My own worst enemy

I had my cards read last night. It was very cool, very interesting and very fun.

I've had my cards read before and it always amazes me when they hit on something that really makes sense. (Don't ask me why it amazes me--that's what I'm there for , right?)

Anyway, she said I was my own worst enemy. That I'm so caught up in the business worries and woes, that I'm hurting my own creativity. I knew this. Even as she was saying it, I was nodding my head. I've opening talked about how I hurt myself during the writing of WHISPERS with all my needless worrying. But sometimes I need to hear a thing before it really sinks past the curly hair, the skull and into that thing I call a brain.

So my "Two Days Before Halloween" resultion? No more worrying. I'm going to write my books the best I can and focus on what I can control. She told me to do mirror work. My family is going to think I'm nutso-but I am going to do it.

Twisted

I gave myself a perm today and now I look like Shirley Temple on steroids. I don't know why I decided to do this--I went to the dentist, the post office and then just drove over to the beauty supply store and bought a perm. I wasn't even thinking of doing it until I had the box in my hand. What's up with that?

The jury is still out on whether or not it looks good. I'll keep you posted.

Round Robin--Late but what's new

Okay, it's my turn again. And of course I'm late. I'm always late. My only excuse is that I've been guest blogger at Romantically Inclined this week. It's been so much fun, but it's used up a LOT of brain cells. Anyway, here we go. Two weeks ago April Harvey, our Round Robin contest winner, took us back to Fat Frank's Tooney Salooney on Calista Fox's blog. Then last week Kaia James gave us front row seats to a mud wrestling match. So here I go.

*************
As Frank and Glory made their way back to Frank's office, the PA system let out a filling-rattling whine and an unfamiliar voice came on.

"Ladies and gentlemen . . . tonight we have a special treat for you all."

Frank paused and Glory nearly ran into him. He turned and looked back at the mud ring. There stood a man he'd never seen before beside a naked woman with a white plastic bag over her head. The bag was loose and not formed to her face, so she could still breathe, but the man held a roll of duct tape in his hands and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what he intented to do with it.

Frank frowned as he looked for his men. Where were there? As he glanced from the doorway to the bar, he realized not one of them was at his post. Frank looked back to the woman in the ring. She was tiny, with pale white skin and small high breasts. Exposed and defenseless she shivered in the cold mud.

The guy with the mike was saying, "We'll let her have a word before the fun begins."

He thrust the microphone in front of her face and twisted her arm. She let out a cry and Frank made three simulataneous realizations.

He knew the woman with the bag over her face .

Someone had just stepped behind him and there was suddenly the unmistakeable feel of a gun at his back.

And he and Glory were screwed.

"Christ. It's Suzy up there," he said just before all hell broke loose.

****

"Are you sure about this?" Leann asked Aaron as they pulled into Fat Frank's parking lot.

"Oh, I'm sure. Everything leads back to Frank."

He stepped out of the car and Leann followed, eyeing the packed parking lot with misgiving. During business hours, the strange, cavorting characters took on a new persona. They shivered and jumped in the animated neon lighting. The rabbit in the hot dog bun made a continuous hand movement. At first she thought he was taking a bite of a carrot--like he always did before he said, "What's up, Doc?" But at second glance she realized it wasn't a vegetable he had in hand and he certainly wasn't biting it.

Aaron led her through the lot without even glancing at the porn-tunes. "I think we've been wrong all along. I don't think Suzy has what they want. I think it's Frank."

"Then why would they have Suzy?"

"Because Frank cares enough about her to give whatever it is up for her."

Frank and Suzy? The visual was more than Leann could take.

"Wait," she said, pulling his arm. "When did you figure this out?"

"About five minutes ago."

Suddenly Aaron stopped and he put out an arm, pushing Leann behind him. The doors to Fat Franks were closed. "These doors are always open," he said.

From inside a woman screamed, her voice coming over a PA system and carrying outside. And then a gun fired. In a flash Aaron was racing for the doors. From the corner of her eye, she saw his men rushing from different points in the lot. He hit the doors with his shoulder and they flew open.

Inside were wall to wall people, a layer of smoke that sat like a roof over their heads, and the smell of excited fear. Leann followed Aaron in but no one seemed to notice them. Aaron pushed to the front of the crowd and there was a woman with a bag pulled tight around her neck, the air already sucked out of it so that it formed to her face. Her hands had been bound behind her. The crowd watched in mounting horror as she flailed in the mud under the watchful eyes of armed me.

It was Suzy.

Check Kallie Owen's blog next week for the next installment. :-)

A Mistake I haven't made...

I found this link on publishers lunch and I've been reading this blog in an addictive, probably unhealthy manner. Then I hit this post and realized there was a reason--at last a career mistake I haven't made. LOL.

The question was: Why You Don't Want a Big Advance
The answer is understanding that accepting a six figure deal is one of the biggest career mistakes a first time author can make.

The comments are a riot (and mean)

Enter at your own risk and only if you don't have a deadline to make. If you're like me, you'll not be able to leave without reading more.

http://gawker.com/news/unsolicited/unsolicited-why-you-dont-want-a-big-advance-203569.php

Guest Blogger

Well today I have the pleasure of being guest blogger at Romantically Inclined. Check it out: http://romantically-inclined.blogspot.com/

Cool...

Hey, just found out WHISPERS by yours truly is a finalist in the Best Books 2006 National Book Awards. Yay!

Guilt

I feel guilty for not blogging, but honestly, I haven't really had a darned thing to say. I'm in a holding pattern with life, I guess. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing--just not a very newsworthy thing. September was a big push for me--got a new proposal off and the Desert Rose membership dinner plus my trip to Utah. The month was basically a blur and now I just don't have umph to report anything.

We did have a winner for our Fat Frank and Tooney Salooney contest. April Harvey did an amazing job--read her part of our Round Robin on Calista Fox's blog here: http://calistafox.blogspot.com/2006/10/destined-to-be-one-of-my-favorite.html

Way to go, April!!!

It's just scary!

October 10--almost 11. Where is this month going? Writing it going very well, but brain cells are taking a hit. Too much thinking, I tihnk. Scary stuff. :-)

October? Really?

I can't believe it's October!! I'm not complaining or anything, but wow. Crazy. This whole month has been a little insane for me. I've been hard at work on the proposal for my new book, Everything She Wished For. I think I've mentioned before that it's going to be different than the others in setting and in other ways too. I'm really excited about this book and I feel it's the best writing I've ever done. (At least today I feel that way, tomorrow I'll be convinced it's drivel that should never see the light of day. I'm psychotic that way.)

Also been busy putting on the Desert Rose RWA membership dinner. It was a lot of fun, but also a lot of work. I was very stressed that it wouldn't turn out--and very relieved when it appeared to be a success. Plus I won an entry into the RITA contest which was very cool. Last year's winner, Carrie Weaver, was a finalist. I made her rub some luck on me. :-) Pictures attached of the dinner.


Anyway, I'm hoping things will slow a little. I feel like I've been at jet speed for too long.