An Author's Life

People sometimes ask, How does it feel to have written more than 80 novels?

The truth is, I don’t sit around thinking about those 80-plus books (thanks to a new three-book contract my editor just offered, the total is now 87). If I had all those heroes and heroines running around in my head, I’d never get dressed in the morning.

Come to think of it, I’m wearing a purple top with turquoise socks and blue jeans. Never mind.

But the point is, I forget what’s in most of those books, a fact that was brought home to me last week when, unexpectedly, I received proofs in the mail. Seems that By Leaps and Bounds, a Harlequin American Romance published in 1990, is being reissued for direct sale. That means via the eharlequin.com Web site, I think.

The editors were kind enough to give me a chance to update the 20-year-old text. Good idea. A lot has changed since 1990, even in a story about a former ballerina locking horns with the police detective dad of her prize student. Seems he doesn’t want his teenage daughter heading to ballet school in New York. He doesn’t like her boyfriend, either.

Okay, not much has fundamentally changed in the world of ballet, but still, I wanted to take the time to do this right. Here’s another thing about authors: contrary to rumor, we don’t lead a life of leisure.

So last Tuesday afternoon, in a rainstorm of near-biblical proportions, I found myself sitting on a bench inside Costco, waiting for new tires to be installed on my aging Honda Accord (it’s a ’93, three years younger than By Leaps and Bounds).

Above, rain whomped the super-high ceiling. Below, with pages spread across the bench, I frantically gave people cell phones and changed references to a videotape to read DVD. See, the girl’s boyfriend shot this controversial tape that might implicate him in a crime…

Well, I got the job done. Now I’m preparing to go over the copy-edited version of my August release, His Hired Baby, while publicizing my February Harlequin American, The Would-Be Mommy. It’s the first book in my Safe Harbor Medical miniseries.

Next week, I plan to start writing my next book, the fourth set at Safe Harbor Medical Center. That’s the fun part. More heroes, more heroines. More cell phones too, probably.

So how does it feel to have sold more than 80 novels? I’ll let you know when I come up for air.

Life's Moments

I'll be heading down to the city tonight to give a talk to about eighty people that are affiliated with Multiple Sclerosis Association of America. The people in the room are all connected to the organization in one way or another, the event's primary focus to say thanks to the people from this area who so generously donate to them throughout the year.

I was asked to speak for two reasons. I'm a writer (and people tend to find that interesting). Kayla's Daddy--which debuted this month--gives a nod to their organization during the story (page 175, if you're curious). And I'm one of their clients. Which means there came a point in my life this past summer when I needed their assistance (to help with the co-pay of a very costly medical test I had to have related to my own MS).

I have to say, there's a part of me that's nervous about this talk. I write because I'm essentially an introvert. It's how I express myself best. But there's also a part of me that's excited to do this as it's a pay-it-forward kind of thing.

The topic I've decided to speak on? Life's Moments. And since I need a little practice right now, I figured I'd try it out here...in the written format which I prefer. Let me know what you think, okay?

**If you look back on your life, there tends to be certain moments that stand out. Good ones, bad ones, and anything in between. Very often, they're the ones that shape who we are--giving us direction and validation along the way.

While I have many, I'd like to share a small handful with you tonight.

1) Awe. I remember, as a very little girl, skipping off to the park with my Grandpa. We'd find a bench by the water and sit there for hours, feeding pigeons while he shared stories of his life in Ireland and his journey to the United States. Before we left, he pointed across the water at the biggest rock I'd ever seen, a rock with a giant "C" painted on it in blue that seemed to rise up from the water. With a twinkle of pride in his eyes he said, "I painted that 'C' for Casey." I believed him for more years than I should, confident my grandpa could do anything--including hanging by a rope painting a letter on a rock. Even now, I still believe it stands for Casey rather than Columbia University.

I miss that mischievous sparkle. But I miss that man even more.

2)Pride. When I was a kindergartner we were given a basic art assignment that I took a bit further--with the help of cotton balls, pieces of fancy trim work, buttons, etc. The picture of a king that I created caught the eye of a visitor to our school who pulled it for a county-wide art show. To this day, I still remember that picture and the pride I felt in myself.

3)The Birth of a Dream. I was playing at my friend Lisa's house one rainy day. I was in fourth grade at the time. It was about halfway through our playdate and we were bored with our Barbies and board games. So, as a way to keep us sane, she pulled out a stack of paper and a carton of crayons and presented the task of writing a picture book story. Mine was about a brown polar bear (don't ask) and I named him Kidney. My dream to become a writer started with that bear.

4) A first step. After my freshmen year of college I had the opportunity to intern at a newspaper chain in Connecticut. The first assignment I was given was to write a story about a help line for troubled teenagers that was just getting off the ground. I wrote it, turned it in, and moved on. Three days later, while at the grocery store for my mom, I walked past a rack of papers. And there, for everyone who walked by to see, was my byline. That's the moment I first realized my dream could--and would--come true.

5)Complete responsibility and utter love. The first moment I held each of my daughters in my arms is something I will never forget. It's nice to look at pictures but none are as vivid as those moments in my mind. They changed me completely and forever.

6)Odd. It was the winter of 2005 and I was waiting to see the cover for my very first book. For years I'd held one single image in my head--a nighttime shot of the beach with an amusement ride pier in the background, a body laying face down in the foreground.

The day the cover was expected to arrive, there was no mail in my box. The next day, the same. About two hours later the mail carrier knocked on my door to tell me there'd been a fire on the truck the day before. The mail that was not burned was damaged by the water used to put the fire out. I think I laughed. And then cried. And then laughed some more (really, it was a Candid Camera moment if there ever was one). The next day she came back...with the water soaked & partially burned envelope that contained my cover. I pulled it out, anxious to see the cover I'd been imagining for years and...

It was pink. Bright pink. With a beach chair.

No, I'm not kidding. I wish I was.

7) Disbelief. About nine months after my pink book came out, my cell phone rang while I was on the way home from my eldest daughter's dance class. I didn't recognize the number but picked up anyway. It was a member of the Agatha Award Committee (like the Rita of the cozy mystery world). My pink book was a nominee for Best First Novel.

I think I repeated my name for her--just to be sure she knew who she was calling. She did. To this day, I have that number saved on the contact list of my phone under the heading "Agatha Call."

8) Rug Pulled Out. I remember sitting in a hospital room by myself 3 1/2 years ago, waiting for someone to release me after a bizarre series of symptoms that brought me to the E.R. the day before. The attending doctor walks in and says, "We got your MRI results back just now. We believe you have M.S."

Unlike so many who hear those words for the first time, I knew exactly what M.S. was. My mother-in-law at the time had it and I'd watched it take her down. Only I had two small kids and a dream to be a writer...

9) Crossroads. That moment was a turning point in so many ways, spawning new moments I'll never forget...

*It pushed me. Hearing I had M.S. made me want to reach higher, to get in with a big publisher, furthering my dream. And, in the past 21 months, I've been contracted for nine books.

*It propelled me to do something for the cause. I took part in a two year drug study. I donated blood for a genetic study out of Washington University. I wear a monitor around my waist twice a year for a week each time for the University of Illinois (they're studying movement & M.S.). I captained a walk and raised over $2,600 thanks, largely, to the mystery writing community. And, one day in the future, I'd like to do an online auction utilizing my writing connections to benefit MSAA.

*It moved me. Last year, on my birthday, my then ten-year-0ld gave me a homemade birthday card. Inside was $13 (all the money from her piggy bank) and a note that she wanted it to go to M.S.

*It taught me that it's okay to seek help sometimes. Last summer I was faced with the need to undergo a costly medical test. The expense was daunting for someone like me who was a single mom working five part-time jobs and paying a very hefty monthly insurance premium. My doctor suggested I contact MSAA for help. At first I was embarrassed. I don't like to ask for help. But, this time, I knew I had to. And sure enough they swooped in, taking the burden of that particular co-pay from my too-heavy shoulders.

10) Which brings me to this moment of Gratitude.
(And then I thank everyone in the room for making things a little easier for people like me.)

I apologize for the lengthy post. I guess I'm a little keyed up right now, worried I'm not saying the right things.

So how about you? Care to share a special moment or two from your life?

~Laura
P.S. If I made any spelling errors, please forgive me this time. I was speaking it while I was writing it in an effort to get the flow right.

Heartland

I just returned from a trip in Idaho. I invited several friends to come ski at a couple of small resorts near my parents’ home in that corner of the world. We all had a great time. After the ski trip, I stayed and spent a few extra days with my folks. My mom said it was “quality time,” but she kept me plenty busy doing little jobs for her. We laid out the front of a quilt to be raffled for the 50^th class reunion at the local high school and I did some simple line-drawings for the mascot. My dad had me edit an article he’d written for the newspaper regarding the new Legion Hall. I did a little tech-support on the computer for them (a first for me), a little electrical work (okay, it was reconnecting loose wires, but still), a little cleaning and a lot of cooking. It was easy and satisfying work, since most of her—and my father’s—projects involve their community.

My folks are very active in their town. My dad is the Commander of the American Legion there. His latest project was organizing a war memorial for local soldiers. He convinced the Army to lend them a Howitzer for the centerpiece. (I’m not sure what happens if they decide to take it back, but that doesn’t seem to bother my dad.) He is also active in the local Boy Scout troop, as he has been since my brother was old enough to don the uniform. My mother runs a charity that provides Christmas gifts to needy families. She started it over twenty years ago and last year, it helped over 300 children. The program coordinates with the local food bank, several churches and community groups to provide gifts, food and the small necessities to make Christmas merry. It’s a generous, heart-warming enterprise. My parents’ initiative and involvement have sparked others to participate and spread that neighborliness around. Between them, I think they know everyone in town.

They live quite a bit west of the true U.S. “Heartland” but that doesn’t seem to make much difference. Pancake breakfasts, charity raffles, a Main Street with no stoplight, the Elk’s Lodge: it’s all there and more. It is the best, and sometimes the worst—let’s not be glib—of community life. Neighbors help neighbors when they can and, more than a little, gossip about the situation while they lend a hand. That winding vine of chitchat is often the way word of triumph travels. I can’t say there isn’t back-biting, but when the news is tragic, the help flows even faster.

As I was flying eastward yesterday, it occurred to me that I live in the Heartland, too. For all its hustle, bustle and 1.5 million inhabitants, Philadelphia has a heart as big and true as Dunnell, Minnesota, Adair, Oklahoma or Bucklin, Missouri. In some sense, we all live in the Heartland of this country. That’s why we write—and read—stories set in these communities, both small and large. The heart is what matters and the larger it is on the inside, the better it makes the community on the outside.

So, hello from my Heartland to yours. Hey! Be sure to buy a ticket for the local quilt raffle. You can’t win if you don’t get involved.

Important Moments

For a brand new author, like me, receiving “the call” is the culmination of years of studying the works of other successful authors, learning the craft, and practice, practice, practice—also known as the hard work of writing. That one phone call changes things. It opens a flood gate of emotion—excitement, joy, elation, validation. I’ve heard that some authors were so awestruck by “the call” they barely said a word to their editor. Others say they danced around the house and did cartwheels while asking pertinent questions. Questions like, “How soon will my book be on the shelves?” Some, like me, began sobbing the moment they saw “Harlequin Enterprises” on the Caller ID screen.

I didn’t think there’d ever be an event in my writing career that could compete with that phone call. I was wrong. This year has produced a series of such moments. The day I received my contracts in the mail. The day the delivery man handed me the packet of line edits, shipped overnight from Toronto to my Florida home. Every phone call from my editor whose advice and praise I’ve come to rely on. And most recently, the morning I opened an email and saw the cover of “The Officer’s Girl” for the first time.



Isn’t it amazing?

Seeing that cover was the best, the absolute best. I’m pretty sure there’s nothing that can beat it…unless it’s the first time I hold an actual copy of “The Officer’s Girl” in my hands.

PS: Lots of people have asked if I had a hand in designing the cover. I didn’t. I provided the briefest description of a scene in the book, and the Art Department did all the rest. All the amazing rest.

How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?

San Francisco is one of my favorite cities and it’s especially fun at Christmas time when Union Square is decked out for the holidays. Macy’s puts up a huge Christmas tree in the square and this year they also sponsored an outdoor skating rink.

Here’s a photo taken from the fifth floor of Macy’s.


With such mild winter weather, what fun for San Franciscans and visitors to be able to skate outdoors.

What really caught my attention, though, were a couple of Macy’s store windows. This year they teamed up with the San Francisco SPCA to bring awareness to the number of shelter animals in need of homes, and to encourage people to sponsor an animal or become a volunteer.

During our stay we walked past the windows twice and there was always a small crowd gathered outside. Of course I couldn’t resist snapping a couple of photos.

The pet-friendly window displays were as adorable as the dogs and cats in them, and of course I hope that every single pet found a loving home, including this adorable little dog who is surely one of Santa’s helpers . . .


. . . and this fellow who looks as though he’d be right at home anywhere . . .


. . . and apparently the windows were so comfy that this little black and white kitten decided a catnap was in order . . .


I hope these furry friends were able to ring in the new year with a forever family.

Happy 2010 to everyone!

Until next time,
Lee

PS: Last month I ran a contest on my blog, The Writer Side of Life. I announced the winner—Ellen E— on January 1, but I haven’t heard from her! Ellen E, if you’re an American Romance reader, I hope you see this. You'll find my email address on my website. Please send me your address and I will put your treats in the mail.

Who Knew It Would Turn Out This Way?

I had one of those unexpected experiences the other day that turns out so different and so much nicer than you ever expected, it stays with you for several days afterwards. And it all happened because I gave away a book to someone I didn't know.

Let me start by saying a couple of months ago I contacted a nearby book club who regularly hosts local authors and expressed an interest in speaking to their group. Well, the leader's reaction was one for the books (no pun intended). Once I told her I wrote romance, she proceeded to inform me her group didn't read "those books". That they read only "important works" and those with "relevant value". Her reaction was so over the top, I actually laughed when I hung up the phone from her (okay, I admit I laughed after suffering about three seconds of mild hurt).

So, when my daughter recently asked me if I would be willing to give a free book to a woman in her college class who headed a book club, I was naturally hesitant. I finally relented and chose one of my earlier Harlequin American's, THE FAMILY PLAN, to give this woman.

Surprise, surprise, this woman emailed me the other day telling me that while she didn't normally read romances, she was "pleasantly surprised" by how much she enjoyed my book and the characters. In fact, she liked the THE FAMILY PLAN so much, she went out and bought two more of my recent releases. Then, she not only invited me to speak to her group, she asked me how much I charge!

I immediately replied that I would love to come speak to her group and that I wouldn't charge. Heck, I'm just so thrilled at the prospect of converting more non-romance readers, I'd probably be willing to pay them! All right, maybe not :)

Isn't it amazing how one experience can be so different from another? And all because I gave away a free book.

Cathy Mc

Writing Advice Day

Okay, I noticed that today was open for writing advice, so I have just one short piece of advice, mostly to myself. Stop getting online to Facebook, email, and the blog and get to writing. Write your required number of pages per day (mine is 7 to 10) and then goof off.

I swear, I have the self-discipline of a four year old! I thought when I got older I'd (1) Wake up early, and (2) Do things on schedule. After all, that's what all the "old" people (back then, almost any adult) I knew did. Apparently they learned something in life that I missed. I'm still planning projects I'll never finish and I sleep as late as I can. I wait to the last minute to do everything. Yes, I know I have some psychological issues, but nothing real serious. :-) If anyone has any advice on changing my slovenly work ethic, I'd be glad to hear it!

Almost Paradise

Well, it had to happen sooner or later. Ever since we changed the locks on the lake house, I realized that the back doorknob and the front keypad had a tendency to lock themselves. For that reason I turn the deadbolt to an extended position before shutting the back door, just like my daughter taught me to do while going to get ice in a hotel. So far, so good, until today. During a brief visit to the lake with our project manager, Michael, and our two installers who were working in the area, Terry and Derrick, (who all loved the house and can't wait to go fishing) I followed them out the front door to see the trees and a nearby house. Click. We were all locked out.

And the dark clouds were rolling in from the south.

And my dog was locked inside the house.

With my purse and keys.

Lucky for me, Terry and Derrick had tools and Michael had an idea; remove the air conditioner/heater unit from the window of my porch and enter that way. Okay, better than breaking windows. They went to work while my dog, Chloe, looked at us through the door as if we were crazy. "Why not just open the door?" she seemed to be asking. My daughter offered to drive the hour and a half to Mineola to bring me a key. Not necessary, I bravely announced. It took the guys about fifteen minutes to shatter a board, unscrew everything, and open the window. And maybe the same amount of time to get everything back in place. I have one thing to say; thank goodness for men with tools!

Terry and Derrick left for Dallas, while I got Michael a beer and I finished off the last little sip of a bottle of wine, strictly for medicinal purposes. The afternoon got darker and the lake turned to cobalt blue. Birds frantically twittered from tree to tree. That should have been a warning. Michael and I locked up the house properly this time, and began the drive back to Dallas, knowing we'd get there right after rush hour traffic. Believe me, you do not want to get there during rush hour traffic. The rain started almost immediately after we got on Hwy. 69, and increased as we drove west. About halfway to Dallas, hail pelted us. And then bigger hail. I thought about trying to get under an overhang, but I could barely see. I kept driving. Fortunately, Chloe slept through the whole thing. We drove out of the hail after maybe ten minutes, then the rain stopped just east of Dallas. We got back just after rush hour to no rain and warm temperatures. When I turned on the television, I discovered there were tornado warnings for the county we'd just driven through.

That was my day. As for my work in progress, I wrote nine pages yesterday and none today. I was too busy locking myself out of the house and getting pelted by hail. As soon as I finish writing my blog, though, I'm going to get to work. Hopefully, my characters will have a good evening, although I may throw in a thunderstorm just for spite! As my hint for the month, always hide a key. And remember where you hid it. Have a great day!

Goals vs. Resolutions

My memories of the holidays are a bit hazy, thanks to working on a deadline for the next book set in Desperation, Oklahoma (#4!), but one thing I remember was that no New Year’s resolutions were made while sipping champagne. I learned a long time ago that they were too easy to break. Instead, I make goals.

Aren’t goals the same as resolutions? Not to me. The words aren’t the same, although they’re sometimes used synonymously. A resolution is something one tries to keep or not to break, while a goal is something one works toward to achieve. See the difference? It’s all in the way the two words are used. One is negative. The other is positive. It’s a mind game I play.

The especially nice thing about goals is that they can be achieved by doing them in steps of smaller goals and spread out over weeks, months, or the entire year. Even longer for a lifetime goal! Success is much easier to measure than failure, and easier when done in bite-sized pieces. Just remember that goals should only be something we can control.

So what are my goals for this year? To tell the truth, I’ve been too busy with my first goal—to reach that deadline—that I haven’t had a chance to think about what I need and want to do in specifics. My first goal is to do that, starting next week. But I do know my goals will include:

1. Taking more time to relax and enjoy myself
2. Getting more exercise
3. Cleaning my house (ugh!), especially my office

I’ve already been thinking about the steps I’ll need to reach those goals. Less time at the computer will give me more time to watch TV with my family, read, and take that treadmill I bought a year ago out of the box (see #3--cleaning house and office), and I can watch movies--my favorite form of relaxation--while I’m exercising on it.

It’s taken some time, but I finally discovered I’m a goals person, not a resolutions person. Which are you? And how will you make 2010 a personal success?

Health food or not?

Hi, and Happy New Year!

On New Year’s Day, I gave up chocolate. And except for a couple of health bars--which you know don’t contain the real thing, anyway, and sure don’t give you that sweet, smooth, chocolate-y taste you crave--I’ve stuck to my resolution. Oh, I’ve wavered some but have managed to hold back. And I’ve been faced with a lot of temptation.

One of our favorite restaurants (you’ll recognize which as soon as I say this) gives foil-wrapped mint chocolates to their customers at the end of their meal. The last time we went there, I bravely told the waitress not to bring the mints along with the bill. Another restaurant prominently--and permanently--displays their dessert menu in a handy-dandy little booklet that remains on your table all through dinner. Are you noticing a dangerous trend here?

Maybe I should eat at home more often?

While she was carrying me, my mother’s cravings consisted of tangerines and chocolate candy bars, eaten together. A heck of a lot better than pickles and ice cream, don’t you think? Anyhow, though I say this jokingly, it’s true: I’ve been a chocoholic since before I was born!

And lately I’ve been reading that chocolate, especially the dark variety, actually is a health food. It has all those great antioxidants that your brain and body need. Unfortunately, it also has all those calories and fat...which wouldn’t be so bad if I could just quit eating after one serving. But who can stop when it comes to chocolate?

So what do you think? Good or bad? Health food or not?

Do I put chocolate back on my menu???


All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com

Budget Busters

How many of you out there use a monthly budget? Or maybe I should ask--how many of you begin each month with a budget and then blow it before end of the month?

I'm one of those people who can’t figure out how come I'm down to a few measly dollars in the checkbook and yet there's still a week to go before next payday.

This year one of my resolutions is to monitor our family spending and try harder to stick to a budget. Everything was going just peachy this month until I hit a snag on January 2--son's retainer falls out of mouth at work (that's what he says) and it cracks. $70 for a replacement. My first challenge--an unexpected expense.

I used money from the entertainment and dining fund to pay for the retainer. That crossed off one family meal at Olive Garden. Not a problem. I substituted a take-out pizza from Costco for $10 bucks. Kids were still happy and the budget remained intact.

January 5 I hit pothole and lost a hubcap on van. Dealership wanted to charge $95 for a new hubcap, but hubby found a deal on EBay for $35. Great--I voted for EBay. Okay, so I dock the entertainment fund another $35. Grab another pizza from Costco and when my teenagers grumbled I gave the starving-children-in-Africa lecture and they shut up.

Everything happens in three's, right? January 11 I realize that I've lost my Social Security card--can’t find it in the file I usually keep it in at home and it's not in my purse. A replacement costs $19 if I request one online or free if I drive a billion miles from home and stand in line for three hours at the nearest social security office. I'm sorry, but the kids can eat another Costco pizza--I'm not wasting the gas my time.

See my dilemma? I've got two more weeks to go before the month is over and who knows what budget busters will happen next? Maybe I've got the wrong goal--instead of keeping to a budget, maybe I should build up an emergency fund I can dip into each month.

Anyone else in the same boat as me? Or am I out here sailing the budget-buster sea alone?

Marin
A Cowboy Christmas (Dec 09)
Dexter: Honorable Cowboy (July 10)
www.marinthomas.com

Sexy Heroes and Heroines

Earlier this week I was surfing channels and caught the end of a show counting down the sexiest actors of the big screen. Newman won. No argument there. Whew, those baby blues. Okay, so I admit that I sat there all googoo eyed, but it made me wonder. I'm an extremely visual person. Not only when I'm writing, but also when I'm reading, I cast my characters. For years if a hero was blond, I visualized Redford, then Pitt or McConaughey. If he had dark hair it might be Brosnan, Depp, or Keanu and there are many, many others. All builds, personality types, and ages. I cast the heroines also and even at times secondary characters. It makes the book come alive for me.

Am I the only crazy person who does this? When you pick up a new book, do you cast your characters?

Just for fun, who are the actors (male or female) who show up most often?

Crossed Eyeballs & Dog Naps

Daisy in the snow. This was one of the few times she didn't run off!!

My head hurts!!!! My eyes feel crossed and my cheeks swollen and achy. I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer, but this has been going on since Christmas, and the constant pain is getting old!!

When I first started writing, I attended every conference I could afford in order to soak up wisdom from pubs and editors. One thing that soon became clear was that in order to be a professional writer, one needs to write. Every day. No exceptions. Well, while that's a wonderfully noble idea I do my best to achieve, lately, I'm failing miserably!! My normal ten to twenty pages are down to three to five.

Hubby keeps telling me to go to the doctor, which seems like a no brainer, but I know she's going to give me antibiotic which makes me throw up. I would rather have a broken leg than a stomachache, meaning here I sit, still whining.

On the upside, my dogs are thrilled with the extra naptime!!

Anyone have old school advice on how to tame unruly sinuses?

Brrr!

I just returned from a trip to San Antonio and it was not the sunny and sixty I was expecting. When we arrived on Wednesday it was typical of South Texas - warm and humid - but during the night a "blue Norther" (that's what we call a cold front that can drop the temp forty degrees in an hour) roared in. By Thursday morning the numbers on the thermometer had plummeted and the wind was howling. For two straight nights it bottomed out in the mid-teens. I grew up in South Texas and believe me I had never seen anything like it. It fact, it was an all-time record low. There's a fountain in the courthouse square that had morphed into a beautiful ice sculpture, and the reports of frozen pipes were legion. Oh yeah, San Antonio and its environs took a major hit.

My hubby is something of a weather fanatic so I was forewarned - thank goodness! I had my Buffalo coat (so named because I bought it in Buffalo, NY) so I was good to go. Not so for most of the natives. My sister who lives in Las Vegas was there and I thought she was going to shake herself to death. My daughter on the other hand came from Pittsburgh and she said it was like a nice spring day.

So, I didn't get to sit on the patio and sip Margaritas - although I did try to eat my way through South Texas - but I made it to El Mercado where I bought a Talvera hand painted sink. I thought the store owners were going to have a fiesta for us - we were the only people in the market. What's that saying about mad dogs, Englishmen and the noon day sun? Believe me, that works in reverse.

The good news is that San Antonio is back to normal, and even better the first day of spring is only a little over two months away.

Ann DeFee
Top Gun Dad, HAR, October 2009
Hill Country Hero, HAR, February 2010

BACK TO NORMAL...or close

All the decorations are down and stored away for another year. My life is back to normal and I’m happy. We had three family gatherings at our house over the holidays and I’m holidayed out. I’d planned to get some writing done in between shopping, decorating, cleaning and cooking, but it never happened. I was usually too tired to think.

We had an eventful Christmas. It snowed on Christmas Eve. In Texas! I don’t ever remember that happening before. We were at my brother’s for lunch and the kids started screaming, “It’s snowing. It’s snowing.” We thought they were joking, but as we looked out the window we could see beautiful white snowflakes falling. It was just gorgeous. It felt like Christmas. The temperature was 38 degrees so the snow didn’t stick, but it was such fun to watch. We live about thirty minutes from my brother and when we arrived home later that afternoon, tiny snowflakes were falling at our house. I took a photo from our patio but I don’t know if you can see them. West of Dallas received the big snowfall and it was difficult for travelers. We’re not used to this. It was a Christmas we won’t soon forget. Last year it was in the seventies on Christmas Day. What a difference.

Here’s my two-year-old great niece Addie wishing everyone a Happy New Year, except she says ear and leaves out new. Happy ear everyone.
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Now it’s back to work. New Year. New Contract. New goals. It’s like the start of a new journey and I’m so ready to get started. All through the holidays the stories were running through my head and it’s nice to have peace and quiet to type my thoughts into my computer. And I love the quiet. I need quiet to write. But the crazy computer is acting up. I think it missed me.

Did you survive the holidays? January 4th most people went back to work. I can hear the groans across the miles. I like a schedule though, not that I stick to it. But, oh yeah, I like normal. How about you?


Linda
http://www.lindawarren.net/
Skylar’s Outlaw - Jan ‘10

Out With the Old by Megan

I bought my family a wonderful present early in December--a new writing sweater for me.

What? Yep, my sweater is really a present for them. Maybe I should explain.

I have an ancient sweater I love, Love, LOVE. The debate in my family is "just how old is that thing?" We all agree it predates the children. I'll admit to that.

My darling husband claims it came with me when we married, which I'm not too sure about. Unfortunately, I have no recollection of when I bought it. That's how old it is.

My dear daughter teases me about my wearing the poor, formerly-cream-colored sweater in high school. THAT one I can refute with surety. (I didn't have any money in high school for a luxury like my nice, thick cardigan.)

That sweater has needed replacing for years, but...did you read the part about me loving it? The buttons are long gone. The button replacements are long gone. The pocket has been darned--okay, I only had red yarn on hand at the time, but who would know except me? The cuffs are attached by one thin, frayed strand, and the hole in the sleeve was well-earned as I played with story ideas.

We have a history, that sweater and I. Several books written, two children, and lots of years of late night reading.

This year I found a replacement. It's brown, but it's warm, has all its buttons, the pockets are in one piece, and there are no holes. (Well, nobody's perfect.)

To be continued...many, many happy years from now.

Your turn to confess. Is there something you need to replace that just breaks your heart to part with? Do you have a deep attachment to some object? Is there something that's so "just-right" that nothing else measures up to it?

NOTE: my children begged me not to post pictures. Sorry.

Megan Kelly
megankellybooks.com

Recipe of the Month; Turkey Enchiladas

Yipes, it's the 4th of the month and I've started off the new year by forgetting to post a new recipe today! Sorry to be so late.

I want to share the recipe for turkey enchiladas that I made for my lake house in Mineola, TX, full of family on December 28th. We had a wonderful dinner of the enchiladas, a packaged rice mix (Taco Rice - I don't know what major brand it was,) chips, salsa and queso. Around my $150 antique (read: desperately needs refinishing) dining room table from Craigslist were my husband and me, my stepdaughter and her partner, our daughter, son-in-law, and their two daughters. Full house!

Pull about 2 cups or slightly more turkey from the remains of your holiday dinner. Cut into bite size pieces if the chunks are large. I used all turkey breast meat but you could use whatever you have, or get a roasted chicken in the market and use that.

Mix one can of cream of chicken soup, one cup of sour cream (I used reduced fat,) one cup of salsa, and about one tablespoon of chili powder together. Mix in the chunks of turkey (or chicken) and stir just until all is blended. Use 12 flour tortillas, as fresh as possible. Place about two heaping tablespoons of the mixture down the center of the tortilla, then roll it up and place it seam-side down in a pan at least 13 x 9. Don't put the mixture all the way to the edge or it will fall out of the tortilla. Repeat until you have an absolutely full pan. Bake at 400 degrees until heated and slightly brown, which takes about 15 to 20 minutes depending on your oven.

Serve with extra salsa and sour cream, diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce, and other favorites such as jalapenos or guacamole if you like. Some people liked the enchiladas just as they were from the oven, though.

These were absolutely great and everyone loved them, even my one and half year old granddaughter. She also loved the rice. I wish I'd taken a photo of her signing for "more." Enjoy, and have a great January.

Almost Over

Here at our house, Christmas break is almost over. Tomorrow, my daughter starts back to school. On Wednesday, my husband and I will drive our son to the airport so he can head back to college.

I don't know about y'all, but I'm thinking that we have all had just about enough of Christmas vacation. I thrive on schedules, and living almost a month with our vacationing college freshman and for two weeks with a sleeping-in high school junior pretty much means I get no sleep. For the last few weeks, ten o'clock doesn't mean bedtime for me. Oh, no...it means the night has just begun.

Unfortunately for me, the beagle never got that memo and insists on waking me up every morning at six. So, I've been a little sleepy.

This morning we all went to church together and then celebrated our last full day together by going out to brunch. That's a rare treat for us. Usually no one wants to stand and wait for thirty minutes for a table. But we used the time together to reflect on some of December's highlights. I thought I'd share a few of them with y'all.

* We hosted twelve people for Christmas. Amazingly, I was able to ask everyone invited to help cook every meal. So, everything turned out great.

* My family has now learned how to play Mad Gab and-Big Surprise-I'm the worst player. (I have no competitive spirit)We also played marathon games of Hearts. I lost all the time, too.

* We went to four movies, including Avatar in 3-D. How fun were those 3-D glasses?

* My sister-in-law made her amazing homemade truffles, the beagle ate them, and vomited all over the kitchen floor at midnight on Christmas Eve.

*We shopped and ate and shopped and ate some more-including my son, who for the first time in six years, was not watching his weight for wrestling.

*I read seven books over break-my husband Tom read even more than that on his new favorite toy...the Kindle.

* Somehow, through it all, I managed to write 70 pages.

Now, though, our break is just about over. Soon, the house will be dark by eleven, I'll be writing by 7:30, our son will call us when he needs money, and my husband will be traveling again. In short, things will return to normal.

It's time. But before January is gone, I know I'll miss the noise and the crazy schedules too. I'll miss the mess and the laughter and the chaos. No doubt, I'll wish we had just a few more days of it all.

Anyone have something they'll miss?

Happy New Year!

Shelley

DECEMBER WINNER!!

CONGRATULATIONS Estella! You’re the big winner for December. Please contact Marin Thomas, Ann DeFee, Laura Altom and Pam Stone through their Web sites to receive your autographed books. Hope you enjoy this Christmas gift.

To enter the contest simply leave a blog comment and your name will go into the drawing. Easy and painless. And FREE BOOKS.

So check back often and be sure to leave a comment. Good luck!

And HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!