What's Not to Love About Getting Up Late?

Wow. I overslept this morning. I feel much more rested after staying up way too late on Wednesday night.

Ah, what a wonderful feeling...even if it is too late to compose a blog this morning.

Sorry!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have wonderful Friday and an even better weekend.

Mork--Do You Remember?

God blessed me with eight children. Believe me, as they were growing up, we never had a dull moment in our house. Especially at Christmas. I was perusing through some pictures preparing for a Christmas present I'm working on when I ran across the pictures below. I remember this Christmas like it was yesterday. Many of you probably don't remember the TV Show, "Mork" with Robin Williams. He played an alien from the planet Ork, who was trapped on earth. My kids loved the show. Mork wore suspenders and he would always sit on the sofa upside down.

This particular Christmas my kids purchased a pair of Mork suspenders for my husband. They were a bit nicer to me. I received a nightgown.



Wow, don't we look young there! Look at my hubby's hair!! I have to laugh everytime I see old pictures of us like this. But I diverse. The suspenders were a big hit. My husband never missed a chance to wear them when he had to take the kids somewhere. He'd wear them inside stores and make sure that all the sales clerks saw them...much to our kids' embarrassment.

He always took great delight in embarrassing them. Little did they know that their gift would haunt them for years to come. Today, they still laugh about it when start playing remember when.

That Christmas, after opening his gift, he promptly put those suspenders on and...well the following picture will tell it all.




I sure hope this started your day with a smile! It did mine.

Do you have a Christmas story to share? Please leave a comment with your unusual gift stories.

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The Call...Luck? Timing? Skill?

I'm always excited when I hear of an author securing a contract, especially if it's a really sweet deal. With talk in the publishing world about cutbacks, huge slush piles, and book stores folding, it's hard to keep an upbeat attitude toward the one thing we writers do...write and hope for publication. It's a tough road. We battle demons of self-doubt, pressures from friends and family who don't understand the sweat and tears that go into the books we write, and fear of failure.

Writers write. We crank out book after book and wait for "the call." We do need skill. Not everyone can write a book, although many believe differently. It does take a bit of luck in landing your manuscript on the right desk. And at the right time. There is no secret formula that will lead to instant success.

The one constant though is perseverance and developing a thick skin. What is it that makes an editor or publishing house sit up and take notice? Voice. Pure and simple. It's the all important first sentence. The hook. Voice is unique to each person. It's the way you write. You may not know what your voice is, but the editor or agent can spot a voice they like immediately. Likewise, they can spot one they don't like. Editors and agents make mistakes. Occasionally, books will be turned down by many agents and snapped up to instant success by another. Check out this story:


www.alanrinzler.com/blog/

So the one thing that every writer should remember is to remain true to their voice and to never, ever give up. Success might be just a phone call away.

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What's Not to Love about Counting Down the Days...

On December 31, I will be leaving my full-time day job. That's only 55 more days! And only eight more Mondays! I don't like Mondays.

However, it does get harder and harder to make myself go into work each day.

I'm counting down...but the countdown is soooo slow, and yet so exciting.

A new phase of my life. Something unknown. Adventure awaits...and hopefully, new books to write.

Have a wonderful Friday!

Thanks for stopping by.