Rough draft for Tough Luck...

...is done. What a relief.

I confess: I used to laugh at authors who worried about being able to write another book after finishing one. I never had that problem before. The last few months have been difficult. I struggled to finish a novella. Now it's done and off to my editor. Whew.

Hopefully, this means I'm back on track. I really need to be on track. I have a brutal writing schedule mapped out for the rest of this year. My choice. I've already cut back on a lot of my writing plans. I pray I don't need to cut back any more.

Quick update on my injuries: I'm improving a little more every day. Yay!

God bless.

Sharing links Saturday...

The Writer's Refuge on the craft of writing:
http://thewritersrefuge.wordpress.com/2014/04/17/how-movies-help-us-become-better-writers/

Veteran Traveler shares dogs to follow on FB:
http://veterantraveler.com/dogs-follow-facebook/

Genesis 5020 shared her review of the book Pulling Back the Shades by Dannah Gresh and Dr. Juli Slattery. I bought the book because of Melissa's review. I thought they handled the subject with courage and respect.
http://5020genesis.wordpress.com/2014/04/07/pulling-back-the-shades/

J. Morgan shared a bit of the nittygritty truth of writing:
http://jennmorgan69.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/writing-love-and-business/

God bless.

Another follow up...

Ankle is still swollen like I'm sneaking around a tangelo. Foot is no longer swollen. I'm walking a mile every day, a very slow mile, but a mile nonetheless, without much limping.

Knee is almost back to normal.

Elbow still doesn't straighten. Bah. There is more flexibility, a little more every day.

The good news: Yesterday, I used my right hand for a little odd job. From my wrist comes what sounds like bubble wrap popping. Relief! My wrist has been a little tight ever since the accident. Now, it moves freely without any pain. Yay!

Finding Home is turned in to my wonderful editor.

Back to working on the other WIPs. Yes, plural. I can't help myself.

Update on me and my writing...

Ankle is swollen, but I'm walking further. Arm is the most aggravating. The flexibility improves a little every day, however, I'm still not able to straighten it. Bah. I've stopped taking pain medication because of rebound headaches. I'm sleeping, a lot. I hate sleeping my life away, even if it is good for me. I remind myself the body repairs itself in sleep. Knowing doesn't always improve my impatience.

Finding Home is being edited.

Though I endeavor to create time for writing and doing other things, editing tends to take over my life until it's done. It's probably a good thing that one chapter leads me into the next, and I don't want to stop reading.

God bless.

Wordless

Happy Easter

A time of reflection and rejoicing.

Jesus lived to teach me how to live.

Jesus Christ determined I was worth dying for.

Sometimes, I'm tempted to disagree. I feel worthless. I recognize my plethora of imperfections. I cannot deny my flaws, my mistakes, my sins. I endeavor to do better and fail and fail and fail.

Sometimes, it's difficult to remember. Jesus didn't die for me for what I do right in my life. Jesus died for me for all the things wrong in my life.

Jesus conquered sin, spiritual death.

Jesus rose from the dead, conquering the final chains of physical death.

The end for which the first was made.

Jesus Christ, my Savior, my Redeemer, my Lord, and my King.

Update on current projects...

Grace's Possibilities is the fourth Regency book in my Endless Possibilities series. It's coming out in June 2014.


Finding Home is the fourth book in The Silver Locket Sisterhood series. It's my "what if" story about my trip to Europe back in 1986. It's coming out in July 2014.

This is the shortest of my books, aside from my novellas. It's mostly dialogue. I kept attempting to make it longer and only ended up stuck.

The editing has been reasonably easy because it's an easy read, at least for me. I couldn't stop editing because I couldn't stop reading.

I confess I worry too much of the story is in my head and not on the page. Only time will tell.

There's one more book in The Silver Locket Sisterhood series, Wings to Fly. It's due October 1st.

Tarnished Knight, the next book in the Endless Possibilities series, is due September 1st.

"Jack lied. A lot."

I'm working on my Holiday, USA, novellas, Tough Luck and The Blessing Basket.

Something to brighten the day...

May your day be blessed...

This was posted on FB, and I thought it appropriate. Sometimes bubble wrap comes in handy other places and times, like deadlines.

Links to share...

These blogs inspired me, this week:

Khamneithang shared "Does Your Roof Leak"...
http://khamneithang.wordpress.com/2014/04/04/does-your-roof-leak/

Good to have Jennifer blogging again. Jennifer Slattery Lives Out Loud:
http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com/2014/04/03/dragon-slayers/

God bless.

Wordless

It's a beautiful day...

My arm still can't straighten fully. Bah. It can't bend completely. Bah. It is strengthening, and I'm able to do a little more every day. Yay!

My ankle is still swollen, with a bit of black and blue bruising. Bah. I'm able to walk normally, if I walk slowly. I'm very careful to keep my foot straight. This morning, I walked a little over a half mile. Yay!

What has been good about this debacle?

I've made sleep a priority. I feel better.

I've made eating better a priority. I feel better.

I've made exercising a little each day and moving my arm throughout the day a priority. I feel better.

I've also discovered the wonder of frankincense. It's wonderfully calming. Frankincense helps with inflammation. So does rosemary.

I'm not able to write a lot, yet. My arm tires quickly. However, it means I must focus on what I want to put on the page, sort it in my head so my limited writing isn't wasted.

Hmmm... yep, I'm done with this post because my arm is done. :-)

God bless.

Remembering...

My dog was born over about a quarter of a century ago. She's been gone from this earth for too long. I miss her. Variations of her have appeared in a number of my stories.

Currently, I'm penning Tough Luck, the fourth novella in the Holiday, USA serial. I meant to publish the story, last month, but life happens. I hope to publish it soon.

The heroine is one Cindy Garvey. She and her friend, Liz Hartman -- the heroine in the fifth book The Blessing Basket, are opening a pet store in Holiday. Right now, the store is called Holiday Pets. Suggestions are welcome, though I prefer to keep Holiday in the name. I thought about Holiday Fuzzies, but I don't know.

The inspiration for this pet store comes from the store where I found my dog, Pets Inc. At the time, they sold purebred puppies, along with various other types of pets. They usually kept only one or two litters in "stock." One of the litters was special.

Pets Inc. had an agreement with the vet across the street. Anytime the vet received puppies to "dispose of," they arranged for Pets Inc. to sell them for a minimal cost, with a first puppy visit included in the fee. The puppy visit probably cost more than the dog was sold for. I don't know who the vet was, but I bless her every day. My dog was one of those special litters. She was half Australian Shepard and half something else. It didn't take long to see she was half black lab. She was 100% sweet and perfect for me.

When I created Holiday, USA, I knew I wanted them to have a pet store like Pets Inc., so someone else would have the chance to rescue a puppy and be rescued by a puppy.

I think Miss B was around 15 in this picture:

Sharing links...

Jennifer Slattery Lives Out Loud shared a post that fit me right now, Trust Amidst Chaos...
http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com/2014/03/27/trust-amidst-chaos/

Live to Write ~ Write to Live shared being your own cheerleader and being a writer...
http://nhwn.wordpress.com/2014/03/31/be-your-own-cheerleader-to-push-to-the-next-level/
http://nhwn.wordpress.com/2014/04/02/writing-as-a-way-of-life/

Fae Rowen, over at Writers In The Storm, shared Part 3 of "What's Love Got to Do with It." It's been a fascinating study of how a character's problems with manifest itself...
http://writersinthestorm.wordpress.com/2014/04/02/whats-love-got-to-do-with-it-part-three/

God bless.

Life Happens...

Last Saturday, I fell. I stepped too close to the edge of the sidewalk. My ankle rolled. I knew it was bad. It wasn't the first time. I prayed it wasn't broken. It isn't. Sprained, swollen, black and blue. It could be worse. It has been, in the distant past. I know what to do.

The arm is worse. I didn't break it either, for which I'm grateful. I did jam it but good. Swelling. Some bruising. Limited range of motion. Stiffness. Discomfort. It's my dominant hand. Oops.

Ice and heat, ibuprofen, arnica, frankincense, comfrey, and sleep.

I'm a little better every day.

Edits arrived for Finding Home, the fourth book in "The Silver Locket Sisterhood" series. It comes out in July 2014. I've felt pretty badly about how... not together I've been for the last few months. Maybe God is ensuring I don't mess with the story too much.

Wordless