We did it! We're in the new house! It's been insane, and my back is seriously angry with me, but what the hay, right? Pictures to come later.
Second Meandering ...
In spite of the move, hubby and I were able to have our little combined anniversary/Valentine's Day getaway by attending a Regency Romance Ball. It was so fun! The hotel was full of people in Regency period clothing.
They had some instructions on how to do Country Dances of the period. Think Pride & Prejudice.
And this was actually research for the Victorian time travel series I'm writing with three other authors.
Saturday was my hubby and my 33rd wedding anniversary. We went out to lunch but mostly spent the day working on the new house. In February we're going to attend a Regency Romance Ball--all dressed up. Yes, my sweetie is a good sport like that. :D
Second Meandering ...
When I was a teen, I lived for a couple of years in San Francisco.
Did I mention that we lived in the middle of the bay? My father was stationed on the Treasure Island Navy Base.
View of Treasure Island from Yerba Buena Island. Source
I attended 9th and 10th grades in the City. We had some challenges in 9th grade--some real horror stories. But it made me work really hard to get good grades, so I didn't have to go to the high school my junior high fed into.
But, it's a really cool place with quite an interesting history.
That's one of the reasons I chose it for the headquarters of Grantham Industries in the story Waves of Deceit (from the Teapots & Treacheryanthology).
Shelby Nash, the heroine, loves San Francisco and has some fond memories there.
Such as ...
Eating a hot fudge sundae at Ghirardelli Square (to die for!) Source
Biking in Golden Gate Park (which is one of the best parks in the world. So many cools things there, like biking, hiking, paddle boats, de Young Museum, botanical gardens, Conservatory of Flowers, etc.
We have carpeting and counters. Tuesday we're supposed to be ready for the final inspection--and then can begin working on the inspector's list of things to fix. But it's seeming real now.
Do you have fond memories of someplace you've lived or visited?
A new year. Yes, it's an arbitrary date, but it always feels like a fresh page.
A new start.
A new me.
Well, not really a new me. We all know that we're still who we were the day before, but the potential is so fraught with possibilities. It's almost irresistible.
So, here's an adorable little girl to explain to you why New Year's Resolutions can be a good thing.
Second Meandering ...
Hubby is installing the appliances and has almost all the main floor painted.
The winner of Friday's drawing for a copy of Marlene Bateman Sullivan's book For Sale by Owner is
Jill
Second Meandering ...
I found it necessary to step back from the Swing Vote edit this week to work on the timeline. One challenge is that I have to make the things that happen fit in with the state's election laws. It's actually been a help rather than a hindrance. It gives me very specific guidelines.
I wanted June 7th (the last day candidates for municipal election can file) to fall on a Friday, so I found which year that happens in, and I've got my next 90 days to calendar the different scenes. It also has shown me where I need to provide some other scenes in between.
Now to get this all on Scrivener ...
Third Meandering ... a cover reveal by Carrie Butler! I've loved Carries other books, so I'm excited to share the cover for this action/adventure (disaster) romance. How cool is that? It comes out this December.
Deep
beneath the ocean, stretching hundreds of miles alongside the Pacific Northwest
coastline, lies the Cascadia subduction zone—a fault on the verge of unleashing
a catastrophic earthquake, thirty times more powerful than the San Andreas. Unfortunately,
like most tourists, Elena Cordova is oblivious.
She’s got her own pent-up stress to deal with, a humiliating breakup that’s driven her to end her tenure as a human doormat once and for all. So, when a pickpocket makes off with the last remnant of her relationship, she takes action—only to get trapped with him when disaster strikes.
Now, if either one hopes to survive, they’ll have to get past their initial impressions and work together . . . because in fifteen minutes, half the town will be underwater.
About the Author:
Carrie Butler is an award-winning author and the owner ofForward Authorityfull-service studio—not to mention an inbound-certified marketer with a penchant for superhero socks and Firefly. Time away from her desk is spent playing with her rescue pup, yelling at the TV during hockey season, and indulging in target-based recreation. Otherwise, you’re likely to find her glued to her chair, discovering new ways to share her daydreams...
The house continues to move along. We've been working on wiring (part of the sweat equity the contractor's letting us do) for electricity, Internet, and lighting. This is a picture of one of my sons who's been helping install the canned lighting. This is the kitchen.
A funny (in the future but not right now) thing happened. We'd ordered the appliances and set them for delivery when we expected to be done--ninety days away.
Um ...
Things have taken longer than we'd hoped. So, yeah. They tried to deliver them Friday. We'd completely forgotten about that, and Home Depot didn't bother to call and let us know they were on their way. Hubby had to make a mad dash to get a storage unit.
What have you been up to?
Seen any good movies?
Read any good books?
Done anything to enjoy the wonderful fall weather?
It's October! I love this month. One of the things I love about living in the Rocky Mountains is the fall colors. Didn't have this when we lived in California. Up the canyon from us is Robert Redford's Sundance Ski Resort. This time of year you obviously can't ski, but you can ride the ski lift to view the colors.
Here's a shot from the lift, taken by my daughter-in-law.
I went to a fabulous writing retreat this weekend, and I got so much editing done on Swing Vote.
Here's an excerpt (Noah is 10 and Caleb is 11):
Marc leaned against the counter again, reaching out to take the wet plate from Ike. Marc said, “I’m not interested in living with a shrew.”
“What’s a shrew?” Noah mumbled around his food.
“I guess you’ve never seen anything by Shakespeare.” Marc grinned.
“I saw a movie once with a Captain Shakespeare. He flew an airship.”
“What about Shakespeare?” Caleb joined his brother at the table and pulled some food onto a plate. “He’s that guy from England, isn’t he? Wrote a bunch of really long plays like a bazillion years ago or something. In a weird kind of poetry or something I think.”
“He write something about a shrew?” Noah asked. “Because Ike’s friend called McKenzie a shrew.” He leaned in closer to his brother and put on a sly grin. “I think she’s gonna be insulted when we tell her.” He shot a glance at the two men.
I'm posting over at the Really Real Housewives blog this week. Today I'm touching on all the things that make September 19th awesome (besides it being my birthday). :D Second Meandering ...
I'm letting everyone know about an opportunity to get fifteen free books.
Yeah, you heard that right. FIFTEEN books.
FREE. Click here for details. Third Meandering ...
I attended a great writing conference this past weekend. Lots of great classes and an inspiring keynote by J. Scott Savage. He's a wonderful teacher as well. And he writes fun books besides. Fourth Meandering ...
As I write this I'm looking out the window at the cloudy sky. The weather's cooler this weekend than it has been in months. It's rather nice. It's Labor Day here in the States. We tend to forget the fight that workers in the past have done that we benefit from. So, I give you this awesome scene from Newsies.
Second Meandering ...
I got prep work and other technical stuff out of the way and am finally into edits for Swing Vote, Safe Harbors #3. I wrote the first draft nearly two years ago. It's crazy. 2017 will be the year it sees life. I'm really excited about this story.
Excerpt Marc winced as he pulled into a stall in front of the gas station convenience store. With a groan, he dragged himself from the jeep. Using the vehicle for support, he arched his left foot and stretched the damaged muscles in his left calf. They cramped. He sucked in air at the too-familiar pain and steadied his breathing. Once the spasms had calmed a little, he began the slow series of stretching exercises his physical therapist had given him. “Just keep on moving until you’re gone,” a male voice said from behind, the sound rough with years. Marc tried to turn, but his stupid leg cramped again. He lost his balance and stumbled against the door. “Drunk—or high. Fool kids. A waste of space.” “I beg your pardon?” Marc finally looked at the old man and tried not to be offended at the remark. No point in ticking off the locals. “We don’t want ya. We don’t need ya. Go back where ya come from.” The old man spit some disgusting dark liquid out the side of his mouth before stomping inside the convenience store.
Third Meandering ...
There's progress on the house, but it's not something I can post pictures of. They installed the basement plumbing and next week they should pour that foundation and do some backfilling of dirt around the outside (which they dug wider than needed to give them room to work). After that they start framing the house itself. Then I'll have pictures.
Something I have planned for my basement stairs ...
What I have to do is figure out if I want to buy them (like in the picture) or paint them myself. I do have artist kids, after all. And I have to decide which books to include.
I didn't get much done on my current project because I was critiquing for the next Sweet & Sassy Anthology. Some seriously fun stories in this one. It's got a beach theme.
Third Meandering ...
I got to brainstorm some more with four other authors on a fun series we're working on. I'm getting really excited about it. It includes regular people, a fairy, and historical time travel.
Fourth Meandering ...
My friend Cassie Mae also writes under a pen name, Becca Ann. She's got a new release coming out.
My body suuuucks. After lounging around on my butt all summer (okay, so maybe that was my bad), this body decided to become something completely foreign. So now I’m trying to make the track team and I feel like I’m a baby learning to walk again. A couple pounds wouldn’t have been so bad. Work those off, run like a mad woman, no problem, yeah? But no. I’ve also developed a couple of things that I definitely didn’t have before. And now my guy friends are all sitting in a pool of drool as they not-so-subtly stare at my chest. Combine all that drama with the fact that the new track coach is getting major flack for being a little chunky, and all I’m trying to do is convince the team that I’m not running slower because of her coaching style. Oh, and did I mention that I’m totally falling face-first in “like” with some guy I met in a cemetery? And no one understands it just because he’s also a little chunky. But he’s also adorable and wonderfully weird and I don’t care what they say, his look sure does it for me. But… I don’t know… how can I be in “like” with someone, when I have no clue how to like myself anymore?
I am so sick of winter! Here in the Rockies we sometimes get what's called an inversion. When we lived in Sacramento, we'd get them too. The high pressure holds the colder air closer to the ground. The air's crap, and we tend to have fog/smog.
In Sacramento one December we had 30 days of no sun. The low was 38 degrees; the high was 40 degrees. We could barely make out the house across the street. By noon the fog would rise to about the rooftop and by 4 p.m. it'd be down again.
While our fog here is nothing that bad, it's still dismal. I'm so ready for some blue sky and the snow crocuses to break through.
Second Meandering ...
Have any of you read this post about there only being 40 self-published authors who are successful?
I've got a headache right now (I blame the air pressure), and it irritates me no end when people make what I consider to be outrageous claims.
The thing that bother's me is that there are probably struggling artists who could read an article like that and give up their dreams. But why should another person's arbitrary definition of success define it for anyone but themselves? Grrr
Yes, I'm irritated. I said I have a headache. lol
Third Meandering ...
We saw Kung Fu Panda 3 this weekend. Loved it. Loved the message.
Fourth Meandering ...
This whole downsizing thing could be the death of me. We're settling on the floor plan for the twin homes, and my sister-in-law is busy looking through window designs and stuff.
Um.
I hate that kind of stuff. Just give me some simple choices, and I'm good.
It's a holiday here in the US today. Presidents Day.
Do you have the day off? Did you do anything fun this weekend?
I did not watch the Super Bowl. I'm just not into it. And I can always catch up with the commercials after anyway, when they're talked to death. I did, however, see Lady Gaga's rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. I've always known she was a talented singer, but wow. It's a hard song to sing well. Even putting aside her resemblance to Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games, Lady Gaga nailed that performance, imho.
Second Meandering ...
Are you a plotter or a pantser? I tend to free write, but then my editing is agony. I keep hoping I'll find a way to make it less painful. One of the things I struggle with is identifying each story's theme. In researching sites to help me get my head around it, I found K.M. Weiland's webpage, especially her post about theme here. I love how she makes it clear and simple.
I need clear and simple.
Third Meandering ...
We all know what's coming up this weekend. Lots of people say it's a holiday made up by advertisers. Others call it Singles' Awareness day and give black roses. Others just look at it as a chance to go out with their sweetie.
We do celebrate it, usually with dinner or a movie. A chance for a night out is always a fun thing for me, but we don't make a big deal out of it.
So, it's my first "official" post since coming off my hiatus. It's been a good break. I got a lot done--not as much as I'd hoped, but it's all good.
Only meandering ...
I wanted to share this video. It really struck home for me, even brought tears to my eyes.
I'll share one of my regrets, and it's a big one.
When I was fourteen, we'd just barely moved to the Navy Base on Treasure Island in the middle of San Francisco Bay. My mom had been in Oak Knoll Naval Hospital in Oakland for nearly two weeks as they tried to figure out what was wrong with her. With the cutting edge technology (of the day), they diagnosed a brain tumor.
The evening before her surgery, I drove with my dad to the hospital. I hated seeing my mother look so bad, and the hospital creeped me out. I chose to stay out in the car while my father went inside alone. Mom survived the surgery, but there were complications due to swelling. She died early in the morning.
If I could change anything in my life, I would have gotten out of that car and gone with my dad. I'd seen her alive one more time. I'd have told her how much I loved her. One more time.
What? You've never heard of LungLeavin' Day? Well, neither had I until this week.
It come about because Heather Von St. James, nine years ago, was diagnosed with mesothelioma; a rare cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. She'd just given birth and was told she had 15 months to live. Following a surgery to remover her left lung, she began a journey of survival and that's when Lung Leavin' Day came about.
She and her family, and others who have joined the LungLeavin' Day celebration encourage people to face their fears. You can get more details how they've chosen to celebrate it by clicking here and learn more about Heather's journey. It's a wonderful story of survival against the odds.
Since I'm an author, I'll share one fear I faced. It was when, for the very first time, I let someone read something I'd written. And I'm not talking about the city council meeting minutes I'd been doing for years. No, this was my first creative work and something that came that had so much of my heart in it.
I was terrified.
Fortunately, the friend who read it--I wasn't brave enough yet to let hubby read it--was kind and supportive. It made me brave enough to keep writing.
How about you? Have you ever heard of LungLeavin' Day? What fears have you faced? What fears do you need to face?
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