I’ve been a busy bee!! Apparently a good way not to be too bummed about Nationals is to be so incredibly busy you don’t even have a chance to think about it!

We left early Thursday morning and got to New Jersey mid-day-ish. I was put to work then, and didn’t reallly stop until I got in the car to come home yesterday.

The wedding was very nice. Weddings in general aren’t really my cup of tea, but this one was beautifully personal to the bride and groom. It was in the church the bride grew up in and since her dad is a musician, there was a jazz song in the middle of the ceremony. It was very nice.

The reception was wonderful, too, except I over did myself during the cocktail hour - food wise, not drink wise, and so dancing wasn’t as fun as it would have been on an empty stomach, lol!

The groom (my BIL) is in the Navy, so they did a sword arch when leaving the church, so that was cool. The bride made her own dress (she just graduated from art school) and made all of the bouquets and centerpieces.

The rehearsal dinner (”wedding eve celebration”) was at the In-laws house which meant we worked hard to get it ready for company. The other SIL and I did a lot of cooking. And yesterday there was a brunch at the house before we left for home. I was exhausted!

I slept in obscenely late today.

Anyway, we brought an extra body home with us in the form of the Hubsters cousin (second cousin if you want to get technical) from Australia. He’s been in England for the last 7 months on his gap year (the year between high school and college) so made his way across the Atlantic for the wedding. Now he’s off exploring DC.

So, what did everyone else do this weekend? Did I miss anything good?

There were 8 people staying at the in-laws last night, so I have plenty of time to blog while I wait for the shower.

2 bathrooms.

But 8 people isn’t so bad. Tomorrow we’re going to have 10 and we all have to be up, showered, and well dressed (about half of them in either tuxes or Navy uniforms) by 9 for the wedding.

Anyway…

Karen tagged me with this.

1. When did you first start blogging and why?

Saturday, September 18, 2004.

I was brand new to the Washington DC area and didn’t really have anything better to do. I started my blog as a way to track my writing progress and a way to force myself to write every day.

2. What don’t you talk about?

I try not to get too personal about things. I want to be a little bit myseterious, you know.

3. Are you and your blogging persona the same person?

I dunno. I wish they weren’t, but probably we’re very similar.

4. How do you use blogging to build friendships?

I spend an abnormally long amount of time blog hopping each day. I know more about some of my blog friends than I do people I know in person.

5. How would you describe your writing style?

Easy. I don’t try very hard with my blog. I don’t do spell check, half of the time I’m not sure if my grammar is correct. It’s a way to get the juices flowing first thing in the morning (okay, and it’s not always first thing).

I tag: No fair, most everyone is at Nationals so there’s not that many people to tag. I’ll tag… anyone.

Answer one of these questions in the comments and you’ll be entered again. (I know I never told you about prizes, but I have some books to giveaway that I don’t want to donate to the library but don’t want to move either - a few ARC’s I think, plus some other stuff).

If you don’t have a blog but want to play, have you ever though of blogging? Why don’t you?

Or just New Jersey-wards I guess.

I’m off to a wedding for the weekend. While I will have posts this weekend, they will probably be of the “tag - I’m it” variety.

Still, I want to have some fun.

I have at least 2 giveaways, possibly more for this weekend. I just have to think of a way to do it.

How about…for every post you make over the weekend - until I get up and get to the computer Monday actually (so we’ll have the contest open until Monday, noon EST to make a round #) - you’ll get an entry into the contest. One comment = one entry, two comments = 2 entries, I think you get the idea. Although, I will make the rule of only one comment per post, I think.

I’ll also open things up to my Word Flirts post on Saturday (what can I say, I’m desperate to get rid of stuff).

So today, tell me what fun things you’ve got planned for the weekend!

I wrenched my back this morning. In bed. And I wasn’t even doing anything fun!!

It’s one of those turn the wrong way and stretch at the same time things so basically the entire right side of me hurts, and I can’t really turn my head, or breathe too deeply.

Sucks.

But at least it’s an excuse for laying on the couch all day - and writing of course.

And lots of people are off in Atlanta…

I hate them. Not all the time, but I hate them for this week, LOL.

Actually, that’s not true. I’m not missing Nationals as much as I thought I would. I looked through the workshop booklet and didn’t think there were too many MUST SEE workshops.

I am going to miss the RWA Online party and the Passionate Ink Party - mostly ’cause I want to go to the Atlanta aquarium.

I certainly don’t miss having to fly into and out of the Atlanta airport, aka Emma’s own personal hell. I swear, if there is such a thing as hell, it looks EXACLTY like Hartsfield Airport.

I miss meeting new people, though I admit last year I didn’t meet as many people as I would have liked - damn shyness. And the people I did meet were mostly just in passing. I generally stayed with my Maryland chaptermates. Not that they weren’t fun - they were TONS of fun - but I missed my opportunity to meet new people.

I miss having an agent appointment. I could possibly get an agent if I’d get off my lazy ass and submit something to one, but I’ve yet to do that. So…an agent appointment would really help with that. And then, once I had something package and prepared once, I could send it out to lots of people with just minor changes. So I miss that.

What’s everyone else missing about not going to Nationals?

I feel like my posts lately have been kind of a downer. Sorry ’bout that.

Anyway I hoping (fingers crossed) that I’ll get better because of doing more writing. I think I plotted out most of a novella in the shower this morning so hopefully I’ll get lots of work done on that.

And actually, aside from my own neuroses, I think the dark paranormal is going pretty well too.

Lately though I’m having trouble judging length. When I start writing, I have absolutely no clue how long this story I’m trying to tell is going to end up being!

For the dark paranormal, which is to be part of an LSB anthology, I think I’m supposed to be around 30,000 words (and I suppose I should check to see if that’s min or max - I’m thinking min). I think that will be around where I end, though I don’t know since I don’t really have a good sense of what’s going on yet - I don’t have much of that whole conflict thing yet.

The novella I started last night, I’m thinking I may sub to the Ellora’s Caveman anthology. From what I’ve read of the anthologies (and unfortunately I can’t go back and look because the books are all packed up) this story may not necessarly fit, but it doesn’t really have any other prospects at the moment. Not to say that one of my other pubs wouldn’t take it if I subbed it there - if it’s good, they probably would. But, well, it doesn’t hurt me at all to sub it somewhere else.

So that’s it on the writing front for me. Hopefully I’ll be a busy little bee with the writing and packing for the next little bit.

Or at least until I have to go away this weekend…and have to bring an Aussie cousin home…and then have to pack up my apartment…and…and…and…

There’s always and…

So, the World Cup and Wimbledon have been over for a few weeks now, but now the Tour de France has finally ended, and I have no idea what to do with myself.

You know, besides actually write and pack up my apartment.

I packed some during the day yesterday and ended up packing my entire TBR pile. Not smart.

But at least that means I won’t be spending time reading when I should be writing.

And to top it all off, I was doing okay with the fact that I wasn’t going to be going to Atlanta, but now I’m starting to get bummed. I mean, it’s not like I’ll be sitting at home - I’ll be in New Jersey at a wedding so I’ll be keeping busy. But still…

So, who else is going to be around this coming weekend? I’d say it’d be blog party time but I won’t be home. See, I’m going to miss EVERYTHING!

On the schedule for me this week is 1, Write, write and more writing. 2. Pack for this shindig. Yeah, an easy week!

Oh, and watch this space for impromptu contests this week. I’ve got some stuff to get rid of as I clean out my office.

You, too, could win mysterious goodies. Mwahhahaha. Too much? Oh well.

Today’s Interview is with fellow LSBer Celine Chatillon.

Can you roll your tongue? Touch your tongue to your nose? Do any other bizarre tricks with your body?

Goodness gracious no! I’m one of those “tongue challenged” people. I can fold the thing in half, and that’s about it.

The only “bizarre tricks” my body does is when my neck or back goes “out” and I’m stuck in an awkward and painful position. ;)

If you were stuck in the dark with no flashlight( and couldn’t have sex) what would you do?

No sex? Hmm…I’d probably start whistling or singing and then feeling my way around to find a nice comfy spot to curl up in. I’d sleep until the lights came back on–or until some sexy hunk happened in on me wanting to occupy my time better! :)

Stealing from James Lipton (Inside the Actors Studio), what’s your favorite word? Your least favorite?

Good question! How about “meringue”.
Least favorite: “Bills”.

Do you play an instrument? Well? What and for how long?

(This question actually sounds pretty kinky at first.) :)

I took about six years of piano. But no, I’m not gifted like my older brother is in that area. I do sing with a semi-professional chorus, however. (So the music lessons didn’t totally get wasted on me.)

If you could win an Olympic medal what sport would it be in?

Ice dancing! I’ve always wanted to fly across the ice in the arms of a handsome skater… Ahhh!

If you were a tree, what kind would you be? What kind of flower?

Oak maybe? (Because I’m full of nuts and squirrels?) Tulip–because no matter which way you plant me, I’ll come up and face the sun eventually. :)

Do you believe in the paranormal? Have you ever had any first hand experience?

At the risk of alienating my readers, no, I’m not that big into the paranormal. I’ll write about it and enjoy reading about it, but I don’t really believe in ghosts, psychic experiences, ouija boards, vampires, etc.

I have been accused of “reading people’s minds” however. I credit this to my psychology background and my ability to observe body language rather than to supernatural abilities. (Hey, I’m a skeptic who grew up reading hard Sci-Fi–it’s hard to dive straight into fantasy!)

If you were a crayon, what color would you be?

“Disorganized”. Don’t they have one labeled like that yet? ;) It’s sort of a cool mixture of all colors–like a psychedelic rainbow.

What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Decisions, decisions! All of the above. (Maybe Pralines and Cream is at the top.)

If you could be any animal, what would it be?

At the moment, our cat. He gets into all kinds of mischief, but we promptly forgive him since he’s so darn cuddly and cute. Wish I was that way, too. :)

If you were a super hero what would your power be? What would you do with it?

“Super persuasion” abilities… I’d be able to persuade large numbers of people to buy and read my books and LOVE them and to tell all their friends to do the same. :)

Choose a word to describe a sunset. Why did you pick that word?

“Painted”… So many sunsets out in the west look like they are painted on the sky in water colors of pinks, purples, orange, reds, maroons and deep blues.

You can find out about all of her books here or purchase her LSB book, Help I’m Falling For the Vampire Next Door, here.

Cat posted this meme the other day and tagged the Great Escape Artists. I actually found it pretty helpful when I did it with my current characters.

I admit that I don’t necessarily understand all of the answers yet - especially Gwen’s, but it was a fun excercise, and I like it better than doing those super long character charts.

And some things that I thought would come out in these questions, totally didn’t. Damn characters thinking they’re smarter than me again.

I am: A walking, talking nightmare. Also known as Derek Boogart.
I want: To get myself out of this rut in which I’m living, or not living.
I wish: I knew it what it was like to be close to someone.
I hate: Some people.
I miss: You can’t miss things you never had.
I fear: I’m where nightmares come from, I don’t fear anything.
I hear: Screams.
I wonder: What’s the big deal with sunshine?
I regret: Nothing
I am not: Human
I dance: I don’t dance. That would really scare people.
I sing: See above answer re: dancing.
I cry: I’m the one that makes people cry.
I am not always: Nice. In fact I’m very rarely nice.
I made: A mistake when I got involved with Gwen.
I write: Orders for others to follow.
I confuse: Gwen
I need: Nothing
I should: Be working.
I start: What needs to be done.
I finish: What I start.

I am: Gwendolyn Matthews. Up and coming artist.
I want: To be able to sleep through the night again.
I wish: The man in my dreams was real.
I hate: Fear.
I miss: Thinking that things that go bump in the night didn’t exist.
I fear: Not feeling the same way I feel in my dreams.
I hear: His voice.
I wonder: If there’s anything I can do to make Derek happy.
I regret: Lying to my family. But sometimes…it’s just easier.
I am not: Sane anymore – at least I wonder that sometimes.
I dance: When I’m happy.
I sing: When I paint. The emotion in music speaks to me.
I cry: When something touches me – from a hallmark commercial to Derek’s pain.
I am not always: Honest with people.
I made: Enough money to quit my day job and paint full time.
I write: I don’t write. I draw.
I confuse: I’ve been told I confuse lust with love.
I need: To understand what’s happening in my dreams. Or am I really awake.
I should: Probably seek some kind of professional help.
I start: Painting things that shouldn’t exist.
I finish: Every thought, every idea, every dream, with Derek.

I tag: Anyone who things this would get their characters talking more.

The restlessness from yesterday is continuing today.

I’m just having a really hard time getting my mind to focus on anything. That means, not only am I not really getting much writing done, but I’m not getting much of anything else done either - have I mentioned that I have less than a month to pack up the whole apartment? And we really have a lot of crap.

Anyway, I’m not getting a ton done, but when I’m in this mood I like to go back and read some of my favorite books.

The thing is, in this mood I don’t even really read, it’s more like skimming. I read some of my favorite scenes, but usually I can flip through a category romance in less than an hour this way and a single title in under 2.

Usually I start in the middle. Sometimes I’ll read the first few pages if it’s a book I really don’t remember. A lot of times I only read the dialogue, skipping all of the big blocks of text.

And of course I read the love scenes. *Sigh*

I find Nora a good one for doing this, especially her older category titles. Same with Jayne Ann Krentz and her older category romances. Full Bloom is one of my all time favorites - it just leaves me feeling all warm and fuzzy.

Anyway, even though I’ve got tons of writing to do and even more other stuff to di, I think it’s likely that’s how I’m going to spend a majority of my day.

Does anyone else ever do this or am I crazy? What are some of your favorite books for rererading?

I wonder if I could chart to know if I always feel that way a day after release day.

Of course it could also be PMS.

Anyway, I have a lot of things to do today after making my list, but I can’t really say I think I’ll get much of it done. Sucks, but at least I know that going in so I won’t be too upset about it tonight.

So, I think I’m going to go to Target.

Target makes everything better - well, except for the bank account.

Did I tell you that my new house in Long Island is even closer to the target than where I live now? And it’s a Target Greatland. I have no idea what the hell that is since they look exactly like the regular targets to me, but it’s still fun!

I’m debating whether or not I should go to the grocery store by myself, too, or wait until the hubster gets home. The advantage of going now is that there are less people, and the hubster isn’t there to annoy me.

But, then I have to bring all of the groceries in by myself and that sucks.

Ahhh, I guess I’ll wait and see.

Anyway, I’m off to Target and the grocery stores, two things that don’t really need to be done today - well, ok, the grocery store does, instead of doing the things that I really should be doing.

What are some of your favorite ways to procrastinate?