Wow!

Wow - sorry I've been away so long. I can't believe it's been a week since my last post. A week! Eeek! But, in self-defense, I've had a lot going on.

I sent my agent 5 proposals (synopsis only). Yep, five. So I've been a busy writer there.

At the day job, I'm hiring a new receptionist so I can promote the previous receptionist to a CSR. The ad ran last weekend, the calls and resumes are STILL coming in, and I have back to back interviews all day today and part of the day tomorrow. I must do this plus close the month Thursday (and the quarter!)

We bought a boat. On e-bay, yet. For the last several months I've made it a sort-of hobby of mine to watch the boats on ebay. Cruisers, cuddies, pontoons - I'm an equal opportunity boater. Dh and I love to fish and right now we camp in our travel trailer and fish from an 12 foot inflatable boat with a trolling motor. Anyway, back to e-bay. We've bid on two boats so far and lost them (once even going so far as to set our alarm for midnight and get up to bid.) Then this boat came along and it's perfect. And local, which is even better. We didn't have to drive to Ohio or Missouri or whatever to pick it up. Just Dallas.
Here's a picture of it. Isn't it beautiful. Sigh. I can't wait to go out on it. I've even ordered my dogs life jackets on the internet.

Well, better get back to work. I'll try not to wait so long before posting next time.

New Projects

For a writers, is there anything as much fun as developing new projects? Sure, writing the synopsis sucks, but the fun part is in creating the new characters and their story! I've been putting together a packet of synopsis proposals to send to my agent for Intimate Moments and am having a blast!

Plus, it's nearly spring - and soon I can start camping again! I love camping (travel trailer with a/c and shower !) My husband likes to fish and I like to read and write guilt free.

Easter is on the way - dinner with Mom - and then I have the Merritt in San Antonio (where I'm giving a talk!). I adore San Antonio, especially the Riverwalk.

Back to work for me now. Until later...

Writer's Drug

On another email loop I'm on, another author was talking about the baseball/steroid hearings and asked a provocative question. She said she was watching these hearings and taking the moral high road and started thinking - what if there was a drug a writer could take that would make the ideas gel and the words flow effortlessly? And what if this drug had potentially bad side effects, even death? Would you take it? Would you even be tempted?

I was tempted to ignore the risks an shout "YES!!! Count me in!" But then as I get older, the risks loom larger and more frightening. When I was younger, I think (along with tons of other young people) I felt invulnerable. Unstoppable. I think a lot of the steroid users think that way. The long term effects won't harm them. (Not that I'm old, mind you! I'm not even what I consider middle-aged yet!)

When my daughter was in high school and college, she had a boyfriend of many years who, unbeknownst to us, used steroids. After they broke up and she went through that pain, she told me he had used them, and had low self-esteem, etc etc. Even after a doctor had examined him due to some heart problems and warned him, he continued to use them. In his eyes, the benefits outweighed the risks. When I was thinking about this hypothetical writing drug, I could feel the seductive pull of it and the greed of it, and can sympathize. Sad, but true. Maybe it's just human nature.

But what a thought provoking comment.

Writing is hard work - sweat, blood, and tears. Hours of butt- in - chair, backache, headache, fingers jarring, work! Fun yes, but still hard. Yet I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Good News!

Wow - what a weekend! It started on Friday - I was at home, working on developing some new proposals before I went to the day job, when my agent called. Silhouette has asked me to participate in a continuity!! Of course, I accepted. It should be very exciting, challenging, and fun! All I know is it's to be called Capturing the Crown and it's for Intimate Moments, my line!

Saturday I drove up to Witchita Falls, TX (about 90 minutes) to speak to the ladies of Red River Romance Writers. Such a nice bunch of people there! I think the talk went well. We had a lovely lunch at El Chico, then I signed Soul Magic at The Book Rack. The store owner is a very romance-supportive fellow - he even had me sign a t-shirt he has all authors who do signings sign. The entire experience was a lot of fun and I think I made some new friends.

Now it's Monday, back to work (both writing and insurance.) I've got to start working on my next contracted Lovespell - working title MISSING MAGIC.

Until later!

It's Done!

Wow - I finally finished the book! I had to take off Thursday and Friday from the day job, plus work on it all weekend, but today I printed it and sent it off to New York by Fed-Ex. Whew! Oddly enough, I feel... lost. Yes, I have to develop a couple more proposals and get them to my agent. Yes, I'm sure to have revisions on the novella and the Fae romance for Dorchester. But this last IM (now titled Secrets of the Wolf) was so INTENSE! I'll be interested to see how my editor likes it.

So today I went to work early and played catch up at the day job. Watched American Idol and did my time on the treadmill. Tomorrow, I'll dive back into the writing, but for now - I've finished!

K

Sorry

Hey, in case anyone is reading this stuff, I'm sorry I haven't posted in a few days. My book was due today - March 1st - and I had to get a weeks extension. So I'm frantically working on that - no blogging seriously until that puppy is turned in.