Thursday's Thoughts

It's graduation day for my niece. She'll be graduating from high school today and it's three down and one to go with my family. Our kids (my sister's and mine) have all attended the same high school and though mine graduated a few years back, I'm now going to enjoy seeing my niece in cap and gown today. It's a monumental achievement and though the weather plans a nasty heat, we'll be there with smiles on our faces and love in our heart. Milestones of any kind are heartwarming, yet bittersweet since I remember how I felt when leaving my dear friends in high school to go my own way. It's never easy but I managed to stay in contact and remain friends with many of the girls I went to high school with. And I feel certain sadness knowing that after today, we'll have just one more year of high school before all the kids in our family have moved on to bigger and better things. Bittersweet is the right word.

Tuesday's Tidbits

I'm getting excited about my trip to Reno in July. Having a book released in the month that I'm going to our national RWA convention makes it even more fun. Our chapter at OCC is planning some special things this year including having a hospitality suite up and running where our members can hang out when they need a break from all activities. We're planning a Pizza Party in the suite after the Literacy signing and we'll invite our agents and editors in so that all can meet. My good friends and I are planning a side trip to Tahoe first just for a day, to stop over so that we might enjoy some relaxation before the actual convention begins. I'm know I've got to store up energy because we always come home from these events totally exhausted. It's up at dawn and activities throughout the night. I get little sleep, so I'm planning on taking a mid day break to relax, maybe enjoy the outside, the pool or whatever it takes, to keep this energizer bunny running. Still -- it's always fun and educational. Can't wait. I've said that before, but it's true!

Thursday's Thoughts

The Joys of Womanhood -- I have to laugh at myself today at doing something really silly. Yesterday I got together with my two writer friends and we had a nice lunch and afterwards we planned on going to see a true chick flick movie of the Traveling Pants variety. (For research, mind you for those of us who might want to write a YA one day.) It was something we'd planned and replanned to adjust to everyone's schedule. All of us checked the times of the movie previously, so after lunch we bought our tickets and entered the theatre, chatting the entire time. When we finally found the right auditorium, we thought it strange that the movie had already started. And luckily, one of my friends had read the book. She said that this movie is more than mid-way through the story. Okay, we thought we sat in the wrong theatre, but no. Lo and behold, the times we'd checked last had been changed. They always change on Wednesday, but not one of us chatting females bothered to look up at the marquee and even the girl selling us the tickets didn't happen to mention that the movie was ALMOST over! We got our money back and chuckled at the silliness of it all. Just goes to show what happens when three women with lots of news to share, aren't really paying attention to anything, but each other! We sat at Starbucks in the Barnes and Noble and continued our chat -- completely unphased and enjoyed ourselves all the more!

Tuesday's Tidbits

I've been working hard on the synopsis for my single title proposal, and it's more difficult than I'd thought. Mainly because I have so many options, so many decisions to make, and much more room in a single title to go places I've never gone before. Therefore, I have to sit and really think about the direction I want my story to take. It's different in Category romance, because it's on a smaller and narrower scope, so the ending is always clear in my mind, and there's no subplots to deal with nor is there usually any great intrigue or mystery. I usually do have a villain, but its secondary and a means to an end, not so much the main plot of the story. With my single title attempt, I have subplots, a little mystery going, a romance with lots of issues and conflicts and well, I've never labored so hard on a synopsis before. But hard work usually pays off. Some of my best work has been more difficult than it appeared, and the author is often rewarded when the story is the best it can be. Let's hope so ... in this case too.

Monday's Musings

It's Monday again. Boy, did the weekend fly by. We had a great meeting at OCC this Saturday, my RWA Chapter. Liz Maverick spoke about Chick Lit versus Romance novels and it was enlightening. But we also had a good morning meeting with the Published authors and finalized some things about our Reno Convention. It's getting to sound more and more exciting. There's nothing wilder or more stimulating than 2000 writers all getting together to speak about the craft. I'm looking forward to the keynote speakers, meeting up with my new editor and taking some great workshops. And the parties aren't half bad either. Our OCC is planning a pizza party, the Harlequin party is usually top notch and then we have the Rita Ceremony, the Oscars for writers. All in all, a fun time. I'm glad I'm going this year.

Wednesday's Words

Sometimes the only thing consistent in the writing world, is the inconsistency. When I first sold, I didn't realize that and I spent a few years worrying about things out of my control, concerned about things I couldn't change. But I'm older and wiser now, not quite a veteran author, but one with a lot of experience. And yesterday I found out that my editor has been promoted -- I'm happy for her. She deserves to move up the ladder, but it meant that I would be getting a new editor. Someone who doesn't know me. Someone who may not like my work or my style.

Amazingly, this news didn't destroy my day. Amazingly, I could only anticipate good things. And when she called, I was happy to meet her. Ever the optimist, I figure there's a higher plan for me and that maybe, this new editor is a part of that plan. Anyway, the good thing here, was that I took it in stride. Perhaps, I'm learning that things will work themselves out in time. And that some things are meant to be. I'm a big believer that what we might regard as a bad thing, somehow turns out to be a very good thing. It's taken me years to understand that. And now, I'm looking forward to whatever my writing life has in store for me.

Monday's Musings

The highlight of my weekend was seeing Cinderella Man with Russell Crowe and Renee Zellwegger. I have to say it was the best movie I've seen all year for many reasons. For one, the acting was incredible, Russell C, seemed to be made for the role of James Braddock. His portrayal defined the character on many levels. And Renee Z played his quietly strong wife. I found this movie so poignant because of the reminder of what my own parents endured during the Depression. The movie brought back stories my father told of poverty and desperation, of a time in America when all hope seemed to have vanished. I don't think there was ever a movie made that depicted what life was really like back then so admirably and so honestly, But the movie didn't focus on that, it wasn't ABOUT the depression, but the time period was used as the backdrop for the trials and struggles of one honorable man to provide for his family. I always know when a book or a movie is excellent, because it stays with me for days and days. Cinderella Man did that for me. It stayed with me. And because I'm a romance writer, I loved it because it did have a happily-ever-after ending.

Thursday's Thoughts

It's Thursday already! The week is flying by. I guess when you're busy that happens. I'm moving along okay on my story so far. This single title I'm writing keeps me guessing. Those of you out there who write know, that second guessing your decisions comes with the territory. Usually by the time the proposal is written, the second guessing is over, but I'm not quite there yet. And the confidence I have in the story isn't there yet either. I have questions and doubts wondering if I'm headed where I want to be headed or if there isn't a better way to tell this story. Changing scenarios is one way. Changing point of view, is another. How much information to reveal now, versus in later chapters is another thing I second guess. There's so much that goes into a story, that readers probably don't realize. I know I'm guilty of the same, especially when reading a good book that moves along smoothly. I think that the author had it all down pat because the story flows and it's an easy read. But I know in my heart, that's not the case and when I speak with those authors, often I find that they struggled with their story the way I seem to with mine. It's comforting to know and at the same time, a bit disheartening. It never seems to get easier ... but then it's our passion, our life, but it's also ... a four letter word ... WORK.