I'm going to Disney World!

Current Project: Waiting to hear on first round of submissions

Status: One R...but it was a nice one

So how incredible is it that RWA managed to move the conference to Orlando with three months notice?

My first indication of an issue with Nashville arrived via an email cancellation of my hotel reservation at the Opryland Hotel. What? Flooding in Nashville? (I hadn't watched the news in several days) And they're canceling a reservation for three months away?? My next thought was, "What on earth will RWA do??"

The locations for Nationals are decided upon years in advance. Careful planning, budgeting, visits, meetings, analysis...Can you imagine the amount of work that goes into organizing a conference for 2000 people? And poof. Location gone. My hat is off to the wonderworkers who took charge and solved the issue within days. I'm proud to say I didn't pester a single RWA staffer with a phone call or email, because I'm positive they were bombarded with the same questions over and over. I'm also thankful I hadn't purchased my plane ticket. I've been hearing horror stories on some of the loops about attempts to get flights changed without penalty, but I think a majority of fliers eventually worked something out with the airlines.

I've never been to Orlando, and I'm excited to visit a new city. How can you go wrong with Walt Disney World? I love the excuse to travel. Next year New York...the next Los Angeles.

If you could plan an RWA conference, what city would you choose? Somewhere you'd never been? Or do you know of a place that'd be fabulous? I've never spent time in Chicago or in Texas, I'd like an excuse to visit.

(My website is partially up. The extras page isn't active. Click on my pic at the left to look and give me some feedback please.)

An Agent Story

Current Project: Proofing STRONGER THAN BONE
Status: Halfway

This is the blog I've always wanted to write. I've been on hiatus from the blog and writing as "life" got in the way. It's still in the way, but my writing world was suddenly kicked into high gear with the announcements of the Golden Heart® nominees on March 25. I was stunned and actually cried during the call.

A few days later a reputable agent contacted me to see the full. I didn't hold my breath. I assumed she was emailing a lot of the contestants to see their work. Two days later she called to offer representation. I was stunned. I managed to call her back and carry on a coherent conversation. I did learn that when an agent says, "I'd love to work with you," it means: I'm offering representation. I didn't pick up on that...I had to outright ask, "Are you offering representation?" Oops! I liked her, but asked if I could have a week to think about it and contact some other agents who'd shown interest in my work. She agreed.

I knew exactly who I wanted to contact.

I'd first heard agent Jenn Schober of Spencerhill Associates speak on a panel at Nationals in San Fran and had made a mental note. She was the type of person I wanted to rep my work. At Nationals in DC I chose an agent appointment with her. As I stepped up to her table she said, "You smell like vanilla!"

Uh...."It's my hand lotion."

She grabbed my hands, lifted them to her nose and inhaled. I tried not to laugh. We got along great and she requested two partials. We emailed several times, and she eventually rejected but asked to see future work and revisions. When I'd originally sent the partials, I'd reminded her of the hand lotion incident and she enthusiastically replied that she remembered me.

When I emailed to ask if she'd look at my GH finalist MS, I mentioned the hand lotion. Once again she remembered me and immediately offered to read the work. She loved the manuscript. When she called, she offered to rep me. I accepted and we talked for an hour. I knew I'd made the right decision.

I'm still beaming.

Kindle Quandary

Current Project: Romantic Suspense
Status: Still out of sync from holidays

My mother gave me a Kindle for Christmas. I gave it back.

I felt horrible when I did it, but I'd felt worse knowing she'd spent a lot of money on something I'd never use. And yes, it was returnable.

Am I the only person who doesn't want one? I held the white plastic rectangle in my hands for a while, asking myself if this was how I wanted to read books, and the answer was a definite NO. I love my books. I love to see the unique covers stacked on my shelves. I run my finger along the spines, pausing on some, skipping others, remembering the story and how it made me feel. I don't think it'd be the same on a kindle. Somehow the above picture doesn't hold the same appeal as reading a thick paperback on the beach. (Must be an Oregon beach. Looks cold.)

I've read blogs and reviews by people who are wild about the technology, but it simply never appealed to me. I do like the idea of downloading a book the minute I hear about it and have that urge to read it. I've downloaded a few books to my computer, but doesn't have the same feel as curling up with a print novel. I know the Kindle has been wonderful for some. A lot of agents and editors use it for their work. Easier to pack around than five fulls.

Some claim this is the future for all books, and we'll eventually move away from paper completely. In Rachelle Gardner's blog yesterday, she mentions technologies for interactive books and magazines such as embedded links, video pop-ups, and choose-your-own ending. I like the idea of the first two technologies for non-fiction, but I don't believe they'll be popular for adult fiction, although my kids would love it in their books.

To me, a print novel is completely interactive inside my brain. I create my own images of characters and locations; I insert myself in the roles and talk with the heroes. I curl back the pages and dog ear the corners. I occasionally place a sticky note when an author has amazed me with their writing. I've embrace a lot of new technologies, but the electronic readers simply don't resonate with me.

Anyone have a e-reader? Do you love it? Who wants to buy one?

Word Counts

Current Project: Romantic Suspense
Status: Slow

Well, I didn't get much done in the way of writing this month. Not a big surprise. December is traditionally a bad month for me. Getting ready for the holidays, the kids home from school, and getting prepared for January birthdays really eat into my word count. I can't imagine having a deadline this month. (Elisabeth!) I'd develop an ulcer. That is the one advantage to being unpublished. Writing deadlines are only set by myself.

In the RWR this month, I noticed a couple articles devoted to being productive. I swear I've heard or read every suggestion under the sun for increasing production and staying motivated, but this type of article still catches my eye, and I find myself reading intently, searching for those elusive golden nuggets that will hike my word count.

NaNoWriMo is probably the most widely know number booster. A ton of people take this concept and add new twists. Like 70 Days of Sweat. Write 70,000 words in 70 days and check in on a blog for posting word counts and getting advice. That doesn't sound too bad. 1,000 words a day? No problem. Hopefully the kids won't get sick. Or I won't get sick. (or sepsis) Or someone at work gets sick and I have to cover for them.

How about writing 5,000 words a day until the book is done? No days off. Ack. That suggestion made me stop in the center of the article and get my Haagen-Dazs out of the freezer. That is out of my league...but imagine having a rough draft done in 20 days. Write a book in three weeks. I can see the appeal. And the stress and ulcer would be over in three weeks.

Has anyone tried Write or Die? writeordie.drwicked.com Three levels of consequences keep you typing. If you stop writing before your preset condtions have been met, there are gentle pop up reminders for the first level, annoying sounds for the second, or during the third level your writing starts unwriting. (!!)

Other suggestions include getting away from the Internet, Twitter, Facebook, cell phones, TV, and family. I've found my most productive hours to be at Starbucks. I like that mine charges for Internet and I'm too cheap to pay. I tune out the bad music and the weekday 11:00 senior citizen gathering and just type. I like a pace of 2,000 words a day. That seems to be where I'm comfortable.

Do I dare ask for New Years goals? Is it too early? How about just tell me what daily word count you're comfortable with and what is the most you've written in one day. I won't mention the author in the RWR who wrote 26,000 in one weekend.

Holiday Traditions

Current Project: Romantic Suspense
Status: bit by bit

I can't write about writing this week. Too much holiday stuff going on. My writing has slowed recently because I have food on the brain. It's normal for this time of year. I start craving turkey dinners with all the accompaniments and cookies. Lots of cookies. Frosted sugar cookies in the shape of snowmen, thick and chewy oatmeal cookies with cranberries and white chocolate chips, sharp ginger cookies rolled in chunky sugar, and lemon bars dusted with powdered sugar. *sigh*

The kids have a list of holiday traditions they don't want to skip. Several cookie recipes of course, Chex mix, the Christmas tree farm with animals to pet, a trip to pick out their 2009 ornaments, toy shopping for Channel 8's toy drive, gold paint hand prints on the tree skirt which I label with names and the year, decorating gingerbread houses, decorating their own little trees in their bedrooms, a new box of Christmas crafts from Oriental Trading, and a trip to The Dollar Tree where I let them choose gifts for each other and family.

I once read in a parenting magazine that it is important to make a big deal out of the holidays for kids. I repeat this mantra in my head several times a year. At Easter when I'm cleaning up egg dye, on the Fourth of July when my youngest is moaning about sore feet from walking to the parade, and of course at Christmas when I'm wrestling with yards and yards of garland and lights. Sometimes I just want to throw up my hands, forget the traditions, and pour a stiff drink.

But all the hassle and mess has a purpose. My chest gets tight as I watch them decorate the tree and with each ornament they pull out of the box someone exclaims, "Remember this one?!" I fight to keep my eyes from watering as I watch them smile as they dump the new toys they chose into the donation bin. They're good kids and I pray I'm raising them right. I hope they cherish these years and create traditions with their own children in memory of their childhood.

Time to share traditions. Doesn't have to be Christmas, any holiday will do. And what do you fondly remember from your childhood holidays?

A Writer's Christmas List

Current Project: Untitled RS
Status: Slow

Just a few things from my list this year...

Ergonomic chair that feels like I'm sitting on down cushions.

Magic potion to avoid "writer's spread" from countless hours in chair.

On call, cheap, amazing childcare

Ability to function normally on four hours of sleep

Desire to exercise

Free enthusiastic research assistant

On call computer genius who has English as a first language and understands my problem on the first explanation. Also makes free house calls and looks like George Clooney.

Quarterly writing getaways. Preferably a week long on a beach with several writing buddies.

Writing studio with big windows, view, constant calorie free pastries and great coffee, overstuffed furniture and a fireplace.



What's on your magic wish list?

Tantrums

Current Project: Untitled RS
Status: Plodding along

I don't know if it is a lack of respect or simply a lack of industry education that makes an aspiring author strike out at others in publishing. Last week on the BookEnds blog, Jessica wrote about an email that had been sent to hundreds of publishing professionals. I read her blog with my jaw on the floor, and I imagine she looked the same way when she first read the email. And then laughed. The letter ranted against agents, editors, and authors.

Yes, this is a hard industry. Hard to get in, hard to stay in, and hard to be successful. But why lash out at the people who can help? Publishing needs gatekeepers (agents, editors) to filter out the crap. Does good work get skipped over sometimes? Yes. But if it is truly good, I firmly believe it will be recognized. A writer needs to simply find the right gatekeeper while improving their craft.

The letter was anonymous and made me wonder what the writer had experienced. Had she been querying for years and developed a folder with a hundred rejections? Had she written a dozen manuscripts only to find no one wants them? Or had she written one, queried a few agents, and gone into shock at the rejection. (I strongly suspect the last.) Whatever her experience, it pushed her off some sort of ledge.

My favorite bit was about how it is a crime for hard working people to spend years writing a manuscript only to get it rejected. I'm trying to image a world where every manuscript is published. With the internet anything can be published in some form, but imagine all those manuscipts with covers in a book store. I cringe to imagine my early work where people can see it. I was proud of it at the time; I'd finished a book. But did that mean I had the right to demand someone pay to publish it?

I believe this person will never succeed in the business. She may feel better after her rant, but it won't change the rules. I have an image of this writer crossing her arms and stamping her feet as she scowls at Stephenie Meyer or JK Rowling. That's not going to help. Here's the formula I think will help: Buckle down, study the industry, ask for help, show respect for professionals, and grow a thick skin. A little prayer might help, too.

Keeping it anonymous, has anyone met an aspiring writer or published author like this? And what would you add to my formula?

Another Post on POV

Current Project: Untitled RS
Status: On hold

There have been several blogs on POV in the last few weeks. Here is one more. I need to write a prologue for a finished manuscript and get the MS to an agent who requested revisions. For some reason I'm struggling to pick which character would present the strongest POV for the scene.

Quick background: The scene is during turbulence on a very small aircraft that is about to crash. Characters present are two pilots, a Federal Marshal, and a convict. The Marshal is terrified, the convict is rather calm, and the pilots are nervous but intent on their job. The convict is my villain in the story and has many POV scenes. The other characters die in the crash and have no POV scenes.

I have several choices. From a pilot POV, the reader would see the technical aspects of the plane's eminent demise and the pilot's observations of the praying Marshal and the serene convict.

From the Marshal's POV, the reader would learn of his current crime, his gambling issues, and his family. The reader would see the convict from the Marshal's POV, and I could drop some teasers about the convict to hook the reader. I like this angle, but I'm a little concerned that it could be confusing as the Marshal dies and has no other scenes.

From the villain's POV, I could drop a little back story that I've placed in a later chapter and give the reader a taste of his character.

Another idea I've tossed around is placing the prologue in first person. Either the villain or Marshal. The rest of the book is in third, but I've read some terrific first person prologues that reveal fascinating bits of character. Diana Gabaldon does this.

What's your favorite POV to write in and what are your thoughts on moving from a first person prologue to a third for the rest of the story?

A Book Review aka I Couldn't Think of a Topic

Current Project: Untitled RS
Status: Coming along

Don't you love it when you pick up an unknown book and it's terrific? I brought home a ton of books from Nationals. Most I started and put down. I try to give them at least fifty pages to hook me. That's pretty generous.

Kristan Higgins hooked me immediately with TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. Now I understand why she won a RITA for a different book in 2008. Her voice is fresh, funny, and poignant. A contemporary romance from HQN, TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE made me laugh out loud several times. I admire any author that can write funny. I can't. It's truly a gift. Not only funny, Kristan tugs at the heartstrings, too.

The character development is fantastic. The heroine, Grace, has lost her fiancee to her younger sister. To avoid the tidal wave of sympathy, Grace invents a perfect boyfriend, something she's done multiple times in her past. The hero is a hunky ex-con, but her friends and family can't see past his "felon" label. The secondary characters add spice and laughs. The rude grandma, the wimpy ex, the quarreling parents. The dialog between the heroine and these secondaries is skillful and revealing.

I loved this book. I don't read a lot of straight contemporary romance, but I plan to purchase all of Kristan's back list.

What have you read recently that you loved?

Lessons Learned. Hopefully.

Current Project: Below Freezing RS
Status: Just finished revisions a la Eli

Yesterday Lisa admitted to giving up on a book and moving on. A difficult act. I thought I'd given up on one particular suspense. I'd queried it around a bit and got a few bites but eventually received the big Rs. I'd never been completely in love with the story.

In 2008 I pitched it at nationals and received a request for a partial. I sent it off and sat back to wait. And wait. I followed up and didn't hear back. I assumed it was a pass. This summer I pitched it to an editor at the same house. This fact didn't click in my brain. I'd put last year's pitches out of my mind. Again I received a request for the same partial and promptly sent it off.

A week later, I received an email from the 2008 editor. She asked the status of my project and apologized profusely for the long wait. CLICK. (beat head on desk) I informed her that a different editor had the new and improved partial on his desk. She said she'd follow up. A few days later she requested the full.

Suddenly my manuscript had new life. Here is where I thank Elisabeth. She did a read and pointed out some problems. Thankfully there wasn't a wide range of issues. One consistent BIG issue presented itself over and over that directly affected the pace. No wonder I'd received the Rs.

Has anyone ever pointed out that you've always misspelled a particular word? That is how I felt. Suddenly the issue is obvious. Blatantly obvious.

As a writer, when do the light bulbs stop? In the beginning, there were countless things I didn't know about writing a book. I slowly learned the hard way, mentally tucking away the lessons. I thought I was getting a grip on this whole writing thing.

What are memorable lessons you've learned along the path to publishing?

If Real Life Imitated a Romance Novel

Current Project: Untitled RS
Status: Coming along

A couple years ago, someone commented to me that romance novels can ruin a marriage because women compare their husbands to the heroes and find them coming up short. I blinked and asked if the woman if she was serious. She nodded and told me of a friend who'd left her husband for a bit. The friend believed her romance novels contributed to her need to leave her husband. He just wasn't as good as the men she was reading about. HUH?? "Is she crazy?" I asked after I picked up my jaw. "It's not real. It's a book!" I can't get this conversation out of my head. Are there readers who can't separate reality from the pages? I started thinking...what if real life was like a romance novel? There would be definite pros and cons.

Pros: fantastic sex (Did anyone not think of this first?)

incredibly hot man

perfect bodies (no post-baby tummy)

he only has eyes for you

international travel

good financial means

sex in unusual places (tropical beaches)

Cons:kidnappings

serial killers (or bad pirates for the historical fans)

being shot at

often on the run from the law for a period of time

lover holds a dangerous job (cop, federal agent, good pirate)

arranged marriages

sex in unusual places (Yes, I know, but think of sand)

other women jealous of you because of your incredibly hot man

Can anyone add to my lists? And have you heard of this issue with readers before?

Bad Reviews and Thick Skin.

Current Project: Untitled RS
Status: Coming along

Yesterday, Lisa's blog on covers reminded me of a blog devoted to bad reviews. Authors voluntarily post their worst reviews and answer set questions about how the review made them feel and how they reacted. Apparently being an author isn't the rainbows and ponies life I expected. This blog posts painful stuff:

• It's a holocaust of prose.



• If you hate Western Civilization, movable type, and the English language...



• It's the same (plot) that has been reused and repackaged in every piece of YA literature for the last few years.



• Shallow...really shallow...I was bored for the majority of the book...tiresome



• This book fades into dust.



• A candy coated turd

Ugh. The interesting part comes after the nasty reviews: How the author reacted. Some say they laughed hard, one said she took deep breaths and headed for the fridge, another said she got depressed and ate chocolate. I read almost every review on this site and never saw the words "I will never write again." Even the authors who wrote of heartfelt emotional reactions to the reviews, brushed themselves off, tried to see the positive, or else utterly ignore it and moved on.

Where would I fall in this list of reactions? If someone called my work a schizophrenic tangle, I'd crawl under the covers and not open my laptop for a month.

Published people, can you share your worst? For the unpubs, what would be your reaction?

STOLEN HEAT

Current Project: Submissions from RWA requests
Status: Trying to finish

Late to post. I apologize. I'm helping the husband pack the truck to take the kids camping for 3 or 4 days. I get to stay home because I work for the next three days. Maybe. I have a hunch my strep throat is making its third appearance in as many months.

This woman is the blogging queen this month. I have tripped over her and STOLEN HEAT at every blog I visit. Her stamina blows me away.

HAPPY RELEASE DAY, ELISABETH!!



CONGRATULATIONS!!

East Coast Update

Current Project: Untitled RS
Status: On Hold til RWA is over

I arrived in New York last Thursday morning after a red-eye flight. Luckily I managed good sleep on the plane. Even with a layover in the middle. I'd never been to NYC before. I met my roommate, Susan, on Facebook about six months ago. She's a romantic suspense writer from Atlanta and we got along fabulously. (Thank God!)

Thriller writer, facebook buddy, and New York City local Tom O'Callaghan took Susan and I under his wing, showing us the sights of the city. A convertible ride with the top down was perfect for taking pictures. But I admit to closing my eyes at times. Tom drives like a New York cabbie. Fast and fearless and all over the road. Strangely I felt safe the entire time. Safer than the real cab rides I later took. Tom also guided us down into the subway system. He doesn't use the subway and we fumbled around for a while before getting to the Statue of Liberty. Susan and I voted for a cab ride back to the Hyatt. I owe my fantastic NY experience to this generous man.

Another highlight was standing guard for Lee Child at the book signing. I'd volunteered for a group author signing and most of us were assigned crowd control. I was assigned to Lee specifically because he was expected to draw a large group. Susan came along and we parked ourselves against the wall next to his table. People probably thought we were Lee Child groupies. I chatted with another woman as I stood guard, exchanging stories about the conference and talking writing in general. We'd talked for five minutes before I discovered she was Danielle Perez, an editor from Bantam Dell who was there to welcome Lee.

Susan and I flew to DC on Sunday and were pleased to find Mary Buckham and Dianna Love on our flight. Monday was the FBI tour of Quantico. We heard some fabulous speakers on undercover agents and espionage investigations. ASAC George Piro interrogated Saddam Hussein for eight months in prison. Amazing story. Some of you may have seen it on 60 minutes. Saddam talked to no other people during that time, spending five to seven hours each day with George, believing George was talking to President Bush after he'd leave each day. This was an assumption on Saddam's part. George had made no such claim. It was fascinating to hear about the personal relationship that'd developed between the two men.

At Quantico, we used the firing range, toured Hogan's Alley, and the rest of the campus. I'm tired. It's Monday night and we're currently catching our breath in the hotel room and deciding if we're too tired to go find dinner. I've posted pics on my facebook page.

Now to gear up for the whirlwind of the rest of the week.

I Heart Facebook

Current Project: Untitled RS
Status: It's summer. What do you think?

I've been on Facebook for six months. Elisabeth dragged me in, just as she's done to many of you. I admit I started as a friend whore. I went through her list of friends and requested friendship from the many names I recognized there. And a lot of names I didn't. Writers often put their cover as their profile picture, so I friended all those book covers, too. That's why I was there, right? To meet other writers.

As the friends accrued, I whored their lists and smiled at how many friends in common all these writing people had. I put up pics from Nationals and made them available for all to see. I put up pics of my family and limited their views to real friends, meaning people I actually know.

I utilized the chat feature. First chatting with old friends from high school, then tentatively chatting with people who posted on my wall. Surprisingly the biggest draw was the post I wrote about the hamster. I was debating whether or not to get my oldest a hamster, and it drew a lot of comments and opinions. This led to a casual friendship with another writer. Turned out she was my age, unpubbed, had three kids, her husband was a dentist, and our political views matched. Lots in common. Now she's my roommate for Thrillerfest and part of the time at Nationals.

I've friended a forensic pathologist who is an author, had many odd discussions with him from music to cats, and look forward to meeting him at T-fest. I've friended a British thriller author whose real name I'll repeat a million times in my head before I meet him, because I've thought of him by his pen name for so long. He owes me a drink in NY. Then there's the thriller author I chat with that lives in NY. He's going to show me the best pizza in the states. Not to leave out the women. Two are debut thriller authors that I look forward to meeting face to face.

There's a half dozen women friends that I hope to meet at RWA. I want that moment where you read someone's name badge then immediately look to their face, because you know them from Facebook.

Facebook has connected me with high school friends I haven't seen in 20 years and coworkers I'd lost touch with. I've had coffee with old girlfriends that I didn't know lived within miles of me. Yes, there are lots of people I've friended whom I've never heard from again, but there is a core group I interact with over and over.

Social networking site. I hate the term. Yes, if used correctly, you can reap rewards from FB. It has its drawbacks but the pluses far outweigh the negatives for me. I haven't tried Twitter. I haven't tried MySpace. From what I've heard they aren't right for me. Of course, I believed the same thing about FB.

Your opinion on social networking: Yay or Nay?

Summer Schedule

Current Project: Untitled RS
Status: Chapter 7

This week is the official start of summer for me. The kids get out of school on Thursday, and my writing schedule will fly out the window. A few months back we did a little goal setting and I believe I stated I wanted to have this book finished before Nationals. BWAHAHAHA! See that Chapter seven status up there?

Time to readjust, rethink, and reschedule.

• Any writing done during the day will be a result of bribery. I'm willing to pay the kiddos cash to leave me alone for two or three hour blocks of time. I may even resort to paying the oldest to "babysit" her younger siblings. We've tried this before. It works well if I state she won't get paid if the kids come in my room.


• My evening writing time needs to be just that: writing time. Not chat time or Facebook time. Well, maybe a little of both, but with strictly enforced limits.


• I need a rewards system for myself. If I hit my weekly word count, what should I get? I'm stumped on this one. Any suggestions? I already drink enough Starbucks and buy enough books.


• Eleven weeks of summer for me. Two weeks devoted to conferences and their preparation, so there are nine weeks I should be able to squeeze in writing time. I challenge myself to finish this book before school starts.


• My other summer plans include more time on the elliptical and creating a set study time with the kids so their brains don't shrivel from disuse. Last year we did spelling tests and math worksheets. After school had been out for two weeks, they practically devoured the work.


• Library trips with the kids. I've raised readers. They love the library.


• Schedule weekly trips with the neighbors' kids. During past summers we've tried to set up a day a week where we all meet at a park or fun place for the kids.

What changes in your writing and life schedule during the summer?

Forensics and Writing

Current Project: Untitled RS
Status: Slow

One of my favorite new blogs and daily reads is Dr. D.P. Lyle's The Writer's Forensic Blog. Anyone who's included forensics in their novels is familar with Dr. Lyle. He's carved out a terrific niche of being the go-to guy for writers with questions. His Howdunnit: Forensics: A Guide for Writers, Forensics For Dummies, Forensics and Fiction: Clever, Intriguing and Downright Odd Questions from Crime Writers, and Murder and Mayhem: A Doctor Answers Medical and Forensic Questions for Mystery Writers are staples on my shelves. I like to include murder and mystery in all my writing, and I enjoy getting into the nitty-gritty when it comes to the forensics. But I have to be accurate. Dr. Lyle is an excellent source.

He started the blog in May. Writing ideas swamp my brain as I read his entries. Here is a sampling of what he's covered in those few weeks.

Touch DNA: DNA can be found in fingerprints. Theoretically it takes one cell for an ID.

It's reaaaaally hard to destroy a human body by fire. Cremation takes hours at temps of 1500 or higher. Your firepit in the back yard won't ever hit that temp. Although many people try.

The roles of barbiturates and alcohol in Jimi Hendrix's death. It may not be as cut and dried as people believe. His alcohol level was low, so why did he vomit and aspirate wine? His barbiturate blood levels are unknown, so if they were low, it could have been murder. If they were high, the death could have been accidental.

The Drew Peterson case. Dr. Lyle gives an excellent explanation of why Kathleen Peterson's manner of death was changed from accidental to homicidal after her body was exhumed.

In an interview with Dr. Cyril Wrecht, a forensic pathologist, Dr. Wecht discusses a case where they traced the final 329 days of a victim's life by the poison levels found in his hair. The vic was poisoned by his wife over a nine month period.

Explanations of putrification, mummification, and adipocere formation after death. Very interesting to me.

Fascination with the morbid isn't for everyone. Lisa is probably the only other writer I know who enjoyed pouring through photos from my online cause of death class. Good times.

Do you have blogs or websites you visit frequently for information for your writing? I imagine there are tons out there for historical writers.

On a sidenote: Enter Jenna Peterson's lottery before the 8th to win a mentorship for a year. Proceeds go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. A cause now close to my heart.

In the Blink of an Eye

Current Project: Untitled RS
Status: Major revisions to outline

I reviewed my post from last week about the boost I'd received from a contest final. I'd been in a bit of a slump and frustrated, and the contest had given my writing some new life. Funny how fast things can change.

On Friday my family was hit with some hard news about my father's health, and once again I find my self staring at a blank screen with no words in my brain. More testing will be done this week to inform us of the degree of "bad." I'm working on the skeleton outline of my story, because it doesn't require the creativity of the actual scene structure.

A topic for this blog was nearly impossible so here is a link to a blog of Tess Gerritson's about newbies that made me smile this morning. http://www.murderati.com/blog/2009/5/5/wont-take-advice-good-luck.html

Black Holes

Current Project: Revising my Daphne entry
Status: Uh...need to start ASAP-due Thurs

Everyone in this business suffers slumps. I wish there was magic that would occur once a contract was signed where all motivation would be consistent. I wish we'd always have fantastic ideas and sparkling prose and heart tugging characters that automatically pop in our heads. There should only be ups. No more downs.

I've been in a slump for a while. It's been like pulling teeth (can there be a more lame analogy?) to get the words on the page. I schedule my writing time and force myself to open that blasted document and pound out my lines. Then I delete and delete. Actually I move the sections I hate into a garbage document, because I can't bear to erase the blood I poured on my keyboard from the vein in my arm.

Lately I've considered throwing in the towel (another bad analogy) for good. I've questioned my motives, I've questioned my talent or lack of, and I've question the future of the publishing business. Once a year I want to give it up for good. The idea starts as a tiny bug in my brain and eats away at my motivation until I can't type a word. The future turns bleak and my creativity vanishes.

Then something happens to kick everything back into high gear. One year it was a NYT top ten author's note offering to place my MS on her agent's desk after reading my contest entry. Other times it was a request for a full from a dream agent. This year it was my Daphne final. I can't stress the timeliness of that good news.

What's sent you spiraling into that writer's black hole? And what yanked you out?

Hot Heros

Current Project: Untitled RS
Status: Slow, very slow

I think we all receive the RWR. I get excited every time I find it in my mailbox. I love to see who I know wrote an article, has their name mentioned, or has an ad inside.

When I find an article I like, I rip it out and file it away. All sorts of good stuff from taxes to promotion to research. Last month I ripped out Alesia Holliday's article on What Makes a Hero Sexy. I loved it. I think she truly nailed what we like in our heros. I've been hard at work on my current hero and found this advice to be timely. She lists some common factors:

He's got a bit of an edge. That touch of bad boy. (Maybe does extreme sports, or has that hot tattoo or motorcycle, but is always a gentleman)

He's a guy, but not a caveman. (He needs to do manly things. He can unclog my sink, but also takes care to clean up the mess he made while doing so.)

He has a sense of humor. (Preferably not crude or bathroom humor, but says something he knows will make me laugh or smile.)

He's smart and determined. (I love utter determination in a hero. Nothing stands in his way when he sets his sights on a goal.)

He's focused, oh-so-intensely on the heroine. (Ties in with determined. She is the true and only object of the hero's desire.)

What absolutely makes you melt for a hero? And what turns you off?