The Monkey on my back and other distractions

Here I am again, letting so much time go by between blogs.  I've been working hard on pounding out critiques and writing my newest novel, titled: Keeper of the Southern Gate.  I'm excited to be writing again after the hectic running around during the holidays.  That monkey from them didn't climb off though.  I find that January with all its birthdays has me running around like the proverbial chicken without a head.  TIME!!! Just a bit of my own would be lovely.

Well there is the number one thing that everyone wishes for.  Splitting mine, between children, music, writing, advertising, finding book reviewers.  HINT HINT.  If any of you reviewers out there are interested my door is wide open, and that means a free copy of Quicksilver for you.  YEAH.

Okay, so I'll stop yelling.  I want just two days a week to write and have time to myself, but that monkey hanging on my back keeps just digging in.  There is not enough days in the week, and I just had more added to my plate.  Oh well, I'll knuckle down and spend more time doing the little things, and less time wasting.  Is that true?  Do I really waste time.  Well I don't waste time blogging, that's for sure, huh. 

Okay, so that little monkey will get worn down and let out of that cage that seems to be holding him.  I hope you have time in your life to spare.  Any hints?  Feel free to comment and let me know.

New Years the Cold Bear and resolutions

Speaking of monsters, the cold weather turns me into a grumpy bear.  I hate it, hate the snow, hate being outside in the cold.  I know, you say move somewhere warmer.  IF ONLY!!!  Anyway, my grumpyness shows up along with the snow and cold. What better way to spend my time than sitting inside my warm house and typing on my computer.  Email, Fanstory, Blogging, and yes, even working on those manuscripts, query letters, and contest entries.

That said, I've made my new year's resolution list.  Number one, same as always, lose weight.  Hard to do when you spend so much time sitting on your butt and playing on the computer.  However, with the new stationary bike, I vow to spend some time each day pumping my legs enough to match what my fingers do.

Number two, write, write, write.  I hope to finish two books this year.  A lofty goal, but I want to really push the publishing envelope this year.  I'd like to have a book a year if not two hitting the shelves.

Number three, and one that I hadn't considered until this year, up the contest entries.  Why?  You ask.  I'll tell you.  Entering contests with your writing gets it in front of the publishers and agents that wouldn't give your query letter a second look.  That's a great way to worm your way into their hearts.  I know, I entered a contest and had a publisher anxiously awaiting me finishing the novel.  Is she going to publish it?  I don't know, but at least she wants to read the whole thing and is excited about it.  More than I can say for sending out cold queries. 

There you've got my list. Oh, and try to blog more often than once a month, LOL.  Have a great year.  I'd like to hear what you have in mind for your new year. 

More monsters bad and good are coming out of my head this year, I'll keep you updated/

What a fright!!!

Most of my posts are about the horrible things we imagine in the night.  This time, the horrible thing really happened.  Those of you who know me know where I live.  For those who don't, the airplane crash this last weekend was right by my house.  Talk about scary!!!  I was so shaken and fearful for my friends who lived in the two houses that were hit.  I didn't know for about a hour and a half whether they were alive or dead.  You never know when your time may come to a screeching halt.  As it is, everyone was all right. Thank goodness, and we're all calming down, finally.  I hope you never have to live through something like a plane crashing into you house.  My love and peace goes out to you all.

Missing In Action

Wow, long time, no post.  Yes, that's me.  I know, I could tell you that the moon was full and I got lost in the woods, which you would know was a lie.  OR, I could tell you that I became the monster I do every month and my husband locked me in the dungeon.  You might believe that one, especially the men, but that too would be a lie.  So Truth?  I've been cramming to finish my latest masterpiece.  (Okay, maybe I'm the only one who thinks it's a masterpiece, but, Hey, I'm a writer, I'm entitled.)  Anywho, off the subject.  I've missed my once a week, have to get it done, whether I like it or not blog.  So, instead of hitting you with my latest paranormal muse, I'm giving you my scarier version.

I'm not a great cook, okay, not even a good cook.  So, I'm trying to not make a dry turkey this year.  Good luck with that, right?  Well I have it on good authority if you brine your turkey it makes it better.  So I opted for that this year.   First of all you need a turkey, no prob.  Ran to the store and got that right off.  I guess I should have asked what else you needed before I left, would have saved me two, no three, all right four more trips to the store.  The hardest thing to find? Well, besides Kosher salt,( I think everyone must be brining a turkey this year) finding a five gallon bucket.  Where do you get a five gallon bucket.  I have several, but my husband said that he refuses to eat a turkey brined in one of my horse buckets.  So, off I go to the store to find a bucket.  I thought, "No sweat, piece of cake."  Once again, did I mention everyone must be brining a turkey this year?  So, stopping at four different places to find a bucket, I finally found one of the last three in town.  No kidding.  Maybe hubby wouldn't have noticed if I used one of the horse buckets.

So, at last the turkey is in the bucket, soaking its little body and hoping to be juicy for tomorrow.  I'll let you know how it turns out. 

Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone.  Eat lots, sleep all afternoon, or watch the football games.  Be grateful you have a roof over your head and a flat screen on your wall.

Hugs to you all,
Joy

The Day After

All the little monsters made the rounds last night.  They were so cute in their costumes.  I remember the days I used to dress up and sit outside to scare them.  One year I was a demon, another Pumpkin head, (that scared the crap out of them) and of course there were years when I was my favorite monster, the werewolf.  Now I'm older, but not any wiser.  I could write about all those little darlings and their adventures, but alas, my current project is too demanding.  Anyway, I digress.  The scariest night of the year is over, and hence I'm left wondering what's left for the paranormal realm.  Do we resort to the monsters under the bed?  Or do we talk about other subjects.  I'm always up for something new.

So, to start anew, I thought I'd talk about the scariest thing of all, at least for us writers, putting you manuscript out there in the big, bad, publishing and agent world.  There's more bad than good in this.  You send out queries and wait for the dreaded rejection letters.  Is that a bad thing, or a good thing.  Well, it can be both.  I have to admit that the stories we writers conjure up, become our babies, in a real sense.  We want to protect them and keep them safe from anyone who might want to chop them up, disect them, rearrainge their entire bodies.  Now that sounds ghoulish, doesn't it.  But truth be told, it's not always a bad thing.

A manuscript might, as much as we think it's perfect just the way we made it, resemble Frankenstien's monster.  I wouldn't want to kiss him, would you?  All right, now that we've established he's not very attractive, how can we complain when someone wants to work on him with us.  A great doctor once told me, I can take any face and make it beautiful.  Well that's what we all want, isn't it?  Someone who's talented and capable to take our baby and make it beautiful.  Editors, agents, and even publishers can do just that.  If we're willing to take the critism and use it to better ourselves. 

What once was a mildly cute baby, or maybe a monster, becomes the most beautiful thing to not only us, but everyone involved.  It's hard to hear that what you've created might not be exactly what you thought it was, but we all have room for improvement, don't we?  Of course we do.  So send those letters out and hope for the worst to happen, the rejections, or the rejections with the ideas to make your story really shine.  Maybe you might even get lucky and someone really wants it.  Then you dance for joy (ha-ha) and get down to making all the changes with vigor and vim.  Just remember everyone has your best interest at heart.  So send away, dear friends.  And remember that even a moster can become a prince. 

Happy writing.

Happy Landings

There is something to that old adage of falling into the manure pile and coming out smelling like a rose.  Well that's what happened to me this weekend.  I am a new member of the Utah Romance Writers of America, just joined about three months ago.  Well I tripped on down to Bountiful to the meetings, twice and came away the new Vice President, in a board of extemely wonderful women that I truly admire.   So being the newbie that I am, I decided to enter the Heart of the West contest.  I was flabbergasted to learn that my book, The Ghost was a finalist for the Golden Pen award.  I have to admit that I'm new and had no idea what that really meant. 

I'd just came back from the League of Utah Writers conference with a horrible review for my published novel, and not much better for the two stories I'd entered in their contest, one of them being, The Ghost.  Anyway, so I went to the URWA conference expecting a fourth place.  Not bad though if I truly thought about it.  Imagine my surprise when I was flying over on my broomstick and fell into the awards ceremony and came out with the greatest Honor bestowed:  The Golden Pen Award.  I cried, hugged and cried some more.  All I can say is a big thank-you to all the judges, and my career has recieve a needed boost.  Once again my thanks goes out to all the fine writers in my critique groups and my dear friends, and of course the wonderful URWA.  Thanks.

The Witches are Meeting

Well, here's another week and we're closer to Halloween.  I'm looking forward to the Utah Romance Writer's Conference this weekend.  What am I looking forward to, you ask?  Well there's going to be great authors there, Christine Feehan for one, but that's not the best part.  There are going to be tons of other writers there who are just a weird as I am. 

Weird is relative, if you know what I mean.  Okay, so paranormal describes most of us writers, doesn't it.  I'm looking forward to talking with Agents and Publishers, hoping to sell my two latest books.  Keep your fingers crossed.  The Ghost is a finalist in the Heart of the West Contest, I'll let you know where it ends up.  Also there's a big witches kiss and send it ceremony.  Something I've gotten my black cat, broomstick and hat all geared up for.  I forgot the potion recipe, but I hope someone else brings that.  This is where you throw the last page of your manuscript in the pot and burn it, sending the smoke out to the publishers making them just wish your story would drop into their lap.  Who wouldn't go for that.  So, here's to all us paranormal writers.  Good luck.

I'll let you know how it ends up.  Meanwhile, keep howling at the moon.