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Happy Birthday to Me

Vintage birthday collection
Originally uploaded by artsymama

48 never felt better.
;-)
And I've got a date tonite!

The Waiting Game

I've done my part. Finished the sequel. It's ready to be mailed--but first I need a reply about the Easter book--nice to know I have this surprise for my editor waiting in the wings. But now comes the hardest part--waiting for the response. OY! The agony before the ecstasy!

I mean, hopefully there will come some ecstasy--I'm in 4 books deep now.

I mean, it's all about the yin and the yang right?

Just as long as the Waiting Game doesn't turn into the crying game.

The Countdown to Completion

I've been dutifully toiling away over here working on the sequel to Snowbear which was requested by my publisher so many years ago and I'm just a spread and a cover away to finishing it up (with a few minor touch-ups) and offering it up to them. WOoHOO! I don't know what's gotten into me lately but I'm eager to get a contract again and it's starting to become painful waiting for it to happen while trying to stay positive and keep moving forward. After this last push, I guess I'll be taking a rest from writing and moving on to some other project that does not involve a pencil and a very big eraser. 

Mohair, perhaps? Yes, perhaps. I'll sew away the hours while I wait for the phone to ring with offers. Yes, that will be nice--sewing and stocking the shoppe--after all, Christmas is coming and soon will be here. Time to make stuff for Christmas!

I have to say, his butt is looking a bit cuter in the sequel, so I've decided to let him go pants free a la Donald Duck. Notice Hatu and The Butterfly (in the wrong perspective I know, I'm on it) are making an appearance. And shucks, why the heck not?!!!

a butterfly encore

I found this song WILD BUTTERFLY by Balligomingo on Johnny's itunes.

He gave it 5 stars and now so do I. 

I just love listening to it, so here it is again.

a bite!

It's beginning to look a lot like Easter over here! I got an encouraging email from my editor on my MAURICE manuscript. Looks like if I just come up with a new ending, we just might have a "go" here.

So close...and yet so far. I've turned words & ideas around and inside and out until my brain is numb. I worked on it all day yesterday waiting for the right "click". When you do enough of that; you can't think straight and then you can't tell if it's good stuff or crap. So, I need to walk away. Not for long though, just long enough to recharge my battery.

I'm working on two manuscripts at once now--one minute it's spring and the sun is shining and there are eggs to be colored and the next it's snowing and cold and I hear Christmas Carols. The good news is I'm very happy with the way the SNOWBEAR sequel is coming along.

I'll soon have four manuscripts floating around which is making me fantasize about the possibility of lining up work for the next four years. Wouldn't that be something?

But for right now , I'll settle for one solid YES, we want it. In a wierd way, this is always the way I meant for it to happen. I told myself when I had the kid I would take at least five years off to be with him with no time constraints. The plan was I'd come back with all these manuscripts I had worked on in my leisure time--so I guess I'm right on course. I've got the rest of the summer to get me some bonafide contracts.

The bear is back!

While the rest of the USA is barbecuing in the backyard and enjoying the local swimming hole--I've been at my desk all day. Well, after the neighborhood parade anyhow. We lost the balloon and egg toss and our jacuzzi is broken so what's a girl to do?
WORK!!!!!
I've been working on the sequel to SNOWBEAR and it should be the next manuscript on the chopping block in the next month or so. I'm on a roll. It only took a few years to get me going and now I'm not stopping.

Meanwhile, tonight after our dinner, we hope to drag the little one to the fireworks in the hopes he'll tough them out. Usually we have to bail within a minute or two as he is too scared. Fingers crossed we'll get to see them.

Happy 4th!

Set Your Course You'll see, Wild Butterfly

Set your soul adrift Wild Butterfly
Let your spirit free Wild Butterfly
Moments come and fall to the ground
And slowly fade away

Lift it up
Lift it up up and fly
Lift it up
Lift it up up and fly

Set your course you’ll see Wild Butterfly
Towards the sun, to me Wild Butterfly
Why don’t you go
Fly so far away

I know what you want
I know what you’ll see
I know what you want
I know what you’ll see

Lift it up
Lift it up up and fly
Lift it up
Lift it up up and fly