Friday Frivolities

I tell you this, and I tell you plain:
What you have done, you will do again;
You will bite your tongue, careful or not,
Upon the already-bitten spot.
~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960

No, the quote has nothing to do with anything ... it just cracked me up.

Yesterday was a weird day, weatherwise. In the morning it was gray, cold and around 7:30 a.m. it POURED ... for about five minutes.

Then it slowly cleared up. Looks like the worst of the storm went north of us (which is why you didn't get any yucky weather, Ceri). It was, however, windy as all get out for the entire day (which wasn't necessarily bad as it helps keep the bugs down).

We looked for pillars, but didn't find any yet. We'll look again today. I checked back for last year and discovered that we didn't find our first pillars until June 13th (and we found NINE then). So, despite the appearance of the butterflies, it might still be too early by a few weeks for pillars. Even so, we'll keep checking.

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In other news, my mystery bulb outside is starting to do its thing and now looks like this:



And no, I still don't know what it is.

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Your Life's Challenge is Being Fickle

The whole world is open to you. You are a smart person with many resources and opportunities. You've lucked out a lot in life. Things always seem to go your way, and you've had many successes. You may be surprised to learn that you are standing in the way of more success by being a bit too irresponsible and flaky. If you stuck to things a bit longer, you would rule the world. You have much more in you than you even realize.

What's Your Life's Challenge?

The first part, yes, the second? HAHAHAHAHA... no. Stick-to-it-tiveness is not my problem at all.

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Thursday Thirteen

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here

Thirteen First Lines To Stories I've Written (published and WIPs):

1. Corinne Weathers, Cori to her friends and family—but not to her very proper cooking class teacher, Micah DePalma—gave a squeak of fear at the flames creeping up her apron. ("Kitchen Matches")

2. It wasn’t going to happen, not by tomorrow morning anyway. ("A Change of Heart")

3. A line on the switchboard buzzed at the same moment Lizzie Scott glanced at the clock. ("Don't Fence Me In")

4. “Disgusting.” Cass Edwards wrinkled her nose against the stink. ("Magic")

5. Millie wiped down the counter and tried to keep from looking at the clock for the hundredth time that night. ("Miles From You")

6. “Come on, Mommy. Let's go!” Melinda's feet shuffled in place while she tried to drag Sarah off the motel room bed. ("Now That We've Found You")

7. Her obsession started innocently enough. ("Pregnancy Cravings")

8. Nothing good ever happened at Christmas. ("The Christmas Curse")

9. Tina Springfield knelt in the dark loam and nipped a dead blossom off her Veteran’s Honor rose bush, pleased with the remaining buds’ classic shape and deep red color. ("Tickle Fights and Barbecues")

10. Liv Leigh tugged a faded Boston College sweatshirt over her head, careful not to dislodge the wig covering her platinum blond hair. ("One Love for Liv")

11. Geoff Quigley stood on the sidewalk on a gorgeous, fairly warm May day and stared at his dream house. ("A Jewel for Geoff" - sequel to "One Love for Liv" and a WIP)

12. “Why can’t Micah do this with you?” Zach Weathers grumbled at his sister, Cori as she dragged him through a door with fluffy white curtains and into hell--otherwise known as Now and Forever Wedding Planning. ("Now and Forever" sequel to "Kitchen Matches" and a WIP)

13. No one deserved to be beaten to death. ("Return to Stiller Creek" - a complete novel in edits)

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In other news, we saw what was either a female tiger swallowtail or a black swallowtail yesterday. Usually tiger swallowtails are yellow with black markings, but the females occasionally color themselves in what looks remarkably like a black swallowtail. If the critter had let me hold it, I could have told the difference, but they're funny about that, lol.

It's supposed to rain pretty hard here today, but we'll start looking for butterbabies anyway. and, I need to buy parsley to give them a second choice of food.

I love Pillars.

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You Are Kind

You have a broad perspective on life. You are very understanding and forgiving. You prefer a quiet, peaceful existence. You don't like noise in your head - or in the world around you. For you, there's no such thing as too much calm. Having time to think is a gift that you treasure.

The Happy Smiley Test

That's pretty close to correct, except the forgiving part. I have a tough time with grudges, lol...

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Spring Surprises

The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough. ~Rabindranath Tagore

I was down in the unfinished part of the basement yesterday to get something and I automatically glanced at the box where we keep our butterflies -- there is a Black Swallowtail pupa overwintering there. Or, perhaps I should say there WAS a Black Swallowtail pupa overwintering there. When I looked down, I saw a butterfly!!



She's early, and there aren't any butterflies around for her to mate with, no plants growing for her to lay eggs on even if she did. BUT, she's alive and the weather is decent and there are enough flowers for her to find food. So, we released her. That's technically the start of Pillar Place 2009, but I don't really expect to be doing much talking about that for at least three more weeks. Silly thing.

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In vole news: They are multiplying like... well... VOLES. I nearly tripped over one yesterday again, and they decimated my crocus bulbs. Dakota was growling at the window in the afternoon, and I looked out and the mulch was moving like ocean waves -- yes there were THAT many voles under it looking for food. Freaky.

I bought a new live trap (because I can't find my old one) and started trapping. I've caught two so far. I also finally broke down and bought bait stations and poison online at Vole Control. Breaks my heart, but holy heck are they voracious eaters! In fact, when they get trapped, they fight to get out AND eat. They never stop eating. I put them in a glass jar during the day until I'm not going to catch any more and they don't panic or fight. They just eat. They eat the grass I put in for cover, they eat the apple bits from the bait. They eat and eat and eat. They must eat ten times their body weight every day.

In any case, I'm going to trap and release whatever I can until I get the bait stations, and then... the rest are doomed. I hope I can overcome the amazing amount of guilt I feel about killing them. *sigh*

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Dakota has been bumped up into advanced agility class. I'm of two minds about this -- I'm thrilled because we'll be challenged even more, but I love the group of people we're in with now. They're nice and fun and supportive. The advanced group is so intense and, yes... I have to say it: snobby. Three of us in intermediate were bumped, and we got together last night and talked. We're going to give the new class a try, but may end up coming back to intermediate if we aren't having fun. None of us are trying to compete nationally -- we just want to train the dogs and enjoy ourselves.

The local agility competition is on May 31st. It'll be interesting to see how Dakota does with an audience and a bunch of strange dogs.

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I sent in my manuscript to Resplendence Publishing on Tuesday. We'll see what happens. Now, I just need to get something else completed. Anyone know where I can find a few extra hours in the day?

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Murphy, Pillars and Releases, Oh My!

“There are only three certainties in this life. The laws of physics, the laws of Murphy and death.” - Unknown

My DH has been waiting for Memorial Day since last November (okay, I'm exaggerating a little, but not by much). He's dying to go boating. Guess what?

Remember Murphy? Yeah, he and I are getting to be close, personal friends.

DH has come down with a cold. That wouldn't be enough to stop him, but it's also extremely windy, and expected to be thus all weekend long. So, instead of having a happy DH and DD (who loves to go out on the boat), I will be stuck with a sick, frustrated DH and a bored DD for this lovely three day weekend.

*sigh*

At least I'll get my garden put in. And yesterday we saw a yellow swallowtail butterfly, so I figure it's safe to let our three black swallowtails hatch. If DH and DD stay home today, I'll do it today. If I happen to catch them when they hatch I'll take pictures. After all, I know you're all waiting on pins and needles for the next season of "Pillar Place". Aren't you?

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Have you ever had this happen: You pick up a book and begin to read. You recognize that it's a GOOD book, with the kind of voice you usually enjoy. You can see that you (and most people you know) would really enjoy this book. And, yet, you can't bring yourself to read it?

I have a book like that. I got it for review, and it's funny. It's well written. The voice is exactly what I usually LOVE to read. The few chapters I have read make me realize that, every other day of the week, I'd thoroughly enjoy this book. But... I can't seem to hunker down and read it. Every time I think about it, I'm filled with dread and find something else to do (scrub the toilets, scoop the litter box, mop the floor).

What is wrong with me? Bother.

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I can't believe I forgot to join in the celebration yesterday -- but my friend, Allie Boniface, had her first print release: "Lost in Paradise" is officially available in print!!! Woo!!

Incidentally, in case you didn't know, or had forgotten, "Lost in Paradise" is one of the books I'm giving away this month in my website contest.

It's a great book. You'll LOVE it. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.

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You Know Your States

You got 9/10 correct. You've got a pretty good handle on US geography. There's a good chance you've visited at least a dozen of the fifty states.

How Well Do You Know Your States?

Yes... there are benefits to homeschooling. I even know which one I got wrong, LOL. You?

Sunday Meme and Happy Mother's Day!

My mom is a neverending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being. I may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune. ~ Graycie Harmon

I bought myself some perennials for the garden around my well pump yesterday. And, just because I love flowers, I thought I'd share a few that are finally blooming out here.

First, my latest addition -- a Bachelor's Button:


And, thankfully three of my tulips (out of dozens) survived the winter and are blooming. Here are two of them. Aren't they pretty?


For Diane... my rhubarb! Wish I could share it with you.


I told DD she could choose a new perennial for her garden, and she chose an English Daisy:


My creeping flox is beginning to bloom:


And my small-leaf rhododendron had buds that are just beginning to pop:


I know that many of you live places where it's more summer than spring, but we're only just beginning to get a taste of spring. DD thinks she saw a black swallowtail butterfly today. I'm not so certain, but in the next week or two, it will be time to set out the three chrysalis' (Jill, Rose and Martin) we have in the basement who overwintered there. And, thus will the circle of life begin again.

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Because it's Mother's Day (are you doing anything special?), I'm giving myself the day off of thinking about what to say and doing this meme. Stolen from Chris, who got it from Judy who swiped it from Groovy who probably got it from somewhere else. I'm of the mind that memes don't originate anywhere. They just ARE... always have been, always will be.

Anyway...

A meme about ME!

1. Go to http://www.photobucket.com/
2. Type in your answer to the question in the “search” box
3. Use only the first page
4. Insert the picture into your Blog.

Okay, I cheated and used Google Images because Photobucket kept crashing my computer for some reason.

1. What is your current relationship stat?



2. What is your current mood?



3. What is your favorite band singer?



(Note: That one was difficult, because I really prefer solo artists. But I asked myself whose work I would want on a desert island, and I kept returning to Alan Parsons Project because they're all so different, I'd never get bored).

4. What is your favorite movie?



With this running a close second:



5. Where do you live?



6. Where do you work?



7. What do you look like?

(LOL... these both came up when I typed in a few descriptive words -- you decide which fits me best!)




8. What do you drive?



9. What is your favorite TV show?



10. Describe yourself?



(Hmmm... this came up when I typed in "romance writer" "mother" and "webmistress" ... think it's trying to tell me something?)

11. What are you doing today?



12. What did you do last night?



13. What is your name?



(It was the best I could do...)

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You've Changed 32% in 10 Years

Ah, the past! You may not remember it well - because you're still living in it. While you've changed some, you may want to update your wardrobe, music collection and circle of friends.

How Much Have You Changed in 10 Years?

But... I like my wardrobe, music and especially my friends!!

Monday...and the Sun Is Shining!

The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month. ~Henry Van Dyke

Had a quiet weekend. I couldn't leave Dakota for too long on Easter (due to her ongoing tummy troubles) so DH took DD to the in-laws without me, and I had lots of time alone. It was wonderful. The weather was decent, too, about 38 degrees and sunny, with just a little bit of a breeze, so I took the dog for a long, long walk. I love being able to do that. So does she :-)

I did work on my possible HQ American (HQA--pronounced hawk-wah, lol--from now until I think of a fun title) a bit. I almost finished my heroine's character interview (I'd forgotten how long it is), and got partway through my hero's (I really like him... he's awfully sweet) and brainstormed seven possible scenes. I'm itching to write the first kiss scene, but I'm holding off until the beginning of April...but it's TOUGH because I really like the scenario. I still need to finish the hero's interview and write a few nonsensical scenes to get to know them better (I like to write everyday scenes: washing dishes, taking a shower, doing laundry...stuff I probably wouldn't use in the actual book). I also need to decide if it's going to be mostly serious, or leaning toward funny. I think this one needs a more serious bent (though I can't be completely straight-faced) because my heroine has a lot of wounds she needs healed.

I may still work on a shorter piece, just to have something I can submit sooner, but I'll decide on that once I start working on the HQA.

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I know spring must finally be here, because the chipmunk who lives in our rockwall out back paid me a visit yesterday. We fed him last year, and usually around the same time, and if we missed a day he'd come to the sliding glass door and put his little paw up as if asking, "Please, ma'am, may I have some more?"

Anyway, he didn't stop to say hello today, but did wander across the back deck en route to the bird feeders. It was the first chippie I'd seen since fall. The squirrels are out and about during the winter, but the 'munks seem to sleep straight through.

Now, I have to figure out when I need to put the Black Swallowtail pupas (from last fall, remember?) outside to hatch. Probably not until mid-May or so. Hope they survived the winter. Are you excited? Pillar Place will be back in full swing by the beginning of June, LOL.

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Your Spelling is Perfect

You got 10/10 correct. Your spelling is excellent. You also have a great memory and eye for detail.

How's Your Spelling?

That really doesn't surprise me... lol...

Sleeping Well and Pillar Place recap

It is necessary to write, if the days are not to slip emptily by. How else, indeed, to clap the net over the butterfly of the moment? For the moment passes, it is forgotten; the mood is gone; life itself is gone. That is where the writer scores over his fellows: he catches the changes of his mind on the hop. ~ Vita Sackville-West

I was flat out exhausted last night -- I think not getting enough sleep lately finally caught up with me. I was in bed before my DD, head hit the pillow at 7:30 pm, woke up once when DH came to bed (it's always the kitty scramble...the cat usually sleeps on DH's side until he comes to bed, then runs across me and snuggles against my chest), crashed and didn't wake up until just before 4 a.m.! That was good.

I'm a new woman.

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I'm still hard at work on edits. I need to have Liv's story done by mid-Oct, and I want to have "A Change of Heart" done by the end so I can, yes, do NaNo!

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And now... finally... pictures of Pillar Place!

This is the first set of Monarchs we raised. I learned my lesson, though, and now they all get their own container so I don't have to worry about jostling new chrysalis's if someone needs food or is ready to hatch (like the black one in the back).



Here's one of the first batch, hanging out with the DD. She was a great encouragement for them to fly!


Here's a little of the scene from two days ago -- a flock of butterflies!



And ... amazingly, I managed to catch one just emerging from it's chrysalis AND the pictures came out pretty well:





I'm amazed at how crumpled and small their wings are when they first emerge -- but check out the big, fat behind on that critter! Apparently it's full of the fluid it needs to pump up its wings. After only a few moments, the rump is normal sized and the wings, although still soggy, are full-sized.



Although we still have two butterbabies to hatch... I'll probably not mention it. Consider this the season finale of Pillar Place. Tune in next May for the season premiere -- when the three over-wintering Swallowtail babies Jill, Rose and Martin, will hatch!

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Also, if you're into winning stuff, check out the new Author Contest page we added to the reviews site! Make sure you check back regularly, as I'm adding more contests nearly every day. And, good luck!

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What Kind of Butterfly Are You?

large glasswing
Take this quiz!








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Saturday Self-Esteem

To free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves - there lies the great, singular power of self-respect. ~ Joan Didion

I was thinking, the other day (I KNOW... danger, Will Robinson, DANGER) about the fact I haven't received fan mail on my simply stupendous writing (LOL, and I'm humble, too) and wondered what would happen when I finally have A NOVEL out and, of course, imagined piles of emails and letters coming in, praising me on my masterpiece.

Then I popped over to Jenny Crusie's blog, where she posted a bit of mail that had been written to a fellow author, and then defended herself against the angry responses to that. And I recall reading a post at Tess Gerritsen's blog (which has since been removed because Tess didn't want to give any publicity to an angry reader) that was all nasty spewing.

And I decided if that was the kind of mail I'd get, I'd rather have none, thank you. I'd forgo the thousands of positive messages to miss just one nasty one, because -- those are the ones that seem to matter. Why is that? Why can we be called beautiful or wonderful or smart or amazing millions of times, and disregard all of that when one person says we're ugly or stupid or worthless?

We were at the grocery store the other day, and the lady bagging the groceries told my DD she was beautiful. DD stammered a thank you and we finished and headed out to the car. And, along the way, she told me she didn't think she was in the least bit pretty.

Huh?

Though I am surely biased, I think she's lovely. And smart. And funny. And upbeat. And I try to tell her this on a regular basis. But there are things that work against me.

My SIL makes DD take her glasses off for every picture. She has told DD that her eyes are beautiful, and that the glasses make her look unattractive -- oh, maybe not in so many words, but the implication is there.

Comments have also been made, phrases like, "He who indulges, bulges" whenever the DD wants to eat junk food. My in-laws are absolutely freaky about fat. Obsessive. Worried. It is the topic of conversation on a regular basis.

So, DD told me the other day that she thinks she's fat. I can tell her constantly how wonderful and beautiful and amazing she is, but that's not what she's heard. She hears the negative: you're ugly and fat.

And, I think that's true of any of us. It's the reason why, as a (hopefully!) good crit partner, I couch any negatives between positives. To be an effective crit partner, you have to point out the weaknesses, but must also make certain that the author understands that you still love her baby.

Even so, it will be the negative that stands out.

And, isn't that a shame.

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I hope to download some pictures I took yesterday and post them later today or tomorrow. When DD checked on Pillar Place: Monarch P2 upon rising, it was incredible. All but two of the butterbabies had hatched and were clinging to their chrysalis's, drying their wings. I tried to get pictures of them all just hanging there.

AND... it ended up only raining part of the day, so by the time they were ready to fly, we were able to take them out and release them! Yay! So... ten more butterbabies are in the world. And they are truly beautiful. We have two more that should hatch this week and then we're done (thank heavens!) for the season.

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Thanks to Tori for finding me another quiz!

The Disney Heroine Quiz

You are Jasmine. Princess Jasmine is a girl who only a few special people can get close to. She has a pet tiger named Raja who will obey only her. Jasmine is smart, and fun, and beautiful, according to Aladdin. You have Jasmine's fiery spirit, and you probably have a few close friends as opposed to many acquaintances. You are admirable, for you stand up not only for yourself, but for your beliefs, friends, and whosoever is being picked on. You have a very strong character and you know exactly what you want.
Take this quiz!








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The Day After

The things that one most wants to do are the things that are probably most worth doing. - Winifred Holtby

The fair absolutely wiped me out yesterday. My DD said it was too bad that old people got tired so fast.

Yeah. Uh, thanks.

The weather held, though strangely, just a mile or two up the road, the thunderstorms were so bad that thousands of people lost power. Wasn't it nice that God put an umbrella over the fairgrounds :-)

We watched the horse shows, we patted some of the draft horse and cows. We talked at GREAT LENGTH to a teenager with two calves she was raising to pull things. One of them, Hank, thought I was yummy. I was rubbing his head and he was leaning heavily into me, but if I got close to his nose -- **SLURP** -- out came the tongue. Their tongues are STRONG. It's amazing my hand didn't end up as his lunch.

DD rode a few rides. We prefer to go on "bracelet day" when you pay $20 for unlimited rides, but that's today and it's supposed to rain all day (unless that old umbrella theory holds). So, I paid $20 for a sheet of tickets instead and it ended up only being seven rides. Unbelievable. Still, she had fun despite agonizing over which rides to ride.

We had french fries and cotton candy for lunch. Of course.

And we spent a lot of time looking at the art -- both drawings and paintings. The DD is sure she wants to be an artist. All-in-all we spent about six hours there and my dogs were barking. I was never so glad to get home.

It's too bad old people get tired so fast.

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Pillar Place: Monarch P2 is having an event today. All but two chrysalis' will become butterflies. Of course. Because, you see, it's RAINING ALL DAY TODAY. Do you think they can read the weather forecast? I mean, it hasn't rained in a week, and it's not going to rain the whole next week. Today is literally the only day during their butterbaby period where any precipitation is expected. So, of course, today is the day.

I arranged all their little lids around the lip of a box so they can hang to dry their wings, and locked them up in our spare bedroom. In a few hours, we'll have our own "Butterfly Place". I should charge entry, LOL.

Tomorrow, when it's sunny and warm, I figure I'll just open the windows wide and take out the screens... and they'll fly right out. Right?

I'll let you know.

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Did you happen to swing by and read the free short story by Ceri Hebert up at LASR yesterday? You should... it's a winner!

And it's the last day to win an autographed copy of your choice of Janet Mullany's backlist AND a free eBook by Elaine Cantrell.

AND... we'll be sending out our first LASR newsletter on Monday (or so). There's a special "subscribers only" contest that we'll be offering AND you'll be entered to win an Amazon gift certificate. Have you signed up yet?

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You Are a Carnation

You are down to earth and grounded. You tend to be more traditional than trendy. Your confidence gets you through anything. People trust you and are very loyal to you.

What Flower Are You?

Trust me... Muh-ha-ha....

Actually, though, this is pretty right on. And, the thrify person inside me loves carnations beause they last forever!

Booking it Joyfully

Never read a book through merely because you have begun it. -
John Witherspoon

Booking It Through Thursday - Sunshine and Roses

Imagine that everything is going just swimmingly. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and all’s right with the world. You’re practically bouncing from health and have money in your pocket. The kids are playing and laughing, the puppy is chewing in the cutest possible manner on an officially-sanctioned chew toy, and in between moments of laughter for pure joy, you pick up a book to read . . .

What is it?

See... I don't know if my answer would be all that different from last week (which is what this is supposed to highlight -- the difference in reading material from when you're down and when you're not).

I seldom veer off my regular path. Though, lately, finding good NEW books to read has been tough. Yesterday, Judy asked me about a book we both read. I told her the simple fact that I actually made it through from beginning to end meant it wasn't all bad. Lately, I have so little time to read (my writing and keeping our romance reviews website up and running consumes my time), that I have almost no patience for books that don't grab me immediately. And I find myself continually returning to old favorites.

I'm currently reading "Dragondrums" by Anne McCaffrey -- and am working my way through the Dragonriders series (though, I may skip "Moreta" because it's so sad).

I'm also re-reading Catherine Coulter's FBI series, and just finished "The Eleventh Hour".

I can't wait for the next "Born In..." book by J.D. Robb and "Blood Brothers", the first book in Nora's next trilogy.

Does that answer the question? If not, I'll sum up: I'd probably reach for an old favorite, so a crummy book wouldn't ruin the good mood.

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Have you entered to win a free autographed book from Jill Monroe, yet?

Or... a free eBook from the wonderful author, M.G. Braden?

Why not?

What about joining our new Yahoo group, set up to talk about romance and romance novels?

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In Pillar Place: Monarch P2, all the pillars are now chrysalis' -- and our first butterflies should hatch sometime between tomorrow and Monday. It's going to be a lovely weekend, so Friday would be good (did you hear that, butterbabies??). I'm still concerned that the last two may be too late (gah!), but I hope not.

Judy, can I send you some monarch chrysalis to hatch?

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You Are a Blueberry Margarita

Honestly, there's no one quite like you. And believe it or not, most people think that's a bad thing! You're open, wild, friendly, wacky, and tons of fun. You have a big personality... and a big heart.

What Flavor Margarita Are You?

Huh... personally, I prefer a top shelf margarita on the rocks, extra salt please. But it sure did say lots of nice stuff about me...

Sunday Stuff

"The only place where your dream becomes impossible is in your own thinking." - Robert Schuller

I reviewed the galley for "The Christmas Curse" and it's off to production. Ironically, it was completed first, and will be the one released last! I'm excited -- I love the story. It's another silly story. My favorite kind to write.

I haven't written anything new for a really, really long time. I need to schedule time for writing again. Actually, what I need to do is work on scene ideas for my NaNoWriMo novel, tentatively entitled "The Cartoonist and the Cat Lady". I have my H/H, I have a VERY general story idea, I have two secondary characters (though I'm sure more will show up), I have a loose idea for the conflict... but nothing else. So, I need to do a little brainstorming, hit the NaNo "Dares" board for more (I love that place), and gear up for it.

I still can't believe I'm going to do it. I'm so busy, it's insane. But I truly LURVE NaNoWriMo. It's like a drug. Every year when I finish, I'm ready to do it all again. Now it's only a bit over a month away.

Anyone else going to jump in?

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In Pillar Place: Monarch P2, we have nine chrysalis'!! Woo! Two more pillars are nearly big enough and will probably "J" in a day or two.

DD is so addicted to doing this, I expect to have pillar condos next year -- she's determined to go to that field of milkweed that they mowed (hence murdering an unknown number of pillars -- if you figure we got almost thirty from my ten or so plants, then you figure out what a field full would harbor) and find every "bug" we can.

Dear heavens.

Just say "NO".

Yeah, right. I'm weak.

================================

Stolen from Allie (I actually did it yesterday, but thought it was totally cool):

WHAT COLOR ARE YOU?



You are Gold!

You're a reliable organizer who can be counted on to implement other people’s ideas and get the job done. You are extremely organized, detail oriented, and self-disciplined. You are the maintainers of society who are best at following through and implementing what others create. You make sure that every 'T' is crossed and every 'I' is dotted. You are self-motivated and usually prefer to be behind the scenes keeping things running smoothly.

You love to serve others by helping them take responsibility and be accountable for their actions. For this reason you are attracted to roles such as manager, elementary school teacher, and police officer, but the list is far greater in the book.

Heavens to Betsy, most of this is spot on... though I can't in my wildest dreams, ever EVER believe I'd make a good school teacher. I've been a manager, and enjoyed it a lot.

Still...eerie....

What about you?

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And, lastly, I introduced the DD to the fun that is Gilbert & Sullivan. I LOVE G&S and Pirates of Penzance is my fave, though I also seriously enjoy HMS Pinafore and The Mikado. Those guys are the kings of irony and sarcasm and sneaky wit.

So... I give you "A Paradox" (unfortunately, this one has subtitles, but it's the only copy I could find from the movie -- yes, it's in English. I guess they thought you couldn't understand the words):

Saturday Stray Thoughts

An archaeologist is the best husband a woman can have. The older she gets the more interested he is in her. - Agatha Christie

No reason for that quote, except I thought it was funny. :-)

I moved furniture yesterday. I'm tired. Still.

You see, when my mom decided to move back to California, I told her to leave what she didn't want and I'd take care of it. Turns out she didn't want A LOT. We're redoing her apartment above the garage as a scrapbooking area/library/office/schoolroom, so I kept her bookshelves and a little pantry/cupboard thingy. But I had no use for her twin bed, dresser, nightstand, dining table/chairs or refrigerator.

I found homes for it, but yesterday I promised the folks who wanted the bed & table/chairs, that I'd have it downstairs for them. And DD is keeping the dresser and nightstand, but getting rid of her old toybox (that was a hard decision for her).

So... with the help of my 8 y.o. DD, I moved stuff. This was AFTER we took a long, long walk at a local park. There's this very nice walk around the pond -- about a mile long. We did it twice. Fast. And, I was reminded how old my dog is when she pooped out in the middle of the second lap. I thought I was going to have to carry her home.

She's 75 pounds.

In any case, between moving furniture and cleaning up where the furniture used to be, I got nothing done, writingwise. Last night, Michele and I uploaded all pending reviews to our LASR blog -- so they're ready for release, one at a time. That was nice, mindless work and exactly what I needed.

Oh... and we talked about a site my mom accidentally found. She was in Salt Lake City area and saw this big pink bus with Pure Romance and a website URL painted on the outside. She thought it sounded like something I'd be interested in.

Ha. I went to the site. It's a commercial site and the first thing I saw was five different flavors of Great Head. Yeah. Let your mind wander for a moment. I laughed and told Mom it wasn't another reviews site or romance publisher...LOLOL...

In any case, furniture is moved, Mom made it out to California safely and is already loving it, and I'm still pooped. Today... we move the fridge. But, at least I'll have adult help this time.

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Pillar Place: Monarch P2 is moving rapidly. We have four real chrysalis, and five new "J" bugs. The two smallest pillars better eat fast and grow quick. I still see monarchs flying around out here, so it must still be safe for release. The countdown to butterfly begins. They're cutting it really, really close. Fingers crossed.

And, hey, if I have to drive south to release them, I can go visit Judy and Tori. So it's not all bad :-)

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You paid attention during 74% of high school!

68-84% Pretty good, you know that there are libraries and newspapers, and you remember what you've read. You were a child that wasn't left behind!

Do you deserve your high school diploma?
Create a Quiz

No spelling errors on this one! LOL...

And here's a little frightening tidbit for you: I graduated in the top ten of my class -- with a class size of 300+!

Yikes.

Okay, spill -- how did you do?

Covers and Curses and Close My Mouth

“Never regret. If it's good, it's wonderful. If it's bad, it's experience.” - Victoria Holt

I had the audacity to tell someone the other day that I was caught up enough to do something for them that needed doing quickly... I'm an idiot. Words like that invite disaster.

Yesterday I not only received the first round of edits on my cowboy story -- and they're TOUGH because there is a particular issue that needs to be changed, and all the incidences of it fixed throughout, along with regular editing stuff -- I also received the galleys to proofread for my Christmas story at TWRP called "The Christmas Curse". I also received the cover. What do you think?

The Christmas Curse --
For Molly Scott, everything bad in her life has happened during the Christmas season, from training bras in her stocking to being jilted by her fiancé. This year is no exception.

Ten days before Christmas, she arrives at work to find her department closed down and everyone laid off. Desperate, she takes a job for a singing telegram service and, dressed as Mrs. Claus, meets the man of her dreams--who turns out to be a nightmare--in a broken down elevator. The Christmas Curse is right on track.

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Last night, a friend of DH's was here to have his computer repaired (this poor guy -- I don't know what he does, but I see him about every six months for this!). He saw me typing away on the computer and asked if I was working. I said yes. He asked "where" I worked, assuming that I telecommuted to a "real" job. Ha. I said, "I work right here. I run a website and a write. I have a novel that will be available soon." I was proud and excited to say those words.

He was thrilled. It seems his wife is publishing a book -- she's a life coach (something I found moderately amusing, considering my quiz results from a few days ago) and is publishing a non-fiction books, self-help type. He wanted to talk publishing.

Then he did it: he asked what I wrote. And suddenly, I was flustered. His wife was important, doing important stuff, writing words that would change a person's life for the better.

I moderated and said, "I write fiction."

He didn't let me get away with that. "Oh? For what age group?" He knows I homeschool, so he must have assumed I was writing for children.

I gulped, feeling unaccountably uncomfortable. I didn't want to say the words and see him close up. I didn't want to have him judge me because I wrote "those" books. Finally though, I did it. "I write romance," I said. "So, I'm writing for adults."

"Oh." He nodded. "I wonder why your husband didn't tell me you wrote a book?" And he headed to the basement.

Actually, I'm surprised my DH didn't tell him. He tells everyone. I frequently find myself blindsided by folks I barely know saying, "So, I hear you wrote a book."

Still... after this conversation, I was so angry with myself. I'm proud of writing AND reading romance. I take on people every day who look down their noses at my choice of reading material. The woman who runs my library doesn't appreciate genre fiction as a whole, and refuses to buy trade paperbacks -- says they mess up the shelves and don't last as long, but that simple decree eliminates many romances I prefer to read. So, I request them. And because I am one of their best "customers", they are somewhat obligated to buy them. I proudly purchase my romances at various stores, I love that the UBS is more than half romance novels. Usually, I hold my head up high.

So, why was I so embarrassed to say what I wrote?

It kept me awake for some time, and even now I'm frustrated. I promise to make a concerted effort to maintain pride in my chosen genre and shame on me for last night's debacle.

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In Pillar Place: Monarch P2 we have three "J" pillars, and about four more who are hanging out on their roofs. Most of them who were up there yesterday came down and ate some more. A last meal? But last night when I checked, three of them were all webbed into the box (yes, they spin webs -- the strongest stuff... it's amazing) and this a.m. they are hanging from their tails.

Hurry, little pillars, hurry. I saw geese flying south overhead last night. Summer is over. You need to follow those geese soon!

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You Are Scissors

Sharp and brilliant, you can solve almost any problem with that big brain of yours. People fear your cutting comments - and your wit is famous for being both funny and cruel. Deep down, you tend to be in the middle of an emotional storm. Your own complexity disturbs you. You are too smart for your own good. Slow down a little - or you're likely to hurt yourself. You can cut a paper person down to pieces. The only person who can ruin you is a rock person. When you fight: You find your enemy's weak point and exploit it. If someone makes you mad: You'll do everything you can to destroy their life

Are You Rock, Paper, or Scissors?

Ooh... I sound MEAN! Y'all scared yet?

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BTW, have you entered Diane's contest for your choice of an autographed book? If not, why? If yes, remember -- there's another chance (your LAST chance) to enter today.

And, have you entered the LASR contest for a free autographed book? Hurry up... today's the last day. While you're at it, take our poll.

And, Judy is giving away a $20 Amazon GC for the best caption on a picture she took. Go visit and caption the photo.

Happy Friday!

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Edited to add: From Allie -

I Need Your Votes!

Hey everyone, a little shameless promotion here: Ciar Cullen, a fellow Samhain author, is running a contest on her blog to select The Best Ebook of the Summer...and One Night in Boston is one of the choices.

Would you hop on over there and vote for me? Please? Ciar will buy and review the winning book...and a little more promo for ONIB wouldn't hurt any. Hey, if you feel like pimping the contest on your own blog, I'd love it even more :) Thanks a million.

Consider it done :-)

Booking It Through Plague, Pestilence and the Poorhouse

BOOKING IT THROUGH THURSDAY

Okay . . . picture this (really) worst-case scenario: It’s cold and raining, your boyfriend/girlfriend has just dumped you, you’ve just been fired, the pile of unpaid bills is sky-high, your beloved pet has recently died, and you think you’re coming down with a cold. All you want to do (other than hiding under the covers) is to curl up with a good book, something warm and comforting that will make you feel better.

What do you read?

Is it bad to say, "That depends"? See... sometimes when things are bleak, I need to have a really good cry before I can get my head back on straight and figure out a way to dig up from the bottom. In those cases, I'd actually sit down in front of a movie -- not a book. I know, gasps abound. But nothing makes you cry like a good tearjerker. I'd probably go for "Beaches" or the final episode of M*A*S*H. Yes, really.

BUT... when it's time to kick myself in the butt and get up, dust off and move forward only comedy will do. So... yup, you guessed it: I'm all about Jennifer Crusie. And, of her books, I'd probably choose "Getting Rid of Bradley". Oh man, "Dead dog" makes me laugh every freakin' time. In fact, as soon as I'm done rereading "The Dragonriders of Pern", I may have to pick Bradley up again.

===================

Hey... all you readers out there -- do you love romance? Don't mind reading an eBook now and then? Always want to share your opinion? The Long and the Short of It is looking for YOU. We are in DESPERATE need of more reviewers -- so get free books, just for giving us a review. C'mon... it doesn't get better than that.

Speaking of free books, did you know that LASR has not one, not six, but SEVEN ways to enter this week to win an autographed book? We are terribly sneaky... this week, we offered a new and easy-peasy way to add your name to the pot one more time: go to the review of this book and comment. Yes, really... it's that easy.

OH! And... every week, we offer a free short story to read. This weeks went up today. Go check it out... it's adorable.

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In Pillar Place: Monarch P2 -- things they are a-changing... about half of the occupants were up on their roofs last night! Fingers crossed, this should mean they'll be making their chrysalis' today. The weather is getting COLD here, and if they don't make the move from butterbabies to butterflies by the end of the month, they're not going to make it unless I drive them south for the winter. I have seriously given it some thought... lol...

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Your Inner Child Is Happy

You see life as simple, and simple is a very good thing. You're cheerful and upbeat, taking everything as it comes. And you decide not to worry, even when things look bad. You figure there's just so many great things to look forward to.

How Is Your Inner Child?

Um... No. Not even close... I'm pretty sure not even ONE THING in that quiz is right. Maybe the last part... maybe.