Does anybody really know what time it is?

Daylight Savings Time. If you ask my parents, they'll tell you the farmers don't need it. And I'm inclined to
take a stand against it on the basis of principle. I mean, if it's five o'clock, it's five o'clock. It doesn't matter where the sun is in the sky.

On the reverse side of that coin, there is something to be said to getting the children off to school during daylight rather than when it is black as midnight outside. I have to go back to look to see when we're on daylight savings time and when we're on central standard time (I live in the middle of the U.S. doncha know). (Daylight Savings Time is coming to an END this weekend, at which time we will be back on Central Standard Time (with no adjustment for daylight hours).

And did you know that Daylight Savings Time is called British Summer Time on the other side of the ocean?  Adding daylight to evenings benefits retailing, sports, and other activities that exploit sunlight after working hours, but can cause problems for evening entertainment and other occupations tied to the sun (such as farming). Although an early goal of DST was to reduce evening use of electricity, modern heating and cooling usage patterns differ greatly, and research about how DST currently affects energy use is limited or contradictory. Overall, it seems that energy consumption is no longer a major factor in the use of Daylight Savings Time.

So why do it?

It's always a shock to the system, "suddenly" coming home from work in the dark. Forget all this nonsense about changing the clocks back and forward and little rhymes to go along with it to help you remember. If it's five o'clock, it's five o'clock. Period.

Seems as if it's time for me to move to Arizona.

Autumn Winds are Blowing

Frost on the ground. Squirrels rototilling my garden. I'm a spring/summer type person. I like warm weather. Anything below 70 degrees F is chilly to me. Autumn, so far, has been fairly mild. I can't complain, but the winds of change have buckled in. Had to turn the heat on last week -- we're hitting the freezing mark. Suddenly. Went from 70's down to 40's. No gradual easing into it this year.

One thing I have to admit - although I like the warmer weather, it is much more comfortable sleeping in the cool weather.



While I was out taking a brisk walk, I came across this gem in our neighborhood. Not only are they sharing their books and promoting literacy, they are even giving you a bench to sit on while you read.

And speaking of books . . . Heart For Rent, with an Option will be available for public consumption on November 4. I still have a limited number of Advanced Reading Copies available for reviewers. If you are interested in a reviewer copy, please shoot me an email (there's an email link on the "About the Author" tab above). I look forward to seeing you at the release party on my Facebook page! Pass the word, invite your friends.
Click to Join the Facebook Launch Party

Cover Reveal!

Drum roll please . . .

I'm finishing up the edits for Heart for Rent, with an option, previously referred to on this blog as "Schumaker" (in various iterations). Fine tuning, rewriting, re-reading. BUT, I am happy to share with you the cover!

Looking for a November 1 release date. As noted last week, I will have a limited number of advanced reading copies for anyone interested in writing a review. If you haven't already contacted me, leave me a note in the comments or drop me an email and I'll get back to you.

And now, although I'd like to write more, I have catching up to do after this week's deadline at the day job, and rewrites that are calling to me to be finished, and other family distractions that require attention.  Stay tuned for more exciting information!

Writing is Rewriting

One of the inescapable truths of writing is that you have to fix what you've written to make it easier to read, sharper - paint a clearer picture. On a first draft, you might write something along the lines of "she walked into the room and sat down." On a second draft, you might put something more like, "With drooping shoulders, she flopped onto the leather sofa and heaved a sigh." Two different pictures, same sentence, eh?

I received comments back from my editor on Heart for Rent. A lot of what she said I already knew (but was hoping no one else would notice, silly me!). Between personal challenges that I've been facing recently and gearing up at the day job for deadline, my attention span (and my tolerance span) have been greatly reduced. People I trust tell me something isn't working and I stick my tongue out at them. (How mature, I know.) That isn't going to make my story better. Now, with a professional opinion to support what I didn't want to hear before, I have to suck it up and clean up the remaining holes in the story.

On the plus side, I've been rumbling this stuff around in my head for the past couple of weeks, so I have a direction to take. Even more of a plus, some of what I was sticking my tongue out about has been validated in my favor. It isn't all drivel. But now the real work begins.  As a very intelligent woman told me, "Revisions are the place for blending and tucking details throughout that tie it all together." The elements are there. My job now is to smear them all together. More foreshadowing in some places, better character response in others. Subtle nuances that give the reader hints of what is to come (and maybe some not-so-subtle).

Time to pull on my big girl pants and stop sticking my tongue out. There is hope for this book as long as I hunker down and get it done! Can't trust myself until after the deadline next week, however. Divided attention makes for lousy writing.

Keeping my fingers crossed for a November 1 release date. Anyone interested in an advance copy for the purpose of reviewing, please let me know - I can hook you up!

Pins and Needles and a Public Service Announcement

The MS is with the editor. I don't always get jittery over these things, but for some reason, I'm nervous about this one! I'm confident in what I've written, am expecting some criticism on parts that I may not have fleshed out to the satisfaction of certain readers (but hoping I've addressed them at least enough that they won't kill the whole story). I have a beautiful cover waiting in the wings (depending on the final title). So why the nerves?  Probably because of the mixed reviews of the beta readers (which includes the critique group). So fingers crossed. Hopefully I've addressed all the deficient areas sufficiently.

Research scheduled this week. For those of you who may not know, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This is a topic that will show up in Cinda's novel. My library is doing a series to help people who are involved in - either directly or indirectly - these types of situations, and what to do and how to handle it. Coincidentally, I spent some time at the hospital over the weekend in the surgical waiting room and saw a notice in the restroom that directs people to talk to their physician if they are a victim of domestic abuse, along with a long list of traits of abusers. With that being said, consider this my own personal PSA. It is NOT okay for people to hit other people, especially not okay for men (who are stronger) to hit women. NO ONE should call you stupid and stomp on your self-esteem. These people serve no purpose in your life, but they thrive on people who are willing to fill that need in their life - the need for a punching bag, either physically or emotionally. If you are on the receiving end, please get out and/or get help. Call your clergyman, call a policeman, or call your physician. There is NO JUSTIFICATION to treat ANYONE that way. End of sermon of the day.

I've got a good start on Cinda's story, but will have to take another break from it with an October deadline at the day job and with edits coming back for "Schumaker" (which will likely be titled Heart for Rent, with an Option). I'm in transition, but expecting to jump full into marketing and writing again before the end of the month. Personal setbacks aside, that creative energy is humming. "Pins and needles" includes being anxious to settle back into the writing groove!

The Cover - First Impressions

I'm still preparing "Schumaker" for the editor, and while I go through it, one chapter at a time, for echo words and errors I missed the first ten times, I figured it was time to think about a cover.

Normally I have a concept in mind from the start. This time it's a little harder. I have the photos I swiped for inspiration, the photos I took, and the painting that inspired my main character-female. The setting is a focus in this book, so I'm figuring that will show up on the cover, and for the first time, I want to add people on the cover. The female character is easy, because of the painting, but I needed a strong visual for my male character. Enter Gerard Butler. Found a really yummy picture of him (on my Pinterest page in case anyone's interested) that could pass for my leading man.

With these concepts in mind, I checked in with a cover artist. This will be another first for me - I normally have the vision in mind and, with a little help from my friends on the artwork, I create the covers myself. The cover artist sent me some additional male model pictures (how much fun is it to look at handsome men?) that she proposed (since Gerard's photo is copyrighted, doncha know).

One of my beta readers mentioned to me that the cover is "very important" to her when she selects a book. She agreed that the setting is important in this book, and I told her I wanted to add a "person," too. Now I'm anxious to see what the cover artist throws together for me. Actually, I'm pretty excited about it!

I've also initiated my "Street Team." If you choose to sign up and help me promote (because you love my books, don't you?), you will be first in line to see my new cover reveal.  The Street Team is designed to help spread the word. Share the love. Tell everyone that you read this "really great book" and encourage them to buy a copy, too. To thank you, I will send you treats from time to time and insider information. Sign-up information is in the column to the right.

What makes you buy a book?  Is it the blurb on the back? The picture on the cover? A familiar author?

And totally unrelated - the photo is an update from last week's post. And yes, I got to help. A little. A very little. But I got to help.

Progress September 23

Papa's Always Right

Yes, I'm still in the passage between Schumaker and Cinda, working a little on both and catching up on life in general.  Today I'm taking a departure from the writing life to give you a glimpse into home life.

This year, instead of a vacation, DH and I agreed to put that money into a new deck on the back of the house since the existing deck was getting a little scary to walk on. Like most sensible people, we asked for quotes from several reputable deckbuilders first. Howsomever, DH quickly put his back up. His father was a contractor. The prices the deckbuilders were quoting as overhead did not compute for him (even though they were all in the same ball park).  Solution? He took it upon himself to build said deck. He has the skills, the know-how.

Enter me. I started to cringe. Not that he doesn't know how. He does. But the deckbuilders were quoting two days. I KNOW DH can't complete this project in two days. Not no way, not no how. However, if this is a project he wants to undertake, I will not argue with him. Sometimes we all like to exercise our creative side. Work with our hands. Build something with our own two hands. So I smiled and said "yes, dear." (after much initial discussion, I might add).

In a previous life, I have experience with people starting projects and not finishing them, leaving them either for me to complete or to hire out. I have warned DH that if this project is not finished this year, I will be hiring someone to finish it in the spring. But I'm working very hard not to nag him. Not to ask about his progress. Not to say "are we there yet?" Even though it's killing me. Instead I'm resorting to this very public forum (which I'm sure he'll appreciate greatly).

August 11

August 11

August 18

After the first 10 days, he had to go back to work. Then after another week, he took some more days off. Eager beaver that I am, I asked "so does that mean you're going to start building?" (If looks could kill, I would not be writing this blog post today.) He ever so gently explained to me that he had "inside" prep work that he was doing. Now, I'm not doubting him. I know he did. And it was also three of the hottest days of the year.

In my head, I'm seeing that quote that said two men, two days. I'm now looking at one man, 30 days, no deck. The picture from August 18? Those boards are gone now and there is no "visible" progress on construction.  I'm trying not to hyperventilate. It isn't that I don't think he'll finish, I believe he will. It's my flashbacks to the previous life that give me fits. And it's losing the last beautiful days of summer without being able to carry a book out to the deck. No deck on which to watch the lightning bugs twinkle or to point out constellations from. 

I'm distracted. I want to help. Can I take days off to swing a hammer? Hold a board? Nope. He doesn't want help. The same way I'm used to helping and even finishing projects, he's used to doing them himself. 

It brings to mind a folk tale called "Papa's Always Right." The "Papa" in question made some horrendous decisions, which his wife supported, and in the end, he came out ahead. (you can read the story here) I have faith in my DH. The bigger problem is my own patience level.  So I'm showing him a smile and holding back my "when is this going to be finished" cries. I made a deal. He has until the end of the year before I'm allowed to go berserk.

I have to hold up my end of the bargain.