This and That

Dreaming is an act of pure imagination, attesting in all men a creative power, which if it were available in waking, would make every man a Dante or Shakespeare. ~H.F. Hedge

I'm in a rambling mood, so beware :-)

DH asked me to wake him up this morning to go out hunting if it wasn't windy (the leftovers from Ida are hitting us today). At 2 a.m., the dog had to potty (*sigh* She hasn't had to do that in a long time), so I took her out (and noticed it was already windy) and then curled up on the couch because I'm a light sleeper and DH ... well... he can really saw the ZZZ's so getting back to sleep would have been tough.

Anyway, at 4 a.m., my alarm went off (startling the cat who was drooling on my pillow -- guess SHE isn't a light sleeper) and I looked out the window and saw the trees swaying, so rolled over and went back to sleep.

Only -- here's the thing. There is no window I can see out of from the couch, and it's too dark at 4 a.m. to see anything anyway. At 4:45, I stretched and thought, "Boy I'm glad it was windy so I could doze off again and I wonder if it still is." then rolled over to look and realized I couldn't see out -- and had DREAMED the whole other thing! LOL... I jumped up and stuck my head outside and almost had it blown off, so it was still windy, but wow. Vivid dream.

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Maria Zannini got the book thong DD made especially for her. DD tried to match it to the banner ad Maria has at the top of her blog for her book, "Touch the Fire".

It sounds like it was well loved, and my DD was thrilled she appreciated it. BTW, if you want a custom made book thong or earrings or bracelets, email DD and put in your order (she's at distinctivelydd AT gmail DOT com). We've had several custom order requests already, and she enjoys the challenge of making them.

Speaking of Distinctively DD, she has her first bracelet/earring set up. Once we get bracelets down pat, we'll be moving on to necklaces. And then maybe some fancier earrings.

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Allie posted this on her blog yesterday and I think it's something that should be shared:



I recently posted about losing Georgia, the pit bull mix in our agility class. She was an amazing dog. Some of the best, gentlest dogs I've know were Rotties. The most amazing dog I ever knew was a German Shepherd named Jenny that one of my SIL's owned. People have ideas about dog breeds because of the media -- I've only been bitten once in my life, and it was by a chihuahua (and it was a bad bite). Instead of punishing a particular breed, we need to start punishing the people who make the dogs the way they are.

As an aside, a breed that is the most well loved family pet is also a breed with one of the highest rates of reported dog bites (albeit not fatal bites): The Golden Retriever. So don't judge a book (or in this case, a dog) by it's cover. Breed specific legislation is wrong.

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I'm slowly beginning to write again, but not on my NaNo book -- because I can't seem to brainstorm a really good, juicy conflict for my H/H. OTOH, I did think of a really great conflict for my H/H in "A Jewel for Geoff" so that was exciting. AND, I found some pretty hot pix of a good-looking blond guy to replace my folically challenged Geoff in my mind, so I'm hoping that will help me find him more attractive. I have to be able to fall in love with my heroes, or I can't feel like the heroine can. Yanno?

I wonder if it's legit to add together the writing I do on "A Jewel for Geoff" to the writing I already did for "Drive Me Crazy" and total them for a win on NaNoWriMo?

Probably not. *sigh*

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You Should Have Curly Hair

You are cheerful, outgoing, and downright bouncy. People find you to be very personable and real. You are confident in your own skin, and you don't feel like you have to fake anything. You are very independent and unique. You wouldn't like to look like every other person on the street. People find that you're honest, and it's easy to trust you. Others expect you to be honest in all facets of your life.

Should You Have Straight Hair or Curly Hair?

Blogthings: Discover the Parts of Your Personality that Have Been Hiding

Well... that's convenient, since I HAVE curly hair. Except -- check this out! I got my hair cut and flat-ironed on Weds. What do you think?



I like it :-) ... or I should say, I likeD it -- cuz it's curly again.

Okay, time to get back to work. Have a great Saturday.

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Special Guest: Tracey Cramer-Kelly

Visiting with us today via Goddess Fish Promotions' blog tour, welcome Tracey Cramer-Kelly, author of the romantic suspense novel, "Last Chance Rescue". Want a chance to win an autographed copy of her book? It's easy to enter -- just leave a comment here today! And visit her other tour stops to comment, for even more chances.

Now... welcome Tracey!!

Why I Write from a Male Point of View

“Did you consider yourself a tomboy?”

That was the question from the male hosts of a popular outdoors radio show.

When I was a kid, all the neighborhood kids ran around together. We were a mini-gang and we were outdoors all the time, climbing on jungle gyms, playing tag and hide-and-seek, creating chalk drawings, running through sprinklers or building elaborate snow forts.

I never fell out of a tree. I never broke a bone. I didn’t play organized sports (not that I didn’t want to, but that’s another story).

I didn’t have dolls, but I had LOTS of stuffed animals, each with their own name and personality.

So…no…I never felt like a tomboy!

But…

I do have hobbies and interests that are typically associated with males. I ride a motorcycle, and have since I was 16 (thanks to my dad’s influence). I got my helicopter pilot license in 2001 (and am slowly getting my fixed-wing endorsement). I have a particular fondness for white-water rafting and other adrenaline-producing sports.

And I am definitely not a tea-and-gab kind of gal! I would rather bond with others the way men do: by doing some sort of physical activity (like basketball, for example). I sometimes have difficulty connecting with other mothers who have no interests or goals outside of their family (which you might say is a female trait...and I have those, too, especially when it comes to my kids, who are 2 and 6).

So I tended to have male friends. And my background in the military compounded that. I worked and hung out with a lot of males (and still do as owner of a motorcycle accessories business www.LeaderMotorcycle.com).

So perhaps, in some ways, I think like a man.

So why do I ‘write like a man’? (I consider that a compliment, by the way.) Perhaps it’s a little of the old adage ‘write what you know’ (which I don’t believe in, although I’m convinced that the seed has to be sown somewhere).

But mostly…I just find men fascinating. In particular, how they react to problems. How they deal with intimacy and emotionally trying situations. How they struggle with identity and regrets. My male friends (and my husband!) will tell you that I’ve grilled them at some time or another about something or other. In my writing, I like to explore how a male character may change/be changed by events/situations (a major theme in Last Chance Rescue).

Women always want to ‘understand’ men and see the more vulnerable side of them. Last Chance Rescue gives them lots of that. AND men like it too (just ask the radio talk show hosts)!

About the Author: I'm married to a man (Tim) who actually puts up with all my crazy ideas ... a "homebody" balance to my manic Type-A "go-go" personality ... a man who keeps me grounded. We have two children (son Nathan, 5, and our "love child" daughter, Evelyn, 1). For someone who swore in my younger days that I'd never have children, I am regularly astounded by my capacity for love and humbled by the blessing these two bring to my life.

I enjoy outdoor activities of all kinds (downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, water skiing, whitewater rafting, kayaking, etc). I would spend every day on the river if I could!

I've been a "biker chick" since I was 16 years old (and yes, I wear leather!). My current ride is a Kawasaki Vulcan 900. But I tend to get a new motorcycle more often than I should!

Visit Tracy at her website and blog.


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Blurb of "Last Chance Rescue":

When Brad Sievers runs into his old friend Jessie Van Dyke at his high school reunion, little does he know how much it will change his life. When his high-powered advertising career fizzles, he falls into a most unlikely career opportunity -- becoming a member of Jessie's search-and-rescue team. Nothing in his life has prepared Brad for this, but he finds it more fulfilling than a dozen advertising campaigns.

Through dangerous rescues and personal trials, Brad and Jessie become close friends. They share in the birth of her first colt from her rescued horse; Jessie helps Brad when one of his first rescues doesn't make it. When one of their rescue victims turns out to be a fellow soldier from Jessie's Iraq War days, Brad almost loses her to old demons. But when Brad is severely injured in a training accident, Jessie nurses him back to health as only she can. And when she goes missing one night, Brad realizes just how important she has become to him.

Both Brad and Jessie must fight their own defenses to finally let down the walls that will allow them to rescue each other. This is a story about breath-taking action and adventurous lives, and the heart that is behind it all.


Read an excerpt of this great story!

Despite three blankets and a roaring fire only two feet away from him, Brad couldn’t stop shivering. Even the hot shower he’d had only thirty minutes before was a distant memory. A warm mug appeared in his hands. “What is it?”

“Hot toddy with herbs.” Jessie sat in the easy chair across from him. “It’ll help warm you.”

The bourbon burned the back of his throat but the herbs left a pleasant aftertaste.

“You might start feeling warmer in a week or so,” Ryan teased, sipping on his own. The younger man sat next to Brad, nearly as wrapped as he was. Micah had been soaked as well, but he didn’t seem as affected by it. He and Tony—who had performed CPR with Jessie during the medevac flight—sat on the sofa, engaged in a conversation about fishing, of all things.

They fell silent when the phone rang. Every eye watched Jessie as she spoke a few short words into the phone and hung up. She shook her head. “I’m sorry,” she addressed Brad specifically. “He didn’t make it.”

Brad sat staring into the fire long after Tony, Micah, and Jessie had left. He wasn’t prepared for the impact of her words. Although he knew it to be true, he didn’t want to believe it. When? he demanded silently. When had the man died? Had he been dead when Brad had held him in his arms? Had everything he’d done been meaningless after all?

Rushed

Time is an equal opportunity employer. Each human being has exactly the same number of hours and minutes every day. Rich people can't buy more hours. Scientists can't invent new minutes. And you can't save time to spend it on another day. Even so, time is amazingly fair and forgiving. No matter how much time you've wasted in the past, you still have an entire tomorrow. ~Denis Waitely

Today's post will be quick -- I might have some time to work on my story (still brainstorming, but if the spirit leads I'll write some, too -- for an update about what the heck I'm talking about, go to this post on the JaNoWriMo blog here).

Had to go way the heck away to get a prescription for my poor old kitty yesterday. Her arthritis is getting so bad! She's begun to limp and the doc found a pain med that shouldn't affect her kidneys much, but it's specially compounded and there aren't that many compounding pharmacies around. So it was off to Concord yesterday to get it. I used my GPS for real for the first time. It worked pretty darn well!

We found a bead shop right across the street from the pharmacy and it was amazing! A HUGE selection of really top notch stuff at reasonable prices. I wanted to buy almost everything -- lots of natural stones, etc. Be still my heart. In any case, we bought some stuff and will be back. Now to make the new jewelry.

When we got home, DH advised me that we were taking down trees at his sister's house, so it was off again. I reminded DH that just because HE is on vacation does not mean that DD and I are. She missed half her school yesterday. URGH.

Our neighbor got a deer out hunting yesterday. However, he and his family are gone away on vacation from today through the weekend, and asked if we could process the meat. So, tomorrow we'll be spending the day butchering the deer and packaging the meat. We're getting half as payment, so it's worth it. But, another day I lose for working.

So, that's my life. How are you? I will be by to visit soon -- it's just insane, and I'm barely able to keep up with writing (HA -- haven't done a word in six days) and working on the LASR/WC site. Bear with me. November is a sucky month all around.

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Special Guest Blog: Teach them Well

Teach them Well by Mima

I’m a children’s librarian, and I’m asking all you grown-up readers to seek out three extraordinary picture books. These are three of my most favorite children’s romance books. Romance?! For kids? Oh, yes, and for elders, too. Young children recognize sacrifice, obsession, and reward. They love to groan about mushy stuff… unless it’s embedded in a lush, compelling story. I’ve read all of these books with many classes, and any who dared to go “ewwww” at the big moment were soundly hushed by their peers. The silence during these stories is that magical moment for a teacher—the awe of respect.

The Secret Keeper by Kate Coombs, illustrated by Heather Solomon. While I’d like to turn all of these stories into “grown-up” romances, this one actually made my fingers itch. I saw it all so clearly. The isolated woman with the magic to take people’s psychic burdens, and the one man who refuses to use her talent, for he only wants to protect her.

The Fox by Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks. Cry my eyes out every time. Not that unusual, granted, but this story is. The disappointingly aggressive font plays to the villain featured in the title, but the book belongs to the hero, the one eyed dog with a heart of gold, and the broken bird who loves him, even after she betrays him.

East o’ the Sun, West o’ the Moon by Naomi Lewis, illustrated by P. J. Lynch. This edition of the norse variation on Beauty and the Beast is lifted by both the language and the art. The image of the princess finally in the arms of her Bear hung in my apartment for several months. I still melt every time I see it, and then I whisper, “Exploding trolls…” and giggle.

I’ve read each of these stories at various times for Valentine’s Day. I’ve dreamed about them at night. They’ve haunted me as much as the most exquisite romances I’ve ever put on my keeper shelf. For all their brevity, they compel the reader to believe in redemption, and the children glow at the end. Read these, romance fans. Read and learn.

About the author: Mima is the author of several paranormal erotic romances, including the Bonded fantasies’ newest, Spirit Within. Learn more about her and her works at www.mimawithin.com .

Gorgeous Weather and Busy Days

The essential part of creativity is not being afraid to fail. — Edwin H. Land

So... yesterday was a little on the crazy side and I didn't get a lot done. NO writing, so at this point, I'm four days behind on NaNo. Can I catch up? I have no idea. It's discouraging for me that the month I really want to hunker down and write is the month my DH takes off of work every year. I realize I can hunker down and write in ANY month, but I can't get the kind of support from the world as I do during NaNoWriMo -- and it really does matter.

*sigh*

Oh well, at least the day was gorgeous yesterday - sunny and mid-60s. It was VERY windy, but it was a warm wind, so it didn't matter. I contemplated blowing the leaves out of my flower gardens, but then opted not to. *G*

I did futz around on eBay a little to see if I could find better deals on beading supplies for DD (that's her shop, Distinctively DD, over there on my sidebar ---> for those of you who didn't already know). And I did. But... it could get a little dangerous because there is so much there and most of it is really quite inexpensive. We realized that packing supplies and such are going to take quite a bite out of our profits (not to mention Pay Pal fees... OUCH), so that's not good. Am looking to find boxes and earring cards as cheaply as possible, as well as padded envelopes. We'll get there. It's still a learning process.

I put up about 10 more earrings yesterday, and hope to do the same today. As an aside, my DH actually made two pairs of earrings to put up in the shop, so hopefully you'll see those for sale, too. It was a hoot watching my big macho man making jewelry.

And, I'm trying to decide whether I want to start a Facebook fan page and twitter account for her shop as well. Artfire lets you auto-post all your new items on both sites.

Ah... big business.

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In other DD news, I'm trying to decide whether I should break the news about Santa (and the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny) to her. Fact is... if she was in school, she'd know already. Decisions, decisions... your thoughts?

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Okay, provided no one gets up in the next twenty minutes, I should have time to write at least a few words, so I'm heading out. Have a great day!

Oops... typed that too soon. The moment those words were off of my fingers, the floor above me creaked. DH and DD are both awake. *sigh* Oh well, maybe later.

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People Love That You Are Open and Confident

You're the type of person that's easy to get close to. You're very comfortable in your own skin. You have no problem showing people who you are, and you're genuinely interested in them in return. You are an accepting and involved friend. You are truly curious about what is going on in other people's lives. You may be the first in your group of friends to express concern when someone is having a hard time or making bad decisions. It's only because you care so much.

What Do People Love About You?

Blogthings: A Fine Line Between Insight and Stupidity

Not entirely sure this is true, but ... heck... it makes me sound good, so I'll take it. *G*

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Agility Competition

“A competitor will find a way to win. Competitors take bad breaks and use them to drive themselves just that much harder. Quitters take bad breaks and use them as reasons to give up. It's all a matter of pride.” - Nancy Lopez

We had a (*mostly*) great day at agility. Dakota was considered one of the top three dogs, so headed her own team. By rights, we should have had the strongest team, but the stars weren't properly aligned, and our team came in last. Dakota only had one completely clean run (which I, of course, forgot to video), but she still did well enough to be in the final run-off. In that run-off, she had the best time of all and won the overall gold medal (for individual dogs).

Here's one of her other runs (yes, that's me groaning when Dakota goes off course, and yes, I'm breaking my own rule and posting a vid w/ my DD):



DD had butterflies in her tummy all day long, had two crying jags (because of poor runs and one bad choice she made--which actually overrode MY choice, which made it worse, because it turned out I was right), and was really affected by the spirit of competition.

Dakota, OTOH, was completely unaffected by the pressure of heading her own team:



The best thing that happened was that Dakota actually outran the dog who typically wins every competition to win her medal. Now... this dog fell off the walk-it, which dramatically slowed her down, but even so, it was a moment of great triumph (that probably won't happen again, lol).

Amazingly, the team that won the team portion of the competition was the little dog team (with one exception, a sharpei who isn't very fast):



One of the Yorkies is just an incredible agility competitor. He is so fast and accurate! Incredible.

Here is our team (and, yes, I purposely chose the picture with DD's hair covering her face, lol):



It was fun and a challenge and I may end up running Dakota at least once next time, because she listens to me better, but regardless I'm proud of both my daughters *G*.

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I'm writing this the night before, so I don't have a NaNo update for you. If you're interested, check the JaNoWriMo blog a little later in the morning.

Happy Monday!!!!!!

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A Day Off

“I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom.” - Thomas Carlyle

I was so wiped out yesterday (I was up at 3:30 a.m. -- don't ask), then hauled wood all afternoon on top of that, I was in bed by 8 p.m. I decided to make myself sleep in (and I do have to force myself, so I dozed off and on from about 4:30 until now).

I'm taking the day off everything. No writing. No cleaning. No cooking. I only have to do the agility competition (which kind of bums me out because the weather today is going to be gorgeous -- sunny and 60 degrees -- and I'm going to be indoors all day, dang it), but otherwise, I'm done.

And, this is going to be a short post, too.

Happy Sunday everybody!