Month: December 2015

Goal Check/Goal Set

Time to check my goals for 2015.

Writing:

  • Finish 3rd werewolf book–done, under contract, 1st round of revisions completed.
  • Search for home for Baseball Books–sold one to Loose Id, have a second one ready to go.
  • Novella for anthology with my critique partners–done; final polish done
  • 2 writing retreats–done
  • Critique at least 1x per month–yes
  • Finish & submit proposal for another sports romance: no.
  • maintain and refine my writing space–mantained
  • 30 minutes actual book time 5 days a week–I would say my average for this was 75%

And here are my hopes for 2016:

  • Omega Moon Rising publication
  • submit a second baseball book
  • progress on the critique group anthology
  • 2 writing retreats
  • critique at least 1x per month
  • finish 1st draft of “other” sports romance
  • Maintain and refine my writing space
  • Writing Weekend get-aways whenever I can
  • “Standby” novella for publisher anthology opportunities.

Hope you have a safe, happy, healthy New Year!

Adult Coloring Books Part 2

X-Chromo, who recently graduated from college, has been looking for a set of 50 colored pencils. She checked every drug store, craft store, K-Mart, Wal-Mart, supermarket in the area looking for them. Most places don’t even have boxes of 24 colors left.

Yesterday, I took her to the Art Store, which is a commercial art supply outlet. We were told there is a world-wide shortage of colored pencils.

I am a writer. I could make this up. But I didn’t.

Holiday Gifts Part 2

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A few weeks ago I asked other authors if they could give the world any gift at all this holiday, what would that gift be. The response was so overwhelming, I split the responses into two blogs. Here’s part two.

BELLE AMI (The One and More): That people all over the world would stop  teaching their children to hate.

RB AUSTIN (Fallen Darkness): Coexistence.

EMILY CARRINGTON (Tell Me I’m Home): Hope. The only thing humanity can’t live without.

LASHELL COLLINS (Soul Stealer): I’d destroy all the racial hatred in the world.

AMY DEASON (Angels in the Shadows): Freedom from terrorists.

NANCY FRASER (Home is Where the Hunk Is):  I would give tolerance. A world that could and would practice tolerance for all persons and beliefs would be an ideal place to live.

C.D. HERSH (Sizzle in the Snow: A Soul Mate Christmas Anthology): Peace and security.

ELIZABETH JOHN (Judging Joey): Everyone perform an act of kindness for a stranger each day and for that stranger to pay it forward.

LYNN LORENZ (Breakfast at Tiffany’s): The gift I’d give the world if it were in my power is clean drinking water for everyone.

P.J. MACLAYNE (Wolves’ Pawn):  The gift of kindness. If we all could just share a little kindness with each other, the world would be a better place.

A. CATHERINE NOON (Cat’s Cradle): The ability to express the unique voice that is in each of us; the gift of peace and safety, so that each voice could be heard. We don’t need to look alike, sound alike, or think alike in order to be human – in fact, that would be a great loss to the world if we rubbed away all that makes us unique.

TAMERA STONE (Race for My Heart): For the Peace Fairy sprinkle fairy dust over EVERYONE so we all could just get along and stop all this hatred and war.

TINA SUSEDIK (Sizzle in the Snow-A Collection of Christmas Stories):  Peace. I pray for peace. I pray that my grandchildren will not have to grow up and be scared in a world torn by war. If I could afford it, I would gift the homeless with a place to live and food to eat.

IRIS WYNNE (The Missing Mah Jongg Player): All the wishes and prayers to come true for those who have a good heart.

MJ: I hope your holidays are everything you need them to be

The Newest Rage With Writers

Adult coloring books. Social media is abuzz with authors refilling their wells by coloring.

Seriously? Because I never stopped coloring.

coloring book

In fact, I still have (and use) a box of crayons purchased circa 1974 that I somehow hid from my children. crayons

(Yes, the price tag reads 77¢)

There are colors in the box that are no longer made.

I’m also fond of colored pencils, but that is a taste I acquired as an adult. I particularly enjoy using them to sketch my heroines, floor plans of the house in my books, etc. I won’t share photos of those here because, well, I’m not an artist. I’m an author.

Have you purchased an adult coloring book?

Holiday Gifts Part 1

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A few weeks ago I asked other authors if they could give the world any gift at all this holiday, what would that gift be. The response was so overwhelming, I had to split the responses into two blogs. Here’s what they had to say.

KERRY ADRIENNE (The Guardian of Blackbird Inn):  Compassion and understanding for other people’s differences.

YOLANDA ASHTON (A Will for Love): A guaranteed Salary/Wage that will ensure the ability to take care of loved ones comfortably.

MARIE BOOTH (Dying for a Bite): An extra dose of compassion and an urge to help people and animals in need.

ANNE B. COLE (Souls Estranged): Hope.

CRYSTAL DAWN (Cassandra, White Wolf Matriarchs):  Peace with a side of goodwill to all. Even for just the season it would be a beautiful thing.

ALINA K. FIELD (Rosalyn’s Ring):  A peaceful world, peaceful communities, and peaceful homes, and for each man, woman, and child, I would give wisdom to see blessings, and a heart filled with gratitude, “not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others

REBECCA HEFLIN (Ship of Dreams): Tolerance.

KIRA HILLINS (Take You Away): Bringing superheroes to life. With all that’s wrong in the world, we need them. 😉

EMERALD LAVERE (The Wikomsette): Empathy–each person would have the ability to truly see and feel life from the perspective of others. I believe that would result in understanding, compassion, and the ultimate gift…peace. Hugs are good gifts too! 🙂

VIKI LYN (Lover’s Trill: A Magical Christmas):  Universal inclusiveness and acceptance.

CAROLE ANN MOLETI (The Widow’s Walk): An end to terrorism in all its forms.

J. LYNN ROWAN (Better Than Chocolate):Lasting tolerance and understanding between peoples of all races and religions.

RYAN JO SUMMERS (Chasing the Painted Skies): Knowing the internal peace of knowing we are at the right time and place in our individual journey. Life is not always easy, especially for those who are really living it, but it should always feel right inside our hearts. I wish everyone could capture at least one of their dreams in their lifetime. I wish everyone could feel true love at least once, even if just for a short time. May all find time to enjoy the pleasantness around them, wherever they are, if by choice or design or fate.

CAROLINE WARFIELD (Dangerous Weakness): Eyes that could see people as God sees them, each be loved in his or her own way, all beloved no matter how different from one another.