Live it to the Fullest!

In my last entry I said that if I could be anywhere right now it would be with my friend who had the accident. Well, I feel the need to blog about her and what happened. I guess I need to "talk."

See, Karen is someone special. She's one of those people who can't say no, and so she always ends up doing more for other people than she does for herself. She can pinch a penny 'til it screams, but she's extremely generous with her family and friends. She loves to talk, but she's also a great listener.

Karen has been there for me every time I needed her. She was there all the times I needed someone but my husband wasn't there. Like at 3 a.m. when I was 7 months pregnant and deathly ill and needed to go to the hospital. Like when I had the stomach flu as well as a 2-month-old baby to care for. Like when I needed help with my son and with weather station shifts in San Diego, and she flew there to help me out. She has ALWAYS been there for me even if it meant a big personal sacrifice.

A couple of years ago, we left the husbands and kids behind to take a trip to England together. We had the best time of our lives. We'd been planning to do it again, (MAYBE with the husbands this time! ) but we made a rule: We had to finish the screenplay we were working on before we could go.

We haven't lived in the same state for several years since our husbands are both in the Coast Guard, but we've always been good about keeping in touch. Even when we get busy with our lives and don't speak for a while, there is never a sense of distance. We've always just...known when the other needed us to call.

I didn't call her before we left Michigan to move to Mississippi. I didn't call her from the hotel once we arrived in MS like I'd planned. I should have, and I kick myself every day for not doing it.

The day we got our phone hooked up in our house, I heard from her husband. Karen had fallen off her bike while riding with their young daughter. She hyperextended her neck, tearing her carotid artery on the left side. A clot formed at the site of the tear and broke off, causing a massive stroke. Massive stroke. Karen is only 33.

She's out of immediate danger now, though her chances of suffering another stroke have shot through the roof. She's in a rehabilitation facility, and making progress. It's wonderful news, given that there was a time when it looked doubtful that she could even swallow to eat. But she's still paralyzed on her right side and she can't talk--though it looks like things are improving on the latter.

I can't even begin to imagine how hard this must be on her husband and daughter, and Karen must be so frustrated and scared. It breaks my heart. Someone so young should not have to deal with this.

So people, don't take one minute for granted. You don't know what will happen tomorrow.

Oh, and if you've got any extra prayers, she could use them!

Friday, July 30, 2004 @ 09:31 AM CST [link]

RWA National

I'm not there. And I'll admit it, I'm jealous! I really, really wanted to meet my CPs and my writer friends, but because of the move, I couldn't. Plus, right now if I could go anywhere, it would be to visit my friend in Cape Cod who had a terrible accident. I'll get there soon, though.

In the mean time, I'm still jealous! The writing lists are quiet, my personal email is quiet...it's like the romance writing community has shut down, which I guess it kind of has.

Oh well. I have stuff to keep me busy. I just got a new editing project, I'm trying to put the finishing touches on my entry for Lori Foster's Brava Contest, and I'm getting my agent list put together. Oh, and then there is still house stuff. Lots of that.

And good news! We FINALLY got our garbage can. Just now. The garbage powers that be didn't seem to care if I called, but the day after Bryan calls, we get a can. What's up with that?

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 @ 08:36 AM CST [link]

Getting There

Now that hubby is home, the house is finally 'getting there.' I'd say it's about 80% done now. Most of the boxes are unpacked (though the contents are scattered around the house until we can find places to put them,) the garage is cleared out enough to fit one of our two vehicles, and we can move around the house fairly easily. But there is still a lot of work to do. Ugh. I hate moving. Yeah, yeah, I've said it a million times, but I just can't say it enough!

Today we're taking a short break from house stuff to drive to Biloxi and go shopping at the Keesler AFB commissary. For you non-military folks out there, a commissary is a giant military grocery store where the prices are freaking awesome. Last week I spent $80 on groceries there, and got about twice as much as I would have at a regular grocery store. Yes, my life is thrilling.

Also today...I'm starting my agent hunt. I'm in the process of transforming Emergency of the Heart from a long contemporary novel into a single-title novel. It's also getting a new name. Vital Signs. Wish me luck--both for the rewrite and the agent. I need it!

Hubby showed me something hilarious last night. Y'all (still practicing Southern Speak, though if I wanted to be true to Mississippi, I'd say "all y'all" because here "y'all" is singular) have probably seen it already, but if you haven't, Jibjab's "This Land" is hilarious!

Okay, last but not least (slaps own hand for the cliche,) I finally caught up on all the blogs in my blog list. Words For My Enjoyment was first--I don't usually read every one of Paul Davidson's entries, (he's best in small doses) but some of them are quite clever.

Kristen Havens has an unusual site--she keeps a blog for both her novel writing and her screenplay projects.

Laurie Likes Books had the most interesting entry of the day. Well, it's an old entry, but new for me since I'm just catching up after a month away from the internet.

Anyway, in her July 9th entry she comments on two of my friends' novels. She made a comment about Alison Kent that made me nod my head in wholehearted agreement. Laurie said, "Kent may be the best Blaze author and she recently sent me the first in a series of romantic suspense novels she's written for Brava. I'm almost done with it and quite impressed that she can "do" romantic suspense; if I'm not mistaken that's new for her. As for the love scenes, when she's outside of Harlequin's restrictions, well, wow."

Okay, I'm not saying this because she's my friend. I'm saying this because it's true. She IS one of the best--if not THE best--Blaze authors. I've read a lot of Blazes. A LOT. The reason I started reading them is because in the beginning, they were supposed to have a "Sex in the City" feel to them, and I loved that show. Alison Kent's Blazes always had that Sex in the City edge to them. The heroines are independent, unafraid of their own sexuality, and they always had close bonds with their friends. The friendship between the women is one of the strengths of her Blazes.

I've read comments from readers who complain that her books are just about raunchy sex, and it always irritates me. I think the problem for these readers is that Alison's Blazes aren't heavy with external plot. The bulk of the conflict comes from the characters themselves. Her characters and relationships are complex and REAL, but I think that without a large external story, readers sometimes don't "get" what's really going on--that the story is about the people, not the blown-up outside plot that a lot of authors use to hide the fact that they can't dig as deeply into their characters to create a story that doesn't need bank robberies and kidnappings and alien invasions. And just to head off a bunch of angry comments, I don't mean that EVERY author who uses lots of external plot can't dig into their characters and create an emotionally compelling story. Many manage to merge the two together beautifully.

And I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with stories that are externally plot-heavy and plot-driven. Not at all. In fact, I enjoy them a lot, and that's what I tend to write because I usually like a read that's full of action, though I do enjoy a more character-driven story at times. What I'm saying is that many readers who criticize Alison's books are probably looking for heavy external conflict and don't see what's REALLY going on beyond the sex in her books.

Well, the good news for those readers is that her new Bravas ARE full of action and suspense and external conflict. Oh, and REALLY great sex!

Another of Laurie's comments, about author Jill Shalvis, also had me nodding in agreement. About Back in the Bedroom she says "Those who enjoy boss/employee romances should like this one, and one of the things that make it palatable even for those who find such romances often nudging the line of sexual harassment, is that Reilly isn't prowling after Tessa. Both are attracted to each other, but it's Tessa who is the aggressor in the book. Which is also a nice change of pace for those of us who like heroines to take matters into their own hands when it comes to 'getting me some.'"

Agreed. I don't usually like boss/employee stories, but I really liked how Jill handled this plot. Jill always makes me laugh--literally out loud--while I'm reading her novels, and I always enjoy her heroines, which is rare. I have a tendency to be REALLY picky about heroines, and if I don't like them, the hero had BETTER be wonderful or the book goes in the trash.

And speaking of trash, I need to go call the garbage idiots. Again. Still no garbage can. Mt. Trashington is growing so huge that the garbage idiots are going to need crampons, harnesses, and ropes to tackle it. Sigh.

Have a nice Monday, everyone!

Monday, July 26, 2004 @ 10:17 AM CST [link]

Hubby Comes Home Today!

I've finally managed to wrest control of the computer away from my 7-year-old son, who is addicted to Command and Conquer Generals, a strategy game even adults have a hard time with. I'm convinced that my son is a reincarnated WWII strategist.

Anyway, as I approached the computer to see him manufacturing tanks at his war factory, I asked what he was doing. In a very solemn voice, he said, "I'm making sure Americans never have to speak German." Okie dokie. Kid, we gotta get you a swing set.

So I finally get the computer to catch up on today's blogs. There were some inspirational words at Dear Diary, and then I caught up with Southern Comfort and Jaid Black. I still have some more blogs to add to my list, but I'll hold off until I'm at the end.

In other, more exciting news, my husband comes home today!!! I'm so excited! Admittedly, some of that excitement is due to the fact that now I'll have HELP getting the house into order after the move, but sometimes I actually miss the guy!

Friday, July 23, 2004 @ 09:36 AM CST [link]

The Milkman Wasn't My Dad

I'm such a different creature from my father that my mom has always said I was the milkman's kid. I can't mess with my son's head with that particular wisecrack because we don't have a milkman. They went the way of the dinosaur.

Or so I thought.

How cool is this?

The milkman and glass bottles I remember are back!

Okay, today I caught up with Visual Rhetoric, where I found out that I was a geek. And Flying Leap, where the most current entry is one I read before I moved. (Hint, hint, Sally! . ) And Debra Salonen, who is writing her first single-title romance. And last but not least, Mad, who listed "101 Things." Good grief, I'd have trouble listing ten facts about my life, let alone 101! Kudos, Mad!

Thursday, July 22, 2004 @ 09:34 AM CST [link]

Gripes and Blogs

I love our new house. I love our neighborhood. I love the town we now live in.

I HATE pretty much all the services in the area.

Apparently, "customer service" is not something anyone has heard of here. I've been waiting over two weeks for a garbage bin. By itself, this might not be a big deal. But the thing is, the refuse company won't pick up your garbage if you don't have a can...even if you've been paying for the service! Now, here's the kicker. You have to pay for the service because it's included in the water/sewer bill. And the water/sewer company that services this area is the ONLY company. So garbage service comes with your water/sewer service, right? So why, then, would the garbage people NOT pick up your garbage--even without a can--if they are the only garbage/sewer/water people who service the area, so you MUST be paying them even if you don't have a can yet???? It makes no sense! But I just love how the garbage idiots LOOK at my garbage as they drive past. Well, when I finally DO get my garbage can and the guys have to stop to pick up what will by then be a Mt. Everest of garbage, moving boxes, and packing material, I'm going to laugh.

Okay, enough griping.

I added some new blogs to my sidebar, and since I read them today I went ahead and added them to the upper part of the list. I really need to alphabetize one of these days.

Today's blogs included Patrice Michelle, Slylvia Day, Cherchez La Femme, Celia Stuart, Sasha White, and Ellen Fisher. Lots of good stuff, though for some reason I couldn't leave a comment to terrorize Ellen's blog. I tried, but my computer might be freaking out.

Okay, back to unpacking boxes to make my garbage mountain even bigger for next week's drive-by.

Wednesday, July 21, 2004 @ 11:22 AM CST [link]

Today's Blogs

I realized that it'll take FOREVER to get to all the blogs I need to catch up on if I do it one at a time, so I'm going down my list and reading two a day. I discovered that I have more blogs to add to the list as well, so maybe I'll update my sidebar tomorrow. I hate moving.

Anyway, today I caught up with the blogs of Lydia Joyce and Alison Kent. Lydia discusses a newly sold author's experiences with publication, and Alison had some great discussions about Harlequin's decision to restructure their romance lines--something that directly affects me.

Harlequin is increasing or decreasing the number of titles in some lines, and has decided to completely discontinue their Flipside line. They are also no longer going to be selling their Temptation and Historicals lines in the U.S.

Figures, since I have a partial with Temptation!

I'd decided to revise the Temptation into a Blaze, but now I'm thinking that I might just hold on for a while and see what happens. I suppose there is still a chance that my manuscript could be picked up...though the odds have fallen dramatically. There probably isn't a lot of room for a new author if they are going to be selling fewer books.

Oh, yay! The cable guy is here! Finally, after two weeks without TV, I may be able to waste time with shows I don't need to watch!

Tuesday, July 20, 2004 @ 11:48 AM CST [link]

Online again!

I am finally back in touch with the world!

I have lots and lots to blog about, from good news to extremely bad news, but I'm still in the middle of unpacking the 341 boxes--yes, THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY-ONE!!!!--that got dumped on me by the movers a couple of days ago. My husband isn't here to help, so I'm dealing with the unpacking, the moron utililty people, and everything else by myself. Blogging is going to have to wait.

I have so many blogs to read, too! Argh! I figure I'll pick one a day and catch up that way. Today I think that one will be Emma Gads' diary, since I'm sure she's blogged about her good news.

See, she recently signed with an agent (Yay, Emma!) and will surely have her novel, Pretty Persuasion, in print soon. I certainly hope so. It's very rare that I've liked a historical novel set in the time period Emma has chosen for Pretty Persuasion, but I ADORE that book. The heroine is one of the most unique female characters I've ever read.

So anyway, off to read the blog of the day!

Monday, July 19, 2004 @ 04:39 PM CST [link]