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Random, because otherwise I’d have to acknowledge how long it’s been!

Published February 11, 2016
Can you see the tiny snowflakes?

Shocking! All I can say is that there’s a lot going on around the abode these days.

Not all of it, watching the Great British Bake-Off over and over.  For some reason, my girl and I both find that show so comforting. We should be able to recite the recipes for Swiss Rolls, Baked Alaskas, and all manner of continental cakes in our sleep. I told a friend the other day that the warming zone on her oven would be perfect for “proving” bread.

I live in the USA, and we let bread rise here. We don’t prove it. (Which I actually think is our loss. Isn’t prove a more interesting word?)

Anyway, what else?

We had a hint of snow this week! I ran around with my phone, taking pictures and a video because what if I never see snow again? You may need to zoom in on the attached photo, but there were snowflakes!

And–I’ve entered Harlequin’s Medical Romance Blitz. My submission may come to nothing, but I saw it was happening, and, as my girly said, I’ve written a few books with a medical slant–the novella in Christmas Actually, and a few other stories I’ve written for Super. I enjoyed doing them, and she can help me with any medical background, so why not? I absolutely loved writing the submission, and I’ve downloaded several of the books.

Reading Fiona Lowe’s A Daddy for Baby Zoe right now, and having submitter’s remorse, going, why did I think I could write as beautifully as that? So–I’m hoping! Because I’d be proud to have books with a line as well-written as these stories are. I’d read several of them when they were being tried out in stores, got hooked, and then they got so hard to find again, that I haven’t read any in a few years. Whatever happens, I’ve found new books to read because they’re easy to order online or on my Kindle now!

Now–off to finish reading my book, run to the grocery store, and prepare for friends who are coming over for coffee and chitchat today. (Perhaps I should attempt to bake something. Nope–no time for the firefighters to rescue me before company arrives!)

 

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Randomly, Monday!

Published November 30, 2015
Reading!

Some random thoughts on a Monday morning.

First–I wasn’t sure it was Monday. I thought Friday was Monday. I’m just asking what comes next. Cooking, shopping, and when I’m lucky, some writing. This story is working in my head, which is good, but I could really use some time at the laptop to get it on pages. But–I’m also working on enjoying each day before it flies by. (Not always my best skill!)

Have you done any holiday shopping yet? I am ashamed to admit–I shopped for myself. I recently had a bday, and my brother-in-law gave me the best gift a reader can own–an Amazon gift card! I love to read outside. I visited a friend at the beach this past summer and had to read with my hands around my eyes–and I really could have used a tent because my beautiful Kindle has a terrible glare. Same thing happens when I try to read by the pool, even beneath the shade. So, when the no-glare Kindle went on sale last week, I leapt on the deal! The dang weather here has been so warm, I’ve already been enjoying reading in the wild!

Writing–I’m at the stage where I’m getting so little time at the laptop, the words fly, but then I think–are those words good enough? Part of the joy of a creative job. You want a certain picture on the canvas, but the picture you paint never feels perfect enough. My paintings just happen to be words. (That sounds so pretentious, but you know–words, instead of pics!) That’s the way I see a story–a film in my head.

This dang heat. I cannot stand it. Bad enough during the day, but at night–these temps are ruining the sleeping. My cold-natured husband believes one should not turn on the ac in November, no matter what. But that’s because ice literally runs in his veins. And I envy him that!

I have a few free minutes. Our company is napping. The house is almost clean. I don’t have to be anywhere at all today. I’m headed to a quiet corner to write!

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Home by Christmas

Published November 19, 2015
Home by Christmas, from A Heartwarming Christmas!

My novella, Home by Christmas, is available for 99 cents! This is the novella that appeared with eleven other heartwarming holiday stories in A Heartwarming Christmas.

I’m so excited. Love this cover! And I loved this story!

Buy from Amazon!

Buy from BN!

 

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I have never been so busy.

Published November 18, 2015

Fall finally arrived!
Fall has finally arrived. My favorite time of the year makes everything easier. I feel the heat as if I’m sporting a rhino on my shoulders, so even though I’m so busy I don’t know what day it is, I’m utterly happy. (Such a lovely feeling!)

I find myself writing at midnight. Possibly falling asleep over the keyboard. Yesterday, I woke up because I’d fallen asleep in a chair, and George, the cat decided my hair was a toy.

I’ve been writing where I can, but every time I declare for Nano, other things press in. So–I’m helping my girl and her hubby pack up their old home and unpack goods in their new home, playing with her new babe, writing and submitting proposals, and buying a beautiful vintage kitchen table for my office. Because your work area should remind you of your childhood kitchen in a 100-year-old house!

Today, I only have to have the oil changed in my car and write! And I can write in the waiting room while they change my oil! Score!

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Writing and Quilting

Published November 3, 2015
Quilt pieces on a design wall.

This is day three of Nano. On day 1, I wrote 1553 words and managed 5 hours of quilting homework.

On day 2, I had quilting class. We hung our blocks on a design wall to decide how we liked them. I really prefer the purple pieces on the top, but then I realized, there’s no up or down with this quilt.

After class, I hung out with my daughter. I love that girl. I know you’re not supposed to be friends with your children–you know–parent first and all, but she’s my favorite friend in all the world. And, while we were hanging out, I bought chocolate-covered pieces of coconut. Excellent compensation at the store that stopped carrying my favorite chocolate-covered mango. I can’t eat much in the way of anything sweet, so I’m really overly excited about this coconut!

When I got home, I wrote 1915 words. I don’t love those words. They’re not as full of life as I’d hoped, and they may be a bit rambly, but I wrote my nano words, and I got some pieces that I needed, and I know I can cull them later. I used to be such a linear, clean writer, but I’m quilting in all areas of my life.

Today, I don’t have to go anywhere. All I have to do is write, and that’s as exciting as chocolate-covered pieces of coconut!

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First Nano Day!

Published November 1, 2015
My favorite tree! (Just lucky they’ve never shot me when I stopped to take a pic!)

Can’t stay long because I need all my words for the book I’m writing for Nanowrimo! My friend, Mauri, and I are a team, and I’m also doing a thing with the From the Heart chapter of RWA. Apparently, several chapters are having a contest during Nano. I don’t know. I’m just happy to have to report my writing progress because it keeps me honest.

So–tomorrow, I’ll report today’s progress here.

Can you believe it’s November already? The only bad thing about Autumn is that it flies by too quickly!

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Look–it’s Friday (and also, NANOWRIMO)!

Published October 30, 2015
I’m in!

For the past six weeks, I’ve been working like a dog on all sorts of things. Lots of fun stuff, but also lots of work stuff and just stuff. Yesterday I had a free day, sort of. The joy of writing actual story. It was so seductive I gave up editing the proposal I hope to submit today to agents, so that I could write a few pages of story. That was delight!

I have another free day today. I’m going to the coffee shop to write!

On November 1, I’m embarking on Nanowrimo.Writing 50k in a month. Sounds terrifying because it is! I’ve tried it a few times before, but I haven’t managed it–in November. I’ve certainly done 50k in a month before.

Anyway, I’m on Nano as A_Adams. If you’re writing, buddy up!

 

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A Heartwarming Christmas on the USA Today Best-Selling Books List!

Published October 26, 2015

Last week, thanks to the support of readers who also like visiting Christmas Town, Maine, A Heartwarming Christmas made #81 on the USA Today Best-Selling Books list! Talk about exciting! It’s a writer’s dream! In fact, I still keep thinking it must have been just a dream!

Still available for only .99! Twelve fab holiday stories, in case you’re ready to celebrate!

There are four connected anthologies in A Heartwarming Christmas. That means each set of three novellas shares characters and storylines! This collection of PG-rated holiday romances are all set in Christmas Town, a location introduced in the 2014 Harlequin Heartwarming release Christmas, Actually. A Heartwarming Christmas will bring you laughter, tears, and happily-ever-afters (no cliffhangers), for more than 1200 pages.

Foreword by small town lover and New York Times bestseller Kristan Higgins.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1TDjGEK
iTunes: http://apple.co/1OkXsV9
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1CEnSA7
Google Play: http://bit.ly/1J0Qg08
B&N: http://bit.ly/1LaVnNT

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Facebook Launch Party (and too many other things)!

Published October 14, 2015
A Heartwarming Christmas (12 Stories in 1!)

Until the beginning of November I have too much to do. I’ve finished the pages of my proposal–the first three chapters. Still wrestling with the synopsis. My friend, Karen Whiddon and I call them Snopes, after Faulkner’s rather slippery barn burning family. You just can’t pin them down!

We also have stuff going on around our abode. I had to buy a dress for one of the things. I’ve been to two conferences. I have a doc checkup. (Ludicrous white jacket phobia) 

And, we have a family reunion. I’m trying to write that snopes into submission so I don’t have to worry about it while I’m hanging out with my family.

Plus, I have to exercise every day. (Hate exercise.) And I dropped my iPod. The only thing worse than exercising is exercising without music or Netflix. I don’t even have time to get my iPod repaired.

This afternoon, at 5 p.m. Eastern/2 p.m. Pacific,  I’ll be at the Facebook Launch Party for A Heartwarming Christmas! Stop by if you can!

Better get back to work!

 

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Friday at Random

Published October 9, 2015
Even here, autumn will come–slowly!

I love the phrase, “at random.” Don’t know why. Some words just feel good and sound good.

It’s Friday, and I have too much to do, so this is going to be a random post. Just things that pop into my head.

The clouds have rolled in. I love cloudy days. And the leaves are changing. Fall is on its way. I guess it’s technically here, but it takes so long to arrive in the south, and then, if you aren’t careful, the winds blow up, and autumn is over. Well, autumn is all over the ground.

But I do love to walk through the leaves, so even that is good.

I’m working on a synopsis and feeling not good enough. Writers are a funny mix of “look at my words” and “please don’t notice I’m here.” It’s like having two trains running full steam in your head at one time. The trick is to turn those trains into workhorses that carry your words and your characters and your plots where you want them to go, and then to have the wisdom and the assurance to button it up and call the trip well started.

Several months ago, I started doing Yoga with Adriene. I’d tried yoga before, but I’d never loved it. I find Adriene so peaceful, and then a friend suggested a class. Normally, I’m so klutzy, classes can be a mistake–you know–as if the zombie horde (still stuck on iZombie!) has descended on your building in the guise of a woman taking yoga. But for some reason known best only to the mysterious universe, yoga class and I get along. I love it. Absolutely love it. I’ve been busy and stressed and traveling so much I haven’t been home on class days.

You lived! I’m so happy I’ll have food in my dish!

Until today! Yay! I’m picking up a friend. We’re going to warm up on the treadmill, and then go to class. That is a perfect day! Even with exercise.

So, a last, random note. I tried to take George, aka the writing assistant, out to take a look at the start of our fall leaves. Georgie isn’t a normal cat. He prefers to do his outdoor hunting from behind the glass of indoors. So, he didn’t really thank me for getting near the threshold to the deck. We agreed he might prefer to wait inside. He likes to keep an eye on anyone foolish enough to venture outside, and he was glad to see me survive and return.

Wishing you a happy weekend!

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