stuff that, yes, makes perfect sense, but YOU didn’t think of it. THEY did. Sometimes I think they like tweaking us this way. So, I did the only thing I could do to even the score. Downloaded a lot of things for my Sims. Has nothing to do with writing, but it does restore the balance of power a little.