‘Cause I’m on fire, baby! I am writing like a fiend. I wanna get my wordcount where it needs to be asap. I have 800 projects to do after this one–some of them even professional librarian-ish stuff. I must get to them and in order to do that I NEED TO FINISH. I don’t have the writing chops yet to multitask, which means I need to git ‘r done, as the Blue Collar Comedy Tour boys would say.

In good news: I entered a We All Win contest at Romance Divas and so far my stuff is doing well. Yeay! Of course, there’s still plenty of time left for people to bash my poor little writer feelings. I can take it though. I need tough skin in this business and this is one way to develop it.

I’m up to 77.5% done as of last night. Yeay! I’ve been doing 1-2K a day on weekends and a bit less on weekdays. Not as much as I’d like, but this is my first time and I’ve only been writing for about 5 months. Give me time! I’m not one of those people who says “I always knew I’d be a writer; I’ve written all my life.” No, I just picked up a pen in September. I haven’t written anything except college papers since high school.

My little cousins assure me that I’m not working fast enough because they REALLY want to read Supersize Girl (my Young Adult idea). Apparently, I’m an award-winning, best-selling YA novelist in their minds. Did I mention I love my cousins? Because I do.

Men are driving me crazy lately. Not that this is especially unusual, but they REALLY are making me nutty lately.

Exhibit A: Went on actual date with Stealth Date Guy and he made a move. I was so not interested by this point in our date (was VERY sure we were destined for nothing more than friendship) and now he won’t stop hanging around. Don’t get me wrong, I love male adoration, but Learn. To. Stop. Boys.

Exhibit B: Grandpa called. Now, I love my grandparents. Anyone who’s read any part of this blog knows I worship the ground they walk on. He calls at midnight my time (on a work day!) and just wants to talk about my day. Yeah. ‘Night Gramps. I need sleep. I know he was probably bored, but he couldn’t have called three hours earlier? It’s not like he’s not retired!

Exhibit C: Talked to younger stepbrother on the phone about trying to make it out to California for his high school graduation (he’s the baby of my family). He gives me this song and dance about how people are graduating all over the world on that day, so it’s no big deal. I have to give him the speech about how I hate graduations so I wouldn’t go to all those other people’s graduations if you paid me. I’m going to his. I get a totally bored “wow, I guess that makes me special.” GAAAHHH! Had to get off the phone before I said something he’d regret. Putz.

Today’s quiz: “To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?”

I got Numenorean. Yes, even in fiction, I am tragic, lost, and sad. (eye roll)

Numenorean

To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
brought to you by Quizilla

I mentioned last week (for those of you who pay attention) that I might have an idea for Harlequin’s new dark paranormal line. I had to get permission from the stepmom to use a character she’s been drawing for years. The character was basically kidnapped as a child and used as a concubine. Now, she’s an assassin and her former lover is trying to kill her. See? That’s dark stuff right there. Details are being hammered out, but I like the story so far.

Here’s some pics:

So, I went out with a big group of work-friends a few weeks ago for pizza and beer (I’m on a diet so I had water and a salad like a good little girl) and I tried to talk one of the ladies into going with me to a movie afterwards. She cried off (had papers to grade) and a guy I didn’t know very well said he’d like to go. Since I had no real reason or desire to decline, I went along with it. When we got there, he paid for the movie. Odd, but whatever. The movie was good and we ended up having a 30 minute chat in the parking lot after.

I drove home thinking, Am I crazy or did I just go on a date and not realize it?
Called the girlfriends. All agreed it was iffy. Could be a date, could be just a movie.

Called a guy-friend, Thom.

Me: “Am I crazy or did I just go on a date and not realize it?”

Him: “You got stealth dated.”

Long pause.

Me: “That is a perfect description of what just happened.”

Thom: “That’s stealth dating.”

Called Mad Madam M. It turns out she has her own experiences with stealth dating. Who knew?

Stealth Dating: wave of the future or guys chickening out of actually asking girls out?

(I may need to add a scene about this into Supersize Girl…it could work with the teen hero I have in mind for the book)

Okay, it’s really not, but I got your attention didn’t I? Well, there are maybe one or two more men in my life than I really want, but only Mad Madam M gets that kind of gossip. However, it’s a good day. I feel better! Not 100% better (I’m still popping cough drops like they’re candy) but better nonetheless.

I did some more writing last night, had to cut some stuff, added some more, and expected my wordcount to be down over all. But, no! I hit 61K last night. Woo-hoo! The finish line cometh. I can actually see the checkered flag people! Ce-le-brate good times, come on!

So, last night I intended to watch Gilmore Girls and then tuck myself into bed by 9pm. Unfortunately, GG was a re-run that I’d seen before. I flipped through the channels to see if anything else was on and got sucked into the auditions of for American Idol. I know they scan for the worst singers/freaks-of-nature now because that’s what America likes to see (people who make them feel better about themselves because they can point and laugh). I couldn’t help myself. I. Had. To. Watch.

My critique partner and I have a rule that we won’t let each other sing horrifically on national TV (or write, as the case may be) unless we know it’s good stuff we’re putting out. I think some of these people need a CP to hit them with the honesty stick before they try out. Sheesh.

Have I mentioned that I’m a HUGE fan of Susan Grant? Well, I am. She just created a new blog (yeay!) her old one did not have a single entry. Not so with this little gem. Go check it out (Susan Grant’s Blog).

I am still sicker than a dog, so wish me well! (And when I say dog, think rabid ferocious hellhound) This blog news made me smile and with my fever making me crazy-loopy that’s saying something. Archaeologists may find me hiding under my bed in 50 years, clutching a note that says I see dead people. Wouldn’t that just freak them out? I am a sick, sick woman. In every way possible. Mwah-ha-ha!

So, it turns out I didn’t have food poisoning. This might be good news except it means that I have a highly contagious and really bizarre form of the flu. I don’t feel sick except for the food poisoning-esque symptoms. (I’ll let you figure out what that means–one word: ICK!) When not comatose in the last few days, I’ve actually managed to write another 3K words. Whether those words are any good is something I’ll judge when I’m not sick anymore. We’re not there yet.

Did I mention that I looooove my critique partner? I should because she rocks. Love reading her stuff and love how she improves my stuff. It’s just a shame we live in different states. Ah, well! Can’t have it all, right?