My Recent Comments

The heat is doing a number on either my computer or my DSL. I composed a nice long post and hit "post" comment and nothing happened. So, I copied it, closed out of the thread and re-booted my computer.

Alas, my connection came back but my save comment didn't. I HATE re-writing things, so I'm going to pout instead.

Here's the gist:

Amy, what's your January title? Mine's DADDY BY SURPRISE. This book is very...different.

Kim, no party dress for me, yet. I might wind up shopping at the Modesto Mall, so tell me what you buy so we don't end up as twins. <g>

Christynem love the name Harley. Happy travels.

Ellen, LOL at sleeping through the fire.

Holly, have you seen Mamma Mia the movie, yet? I might go today. My hubby is on vacation and that looks like a movie he'd be happy to miss. 

PJ party. I forgot about that. I usually get an invitation...Hmmm.

Ellen, my sympathy on the garage sale. One of my least favorite things to do. All my junk goes to the SPCA, now.

Roz, glad you're safe. Bummer about the extra baggage cost. Southwest?

Stay cool, all!

Deb

I give up. Even skimming back posts in this thread takes an hour. But it's so much fun. You all crack me up.

Holly, I wrote down your recipe. Can't wait to try it.

Kim, I'm glad you're on the road to recovery. What exactly does a gallbladder do? Not much, I hope, since your puny one is now gone. Hope you're back on your feet soon. Have you got your SF ravel plans set?

I'm doing the BART thing. Maybe I should start lifting weights so my arms aren't useless from dragging my suitcase around.

A gal in my local chapter wrote an interesting blog about the area around our hotel in SF, which some of you who are going might find helpful. Here's the link. http://auntycindy.blogspot.com/

I like Hellboy and Batman, but I'm saving my movie money for the new X-Files movie that's coming. I'm a total addict. I think what draws me to this type of movie is the subtle humor and inuendo (like Wicked!)

I just turned in my line edits and Dear Reader stuff for my January book. Yeah! Now, I'm at work on the proposal for my next book. I was struggling a bit, then I discovered that I had the wrong heroine.  I liked this character a lot but she was not right for this story.  Funny how that happens.  I promised her a book of her own someday then went looking for the right heroine.  I knew she was in my head somewhere. Talk about one of those a-ha moments. :-) Finally, the book is starting to percolate. Has that happened to anyone else?

Happy writing!

Deb

Hi, all,

I still have the hardest time finding the most recent posts. I miss the old system. (Sighs the old dog.)

Congrats, Christyne!! Wonderful news.

Love the snippets. Carrie, you crack me up--as always.

Susan, what's your new title? I'm thinking up titles for my next book and my mind seems filled with redundant crapola. Sigh. 

Looking forward to the tiara party. I blew the dust off mine and have added it to the pile. Actual packing is still a ways off.

Hi, Sam. Good to see your smiling face. 

Deb

Hello, old friends,

Sorry I've been MIA so much lately. (I actually missed an *entire* Make Mine Supers thread!) I'm either manic-depressive or my life is too complicated.

Anyway, it was fun to catch up on what everyone has been up to. I wish we were all sitting around a pool somewhere talking. I could go for a margarita -sans salt.

Christyne, one comment on the synopsis, which I agree is very frustrating. I make a very loose sketch of what I "think" is going to happen before I start writing, but once I meet the characters and learn things I had no way of knowing beforehand, the story tends to change. I'll sometimes pop into the initial synop and make notes in red, then when I'm ready to send in the first three chapters, I re-do my initial synop and it's marginally closer to what the story eventually turns out to be.

Not always, though. My January book is titled DADDY BY SURPRISE. I emailed Wanda when I was a chapter away from the end and told her, "Umm...the real surprise is *there is no baby*." Oops. She has such a crystal clear handle on story, though, she said, "Well, that makes sense. In fact, I like it better." Who knew? Not me. Not my synopsis.

Maureen, when people get "that" look on their faces when they find out I write romance novels, I tell them I left my T-shirt at home that says: "Warning: anything you say or do may appear in my next novel." They usually laugh then run for safer ground.

Kim, how'ya feelin'?

Susan, still thinking of you. Hope the downpour has subsided.

Anna A., gorgeous cover.

Sam, you devil. S'mores with peanut butter cups. Maybe I'll forget this recipe before winter comes (CA is in such an extreme fire season at the moment, I don't even like to light my barbecue.)

Did anyone see the Baby Borrowers last night? I was freaked out on so many levels, despite the positive spin they tried to put on it--an antidote to the Jamie Lynn thing. High school teachers have my most sincere respect--and truly don't get paid enough, in my opinion.

Rae, will miss you at National. Kay was sweet enough to invite me to the Super's thread get-together. I'll be there. I'm bringing pistachio chips and a crisp white wine. Delish!

One of the reasons I'm not here more often is the computer I use for email and online stuff is in my second-floor office. The upstairs AC unit died and the replacement cost (with energy-saving upgrades that didn't exist 20 years ago) is $5K. Guess what? Me and my lap top have found another place to work. Downstairs, where I replaced the AC last year at a cost of $6K. Ack! Our summer heat has arrived. It's supposed to hit 103 on Sunday. So, except for a quick email fix in the morning, I don't tend to spend much time online.

To all you beach travelers, I'm with you in spirit. My favorite place to go. Either coast. I don't care. I just love the beach.

Hope to check in again soon. Have a marvelous 4th!!!

Deb

I forgot to comment on the R, Rae. Love your attitude. We don't know what we don't know, right? That's what makes editors so vital to the writing process. We're too close to see what later appears so obvious.

But I would say that if your characters are real and strong to you, you can fix the conflict. Yes, it will change the story but these people were in your head for a reason. I've been guilty of "imposing" a story on my characters, instead of letting them tell me their story. Just a thought.

Our town's big fireworks display got cancelled because the firefigters working a nearby 3,000-acre fire are using the county fairgrounds where the event is held as their staging area. Sadly ironic, no?

Deb

Kim, very exciting about the house prospects. Finger crossed for you.

Rae, I found you this time. Yeah! 

Sam will be missed. But, boy, do I understand about being unable to do it all.

Thanks for the reply to my question, Holly.  I'll keep plodding along as I am, then.

Tornadoes, hail, roof damage vs. Hawaii? I'll take Hawaii. Good advice about taking food on the flight. I do that every time I fly now. 

Have a great week everyone. Mother's Day is coming up and this year we're celebrating 3 birthdays, too, on the 11th. Crazy.

Cheers!

Deb 

I'm still missing something here. Remember when you used to come back and your page automatically started at the first post after your last post? Is there a way to get that to happen again? Every time I click on this thread, it starts with Kay's first post and I can't wade through a thousand-plus, so I hit last, and I wind up missing stuff. Lot's of stuff, apparently.

But Christyne's announcement that it's Friday made my day. I, too, need to order books then hop on over to Brenda's auction. 

Thanks to those who visited me at my guest blog. It was a lot of fun. Really nice people. 

Have a great weekend.

Deb 

Thanks for the great laugh this morning. My cheeks hurt from grinning. The cheeks on my face. (With you, guys it pays to be specific.)

Good rendition of our Fire Escape story, Susan. What hurts is that a good number of writers on other floors heard the alarm and didn't trek down a gazillion floors, inhaling the aroma of ripe pee and paradingin their jammies past the smokers. I felt like such a sap. But my WIP knew I loved it. I have no idea what book it was. I'm not even sure which one I'm workng on now, but I backup with slavish devotion--just like Holly.

Chelle, is Mr. Chelle gone again? When my daughter lived in North Carolina, she used to send her jeans out to be pressed. They came back like cardboard figures that needed to be stood in the corner instead of hung up. These were the western style jeans that involved a plate-size belt buckle and no butt crack.

Speaking of life size sex dolls, I saw a sweet movie the other day called "Lars and The Real Girl". Great conflict and character development.

Have you all seen/talked about the best/worst cover contest where you get to vote? A friend sent me the link and I put it up on my blog at my site. Kinda fun. No Supers in either catergory, but some lovely Everlastings were nominated.

Deb 

Deb 

What's going on here? I leave for a few months and you're talking puke and peckers. I used to substitute teach. This is the realm of 8th grade boys.

Hi, Victoria, long time no talk to you. I'm glad Tasha didn't vomit on you, too. I never pitched in person prior to selling, but I can remember being almost too nervous to eat lunch at my first conference. Almost. Free food is free food.

I just got some Black Hills shots up on my website and plan to add more. This profile was one of my faves.

Deb 

I've been trying to shrink my darn cover enough to make it fit, but I forgot how, apparently.

So, I tried this one instead. I took the shot from a moving car when I was researching BABY BY CONTRACT last fall.

Deb