Updating

Well, here I am, Sunday afternoon, haven't blogged for days. The last few days, I took a break and pleasure read. It was nice, but threw my sleeping schedule way off. :)

Here is the updates. I have a binding contract with Loose Id for Howling in the Moonlight now, so Kyle and Lannie are finally going to see the light of day. Thank goodness. HITM is the story that has been rejected several (oh about 5 times) times. But I didn't give up on it because I like it. It is the first of three werewolf stories set in a small town of Nowhere. Hopefully, I can knock the other two out for the readers in a rapid rate of time.

Still waiting on formal contracts for Tree Sprite from Samhain, but that's ok, it will happen.

Hm. Oh, Enforcing Justice (The Society 3) is coming along just fine and I am over two thirds done with it.

Started a new vampire story, Auras, that will be a more traditional vampire story. I'm on chapter 2. LOL. It will be a little while before it's completed. Be patient.

I think that's it on the writer front. Home front. Senior is costing me bank. LOL June is when she graduates and danged if everything isn't costing me now. Just ordered Senior pictures, the school play is next week, the yearbook will need to be purchased soon, PROM!!! ARGGHHH! And college exams and paperwork is driving me nuts. I sure hope the loans go through. sigh.

Otherwise, my life is peachy. LOL. Just busy. I need a vacation away and I don't think Calgon is going to cut it.

I wanna thank everyone for the comments, really. Thank you.

I'm going to go finish the cover art request for HITM. Maybe after that... I might write something. I left Alexi holding his cock and Chanda had this feather duster...

Brenda

Schedules. Bah

As you know, I have a couple of contracts in the mail, so nothing is being done about those two stories, YET. But, I'm working on writing two others. Yes. Two. I've upped my daily wordage, and am doing that on both of the stories. I have put myself on a strict schedule, that the family will inevitably trash each and every day, and I will see if I can keep my writing up, while not letting my house fall down around my ears. LOL.

I will keep you updated. And when the contracts are received, I will rejoice and share it with you. :)

I completed my wordage on Enforcing Justice today, even nursing a very sore back, and now have a couple of hours to work on Auras (a new story), so had best get on it.

Thanks for the wonderful comments everyone, I'm glad you are actually out there, and that you care. Muah!

Brenda

Great News!

This has been an interesting couple of days for me. Yesterday, the 14th of March, I received a contract for Tree Sprite from Samhain publishing. I'm very glad to be working with this new company and look forward to a long relationship.

Then today, the 15th, I received a contract for Howling in the Moonlight from Loose Id. That is fabulous news. I love working with Loose Id and it’s a great company. Glad we are continuing our relationship.

So, hopefully, in the next few months or so, I should have some offerings for the masses. Wish me luck.

With Howling in the Moonlight, I was stumped by the question: What’s the series name if there is one?

Oh bother. See, there are three books in this series. Howling in the Moonlight, Howling at twilight, Howling by dawn. My CP (critique partner) Jeigh Lynn suggested Howling for the series name. It might actually go that way, but the direction I want to take is…

Going Nowhere

The three books are based in the town of Nowhere, and thought it was apropos. Probably just call it the Howling Series though. Then in my messages or what-not, call THAT Going Nowhere. In the promotional stuff. How’s that sound.

I have had a great two days, which I needed after my stresses. I am a poor prima donna author and can’t handle the stresses of everyday authorness. Kind of like when a supermodel has a temper tantrum because she breaks a nail. I get all whiney when someone doesn’t like my book as is/ first try. However, with subtle changes here and there, wordage, and dialogue, and the axing of millions of dialogue tags, I did finally get the contracts.

As I said in that interview… Never give up. Keep plugging along.

Right now, I have to finish Chapter 8 rewrites of HitM. Night everyone.

St Patricks Day is coming

And my family tries to avoid it.

A couple of years ago, on St. Pats Day, my SIL (sister in law) and 6 ½ yo niece was in a car accident in Belgium where my BIL was stationed (Army). My husbands brother. The SIL and niece were coming home from Kindergarten around noon and at a bad intersection, pulled out into oncoming traffic. My niece sustained massive damage and they had her on life support. My SIL was in a coma for 2 months and is still trying to recover from her injuries and head trauma. She doesn’t remember the accident or her daughter. Most of her marriage is gone as well as the memories of her older daughters. It’s been very traumatic for my BIL and two surviving nieces. BIL had to make the decision to disconnect his youngest daughters life support on the Spring Solstice. She helped several needy children, but her loss is still felt in the family.

Needless to say, we don’t celebrate St. Patrick’s day. Not that the day had anything to do with the accident, but they are easy days to remember and suffer the consequences.

To be perfectly honest, that is one holiday we never really celebrated anyway. We aren’t drinkers (other than the hubby’s beer), partiers, or hooligans, so the celebration doesn’t interest us. I’m sure there are lots of Irish Saint reasons the holiday started, but it, like all the other holidays, have regressed into ‘get drunk and spend a lot of money’. Again, it doesn’t pertain to me, because I’m allergic to alcohol, and am perpetually broke with three teenagers in the house.

Anyway, I sit here, wondering what other people do on this upcoming holiday, why they celebrate it, and if they care about the original meaning. Or if, like the Winter solstice, it has regressed into something else entirely, such as Christmas.

But, I won’t get into that, because my views on when and why the holidays started is not what one god followers are sure is the absolute, unvarnished truth, I will just leave it at that. I’m sure there are Irish people who see the revelry and shake their heads in dismay. Then pick up a green beer and toast the room.

Me, I will probably get in some extra writing.

Which is what I’m supposed to be doing now. Yall got me all introspective and junk and now I have to write humor… Thanks.

Sheesh

Brenda

Sons and near exhaustion

Well, my son had his 16th birthday this Friday. Being the birthday boy, he got to choose what the family had for dinner. His choice? Sloppy joe's and Stove Top Stuffing. Interresting combination, but he had himself a craiving.

We also had cupcakes in two flavors, German Chocolate and Spice. With the daughter being unable to eat chocolate, and since she made them, we made both. Boxed cakes to be sure, but we ended up with 48 cupcakes.

You may ask, Why cupcakes and not layer cake? That's easy. We, as a family aren't terribly into sweets. Cakes, that we have to get a plate, fork and knife, cut, then eat, go bad and get tossed eventually. Cupcakes, though, are sitting right there on the counter near the cup cabinet. Whenever anyone goes to get a drink (and for some darned reason need a new cup each time), the cupcakes catch their eye. They grab a cake, get out a cup, figure the cake is tasty, get some milk and leave the kitchen. So, the cupcakes actually get eaten. As I said, we started with 48. As of Saturday night, we are down to about 16. LOL. There are only 5 members to the family, so we are racking up the calories. I counter that with the milk consumption. I have decided that milk takes off calories of the cupcake so it balances.

Writing... Not today. Gotta work on EJ. sigh. OH, I got a blah review for Midas' Treasure. I, being an intelligent individual, realized that they don't have a rating chart, so still posted the review (as I do, one line of it) on my site. They will never be able to say I only post the best reviews and who knows how many bad ones there are. LOL. Nope, the blecky one is there too, but if all you do is check out the reviews posted on MY page, you will not know it's bad. LOL. It does say (and it is verbatim) that I am essentially a witty writer. LOL I can deal with that.

FAR, though, gave me a fabulous, wonderful, stupendous review. 5 Angels. I'm totally jazzed. Check out the review in it's entirety by going to the website. I'm too tired to do it myself. LOL

Okay, I have a lot of stuff to do tomorrow. Hopefully, I will get some writing squeezed in there. The kids are going to hate me, but that's life.

Brenda

What a week

I’ve been messing around. Yes, took a break from writing for a few days. I played with my yarn, did a very little bit of housework, and listened to audiobooks. My Palm, with a memory card, can hold all of Nora Robert’s Blue Smoke, which is what I’m currently in the middle of listening to. It’s wonderful to not have to read the story because I can hear it in the car, the store, waiting for the teens, while trying to go to sleep, and while I play with yarn. LOL

No writing was accomplished since the weekend, but today, I’m back on track. I have completed rewrites on the Prologue and Chapter 1 of uncontracted Howling in the Moonlight, as per my editor’s suggestions. I’m hoping that with the honking rewrites it will become contracted. LOL When she sends me more edits for HITM, I will get them done.

As for now, I’m going to work on Enforcing Justice.

I think that’s about it for now.

Brenda