Achoo! Wow, It Got Dusty in Here!

Hello dusty old blog, and those few that still get the notices, or if you do...take a peek. It's been a long time.

I apologize.

My muse, my writing friend has been absent, Tonight she has returned at least for a short while, so I'm hurrying before she escapes again,

I've spent my evening watching an adorable murder mystery on Netflix; my new habit. At least occasionally. And then She arrived with a message.

I am me again.

I spent thirty years being Gene's wife. Suppressing Renee. That's not to say I wasn't happy, or at least content, But I held me in check. Not watching silly shows. Not staying up too late. Not having a Jack & Pepsi after a long day.

Because Gene's wife needed to be a certain way.

She didn't have an adult beverage for no reason. Because alcoholism runs in her family and would evoke a concern of becoming her mother.

She wouldn't watch exactly what she wanted to, because it showed she had her own tastes and they may be different than expected.  Or approved of.

That doesn't mean I did not love the man. I did, tremendously. I loved him enough to rearrange myself to his specifications, And I do miss him sometimes.

However, I spent thirty years missing something else.

Me.

I didn't even realize how much I missed that person.

The one that wore make-up and jewelry daily.

The one that randomly listened to heavy metal. Followed by pop rock. Then music passed on by Gramma.

The one that didn't button the very top button of her shirts.

That stayed up watching television or reading or crocheting until three in the morning because she felt like it. Because there was no need to get up early and interact.

The natural loner that is totally comfortable talking to herself, her pets, and yes...the appliances. And once in a while, conversing with her departed husband,

Me.

Me.

And so...

During this not quite a year since his passing, I've filled my time working. And watching exactly what I want,

And having an occasional adult beverage (with the knowledge of a genetic predisposition.)

Dressing to feel pretty. And pulling the giant hoop earrings out of hibernation and wearing them with determination of a 62 year old woman that will do as she pleases. And buying ALL the make-up to remember how to use it. (Because inside I am still 16 and will put on red lipstick for the pure joy of leaving it on the rim of my coffe cup!)

So don't be surprised by anything that shows up here. Sometimes the words just fall out of my fingers (and my mouth.)

Because Renee is back.

With a broadsword at her hip, a snark on her lips, and a glint in her eyes.

Time to saddle up the dragon and take flight!

Published for the First Time

I had a bit of excitement this week.

No, I had a TON of excitement!! I had my very first actual published piece!

It is a bit of Christmas tradition memoir. I entered the Sparkle and Shine contest at Our Write Side. This site is my go to for weekly word prompts and tremendous support. They offer many types of author help.

Anyway. I entered my story, and I was a winner!

My story is published in their Steampunk New Year's Newsletter. Take a look! There are a lot of good holiday stories by many great authors.

I love this site, not just because they published me, but because of the wonderful support offered by all the admins. With a special shout out to Stephanie Ayers for pushing me when I need it most!

And the Winners Are...

Today is the day I got to draw for winners of the free copies of Fightball: Dying of Suck by Kris Wehrmeister

It was done with minimal technology. I wrote all the names on slips of paper, wadded them up, and threw them on top of my current crochet project.

Over the course of an hour I blindly reached for a crumpled bit and unfolded. I did this three times, because...three winners.

Since I use blogger as opposed to the wildly popular and evidently more user friendly WordPress, I have no idea how to get in touch with two of those winners.

They'll have to find me. Or perhaps I'll have the author track them down, she is the one who has to mail those crisp copies out.

In the meantime, I will simply type randomness as I consider my next attempt to locate and inform the winners.

I crocheted a briefcase for the grandson. (He will not be required to carry it in public.)

I wrote a fiction on the other blog. Elsetime & Otherwhen (pssst...I don't do the funny, I leave that up to Kris, I do the weird.)

I wrapped Christmas presents.

I need to get on the tree thing, I only have one so far this year. That is unacceptable, this is what Christmas at my house is supposed to look like.

I need to find a way to notify the winners.

I need Kris to reply to my twitter message.

I suppose a nice person would get on with the posting of the winners' names.

Wonder what's for dinner tonight. I think I forgot to get something out of the freezer.

Ok, enough of that.

The winners are:

Angela of A Work in Progress


Kim of Glimpse from a Distance

and.....

Patricia Lynne at Patricia Lynne, Independent Author

So winners, be excited! (Especially the part where I twitter found you, bwahahaha!)

Once you've received that extra special prize, READ IT and laugh out loud!

Then make sure you mosey on over to Amazon and leave a review.

In the meantime I better go rummage through the freezer...

FIGHTBALL: Dying of Suck (a review)

I'm here at the Rants doing a book review. Or is it book report? The feeling of impending doom is the same….

I have the honor of attempting a riveting review for a book I am in love with.

That book?

Fightball: Dying of Suck by Kris Wehrmeister.

I’ve been a fan of Kris at her blog, Pretty All True for about five years. During that time I have laughed, snorted, giggled, and chuckled as she wrote about her two very independent and totally opposite in personality daughters.

Fightball is an entire book filled with those interactions. From Maj and her BOLD LETTERED tirades to Kallan and her unstoppable imagination tinged with edgy mischievousness.

There is also the supporting cast, Mark, the husband who has the wit to choose his battles wisely, and the dogs, Persie, the Labrador, and Jack, the insane Lakeland Terrier.

I’m on my third reading of Fightball. I was lucky enough to have received an ARC copy, so I could identify typos and such. However, I was too wrapped up in snort-laughing to have accomplished that task. Good thing she had more observant readers.

Of course I ordered the actual ebook! And if you're looking for a laugh a minute you should too. Or…you could win a copy by commenting on this review.

Yes, three lucky people will win their very own copy of Fightball! It will be accomplished with the high tech method of writing names on paper and a blind draw. 

You can find Kris at these popular sites;
Her Blog, Pretty All True
PrettyallTrue on Twitter
Pretty All True on Facebook
Her Amazon author page. 

And don't forget you can find FIGHTBALL: Dying of Suck on Amazon.

So let’s get with the commenting people!

Nano Rant

I'm taking a few minutes from the Nanowrimo insanity to Rant about the experience.

For those not in the loop, nanowrimo stands for NAtional NOvel WRIting MOnth. That's where all the writers in the universe jump into the crazy pool and attempt to crank out 50,000 words in 30 days. Those days being November 1st through 30th.

Maybe not all writers. Just those of us who need the kick in the behind to create a good, daily, writing habit.

Wait, not that either. That's me, I needed the butt kick.

So I sat with the laptop and looked at the blank page and said, "Hmmmm."

Okay, so I planned, kinda. I'm not much of a planner though. I'm what is called a pantser. That means I start a story with no clue where I'm going.

Actually I usually know how it starts. And where I want it to end. It's the getting there that is a mystery to me.

I wasn't disappointed. I started with the crazy idea of using some flash fiction I'd written over on the other blog, Elsetime & Otherwhen. I picked some random stories with completely unrelated characters and threw them together in an adventure.

And those that know me, know that there is likely magic, monsters, and probably some strange twists along the way.

About those twists.

I have been regularly surprised at some of the stuff these characters are up to. I start thinking about what's next and all the sudden these strange happenings fall out of my fingers and onto the page.

What?

I also had a full set of characters. Characters that I didn't know very well. It's that flash fiction thing, they only existed in about 500 words or less.

Probably explains some of the surprises. Now that they have more time they aren't shy about letting me know more about them. Like these new characters they meet along the way.

Wait.

I'm just getting to know you guys and you throw more characters at me??

And I found that I'd be creating an entire new world. Which needed flora, fauna, and a map.

I need a map.

Oh dear.

Don't get me wrong, I'm having fun.

I've attempted Nanowrimo twice before and halfway through I failed. Never finished.

This time I'm going to reach that 50,000 words.

The characters said so.

Nano Time

It's November.

This year that means I'm participating in NaNoWriMo. That is National Novel Writing Month.

The target; 50,000 words. that's 1,672 words a day in November.

I've attempted it before, but never managed to "win". Winning isn't the real point. the real point is simply writing daily.

That has been my downfall. What with working the hours I used to work, sitting down and being creative was just more than I could handle.

This year I am purposefully unemployed. And I am going to get 50,000 words.

Now that challenge being accepted, don't believe for a minute that means I'll have an actual book written. What I'll have is 50,000 words of absolute chaos.

It will be chaos because this story keeps changing itself as I go. (Stubborn characters)

It will be chaos because I am purposely ignoring my inner editor. That is going amazingly well so far. My story is happily full of typos, unnecessary words, and a plot that is so full of holes it wouldn't catch bowling balls.

And that...is a win!

Maybe, if I can stand to look at it, I will attempt to edit after the first of the years.

After editing, I might, for a short time have a story of about 30,000 words. Then when someone else goes through it, there might just maybe be enough left to work into a novelette.

It okay, that would be more than I've had before.

So, I have the iPod fired up and coffee. I'm good to go.

By the Way, I Need a Bigger Crock

I've been doing a good job of keeping myself busy. Mostly.

I may have found cabbage on sale and started another batch of sauerkraut.

I did some from the garden this year and it is not enough! Had to have more. I enjoy canning and otherwise preserving my own foods. This way, I know exactly what is in each jar.

I've been busy with yarn.
Crochet was always my go to, but I've been working on improving my knitting skills as well. I'm down to the finishing touches on the knit jacket.

Which means get those cords sewn on the rest of the way. (Sewing will never be my friend.) You can see I made a hat to match. There are a pair of mittens(or oven mitts). Those are likely to be unraveled and a new pair that are less large made. I also have started working on a matching purse. Yes, I know. I'm somewhat insane. But they made me buy way too much yarn!

Working on "scoodie's" for the grandkids. Have two done, but need to find orange yarn for the youngest. She loves orange.  How do I not have orange yarn?

Have the pink one for the middle kid. Her favorite color, or so I'm told.

And was able to modify the pattern into a kinda spiderman design for the boy. 

I may have some other patterns to play around with as well.

In other stuff, I signed up to do Nanowrimo. Again. (I may have mentioned that before.)

The big kick off is this weekend. Just maybe, I'm ready for it this year. Maybe.

As long as I keep writing.

I have managed to do some flash fiction over at the other blog, and have been working on a couple odd short stories that I keep hidden in the Scrivener.

Even doing the random rant here keeps me writing. So, wish me luck!

At least as the word count insanity ensues, I'll have yarn. Yarn is therapeutic. 

Wonder if that is tax deductible?