ROAD TRIP: RWA 2012 Or Bust!

Greetings and high-fives all around, TLN'ers!

This is the week a lot of us have been waiting for . . . it's time for RWA 2012!!!

*I'll pause here to allow for squeals of delight and peals of giddy laughter*

The emotions I'm feeling are hard to describe. It's such a wild range of excitement, anxiety, and awe that I'm almost reminded of how I felt right before my wedding. Strange, eh?

I know I'm ready. I've practiced my pitch three ways from Sunday! I've got a smashing wardrobe picked out for the week and not a single pair of yoga pants made my pack-list. (I only hope I don't suffer from withdrawals.)

My new cards came in the mail two weeks ago and they look fabulous! Camera, mini PC, and phone have all been charged and sit waiting to be packed.

Everything is falling into place and yet . . . I'm still experiencing jitters. Maybe it's because I don't know what to expect. Or maybe, I'm nervous to be taking such a huge step in my writer's journey--you know, the whole putting-yourself-out-there feelings of angst.

I know I'll have a wonderful time. How could I not being surrounded by so many other writers?! Talk about being given a gift of a lifetime! A week full of writerly talk and workshops is like a dream come true!

I'm definitely looking forward to the road trip down there. I'm riding with two of my YRW chaptermates, June and Sheri (Sheri is a GH finalist in Historical!) We've got five hours of driving ahead of us and we're planning on practing our pitches. So exciting!!

One fascinating tidbit, I'm packing my mini-espresso machine. I've become quite attached to the little guy. (In truth, I didn't want to have get up and dressed to wait in line for my caramel macchiato in the morning. lol)

I'll be sure to post some pictures and tasty tidbits of the conference experience for those you staying home this year! So, swing by sometime next week to get all the on-dits of my trip.

What's YOUR favorite conference on-dit? (feel free to change the names to protect the innocent. lol)

Safe and Happy travels to all heading out in the next day or so!! Hope to meet some you!

Smile!,
Sarah

Confessions of Conference Virgin



(Definitely not me. She doesn't have a ponytail or yoga pants.)

Tick, tock, the clock don't stop!!

RWA 2012 begins in less than THREE weeks! I can't believe how quickly last month flew by. (Most likely, that's due to having three bored kids home all day, but hey, that's just my hypothesis.) To say I'm feeling over-whelmed with everything would be a blatant understatement.

I've been a stay-at-home mama now for almost seven years. Yoga pants, ponytails, and flip flops are how I roll. The last time I could actually do my hair, the Jennifer Aniston shag cut was en Vogue. My wardrobe consists mainly of cast-offs from my maternity days. (Don't judge. Elastic waist bands are all the rage . . . with the slightly-plump-haven't-lost-the-baby-weight set.)

Shoes. *sigh* Don't even get me started. I want something snazzy, but know I need something practical, and in this case, my usual Target special cheapo flops aren't going to cut it. And high heels? Ha! Ha! I'd spend more time on the floor than I would anything else. (I'm not a great tanner, so there would be a whole lot of white meat on display, my friends!)

As for the business side of things, I've still got to hone my pitch to perfection. (NO easy task, let me tell you!) I've got the ground work, now I just have to work on presentation. My RWA Chapter, YOSEMITE ROMANCE WRITERS, held a "Practice Pitch Session" for members at last month's meeting. There was an editor, two fabulous authors, and a couple PRO's listening to pitches and offering advice.

Here are a couple of suggestions for areas I needed to work on:

1. RELAX!!
2. And Relax! (did I mention relax already? lol)
3. Take a deep breath and just converse. (My pitch sounded memorized. Oops! (shh, it was.)
4. Come prepared to answer ANY question. (Wouldn't you know the one question I floundered was the one I thought I had under control.) For all the nosy rosies: I totally botched the "What is your book's Black Moment?" Ha! I'm sure I had a "Oh, holy crap!"  look on my face when asked that Q. Yep. My 'off the cuff' talk is a little rusty--to say the least.

The raves were:

1. Loved my High Concept line
2. My writing voice shined
3. Excellent poise and eye contact (Thank you FFA!)
4. The pitch sparked their interest. (YAY!)

So! There is my report card thus far. My To-Do list this week entails:

1. Book a hair appoint. (I haven't had my hair cut since *groan* November, hence my love of ponytails.)
2. Order my business cards.
3. PRACTICE, PRACTICE my pitch!
4. Continue writing! With a little luck and a whole lot of grit, I should be writing "THE END" soon.

For those of you going to RWA 2012: What do YOU need to get done before leaving? For those housebound this go-round, what's your favorite part of gearing up to go to a conference?

Hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July!
~Sarah~

RWA 2012 Prep: It's Almost Here!!

Well, this isn't the RWA 2012 Anaheim Marriot, it's the Marriot I stayed at in O'ahu. I wish I was back there--right now.

Heya Writerly Peeps!!

Is anyone else excited about RWA 2012?!! Good gracious! I can barely contain myself!

This will be my first time attending. YAY! For so long, I've been Cinderella--always viewing the fun via FB and Twitter. After years of being pea green, I finally get to go! *Can I get an Amen?!*

I've gotten tons of fabulous tips on packing. (I'm horrible at it! I always over pack.) Should you fall in the same category of packing-challenged, here is the link to debut author Erin Knightley's website. She has a fabulous video on packing for conferences on her "Extras" page. Love it! Her site is gorgeous and full of fun stuff.

I don't know how she managed all those outfit parings. Sheesh! As of right now, my suitcase would have yoga pants as the staple clothing item. *no fashion sense. zero. zip. zilch!* Heels? Only if I can find a stylish helmet . . . 

Got a room-mate, am hitching a ride, my fashionista sis-n-law is taking me clothes shopping, and I sweetly asked both moms to watch the gremlins during the day until Hero-Hubby gets home . . . and now, all I have to do is WAIT!! Sheesh. It really is the hardest part!

I've got my agent/editor appointments set up. I'm refusing to acknowledge the gut-clenching anxiety I'm experiencing over pitching for the first time. Ha! Little do my family and friends know, but they will be my victims for 'pitch practice! *insert evil laugh*

In the meantime, I've been typing away like crazy! We're talking up with the chickens and hanging out with the owls. All I can say is: thank goodness for expresso. *and cat naps!* I'm a little less zombie-ish after a few sips.

So, what's YOUR conference prep-routine? Any tips for this newbie?

What's Your Goal for 2012?

Howdy-O, TLN'ers!!

Now that my daughter's birthday festivities are in the books and I've got a pretty good "wrap" on the Christmas agenda, I've begun plotting out my goals for 2012.

First and foremost, I'm going to focus on my writing and getting In Pursuit of Love DONE! I'm finally feeling like I'm heading in the right direction. Back when I started writing, if anyone would have told me how much strength and determination writing really took, I'd have laughed in their faces. TWO and a HALF years later . . . well, I get it!!

As of right now, I'm setting a daily goal of 3 to 5 pages a day. While I know it's going to be rough with a new born, a 3.5 yr old, and a Kindergartner vying for my time, I'm willing to step back up to the plate and start swinging away.

I didn't just pull such a goal out of thin air. I had help---ALL of YOU! Your comments and encouragement are all appreciated!! When inspiration is needed, I just click by through some of the TLN Hot Seat interviews. It never takes long to feel that ole feelin' again. ;)

Have you started thinking about what you'd like achieve next year??

Dish it up and let's discuss!!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is my favorite holiday! I love the changing weather and leaves. My area may not have the classic fall colors dappling the trees, but we do have corn fields being harvested for silage which sprinkles the roads with a confetti of sorts. Kind of like a countrified celebration of the season!

Even though I can't partake of my usual candy indulgence, I'll still be enjoying the day. My daughter's class is having a Fall Festival at school today and I've volunteered to man a booth. I've crimped my hair, drew on some whiskers, and dug out my kitty ears. LOL Who knew 13yrs ago when I bought the darn cat ears for a costumed frat party that I'd be wearing them for a Kindergarten carnival!!

I love scary movies this time of year. Here are some of my favs:
*Halloween- better not let Jason catch you playin' patty-fingers with the neighbor boy!
*Stephen King's IT- Tim Curry as Pennywise had me covering the shower drain with a rag for weeks!!
*The Blair Witch Project- my college peeps and I started watching this spread out around the living room and by the end of the movie were heaped in a pile. LOL Typical boys, they made sure to leave a pile of rocks on our doorstep just to freak us out!
*Signs- For some reason, this movie had me in goosebumps the whole time!
*JAWS- I couldn't swim in a darkened swimming pool or even a lake for a long time! That movie rocked. We hardly "saw" the shark, but just the idea of him lurking there was terrifying!

What's your favorite thriller or Halloween tradition?

Hope your weekend is full of spooky fun!!

Recipes for the Mama Writer!!

PORK CHOPS!! PORK CHOPS!! YAY!

Here's a meal to fix up when you're needin' to suck up to the hubby!!

This recipe comes to us via Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics Cookbook. I absolutely LOVE this book, but have to warn you its dishes aren't for those watching their waist-lines. We're talking butter by the stick load!

We fixed this up last Sunday and it was a breeze to cook. I think the most time consuming part was chopping the potatoes and making up the white sauce. Everything else whipped up quick.

I served the chops with some buttered corn. Oh, baby! One bite of these Farmer's Pork Chops and you'll craving them. LOL I sure am!

FARMER's PORK CHOPS
Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics (2000)

Ingredients:
8 medium potatoes
1/2 medium onion
Salt and Pepper to taste
White Sauce
1 cup all purpose flour
2 Tablespoon's Lawry's Seasoned Salt
8 center cut pork chops (I bought a tenderloin at Costco, which is basically pork chops w/o the bone. Hubs sliced them to match the width of a pork chop. Worked perfect!)
1/2 cup vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350*. Peel potatoes; slice 1/4 inch thick. Slice onion into very thin slices. Layer half the potatoes in a well-greased 15x10" casserole dish. (Hub's layered them in a row.) Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Scatter half of onions on top of potatoes. Repeat with remaining potatoes and onions. Cover the potatoes with the white sauce and bake for 15mins in oven. Mix together the flour and seasoned salt and dredge pork chops in flour mixture. Lightly brown chops in vegetable oil. Do not cook them completely! As chops are removed from frying pan, lay them on top of the cooked potatoes. Bake at 350* for 45-60 mins.

Directions for the White Sauce:
8 Tablespoons butter (which is one stick)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups milk

Melt butter; remove from heat. Stir in flour; add salt and pepper. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly. Add milk, 1 cup at a time. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 1 to 2 mins, then let stand at least 1 to 2 minutes.


Recipe Rating:
5 Stars *****
(Kids loved the potatoes and hubby gladly took leftovers to work!)

Overall, this recipe was delicious! Definitely a keeper and will appear again on my monthly meal plan. If you're looking to please, make this dish and watch the smiles!

Enjoy! See you back on Wednesday for VIRGINA KANTRA!

Recipes for the Mama Writer!!

Hope your weekend was full of fun fall activities!! For some reason this time of year puts in me in the baking mood. This week's recipe for the busy Mama and writer is a very yummy and very QUICK breakfast dish that is sure to make everyone smile.

I can never leave a recipe alone, so I've altered it a little, but I think the change definitely made the dish 100x better.

APPLE COFFEE CAKE is straight out of my Betty Crocker Bridal Edition Cookbook. (A very awesome wedding shower gift idea for any bride-to-be! I've been cooking out it for 9 years now and have yet to find a meal that doesn't please. Plus, it has great tips, charts, and pictures of dishes to show the cook what they might have done wrong if their meal came out looking like X, Y, Z pic.) But, enough about that! Let's get to the good stuff! *wink wink*

My alteration of the recipe was a simple swapping of the 2 medium, sliced baking apples for a can of Cromstock's Cherry Pie Filling. LOL I chose the swap because at 7am, I had no desire to peel and slice the apples. That being said, I think using the can of cherry filling made the cake a lot more moist than it would have been using only the sliced apples.

Hope you have a pen handy, because you'll be wanting to jot this recipe down! Talk about a perfect Sunday morning treat!

CHERRY COFFEE CAKE

Cake Batter:

2 cups Original Bisquick

2/3 cup milk

3 tablespoon sugar

1 large egg

Filling:

1 can of Cromstock's Cherry Pie Filling (originally was 2 med. cooking apples, sliced and peeled.)

2 tablespoons nuts (I omitted)

Streusel Topping:

2/3 cup Original Bisquick

2/3cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I omitted)

1/4 cup butter or margarine (firm

Directions for Streusel Topping:

Mix Bisquick, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cut in butter, using pastry blender, fork, or criss-crossing two knives, until mixture is crumbly.

Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 to 3teaspoons milk

Directions for Glaze:

Mix ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. (I had to add an extra teaspoon or two of milk.)

DIRECTIONS:

1) Heat oven 400*. Grease bottom and sides of a square pan, 9x9x2 inches, with shortening. (I used an 28x18x4, which made for a thicker cake.)

2)Make Streusel Topping; set aside.

3)Stir in Bisquick, milk, egg, and sugar until blended; beat vigorously 30 seconds. Spread half of the batter in pan. Pour cherry filling over the top of the batter, sprinkle with half of the Streusel Topping. Spread remaining batter over the cherry filling/streusel topping. (I used my finger to help spread the batter over the gooey-goodness.) Sprinkle with remaining Streusel Topping and nuts.

4)Bake 20-25 mins or until toothpick inserted in center comes clean. (I opted for 23mins and think I will lessen by a minute or so next time.) Cool 20 minutes in pan on wire rack. Drizzle with Glaze. (I didn't wait the 20mins to drizzle. I glazed it after 5mins, because we were taking the dish with us to my in-laws. It was still yummy!)

I was really surprised by how fast everything came together. I think I had it baked and out the door in about an hour. Fast and tasty: a perfect breakfast treat!

MY SCORE:

5 Stars *****

(Kid, hubby, AND father-in-law approved! lol)

Recipes for the Mama Writer!!

Happy 'Moan'day!! Hope your weekend was awesome!

I've been knee-deep in kids' school schedules AND any spare moment away from that form of craziness, I've been working on my MS. That's why most of last week I was MIA. *sigh* Some days I wish there were two of me!!

Instead of not posting, I figured I would put some RECIPES FOR THE MAMA WRITER. The great thing is you don't really have to be a 'mama' to reap the benefits!! I'm always game to learn fast and easy recipes. I'll be posting either a dish or a cooking tip once a week along with my Friday interviews. At least you'll know I'm still here, still chugging away at the dream! :)

This week's recipe is for a classic crowd pleaser. Please enjoy . . .

EASY-PEASEY MEAT LOAF!

Meat loaf is a meal that can easily be made earlier in the day or the night before. When it's time to slap it in the oven, the dishes are all ready done and you're eating in less than an hour!

Here is the version I make (which has been kid and hubby tested and approved!)

1 1/2lb Ground Beef
1/2 cup Ketchup
1/3 cup Tomato Juice (I sub one can of tomato sauce)
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
(I add: couple dashes of Garlic Powder)
3/4 cup Bread crumbs (sometimes I use oatmeal instead)
1/4 cup Onion, chopped
2 teaspoon Prepared Mustard
(I also add: one envelope Lipton's Onion Soup Mix; a healthy dollop or two of my fav BBQ sauce; a dash of Worcestershire Sauce.)

Topping:

1/4 cup Ketchup
1/2 Teaspoon Prepared Mustard
2 teaspoon Brown Sugar
(I add: a dash or two of Worcestershire Sauce)

**I've found it necessary to double the topping recipe, so there is plenty of sauce to go around.


Directions:

1) Preheat oven 400*F

2) Mix all ingredients. Put in dish (I grease w/ PAM= easy clean up!). Shape meat mixture like a log.

3) Make topping and pour over meat loaf.

BAKE: 35-45min or until temps 160*F (I use a thermometer.)


When cooking this dish, I'll pair it with mashed potatoes, stuffing, or rice pilaf. For a veggie, usually I opted for corn or a peas and carrots mix.

If you have the time, extra meat, and space in your freezer: Make a second loaf and freeze it!! I do everything but make the sauce when freezing it. You can take the frozen meat loaf out and let it thaw in the refrigerator. I'll be making one or two to put away for when the baby comes! I'm all about making life easy!!

Hope your taste buds fall in love!! Enjoy!

Whip-It UP Wednesdays!

Well, well, well, it's Wednesday!!

How is your week going so far? Still pumped up for awesome productivity? LOL I'm trying, but this heat here in the central California valley has just about reduced me to a gooey mass!! Seriously, it's beyond YUCK! here.

I made some head way this week. However, when I do the math, I'm still behind schedule. Quite possibly in the range of having to move back my timeline. Good thing I'm not a pubbed author having to worry about a "do-or-die" deadline!

Will I finish in time to enter the Golden Heart? Maybe. I sure hope so! I'm trying my damnedest! I promise!

One of the dilemmas I'm facing is, to be truthful, quite perplexing. I'm very much a linear writer. I have to have the tracks laid down before I can move onward. Meaning, if it ain't flowin' like I want, I'll keep plugging away at the darn thing.

I don't know if that's a good habit or a stalling one. *shrugs* It's just one of my little idiosyncrasies or as my hubby would say one of my many OCD tendencies. ;)

Despite the voices telling me to fix whatever is hanging progress up, I'm forging onward, which is definitely uncharted territory for me. LOL My battle plan is simple. I merely worked out the plot issues on paper and have continued writing as though I've fixed the problem.

*Sigh* Talk about a nail biting experience!! Baby steps, that's what I keep telling myself anyway. I'm hoping that keeping with the forward flow will get me finished, because I know if I go back I'll get mired down with details and get no where.

What about you?? How do you handle plot problems as they arise? Do you note it and move on? Or roll up your sleeves and get right down to fixing it?

Oh, What A Day Of Inspiration!

Hi-Dee-Oh!! Welcome back to another work week!

Are you amped up for tons of productivity? Well, I sure as heck am!!

Saturday I attended a meeting of the YOSEMITE ROMANCE WRITERS, my local RWA chapter. Our guest speaker was none other than valley darling Bonnie Hearn Hill. Talk about a treat worth its weight in gold! (And, yes, I'm working on getting an interview with her!)

Bonnie generously offered to give us a 'hands on' approach to writing. She read/crit'd the first three pages of members' manuscripts instead of giving a talk. I think everyone in attendance brought pages which was a wonderful surprise and added bonus. What better way to learn than by reading the work of others?!

When my turn rolled around I thought for sure my nerves would lift my big ole booty straight out of my chair! I was wound tighter than a tootsie roll wrapper. LOL I thought I'd be diligent and take notes, but my darn hand was shaking so bad I'd need a chicken or a doctor to help me 'cypher' my scratchings.

All my worry was for naught!

That's right! I got excellent feed back and what's more everyone enjoyed reading my submission! They even laughed at the funny parts!! No crickets cripping for me and my often goofy humor that day! ;)

Oh yeah! I was beyond thrilled especially since I'd wracked up another non-final just two weeks ago. This was definitely a HELL YEAH! moment and more proof of how contests can't be used to judge the merit of a story.

The praise and constructive advice set my gears to rolling and now I'm even more charged up to finish my manuscript. Critique aside, I also enjoyed spending most of the day surrounded by other writers. There's something about kickin' it with a group of like-minded lovers of the written word that just feeds the soul!

I'm hoping to crank out a healthy word count this week. 5-6K is my goal. I've got the spirit. Yes, I do! I've got the spirit--HOW ABOUT YOU?!

DID ANYONE ELSE ATTEND THEIR RWA MEETING? What tidbits of motivation did you walk away with? Last, WHAT'S YOUR GOAL FOR THIS WEEK?!

Here's something to get your thinker tinkin'. Thanks, June, for intro'ing me to MUSTANG SALLY and HOMEWRECKIN' MAN!! The day is a wastin' and there's no better time than RIGHT NOW to get rollin'!! Good luck, TLN'ers! Stay the course and JUST KEEP SWIMMING!

Wanna Go For A Swim??

Anne Barton shared notes from her trip to Orlando the other day. The quote she posted that really stuck with me the most was from one of La Nora's speeches at RWA'10.

*Writing is hard. Getting published is hard. Staying published is hard. Embrace the hard. Don’t stand on the edge of the pool complaining. Jump in and start swimming. And for God’s sake don’t complain about the water once you’re in.

Talk about putting the smack down! Mistress Roberts sure knows how to inspire and tell the hard truth. I love it!!

Her words got me to thinking. And let tell you the hamsters were spinning so fast my thoughts could have powered a city!

WRITING IS HARD. This needs to be a motto all novice writers need to start grasping. Anyone can plunk down in a chair and put their imagination down on paper. Seeing the process through to THE END is a whole other matter.

Two years ago, I gave up General Hospital and opted for parking my rear in a very old and uncomfortable office chair to write. I had the fresh-faced enthusiasm of the naive that I was going to be the next Julia Quinn.

I bet most you are wishing you had a dime for everytime a newbie spouts such a hope. LOL It's a VERY admirable goal, but one laced with hard work and heaps of grit to accomplish. I think acknowledging the fact that writing isn't a static endeavor is one of the most important factors in progressing to the next stage for a novice writer.

Like swimming, writing is an art. Even Michael Phelps had to practice and to do so meant spending hours in the pool. For writers, it's no different, except we're butt-in-chairs kind of athletes. ;)

Clicking on FB or Twitter will prove my point: There are a lot of whiners out there. A lot! Yes, we're all entitled to moan and groan, but the key element is MOVE FORWARD!! Keep making STROKES toward success!

Like Dori said in Finding Nemo: "KEEP SWIMMING!"

Standing on the edge of the pool won't get a book written. Dive in and swim around, sure fingers and toes will get pruny and hair may turn green, but for heaven sakes just keep swimming!!!

No one needed to come to this 'Hail Mary" moment more than me. I've set a deadline for myself to enter my MS in the Golden Heart this year.

Am I behind. YES!

Is it going to take A LOT of work and fortitude to achieve my goal? HELL YES!

Can I do it? YOU BET OUR BOTTOM DOLLAR!

Have I had my set backs? OH, YEAH AND THEN SOME!

I'm learning as I go! Just like swimsuits obstacles are bound to ride up! The important part is to take the dunkings and move onward! JUST KEEP SWIMMING!

Any one else up for a swim?

Whip-It UP Wednesdays!

Well, it ain't the greatest week, but certainly not the worst.

I found out yesterday my MS didn't final in a contest. LOL I'm still within my 24hrs of pity-partying and have probably over-dosed the baby on ice cream! Why is that those little frozen scoops of heaven really do make everything better? :)

I'm chalking up this "bump in the road" as another layer to making my skin as thick as that alligator I saw at the zoo. What else is there do, but press onward and upward. I mean it's kind of silly to let a contest weigh down your confidence. Sure, not finaling and the judges' comments may sting, but I'm thinking authors have the tougher side of the negativity coin. They have twice as many people reading their work and worse-- have reviews and comments being published for all to see.

Ding-ding-ding!! When it comes to having a harder time of things, I think having three judges boo-boo the first 7 pages of your WIP is a walk in the park compared to Amazon Reviews! LOL

I got a little behind schedule due to a busy weekend, but I'm planning to get caught up by next week. Sheesh! It's amazing how quickly being a head of schedule just fades away like footprints on the sand when faced with the hide tide of life!

What about you . . . How do you bounce back from contests or rejection letters? For any authors stopping by, how do you deal w/ bad reviews or negative comments about your books?

Moanday Morning Musings!

Happy Moanday!

RWA '10 is over and is any one else feelin' amped up and ready to get their projects done??


I SURE AM!! Even though I didn't attend this year I had a blast experiencing it vicariously though all my peeps' FB and Twitter posts. At times, my excitement and wonder were conflicted with flat out pea green jealousy. LOL I can't wait to hear all the juicy details from my gal-pals.


I've been on a roll trying to get my MS completed. Then.......the latter part of this week happened. *sigh* Now, I'm behind schedule. RATS!!

Here's my counts so far:
7/24-7/28= 6,923 words

I feel awesome about crankin' the word count out, but wished I would have stayed with it for the rest of the week. Life just got too busy! I'm missing my old energy levels, but with the heat and being almost five months pregnant I can't seem to stay peppy for long!


No worries though! I'm going to get caught up and get ahead of schedule by this coming Sunday.


What about you? How was your productivity levels last week? Did you reach your weekly goals?


I posted a couple pics of the animals we saw at the zoo. Some of the critters definitely had a funk about them and I was very glad I've passed the "bad smells=morning sick" stage. LOL It would have made for a really, really long day!!

The giraffes had a new addition. LOL Their babies are born at 6ft tall! No thank you!

Kids loved the elephants. This was one of those critters w/ a very pleasant aroma-NOT! Cute, but stinky!

Kids loved this American Alligator. He was huge! LOL He made me think of Sharon Lathan's post last week about getting to eat a gator appetizer in New Orleans. He didn't look particularly yummy at this stage of the game maybe with a little butter and rice. I just don't wanna be the guy in charge of catching him!

This guy was my favorite. I've always loved Macaws. Maybe it has to do w/my adoration of Jimmy Buffet and rum. LOL

See you on Wednesday!! Happy writing!!

Whip-It UP Wednesdays!

Hi-Dee-Oh!!!! Another week is almost gone and I'm very eager for the weekend to come back around. I've got writing to do! lol

I've been a good girl and made some awesome progress over the last few days. I added 5K to my word count chart and was very pleased to see that darn "Deadline Date" move forward about a month. Sheesh! I miss a few days and BOOM! I'm behind. Oh well, such is life, right? :)

I thought I'd tantalize you with a sneak-peek into my hero's world. I do so love writing his side of the tale. In this scene he is at a country ball for one purpose and one purpose only . . . and it ain't dancing!

Bradford leaned against the marble column of the balcony and surveyed the ballroom below. He’d chosen to enter through the back of the house instead of being announced. Tonight was not a social call. He abhorred everything about these little gatherings, namely, the people. Had he followed the polite dictates of society and made his presence known, he would have been surrounded by match making mamas and their vacuous daughters. The men were just as bad in his opinion. Such a disgusting reality to live with—being coveted for one’s title and wealth.

The Whitmores had out done themselves. He’d wager the amount of blunt spent on tonight’s festivities could have easily fed a legion of soldiers for a fortnight. What a waste of resources. The people of his set would never understand the sacrifices made on their behalf. Didn’t they know of the dangers England faced? Or was dressing up and making merry all their beleaguered minds could manage? He shook his head in disgust. He could dissect the weakness of humanity later. Right now, he had more pressing matters to attend―namely finding his ex-partner’s daughter.

Hope you enjoyed the teaser. LOL Hope it didn't have too many blunders! I've been having fun with this MS and can't wait to write THE END! We're going to party hardy when I do that's for sure!

Have a grrreat hump day, TLN'ers! We've got the delightful Margaret Tanner here on Friday, so swing by and say, "G'day!" TTFN- ta-ta-for-now! Oh yeah, here's a little ditty to help your week slid by. And YES, I did sport Ginger Spice's hair color a few years. Hey, it looked hawt! LOL Crank it up and rock out to the SPICE GIRLS--SAY YOU'LL BE THERE.

Whip It UP Wednesday and Cravings, Oh My!!

Well, Wednesday sure snuck up on me! Sheesh! How did I miss a day?!

My goals for the weekend were a little too ambitious. I didn't get the 20 pages I had planned, BUT I am proud of what I did achieve nonetheless. I was able to clean up a few scenes and weave them together into a chapter. Actual writing was difficult to obtain, but I still stuck to my guns and put the time in needed. 12 pages is what I got. LOL Better than a poke in the eye, right?

So, we all know I'm going to be in gun-ho mode for the next few weeks playing catch up! I'll keep you posted and I'm thinking of posting a little excerpt or two here in the near future. LOL If I get the guts up to do it, of course!

You might be wondering what the dish of yumminess is at the top of the page. Well, it's my latest craving: BLACK BEAN SALSA.

I HAVE to have it on everything! Last night, I had it on a hot dog and today my eggs at breakfast and my burrito at lunch. I'm all about the stuff. LOL Hubs was even nice enough to cut all the good stuff up for me.

I figured I share my latest addiction. So, here's the recipe!

BLACK BEAN SALSA
1- (15oz) can of Black Beans
1- package of frozen white corn (I used golden), thawed
2- large tomatoes, chopped
2- avocados, chopped
1- small red onion
2- tsp olive oil
1- tsp red wine vinegar
1- tsp salt
1/2- tsp pepper
juice of one lime
cilantro (I used half of a bunch)

Mix all ingredients and chill.


It's a light and fresh salsa that carries a hint of sweetness courtesy of the corn. Hope you enjoy! :)

Swing by this Friday for my interview with the lovely JENNIFER ASHLEY!

TTFN, ta-ta for now, TLN'ers!

Happy Fourth and Gettin' Serious!

Happy Fourth of July!!!

Hope your holiday is fun, safe, and totally relaxing! I'm all about ice cold watermelon and some sort of macaroni salad. Yep, the cravings have started! LOL


Sometime during the weekend I want to watch The Patriot with hunkie-dunkie Mel Gibson. I'm thinking I might get up early and take the kids to the parade. I know they'll enjoy that! Shoot! I adore parades!


Besides celebrating my homeland's b-day of adopting the Declaration of Independence, I'm also going to be head to the computer pounding out my MS!! It's going to be a "working weekend" for me. My deadline to finish is OCTOBER 1st and I still have a lot to do. (Thanks to morning/all day sickness and intensive speech therapy sessions for my boy. *sigh*)


Here is my goal for Friday-Monday:
Write approx. 20pages. (That's 5 pages a day.)


It's no where close to getting me caught up. BUT swim lessons end today which means starting next week I'll be getting my afternoons back. YAY!!!


What about YOU? Do you have any plans for the weekend? Do any of them involve writing?

Out With The Owls and Not Really Soarin' With The Eagles!

I'm LATE!! Yes, I am quite tardy getting today's post up. BUT I have an awesome excuse. I went to see ECLIPSE last night!!!

Yes, I was one of the weirdly devoted Twi-Moms who clamored in alongside tweenie and teenie boppers for the chance to oogle Jacob and that other guy, Edward. lol

My town ran a triple play, so I was standing my pregnant booty in the heat for almost two hours to watch Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse. It was a fantastic night of girl talk and tons of sweets! I had a very cool posse of pals to hang with and that totally made the night special!

I think this installment to the Saga was by far the best! I really enjoyed the rivalry between the two boys (yes, boys! lol) However, there times I wished it were a Sookie Stackhouse book-turned-movie I was watching. LOL Especially when the tension between Bella and her suitors grew the point where I was like, "Ok, just kiss him already!!" Sheesh! Sometimes there is a lot to be said for being adult. *wink wink*

It was kind of funny when Edward was explaining his old fashioned views on sex (which is no spoiler to those who haven't seen the movie) and this dad in the crowd yelled, "AMEN!!" Everyone laughed! It was hilarious and I hope some of the youngsters in the crowd might have took something away from that. Maybe? Or I am too hopeful? LOL

Also, I was informed by an slightly older woman than I that was NOT a "cougar" for having a thing for Jacob, but a "puma" aka "A cougar-in-training"!!! OMG! My peeps and I just about died laughing! Hilarious!

So, now I am dragging booty since it was well after 2am when I got home. I didn't accomplish anything yesterday in regards to writing, cleaning, or laundry. *sigh* So, it's all waiting for me today! Yippee!

I know not a lot of authorial-type people don't dig the Twilight Saga, but I think it's a darn good story. Maybe the writing isn't anything superb, but think about it-- here was an aspiring author who just sat down and wrote. Sure it's a Cinderella story, but I have to give the lady props, because she turned on a whole generation of youth to reading!! That right there is a pretty sweet accomplishment, because those readers are going to mature and start looking for a love story with a more adult theme like: "enter YOUR book title here."LOL

Did anyone else brave the crowds to view the latest feather in Stephenie Meyer's cap?

Monday Morning News!!

Well, well, like a bad penny . . . Moanday is baaaacck!

How was your weekend? Once again my flew by like a pair of ducks in hunting season. One blink and well, it's gone.

I got to see my folks and go to a theatre performance of ANNIE with my mom and little girl. Talk about fun! Reminded me of why I love musicals so much. :)

It also got me to thinking. What if they started making romance novels in movies. LOL Besides La Nora's tales. (Here is where my hubs would say, "Isn't that what a soap opera is?") Silly men!

I'd love to see Julie Garwood's RANSOM and Sherilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter Series on the silver screen. With 100% alpha males, kickin' heroines, and plots that leave you yearning for more, we're talkin' pure chick flick fun!

What about you? WHICH OF YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS WOULD YOU LOVE TO SEE ON THE SILVER SCREEN?

Whip-It UP Wednesdays!

Happy Hump Day!!

I'm so ready for the weekend. Two days of swim lessons and no naps is literally frying my brain. So, I was very surprised when an story idea hit me like a sonic blast. Talk about a light bulb moment. :)

The concept flared while I was driving, naturally, and luckily enough I had my voice recorder. Since I live in the broke-a** state of California, I had to quickly spit out my idea before The Fuzz popped me for driving distracted. LOL It felt awesome to rattle off the details, knowing I would have the raw outline saved in its original framework. *whew*

Of course, now my problem is holding back the urge to focus on THAT story instead of staying on task and finishing my original MS. Isn't it funny how these new story ideas just pop into your noggin without warning and decide to take over. If the idea takes root and hangs out for a few days well, much like visitors and fish, it's gonna start stinkin' up the joint! LOL

So, what do you do when another story idea tries to distract you?

FYI AUTHORS: Now booking late summer and fall dates for guest blogs and interviews!! If you've got a new release to promo, shoot me an email at: thelovestrucknovice@gmail.com

Moanday Morning News!

Good golly, Miss Molly!!

Did I have a week and weekend more suited for the Daytona 500!! It was six days full of dance recital buzz and wedding prep. LOL No worries! I was neither the dancer nor the bride. Needless to say, I've been behind and show no sign of catching up. Sheesh! Sorry about posting late. My only defense is too much, too fast, and not enough sleep!

I did have some awesome news come my way. At the wedding, I got to see my hub's cousin who has so graciously offered to help me with my website. She showed me the header she designed and I swear I heard birds singing! Gorgeous doesn't even begin to describe what I saw.

I've been lolly-gagging for some time now on getting my site going and seeing the header definitely gave me the umph to get crackin'! I don't have the pic to show, so you'll just have to believe when I say it's beautiful. :)

So, my question for you, TLN'ers, is: What do you think is vital info to have on a website? What do you as a reader like to see on an author's website?