Mirror Lake

I had to post this beautiful picture today. It's just about perfect, don't you think? Inspiring, peaceful, a place where you might sit and contemplate life. And romantic! I can definitely see a romance blossoming in some cabin in those mountains, or at a lake side picnic. Can't you just imagine the quiet surrounding you? But then, you hear a birds singing, or the grunt of an elk in the distance. This is truly a place where anything can happen.

Just let your imagination go...

Gaining Altitude

Sorry I haven't posted lately. Family health problems have me distracted but did want to just pop in for a moment to wish everyone a happy summer.

After spending five and a half hours at a car dealership the other day I remember why it's been five years since I purchased a new car, and why it will most likely be another five before I go through it again. I'd received one too many of those special deal advertisements in the mail and just had to go check this one out. I haven't had a car payment in two years and my original plan was to wait and get a new car a couple years before I retired. So much for that!

Hubby and I made a 9:00 appointment to haggle with the sales person, I hate that part, too. We were just about to walk out because he was determined to talk them into giving me a free car, (they didn't budge, go figure) while I realized the deal I was getting. As we were heading toward the door I stopped him and said, if I don't get a car today I'm not coming back and that's it. I'm not going through this again. He didn't really care, after all it was going to be my car. So I turned around and went back in.

Well, I did get a good deal on a 2011 model that's already out so I took the plunge. Beginning next month I'll start up with car payments again. I hate those fat little booklets you get from the bank! It takes forever for them to go down in size. Thank goodness for on-line banking so I don't have to look at it.

I'll enjoy driving my new car until the payment book arrives:)

Happy Monday fellow larkers, and the beginning of another week. I have been so busy lately that the days are just flying by. My daughter and son-in-law just closed on their first house and I have been helping out by painting and cleaning. The drive is an hour from work and two hours from my house, one way. They move in this weekend and there's still so much to do. I told them to take their time, after all, they have 30 years to get it all done!

Last week was also one of those weeks where it seemed I had some kind of appointment every day after work. Dentist, hair, pedicure...my schedule at work was all messed up because of one thing or another. One morning I went in at 5:00 because hubby was going to take a train to Boca Raton, only he changed his mind at the last minute.

Did I tell you I've had another book contracted by Ellora's Cave? Breathless Surrender is another Quickie. I'm working on my third now. Won't be long and I'll be busy doing edits again. I love my editor at EC. She's as professional and thorough as the editors I've had at Whiskey Creek Press so I'm very pleased about that.

Summer is definitely here. It's hotter than hades, the air thick and muggy. I absolutely hate the heat and if I'm out in it too long I get physically sick. Seems to get worse as I get older. On the flip side I love seeing the birds building their nests in our orange tree, and hearing them singing in the mornings. We have a pair of cardinals. The grass is thick and green again and the flowers are blooming.

LOL...I feel like I'm writing a letter to an old friend, catching her up on what I've been doing. I hope you all have a great week.

Tootles!

writing

Today I had lunch with a friend here in Florida. We had such fun, both being writers we talked a lot about writing and books and had a thoroughly good time. Isn't it just what we writers do? Not that we are prone to bore everyone with our "writerly" thoughts, it's just that when writers get together this is what we do.

Realty we are solitary individuals, working alone in our attics or studios, talking to no one, when we are released into the world and we have a chance to talk, we go at it like mad.

So I want to say a big thank you to Jen, for making my day and trust she learned something from me, as I learned much from her.

Ciao.

A Quick Writing Tip

Came across some wonderful writing advice from writer Alan Gurganus in the Iowa Writer's Workshop newsletter that I wanted to share.

"If a novelist mentions the name of a color in her first or second paragraph, the chance of a reader's staying put is instantly enlarged. Not just 'red' but 'wet-slate gray,' or 'pea-soup green.' Some trance occurs when your reader helps concoct a very specific color from the black-and-white page."

Every book I'm reading follows this advice so I'm off to check the opening pages of my novel in progress.

From sunny Florida

I am basking in the warmth of another lovely day. I love the consistency of weather here. Great Britain being an island we are at the mercy of the weather not quite certain what will happen. Living by the sea we don't get as much rain as inland, dark clouds scud across the sky and dump their gifts inland...we have the winds. making it impossible to have perfect hair. In Florida I have perfect hair, my hair behaves so well, it loves the humidity.

There is a downside (well not really) in that the southern warmth makes me so laid back, my body welcomes the slow pace, if I lived here I would be talking like a southern belle, no problem, already my speech pattern has slowed. I listen to my grandchildren's way of speaking and just get into that rhythm, I love it. Mind you since Gone with the Wind and the novels of Frank Yerby I have had a thing about the southern states.

So I should be, having a book out now, be promoting like mad, and though I have done a little, not nearly enough. Will it wait till I get home...perhaps let's see how it goes. Meanwhile I am at www.theromancestudio.com and there is an excerpt from A Saxon Tapestry, as well as the lovely cover to see, you might even see me, if you want to!

In the meanwhile - see ya'll...