Happy Easter!

Or, if you don't celebrate Easter, Happy Indulge-in-a-chocolate-bunny day!

Here are some of the ugliest Easter eggs I've ever seen. And it's okay for me to post them, they're the ones the Boy and I dyed last night. :D




Happy Easter!

When Tuesday Feels Like Monday

It just really throws everything off for me.

When I worked in the real world, it was fairly easy to remember what day of the week it was. No one who works Monday through Friday ever forgets it's Saturday, right?

But then I left the real world to stay home (yes, I know, it's still work, it's still the real world, but for our purposes, I need to clarify) with my daughter, I realized that it's a little more difficult to keep the days straight when it doesn't really matter what day it is because you're home.

Still, I managed to keep them relatively straight. If the hubs wasn't home, it was somewhere between Monday and Friday. My odds increased on the weekend. If he was home, I had a 50-50 shot that it was Saturday. Or Sunday.

Since Christmas, the hubs has been working seven days a week. Second shift (3:30-11:30PM.) I keep track of the days by when the kids are in school. But then we have a long weekend and that just throws everything out of whack for me. Today is one of those days. All day, I'm going to think it's Monday and it's not. Ugh. And then tomorrow, I'll think it's Tuesday, and so on. It'll right itself eventually, but not before I ask the hubs at least ten times, "What day is it again?"

Happy Halloween!

BOO!

Did I scare you? ;-)

NaNo starts tomorrow (yay!) so my posts may be sporadic, since I'll be writing furiously for the next 30 days or so. My NaNo project is the second book in my Mordainia series and I'm hoping to finally get it finished. In the meantime...



Happy Halloween, everyone and don't overdo it on the candy!

Remembering the Fallen

(Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA)

To all of those who serve or have served, thank you.

To those who never came home, you are not forgotten.

Happy Memorial Day.

Tiger Eyes is Coming!

I received a bit of an early Christmas gift last night, in my email inbox. My electronic copies of Tiger Eyes made their appearance, so I guess it really is going to be released on the 21st. The feeling of getting those copies never gets old, but I have to confess--there's a little more of a rush when the box of print copies arrives. With Eden's Pass, I forgot to let the Powers-That-Be over at Samhain know I'd moved (oops. How do you forget something like that???), so they went to my old address. Fortunately, the woman who bought our townhouse was kind enough to have her mother bring the carton to me. Unfortunately, the woman was a smoker and had the box in her car for about two weeks before she had the time to deliver them. It  took a long time for the smoky smell to dissipate. Blech. But still, she didn't have to bring them at all, so what's a little stinky at that point?

But still, it's a wonderful thing, to get that email file and unzip it. Yay!

So, there's just about two weeks until Christmas and I'm happy to say I am pretty much finished with all my shopping. Wrapping is another story, but the shopping is just about finished. This year, I actually had ideas for people, which is a switch from most years. And, I enjoyed shopping as well, which never happens for me. I'm not a shopper. I go, I get what I need, and I get the hell out of Dodge. But this year, it was a nice way to spend an afternoon. All I have left to get are stocking stuffers. Then I'm finished. My record for Christmas shopping? Two hours. I was nine months pregnant with my first child (The Girl, who'll be ten at the end of the month. How's that for poor planning???) and basically bought everyone the same thing, only in a different color. :-)

All that's left is to find out who all will be here on Christmas Day (originally I was supposed to be doing Christmas dinner, but now that's kind of up in the air.) I might end up doing Christmas Eve instead, which is fine, but people--you have to let me know.

And the wrapping. I hate the wrapping more than the shopping and I think there should be a law that all gifts must come in perfectly square, nicely solid, boxes. I suck at wrapping odd-shaped things. Really. I make a really lousy elf.

So what are your holiday plans?

'Tis the Season

A few years ago, I blogged about putting my Christmas decorations up too early (ironically enough, that blog post was titled 'Tis the Season as well. I'm recycling myself now. Yikes) and in that post, I wrote about how my new neighbors already had their Christmas tree up. And you know something? They still won't let me forget I wrote that. :D

But this year, I've seen a LOT of decorations up already. Before Thanksgiving even. At first, I thought, WTF? Can we get through Thanksgiving first? But then, I thought about it a little more and decided that it really wasn't such a bad idea.

So, I put up my Christmas decorations.

I think for a lot of people, the crummy economy, dismal unemployment rates, and general blah of what's going on in this country and around the world has people looking for cheer wherever they can find it. And that's partly why I wanted my decorations up. That, and it's been a rough year for my family on a personal level. I needed to see cheeriness and that's what those silly decorations do for me. I love this time of year, and all that peace on earth, goodwill toward man. I love Christmas specials and Christmas songs and seeing the line of kids waiting to sit on Santa's lap that winds all around the first floor of the mall (I don't loving being in that line, though. It's far better to observe it from a distance.)

So this year, when I saw my neighbors across the street had their tree up on Thanksgiving, it made me smile. It looks pretty, all lit up. And the houses are starting to look pretty as well - so many lights and wreaths and grapevine deer- they are putting my in a holiday frame of mind and I need that this year.

I will be happy to see 2010 go. Aside from my book sales and my nephew's birth, it's been a terrible year. Here's to hoping 2011 will be better.

What about you? Are the Christmas decorations all going up too early for you? Too late? Have you put yours up yet?

Oh, and I wanted to say a very loud, very public thank you to Maria Zannini. I recently discovered her awesome blog and her equally awesome books. Well, she gave me a nice shout out on her blog and so I wanted to return the favor.Go. Check her out. You'll thank me, I promise. :-)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Last year, I 'inherited' cooking Thanksgiving dinner from my mom. A few years ago, I suggested maybe I should take it over, and was met with stone-cold silence. Then last year, Mom decided she'd had enough. And so, it became my holiday.

This year, with my mom being sick (she's in the hospital right now. Keep your fingers crossed she's actually home in time for tomorrow,  but it isn't looking so good right now,) the entire family is gathering at my house for dinner. A dozen people. It's going to be crazy.

But at the same time, it'll be a good kind of crazy. Despite the less-than-ideal circumstance, I'm looking forward to having all of us here. My aunt and uncle are coming down from upstate New York, and since they never come down for Thanksgiving, I'm really looking forward to seeing them.

It's been a rough year for my family. My mom was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer in July. She's been through two rounds of radiation and will start a third round soon, she's been hospitalized four times, spent six weeks in a rehab facility, and was admitted again to the hospital on Sunday morning. As I said, we're hoping to have her home for tomorrow, but it isn't looking too good.

But, I'm thankful that she's still here, with us. I'm thankful that, professionally speaking, it's been a good year for me. I've contracted five books, with four of them since July. It's kept me busy, and considering how my year's been, busy has been good.

What about you? As you sit down to Thanksgiving - what are you thankful for?

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Stay safe and don't OD on the turkey!

Kindle vs. Nook - Which One to Choose?

I have a confession to make -

I don't own an e-reader.

There. I said it. I don't own an e-reader. Whew, I feel better now.

Okay, so that said, I'm thinking about taking the plunge and getting one. Maybe after Christmas. Trouble is, I'm a little torn between the Kindle and the Nook. My brother swears by his Kindle. I've heard others swear by the Nook. So, which to choose? Decisions, decisions.

In other news, I finished my NaNoWriMo project over the weekend, and the edits to Tiger Eyes are pretty much done (one more read through before they go off to my editor), so now... vacation! What a lovely word and I am soooo looking forward to the time off.

Oh, and have I mentioned Playing with Fire comes out this Friday? Yay! :D

And then there's Thanksgiving. Last year, I inherited the cooking duties. This year, with my mom being sick, we're having a full house. It will be noisy, there will be much food and wine, and it will be nice having the family together. I'm glad I don't have to do any traveling, as I'd much rather be home cooking than going anywhere. We'll be up early, the Macy's Parade will be on, the house will smell wonderful, and we'll all be together. That's all that matters.

What about you? What're your Turkey Day plans?

Happy Father's Day!

To my other (and at times, better) half - and to all the dads out there, Happy Father's Day!

Now, relax. Watch a baseball game. Take a nap. In other words - do what you pretty much do every weekend. Only this time, you get presents! :p

But I kid - a good dad is a gift. As the old saying goes: any man can be a father, but it takes a special man to be a dad.

Enjoy your day!

Memorial Day, 2010

(Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA)

To all of those who serve or have served, thank you.

To those who never came home, you are not forgotten.

Happy Memorial Day.

Happy Easter!

Enjoy and be safe!

Oh, and don't OD on the chocolate, or eggs, or marshmallow or those delish coconut cream eggs (of which I haz none this year. Easter bunneh forgotted I like those, I guess.)

HAPPY EASTER!

April Fool's Day!!!

Be afraid.

Be very, very afraid.

And trust no one today. :D

Happy April Fool's Day!!

I Promise...

Regular blogging will resume tomorrow. The (hopefully) last revisions are finished on Tiger Eyes, which is the one I really want off my desk (one more read through - keep your fingers crossed.) The kids are back to school, and I've got free time again! Well, sort of, seeing as how I'm still working on Devil in Disguise and everything else here on my WIP list. Sigh. It never ends.

My holidays were nice and I'm hoping everyone else's were as well - I saw Paranormal Activity on Sunday. Didn't sleep Sunday night because of it. I don't count the single hour I actually closed my eyes as sleep. It has to be more than three hours to count as sleep, right? Anyway, very good but definitely creepy with a capital C. If you haven't seen it and you like scary movies, rent it. But, make sure to watch the original theatrical ending first. The "too scary for theaters" ending? Not so scary, IMHO. Kind of sucky, actually.

And since it's that time for resolutions, I will be back with a list of (mostly) writing goals I've set for myself for 2010.

Oh, and I think I've figured out what to do with Angel of Darkness, which has been on hold forever because Gabe and Regan were irritating me so much! Yay!

So that's that.

Yay!

Happy New Year!

Thank God - 2010 us here at last and may it be a damn sight better than 2009...

Happy New Year to everyone!

The Aftermath

It's Monday. After a long weekend. And even Blogger isn't happy about it. It took four freakin' attempts to get this picture to post right. Stupid Blogger.

Anyway, I'm trying to get back into the groove after the holiday (and I hope your Thanksgiving was as nice as mine!) but it's not easy. This time of year is madness on top of madness. Tiger Eyes is thisclose to being ready to go out (I'm hoping to begin subbing by January at the latest. It may go out sooner, though.) And Devil in Disguise is also thisclose to being done.

Angel of Darkness is still being difficult, but I think I know how to make it work. The first draft is also thisclose to completion, but I'm not doing any new writing until after the first of the year. I figure I have to get these current projects done and out. I'm tired of having them hanging over my head. So with any luck, 2010 will be a very productive year for me (and hopefully one with many sales! Keep your fingers crossed.)

I'm still following the Harlequin Horizons/DellArte fracas - but I haven't seen much new information (of course, I haven't really been looking for it, with the holiday and all, so once again, I'm playing a bit of catch-up there) and any new information that comes along, I'll post. But until then...

Time to dive back into the world of revisions!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! Stay safe, don't eat too much, and remember - no matter how bad things might seem, there is always something to be thankful for -

{{{HUGS}}} to everyone today!

Happy Birthday, America!

**Note** This was originally posted on July 4, 2007. Enjoy!

Happy birthday, America!

I always loved the Fourth of July. As a kid, it meant hot dogs and potato chips, and when it got dark out, the best thing next to Halloween candy and Christmas presents -

sparklers

I loved those things - swish them through the air and they'd leave behind glowing trail. Just stare at them, and it as if you held a star in your hand. Then just like that -poof! - they'd burn out. My grandfather used to buy them for my brother and I (don't ask me where, he had a gift for simply making things appear), and we'd get the warning about not touching them. When they burned out, he'd take them and shove them, hot side down, into a bucket of sand. Not once, in all the years he bought them, did any of us kids ever get burned.

As far as I know, sparklers are now illegal. Apparently someone else's kids either weren't as smart, or didn't listen as well as we did. I wish they weren't, though. Now that I have kids of my own, I'd love to watch them zinging those stars through the night air. Oh well... what can you do?

But for me, the Fourth isn't all about sparklers and cookouts (ours was washed out this year - rats.) Not only do I love history, but the American Revolution is probably my favorite era. NJ played such a huge role, that it's one of the things I love best about living here. You are surrounded by history. Princeton, Monmouth, Trenton, Jockey Hollow in Morristown - and that's just off the top of my head.

For a history lover, New Jersey's ripe with history. The memorable surprise attack on the Hessians at Christmas. Molly Pitcher. Did you know that when the Continental Army quartered in Morristown in the winter of 1779-1780, the conditions were worse than those at Valley Forge? And Washington chose Morristown because of its strategic location.

I went to Ford Mansion years ago, which was where Washington headquartered during that time and it almost blew me away to be standing in a room, walking on the floors, and touching a few of the things that George Washington touched. Amazing. It's like being a part of something so much larger than yourself - I really can't put it into words.

To think about what they were doing, and why, and what would have happened, had they failed. It is amazing to me, to see that history all around. Some people look at Princeton Battlefield and see only a field. I look and I can almost see the Continental armies. I can almost see George Washington astride his horse, inspecting his troops. I can almost hear what happened two hundred and thirty-three years ago.

To me, that is what the Fourth of July is about - not so much the barbecues and the fireworks (although they are really cool), but it's about what really happened, almost literally in my backyard.

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Mother's Day, 2009

Taking a little time-out from my write-fest (Angel of Darkness is now at 22k words and still going strong. Yay!) to wish all the moms out there a Happy Mother's Day! Enjoy and let them spoil you for once!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

See You Tuesday!

Merry Christmas!

I wanted to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of holidays (no matter which you celebrate!)

With Christmas only days away and still way too much to do, this will most likely be my last post for the year - but never say never. I'm still waiting on the web guy (yep - he's supposed to set me up so I can tend my website. I've been waiting for a reply since Friday. This is why I want to do it all myself **sigh**) so there's a chance I may pop back in. But for now, I'm going to be celebrating with my family and since the Girl's birthday is four days after Christmas, and then there's New Year's... well... this is a very busy time for my family.

But never fear, I will be back in the new year - and I'm looking forward to another year of rants and raves, funny kid stories, hopefully good news with regards to my many WIPs, and all kinds of other good stuff.

Thanks for reading, thanks for commenting, and thanks to everyone for following along - it's been a fun year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Kim