Friday Five

1. I return! I've been at Hershey for the last five days. We had a good trip. Stopped by Gettysburg on the way there and tooled around. Climbed the side of a mountain. The girls really enjoyed The Chocolate World Tour and we did that several times.

Hersheypark was fun. Our first day in we ran into this:

Yes, that's a squirrel with a Reeses cup. Apparently even the squirrels are into chocolate.

We rode lots of rides (the youngest's fave: Sidewinder; the oldest: The Whip) and wound up in the water park (The Boardwalk) a lot. Probably how I fried my back :(. We also toured ZooAmerica. Our favorite animals were the prairie dogs. We went to Lancaster and saw an Amish house and rode through a covered bridge. The oldest started feeling crummy yesterday and didn't feel well at all...until she walked in her front door today. Not sure if she had a virus or what but she's feeling better now. It was a long drive home with lots of traffic once we passed DC. The cats and dog were really happy to see us.

2. I did get my book into the editor so now I wait to see whether it will be accepted or not. And I have edits on Another Night Another Dream. I will probably start with those tomorrow.

3. Blogged at Georgia's Crossroads Cafe on vacations.

4. My project for next week: The office that I share with the kids is in shambles. It needs organization and serious cleaning. We'll see how far I get.

5. I heard lots of 80's music this week. Have been singing lots of it. Bruce Springsteen. Bryan Adams. My kids are like, "Why?" LOL.

May the muses have trips

Mechele

Friday Five

1. Tweaking continues on the Blood Lines. I still hope to submit before I leave on vacation. We'll see. I missed a day because...

2. Diva Kitty nearly gave me a heartattack. She disappeared for 24 hours. It was my fault as she got out when I was taking in groceries. She hunkers down a lot of evenings so we didn't realize she was gone until the morning. I lost a day looking for her.

3. Posted at Loose Ends on rereading.

4. Okay, I'm completely captivated by the latest episodes of Deadliest Catch. I'm so glad Phil is back and really wanted him off the ice. The Time Bandit boys weren't in the last one.

5. I've been waiting to announce this...Another Night, Another Dream has been accepted by Loose Id! Whooo hoooo. I'm really excited. Soon, I'll get to sweat about the latest Blood Lines. LOL.

May the muses have books to reread
Mechele

PS wanted to direct attention to a couple of articles at ESPAN. Angela James' A call to Action, Raelene Gorlinsky's The Author Advantages of E, and Treva Harte's Investing. Great round of articles and 'nuff said.

Friday Five

1. I'm almost done. I hope to be able to write done by tomorrow. It's topping off at about 70 K, which is about where I wanted it to be. Next week, a flurry round of proofreading and editing. I want to submit before I leave on vacation.

2. I blogged at Authors of Erotic Romance (for the first time, yay! me) on Tuesday. It's a super group of erotic romance authors. I blogged at Trampy Vamps today, too.

3. We have all four come down with summer colds. Yuck. I guess the family who sneezes together, stays together? Needless to say this made our first week of summer break...grumpy.

4. I broke my Twitter application on my Iphone. I broke my computer. The hubby is wondering what else I can break. A friend suggested a wake for the computer...I like that idea! LOL.

5. I read Skin Trade by Laurell K. Hamilton. The last quarter was...odd. But I liked the book overall. I saw a review pointing out a squick factor and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I see on the one hand the point but Anita wasn't really conscious per se. Little torn there. I did love the book up to the end. Edward is in it and thank God I don't think she'll ever sleep with him. It would ruin the entire relationship IMO. Heh heh, I've logged my first book of the summer reading goals. Go me!

May the muses have reading goals
Mechele

Friday Five

1. I'm roughly three chapters away from the end. I think. Must finish. Must finish. Must finish.

2. It's official. I'm going to Hershey with the family! I can't wait. I'm counting the days.

3. My kids are finished with their countdown. 1/2 day tomorrow and it's hello summer vacation. See number 1 as to why I'm not as excited. I will will now have a rising 3rd grader and a *gulp* rising 5th grader. Next year is going to be tough...probably worse on me.

4. I blogged at Virginia is for Romance Lovers about strange laws in Virginia.

5. Anyone catching Deadliest Catch? The poor Wizard crew. 3 guys and that's half the crew. And I'd really missed Phil. Glad he's back.

May the muses have catches
Mechele

Posted at Ladies of the Club

http://ping.fm/xE6F8

Friday Five

I thought I'd do something a little different this Friday.

There are lots of things I believe in, some strongly, some not strongly. Some I'll probably not speak up on because it doesn't burn inside of me. And then there are those causes that I will speak up for.

1. Spay and neuter pets. Every year, between six and eight million dogs and cats enter U.S. shelters; some three to four million of these animals are euthanized because there are not enough homes for them. (citation HSUS) Breeding has gone way beyond maintaing the species. And so many lose their lives simply because there aren't enough good homes. Yes, my critters are spayed and neutered.

2. Shelter or rescue pets. As much as I love some breeds of dogs, I can't justify to myself buying one. Not when the statistics like the above exists. Since I became an adult, all of my pets have been shelter or rescue animals (3 from the local SPCA and one from Henrico Humane). I have considered doing breed rescue at some time in the future with Siamese, Novia Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers (not likely to happen LOL but you never know), and greyhounds. Yes, support your local shelter or humane society. I love several here.

3. Book banning and censorship. I try and commemorate Banned Books Week every year here. I don't believe in book banning or censorship. If you don't like a book, simply don't read it. Don't want your child to read a book, don't let them. But don't ruin the book for everyone else.

4. Women's rights issues. My husband has said a few times, I was talking about the Taliban and their treatment of women long before the War in Afganistan. It's why I was so moved to contribute to the Nothing But Red anthology and one reason I was so elated to get accepted. In a few of my stories, the women go through a journey. They discover their inner strengths. I think it stems from my beliefs in this area.

5. Gifted education. This is a new one for me. And I'm not sure what I'll do about it. But I believe strongly in the process and that reforms are needed.

May the muses have causes
Mechele

The annual Summertime Thursday Thirteen

As I do every year, I'm going to post my goals to summer. Sometimes I get to them. Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I find other things to become goals I didn't even know about when I wrote this. I will post in late August/early September about how we did on meeting the goals.

1. Write. Oh yeah, deadline of July 1st. Gotta get that manuscript turned in. I'm aiming for June 28th.

2. Go to the library. My girls have signed up for the summer reading challenge and I'd really like them to make and meet summer reading goals. I'd love to spend a lot of time at Twin Hickory. I love our library :) I think I'll set a reading goal too...and I've signed up for the adult summer reading programs.

3. Go to Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens a lot. They have an exhibit, Butterflies Live that I'm chomping at the bit to go see. They also have water play on warm days and as I'm sure gymnastics practice will be in the heat of the afternoons and Lewis Ginter is close by....

4. Go to Busch Gardens. The youngest wants to grow 2 inches by the end of summer to ride all the coasters. I'd like to go there 3 or 4 times this summer.

5. Spend time at pools. Yes, we'd like to sit poolside. Although, considering my oldest's burn rate already, indoor pools maybe better for us.

6. Go on vacation with the family. We'd like to go to Hershey *Grins*.

7. Travel to Washington DC to attend the Passionate Ink Nationals Luncheon. I'm excited about this. Little nervous about the travel (Northern VA...ughhh) but hope I make this one.

8. Write some fun stuff. I've been working my butt off on submissions. After Blood Lines is done, I'd like to do a few fun writing things.

9. Spend time with my mother in law and with my sisters. Have been missing them.

10. Walk the dog daily. All the rain and the schedule has left her wanting in the walk department. I'd like to institute a family walk daily.

11. Volunteer at the local SPCA.

12. Just hang out. Not have anywhere to be. Chill at the house with no plan. (I say that now...but after a few days, the kidlets will be fighting I bet and I'll wonder why nothing is going on LOL).

13. Find fireworks on the 4th.

We'll see what I do and don't do.

Mechele