GREETINGS AND SALUTATIONS

Hi guys!

BOY does time fly when you're having deadlines! WOW. I hadn't realized how long it's been since I wrote. I'm surprised if anybody is still stopping by!

Things are good for the most part -- there are always going to be frustrations, but that's life.

I have been very disappointed in the federal government's handling of the disaster. If I get started on THAT I'll just get cranky and up on my soap box. So, I won't. I just ask that everybody do what they can.

I'm hopeful about the future. Dreams do come true, but you have to work at them. The present can be difficult, but I see the light at the end of the tunnel and it does NOT appear to be a train!

I'm working hard on the Cat manuscript. Tonight is the big love scene. I spent the weekend trying to find "down" time where the hero and heroine aren't too blasted BUSY and exhausted to do anything. It's very tricky for me. I'm much more into "action" than "romance" in the writing. But I don't want to skimp on it either, or have it be unbelievable. On the other hand, I'm not going for porn either. Balance is everything.

Well, gotta run.

Hi Guys

Sorry about the rampant politicism of the previouis blog(s). I am moving forward with my efforts to donate and do the right thing for all the hurricane victims (New Orleans wasn't the only decimated spot), and I'm praying hard to know WHAT to do.

It is hard, and sad, and very, very scary.

I'm taking today to do household stuff, finish a project or two and write.

Tomorrow, I am doing NOTHING and I am doing it VIGOROUSLY. I'm so blasted exhausted I can't even THINK, so I need to REST. Editing will come in the next couple of days, and definitely writing. But while it's work, writing and it's subsets are also my JOY. It makes the rest of the work/work bearable knowing that there will come a day when I don't have to put up with anything I don't think I should. But that day is not today, so I not only pretend to conform, but pretend to be "happy" about it -- though it kills a little part of me to do so.

(GEE, aren't I just a little ray of sunshine today! SORRY!)

I'll write again when I'm more rested and in a better mood. Take care of yourselves and each other.


Cie

A SERIOUS POST

OK. I can't get past it. So I'm going to vent a little. This is totally mine (Cie's). It is NOT Cathy's, or anybody else's opinion and nobody else should be held accountable for it.

There are heroes everywhere. I am so proud of each and every person who has volunteered a boat to go looking for survivors, to the crews struggling to save patients at hospitals or shelters, the drivers ferrying terrified residents out of the chaos, the rescue crews and their dogs, searching for survivors.

BUT

1) WHY THE HELL wasn't there a better evacuation plan in place for emergencies?
2) WHY IN THE *HELL* are some of these people shooting at the people trying to save them so that it's difficult if not impossible for the rescuers to DO THEIR WORK?
3) HOW IN THE HELL DID THIS HAPPEN!!!!
4) TRYING to LOOT *****HOSPITALS***** (insert swearing). That is SOOOO low I can't even express it.

I can understand being frightened. I can understand keeping a gun with you for self-defense as you make your way to the evacuation points. I can't SEE gangs and violence and looting just for the sake of chaos.

I hope that our government learns from this.

I hope that things like the bases they were closing can be converted into long-term housing -- because, like it or not, this is going to be a long term problem. Some of the pollution issues could even be permanent.

It breaks my heart, truly, that the poorest, most ill and helpless are the ones suffering the most from this. I hope we can all pull together doing what we can, to help others in the spirit that "there but for the Grace of God, go I." I hope it. I pray for it. And I do see some of it. Truly. But seeing the other... it both makes me angry and fills me with despair.

Where is the unity our country showed after 9-11?

Hell, where is the ORGANIZATION we're supposed to have in place thanks to 9-11 and the huge allocation of resources to "security?"

I am not a political creature. I don't understand how we could NOT have been more ready for a disaster.

I hope and pray that every single person will do what they can. I truly do.

Welcome to the Weekend

THIS IS NOT A SERIOUS POST. IT IS A HAPPY POST. In fact, it is happy enough that I almost feel guilty. I know others are suffering, and I do intend to pray and do things to help, but my life is marching on. So, please excuse me if it is in poor taste to seem happy right now, but I really can't stand to stay negative too long.

***********************************

Welcome to the beginning of the holiday weekend. Hope everybody is having a good time. Yo, if you don't have a holiday, please raise a glass anyway, just 'cause. :)

I FOUND EM!!!!

What, you ask? The cards and note pads that I promised to send with the old cover for Moon's Web. I was SUPPOSED to send them to two of our FIRST fans and then LOST the blasted things. (Can you tell I needed to clean my office? NAH, say it 'aint so.) SO, we'll try again.

Captive Moon is FINISHED and to the editor. (Let us all now pause to do the happy dance)

Howling Moon (sorry, hate that title, but may be stuck with it.) Personally I prefer "Moonlight Special" as suggested by my son. But alas, that may have to wait for another book. But there WILL be other books, so I continue doing the happy dance.

The kidney infection is getting better SLOWLY. Of course the fact that I've been completely exhausted and pushing myself instead of resting in bed like I'm supposed to doesn't have ANYTHING to do with the extended healing time. Nah, 'course not! (Yeah, right). Ah well. Life does not stop. At least mine doesn't. I'm doing the best I can. Sometimes it's better than others.

Work/work is currently a severe pain in the patootie. (DELETED SECTION BECAUSE... WELL, YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT).

Anyway, speaking of work. Back to it.

Have a great weekend.

Hi Guys

First, my condolences to all who have lost friends and family in this disaster. Please, everyone, do everything you can to help the victims.

On a more personal note --

I'm POOPED. Cathy and I have been really pushing ourselves. My health isn't happy. The Antoine book is, however DONE. It will be sent off to the editor TODAY!! WHOO HOO!!! Cat isn't far behind.

I'm hoping to take this weekend to just REST and recover. We'll see.

In the meantime, everybody be good to themselves.

Our Tsunami

They are calling this hurricane "our tsunami". Considering the size of the waves they're describing, I guess it isn't far wrong.

I'm just stunned. I know, I'm supposed to have words for everything. I'm a writer. But there are no words. I read where they're putting refugees in the Astrodome and they've cleared the calendar there until DECEMBER. Holy Freak Batman DECEMBER. It's only September 1 tomorrow.

I'm completely flummoxed -- and wind up sounding like an airhead every time I think about it (see previous post). It seems WEIRD also having other countries offering US aid. Kind of backwards. Could well be we'll be needing it too. Wow.

Pray for everyone.

OK Weird

I wrote something about Katrina, the Red Cross, and why I don't understand random looting. (Although it occurs to me that if you don't have safe food, and you don't have access to emergency services... I dunno. I'm such a regular customer at my local grocery, I'd probably leave 'em a note with my list so they could charge me. But that's the advantage of using little local stores. I had a couple in Denver (They eventually sold out for big money -- SIGH.) that I went to for YEARS, we watched each other's kids grow up, they delivered to my house when I was sick with pneumonia free of charge, special cut my meat, special ordered things for me all the time. Same with the little family-owned pizzaria. I miss that. A lot. Even though I'm in a small town now, I don't get that level of service most of the time. Although the butcher at the meat shop is beginning to know me though, which is improving my service there.

ANYWAY, back to the point. I believe in helping others, so as soon as I can I'm sending donations to the relief efforts. The people in the gulf area have been so hard hit. The photos of the devastation are just amazing. It's such a BIG disaster, I just have a hard time wrapping my mind around it. I've been sending e-mails to folks I know in that area making sure they're OK. I haven't heard from some -- but then power has been out, etc. So I'm keeping them in my prayers and hoping that there won't be too many deaths.

HMNNNNNNN Stuff and Fan Fiction

HI Guys!

OK, the weekend is almost here again. Where the HECK is the time going I feel like George Jetson on the treadmill!

Let's see...

They did a second small print run on Hunter's Moon. :) BIG good news. It's still selling steadily and well. :D

Moon's Web is selling solidly, but not as well as Hunter did at this time. :( (Which means folks, PRETTY PLEASE go tell everybody -- word of mouth helps.) Basically I think a couple things might have happened. (1) We had the change of covers, so some of our publicity went out with the old cover and folks got confused (maybe another author who has had that happen said it really had a negative effect on her sales. I dunno.) (2) When they were promoting Hunter they were promoting the start of the whole line -- so now the line is out and they're back to normal so we didn't get any extra marketing push and special placement.

BUT

We're getting MUCH more fan mail on Moon's Web (probably triple), and the reviews are coming in BETTER than for Hunter. SOOOOO I think it will build, maybe more slowly than we'd like, but I believe it WILL build. But word of mouth is good. (HINT HINT ;))

COOL NEWS -- It looks like I may actually be able to go to The Vampire Lestat Ball. Keeping my fingers crossed. (Sorry about the pun. Couldn't help myself). AND there is a possibility (depending on if I can haul my heinie to Washington DC) of my getting an interview on "Eye on Books" at a future date. This would be seriously cool because (a) Well known site with a seriously cool interviewer; (b) The interviews go up on the website for them, which is excellent exposure since he interviews the really big names (which we, of course, want to become). That's still up in the air, but we're working on it.

Health is so/so at the moment. Ugh. Working on that too.

OK ONCE UPON A TIME...

I said I would give my opinion on fan fiction.

My opinion is.... "Whatever."

I know. How inflammatory is that!!!!

But, seriously, I would be flattered as hell that somebody loved the books and the characters enough to want to play with them. But I'm not going to read it and risk getting my... ahem... heinie sued off. I think some fan fiction is as good as the original works -- and some is just absolute dreck, a lot are fun, some are really and TRULY perverted (I may never look at Harry Potter the same way again after having stumbled across one particular piece when looking for samples to see what all the kerfluffle was about!)

Some authors think that by doing fan fic you're saying they screwed up by not putting something in, or going the direction they did. Nyeh.... metz metz. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I mean you can't exactly make everybody happy and it's foolish to try. You do the best you can and hope there's an audience out there who will agree with you. (And buy books -- LOTS AND LOTS of books ;))

I do feel bad about a couple of things -- for one literacy is down. People don't read fiction. UGH! I do have hope for the younger generation though. The Harry Potter phenomenon made reading cool again.

SKUNK

Well, have to say, I'm not looking forward to work next week. At all. See, we have this little problem. It's black, with a wide white stripe down it's back. At least I ASSUME that's what it looks(looked) like. Somewhere around or under the building where I work there lurs(lurked) a skunk. It has occasionally been spraying the area. Particularly the area by our office. Bad enough. But now I think it may somehow have crawled under the building and died. At least that's what it smells like. OOOO baby, and in summer too!

I love animals. I do not love skunk smell. Last time we had to deal with this it lasted over a month -- and it wasn't nearly this bad.

Life is such an adventure!

Welcome to Friday

Welcome to Friday.

I've been thinking of buying a piano. I used to play when I was a kid. I miss it. I actually did have some talent at it -- not enough to make a living, but enough to enjoy myself. So I think I may get one now that I'm a grown up and spend what little time I have for relaxing playing the piano and singing the blues.

Yup, the blues.

My son tells me I was born the wrong color and in the wrong generation, because my voice was absolutely made for the blues. I love it. And I love gospel music. And really GOOD bad songs. There's a certain joy to singing something that is just SOOOOOOO bad it's wonderful. (Think "Why Don't We Get Drunk and Screw?" or "Let's Do Something Cheap and Superficial" or how 'bout a new one "Alcohol", or the ever classic "Copa Cabana"). My voice isn't what it used to be. I'm aging, and it's suffering from disuse. But I can still have fun with it, and I want to. Just like I want to do more of my paintings. But everything takes time, and there are only so many hours in a day. (Again I say unto you -- "Sleep? I don' need no stinkin' sleep!")

I'm going to be spending the weekend writing. That makes me happy. The book is coming along -- probably well. I can't be sure. I'm at place where I usually wonder if I'm wasting my time, if it's irretrievable, unreadable dreck, etc.

But I'll keep plugging.

HI GUYS!

Hi guys -- stealing away for a couple minutes very quickly to update y'all.

Things are going well. BUSY, but well. Cathy and I are each making progress on the manuscripts we're working on. (Our style of working is to each do a book separately, then trade for editing, then trade back). Work is nuts! Personal life is cranking as well. So, believe me, I'm not missing out on blogging by choice, there are just so many hours available and sleep has to come in there somewhere. (Sleep, I don' need no stinkin' sleep -- LOL)

I'm going to try to take time to do a REAL update this evening. Keeping my fingers crossed that I'll get to. I still have opinions on things like Fan Fiction and... well... everything. I just feel as though life has become a downhill slalom: WHEEEEEEEEEEEE oh shit there's a TREEEEEEEEEEEEE, WHEW missed it, WHEEEEEEEEEE.

ALSO, want to take a quick minute to welcome the new folks. HI MOONCATX!!!! (Cie is jumping up and down and waiving).

Gotta run -- the lift's arrived. (GRIN) Later.

HI GUYS/HAPPY WEEKEND

OK, I am doing this quickly while I have a minute. Things are insane busy. Good busy, but still insane.

The next mystery anthology is coming up quickly, and other things are going on as well. I'm really hoping that I will have good news to pass on soon.

If so, maybe I'll host another Blog Party -- if, of course, anyone would be interested. Hmnmnn. We'll have to wait and see.

Well, better run. Sorry this is so short, but I have miles to go and things to do.

Later.

Cie

OY!

Oy! My schedule has been NUTS. I keep thinking I can make it slow down, but that just doesn't seem to be working. I've never down-hill skiied, but I'm wondering if it's like this - exhilerating and a little crazy.

I can't even say what's got things so riled up. They just are. Work at the day job is crazy, but it has been for a while now. Writing is going well, but it isn't getting nearly the time I'd like to give it. Just... stuff I guess.

Have to take the cat to the vet again, his eye isn't healing up very fast. It's better, but it's not healed. This has been going on for a couple weeks. UGH. Hate having him feel bad. Hate vet bills. (Almost as much as I hate MY medical bills).

Raining again. It's been doing that a lot lately. I understand the midwest is having a drought. We are SOOOOOOO not.

Hope you have all had the chance to pick up Moon's Web. Hope you love it! Either way, like it or loathe it, please (pretty please) drop me a comment or e-mail to let us know how we did.

Jim, if you get a chance could you do me a favor? Drop me an e-mail with suggestions as to where to stay in New Orleans. I'm going to try to go to Lestat. Keeping fingers crossed that life won't intervene again!

Later guys. Thanks for stopping by, even though I haven't written much.

Cie

Thanks and Stuff

Thanks Yolanda for posting the review for us! Appreciate it. Also, glad you like the new cover for Kate/TOE. We're not posting it up anywhere like the blog or website yet because we want Moon's Web to get the glory for a little while. (But Jim, if you're interested and can get big attachments I can sneak you a peek).

Moon's Web is doing well and we're very proud of it. The whole cover thing is tricky because some of the publicity went out with the old cover, so it keeps cropping up (and OOOPS the space cadet forgot to send the stuff to Jim and Yo. SORRY! I'm writing myself a note now!)

Writing on Cat went marvellously during my vacation, but has slowed down this week as I try to get my feet back under me at the "real" job. One of these days I hope that writing will be the "real" job and the day job just filler. Not yet, but VERY soon I think.

Well, speaking of which, I'd better get back to it.

Cie

QUICK CORRECTION

Re-read previous post. Hunter and Web might be on the shelves, but with Cathy as the sole author.

But I'm glad that we're co-authors.

And I'm happy with the direction my career is taking.

And I'm rested enough that I'm actually thinking creatively again!

Amen I say unto you -- WHOO HOO!!!

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.

What do you want?

The big questions:

Who am I?
What am I doing here?
What do I want?

I am a big believer in goals. I think that unless you know what you want, you don't stand a chance of getting it. But sometimes, deciding what you want is pure hell. That, and determining the cost/benefit analysis.

One of my goals is that when I die there will be ten people left behind who can honestly say that their lives were better because I was here.

There are others, but that's the biggie. Don't need fame. Fortune would be nice. (REALLY nice). There are all kinds of things I'd like to do (I have a 100 things list of things I want to do before I die). But as an all-purpose, what I want to accomplish on the minimum, that's it.

Cie

QUICKIE

That is me with Onyx (my black cat that I lost a few months ago and still miss terribly).

OK, I'm at work and in a rush AGAIN. Still, things are going better. One day at a time. Happy news coming I think.

Thanks Yolanda! You rock!

Sorry this isn't more.... I dunno, interesting. I promise I'll write more soon. Tomorrow, I hope. Life is just so BUSY!!!

Welcome to the Weekend

We're almost there! WHOO HOO!!! Let's hear it for the weekend.

I had intended to have a big garage sale this weekend. BUT as of yesterday the City decided to tear up my street. SO, if people can't get to the house, they're not going to be going to a garage sale there. SO, I'm rescheduling, probably for next weekend, which is a holiday weekend, which could be either good or bad, I'm not sure which. But either way it leaves me THIS weekend to enjoy.

Talked to my sister yesterday. She had a really lucky break. Terrible wreck on the highway doing 70, (wasn't her fault), and she wasn't even hurt. Even the cops said she should've been killed. We are now looking upward and saying "thanks!"

My sister's brother-in-law died unexpectedly. They think it was pneumonia. The coroner didn't know for sure. It's been a bit of a shock to my brother-in-law. I guess this drives home yet again to TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES FOLKS. Pneumonia isn't a wimpy disease. If you feel your chest tightening -- get thee to a doctor. (And yes, that goes for me too. AND before you ask. I'm fine. Only a little lingering cough that comes from the asthma kicking in.)

Anyway, take care of yourselves. Buy books. Be happy.

Oh, and we may be taking part in another anthology. More word on that later.


Cie

Characterization and What Makes You Angry?

I was going over a couple things in my life and examining them. A question came up about characterization on one of the boards: Are characters a reflection of you. Do dull people write dull characters.

Define dull.

My answer:

OK this is tricky. Yes and no, not necessarily.

A writer bases their characters on their observations of life. Therefore, your observations combined with your imagination will color every character. So your brightness or dullness will influence, but it doesn't necessarily control. The broader your experience base, the better your chances of having characters that are not just echoes of you, or your first boss, or other real people you've run into.

I will admit that sometimes I have to fight an ongoing prejudice that comes from my own personal experience. For example, my high school days were NOT ecstatically happy. Prom Queen? Not so much. So, I have to be careful not to make the football hero jock guy into the ultimate jerk EVERY time. Yes, some are. Some aren't. There are layer and levels of jerkdom as well. But my first inclination, when writing a jock is to write a world class jerk. But the characters are BETTER if you can get past the surface impressions and prejudices, so that's what I try to do. FINE he's a jerk. Why? Is he being pressured from outside, etc.

Does this make any sense?

My life has taken a turn in adulthood I wouldn't have expected. I have met two SERIOUSLY COOL great guys who were football heroes. One played professionally. The other was just the Prom King in High School kind of football hero. They are two of the best human beings I have ever met. Which has helped me to get past the prejudice somewhat. But like many an old wound, the scar remains, and if you prod it too hard the memory of the pain is almost as intense as the pain itself.

********************
What makes you angry? Here are a couple of mine:

1) Deliberate cruelty. People accidentally hurt each other all the time. It's hard, but it's forgivable. People who deliberately are cruel just to get their jollies chap my hide.

2) Prejudice. Alas, this is mostly unavoidable. Humans are "us and them" kind of creatures. It's how we sort our world. Still, I believe you should TRY to overcome the limits of prejudice.

3) Laziness. OK I'm not talking the "I'm pooped, I need a vacation" laziness that means you sleep in for a weekend or go on a trip. I'm talking the "God did not put me on this earth to work." level of laziness. (Seriously somebody told me that once. I looked at him and said. "Glad to know you know God's plans. So, you're not here to work, why ARE you here? And while you're at it, you might check and see what his purpose for me is." For some reason he wasn't amused. "Well work is fine for YOU.")

4) I'm better than you are attitudes. (See the tail end of the description of #3) OK guys, at times I've worked up to four jobs at a time to support myself and my son. I've cleaned houses, scrubbed toilets, taken care of people's animals, etc. Mostly I've typed. I'm good at it. But my personal take is, if it's honest labor, isn't illegal, immoral, and doesn't hurt anybody, you shouldn't look down on it. No, I personally don't particularly WANT to be a plumber, but I'm damned glad there ARE plumbers, and I expect they make a he** of a lot more money than I do -- AND EARN EVERY PENNY. Ditto trash collectors. I am no better than they just because they chose a different career path.

There was a guy on The Contender: a boxer from East LA, by the name of Sergio Mora. He was talking about how he was trying to change the perception of boxers. He was also talking about the books he's read, things he's learned, etc. The man had a BRAIN. OhmiGOD what a mind! It shone through despite television editing. OK he's a boxer. I'm a writer (and a legal secretary -- whoo hoo). Standard prejudice would make people think I'd be the intellectual. Wrongo. I get the distinct impression I'm not even in this guys class.

Which is why I get pissed by people who do the: "I'd never!" about working at a burger joint or cleaning houses, etc. What you do does not necessarily reflect who you are. Frequently it just reflects your current level of necessity. I have a lot more respect for people who are willing to work hard at a minimum wage job than the people who whine and expect assistance because they can't get that executive position they feel they're entitled to and they think they're too good for anything less. It may put me in the minority, but it's the truth.

Does this reflect in the characters I write? I expect so. Just as my belief that when he said "Judge not lest ye shall be judged." he meant it.

OK I've rambled on long enough. Bored you to tears no doubt. Have a good day anyway. If you feel like it, drop me a comment about what ticks YOU off. I'd really like to know. And, as always, all comments I blog are mine, not Cathy's and may not reflect her views... yadadadadada.

Hi Guys

Hello everybody.

Sleepy today. Don't know if it's the cloudy weather, or just a passing phase, but I'm ready to curl up in a little ball and sleep.

Taking a break for a day or two to get my head on straight. I've been making good progress, so I can afford a day or two.

Hope you are all doing well.

Cie

Hi Guys

Good Tuesday morning to everyone.

I overslept this morning. I don't do that all that much any more. But today I slept hard and soundly enough to sleep through the alarm. It was 7:00 and the sun was well up and shining brightly when I finally managed to open my eyes. Since I'm usually up at 4:30 or 5:00 this was not good news. No writing. Not enough time to clean up for work, AND I was already late to go walking at 7:00 with my co-author by the time I was able to roll out of bed.

Now this could be either a good thing or a bad thing. Good, in that I finally actually got some real sleep (I've been having insomnia due to a combination of worry, the meds, etc.). Bad, because I get like this when my symptoms are starting to act up. I'm HOPING it's the former not the latter. Time will tell. In the meantime I'm going to be very nice to the old body in hopes of heading off any trouble at the pass.

Read a little bit last night. I'm trying to get romantic and sexual tension going in my head so I can translate it into the book. There's nothing worse than a lifeless relationship between a pair of characters. You can have a wonderful plot, but if the characters don't speak to a reader, they'll drop the book like a hot potato.

Well, gotta run. Real life expects my attention. Go figure.

Have a great day folks.

Cie

Things in General

OK, here goes. James is back in Brady. Job hunting didn't work out in Denver. It caused a bit of a strain. We're working through it. I love him, he's my son. He loves me, I'm his mom. But that doesn't keep us from getting really seriously upset with each other on occasion.

Good news is I got 25 pages done today. Real, actual, probably won't get cut from the mss. pages. Action that needed to happen to include stuff already mentioned in Moon's Web occurred. Romantic arc is progressing (sort of. I'll have to go back and flesh it out more when I'm actually having enough oompfh to create romantic tension). Romance is not my bestest thing, but I'm working on that.

James has applied for 3 jobs (and been told that a fourth place isn't hiring) here in Brady already. One bodes VERY well. Keep all available appendages crossed. He needs to start work as of YESTERDAY.

Well, I'm pooped from the page production, so I'll wrap it up. Send good thoughts my way if you get the chance.

Cie

Working Hard

Hi guys!

Rushing a bit this morning. Things in the personal life are being a bit difficult. I'll get past it, but it's hard right now. At least the lungs are starting to clear. I should start being able to sleep through the night soon. (I kept coughing myself awake when the meds would wear off). Stress also has added to the insomnia.

Congrats to Yolanda for finishing up her YA! Attagirl!

Jim, D.T. hope things are going well for you too.

Everybody have a great weekend. Stay in touch.

Cie

Hi Guys!

Morning D.T., Jim, Yolanda and everyone else who stops by or "lurks." (Somehow that word always makes me think of someone in a dark alley with a black trenchcoat and fedora).

Writing is going well. This is a good thing.
Health still improving. This is a very good thing.

Other stuff is being a pain in the patootie, but I'll get past it.

I do think I'm finally healthy enough to actually mow my yard. This will be of great joy to my neighbors, who have been being very patient while I've been sick. Then there are the inevitable (and innumerable) errands that have to be run. It's sort of like that old car ad about snowflakes. Individually, no problem, but they just have this tendency to gang up on you.

8:00 -- time to get to work. Gotta run.


Cie

WELCOME BACK

Hi guys. I'm back from the weekend.

Good news -- I'm THIS CLOSE to being over the chest crud. Just a couple more days of being careful and being a good girl and I should actually be feeling like a real live human being again. (Instead of a poorly animated corpse.) Bad news, being sick is EXPENSIVE. I SO don't recommend it! There are so many more fun ways to spend your money.

Work on the book is going well. Ran into a pisser of a scene though this weekend. Yes, yet again it was a transition scene that gave me fits. Give me action, give me angst, hell, even give me a sex scene and I can probably deal with it. But transitioning is just harder for me. I'm also working to amp up the sexual chemistry between the protagonists. I'm not sure it's working. It's hard to think sexual tension when you're sick. I'm sorry, but you're SO not in the mood. I'll have to edit it when I'm completely well to make sure I captured the tension we need.

Well, off I go to face another week. Miles to go, dragons to slay (actually, more like errands to run, but it doesn't sound nearly as exotic).

Later.

WHOO HOOO

New RX must be seriously tough stuff because after 1 dose I am doing better. Not great, but really seriously better. WHOO HOOO.

Got in a lovely e-mail discussion with a fellow author. Basically she is having the same problem a lot of us do. WHEN do you fit the writing in without screwing up the rest of your life. Don't know if my advice will help. Most people don't like it much. It consists of, get up way earlier than everybody else so that they can't interrupt you. Because as much as they want to be supportive, they can't quite "get" it.

Let me try to explain (I may already have talked about this in a blog a long time ago, but if you've seen it before, skip it or bear with me). People who love you want your attention. It's part of loving you. They also don't see why "Honey, where's my ... (insert lost item from wallet to remote)" is a problem. It only takes a second after all. BUT when you are deeply immersed in your fantasy world, planning the fight of the hero/heroine's life against a werewolf or vampire with supernatural speed (hell maybe even bad breath) there is NOTHING quite like the mental grinding of gears that comes with having something completely mundane drop down on your head from on high. There's a rhythm to writing. Break the rhythm, and the writing is choppy, and just doesn't work. Break the rhythm often enough and you can't even get back to the work. The creativity and ideas are just... gone. This is particularly so if you're writing in first person because in first person you are describing things as if you ARE the hero/heroine.

It can also be a little freaky for the person who interrupts you. I was writing a murder mystery -- first person -- hero a middle-aged, male, Hispanic bail bondsman with serious attitude problems. He's just discovered the bodies. My son (probably 6 or 7 at the time) wanders into the room to ask something inane. When I answered him, my body language, tone, choice of words, all were not MOM. TOTALLY weirded him out. (I wasn't mean to him, honest, but according to him it was very much like I was "possessed" and he DIDN'T like it.)

Last but not least, it's FRUSTRATING! It's sort of like the same radar that little kids have about their parents having sex. They can't possibly know, but they KNOW. Otherwise, how can you explain how they interrupt AT THE WORST POSSIBLE INSTANT every single time?

So, I moved my writing to times when nobody is awake or liable to interrupt. It's just safer and better for everyone concerned.

Have a great day folks.

Cie

Stuff

Good news - Writing is going great. James has a lead on another job. Dad's laser eye treatment went well. Mom's had hers and it appears to have gone well too.

Bad news - I'm headed back to the doc. Bronchitis is no longer getting better. In fact, seems to have gotten worse. Hoping we haven't once again travelled down the road to pneumonia, but it wouldn't be a surprise. Have I mentioned how incredibly much I HATE THIS!!!!!!!!!!! (Add a few more exclamation points -- I can't shout because of my chest -- but you get the general idea).

Amen I say unto you that this sucketh big time.

I am SOOOO ready to be feeling better.

Um, let's change the subject, shall we?

I, (yes me, the queen of noninvolvement in group activities) actually took the time to write an e-mail to the board of the organization I was talking to you about a couple of blogs ago, giving them my opinion on the position they had taken. I was polite, business like, and have since gotten some very nice replies in which they tell me "Yeah, we're working on it. We'll get back to you." Actually one person sounded just a LITTLE bit testy (probably because the group is like 9000 strong and she's gotten hundreds of e-mails) saying that the whole thing had been distorted and blown out of proportion, but that they were working on it and would get back to me.

I wish them luck. They'll need it. They've pushed a major hot button for a lot of people and will be under a lot of scrutiny from the membership for a while. Thing is, I think they had the absolute best of intentions. But trying to dictate morality... that's a job for your church (maybe), not your writer's group.

Anyway, everybody take care. I'll keep you posted. I'm very happy with the book progress. I'm averaging 12 pages a day right now. This is a very good clip for when I'm working a full-time job. YIPPEEE!

Hey Guys

Writing is going well. Bronchitis is still in residence, but seems to be diminishing at the moment (We'll have to wait and see how long that lasts). The brouhaha about potential censorship is still brewing at the organization. A lot of people have gotten very offended and are storming off. More are adopting the "wait and find out, but if this is what it LOOKS like it is..." attitude.

James appears to be doing OK, which makes me happy. Not independently wealthy, but hanging in anyway. I'm trying to remind myself not to worry so long as he says he's fine and seems relatively happy.

Actually, not a lot to say, and the book awaits, so... I'm off.

STUFF

OK, things are getting... interesting. A (very large) group I belong to (which shall remain nameless to protect the guilty) is starting to put into place some exclusionary rules that smack strongly of censorship. It seems some folks are offended by the more erotic romances and feel they need to impose their views on others. I hate it. It has, however, given me the first section of a possible new murder mystery:

"Well I NEVER!"

"Which would explain why your so cranky." Melody muttered the words just loud enough for me to hear. I spewed Dr. Pepper across the table, out my nose, and damned near choked I was laughing so hard. Totally inappropriate, it offended the hell out of Ms. Holier-Than-Thou. She stormed off, nose so high in the air an eagle might nest on it. . . . (Not that I am a liberal and anti-censorship or anything...)


Moving on...

The Supreme Court has ruled against Medicinal Marijuana. UGH! OK guys, in my opinion, MEDICINAL drugs are... medicinal. It seems strange to me that if I am in serious pain I can get MAJOR addicting drugs from my physician, but I can't get pot, even if it has never been proved to be addicting and is just as effective and possibly less traumatic to my body.

No, I don't use pot. But I have a condition that frequently results in chronic pain. I have been doing significantly better for about a year now (knock wood). But if it recurs, I would like to at least have the option. But NOPE.

Progress

Progress is being made. It's a little rough, but I can always go back and polish it. Editing is a wonderful thing. But I'm extremely relieved that the plot is actually moving forward.

Hope everybody has a great weekend!

Cie

The Good Things

Life is exhausting sometimes. I get caught up in the "gotta do's" and start running like a wild thing from pillar to post trying to accomplish more than is physically possible to do. How many errands can you stuff into one lunch hour? How much can you do in that half hour between when you wake up and have to start getting ready for work? It's counter-productive because you wind up so tired that you've dealt with today's crisis, but you can't prepare and do the things you need to do to make sure there ISN'T a tomorrow's crisis. So the next day you're in the same situation.

At some point you lose all the joy and juice and are just running for your survival.

I hate it.

It's a trap that I've fallen into more often than I would like to say: Dealing with the urgent at the expense of the important. It particularly happens when I get sick -- or I get sick when it happens and I've pushed my body too far. (I think this may be one of the oribus [correct word?] snake-eating-its-own-tail kind of things.)

I need to sit back, slow down, and be grateful for all of the wonderful things in my life. Once I show a little appreciation for what I have, I can enjoy myself and decide what else I want. So, for one week I am going to SLOW DOWN and cut back on some of the extraneous stuff so that I can ride the horse instead of having the horse run wild with me on its back. I think it will help me get the "juice" back in my writing as well. Because the only scenes that have had any life to them this past week or two have been really angsty -- and that's not what I want to have dominate the book.

Posts will probably be shorter than usual. Bear with me.

Cie

Welcome to June

Welcome to June. Time is flying by. I have so much to do and so little energy. But today I'm going to try to focus and figure out exactly what steps I need to take to get everything done. Wish me luck!


Cie

Good Morning

Just sitting down to breakfast and writing a quick note before work.

Got some writing done this weekend. Spent a lot of time resting. I'm doing a little better physically, but it's slow going. Ugh. I'm hoping I will have improved enough by tomorrow not to have to call the doctor and ask to switch prescriptions. I SO do not want to get pneumonia again. It is actually one of my goals in life (remember, I was setting goals -- this is on it) Never get pneumonia again. My current boss is one of those people who has *never* been sick for more than a day or so in his life. A cold, maybe. Or, he actually got the chicken pox a couple of weeks ago. (A mild case). Do you have any idea how envious I am of that?

Ah well, HE doesn't get to write books. :)

Writing went well this weekend. Making progress. Cathy tends to write very close to a finished product with her draft. I work differently than that (which is partly why it's slower). I draft out a skeleton and then flesh it out during re-writes and edits. It seems that if I don't get the plot laid out very fast my characters wander off in all sorts of interesting but unprofitable directions and I lose the thread of the story.

Anyway, Cathy sent me the first chapter of the next book. It's VERY good! But we both have been bemoaning the fact that third person is just *different* and harder for us to write because we're not getting *into* the character's head as much.

An acquaintance of mine, Jay, is pondering writing a book. He's been pondering it for a while. I hope he does it. But I understand it's hard. Life keeps getting in the way -- along with all the psychological *stuff* (Fear of success/fear of failure, feelings of inadequacy,), and the actual mechanical difficulties of putting ideas into coherent thought, and thoughts into words, and words onto the actual paper.

Well, I have two minutes to finish my breakfast and start working. I'll talk to y'all later. Hope you had a great holiday (those of you in the US), and those of you who aren't -- hope you had a great few days.

Later.

Cie

Happy Holiday

Hope everybody is having a good time over the long weekend. I'm taking it VERY easy. Mostly sleeping due to the Rxs. Got a little writing done though, which is a good thing.

Happy news! We've gotten a couple of reviews now of the mystery anthology, "Secrets" (the one with the contest to guess which stories are fact and which ones fiction). ANYWAY, in both of them, my story got singled out for really great praise! (YIPPEE)

"The Apple Doesn't Fall...." is a standout short mystery, complete with a riveting plot and well-drawn characters. You'll be motivated to see what else author C.T. Adams has written, and good news: there is a backlist.


Reviewed by Jamie Engle


ALSO,we received a bookkeeping sheet for the sales of Hunter's Moon through December and (DRUM ROLL) WE EARNED THROUGH!!!!! IN ONE MONTH!!!!! WHOOO HOOO!!!!!

OK time for some major attagirls! Which is really a good thing because since I've been feeling lousy physically I've been feeling bad about my writing. I'm really SO much slower than Cathy. AND we're doing these two in third person which is just hard for me. But perseverence is a BIG thing, and I will just KEEP plugging.

I do think that if we haven't contracted for a bunch when we get these three done I may go back to one of the mysteries I was writing. I would like for us to have books in more than just the paranormal romance section -- although that really is my first love.

We'll have to see.

In the meantime, I'm trying to get my act together and (a) write and (b) get things organized to buy the house and get my finances straightened out. Wish me luck! Who knows, I haven't checked my lottery ticket -- I may just be a multi-millionairess and not know. (LOL)

Later guys!

Cie

UGH

Hi guys! Hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend. I'm spending most of it in bed. Bronchitis it is. Sigh. Went to the doctor and got serious antibiotics and cough medicine to prevent it from going into pneumonia.

I also need to apologize to my (hopefully infinitely patient) co-author. She's been getting the short end of the stick for a bit now and I said something that I didn't mean to sound snarky that probably did. UGH! I REALLY need to work on my social skills. It doesn't help that when I don't feel good I have NO edit function whatsoever. It's just a saw something in the ARC that made me panic. One of those stupid little things that really don't matter but drive you nuts because no matter how many times a book goes through editing you are NEVER going to catch them all.

For the record, Cathy is the best. Not only is she a really cool lady, she's incredibly talented as a writer and a genius when it comes to marketing. But aside from all the partnership stuff, she's one of my favorite people on the planet.

ANYWAY, she has developed a really cool subplot for Captive Moon, the book that is coming along very nicely and is up next on deadlines. Right now my goal is to STAY OUT OF THE WAY while she does her thing and MOVE MY FANNY on Catherine because I just DO write more slowly than she does. It's not time to panic -- YET -- but I need to not waste any more time!

So, with that in mind, I'm signing off, taking my meds and going to bed so that hopefully I will be in better writing shape yet this weekend.

Wish me luck.

Cie

Good News and Stuff

FIRST THE GOOD NEWS

Ok, I don't think I've posted this yet. We got a GOOD review from Mrs. Giggles!

Mrs. Giggles is a NOTORIOUSLY hard reviewer (to the point where a lot of folks are scared to get their stuff run by her) who very specifically DOESN'T want authors to provide her with books because she doesn't want them to think that they'll automatically get a great review. I like the concept of fairness in that -- but I hate the idea that some people actually think a good review would be a quid pro quo!

ANYWAY, she finally got hold of Hunter's Moon and she said WONDERFUL things about everything EXCEPT Sue. She HATED Sue with a wild and fiery passion! (I believe the comments included something about shoving the character face first into a wood chipper -- LAUGH). We've always known that Sue would be hated. She's so realistically weak. People always know someone just like her who drives them NUTS.

As a result of that brutally honest great review sales are back up. AND she wants to review the sequel -- Moon's Web. WHOO HOOO!!!! (Cie is doing the happy dance!)

Tonight I'm going to work on an article giving a sneak peak at Moon's Web for the LKH Newsletter and re-reading Web so that I can (a) do a good job on the article, and (b) Make sure that Catherine "fits" with the time line because the times overlap. I'm getting ready to go forward on Catherine again and I want to make sure I don't screw it up! (Darned illness that just WONT go away has been keeping me from getting things done, but I THINK it's almost over!)

Saturday we're having lunch with the woman who won the gift basket and ARC of Moon's Web, but other than that, my holiday weekend is blissfully free to RELAX, GET HEALTHY, WRITE and Work on My Goals!!!!!!

That's right folks, IT'S GOAL TIME AGAIN! See, periodically I put all my goals in writing with a plan how to get to them and how long it should take, etc. Sometimes they change, but mostly I have to update them when (BLARING TRUMPETS AND DRUM ROLL) I'm actually achieving them fast enough to need an update. (WHOOO HOOO!!)

SO, goal time is a GOOD time.

Gotta run!

Cie

Musing

OK, I've been musing on something very important. I've only touched the edges of it, and I need to really think about it. I think more clearly when I write things down. BUT this is not a "fun" post, and it's not necessarily going to reflect nicely on me, so you might want to skip it.

There needs to be a balance in life between instant and delayed gratification.

Sort of Dharma v. Greg if you want to go with a television analogy.

Instant gratification is immediate. You will be instantly happy. But if you go from one immediately happy to another it tends to stay on the surface. You're happy but not content or fulfilled. Sort of an "is that all there is?" Because MOST of the truly big things people aspire for take a time commitment and a certain amount of delayed gratification. Say I want to lose 10, 20, 30 pounds. It's not going to happen overnight. If I consistently go for the instant gratification of the chocolate bar I won't be getting the long-term satisfaction of losing the weight and looking the way I want. If you want to go on a big vacation, you probably have to go for delayed gratification and save up the money by *not* buying the magazines, books, or DVD's etc. Because every time you do, you set back your timetable.

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND if all you do is delayed gratification, you are frequently fulfilled but not HAPPY. Sometimes you forget HOW to relax and actually enjoy that vacation, and you wonder -- was it really worth it? I suffered HOW much for THIS?

You need balance. And that, my friends, is hard. I have tended WAY too much for the delayed and made myself unhappy. I know many, MANY others who have strayed too much to the immediate and are unfulfilled.

The reason this has come up is that I have been working toward this author thing for YEARS. I've wanted it since I was four years old. I've worked for it -- sometimes having to put it aside when there were other responsibilities, sometimes having to do it at 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning or not do it at all (Sleep? We don' need no stinkin' sleep! [Think that may have something to do with my current sleep disorder?]). So when it looks like something might be getting in the way and delaying me some more, or somebody gets all snarky and "well if YOU can do it, I certainly should be able to." (Yes, people have actually said that to me. Yes, more than one.) But they don't think THEY should have to wait or "DO THAT" hard work or sacrifice. I get HURT and I get ANGRY. (Insert she-hulk -- "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.") I feel like a little kid. "NO BUTTING IN LINE. IT's MY TURN!!!"
Childish, but very true.

I have classic "GREG." But I don't WANT to be the guy who worked his ass off until retirement and then was too unhealthy and worn out to take any of the trips or do any of the things he'd worked all his life to be financially able to do.

Life isn't fair. If they told you it is, they LIED. To quote a friend of mine "It's only slightly fairer than the alternative." But it's good. And it's MEANT to be good.

I want to SEE the fruits of my labor. I want to share the fruits of my labor. I want to actually figure out how to relax and have fun alternating with the work. I want to help people who truly want to make it help themselves.

But you can't MAKE people help themselves. You can't MAKE someone not want to sleep in more than to exercise and control their diabetes. It's their choice and their consequences. You're insulting their intelligence and tromping on their free will by trying to force your view on them. But DAMN it's hard to watch someone making a mistake KNOWING they're about to hurt themselves.

I've made mistakes. (We all do.) I've hurt myself and need to make some corrections. It sucks. Partly because I've hurt myself and that's never fun. Partly because my mistakes will be impacting other people (some negatively) which sucks even more. I can take action now to fix it, (delayed gratification) or I can just let it go and see if it all works out(much easier/instant gratification). Good or bad, it's my choice.

Almost Forgot

Cathy did a brilliant job on a media page! You might want to take a peek.

And thanks again Figarou for the DVD. You ROCK!

Yippie ki yi yay.

Hi guys! Jim, haven't heard much from you. Hope you are happy and well and just busy. Hope you had a great trip. Sounded like it.

I have good news: (DRUM ROLL PLEASE)

KATE IS FINISHED AND OFF TO ANNA FOR EDITS! (WHOOO HOOO)

Cathy did a MARVELOUS job, we worked out the final chapter so it isn't anticlimactic, and towards the end of the book more of Kate's original character shines through so I felt she was less ordinary, which makes me happy. I'm SOOOOOOO Glad because BOY did this book fight me/us -- every single step of the way. But it's a good book -- even if I do say so myself. The romance is now more present and real instead of an afterthought.

MORE GOOD NEWS -- We actually WON a couple of awards. For those of you who have been paying attention, we've mostly been competing against the same books in every contest and almost always coming in Second. Terrifically flattering but also a little, shall we say, FRUSTRATING.

We have high hopes for Moon's Web. Coming out in August, which is faster than I would've thought. Time is ZOOMING by.

Finally shaking the last of the flu. Still don't feel GREAT but at least I'm not depressed, sick and miserable and ferociously grumpy. I really feel even more sorry for everyone around me than I do for me when I'm sick. I do not go quietly into illness, which is why I try to stay the he** away from everybody (aside from contagion). If I don't I might find some of my friendships won't survive. I would say that normally I'm a relatively nice person. When I'm sick I'm just not normal.

I'm frustrated with my son. Karma at its finest. Enough said.

I'm getting ready for the RWA Conference in Reno. Originally I'd hoped to just switch over Cathy's registration, but they won't let us. Then I was hoping to get it done Friday, but there were glitches with my file at RWA (old e-mail address and can't find my password). SO, now I have to do it FIRST thing Monday and PRAY that they haven't already filled up. It's important we have a presence there, and that I present, because of Moon's Web. I just hope I don't wear myself out as much as I did at RT. RT was FUN, but I came back so worn out that I got sick. OY.

Well, gotta run. My GOAL (ambitious as it is) is to get 10 pages done on Cat every day. Because deadlines are approaching. Wish me luck!

Cie

Miscellaneous Thoughts

The world is infected with Star Wars. Not a bad infection actually. I haven't seen the Clone Wars movie, so I will not be Revenge of the Sith-ing until I get my butt to the video store. And since I watched Episode I on video with a raging fever (if I recall correctly, which I may not)I should probably review that one too - although the chances of being able to get a copy of either at the video store any time soon are probably zilch.

Why does this come up? Because I read a friend's blog and he was complaining about not writing and observing how one little idea spawned this whole huge industry and he wished he'd be able to mine an idea like that out of his own head, but he keeps stalling out. In the end, he quoted Ani, about preferring to just shut up and do. I, myself, am an old school kinda' gal. My (possible mis)quote from the series is a Yoda'ism. "There is no try. There is only do, or NOT do."

I'm feeling better today. Fever seems to be permanently gone this time (keeping toes crossed, fingers are for typing), chest is less tight. Ears are still plugged, but they are always the last to clear.

This, of course, means that I can, actually (DRUM ROLL HERE) do the Kate edits.

Ah, the Kate edits. Cathy and I have been discussing this a lot. I've been very frustrated with this book, and with myself because it needed so VERY much work. I feel like I should be able to put out a better initial product. This, of course, feeds into my insecurities about Cathy being a better writer and not needing my input, etc. etc. (I am not insecure. OK maybe a LITTLE... No? ALL RIGHT THEN, I'm a freaking basket case some of the time! ARE YOU HAPPY?!!!) [grin]. Seriously, I do fret. The good news is that the editor loves the character, world, and plot. So now that we're in the final stretch of fixing the things she DIDN'T love, we should be OK. I just need to get cracking on it.

Also, I need to pull "Old Bessie" out of the closet and hook her back up to pull off some old files for Catherine and/or some short stories that I have the weird feeling I'm going to need. (Don't ask me why. I just get these feelings sometimes.) One of them is a traditional vampire story/horror piece called "Those Who Won't Be Missed." Needs editing because my sub/un made the lead character look exactly like Katie. But it's a good solid story. If there's no anthology out there that wants one, she may just get put up on the website for visitors. Or not. I don't know. Have to wait and see.

In the meantime, I need to get back to work. I hope everybody is enjoying themselves and life is good. I'm still doing the mom thing and worrying about my son (he's adult, he's capable, but he's MY son, so I worry). Anyway he has a birthday coming up, so he's on my mind a lot. (Then again, he's always on my mind anyway). I love him. I miss him. I want him to be happy.

Well, gotta run.

Cie

Stuff in General

I hate the flu. I suppose I should be grateful that I don't have bronchitis or pneumonia agani, but the flu is bad enough thank you very much. Makes me feel so damned helpless and useless. I'm not getting anything done and time just keeps marching forward! UGH!

Cathy got me the version of Kate to go through. It's quite good I think. Of course, I can't truly appreciate it when I'm completely drugged out on flu medicine. Still, I'm very hopeful for it. I do think we need more of a sense of who she is right off the bat though. Through all the middle versions that got watered down a bit. She also changed a lot -- but that was absolutely necessary. See, the original story was straight action. No romance at all. Thus, it was OK to have her be a loner with difficult relationships and only one or two really strong friendships. She had a very "prickly" personality besides being strong. But while that makes for a very interesting action character, makes a love story impossible. So Katie softened up a little. Not a bad thing, but a change nonetheless. Truthfully, I've noticed in romance (don't shoot me guys, I'm just reporting what I've read of the competition -- which are bestsellers) that they SAY they want a "kick butt" heroine, but when the time comes, they definitely want her to be LESS kick butt than her hero. Its our traditional culturalization coming through. I could go on (and on and on) about the dichotomy, but I think it all boils down to the fact that most romance readers are women and we have been socialized that while it's important to be strong we're not supposed to SHOW it and in most places (although this is changing) we are definitely NOT supposed to outshine our men. Which, by the way, sucketh big pond scum covered rocks if you're really ambitious because if you're successful you're going to be shoved into trying to find someone even MORE successful when actually you might do better with a nice, supportive, house husband type.

Still, I don't see romance readers buying a book about the house husband. These are, after all, a form of fantasy, and theres nothing fantasy inducing about cleaning the toilets and scrubbing the floors.

OK, this post is going off in very weird directions. Blame it on the meds.

Later.

Cie

UGH

I'm sick. Caught some sort of cold/fluey thing. This is not good. SO, I'm taking heavy-duty decongestants, resting, LOTS of vitamin C, and hoping for the best. Can't take off work, so I'm liable to be spreading the crud. I suspect whatever I write in my current drugged state is going to be somewhat surreal, but I'm going to try to write anyway. I don't want to lose my momentum.

Still, anything I say today will sound grumpy and miserable on the blog, so I'll just sign off now.

Hope ya'll are doing better than I am. Take care.

Cie

I've been thinking

(Always dangerous, that).

One of the things I've been thinking about is ambition. I've noticed that most of the women I know (Cathy and I are notable exceptions) don't ever admit to wanting to succeed for themselves. It's as though it's OK to "do it for your children" or "for your husband" or "to take care of your aging parents" but it isn't ok to be driven to succeed for yourself. Too "selfish" I suppose.

Well, guess what. I want to succeed. For me. Yes, I will absolutely help James, and my aging parents, (I don't have a spouse so that ones a non-issue) and give to good charities, but mostly, I want it because I WANT IT.

OK moving on.

I'm working on Catherine again. It's rolling along. Sometimes it's a little intimidating how MUCH there is to do. It's not going to be a small book. But Cat was the very first Sazi book that came into my head. The entire Sazi world was built for her. I want to do her justice. I may or may not succeed. But I'm definitely going to give it my best shot!

In order to make it a Christmas themed book I'm going to have to get "Christmasy" (I've mentioned this before, I know). So I'm going to pick up a copy of "Love Actually" on video or DVD. I really like that movie. Although some of it is quite sad, mostly it's very upbeat. The writing is, in my opnion, very good in that the characters (a) act like real people (except for the stuff with Collin, which is just too silly, but fun); (b) actually stay in character. (POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING)






The wife who feels betrayed doesn't just accept her husband's actions no questions asked; the sister doesn't "abandon" her disabled brother to get a life of her own because she emotionally CAN'T. The characters do funny things, stupid things, and very ordinary things. Which makes this a Christmasy movie I can actually stand. It has its flaws, but I still like it.

Computer is still running a bit slow. I defragged, which helped. I de-spywared (for the moment. I think I have to do a more thorough job because it keeps reinstalling itself). I had to completely uninstall my virus software and re-install it, but it now appears to be working fine. It's been a pain in the patootie! I really HATE computer viruses and problems. I will never understand why folks would want to do something that destructive to total strangers.

Anyway, computer problems just slow me down so much, and FRUSTRATE me! Ugh.

Well, gotta run. Life and writing await. Later.

Cie

WELCOME TO THE WEEKEND

WHEW! Made it through the week! It was a rough one. By the time Friday afternoon rolled around my boss and I were both completely exhausted!

Cathy is wrapping up the edits to Touch of Evil, (a/k/a "Kate"). Apparently it's going to be considerably more "romantic" but remain an action/adventure at heart. Here's hoping I like the changes. I'm not really that romantic a gal. But the goal is to give the best book possible to the readers, and most of them wanted more "oomph" to it. I'll be going over it quickly for polishing and to check for consistency. It's always tricky after a major edit and there have been several for this book. Kate's a fighter, and she's fought us every step of the way.

I'm getting back to Cat. Since it's been so long I'm going to re-read what I've gotten down so far and the plot outline Cathy and I worked up. I've got my Christmas CD out and am hoping to really kick werewolf and were-jaguar butt! My deadline isn't for a while, but we have some other deadlines looming rapidly and it's just a good idea to be AHEAD of the curve instead of scurrying along behind it. Sometimes I feel like my life is summed up by the little guy with the broom on Rocky and Bullwinkle who sweeps up after the parade! (I think it's in the section on Fractured Fairy Tales).

Thus far 2007 is a blank slate. Nothing is contracted yet. BUT we are working on a couple of proposals for a couple of science fiction books. Very promising. Of course we're also hoping there will be demand (DEMAND I SAY) for more Sazi stories and another Kate. We want you to be as geared up and anxious to get our books as we are to get books from our favorite authors.

Speaking of favorites. Dead Beat is out by Jim Butcher. Great book. I love the whole Harry Dresden series. Wasn't as into The Codex Alera, but hey, you're not going to love everything by an author. (Except us. You are definitely supposed to love EVERYTHING we do... RIGHT?) I got completely caught up in the story as it rolled along. I would never have noticed the little inconsistencies that made it to print if people on the boards hadn't brought them up. Now I want to re-read it. But I gave James my copy, and the blasted thing has SOLD OUT it's first run. (WHOO HOO JIM!!!!) I'm going to call to see if my favorite bookstore still has a copy and have them hold it for me!

Also liked the newest Merry Gentry book by Laurell K. Hamilton. The time line is so packed that a lot of things didn't get resolved that were hinted in the previous books, they're still looming out there. But it had enough going for it that I didn't mind. I also think it was one of the better written books Laurell has done for a bit. Especially since the time line was so crunched.

Well, I've got to go. I need to get my day started. Most of this weekend is dedicated to REST, but there are some things that just need doing. So I'm off.

Everybody have a great weekend.

Good News

Good News!

We just got a review from Jill at RT for Moon's Web. WOW. VERY good, very flattering. I am SOOOOOOO happy. Thus far everybody likes Moon's Web better than they liked Hunter. Since Hunter was very well received, that makes us VERY happy and bodes well for the future books!

The next two Sazi books are going to be in 3rd person. Very different for us. Yes, we've written in third person before (and will again), but it's a slower process. I, personally, find that it's much easier to stay "on track" in first person. You ONLY have to worry about that person's point of view. What they see and what they know. So, if you have a compelling character that can maintain interest, you're set. But a lot of readers really don't LIKE first person. Third person gives you the privilege of other viewpoints and an overview. Both have their place, but I just find that I stay focused better with one POV, and that makes the whole proess easier and quicker.

Work is almost back to normal. Thank heavens! Unfortunately, every goof I've made for the past (almost) year since I got here all came to roost this week. UGH. I just keep telling myself that everybody makes mistakes, that none of them were irretrievable, and that I just need to work harder to see to it that it never happens again. But I HATE HATE HATE it.

James is doing OK. He's getting a little frustrated I think, but that could just be the fact that I had to call him in the early early morning (not his best time of day) because my schedule for today is fairly insane.

Writing is getting back on track. It's a little slow, but I've been having problems with exhaustion from having pushed my body too far for too long. Hard to be creative when you're having trouble forming a coherent sentence. Rest is definitely on the agenda for this weekend!

Well, gotta run!

Cie

Condolences and Crazies

Hi Guys:

This is going to be a meandering, stream-of-consciousness post. You may want to ignore it.

You see, an acquaintance of mine just lost a relative. It was apparently a lingering death, which is always so very hard. Hard to do (no doubt, although I don't exactly have personal experience), but so very hard for people who love you to watch. There's that whole feeling of helplessness. And by the time they're free of the pain of the illness, it's hard sometimes to remember them as they were BEFORE, when they were really themselves.

When I was a teenager I lost one of my relatives to death. She'd been in a nursing home for a very long time, had suffered physically and mentally. She was SO ready to go. And while I knew I would miss her, I truly believe my religious convictions, and that she was going someplace better. And even if I was wrong, that there was nothing after, the suffering would be over. I made the mistake of putting that in a letter. The person I wrote to (and their relatives) fell off the map right after. Which leads me to the conclusion that I shocked and appalled them. Perhaps not, perhaps it was just coincidence. But I don't think so. Because while our culture frequently talks about an afterlife, and death is inevitable, we mostly cling to life with a desperate fear of the unknown. ("I want to go to heaven -- but not just now please.") But I still can't see my opinion as wrong. There are even cultures that celebrate death because the loved one has moved on to a better place.


A part of me wants to send a condolence letter to my acquaintance -- after making a donation to the requested charity on behalf of her relative. But I don't know her very well, and I'm shy about intruding. Too, I think she's gun shy because she is a public figure who has been subjected to threats to the point of needing personal security. To send and risk it being misconstrued... or not send and have the person not know I care?

It's sad. I wonder sometimes if this "disconnect" we have in our culture now has caused the phenomenon of stalkers - or if they always existed? We work so hard just to get by and get things, that our children are spending more time with the television and the day care then they are with each other. I remember going out to play. Just "out". No constant adult interference and supervision. We had to iron out our problems for ourselves, between ourselves. (I wasn't good at it -- but it taught almost everybody else I know seriously good negotiation skills). I mean, the parents were nearby, in the houses, listening for the sounds of a fight or disaster, but they weren't SUPERVISING constantly. Play wasn't organized for us with ready made rules, etc. We got to create it ourselves. Sometimes better, sometimes worse. I still have a great friend who was a best friend in the neighborhood. I've known her all my life. When I went to visit my folks I HAD to see her! I have another friend from school (and one from my work years as a teenager) who drove for two hours to come down and visit me while I was at the conference.

Why do I bring that up? Because with the kind of mobility our culture has, it's hard to maintain those kinds of "roots." A mixed blessing that. You can pull up and start over if you need to. (And sometimes you do. In a small town you will never outlive your foiables. People will remember you forever as "the kid who...." So if you have a "bad reputation" from misbehavior relocating may be the only chance you have of getting the life you want.) But you also lose that web of connectedness. People need to feel a part of something - anything. They need to feel close to SOMEONE. If they don't have that naturally, for whatever reason, they'll try to create it -- sometimes disastrously. Obsession is never pretty. Whether it's an obsessive relationship with a gf or bf, or obsessive "fandom", it's still obsessive, and (in my opinion) a sign of loss and loneliness. (And the need for SERIOUS therapy).

But the FEAR of obsession is almost equally ugly. Gone are the days when you could start to call someone you liked but you didn't have the nerve and hang up. Caller ID would have you pegged as a stalker. And really, the early stages of lust/romantic love could easily be mistaken for obsessive, crazy behavior. (Hell, they're not far off). The socially inept are not mostly not dangerous, but there's that truly frightening minority out there, so people feel they have to "play it safe." So often the lonely stay lonely because the fear is too much to work through, or they're mis-perceived.


Don't get me wrong -- evil exists. There are sexual predators, serial killers and the like. And real stalkers are TERRIFYING. They steal your life, who you are. It's horrible. You have to be careful. I understand. But I hate it. I HATE that there are enough "crazies" out there that we don't feel we can leave our children outside playing safely. I hate that the media is a double-edged sword - it can be used to help find missing children, but it also can sensationalize problems in such a way that they're blown out of proportion and we're left living in a constant state of anxiety.

Why do the horrible things get so much more press than the beautiful and good? Are we really that voyeuristic? I don't know. Maybe. If so, it makes me sad. Because we're teaching ourselves and our young, that the world is a scary and dangerous place without simultaneously showing them that it is a beautiful and wonderful place. Showing that evil exists and is powerful, without showing an equally (or more) powerful good. That makes me sad. Hope exists. Faith exists. Sometimes they get overshadowed by our fear. Sorry state of affairs that.

Well, I've meandered all over the place (warned you) and still don't know what I'm going to do. But time's run out for blogging this morning, so I'd best get ready for work. Hope everybody has a great day.


Cie

General Stuff

OK, still pooped beyond belief, BUT, got to talk to James last night. He's doing fine. I miss him. He misses me. But he's got his act together and is doing fine. This is good news for a worrywart mom.

Got the virus protection software loaded again, scanned the computer. Doing OK thus far. This means that as of tomorrow I should be able to get back to Raphael and Catherine. YIPPPEEEE!!!!! WHOOOOO HOOO!

I've missed writing SO MUCH. Everything I've been doing has been utterly necessary, but the writing is my joy, and I get tired and grumpy when I can't do it.

Other than that, nothing new to report. Work is getting closer to normal.

Everybody take care!

Cie

Monday

Monday glorious Monday -- NOT.

James arrived safe in Denver and is now working on getting a job, getting an apartment, and getting settled. I am working on getting my life organized so that I can get writing because deadlines are zooming up to me at an alarming rate.

I'm a LITTLE less exhausted than I was, but not by much. Work this morning was INSANE because it's Monday and a court date for the criminal docket as well as some of the civil cases.

ANYWAY, I'm just grateful that things are going as well as they are. I'm hopeful about the future. Nervous about James' situation, but he's a grown up. He can handle it. (Probably as well as I can if I would just relax about it. But I'm a mom. Moms do NOT relax when their children are involved.)

Conference was wonderful. Met lots of terrific people. Read some great books. Saw lots of good looking cover-model types who were running around in skin tight tee-shirts that said "Got Sex? We do!" Saw my folks, saw a couple of friends I hadn't seen in years. Got to ride on the train in a sleeper car (which was one of my 100 things I want to do before I die.). All in all, pretty wonderful. Worth the exhaustion.

Well, back to work. Busy day. Hope to write early tomorrow so I can actually TALK to you guys. But I do hope you'll post. Pretty please?

Cie

Weird

Just re-read the blog. Weirdnesses abound. I see that there are links I didn't put in to words within it. (I'm not going to repeat which ones). Can't wait to fix the blasted computer.

Gotta run! Got a call from James, they're more than halfway there. Don must be driving like a wild man. :D

Later.

WHEW!

OK, to tell you how crazy it's been, I've only unpacked one of my two bags from RT (it had my underwear and my shampoo -- and James needed it for his trip this morning). Other than that I have accomplished next to nothing aside from work and getting James ready to go. Oh, and crying. I know James will be happier in Denver, but I'm seriously going to miss him. (And worry. Never mind he's a fully grown capable adult - he's my BABY. Irrational. Even a little insulting. But true. (And yet another case of karma turning around to bite me in the butt so that I'll be more understanding.)

I renewed my virus protection via snail mail instead of e-mail. I didn't want to put it on the credit card and decided to send a check. (Hey, I was going out of town for most of two weeks -- no problema, right. WRONGO.) It's still not back up and I appear to have a virus trying to make my life miserable. UGH!

Today I'm going to do really exciting stuff like clean house, do laundry, fix the screen door (done) and get my office in shape to start writing tomorrow. I'm hoping the activity (and my motivational CD's) will keep my mind off of fretting over things I can't do anything about (i.e., missing my kid who NEEDS to pursue his own dreams and an actual SOCIAL LIFE).

I realize most folks make fun of the motivation stuff. But it works for me. When I'm down, frustrated, whatever, the 30 day program helps get me on track. I've gone through it completely once, several years ago. (Picked up copies of the tapes at a garage sale). But I brush up on it with partial reviews frequently enough that I invested in the CDs for myself. (Got 'em used on E-bay from somebody who never opened past the first cd packet). I realize it is SO not for everybody. (People can blow through huge amounts of money with it like an addiction by going to expensive seminars and picking up master's programs and stuff that they really can't afford if they're not careful. But I also believe that a person should look carefully at what does and doesn't work for them. So I bought my CDs online; went to one seminar out of curiosity (It was a gift from a friend and former employer)(and made absolutely sure I wouldn't buy anything on impulse by leaving my purse, checkbook, and credit cards at home!)

Which I suppose says that I'm motivated -- but cheap. Tight as a drum. Scroogola. I, however, prefer to think of it as practical, thrifty, budget conscious, and a leftover from years of desperate financial straits when James was little and I was a single mother. It just sounds so much nicer. Words have power -- and I am a writer after all. (GRIN).

A couple of other things on the agenda for today are my thank you notes from conference. (We got taken to terrific meals by both our agent and our editor, breakfast by Laurell K. and Jonathan, received gifts, and such.) I want to acknowledge some of the folks I got to meet. (Although there were so blasted many of them it's a bit of a blur!) I also need to clean out my e-mails, send a thank you to Evelio who send me a wonderful DVD of the signing that I have NOT had the chance to watch, send my mother the hard-back copy of the book and the ARC for Moon's Web, pay bills.... (Crap, thinking about all of this is making me feel REALLY GUILTY about sitting here and posting.)

ANYWAY, I missed you guys. Hope you've had a great couple of weeks. But I really had better put in one of the CD's (either motivation or hair metal) and get my butt to work!

Have a great weekend.

Cie

Five Quick Minutes

Hi guys!

I have five quick minutes before I have to get back to work. There's so little time and so much to say. ARGH!

We got the actual ARCs in on Moon's Web. Got the new cover picture. Orders are up based on the new cover. I'm really happy with it.

One of the things I have to do this weekend is get out my thank you notes for everything that went on at the conference. Had such a wonderful time and met such great people. But BOY am I exhausted!

Touch of Evil is moving along swimmingly. Cathy is hoping to get the changes made by the weekend, then I'll review it and send before Monday. They're starting to gear up for publicity for it already, which is seriously cool since it doesn't come out until March! (Originally it was supposed to come out in January, but the schedule changed). That marketing is excited about it is a very good thing.

The folks (mostly reviewers, but the occasional gift recipient) who've seen Moon's Web in advance are all giving us great reviews and saying they like it even better than Hunter. This is great news! Woo hoo! We want people to be excited about the world and all of the people in it, and they seem to be.

Read a fun book from one of the Tor authors (coming out this September) called "Revenge Gifts." It's really a hoot! It's the story of a woman who runs a website where people can give gifts that are revenge oriented, but subtle. Like really elegant boxers that have metal mesh hidden in the seams so that they set off the metal detectors at airports; "allergy" pillows that are made of hand made lace stuffed with things like cat hair, etc. What a hoot! Buy it when it comes out if you like lighthearted fun with a little dark edge of black humor to it.

Well, time's up. Back to work I go. Keep in touch guys!

Cie

I'm BAAAAAAAAACK

Hi Guys!

Hope you're still occasionally stopping by. I was gone for a couple weeks at conferences and the like. Had the insanity because I was going to be off, the time off, and now the insanity trying to catch up BECAUSE I was off. ARGH.

Glad to hear that the mule made it Yolanda. You'll have to let me know how you like it. You too Jim. I'm anxious for feedback.

The new cover for Moon's Web is seriously cool. It should be up on the website in a day or two, when Cathy and I have recovered from the insanity of the trip.

James is headed out as of this weekend. I'm nervous (what can I say, he's a perfectly capable adult, but I'm a MOM). I'll miss him terribly, but it really is for the best. I should be able to write more too.

Conference was WONDERFUL. Our agent is spectacular, ditto our editor from Tor. Laurell K. Hamilton is SERIOUSLY cool as a person, as are Jonathan and Darla. Charles is cute -- probably married, but still cute. The male cover models that I met were seriously nice people. From what I understand, they had to put up with all kinds of sexist sh** that NOBODY, BUT NOBODY should have to deal with. Makes me mad it does! Yes, they're grown men who can take care of themselves, but STILL!

I'll write more when I'm not overwhelmed at work and falling-over exhausted. Write when you can.

Cie