Things, and more stuff.

Well, I'm beginning to understand I'll never have a normal life. I kinda wondered when my youngest was born with Dwon Syndrome, but had hoped when my two eldest where on their own, that I'd be able to normalize things a little bit w/ no teens in the house. Yeah, that didn't work out so well. Most of you know the highlights of this last year, which includes medical thing like brain surgery for eldest and marinara sauce on my son's face, and money things like garnishments for the year, so you know, things are not normal around here.

Is it irony that the new remodel in the kitchen would have made it nearly impossible for my son to get burned? I wouldn't have been turned that way to get the ravioli's. One of life's idosyncracies. Or is it subconcious in the way Nate & I designed the kitchen? Neither one of us ever said "making it harder for kids to get burned" as a reason to put anything anywhere. But the stove is about a foot from the sink and already, I've had my 3yo zoom through the kitchen (it's in the middle of the house) not looking, walking, or rather, running, his sock monkey, and bump into me while I was moving boiling pasta to the sink for draining. Since I did not have to cross any long span of floor, This only resulted in me putting the pot on the sink edge to keep from falling/spilling.  Already, the remodel has earned it's keep. But it makes things crazy around here.

It also made us move our living space again, and I did not like it. So after two weeks, we moved the living space around and now I have a real mess. Been cleaning it/spring cleaning it and the rest of stuff. Need to do boys' rooms as well, and get someone to come pick up our malfunctioning refrigerator and defunct dryer. It's going to be super organized because it needs to be.

Went to doctor with my 8yo on Friday to discuss behavioral things and thyroid things. Guess what? We're being referred to Children's Village because she thinks he has High Functioning Autism. So, please forgive the lack of post Fri/Sat as I'd planned on doing one but did research and cleaning instead. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with the new information, the stress to get this house reorganization done the best way. Usually, I'm like well, if I don't like it, I'll fix it later. But now, we need to do that as little as possible.

Anyone know a good housekeeper that'll work for art?? lol

I have managed to turn in Traincoach of Death (can't remember if I mentioned that) and write 5500 on the Dangerous Journey (which required more research for nautical terms. Geez, trains, boats, what's next? Planes? My poor head has learned a lot in the last two weeks!!!) and I'm going to try to get that done today or tomorrow. So I have time to edit and turn in by Friday. Wish me luck as I have another novel to write, and two more novels floating around in my head screeching to be let out, including the sequel to The Ulfric's Mate (don't you love the cover ;D).

Oh and I'm putting the garden in this week as well. Hope things stay a little calmer this week...

I know, I forgot.

I forgot to blog yesterday. However, my goal is 3-5x a week, so I'm still good. I finished the first installment of the Traincoach of Death series (a mystery). It'll need editing, I'm sure, but I love the new world. Imagine if Great Britian won the Revolutionary War, or it would be known as the American Rebellion :D or some such thing. things would progress similarly as they took over this part, but maybe they would have conquered Mexico? I don't know. I haven't decided how far reaching they are in my alternate world. But one thing that's changed...We never made cars. It's all by rail or horses. But we have personal rail cars, called Traincoaches, which work much like our vehicles of today, except they run on rails.

I've been quite fascinated with it, ever since I had a dream set in such a world. I hope others are as fascinated as I am :D Now, I'm getting down and serious on finishing up Dangerous Journey (fantasy set in the world of Splintered Lands, as I've mentioned ad naseum lol)  :D Hopefully before the next set of edits on my paranormal romance, The Ulfric's Mate, get's back to me, or the Barely There edits from the anthology Ravaged, comes back to me.

Oh dear, have I confused you yet? LOL Yes, I have a TON of writing going on, and the best part? ALL of it is paid writing gigs :D *dances* *looks around* Ahem, excuse me, I'm just a bit excited over the whole thing! lol However, this pantster had to put her foot in the door of a plotter (I used to work in an office, I do know HOW to organize) and make files for everything (thank God we have a filing cabinet in the house now!) and make character cards, labeling the series and books each character has appeared in. *Shudder*

It was necessary.

In other news, we've been rearranging things and I'm going to have a painting space again :) I'm so excited I can barely keep the squeees from coming out LOL I've said it before, but I need to paint AND write. One helps the other. They are simbiotic with me. If I don't do both, they both suffer for it. I've been living vicariously through my good artist friend Russ Potak (who really is amazing. I may try to get him to interview here for me someday. I'm in love with his work. I can't get enough of it :) and looking at other art things when I can. As my old professor used to say: YOU CANNOT CREATE IN A VACCUUM!

Okay, soap box done for the day. I won't even go on about how that applies to writers as well and the need to READ...Oh wait, I just did *G* Consider it my PSA for the day.

Now, off to do more writing, reading, and organizing while dreaming about painting!

See?

I said I would blog more and here I am, blogging more :D

I went to dentist today and had a cleaning. I have 9 cavities left to fill. Oh and, by the way, we're pretty sure your insurance is used up. We'll double check. (the root canal eats it up quick!) sigh. Well, anyways, I'll figure out. Maybe some rich person will see my art and ask me to do paintings for every room of their gigantic mansion. Maybe a portrait or two? LOL It can happen...

Anyways, I'm just popping over 7k on my short, but haven't worked on it since 6am yesterday. I'm determined to finish it today and send it off tonight or tomorrow after a last run through. I've been editing as I go, so there shouldn't be too many problems. One can hope. After that, I'll be finishing the Dangerous Journey which was started as a serial here. Be sure to read from the beginning :D

I'll take fan mail at all time and if there's something you REALLY gotta know, be sure to tell me so it gets in the anthology LOL My fellow bloggers, readers, writers, et al. I must return to the fray. Fare the well, and all that!

One of those days

I'm so very happy I had my cover art to share today. It's about the only thing that's gone right. I did manage to get more words added to the short, Traincoach of Death. Put myself at 5250 since Tuesday? Monday? No, it was Sunday, but I did some edits on The Ulfric's Mate in the meantime. I know I missed some, but everytime I tried to read it, my eyes glazed over. Hard for me to edit when that keeps happening.

I finally sent it back saying I feel like I missed something.(I just couldn't do much more and didn't figure it would be much better until I'd finished these other shorts and had gotten the story to the back of my head, but that's like 2-3 more weeks! Couldn't leave it that long!) To which my awesome editor answered. something to the effect of no worries cuz we do 3-4 of these, line item editor gets her/his hands on them, then the proof reader... OMG IT'S so exciting and frightening at the same time :D

Anyways, although we finished a few small things, I still feel like a complete waste of day. How many of you know about my #MakeoverLeona which has changed to #MakeoverMavericks? I started by selling Mary Kay to help pay for it and so I could get my discount. I'm doing a small amount of excercise everyday, NO MATTER WHAT, and I plan on doing my hair and clothes before the year's out. It started because I wanted to look good for my author photos (my last photos were taken 3 years ago!) and has transcended into at least 3 others joing me! Anyone who wants to make any sort of changes in their lives to "make it over" is free to join us! We are all changing different aspects in our lives with the goal of being happier with ourselves and our lives. And all of this has stemmed from me getting that book contract!

And now, I've smiled. Writing is so good for me :D How about you? Writing good for you? Or is it art you do? What do you do to help yourself be healthy, happy, and comfortable in your own skin? Or are you?

Holy Cow!

I't s been nearly two months since I blogged. Lots of reasons, the main one is lack of internet, then internet and busy with deadlines! So exciting for me :D

Quick catchup:

1: Isaac (son who got burned) is doing fabulously and no longer sneaks behind me when I put him out of the kitchen.

2. My son Joshua, who'd moved to New Mexico is home (after much drama and oh $#!+s) :D Not living here, but I get to see  him once in a while :D missed him lots! He wasn't so good about staying in contact. lol Teenagers.

3. Daughter Ashley is still doing alright, no more hospital visits for her blood clots. They've apparently confirmed it was not a blood disease, but something else making her blood sticky. I thank god everyday for her Mayoturners which caught the sticky blood early so the blood clot in her brain didn't kill her!! Sometimes, physiological problems really are for the best!

4. My son Patrick, by far the smartest kid I know, is still lazy and fighting doing his work, just like when he was in public school. It was one of the reasons he was having so much trouble with his teachers. They don't like it when you don't do your home work.

5. My son Edward, ah, that boy is a different story everyday. When he wants to, he soars through schoolwork, when he doesn't, it takes him two hours to do a literally 2 min page for him. Ah yes, the joys of having kids too smart for their own good.

6. My husband Nate still has a job with benefits, thank God! He's been diagnosed with high blood pressure, pre-diabetic, high cholesterol, and told to make bunches of meds on top of the ones he takes for bipolar.

7. I had a short accepted into the anthology, Ravaged, by Breathless Press :D

8. I have a cajillion shorts to write for Splintered Lands and Ancient New (Deepwood Publishing co) and a novel to finish for Splintered Lands

9. Our tax return was NOT piddled away :D We bought fencing and kitchen cupboards. And boys a bit of clothes. Course, if I'm lucky, I'll have to pay in next year cuz, yanno, my book sales will rock :D

10. Boys are loving the new kitchen, even though we need more counters still, it's more room than we had before, and the remodel opened it up. they were so excited about it, they fought over who got to do the dishes!! Now that's one for the record books!

11. I've had a bunch of dental work done, so feeling much better, but have much more to go. Sigh. At least I have dental coverage through my husband's work.

Okay, that's a quick rundown of the highlights of last two months :) I'm going to be blogging more (again, I know :P) as I have decent internet. Also, I have a book (Ulfric's Mate) and an anthology (Ravaged) coming out. I have to do better :D I'm planning on putting the cover of my book, The Ulfric's Mate, as a picture on this site, and a banner here :D

Oh, I didn't tell you that?

MY COVER ART IS HERE!!! :D Spectacular! scrumptious, beautiful, gorgeous, brilliant, fantastic, truly magnificent. lol Get the idea that I like it? lol

Hope everyone has been doing well these past couple months. I did see I had a couple of comments I need to address, and I will! Thank you all for following me and being patient and walking this long road to publishing and beyond with me :D