Friday, May 28, 2010

Friday Five

1. My new story is finished and awaiting the polisher. Soon, very soon. I will polish it to an inch of its life and then submit...

2. First round of revisions are done on Settler's Mine: The Rogue, waiting to hear back on those. May have a round 2...

3. Second Field Day is supposed to be today. It was super hot yesterday but supposed to be cooler today. I hope the rain holds off until after. It's oldest's last Field Day *sniffle sniffle*. They did a lot of water games last year.

4. Love my Richmond SPCA! They are so very awesome. They adopted out 16 dogs day before yesterday, a record for a Wednesday. Yesterday, oldest took the bandannas she did for the Bronze Award (Girl Scouts) and delivered them. She was very very excited. She did them because she wanted to help dogs have a better chance at being adopted. The SPCA staff loved the bandannas and put them on several dogs before we left. Well, that just made oldest's day. She wanted to come home and sew more. We do intend to do more and deliver them every so often. There are some really wonderful dogs and kitties in need of homes if you're in the Richmond area and looking. Kitten season has started and they are busy busy.

5. Got caught up on Chuck. The season finale was AWESOME. Little sad (I won't spoil) but I'm really loving the direction that it's heading.

May the muses have SPCAS
Mechele

Friday, May 21, 2010

Friday Five

1. The hills are alive with sounds of...writing! Since RT I've been writing a lot. This week has so far been killer. I've written 10 K! I'm on the downward slope. One more scene. I'd like to get it polished up this weekend as I have another project that needs my attention. More on that later...

2. I'm going to see the Sound of Music today! Oldest is going on a field trip, and I get to go with her. Youngest says she wants to see it so we may end up seeing it twice. I have been trying to take advantage of this year with oldest. I know with middle school, she's not going to want me there as much. There is already a difference.

3. Been listening to a lot of Paul and Storm. We went to see them last week, and hubby bought their collection. LOL they are an interesting pair. We also found some Jonathan Coulton songs that we didn't have so bought those as well. "I Crush Everything" about a giant squid is becoming a new favorite listen along with, "Opening Band" by Paul and Storm.

4. I have so much to sew! Yikes. Both girls will have stuff after this weekend to get on their current Girl Scout vests. And bridging is in about two weeks for both of them, so have to get the new level vest ready to go. *looks down at fingers* sorry guys.

5. Okay the last episode of Castle...OMG. Soo very good. Just when I think they can't get any better, they do. Love Beckett and Castle. They can say so much with just a face. Hubby told me Esposito is leaving :>(. Love him as a supporting character. Big Bang was good, too with how Leonard and Sheldon met. LOL now I know what happened to the elevator. Heh!

May the muses have bazinga
Mechele

Friday, May 14, 2010

Friday Five (the partial RT recap version part II)

More on the RT experience...

1. Friday: It's a little bit of a blur... LOL.

Got up, ate breakfast with the lovely roomies, Mari and Melissa and met Sam Cheever. I believe Belinda McBride joined us.

Had the menage panel that I did with Trista Ann Michaels, Lacey Savage, Liddy Midnight, and Samantha Kane. We had the best time! Really enjoyed talking and people told us we gave a great talk on the ins and outs of menages. We all write differently so lots of different perspectives. I think this would be one of my favorite highlights of the conference.

I attended the Loose Id gathering, always a fun time. Love seeing Treva Harte anytime.

Checked in my ebook CD's for the ebook expo and had a great time signing there. I love people coming up and talking to them. Gave away 30 excerpt CD's and sold an ebook on CD.

Went to the vampire ball and danced a little bit. Saw Stella Price again.

2. Sat: booksigning day! I got up early, went to breakfast to find out that Einstein Brother's Bagels only opened during the week. Bummer. Since eating them at RT, I have craved bagels.

Reason I got up early: Karen Rose was having a reader event. I adore Karen Rose's books. They are thrillers, romantic, and just awesome. I was so so so so excited to find out she was going to be at RT. I went and played the games, it was a lot of fun. Karen Rose is the nicest lady. She signed all of the books I'd brought with me because I asked her to sign one, because you could only bring so many into the booksigning and I was over. I got a Karen Rose mug! I squeed over her but was good and didn't fall at her feet or anything. Just did the usual, "I love your books!"

Ahem. So then it was the booksigning. Loved talking to all the people walking by. Signed quite a few books. Got to get a book signed by Lora Leigh *squeee*. Had Ann buy a book from Karen Rose and get it signed for me. I wish wish wish, I'd gotten the third book of the trilogy she wrote signed. I have two now. Wish I'd gotten the third *sigh*. They were the books that turned me onto Karen Rose and have been going through her backlist. But I digress...

Neat thing. I sat beside Lori Armstrong. *squee* I bought her new book. I can't wait to read it!

Second neat thing: I sat two seats down from Kelly Armstrong. I got her to sign a couple of books. She wrote young adult as well as romance. It was so neat to see how many young women were coming through her line.

Melissa and Sam Cheever left :(. I miss them!

I had lunch with Mari and another friend, Diane. Had a fan come up and squee over me. *blinks* I'm still not used to that. Was a neat moment. Another favorite moment from RT.

We went to the SOS mixer which was good. I'm not sure I've mentioned Kelly but she was heavily involved in the SOS mixer and I know her from previous RTs.

I packed a bit. We ended up having pizza in the room from Donatos, which was Yummmmm.

3. Sunday, I arose early and quietly. I tried to sneak out without waking anyone but Mari caught me for a quick hug. I had seen the weather the night before and was worried about flash flood warnings so I wanted to get on the road early.

Ann and I took off and had no trouble at all getting home.

It was an awesome RT as usual.


4. I wrote a Blog at Savvy Authors on the A to Z's of characterization.

5. Yippeee for me. I almost made the low end of my writing goal last week and I'm almost there this week. I've written about 14K since I've been home from RT. I'm worried the story is too geeky LOL. But am really enjoying it.

Bonus: So a couple of months ago I went to see Jonathan Coulton and They Might Be Giants, mainly for Coulton. So not long after that, I see a blog from Coulton and he's now coming to Richmond, himself with Paul and Storm. Needless to say, I sort of agonized because we'd just been to see him but this was his show, not just him as an opening act. It was during the week so I ended up finding a kidsitter. OMG, what a great concert. Paul and Storm are hilarious. I really enjoyed them. And Coulton is awesome. Gotta love a musician who plays songs about squid, zombies, math, mad scientists, evil villains, ikea, and the dog who went up in Sputnik. He also played Code Monkey, one of my favorite songs. Definitely worth the trouble it was to go!

Okay, I'm off to a Field Day!

May the muses have code monkeys
Mechele

Friday, May 07, 2010

Friday Five (the partial RT recap version)

Oh my, where do I begin?



Things were a little hectic before I went to RT so I wasn't sure how it was going to go. As usual, I had a very fun time and came back slightly inspired.



1. Tuesday--We, my ride buddy, Ann and I left Richmond early. A little after 8 or so. I'm used to driving North and East. What a big difference West makes. Little traffic for most of the way. And beautiful scenery. West Virginia is just gorgeous! With GPS we arrived at the hotel without a hitch. It was around 9 to 9.5 hours I think.



We schlepped in the hotel and got settled in our rooms. I parked. Picked up my registration bag. Found Melissa and Sam Cheever. Saw Kelly, a friend from previous RT's. Sam, Melissa, and I went looking for dinner. I was quite tired so I ended up talking them into ordering pizza. Donatos. It was yummy. Supermeat!



Mari aka Maureen came in later that night. Melissa had already gone to sleep. Mari and I talked a few minutes, then I went to bed myself.



2. Wednesday-- Got up and went to the morning mixer. Coffee and pastries. Yummm. They did a tribute to Kate Duffy. I got very teary. Kate was important part to the industry and I looked forward to seeing her at Cons. Kate Douglas spoke, as did a friend of Kate's, and I believe Lucy Monroe spoke. Jacquelyn Frank spoke from her heart about Kate discovering her. What a story.



Went to a couple of panels. One was on Buffy, which I really enjoyed. Joss Whedon rocks. Did some Club RT time. Dropped off my basket for Club RT. Mari aka Maureen, Melissa, Stella Price and I did a panel on cowriting. Not so well attended but we did get some good questions. Cathy Clamp was in there, too and she offered her perspective on writing with someone. It's always interesting to me how people do the cowriting thing.



I realized in conversations with Mari and Melissa about a panel they took, I have overextended my non writing committments. I'm going to have to give up some things. I just do not have enough time to write and do everything I'm doing both professionally and privately. I have made a list and am going through it very carefully....



Met with some Liquid Silver authors and Tina Burns. That was nice. I really enjoyed sitting and chatting. Lynn Lorenz and Trista Ann Michaels were two that I got to sit by and chat with. Other names escape me at the moment. I know I'll call them mind as soon as I hit post.



We tried to walk to a local restaurant with some friends but two ended up going back. Mari, Melissa, Sam, ZA Maxfield and I had dinner together. Enjoyed talking with everyone. Melissa and I got the giggles and they were indeed reminded of why we shouldn't sit by each other.



Wed night was the EC party. It was very very nice. I had a blast. The show was good and funny. Mark Johnson rocked as emcee. They played my favorite song...yes, what a great DJ.



We went to bed, tired and happy.



3. Thurs--Faery Court ball was being held this very night so I spent a good bit of my day helping set that up. We had chairs to push in, a stage to arrange, and books and bling to sort out. Had a practice where we learned the skit to be done.



I had more time at Club RT and was delighted to be interviewed by Rayna from Naughty Editions. I could have talked to her for longer than we did! I love Club RT and sitting and talking to people.



I put in for a few baskets in Club RT, things I really really really wanted to win LOL. That will be important later...



Had a quick lunch with Trista Ann Michaels, a fellow fae and menage panelist.



I think the Loose Id spotlight was at some point and I popped into that. I also attended most of the agent panel but missed the editor panel.



Dressed for Faery Court and almost forgot my wings! I had to go back in and get them. I opted for small wings this year so I can fit through doorways and didn't bump people with them. I put on a couple of temporary tattoos. My earrings I bought to wear, broke, so had to go with smaller ones.



Had fun backstage with the Fae. Susan Saville, Cathy Clamp, Cie Adams, Sahara Kelly, Alesia Brio, Samantha Gail, Liddy Midnight, Amanda McCyntire and Janet aka Cricket Starr. Alesia, Samantha and I were the Earth Faeries.



Mark Johnson and friends did an amusing skit LOL. Their props were stuff from around the hotel.



I managed to eat without falling or sending any food down my dress. Terry, one of the guys from the Fae skit, and Samantha Gail and I had some interesting dinner conversation.



Costume competition was judged. Stephanie Burke had this awesome costume that I'm not sure how she walked in. The winner for our group was amazing. One woman finaled in three categories.



They played my song again and I had a blast dancing. Went out to sit and talked to Lynn Lorenz, Trista, Z.A., Belinda McBride, Lacey Savage, and another author whose name escapes me. Good, funny conversation.



It was then cleanup time for the faeries. And bedtime. My roomies were already asleep.

More on RT later...

4. I am writing since I came back! I met my goal for the week, which was nice. I love the story, LOL though I'm not sure how well it will go over.

5. Saw Iron Man 2 last night. I loved it. Robert Downey Jr was awesome. I love Pepper. The actions scenes were intense. And the humor was hilarious.

May the muses have writing
Mechele