I Used To Dream and I Used To Vow, I Wouldn't Dream of it Now

After a wonderful lunch with DeDe, Craig and Jeremy, I headed to the Mothership for a visit and a dye job. It was a great time and a great way to unwind. I even got to enjoy some very belated birthday cake.

Now, it's back to the grind and trying to finish up a few things before NaNoWriMo kicks off tomorrow. I'm hoping I can finish my 50k in 30 days, but I'm just not sure. Other things always seem to get in the way, but I'll give it my best shot.

In good news news, Model Men edited by Neil Plakcy is now available. Follow this link to pick it up. It features my story, Sweet Charity and I can't wait to get my hands on my copy. Also, we are less than a week from the release of my novella, The Right Wrong Turn. Check out the info about the book right here. And, make sure you pick up a copy next Sunday. Hell, buy two! They make great e-gifts!!

Now, back to work after I sit for a moment and ogle some Man Candy. He's really nice.
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But Just Don't Ask About My Appetite

Writing is such a solitary endeavour, it's hard not to feel a bit lonely from time to time. Even with the Internet and social media, it's sometimes difficult to connect with other people. Luckily today, I get to remedy that situation and meet up with some great writers for lunch.

So, Cassie Exline, DeDe and Craig Sorensen, Jeremy Edwards and I will be breaking bread in a few hours. It's always nice to get together with other writers and talk shop. But, it's even better to spend time with amazing, interesting people who just happen to also write. I've been looking forward to this all week!

I hope everyone has a nice weekend. See you on the flip!
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Passin' Through and it's Late, The Station Started to Fade

I got the cover art for my next novella, Left of the Dial, that comes out December 4th from Amber Allure Press. It's part of the Hot College Daze novella series. I'm very excited about this one, as it is set in a college radio station, circa 1998. Those were some good times. I was a DJ all four years of college and also the music director for our little station for two years. If only all radio was like college radio, I'd still be doing it. Bar none, some of the best times of my life happened at WVYC. I miss it from time to time.

I hope you check it out when it drops. It would make a great Christmas present!!
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And It Feels So Close, Let it Take Me In

Love this picture. Flat out love it. I can't believe another week has come and gone. Where the hell does the time go? I wish I knew. Sometimes, it feels like I squander so much of it. Then again, don't we all. Speaking of, it's time to get back to work. Enjoy the Candy.
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You Got A Brain You Ain't Using

I just finished editing my novella, The Right Wrong Turn, which comes out on November 6th. As you can see by the sidebar countdown, that's not too far off now. I'm really excited about this one and I hope you will all check it out when it comes out. Now that I've had the chance to polish it up, I think its even better than it was before.

Another week in the books, and I think progress has been made. On to another weekend, where hopefully I will get to relax a bit. But, somehow I doubt it. There just seems to be too much to do.
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It's a Long, Long Ways and So High Up Above

True to my word, I'm here blogging on a Wednesday. I don't know whether I am truly making progress or just treading water, trying not to backslide. How can you really tell? Forward momentum seems hard to measure sometimes. Without tangible evidence of what has been accomplished, how can you decide how well you are doing? I'm still not sure.

I have adopted a popular theory to combat this problem: One day at a time. I really can't ask more of myself than that, can I? But, it's hard not to get discouraged. When you expect things of yourself and fall short, there is no one else to blame. No one to point to as the reason why things didn't get done, no one to scapegoat. That sucks! Accountability is hard enough, but when you are only beholden only to yourself, what do you do? Failure looms large and it's hard not to feel like your letting yourself down when you fall short of the goals. But, as I said in the first sentence, One day at a time.

Honoring my commitment to this blog helps. Baby steps are still steps, after all.
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I Think I Used to Have a Purpose

My blog laziness is really beginning to be a problem. It has become a vicious cycle that is hard to get out of. I don't get a lot of interest in some blog posts, so I think, what's the point. So, I stop posting. Then, people stop coming to my blog all together because their is no new content. Round and round we go, where it stops, I'm just not sure. In an effort to break the cycle, I'm aiming for a Monday, Wednesday, Friday blog post schedule. Here's hoping it works out.

My husband is reading a book for work and it contained a quote that has really stuck in my head. "Without conscious and deliberate effort, inertia always wins." It is so true, at least for me. I find it so easy to fall into the same old patterns, the same lazy behavior that yields little results, but requires little work as well. I tell myself it's enough, but I know deep down that it isn't enough. I've chosen to write for a living and sometimes I feel like I am deficient in my duties, not only to myself and my passion for writing, but to my family as well. I want to "pull my weight" and there are some days where I just don't feel like I come close.

Complacency has crept in a bit. Which I hate. It's not just my writing. I find that most aspects of my life have just become fat and lazy. My intentions are good, but my follow through is for shit. Starting now, I aim to remedy that. But, talk, as they say, is cheap. The mantra of conscious and deliberate effort is now firmly in my brain. We'll see how it translates into practice.

As a little incentive, I start this week like most others, with Man Candy. See, if he can type, so can I.

*Quote from Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com*
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And, We'll Keep on Fighting, To the End

Well, after a week away from home and a lot of words written, I'd say the whole thing was a success. Of course, there is always more to be done. I'm about half way through my next novella, and things are progressing nicely. It was nice to be really disconnected and have no distractions. I wish I could live that way every day, but I do miss having that connection to the outside world. But, forcing myself to be off the Internet showed me how much time I do waste, when I should be writing. Hopefully, I can remember that going forward.

While I was away, a few things happened. My story, Working Late, is now available in an e-book anthology Cowgirl Honeymoon, from Xcite Books. It's also part of the paperback anthology, Explicit Encounters, which will be available soon. Stay tuned for details. There's more good news on the way, which I will hopefully be able to share soon.

And, a big congratulations to my Geelong Cats, for winning their third premiership in 5 years. Well done, boys. So, to that end, a bit of Cats Man Candy this week.


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