An Afternoon Adventure

 I finally, finally sent in DANGER LOOMS and my editor won't get it back to me until the end of May.  In the meantime, I started writing all the blogs for the assorted guest posts I'm going to do.  And getting to the next Crochet and Crumpet book.  

It's a little confusing working on the next book when I am writing blogs that concern SCONED TO DEATH that comes out in June.

I decided to plot out the next book before I start writing since I know I will have to set it aside when DANGER LOOMS comes back.  I already know that it takes place around Halloween.  It happens that the day I began to working on the synopsis of the story, the weather here turned cold with an angry sky which went along with fall weather in the story.  I kept having to remind myself that it was spring here while I got lost in the feelings of fall.

All I had to do was tell Jakey that my next book takes place around Halloween for him to get excited.  Halloween is his favorite holiday and he has already been talking about adding more decorations.  Then I mentioned an abandoned miniature golf course and he was off and running.  He was making up his own story from the time we left Malibu yesterday until  he got home.  I didn't get all of it, but there were aliens and a lot of pumpkins in his story.  

He gets out of school early one day a week and we had gone to Malibu as an after school activity.  Since our destination was close to where I envision the fancy kid's boutique where Annie Sara and Gray worked before going to Indiana, I thought it might inspire some of the blog posts I have to write.

The ride there is always beautiful through mountains on a windy road.  The view of the ocean is always like taking a deep breath.  Our first choice of stops got nixed as there was no parking  and we went to  the center with the playground.  We got snacks at the Whole Foods and ate at the outdoor tables. Then we found out what I had suspected.  Jakey has kind of outgrown the playground.  He was much more interested in talking.

The cold weather and cloudy sky from the day before was gone and it was back to sun and a gentle temperature.  By the time we went back, it was getting dark and the colors of the sky made the ride even nicer.  There is always so much to look at.  I always discover something new. 

   

Another Apology

             Yep, I’m late again. Got busy with some stuff around home and just didn’t get around to posting. Sorry! Then again, I don't hear from most of you when I do post.

            Anyway, I’ve started writing the third book, K-9 Security, in my current series for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, K-9 Crime Solvers. I’m enjoying it and am sure it’ll get even better.

            And even though it’s the 6^th day of the month, this is my first post in May, so happy May everyone!

Endings and Beginnings

 I am literally on the last page of the rewrite of the rewrite of DANGER LOOMS.  As usual, I have all kinds of emotions.  There's relief that I actually finished it.  And then a loose ends feeling since, it's been my main focus for quite a while.  It took precedence and everything else got pushed to the back burner.

Now I have to deal with all of that which includes a lot of chores I chose to ignore.  SCONED TO DEATH  comes out in a little over a month and I have a guest blog, an author takeover and a blog tour coming up that should help get the word out.  But I have to write all those blog and author posts.  They have to be different and interesting which is quite a challenge.

Dancing around the edge of my mind is the next Crochet and Crumpet book.  The deadline that seemed so far in the future keeps getting closer. I need to start focusing on it.  

What's hard about all of this is that, at least for me, I can't grit my teeth. knuckle down, or spend hours at my computer (which thankfully keeps working) to make it happen.  If I do that, it never turns out.  I have to let it happen.  Let ideas slip into my thoughts until they take off.  That's not to say that I won't push my thoughts toward a plot, who dies, who did it, etc, but after that, something has to happen to make it all come alive.

In the meantime, Jakey told me I should make a character based on him in a future book because, as he put it, he's interesting.  

Sorry About Last Week

             In case you couldn’t tell, I waited too long last week to write my post. Hence, the short, late blog. I’m not proud of it—but I’m also disappointed that no one responded by posting possible topics for me to address in the future. So, consider doing it now!

            Meantime, I’ve completed the next draft of the manuscript I’ve been working on. It’s out being read by experienced readers before I finalize this version and send it along. Meanwhile, I’m starting to plot the third book in this series. And also ponder what comes next. Can you believe next week will be May already?

            I hope your April is going great, and that your May will be even better!