Busy Week!

Lots going on this week, as I mostly mentioned in my post last week.  Some of it is because my last Barkery & Biscuits Mystery is a May release--For A Good Paws.  But some of it's related more to my romance writing.

I had fun last Saturday at the Anaheim Library's Romance Author Day, plus, on Monday, I was interviewed for that podcast for All Things Cozy. 

Then, yesterday, I participated in a chat on the Writerspace Facebook page--and also will have a blog post at Writerspace on Thursday.

Additionally, on Thursday, I will be on a panel I mentioned before at The Ripped Bodice bookstore--all about romance--where I'll be in great company, too: Sheila Roberts and Meg Tilly!

And somewhere in there, I'm fitting in some editing and writing time.  Things will hopefully become less stressful on Friday--but I'm certainly enjoying this busy week!

Crazy Weather

I had a surprise this morning. Rain. And not just some little drizzle. I measure rainfall by puddles left and if the orange tree barks gets shiny. The puddles were substantial and the orange tree bark was not super shiny, but definitely had gotten wet.

A rain storm in May in most parts of the country is no big deal. But here in Southern California it is. So much so that even a little bit of rain broke records for the day. This storm was described as a winter storm on the news the night before.

One big difference between a storm in February and the storm we had last night is the smell of the air. In the winter it is a wet smell, but now the air is sweet with blooming flowers and growing things. The air felt softer, too.

It reminded me of the snow I saw in Chicago a few weeks ago. It was strange to see thick flakes falling with a backdrop of trees with newly opened green leaves. The birds chirped in confusion or so I imagined. Despite it snowing all day, it left only a dusting that disappeared as soon as the snow stopped falling.

The upside of all this crazy weather is that it makes it easy to stay inside hovering over my computer.

　

　

Great Escapes Blog Tour and More

Lots going on now to promote my new mystery For A Good Paws and my writing in general.

First, I'm currently on a Great Escapes Blog Tour, which has one or two blogs each day featuring my book in a spotlight, or a review, or an interview of my, or an interview of my protagonist Carrie Kennersly--or a combo of those.  It's a lot of fun trying to keep up with them.  Plus, there are giveaways, so it's also fun to learn who's been following them.

I've also been featured on a Pens, Paws and Claws blog, which is fun because all the bloggers there also write mysteries and love animals.  Sounds like me, doesn't it?

I always have a post at A Slice of Orange blog on the sixth of every month, but this month I was interviewed a couple of days earlier in addition to my regular post.  And an interview of Carrie appeared at Dru's Book Musings on May 9.

On Saturday, May 18, I will be one of the authors at the Anaheim Library for Romance Authors Day.  The next week, I will be interviewed for a podcast for All Things Cozy.  And then on Thursday, May 23, I will be on a panel at The Ripped Bodice bookstore, where I'll be in great company, too: Sheila Roberts and Meg Tully!

And yes, while all this is going on, I'll be working on meeting an upcoming deadline that's not far away.

If you're reading this and you're local, please come visit me at the Anaheim Library and Ripped Bodice!  Let me know, too, if you'd like a list of my blog tour posts, those that have been and those that are upcoming.

Oh, and please also come chat with me on the Writerspace Facebook page on Tuesday, May 21.

Not Write

Why is it that with the best of plans for writing time something gets in the way?

I  got everything done this morning for the event our business is putting on tonight.  And then the afternoon was going to be all mine to spend with Casey.  I left her in the middle of conversation when I stopped working the other day.  In the meantime another character showed up.  Actually he'd been in the shadows but I hadn't realized he was there.

I guess that sounds kind of crazy so let me explain.  In this Yarn Retreat mystery, there is another retreat going on at the same time.  It happens to be a mindful weekend that was arranged by Kevin St. John, the manager of Vista Del Mar.  I knew that Kevin wouldn't be the one who actually facilitated the workshops so there had to be someone else.  I just didn't think about who it was until Sky Brooks showed up in his bare feet, yoga leggings and pony tail.

When I rewrite I will thread him through the book, for now I'm writing as if he's been in the story all along.  I was thrilled when he showed up in my mind since I see now he was definitely a missing link.

It probably does sound strange when I talk about a character showing up unexpectedly, but that is the thing about writing.  Even if you have a plan, characters and events seem to present themselves.  I hear their voice and see them - but not in the kind of way that I think they're real. 

The surprises are probably the most fun.  Then I started thinking about how the other characters would respond to Sky, whose real name is Bob and before he opened the yoga and Pilates studio in Cadbury by the Sea, California, he was a banker in San Francisco.

I started this talking about the writing time that didn't happen.  Just as I was about to settle in I got tapped to help with two problems that couldn't be put off, along with discovering that someone broke a CFL bulb in the garage.  I needed to research  how to clean it up.   And the next thing I knew it was almost time to go.  And then I figured out the only writing I was going to get done was this.

But at least I got myself excited about the story.