Christmas in March

Today feels like Christmas Eve, my first date, my wedding day and winning the lottery all rolled into one GIANT ball.

Let me explain: At the age of 30, I made a list. It was a list of things I wanted to do before I reached 40 years of age. On that list were things like:

1) Fall in forever love- May 1992

2) Learn to say "no"- October 2004

3) Have children- 12/1998 (I just didn't realize my kids would be of the furry, four-legged variety.

4) Join a book group- July 2008

5) Go to a movie alone- May 2005

You get the point, right? Well, on this list is also the goal of publishing a book. Tomorrow (March 15) my dream comes true! It will be 2 months and 10 days before my 40th birthday.

Let me tell you something about the back story to Keeper of the Golden Dragon's Heart- I have been writing since I was probably 10 years old. I wrote the class poem for my senior class. I wrote a lot of poetry. Then, I tried my hand at stories. They were always contemporary romances. I've never shied away from sex in my stories, but I've also never considered myself to be extremely imaginative. Paranormal/urban fantasy authors have LOADS of imagination. I simply write what I know, good, wholesome, "normal".

Then, one day, it happened: I had a dream. I dreamt of golden dragons in flight, a shifter in every sort of animal, and a beautiful place that can't be described with mere words (I just hope I did it justice). I tried to ignore the voices in my head, but Anastasia (my heroine) would NOT be ignored. Her and I went round and round. I really didn't like this girl, but I sat down to write out the dream.

It came together and a book began to form. I felt my life falling out from under me, but I kept writing. Then, something happened. Bowie (my golden dragon hero) stepped in and began to tell me his side of things. It all came together and I sent it in. I had no delusions when I submitted it, but Leap of Faith Publishing sent me an e-mail with a contract. Not bad for someone who really had no intention of being a paranormal author, huh? (I love reading paranormal/urban fantasy. Please don't think I don't. This genre is all over my bookshelves. I just didn't think I could do it.)

As of today, I'm working on books 2, 3, 4 and 5's ideas are jotted down. Plus at least one spin-off.

 

So, if you will, please help me celebrate my Christmas in March.

Times, They Are A'Changin'

I hate the time change! As the daughter of a former farmer, I get it. Really, I do. I just despise it. Even as a kid, the Daylight Savings Time was not my friend.

I think it is the "spring ahead" that I really have issues with, especially this year. As a college student, who is surviving on WAY too little sleep anyway, I don't need to lose another hour. Good grief!  No, I don't have one of these types of alarm clocks. I have an annoying digital one that beeps at me. Increasing in the speed of the beeps until it is one long continuous beep.

As a teenager, I learned to put my clock on the other side of the room. This way, I was forced to get up to shut it off. If the clock is beside my bed, I tend to hit snooze...A LOT!!

I know a lot of you are probably reading this and thinking, "I bet she gets wet tongues to get her up as well," (since I have 5 dogs). You would bet wrong. Instead, I get those looks like most of you get from your human children. I imagine my canine kids are saying, "Oh, gods! Are you serious? It's still dark out. And you expect me to go outside and do what? You're off your rocker." Maybe I am.

Times, they are a'changin'- I'm preparing for mid-terms. Funny enough, it's not as bad as it seems. I have a quiz in Pop Culture which shouldn't be too difficult, but then there is the chapter test in algebra. EEK! Most of it, I get. I hated math and loved algebra. Go figure! I've been out of school since June 1990. Somewhere in the last 20+ years, algebra changed.

Now, there are things called "integers" and "polynomials" and "linear equations". Funny enough, I am picking up on this, too. I still long for the days when 2+2=4. My life was so much simpler then.

Times, they are a'changin'- I have a book coming out this week. Not just any book, an e-book.

I have read a lot of e-books. It comes with the job of being a reviewer, but I never had an e-book reader...until now. When my Kindle Fire arrived in my mailbox, I opened it with trepidation. It is beautiful and compact. It does amazing things. Can I write on it? If I wanted to, I could. I prefer a keyboard though. But I did download a few books to read on my Kindle...and I LOVE it! I'm the woman who always has a book in her purse, bag, or hand. I carry one with me everywhere I go. Now? I can carry as many as I want. I think I have 20 or so on my Kindle. It's awesome! Will I continue to buy paperbacks? You betcha, but if I want to try out an author who is only on e-book I have that option now.

Times, they are a'changin'- I am an author. With a published book. I have been a farmer's daughter, a student, a baby-sitter, a day-care worker, a wife, a domestic goddess, a caretaker, a kennel assistant at a vet clinic, a great-aunt to an amazing little boy, and now, a college student. I've always written things, from poems to stories. I have an entire town who lives in my head. Yes, I hear their voices constantly. It makes life hard at times...especially when my Botany professor is going over the finer points of photosynthesis and respiration. Yet, I have characters from the town of Cedar River who are screaming at me to "WRITE, GODSDAMMIT, WRITE!" (The characters are coming to a very...ahem...interesting scene and they are both a little impatient.) I had the same problem with Ana from Keeper of the Golden Dragon's Heart. I wanted her to be a wolf-shifter, but the storyline would freeze and I didn't know where to go next. Then, the little bitch began to yell at me! "I'm a puma-shifter!" There were a few unkind words tossed back in forth between us (imagine my husband's face as I'm arguing with my imaginary "friends") and I finally did it her way. I hesitated about having her fall in love with Bowie, a dragon shifter, but once again, Ana called me a few names, put me in my place, and here we are. I have a finished book. I'm working on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the series as well as a couple of spin-offs. I've learned to just type and let the characters take me where I need to be. It's just easier and I get to keep some dignity.

Times, they are a changin'- And you aren't going to find my complaining about it...at least not too much.

My Book Cover Has Arrived!!!!

Oh my goodness! You cannot even imagine what has been going on around here! In the midst of the chaos that is my life, all these wonderful things have occurred.

I'm in the midst of studying for mid-terms and preparing for a week of rest (Spring Break). I'm really looking forward to sleeping in past 6 am and making a dent in my TBR list.

Then, this lovely gem arrived in my inbox yesterday morning. I spotted it as I was getting ready to leave for class. Are you ready? I'm so delighted with it!

 

Yes, I'm sure wherever you are in the world you can hear the "squee" coming from the Upper Peninsula.

This is Bowie Golden and Anastasia Plum. Aren't they gorgeous?

I'll post the blurb as soon as it's ready to rock!!

Should I mention the release date? I didn't? For shame!! Keeper of the Golden Dragon's Heart is set to be released March 15, 2012!

Learning as I Go

Patience...something I have very little of, but need a tremendous amount of. I'm pacing the floor (in my mind) with trepidation, excitement and fear.

If you follow me here, then you know I signed a new contract in late January. I don't have a release date yet, but we're working on it. All the edits are turned in and now I'm waiting. And waiting. And waiting. (See where the need for patience comes in?)

It's not as if I don't have things to do. Mid-term exams are quickly approaching. The house could definitely use a thorough cleaning. My "to be read" pile is out of control. But my mind keeps going back to this new book and "shouldn't I be doing something"?

Then, it happened! A lightning bolt shot out of the blue (okay, I was playing games on Facebook)! My friend, Lesli/Tymber, put up a post about this new book she has out. Well, if I can trust anyone, I trust Lesli/Tymber. She tells you exactly like it is whether it's what you want to hear or not. Anyhoo, her book is entitled, Pimp Yourself: Easy, Painless, and Cheap Self-Promotion for Writers. I've downloaded it to my Kindle and opened the first chapter. Because she doesn't pull any punches, I've learned from my friend that I'm behind in my promotions! EEK! Seriously? But there is still hope for me! I can get myself out there for people to see.

So this week, I'm on a mission: First, I'm going to set up a Facebook account. Second, A Twitter account (I hate Twitter, but I'll do what I must). Third, I'll finish reading Pimp Yourself. Of course, I'll also continue working on the next book in the series (I'm 14, 000 words in) and study! Oh, and I'll probably have to take a break to clean because, honestly? For two people, this house is horrendous. Not Hoarders bad, just bad!

Alright all! I'll keep you up to date on the book when I have information, but for now, you can see I'm trying to promote...ME! I'll probably post things where I offend people, but I'm not doing it intentionally. I'm very vocal about what I believe in.

Have a wonderful week!

In Like a Lion

I know today is leap day, but March is roaring in. It all began late last night. Winter arrived with full force!

The winter season has been pretty light here in my little piece of heaven. We really haven't had a lot of snow and the temperatures have been pretty bearable. Since late last week, the weather men have been calling for some horrendous snow fall amounts. We cringed, but braced ourselves for the worst. It was supposed to have started Sunday night. I was anticipating the cancelling of college classes for Monday morning, but when I awoke at 6am to begin the process of walking dogs...nothing. I will admit I was a little disappointed. Given the option of climbing back into bed with my warm, snuggly husband or venturing out the door for college classes, I will choose  the warm, snuggly husband every time. Off to school I went and learned a lot of interesting things.

Then, the weather men said that the storm was going to hit Tuesday night. We went to our Tuesday afternoon classes and stopped to pick up the necessities to get us through a few days should we get hit with as big a storm as they were calling for. Milk, snacks, chocolate...you know the essentials:) We got home and readied for the worst. It wasn't too bad when we walked the dogs before bed last night, but it was coming in hard and fast.

This morning, I got up at 3 am to go to the bathroom and looked outside...I shut off the alarm clock (which was set for 6 am) and crawled back into bed with my darling husband and snuggled into his warm waiting arms. The storm had hit and it was not pretty outside. Snow has blowing in from the lake and the mixture of sleet/rain was making it horrible outdoors. I forced myself to get out of bed at 8 am and ventured out the door. It took some pushing and shoving to get the door open (there was about 5 inches against the door). We are used to the lovely, fluffy, light snow here. Instead, the heavy, wet, icky snow landed.

So, after shoveling the drive and some of the patio (so we can get out with the dogs), I'm hunkered down inside, with a warm hubby, a big bowl of freshly popped popcorn and a pot of chili simmering on the stove. I think I'll escape into the pages of a book before tackling the next couple of chapters in the new book I'm working on.

 

Hopefully, spring isn't too far away. In fact, I've heard rumors that we will have temperatures in the 50s by early next week! Fingers crossed!

Wherever you are, may you be comfortable and happy!

Happy Valentine's Day

It is that time of year again. The time when women are hoping and waiting for their darlings to give them goodies. Whether it is jewelry, candy, flowers or dinner out (sometimes all of it), as women we can be a greedy lot. That sounds pretty bad, I know, but I realized yesterday just how much I really want it all.

I have been with the same man for the last (almost) 20 years of my life. He's worked hard so that I didn't have to. He dutifully brought home his paycheck and handed it to me to pay the bills. Now, I'm not saying I didn't do a lot, I'm merely saying that I may have taken him for granted. I cooked, cleaned, payed the bills and run the errands. Was it as hard as standing on my feet for 8-10 hours a day for sometimes 6 or 7 days a week? Not by any means. 

What did my darling husband ask for in return? Nothing. Dinner wasn't expected to be on the table when he walked through the door at night. He didn't nitpick if the carpet hadn't been swept or there was dust on the television. He simply did what he did without asking for anything.

I've heard a lot of housewives/domestic goddesses complain about their husband's demands. Is it really his demands or are the demands your own? We don't have kids to run everywhere so I haven't had to deal with that drama. I really think the kids probably demand more than the husbands do. Or maybe I'm just extremely lucky. No, there's no maybe to it. I AM extremely lucky!

Good Morning

It has been a whirlwind of activity at our house these last few weeks. Classes, studying, homework, writing, plus having a bit of a life...whew! Sleep is highly overrated and much desired! Just when I think I could sleep the day away, my mind begins to spin the next scene of the book I'm working on. Well, you know I won't be able to sleep until I get it down on paper (or at least on hard drive).

Which is why I was awake as the sun began to brighten the Upper Peninsula sky. It is truly a beautiful sight to see the sun coming up. This morning it was a brilliant orange with lines of lavender, blue and pink radiating off of it causing the lake to reflect the colors in the deep blue water. Of course, I didn't have my camera ready. I simply took a moment (or three) to enjoy the sight.

Yes, I am often in awe at the beauty that surrounds me here in my little cottage. From the lakes to the forest, the wonders never cease. Late spring and early summer, you'll find me on our patio with a drink of some sort, just being in the moment. I've seen a little gray fox and a porcupine in my backyard. They never venture too far from the cover of the woods, but just far enough for me to catch a glimpse.

The ultimate sight was a bald eagle perched in the birch tree in my front yard last spring. I was on my way out with one of the canine kids when I caught something out of the corner of my eye. I could only stand and stare in amazement. Later on, we counted at least 8 of these magnificent beings flying over the lake. It was my first sighting and it left me feeling extremely blessed.