Things are about to get interesting. It's the beginning of the Final Four weekend in St. Louis and I'm downtown, in the midst of it all. So you know I want to get out and about in the midst of all the happenings and soak it all in and find some new characters for my books! LOL But this is going to take a little management. For one, I need to finish up my proofread because that's due Tuesday. Then, I have a temporary assignment at one of the downtown hotels. My hotel is the second hotel down from the Dome, where the games are being played. Oh, boy, this is always an interesting site to see. Lots of people go star gazing. Just hanging out to see what famous people they can catch a glimpse of, take pictures with, and get an autograph from. Me? I've never been much of a star gazer. I could care less about somebody scribbling their name on a piece of paper....well...unless it's a famous author that I idolize. Otherwise, I'll just go for the memory. But what I like to do is go groupie gazing. Man! Groupies are the most interesting and comical group of people you could ever see. Full of excitement, fantasy, mixed with a touch of delusion. And their choice of how to present themselves on that particular day ranges from understated and inconspicuous to "what in the hell was she thinking?" and "unh-unh...no that AIN'T the momma!" LOL

And fellow writers, you know the routine. LOL You stroll around and listen for dialogue. Listen to people scheming to get into so and so's hotel room. Listening to others think out loud of how if they can get into the line of sight of so and so, then so and so would realize that she was the one he's been looking for all his life, and he'll pull her out of the crowd and they'll ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after.

Yes, I love groupies. I'm going groupie watching this weekend!

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Half-way through the final proofread! This is funny because now I'm reading this story again, line by line. Have you ever been mesmerized by your own writing? Doesn't it make you feel conceited? As if you're looking in the mirror and saying, "Damn! I look fine!" LOL You wouldn't dare say it out loud. I'm trying to proofread my story and I'm getting caught up in it. Mostly because I come across lines that I don't even remember writing. And I'm going, "Wow! That was brilliant!" LOL Now, others may not think so, but I'm in awe. This is fun.. But seriously, I do hope others enjoy the story and that's what I really think about while I'm reading. I'm scrutinzing every line and trying to think if the average reader will enjoy it. An impossible task to take on, but I think most writers do that. I got a conference call with my editor and I think my new publicist tomorrow. I'm excited about that. When you self-publish first, you're used to doing your own promotion and publicity. So, I've already got my own promotional plan outlined. LOL But I need to calm my little butt down. Yes, even with a traditional pupblisher, I'm still going to have to promote myself. But now I do have to consider the fact that I have a team working with me and we need to decide publicity together so that I won't conflict with what they're trying to do. I can a little eager beaver at times. Anyway, I'm anxious to have this call and discuss the publicity for Counting Raindrops. I signed up with a temp agency. I decided to stay in the workforce, but I don't want a full-time job. So, by signing up with an agency, I can be a permanent temp. I'm going to take assignments from time to time. That way, should I ever have a down period in the publishing industry, I would have still been active in the workforce and would be able to get a job to take up the slack. This week I'm working at a hotel for the Final Four Weekend. St. Louis is going to be HOT this weekend! I live downtown and the hotel I'm working at is within walking distance. Good thing because ALL the hotels are booked, which means parking is going t o be a bi-otch! So, I don't plan to move my car at all after Thursday. I'm planning to go to the grocery store to stock up on food, water, and batteries. Why batteries? I don't know. But whenever there's a tornado, thunderstorm, or blizzard, ,you always stock up on batteries. Final Four weekend seems to fit this category. Henceforth, batteries!

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It's a go! My editor and I agreed on the full storyline for the second book. That was a great experience. We had no trouble agreeing on the final storyline. And I love it and I'm looking forward to writing it. Okay, so I think I'm about to devote 100% of my writing time to finishing up this novella I'm working on for an anthology. And guess who shows up at the door again? That's right, Counting Raindrops! LOL I'm new to the process so I didn't realize how many reads I would have to do before it goes to print. It's like Counting Raindrops is the first child that won't leave the house completely. She just keeps coming back when you're ready to move on and focus all of your attention on the next baby! Ahhhh!!!! But I talked to my editor and found out that this should be the last read before it goes to print because there were no MAJOR corrects in the copyedits. So, I'll give her my attention and send her out into the world again by April 5th. After that, she should not return again and I'll watch her blossom into the beautiful flower that I've raised her to be. (I know, that's soooo corny!!!) LOL

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So I'm waiting for next week to hear the feedback about my proposal for my second book. It's already underway, however, I had the synopsis and outline due Tuesday. And guess what? I actually got it in a day early! WOW! But in my eagerness to write the ultimate sophomore novel, I sort of went outside the boundaries so to speak. Colored outside the lines....went from shallow to deep. It made me realize that I have more than one writing style in me. Even so, the name of the game is to build an audience first, then explore what I can do. After a conference call with my editor, I agreed that this would have been a great departure and would probably leave the people who liked my first book saying, "What the heck???" LOL So, I revised it to put it along the lines of Counting Raindrops and I'm waiting to hear the feedback this week so I can proceed. This is a lot different than self-publishing, I must admit. Can't say worse though. Because if I self-published, I would have gone with my first story draft and I think I would have had a hard time establishing a core audience. Sometimes, two heads are better than one. And I'm keeping the first storyline for a future book, so all is not lost! Missouri, Missouri, Missouri. This state is going to have me going off the deep end! Trying to get license plates for my car has been a week long ordeal. First, they have all these tests here...safety inspectiton, emissions... Then I have to get a waiver for my personal property tax. Then you take all these items and go to the license bureau. Fine, if everything goes off without a hitch. But that has been so not the case for me. I failed emissions, not because there's an emissions problem with my 4.5 year old Jetta, but because the check engine light was on which fails it whether you have an emissions problem or not. So, I go get it checked out, it's fine, they turn off the light and that's another afternoon wasted. Tax waiver...my fault I guess. I go to a location recommened by a friend, which happens to be across town. First time, I forgot a needed document and had to do it the next day. Second day, I take a number, wait an hour to be called to find out I need to go downtown to get my waiver because I live in the city. Downtown...a couple of blocks away from home...I could have walked. So now, there's no time for me to make it there before closing. So, hopefully by Tuesday, I'll finally have Missouri plates...although I'm not so sure I want them now.

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More great news! (I love when I'm able to start a post this way). I received from my editor the first author blurb that came in. It's from an author that I admire, JD Mason and she had many good things to say. It gives you a great feeling when another author, a well-known and seasoned author, pays your story and your writing a compliment. You accept that everyone, other writers included, will not like your story. Fact of life. But when another writer can sit back and laugh, get angry, and cry while reading your book, that gives you an awesome feeling. Especially when its an author whose writing style you admire as well. I've been sick all week. Ever since getting back from Cleveland on Monday. It slowed me down quite a bit too. I didn't have the energy to work out, which I'm sure people at the gym appreciate since I didn't because I didn't bring my sickness to them. But my furniture arrived Thursday and I had to unpack, sort, and arrange stuff in order to get around. Oh yeah. Try doing this while your nose is running like Niagra Falls, and your coughing, sneezing, and your throat feels like you swallowed a porcupine. If you're clueless, let's just say it's not the best feeling in the world. Ah, but I managed to get some things unpacked so I'm able to move around my studio apartment. I even alternated writing so I can try to meet my Tuesday deadline. Will I make it? Don't know. I'll know by tomorrow whether I will or have to go begging to my editor yet again for an extension of a few more days. I hope she's not getting sick of me already. Seems like I'm always asking for something. LOL

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It's moving day! Lawd, I swear I've been moving for the past six months! I came back to St. Louis in October of last year, lived with my sister for 3 months, got my apartment in January, now I'm finally moving the last of my furniture and personal belongings from Cleveland. The things you have to do to realize your dream! LOL Well, I drove to Cleveland on Sunday to grab a few more things and to be there with the movers to make sure everything went smoothly. They told me my things would arrive here in St. Louis 4 - 10 days later. I got a call yesterday saying that it's arriving today. AWESOME!!! After this move and after unpacking, my transition period will be over. I'm going to try my best to stay put. I hate to move, but yet I haven't stayed in one place for more than two years in the past eight years. I guess it's good I don't have a kid. She'd be feeling like a rag doll right about now. LOL Through all of this, I'm still trying to finish up my synopsis and novella for this anthology. Ideas are rolling in my head for both and I just need the time to finish them up. Life gets in the way sometimes. I keep telling myself that things will be better once I finally get things settled, but that's taking a long time. But I think the end is near, FINALLY. The things you do to realize your dream!

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Life keeps you busy. Try doing all those little things that you take care of on a periodic basis all at once. For three straight days in a row it's taken me all day to take care of life's incidences, and it's just me. Geez! If I had children or a husband. I don't see how women do it. Nor do I care to find out at the moment. I'm single and loving it. I've been writing here and there but like yesterday, I didn't get any writing done at all. I've been shopping for insurances, taking care of health care needs, trying to get the car fixed so I can get the car legal, arranging to make the final move from Cleveland to St. Louis and other stuff. Plus the normal every week stuff of laundry, groceries, etc. It's a full-time job just living! I've been writing a tad bit here and there but like yesterday, I didn't get a chance to write at all. With what I have to do today, not sure if I'll get a chance to write today either. But next week, all of this stuff will be taken care of and my life shouldl be smoother. Then I'll have to do taxes! Trying to fit some reading in during the waiting periods. You know, the doctor's office and while picking up drugs (prescriptions). :-) I'm about to go for my first round of car repairs and I'm taking along Good In Bed by Jennifer Weiner and The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah. Not that I'm planning to finish both. Heck, I'd better not finish one! Yes, taking care of myself and doing the things that I need to do is a full-time job plus! Maybe one day I'll get organized enough and get my life situated enough to consider those other things like a relationship. Maybe next year. :-)

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