In the Zone. Love the Zone. Feed the Zone.

I've hit the writing Zone :)

My daughter interrupted my writing the other day and I was grumpy for at least half an hour. During which, I was subject to much teasing of being caught in the Zone. 

Well, so. Geez! Why is everybody so needy! 

It's my belief that you should only be allowed to tease if you also have been to the Zone.

It's a happy place, full adventures and imagination! Of course, there is also the typical and not so typical tragedy. It's definitely my happy place! 

I saw Josi Kilpacks story for the second time and it made me smile and waltz my way back to the computer and into the Zone once again. This time she gives it along with a recipe for her secret sauce! It involves one particular secret ingredient... stick-to-itiveness

Yes! I knew that ingredient would come in handy one day!

She talks about her confidence and getting shot down and picking herself up every time! It's a fantastic story that makes me happy to pick up my project write some more words. Adding a little of my long stored stick-to-itiveness. Thank goodness that stuff doesn't have an expiration date! 

Don't you love the Zone. The keep writing, keep dreaming, happy place. I love it here. It's a whole lot of fun floating in the Zone.

My dirty little secret

Hello friends, I'm here to share a secret.

 A nasty one I like to keep hidden away. 

Its confession is painful but it's for a good cause. You see, today is Jordan McCollums blogfest for her new novel I, Spy!
And bonus! She's giving away prizes! So read, comment, and find out what your freebie is!

Here goes confession time - 

I pulled into the driveway already in a cold sweat. I'd spent the afternoon a mix of exhilaration and panic filtered through a crush of bodies and freedom that sometimes felt out of place.

I scanned the totes, that on my shoulder had felt more than heavy, but now lay heaped in the back seat. They gave no hint of the forbidden contents. I looked at them wanting to be pleased with my decisions, but my deep calming breaths had been replaced with hyperventilation.

The man of the house wasn't home, or, at least his car wasn't around. I opened the garage door. The concrete floor was clearly visible. Exposed, free of shadows and black rubber tires. I released the breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding and I rolled into the garage.

The car filled with the smell of tires, and stale air. I closed my mouth, holding my breath, to keep the sent from overcoming my senses. I hit a button on the car door and cringed. The smooth whirring brought the image of sharpening blades as the window rolled to it's closed position. I hefted the massive bags from the backseat and half carried, half dragged them inside.

Inside it was quiet and clean but I'd never felt so out of place in my own home. Well, maybe not "never", this wasn't the first time. I swallowed and looked for witnesses. By some miracle of fate my children were absent. The faint hum of the television could be heard in the basement. The neglect etched a spot next to my anxiety, but I pressed on. 

I removed my shoes at the door, a guise of obedience, but grateful for the silence it afforded me.  Around the corner of the stairwell I hurried to the bedroom and its carpeted floors. A thump resonated in the empty rooms as I smacked into the door jamb as I hurried past. I scolded my carelessness and checked for damage. Everything was still as it had been and I stepped further into my room.

Beyond the bedroom I found an empty space in the closet. I moved stacks of long dresses and gently released my hold on the totes that burdened my soul. I stared longingly at the evidence of what I'd done.

A door slammed, and I jumped, knocking my head on the low hanging closet rod. Keeping an eye on the door I re-positioned the clothes. With a quick glance around I hurried to the bed pouncing on it as casually as I could.

Footsteps sounded in the hall, "Hillary!"

"I'm in here." I pulled my phone out and clicked into my email and leaned back on a pillow as he walked through the door.

"Hey love!" I clicked the phone off and stood my body tight and panicky.  I walked over and raised my arms to hug him and paused. He shimmered with sweat and the smell of salt and heat dripped from him. He grinned behind black sunglasses. The pause only lasted for a moment but my stomach rolled as it had the first time he'd come home like this. I'd kissed him then trying to be a good wife and assuming I'd get used to it.

I didn't, but considering what I'd just done, I lowered my arms and tried again. I touched his damp chest with just my fingertips and leaned up tapping the obligatory kiss on his lips.

"I'm so glad you're home! How was you're ride?" Lies, all lies. I didn't care about his ride and I wasn't glad he was home. Not right now anyway, guilt drifted from the closet like a mist.

"It was okay. Did you do anything this morning? Did the kids vacuum their rooms?" Crap. The rooms.

"Uh, I told them too. I think Livvy did, you know how they are." I could classify this as, not definitely a lie. He walked into the closet disappearing in the mist of guilt I'd left hanging there. I held my breath listening. He was silent as he dropped backpacks and opened drawers.

The shower turned on in the adjoining bathroom. Relief dropped me, like a water fall had opened in the ceiling, I fell back onto the bed breathing normally for the first time since the sight of the neighbors green suburban lawns and carefully pruned hedges. He hadn't seen the bags.

I hurried to check on the kids bedrooms as I contemplated how long I'd have to wait before I could wear the lacy green top in the bag. It would be longer for the boots. He tends to notice shoes. It's a curse. The stack of new things for the kids would be easy. In a few days I can pull a couple things out and feed him a line about how long it's been "just hanging around", but I could do that. They were worth it and, for now, my secret is safe.

Okay, so hiding shopping isn't the most thrilling secret, and this is a bit extreme :) but I think it's safe to say we've all got a secret or two! Happy blog hopping!

And go check out Jordan's novel, "I, Spy" and her prequel novella "Mr. Nice Spy"

Which just for reading you can get "Mr. Nice Spy" FREE!!! Yay!
Here's a quote from Jordan herself-
Just for reading a blog fest post, you can get a free e-copy of the novella Mr. Nice Spy, a prequel to I, Spy! Use the coupon code SECRET on my site store here! (Coupon code good through July 26, 2013.)

ROFL

Okay, truthfully I've never used that acronym but it totally fits my thoughts today!

Last night was critique group night. That coveted night of all nights, I smile a lot on critique group nights! And last night we were dying! There was so much more than smiling going on! 

Keli over at Keli Wright's Open-Faced Sandwich wrote about it and it got me thinking about how good it is to laugh! 

I haven't done a lot of reading at critique group lately because I'm working on a rough draft of a new book. But for some reason everyone had been kinda dead on the writing front. (It happens!) 

Well, I was not going to let my coveted evening run short! So, I pulled out a couple pages that at least resembled the intended storyline. I apologized, emailed, apologized again, and then read. 

After the first couple mistakes, we giggled, but as we went on some of the mistakes were so ill placed or took on such a different context than they were intended to be, that we were full out belly laughing in the back of the yogurt shop we were meeting in. It was amazing!

I think part of my willingness to laugh had to do with the fact that it was such a raw story. When you've worked tirelessly for months pouring your heart and soul into a story, it's painful even to show it to a close friend. Much less send it out to be critiqued and torn apart! (Even if they are still close friends :) ) But at this stage we simply laughed. 

We knew there would be changes, we knew the story would change, maybe even dramatically, so for now, we let it clean through our perfectionist souls and we simply relaxed and enjoyed the beginnings of writing that so many stories take! 

In fact I woke up today feeling better than I have in ages! I'm not saying I'll make a regular habit of this but it was sure a great night!

The problem with spinning theories.

Seriously, I get way to caught up in theory spinning. Fan fic flies in my head the minute I finish a good book.

Right now it's driving me nuts, I'm supposed to be packing and instead I'm surfing around looking for people reading Inevitable, by Tamara Hart Heiner and spinning theories anywhere someone will listen to me. 

That's the real problem with reading a good book. It makes me spend way to much time on the internet and I waste my day away... 

...so, anyone want to dish? :)

An Inevitable Favorite!

Hey everyone! I'm feeling the need to share some book love! 

I found out about a party that I want to invite you all to! Aren't I such a good friend! :)

Well, I'm not exactly throwing the party, but hey you can be grateful for that too! Party planning is not one of my best skills. So, no, not throwing it... but I know the fantastic author who is! 

Tamara Hart Heiner is having a launch party on Feb. 1st 

for her new eBook "Inevitable"!

 It's fantastic story that I never wanted to end, with characters that I couldn't stop thinking about! I loved it!

Then, since it's Tamara Hart Heiner, besides a fabulous book you're getting a fabulous party! 

Go check out her blog or read up on it through this Facebook event page. 

There will be lots of prizes, free books, eBooks  and more! And what's a book launch without some serious reading time! That's where you'll find me in a couple days!

Is the first time really the best?

Just got back from my very first writers conference. It was the Ozark Creative Writers Convention, and it was awesome!

I'm gonna be honest though, I'm not really feeling more motivated to write. Ooo, I hope nobody's offended. Don't tell Tamara! Blast! She's gonna find out anyway. Dang internet. No worries Tamara, and all new authors looking for an opportunity to share the writing love, motivation comes in many forms! This just wasn't the way I expected it!

Tamara is my wonderful friend that I attended the conference with. Go check out her post it's full of fun info about the conference and the agent who was there. She's been helping me remember how much I love writing, but I really am just starting out in this crazy amazing world of writing, so, trying to take in all that information was a little overwhelming. I'd come out of each class with pages of notes and realize how much more there is to writing than a good idea.

That happened after every class I think :) It makes me giggle a little how exhausting sitting in class is and how awesome all of the speakers were.

Thank goodness they left a little break time each day that we happily filled with shopping and chocolate, along with a little of our own writing, to temper the information overload!

We've established that I'm a new author. As long as you aren't counting the little construction paper covered book I wrote about a haunted castle when I was in first grade. (don't smirk you've all got one!) I'm still working on the first draft, of my first novel, but who'd of thought jumping into a room full of people who share my interests could be so scary! Writing can be hard and these people have been beating there way through for years.

The conference itself was a very cool experience, and I plan to go to this one and others in the future. The classes were great, the people were awesome. In fact, I never got to have a one-on-one conversation with Dusty Richards, who heads the committee, but I feel like he's my friend. To bad he has no idea!

So I wouldn't say I came out of the conference super motivated to write. However, I am super motivated to learn and I'm sure I'll keep writing as I go! Also, I'm really looking forward to next year! Whew!

In any case, first whirlwind, fabulous convention finished. Check!