me'n mom

I went searching for pics after the last blog entry comments and haven't found the one I wanted, but found these.

These are the very first photos I have of me with my mother. Why she dressed up like the old days, I'll never know. And of course black & white film was used merely for the artful touch it creates. :::snort:::




Who has the chubbiest face, me or the bear? LOL



I love old photos as much as I love new photos. Recently I studied the photographers who took the first pictures of the American westward expansion, and their stories are fascinating. They had to use pack mules for all the equipment they hauled up mountains and across rivers! I'm planning a photographer character in a historcal one of these days.

Remember how I said writing THE END was cause for celebration?

Well, we're going to celebrate here as soon as the book is in the mail!

My mom is still cleaning and found more doubles among her books, so I'll be giving these books away:

CHARLIE'S ANGELS
LAND OF DREAMS
THE DOCTOR'S WIFE
THE GUNSLINGER'S BRIDE
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

How to get one:
Each time you post here through the next week or so (I HOPE it's only a week!) add the title of the book you'd like to receive at the end of your comment.

I'll use each comment as a slip for the drawing.

BONUS GIVEAWAY

I have another book to give away, and you'll be excited about this one! It's an autographed copy of Brenda Novak's EVERY WAKING MOMENT, and it's a stay-awake-all-night keeper you'll want to read. This story of Emma Wright and her son escaping from an abusive husband and finding love and trust along the way hooked me with the gripping characterization Brenda is so good at.

Check out her website for a cool trailer of her new book DEAD SILENCE and download a coupon for $1. off.
Go here:
http://www.brendanovak.com/index2.php

After names for my books have been drawn, I'll toss all the names together and draw for this one. I know my blog hasn't been terribly active as of late, but I'm in deadline crunch, so bear with me, please. I love you guys!

Evanovich fans go here

Fame & Fortune: Author Janet Evanovich
No mystery to her investing: She's 'Plum' conservative

go girls!

Alexis had her last soccer game of the season tonight, and it was COLD! Her mom wrapped her in blankets between turns on the field. The girl is an aggressive dynamo! She is all over that ball and can run faster than most of the other girls, so she gets it down the field. I was never good at those kind of sports because I'm not competitive. I couldn't accidentally kick somebody in the shins and not stop to apologize and offer medical attention. LOL

whole lotta cheesin' goin' on

Friday we had family picture night. It was a zoo, but it was so much fun. We got our whole entire family posed for pictures. I won't have them for a few weeks, but when I get 'em, you'll be the first to see.

How do I come up with a story?

I'm often asked about my creative process. A rough idea comes first. Sometimes just a few paragraphs or sometimes a scene, usually longhand, but occasionally on the computer. Then it goes into a binder. I need names for the characters before I can move forward, and I need a working title.

I have character grid sheets I used at this point and I start answering questions like
“What is the inciting incident that gets this story going?”
and
“What is this character’s motivation or backstory?”
and I figure out their goals and their strengths and weaknesses and the conflict between them. I usually have one person pretty well developed in my head before I start on the other, and I build in conflict by making them completely different personalities with pasts as vastly different as I can imagine. Once I have all my questions answered I write a synopsis.

I also make a list at this point: 25 Things That Could Happen. I brainstorm the list with all kinds of wild and unlikely things and don’t let myself quit until the page is filled. I usually use several of these ideas from the list--except the ones that include aliens. LOL

Somewhere in the process I find pictures of the characters and pair them.

Sometimes I write the first pages or a prologue to get started, but usually it’s the synopsis. The synopsis helps me flesh out the story and figure out if I have enough conflict and if these story people interest me enough to move forward. Most writers detest writing a synopsis. I love it because it's part of the fun creative process for me.

After this, I’m a pretty linear writer. I start at the beginning and write straight through to the end with very little revising, except for daily and weekly edits and a read-through every several chapters. In the middle of the book I get out my synopsis and the list of 25 things and remind myself where I’m going. The middle is always a tough spot, but with a little determination I push past it. Once the story is over half way the rest is usually actually fun. That light at the end of the tunnel thing, maybe.

And the end is cause for celebration!

who I'd like to meet

Create Your Own!

Happy Birthday to Brenda!

I'm not exactly sure which day is the Big Day, but I'm guessing it's close, so happy birthday to Brenda from me and the blogger buddies! Have a great birthday, eat lots of cake and buy yourself a book.

HOTTEST 2007 CALENDAR

You may have heard about it or seen it in the media, now you can order the 2007 America's Heroes Reconnaissance Marines Calendar for yourself and/or all your friends. 100% of the proceeds go to our wounded heroes and their families as directed by those who have been awarded the Purple Heart.

http://www.freedomisnotfree.com/

McAwesome!

I am so hooked, and the rollercoaster ride isn't slowing down a bit! I have watched every episode since this premiered and the writers and actors don't let us down. This show makes me laugh. This week was great. Meredith has finally developed a backbone--and just in time for her appendix to be affected! It's laughable these two guys fawning over her and bristling at each other--but wait! Finally McDreamy admits he's not the best man for her. We knew it all along, but we also knew he was THE ONE.

I could have done without the whole Izzy and Denny thing last season--thank God he died. Suppose they shaved him for his funeral? The only thing worse was his dad showing up now. Snap out of it, Izzy! You're a surgeon. What do you think she'll do with EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS? Should be interesting.

And George--I love you George. Maybe you can't have Meredith, but don't blow it with every woman! Well, the ortho surgeon wasn't good enough for you anyway if she jumps from your bed right into McSteamy's.

How interesting that McSteamy, McDreamy, Mrs. McDreamy and Meredith all came to a sort of understanding this week. If you've missed this, go rent season one -- two should be available. You can watch weekly on ABC.com if you miss episodes.

my surprise!

Look what my husband brought home for me yesterday! It's a vintage tea set, all nestled into a padded case--like a squarish suitcase. Gold trim on the china--just exquisite! I haven't taken out the pieces yet, I've just been enjoying looking at them. I may take them out today--or I may wait a little longer. Wash them all up and set them out. Oh, the anticipation is part of the enjoyment! No special occasion or anything...is he a honey, or what?

Fall Fashions

So what do you think of this seasons latest trends? Black & white as well as RED are the hottest colors this fall.

I love red and have already added a few more pieces of red to my wardrobe.

I probably won't buy any leggings--isn't it bizarre how everything old comes back around again? Like the peasant tops and skirts last year, like the loose knit sweater vests and crop tops and bell bottoms, for goodness sake! I did NOT buy a pair of bell bottoms--been there, did that, thank you.


Here we are with skinny-leg jeans in style again. Seriously, who can wear those? Anyone who doesn't look like Keira Knightly needs a flair at the bottom of the leg to even out the figure. And skinny legs plus a tunic top or sweater? I don't think so. If you any any junk in your trunk a tunic sweater only emphasizes it.



I love clothes and I love fashion and the season's latest colors, but I'm all about wearing what looks good on ME, not on the model in the JC Penny catalog or on the store mannequin. So my newest outfit is black pants, a red camisole and a black and white herringbone jacket. I also got one of those fun blouses that are all wrinkly with ruffles--you just handwash and let dry in the wrung position. That's how you store it, too, so I bought it because it will be great for packing for trips. I should have taken a pic when I wore it Sunday.

Next time.

photoshop nightmare

This is the cover of a reissue of one of my Special Editons. I learned of the Men Made in America series from Jennifer Y and discovered that there are 50 books in the mail-only series, and subscribers get five a month until they have them all. Jennifer let me know she got this one of mine, and that was my first notice.

My friend *lizzie Starr's mom, Edna gave me her copy so that I'd have one! Isn't she a sweetie? And here it is, in all its PhotoShop horror. Do you think they could have found a bigger hat? Do you think they could have drawn a more cartoonish-looking dork? Seriously, it's a good thing this book isn't actually on shelves, because who would pick it up except to laugh? Impulse buy? Not.

Here's the good part. I didn't have to do anything. They reprinted and published and mailed out the books to subscribers and I get royalties. WHoo hoo! The other good part? It's still a really good story! *lizzie read it and asked how I kept from getting myself confused while I was writing it. LOL The whole point is an identical twin plays the part of his brother for fourteen years. The story was rather controversial in its day and readers either loved it or hated it.

SURPRISE DRAWING!

I drew names from the fishbowl for surprise books!

Here are the names I drew, and if you already have the book I drew your name for, let me know so I can substitute:

Jennifer Y: SANDWICHED, Jennifer Archer
Meljprincess: PALE IMMORTAL, Anne Frasier
Nickol: COME OCTOBER: Patricia Kay

I'll mail them out later this week to give you time to respond.

I love fall! The colors, the flowers and trees, all the scarecrows and cornstalks and the harvest decoration. I still don't have my sarecrows made--the hubby tilled and we dug out for brick walkways, so the fun stuff is on the back burner.



Saw this swallowtail yesterday. The zinnias are pretty dried up, but the butterflies still love them, so I've clipped only the driest ones for seeds and am saving the rest as long as I can.

Met a few friendly grasshoppers today. LOL You know, they actually change color depending on what they're sitting on. Found one on a bright green canna leaf and he was as green as green can be.

Spirit Day

The entire school is assembled for pictures of them in their tie0dye shirts. I didn the orange ones.

my celebrity face profile!

I had to remove the pic becuase it took too much room; may find a way to use it elsewere.

Locks of Love

BEFORE









THE CUT


AFTER


Alexis donated her hair to Locks of Love which makes wigs for kids with cancer. How great is that?

WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

I don't know how the end of the month snuck up on us, but here it is. The good part is that it's time to draw names for the prizes!

So, my daughter is fishing around in the fish bowl--the new and larger fishbowl as you recall--and she's coming out with the first winner....

KATHLEEN EVANS!



Kathleen wins the cup & saucer, the scone mix and the three SSEs.
Congrats, Kathleen. Please send me your address at: SaintJohn@aol.com

And now Kristin is fishing for the second name--and the winner of the autographed UK copy of NICK ALL NIGHT is.....

Meljprincess!
Congrats, Mel. I'll mail Nick out to you asap.

More good news: All the slips are going back into the fishbowl for next month. Now I'm off to think up a new gift to draw for.

Classes for Men

LEARNING CENTER FOR ADULTS REGISTRATION MUST BE COMPLETED BY
Monday, October 18, 2006

NOTE: DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY AND DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THEIR CONTENTS, CLASS SIZES WILL BE LIMITED TO 8 PARTICIPANTS MAXIMUM.

Class 1 How To Fill Up The Ice Cube Trays --- Step by Step, with Slide Presentation.
Meets 4 weeks, Monday and Wednesday for 2 hours beginning at 7:00 PM .

Class 2 The Toilet Paper Roll --- Does It Change Itself?
Round Table Discussion. Meets 2 weeks, Saturday 12:00 for 2 hours.

Class 3 Is It Possible To Urinate Using The Technique Of Lifting The Seat and Avoiding The Floor, Walls and Nearby Bathtub? --- Group Practice.
Meets 4 weeks, Saturday 10:00 PM for 2 h ours.


Class 4 Fundamental Differences Between The Laundry Hamper and The Floor ---
Pictures and Explanatory Graphics. Meets Saturdays at 2:00 PM for 3 weeks.

Class 5 After Dinner Dishes --- Can They Levitate and Fly Into The Kitchen Sink?
Examples on Video. Meets 4 weeks, Tuesday and Thursday for 2 hours beginning at 7:00 PM

Class 6 Loss Of Identity --- Losing The Remote To Your Significant Other.
Help Line Support and Support Groups. Meets 4 Weeks, Friday and Sunday 7:00 PM

Class 7 Learning How To Find Things ---
Starting With Looking In The Right Places And Not Turning The House Upside Down While Screaming. Open Forum . Monday at 8:00 PM, 2 hours.

Class 8 Health Watch --- Bringing Her Flowers Is Not Harmful To Your Health.
Graphics and Audio Tapes. Three nights; Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 7:00 PM for 2 hours.

Class 9 Real Men Ask For Directions When Lost --- Real Life Testimonials.
Tuesdays at 6:00 PM Location to be determined.

Class 10 Is It Genetically Impossible To Sit Quietly While She Parallel Parks?
Driving Simulations. 4 weeks, Saturday's noon, 2 hours.

Class 11 Learning to Live --- Basic Differences Between Mother and Wife.
Online Classes and role-playing . Tuesdays at 7:00 PM, location to be determined

Class 12 How to be the Ideal Shopping Companion Relaxation Exercises, Meditation and Breathing Techniques.
Meets 4 weeks, Tuesday and Thursday for 2 hours ! beginning at 7:00 PM .

Class 13 How to Fight Cerebral Atrophy ---
Remembering Birthdays, Anniversaries and Other Important Dates and Calling When You're Going To Be Late.
Cerebral Shock Therapy Sessions and Full Lobotomies Offered. Three nights; Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 7:00 PM for 2 hours.

Class 14 The Stove/Oven --- What It Is and How It Is Used. Live Demonstration.
Tuesdays at 6:00 PM, location to be determined.

Upon completion of any of the above courses, diplomas will be issued to the survivors.

cowboys, birdies and cake

Yesterday I ripped apart the beginning of my story and rearranged. Then I printed out, read through, edited once more, and today I should be moving forward again. Benjamin and Lorabeth are testing my patience.



It's time for River City Round-Up, a city-wide celebration celebrating our city's roots. Businesses and schools and stores participate. Here's one of Nebraska's tough cowboys.



There was a bird squatting in front of the garage, and this tough guy wouldn't budge past it until I shooed it off into the grass. I came home and it was gone, so it must have found its wings.

This would be a good day for a chocolate cake. Or a bag of M&Ms. Or a box of chocolate frosted doughnuts. Instead I'm going to enjoy my hard-boiled egg and can of V-8 and picture myself slim. But visions of chocolate cake will be swimming in my head...hmmm...maybe Lorabeth could bake one. I'll live vicariously through her.

YOWZA!

I just want you to know that the total of visits to this blog since July 6th, 2006 is
2,917

Holy cow! I love my readers!

I volunteered to die-tie T-shirts for first graders. Apparently while I was gone, my daughter and husband were having a conversation, and my husband mentioned, "What does mom know about dying shirts?" Of course he doesn't share the same mentality as I, that all knowledge and skills are at my fingertips via The Internet! LOL Anyway, ever my champion, Elijah comes back in my defense with, "She's good at dying hair." So there you have it.

So we tie-dyed 25 T-shirts last night. Of course thay have to be prepared and soaked and all that, and we were only allowed one color -- orange. Each grade is a different color. It would be fun to experiment with more colors. The shirts are in plastic bags right now while the color sets. I'll set them in front of a window in the sun today. This evening we rinse and wash. I'm already planning a trip to school on spirit day to get a pic of the class.

Live and learn. Next time this will be an outdoor project. Next time I will not end up with orange feet. (I think 2nd grade is green anyway.) LOL

Fall Splendor

See the bee at lower right?







Isn't fall breathtaking? On our trip home from Olahoma, we were in awe of the vibrant colors blanketing the hills. The trees are in their autumn glory, and red sumac lines the highways. My fall flowers are bursting into bloom just now, berries on bushes and bright spiky mums in a variety of colors. This will have to be my weekend to make the scarecrows I've been planning. I already have buckets and baskets of pumpkins. I may have to take my camera for a ride, too.....

I'm back!

Can you say "Hot!?" Oklahoma was hot and sultry, especially Friday. Friday night there were tornados and electricity was out in much of Broken Arrow. Our hotel was in Tulsa, and my roomie and I heard nothing. We slept right through the storm. Saturday was a dream, perfect skies and comfortable breeze. The weather was perfect for driving home yesterday, as well.

Of course I loved seeing all the trees and flowers in bloom, and the vining plants were beautiful everywhere. I purposely didn't take my camera, because I didn't want to be obsessed. I was able to simply enjoy the ride, the weather, the other women I met and the speakers. The Kindle the Flame conference is held at the RHEMA Bible Training Center in Broken Arrow. There were 1900 women in attendance this year, and I'm already looking forward to next.

I ate to my heart's content -- chocolate cake, etc.. I figure when I'm careful the rest of the time, special occasions are supposed to be special. Today I'm back to the program.

An Author Alteration copy of THE LAWMAN'S WIFE came in the mail while I was gone, so I'm working on that for a few days. It's the final proof read of the manuscript before it goes to print. I've asked for a cover, but haven't seen it yet. Off to check on that.

Nice to know I was missed!

on the road again

I'm heading off on my road trip with five other crazy women early in the AM, but promise to post as soon as I get home -- late Sunday.

Have a great weekend, Blog Buddies!
I'll bring you a postcard LOL

In an article in PREVENTION magazine, Maria Rodale gave 20 ways to enjoy all the benefits that pleasure can bring to your life. Number three on her list is to: Savor a romance novel."

Why, thank you, Ms. Rodale, I believe I will.

She writes "...reading books with happy endings is one of life's greatest pleasures." Among Maria's other tips -- play with animals, take a snooze, and watch a funny movie. Great advice, eh?

We haven't made lists for a while! Next to my readers, I love lists!
Let's list the things that give us the greatest pleasure. (Let's just consider sex a given. LOL) Can you come up with 20?

Here are mine in no particular order:
reading a wonderful book
singing
writing a great book
holding a baby
spending a day with my husband
a leisurely vacation
taking pictures
painting a room
shopping for treasures
decorating my home
growing flowers
cooking for my grandkids
seeing my children happy
a clean house
laughing with friends
a task well done
road trips
chocolate cake
the color teal
a balmy summer day

we've come a long way, baby!

Click to enlarge so you can read:

Premiere: SMITH

I always like Ray Liotta -- good guy, bad guy, doesn't matter. But what does matter is -- there SHOULD be a good guy! Are we supposed to root for this gang who uses automatic weapons to kill anyone that gets in the way of their robbery? I can't like these characters, can I? Is Bobby sympathetic just because he loves his children? Of course there's a leggy blonde, but hello, she tazed an old high school pal who recognized her during the heist! It's not that I wasn't caught up in the show, it's that I'm disturbed that the bad guys are the "protagonists."
Anyone else care to weigh in on this one?

What have you seen & what are you waiting for on the fall TV line-up?

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is a character-driven portayal of a fictitious National Broadcasting System, a network that airs a controversial late-night sketch comedy series. It's said to do for Hollywood what The West Wing did for Washington. I never cared for TWW, and I'm already concerned for this debut show because...well, because I liked it. It seems any time I like a new fall program it tanks in or after the first season. This cast seems no-fail; it's fast-paced (Sorry LOST fans, but I fell asleep during the first season) and the story people are believable--not all gorgeous size 2 women or hunks with rippling muscles. Okay, they did cast two gorgeous women, but they almost have to, don't they?



I've always like Steven Weber. He's doing another Stephen King movie that we'll see next. I never "got" Friends, but Matthew Perry brings the humor to this show. Big name guest stars, too.

Two more days until Gray's Anatomy, and my hubby is going to have to be trusted to tape it for me, 'cause I'll be GONE! OH NO! That's what I'm waiting for.

This was my best picture of the weekend. I love the shadowed pumpkin in the foreground and the lighter foilage in the background.

I am loving the weather this week, and wondering what I will take pictures of when Nebraska winter is full upon us. That will my challenge, eh?

I'm leaving for Tulsa in a few days. The forecast there is mild 70s, maybe cloudy for a day or two. It's a road trip to a conference with five other women, and I can't wait to have the breather. Tomorrow I dig out my luggage and start packing.

Today I worked on art fact sheets for my May '07 book--I'm still writing it, but they wanted to get it into production and the cover comes first. I sent the picture of our favorite cowboy! Fingers crossed that the hero on the cover looks that good. I did mention that he has lips that arrest a woman's thoughts. LOL

Nick Again

Here's the calendar page I sent the art department. The NICK ALL NIGHT cover is the most commented upon cover I've ever had.

Nick looks good in any language! Here he is in Italy, Germany and America!


A big howdy hi to
Ana
Maureen
and John!

stormy weather

It was nearly dark when I took this pic, the sun had almost set behind me, and this cloud formation to the east was lit by the last rays. Notice the dark clouds at the upper left, that's what the rest of the sky looked like. I knelt down in front of the canna lilies to get this great shot.



The game was interrupted by tornadoes, which was irritating as all get out, because they split the screen and the weathermen talked over it. I realize they have to protect people, so I'm not really griping. My family is the very laid back variety who go out to look at neat cloud formations and only send the kids to the basement when the sirens are going off and it looks really bad. We had two spending the night, and they just went down, got in bed and watched Jungle Book and ate popcorn without blinking an eye.


Later on we realized it was a blessing that we couldn't give our full attention to the game. We were run over, and it wasn't pretty.

The chili was good, though.

Husker fever

Sixteen new members to my newsletter, and welcome Karen, Maryann and Sybil!


It's Go Big Red game day in Nebraska. On game day everyone you encounter is wearing red. The grocery stores are packed with people buying chips and beer right up to the last minute. All activities stop promptly in time for the pre-game. But if you're unfortunate enough to work a retail job during the game, you hear it broadcast over the house speakers. Gallons of chili are consumed. Mine is summering now, even though the day is a scorcher out there.

You can't drive down a residential street without seeing a flurry of 'Lil Reds (the Husker mascot) in people's yards, red, white and black flags waving, big "N"s on every mailbox. The interstate is a nightmare between Omaha and Lincoln, and there's been a sellout crowd at the stadium every home game for 27 years. They just added I-don't-know-how-many new seats to accommodate more. (Maybe someone with a head for facts can supply how many the stadium seats.) It's a bunch, though, and visiting teams are wowed by the roar and learn they can't hear verbal signals. (Kind of a tactic, too.)

Yes, I'm a fan. I make big N-shaped soft pretzels and cook chili and root for my favorite quarterback and shout with the best of the fans. I prefer to watch on TV where I have the best seat in the house, a potty close by and cheap snacks! LOL

Wow!

You guys blew me away this week! You know how to get into a drawing big time! Some of you have invited several friends, thank you! And my newsletter list has grown by leaps & bounds in the past several days.

Welcome to:
Patricia
Sandy
Becka
Regina
Luisa
Cathie
Lauren
Linda
Pam
Paula
Colleen
Joye

I hope you'll all check in often. I usually hold at least one drawing every month.
And here's some cool news for all you NICK LOVERS!
I happen to have a UK copy of NICK ALL NIGHT sitting here on the shelf by my desk, so I am going to give a second place prize with this September drawing. I will make sure I send you an original cover along with the signed book, too.



So many of you expressed an interest in Nick that I thought I should spread him around as much as I can. LOL

more backyard beauty

welcome new blog friends!

I finally have morning glories in the midst of my garden! I've attempted to plant these several times, and this is th first time they actually did something spectacular. Not a lot of blooms yet, but next year should be awesome! As I was snapping pics, a hummingbird flew around me, so close I could hear its tiny wings and see it perfectly as it hovered above a canna bloom. Trying to turn the camera and adjust focus scared the little guy away. But it was so cute.





Later, I took Elijah out and we stood still in the gsrden waiting. Two hummingbords flitted together and flew just inches from our faces. Elijah was delighted. We have squash now and several ripe pumpkins.





Good job on the contest, guys! So far there are ten new subscribers for my newsletter and several new faces here! I'll keep you updated.

REMEMBER: If you sent a friend and they signed up or posted, send me an email. That's what I use for your entry.

More Firsts

This is Alexis on her first day of third grade.
She's an animal lover, especially cats and bunnies. She's a bit of a fashion diva and loves new clothes and sparkly shoes and hair things.
She loves to come to my house and bake cakes with me.




This is Jared's first day of first grade. He's a combination of outdoor bike rider/ramp jumper and inside game cube junkie. He's deep-voiced and soft-hearted. When he was in Kindergarden I told him the Bible story of David killing the bear and the foxes before he killed Goliath, and Jared cried for the animals.

Both of these kids love to eat salad!

I love sharing great sites!

Time-sucking, though they may be. In the past I've shown you pics of my workspace in the midts of chaos, mid-book. Today I'm showing you the tidied-up-because-I'm-in avoidance-mode version.



I even discovered a stack of unanswered fan mail which is now lying by my PC. My bad.



And now I'm sending you to check out the workspaces of other authors. I have to tell you, Jennie Cruisie's is my favorite! LOL

Go here:
http://www.paigecuccaro.com/html/the_cave.html