Someday, When I'm Famous

Convos with the Kiddos

2012-03-02T20:46:00.001-05:00

Jake: "The armor on my Bionicle makes him look like he has manly boobs." Me: "On a guy, those are called 'pecs,' because that's where the pectoral muscles are." Jake, after a moment spent in ponderous thought: "I'm curious, Mom. How do you know so much about men?"

Hannah: "What does t-a-o-s stand for?" Me: "Um, I believe that's Taos."

Jake had an incredibly self-aware moment while walking back to the van after dinner. "Did we really park all the way out here?" he asked. "I must have been too busy whining to notice how far we walked."

Bea: "I'm hungry." Me: "What would you like? PBJ? Bowl of cereal?" Bea, hopefully: "Vegetable curry?"

Jake to me, in a tattling voice: "Bridget is insulting you." Me, indignant: "Insulting me? Why?" Jake: "Do you want to know what she said? She said that you have big . . ." [pantomiming big boobs] *in my case, that wouldn't be an insult*

Bea, getting very frustrated while looking in the bathroom mirror: "Why can't I read what this says?!" Me: "Because everything in the mirror is backwards. Your shirt says 'Cornell Big Red.' Now please undress and get in the shower." Me, looking up from washing my face a few minutes later to find Bea standing on the sink staring at her naked backside: "What are you doing?!" Bea: "Seeing if my butt is backwards."

Me: "Turn if off!" Hannah: "Why?" Me: "Because I said so! TURN IT OFF!" The kids: "Aw! C'mon, Mom! Let us watch it!" Hannah: "See, Mom? You're the only one who's scared." (the kids, watching The Haunted on Animal Planet)

Jake, watching HGTV: "Fifty thousand dollars for a kitchen renovation? That's insane! They must be millionaires!"

Jake, freaking out: "I don't know what's going on, Mom, but I have a tooth growing out of my tonsil!" Me: "What?! Let me see." No worries; turns out the boy's got a back molar coming in. We also cleared up the confusion on tonsil location.

Kansas Man Donates 85th Gallon of Blood

2012-02-28T18:51:00.001-05:00

I didn't realize how much I missed my grandpa until I saw this video, which proves to the world something I've know my entire life . . . just how AMAZING he is!!

I haven't seen my grandparents in a few years, but my grandpa has always held a very special place in my heart. This short clip completely captures his personality and has left me simultaneously laughing and crying!

As my cousin, Bethany, summed it up: "Through dedication and hard-work comes success. It's people like him who make this world a better place."

Congratulations, Grandpa!!

(be patient as it loads)

The Spirit Keeper: Cover and Book Trailer Big Reveal!

2012-02-23T08:44:00.000-05:00

This is the moment you've all been waiting for - or at least the moment I've been waiting for - THE BIG REVEAL of The Spirit Keeper cover and book trailer!

I am thrilled with how the cover turned out. Damonza is a talented (I'm not even sure "talented" is the right word, because he's so much more than that) designer who created a cover that far surpassed what I'd even been hoping for.

But before I reveal the cover, here's the set-up:

After her mother and grandparents die in a raging house fire, eleven-year-old Sarah Redbird ends up in the custody of her aunt and uncle. Six years later, Sarah discovers the fire may not have been an accident at all, but a deliberate act of revenge.

Sarah’s family has kept the truth of their Native American heritage secret her entire life, refusing to acknowledge where they came from. But when a family that has direct ties to their past moves to town, Sarah’s true identity is revealed.

What Sarah soon learns is that some secrets are better left unspoken.

Without further ado . . .

*****

(click to enlarge)

Damonza perfectly captured Sarah Redbird and the key elements of the story, as illustrated by the blue and orange swirlies. I seriously can't stop looking at the cover. I'm just . . . I'm flabbergasted!

And to compliment the beautiful cover, here's The Spirit Keeper book trailer:

Add The Spirit Keeper to your Goodreads to-read list today!

Behind the Scenes

2012-02-22T09:01:00.001-05:00

It's been six days [SIX!] since I last posted, but I can assure you there's been a lot going on behind the scenes to keep me busy.

1. THE SPIRIT KEEPER book cover - After a slight hiccup getting started, I quickly got back on track and commissioned a very talented artist to design a visually stunning cover. It's much different than what I originally had in mind, but it's truly brilliant and perfectly captures the "look" of Sarah and a few key elements of the story. A BIG THANKS to my husband, who made hiring a professional even possible.

2. THE SPIRIT KEEPER book trailer - If you've seen the TURNING POINT and PRECIPICE book trailers, you can probably guess that I definitely adhere to the less is more philosophy. THE SPIRIT KEEPER book trailer is no exception and probably the least complicated I've ever put together. I'm waiting on the final edition of the book cover in order to finish the trailer, and then I'll reveal both at the same time. Soon!

3. An updated author photo - I "hired" a multi-talented friend of mine, Lauren, to take an updated photo (and by "hired," I mean that payment was made in the form of yogurt-covered raisins). The entire photo process proved to be a lot more difficult than originally anticipated. Not only were we working under tight time constraints, we were confined indoors due to weather conditions. Also, I *hate* having my photo taken and am incredibly self-conscious about it, which meant I couldn't stop laughing. Lastly, I was sitting in a bay window to maximize lighting, which meant the background was the highway in front of my house. Lauren kept having to pause in her picture-taking and wait for a break in the traffic. BUT . . . you would never know that, thanks to her brilliant editing. Lesson learned: Next time I will have my photo taken during summer, when the backdrop isn't so rainy, brown, and blah.

4. I'm beta-reading! Having seven betas means there's almost always something new for me to read while I write my own novels.

5. LOVE BITES - I am currently 15 chapters and (just shy of) 60,000 words in to my YA vampire book. Go ahead and roll your eyes and tell me that vampires are so been there, done that, but I love vampires and had to interpret them my own way. Like THE SPIRIT KEEPER, LOVE BITES is a first-in-series book.

6. Last but not least . . . the kids are off school this week and we've been doing some much-needed sorting and organizing. I never cease to be amazed how much "stuff" we have - not really junk, just stuff. Time to apply that less is more philosophy to my house, I guess!

Circa 1990

2012-02-16T16:37:00.000-05:00

One thing I'm constantly telling my older daughter (age 12) is how much more grown up she is compared to when I was her age. I was still wearing sweaters with Scottie dogs on the front (no joke) and playing school with Cabbage Patch Dolls. Make-up? Forget about it. And I only shaved my legs because my mom gave me a razor for Christmas, hint hint, and not because I actually wanted to. I think I was a bit naive about things.

My grandparents recently sent a card, and tucked inside were a few pictures from my Ugly Duckling years (thanks Grandma and Grandpa!). I think I could have gone the rest of my life without being reminded what I looked like in the 7th grade, but I thought it would make an interesting comparative. I think you can click for a bigger image, but do so only at your own risk.

November 20, 1990
13 years old

I'm not really sure the exact subject matter of that photo. Is it me, or is it the decorative holiday broom? Don't you just love the plaid shorts and mustard tights? Don't even get me started on the perm. The braces really complete the look, too. That was a before-school shot. I had a presentation that day. I can't remember what about, but I think it for my science class. And yes, I am still that pale.

Then there's my daughter:

Interesting how styles change in 20-odd years.

Time has a way of improving things, I think

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

2012-02-16T10:21:00.000-05:00

This is so wonderful, I cried.

Lucky

2012-02-14T08:09:00.000-05:00

This past weekend we housed, fed, and entertained three extra children, for a total of six kids. As tiring as it was (and by tiring, I mean me falling-down-and-crying-because-I'm-so-freaking-exhausted tiring) it was a lot of fun. I'd forgotten how much giggling three 12-yr-old girls can do, especially when there are two 10-yr-old boys to pester and a 6-yr-old little sis to boss around.

At not quite 22-years-old, I was a relatively young mother when Hannah was born. I am 34 now, and many of my friends and former classmates have young children or are just having their first. And considering I still feel very young in mind, if not always in body, it's difficult, and sometimes strange, to grasp the fact I have one on the verge of being a full-fledged teenager.

In less than two years she will be in high school. Oy.

In less than four she will be getting her driver's license. Double Oy.

In five she will graduate and go off to college, and I don't even want to think about what goes on at college. Triple Oy.

We've been talking more openly about boys and relationships and sex, which is very weird and all shades of embarrassing. But it's as necessary as it is uncomfortable, and if it saves me from becoming a grandmother before I'm 40, we'll stand the embarrassment together.

It's strange, now, to find myself in a position where I am not only my daughter's mother, but I am also her friend. I can speak to her in a way I can't yet speak to my other two kids. I have actual conversations with her that are more than just reminders to make your bed or brush your teeth. She is on the path to becoming more of an equal than someone who constantly has to be told and taught (not that there aren't still plenty of teachable moments).

As much as I sometimes miss the excitement of babies and toddlers, there's no shortage of excitement with my Hannah, who's very much her own person. We don't always see eye-to-eye, and we butt heads more often than not, but she never fails to make me laugh.

Sometimes I pause and find myself absolutely in awe of her creativity and beauty, both inside and out. And I wonder, How did I ever get so lucky?

LOVE BITES, an excerpt

2012-02-12T17:48:00.000-05:00

Here's an excerpt from my other work-in-progress, LOVE BITES:

I sat as Jonah propped open the back door that led into the alleyway beyond. A rush of cool air swept in, all but obliterating the rank smells of the coffee shop. Then he slid into the seat opposite mine, his long black coat trailing the floor on either side. He took off his Stetson and placed it on the table, revealing a thick mane of red-tinged hair that matched the stubble on his jaw.

He raised the doughnut to his mouth. “Tell me, Blake,” he said, taking a bite of the pastry.

“Tell you what?” I said, sitting as far back in my seat as possible. Jonah didn’t seem dangerous at the moment, but he was a vampire.

“I haven’t got all day,” he said around a mouthful of doughnut. “I already told you I can smell the venom in your blood. And by the looks of you, you’re nearing the end of your time. Tell me who did this to you and how you got away.”

“Why do you care?” I said, feeling him out.

He stopped chewing and stared at me, raising a brow in an expression of formidability that started my heart pounding once again. “It’s my job to care,” he said.

“And what if I d-don’t tell you?”

Jonah leaned in and smiled with great deliberation, revealing a set of gleaming white and very sharp-looking canines. “There’s no law against killing what’s already dead. I will make you tell me.”

Thinking Outside the Box

2012-02-09T17:58:00.000-05:00

One of Jake's homework assignments this week was to design a receptacle for the Valentine's Day cards he and his classmates will exchange on the 14th. After several false starts in which the boy's heart was entirely NOT in this sort of hoity-toity creative endeavor, he finally had an epiphany.

"How many shoe boxes do we have?" he asked me today as we left school.

Apparently we had just enough, because he had the brilliant idea to model his design after the avatars of his favorite online game, Minecraft.

Ta da!

pepe le pew

2012-02-09T08:11:00.000-05:00

Jake and Me, on the way to school [gagging]: "Yuck! Ew! Skunk! Gross!"

Bea: "What skunk?"

Me: "You don't smell that?!" [finally passes the dead skunk in the middle of the road]

Bea: "No. All I smell are flowers. I love the smell of skunk."

Jake: "What is wrong with you?"

Another Big Thanks!

2012-02-08T08:17:00.000-05:00

Last night I dreamed I won a $5000 shopping spree to Sears. I was ecstatic, thinking of all the appliances in our house that need to be replaced. But then I was told I could use it only to buy clothes.

In other news, the 5-day promotion of Turning Point was a HUGE success! The final number of downloads far surpassed the downloads of Precipice. Thank you to everyone who "bought" a Kindle copy and helped to promote the event. I appreciate your support!

If you didn't get a chance to download a copy of either Precipice or Turning Point, don't forget that Amazon Prime members can borrow a copy for free from the Kindle Owners' Lending Library. But if you'd like to purchase a copy, it's just $1.99.

Blocked

2012-02-07T12:13:00.001-05:00

Some people think writer's block doesn't actually exist, and I'm here to say it most certainly does.

Now that the final version of The Spirit Keeper is in the hands of my seven competent betas for their stamp of approval, I've resumed work on my next young-adult book, Love Bites. If there is any hope of publishing it by the end of 2012, I've got to be quick and efficient with my writing. There is absolutely NO time to waste!

But after staring at the computer screen for the past ninety minutes, all I've managed to write are a few emails and Facebook status updates (and eat two bowls of cereal). I'm so blocked, I had to resort to this bold statement typed in the middle of the page: [insert Ferris wheel scene and their talk about “something”(?)]

"Their" would be in reference to Blake and John. It's summer, and the couple is at the NYS Fair. Don't even ask me what they're supposed to be talking about, but I have a feeling it's important.

By earmarking this passage and giving myself permission to gloss over it for now, I've at least opened myself up to the next part of the chapter - a good old-fashioned fight scene between John and Blake's former flame, Zach. Apparently, I'm in more of a violent than introspective, lovey-dovey mood today.

A Valuable Lesson

2012-02-05T13:56:00.000-05:00

My three kids engaged in a rowdy game of indoor hide-and-seek earlier this afternoon and left disaster in their wake. One of them-I'm not sure who, as no one would step forward to confess-emptied the dirty clothes from the laundry basket in order to hide inside. Did he or she put back the dirty clothes when they were done? Of course not.

"I know one of you did it," I said, to which I got a chorus of it wasn't me's in reply. This went on for a minute or so until I finally threw up my hands and said, "Fine! Even though I didn't make the mess, I'll clean it up." I was hoping the guilt of knowing their poor mother was cleaning up their mess would inspire the perpetrator to come forward, but it didn't. I really should have known better.

But lo and behold! In the middle of cleaning up, I spied a $5 bill in the clothes pile. "Aha!" I said, running out to wave it in my kids' faces. "Since I had to clean up a mess that wasn't mine, I'm keeping the money I found in the clothes! This could have belonged to one of you, if only you had helped out."

I was hoping the loss of five whole dollars might inspire them to clean up next time without protest or whining, but by their lack of reaction, I'm not sure they learned the lesson. In fact, I think I was the one who learned the valuable lesson.

Hmph.

On a different note, today marks 13 wonderful years of marriage for my husband and me. Wow!! Happy anniversary, Mr. Garrett

Get a FREE Copy of Turning Point

2012-02-03T05:00:00.003-05:00

I had such luck with the Precipice giveaway on Amazon that I decided to do the same for Turning Point. So starting today, February 3rd, and ending at 11:59 PM Pacific on February 7th, you can download a FREE Kindle copy.

Don't be shy about spreading the word about the promotion. And if you've already read Turning Point and liked it, please tell someone (or somemany). Typically the biggest motivator in getting people to read new books is recommendations from friends and family.

So download, read, and enjoy!

She recalled her mother’s warning: Bad things always happen to nice girls like you.

Convinced a fresh start is all she needs to escape the problems at home, seventeen-year-old Jenna Lyons runs away in the middle of the night. But when her car breaks down on the outskirts of La Grange, Missouri, population less than a thousand, she gets sucked into the small town, and one family in particular. Jenna discovers there’s a liar in La Grange, and he’s deceived everyone. Now she must decide whether to run away from the truth, or blow his secret wide open. *Although this book is marketed to young adults, it is better suited for the older YA crowd.*

“TURNING POINT is a YA thriller that will rock your socks, young or old. You should add it to your wish list immediately. I recommend it to anyone who loves stories that expose hidden secrets.” ~ Tegan Allen, review on Goodreads

Read an excerpt from TURNING POINT.

Available In Print and Digital Format

Create Space
Amazon

A Big Thanks!

2012-02-02T09:05:00.000-05:00

Thank you so much to those who had a part in making the 5-day giveaway of Precipice a huge (in my opinion) success, especially those who helped spread the word through blog posts and/or Facebook shares. Your support means a great deal to me!

I had close to 1200 downloads of the digital version, temporarily landing it in the Top 100 Free Kindle Books in the romance and contemporary fiction subcategories. If even 10% of those people who downloaded the book actually read and enjoy it, I'll be thrilled. That's 120 potential fans I wouldn't have had before.

The price has now gone up to $1.99, but it is still free to Amazon Prime members through the Kindle Owners' Lending Library.

I'm toying with the idea of lowering the price of Turning Point and offering a similar giveaway, so stay tuned!

Who Am I?

2012-02-01T15:55:00.006-05:00

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing on Facebook recently asked, "Which character of yours do you most identify with in your book(s) and why?"

My gut reaction is to answer Sarah Redbird, the almost-seventeen-year-old main character from The Spirit Keeper. She knows her place in the social hierarchy of high school, and she's okay with being considered a social outcast by the popular kids. Okay . . . so maybe she's not totally okay with it, but she understands that there's a lot more to the world than high school, and the popular kids won't stay popular forever. But the only one who'll hear her complaining about the unfairness of it all is her plucky best friend, Priscilla. After all, Sarah prefers to keep her mouth shut and fly under the radar.

Sarah is smart, understated, and she'll definitely take you by surprise. She's a lot stronger than she looks, too, so don't underestimate her.

But then there's Jenna Lyons, the seventeen-year-old runaway and unintentional hero of Turning Point. Jenna is my alter-ego, for sure. She's a bitter, quick-tempered, hard-to-fool smart-mouth who's not afraid to say what's on her mind. She's got a steely exterior . . . but a heart of gold. It takes a real special someone to tame that wild girl, and that someone is Dominic.

Finally there's Julia Becker of Precipice, the young librarian who's stuck in a loveless marriage with an emotionally-abusive husband. *Note to readers: I am NOT stuck in a loveless marriage, nor is my husband abusive in any way . . . with the exception of his excessive flatulence.* She knows what she wants, but is she strong enough to go for it, or does her guilty conscience hold her back? Will she let others continue to dictate her life, or will she finally stand up for herself and what she believes in?

As it turns out, each of these characters have a little bit of ME in them.

Cop-out? You be the judge.

2012-01-31T13:01:00.000-05:00

Last night I finished reading through and applying the last of the beta feedback to The Spirit Keeper. *jumps for joy* This means I have only ONE more read-through before I send the final version to my seven betas for their stamp of approval. I hope they (and the rest of the world) like it, because I've certainly put more time, effort, and love into this book than any other. In a nutshell, I'm extremely proud of it. I'm also pleased to report I've entered Phase One of both the cover design and book trailer processes. Awesome!

In non-book news, Jake and Bea are home again and presently curled up in front of the TV. I had to keep Bea home today, in compliance with district policy regarding contagious illnesses such as strep. Jake felt fine this morning and started off at school, but by 10 AM he was ready to come home. He conclusively does *not* have strep, but his throat hurts and his glands are very swollen and tender. The trick will be to keep Bea's sick germs from infecting everyone else. In the meantime, we've been getting caught up on missed school work, so . . . no outlining, writing, or revising going on with me today.

I'm convinced the frequency with which my kids have been sick this year is directly proportional to the amount of bragging I've done about how generally healthy they are. They've missed more school since September than they ever have before, and it really stinks. The good news is, I have not received a phone call from the middle school nurse today to report any injuries to Hannah.

As of this very moment, 1011 Kindle owners have downloaded a FREE copy of Precipice from Amazon (thank you!). If you'd like a copy, download it before midnight February 1st, before the price goes back to $1.99. Of course, Amazon Prime members can always borrow it for free. One reviewer posted that although the writing is strong, the ending is a cop-out. And not a very good one. Now's the perfect opportunity for you to get a copy and see for yourself.

Expect the Unexpected

2012-01-30T15:34:00.000-05:00

If there is one thing I've learned about having kids (especially multiple kids) it's to expect the unexpected. After Bea and I were sick this past Thursday and Friday with a stomach virus, I was more than ready to get back to the last of The Spirit Keeper revisions today. The fact that Jake "slept in" until 6:30, when he normally rises between 5:00-5:30, should have been my first clue that this Monday morning would not go according to plan.

About twenty minutes before we were ready to leave for school, Jake said to me, "My throat hurts, and so does this side of my neck." Upon closer inspection, the glands in the right side of his neck were visibly swollen, to the point he had a very asymmetrical look about him. So I sighed heavily and told him to get comfortable - he wasn't going to school today - and did a fair amount of cursing under my breath while I went outside to clear the van of snow.

When I returned from dropping off Bea, I called the doctor's office to set up a sick visit for Jake. The earliest time they had available was 12:30(!!). I was not very happy, but what was I to do but accept? Knowing that they have a tendency to run behind, I called the school and asked them to please have Bea ready and waiting in the office at noon, as I didn't think I'd be able to make it back to the school in time for afternoon pick-up.

But shortly after 10 AM, I got a call from the school nurse. "Mrs. Garrett? I've got Bridget in the office."

At that point, I started hoping and praying that Bea had simply decided to make a trip to the health office for one of her phantom tummy aches. She's a frequent flyer, after all, and she often visits the nurse as a means of coping with whatever is going on in her little world that day.

"She's got very red, swollen tonsils and a fever," the nurse said. "I think you should take her to the doctor."

So after beating my head against the wall for about ten minutes while trying to finagle back-to-back sick appointments for my two sickies, I finally made it to the school to pick her up. Then after a fortifying lunch of chicken noodle soup (what else?), we set off for the doctor's office.

The diagnosis? Strep throat for Bea, and a virus for Jake. I'm just thrilled Jake doesn't have an ear infection this time around. We were told a few weeks ago that if he has one more ear infection this season, they're referring us to an ENT. So, thank goodness for small miracles.

The NP who saw them today was also the one who saw Hannah a few weeks ago (she's been "sick" since right after Christmas). I happened to mention that although Hannah is not any worse (she was diagnosed with a virus - possibly mono, but I declined to have her tested), she's not any better. Her tonsils are still very swollen, although she swears she feels fine. The NP would like to see her again to possibly perform some blood tests and rule out any secondary infections.

But here's the "funny" part: When I got home, I saw that I had one missed call on my cell (which I forgot to take with me). It was from my husband. The middle-school nurse apparently called him as a heads-up to say that Hannah had accidentally gotten whacked in the face by one of her friends and suffered a bloody nose. She's fine, minus a bruised ego. And I think she was a bit humiliated, which is always good for building character.

Needless to say, very few novel revisions have happened today. I'm ready to tuck the sickies in bed with their meds and Gatorade, and then pour half a bottle of Calgon in a tub of very hot water and relax.

But only after I scrub every surface of my house with Clorox . . .

Where there is giggling . . .

2012-01-29T14:26:00.000-05:00

. . . there is trouble to be found.

I caught the kids playing dress-up with Dobby.

I knew it was only a matter of time.

Poor Dobby!
He doesn't look too amused.

But he's very loved.

The FREE Precipice giveaway is still going strong. So if you own a Kindle and would like a copy, get yours before the offer expires on February 1st. Thanks to the over 700 people who've downloaded a copy so far!

New Price for Precipice

2012-01-27T12:00:00.001-05:00

Good news for Kindle owners! I've dropped the price of Precipice from $3.99 to $1.99 (digital format only). Bonus: If you are a Kindle owner and Prime member, you can borrow the book for free today, with no due dates. So if you're in the mood for a quick, romantic read this weekend, download a copy today. And tell your friends. Thanks in advance!

update: Precipice will be available for FREE download 1/28 - 2/1 to Kindle users via the Kindle Owners' Lending Library (KOLL).

***

"I’ve been trying to convince myself since the first day we met not to go down this road,” he says, “but I don’t know how much longer I can keep up the charade.”

I hold my breath in anticipation of what I hope he will say, knowing that I’m balancing on the precipice of a great betrayal.

When Julia said “I do” to her husband three years ago, she thought it would last forever. But when she finds herself in a dead-end marriage and in love with her best friend’s boyfriend, she begins to question those relationships and everything she once believed in. Now Julia must either do what’s right . . . or follow her heart.

"I really, really enjoyed this book! Once I started reading I didn't want to put it down. The only thing I didn't like about the book was that it wasn't long enough." ~ Beth, Goodreads review

"It's a fascinating, intense read - a deeply atmospheric story about a young woman's journey of self discovery which is, at once traumatic, emotionally challenging yet richly satisfying." ~ Dean Mayes, author of The Hambledown Dream

Available In Print and Digital Format

Create Space

Amazon

The Best-Ever Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

2012-01-26T09:33:00.000-05:00

Yummy!

When the kids come home from school tired, cranky, and starving, that's when I break out the muffin tins and mix up a batch of the Best-Ever Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins. Of course, I might be biased about them being the "best ever." The recipe is my own. I know what you're thinking: the woman writes and knows her way around a kitchen?! 'Tis true. My kids think I'm the most awesome mom ever. *that might be a slight exaggeration*

So gather your ingredients, friends. In about 40 minutes, you could be sinking your teeth in a handful of sweet, chocolatey goodness!

The Best-Ever Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 stick butter, softened

1/2-3/4 cup all-natural applesauce*

1 egg

2 ripe bananas

1 1/2 all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 bag Nestle milk chocolate morsels

muffin tin

muffin liners

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together butter, applesauce, egg, and bananas with electric beaters. Slowly mix in flour and baking powder. Stir in chocolate morsels. Fill muffin liners until almost full and bake about 22 minutes. Makes a dozen (plus a couple). Enjoy!

*If the muffins aren't sweet enough for you, either mix in more applesauce or a 1/2 of sugar.

Snow Fun

2012-01-23T18:59:00.000-05:00

My friends and family will wonder if I've been body-snatched by little green men, but I actually miss the snow. Yeah, yeah. I know. But notice I said snow and not ice and freeze-your-butt-off temps.

Today was (relatively) warm. At almost 7 PM, it's 46 degrees. In January. The measly three inches of snow we got Saturday morning quickly melted. In fact, just as soon as I took the picture below, it began to rain. Our little snow people are snow more (hardee har har).

Bea, Hannah, & Jake
with The Snow Family

Hannah & Jeffrey
Jake (what a face!) & Mikey
(taken by Bea)

Bea Wins an Award!

2012-01-21T16:25:00.000-05:00

Earlier this afternoon, the five of us, plus the grandparents, attended the 25th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Art & Poetry Competition award ceremony. Bea placed second district-wide in the K-3 age category for her art submission, and she also received a "Poet In Residence" ribbon for her poem. She was even awarded a $15 gift card to Michael's. In other words, she was ecstatic!

The event was very well attended, and Bea was thrilled to have her teacher there applauding and cheering. *Let's just hope our cheering drowned out her brother's impromptu booing - seriously inappropriate, but par for the Asperger course. Sigh . . .*

Bea with her teacher, Ms. Emily

"I hoepe [sic] black and white people get along"

I had no idea Bea had also written and submitted a poem, and it was a surprise to everyone that she was recognized for it. Unfortunately, Bea was too shy to read it in front of the crowd, so I'll have to wait to get it back before I know what it says. I would have stuck around to find out, but the boy was entering meltdown mode after being forced to sit still for an hour. I will say that the kids whose poetry won 1st, 2nd, and Honorable Mention . . . wow!

Although a buffet lunch was served, we left early to enjoy a more leisurely (and quiet) lunch with the grandparents at one of the local downtown restaurants. Bea continued to bask in everyone's praises, the tween was bright and happy and non-hormonal, and there were only a few mildly gross and inappropriate outbursts from the boy.

Basically, a wonderful time was had by all. :-D

The Spirit Keeper update

2012-01-20T08:52:00.000-05:00

Baby, it's cold outside! We were wondering when Winter was going to make an appearance, and the b@st@rd has finally arrived. I don't enjoy these "feels like" temps of zero degrees and below. Makes me long for the days of 35-degree weather (and skin that doesn't itch like a dog's mangy rump). As much as I love the window view in my office, I'm thinking I need to move my desk until summer. I can feel a draft coming through these old, inefficient double-panes, and I'm sh-sh-shiverin'.

So I've been quiet on the blog these past few days as I diligently work my way through the last of my betas' feedback. I had eight people reading The Spirit Keeper, and I'm super-impressed with their introspective and helpful comments. When one of your betas says, "Let's examine the psychology of . . . ," you know you'd better tie on your thinking cap!

For the most part (and that's a long story for another day, or never), my readers enjoyed the beta draft and had very complimentary things to say about it. I'll be sending them the final copy within the next week for their stamp of approval, but I think they'll be pleased with how I answered their questions, expounded certain plot and character elements, and incorporated most (not all) of their feedback into the story. With the exception of one reader, who is no longer a reader (again, long story), they managed to convey their constructive criticism in a very positive, flattering, and tactful way that didn't leave me second-guessing my skill as a writer or beating the computer against the wall. Well done, ladies! The Spirit Keeper is definitely the best story I've written to date, and much of my thanks goes to you.

As soon as I have the inside pages complete, I'll be contacting Novel Publicity about designing the book cover. I'll also soon be putting together the book trailer and all the little pre-publication "stuff." There's still a lot to do, but everything is falling into place. Just like it should.

On a slightly unrelated note, but still having to do with writing, What's Love Got To Do With It was the song playing on the radio when my alarm went off this morning. It automatically made me think of my other book, LOVE BITES, that I'm currently working on. So . . . enjoy!

Just Sweat!

2012-01-14T17:07:00.000-05:00

One of my online friends is hosting a "30 In 30!!" challenge on Facebook to motivate people to exercise at least 30 minutes for 30 days. It's basically "a group of people trying to be healthy and help others by committing to do 30 minutes of exercise in 30 days . . . no judgments, only support and smiles." (Click the link and request to join if you're interested.) You can start anytime, but the group works on the honor system. Make the commitment, and then post only when you've actually done your 30 minutes of exercise. And be sure to do it for 30 consecutive days.

Mainly I've been putting in my 30 minutes walking/running on the treadmill. But that gets boring. Even with a book to read (I read only when I walk. Don't worry.). So to mix it up a bit, I've been "dancing" to the Just Dance 3 Wii game my oldest daughter got for Christmas.

"Fun" doesn't even begin to describe exercising now! The dances are much more difficult than the Just Dance routines, (Why we don't have Just Dance 2 is a long story. Actually, it's not. The disc wouldn't work, and the store was sold out when we returned it.) and there are more options, including the Just Sweat mode. This allows you to track your progress and meet your goal on a weekly basis. I'm participating in the "Healthy Choice" mode, which is supposed to be the equivalent of running 30 minutes. To meet the goal you have to earn 1000 "Sweat Points," but that seemed a little too easy to me. I kept going today until I earned just over 2400 points, which was 40 minutes of almost straight dancing. I was definitely sucking wind by the end (not to mention sweating!).

I always knew that those kids on So You Think You Can Dance work really hard at what they do, and it kills me that they make dancing look SO easy. Because y'all? It's so totally not. I am a bit Bella-esque in terms of coordination, and I struggle to do the moves correctly. But I get them down. Eventually. And I eat my pride in doing so.

Anyway.

I haven't danced to all the songs yet, but this one's definitely my favorite so far.

Today I managed to score 5 stars and break the 10,000-point mark (I think that's pretty good) and dance "in rhythm" as oppose to just being "creative" with my moves.

I'm getting better at this one, but the tween is still the reigning champ. She's makes fun of me for spinning in the wrong direction, but I finally managed to rectify that small problem today. She'll be so proud the next time we dance together. I still get flustered by some of the arm movements, though. :-D

Some dances just should not be performed by non-hip-hop dancers, such as myself. (although they're really fun)

There's even Bollywood! Oh, how I love Bollywood (even if I have to dance the guy's dance with the tween).

And I actually won a "perfectionist" medal with this dance. I must have been channeling my inner disco diva!

The key to getting a good workout with the Just Dance 3 is to really GET.IN.TO.IT. You could conceivably do the moves with only the hand that's holding the Wii remote, but that's cheating. You have to move your feet, too. Now if only I didn't have two left ones . . .

*Believe it or not, this was not a sponsored post.*