Authonomy

I found a spot on Harper Collins (a publisher) that allows wanna be authors to send their work for people to read and critique. I put Winds of Fire, first 7 chapters, up. So far, I'm having good reviews! It's fun reading it. I didn't expect such a good response so quickly. I hope it keeps up!

Off to Washington! Wish us luck :)

This years end

Due to family bereavement, I probably won't get to blog again until sometime next week. I will be busy trying to find a way to get my MIL and daughter back home (they barely arrived) and packing up to go myself.


Have a Happy New Year!

Politically Correct

Now, I have friends of multiple religious persuasions and respect all of them. That being said, I love this poem I found today. Christmas is my favorite time of year, and that combined with a recent article in Times magazing that talked about helcopter parents and how we all hover over our children too much made this apropo for me this year. (I agree with the article. Parents are NUTS!)

‘Twas the night before Christmas and Santa’s a wreck…
How to live in a world that’s politically correct?
His workers no longer would answer to “Elves,”
“Vertically Challenged” they were calling themselves.


And labor conditions at the North Pole
Were alleged by the union to stifle the soul.
Four reindeer had vanished, without much propriety,
Released to the wilds by the Humane Society.


And equal employment had made it quite clear
That Santa had better not use just reindeer.
So Dancer and Donner, Comet and Cupid,
Were replaced with 4 pigs, and you know that looked stupid!


The runners had been removed from his sleigh;
The ruts were termed dangerous by the E.P.A.
And people had started to call for the cops
When they heard sled noises on their roof-tops.


Second-hand smoke from his pipe had his workers quite frightened.
His fur trimmed red suit was called “Unenlightened.”
And to show you the strangeness of life’s ebbs and flows,
Rudolf was suing over unauthorized use of his nose
And had gone on Geraldo, in front of the nation,
Demanding millions in over-due compensation.


So, half of the reindeer were gone; and his wife,
Who suddenly said she’d enough of this life,
Joined a self-help group, packed, and left in a whiz,
Demanding from now on her title was Ms.


And as for the gifts, why, he’d ne’er had a notion
That making a choice could cause so much commotion.
Nothing of leather, nothing of fur,
Which meant nothing for him. And nothing for her.


Nothing that might be construed to pollute.
Nothing to aim. Nothing to shoot.
Nothing that clamored or made lots of noise.
Nothing for just girls. Or just for the boys.


Nothing that claimed to be gender specific.
Nothing that’s warlike or non-pacific.
No candy or sweets…they were bad for the tooth.
Nothing that seemed to embellish a truth.


And fairy tales, while not yet forbidden,
Were like Ken and Barbie, better off hidden.
For they raised the hackles of those psychological
Who claimed the only good gift was one ecological.


No baseball, no football…someone could get hurt;
Besides, playing sports exposed kids to dirt.
Dolls were said to be sexist, and should be passe’;
And Nintendo would rot your entire brain away.


So Santa just stood there, disheveled, perplexed;
He just could not figure out what to do next.
He tried to be merry, tried to be gay,
But you’ve got to be careful with that word today.


His sack was quite empty, limp to the ground;
Nothing fully acceptable was to be found.
Something special was needed, a gift that he might
Give to all without angering the left or the right.


A gift that would satisfy, with no indecision,
Each group of people, every religion;
Every ethnicity, every hue,
Everyone, everywhere…even you.


So here is that gift, it’s price beyond worth…
“May you and your loved ones enjoy peace on earth.”


copyright Harvey Ehrlich, 1992
Notice: This poem is copyright 1992 by Harvey Ehrlich. It is free to distribute, without changes, as long as this notice remains intact.

Whether you celebrate Christmas or Yule or Hanukah, the lesson here can be seen.Think about it.

Merry Christmas!

Countdown to Christmas

It's December 21st, I think. I'm down to a tickle in my throat and being exhausted but getting better. We've finished wrapping our presents and if I didn't know we were moving, I'd be sad. Have to save the money for the move. Our van is acting up and we will be taking it in tomorrow. I'm sick of car trouble, that's for sure.

It needs to be working before we move and that's in less than two weeks! UGH. The week after Christmas is going to be hectic as my MIL and daughter will be here. I would prefer our van worked by then as we want to tour the missions here in San Antonio with them.

I'm fixing on finishing up a couple of stories, but between cleaning house after being sick, my appointment today and the van I'm ready to pull my hair out! I have a contest for Winds of Fire though so IT WILL BE DONE. I HAVE SPOKEN. **insert scary voice there. lmao

When I get all moved, I'm hoping to sponsor a contest and if it has arrived, I will be giving away a signed copy of a romantic comedy, and another book, sorry not signed of an historical romance. I haven't decided which will be first or the criteria yet, so I'll have to think about it. I just know I'm going to do the give away for all my LOYAL fans :)

Tis the season

Apparently, everyone goes on hiatus for the next two weeks. That means less blogs to read, which will help me get my packing done :P I am trying hard not to get too excited at the possible series, but I can't help it. I sent in a short story, so I asked them a question, and it went something like this: "As hope springs eternal, I'm outlying where I want the series to go. Do they all have to be shorts or will I get to do novel length as well." See, I sent in a novella originally.

Well, the reply was something to the effect of they are looking for novels under 80k :) Yeah me. So anyways, I'm starting with the original and beefing it up some. Only need to add like 40k. **insert a little tongue in cheek there**

Then I need to get an idea basis for at least two more right away. I've already got an idea for one of them. May set next one in some exotic locale. Have to see if there are any instant rejects on locale with this publisher. I'm thinking maybe Hawii. My MIL and people who work with my FIL have been there, and one person I know has a daughter living there, so I'll have lots of pics and info to work from.

Plus, I have to finish the thriller, Winds of Fire. I'm stuck in a part about Chicago. Not sure of the timeline I want to follow. However, thanks to an old classmate of mine, I have lots of good info on the area. I promised him a copy of the book if it ever got published. Of course, I'll also thanki him in the acknowledgements. There is a contest happening that this book would do well in, so I need to get it finished ASAP. Nothing like deadlines to get me going :D

Procrastinators Unite! Tomorrow. Anyone ever hear that phrase? lol

Well, it's off to packing and writing for me. Not to mention babies and boys to watch and manage. Wish me luck :)

Sick

So that earlier sickness I mentioned? Strep throat in the worst way. I've started to blog a few times since but couldn't sit up long enough to get through my email, buch less a posing of any lenght or quality. Although, with my high fever, it may have been interesting to see what I wrote!

I tried to work a bit, outlining a series, etc, but I didn't get very far. Did ask a few questions/comments and learn a few things but now real work got done.

I do believe that my short story may be turning into a novel so I'm going to get started now. Plus, outline the series better as my feverish brain only imagined it wrote things down. Of course, the way I felt, it may be written down in blood somewhere for all I know. I was in a real bad way. My kids alternated between taking full advantage of a mom who can't talk much less raise her voice (Yeah, quiet you in the peanut gallery)and looking pretty scared when they saw me. I was miserable and you could tell with barely a glance.

I am looking forward to Christmas. I did get a couple wrapped day before yesterday cuz I felt a little better, but I exhausted myself so did nothing yesterday. My son keeps asking to wrap a packing box, as he calls it, which is actually a wipies holder for the diaper bag :D I said when I'm done wrapping presents. Oh lordie, for a five year old its been an interminable wait. Finally, late yesterday, I told him if he asks again I was going to let Isaac (the baby) wrap it!

He looked at me in confusion and said, "But Isaac can't wrap!" and I said, "Exactly!" He gave me a look like I had lost my mind and fled to his room to ponder what I meant.

I'm tortuing my 16 yr old with it as he was with me when I bought his christmas present and he wrapped it himself and has spent the last two weeks bugging me to open it LOL I said NOPE. That's all you're getting. It's been funny. He's been very creative about it. Like, I could do the dishes faster if I could just use that ;;) I swear, it's been more fun than presents I've bought him in years LOL

Blah

I'm sick, but at least it's a different kind of sick then its been for the last four? five? months. However long its been since we've been in TX. My baby has kept me up the last five nights in a row and now I'm slammed with something that makes my throat hurt :( I'm taking lots of meds for it, but I still feel like crap and I have to work tonight. What's worst, is I'm doing a rehearsal which no one knew about, rather no one on the Crew knew about. So I'll be working from 12:30 to 9:30 in a place that gets up to ninety degrees without the doors open so the door all get open and one of them is next to my station. So I'll be going hot, cold, hot, cold, which may be what set me off in the first place. Plus being exposed to 50 odd people. UGH.

I won't get to write today in any way shape or form, well except for blogging:) because I've been called in early. I am missing out on my research hours :( oh well, such is the life of a struggling artist.

Hopefully the assorted meds will kick in and I will make it through the day with no mishaps. Hope everyone is enjoying snow that has it and that they are staying well :)

PS Congrats to my MIL on new house :)

Moving

I'm packing up to move, but I'm still going to write today. I realized I had a deadline so something has to be done :) When I move, I get rid of stuff. It's the only reason I'm not on the show "Hoarder" LOl. As I mentioned, I do all sorts of crafts making nearly impossible to get rid of stuff without the "OOH I could use that with XXX" or "who knows when I'll need that."

I might not get the book done in time for what I wanted it, but I can still send in a query, etc when it is ready. I don't want to stress myself out too much as I need to be as healthy as possible for the big move :)

I'm getting a new website soon, already have someone working on it ;) I'm so excited as it will have excerpts and all kinds of stuff. I'll be able to post my book signings and stuff on it as well. I'm looking at using some of my artwork for the design background and stuff, so I'm really excited :)

Kids are being troublesome as always but they are at least helping to get things cleaned up. Monday is a big clean up day for the part of the city I'm from so needed to get this done anyway or it won't happen again for six months. (Not that it matters to me!)

The oven doesn't work here and now the toilet is acting up GRRRR. That's okay, I will fix it. Just another day in the Bushman household :D

So, I won a contest for the new website and when I figure out the linking process (it's still not working for me!) I will link to their blog.
I had a lot of fun on the blog tour where I found them yesterday. I'm having a blast getting to know other authors of all types (genres and published). :)Have a good day and I hope your dreams that inspire will be fruitful.

Today

two days in a row of little or no writing GRRR. I'll get more done tomorrow. Right now, I'm catching up on blogs and stuff. Plus entering contests to win lots of books. Soon, I will be having a giveaway, sometime in January, to give away books I have extras of because I won two or bought one then won one :)I think introducing people to new authors is a fabulous past time and I intend to give away lots of people's books, not just my own :)

I'm not feeling well and not focusing well due to lack of sleep too many nights in a row. Here's to sleep and focus!

Pins & Needles

I'm a writer, but I'm also an artist/crafter. I do many things, and yes, when I choose to, I do them well. Until recently, I thought that was normal. I mean, doesn't everyone decide they want to tat, go pick up the tools and learn to tat while eating their lunch at Taco Bell? That's pretty much what I did, although I lost the tool right away (it's so danged small!)and will now have to relearn as I didn't practice :(

I crochet, I hate knitting, but I'm capable of it. I had been taught the basics 20 yrs ago and never picked it up again until my recent appearance in Antigone. I was the queen. Now, if you haven't read the play, you might think that's exciting right? Well, it's not. The queen only shows up in the beginning, with no lines (a first for me LOL) and knits. So I got the little pack that teaches knitting and learned to knit, and I had to do it without my glasses as well.

Results? I'll probably try to keep up the skill for making socks, but that's about it. I still prefer crochet! Although, I did find that the continental version wasn't as frustrating for me so that's the route I'll keep I think.

I can make friendly plastic jewelry. It's not so popular anymore, but it was a lot of fun. It's a rubbery plastic that changes color a bit as it is heated and maneuvered. you learn how to cut the pieces the right size, etc. It's one of those skills that is getting lost in today's society.

I can cross stitch, although it is time consuming and exacting. I have made two heirloom Christmas stockings to date. Let me tell you, they are intricate and beautiful. Most people who meet me don't think I have the patience nor the skill to do something like it, but I do. It's the time that kills me :P

I like to quilt, although there are parts of it I still need to learn for doing the top stitching. I need a better machine for it, is the first problem. Anyway, I definitely don't get enough time for this with my young kids. I have to focus when piecing or I cut all the wrong sizes/shapes and I am too poor to be running about spending money on more fabric simply because I mess up.

And speaking of Fabric, (really the capitalized "fabric" is how I think of fabric) I sew costumes. I am involved in so many plays through community theatre that I have taught myself how to make costumes. I have had pointers from friends along the way, but mostly it has been trial and error for me.

Like Fabric, I'm also into paper. I taught myself to scrapbook, with friends of course, so I could do my wedding album. My wedding album came out beautifully and I have a whole array of paper and tools to play with. I combined it with my stamping (as many people have) and have enjoyed myself immensely.

Then, if I haven't missed any, there is my art. I came into it late in the game and I have found the thing that makes me happiest. Painting, oil paints in particular, help to soothe my mind and release my stress. I've changed my major from political science to art because of a chance 2 credit oil pastel class I happened to take. (They only offered it 1 or 2 quarters at the community college). It's impacted my life unbelievably. I can paint in almost any style I choose to. I am best at impressionism but I tend to through in how I feel about my subject which gives it an expressionist edge.

This lead to confidence. Confidence that I can finish hard things and learn more. Which lead to me being comfortable picking up my writing again when I lost my job. I feel the need to create in all the ways set forth here. When a particular 'mood' strikes me it is best if I follow that lead. If I try to force something else out, I usually end up with something ugh. If I don't listen to my mood or can't because of life, then I get frustrated and my stress level increases ten fold.

I've decided to make writing a career, which means I have to do it almost everyday. I have to keep learning and growing. It's more than a whim or a mood. There are days when I wish I could do all of the things I love. However, for me, if I could write and paint everyday I would get my creative edge appeased as well as the right brain satisfied.

There is so much that goes into writing that isn't about the creative process. More so than most people think. The same is true for all of the arts I listed. Most of the ones listed takes math, precision, planning and goals. You may be an artist and very good at any of the hundreds of crafts available to you, but remember, there is more to the craft, and therefore more to you, than creative moodiness :D

new story

I was reading contests etc., as I usually do, and all of the sudden, I had an idea for a new story/series :) I love it when that happens. I never thought I would be stalled with so many eggs in my basket, but I was. I can only research for so long, you know before my creative side wants a turn. Research definitely does not use the creative side of my brain. Maybe it should, IDK, but it makes me feel slow and sluggish.

It's going to be an attempt at a comedy, but, at this point in time, that is not my strong suit. I will give it the old college try :P

I have like 2 months before I'm likely to hear back on the resubmit, but I anxiously check my mail ten times a day as if I can hurry the process along by keeping my mailbox cleaned out. I so need to laugh at myself. Maybe I'll hear back sooner and really laugh at myself. who knows.

Making a stove top casserole for dinner as I have work at OLLU thiry auditorium tonight. I'm working a pageant with young skinny girls. I need to learn to laugh at myself soon as I am not skinny or young :( I wish I wasn't as big as I am, but I sure don't want to be model thin though, so I'll keep that in mind tonight.

I miss the easy title days

I miss the easy title days of NaNoWrimo. Maybe I'll use it anyway, unless I have something special to report LOl. I made my goal yesterday and had the resubmission done quickly and easily ;;) **snort NOT it took all day and the baby was good! It was just things like feeding him, reading and rereading a passage. (If I had to reread it, I rewrote it.) Getting caught up on all the blogs I follow and some more house cleaning, again figuratively and literally. It took most of the day for me, ending with laundry mat for three hours!

I'm gearing up to start the research for my next book(s) and loving the freedom at this stage. Hubby has finished finals so will probably beat him over the head to help with the WIPs awaiting his assistance!

I'm excited for this Christmas. I will probably harp on it a bit LOL I went cheesy and finally gave in to the temptation to buy the coke bottles shaped like ornaments. I have them under our fiberoptic tree LOL Wrapping presents for my daughter who will be here two days after to open them. I'm so excited.

Today I WILL

get those rewrites turned into the publisher. It may be midnight as I also have to go to the laundry mat, but it shall be done. I swear it. LOL Yep, that's the goal for today. Tentatively, it is called Jolene's Desire, but publishers have a way of changing the titles, so don't hold me to it.

I'm going to sketch as a reward now that I don't have to worry about not getting the charcoal or oil pastels out from under my fingernails! First, I had the play. Then I did do some sketching. Then, I was doing Nanowrimo as anyone following knows. Then all last week I had to ignore the itch to sketch because I had a book signing yesterday and I don't like having dirty nails for that.

Speaking of the book signing, it went well for a relatively non-publicisized, only in store ad as far as I know. I'm a new author without exposure. I will be setting up a new website as soon as I have a book deal under my belt.

What's funny is my mind wants to go in three directions. I want to write, paint/sketch, and do paper crafts. I think I'm going through withdrawals. All of my stuff is in Washington, and I'm in Texas! I have a few odd ball things I got to make presents with but they were very person specific and hard to make into something random. **sigh That's okay. It won't be long before I'm reunited with my stuff.

Time to go as I have to read the paper copy of my story for editing purposes. Wish me luck!

whew

I've been trying to take a day off, but my writing calls me. Yesterday, I did it! sort of. I'm reading to help me get the feel of the romance before resubmitting the rewrite. But I didn't write. My poor brain said enough. It wants to paint but I can't right now. Maybe I'll sketch today.

fixed my van AGAIN. UGH needs more work, but the van is worth it. Not monetarily, but for our purposes it's perfect. It's an old chevy conversion van with a v8 truck engine. We can pull trailers for camping and fit our kids and enough room left over for the months grocery shopping LOL

Baby was up last night and both of our noses are all stuffy. Not sure what that's about as it was very cold here. Maybe that's why. This house is drafty and cold. I have heat up to eight and I can barely feel my toes. If you stand under a vent, you can feel the heat so the heats working. It's not very well insulated as it's an old house and that is the problem. Glad I'm not staying in it for the whole of the winter! Although, we are sorely disappointed the snow didn't make it our way. Apparaently it snowed a mile down the road from us :(

VAN

so you know the lovely van that I got back yesterday? When I tried to drive it the power steering wouldn't work. When we were on the way home we realized the power was draining from the battery AND we had no heat on the coldest day in Texas since we arrived GRRR.

So we pull into the walmart on our way home and guess what? Aside form replacing a leaking battery, WE HAVE NO SERPENTINE BELT! I left a very polite message at the mechanics and will be taking it in for a replacement!

We got home AFTER MIDNIGHT sometime as it was midnight fifteen while we were changing the battery (and trying to find the right one was a joke as our van is so old they don't make one exactly like the one we have anymore!) We have replaced the transmission, the engine, the alternator, belts, (now another one lol) and the battery. Soon, it will be all new under the hood! It is a huge conversion van that can pull trailers and the like and hold my whole family, so its worth it.

I'm taking a little time for myself and looking at beautiful things for awhile to get away form the ugliness because as I said in an earlier post - I'm not going to let anything get in my way this week.

What I didn't say is it's a time of preparation, as in to war, if need be and I will deal with the crap in my life by shoveling it out unless they clean themselves up. I am getting ready for the rest of my life. Watch out, here I come.

Today

has been pretty good :) We got our van back!!!! Yeah!!!! It feels so good to be in my own vehicle. Nate got paid a little more and just in time as the van people called and said the alternator was bad too another 200 bucks (inc the belt!) so easy come easy go. ***sigh** at least he got paid so we could get our van back. Sitting enjoying our evening with new friends in San Antonio.

Nate almost done with finals one more week of work and school. Found some seriously obvious mistakes on my rewrite (obvious because they were underlined in RED LOL although to be fair, as I write paranormal and fantasy, lots of words are red) plus others that I had just written too fast on. Hi instead of he for example. About halfway through it on computer yet I know I missed some that I had caught on paper. Oh well, I'm waiting until Nate finished with paper and then I'll correct them all at once.

Catching up on blogs today and guess what? I won an ebook :) Christmas came early for me LOL That makes three free books for me. Thank goodness because thats going to be the bulk of my Christmas and I can't think of a better Christmas unless it was to hear that they sold a thousand of my books!

Isaac has been fussy so not getting a lot of what I want done but I'm still plodding away. Thank you Nanowrimo for helping me develop those skills. I'm sure my word count will be less as I'm packing to move, but at least i will be writing everyday.

I'm cleaning house as I hate moving crap and I love the feeling of freedom its giving me. Just a few odd ball things to take care of and I'll be free :P

Can't wait for the family to visit right after Christmas for the winter break. I'm so excited. I wish they could be here for the book signing. I'm having a hard time imagining them not being there:( I miss them. Oh well, I will hold ones they can attend later.

sunday 2:00, Dec 6, Barnes & Nobles off the 410 next to the Ingram Park mall. Come and have fun! I'll be there till 4ish or until my books sell out :)

Christmas

Today, I will skim my rough draft and jot down info I can research. I will be running short on actual word counts for awhile as I have beaucoup edits to do on all of my stories. Edits mean adding LOTS of words but it also means cutting LOTS of words. Typically, for every 15k in words, you could average my cut rate at 2.5k and addition rate of 4.5k+. I end up with only 2k more words, but there is a large portion of those words that are new!

I got a little bit of Christmas done last night. My husband surprised me and we got a little fake tree. It's very cute and works well in our little house here. Next year I will have a big one from Washington where we grow trees for fun. For now, I'm glad to have anything Christmas as I thought the only Christmas I was going to get was wrapping paper on the wall or something. Like I said, it's a good week:)

My husband held up manfully as I squealed halfway through the store when I found out we were getting an addition to the groceries. He had told me earlier, on that very day, that he wasn't romantic! Pshaw, I told him. You are one of the most romantic men when you choose to be. then he did that :) Christmas is my favorite time of year, full of hope and love and faith. With all that's going wrong in my life right now, Christmas is the perfect antidote.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas Season. I'm sure I'll post again on it. Like I said, favorite season :P

Book signing

In cas you all have forgotten. Book signing for Rebellion on Piza 7 at Barnes and Nobles Sunday, Dec 6, at 2:00. It's in San Antonio, near the Ingram Park mall off the 410 loop. Lord knows I can't give you directions but the previous post on the subject has the addy if you want it. I will be there with bells on, so to speak :)

Ugh, may have to get new jeans to wear as I've gained weight since moving here, LOL we shall see, though. This sickness streak has helped keep the weight down despite the lack of exercise recently. (With baby sick and kids sick and me sick, when was I going to go for that walk? Oh yeah, I didn't :)

Anyways, it should be fun as their is supposed to be like five authors their so it will definitely be worth your while to show up. Any family members that come can stay at my house LOL.