Scary Things

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It's Halloween. It is one of my favorite holidays. In fact, it is my third favorite holiday. First is Thanksgiving, then the 4th of July, then Halloween. It used to be second but them Little Man was born on the 4th of July so I had to bump that one up. Anyway, I love to see the kids all dressed up. They are so cute! I love to see the families all dressed up together. It's fun. How wonderful to participate with your children that way. I love the left over chocolate. I never pass out sugary candy (I don't like it), just chocolate so I can eat it the left overs. There is nothing more fun than going to a costume party and having the house all decorated with Halloween stuff. On my bucket list is to host a Halloween costume party. Some day.

This year, Little Man and the Big Man will go trick-or-treating like they did last year and I will pass out candy to the kids who venture down our street. Little Man is going to be a pirate. He loves pirates. Pirates and cowboys. He has been carrying around his hook (plastic and part of his costume) and his belt which he calls his cowboy lasso. He told me he is a cowboy pirate. It works for him. Tomorrow, Little Man will be asking for his candy from the time he gets up in the morning until he goes to sleep. This will go on for days, or at least until my husband and I can eat it all so we can tell him there's no more candy. Mean? Not really. The last thing a 3-year old needs is candy. That's scary.


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Tomorrow is also the 1st of November. That means there are only 17 days until our anniversary (7 years), 28 days until Thanksgiving, 55 days until Christmas and 61 days until New Year's Eve. Throw in my husband's birthday for good measure too. Yikes! Menus must be planned, travel/guest arrangements made, gift lists need to be written for wishing and purchasing. All of that makes my hair stand up when I think what few days there are for making all these plans and arrangements. Can I eat chocolate now?

November is also a big deal because our literary magazine,
The Southern Tablet, launches on the 9th. That is more exciting than scary, but you never know what sort of reception it will have. The anticipation makes me chew my fingernails.

Finally, November is also National Novel Writing Month. I am partially participating in NaNo this year in that our journal staff each has chosen a day of the week to blog a round-robin "novel." I picked Tuesday and will have 4 installments to write for the whole month. Unless Allison delivers her baby early in which case I'll have Thursdays too. I'm still revising my novel and I still have a half-finished novel that needs to be completed so I don't think I'll start anything new. However, I am considering using the NaNo month to complete my revisions. Getting back to my writing schedule and discipline is what I need to do. Nothing creepier than being disciplined!

These are scary times, starting with today -- Halloween. From here on out it is a speeding roller coaster taking us up and down and around in all directions until the last champagne cork pops on New Year's Eve. Time passes too quickly and with all the things there are to do crammed into this short amount of time it seems to go faster and faster. It feels like taking that first step into a haunted house. You know your perspective will be skewed. You know that there will be things jumping out at you. You know that the passageways have been darkened and narrowed and there are sounds of banging and screaming from all directions to disorient you. Still, you take a deep breath, hold it, and run on through; stopping for nothing, and only exhaling when you've made it safely through the maze and have exited into a peaceful place.

A Few Of My Favorite Things

Photo from www.stacksandstacks.com

Yesterday, on the way into school, my Little Man told me that triangles are his favorite shape. I hoped he wouldn't ask me what my favorite shape is since honestly I've never given it any thought. He didn't ask, and today his favorite shapes are rectangles.

But, I started thinking about my favorite things. Of course, all things Little Man and Big Man. But aside from them, what are my favorite things? I was surprised to find that it has been so long that I thought about just me I was hard-pressed to make what should be such a simple list. But, after a second cup of coffee, I was able to make my list. So, just for kicks, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite things. Oh, these are in no particular order either.

A second cup of coffee - the first cup is necessary. The second cup is savored. It's the one I can taste (now that I'm awake). It's the one that starts my day.

Wine - I like wine. I prefer red to white, but both are nice to sit and sip at the end of a long day. Just a glass, maybe two, every so often is just wonderful.

Vacations - I like to take vacations but I need to qualify this. First, a vacation is planned with an itinerary. A spontaneous "Hey, lets go somewhere this weekend" is not a vacation. That is a stress inducer. But something scheduled where the dogs' care is arranged for, the mail is stopped, reservations made, appropriate packing has been done - that's good. Second, the itinerary should consist of only 3 things: relaxing, sightseeing, and eating. There should be no "doing" on a vacation. "Doing" is work.

Learning - I love learning new things. I used to try to learn something new everyday and I should do that again. I also like learning about what's going on in the world and my community.

Games - Who doesn't love a heated, competitive game? Better, who doesn't like to win? I love a good game of chess, backgammon, Risk, Monopoly, Balderdash, or charades.

Needlework - Of course I enjoy knitting, crocheting, embroidery, crewel work, cross stitch and needlepoint.

Writing -  Duh. Of course I love to write. Storytelling and creating worlds and people and getting lost in their lives is refreshing.

Reading - Reading is the best. I think that's why I value my book club so much. That and they challenge me to read books that I might not otherwise read. And reading in bed before going to sleep is fantastic!

Bourbon - I like bourbon, what can I say? A nice glass of Maker's Mark on the rock while watching the Crimson Tide on autumn Saturday afternoons is awesome.

Entertaining - How fun is it to have a bunch of people over for hors d'oeuvres, or a dinner party? Especially for a football game, or holiday party? The best part is the decorating and cooking. (See pet peeve list for cleaning up).

Cozy Evenings At Home - Put a fire in the fireplace, a pizza on the coffee table and a movie on the TV and who wouldn't be happy?

A Night Out On The Town - This could be a wine tasting, a piano bar, dinner theater, the opera, or any excuse to dress up and go see what there is to see and to see who all is out seeing it.

Anyway, these are a few of my favorite things. I still don't' know what my favorite shape is, I'll keep thinking about it. What are some of your favorite things?

Pass It On

Last weekend we went to the art festival in our downtown. Lots of beautiful crafts, paintings, photography, wood turnings, etc. and music and food from everywhere around the world. It is always a good time and this year it was even better because for the first time since we moved here it wasn't a hundred degrees. This year it was overcast and cooler than years past and so we were able to walk around and breathe and not sweat. My husband ate food from Samoa, I ate Greek food and Little Man ate a hotdog. After lunch, and a little more walking around, we experienced potty training in a port-o-potty.

When we left, we strolled downtown and ducked into several antique stores. My husband was looking at the furniture for ideas and joinery techniques. I just browsed around looking at old books, and knick-knacks. In one of these stores, upstairs and tucked away into a back corner, I noticed several pillows. They had some wear and tear and needed a little love to restore them but even in their discarded state they were beautiful.

These pillows were needlepoint and embroidery. They were intricate, graceful, feminine, and meticulous. The number of hours it must have taken to embroider the small flowers makes me gasp. The even stitches that were patiently and lovingly laid with each pull of the thread. Even the design was unique, well, certainly nothing I've seen before.

I touched them and felt their delicateness. The still silky feel of the embroidery floss and the durability of the tapestry wool. The once vivid colors were fading and the seams were splitting in spots. There were stains of use and living. I found myself standing still and staring at them for a few minutes with thoughts and emotions racing through my mind.

Who had made these? Who were they made for? What happened to the creator and the owner? How many people had rested upon them? Questions with no answers. I was sad that these pillows, which represented care and love and talent and practice and patience and planning, had ended up in the dark, dusty corner of this antique store. No one to know their history and no one to carry it on.

I felt sad for these pillows, or rather for what they represented - lost history and perhaps the last in a family line. More so, I felt sad for those who gave them up. They have no appreciation for those that came before them. No knowledge of their history or care to look beyond their own world.

I have things like this that have been passed down in the family - furniture, needlepoint, lace, jewelry, books, etc. I love it. To me, these are the tangibles of our DNA. "Your great-great-grandperson made this." Well, they also made me. Isn't it a responsibility to pass these things, this history down to the next generation? What do you think?

Amazing!

So last week I talked about my pet peeves (and I have discovered more) so this time I thought I'd write about things that amaze me. Not amaze in that Twilight Zone sort of way, but in a happy way. Everyday, there is at least one thing that will catch me off guard and make me smile.

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First, Little Man is absolutely amazing. Everything about him is amazing. Parents, you know what I mean. Not a day goes by when he doesn't say or do something that just takes me off guard and sweeps me off my feet. By far, however, the most amazing thing he does is something he hasn't changed all that much since he could reach out his little hand. In the morning, he reaches out his hands and places them on my cheeks and says, "Good morning, Mama." Then he puts his nose to my nose and gives me an Eskimo kiss and says, "nose, nose, nose," with each rub. This has varied over the few years of his life. At first he'd put his hand on my face and I'd say good morning and rub his nose. This made him smile. It evolved to two hands and his pulling my face to his so we could rub noses. That made him giggle. When "mama" and "dada" were his only words he'd just say "mama" and then we'd nose rub. Of course, now he can climb up in my lap and initiate the whole ritual. I love this more than anything and the day it stops I will secretly weep.

The second amazing thing is my husband. He is after all math-science guy and therefore very analytical. Yet he has taken up the hobby of woodworking and has demonstrated a hidden creative streak. He has designed and built several beautiful things. His current project is making a Federal-style table for our foyer that will match an antique piece we have. I am amazed at the vision he has for it and how he is carefully executing it in such detail.

So, my advice is to look for the things that are amazing!

That Bothers Me

It's pet peeve day. I have a number of pet peeves; everyone does. Some days they seem to be everywhere, depending on how much sleep I've had I guess. Other days they don't bother me as much - but they never don't bother me.

One is when I'm emptying the dishwasher and the tops of cups and glasses (or the bottoms) have water on them. Worse is the Tupperware, or sippy cups, that flip over and fill up with water. Yuck. I need to invent tiny bungee cords that can be hooked to the rack and stretched over the flippy things to keep them from doing that.

Another is dog fur. We have two BIG yellow labs who seem to shed an additional dog in fur daily. It gets under the furniture, on the furniture and in places I don't like to look. I sweep and sweep and still there's more. Love the doggies, not the fur. Sigh. Maybe I'll get one of those robot vacuum cleaners that can suck up fur all day.

Carpet on stairs ranks up there. Actually, it's not the carpet itself that is offensive, it's the vacuuming of it. I think whenever carpeting is installed on stairs, the cost should include someone who comes over to vacuum it. Have you ever tried to balance the vacuum with one hand, yourself with another and use the attachment and hose with the third hand? Really, who has three hands?

Those are the ones that mostly bother me. I'm sure there are others, but not today. I wonder if my characters have pet peeves. I know Walter doesn't like pickles, but that's a dislike, not a peeve. Would it be realistic to add peeves to my characters? What are your pet peeves and what do you do when they flare up?

Where's the veggies?

In an effort to get the Little Man (and the Big Man) to eat more healthily, I'm trying to incorporate more vegetables into our diets. The problem is, I don't particularly like them either. Oh sure, I prepare them with most meals, and eat them, but there aren't that many I like and there's not much variety. And really, just how healthy are vegetables that are smothered in cheese sauce or sautéed in butter? Fortunately, you can hide vegetables in lots of ways. You can puree them and hide them in tomato sauce, meatballs, meatloaf, and in stews. There is even a pasta that's made from cauliflower.

Carrot cake cupcakes

Typically, I don't bake. I cook, but baking isn't something I like to do. I marvel at these women who can whip out an upside-down pineapple cake, or those moms who just put out a batch of cookies at a moments notice. However, in an attempt to get vegetables into a tasty form and to satisfy my husband's request to have cookies of muffins every now and then, I have turned to the recipe box.

Recently, I have made zucchini bread and carrot cake cupcakes. Both males have tasted them and deemed them good enough to eat. My husband is aware that the treat is made with vegetables but Little Man is not. We let him come up with his own name for the treat. He calls the zucchini bread "chocolate bread." The carrot cake cupcakes he calls "cupcake muffins." That's fine, for now it's our little secret.

Too Much Or Too Little And How Do You Know?

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So, I like to cook. It is a creative outlet for me although I admit to falling down on this a bit recently. Toddlers don't really like to experiment with food and I don't like cooking separate meals all the time so we've been eating like children lately. Or ordering out so someone else can cook separate meals. But, when I do cook, I enjoy it because I can combine and layer flavors and textures making something pleasing to the palette. Or, as my husband says, "Mmmmm! This is good! You can make this again."

I like knitting too because I can combine knits with purls to add texture and patterns. Throw in different color yarns and make stripes. Make cables too and Celtic knots. My goal is to learn Nordic patterns (yikes!). I know what you're thinking. You live in the south, you don't need sweaters and mittens. No, but I have family up there. Besides, an Irish sweater or Nordic sweater just plain looks cool.

Needlepoint and embroidery is fun for me too. Same reasons - different color yarns, different materials (wool or floss), different stitches. All yield different textures and patterns.

As you all know, I have also been editing and revising my novel. There was a horrible error that was caught by one of my beta readers. Terrible, but no big deal really (now that the twitching has stopped). I'll just move some chapters around and alter a few things. The important thing is that it was caught and can be corrected! Yay!

But the one thing that has me scratching my head is more about editing than revising. I have had some readers say they like certain things, and others say they don't like it. I've read blogs and editing resources that say don't do this, but then in just about every book I've read or am currently reading, it's there.

I'm not talking about too many or redundant adverbs. He shouted loudly. Duh, how else do you shout? I'm not talking about asides - he thought to himself. Well, who else do you think to? I'm not talking about weird physical things (although I've seen this in many professionally published books) - her eyes followed him down the street. No, her gaze, stare, glance can follow, but not her eyes.

I'm talking about what's called "stage direction." You know, telling what the character is doing. I get that we don't need to know that the character opened the refrigerator door, reached in, pulled out a beer and opened it. He lifted it to his mouth and drank deep gulps, downing the beverage in a matter of seconds. Simply saying he downed a beer may be enough. I agree, that that much detail is too much. But, I've had some readers say they like to know what the character is doing (downing the beer) and others say, cut it all out. Which is right?

I can't "taste" it to see if there is too much salt or "feel" it for too loose or tight stitches. When do you know what to cut and what to keep? If I cut too much, will the story now be a little stiff? If I don't cut enough, will it be trite? I guess I'll just have to make that decision on my own.

When Stars Die

So, I promised you something special today, and here it is!

This is the cover reveal for a fellow author, friend, and member of our critique group, Amber Skye Forbes! Her book is going to be published! Due to be released October 2013 by AEC Stellar Publishing The title is When Stars Die. It is a Young Adult Paranormal Romance. Viola Estrella of Estrella Cover Art is responsible for the beautiful cover. Way to go Amber!

 

Synopsis: Amelia Gareth's brother is a witch and the only way to save her family from the taint in his blood is to become a professed nun at Cathedral Reims in the snowy city of Malva. However, in order to become professed, she must endure trials that all nuns must face.
          
Surviving these trials is not easy, especially for Amelia, who is being stalked by shadowy beings only she can see. They're searching for people they can physically touch, because only those they can touch can see them. Amelia soon learns why she is being stalked when she accidentally harms her best friend with fire during the third trial. Fire is a witch's signature. The shadows are after witches.
          
Now Amelia must decide what to do: should she continue on her path to profession knowing there is no redemption, or should she give up on her dream and turn away from Cathedral Reims in order to stop the shadows who plan to destroy everything she loves?

Where Amber Can be Found:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmberSkyeForbes?ref=br_tf

Website: http://amberskyeforbes.com
Wordpress Blog: http://amberskyeforbes.wordpress.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmberSkyeF
Tumblr: http://thedancingwriter.tumblr.com/

Revision *twitch*

Well, after the second edit of my novel (I'm still calling it Murder at the Primrose Inn), I sent it out to a number of betas. One came back with preliminary thoughts, two had partial thoughts, my Dad says he has "nits to pick with me" once he's finished reading it. One beta received it just the other day so I don't expect to hear back from him for a few days at least. Anyway, my friend Allison used to work in forensics and she told me that I had a serious problem with the discovery of my victim's cause of death. *gasp* So, now what?

Revision. Or re-envision. Rearrange. Re-research. Yes, it's time to correct the GLARING error by rearranging some of the events in the story. No big deal really. *twitch* That and I need to play up the sub-plot a little more and build tighter tension. Okay. *twitch* All of which can be done with the story I have simply by revising. (yeah, right, simple)

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Building blocks. Right now I have a big pile of blocks that are good colors, sizes and shapes. I've managed to stack them into what is some sort of structure, but it teeters. My goal is to rearrange the stack into a towering castle. It's like the movie Premonition, all out of order. Put it in the correct order and it will make more sense. *twitch*

I'm okay, *twitch* really. It's my first novel and I didn't expect to get it perfect right off the bat. I didn't expect to get it right the second round of edits or even the third without having to do revisions. The important thing is that it will eventually be right and good! And I am grateful for all of these people who are helping me to get it that way. *twitch*

It's a New Year



schoolhouse by aware.org.sg

Little Man started school yesterday. It's his second year in "school." Last year he was in nursery school only a couple of mornings each week. This year he's 3 so his school is called early pre-school. It's only 3 mornings per week but they have more structure and actual lessons.

He was so excited taking off in the morning with his backpack and his lunchbox. I was so nervous wondering if he'd have an accident and if he'd actually eat his lunch. See, this year he has to be potty trained and even though we've been working on it since his birthday in July, he still doesn't quite get it on his own. When I picked him up, he had eaten his entire lunch and had had 3 accidents. He was wearing clothes that didn't belong to him. Sigh, oh well. He had a great time and was so excited to have been there.

I am taking the opportunity of his absence to go through his toys and organize them, getting them off the floor and into containers that can be put away into his cabinet. Today, I will tackle the toys in his room and rearrange his closet. Some of his beloved toys will be donated for the church yard sale. Some, will go into his "memory box" I have started for him and be kept for his children.

It's difficult to decide exactly what to eliminate and what to keep. In many ways, Little Man is fast changing from a baby to a little boy. He is so much more independent and capable than he was even just a couple of months ago. Yet, in almost surprising ways, the baby will show up and something I think he should be able to do on his own will completely flummox him. And a toy that has been idle for months will suddenly become interesting again.

But, it's a new year and he has new clothes, new hair cut, new backpack, new shoes, new classroom, and new friends. He can have new toys and a new organization of them too.

I guess I'm in editing mode since I just finished editing (for the third time) my novel. I need to hone my query letter blurb and start in the dreaded synopsis so I can begin soliciting to publishers and agents. The blurb has almost gotten as good as it's going to get. And I don't know why I feel intimidated by writing the synopsis. Maybe I'm worried I'll find another GAPING hole in my plot, or that when it's boiled down, my story won't be as good as I hope it is. Well, it can only be as good as it's going to be. In the mean time, I have to get Little Man ready for school and hope he doesn't have an accident today.

What's in a Name?

Before our Little Man was born, we (okay I) made endless lists of names. I had girl's names and boy's names. When we found out he was definitely going to be a boy, I tossed out the girl's list and concentrated on the boy's list. I had lots of ideas. I liked Seth, Matthew, Charles, Daniel, and James. My husband had two names in mind - his and his father's. Neither was on my list. We did finally settle on a name that combined a name he wanted and one I wanted. Interestingly, Little Man's personality actually fits his name.

The new royal baby is awaiting his name as is the rest of the world. The Vegas odds-makers have George in the lead. Whatever Kate and Will decide to name him, I'm sure it will be a title befitting his place in history. Eventually they will toss him a nickname that will be a better fit. I really can't see the royal couple referring to the infant as His Royal Highness Prince George Albert William Spencer Mountbatten-Windsor. No. They'll call him Bucky or Spence or something cute and easy. USA Today has a fun thing to do finding your royal name. I tried it. I am Her Highness Godiva Del Fuego. It conjures up uncomfortable images of eating chocolate while naked perched upon the rim of a volcano. Regardless, just call me Highness. I like that.

I think a lot about names. I've named, aside from my Little Man, a number of dogs and cats and guinea pigs and birds and bunny rabbits. I always have handy a "Name Your Baby" book to name my characters that didn't come with one (writers will know what that means). And because it freaks my husband out when I'm flipping through it making notes. That's fun too.

Names are important. Names have meaning and tone. The Pope chooses a name he hopes to convey his philosophies and how he wants to over-see his reign. The name of a character can instantly give the reader information about the character's character or the message the author is trying to deliver (think Hester Primm). Angry mothers will use all three names of their children letting their off-spring know just how much trouble they're in (Michael Steven Jones! Get in this house!).

So this is the trouble I'm having. My novel Murder at the Primrose Inn is soon going through a second round of edits. I'm getting close to having it ready for submission and to think about cover art. Yay! Right? Not so much. My working title has to go and I'm not good at titles. I find it easier to write the novel than to title it. Currently the titles suggestions that are in the lead are: Circumstantial Evidence, Circumstantial Innocence, Shades of Doubt, Deception, Appearances of Truth. Would love to hear what you prefer!!

Exciting Times

I know it is the middle of summer with the solstice and Independence Day behind us. We are looking at days becoming shorter, cooler and the next holiday is Labor Day which marks the end of summer. Yet, there is a lot of spring going on in my life right now. By spring I mean new beginnings and fresh starts.

First, Little Man has begun potty training. This is a new beginning for us. Soon I won't have diapers to change and he'll experience more independence. It's the end of babyhood, the end of intimacy between us. Soon, he'll be bathing himself and the personal barrio will be put up. We'll no longer be one the way only a mother and child can be. It is the spring of his boyhood and really the beginning of his life.

Second, the first round of self-edits are done on my novel Murder at the Primrose Inn and it is in the hands of my first readers. This is an unofficial edit. I'm using beta readers for many of the edits and a professional editor when it is as clean and interesting as it can get. I know that the manuscript is raw and just one step above a rough draft but the prospect of someone reading my work with a criticizing eye (which is different from a critical eye) makes me nauseous. This is the spring of my first novel. It is the beginning of it becoming the best it can be. Very soon it will not be just a hope or a dream, it will be real.

Finally, the really BEST news of all! My writer's group will be launching an e-magazine (an e-zine) in November of this year. It will be a literary magazine (duh, what else would it be) focusing on Georgia and South Carolina writers; published or unpublished. We have named our periodical Red Clay in honor of the southern soil and because words, like clay, must be molded into form. That's not my line, that's from one of our members, Tim. I liked it so I used it. It is the beginning of something new for us, a spring, well, a spring off anyway.

Editing and Revising

Last week after a one month hiatus, I started editing and revising the adolescent scribbling I call my novel. A couple of evil fiends friends offered to be fresh eyes and they have made a number of harsh suggestions that I'm sure will make my novel better.

Two things have surprised me. First, how taking a break from my novel could change my perspective. Now that I'm not living in wrapped up in the storyline or held captive captivated by the characters on a daily basis, I can be more objective. This is good because I can look at the evil criticisms suggestions that were made without taking them personally. More than likely, the critiques are things I'd have seen too.

Second, just how impossible difficult editing and revising can be. You have to look for punctuation, grammar and spelling. Then there's continuity, repetition, gaps, cliche, awkwardness, wordsmithing, triteness, imagery, etc. Somethings will get cut and condensed, others will get expanded and explored. The hard part is knowing what makes the story better.

I hope the shredding editing of my novel won't take as long as writing it did. I'd like to get this over and done with finished as soon as it's ready. In the meantime, I have started my second novel. The working title is Untitled.

Watching Grass Grow

Sometimes things seem to take a loooong time to finish. I don't know it it's a matter of actual time passing or if it's the interest the task holds. Like doing laundry. It doesn't take any time at all really to sort or to load the machines. But folding and putting it away seems to take an eternity during which Little Man plays "ball" with the eggs in the refrigerator or manages to download apps on my cell phone. Really, folding and putting away laundry takes only 5 to 10 minutes per load. It's nothing. Still, it seems like it takes a long time. Like watching grass grow.

Aside from raising our Little Man, our biggest project is fixing up our fixer-upper house. We've been in the house a year already and it seems like we haven't gotten enough done. Truth is we've accomplished quite a bit. And the house is livable so it's not like we're camped in the garage waiting for it to be finished. This month has been "Dining Room" month. We've hung crown molding on the lower ceiling and in the upper tray. We repaired dry wall, sanded and primed the walls twice. We (my husband) caulked the crown molding. Next we'll (he'll) install the medallion and paint the ceiling. Then it will be my turn to to take over and paint the walls and trim. It's exciting to think about the finished project and having our first dinner in our new dining room! It just seems like it takes soooo looong to get each piece done. Like watching grass grow.

Side yard after all the work.

We're also working on the outside of the house now that it's spring. We desperately need to improve the curb appeal. The BIGGEST eye-sore on the house (visible from the street) was the side yard. I wish I had a "before" picture. Picture if you can vines of various and unknown kinds tangled together, a privacy fence falling down, over grown mint, bulb plants planted haphazardly with no intention or plan and apparently handfuls of wildflower seeds strewn across the area. It took 2 weeks to weed, dig out stumps and bulbs and roots, and take down the fence. It was a veritable archaeological dig in which we found reading glasses, broken solar lights, bricks, brick edging and rail road ties. Finally, we raked it out and put down grass seed. So we are actually watching grass grow.

The thing is, that it's okay to take time to do things if you are doing things right. It's okay to take time to fold the laundry and put it away. That way it's not getting wrinkled in a pile or left out out all over the place. It's okay if it take a couple of years or more to get our home finished. It will be our home with our touches on it and done the way we want it. And it's okay if it takes time to get the gardens and yard looking good. When it's all said and done, we'll just sit back and watch the grass grow.

Almost Isn't A Bad Thing

So, looking around at my home (inside and out), my writing calendar, my hobby bag, and my chore list, I'm pleased to announce I almost got things done. I seem to have difficulty meeting deadlines these days and I'm not sure why. After all I am hyper organized and I make my lists of things to do, checking the tasks off as they are done. Still, most items remain in the "in progress" stage - almost done but not quite finished.

I am almost done knitting my sister's sweater. I have the back completed, the right front completed and I am 4 inches into the total length of 38 inches of the left front. I just haven't had an opportunity recently to sit and knit without sticky fingers wanting to touch it or dog fur flying around or an active toddler wanting to "help" knit. I will get it done and it will be beautiful and I know that if nothing else, it will be a sweater my sister's cats will sleep on. But right now it remains almost done.

I almost made my word count on the novel I'm writing now. I picked up the novel I interrupted to write Murder at the Primrose Inn, reread it and started breaking it into chapters. I have 35,000 words to it already and my goal was to read it, do the chapter breaks, and crank out another 1000 - 2000 words on it. I will get to do it and it will be a good story when it's done (I like it better than the other one anyway). But for now, it remains almost done.

The gardening that we were doing this weekend is also almost done. There are a few vines that need to be cut out and a little more weeding that needs to be finished and then we will need to rake out the area and toss down grass seed. It would have been finished yesterday but we called it on account of the rain and a broken shovel handle. It remains almost done.

Our fixer-upper house is always in a state of almost done. The family room is almost done - the cable box and DVD player need to be put on a shelf and the cords tied up. I believe the hubby is holding out for a larger TV so he'll know where to put this shelf. We are working on the dining room. And we actually finished hanging the crown molding! And my husband actually finished mudding the walls. It is almost in a state where it will be ready to paint and have the furniture moved back in. It will remain almost done until we get a new chandelier. I'm holding out for a crystal one. We have big-ticket-item-itis.

As far as my chores go - I did manage to get the grocery shopping done. This will give me a few days of peace before the males start opening the refrigerator and pantry and telling me there's nothing to eat in the house. Or as Little Man says "I no like that." But the straightening didn't get finished and the laundry didn't get started. But it almost did.

In the past, I never had a problem meeting deadlines. Term papers were on time, deadlines at work were met, and tasks I set for myself were completed. Then again, I didn't have a husband I wanted to share a glass of wine with at the end of the week or a Little Man who'd crawl into my lap to cuddle.  The important thing is I will finish that sweater, even if it's with Little Man in my lap. I will finish my second novel and I'll start a third. The house is something we are building together and that's what makes it a home. So maybe, almost isn't a bad thing.

I'm Done! No, Wait...

My novel!

So, on Tuesday, April 2nd at 6:34 PM I finished my novel Murder at the Primrose Inn (working title). So what does it mean to be finished? Does it mean my story is ready for print? I don't write anymore? My characters just disappear into the night? I go back to cooking and cleaning? Well, actually, no.

Now that the rough draft is done, it is time to begin revisions which means there will be additions where additions are needed and subtractions where subtractions are needed. There will be rewording, moving of sentences and paragraphs. Basically, rewriting the story in a cohesive, organized form that reads like a story rather than random thoughts. After the revisions comes the editing. Then Beta readers. Then revise and edit again. And then, maybe, it will be ready for print.

I am taking some time off before beginning to work anew on Murder at the Primrose Inn. I have to get away from my characters for a while. I miss them. Now that their story is told, their voices are quiet (okay, not so quiet. One of them keeps shouting "don't forget to add this!!"). It's bittersweet to just close the book on them, so to speak. During my break from this work, I will do some edits for a couple of friends, yes Amanda Harms and Allison Silver I promise to get to work on your stories! And, I will reopen my story of Emily and her BFF Bill and the psycho stalker that she doesn't know she has yet. I may put out a short story in there somewhere, I haven't written one in a while and I have a good one.

My characters, for the most part have gone on with their lives in the land of Make Believe. One or two of the minor characters may resurface in other stories. I have grown fond of them, after all. My main character, Walter Martin, will be a fixture in other stories and that's for sure. During the writing of Murder at the Primrose Inn I learned that Walter is indeed a complex character and he has at least four more stories to tell. I'm excited about those!

As for cooking and cleaning.... Well, I do like to cook, and eat. The cleaning part I never really did anyway so that will remain as it is. Why start something you have no intention of finishing? Why do anything that will just have to be redone again and again and again?

It's nice to say "I finished writing my novel." But I'm not really finished. As far as the other stories that need to be told.... I have just begun.