So once again I’m a liar and we’re not going into the city.

This time I totally blame the husband, and have his permission to blame him, too, because he wasn’t “prepared” enough.

Sigh….what can I say? He’s a planner.

But I do think we’re going to drive down to the South shore to see the ocean. And maybe drive too see all the fancy houses in the Hamptons.

Whatever we do, I’ll try to take some pictures to post tomorrow!

Hope everyone is having a great (and relaxing) weekend!

Ok, I’ve been putting off blogging all morning because I haven’t really had anything much to say. But it’s getting late now so I figured I’d better think of something to say, but it’s all random.

***

If you’ve ever thought of joining RWA OnLine, this is the time to do it and need a kick in the pants when it comes to writing (and lets face it, what writer doesn’t). We’re gearing up for our annual Kia writing marathon to start on Sunday and hosted by yours truly. We’re doing a Hollywood theme this year so it should be lots of fun - and productive!

***

I know I’ve been saying this for the past several weekends, but we’re really going to try to head into NYC tomorrow. Probably just to walk around, get the lay of the land and such, probably see a show. It’s been years since I’ve been there, so tomorrow we’ll probably just to do the tourist thing (as much as I hate being a tourist).

***

I’m critting for Kendra. It’s an awesome book - everybody should read The Prophacy, but unfortunatly it’s brining up a rather painful subject for me.

I’m sick of vamps.

Luckily this book is good, or it’d be much more painful for me, but I think I must have OD’d on vamps because they are just not my book of choice at the moment.

Any body else have books that they’re sick of? OD’d on?

***

Lastly, what’s everybody up to this weekend? Fun stuff?

Apparently I’m still a bit eh, ’cause I’ve been sitting here for awhile trying to think of something to blog about and I got nothin. A big heaping load of nothin.

Anyway, my trip to Starbucks yesterday was a moderate success. I got a fair amount done, but I sat beside the most annoying guy ever.

It was a man and a woman obiously on some kind of “pre-date” thing after meeting through some online match thing. Trust me, it was obvious, even if they didn’t talk about it later.

I don’t know why either of them were there in the middle of the day and not at work. And I don’t know why she was in her sweats (not the attire I would have chosen for a date). But I spent an hour and a freaking half hearing all about his divorce, his crazy ex-wife (though he still out of the goodness of his heart gave her custody of the kids), all the travels he’s taken, his kids, and how he’s gods gift to the world.

Excuse me if it was hard for me to get into my brooding hero with this guy in the room.

Finally, they left (though they are going to meet for dinner) and I though, “ah, peace.”

I’m in New York now remember.

The next guy that sat down near me preceded to tell the woman he was with all about this movie he saw that takes place in Itly. Not ItAly. Itly.

And he must have said it a thousand times.

Itly. Itly. Itly. Itly. Itly. Itly. Itly. Itly.

Go ahead, tell me it’s not annoying.

So that was the breaking point and I left. I went to the grocery store but forgot pretty much all the important stuff - you know, like milk.

So I spent the rest of the day working on a knitting project which should already be finished, and capped off my perfectly annoying day by watching Terri Irwin on 20/20 and bawling my eyes out.

So how was your humpday yesterday? Any annoying stories for you to share?

I feel - eh.

Not good, not bad, just…well, eh.

And as far as I’m concerned that’s the worst way for a writer to feel. I can deal with happiness, cranking out the pages. I can deal with sadness, working through deep emotions. But when I’m just feeling generally eh, the writing just seems eh.

I managed to do a bit more cutting and pasting yesterday but nothing major. I spent more time procrastinating than anything else.

I’ve got to run to the grocery store today before I can make dinner (we’re still stocking up on basics from the move and I forgot we don’t have flour) so I think I’ll take the laptop and spend some quality time at Starbucks this afternoon.

It’s Pumpkin spice latte time of year. And I could totally go for a blueberry scone, the kind with big sugar crystals on top. Yum. Of course it’s pumpkin pastry time of year, too.

Hey, that made me happy - see, Starbucks always works!!

So, tell me, what’s your coffee shop drink of choice? Pastry?

I had quite a successful day yesterday!

I did a lot of cutting and pasting on my LSB story. I would have done real cutting and pasting, and I t hink I would have gotten much more done, but my printer is out of ink so I had to resort to the modern version of cutting and pasting.

It’s odd to think a day successful when you go from 8,000 words to 2,000 words, but I know that the story is much better for it.

Well, actually there is a story to it now.

Sometimes I give my characters too much credit. I know that I create and control them, but I put so much faith in the fact that I do is well that sometimes I forget that they’re not real and I can manipulate them.

I spent 8,000 words with my characters doing the horizontal mambo and not a whole hell of a lot else. I kept waiting for them to tell me what to do.

But then I remembered - THEY’RE NOT REAL.

BUT, they were acting real. I mean, if you had the choice wouldn’t you spend your days (and nights) in bed? Who in their right mind (real or imagined) would choose to have any contact at all with a rogue demon?

So, hopefully I’ll do some more cutting and pasting today and crank up that word count. I feel much better about my deadline now that I actually have a story and not just a bunch of sexin’.

But please, tell me, am I the only one who gives my characters too much credit sometimes? Do you have to reign them in or is it harder for you to let them loose?

Did everybody have a fun weekend?

I did. On Saturday we went to the Aquarium. While it wasn’t the biggest aquarium I’ve ever been to, the exhibits they did have were pretty nice. Lots of colorful fishies and stuff. Plus, since it was on the smaller (and pricey) side there weren’t really that many people.

They had a cool big shark tank and sea lions and penguins. There were also a couple touch tanks where you could pet rays and horshoe craps and starfish and stuff. Neat, but I kept my hands firmly in my sleeve.

When I look at stuff like that the kids love, I don’t see a big pool of water, I see germs. Oh well.

Anyway, after a quick stop at the outlet mall where we got the hubster some new work clothes, we headed home.

Yesterday we went to the Long Island Apple Festival. It’s supposed to be the cultrual event of the year. If it is…I’m a bit scared.

It was fun, they had lots of fun stuff for kids (of which I am not one, nor do I have any). Other than that, it was mostly mingling.

Although they did have a revolutionary war cooking demonstration and I tried some Curried Apple Soup which was really yummy (it was only later that I learned they have the same thing every year so even though I was excited, everyone else had tried it years ago).

What did you all do this weekend? While it was nice to get away from the writing, I have a feeling I’m going to have a rough time getting back into it today.

I’m posting at SEx, Word Flirts and Torrid Temptations today.

I’m posting about Men and Chocolate (mostly Chocolate) at SEx.

Posting about Pen Names at Word Flirts.

And Fall at Torrid Temptations.

Come by and Say hi!

So, last night the hubster came home from work early - about 5ish I think and we went to get him a new (used) car. After that we went to TGI Friday’s for dinner and then walked around the mall a bit (mostly hung out in the apple store making wish lists).

We got home at about 8:30ish and I called my friend in Florida who had just gotten back from a part with some friends in Chicago (okay, last weekend).

Well, the next thing I knew the hubster was in bed and it was 11. I went to bed but couldn’t sleep - mostly because I was very confused as to where my evening went. The last I remember looking at the clock, it was about 1:30.

The hubster was taking a work field trip to the NYSE today so he had to get up at freaking 5:00 to get to work by 6:15 where a car service would drive him into the city.

Well, once he was up, so was I. And after he left this stupid house made lots of scary noises. I stayed in bed, more awake than asleep for a few more hours, but…well, I’m still sleepy.

And while I have coffee, I don’t have any creamer! It’s looking to be a looong day.

But while I was on the phone last night the hubster uploaded some photos. At long last I can share a picture of my new desk!

Isn’t it pretty? What’s everyone doing this weekend?

I’d really love to come up with a psot about writing - something earth shatteringly brilliant (ok, everyone can stop laughing now), but I just get quite get my brain in the right place.

Plus, whenever I feel this urge, I’m usually already late blogging or have something else to do so don’t have long to post. Obviously my subconscious is trying to tell me something, but damned if I know what.

So, here’s a question for you that’s mostly about writing (and pretty deep, too).

What’s your process? Plotter? Pantster? Do you make those super cool collages ala Jenny Crusie?

For me, lately the only way I can get words on paper is long hand.

And I hate every second of it.

Writing longhand means I don’t have the little word count button at the bottom of my screen that tells me excaxtly how much more I have to write. Writing longhand means after the books is written, I have to spend time transcribing the whole damn thing. And while I’m a pretty good typer, I’m much better when the words are coming from my brain to my fingers - when I’m just transcribing without thinking, my typing blows!

So, lets talk process today. What’s your process? Do you like it? How do you wish you could write?

Join Venus Press for 3 days of saying good-bye to summer, with a party!!! Excerpts, chatting, fun, prizes and alot of authors will keep their readers entertained.
September 20th, 21st and 22nd, there’s no other place to be, except at VP Chatters.

I’ll be there tomorrow at 11 posting excerpts and stuff, but stop by any time!

And speaking of Venus Press, I just got my amazingly beautiful new cover for Commuting - my Sexy Confession to Venus Story.

Isn’t it pretty?

And, it was made by VP’s Super Awesome Editor Extrodinnare Tracey!

Have you checked out the Sexy Confessions to Venus yet? They’re very short, very HOT stories that take a few minutes to read, but seriously raise your heat level. And the best part - they’re only $1.50!!

You should head on over and try a few, there’s contemp and historical and paranormal - anything you want, as long as you want HOT!

Finally, VP’s End of Summer Blowout wouldn’t be a Blowout without prizes. To learn more about the VP Scavenger Hunt going on now until the 22, click here.