What could cause the dog with the loudest voice to bark at 2:30 a.m.? I've never had a dog with this big a voice. When Okalani barks it blots out all other sound in the house. In the middle of the night-everyone gets up. And what could cause Okalani to go off at this ungodly hour?
Two semi-adult (21 & 24) children trying to sneak in because they forgot their house keys.

Yawn. And I had such plans for today.

I'm into the (hopefully) final rewrite. I've got my index cards out. One chapter, one card. Just a few notes so I can "see" a timeline. It helps. Going through each page, checking grammar, punctuation and story flow. And hoping this is the last time I'm rewriting.

So, what's you're final rewrite strategy? Any hints? Tips?

PS: Okalani is over there, sacked out on her bed, sound asleep now...

J.A. Konrath does it again in FUZZY NAVAL

J.A.Konrath will shock you with the first chapter of FUZZY NAVAL. Took me completely unawares. This book moved along at such a quick pace that I couldn't put it down. Vivid descriptions, scary characters and a story that sucks you right in and scares the pants off of you.
And if I ever see Konrath I'm going to have a long talk with him about the ending. It left me wanting more!

What I learned at NJRWA today

I sat in for a speed pitch session today at our NJRWA meeting. The amazing Lois Winston led this group and I think she made it clearer then anything I've read on the subject so far. Check out her "Talk Gerty to Me"- its one of my favorite books!
Here's your pitch: Goal, Motivation Conflict.
So, if you're pitching a romance (I write suspense, mystery, thriller and romance-I'm eclectic! But I'm pushing a romantic suspense out the door right now.)
Heroine: What's her goal? What's her motivation? Where does the conflict come into play?
Now your Hero: What is his goal in the story? What motivates him to keep moving? Conflict?
And what's bringing them together?
Simple? Yes and No.
I think when we work on something long enough everything starts to blur. So maybe we need a fill in the blanks:
She wants-xxx
Because-xxx
But look out for-xxx
He wants-xxx
And he has to do this because -xxx
But then-xxx-happens
And together they-xxxx

What do you think?
<"http://www.loiswinston.com/">

US Army Tortures Pigs!

I'm not a PETA person. Sometimes I think they are little extreme but here they are right. US Army Tortures Pigs

Today on Yahoo News it was reported that the US Army is using pigs for target practise. Well, actually they are just shooting them so they can patch them back up and then they'll know what its like to sew real living tissue back together.

I have to wonder why they chose pigs? Why not cows? or maybe dogs? Did they think pigs wouldn't be as objectionable?

I'm not a big fan of pigs but this is just wrong.

Where is the Humane Society? Why aren't they screaming about animal cruelty within the US Army?

Aside from the huge animal cruelty issue what about the soldiers who have to harm these animals for no reason. Okay, some may not have an issue with this but I'm sure there are many who do view this stunt as animal cruelty and will be emotionally scarred by this stunt.

So who can stop this? The US Army isn't listening. Can we write our congresmen? Senators?

Save the pigs!

Triptych by Karin Slaughter; A review!

There aren't many books that make me gasp, but this one did. I originally picked this book up because an agent mentioned Karin Slaughter on her blog. She said she'd love to have a writer like this in her stable. So, I just had to find out what made the agent drool.

And I got a real nice surprise.

Most books are predictable. I can guess the next move, the villain or the ending. Maybe that's because I read a lot, or study different styles of writing or because I write my own stories.

But this...

Triptych had some great twists in it that I never saw coming. Karin Slaughter's voice just sucks you right in and leaves you --you guessed it--gasping! There were times where I flipped back because what I was thinking turned out not to be so. She throws in several red herrings that will take you completely off guard. Slaughter is a master of optical illusion. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who needs to be surprised and shocked. This book is page turner that will keep you up at night and make you late for work.

Read it!

On a roll and then...SPLAT!

No matter how much I plan to get things done its crash and burn. Carve out a few hours to do nothing but write and then someone calls, emails or I remember something I should be doing instead and there goes the whole day.
Does this ever happen to you?
Wake up, coffee and computer. Then something on some news show or blog catches my eye. Then I have to research that and one thing leads to another and I'm off into la la land. Running around in internetland and letting valuble writing time slip away.
Damn, another day gone.
What did you do all day???

Word Count? How's 139,750?

Ewwww, I just realized my word count was 139,750... (559 pages)

So, what do you think? Not such a good thing for a first time author? Is there an agent on earth who would even look at it?

Oy!

My head hurts.

Threshold of Midnight:

Diana sat down to breakfast with a madman. Eggshells, she thought. This is what they mean when they say walking on eggshells. This edge of your seat fear that the wrong move, the wrong word, will set him off.
She chanced a glance toward her husband and saw it. Right there in those Robert Redford blue eyes was the mania. That touch of insanity that crawled into their lives a few months ago was shimmering in her husband’s eyes like a gleam of another dimension. A place where madness grew like wild flowers in an open field. Or maybe weeds. Weeds that set their roots down deep in Luke’s brain and mangled his thoughts. Tightening on his brain cells and twisting them with fear anger and confusion. She knew if she could get him to some kind of mental hospital they would tell her the fruit loops in his box were doing the jig right now, trying to escape.
“Sorry Mrs. Archer. Your husband’s a couple beers short of a six, brain’s gone fishin’, out to lunch-probably permanently.”
Thank you much, doc, but that little fact is old news. Now, tell me how much time would a lady get for murder in New Jersey? If she used the insanity defense would it really matter which one of them was crazy?
“We need all the dry goods in today, Diana.” Luke insisted as he mopped up his soft-boiled eggs with his whole-wheat toast. “I’ve packed the linens in boxes and put them in the mud room. Take those down, too.”
Diana looked across the breakfast table at her husband and felt the heat of anger rise up inside her. And fear. There was always that too, inching up her spine, twisting her gut like some kind of venomous snake. And it won out over the anger every time. She looked away, across the room and out the window over the sink. The sun was out today. Birds singing in the trees and clouds drifting by making the morning seem just like every other day. If she focused on the trees and the sky it was almost like her life was normal. Just for a few minutes.
“Diana.”
Reluctantly, turning back to Luke, Diana promised herself she was not going to feed his mania today.
“Yes?”
Luke nodded and continued with his instructions, but Diana wasn’t listening. Instead, her thoughts turned to getting out of this situation.

Death or divorce.

Setting up a writing schedule.

When I'm busy, in a rush I seem to get so much more done then when I have a lot of time.
Now, I'm unemployed. I've been sitting here all day watching TV...HELP!
Well,,,,it wasn't that bad. I did start a new story today about a reluctant angel. 3 pages.
Okay, tomorrow's schedule:
Up early and read blogs over breakfast
Coffee and working on the finished WIP (rewriting)
Laundry (somebody has to do it)
Lunch
Wash dogs (they really need it!--maybe cat too, if I have enough courage.)
More laundry (Yes, its that bad.)
Think up blog entry to post.
Clean something.
More writing
Make dinner while rereading what was written today.
Dishes
Probably more laundry (oh so bad)
Sleep.

So what's your daily schedule look like?

Pain and Pressure

I had rotator cuff surgery back in September. I remember before surgery the doctor telling me if its just a little rip it won't be so bad. The worst case would be a full tear. Those are the most difficult to recover from. So, after surgery when I woke up from that haze of drugs I remember asking what it was. The doc said a full tear. I said, the worst, right? And he kinda nodded. Yes.

So recovery hasn't really been that bad. Painful - oh yeah, but I have more movement now then before surgery. Most days not bad at all. And those good drugs helped too.

Until the storms come. When a front (atmospheric pressure) comes through our area I feel like I have a giant toothache from my shoulder to fingertips. Sometimes even my neck and jaw ache with it.

like today.

Here I sit, wanting to write more but too damn achy.

I never believed it when people said the weather made their joints ache. I thought it must be an exaggeration.

Take my word for this...OUCHIE! bIG oUcHIE ON the WeAtheR issuE~

Live and learn.

So, what have you learned lately?

Characters. Where do they come from?

Ever meet someone on the street and think; Now, there's a character. Someone to build around.

Once I was writing a story and in this work was a man, named Willy, who had been in prison, now out and trying to be a better person. He's young, toughened by life and back living with his mom. He knows what he did broke his mother's heart and he tries to keep his cool under pressure mostly for her. He made promises and he'll put up with a lot not to hurt her again.

So, I'm grocery shopping with my daughter. There behind the deli counter is Willy. Almost the perfect Willy. Even his language was Willy.

So, where do your characters come from? Are they people you know?

And what about the people in your life you don't like? Do you take their uglier traits and put them into your bad guys?

Secret; I use the first names of those nasty girls from high school for the ugly characters in my stories. Am I evil for doing this?