Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related: I had a good writing week last week. Expanded two separate scenes that needed it and revised 30 pages of previously written material. I also got my head shot photo done and have formatted Honor Bound in ebook format so it's ready to be uploaded to Amazon which I hope to do today.

Motivational Quote: "Always just try. Because you never know." ~ Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

What I'm Reading:  I'm finishing up Pies Before Guys by Kirsten Weiss. This is the 4th book in the Pie Town mystery series. While I liked the earlier books in the series, I'm really struggling to get through this one. 

Random Things: I'm hard at work crocheting a baby blanket for my niece. She and her husband are expecting their first child in mid April. I fell in love with the pattern which is easy to read and is easy to follow but...you knew there was a but coming, didn't you? The blanket is made in pieces and then put together. The pattern instructions say to single crochet the pieces together but it leaves an obvious raised seam on the wrong side of the blanket that I really don't like so I've been YouTubing videos of different techniques showing how to sew crocheted pieces together. I think I've settled on the reverse mattress stitch. It's nearly invisible on both sides of the blanket.

Random Photo:

                            Somebody insists in sleeping in his little sister's bed.

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related: I only managed to get 15 pages written last week. My mom and I both had doctor appointments (on different days of course) that ate into my writing time.

Motivational Quote: "I truly believe that we can overcome any hurdle that lies before us and create the life we want to live." ~ Gillian Anderson

What I'm Reading: I started reading The Friendship List by Susan Mallery over the weekend. I'm a big fan of Ms. Mallery and have read most of her books.

Random Things: I'm so happy it's March, though February seemed to go by pretty quickly. The closer we get to spring, the happier I am. I'm done with snow and brutally cold weather.

Random Photo:

 You know your cat did something wrong when he tries to hide between the sofa cushions.

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related:  I wrote the last of the transition scene that I needed to bridge the pages I'd revised/edited and where the story picked up again. When I originally started writing this manuscript, I had skipped ahead, just leaving myself a note stating I needed a transition scene to tie the two parts together. Now that that scene is written, I'm back to editing/revising the pages I wrote after skipping that scene.

Motivational Quote: "The world will drag you by the hand, yelling 'This is important!'...And each day, it's up to you to yank your hand back, put it on your heart, and say, 'No. This is what's important.'" ~ Iain S. Thomas

What I'm Reading: I started Unleashed by Rachel Lacey over this past weekend. 

Random Things: I'm working my way through my "Must Do" list to get Honor Bound up for sale by March 4th. I've made myself a check list so I don't forget anything. Hopefully the process will get easier with each book'

Random Photo:

  Somebody has discovered a new warm place to sleep - the heat register in the dining room.

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related: I wrote 25 pages of new material on the new manuscript. I'm still playing around with titles for it. I haven't settled on one I like yet. I contacted a friend who is a professional photographer to see if she has an opening to do an author photo/head shot of me. I'm just waiting to hear back from her on a date that works for us both. I also prepared the front and back matter for the Ebook version of Honor Bound.

Motivational Quote: "Believe you can and you're halfway there." ~ Theodore Roosevelt

What I'm Reading: I'm currently reading Three Widows and a Corpse by Debra Sennefelder. This is the third book in the Food Blogger mystery series. 

Random Things: We had next to no snow for November, December, and January - Only 12.9 inches total for all three months. Well the last week of January came and so did the snow. We've had at least an inch or more of snow every day since January 28th to the present with the exception of February 4th. There actually was no snow that day. We now have over 48 inches of snow, most of it falling in the last 3 weeks. After the winter started out with so little snow for almost three months, I was hoping we'd have an easy winter. Looks like that won't happen after all. 

Random Photo:

                             Somebody playing with his sister's new avocado toy.

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related: I received my DBA certificate in the mail last week. Woohoo! I revised the last 60 pages of the book I'm working on now so I'm up to the point I left off writing it. I figure I have about 100 to 140 pages to write before the first draft will be completed. 

Motivational Quote: "It looks easy. But it's not. There's a lot of work and dedication." ~ Usain Bolt

What I'm Reading: I started reading The Forever Girl by Jill Shalvis on Friday. This is the sixth book in the Wildstone series.

Random Things: I came across a huge display of flower and vegetable seeds along with potting soil and little starter pots at the local grocery store. A happy sign that spring is coming. 

Random Photo:

              I did some stress relief baking last week and made cinnamon swirl bread.

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related: I did get the last completed book out to my beta readers. Everyone is supposed to have their thoughts and completed questionnaires back to me by 2/6. I also had a really great writing week last week. I revised the first 200 pages of the next book in the series.  I only have about 3/4 of the book actually written before I set aside so I'm starting from the beginning and revising up to the point where I left off writing the book so I can get back into the characters' heads and the plot.

Motivational Quote: "It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up." ~ Vince Lombardi

What I'm Reading: I started Hopeless Romantic by Marina Adair last Friday. I won the book in a Goodreads giveaway so I wanted to read it right away so I can post a review for it asap.

Random Things: I've been absolutely miserable at my day job lately. The business is in the process of being sold. Things are changing already and not for the better. I keep telling myself to just get through the day so I can go home and work on my writing. Maybe being miserable at my day job will motivate me enough to keep me on track with my writing goals this year. 

Random Photo:

           If you look closely, you can see Mrs. Green's eye as she peeks out at me.