On the long bumpy road to publication

Catch Up

2011-11-21T09:50:00.001-05:00

Hi All,
Wow...it's been a busy few weeks in my part of the world.
At the beginning of November, my family and I packed up and took off for a sunny vacation in Disney World! We had an awesome time, but it's definitely not a relaxing vacation. Between running from ride to ride, character dinners, and swimming, I'm still tuckered. But it was worth it. I think the kids are still smiling and have memories that will last a lifetime.

Just before we left, I found out that my New Voices entry was selected to receive a critique by the Mills and Boon staff. Colour me excited! I wish I could have been here when it posted (mine was in the last group of critiques--you can read it here.), but I was internet-less while cuddling up with Mickey. It was exciting none-the-less to read the critique when I got home. They had some wonderful things to say about my writing (yay!) and provided some helpful tips for improving my entry (which I completely agree with). It was just the boost to my writing ego that I needed.

So now that the end of November is fast approaching, I have my daughter's birthday party to plan, Christmas plans to make, baking to do, the regular day job, and writing to fit in. Does anyone know where I can get a couple more hours in the day?

Any tips on fitting writing into an already overflowing schedule?

Kristan Higgans is my idol!

2011-10-18T09:19:00.002-04:00

I was feeling the need to read a feel good book, so I picked up Kristan Higgans' All I Ever Wanted. All I can say is she does not dissappoint! I'm only a few chapters in, but I''ve already laughed out loud more times than I can count.

Between Susan Wiggs and Kristan Higgans, I am having some serious envy issues. These ladies are fabulous writers! Why can't they teach classes? (Hint, hint, ladies in case this post shows up in your google alerts *g*)

I did it!

2011-09-23T21:58:00.001-04:00

I finally hit send on my New Voices entry. Yippee!
Here's the link. Or you can also access using the handy dandy New Voices badge on the right (thanks Lacey Devlin). I'd love it if you'd stop by and give it a read (maybe even leave some comments, pretty please?).

Now that it's off my plate, I may venture in and read some of the other entries. Hopefully I don't get too jealous of all the talent out there.

Real Life Motivation

2011-09-01T13:00:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago I encountered a situation which made me realize that it's our instinct to seek to understand motivations...not just in books but in real life. We want to understand what makes people do the things they do. Because without motivations, their acts are just...random. And that's scary.

Although I'm Canadian, I live close to the border and sometimes go shopping in the U.S. On this particular day I was shopping In Niagara Falls New York with my sister. My sister normally does the driving, but I wanted to drive her in my first ever BRAND NEW car. And we were having a great time until our last stop...

Returning to my car, I discovered that someone had taken a key and scratched up and down BOTH side of my car. Why? Why would someone do that? I figured it was probably some kid with nothing better to do, but still I searched for answers. The desire to know was so great that I called the police and had them go through video surveillance to see who would do such a thing.

Let me tell you...the answer shocked me. The culprit was a woman in her mid to late twenties! A woman? Right away the police officer started asking questions. Had I cut her off on the way into the store? Did I park too close to her car? Did I say something to her in the store. Even he wanted to explain the behaviour because there HAD to be a reason. But the answers were all no, no, and no. Then my sister started hypothesizing. Maybe it was the Canadian plates. Maybe it was the foreign make of my car. Unfortunately we'll never know because we weren't able to get a good look at the licence plate of the car she drove away in.

But at least I can say that the incident made me realize how important it is to get the motivations right in the stories we write, because without the proper motivation, our characters' acts feel random. And that will leave the reader feeling unsettled, like something is missing.

Just like me and my poor scratched car : (

Contests

2011-08-22T12:48:00.000-04:00

I recently re-entered the contest ring entering the Where the Magic Begins contest with a new ms I've been working on. The final judge is from Special Edition, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed I get that far. If not, I hope to get some constructive feedback. I'm thinking it may be wise to wait for feedback before entering New Voices if timing allows. I'd hate to make the same mistakes in 2 contests.

Anyone else entering any contests? Planning on entering New Voices?

New Voices is Returning!

2011-07-21T09:36:00.000-04:00

I just saw this post on Kate Walker's blog about the return of the Mills and Boon New Voices competition!
It was so exciting I had to share!

Will you be entering?

Milestones

2011-06-09T12:19:00.000-04:00

So, yesterday was one of those milestone birthdays for me (ick, boo, ugh), which got me thinking about my writing goals. When I started writing 9 years ago, I never would have imagined that I'd still be unpublished at this age. Then again, I never would have imagined that if I was still unpublished, I'd want to keep trying for that brass ring.

I mean, what's wrong with me? Is it some sort of sickness, or am I just a glutton for punishment? You'd think I'd be tired of the rejection by now, lol.

Either way, yes, that drive is still there. So I'm going to keep at it. Keep writing. Keep submitting. Keep pulling out my hair.

Cause that's what us writers do...no matter what the age.

Workshop

2011-05-04T09:14:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I signed up for a writing workshop that I hope will give me the kick in the butt that I sorely need. It's called "What Does Nora Roberts Know That You Don't?" with the Colorado Romance Writers (Thanks to Lacey Devlin for bringing it to my attention). I read the first lesson last night and all I can say is ...WOW! There is a LOT of information. The trick will be applying it to my own writing.

I'm hoping that thinking about writing will get those fingers moving on the keyboard once again.

Oh Kitchen, how I miss you...

2011-04-05T13:19:00.003-04:00

Never thought those words would EVER flow from my finger tips, and get there they are. We've been without a kitchen for approximately 3 weeks in preparation for the installation of a brand new shiny one, and I really miss it. I even missing washing dishes in a real sink (instead of in my laundry tub)! Crazy, I know. But the wait is almost up. The cabinets are being installed today and tomorrow, and the counters will go in in about a week. Yippee! I keep telling myself that once the kitchen is done, I'll start writing again. I know its a procrastination technique, but I really do want to get focused again. I just can't do it in the middle of this chaos. But in a few weeks, I'll have no more excuses.

A Nanny Story With Sass Factor

2011-02-17T20:43:00.004-05:00

Hi All,

I'm lucky enough to have Judy Jarvie swing by to tell us about her next release (2 in a month--can you believe it?), Nanny Behaving Badly. It's a fabulously fun story, and I know her readers will love it. So heeeeere's Judy!

A Nanny Story With Sass Factor

Nanny Behaving Badly was a blast to write. Mostly because I gave sass factor full freedom!

Since Marcy is my long-time CP she will attest I love to let my characters banter. I like a bit of fun, a bit of attitude. And most of all I love the underlying sensual tension that causes characters to play along.

I love to let them have fun, say outrageous things, wind each other up – I guess it’s all related to pulling pigtails in the schoolyard. I especially love a hero who can give as good as he gets! It gets even better when the sass stops and things turn serious.

And in Nanny Behaving Badly there was a lot of things that fired things up between hero and heroine:
For starters rebel heroine Maddie Adams finds herself in hot water when she pushes the boss a bit too far at the end of Chapter One. (Note – I won’t spoil it by giving the story away but let’s just say she makes the worst impression possible with her new coffee shop boss, Lyle Sutherland).

Then they have to work together even more closely when Maddie accepts Lyle’s offer to be his son’s nanny. It may be a wise career move but it ups the banter and temptation factors hugely.

I loved writing their encounters, their fun asides and their differences of opinion.

If sass is the spice of romance writing, then Nanny Behaving Badly definitely gave me a chance to create something really piquant!

And lastly HUGE thanks to Marcy for helping me along the way. Nanny Behaving Badly took a lot of dirty drafts to get right and Marcy held my hand and kept me at it. I’m very very grateful.

WANTED: Nanny Behaving Badly

Waitress Maddie Adams hits black ice when she shocks her new boss, hot coffee king Lyle Sutherland, then agrees to be his son's SOS nanny.

It seems like the perfect solution to his childcare dilemma. But strong, silent-type Lyle is soon left reeling by his son's sassy new nanny.
Is off-limits attraction a 'naughty step' penalty? Can Maddie resist bad behaviour with the boss?

Out now with Embrace Books – http://blog.saltpublishing.com/2011/02/14/who%E2%80%99s-your-valentine-%E2%80%94-launching-embrace-books/

More info at www.judyjarvie.com and http://judyj.blogspot.com

Flirting With The Fireman also out now from The Wild Rose Press –
http://thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=195&products_id=4381&zenid=198ad25c404e5749ff949efd6c8af2c0

Thanks for letting me drop by - and a big big thanks to Marcy. Without her - Nanny Behaving Badly would never have gotten as far as she has! In fact Marcy features in the dedication to the book! (* Marcy here...Awe, you're so sweet, Jude*)

Writing!

2011-02-15T12:39:00.004-05:00

I broke through the post R slog and started writing again. Yay!

In a few days, I was able to write the short story (aimed at Woman's World) that I've been noodling for weeks, and it felt darn good! After another sweep to make sure everything is absolutely sparkling, I'll be back in submission waiting limbo.

It's small, but it's a start.

Anyone else starting something new?

My First Guest Blogger!

2011-02-07T00:00:00.001-05:00

This is a first at my blog...I have a guest Blogger! Yippee!

I met Judy Jarvie many moons ago over on the eHarlequin Community boards, and we've been critiquing for each other on and off for years. And since this is a very exciting time for Judy (2 releases within a month!), I'm thrilled to have her visit to tell us a little about her first release--Flirting with the Fireman. Take it away, Judy...

Busting the Waffle

Big thanks to the lovely Marcy, my long time CP, for letting me drop by and trumpet about my books.

Marcy’s the best placed person to tell you about my writing foibles– since she’s read so many dirty drafts! I wanted to write a brief post about the wonderful editor I met at Wild Rose Press and how she helped me so much. Her waffle-busting skills blew me away.
Vicky who deals with Sweetheart Rose is a very special editor. She read my book – saw things she liked in it – but told me it wasn’t quite right. She wanted more. I went away and expanded. It still wasn’t right and it needed a hard edit. Vicky tells it like it is but she also really fired me to want to get it right and impress her. At this point Vicky could easily have given up. Written me off as too much to learn. But she believed in the story. She liked the voice. And this gave me confidence to try again and make it better.

That’s what makes Vicky so special. The fact she taught me to be my own waffle buster!

What happened next was that Vicky gave me a brief tutorial on putting my own foibles right. She only showed me once but she showed me so well I was fired to follow in her footsteps.

Here’s what I learned:
I repeat.
I explain.
I can’t stop myself doing the above.
This drags pace. This pulls a reader out.
It may have strong voice but the story is the most important thing. And asides obscure the story.
Keeping the reader’s interest is paramount. They want to know what’s happening now.
So she made me stop. And boy do I feel a big difference. This post is a thank you to Marcy and to Vicky – who stuck with me on the journey and were prepared to try to help! We all need an extra eye to help us work out our foibles.

Flirting With The Fireman was released by The Wild Rose Press on 28 January. You can find out more here Link - http://thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=195&products_id=4381

LIBRARIAN BRIDESMAID versus FIREFIGHTER BEST MAN
Cyber sparks...combustible consequences
Felicity Truro's diary is fast filling up with problems. First there's the ugliest bridesmaid's dress in the world, then there's her sick aunt's serious secret. But it's Rod McAllister, the handsome firefighter best man with attitude, who's melting her willpower and frazzling her nerves the most.
Can Flick survive being a bridesmaid for the eleventh time whilst falling for the groom's aide for real? And how will she cope when Rod needs a stand-in and she's promoted to top of the candidate list?
And if you enjoy Flick and Rod’s story - on February 14th my release from Embrace Books, Nanny Behaving Badly, will be launched. See www.judyjarvie.com for more information!
HOT News - The Wild Rose Press has just won the Best Print/Ebook Publisher in the Preditor's & Editor's Readers' Poll FOR THE THIRD YEAR RUNNING. Huge Congratulations. Thanks for letting me drop by Marcy - as ever, you're fabulous!

Bits and Bites

2011-01-27T11:19:00.003-05:00

Can you believe that it's almost the end of January? Hopefully we've seen the worst that Winter has to offer here in South Western Ontario because I don't know how much more bitter cold I can take!

On the writing front, I've started polishing up my New Voices entry cutting a load of back story getting ready to enter it in the eHarl Valentines contest. The prize is the mentor ship of Silhouette Desire author, Tessa Radley. What an awesome prize! And if nothing else this contest is getting me writing again, which is always a good thing.

Plus, in the next 2 weeks, I'll be posting some information about a new release from my lovely CP, Judy Jarvie, so stay tuned!

Merry Christmas to all!

2010-12-24T11:03:00.002-05:00

With all the hustle and bustle of the Season, I'll just take a moment to wish you all the merriest of Christmases.

My gift to you is a New Year filled with good writing mojo...ready...set...poof! There you go. Use as you will. :)

Cheers and good wishes to everyone!

When in doubt, read!

2010-12-17T21:20:00.004-05:00

Well, I might not be doing any writing, but I'm doing a WHOLE lot of reading. I just finished a Jude Devereaux titled Return to Summer House. I didn't think I would like it because it wasn't the type of story I typically go for, but at my sister's urging I kept reading. And I LOVED it. It had a bit of time travel back to the 1800's and I bought it hook, line and sinker. Guess that's the mark of a good writer...to make you believe the unbelievable.

To fill the inevitable void brought on by finishing a book I picked up a Janet Chapman that has some past life story lines, and I'm so excited to start it. I'm hoping this will ignite some spark of inspiration in the story I've had brewing.

Either way, it can't hurt.

Proud Mama Moment

2010-12-06T12:51:00.009-05:00

I know this blog is about writing, but I HAVE to take a minute to brag (and I also don't have anything writing related to talk about, LOL).

On Friday night, my daughter had the privilege of being selected to sing on stage with Kenny Rogers and Billy Dean at Massey Hall!

To say that it was an amazing night is an understatement. It was all so surreal that the next day I was left wondering if it really happened. Did I really sit back stage and chat with Billy Dean? Did I really watch my daughter get fitted for a microphone head piece? Did she really sing a song written by Kenny Rogers with Kenny Rogers? Good thing we've got the pictures to prove it (my daughter is the one in the gold dress).

Needless to say, it was an evening that we won't soon forget.

A December Challenge

2010-11-29T21:38:00.003-05:00

Time to wash away the doom and gloom of the dreaded rejection. Christmas is on the way, and this time of year always makes me want to do something good, something helpful, to make a difference.

So this holiday season I'm committing to doing one good deed, no matter how big or small, every day until Christmas. But that's not all. I'd like to spread the word, to see how many people I can get to join me in this challenge.

This doesn't have to be time consuming or expensive. Your deeds could be as simple of letting someone else take the coveted choice parking spot at the mall, returning a lost glove to an owner, or maybe baking cookies for a neighbour you know could use some cheering up. No matter what it is, it's sure to put a smile on someone's face. And chances are they'll be a little bit nicer to the next person they meet, and so on and so on...

So what do you say? Are you up for the challenge? Let's make this season the merriest it can be!

Pass it on...

It comes before "S"

2010-11-25T21:35:00.002-05:00

When I opened my mailbox and saw an envelope with my own handwriting, my heart did a little flip but then promptly sunk when I saw how thin it was. Yes it was the response I'd been waiting for from the HAR pitch request I got this Summer. And the news was not good--an R.

On the plus side, I did get a page worth of feedback--brutally honest feedback that is hard to hear but worth its weight in gold. There were some positives in there, but basically she felt the story had too many predictable turns. And the predictable turns are an integral part of the story.

So this story is going to get shelved for a while. I need to move on...at least for now. Maybe someday I'll go back and try to fix the issues. But for now, it's time to get lost in something new.

Another Spark

2010-11-19T10:43:00.002-05:00

Two days ago, I was having a somewhat heavy conversation with a coworker about loved ones we'd lost and how much I wished my kids could have known my father, and I'll be darned if an idea for a new children's story didn't pop into my head. Spark! Pop! Bang! Smacked me over the head. I love when that happens.

I've let it settle for a few days so I could work out the details in my head, but I think I'm ready to start writing it now. I'm going to try a new writing style since I think it'll work well for the story. Time to think outside the box, right? Why not?

Any new ideas percolating for you?

Dreams Worth Remembering

2010-10-29T09:25:00.004-04:00

Why is it that the best ideas come when you're sleeping? It must have something to do with the analytical portion of your brain shutting down so the creative portion is free to take over. No matter what the reason, I'm really glad it happens.

Earlier this week an idea, a launching point for a story, sprung into my head in the middle of the night. I sat up, thought "Hmmm, that could work" and then went back to sleep. Thankfully I remembered it in the morning. So now I'm raring to go again. This story is a bit different: a romance with a touch of magic/paranormal elements, which is something new for me. I don't quite have all the conflicts/motivations worked out but I'm going to start writing the first chapter while the mojo is hot.

Dreamt anything exciting lately?

Shakin' Things Up

2010-10-07T19:35:00.005-04:00

As part of my new strategy to shake things up, I've decided to polish up and submit a children's story I've been sitting on for far too long. I wrote it about seven years ago when I went back to work after my first mat leave. It was a pretty rough draft (I've learned lots about writing in general since then), but the bones of the story were there.

So, over the past week I've polished that little gem and it's almost ready to submit. I know that breaking into the children's market is pretty tough, but the story isn't do me any good sitting in my PC. What do I have to lose by subbing?

So, wish me luck. I'm venturing into a whole new world of rejections, LOL. Wonder if children's publishers at least give you a gold star for effort?

Learnings from NV

2010-09-19T13:10:00.007-04:00

Phase one of the New Voices competition is almost up (deadline to enter is Sept 22) and it's been a learning experience for me. Here are the pearls of wisdom I've gained:

There are some FABULOUS writers out there! Can't wait to see how this contest shakes out.
Writing is a tough business and as soon as you put your writing out there for others to read, there are bound to be people who don't like it...and there's nothing you can do about it. *GASP* Guess it's time to develop that thick skin required if I want to make it as a writer.
Not everyone acts professionally when it comes to commenting and critiquing other people's work. But that's the minority.
The romance writing community is full of some wonderfully supportive women, and I count myself lucky to be a part of it.

There you have it...my 2 cents. What have you learned in the contest so far?

Done!

2010-09-12T23:39:00.005-04:00

I just pressed the submit button on my New Voices entry! Yippee!

I'm so excited about this one and would love it if you'd stop by and have a read. The title is From One Night to Forever in the warm and cozy category. Any and all comments appreciated. Just click the badge to the right (created by the lovely Lacey Devlin) if you want to be taken directly to my entry.

Even though I know the competition will be stiff, I'm still excited for September 27th.

I just love the rush of a good contest. Don't you?

New Voices

2010-09-05T14:58:00.006-04:00

And no...they're not the voices in my head, LOL.

I'm just finishing up my entry for the New Voices Competition for HM&B. I figure, why not? It can't hurt to have more than one iron in the fire. And I have to say, I'm loving my chapter. It's a story I've been mulling about for a while and have written bits and pieces. Time to pull it all together. My spunky rock-climbing heroine is lots of fun...can't wait to see where it takes me.
Anyone else out there entering?

Inspiration

2010-09-02T15:18:00.004-04:00

If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."-- Ian Hill, Motivational Speaker

So it stands to reason that if I want a different result, I need to shake things up. If I want to be a writer then I need to start acting like one. No more zoning out in front of the TV every evening, no more surfing the net on my lunch hours. I need to get busy writing my little heart out.

Anyone else planning to shake things up? How?

I'm Baaa-ck

2010-08-20T10:11:00.006-04:00

I just returned from 5 days of fun and sun staying in a cottage on the shores of Lake Erie. Here's a view of the lovely beach. The kids had a blast jumping in the waves, and I had a blast watching them (I may have jumped a few waves myself...not a mental picture you want, LOL).

But now that we're all relaxed and feel like we actually got to enjoy the Summer, it's back to the grind on Monday :( And that means not only the day job but also charging on with doing some extra polishing on the rest of my ms so it shines...just in case the lovely Editor asks for it (I'm trying to be optimistic).

Hope you're all enjoying the last that Summer has to offer.

I did it!

2010-08-11T23:10:00.002-04:00

After a month of polishing and fiddling, I finally sent off my requested partial and synopsis to HAR!

Now that it's out of my hands, you'd think I could relax, but...nope. No such luck. I keep wondering if I forgot something. Just like when I leave the house and wonder if I left my straightening iron plugged in. But at least if I did forget something, it won't burn the house down!

Guess I'll get comfortable for the wait and try to keep my mind off of it. I'm guessing it could be a while.

But there's nothing like more writing to pass the time.

Request!

2010-07-08T19:01:00.003-04:00

The Editor pitch went very well (must have been all your good wishes). Ms Scheibling was easy to chat with, and I actually felt more at ease during the chat than I did during the hour leading up to it, LOL.

The end result? She said that the premise sounds like a good fit for the line and asked to see the partial! Yippee!

I want to give it another look and polish before sending it off. But not tonight. Tonight, I celebrate...with wine.

Yippee!

2010-07-06T18:50:00.002-04:00

I've been selected to pitch my manuscript to the Harlequin American Romance Senior Editor on Thursday in an online pitch session!

I'm so flipping excited...and nervous. Wait...very, very nervous.

What will I tell her about my story that she doesn't already know from my synopsis? Will I be able to type fast enough? Form a complete thought? I'm definitely going to need advice from my pitch-savy writing friends.

Do you have any pitching pearls of wisdom you can pass along?

So long gone

2010-07-02T20:24:00.003-04:00

Has it really been almost 2 months since I posted here? Really? I'm a B-A-D blogger. Shame on me.

The reason I haven't been by...I don't have much to say. Aside from shining up my synopsis, I haven't been doing much writing--until today. Not sure why, but the spirit moved me today, and I opened up that word doc. And guess what? I immediately started to feel my mojo pumping again. I love this story! So why am I sitting on it? I need to polish this puppy up and get it in the mail.

You heard it here. I will get this manuscript in the mail before the summer's up.

You can hold me to it. In fact, please do!

What's keeping me busy

2010-05-11T19:34:00.007-04:00

Not much writing's been getting done lately. *sigh* Must get focused again--and soon.

Lots has been happening to steal my focus. Here are the high lights.

1) We adopted a new dog. Isn't he sweet?

And here he is easily falling into the pattern of begging with our senior doggie.

With a new dog comes lots of work...I'd forgotten how much. Our senior doggie doesn't make much of a fuss, but this one wants people to play with him, walk him, love him all the time...which we're more than happy to do. It just means that there's less time for other things--writing included.

Unfortunately, the cat doesn't love the dog as much as we do. She's been hiding for 2 weeks now. :( I really hope she comes out soon. We miss her.

2) Last week I had yet another gall bladder attack. This time I didn't want to let it go, so I have an ultrasound booked for the end of May. If I do have stones, it means it'll likely have to come out. Summer surgery. Ugh.

3) DD1 and I are both home with a bug today. Fire burning throat, runny nose, overall blahs. Fun times. At least the doggies are happy we're home. :)

So there you have it. Throw in the day job, and the general craziness of motherhood and you've got my life for the past 3 weeks in a nut shell.

What's new with you???

No pitch for me :(

2010-04-17T08:36:00.004-04:00

The results are in, and I did not get chosen for the online SSE editor pitch. Although I am sad, I can still route for my lovely CP Judy Jarvie who did make the cut. Go Jude!

I'm also trying to see the bright side of the situation....I can still sub. And I will. But I think I need to spend some more time with this ms making sure everything is perfect before I do. Everything happens for a reason--now it won't be a big rush to get this out the door. So really, it's a good thing I didn't get chosen.

There. Did that sound convincing? LOL.

Eeek!

2010-04-11T14:02:00.003-04:00

I just pressed send on my SSE Editor Pitch contest entry! Cue lots of nail biting and edge of the seat sitting for the next week until the winners are announced. There may only be one day between the announcement of the winners and the actual online pitch, so I think I'd better prepare something for the pitch in advance...just in case. If I don't get chosen, no harm done. If I do get chosen, I won't have to scramble.

That being said, I better get to work. I have a short window of quiet time. Must make the most of it.

Cheers!

Saying Goodbye

2010-04-01T14:49:00.008-04:00

It's never easy saying goodbye.

This week we had to say goodbye to a furry friend who's been with us for over 14 years.

Nearly 3 years ago, our cat Jazz was diagnosed with Diabetes. But we didn't let that get us down. We did our best to manage it with twice daily insulin shots. We loved him and cared for him,

and he lived a happy life with us. Until this week when the combination of an infection and his Diabetes got the better of him.

In my heart, I know that he lived a good long life. But it still hurts. I'm sure it'll feel like there's a hole in our family for a little while, but we'll keep his memory alive with the stories of the toughest cat I've ever met.

Like the time he caught a bird off a second story balcony, or the time he jumped from that same balcony and was returned unscathed by our downstairs neighbour. And best yet is the story of him swinging from our bird's cage like Sylvester the cat trying to catch Tweetie bird. The tales are endless.

Our lives were richer because of him.

We'll miss you, Jazz.

I'm at 50,000 words!!!

2010-03-21T14:32:00.003-04:00

I've been working on my little ASUS for a while and the word processor uses a different word counter than what MS Word uses, so I tend not to look at it. Imagine my surprise when I loaded my ms onto my PC today and discovered that I'm over 50,000 words!

When did that happen?

I've been revising/'add'iting for the last 2 weeks, but I had no idea I was that far along. The revisions are coming along really well, and I can tell that the story is a lot stronger than it was. Motivations are stronger, threads are stronger...I'm on my way.

Good thing, too, since I only have until April 12th to get ready for the SSE editor pitch.

Anyone else out there entering the pitch contest?

Busy, busy, busy

2010-02-21T14:52:00.003-05:00

I just found out that the Harlequin pitch for SSE line will be in April...which means I need to get crackin' on finishing up this ms! I only have about 1 chapter left to write but LOADS of editing. And I do mean loads. I've been trying to shut off my internal editor, but the time to let her free is coming soon.

I've also enrolled in two online classes since January. The first was the Susan Meier class I mentioned a few posts ago. This class was very useful and helped me see why published authors do the things that they do. The other one is still going on--Plotting and Motivation with Laurie Schnebly. I am lovin' this class. Already I've had a lightbulb moment with my wip. Laurie pushes you to boil your character's motivations down to one word. And you know what--it really helped to clarify things in my mind. Now I can see on which motivations I should put the focus in order to create the biggest conflict. It's all so clear now. Yay! So I'd definitely recommend the class to all you writers out there.

So on top of the house-messing bathroom reno going on in our home right now, I'll be busy for the next few months. But it's a good kind of busy and is ensuring that the weeks until Spring arrive pass by in a blur.

Hope you're all enjoying the last few weeks of Winter!

Knock on Wood

2010-01-29T09:17:00.004-05:00

Have you ever, in a moment of weakness, wished for a non life-threatening injury that would knock you off your feet, just for a little while, so you could have some time to yourself to write?

Take it from me...DON'T!

I verbalized that very wish to a colleague at work the other day, only half-kidding. That same night I had a gall bladder attack--a first for me. Wow, was it painful. And after some research I found that the most effective cure for gall stones...have them surgically removed. I'll have to go to the doctor to determine if that is required, but the thought of that scares the stuffing out of me, even if it would net me some quiet time.

Was someone listening up above and decided to either a) grant me my wish or b) show me that wishing for injury is a very bad thing? Who knows. But one thing is for sure...I'll never forget to knock wood after such a statement again.

Pitching Away

2010-01-23T08:33:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I emailed my pitch off to Donna Alward's Perfect Pitch contest over at eHarlequin. The winner will be lucky enough to have Donna as a mentor for a year. What a great opportunity!

I quickly discovered that writing a good pitch is not as easy as I'd imagined. But Winnie Grigg's eHarlequin workshop was such a big help (for anyone struggling, I'd highly suggest heading over and reading the workshop notes). With so few words to get across the main characters and conflicts, every word is precious. So I agonized over each one. Endlessly. Needless to say, I was very happy to get it to a place in which I was happy with it and finally hit the send button. Yay!

Donna, being the incredibly thoughtful author that she is, is not going to keep us in suspense for long. She'll be announcing the winner by Monday or Tuesday.

I'm crossing my fingers, toes, legs, arms...

Hope

2010-01-09T09:27:00.006-05:00

I had a dream last night that an editor called to tell me how well written my ms was and how much he liked it. Is this a sign??? I'm choosing to take it that way.

I pulled out my dusty ms yesterday (OK it's a computer file that can't get dusty, but you get the idea) and lo and behold, as I started reading what I'd last written, I discovered that it isn't half bad. It's funny because when I was writing it, I was sure it was complete and utter crap. I guess time does heal all wounds.

So with a renewed faith in my writing ability and a dream to give me hope, I carry on.

New Year's Resolutions

2009-12-31T10:19:00.003-05:00

I've decided that I need a kick in the butt. That's all there is to it. So I signed up for an online course called "Write That Book" through the Yosemite Romance Writers. It's a work at your own pace course, so it should work fine with my other commitments. And the most important thing...it will force me to write!

I'm very excited about what the new year will bring. The only thing I can control in this crazy business is my writing, and I plan to write the best damn book that I can. I will finish this thing in 2010! You heard it here.

Feel free to remind me in a few months ;)

Time Outs

2009-12-12T14:00:00.006-05:00

Last night, my mother took the kiddies so DH and I could have a much needed night out. I can't even begin to describe what a difference it made to have a night out as adults to talk, joke, eat non-kid friendly food. I love motherhood, but every once in a while us mothers (and fathers) need some time to recharge our batteries and remember that aside from being mommies and daddies, we're also people. People that have needs as well.

It reminded me of the writing process. In the past 2 months I haven't felt like writing...at all. But little by little, I'm getting my mojo back--that little voice inside my head that used to tell me that I could do this is becoming vocal once again. And I'm ready to listen. Finally.

Maybe every once in a while we need to step back from this crazy ride that is the pursuit of publication to remember that there is more to life. Only then can we realize that we would miss it if it wasn't in our lives driving us slowly insane.

Am I out in left field on this one? Does any one else feel the same way? Have you had to take a break from writing to rediscover your love?

Christmas Chaos

2009-12-10T14:38:00.003-05:00

The Christmas season is upon us and that means shopping, wrapping, baking...all past times that I love (okay, maybe not the wrapping). But what about writing?

With an unexpected vacation day today, I really should have plunked myself in front of my keyboard but instead I did the much needed running around that's been haunting me. And I feel terribly guilty. In the past, a day off work with no kids would have meant seven or eight uninterrupted hours of writing. But I just didn't have it in me today. Am I a slug, or what?

On the upside, in my travels I did pick up Brenda Harlen's newest SSE. Hopefully that will get me in the mood to start writing again.

Would it be wrong to ask Santa to tuck some motivation in my stocking this year?

Hello, Old Friend

2009-11-20T08:10:00.006-05:00

Not to say that you're old (LOL), but just that I've been away for far too long.

Where to start on what has transpired since I was last here? Well...sickness for one. I was the first one in the house stricken with the H1N1 flu, and it was nasty. And because I'm a loving wife, I shared it with my DH (aren't I nice?). Lastly, my DD2 (almost 4 years old) got it...and BAD. She was so sick that for the first time in her life, I was truly scared for her. Luckily, I was able to get the magical Tamiflu and after 3 days of pure hell she was feeling better (just in time for Halloween).

But that's not where the excitement stops. Oh no. 6 days after DD2 recovered we were booked to leave on our family trip to Florida. Talk about cutting it close. Not to mention that DD1 had not yet had the dreaded flu and we spent that entire week expecting her to come down with it at any minute.

Fast forward past much fresh orange juice squeezing and so many vitamins that I feared she'd begin to jingle, and everything turned out wonderfully! DD1 never did get sick, we had a wonderful trip and all is well with our world once more.

But all of this excitement means that my writing time has been nil. Nada. Zilch. And so, sadly, I will not be entering the Golden Heart this year. Sigh. But there's always next year, right?

Panic!!!

2009-10-09T09:14:00.005-04:00

Panic has set in...

A few months ago, I made a promise to myself that I was going to finish this ms and enter it into the Golden Heart this year. As the beginning of October hit, along with it came a stark reality...I only have 2 months to finish, polish this thing and get it mailed out! Add to that an upcoming trip and birthday for DD2 and I'm in some serious trouble.

I don't have that much left to write before I hit The End. That isn't what scares me. It's the editing. The first draft is pretty rough, so I know there is going to be a LOT of editing. I'm determined not to go back on my target, but I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with the whole thing.

I almost wish I could get up really high and get a bird's eye view of this story so that it could all become crystal clear...like when you're reading someone else's story. Do you ever feel like that? Any tips you could share would be greatly appreciated!

What's your Happily Ever After?

2009-09-27T10:17:00.003-04:00

The house is quiet. A rarity for a Sunday morning.

My mom offered to take the kids for a sleep over last night so DH and I could go out and celebrate our wedding anniversay. So we jumped at the chance for a night out.

As of Monday, I will have been married for 13 years. Worthy of a night out, right? The kicker...we've been together for 22 years. Considering that I haven't yet hit the big 4-0, I think it makes us, as a couple, pretty unique. We were high school sweethearts, however we waited 9 years before we got married. In those 9 years I went away to university, coming home only on weekends when my studying schedule would allow. My DH started a career with a schedule that made it difficult for him to come visit. And yet through it all, we managed to stay together. Not because it was easier to stay together. Because it was too hard to stay apart.

So there you go--my own little romance novel. Maybe that's why I've been drawn to this genre. What about you? What's your story?

The drama that is my life

2009-09-21T21:01:00.006-04:00

This past week has been filled with bad luck.

It all started during an evening speed walk with my friend. Imagine our surprise when a barking German Shepard emerged from the side of a house and proceeded to CHASE us across across a busy street. An energizing walk turned into a speed-run for our lives (or so it seemed). Very scary. Note to dog's owner: Giving your vicious dog a cute name like Ollie doesn't make him less scary. Just sayin'.

And then in the same evening, not five minutes later, we narrowly missed being spattered with egg thrown from a car full of teenagers. Stupid, to say the least. I mean, really, what's the point?

Then the kicker. This morning, I pulled into the day care to drop off the kiddies, and when I returned to the mommy-mobile, it wouldn't start. Nothin'. Dead as a door nail. So after calling a tow truck, waiting for the nice driver to arrive and start it, I drove promptly to the garage and had a new battery installed. The whole ordeal landed me an hour and a half late for work and a whole lot lighter in the pocket book. What a way to start a Monday.

But bad things happen in threes, right? So that should be the end of my crummy luck. I can hope anyway.

Anyone else out there having crummy luck, or is it just me?

I'm weak...

2009-09-19T19:23:00.002-04:00

I did it.

I gave in to the travel itch and booked a family trip to Orlando. I know, I know, all those reasons I gave still have merit, but the kids are only small once, right? Soon they won't want to hang around with us. They'll be too busy with friends and *gulp* boys to want to go see Mickey and Minnie with Mom and Dad. So I'm going to eat it up while I can.

I can rationalize anything.

I'm a writer, after all.

The Travel Itch

2009-09-11T09:27:00.006-04:00

What is it about the Fall that makes me want to book a vacation?

Maybe it's the impending Winter and mental flashbacks of digging out from under several feet of snow. Or maybe its the thought of the sun setting at 4 pm and the cold, dark drive home from work. Or the memory of the -20 C temperatures that leave us shivering in our warmest Winter gear. Whatever it is, it almost had me convinced to book a trip to Orlando this week. I came really close. Even had DH convinced. Until reasonable thought returned reminding me of the outstanding bills, car maintenance that needed to be done, my shaky work environment--none of which are conducive to spending thousands of dollars visiting Mickey and friends.

Darn.

So I have no trip booked. I'm dreading the thought of Winter coming. But on the plus side, I have a week of vacation time unaccounted for.

I smell a writing week in my future.

Go Read My Story at Read-a-Romance.com

2009-08-29T21:47:00.005-04:00

One of my short stories is going to be posted at http://www.read-a-romance.com/ starting Sunday, Aug 30. If you've got a few spare minutes, please stop by and have a read. It won't take long. And don't forget to rate it so I can see how many people stopped by.

The title is Home is Where His Heart Is. It's a story that was inspired by a time in my life when my husband was traveling a lot for work. I was at home thinking how much fun he must be having traveling all around North America, eating in restaurants every night, sleeping in hotels. Turns out, excitement is all in the eye of the beholder.

If you'd like to drop me a line, I'd love to hear what you think of it.

When I grow up...

2009-08-25T12:14:00.003-04:00

...I want to be Jodi Picoult!

I know, I'm a little slow on the uptake, but I just finished my first Jodi Picoult novel, My Sister's Keeper. I had not seen the movie, so I had no idea what to expect in this book other than what I'd seen in the movie trailers. I'm so glad I was clueless.

This book was fabulous. Not just a great story, but great writing. She wrote it in 6 different points of view, and each was executed flawlessly. Each story line held its own and yet she managed to tie them all together beautifully.

I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read the story, but let's just said it's been a LONG time since a book has made me cry...like actually cry. This book had me sobbing. Now that's a good book.

This was the kind of book that makes me want to be a better writer, makes me want to evoke that kind of emotion, to leave people talking about my book long after they're finished it.

If you haven't had a chance yet, definitely put this book in your To Be Read pile.

I'm about to start another of her books, Vanishing Act. I wonder if I'll be raving about this one in a few weeks time?

It's Official...

2009-08-21T20:33:00.002-04:00

I didn't final in the Golden Opportunity contest. I did come in 6th out of 17 and got some great feedback, which is worth it's weight in gold. Once I'm finished with the first draft, I'll go back and revise the first chapter keeping those comments in mind. Hopefully it'll make my ms even stronger.

Onward and upward, right? It's all we can do.

Contests and Short Stories

2009-08-21T08:53:00.004-04:00

By today, all the finalists of the Toronto Romance Writers' Original Golden Opportunity Contest will be notified. The calls started last night, and my phone did not ring. Not sure if it will today, but either way I'll be getting my scores/comment sheets this week, so that is something to look forward to. I haven't entered this ms into any other contests, so it will be interesting to hear what they have to say.

In other news, one of my short stories will soon be appearing on Read-a-Romance.com. I'll let you know when. Hopefully you'll go by, have a read and give it a rating on the site.

Yup...still here

2009-08-14T08:39:00.002-04:00

It's been a while. I knew this would happen. As soon as I went back to work after vacation, writing took a back seat again. *sigh* Other than a half hour here and there, I haven't had any solid writing time for 3 weeks. And frsutration is setting in once again.

It doesn't help that it's summer and here in Southern Ontario we're finally getting some seasonal weather. The last thing I want to do is keep the kids inside on a gorgeous sunny day so that I can write. But summer is fleeting in this part of the country, so we need to embrace it with both hands (restraints may also be required). Fall will be here before we know it, and with Fall comes... SCHOOL!

My youngest will be starting school this year. *deep sigh* My Baby. Hope I don't break into tears when they play the National Anthem on the first day like I did with DD1 (and it had nothing to do with national pride). I just can't believe how quickly she's growing up. Every mother says that, I know. But there's a reason for that...it's true! The only upside is that with DD2 in JK, I will have 1/2 day once a week for writing time. I guess that's what happens. As they grow up, I'll get more time for me. As good as that sounds, not sure I like the trade off of losing those baby years. But I don't have much choice in the matter, do I?

Woo hoo!

2009-07-16T19:00:00.005-04:00

Another 2000 words today! I'm loving this vacation--or make that my stay-cation. If I had a good solid month of days like these, I could finish this draft, no problem.

Honestly, I think I'm more like 75% done rather than 50%. I tend to write light, and I know I'll have to go back and layer in detail when I edit, so I'll leave room to do that. I'm guessing that I'm about 4-5 chapters from THE END. Woo hoo!

Even though I'm going to have to go back to writing at night and lunch hours very soon, I've made so much head way this week that now I'm itching to write. I may even try and squeak a few hundred more words out after the kids are in bed tonight.

Look at me, acting all writerly.

Happy Dance!

2009-07-16T09:50:00.002-04:00

2600 new words yesterday!

And no editing!

And the best part...as I hit a part in the story when I didn't quite know where to go, something remarkable happened. The story took an unexpected twist, something that I had never even considered adding until that moment. And now I am so excited about where it's headed. It makes so much sense!

I'm off to write. Hope I can add another 2600 words today, or better yet...more!

Progress

2009-07-14T21:59:00.005-04:00

See that little word metre thingy on the side...have you noticed? It's getting bigger! Yay! I added about 2000 words yesterday (today considerably less since I was distracted by a very important shopping trip, LOL), and plan to make even more tomorrow.

I'm determined to have a reason to attend next year's RWA conference, and for me that means entering the Golden Heart contest. And wouldn't it be sweet if I managed to final? I know, one step at a time. For now, I'm going to focus on finishing my first draft (although its been revised so many times I don't think I can call it that any more), no matter how rough and dirty it may be.

It's all about the progress.

Murphy's Law

2009-07-11T19:11:00.002-04:00

The muse is finally working again, and I have no time to write. But all of that is going to change...soon. On Monday I'll have 4 whole daylight days to write for hours uninterrupted. Whoopee! I can't wait. It's supposed to be nice outside too, so my cup of coffee and I can take the writing outside.

Does it gey any better?

Happy Canada Day!

2009-07-01T10:16:00.004-04:00

Today is Canada Day for us canucks. A day to celebrate our nation, to spend time with family, friends, and most importantly...a day off!

I started the day with a brisk sweat provoking walk with a friend, and now I'm energized! What a great feeling! With DH at work (unfortunately, the theatre doesn't stop for holidays), and kiddies home and itching to have some fun, there won't be any writing during the day. But I hope to sneak some in this evening.

In the meantime, I'm sure the day will be filled with loads o' fun. Hope yours is too.

And for all you Canadians...

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Urggg!

2009-06-28T19:16:00.003-04:00

I'm getting anxious to spend some real, uninterrupted time on my writing. Okay, I manage to grab an hour here, twenty minutes there, but it's just not cutting it. I spend as much time reviewing where I left off as I do writing. It's frustrating, to say the least.

But for right now, it's what I've got, so I've got to make do. Anyone have any ideas as to how to make the most of sport writing spurts? Do you have a system that works?

Birthday and Progress

2009-06-09T12:23:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was my birthday, and I was spoiled rotten over the weekend. Dinner out with DH, breakfast in bed from the kiddies (with Daddy's help, of course), and a lovely cake with my family on Sunday evening. A wonderful weekend like that does help take the sting out of a birthday.

As for the WIP, I shined up my first chapter (with the help of lovely CP, Jude) and entered it in Toronto Romance Writer's Golden Opportunity Contest. Its the first contest I've entered in a very long while, and I'm hoping to get some valuable feedback from it. As for finaling...that'll always be the dream, but I won't hold my breath. I need all my brain cells.

Such is life

2009-04-18T15:37:00.002-04:00

Even though my week of uninterrupted writing didn't turn out quite as I'd planned due to DD1's visit from the flu fairy, I still managed to get down 5500 new words. Not bad for a week that was intermixed with sofa snuggles, fetching drinks, and cleaning vomit (yuck).

But the one thing that the week did give me is a new found determination to finish this damn book! Now that I've gotten the partial down on paper, I'm seeing new depth to the story that wasn't there before. I'm getting better at layering in tid bits that reflect the character's personality and conflicts without the back story dump that I'd previously used. I think I'm getting the hang of this!

So rather than going back to polish the partial, as I'd spent so much time doing in the past, I'm charging on. I'm determined to get this story down before my muse flies the coop again.

She's not getting away so easily this time!

Bliss...

2009-04-07T10:19:00.001-04:00

I'm spending this week writing. Just me, my laptop and an endless number of empty pages to fill. This is this first time I've had so much consecutive time to write with no kiddies about, so I'm lapping it up. Yesterday was a little less productive than hoped due to a sick kiddo at home, but today there are no excuses.

So what am I doing here?

I'm off to write!

Back at it

2009-03-21T21:45:00.003-04:00

After much obsessing I finally gave in and resubmitted my story to Woman's World after waiting 6 1/2 months. I'm pretty such it got lost in the mail somewhere. So now I go back to the bottom of the pile and get ready to wait another couple months. Oh well... at least I'm subbing.

And while I was at it, I also mailed off a children's story that I wrote a few months ago. It's Halloween themed, so I wanted to send it early enough to make it for the Halloween season if they choose to publish it. I only sent it off to one Canadian Publisher. I do want to send it to others but I need to do more research to decide exactly where. I'll get there.

As for the romance MS, I've been doing a lot of work on nailing down the internal conflicts. I really think it's going to pay off in a stronger story. I hope to get some writing time tomorrow to try out my theory.

Hope your writing is going well.

It's been a while

2009-02-06T21:20:00.002-05:00

I'm returning from my little blogland hiatus, and guess what...nothing much has changed! Yup, how sad is that? Two months away and I'm still in the same spot. I'm still working on my WIP, and still haven't heard on the story I sent to WW on August 25.

It's been 5 months. At first I thought that was a good sign. Its the longest I've ever had to wait for a response, so maybe that meant it was being passed up the line, I thought. But then I read on a yahoo group for aspiring WW writers that someone else had recently sold her story and she mailed hers in September. So, has it been passed up to a senior editor? Possibly. Has it been lost in the mail? Possibly. Should I stop obsessing about it? Definitely.

Moving on. I've decided to start working on the synopsis for my wip. I know, there are many different schools of thought on when to do the synopsis...before starting, during, when complete. But I was really feeling the need to nail down the story and the conflicts, and writing the synopsis is helping loads. Once I'm done I'll send off to my CP Jude for a quick boo (by the end of the weekend, I've promised) and then it's back to progressing the story.

So what's new with you?

I'm Ba-aaack

2008-11-20T11:19:00.005-05:00

Sorry for the long absence, but I just got back from a 10 day vacation comprised of a Disney Cruise (heavenly!) followed by a relaxing stay at a Florida condo. Needless to say, it was a shock to come back to snow so early in the season. Who ordered this white stuff anyway? Definitely not me. I want my palm trees and sun shiny skies back!

So now that I'm back it's nose to the grindstone. No more excuses. Starting today, I'm going to stop worrying so much about what I'm writing and just write...even if it's not romance. Hopefully that will get the juices flowing. I'll let you know.

New blahs

2008-10-29T20:46:00.002-04:00

To add to my previous blahs, I got an R on the short story revision that I sent to Woman's World back in July. I was really hoping this would be the one. But at least I've got another story with them. All hope is not lost.

Thanks for the great suggestions on getting rid of my writing blahs. I especially love the day dreaming one, Jude. An excuse to escape into my own head for a while with no expectations...sounds divine!

On the upswing, a cute Halloween story that I wrote and my daughter did the illustrations for won 1st place at the Fall Fair at my daughter's school. I'd feel a lot better if I hadn't beaten out a bunch of 6th graders, LOL.

*Sigh* Has it come down to this?

Feeling blah

2008-10-21T21:08:00.002-04:00

What do you do when you're feeling blah and unmotivated to write?

This is my challenge right now. Too busy to write during the day when I'm feeling motivated...but when I finally have some time in the evening after getting the kiddies to bed, my mind draws a blank. My creativity goes out the window.

Any tips on how to get the mojo back into my writing life? What works for you?

Today's the Day...

2008-10-06T08:00:00.001-04:00

If you'd like to swing by and have a read, today's the day that my short story, entitled Starting Over, is posted over at Read-a-Romance.com.

There are a lot of other great stories there too. If you've got a few minutes to indulge, you won't be disappointed!

Good News

2008-09-29T18:37:00.004-04:00

I just had some good news...one of the shorts that I wrote is going to be featured on the Read-a-Romance website next Monday, October 6th. Read-a-romance.com is the premier online choice for free romantic reads. So please stop by and tell me what you think.

If you forget, don't worry; I'll remind you ; ) !!!

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

2008-09-02T20:28:00.007-04:00

As I was trying to think of a title for this post, Dory's song from the movie Finding Nemo kept playing in my head. Nothing too exciting to report, but I just keep swimming, swimming, swimming...

The short story has been mailed to Woman's World (on my father's B-Day, so I'll be sure to remember the date), I had a fabulous couple of hours of writing today (during daylight hours, no less) helping the word metre thingy to grow nicely, and DD1 has successfully completed first day of grade 1.

And I'm still swimming.

Here's hoping I'm not in need of any life vests in the coming weeks.

More WW

2008-08-19T19:31:00.003-04:00

I'm just finishing offer another short story to send to Woman's World. It's one that I wrote a few month's back and after some feedback from a very wise CP, I decided to take a little space from it until I could sort out the true conflict. Well, I think I cracked it, and it's better than ever... I think. *G*

I haven't heard back yet on the revision that I sent in for the other WW story, but I want to make sure I have something else out there to take the sting off if I get the dreaded R. *shudder*

On the novel writing front, I haven't had much time to get absorbed in Mitch and Cait's journey, but I'm hoping to escape with my mini laptop tomorrow night and get back into it. Oooo...can't wait!

More eye candy

2008-08-16T23:21:00.002-04:00

Now that's some serious inspiration!

Now back to bringing Mitch and Cait to their HEA.

Brain Storm

2008-08-04T11:59:00.006-04:00

Just had a brain storm with regards to my wip. The H and h dated in highschool but something about their previous relationship didn't sit right with me. I kept assuming that they had been dating for a while, but then why wouldn't he know certain things about her? How could she keep them hidden? Then it dawned on me...it's because they didn't date very long--maybe just a month or two. So she was able to keep things hidden, stay distant. Now it all fits together!

It's funny how on piece of information can make all the difference to your story. So I'll leave you with this scrumptious photo of Mitch Roades, NFL football player and hero of Home to Stay?.

Can you see why I can't get this story out of my head?

Updates

2008-07-20T08:59:00.007-04:00

My revised short story is probably already on some one's desk at Woman's World. Yippee! I wrote "Requested Material" on the envelope hoping to hurry things up, but another woman on the WWW writer's loop who had a revision request said that she waited 5 months to hear back. Yikes! Oh well, it takes what it takes.

My other writing is progressing nicely. Each time I sit down to write I try not to stop until I hit 1000 words. It's been working well. If only I had more time to BICHOK. DH and I are on vacation with the kiddies for the next week, so hopefully I'll be able to wrangle some alone time.

Hope everyone is having a great summer!

Happy Dance!

2008-07-03T20:26:00.002-04:00

No, it's not a sale, but the closest I've ever gotten!
Yesterday I got a very thin letter from Woman's World magazine in response to a short romantic story I sent them in March. Assuming it was a rejection, I opened it up with a heavy heart. Imagine my surprise when I saw the words "happy to take another look at it..."!

She was requesting a small change and then suggested she would look at it again! That's a revision request, right? Right?

So off I go to make the small change while cutting back a few words to accommodate the change. I just hope I don't screw it up. Keep your fingers crossed for me...

Ah, Bliss

2008-06-22T20:18:00.004-04:00

This afternoon I sat outside on our back deck overlooking the perennial garden and wrote; the birds were chirping, the sun was shining, and the words were flowing. I can only imagine how nice it would be if that were my JOB everyday.

I can dream, can't I.

Look at that word metre!

2008-06-17T21:02:00.003-04:00

I'm trying not to get too obsessed with word count, but look at that word metre thingy! I'm up to 17.5% complete. Woo hoo!

I refuse to even think about the fact that I have 82.5% left to go. My glass is half full, people. I'm on a roll. I'm gonna nail this sucker while it's still fresh.

Gotta go write (tee hee).

Happy Birthday to Me!

2008-06-08T11:13:00.004-04:00

Today is my thirty--grumble, grumble--th birthday. At least it's a beautiful day here in southern Ontario...helps take some of the sting out. We're having a quiet day here, taking my daughter to a dance recital rehearsal, having a few family members over for dinner, and maybe end the day with a bit of writing. My DH's gift to me was a mini portable PC that I can take to a coffee shop, while waiting for DD at dance class, anywhere really. Hope to try it out at the local Tim Horton's tonight.

Does he know me or what?

My Collage

2008-05-23T11:03:00.003-04:00

Well, here it is...the collage for my wip. Can you guess what the story's about? No? Guess you'll have to wait till it's done. I'm such a tease ; )

DD and I had a lot of fun making this. She even liked hearing what all the pictures represented. Who knows...maybe I've got a future romance writer on my hands.

So Long Gone

2008-05-16T08:25:00.002-04:00

It's been a crazy two weeks...hence my absence.

I started the month with the best of intentions of completing a challenge over at catauniversity.com--write 25,000 in a month. I was making good headway writing every day, and then boom...I hit a wall.

My sister had a baby last week, so on top of making baby gifts, rushing to the hospital for the birth, visiting the bub at home, all on top of the day job, time slipped through my fingers. And now I am so far behind that I don't think I have any hope of getting back on track.

It's kind of depressing. I really did think I was going to be able to do it, to actually write half of my book in a month. I suppose that I can still continue on my own, but there was something about having the whole group working toward a common goal that I found motivating. And now that everyone has moved past me, I feel... I feel...left behind.

What about you? What keeps you motivated?

Check it out!

2008-04-19T23:02:00.001-04:00

I was fooling around with Picasa and found this cool feature that will create a collage of your photos. Sooo...here is the collage for my new WIP. FYI...I started working on a new project since I wasn't feeling the love for the last one. Fickle, I know, but as my wise CP told me, if you're not enjoying writing it, scrap it. So I have...at least for now. I put it aside to work on this one that has me rarin' to get at it. The pictures are inspiration enough!

Meet the Cast

2008-04-11T08:45:00.011-04:00

Meet Naomi Bryson and Griffin Sloan, the stars of my current WIP. I checked out Rachel Weisz as Jude suggested and although she is gorgeous, I wasn't able to find a photo that really made me feel the connection.

And then I found this shot of Sandra Bullock in a tank and it seemed to fit. I'm picturing the sassiness of Miss Congeniality with her looks at the END of the movie.

So now...no more stalling. It's time to get these characters to their HEA.

In need of inspiration

2008-03-30T11:34:00.006-04:00

I'm hoping to get some help from my cyber-friends. I'm having trouble coming up with a heroine inspiration for my WIP. She is brunette, cute, natural looking, more comfortable in workout pants and t-shirt with her hair in a pony tail. She's in shape, and as a rock climbing instructor she's pretty tough. Any actresses coming to mind?

My initial though was Hilary Swank, but I'm rethinking that. She not quite cute enough for my mental image (I'm picturing brown doe eyes and a smattering of freckles--but the freckles are negotiable). Here is a picture of the hero, if that helps.

I'd love to hear any thoughts you have. I hope that once I have a clear visual of my heroine, my muse might just start working again.

Winner!

2008-03-19T09:47:00.005-04:00

No, I didn't win a writing contest, but I did win a contest run by Harlequin Romance authors Jennie Adams and Donna Alward. The prize...hardcover copies of both of their new releases! Yippee! I always get such a thrill from adding new books to my growing library and reading them will be an even bigger thrill. Thanks, ladies!

On the writing front, the winners of the Instant Seduction contest have been chosen and will be notified before Easter! Since there were over 600 entries, I'm not expecting to be one of them, but I am excited to read the winning entries. Good luck to everyone who entered. It would be so exciting if someone from the eHarlequin community won!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2008-03-15T14:05:00.003-04:00

In case I don't make it back here on Monday, wanted to wish you all a happy St. Patricks Day. I'll be working and then going to a memorial service for my Romance Writing teacher who passed away last week, so have a frosty mug of green beer for me!

Something New!

2008-03-13T12:37:00.005-04:00

I just knocked off another short story for Woman's World, and I LOVE it. It's got the feel good emotion that I think my last story was missing. And the thing I like most about it...it's believable. I can actually see this scene unfolding...somewhere. And since it involves a couple on the brink of divorce, I think there are many women who will be able to relate to it. The idea just hit me one day, and I wrote it in a few hours. It's funny how quickly things can move along when you love what you're writing.

Hopefully I'll get it in the mail tomorrow. And then it's back to the waiting game. Last time it took 5 months for a response. But at least when I'm waiting I feel like a real writer instead of a 'wanna be' who talks about writing but never really does it.

Maybe this one will be the charm. WW is a tough nut to crack, but I'm determined to do it!

P.S. What do you think of the new blog template? Wanted to change things up a bit but not sure that I love it.

Sad

2008-03-07T10:52:00.002-05:00

I had some very sad news yesterday. The man who taught me my first Romance Writing course, the man who got me excited about the genre and made me feel as if I really could make it in the industry, passed away yesterday.

His name was Tom Torrance, and he was a wonderful teacher. At 57 years old, he taught many writing classes at my local college: Romance, Writing for Publication, Grammar for Writing, Writing Children's Stories...and the list goes on. He was so knowledgeable and a wonderful man personally as well. He was always the first to cheer you on when you submitted somewhere and to encourage you to try again if you received a R.

His death is a tremendous loss.
I'll miss him.

Subs and progress

2008-02-24T20:55:00.003-05:00

I'll be subbing something tomorrow. Yay! It's a non-fiction article for a woman's mag, not romance, but the thrill is the same. I get such a rush from putting my words on paper for someone else to read and hopefully love. This story is very close to me since it's the tale of the events that convinced me that my father (who'd passed away 2 years earlier) was with me on my wedding day--a topic that never fails to bring tears to my eyes. I'll let you know how it goes.

On the romance writing front, I've started my new wip and I'm finding that there is still so much I need to nail down about my characters. I know I'll continue learning things as the ms progresses, so I'm just trying to make notes as I go so I can answer the questions early on in the process. Don't want too many surprises later.

Hope your writing is going well too.

Rejection and new hope.

2008-02-22T12:04:00.003-05:00

Got a rejection last week for a short story that I subbed to a woman's magazine back in September. At least it was a good R...said that it was nicely written but too close to something they've already published. So I'm determined to find a unique angle.

But on the plus side I'm working on 2 new projects.

The first is another short story. It's rough right now, but I'm just trying to get it all down now. I'll polish it up later.

I'm also very pumped about my new ms. I've been doing a lot of work on understanding who my characters are--something I didn't do enough of with my first ms. And given the R it received, that's probably what was wrong with it. Needless to say I can't wait to get writing.

So much to do, so little time.

I made it!

2008-02-15T11:53:00.002-05:00

The deadline for the Instant Seduction contest through Mills and Boon was yesterday, and I made it...just. I was still making revisions a few minutes before I hit the send button. But I think I do my best work under pressure, so we'll see how it goes.

I'm sure the competition for the contest is pretty steep, so I'm not holding my breath. But at least I know I gave it my best shot. Not much more I can do.

Good luck to all those who entered.

Tagging myself

2008-02-02T16:03:00.000-05:00

How lame is that?

Saw this on Judy Jarvie's blog and thought I'd share six non-important things/habits/quirks about myself with all of you. So here goes:

I LOVE candy. Any kind of candy. I'm not picky. If I buy a bag I can't stop till it's gone. In honour of Vanetine's day, I'm currently enjoying a whole bag of cinnamon hearts. Spicy!
I cry easily. Give me an emotional situation, and I have a very hard time keeping my eyes dry. Sometimes I really hate it.
I'm a pack rat. Love to keep things for unknown reasons. But what if I need it one day...
I hate jumping in the shower first thing in the morning, although I have to do it 5 days a week. Heaven to me is lounging in my pj's with a hot cup of coffee. Drives DH crazy! He's a get up and go kinda guy.
In university, I was so afraid to flunk out that I barely went out the entire first year. Then I woke up, LOL.
I hate putting away laundry. Don't mind sorting it, washing it, folding it, but hate putting it away.

Okay, it's your turn to post six interesting/quirky things about yourself. C'mon, we wantta know...

The worm is growing...

2008-01-29T14:24:00.000-05:00

No, this is not a reference to an erotic romance (ha, ha).

Take a look at the right side panel...see my new word meter? And it's got words in it! I'm making progress!

This is the story for the Instant Seduction contest, but isn't the one I originally started with. Given how long I'll end up spending with the story, I figured I better love it. I didn't, so I moved on.

This new story is based on a short story that I wrote for a contest and loved. It's coming along nicely, but I better put my butt in gear. The contest deadline is Feb 14.

Eek! Only two weeks?
Gotta go...

My baby is growing up

2008-01-12T08:09:00.000-05:00

Last night I took my oldest daughter to get her first real haircut...and she's five years old! She had a little trim before, but this time she had her hair really cut...11 inches cut! Yikes.

The reason? She's donating her hair to an organization that makes wigs for children that have lost their hair due to sickness or injury and can't afford to buy them. I have to admit I did shed a few tears before the actual cutting. I feel like like I'm saying goodbye to my baby and welcoming a little lady...and it's a little hard for a mother to take.

But once I saw it done, she looked so beautiful and grown-up that I wondered why we hadn't done it sooner.

And it makes me feel really good to know that someone will be getting some use out of my baby's beautiful hair.

Excuse me while I go hug the pony tail one last time.

Time for reflection

2007-12-31T15:30:00.000-05:00

Here I am on new year's eve--alone. Well not alone...I have my kids, but they'll be in bed long before the strike of midnight, so I'll be ringing in the new year alone. DH has to work tonight, as he has for the past 3 years, but usually I have somewhere to go. But the flu bug has invaded our house, so I'm assuming that we're not welcome at other people's houses (I don't blame them...it's a nasty bug that I would want to spread to anyone).

So all this alone time has left me with time for reflection, time to contemplate what I've accomplished this year and want to accomplish in 2008:

2007

Started the year receiving a year's worth of free books from Harlequin after winning the Ultimate Reunion contest. What an ego boost! And let me tell you, my TBR pile is ready to topple!

Entered Harlequin's Ultimate Secret contest and won an Honourable Mention and a free book. Nothing to sneeze at.

Submitted my novel Her Client's Wishes to Mills and Boon/Harlequin Romance. It was rejected in November, but I did it! I wrote a book!

Wrote and submitted a romantic short story to a woman's magazine. I'm still waiting to hear on that one.

Started a new wip (Taking Care of Business) aimed at the Mills and Boon Modern Heat imprint and specifically the Instant Seduction contest for which the prize is an editor for a year! What could be better? I feel really good about this story. I learned a lot writing my first novel and won't make the same mistakes twice.

2008

Finish and polish the first chapter and synopsis of my new wip for the Instant Seduction contest (deadline of mid February)

Finish and submit my wip to M&B. They can't buy it if I don't submit!

Get published in short fiction. Writing short fiction allows me to feel as though I'm accomplishing something since sometimes the length of a novel can seem beastly and beyond reach.

There. That wasn't so bad. I can do all of those things in a year, can't I? Well with my spare time tonight I guess there's no better time to start than the present.

Have a happy new year everyone, and most importantly...happy writing!

Tis the season

2007-12-14T21:04:00.001-05:00

Tis the season to get all warm and squishy about everything that you're grateful for in your life, so here I go...

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing my oldest daughter perform in her Christmas concert. So there's my baby--the little girl who was so shy she pulled her skirt up on stage last year--singing her heart out in the front row doing all the actions like a pro. I was so proud of her. I think we have have an actress on our hands. That thought makes my husband cringe since he's worked in the entertainment industry for way too long and worked with way too many spoiled actresses, but I keep telling him that our daughter would be different because, of course, she's perfect!

And then today as I watched my two girls having so much fun playing in the bath together, laughing and squealing with delight, I realized how truly blessed I am. I really can't ask for more.

OK, warm squishy stuff is over.

Needless to say I haven't gotten much writing done. Tis also the season for procrastination. I'm hoping that once my shopping is done, the baking is complete, and all the get togethers are over, I'll have some time to sit down and write.

Here's hoping its not February before that happens.

Merry Christmas to everyone. Hope you have a joyous holiday!

Moving On

2007-12-05T15:33:00.000-05:00

I've started working on a new story, and you know what...it feels good. Fresh characters, fresh story--it's exciting.

Have all of you read about the new Presents contest? It's sounds like a great opportunity to get noticed, so I think I'll aim this WIP in that direction (more of a Modern Heat vs traditional Presents). What the heck. It's time to mix things up.

Are any of you planning on entering?

Yuck

2007-11-27T17:55:00.000-05:00

After 4 months of waiting, I got the dreaded R from M&B today. Yuck. And to make matters worse, it was a form R. So I have no idea what I did wrong. How can I be sure that I don't do the same thing again?

On the plus side, at least I can finally put this story to bed and move on to something new. I've been working on one story for far too long. Maybe that was part of the problem--maybe it had gotten stale.

So onward and upward.

Still sucks though.

It's Over

2007-11-19T20:53:00.000-05:00

No, I'm not referring to my writing career, at least not yet (LOL).

My long awaited trip to Disney World is officially over, and I'm having some trouble adjusting to a reality that is not sugar coated and sprinkled with images of Mickey Mouse and Tinker Bell. Disney knows how to do it right. Everything about the parks is perfect, including the service. You really can't ask for more. My daughter had the pleasure of having her hair styled like a princess in the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique and everyone in the salon played their parts to perfection. They treated her like a real princess from the moment we walked through the door (maybe a little too much since I had to remind her later in the day that she wasn't really a princess, and I wasn't really her servant, LOL). Here is a picture of my two perfect princesses with someone you might recognize.

Needless to say, I was sad to leave such a wonderful place. Although I wasn't sad to see my own bed and to sit down for more than five consecutive minutes. I think I need a vacation from my vacation!

Crazy for Disney!

2007-10-31T20:55:00.000-04:00

Our upcoming trip to Disney has me totally obsessed with everything Disney related...hence the vampire Mickey pumpkin.

The anticipation of our trip is definitely making the waiting more tolerable. I'd almost forgotten that my response from Harlequin could be winging it's way across the Atlantic as we speak.

*gulp*

Frozen

2007-10-27T13:19:00.000-04:00

And no, I don't mean the weather.

I've reached the final scene, the point where it all comes together, the H and h realize that they were meant to be together and they finally get their HEA. So you'd think I'd be chomping at the bit to get it finished...

Nope. I'm frozen. Can't seem to find any words that would be sum up what they'd be feeling at this point. So I've avoided the computer. Um, correction...I've avoided writing on the computer but have embraced blog hopping and Disney researching whole heartedly. Not very productive, I know.

On the eHarlequin boards one person posted that she hasn't yet heard back on her partial sent to M&B back in May. I sent mine in July, so I think I have a bit more time to polish this off.

Senseless rationalization, I know.