What I'm Working On

What is my loftiest ambition? I've always wanted to throw an egg at an electric fan. - Oliver Herford

So... after much soul-searching, and puttering about in all my many WIPs, I've decided to finish my mystery.

I'm sorry, Jen. I know I said I'd do the fantasy, but the fact is: I don't know exactly where that one is going or a number of other things about it. I need to do some more brainstorming (like, is the Abhaile earth really going to affect the Docar and if so, to what extent?).

The mystery (with the working title of "Return To Stiller Creek") is nearly finished, and I know where it's going, what needs to be done and how it ends. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed it. It's my first mystery, and I don't know how well I've accomplished what I set out to do, but at least it will be finished soon. I'm at about 45,000 words. I'd like to have at least 55,000, but preferable 65,000 words when it's done. I think there could be another 20,000 words, but we'll have to see how it goes. I have a red herring or two I need to weave in so that is going to change some things.

After that? Probably Camilla, though I'm still not certain what is going to tear my H/H apart. I thought I knew, but I can't begin to figure out how to show it without going into a pet rat's POV. See... now you understand my problem. So, still moodling that one, but hopefully I'll get that one figured by the time I finish RTSC.

I also need to finish at least one of my short stories--I have three that are quite aways along. It would be handy if I knew how they were going to end...

AND.

And, I still have to moodle the story I want to finish to submit to a print publisher.

But first... Stiller Creek.

Note to Jen: I PROMISE, I will finish the fantasy. I really love my characters and the possibility. But I can't stand not having more stuff out in submission, so I'm doing to simplest one first.

Kay?

And people ask me if I ever run out of ideas. Sometimes I wish I did.

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I hate colds. Today I have begun the "totally stuffed up" phase... you know the one: you can't breathe, your eyes water, your brain is fuzzy... UGH. Tomorrow should bring the "coughing my lungs out" phase, after which it will be pretty much over and just a bad memory.

But today? UGH.

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DD was so funny yesterday. We've been having problems with her copying her spelling words in school--they're RIGHT in front of her. She copies straight from the book for her homework, and she's still misspelling some. I told her yesterday, if she misspelled any she couldn't watch any "Little House on the Prairie" for a whole week (Yes, Groovy, my DD LOVES Little House... I still have my eyeball on your season three... do you still have it?).

She stood there, all sad and distraught, and then disappeared. I cleaned house and worked on my writing and wondered what she was up to. About forty-five minutes later, she came back downstairs and handing me a piece of paper. She'd covered both sides, in multiple columns with the two words she'd misspelled.

Awww... but I bet she never, in the whole rest of her life spells "frigid" as "friged" again!

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I took a picture of Dakota yesterday, but I'm too lazy to go download it, so you'll have to wait until tomorrow. It's Dakota as a vulture. Yes... she does animal imitations. She's terrifically talented. Last night, she did a nearly perfect imitation of a great white shark leaping from the water and snapping at her prey -- only the "prey" turned out to be my shirt, which apparently can't hold the weight of a four-month-old puppy and now has a lovely slash in the side.

Anyone out there still thinking of getting a puppy? Or have I cured y'all?

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Random quiz:

Your Sexy Brazilian Name is:

Gabriela Otelo

What's Your Sexy Brazilian Name?

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