Another Famous Author I Know/Stalked.

This is for Janet Evanovich, a smokin' author of the Stephanie Plum books-and others too. I have met Janet (and Alex) twice. Once when my friends and I went to Omaha to a book signing. We dressed up as the characters and waited in line for four hours, but it was worth it! Later I spoke with her again at RWA National Conference where she was the keynote speaker. This week Smokin' Seventeen comes out! I am excited to read more from my favorite characters! And I am think there is supposed to be some smokin' action with THREE men to choose from! Enjoy my pictures!

The Road Trip to Janet.

Here are all of the book characters from our book trip to Omaha. Mustang Sally a.k.a Carol the Chip Lady-Had a bad day and stole the Frito truck. Penny as the heroine Stephanie Plum. Linda as a youthful Grandma Mazur. Morgan as Joyce, the husband stealer. Janet had a special name for her. Started with a "B:! Robin as Vinnie's secretary Connie. That mustache is fake...she says.




From the Road Trip.

Incognito Writing

This is me writing on my back porch. I am rocking my nightgown, jacket, blanket, sunglasses and hat. Why such a strange combo? It was cold, kind of windy, and I have to sit in the shade with my sunglasses to be able to see the computer screen. Ah, the glamorous life!

EVEN More Famous Authors

Originally some HeRA-ites Shannon K. Butcher, Sherry Foley, and Liz Lafferty Other HeRA-ites Amy Knupp and Janette Kenney. And Cherry Adair

More Famous Authors I've met.

Leigh Greenwood (How many of you knew he was a man?-----Jennifer Crusie----- Jo Beverly----- Brenda Novak

Me and Famous People in the BIZ

Goldie's Fangirl Name Dropping Best Selling Authors-Eloisa James Linda Howard NORA Roberts-Who has touched my thigh! Agent Deidre Knight

A teaser for YOU!

Wonder what it is like in the mind of a killer? Well, here is how my book Mirror Images begins.

This one was harder to kill than the others. You would think a skinny little second grader wouldn’t be so hard to drown. I mean really! The other ones it was just hit ‘em in the head with a rock, smear a little blood on the pool’s edge, and then roll ‘em in the water. None of this fighting to the top stuff. I can’t be waiting around forever. The sun’s coming up and I need to get home before I am missed.

Time to take the plunge.

Literally.


And that is just the beginning...you might want to learn more when you read about my male protagonist Marty's trip through adolescence with his twin brother Max. Girls, family issues, trust, and some deaths. Can Marty figure out who the killer is? And does he want to? Might be too close to home for comfort!

This book for teens has it all.

Go Me! Go Me!

So after a slow start partly due to being sick and partly due to a lack of confidence, I am now writing away on my YA Mirror Images. I have had the time to go back and take what I have written, spread it all out, and make a plan to make everything flow. I can actually say I am in more of the polishing portion of editing. Yep, it isn't just a rough draft anymore. So Go ME! Go ME!

Today I unleashed my improved first chapter on my critique partners and comments were favorable. I have some things to fix and I learned some things to do and not do from my partners and from comments on their works.

Self-doubt is always my biggest problem when it comes to writing and now even I can see some progress. I like my stories. I like my characters. And I am ready to bring this book home.

Good times!

School's OUT!

School's out! School's out! Teacher let the TEACHER out!

Hurray! I am officially finished for was a really LONG year! (Okay, a couple of meetings, but not too bad.)

I love summer vacation! Although I would like to point out that I never get three months off. We end late and start early and I have recover and prepare for school year onslaught on my time.

But for now...it is summer. I can sleep late if I want, don't have to wash clothes during the weekend, eat lunch in restaurants, and wear comfortable clothes...like my all day pajamas. I can garden, go shopping, swim, and visit with friends and family.

But I can also write. And thank goodness. End of school I am just too busy. I know others can work, raise kids, and still write. I have found I simply cannot. Maybe it is my age or maybe teaching is harder...and it is, I find myself too tired at night to write.

So, now is my golden time. I can organize, regroup, set new goals, and get to meet with the other writers I do not have time to meet with during the year. I can write early or late and as much or as often as I want without having to hurry off to take care of something. I can shut the door to my office, crank the volume on my I-pod, and actually have regular writing time.

But first...laundry.