Sunday, September 27, 2009

Halloween?

Driving to my mother's this afternoon, I enjoyed the views of coloring trees on the mountains. It made me think of last Halloween when my nieces and nephews dressed up as the Flintstones and took first place in the town's annual Halloween Parade.

So I wasn't surprised when I arrived at my mom's and my younger sister asked me if I wanted to dress up as a killer bee for a new family tradition. Instead of having a stagnant Halloween Party, Jessica (my niece) has rented a bus for the family to ride from place to place to trick or treat.

Sounds like a good time to me! LOL

But can I carry off the black tights and black and yellow striped tunic? Probably not. I'm probably going to have to go as an M&M or maybe a beer keg. Something that takes advantage of my new "round" shape.

susan

P.S. Don't forget THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS will be released in November. Still haven't seen it on Amazon...but I swear...it really is coming! LOL If you search under books for Meier THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS, the UK edition will come up. Then click mass market paperback.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Link to Journey Steps Workshop

http://www.yosemiteromancewriters.com/6.html

I mentioned on Cata that I was doing the Journey Steps workshop in November.

It's for Yosemite Chapter

That's the link. You might have to cut and paste it.

susan

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

You Know It's Fall...

Last Friday afternoon, my husband announced he was in the mood for a high school football game. Immediately, my son and I pounced. We'd wanted to go see Zack...my nephew... play but Zack plays for a small town team. The field is beside the town park, and over the years houses have been built almost to the fence. Needless to say, parking is a nightmare so I wouldn't even attempt the trip. But, if my husband, storm trooper driver, was willing to drive, we wanted to see Zack play.

My husband balked. He didn't want to say it, but Zack plays for the team which has been the rival team for his old high school. For decades (lots of them) he's cheeered against this team. Did I really want him to go and watch them play...seriously?

Well, yes.

We bundled up and got in the car and drove to the field an hour before the game just to be sure we got a parking space. Believe it or not, we just barely found one. I pity the people who thought arriving fifty minutes before the game was early enough. LOL

Now, to sort of add fuel to my husband's not-quite-happy-fire, it was also homecoming. Before the start of the game we were introduced to quite a long line of homecoming queen contenders. I didn't mind. Mikie spent most of the time at the concession stand and looking for other "cousins" who'd come to watch Zack play. But my husband sighed a lot and kept looking at his watch. He's not much on seeing the latest fashions in eveningwear for high school students. LOL (Luckily, I am.)

Finally, finally, the game started. At first it appeared the other team might beat Zack's undefeated team. For those five or ten minutes that the other team strutted their stuff our stomachs clenched. So when Zack's team got the ball, we couldn't help cheering for them. Even my husband rose to his feet to cheer for his high school's rivals. I saw him sort of twitch afterward. But he wasn't cheering for the high school as much as he was cheering for family. LOL

Zack had some great plays. It really is fun to go to a high school football game and see someone you love do so well. And even my husband enjoyed the game.

It's also fun to see cousins in the refreshment stand, cousins walking around the field, nieces and nephews with new boyfriends and girlfriends...and even a younger cousin in the band.

The small town in which most of my family lives is nearly perfect. And when I say perfect I don't mean perfect in the sense that they do no wrong. But perfect in the sense that they have two competing grocery stores so there are sometimes price wars. They have used car dealers run by guys they actually trust. And wonderful restaurants with homecooking that give the one and only McDonalds a real run for its money. They have a Main Street with a genuine volunteer fire department, where volunteers sit on their off hours like guardians. Ready in case someone needs them.

Old houses aren't demolished. They're remodeled and become some of the prettiest properties in the town. Flower gardens abound. People actually grow their own tomatoes and share zucchini recipes. In the morning, kids in raincoats stand along the street on the sidewalk waiting for the bus.

And everybody goes to the football game! Which is why it's hard to find a seat, harder still to find a parking place. LOL

But what great fun!

susan

Monday, September 14, 2009

Two Fall Online Workshops and one Live in New Jersey

I've finally begun accepting workshop offers for 2010. I love to teach. Love to do online workshops and live presentations. Plus, I've had a long career with all kinds of ups and downs so I've got some great info to share. Fun stuff. I'm every bit as energized to write after a presentation as the attendees are! LOL

But time is always a consideration. Technically, workshop presentation is a "second job"...and one that frequently doesn't pay! LOL So it's always a challenge to figure out which months I'll have enough time to do an online workshop and/or accept live teaching opportunities!

Teaching is really fun for me because (as I told a friend yesterday on the phone as I was plowing through all my workshops, reading them as I transferred them to a different drive) my workshops are like a journal of my career. Each introduction tells the story of why I chose to write that workshop...what I had to learn to be able to write and teach the material and usually why I had to learn it! I tell on myself because I think it's important for authors at all stages of the game to realize that everybody makes mistakes and that sometimes even seasoned authors have trouble when editors, the market and reader tastes shift.

So I have a lot of fun admitting my checkered past! Showing attendees that I've studied nearly all 26 years of my career and that it's not bad or wrong or shameful to say, Hey, I don't know something! I think I better study.

So ultimately I did carve out some time in next year's schedule to teach, to share, and I still have two online workshops scheduled this year and one live for the New Jersey conference. So if you're interested in one of my workshops, Yosimite RWA chapter is hosting one in November and RWA's Online chapter is hosting one in December. Come and get as energized about your career as I'll get from teaching! LOL

Don't forget THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS will be out in November. I got fan mail this morning from a few ladies who read last year's Christmas story and loved it. People must be getting in the mood for everybody's favorite holiday!

I hope to be doing a booksigning for that book and will post the info if I get one scheduled!

susan

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Labor Day Weekend

This past weekend, my family visited my husband's sister and her husband who live in the eastern part of the state, near Gettysburg. (His younger brother and sister-in-law also live in that part of the state.)

Friday we golfed. Saturday I helped my sister-in-law at a fundraiser then she and I shopped. Sunday we golfed again then we had a picnic.

It doesn't sound like all that exciting of a weekend, but the truth is this family gathering is always a blast. My brother-in-law got a new puppy who was so excited to see so many people that you'd swear he had springs in his back legs. John's wife rode along with us on the golf course and saw just why we laugh so much when we golf. I got some amazing bargains. My youngest son made us laugh. My daughter amused us with her fear of bugs. My sister-in-law, Jan, made her fabulous pies!

The best parts of the weekend are the times we just sit and talk and catch up on each other's lives. Too many things are forgotten on short visits, but long, stay-all-weekend visits lend themselves to great conversations!

On Thursday before we left my editor emailed me with the offer of a new contract, including a 100-page story for one of Harlequin Romance's Holiday 2-for-1's. Because it's a Christmas story, that book is already in production!

A few people have also asked about the Ezine, which hasn't been updated since June. Never fear. LOL. I'm updating that in months when I have a book out so the new edition should be out November 1.

Today I had breakfast with two of my sisters, my mom, my son and my nephew Bud. It's always fun to get together with family, but we had an especially good time because we talked about my sisters' new baking venture. In a few weeks you will be able to order some fabulous baked goods from their Something Yummy website!

I'll keep you posted.

Don't forget...THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS...comes out in November. This is one of my favorite books! I'm excited for it to hit the shelves and excited to hear your comments!

susan
THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS