Happy Easter!

I will be visiting family, so just in case I do not get back on here before then, I would like to take a moment to wish anyone and everyone reading this a very Happy Easter!  Hope that everyone enjoys a weekend filled with family and friends and love and happiness.  And of course, I hope the Easter Bunny is good to all of you!  Be safe and take care this weekend, please.

Progress - Finally

Blame it on the new tank.  Blame it on Lily's move.  Blame it on the fact that spring is finally on its way.  Blame it on whatever you want, but the fact of the matter is, I've finally managed to write two more chapters in the fourth novel.  I've finally managed to push other story ideas away and focus on Sarah and London.  And I've finally written myself out of the part of the story I was dreading.  Now it's on to the fun, exciting pieces, and that'll be even more motivation to keep going.  Once I start seeing improvements like these, it makes me excited.  There is still a longgg ways to go, but I'm nearly half way through getting this novel down on paper (only one more chapter to go and we're half way there!) and after the half way point, it usually goes significantly faster.

Where will I go from here?  Well, I'll keep writing.  At this rate, if I can keep this pace up, it would be nice to aim to have it all on paper by the end of July.  And then I will need to type it all up.  That should not take nearly as long.  Then it will need editing, proofing, revisions, and the story itself will need to visit the illustrator so we can start working on the inside illustrations and the cover image.  And once all of that is done, well, then we can start talking production.  It's still going to take a lot of time, and it's still going to be a lot of work, but I'm nearly done the hardest and longest phase.

Will keep you posted.

Welcome to the Family!

My boyfriend, Dylan, and I have expanded our little family by adding eight new members.  I have aquired 7 African Aquatic Dwarf Frogs, and Dylan has aquired a Betta.  We had plans to haul my old 20 gallon up from the basement and put it in my office.  First we needed to buy the stand and with help from a friend, we picked one out.  Then it was time to rinse out the tank and get it set up and let it run.  And then we were going to get the live plants and the final decorations and pick up the new additions today, but they ended up coming home with us last night...after we scrapped our original decorating ideas for something that brings out the kid in both of us.  So hopefully that gives me some extra motivation to hang out in my office and work now.  Dylan's Betta's name is Pairote (pronounced Py-ro) and one of the frogs is called Lil' Squirt since its the runt in the family.  The rest have yet to be named as it is difficult to tell them apart at this point.  Without further ado, here is the tank.  See if you can spot everyone!

On a different note, today I finally have time to work on some more editing!  And we will be off to the barn this afternoon so maybe when I come home, Sarah and London will be ready to play again.  Honestly, how many people can play with their "imaginary friends" into their 20s?  So today should be a pretty good day for the company.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Is Spring Here Yet!?

Well, this past week was Spring Break and boy did it sure fly!  I'm thinking it might have finally brought along some of the much needed spring weather we have been craving in this part of the world.  Lily's move took place on a rather cold, gloomy day, but since then, every trip to the barn has been rather warm.  I've managed to get away with wearing a hoodie out there twice.

Now that Lily's moved, guess which character is creeping her way back into the front of my brain?  Sarah is ready to finish her story.  Funny how different the characters can be.  Sarah's a very strong willed, single minded character, but she is willing to stay in hiding until things line up in my life so that I am happy.  Ironically, the part of her story I'm working on right now is not happy.  But maybe that's part of the whole thing with her.  She's typically a pretty optimistic gal, so maybe she prefers to hang out when I'm being more optimistic.

My other character suffers from a difficult, complicated life and though she is not demanding, she seems to prefer that her chaotic life is chronicled when my own life is also busy.  But she is being kind enough to sit back and let Sarah step into my focus again for a bit.  I'll release more information about this person when Sarah and London are done.  Until then, I prefer to keep her secret for just a little longer.

I am still trying to find the time to finish editing my first book.  At this point, I'm thinking it would have been faster to have someone else do it for me.  Spring Break was a total write-off in regards to accomplishing to do with Pumpkin Head.  Hopefully this week and particularly this weekend some time will open up.  I really need to finish reprinting before focusing on the fourth novel.  Slowly but surely, we will get there.

Hope everyone is enjoying their spring!