WHOO HOOO

OK, vacation's drawing to a close (SIGH). BUT, the good news!

THERE WERE COPIES OF MOON'S WEB IN WALMART IN SAN ANGELO YESTERDAY!!! WHOOO HOO!!

Not at any of the other stores yet, but IT'S OUT!!!! (Cie is doing the happy dance).

I do not think I will ever, ever not be thrilled at seeing my book on the shelves of a store. Even better, seeing it in somebody's hands as they're browsing and don't even know I'm there. Since this is what I've dreamed of doing since I was 4 years old, I just can't quite get over it. My mind just won't wrap itself around the fact that it's REAL. They exist, in real paper and print. The people in my head are actually out there being loved and/or hated (or ignored) by people I've never even met (and, even in countries I've never had a chance to visit.) How cool is that?

I mean, truthfully, how many people actually GET to live their ultimate dream?

The new book is coming along. I had one day last week when I had the galloping "OhmiGods" where I look at everything I've written and think it's utter dreck and why do I even bother? So I just shut off the computer and went for a walk. Didn't even look at it again until the next day when suddenly, while it wasn't even close to perfect, it wasn't THAT bad, might be salvageable if I... and pretty soon I was rolling along. There are days when I'm just TOO negative and have to step back because otherwise I'd delete it all and never get anything done. Once you have a complete project you can edit the hell out of it if you have to. But you have to GET to that finish line. Otherwise you run out of joy and energy and the project just dies. I can't tell you how many half-finished projects I have.

Funny thing, the other day I was backing up the computer prior to doing a complete overhaul (see previous blogs regarding rants on viruses) and I ran across this really seriously cool scene that was obviously the beginning of something. Had a helluva hook, really grabbed me. AND I HAD NO FREAKING CLUE WHAT THE STORY WAS. It was just GONE. Something I started, didn't finish, and didn't outline a plot since I figured I'd remember it when I saw it.

Cathy said, oh well, we can always replot it, and I suppose we can. But what a waste. And I probably quit on one of those super negative days. But at least I'm learning. "Back away from the computer." If I hadn't, there wouldn't BE copies of Hunter's Moon and Moon's Web on the shelves. (BIG GRIN. CIE IS NOW DOING THE HAPPY DANCE AGAIN BECAUSE ****IT'S ON THE SHELVES*****!!!!)

HI GUYS!!! (WAVES VIGOROUSLY)

I've been on vacation this week. (As you know from previous posts). I have been plugging along on the new book. It's going well for the most part. Although, frankly, you occasionally get these setbacks. For example, I wrote a lovely scene a couple of months ago. Very intense. There is one of the seers who isn't sure the new attack victim can be trusted to keep her mouth shut, so she performs this rite that makes a blood oath that will cause the attack victim's death if she breaks the oath. Sound familiar? It should if you've read the latest Harry Potter. Yup, totally separately came up with the concept of the "Unbreakable Vow." But now that she's used it I can't, so I have to revise that whole section -- a section I'd completely forgotten about because I was so much further along in the book. Sigh.

Things like that happen all the time. Makes me wonder about that whole "collective unconscious" theory. But any way you slice it, the rewrite has to happen.

BUT even so, I think the first draft will be done by the time I go back to work on Monday. HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!!! Yes, it will need work and polishing, but that's OK if we've got the plot lines down and the real sense of the book itself. At least I hope so. Crap but it's hard writing third person. And, of course, I'm back in the throes of "everything I write is crap, they're never going to accept this, woe is me." (Insecure? Moi? Surely you jest.)

James is doing OK. My health is OK. I'm actually RELAXED for the first time in ages. So, hey, good news all around.

Oh, and while I haven't been posting anywhere much because of writing deadlines, I have popped by a couple places. Mostly lurking because of time constraints.

Hope all is well with all of you too. Write if you can.

Cie

IM ON VACATION!!!!!

WHOOO HOOOO!!! WHOOO HOO!!!!

I'm on vacation. Nah, nah, nah nah nah!!

(Envision if you will Cie dancing around like a madwoman shouting "I'm FREE!!!")

Now, don't get me wrong. I have a pretty good job when it comes down to it. But I work HARD at the law office. Then I work hard on the books, and at running the house and being a mom and... well, you get the picture. Actually taking time for MYSELF to do what I want is virtually unheard of. I have, other than trips for visits to relatives (which, while quite nice, are not playtime and thus don't count in my book as a vacation) or business trips had precisely ONE vacation in the past... um, let's see, twenty years or more. I think I'm due.

Now, originally I was going to the RWA Convention. But illness and circumstance conspired against me. So I canceled. But I can't say as I regret it. Because now, I actually am going to get the chance to do something for ME.

Rather than plan the heck out of my time off, I decided that this vacation I was going to roll with it. If I want to go somewhere, I will. If I don't, I won't. Sleep when I want, read, go to movies. But most of all, dare I say it (Yes, I DO!) I am going to WRITE!!!!!!! Because truth be told, the one thing that makes me connect back with ME and be happiest is writing the books. After all these years, despite the fact that it's hard work, it is still my joy. A person is very, very, lucky if they get to get paid for what they love most and getting paid for it doesn't ruin it for them. I have to look up quite often and say "Thanks!" to my maker, because truth is, I've been given a pretty spectacular life. Oh, I've worked hard, and it's had some bad times. (The health problems sucketh big time). But overall, oh YEAH, I've been given the golden ticket, and I know it.

So, for the next week, I'll be popping by AND I'll probably be disgustingly, outrageously happy. So get ready. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.


Cie

PS No cover yet on Touch of Evil (affectionately referred to as TOE or Kate)
Actual copies of Moon's Web have arrived at the publisher. Should be out soon. WHOO HOO!!!
OH, and we won another award for Hunter. The placque (sp?) is going up in my office.

Everybody have a great week!

Cie

Hi Guys (WAVES!!!)

Hi guys!

I'm incredibly busy lately, but I don't want to neglect you guys. Good things are happening. We've had a request for copies of HM and MW from a German site that is trying to promote new American authors. WHOOO HOO!!! Want to encourage that (1) because we want an international audience, but also (2) because Captive Moon is SET in Germany. How cool is that. Also, Yolanda, just FYI, Cathy and I have been kicking around the idea of putting something in your neck of the woods. Of course that would mean we'd have to pester you about authentic Australian details!

Moon's Web comes out very soon. Happy times. Vacation coming, which means LOTSA writing. WHOO HOO!

Well, back to the grind. Please keep coming by!

Cie

WHOOO HOOO

HI GUYS!!!!

All right -- it's ALMOST time. I can't believe it, but Moon's Web is due out any time. Official date of release is August 2, but sometimes they get out early, so soon... very soon.... Those of you who got advance copies, if you could post what you honestly thought (good or bad - although if it's bad I doubt you'd be here reading this, because you'd have given up on us) hither, thither, and yon. (i.e., Amazon, Barnes&Noble & anywhere else you can think of).

I got my computer completely clean and running like a champ. (I think I posted about that the other day), I got to meet with Cathy extensively today to talk about the book she's working on -- the draft of "Captive Moon" (Antoine's story, third person)(BTW, it is really, seriously going to kick butt from what I can tell. Of course, I admit to being just a TEENY bit prejudiced [grin]). I got my work caught up, my insurance paid, and TA DAH!!!! I CAN NOW WORK ON CATHERINE!!!!! WHOOO HOOO!!!! I can't EVEN tell you how much I've missed writing. I have been SUCH a cranky pants!

ANYWAY, I'm off to the house to WRITE!!! (Happy, happy, joy, joy, happy happy joy!!! Oh, how happy, you have made me. OH how happy, YOU have made me!!!)

Toodles guys!

Cie

It's Raining It's Pouring

And MAN did we ever need it! WOW! What we don't need is the lightning, but oh well. I will need to be careful because, once you've been hit by lightning once, you're more likely to be hit again. Don't want to get hit again. OH NO. No thank you very much.

Anyway, gotta run. Happily planning the vacation. Will keep in touch.

Cie

Vacation

Hi Guys!

I am not going to Reno. Between the bronchitis/pneumonia that I caught and everything else that has been going on, I'm pooped. So I'm taking the time I would've spent at convention and resting and writing in seclusion. I want to finish Catherine. I also need some ME time. This is an opportunity for both.

I regret missing the convention in some ways. The networking opportunities, the chance to actually meet some of the people I've had the opportunity to talk to online... but after some serious soul-searching I had to admit I'm just not up to it right now. Next year instead.

In the meantime, everybody take care of themselves. I'll try to keep in touch. I've not been blogging as much because my schedule hasn't permitted it, but I think things are going to slow down a titch, and I should be able to keep up again.

Cie

OK TRIED TO POST THIS EARLIER AND IT DIDN'T WORK. TRYING AGAIN. Not that it's brilliant or irreplaceable. I'm just that stubborn!

Welcome to a New Week

Welcome to a new week. I think today is going to be a good day. I got some things done this weekend that I've been needing to do just to maintain sanity. One of the biggies -- I had to completely strip down and reformat my computer because I've had a virus and was getting total system failure every... oh, ten minutes or so. Hard to write that way. VERY nerve wracking. So I managed to get the whole thing done and the machine runs like a champ! WHOOOO HOOO!!!

I'm also making plans for a little vacation. I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but whatever it is, it's going to be for me. I've been needing a little TLC, and I plan to get it!

Well, not much to say. Looking for good jokes if you have 'em.

Later.

Cie

Brooding

I'm brooding a bit. The news from England is awful. I have such a hard time understanding the whole "terrorist" mindset. Then again, I'm apolitical. I believe we all have more in common than we have differences, that certain things are universal - almost everyone loves their families (even when they drive them crazy), we bleed red, eat, sleep, poop, breed babies. Why would you want to kill a total stranger? I don't get it. I can understand rage, revenge, shooting someone you catch in bed with your spouse (actually, probably shoot the spouse. Not kill him, but shoot him so that he HURT). But strangers? Over POLITICS?

Gotta run. More later. Work calls.

*********

OK Guys, Just for the record -- I DON'T believe in killing people in revenge or anger. REALLY. But I can at least understand losing your head like that. This kind of cold-blooded stuff just doesn't make sense to me. I find it sad and confusing, and counter-productive. I mean, we were probably considered a nuisance in the middle east before 9-11, but HEY WOW didn't what they did just make us pull up stakes and leave 'em alone just like that? NOT. And the Brits just caved after the Blitz and the IRA bombings. AGAIN NOT. All terrorism does is piss people off and make them believe that the terrorists are NOT fit to run the affairs of state. Ghandi, on the other hand -- a plan that worked.

I'm sorry that I'm ranting. I'm generally apolitical at best. But this just doesn't make SENSE to me. I believe that most people are basically OK. Not great, not bad. Culture impacts whether or not you get along (for example: If they worship cows and you eat them, there's going to be a problem.) but you can work around a lot of that stuff if you try hard and keep an open mind. Zealots on ANY front scare the crap out of me.

INSERT USUAL DISCLAIMER ABOUT HOW THIS IS MY PERSONAL OPINION, NOT CATHY'S ETC.

Cie

Life/The Universe/And Everything

Hi guys!

Ok, I suppose you've all noticed that, um, I've been a bit... well, not my usual, sunny self. But today is better. Sort of. What follows is a minor rant. Really minor. But, a rant nonetheless. You tell me whether you agree.

NEW AND IMPROVED IS NOT MY FRIEND. GIVE ME OLD AND DEPENDABLE. SIMPLE.

Why?

WELL, I have really, really sensitive skin allergies.

I do not love: scented detergents, scented or dyed toilet paper, soaps, shampoos, etc.

And they don't warn you they're changing formulas -- so something you've been using for years suddenly POOF. ARGH.

Right now I have recovered from a MASSIVELY uncomfortable rash on most of my body. Except for my face. That's right folks, my FACE. Because they changed my laundry detergent, and I used a washcloth. Now it usually takes about 3 weeks before something like this clears up (if I'm lucky). So I MAY (or not) be clear before I give the freaking panel in front of HOW many people at RWA.

I never thought I was vain, but the idea of having hamburger face in front of an audience... it is not making me happy.

So, if I've been rude, or snarly, or snarky, blame it on the rash.

And give me OLD, DEPENDABLE, UNSCENTED, UNDYED, and generally unfooled-around-with. PLEASE.

Happy 4th Weekend

Happy 4th of July Weekend. Sorry Yolanda, I know this isn't your holiday -- but have a happy weekend anyway.

Very, very busy lately, which means I haven't been posting much. It's not that I don't want to. On the other hand, I've been really down, and anything I said would probably reflect that. I don't believe in misery loves company. Why drag everybody else down with you? That's just selfish. So when I'm down I tend to stick to myself, lick my wounds as it were, and then go back to the fray. Everything will be ok. It just takes time. I just sometimes get tired of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and finding out it was a fricking TRAIN.

Read something funny years ago (warning -- I have a black sense of humor) that struck me hysterical and still makes me laugh even now.

"ATTENTION: Due to repeated complaints about it being too dim and too distant, until further notice, the light at the end of the tunnel has been shut off. The Management."

Seriously, I'm fine. Just tired from being sick and having too much on my plate. I'm going to try to take a little better care of myself for a while. Eat well, exercise, get some rest, etc. I'm also going to try to set realistic limits. Wish me luck.