Yes, I am actually counting days. Haha! I have my prep list here on my desk and have checked some things off already. Some I can't until I'm actually packing the car, but by the day before the signing, most of my list will be complete. I just picked up some goodies yesterday for the door prizes for each day. Last year's baskets were pretty awesome, and I know this year's will be, too.
Aside from the normal day-to-day stuff this week and next, most of my focus is going to be on signing prep. Except for writing group night this week. I'm looking forward to that, and maybe I'll actually get some new words on the page. I have to be honest, other than some editing, my brain hasn't been fit for writing since our day-job upheaval started in January. I'm hoping things are going to settle down for a little bit over the next couple weeks (did I hope that already? I still do.), and then maybe my brain will be more functional creatively than it has been lately.
I'd like to say my overnight packing list is complete, but I can't decide on signing clothes until closer to the day since Mother Nature is all over the place. Last year, we had such warm weather early in April, I had my packing planned. And then the week of the signing, it got cold and rainy, so I had to completely rework this plans, so this year, I'm not going there yet. I have ideas, but nothing set in stone until we're close enough to hope the weather guessers are correct. (If yesterday is any indication, we're screwed then--yesterday was supposed to be sunny and cool, and turned out to be 75 degrees. Haha.)
I do have some other things on my to-do list (Are you signed up for my newsletters yet? I'm getting ready to send one later today, so if you're not, the sign-up is at the bottom of the page!), so before I get back to that, I have a quick snippet for you this week from Light the Way Home.
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Lucie had been on Mac’s Light Island for almost three weeks, but the view from the back door of her temporary home still took her breath away. Right now, she realized she’d been standing there staring, slack-jawed, at the sunlight glinting off the grey-blue ocean waves for a good five minutes. Shaking her head, she pulled the door shut and stepped down onto the sidewalk, feeling in her purse for her car keys.
She closed her fingers on the fob as a giggle reached her ears. She turned to the white picket fence that bordered the property next door as a big multi-colored ball sailed over it, toward her. “Oh!” She caught it before it hit her in the face, then started across the grass, balancing the ball on her hand.
Another giggle sounded as she neared the fence, so she adjusted her direction a tiny bit and came to a stop looking directly down onto a tousled blond head.
“I think you lost something,” she said.
The little boy’s face tipped up quickly, his blue eyes wide with surprise–as if he couldn’t believe she’d found him already.
Lucie grinned and held the ball higher.
He smiled as he got to his feet, brushing off his jeans-clad knees.
From seeing him playing outside several times already, she’d guessed he might be four, but now at close range, she scaled that back to three.
“Hi, I’m Hayden,” he said, holding out his right hand.
It was her turn to be surprised. She shook his hand, bemused. “Hi, Hayden, I’m Lucie.” Not too many three-year-olds had such good manners. Aside from the ball toss at her face, that is. “Nice to meet you.”
He glanced up at his ball. “Me an’ my dad are your neighbors.”
“I see that.” She noted he hadn’t mentioned his mom. “Who were you playing with?” She gave the ball a little bounce.
“Maybe you wanna play with me.” Guileless blue eyes locked on her face.
Ah. She squelched the pang in her chest. “I wish I could, but I’m on my way to town. Maybe we can play another time?” she added when his grin vanished.
“Like this afternoon?”
“Hayden!”
The deep voice got her attention–and the boy’s–just before a tall, sandy-haired man rounded the back corner of the next-door house.
Lucie’s mouth went dry. Wowza!
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I do hope if you're near enough to join us at the booksigning that you will. I promise it's a lot of fun, and with al the different genres covered, there is probably something for every sort of reader.
What does your to-do list look like this week? Are you ticking things off and making progress, or spinning your wheels on some things like I have been with my writing? I'd love to hear!