Home Sweet Home

Home again. As much fun as I always have while on vacation, it is always so sweet to come home. There's something about the place you lay your head on a regular basis, the place your heart is. I always get this special charge when I turn the corner and see my city in the distance. When I walk in my door and my cat greets me and I'm surrounded by the life I've built, it's like a part of me sighs and closes its eyes in bliss. It's my special spot in the universe and no matter how great my vacation, I am always ready to return to it.

And my vacation was awesome!

I've been to Charleston, SC before. Many times in fact. I always have a blast there, and no matter how many times I visit, I can always find something to do. This time I walked around the Battery, found an old church and visited Boone Hall, the plantation where they filmed part of the Notebook. We also took an eco cruise that ended with watching the sun set over the harbor. The company I kept made the trip all the more special to me, and I don't think we had a bad meal the entire time we were there. Since I judge a place by my meals, this is especially important.

I've included photos below, but for now it's back to writing for me.

Summer - My Favorite Season

 

Ah, summer. The time for cooking out on the grill, going to the farmer's markets in search of the best produce, and lazing by the pool. I love everything about this season, even the heat. I love the clothes, the food, the flowers blooming. Everything.

I've got an exciting summer planned, too. From camping to hiking to airshows. I think I'll even manage a few days by the pool. I might not get into the pool because I usually only brave the chilly water when it's boiling out, but reading by the pool is one of my great pleasures in life. I'm even going to the zoo because baby polar bear!!

Perhaps the plan I'm most excited about is my trip to Charleston, SC. Mostly because it takes place next weekend. I've already started packing, and I don't leave until Wednesday morning. I've got a list of restaurants started and a tentative idea of a day jaunt down to Savannah. Don't know if we'll have time for that last one, but it'll be fun to try. I went last year with a big group of friends and had a blast. Hopefully this trip is just as fun.


What's your favorite thing about summer? Any fun summer plans for you guys?

Adulting isn't for the weak of heart

Being an adult is hard. I miss the days, few though they were, when I lazed around the house on a Saturday with nothing on my mind beyond how I was going to get to the movie theater to meet friends. Gone are the days when I could sit and read a book-- All. Day. Long. From start to finish.

I miss those days. Granted, I could choose to spend my time like that. I am an adult and can do what I want. But then I'd be plagued by thoughts of how the bathroom won't clean itself, the kitchen looks like a murder victim was slaughtered in it (I made meat sauce for my spaghetti squash), and my next book ever be written if I don't plant myself in the chair and type. Rather than giving myself an ulcer, I just do.

For instance, this past weekend was a three day, but I spent most of my time in some form of activity, whether that was writing many, many words, cleaning after a week away traveling for work, or taking care of much needed gardening. All of which gives me this feeling of accomplishment. Also, I'm always mad impressed with myself when I hit a really high word count goal.

Still, I do miss reading. And lazing.

How does everyone else spend their adult time, and what from your younger years do you miss?

Whole 30 and writing

I've been hearing a lot lately about this meal plan called Whole 30 that follows a strict set of rules which entail giving up alcohol, sugar (including artificial), grains and dairy. Just typing this makes me ask myself why I would want to do this. Sugar? Ok, I probably need to eat way less of it than I do, but the cravings are going to be a monster. Alcohol? It might affect my social life and make going to bars awkward for a while but totally doable. But grain? Dairy? That's a little tougher and requires me to overhaul a lot of what I eat. Dairy or grain is in almost every meal.

This will definitely be a challenge but oddly enough I'm kind of looking forward to it. There are supposed to be a lot of health benefits at the end that might make all this worth it. Today is Day 1 of the plan so we'll see how this works.

To top it all off, I started writing chapter one of the new book. Go me. Most of the day has been spent on meal prep for the week (because this plan requires intensive cooking) and finding time to write between chopping vegetables and fruit.

The first page of any book is always the most difficult for me. Before it is written, my story is full of infinite possibilities. Every written page begins to limit where the story can go based on where it has been. Settling on one beginning and one path is a challenge but one I have to meet head on each and every time I start writing a new book. This book is a sequel so the voice of the character is a little easier to nail down. I have so many ideas right now and can't wait to see which ones bear fruit.

Spring!!!

The weather has finally, finally turned the corner to sunshine and warmth. I have been eagerly anticipating this for months now. When it snowed earlier this month, I nearly cried because in my mind it was spring, and snow just doesn't belong in spring. This is the season where short sleeves, skirts, capris and shorts begin to make their return to my wardrobe. They can't do that if there is snow falling from the sky!!

Now that the warm days seem like they're here to say for a little while, I've begun eyeing my container garden. I need to get it cleaned up from last year. I took the time to plant seeds in starter pots that I can keep indoors until the danger of frost is over. I'm growing jalapenos, cayenne peppers, green beans and spinach this year in addition to the herbs I normally grow. I love using produce from my own garden for meals. It gives me an extra oomph of achievement. Here's hoping my troublesome cat doesn't eat anything that sprouts.

The beginning stages.....again

It's official. I've started laying out the plot for the sequel to Aileen's still unnamed book. It'll be the first sequel I've written so I'm a little nervous. Hopefully, it'll be easier because the world and characters are already established. Either way, I'm hoping that extensively outlining the plot will make the writing itself a breeze or at least not an uphill battle from start to finish.

It feels like I learn something new with every book, whether that's how to fix the pacing issues to the importance of a good outline BEFORE I start writing. For Aileen's first book, I spent several weeks fleshing out the story. It seemed to make the writing go easier. Instead of sitting and staring at the computers for hours trying to figure out what happens next, I could just let the words flow because I already had a road map of where the characters needed to go and how they would get there. An unintended benefit for this method was that the rewrites were nowhere near as extensive as they were for previous books. It cut down on the writing and editing process from start to finish.

That said, this beginning stage is both exciting and frustrating. On one hand I get to let my mind wander down uncharted roads that lead to fantastical ideas. On the other hand, it can be tedious and there are days/weeks where it feels like no idea is germinating anywhere in my brain. It's enough to make someone want to tear their hair out. :-)

Let's hope I still have hair at the end of this.

Contest Giveaway

Contest closed. Thanks for all those who entered.

I am giving away 10 ebooks of Pathfinder's Way. Leave a comment in the comment section to enter the giveaway for Pathfinder's Way.

The Trateri are about to learn a vital lesson of the Broken Lands. Deep in the remote expanse where anything can happen, it pays to be on a pathfinder’s good side.

Nobody ventures beyond their village. Nobody sane that is. Monstrous creatures and deadly mysteries wait out here. Lucky for the people she serves, Shea’s not exactly sane. As a pathfinder, it’s her job to face what others fear and find the safest route through the wilderness. It’s not an easy job, but she’s the best at what she does.

When the people she serves betray her into servitude to the Trateri, a barbarian horde sweeping through the Lowlands intent on conquest, Shea relies on her wits and skill to escape, disguising herself as a boy to hide from the Warlord, a man as dangerous as he is compelling.

After being mistaken as a Trateri scout during her escape, Shea finds herself forced to choose between the life she led and the possibilities of a new one. Her decision might mean the difference between life or death. For danger looms on the horizon and a partnership with the Warlord may be the only thing preventing the destruction of everything she holds dear.

a Rafflecopter giveaway