Mixed Bag

Okay, so I'm finally getting around to reading the books that have been in my TBR pile forever.  If you want to get my take on Out for Blood by Kristen Painter - a book I've had since October and only just finished - head on over to Killer Chicks where I'm doing a Random Fandom.  Right now, I'm reading Last Kiss Goodnight by Gena Showalter (that I've had at least since my daughter was still living with us).  The final really forgotten TBR book is How to Drive a Dragon Crazy by G.A. Aiken - sitting in my possession since last September. 

In the Springfield, MO paper this past Sunday, they had an article about the top jobs for introverts.  I don't know if these were in order, but Writer was listed fifth.  Well, duh.  The only issue I had with the whole thing is it said the median income for writers is $55K a year.  Umm, suuuuure.  I'll be expecting that check from my 'employer' forthwith.  I could use a cool $55K.

I got excited yesterday because I got a check in the mail for a little computer consulting I did.  A whopping $100.  And it was from my mom.  (No, I don't charge my mother for helping her personally.  She doesn't even own a computer.  What she does do is take care of the family business and I consult for that.  When I do, she shoots a little scratch my way.)  I cashed it, bought lunch and then paid for this week's 200 lbs of deer feed.  So much for being a little rich.  LOL

I didn't tell anyone this, but I entered a contest last month.  It was called Femme Fatale and Gemma Halliday was putting it on.  I got notified last night that I didn't make the cut, but the race was pretty tight.  Win or not, it was fun to enter and hope for a little while.  I'd like to thank Gemma for the opportunity and for such a quick turnaround time on that sucker.  No waiting there.  Hallelujah.

The doe I've named Scarlet (because she has a couple large scars on her sides and calling her 'Scar' was making me feel bad) shows up almost every day, but I assumed she hadn't had a fawn this year.  I mean, she never had one with her, so I made a logical assumption.  And of course, I felt bad for her.  This morning, though, she had her own fawn with her!  Yay for Scarlet!

I didn't write a single word all weekend.  (Well, not a word having to do with fiction.  I wrote blogs and emails and junk.)  Consequently, my goal of a chapter a day ended up two days behind.  Bleh.  Yesterday, in an effort to catch back up, I rewrote about 5K words.  Only a chapter behind now.  Of course, my hands are sausages today, but I will keep forging ahead.  (As long as the Aspercreme keeps doing its job.)

Yeah, even with not working all weekend, I still managed over 16K words for the week of the 7th.  Woohoot! 

Anything in your mixed bag today? 

Oh, and if you haven't stopped by The Guide, Maria Zannini did an excellent post on finding the right cover for your book. 

Nothing here - Go There

Hey Everyone!  Sorry I've got nothing today.  But go over to The Guide and check out Maria Zannini's guest post: Covers that Wow.  Definitely a keeper.

=o)

The Hard Decisions

As I've mentioned before, I've been busting my hump pretty hard to get this book re-written.  A chapter a day is the goal.  Sometimes I hit it, sometimes I don't.  But this book deserves to be finished.  I have two weeks worth of work left, approximately.  Once that's done?

I'm putting this book away.  I won't be trying to get it published and I won't be seeking an agent.

Sounds silly, doesn't it?  Why bother finishing it when I'm not planning on doing anything with it?  (And oh, my god, what a colossal waste of time.)  I've thought all that through the course of today, believe me. 

It's not silly.  I made myself a promise and I'm going to keep it.  There's nothing silly about that.  Just the fact that this will be polished and lovely and complete makes it worth finishing.

As for not doing anything with it, I made the choice for a few simple reasons...

We live in a fucked up world.  Just last year or the year before a literary agent was attacked.  Not because she represented a controversial author, but because she did her job and didn't take on an author she didn't want to represent.  She didn't do anything controversial.

This book is controversial.  I love it with all my heart and I totally believe in the ideas I set forth in it.  But let's face it, folks, I'm too old to get embroiled in the shitstorm that will come after a book like this.   I like my life.  It's laid back.  There's no drama.  I love my husband, too, and he's finally at a point in his life where he doesn't have shitstorms and drama swirling around him.  I don't wanna put that back on him for anything. 

Even for the chance of this book becoming the next Fahrenheit 451.

Plus, my mom doesn't need to hide the fact that I'm her daughter.  My kid won't have to pretend I'm not her mom.  My friends can keep associating with me and I can keep associating with them without worrying whether the crazies are going to visit their homes, blogs, websites, booksignings... You get the point.

And yeah, I'm afraid.  Who wouldn't be?  Hell, J.K. Rowling weathered a storm because she wrote about a little boy at a school for wizards and witches.  This isn't even cute or sweet or magical.  These characters of mine are adults doing adult things that will piss people off.

I could, of course, go all 'under the radar' and publish under a pseudonym, but I don't want to have to hide who I am.  That's part of the point of not moving ahead with publication.  Either way, it'll be some kind of hiding.  I am proud of this novel.  I wrote it.  If it ever got published, I'd sure as hell want my name on it.  I'd want to get out there and do booksignings, and schmooze and point to this with a smile, saying 'yep, that's my book'.  Can't do that if Alice Nobody has her name on my book (even if she's supposed to be me... or I'm her... or whatever.)


Anyway, I'll still be busting my ass for the next couple weeks.  But then I'll switch to something equally awesome, but less 'oh my god, this book goes against my ideas so I have to harass the author, her family, and anyone who might agree with her'. 

Sometimes we have to make the hard decisions to give up something we value in order to protect the things we value more.  It's not a sacrifice.  It's a choice.

If any of my friends* wish to read it, they can.  They just need to let me know and I'll shoot a copy once the rewrite is done.  (Just reading, no critiquing - because I'm shelving this so why waste your time.)  The rest of you will have to wait for the next piece of literary brilliance - which may or may not still piss a sector of the populous off (we take that chance with every story we write, don't we?), but it won't piss off the ones who've already proven they are armed and aren't afraid to blow people up to make a point.

Ever had to make a tough choice?  You don't have to talk about it if you aren't comfortable - just a yes or no will suffice.

*You know who you are. 

Nothing Fancy Chicken Salad

I just finished making chicken salad.  It's my go-to recipe and it's perfect for when it's too hot to think about cooking.  But it's nothing fancy...

Remember, a lot of my recipes are 'to taste', so feel free to play with the ingredients.  Find something YOU like - just make sure you write it down.  (I can't tell you how many dishes I've thrown together that I loved but can't remember what I did when the meal was over.)

Chicken Salad

2 cans white meat chicken chunks (drained)
1/2 can sliced black olives
1/4 diced large onion (about 2 T)
1 - 1 1/2 celery stacks - sliced thin
Salad dressing
salt
pepper
tarragon

Dump the cans of chicken into a large bowl and use a fork to get the chunks broken down a bit.  Add the olives, onion and celery.  Squirt or spoon - I use squirtable salad dressing - about a 1/2 to 3/4 cup of salad dressing (or mayo depending on your tastes) and add a dash or two of tarragon into the bowl.  Stir until combined.  Taste test.  Add more salad dressing and tarragon, along with a little salt and pepper, until the chicken salad has the taste you enjoy.  Let it sit for at least an hour so the flavors can meld.

I use dried chopped tarragon and cheap salad dressing, but you can use whatever blows your skirt up.  This time around the chicken was Tyson, because they had a two-can pack on sale.  And I'm using Lindsay olives.  I also used Vidalia onion this time.  They're in season and they're so awesome. 

Later, I'll put the chicken salad on a tortilla with a slice of lettuce, maybe pickles or sliced grape tomatoes, and some cheese, and make a wrap.  Hubs will probably use sourdough and make a regular sandwich.  Or you can eat it right out of the bowl.

A Sign I've Been In This Book Too Long

I was just scrolling down my dashboard looking at blogs to read when I saw the name 'Kate' and thought "Wait a second, isn't she supposed to be dead?"

Ummm, yeah.  In the book, she's dead.  In real life?  Well, she doesn't exist in real life, now does she?

Definitely a sign I've been deep in this book too long.

Anything like that ever happen to you?

Happy Independence Day!

I know this isn't the slated holiday for it, but if you see a soldier, sailor, airman, etc., give him or her a hug.  They work every day to make sure our country enjoys its freedom.

(The guy on the right in both pics is my dad.  USAF for eleven years.  Big thanks to my brother for scanning all these old photos and sending them to me.)

Hair, Beautiful Hair

I'm breaking down and getting a haircut today.  I'm way overdue - again.  I don't know what it is about getting my hair cut that makes me drag it out.  I'm all like 'meh' until I notice myself pulling it into a ponytail every damn day and then I need it cut NOW.  This time around it's been like 5 months - and I need a cut so bad I almost whacked it off myself yesterday.  "Hand me the scissors and to hell with looking good!"  Yah, didn't go there. Thank goodness.

Maybe it's that I haven't really had a good haircut in 9+ years.  When I lived in Utah, there was this one gal who did an awesome job on my hair - and then she moved.  She was the last great haircut I had.  The Utah gal after her was so-so.  My first beautician in Colorado should've changed her sign to say "Butcher".  Then I found another gal who was alright, but she moved.  And her replacement was so-so. 

I'm totally dying for a good cut.  But I'm not getting my hopes up. 

And it's not like I get anything difficult done.  Cut it like whatever picture I bring in for you.  I even try to get big pictures with good definition so you can see how the cut should be done.  And for 9+ years, I've walked out with hair that looks nothing like the pic I gave her. 

A few years back I took the Kid to Walmart and she got this guy, Daylen.  He was wicked awesome.  Her hair was wicked awesome, too.  And he was fun.  I wanted him to be my sassy gay friend.  (Out and proud in the NE plains of Colorado, bless his heart.)  But I didn't need a haircut that day and he was never there when I went back. 

So, today, I'm headed to the Walmart here.  We'll see what happens.  If I'm lucky, I'll come out looking like this:

or this:

(only darker with gray because I don't color my hair.)

If I'm not lucky, I'll come out like this:

Keep your fingers crossed.