Well, school has started here in Pennsylvania. The air is now crisp and smells like fall. And about half of us are depressed because summer zoomed by!
But the good news is I'm about to start a Christmas story. It's part of a two for one anthology to be released in 2010. So once again, I begin fall thinking about Christmas...about iced sugar cookied and hot cocoa, presents, evergreens, and all things pumpkin.
This year I also did a Christmas club, so I have a nice check coming for shopping! I didn't get as much in as I wanted but a few extra hundred dollars will be just enough to make this holiday extra special.
I know Thanksgiving is in there...and my daughter's "milestone" birthday...but those are just nice stepping stones to the big event. We'll have a Thanksgiving bash at my mother's and a gathering for friends and family for Sarah's birthday...which probably means we have to rent a hall! LOL
My nephew plays on his high school football team, so that will be a huge part of our fall fun! Miss Maddie is back in dance. Oh and Jake starts pre-kindergarten. I'm sure we'll get a few good stories out of the adventures of Jake (or Jake's teacher!) LOL
This weekend we also meet on the Eastern side of the state for the Annual Meier weekend. Years ago, when my sister-in-law and her husband and son lived on a farm, we'd spend Labor Day weekend at "the farm". The kids would do all kinds of crazy farm things, the women would plan menus, shop and cook, the men would play golf...and groups would go to Gettysburg for ghost tours and battle field tours.
We'd sit outside and talk into the wee hours on nights just beginning to feel the nip of fall, and we'd have a big picnic on Sunday afternoon.
Now Barb no longer lives on a farm. She lives in a lovely two story red brick house on the edge of farm country, so only a few of us actually spend the weekend. There's no barn for hide and go seek. And there are a heck of a lot more of us who golf.
But it's the one time in the year when we all get together for a picnic and see how the nieces and nephews have grown, talk about life and simply enjoy each other's company.
susan
Monday, August 31, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Wednesday
Well, I'm late again with my blog. It made me wonder today if I shouldn't actually shift my post day to Wednesday! LOL
It's been a busy week. I've been working on several projects and today got a short (happily short) letter about the book I just turned in. Hopefully, I can find the boo-boos and inconsistencies found by my editor and copy editor and turn the book back into Sally quickly.
We also discussed the Christmas story I'll be writing for 2010 and a special book that I'll be working on next. It's too soon to give you details.
So my head as pretty much been in the business end of things. Add to that conversations on catawriters about agents and revisions and I'm thinking more logically than creatively.
I don't even have a halfway decent funny family story to tell. Unless you count the family breakfast we had this morning. It was smorgasbord. Because it's our last breakfast of the summer, my sister Tammy hosted it at her house and everyone brought a dish. We had some fabulous things like nectarine coffee cake, homemade fudge, sausages (I have to cook something and they come in a package and are very simple to prepare!) egg casserole, bagels...and lots of donuts!
My niece Lea and I are going to miss these breakfasts. Not because we love a good bagel, though we do, but because we enjoy the company. It's nice to have the relative peace and quiet of a Wednesday morning to have some eggs and catch up. Our lives are so busy and go in so many different directions that a Wednesday morning catch up is almost a necessity.
But school begins soon. Teachers and teachers' aides go back to work. And Lea and I might just meet Wednesday mornings at Grandma's. We'll bring the donuts!
susan
It's been a busy week. I've been working on several projects and today got a short (happily short) letter about the book I just turned in. Hopefully, I can find the boo-boos and inconsistencies found by my editor and copy editor and turn the book back into Sally quickly.
We also discussed the Christmas story I'll be writing for 2010 and a special book that I'll be working on next. It's too soon to give you details.
So my head as pretty much been in the business end of things. Add to that conversations on catawriters about agents and revisions and I'm thinking more logically than creatively.
I don't even have a halfway decent funny family story to tell. Unless you count the family breakfast we had this morning. It was smorgasbord. Because it's our last breakfast of the summer, my sister Tammy hosted it at her house and everyone brought a dish. We had some fabulous things like nectarine coffee cake, homemade fudge, sausages (I have to cook something and they come in a package and are very simple to prepare!) egg casserole, bagels...and lots of donuts!
My niece Lea and I are going to miss these breakfasts. Not because we love a good bagel, though we do, but because we enjoy the company. It's nice to have the relative peace and quiet of a Wednesday morning to have some eggs and catch up. Our lives are so busy and go in so many different directions that a Wednesday morning catch up is almost a necessity.
But school begins soon. Teachers and teachers' aides go back to work. And Lea and I might just meet Wednesday mornings at Grandma's. We'll bring the donuts!
susan
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Day at Idlewild
I'm late with my blog again this week, but this week I have a very good reason. Yesterday, I went to Idlewild Park with my sister, her husband and their four kids, my niece and her two kids, and my nephew David.
We had a blast. This is the first year Lainie (who is a little over a year) could ride the rides and she was filled with joy and happiness. She didn't even fuss when she was too small to ride certain rides that her brothers and sister and cousins could ride. She would laugh and point at them, clap her hands and wave to them, making their fun her fun.
I couldn't helping thinking that it's too bad that we lose that childish enthusiasm. Wouldn't the world be a fun place if we all learned to enjoy each other's successes and achievements as much as we enjoy our own!
Tomorrow is breakfast at my sister Helen's. We're bringing out the Bonzi water slide. It will be another morning of fun for the kids and a hoot for us who watch them!
For those of you who are counting, this is my fourth day of not working! I turned in back to back to back books and I honestly think my brain needs a rest! I'm waiting for the muse or my editor to send me back to work. I'm guessing the editor will arrive before the muse does. LOL
We had a blast. This is the first year Lainie (who is a little over a year) could ride the rides and she was filled with joy and happiness. She didn't even fuss when she was too small to ride certain rides that her brothers and sister and cousins could ride. She would laugh and point at them, clap her hands and wave to them, making their fun her fun.
I couldn't helping thinking that it's too bad that we lose that childish enthusiasm. Wouldn't the world be a fun place if we all learned to enjoy each other's successes and achievements as much as we enjoy our own!
Tomorrow is breakfast at my sister Helen's. We're bringing out the Bonzi water slide. It will be another morning of fun for the kids and a hoot for us who watch them!
For those of you who are counting, this is my fourth day of not working! I turned in back to back to back books and I honestly think my brain needs a rest! I'm waiting for the muse or my editor to send me back to work. I'm guessing the editor will arrive before the muse does. LOL
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Harlequin Romance Author Blog
I know I mentioned this on Monday, but the Harlequin Romance Author blog is now up and running.
Just go to eHarlequin, scroll down the menu on the right until you get to blogs...click that, then look for the Harlequin Romance Author's blog link on that page.
I posted today!
susan
Just go to eHarlequin, scroll down the menu on the right until you get to blogs...click that, then look for the Harlequin Romance Author's blog link on that page.
I posted today!
susan
Monday, August 3, 2009
Harlequin Romance Authors now have a blog!
My husband and I went to his class reunion on Saturday. I always enjoy these get-togethers because my own class doesn't have a reunion. Even if they did, I probably wouldn't go. The last time I went no one recognized me. I told them who I was and still they scratched their heads. Nope. They didn't remember anybody with my name.
That's really God-awful. Not because everybody wants to be remembered...though we do. But because I felt as if I didn't exist. Sheesh. Talk about a buzz kill.
Anyway, that's why I like my husband's class and his class reunions so much. These people genuinely like each other. They remember each other. They're glad to see each other and happy to catch up.
So even though I was recovering from a virus I put on my pretty black dress and pumps, a little makeup and panty hose and spent two hours with the people my husband went to school with. They're a good group!
And speaking of good groups...
http://community.eharlequin.com/content/harlequin-romance-group-author-blog is the email addy for the new Harlequin Romance authors' blog! We've been talking about this since Nationals and Donna Alward spearheaded the project. Today we are up and running!
So congratulations to us! Hope you'll drop by and join in the discussions!
I also saw the UK cover for my November release, THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS. It's adorable! I'm really excited about that book. But I think I'd be foolish to wish away the summer just to get to see it on the shelves!
susan
That's really God-awful. Not because everybody wants to be remembered...though we do. But because I felt as if I didn't exist. Sheesh. Talk about a buzz kill.
Anyway, that's why I like my husband's class and his class reunions so much. These people genuinely like each other. They remember each other. They're glad to see each other and happy to catch up.
So even though I was recovering from a virus I put on my pretty black dress and pumps, a little makeup and panty hose and spent two hours with the people my husband went to school with. They're a good group!
And speaking of good groups...
http://community.eharlequin.com/content/harlequin-romance-group-author-blog is the email addy for the new Harlequin Romance authors' blog! We've been talking about this since Nationals and Donna Alward spearheaded the project. Today we are up and running!
So congratulations to us! Hope you'll drop by and join in the discussions!
I also saw the UK cover for my November release, THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS. It's adorable! I'm really excited about that book. But I think I'd be foolish to wish away the summer just to get to see it on the shelves!
susan
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