Work

Can I really call what I do work?
When you love what you do is that considered work, even if you put hours and hours into it?

Anyway, I am home now and back to the grindstone I love so much.

My goals for the week are pretty simple:

1. Wait patiently for responses to the materials I have already sent out. (Much harder than I ever imagined)

2. Send out three more queries. I am down to the ones that must be mailed or have more than the one page query. No biggie just more work- which I love, so not bad right? :)

3. Enjoy my children while they are out of school. The summer is rushing by and I am SO very glad for the little moments I get with them.

4. Keep ALL online social networking to a minimum. It sucks huge amounts of time away from the important things in life.

5. Take one online writing course. I love learning and am looking forward to strengthening my talents.

6. Work out daily! Yipee! To make this fun I only allow myself to play my Iphone games while working out. It makes that time on the bike go by so fast. (BTW. I did fit into my dress last week. Yipee!)

Hope you all are doing well and having a great week!

Please remember my Aunt Becki and Kate McRae in your prayers.

Goals Accomplished

I accomplished all of my work goals last week, including sending out 5 queries.

I have received one pass and on Saturday I had a request for a partial! Yeah! I should find out within the next 3 to 6 weeks if this agent would like to represent me.

My WIP got a few hours out of me. I'm still doing research and playing around with the plot. It's coming together, slower than my other works but this one is such a work of heart, and those take time. Yeah!

My SINC group loved the Web site I put together for them. I am putting on all of our member info and will share it when I am finished.

I worked out all but Wednesday when I had a deep tissue massage that had me sore and in pain. But I did work out every other day last week. I am starting to feel more like my old self who was in GREAT shape. -before my back injuries and laziness hit! I'm not quite there yet but it is happening.

This week is full of FUN and friends. No work allowed! -besides this post-
My best friend's husband is retiring from a prestigious Military career. Which includes a few deployments, command time and he has been working at the White House for the last five years. When you retire from The White House they throw you a HUGE retirement party and we have been invited! I can't tell you how proud we are of him and his service to our country. We plan to PARTY with him and his family.
I hope to snap some photos to show you next week.

Please keep my aunt Becki and friend Kate McRae in your prayers. They are battling cancer and the fight is far from over. Both start treatment this week and we are praying for healing and strength.

Thanks for visiting me and I look forward to hearing about your week and the goals you accomplished.

Promise # 3

I promise to do as much research I can on a book BEFORE I write it. AND if I choose not to write the truth about what I have learned, I will place that information where all can see it!

I am reading a book that is touted as being based on Biblical truths. So I believed the book's cover and encouraged others to read this book for our book club meeting this month.

Oh how misled I was. This author has taken names and a few facts and has written a great story but nothing except the names are true.

It is sad because this book is so very popular and I fear that if the readers don't do their own research, they will be misled.

Many of the men in the book are terrible men and not the Godly patriarchs the Bible and other midrashim state is the truth.

It is so sad because this book could have helped shed light on a very sad story from the Bible. Even if it had been written loosely on the Biblical characters, it would have made a great enlightening story.

Anyway, I will attempt, in every way I am able, to keep the three promises I have made so far.

The first is: Never leave my readers in a lurch. It is explained and can be found here.

The second is: ALWAYS offer my readers HOPE. here.

I strongly believe that authors have a responsibility to our readers. My promises are made in an effort to respect you, my readers.

What do you think are an author's responsibilities? Can an author write a good book if they don't follow them?

Have a great weekend!

Busy Week

This week holds so much promise.

I have set a few goals for myself and these are the ones that pertain to my writing:

~I am sending out 5 more queries this week. It has been over a month since my last ones were sent out, but there has been no response as of yet. The word is that agents are being bombarded by those of us wishing we were represented and that even the "No's" are taking forever. No big deal. I will press on.

The agent who is meant to represent me will find me eventually- no matter what problems economic issues cause.

~I will be working on my work in progress. I plan to wake early and get a few uninterrupted hours of work in.

~I have sent my manuscript to someone interested... It is not for a book deal but could open so many doors. More info to come...

~I am now the Webmaven for my local Sisters in Crime chapter. I unveil the new site tonight. I have learned so much from this group and helping in this small way is the least I can do. I can't wait to show it off to you all! But the chapter gets to see it first...

~I WILL work out daily. I WILL fit into my favorite dress by the end of the month! How does this fit in with my writing goals? I fully believe my mind and body work better when I am getting exercise.

So there are my goals for the week ahead.

Hope you have a fabulous week.

Please remember Kate and her family in your prayers. www.prayforkate.com

Fifteen Years Ago Today...

My beautiful Marie was born.

I will never forget the difficulties surrounding us while I was pregnant with her. We went into labor over 2 1/2 months early and fought daily to keep her inside my womb. The Dr's tried med after med and they would work for a little while then stop.

When my body could hold her no longer the fears of delivering a preemie 5 1/2 weeks early hit full force. I was not able to be moved to a hospital with preemie care and if Marie had problems they would have to rush her to a local German hospital which did not have a NICU either, but had better care than the little ARMY hospital I was in.

The delivery went well, but when she came out I was able to see her for only a few minutes before they whisked her away from me and put her under oxygen. I remember watching the nurses and Doctors working on her, shaking her and me begging God to make her strong. The cheers when she she started breathing well and her color improved are memories I will always cherish! Her screaming cries were a blessing to my ears. God is so good.

Fifteen years later it is hard to believe how fast time has gone. She is such a beautiful person inside and out. She loves Jesus and is seeking His will in her life. At the moment she is preparing for a career as a Pediatric Surgeon. She is taking courses for High school students that the local Medical College gives. She amazes us as she walks up to a cadaver, picks up a heart and calmly points out the different parts! Yup, that's Marie! Strong and determined.
She loves kids and is fun to be around. She is fought over by neighbors she babysits for because she is that good with kids. I'm told by many that she is a good friend.

Marie, I am so thankful you are in my life. Being your mother has taught me so much. You and your brother will always be the best gifts your father and I have been blessed with.

I can't wait to see how the next 15 years will shape you.

Love you sweetie!

Hi

In the world of writing and agent searching, not much has happened lately.

Some weeks just seem beyond my control! I have posted on this over at my Family site.

It is so hard to believe this is Wednesday already!

I have an itch to get back to my 2 WIPs but not sure if life will allow me the quiet time needed. I desperately want to hide inside the world of writing where you are able to block everything else out for a while. But that is not what is needed of me at the moment. Oh the joys of being a mother, wife, sister, and friend. I know the time will come and it will be the right time.

The joy of life!

Please continue to pray for Kate McRae. www.prayforkate.com

Please Continue to Pray!

Please Continue to Pray!

Kate is out of surgery but things aren't looking good. She has not moved her right side and needs our prayer!
They are talking about taking her into another MRI ASAP.

Updates can be found here.

Her parents are asking for your prayers. See them here.

I just found out that even Dr. Phil has requested prayer for her and the McRae family. Amazing how the prayer net is growing in leaps and bounds!

Update: Kate is now moving her right side slightly. God is GOOD! Please keep her in your prayers. The road ahead is long.

Working Again

After a long vacation, I picked up my WIP and added about 500 words. It felt good even though my fingers are still on vacaion and my thoughts are with family and friends who are facing difficult times.

I have always known I work well under stress, but this time it caught me by surprise.

It's so exciting watching something flow from your mind onto a page. Writing words down into an understandable scene gives them life.

Let's see how much I get done today. Two Dr appointments might cut drastically into my writing time. We'll see.