Dang It

The agent looked at Privy to Murder, sent me a form rejection almost immediately. Now I just need to send out several proposals to several agents and editors and see what happens. Hoped for a word or two on why, but no such luck.

Got wonderful critiques on Agatha Ann so I'm going to try to whip that into shape the next few days and get it in the mail in the next couple of weeks.

Went to see Nancy Drew and it's so cute. Just loved it.

Golden

On the way to work I pass the most gorgeous field. What makes it so beautiful? Wild flowers. It is a field of gold, a carpet of shining yellow and if the sun hits it, double wow. It is so pretty. Even more interesting is the contrast sitting in the middle of the field. Nestled in the wild flowers sits two large farming machines, ready to back-hoe the flowers into submission. The machines will chew up and spit out all the wonderful flowers. leaving what in their place, more buildings, or parking lot or whatever. Makes me sad to think.

No Big C-at least on prelims.

Lori's lymph node biopsy went well, no malignancies that they could find. She's sore and grouchy but glad not to have C or deal with chemo or radiation. Good things do happen. Now we have to deal with Sarcoidosis, but could be so much worse. I went through the chemo thing with my husband and didn't want to with Lori.

Should have critiques back on Agatha Ann this week and be able to send it off before I go on vacation in July. Then, in Co I can work on the rest of PTM rewrites. Making progress.

Germs, germs, germs Oh My.

A new study has been released by the American Association of Infection Control and Epidemiology Professionals (APIC). Essentially1237 hospitals in the United States were surveyed (21% of US hospitals). The number of patients in a hospital who had Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus (MRSA), either with signs and symptoms of infection(infected) or present in the body but not producing symptoms (colonized) were counted. 34 per 1000 were infected. 12 per 1000 were colonized. 75% entered the hospital or Nursing Home already infected. The organism was 9-11 times more common than initially thought. The patients either acquired the organism in the community or from a previous hospital stay.

What does all that mean?

• It means you can acquire the organism at any time, even if you are not hospitalised.
• Not all the infections in the hospital are the hospital's fault since patients come in with the infection so often.
• If you visit someone in the hospital, wash your hands if you touch them or anything in the room.
• If you are a patient make sure the healthcare workers clean their hands before they touch you, even the nurse, even the doctor.
• It's not only Ok for you to ask people to clean their hands before touching you, it's imperative for your health.
• If you work in the hospital, you are not only protecting the patient and fellow healthcare workers by washing hands, you are protecting yourself.

Nurses must be patient advocates. Patients also have to be their own advocate and the handwashing rules apply just as much in the doctor's office, dentists office or outpatient clinic as in the hospital itself. Keep everyone safe.

Just couldn't resist this cute baby. No reason for her to be here except for the cute kitten factor. I'm a sucker for the awwwww pictures. Babies, baby animals, animals being affectionate, babies with animals. Now how can I be such a sucker for cute and love urban fantasy at the same time? I've been hooked on the fantastic since I was a kid and read the fifties horror comics. Grew up on Twilight Zone, (yes, the original, and Sci-Fi Theatre and Outer Limits in black and white, so be quiet and let me ramble.) As I was saying. I graduated to all the movies and TV shows, plus things like Buffy, Angel, Dresden and etc. Now I'm reading Kim Harrison and Jim Butcher and getting the bug to write the stuff. We'll see how that goes. Have to finishe the books I'm in the middle of re-writes for first. Besides, the idea of world building and complicated plot building is a little daunting. Have to get that irresistable idea first. Here's to ideas, I'll drink to that.

I should get my fill of cute for the next week because six-year-old Hannah is coming to stay and it will be so much fun. Can't wait. Have to go find a Baby Alive car seat. And food and diapers I think. The doll is more trouble than the kid.

The Longest Day

So, what's up with this? It's the summer solstice, the longest day of summer, and we have nothing but clouds in OKC. Shouldn't you have sun to be able to enjoy the longest day of the year? And then there's the fact that I'm working, not outside in the weather, whatever it is, enjoying nature. There's something wrong with this picture. Doesn't it say in fine print somewhere that you should be retired and enjoying your leisure when you're 65? Of course it also says, in that same fine print, that all the children will have left home. NOT.

But the good thing is, a friend had her new baby, #6 or #7, I forget which. Beautiful girl baby. I got a lot of rewriting done on "Agatha Ann and the Spider Wizard" last night. I also have another friends book that she just finished writing to look forward to reading. And my 6yo grandaughter is coming in on Saturday to stay several weeks, so life is exciting.

Crow Woman's blog talked about totems and I know cats have been big in my life, all of my life. For the past 20 years or so, bears have also been prominent, so those must be my totems. Interesting stuff.

105 Things

1. EVER BEEN GIVEN AN ENGAGEMENT Ring? Yes, twice.
2. LONGEST RELATIONSHIP? 39years
3. LAST GIFT YOU RECEIVED? Jewelry a friend made
4. EVER DROPPED A CELL PHONE? Yep, in the commode. Stopped working
.5. WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU WORKED OUT? Last week
.6. THING(S) YOU SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON? Books, Jewelry, Mochas, art supplies
7. LAST FOOD YOU ATE? Chicken.
8. FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX? Eyes, Mouth
9. ONE FAVORITE SONG? "Honey I'm home."
10. WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
11. HIGH SCHOOL YOU ATTENDED: Bryan Adams, Dallas Texas.
15.12. CELL PHONE SERVICE PROVIDER: Sprint
13. FAVORITE MALL STORE: Cold Water Creek
14. LONGEST JOB YOU HAD: Nurse--45 years
15. DO YOU OWN A PAIR OF DICE? Yes
16. DO YOU PRANK CALL PEOPLE?: No, and never did.
17. LAST WEDDING YOU ATTENDED: Christie
18. FIRST FRIEND YOU'D CALL IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY: Amy
19. LAST TIME YOU SAW YOUR BEST FRIENDs: A couple this week.
20. FAVORITE FAST FOOD RESTAURANT: Quiznos, Sonic
21. BIGGEST LIE YOU HAVE EVER HEARD: I'll change.
23. WHERE'S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT WITH FRIENDS? Chilis
24. CAN YOU COOK? Good cook when I want
25. WHAT CAR DO YOU DRIVE?: Impala
26. BEST KISSER: my husband
27. LAST TIME YOU CRIED?: Last week, Lori's seizure.
28. MOST DISLIKED FOODS: organ meats
29. THING YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOURSELF: Sense of humor, loyalty.
30. THING YOU DISLIKE MOST ABOUT YOURSELF: Fat
32. LONGEST SHIFT YOU HAVE WORKED AT A JOB?: 16 hours
33. FAVORITE MOVIE? The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Portrait of Jenny and Practical Magic.
34. CAN YOU SING? Not any more
35. LAST CONCERT ATTENDED? Righteous Brothers
36. LAST KISS? Two and a half years
37. LAST MOVIE RENTED: Ghost Rider
38.ONE THING YOU NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT? Book
39. FAVORITE vacation spot?: Colorado
43. LAPTOP OR DESKTOP COMPUTER?: Both
44. FAVORITE COMEDIAN?: Robin Williams
45. DO YOU SMOKE? no.
46 SLEEP WITH OR WITHOUT CLOTHES? Gown
47. WHO SLEEPS WITH YOU EVERY NIGHT?: cats
48. DO LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIPS WORK?: Not really
.49. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BEEN PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE? Once, speeding
50. PANCAKES OR FRENCH TOAST? French Toast
51. DO YOU LIKE COFFEE?: LOVE caffeine
52 HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR EGGS? Over easy
53. DO YOU BELIEVE IN ASTROLOGY?: Kind of maybe
54. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?: Amy
.55. LAST PERSON ON YOUR MISSED CALL LIST?: Lori
56. WHAT WAS THE LAST TEXT MESSAGE YOU RECIEVED?: Don't remember
58. NUMBER OF PILLOWS?: 1
59. WHAT ARE YOU WEARING RIGHT NOW?: Grey slacks, blue silk shirt
60. PICK A LYRIC, ANY LYRIC: "The minute you walked in the joint, I could tell you were a real . . . "
61. WHAT KIND OF JELLY DO YOU LIKE ON YOUR PB & J?: Orange Marmalade
62. CAN YOU PLAY POOL?: Yep
.63. CAN YOU SWIM? Yes but don't much.
64. FAVORITE ICE CREAM?: Mint Chocolate Chip
65. DO YOU LIKE MAPS? Yeah, I guess.
66. TELL ME A RANDOM FACT ABOUT YOURSELF: I love watching Carolina Wrens.
68. EVER ATTEND A THEME PARTY?: Yes, roaring twenties
69. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEASON?: Fall, Spring
70. LAST TIME YOU LAUGHED AT SOMETHING STUPID? Yesterday
71. WHAT TIME DID YOU WAKE UP THIS MORNING? 7 AM
72. BEST THING ABOUT WINTER?: Snow and Christmas
.73. LAST TIME A COP GAVE YOU A TICKET?: A couple of years
75. NAME OF YOUR FIRST PET?: Miss Kitty, a fat cat.
76. DO YOU THINK PIRATES ARE COOL OR OVERRATED?: Cool if it's Johnny Depp
77. WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS WEEKEND?: Picking up my grandaughter
78. BIRTHDATE?: December 14
79. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE?: A fiction writer with a published novel.
85. ARE YOU ON A LAPTOP?: No.
87. ARE YOU SMILING?: Not particularly, not frowning either
89. DO YOU MISS SOMEONE RIGHT NOW?: Karl
90. IF YOU COULD GO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WHERE WOULD YOU GO?: Ireland
92. ARE YOU IN HIGH SCHOOL?: No, no, not even close
93. DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH?: Yeah, but only the fantasy kind
94. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE NAME? Too many to choose
95. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR BATHING SUIT?: Black and turquoise
.96. DOES YOUR SCHOOL START IN AUGUST?: Long out of school
97. DID YOU GO ON VACATION LAST MONTH?: Nope.
98. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON A CRUISE?: Yes, Alaska, spectacular.
99. DO YOU HAVE A SISTER?: Two.
100. ARE YOU UPSTAIRS?: Yes.
101. ARE YOU IN LOVE?: Nope
102. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL? Yes
103. DO YOU WISH YOU COULD SEE ANYONE PARTICULAR RIGHT NOW? Karl, my mom or sister.
104. WHAT JEWELRY ARE YOU WEARING? Shell necklace, pearl earrings, four rings.
105. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO AFTER THIS SURVEY? Actually do some real work.

Rinda Finishes and News.

One of my friends finished her book after a long time of not being able to write. I'm so excited for Rinda. She's a super writer. I think everyone, no matter how dedicated, has live intrude on writing to the point it's almost easier not to write than to try and struggle with fitting it in around all the have to things. I run into the same thing and only have one person at home with me and she doesn't require constant care like a child does. I don't have a partner with expectations. But I still don't manage to get past distractions some days. Then there are the distractions that you don't want to get past, like dinner with friends, the book you are enjoying reading, your friends book that you can't wait to get in to.

Some how, discipline has to be a big part of the writing life, even if you have to write late or get up early in order to get it done. No book with sell if it isn't finished. Self discipline is difficult to keep going and I'm a great procrastinator. Also, with my current project, I'm tweaking and may be too prone to little changes for my own good. I have to figure out when I'm done if I'm going to get the manuscript out.

My story, "Mam" is up on TheWorldOfMyth and it is going to appear in an anthology they are producing. Also, "Privy to Murder" and "Chimes in the Snow" both won honerable mention in the Amarillo Writer's Conference contest. That was very nice.

Poetry Monday

Goddess Dreams

Worship summer sun
Blow bitter storms away
Manipulate a thousand
Purple spring leaves.
Elaorate petal garden
Delerious symphony
Whisper under your
Delicate power
Shadow forest mother
Sea spray goddess
Winter moon music
Recalling eternity.

It started with refrigerator poetry and grew from there.

Selfish

Does putting your writing first, or at least high up on the list, make you selfish? If you are not selfish about sharing your writing time, will you write, or get published? It's OK if our partner takes time out for golf, ball games, car races etc. We don't question someone's need to work on office work in the evening. But, we feel guilty if we take time away from family to do the thing that makes us happy and might even support us some day. OK, far fetched but work with me here!

If we wanted to spend time scrapbooking, no one would object. Exercising at the gym or going to dance class isn't too selfish. Even reading is OK. But writing?
"What are you doing?"
"I'm writing."
"Since you aren't doing anything, let's go . . ."
That's the reaction. We aren't doing anything. We make little money so all we do is scribble, it's a little hobby. Never to be taken seriously.
Keep hold of that "hobby" and make it your life work. It's one of the things that will define you.

Hummers, story etc.

This really has nothing to do with this post, but everything to do with patience. But then maybe it does have to do with writing since getting published is always a matter of patience. Having the right story at the right time for the right editor/publication.

Which leads to the fact that my short story, Mam, appears today at World of Myth. Link below-look in the horror section. I'm excited and the reviews have been most kind.

http://www.theworldofmyth.com.darkmythproductions.com/index1.html

On the patience end of things, the pulmonologist looked at Lori's films and said, "Yup, it could be Sarcoidosis or Hodgkins lymphoma. Now we have another week's wait to see the chest surgeon and get a date for a biopsy. Lord preserve us we wouldn't want to do anything too quickly now, it's only possible cancer.

"You can drag a horticulture but you can't make her think." --Dorothy Parker--

My comment on the ten minutes of something I saw called "Charm School." It was supposed to be "Charm School Prom." Some women were supposed to use their skills to determine whether the men were players, convicts, professionals or whatever. What went on was ridiculous, stupid and typical reality show drivel. What a waste and why do you want to act like that on national TV. Yes, my age shows through.

Enough rambling, still working on AA rewrites and will again tonight.

Poetry Train

FRIEND

Lonesome doesn't take a name

or call a shape its own.

It hides itself behind the dusk

slips into sunlight's shadow,

breaks and enters a quiet house

prowls the edge of a merry crowd.

Calls you friend,

says "here I am,

take me with you, please.

Don't leave me here all alone."

I always end up writing short poems. I'll have to try longer sometime. I finished the current re-write on Agatha Ann. It's off to a CP for critique. Then on to the editor. Have work work to do , OWFI stuff and then I'll get back to the Privy re-writes. It's all in the editing and polishing and tightening.

Also, brainstorming with other like-minded writers, watching the ideas flow and spin is so exciting. That's one thing I really enjoyed this weekend. You can see the sparkles fly in the air when a group starts coming up with ideas to help a plot forward, like who is the real villain and how did he/she get that way and what will that do to the rest of the book, or the beginning of it.

I stained my picnic table and put on a protective coating this weekend. Did not walk as much as planned, the in and out storms set off the joint pain without much warning.

Sick, Sick

" Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. --Robert A Heinlein--

Ate a chicken club sandwich from Chick-fil-a. Something in it made me so sick, made my stomach hurt big time, nausea, ad nauseum. I won't eat that again. Hate being sick. Nuff said.
Bette today but a little hung over from the nausea med.

I did make re-write progress. It's going well but kind of horrifying to find so much wrong when I thought it would just be a touch up. Repeated words, redundancy, phrasing. All need fixing. Then when I send it to other eyes, I'm sure the same thing will happen. Needs to happen. Fun though, watching it shape up.

And the other big news of the day, Paris is Free, but shouldn't be? Like I said, if it were one of us, we wouldn't be out. Aaaah, privilege.

No writing yesterday.

"A day without sunshine is like . . .you know . . .night."

Last night was seizure/ER. Didn't get rewrites done. Did go to PT for my knees, started exercises. Did treadmill at the gym and an hour of dance aerobics. And I can still walk today. Miracles happen.

I got on a busy Rachel Vincent list that also has Kim Harrison. Very interesting visiting "The Pride."

Now if I can do a little more with exercise and eating better, more water etc. I may survive another 20 years. At least my cholesteral genes are good and my good cholesterol is high, the bad low and triglycerides low. Now if I can get the "get up and move every 30 minutes" thing down.

Scroll down and look to the right for Yasmine Galenorns cover for her new book. It's killer. Just wonderful.

Short Rants

"The only cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity."

--Dorothy Parker--

Have you noticed that life in general gets curiouser and curiouser? Both personal and all around us. OK I'm still hung up on the stupidity of the guy with TB traveling all over the world with drug resistant TB and then we reward him with fame, appearances on the Today show etc. Everyone is nuts.

We obsess over a drunk going to jail for DUI and expired licence. We give her more fame and paparazzi exposure. You can just see the remorse dripping off Paris as she attends the MTV awards, dripping with jewelry. She may be a very nice poor-little-rich-girl at heart, but if she drives drunk and kills someone, a posh jail might not be her choice the next time.

Rants over. Rewrites going well on Agatha Ann. Put up the counter to get myself to work faster and not procrastinate. Privy off to the Agent, so it's a wait and see game now.

Yasmine Galenorn's new book, "Changeling" is out. Go get it. I read the ARC. It was great. Urban fantasy at it's best. Her new book, "Darkling" will be out Jan 2008. Can't wait.

Quote It

"I might repeat to myself slowly and soothingly, a list of quotations beautiful from minds profound-if I can remember any of the damn things. --Dorothy Parker--
One of my favorite acid tongued women.

I agree. There are quotes I love but never can remember when I need them. I'm not a Dorothy Parker, able to come up with quotable words on a dime, or even a quarter. I would need time to re-write, and polish. By that time the occasion is long gone. You'd think, as a writer, I'd be better at that.

I started the AA re-writes so I can get that off to the editor. Sent PTM, the first 50 pages, off to the agent. Then I'll work on the rest of the PTM rewrites. Plenty to do. Plus start some plotting for Party to Murder.

Poetry Train Monday

Someone said that life is a party. You join in after it's started and leave before it's finished.
--Elsa Maxwell--20th-century American socialite.

Meaningful Relationships


Air-floating bubbles

Gently touch

Caress

Brush

Never Intertwining

Nor combining

But shining

They separate

Catch the breeze

Dance

And play

Careful not to join

Lest they break

Disintegrate.


Another poem written in a twenty-year-old journal. Interesting to look back and try to figure out exactly what triggered those particular images.

News flash. I got hit upon. A gentleman in a store complimented my earrings, then my shirt. Then suggested that we should be bored together some time since we had both indicated to each other that we lead less than exciting lives. As I got into the car to leave, he followed me, handed me a card and suggested I call him if I were bored. Kind of made me feel good.
Then the cynic took over.
The card was the business card for the establishment, not his own with his name on it. Not sure exactly which days he works. Not sure of his exact name. Think he's married. Shouldn't he call me? Does it show that I've been out of the game for over 40 years.

Understand this. If he were a Sean Connery, I wouldn't care about any of the above.

STUPID Squared

"Love never dies of starvation, but often of indigestion."

--Ninon De Lenclos(1620-1705)

French courtesan.

Seems as if it is not a new problem.

So, off the subject of writing, we have now confirmed the stupidity of lawyers. It was a thirty-something lawyer who thought it was OK for him to take an international flight from Europe back to Atlanta, with active MDRTB, with no mask and expose hundreds of people to an extremely difficult to treat form of TB. We won't even mention his wife, who was with him and should have known better, or his uncle, working for the CDC, who didn't try to stop him. It's criminal and he should be prosecuted. It wasn't as if he didn't know the implications of what he did, as he deliberately put other men, women and children at risk. STUPID STUPID

Off my soap box. Began reading STRAY by Rachel Vincent. Good one. Go buy it. Will finish the Privy package to send out today. Working on Agatha Ann next. Wishing the rain to go away.

The chipmonk above is to commemorate the fact that my reservations are made for Colorado in July, can't wait. Hope the little chippy is as glad to see us as we will be to see him.

Writing Prompt: Before you go on your summer vacation, write about what you did on your summer vacation.