friday recap

I have to start my recap with the major announcement that I edited Maddy Blue this week. That is the most important thing I did for myself the past seven days.

Other highlights: Having Starbucks with Kim. Falling prey to the creeping crud that has infiltrated my house/family. Reading 1/4 of the Follett book (cut me a break, the sucker is over 1,000 pages). Wrapping the Christmas gifts.

That is about it folks.....a busy week in many ways, but most of it involves the kids and the minivan.

I'm sure I will be editing again today as the calendar is rather clear except for dinner plans with the hubby and another couple.

Enjoy the weekend:)

the big book

Word limit my foot....have you seen Ken Follett's latest massive contribution to the book world? I reserved "World Without End" last week and was able to pick it up from the library yesterday morning while I was in to stock the bookstore. I read "Pillars of the Earth" years ago when it first came out. I have a major soft spot in my heart for the mega sized historical novel. I blame my mother for this. She gave me Michener's "The Source" to read one summer when I complained I had nothing to do.

I crawled into bed last night, after I'd turned on the mattress heating pad, (if you don't have one run now and get one) with the book and a big mug of friendship tea. The darn book is so big that it is hard to lay in bed, read and sip without constant adjusting. The book ended up on the nightstand because the hubby got home from his work session and started to chat about the day's events and what we have going on for the rest of the week.

The first seven pages were great......Gwenda captured me from the first paragraph, but it would take a cold soul not to like a little girl who has to pickpockets to keep her family fed.

I'll keep you posted on how this sequel to Oprah's current book pick unfolds.

On other fronts, I worked on Maddy Blue yesterday....I actually edited, folks. Did you feel the earth tremble?? It was a momentous event.

themes for all things

Had a marvy few hours at B&N yesterday with my crit bud, Kim. We scoured the shelves and analyzed book covers for a while. Beyond the obvious pastel or bright colors versus the dark color difference in genre books, the layout is critical. Sort of like my critical fascination with fonts. A good font can rescue a bad day.

I firmly came down in the camp where I like a banner at the top. Such banner should say whether or not this is a series. For example: A Maddy Blue Demon Slayer Mystery. Below the banner is some sort of cartoonish graphic. At the bottom of the graphic is the title and the author's name. On the spine I like a thumbnail of the cover graphic.

So, why did Kim and I spend time looking over these things yet again? Because now she will have a book coming out in a year's time. She's moved from the fantasy to the reality, after years of hard work, networking and rejection. Her short stories will appear over the next year in Mouthfull of Bullets and Enspiren Press, out of Canada, has offered her a contract for her Shannon Wallace mystery. The girl is doing it!

Hat off yet again to you Ms. Kim........you inspire me:)

sophomore slump

"Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy" is the second book in Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls series. Our intrepid heroine, Cammie Morgan, is a legacy at the exclusive all girls school The Gallagher Academy, a secret CIA training facility. When boys descend upon Gallagher's hallowed halls, the emotions and hormones run high. Toss in some good old boy-girl competition, a possible theft of highly classified information and the inevitable run in with the old boyfriend and you've got a 240 page book.

I really liked Carter's first book,"I'd tell you I loved you, but then I'd have to kill you." My girls loved it......anyone I gave it to at the library loved it....I think the waiting list to check it out was a half dozen deep at one point.

This book will be just as successful because it does 'enough' to keep the reader engaged. I didn't feel, however, that the plot and new character development were strong enough to ward off the dreaded sophomore slump some series fall victim to.

It was a fun, quick read but it wasn't the 'get excited' read that the first book delivered. Carter does do a few things very well. Cammie and her buddies are smart, daring, loyal and not afraid to show it....even to the boys. I'd still recommend this book, but the grownups may feel a bit let down. I'm anxious to see what my two girls think of it.

short and sweet

The week in review....

Worked at the bookstore, made a few waves, calmed a few folks and had a good time.
Found the latest Ally Carter book: Cross my heart and hope to spy....better than a bag of doritos for pure decadent fun.
Snapped up a couple of Jack Reacher stories in paperback at the store.
Banished the dust bunnies from the house.
Stocked the pantry, Costco loves me:)
Made weekend plans with Miss Kaycee, hip hip hooray, the girl is getting pub'd.
My girls won their last soccer game...fierce competitors that they are:)
Cleared the decks for next week....Maddy Blue, get ready to be edited.

Enjoy the weekend, I know I will!

Hoosier Hysteria

I stumbled across ESPN last night and to my total joy and delight discovered Indiana was playing Georgia Tech in Assembly Hall. Yes! I tuned in just in time to catch the end of the first half and stayed planted in the comfy chair to enjoy the rest of the game.

For some unknown reason, after the Big Dance ends, I seem to forget just how much fun it is to watch college basketball. I'm so revved up now for the regular Big Ten season to start, I've already printed off the schedule of televised games.

The Hoosiers went on to win and after watching them play, this could become a habit for them. DJ White and Eric Gordon are an incredible inside/outside duo. Hard to believe Gordon is a freshman. He drives the lane like it is the autobahn.

Enough basketball.......

Off to the bookstore today, tomorrow and Friday. At some point I need to dust and vacuum my house. That is the rest of my week. My girls' soccer season ends tonight, their long break has not done them any favors. They lost last night 1-0. It would be nice if they could end with a win. Basketball season starts for them Saturday. Oops, there is that b-ball word again.

The hubby made it home from the funeral with plenty of stories to tell. We are both gearing up for our jaunt north next month. Christmas back in Indiana-Hoosierland for the first time in 5 years......talk about plenty of material for a novel. But, aren't most families like that?

the best laid plans

Let's just say it....Thanksgiving sucked.

The youngest woke up Tuesday with a raging fever...that continued to rage through the day into the next, hence our trip to the powdery white sands of the Florida panhandle was cancelled. The kid was really ill and when we got him to the doctor on Friday he wound up with 3 prescriptions. Then, in the meantime, we got a call that one of my hubby's uncles died. His son found him dead in bed Wednesday morning. So, hubby got online and booked himself a trip up north for the funeral...and pall bearer duties.

I did manage to throw together a damn fine meal, considering I had less than 24 hours to prepare. Instead of lounging beach side, I stuffed my face with pumpkin pie, dressing and turkey.

I didn't work on Maddy Blue.....too busy taking temperatures, refreshing drinks and rolling out pie crust. And playing on the Wii.

Yes, the hubby and I threw the kids a major bone after the Thanksgiving trip debacle and had the 'elves' deliver a bit of technological heaven to our front step Thursday morning. One less gift under the old Christmas tree, but at least mom isn't babbling in a corner doped up on Prozac. That little box of plastic kept the kids busy for 4 days.........I love you Wii!!!

The best bit of news was from my crit bud, Miss Kaycee Connors...yeah, you girl.....she is breaking free of the bonds of the unpublished and signed on the dotted line. I can't hardly stand it I'm so excited that Shannon and Dwayne are going to be out there for the world to enjoy.

Dwight.....I'd love to crit your stuff....and as soon as I wrap up the latest edits on Maddy I'll take you up on your offer to give that manuscript a whirl.

On other fronts....I read Laurell K. Hamilton's "A Lick of Frost" and Lee Child's "One Shot" over the long weekend. Thumbs up on both.