A Happy Reunion

3 months later, Elijah and his "godfather" Brandon--who rescued him from the side of the road, and gave my family one of the greatest gifts imaginable--finally get to meet each other again!



Eli recognized him! I swear!

Thank you again, Brandon. xox

New REVIEW

Thank you, Becky, for the GREAT REVIEW of SAY THE WORD!

In the meantime I still struggling with revisions of my paranormal. But, funny enough, it's a "happy" struggle. :)

Ultimate RETCH of the WEEK

OK, I am OFFICIALLY GROSSED OUT.

Elijah just puked. I thought he swallowed a rubberband.

Then the rubber band grew longer...and longer...and started...

SQUIRMING! 

Eew, eew, eeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

As a nurse I've seen my share of worms, maggots, etc. But this is BEYOND GROSS!!!! Now I have the little critter doubled-bagged so I can drop it off at the vet's and beg him NOT to reopen in my presence or there'll be more vomit to clean up, thank you very much!

P.S. Beth bagged it for me. Don'tcha just LOVE that kid???

Monday Catch Up

1. I stayed off the computer all weekend which I think is going to be my rule from now on. Usually I stay off only on the weekends I work, but I got much more done by avoiding the internet. Of course that means I had 67 emails waiting...

2. I'm 2/3 of the way through my hundred-page revision. I already performed 2 character abortions and eliminated a whole storyline. Down to 118k (first draft-wise) with a goal of 90k (or less) by the time I finish.

3. HAY FEVER! I'm dying here. Nothing works except Benadryl which is one of the drugs we use at work to knock out-of-control people down a few notches. I'm drugged, drugged, drugged, and I haven't been this miserable in years! I'm leaving a trail of snot rags wherever I go.

4. Elijah caught kennel cough! Yes, he'd been vaccinated but only a month ago so I don't think he built up a full immunity. The vet says it's only a mild case. He's on antibiotics now, and hasn't coughed since Saturday. Or puked up his dinner because he was coughing so hard. BTW, it's amazing what you can find in a puppy's puke. Ever look? ;)

5. Doctor's appointment today that I'm not looking forward to because she's gonna yell at me...for a variety of reasons.

6. Grandma's 85th birthday was Saturday! We took her to Dairy Queen for her favorite hot fudge sundae (while Beth and I snarfed down fat-free ice cream sandwiches) and hubby had a chicken sandwich and a chocolate milkshake. Whoa, are Beth and I made of steel or what?!? BTW, after 3 years Grandma has a new roommate--and it's Miss Ruth! I hope it works out. It's one thing being best buddies with someone, and something else entirely when you're sharing one room. Her last roommate was mute, wheelchair-bound, and mostly out of the room, so Grandma essentially had the room to herself.

Friday 5

1. A few words about My Good and Evil Sides posted on Books By Their Cover.

2. I have the amazing good fortune to have an agent who doesn't mind digging her hands into my earlier drafts (thank you, Tina). With a 3-day weekend coming up I plan to get a lot done, never mind that the weather's gonna be beautiful and the house is a stay and we're out of food and my oil light's on and...

"Shut up, Jen."

"Thank you."

3. I love when you're asked by The Powers That Be what can be done to Make Improvements. And when you tell them what Seriously Needs To Be Done, they say Oh THAT Will Never Happen...and then they ask So What ELSE can be done? Um, I already told you, you said it ain't gonna happen, ain't nothing gonna change, so why continue the conversation?

4. Elijah rarely barks. However, when two Church Related Stalkers showed up this morning I seriously thought he'd go through the door. Good boy, Elijah! Have a cookie! Have three!

5. I'm watching John Carpenter's Village of the Damned. Kirstie Alley is thin. Chris Reeve can walk. Mark Hammil is young. Totally surreal!

Sneakin' a Peek

"Tagging up the walls, hanging with the homies..."




"Getting to know you, getting to know all about you.."

Oh, I wanna be a dog just for one day! Feed me, play with me, rub my belly, throw me treats. Siiigh.

Friday 10

1. Nothing like posting a link to an event and not mentioning the fact that 8:30 p.m. means EST! Sheesh.

2. Another nice blogger review. Thank you, Alea. :)

3. Toe is improving. Thank goodness for Crocs because the surgical shoe they gave me is a PIA (I don't think it fits and I'm too lazy to go back). I am, however, going back to work tomorrow. Seven a.m. I'm depressed just thinking about it.

4. Elijah is sleeping through the night a bit better. But the only way to get him to do that is to wake him up and take him outside later at night--10 or 11 when I am home, or 12:30ish when I get home from work. He's trying to figure out door knobs now. He likes licking worms frozen to the sidewalk in the morning. He peed on the floor for no reason at all the other day after being essentially continent for 3 weeks or so. I know you shouldn't "shriek" at dogs--but he did stop peeing as soon as he heard me and finished up outside. What a good boy!

5. My agent likes the way my paranormal's going and gave me a few good suggestions. Even with my Latvian/Bulgarian/Albanian/whatever keyboard, I've already had a chance to get to work on it. Yay, BEACHMO!

6. I knocked my jaw out of whack in my sleep last night. Yeah, I swear. I have awful TMJ and my bite was off--it felt like biting down on a marble on one side of my mouth. That is so, so, sooo not right. But it popped back into place. I blame this entirely on my own orthodontist who I'm sure received his training in eastern Europe during WWII. I believe he also made keyboards in his spare time.

7. Did I mention my dog eats frozen worms? Oh, yeah, I did--number 4. I think it's significant enough to mention again. Particularly when he scrapes them up with his teeth and tries to bring them into the house.

8. Straaaaange movie, a musical that should NOT have been a musical. But I was riveted: Dancer in the Dark. Lately, though, it doesn't take much to entertain me.

9. Yes, I am reading high fantasy (don't pass out) because I'm currently addicted to the Legend of the Seeker show on Saturday nights:



(Pam? Holly? You still standing?)

10. For those of you I don't see in the chat tonight, have a great weekend! I won't be on again till Monday, though I may drop a Twitter or two. Bye!

Steph Su Interview

Check out STEPH SU READS for an interview with yours truly, and for more great interviews from other authors.

Great blog, Steph. Thank you!

Operation Teen Book Drop

Today, April 16, is Support Teen Literature Day and OPERATION TEEN BOOK DROP! READERGIRLZ: "Inciting all to participate in Operation TBD in its drive to spur reading on a national scale, readergirlz invites teens and YA authors to leave a book in a public place on April 16th. Participants can download bookplates to insert into the books they'll leave behind. The TBD Post-Op Party is open to everyone at the rgz blog (http://readergirlz.blogspot.com) at 6:00 PM Pacific/9:00 PM Eastern. Come rock the drop in 2009!" Thanks to ReaderGirlZ, and GuysLitWire, and YALSA for promoting teen literature. NOW GO DROP A BOOK! ;)

i guess i should have explained what happened to my foot. no, i wasn't stomped on by a psychopath. i grabbed the phone and headed out of the room to talk in private and whacked my foot on a table leg on the way out. i might add that this is about the fourteenth times i've broken that same toe. i might also add that although it is indeed fractured, it's not nearly as bad as the last time this happened--when that same toe stuck out at a NINETY DEGREE ANGLE. in those first few seconds when your endorphins kick in and you are actually pain free--you know, before you starting screaming and swearing and sobbing, etc.--i grasped that toe and snapped it right back into place. hubby nearly barfed.

word to the wise--do NOT relinquish your laptop to anyone unless you know they already have the needed part in hand. after waiting 5 days i finally demanded it back. they said when the keyboard comes in they will bring it to the house and install it here. if they don't so it by friday i'm getting my deposit back and going elsewhere. i understand that they had to order the part but they should have told me this first and given me the option of checking out other places. this is fully my fault because when they said if could have it back the next day of they have the part, all i heard was NEXT DAY. however, they had the model number and everything and should have checked their stock. of course when they brought it back, the guy said, oh i fixed it--you don't need a new keyboard after all. so i check it out when they hand it over, and no, it's still broken. HELLO???

notice i am not naming names.  yet.

i think i'm an idiot for not demanding my deposit back. but they keep swearing to me that the keyboard is on the way.

i wonder if companies realize how much power bloggers have. how, if we're not satisfied with the service, it's so easy to post about it.

and name names when we want to.
 

Starred Review for Say the Word!

I'm happy to be able to share a STARRED REVIEW from Booklist for SAY THE WORD:

Issue: April 1, 2009

"Ten years ago, Shawna’s mom Penny came out, moved out, and never looked back. For 10 years Shawna aspired to be everything her protective, perfectionist father Jack wanted her to be, distancing herself asmuch as possible from the shame that Penny’s abandonment caused her. But at 17, her mom’s death pulls Shawna into contact with Penny’s partner Fran, and their sons, Arye, 17, and Schmule, 10. Jack, who legally remains Penny’s next-of-kin, financially ruins Fran’s family, and then goes after Schmule...  Shawna finds herself questioning her allegiances, but is powerless in the shadow of her domineering father. The more Shawna tries to connect with Schmule and to make amends with Fran and Arye, the more vicious Jack becomes, leaving Shawna alone to deal with the dawning realization that Schmule is a great danger to himself.

"There are many issues at play in this powerful and compelling novel—gay rights, acceptance, shame, first love, domestic violence, harassment,depression—all swirling around Shawna, whose thoughts and emotions are not always politically correct, but are always genuine. This sensitive and heart-wrenching story slowly unfolds into a gripping read featuring realistically flawed characters who undergo genuine growth." — Heather Booth

Thank you, Caroline, for sending this to me!

He's a Big Boy Now!

I dropped Elijah off this morning at doggy day care for a trial visit, so what do I do?

I come home and watch him on the webcam, of all things:







I know, right?

No, seriously...I'm hard at work!

Book Signing at Joseph-Beth

Well, I finally I got the pictures to cooperate (no nose hairs here!) and here are a few of them. You can now put a face to some of the LJers:



Pam (eldheni on LJ) and me on arrival at Joseph-Beth Booksellers



Cool cake, eh?



A better picture!



Calondra, the event coordinator who was an absolute doll!


Reading



Signing books for friends (Jan and Noreen)...



...and relatives (Molly and baby-to-be)



Miss (mela_lyn) and hubby


Leisa (fandoria) and family



Kathy, (a Columbus librarian who made the trip up) Pamela, and her daughter Ashley



Ladyeye and Brian_Ohio on LJ



Flowers for Tante from Corey who shared the day!

Warrior of Worry (LJ)came too (Yay, Karen!) and I don't seem to have a pic, but she was there, i promise! :)

1. What a great response for this contest, over 30 entries, plus doubles b/c some people posted in more than one place. As noted before, winners will be announced early this week (notice I am not committing to a particular day as my 

                                                   l  i   f e
    i  s 
                                                                                                                            a  s 
                                                                                                                                                         n  u  t  s 
                                      a  s 
                                                                               e 
                                                                                      v 
                                                                         e 
                                                                                 r

but it'll probably be Tuesday or Wednesday. Definitely not Monday (see # 5).

2. Elijah is up to 23 lbs! (he was 8 or 9 lbs when I brought him home) --and totally insane. He has an "interview" for doggie day care on Thursday so I can keep him socialized with other dogs AND take a "break" every once in a while. He still eats like a pig, is 90% housebroken (he brings me shoes and rings the bells on my door knob when he has to go--and just this morning he actually brought me his halter) but he still can't be trusted as he occasionally slips up (he is, after all, only 4 months old). He can sit and lie down on command, we are working on "stay" and he comes when he's called...when he feels like it, that is. He's fun, but being a puppy he likes to bite and chew (including human flesh) and he has terrible separation anxiety when I leave the room and he can't get to me. He does wear me out and I get NOTHING done! Walking him is an experiment in terror. Not because he "pulls"--because he stops every five seconds to look at dirt, smell dirt, paw dirt, eat dirt... No, I don't have to lug doodoo bags around because he only likes to do that in his own yard. Go figure.

3. Because I get nothing done I remain in seriously writing withdrawal. I'd planned to go to Borders yesterday to work on interview questions and to revise a bit, but ended up conking out at SEVEN p.m. and sleeping through till FOUR a.m. when the "baby" woke me up to go out. I'm going to try again this afternoon and stay till they close. I'm also in blogging withdrawal and haven't read blogs in days. Uh, weeks, actually. I miss my LJ friends! I'm going to make a point to read DAILY even if only for 30 min or so.

4. Speaking of reading...I'm not reading anything, either. What happened to me???

5. Tomorrow I have to go into work early for a 3 hr workshop to learn how to defend myself without actually fighting back.

O-kaaay...

This blog disappeared

And now, miraculously, it's back again! WTH happened???????

New Year 2009!

I didn't make my "goal" of finishing my first draft, but I did reach my goal of 90K by the end of the year:

91,000 / 90,000 (101.1%)

It's been an interesting year which started out pretty bad--hubby was unemployed and I lost my job of 10 years at the end of 2007--but ended well, thank goodness.

I lost my editor, Jill, but then fell in love with Caroline, her replacement.

I revised and edited Say the Word which will be released in this year on St. Patrick's Day.

I still have my wonderful agent, Tina.

I've met so many new friends here on LJ, including those I had a chance to either meet or talk to IRL.

Hubby's working again.

I started a new job in psych which I was SURE I would hate, but it turned out to be the one of the best jobs I ever had (yes, I wrote that with a straight face).

I survived surgery and I'm doing well.

We still have Grandma!

We also have Charlie, a new addition to the family, and now a new brother or sister for him on the way.

My family is healthy and we're all as crazy as ever. :)

No point in making any bogus New Year's resolutions like vowing to keep my house clean (haha) or write at least one hour a day (hahahahahaha!). I'm only going to work very hard at being the best person I can be. What more, after all, can I possibly ask for?

Happy New Year's Eve

Pork roast for dinner.

Later on, Mexican dip, cheese and crackers, maybe some brownies.

No company.

The Twilight Zone marathon.

My immediate family.

No booze.

Peace and quiet.

Life is good.

Stay safe--and happy!

Carrie Jones: NEED

A slightly belated CONGRATULATIONS to Carrie Jones for the release of NEED!!!



Amazon: "Now fans of Stephenie Meyer and Melissa Marr have a new author to devour . . . Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect lipsticks. Little wonder, since life’s been pretty rough so far. Her father left, her stepfather just died, and her mother’s pretty much checked out. Now Zara’s living with her grandmother in sleepy, cold Maine so that she stays “safe.” Zara doesn’t think she’s in danger; she thinks her mother can’t deal. Wrong. Turns out that guy she sees everywhere, the one leaving trails of gold glitter, isn’t a figment of her imagination. He’s a pixie—and not the cute, lovable kind with wings. He’s the kind who has dreadful, uncontrollable needs. And he’s trailing Zara.

"With suspense, romance, and paranormal themes, this exciting breakout novel has all the elements to keep teens rapidly turning the pages."

Guess what *I* am buying today??????

Carrie Jones's WEBSITE

Happy Blog Birthday!

My LJ blog is 3 years old! Here is one of my first posts detailing my road to publication.

Preggo Parking Spaces

Yeah, the parking lot's PACKED from end to end except for that "expectant mothers" parking space, the one with sign with the cute pink stork, right?

I. Will. Park. There. Every. Single. Time! What're they gonna do, make me pee on a stick at the door?

I used to trudge across busy parking lots, too, when I nine months pregnant and dragging a screaming two-year-old. I paid my dues. They OWE me that space.

I also object to the idea that a pregnant woman needs so much special consideration. Not only did I waddle across parking lots, I worked full-time in a hospital, lifting and pulling, and pushing beds and carts, and running up and down halls, to say nothing of exposing myself to godknowswhat deadly diseases, for 39 weeks. Week 40 I went into labor. TWICE!

Technically I'm still an expectant mother: I expect my kids to treat me with respect to my face. I expect them to make me an occasional pot of coffee. I expect them NOT to leave rotting food in their rooms. I expect them NOT to call me from jail in the middle of the night, whning for a bail-out. 

"It's my space and I'll park there if I want to, park there if I want to, park there if I want to..."

What's SCARY is...

...she PAID MONEY for this 'do:

"The new style is reported to have been the work of her hairdresser Alex Foden, who lives in the same east London apartment block as Winehouse."

SOURCE: RTE Enetertainment

Horoscope

"Fortunately, even if you underestimated the size of the job at hand, a burst of creative lightning can strike, opening the way for you to brilliantly accomplish what you initially set out to do.

"Can" strike, it says. Notice it doesn't say "WILL" strike.

Finished up Day 3 of my 4 day stretch. Aside from somebody flinging a handful of markers across the room while I was doing a group, and clumsily bashing my knee on a file cabinet (you know how, when Severe Pain Strikes Without Warning, your vision blurs, the skin on face kind of vibrates, and you're so paralyzed by physical agony you can't utter the eff word? That was me) it was an uneventful day.

Not that it's over yet...

Friday 5

1.

87,348 / 90,000 (97.1%)

Yeah, the progress looks good, but two problems: the first draft will surpass 90k (probably > 100k again)and no way will this be finished by the end of the year.

I'm okay with that. I have "goals" not "deadlines," remember? If you don't reach a goal, no big deal--you extend it. You don't reach your deadline, you're...um, dead?

2. Christmas tidbits:

Beth and I called woke Nate up out of a sound sleep by calling him on his cell phone and singing "Holly Jolly Christmas" at the top of our lungs (we HATE that song). He actually listened without hanging up on us.

Grandma came over, ate dinner, opened all her gifts, and then asked, "So, did you get all your Christmas shopping done?"

Us: "Grandma. You just opened your gifts."

Grandma: "I did?"

Us: "Yes, TODAY is CHRISTMAS"--as we point to the BIG FAT TREE and mountains of wrapping paper.

Grandma: "It is? Well, you know my memory..."

I drank exactly three measely sips of plum wine--a gift from the Chinese restaurant we order from every Christmas Eve--and POW! A headache. I will never learn.

3. I got an iPod Nano and I'm not even sure what it is.

4. Karen, Beth, and I drove around Christmas Eve looking at the Christmas lights on the mansions on Edgewater Drive and Lake Road. I've since decided I want to be wealthy. Now, how to manage this?

5. I have to work 3-11 today...

...double back to work day shift tomorrow...

...then day shift Sunday...

...then 3-11 Monday.

So much for ANY writing this weekend. I wish I could grab an hour here, an hour there like other people. My brain doesn't work that way. If I can't have a minimum of 4 uninterrupted hours there's no point in trying because all I do is keep glancing at the clock, thinking: 30 more minutes...20 more minutes...10 more minutes... arrgh!

Merry Christmas!

AND
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!
photosource

Patrick Jones: STOLEN CAR

If you steal a car, you have two clear choices: stop and jump out, or zoom off at top speed and hope for the best.



Such is the story of fifteen-year-old Danielle in Patrick Jones’s STOLEN CAR. With an absent dad, well-meaning but clueless mom, and her mom’s abusive, live-in flavor-of-the-season, Danielle longs for the day she can leave this trashy trailer park behind, yet wonders at the same time if this will ever be possible. Her buddy Evan’s obvious adoration annoys her, and she’s baffled by her BFF Ashley’s cool disdain for her own caring parents and luxurious lifestyle.

Enter the older, enigmatic, totally hot Reid, Danielle’s former-but-not-forgotten crush. With his own absent parents, sleazy friends, unnerving mood swings, wild parties, and mysterious sources of income, Reid stares into Danielle’s eyes in a way no one’s ever looked at her before. He says the things she’s waited her whole life to hear, and treats her like the most beautiful, desirable girl on planet Earth. Life with Reid, though maddeningly unpredictable, fills her with confidence and a dangerous sense of freedom. For the first time ever, Danielle knows she’s “special” and she’s determined to keep that feeling alive—but at what cost?

Should she jump out? Or should she step on the gas?

Either way, Danielle’s life will change. An absolutely riveting fifth novel by Patrick Jones, author of Nailed, Cheated, Things Change , a YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, and Chasing Tail Lights, (my absolute favorite!)

Visit PATRICK JONES'S WEBSITE

Withdrawal!

I haven't worked on my novel since, well, since the last time I worked on my novel. Yanno, sat down at the keyboard and typed words in sequence...dialogue and stuff, etc.

Hmm, when was that anyway? I can't remember.

OMG! I SERIOUSLY CAN'T REMEMBER!

ARRGGHH!

*sob*

Are the holidays over yet?

Bookstore Embezzler

"A former bookkeeper with Quail Ridge Books & Music in Raleigh was arrested over the weekend and charged with embezzling $348,975 from the popular independent bookstore" according to this story in the The News & Observer.

One co-worker stated, "We're shocked. We felt a professional closeness with her. We thought a lot of her."

Well, yuh-HUH. Isn't that always the way? Everyone "thought a lot of" the person who ripped off close to $4,000,000 from a certain hospital, too.

It just amazes me how, when things happen--whether you're talking about a run-of-the-mill office crook or a secret sex offender (not that I'm comparing the two, of course)--nobody ever says "Oh, yeah, I knew that SOB was up to no good," or "What a creep! I'm not at all surprised."

Do you think it's true that people don't suspect--that these crimimals are really that good at what they do? Or are their coworkers/friends/family/whatever A. embarrassed that they missed the signs, or B. don't want to admit that they knew something was "off"?

Oh, FU-U-U-U-UDGE!!!

Only 96%? How is that possible?

You scored a 96%!

 

Congratulations! I applaud you on the multiple watchings of the movie. You must watch the marathons each year :^)

A Christmas Story
Take More Quizzes

I've only seen this movie about 118,0422 times.

"A CHRISTMAS STORY" in 30 SECONDS

OK, 118,042-3 times.

The original "A Christmas Story" house right here in Cleveland, Ohio:



Someone in the checkout line today said (loudly) that oh, yes, she finished her Christmas shopping over the summer! And she's only there to pick up a couple "last-minute thingys!" And she just doesn't "get why folks wait till the last second!" Blather, blather.

Poor thing. I sure hope those tread marks fade before Wednesday.

BTW--

piclink

--been there...done this, too. :)

Author Lisa Schroeder: CONTEST!

Lisa Schroeder, author of I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME, is celebrating the release of her upcoming YA novel, FAR FROM YOU, and hosting a contest with LOTS of great prizes!
For three days leading up to the book’s release date of December 23rd, you can watch VLOGs and hear some excerpts read from the book. The VLOG schedule is as follows:

Sunday, December 21st – Liv's Book Reviews

Monday, December 22nd – What Vanessa Reads

Tuesday, December 23rd – Lisa Schroeder's LJ AND Lisa's MySpace

Help spread the word, and you might win a fabulous prize!

Copy and paste THIS entire blog entry into your blog between now and December 21st, then come back to Lisa’s blog at either Livejournal OR Myspace and leave a comment with the link to your blog and you will get TWO enteries to win a number of prizes.

Wondering what you might win? Here is the list (there will be multiple winners):

~ An Advanced Review Copy of THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH, by Carrie Ryan

~ An Advanced Review Copy of SOMETHING, MAYBE, by Elizabeth Scott

~ Young adult novel GIRL, HERO by Carrie Jones

~ Young adult novel, THE POSSIBILITIES OF SAINTHOOD by Donna Freitas

~ Young adult novel, UGLIES by Scott Westerfield

~ Pair of YA fairy tale retellings by Cameron Dokey (BELLE and BEFORE MIDNIGHT)

~ TWILIGHT movie soundtrack

~ $15.00 Barnes and Noble gift card along with some Harry & David’s chocolate moose munch

~ And of course, a signed copy of FAR FROM YOU

For more chances to win, watch one or all of the VLOGs and leave a comment on that vlogger’s page, and you get another entry. That means if you post the schedule on your blog AND comment on all three VLOGs, you can have FIVE entries for the contest!

A live drawing with winners announced will be done by Lisa Thursday morning, December 24th, in a special holiday VLOG.

Song for RINN

Theme song for my ghost story...because once you come in...

...you're in for GOOD.




There's no way out of here
When you come in
You're in for good
There was no promise made
The part you played
The chance you took
There are no boundaries set
The time and yet
You waste it still

So it slips through your hands
Like grains of sand
You watch it go
There's no time to be lost
You'll pay the cost
So get it right
There's no way out of here
When you come in
You're in for good

There never was there an answer
There an answer
Not without listening
Without seeing

There are no answers here
When you look out
You don't see in
There was no promise made
The part you played
The chance you took
There's no way out of here
When you come in
You're in for good...
STLYRICS

Rinn loves it!