Airline Rant….

Okay so I have to fly home. And home is in Illinois. Now if I lived in a booming metropolis my airfare would have been half the cost. But oh no…I come from BFE, nowhere, IL – thank you very much.

So on top of being violated out of $600 for a flight and a car—I also have to get up at the ass crack of dawn to return my car and check in. And you know that might not even be accurate since I have to be at the airport (20 miles away, mind you) by 5:00am. HELLO….do these people not know that seeing two 5’s in one day should be against the law—I’m just sayin’ that’s an ungodly hour.

Now that all being said, I could have taken a flight at a normal hour, say, oh around 8:20am, if I wanted to pay $200 MORE. Will someone please enlighten me—‘cause I just don’t get it.

I love my family and friends, really I do. But this is why I haven’t been home in like 4 years. But alas I don’t have much choice as I have family stuff to take care of.

Anyway, that’s what has a bee in my bonnet and I find it ridiculous. But before I leave, lest I forget to mention that I also have to pay $25 each way should I want to bring a bag. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!!!! Wanna know why this is upsetting, because the people in first class and business class are able to bring on 3 – yes I said THREE, bags @ 70 lbs each. Here’s an idea – they can afford to fly first class, let them pay, or better yet, only let them take 2 bags, so I can take 1. I really don't think that's too much to ask for--do you?

Aren’t you glad you stopped by to see me? Soon I’ll be “Leaving’ on a jet plane….” Hum along why don’t you. It will be the only entertainment I’ll have on this trip since that and food can also be purchased on the flight.

Ciao for now
LKap

Meet Senior Editor Selina McLemore

Senior Editor Selina McLemore with Grand Central is blogging at NINC today. Below is the link to read the blog.

Meet Senior Editor Selina McLemore

Hugs,
Vicki

Absolutely Brilliant Household Tip

A friend sent this to me in an email and I had to share - I'm thinking it could work. :)

Always keep several

get well cards on the mantle..

So if unexpected guests arrive,

They will think you've been sick

and unable to clean.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Vicki

Captain Phil Harris - You Will Be Missed

One of the weekly TIVO shows in our home is "Deadliest Catch". Science Guy have watched this show for several years and although we've never actually met any of the members of the ships, we've come to feel as though we know them well.

It is with much sadness that I read of Captain Phil Harris's passing on Feb. 9th. He captained the Cornelia Marie, along with his crew, including his sons Josh and Jake.

The sea is said to be a lover like no other, but it wasn't the sea who took away the much beloved captain. It was a stroke who pulled him away from this world. He will be missed by many and was loved by most. He pulled no punches and yet he brought out the best in everyone he was around.

Just in watching the show, the interviews, and reading about him, you know he loved what he did. Danger was always a part of his life, but the mistress of the sea was his comfort and hard times rolled together.

Still as I write this I find it hard to believe that we'll not see him this year. That he's no longer there to give the guys a hard time when they need it and pat them on the back when the job is over.

My prayers are with his family and friends, to hold them in peace during this time.

There is an address if you'd like to send a card that will be delivered to his family.

Captain Phil Harris

PO Box 32466

Amarillo, TX 79120-2466

Thank you captain for everything and we miss you.

Vicki

Nephele Tempest in the TARA House

This past weekend was our TARA meeting and it was great.

In all honesty, we always have wonderful meetings, but three times a year our PAN brings in the speakers and it's always something to look forward to. This past weekend was nothing less than awesome.

It started with a fun dinner on Friday night including the board, PAN members, and our speaker, Nephele Tempest, agent extraordinaire with The Knight Agency. Not only is she a super agent, but she is also a blast to be around. I felt totally at ease and it was like you'd known her way longer than a few short hours.

We had a great time, the food was yummy Italian, and the wine was perfect. Add to that eleven women and you know there was plenty of laughter and maybe a wee bit of brain picking. It's not everyday you get to sit down to dinner with an agent (one who is at the top of so many people's list) and ask questions in a small atmosphere.

Saturday was no less amazing. Nephele talked about...are you ready for this...the dreaded synopsis. Yes, groans were loud when she told us her title. And perhaps a little louder when she told us to think of the the query paragraph as a mini synopsis.

I've got notes and the information was/is great for those of us who dread writing the thing. Really, I've only known a couple of people who loved to write them. We'd all hate them, but they're just to nice to do that, so we try not to envy them.

The afternoon was Technology and the Writer. Another informative session and yes, I've got notes on that as well. I haven't typed them up yet, but will share if anyone would like them.

The evening ended with dinner (at TARA we like to eat), and more sharing of laughter and wine.

I drove home tired and elated at the same time. It was a wonderful weekend. Sorry, no pics to share this time.

xoxoxo,
Vicki

It's A Good Day to be Monday

Oh man, you've got to love Monday's when you have the day off. Waking up and realizing you don't have to jump out of bed and rush to get out the door is way nice.

Of course, having the first day of the work week off also means I'll be playing catch up all week long. But hey, I'm off. The computer is on and life is good.:)

Yesterday Science Guy and I went to another Greek Festival. This one is one of my favorites. The food, the music, and all the small shops set up to wander through is great.

There was one woman, an older woman, in particular whose items fascinated me. More than likely these items came from her home. They were old and perhaps to most weren't worth much.

To know the difference all anyone had to do was stop and talk with her a bit. She shared moments of time with the pieces and yes, we walked away the proud owners of two very small vases with the potters stamp on the bottom of them. They didn't cost much, but I loved the curves and coloring of them.

We ate Greek fries, Souvlaki (I liked the chicken best), and topped it off with Loukoumathes. OMG, those are so amazing. Fried sweet dough balls drenched in a honey syrup and topped with cinnamon. Yum-Yum. I'm wanting some right now. They are crispy hot when you get them and nice and soft on the inside. The honey syrup is sweet, but not too sweet. Yeah, I'm wishing it was still going on today.

The one thing we didn't have was a Baklava sundae. I love Baklava, but the sundae was a bit over the top for me. Still, even with the cool temperatures they were selling them like...hotcakes (yeah, bad pun).

We watched the dancers and listened to the music and just enjoyed our Valentine's Day.

Science Guy is Greek, so this is always something special for him, and has now become something I look forward to each year. There's something about the traditions being passed down from generation to generation that I love. I'm sure the younger teenagers who danced with complete enthusiasm are normal teenagers who love Ed Hardy and hanging at the mall. BUT, for a couple of days, they are immersed in the heritage of their families and it's just cool.

Three older couples joined our table during the music and I watched as they sang along with the band in the Greek language. Again, it touched my heart.

All in all it was a great day. Maybe not the mushy Valentine's day that the holiday can call for, but one that was full of fun memories to keep, laughter that was shared, and yummy food. Can't get much better than that.

Hugs,
Vicki

Pain In My....

Arm!

Thought I was going to say something different, didn't you...LOL

Well I know it's Friday and I'm a day late, very sorry about that. I must confess I've been in a bit of a fog--pain and well, stuff to take the pain away. I've done something to my arm and haven't the slightest idea what. I know, right? Who doesn't know these things? Me, I guess.

Yes, I've been working out, so I could have done it at the gym. But I've been going to Curves and anyone who is familiar with them knows the workout is just resistance training. I'm not lifting heavy weights here! So why there's a knot on my bicep is beyond me. All I do know is that it's painful to do just about everything. Because, according to Murphy's Law - things like this must happen on your prominent arm. So doing anything is painful.

Now I'm not writing this to make you feel sorry for me, but when an athlete hurts themselves we all know they are off the play list. For writers, it's almost impossible - the words must get on the page and there is no rehab or rest for the weary. The book must get written.

I'm not on a deadline (although, I wish I was), but that doesn't mean the characters stay quiet and let me rest. Oh no! If anything they are all clamoring for my undivided attention. Especially since my internal editor has been knocked out. ;-)

The show must go on. Heating pad - check. Pain Meds - check. Coffee - check, check!

I am off work until Tuesday so there is lots of relax time in my future.

That's my story - what's yours?

Hugs
LKap
Laurie

Must Check Out Blog

Gary Corby's blog is a must check out blog for all writer's. I'm sure most of you know all the cute wonderful tricks microsoft word has, but really he's got great tips for helping you with words you type waaay too much.

Check it out and have a great Superbowl Weekend!

Vicki

Calmness in Our Lives....

So not too long ago, I decided to make goals and finish them to the end. One was a diet (which HHB calls an eating lifestyle-same thing am I right?) – I can happily say, I am still on it after a month, lost 7 lbs and 3”. I go to the gym every week, now I initially said 3 times a week, well let’s just say, I go no less than 2 and get on the treadmill at home now.

I have finished a submission AND sent it in – anyone who knows me, knows that’s a biggie because…well just because, I’m never completely happy with what I’ve written (can you say perfectionist class). But, that could be a whole other blog.

So I’m leaving you with words to live by--that a good friend sent to me.
Try it, it works!

CALMNESS IN OUR LIVES

I am passing this on to you because it definitely works...........
Dr. Oz proclaimed, 'The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started and have never finished.'

So, I looked around my house to see all the things I started and hadn't finished, and before leaving the house this morning, I finished off a bottle of White Zinfandel, a bottle of Tequila, a package of Oreos, the remainder of my old Prozac prescription, the rest of the cheesecake, some Doritos, and a box of chocolates.

You have no idea how freaking good I feel right now.

HUGS!!!
LKap

Green Thumb??

With buying the new house Science Guy and I have planted plants, dug up plants, sketched out plans for new planters, and a total makeover for the backyard. The makeover will have to wait until spring or summer, but the plants were...hmmm...what's the word I'm looking for here? Oh I know, cheap.

Yes, Home Depot and Lowes both have a great assortment of plants ranging in the $1 to $5 area that were fabulous to start our flowerbeds. Okay, they're my flowerbeds, but he helps. Okay, he helps alot. :) And I love him for it.

Mostly we've planted actual plants. You know, already growing with a root system and flowers ready to be admired. But, we had a few packets of seeds, which we've had for, I don't know, maybe a year before we bought the house. Being the Science Guy that he is SG decided to give it whirl and planted the seeds. Sure enough, we have fresh basil, dill, and several other spices. Or we did until the winter blast of 2010 (I've named it) came through for 13 days and pretty much killed everything. Everything except:

Ignore the dead grass. It's now been added to the spring/summer backyard makeover. Yard Crashers, I'm available!!

It's the Bell Peppers and Tomatoes that I'm excited about. So far, we've kept them alive and well. We've brought them in on the 20's nights and covered them outside when it was only dropping into the low 50's.

The cool thing about these plants is we took the seeds right from a fresh Bell Pepper and Tomatoe. Science Guy let them dry out for weeks. So much so that I was pretty sure they were nothing more than dried up hard pieces of something that would never become a plant. I was wrong. They've grown and I'm amazed.

Maybe my grandmother having a farm where she raised animals and food has somehow sent a green thumb gene down the pike and I ended up with it. Or maybe it's Science Guy who seems to know what needs to be done to keep them growing. Either way, we've got veggies and I'm now plotting my next veggie to grow.

What about you? Have you grown plants or veggies from seeds? Do you have a garden every year?

xoxoxo,

Vicki, who's really not sure why this bottom part is in the middle.

Tuesday Ten - Favorite Lines

I thought I'd share a few of my favorite lines from my books.

1. Then it hit me.

2. A different shade of broken down everytime I see you.

3. He had one thing to decide today. Would he kill his father?

4. Talk is cheap.

5. Did daddy cut off your allowance again?

6. No problem I dress like a street walker all the time.

7. Mommy dearestw ould go all cardia arrest on us if you brought him home.

8. I. Am. A. Vampire.

9. What he needed was a flea dip and a good cut.

10. Yeah, side note here teenage witches can’t drink cola.

What about you? What are some of your favorite written lines or lines you've read in a book. If they're from a book, please tell us who wrote the book as well. Give props where due. :)


xoxoxo,
Vicki

Writing and Surviving the Day Job

To say the day job has kept me crazy busy would be a major understatement. Coming home after ten (or more) hour days is not making me want to crank up the computer and write, blog, or even visit my favorite blogs. So, I'm sorry if I haven't been around so much and I'm going to be better. Promise. No really, I am.


Here's the crazy thing. I'm thinking of setting my alarm clock for 4:30 AM (oh yeah, I said AM), so I can get up early and write. I need to have more writing time and with working so many hours, it's not happening Monday - Friday. I know several people who do this and they say it's great. They say the creativity flows strong that early in the morning.


I'm still working on TLIAV, but for some reason the characters in my YA paranormal FMP has started talking and they don't seem to want to go away. As a writer, it's always a good thing when your characters talk to you. The words flow so much easier onto the  screen, and hopefully you less POS when you've finished a scene.


But, when it's teenagers talking, they don't care if you really need to cook supper, or wash clothes, or anything else for that matter. They tell you what's going on and trust me, sometimes you're not really sure if you want to know. For the sake of the book, I know that Lexi needs to tell me everything (and I keep telling her it can't really all go in the book), so we've comprised. I'll write her dairy for her every day and then we'll figure out what needs to be in the book and what might just need to stay between us.


Not only is this my first YA, it's also the first time I've written a book in first person. It's not as easy as it sounds or reads for that matter. You don't want to start every sentence with "I" and you do want to make sure that the reader will know everyone's emotion, not just the heroines. Seeing things through Lexi's eyes is kinda cool, especially when she finds out that everything isn't always what she thinks it is.


Anyway, that's what's happening in my little corner of the blog world. Oh, and Science Guy's youngest sister just had a baby girl, so we're uncle and aunt again. Heehee, that also means I get to go shopping for baby stuff. :)


What's going with you? Life going crazy? If you're in the snow bound areas are you taking this time of staying inside to read or write? And are you someone who wakes up early to write? I'd love to know how that's working out for you.


Hugs,
Vicki