Labor Day

In honor of Labor Day, here are our labors for the weekend. My son-in-law built a new work table for his workshop over the garage and





connected the electrical service to the garage.




Caelin created a wire woman.



The dh and I installed a tin ceiling over the wood stove in our living room.






And Sweet Pea perfected her trampoline stick fetching.

MIA

This week totally got away from me. I spent a lot of time transporting and hanging out with the youngest generation at our house.

Firewood, anyone?

I even took a hiatus from my book. But, it's a new month. Back to the grindstone. I'm going to try dividing my writing time between the single title I've been working on and my next chick-lit for Avalon.

I also thought I'd start sharing my other persona with you -- financial writer -- with periodic tips. Here's the first one.

September Financial Tip of the Month: Don’t wait for a “better” time to invest for your retirement. Instead, start now — and don’t stop until you reach your goals.

Loose Change Calendar

Copyright 2006 by NPI

www.Newkirk.com

What Was the Name of That Book?

Back to what I'm reading -- have read, actually. Wednesday Marie Bellevaux asked on the Cerridwen authors' blog "what is the book that you most remember now? What book/author left a big impression on you that you still remember today?"

For me, The Bride by Julie Garwood immediately came to mind. It was the second romance I read. I love her historicals for a fun read and have to admit that I have not read any of her contemporaries for fear that they wouldn't be as fun. Second, I thought of Mary Jo Putney's (a continuing theme here) The Rake and the Reformer, for emotion. I read the original version and have it on my keeper shelf. Then, an historical I judged in RWA's RITA contest a couple of years ago came to mind. But, I can't for the life of me remember the author or the title. Bad Jean.

I'm pretty sure it opened in Vienna. The hero was Eastern European/German state nobility. The heroine probably was, too, although she was living in England. Maybe had a son. It was a reunion story. What I do remember is that it had rich historical detail and historical intrigue. I couldn't forget. I meant to save the book and look for more by the author, but, apparently, I donated the book to my library's annual book sale.

Anyone have any idea of what book I'm remembering.

Contests

Who has an opinion on writing contests? Good? Bad? Ugly? I've had three experiences. The first was very good. The second was pretty neutral. The last was ugly.

Library Day

Yesterday was library day. I picked up the kids from Chess Club.










And we picked out our books.

Yep, more Mary Jo Putney for me. I also put in a request for the next two books in Beverly Lewis' Abram's Daughters series, The Betrayal and The Sacrifice. The only ones on the shelf were the first one, The Covenant, which I've read and the last one. I want to read them in order.

What Are You Reading?

I just finished book four of Sara Donati's Wilderness Series. The books are historical romantic sagas set in post-revolutionary northern New York. Part of the fun in reading them has been recognizing the various settings in the stories. I've been to almost all of them.

They are all very long -- in the 600-page range -- and I've noticed a pattern. About half to three quarters through, my interest flags a bit. But I keep reading because the endings always leave me satisfied, but longing for more. I'm looking forward to the fifth book due out this fall.

What am I reading next? Mary Jo Putney's Bartered Bride. I don't know how I missed this one when it first came out. I've read all her books. A bit of trivia: Mary Jo grew up in the next little village over from where I grew up in Western New York.

The Work Continues

It seems our renovations are in sync with my writing. Three windows in, three pages written, and, drum roll, ta da: one new door.

That's my lovely daughter displaying the door. It opens into her kitchen.

Let the Work Begin

Here's Druhan, age six, giving Uncle Michael a hand . . .







making sure everything is nice and level.


Good thing someone is working. I've been so excited about selling Milady Viking that I haven't written much of anything new since last Thursday.

Travel Back to Tenth Century Scotland

Here it is, my next book. Milady Viking (working title).

Cerridwen Press offered me a contract today.

Milady Viking pairs would-be Viking warrior Kara Thorddatter with Scots Warlord Aedan Machakon on a quest for a Viking hoard hidden in the Highlands of Scotland that proves love is the real treasure.

More details when I have them.

This Old House

While I'm waiting for my Cerridwen contract and revision letter:

We live in a 170-year-old farmhouse that we're renovating and restoring. Is that an oxymoron?

The project for this summer is seven new thermal windows and

two new insulated doors. They are here and ready to go. Work starts in earnest today.

Summer Days

We have an excessive heat warning in effect for today through Wednesday evening with highs of 100 and lows of 75. I know other places routinely hit 100 in the summer. But this is Upstate New York where hundreds of inches of snow are more common than 100 degree temperatures and summer highs are often 75. Not to mention the fact that lots of houses -- ours included -- don't have central air.

You may have figured out that I'm not nearly as excited about this heat wave as Caelin Eve, who gets to spend all day cooling off at the village pool.

Lazy Hazy Sunday

Since I mentioned them the other day, I thought Oinkers and Benny Pig Pig might like to stop by and say "hi."

But they were too busy.


So, I checked with Red Cat






and Colassus. They couldn't be bothered, either.





But Sweetpea, as always, was ready and willing.

My Glamorous Life

Guess what wild and fascinating thing I just did. Give up? I slopped the hogs -- pigs, really. My daughter and her family are away this week and I told my nine year old granddaughter that I would feed Oinkers and Benny Pig Pig. Now, lest you're picturing cute little pet pot belly pigs, let me set you straight. Oinkers and Benny probably top 500 pounds between the two of them.

Next, I get to feed and water my granddaughter's and grandson's bunnies, Snowy and Lightning. They're white dwarf rabbits who live upstairs in the kids' bedrooms.

When that's done I'm treating myself to a trip to the RCS Community to pick up the last two books in Sara Donati's historical series set in the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York.

Can you beat that for excitement?

Almost There

No comments from Bonnie at critique group last night. Hmmmmm. So, here it is -- courtesy of my new digital camara -- ready to go out tomorrow. Wish me well.

Two Reads Done; One To Go

Thanks for the encouragement, Melissa.

Things got a little rough yesterday. Well, actually, some of my manuscript was pretty rough. I had to add a scene at the end of Chapter Ten and rewrite the first five or six pages of Chapter Eleven.

But my read through is done, as is Chris' and all the revisions are made.

Wonder what Bonnie has for me. Guess I'll find out at critique group tomorrow.

Page Seventy and Counting

I made good progress yesterday and Chris sent me her comments on the first half. I'm please -- surprised -- at how well it read. But, I know it's the last few chapters that are the weakest. On to those today.

A Mission

I have a mission. Okay, so I really have four thousand two hundred and eighty six missions. But for the next few days, I have a writing mission: reading and editing my Viking historical, Milady Viking. An editor at Cerridwen Press has requested to see the full manuscript. My critique partners Bonnie and Chris are reading, too.

Page 140 and counting.

Attention Historical Romance Readers

I'm toying with an idea and would love some feedback. What would you think of an historical written in chick-lit-like first person?

Busy, Busy, Busy

Whew! Is it ever dusty in here.

I'm knocking down the cobwebs to report that I've been busy. My historical Milady Viking has passed a first read at Cerridwen Press and is with an acquiring editor. Earlier this week, I mailed my chick-lit/romantic comedy Candy Kisses to my Avalon editor. I also just sent a proposal to do a workshop on synopsis writing at the STARRWA conference in September.

Now, I get to wait, wait, wait. To fill the time, I'm working on a single title reunion story — working title Time To Heal.

So, what have you all been up to?

Long Time, No Blog

Like the header says, long time, no blog. I've been taking part in the Nanowrimo.org book in a month challenge. Is anyone else? Let me say right off, I am not going to have 50,000 words by the end of November. But it has prompted me to write every day. That's what I've been doing instead of blogging. Working on my Chick-lit-like romantic comedy. Anyone want to see an except?