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