Someone at the day-job told me last week that I should have more fun. It made me pause for a moment.  I do have a pretty well-developed sense of responsibility about my work, both at the day-job and my writing, and, to be honest, I’m kind of proud of that at the day-job since I’ve seen plenty of others in my adult life who don’t feel responsible about their work, at all. But I have to also admit that I am tired. I pointed out to my husband last fall that we haven’t taken a va

( Photo by KatVitulano Photos on Foter.com / CC BY-ND ) Here in the U.S, it’s the last day of Memorial Day weekend, and, for some of us, a three-day weekend. I had a to-do list for the weekend. Some of the things on it have been checked off, but others have not. Then again, there were things that I got accomplished that weren’t on my list, so I guess it evens out. One of the things on my list was family time, and I got that, twice, which was nice. The boys came for lunch on S

Hot Chocolate How has the first week of your new year gone? As well as you’d hoped? Better? Not as well as you wanted? I haven’t gotten as much writing-related work done this week as I would have liked, but I have been writing, in spite of the absolute craziness at my day-job–way more insanity than I anticipated, and the next week is probably going to be even busier.  I’ve also been working on getting a new-to-me computer set up in the home office, which is taking some time,

We are missing out on the snow, again.  Our weather here this week has been extra-messed-up–mid-week it was 60, before the temps plummeted and we got a couple inches of heavy, wet snow that melted already, because the temperatures went back up into the 50s.  I want a real winter! Right now, it’s raining and looks like an early spring day more than a mid-winter day.  Of course, if we were a few states north, we would be getting buried in snow, and I would be thrilled about it.

It’s been a long month here.  Aside from the crazy first few weeks of the year at the day-job, things otherwise have been both busy and awful, and I have taken a real butt-kicking.  Until I got the ick and cough last week, though, I was still doing really well with my daily writing.  Last week kind of messed that up, and the best I could manage toward the end of the week once the fever finally went away, was working on revisions, and I’m sure I’ll need to look over those agai

( Photo credit: Frank Lindecke via Foter.com / CC BY-ND ) Yes, I’m sick this week.  Coughing from an annoying tickle in my throat.  I don’t do sick days.  The last time I had a day off for a medical issue of my own was when I had my gallbladder out a number of years ago.  I took a day off last month for someone else’s medical issue.  Today, I actually left work early because I felt so terrible, just so I could come home and rest.  So that blog title isn’t just about the sort

( Photo credit: Kelly Colgan Azar via Foter.com / CC BY-ND ) We have a pair of foxes that wander in and around our development.  I’ve seen them nearby recently, but not in the back yard lately, and not this close.  Of course, I have been putting in some extra hours at the day-job this week.  Probably next week, too.  But I have still been getting in ‘book time’.  Maybe not much, but still writing daily as I plan to do all year.  And working on revising the first shifter.  I’l

Otherwise known as the month of romance, right?  It is, after all, the month with Valentine’s Day smack in the middle of it. ( Photo credit: Sister72 via Foter.com / CC BY ) I actually like February for more than just the holiday dedicated to romance.  February is still smack-dab in the middle of winter, which I love.  I have to admit, though, that right now, I am hoping if we get more snow, the timing does’t mess with all of the romance events on my calendar for the month. T

Right now, I am secure and warm in my living room while the sun is glaring off a few feet of snow outside (which has given me a monstrous migraine). The picture above is what our backyard looked like last night before the snow had fully stopped.  My glider is well and truly buried there–the front looks worse than the back, even now that the sun has been shining on it. And this is what it looks like from my front door right now.  The street is semi-clear, but I’m hoping that a

That picture above is the sort of thing I would like to see when I look out of my window.  It is December, after all.  But it’s much too warm here even for flurries.   Maybe by the time the solstice gets here in a couple of weeks, but it doesn’t look promising–we haven’t had a really great snow in a couple of winters.  Most likely, our holiday lights will look like this, only without the nifty reflections on water, as our tree in the front yard is  surrounded by the greenish-

That was the view from our room onto Times Square last week at the fantastic Romance Writers of America 2015 annual conference.  Dizzying, yes?  Not nearly as much as the glass elevators that zoomed up and down so high your ears will pop. Our week got off to a fun start with seats up close and personal at Les Miserables our first night in NYC.  My crit partner has a serious crush on the actor currently playing the lead.  My conference really started, though, on Wednesday morn

I am about to hop on a train with one of my critique partners, heading for the annual Romance Writers of America national conference.  So many romance writers, all in one spot!  It is going to be a busy week, full of workshops and booksignings, and oh my, so many more things, I can’t name them all. I did finally squeeze my carry-on shut, and between that and my tote bag, I think I have everything I need for the week.  I’d be shocked if I didn’t forget anything, but I hope wha

( Photo credit: Hebe Aguilera / Foter / CC BY ) July is always busy here, just for family birthdays–we have 4 in a 5 day stretch later in the month–but this year will be even busier, since I’m traveling to NYC for the Romance Writers of America National conference in a couple of weeks.  I’ve gone to a number of writers’ conferences over the years, but I haven’t made it to this one yet, except to go twice to the huge literacy booksigning that kicks off the conference each year

It’s the first day of summer.  Now I can start counting down until fall gets here.  In case you weren’t aware, I am not a fan of the hot and humid weather we have here during summer.  I would much rather be comfortable.  Or cold, even, because in the winter, you can put on another sweater.  Bleh. If we were at the beach like last summer, that would make it slightly better, but even there, hot is hot.  And we aren’t doing a beach writing retreat this year.  Instead I’m heading

We’re less than a week from Valentine’s Day as I write this, and I am extra-excited about the holiday this year.  Why?  Because I’ll be participating in my very first booksigning!  A writer friend I have known for more years than I can count invited me, and I get to go on Saturday to play with twenty other romance authors.  Though I haven’t met them all yet, I know some of these ladies and am just delighted to get to do this with them.  I’m going to actually get to sign my ve