May Edition: Finding Story Ideas, Day Job, and Writing Updates

Good morning! 

All my life, I’ve heard that if you don’t like Texas weather, just what a minute. A cold front came in Thursday evening. On Friday the temperature was in the 60s, and today the temperature has started in the 60s but with drizzle. I love it.

When people discover I am an author, there is always one question asked. Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

And my answer?

Everywhere.

I get ideas for stories from everywhere. Sometimes it’s as simple as a street name that sparks something. Last weekend, I saw a street named Wind Murmur. I wrote it down in the notebook. (I almost always have a notebook with me, though I’ve started putting notes and writing on my phone more than I ever used to.) I thought the street name would be a good name for a town, and then I started thinking about who would live there. My thoughts kept going. What secret is the town hiding? Are there paranormals living there? Why would someone want to move there? Is that person running from something or to something?

My ideas come because of the “What if?” questions that my mind is constantly asking. Too much caffeine definitely fueled the muse. I have so many ideas that some may never see the light of day, while some may find their way into current series or new side series.

I’ve always struggled to make time for writing because I have a full-time day job. Toward the end of the month, I will have more time for writing because I had to make a hard decision about the day job. I like the job, but several things have changed, and that factored into my decision to step away from it. With the economy the way it is, I’m a little scared about losing the income, but it is an opportunity to “reclaim” my writing more than I have already done for this year. While I have to tighten the purse strings? Yes. 

But the question now is...How many words can I write each day?

I’m about halfway through Diablo. I’m working on outlines for new Starlight Bar stories and some Christmas stories. 

Stolen Wolf, book 5 in the Starlight Bar series was published at the end of March. It is Liam's second chance story. If you haven't read it, you can find purchase links here STOLEN WOLF. 

Sunday is Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms!

A Cold Front in April and Writing Stuff

 

It’s the middle of April and the Texas weather has gone from warm spring to cold. Yesterday, a cold front blew in with gusty winds, rain, and temperatures that dropped 60s in the morning to the low 40s last night. So far today, it has warmed up into the 60s, but I’m sitting in my office and wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. The wind is still blowing, and I can feel the colder air around my feet, but I still prefer the colder weather to hot Texas summers. Definitely going to do some sealing of gaps around the windows and where the house meets the cement slab.

This weekend, I’ve been rewriting a chapter in Diablo to make it flow better. When I finish that, I’ll be about 1/3 of the way through the story, and I’ll start writing the next chapters. I’m a little behind where I wanted to be this weekend, but I’m still within the deadline goal I set for myself.

The muse has also gone into overdrive this weekend. I have general story ideas for two more books in the Starlight Bar series. These ideas are on top of Josie and Elliot’s story. I also have an idea for a new series that is not part of the Brimstone ideas I have. It’s not a matter of not having ideas for stories; it’s claiming more time to write.

For a couple of months, I’ve thought about purchasing a “cheap” laptop that would be just for writing. The MacBook Pro I’ve been writing on is now 6 years old, and it’s been used for everything. I wanted to separate the actual writing from all the production and formatting side of writing. I looked at several brands, but was “wishy-washy” as the mister likes to tell me, but I didn’t want to buy something just for the sake of buying something. Last month, I bought a MacBook Neo. So far, it’s working great for just writing. I know when I open it, I’m just writing on it. No browsing or doing anything else.

Until next time,

Rayne Rachels

Changes are coming!

 

I'm sorry I've been so quiet on social media, and I'm sorry i've kept you waiting for new stories. The day job has made so many new demands, it's left me mentally and physically drained. But, in the next few months, changes are coming. Good changes. Changes that will allow me more time for writing. Yeah!!! Once the changes happen, I'll be able to talk more about them.

I'm working on Phoenix's story. I'm just a third of the way through the story and at 22,000 words. Yes, this is a longer book.

Sometime in June, I will do a cover reveal and some sneak peaks. My writing has been slow, but I'm so excited about the story!

So how does 2022 look so far...

Phoenix will be released this year. (Both Onyx and Diablo's stories are in plotting stages. They will come out in 2023.)

I have on more book in the Starlight Bar series and then it will be finished. Book 5 needs to come out around Christmas because the story is set around Christmas. So as soon as I finish and release Phoenix, I plan to dive into that book.

I've started revisions and new covers for the Bryant Station Curves series. I plan to un-publish the series and then start re-releasing the updated versions. 

Question...

How do you feel about preorders?

Love them. 

Hate them.

Tell me your thoughts.

It's Been Awhile!!!

 October.

It's the start of my favorite months and holidays.

But where has the year gone?

Looking back, it's hard to believe 2021 is three-fourths gone. It's been a fast but crazy year. Here in Texas, we started the year wearing masks, and then moved to not having to wear them. Then there was the, should I get the shot, or should I not get it? Which one should I get? And then the Delta variant made an appearance. The day job is trying to suck the life out of me. There are days I swear it is a demon in disguise.

We moved into our new house and have spent the last few months trying to get things repaired or replaced that should have been fixed after we did the final walk-through. The cost of houses and lumber is ridiculous! Driving to work each day, I pass new subdivisions in various stages of development--from basic groundwork to selling finished homes. It's crazy! 

Writing has been a struggle. Write a few pages. Rip the pages into small pieces. Rinse. Repeat. I think the stress of everything was causing more havoc than I thought it was.

A deep breath later...

I have several outlines ready (not as heavily detailed as I was doing). I cleared my kanban board and reset it for the last quarter of the year, and am slowly working through my goals. I'm working toward a new book I hope to release around Christmas (This is not a set date.) I'm also slowly working my way through revision of my backlist.

I haven't put set dates on anything, and I'm not announcing what I'm writing until it's almost done. I don't want to disappoint myself or anyone else.

I am going to send out Christmas cards again this year. Sometime in November, I will post a signup form. I also have a new snail mail address.

Rayne Rachels                                                                                                                                                          PO Box 818                                                                                                                                                     McQueeney, TX 78123    

What is your favorite holiday?

Writing and Plotting

Today is nice here in Texas. It started out in the low 60's and moved to the mid 70's by the afternoon. I've had the windows open. I love days that I can air out the house. We've had a cold front come through a couple of weeks ago, but then the temperatures rebound up into the 80s. But, at least for today, I have cooler temperatures.

I sometimes can't believe just how fast time moves. Here in the USA, we're about a week and a few days away from Thanksgiving. This year, it may be just my DH and me. I'm not sure if the child will make it or not, and then too there's the C stuff that's going around. I'm thankful that no one in my family has caught it. 

I'm working on a 5th Starlight Bar book. I honestly thought I was finished with the series when I released Lost Wolf, but then another character decided he wanted his mate. And...his mate introduced herself by literally dropping onto my head. LOL!

I'm also working on the plots for the next three Brimstone Heat books. Onyx's mate is still being stubborn, but I expected that from her. I'm also jotting down notes and scenes for the next Undead book. 

I'm behind where I had expected to be with my writing, but I'm working to get the next book out and then the next, and then the next. I want to try to release 3 to 4 books next year. It's probably a lofty goal for me, but I'm determined. Honestly, I have a lot more stories I want to write. The ring binder system I've set up is definitely a work in progress, but having notes and all the plotting materials in one place makes it so much easier.

I'm still working on my Christmas card list. I know realize there is a worry about the C, but if you want to be on my list, here is the link to sign up -- Christmas card.

Random Thoughts: Downsizing, Writing, and Alpha Wolf

The year is half over.

WOW!

Where did the time go?

It amazes me how fast time seems to speed by, especially when you're busy.

For me, June flew by. I was busy planning to move, and then there was the packing (and cursing about the amount of junk we have), followed by the move itself, and the process of unpacking and figuring out were I'm going to put stuff. I gave away a lot of stuff before we actually moved. As we unpack, I'm realizing just how much stuff we have that hasn't been used in a long time, or multiples of things that I don't really need.

I want to downsize even more. Basically, I want to get to the point that I have only the stuff I'm actually using.

We're living in the duplex, but there are boxes everywhere. My office is about 75% ready. The other small bedroom has become the holding area for boxes. Once I get the rest of the storage shelving in place, I'll be able to unpack a number of the remaining boxes.

In other new...I'm working on Book 2 in the Starlight bar series. Some days, the writing has been slower than others, but I'm making progress. As soon as I hit the halfway mark, I will do a cover reveal.

This is the last month that Alpha Wolf will be in KU. At the end of the month, it will be pulled from KU, and released on the other vendor sites I normally publish on. It will still be available at Amazon to buy, it just won't be in the borrow program. If you have it borrowed, you should still be able to read it.



Places to follow me:

www.facebook.com/raynerachels

www.twitter.com/raynerachels

www.pinterest.com/raynerachels/

https://www.instagram.com/raynerachels/

Quarter Goals, Successes, and Failures

Tomorrow is the last day in the 1st quarter of 2018. The three months have gone by so quick. I'm in the process of reflecting on how the 1st quarter went and planning for the 2nd quarter.

There are a several things I can check as done for the first quarter.

• Started writing Hank's story (Durant Brothers, book 3).
• Published PROTECTED HEARTS. 
• Created and published paperbacks for
• MATED HEARTS.
• PROTECTED HEARTS,
• SURVIVING IVY, and 
• LUCIFER.

I still have a few things that I didn't get done.

• I didn't finish writing Hank's story. 
• The outlines for Phoenix's story and the next book in the Undead series are not finished.

I got about 10,000 words into Hank's story when I realized I didn't like the story as I had it outlined. I stepped back from the story and pulled out my notes. When I wrote the outline, I deviated from my notes. So I went back and rewrote the outline. The story now works, but it means I'm scrapping what I had originally wrote and am starting over. 

So in the 2nd quarter, I'll be writing Hank's story. I will also be working on the outlines for Phoenix's story and book 2 in the Undead series. 

For the 2nd quarter, I'm sitting down and breaking down my projects into the tasks that must be done in order to accomplish them. I'm hoping this will help me stay on track better than I did last quarter.  I'm also going to rewrite the running list of projects I had planned for 2018 so that I can check off each one as I complete it.

Random Thoughts: Shopping Trip, Planners and Writing

I went to Hobby Lobby today. Let's face it. That store is very good on my wallet. LOL! I find too many things that I want or rather must have. I had one specific thing I was looking for (because I couldn't find it at the Walmart here in San Marcos). I wanted a set of calligraphy markers. I didn't find the exact ones I was looking for, but I found a set that I think will work. And of course, I gravitated to the sticker and planner sections. But first, I took a detour by the clearance wall.

I found a Happy Planner Classic Trendsetter and a Happy Planner Glam Girl mini on clearance. When I first saw the Trendsetters, I debated about getting one, but at the time didn't. I grabbed it today. The mini planner is a first for me. I've looked at them but wasn't sure if I would use it. I figured I might as well try it because it will easily fit in my purse.

I've already pulled out the first month of the Trendsetter and put it into my Classic size Frankened planner.  I'm thinking of putting my daily To Do list in it and then pulling the top three as my goals in my other section. With the pages I've added, the planner is becoming a good blend of bullet journal, planner, and notebook.

I went through some of the computer files I have on the laptop that I was using before I got my MacPro. The laptop still works, but the battery will not charge so basically it acts as a desktop. While going through the files, I found a Christmas story that I had started sometime ago but hadn't finished. I printed out the file and read through it. I'm debating if I should finish it or not. It is a second chance love story, but it is not a paranormal. Would you be interested in reading a non-paranormal romance? If I finish the story, it wouldn't be released until sometime in November/December 2018.

Protected Hearts is now in revisions/edits. I hope to have it back and ready to publish before my birthday at the end of the month.

This winter has been crazy. We're experiencing another cold front. The temperature is currently 29F. Here in Texas, it's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride with the temperatures.

Stay safe and warm.

2018 GOALS

The new year is a time for new beginnings. It's a chance to take a look at what you've did over the previous year and make plans for the new year.

A lot of people make resolutions for the new year. I've never like the word resolutions. I've always thought of it as a weak word. Resolutions are easy to make and even easier to break. I gave up making resolutions years ago. Instead I set out my goals or my plan of action for the new year.

This year I've added two new things to my GOALS.

Motto for the New Year:
Live, Love, and Laugh each day as if it is the last!

Word for the New Year:
PRODUCTIVE

My 2018 Goals:

1. Health
• Walk more.
• Avoid processed foods as much as possible.
• Eat more protein, fruits and veggies.
2. Writing
• Create a writing/book schedule.
• Write 10 books this year.
• Continue posting blogs on a regular basis.
• Post more to Instagram and Facebook.
3. Other
• Read 36 new books.
• Purge, declutter and organize.
• Have fun!

In some areas I've set the bar high, but that gives me something to reach for this year. Each month I'll break down the goals to make them more manageable. I also have several financial goals, but those tend to be the more uninteresting stuff, but something I am tackling this year.

To help me achieve my goals, I bought two Happy Planners because with the disc system I can incorporate the bullet journal layouts that I was using, but I don't have to spend the extra time creating monthly and weekly layouts. They are already done which leaves me time to focus on the other stuff. All I have to do each month is print out the layouts I'm adding in and I'm ready to go. I'm recreating the bullet journal layouts on the computer so I can just print them out.

One planner is just for writing related stuff. Being able to insert and take things out or just move them as needed will make future planning much easier. (I will post pictures.)  I've already added in monthly blog schedules for the first three months. I did post a picture of the blog sheet on Instagram.

The second planner is for everything else and journaling. This planner has a horizontal weekly layout. One of the layouts I had in my bullet journal was a daily summary. In this planner, I'll reserve the last three lines each day for summary/memory stuff. I have note inserts that I bought at Walmart (part of the IQ 360 line) which are perfect for grocery lists and other short lists. I can also take the note packs from Targets dollar section and punch them to use in the planner. I have an IQ 360 hole punch. And yes, I have stickers. You can't have a planner without stickers. LOL!

Random Thoughts: Coyotes and Christmas

As I sat down to write this blog, the coyotes started singing. Their howls didn't last long. Something must have spooked them but it was a pleasant surprise to hear them while it lasted. This isn't the first time I've heard the coyotes since we moved here last year, but it has been awhile. It probably didn't hurt that the television isn't on, so the house is rather quiet. Maybe they'll sing again.

Ten days to Christmas!
Time is flying. It seems like yesterday we were celebrating Thanksgiving, and now, December is half over. We're actually going to celebrate Christmas tomorrow with the child and his family.I remember when the child was younger and we would spend Christmas traveling between the grandparents and any other family members we had to stop and visit. Both DH and my parents are gone, and most of our brothers and sisters are scattered and doing their own celebrations. Sometimes the holidays just don't feel like holidays.

I've also noticed almost no one saying Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. I remember when a time when even at the grocery store, the cashier would say one of them, but now nothing. People even act surprised when I tell them "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays."

Is it just me, or have the holidays lost some of their meanings? It seems Christmas has become so commercial. The television is filled with ads telling us to buy the latest greatest thing to make the people in our lives happy. I even noticed that the tags on the "Angel Tree" at work listed specific brands of stuff. Has our society become that materialistic?

Random Thoughts: Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Other Stuff

Thanksgiving 2017 is officially over and the leftovers from the feast are in the refrigerator waiting to be repacked and frozen for next week's lunches. I had a good day visiting with family and friends who stopped by for lunch.

This year I'm thankful for...

• family,
• friends,
• continued good health...DH did have a couple more stints placed in his heart earlier this year but so far things are going good.
• the means to pay for the necessities and a few extras,
• my writing,
• my readers and fans.

Some of the family left early because they planned to do hit the early Black Friday sales that were actually starting Thursday night.

Not me! DH and I did the Black Friday sales one time and that was enough for me. Now, I avoid the stores during the Black Friday hoopla. I would much rather do my shopping on-line. It's much easier and I don't have to deal with the shopping crowds and craziness that goes with it.

I know there's still a month left in this year  and Christmas to plan for but I've started planning for next year. One of the things I need to start setting up is my 2018 bullet journal. I need to design tracking pages for my writing stuff and finances among other things. I also want to include pages for the projects I'm working on each month. Some of the pages I plan on using I've actually used this year. So I just have to copy them into the new journal.

Why a bullet journal?

I've tried different types of planners over the year. Some worked for awhile and others didn't work at all. There were things I like about each, but none did everything I wanted them to do. So far I like the bullet journal system which I've modified to fit me. It is flexible enough to cover all the things I want to cover and have it in one place.

I've also started looking at what I've achieved this year and what I want to accomplish next year. I'm actually creating lists for both. I'll post more on these at the end of December and the first of January.

I'm working on Protected Hearts (Durant Brothers book 2). I'm trying to get back on schedule, but the muse is not cooperating. Characters and scenes for other stories are floating through my brain. I'm keeping pen and paper near to jot down the ideas just to get them out of my brain. So far it's like a flood with no end. I guess I shouldn't be complaining. LOL!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday.

Random Thoughts: Weather, Holidays, Writing and Stuff

The trees are still green but the grass is starting to turn brown in places. The sky is over cast and grayish making it seem colder than what it really is. It's November and it should be cold, but here in South Texas the weather is warm. The highs for the next few days are supposed to be in the upper 70s and lower 80s. Not exactly what you think the temperature in November should be and definitely not the way it looks outside.

Last weekend, we did have a cold (cool) front drop the temperatures for a couple of days. Two nights the temperature actually dropped into the 40s and we had to turn on the heat for the first time, but today the air conditioner is back on. 

Texas weather. Gotta love it!

The stores are putting out Christmas stuff, if it hasn't already been out. The grocery stores are stocked with all the stuff to make Thanksgiving dinner, and everyone has Halloween stuff marked down. I feel like the stores are rushing the holidays. I guess I can't say too much. I am watching Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel and drinking my version of a latte. I heat some milk in the microwave, and then make a cup of coffee with my Kuerig (I use a mix of pre-filled and refillable pods). I'm the only person in the house who drinks coffee. DH doesn't like the stuff.

I'm working on Protected Hearts (Durant Brothers #2), but writing has been a little slow. Last Sunday I was knocked down with a nasty stomach bug so all my plans were tossed to the winds. It happens.

It's back to writing, so have a wonderful weekend!

Fall Quarter Goals

Three months left in 2017!
The year has gone by so fast.

And finally, we are in my favorite time of year...fall and winter.
October = Halloween and DH's Birthday
November = Thanksgiving
December = Christmas
January = New Year and my Birthday

I'm also thinking about my goals for the last quarter of the year. Looking back at my goals for the year, I've accomplished about half of them. Not too bad. Some of the goals have shifted as I started looking at my writing schedule and plans for various books I want to write.

One of the big things for me, is that I'm a plotter. The story has to be planned out from start to finish. I used to write the outline and then start writing the story and taking care of problems as they came along. Now, I write the outline and put it away while I'm working on another project. Then when I'm ready to write the story, I pick up the outline and revise it.

I did this with book #2 in the Durant Brothers series. In fact, just a few days ago, I finished the revised outline and started writing. I did do something I never thought I would do. I used index cards to do the outline revision. (I wrote a little about this in my last blog.) I honestly never thought I would used index cards to do an outline. My first experience with index cards was in high school back during the Dark Ages, and it was not a very good experience. After that, I stayed away from index cards. Even when I started teaching myself how to plot a story, I shied away from them.

But I decided to give them a try when my current way of outlining wasn't working. I laid out all of my major plot points and as I looked at the cards, I immediately saw the problems...an light bulb moment for me. Will I keep using index cards? Probably in some way. I think they will definitely be incorporated into my outline process as I revise the outlines for the next books I plan to write.

So what are my goals for the Fall Quarter?

1. Write book 2 in the Durant Brothers series. (Wes and Emma's story)
2. Revise the outline for book 3 in the Durant Brothers series. (Hank's story which will complete the trilogy, though the problem that seems to have followed them will wreak havoc on Bryant Station and the people who live there.)
3. Revise the outline for Phoenix, Brimstone Heat series book 2.
4. Finish and/or start initial plots for book 2 in the Undead series, Onyx and Diablo's stories for Brimstone Heat, and Bryant Station Curves book 9.
5. Jot down all the ideas swimming in my head for new stories and series.

I realize I may not get to all the items on my list, especially all the outlines I want to do, but I will keep putting them on my goals list until they are complete. I have to get them done because they are some of the books I'm planning to release in 2018.  I have general ideas as to when I want to have each book finished and released. The day job and life tends to put dents into my writing schedule, so that's why when I do give release windows, they are "soft" time frames just in case my writing schedule goes off track. My day job is notorious for sucking time and energy from me, but it's needed to help pay the bills. Gotta have coffee and cat food. LOL!

Random Thoughts: Updates, Writing and Mated Hearts

A weak cold front brought us a lot of rain for a few days. Today is actually the first day it hasn't rained and the sun is shining. I love rainy weather and even more so when it's cold, but the temperatures only went down a little. As much as I like rainy weather, I hate driving in it, which I had to do to get to the day job.

So far we've had no more snakes in the house. Hubby fixed all the doors, getting rid of any possible places one could slither in through. Unfortunately though, one of the kitchen lights has been on every night since last Saturday. I'm leery about walking around the place in the dark.

The fur babies are a little jumpy, but that's probably my fault. They saw the snake as a plaything. i was worried they would get bitten before Hubby killed it. Both kitties are indoor babies. On a lighter note, Smokie did save me from a rather vicious looking leaf yesterday morning. LOL!

Mated Hearts has been out for a couple of weeks. It's the first of three books about the Durant Brothers finding their mates. I'm re-working the outline for the next book which is about Wes and his
mate. I wrote the outline a couple of months ago, but when I read over it last week, I saw some things I needed to fix and/or change. I'm trying a new outlining method.

Actually, it's not a new method, it's just one I haven't used before, though a lot of writers use it. Last night I laid out all my major plot points on index cards and almost immediately saw where I had a couple of issues. The goal for today is to finish re-working the outline so I can start writing tomorrow. I'm also going to set a release date and a cover reveal date. I will post info about the story under the "Current Projects" tab some time this week.

Besides writing book two in October, I plan to revise the outline for book 3 (Hank's story) and the outline for Phoenix (Brimstone Heat, Book 2). My list of stories for 2018 is growing.

With fall weather creeping in, I feel like I'm being re-energized. Fall and winter are my favorite times of the year.

Running on Caffeine: Saturday Night Scare and Other News

So far this morning, it's quiet. Earlier this month dove season opened and in the early morning hours, the pop of rifles could be heard from the fields behind us, especially on the weekend. Today is quiet.

It's been a crazy week! And last night I had a big scare...a snake in the kitchen, and not just any kind of snake. It was coral snake. For those of you who don't know about coral snakes, they are the second most poisonous snake. (Red and yellow...kill a fellow; red and black...friend of Jack.) The black mamba is number one.

This one was small, but not what I want to find in the house, especially when I'm turning off lights to get ready for bed. The lights were off in the kitchen, but the light from the living room was on so the kitchen wasn't in complete darkness. I was taking a cup to the kitchen when I saw the cats staring at something in the floor. At first I thought one of them had gotten hold of a colorful bracelet, until the "bracelet" moved and I realized what I was looking at. So glad I didn't walk in there and pick up the "bracelet" like was my first thought. My yelling there's a snake in the house brought Hubby running and he killed it. My HERO!

We think it came in through a very small gap between the door jam and the back door. It was a small young coral snake so it could have fit. Today, Hubby is going to fix the gap and check the other two doors. We're hoping that was the point of entry and there's no gap between the walls and floor that we can't see. We are living in old air force staff housing that was built in the 40-50s at Hubby's work.

Last week while mowing, Hubby killed a small coral snake outside. Now we've had the second one show up. I'm worried there may be more. Needless to say, I'm turning on lights before I walk into a room at night.

Luckily neither cat was bitten. But they were jumpy for a while until they finally settled down.


In other news...

Mated Hearts, the first of the three Durant Brothers stories, released last Tuesday. This is Forrest's story. I'm excited about it!

I'm revising the outline for the next Durant Brothers story which will be about Wes. I haven't set a release date. If my writing schedule holds out, I hope to release it sometime in late November.

As always, I'm continuously working on outlines for other stories in the different series, and have notes for new series too.

Have a great day. I'm off to venture into the kitchen for more coffee. Wish me luck!

What I'm Thankful For and Other Random Thoughts

Thankful for...
With the remnants of Hurricane Harvey still reeking havoc on people's lives, I'm thankful that I made it through the storm. Here in San Marcos, we had lots of rain and wind. Some streets were flooded, but not as bad as it could have been. In my area, several trees were blown down and limbs were scattered everywhere. I've never seen a tree blown over, breaking at ground level but I saw my first one after the storms passed. I have seen trees uprooted and snapped in half but never one that snapped in half at the ground.

I'm thankful for everyone who has made efforts to help the victims of Harvey.

Over the next few months we need to remember that help will still be needed. Homes, schools, businesses and roads will have to be rebuilt. But first, debris has to be removed and disposed of in order to rebuild.





Writing...
I'm waiting for Forrest's story to be returned to me so I can start what is hopefully the last round of edits. I have the cover and plan to have a title and cover reveal as soon as I set up everything for pre-order. I had to change the original title because another book was recently released with the same title I had planned to use. It happens. Yes, I could have probably used the same title but I decided to come up with a new title for my story. I didn't want any confusion, or at least as little as possible.




Pumpkin Spice...
I need a recipe for pumpkin spice coffee. I absolute love the stuff, but I have to find something low to no sugar. The other problem is that it can't have sucralose or aspartame in it. I have reactions to both of the artificial sweeteners. So far stevia and monk fruit are the only two "no calorie" sweeteners I can tolerate, but I always have to make sure they don't have anything mixed in with them.

I've started looking on-line for a recipe, but I'm always leery about trying new stuff without recommendations. I want something that tastes like pumpkin spice but doesn't have a long list of ingredients.

Fall Fever is hitting me.

Random Thoughts: Updates

Today I thought I would give you some updates on some of the things that have been going on in my life. So here they are...


Swimming

I'm still taking some swimming lessons, though they will be coming to an end when I run out of sessions. I did take about a month off from swimming and my aquatics class so that the sockets from the wisdom teeth extraction could heal. I didn't have any stitches. I was probably a little too paranoid about anything getting into the sockets.

I'm still having trouble floating face down. I've made some small steps, but it is something I need to work on. I am definitely more comfortable in the water than I used to be. Using a kickboard and short fins, I do laps in the pool and really enjoy it. When I first started, I wasn't able to even do that.

Even after my lessons end, I will still be in the aquatics class and doing the laps.




The Office

Several months ago, I told you that we had to cover the ceiling with plastic because the powers that be decided the roof of the unit we're renting had to be replace. As a result, a lot of things had to be moved, and things were piled onto of stuff. I couldn't even see the top of my desk.


The plastic came down and some things were moved, but I could only see a small portion of my desk.  Sorting stuff was moved down on the priority list.

I can now use my office like I should. It is not perfect. I have sorted and tossed some stuff, but I have more that I need to go through as you can see from the piles. The room is smaller than what I had in the house we sold, but I'm making it work.

Yes, I have a Barbie collection. What you see is not all of them. There are more behind the ones you can see.

Stuffed animals are scattered around the shelves.

You can see the piles I still need to work on and reduce even more. I haven't put anything up on the walls. The main wall is the one you see below. The wall to the left has a closet and behind me is a wall of windows. The closet is full of boxes and more boxes are piled under the windows by the closet.



DH bought the desk unit for me a couple of years ago. He found one of the market listings he looks at. It is used, but the desk is large enough to spread notes out and have the laptop going too.

The desk chair likes to go down on its own. Any ideas how to fix it so that it will stay up? It's annoying to be typing and suddenly start sinking until the chair can't go down any more.



New Story and Writing Stuff

Forrest's story is coming along. I've set myself up a due date for the complete draft and I'm working to get it finished by that date.

The past year and a half life has thrown a lot at me that I was expecting or ready for. Selling the house and moving were life changing, but DH's new heart issues was the biggest curve ball and later this year the cardiologist may have place more stents.

I'm not ready to set any dates for publication other than general time frames. I have to see if I can keep the writing pace along with the day job.

I'm working on outlines too. The outline for Phoenix is almost finished.

I'm staying busy. My "To Do" lists are long and stuff does get carried over to the next day. Some of the things on the list are actually my goals for the month. Keeping them in front of me is the best way I could think of to get them done.

Random Thoughts: Changes and Other Things

Change is inevitable. Sometimes it happens even when we don't want it to happen. And sometimes it happens because we need it to happen.

Personal Changes
The last two months, DH was going back and forth with his cardiologist. One of the tests revealed his heart was functioning below normal levels. It was functioning on such a low level that his cardiologist told him no exercise of any kind and definitely no lifting or other such activities until they could figure out what was going on with DH's heart. The cardiologist was worried that DH could have a heart attack at any time. Long story short...DH went into the cath lab and ended up with two more stents to open up arteries/veins that had collapsed. We then had to go back for another test. The good news is that his heart is once again functioning at a normal rate for his heart.

As a result, diet, exercise, the push to lose more weight, as well as making more us time has changed. Neither of us knows what the future holds, but we do know that we don't have the time that we thought we had together, so we have to make the most of what we do have.


Blog Changes
I've made some changes to the blog. Hopefully they are changes for the better and will make it easier for you to navigate the site.
I've thought about changing the color, but I'm having trouble picking. Black seems to be my 'go to' color, but some may think it's too macabre, but then Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.

Writing Changes
Since Surviving Ivy came out, I've been working on outlines. I have three complete which are for the Durant Brothers series. It will be a three book series and it takes place two years after Surviving Ivy. I've just started writing the first book and this morning finished the first chapter. I've updated the Current Projects section with a place holder cover and a tidbit of information. Sometime in August, I will have a cover reveal and more information about the book.

I'm almost finished with the outline for Phoenix which is book 2 in the Brimstone Heat series. My goal is to finish the outline this weekend.

I need to start a new ideas book. I've thought about taking my Happy Planner (classic) and turn it into an ideas book but I also have a lot of composition books (non-spiral) that I need to use.  Almost all of them have pretty designs on the covers. (I have a slight office/school supply addiction.) I use a disc-bound notebook for my current projects and other material and love being able to easily move things around. Decisions. Decisions.

My office is still a disaster area. I've decided that some how I need to purge the stuff I have again. I did this when we sold the house and manage to cut the stuff I had in my office in half. Now, as I look at everything I still have, I realize I need to do another purge.


Have a great weekend!

Random Thoughts: A Crazy Month and More

Blog Anniversary

It's hard to believe but today is the 4th anniversary of this blog. Four years ago today, I started this blog and in July of that year my first book came out.
Four years.
13 books.
2 box sets.
And plans for many more years and books.

Crazy May
As some of you know, a week ago from yesterday I had my wisdom teeth removed. (I've been dealing with a tooth ache for weeks thinking it was just severe sinus problems.) So the past week, I've been recovering from that surgery. This has not been a fun experience. I'm still having some pain issues with the lower jaw, but the first three days were tough and eating was not a fun experience. I've started adding a few more items to the menu. Chewing is an experience. Because I have open sockets (the oral surgeon didn't put in any stitches) I have to be careful about what I eat. Salt water rinses after eating are a standard.

Before I went in for my wisdom teeth extraction, DH had to go see his cardiologist for tests. The results were definitely bad, and he ended up back in the cath lab. Thursday was a long, rough day. DH ended up with two more stints in his heart, but this was better than what we were told to expect. He is sore but home and feeling better. Unfortunately, the cardiologist said DH would be back in the cath lab in about six months.

My mind has been everywhere except on writing for any length of time. I've managed short periods, but nothing like I normally do.

Surviving Ivy Updates
With all the craziness--my wisdom teeth problems and DH's heart issues, Surviving Ivy is not ready for release. I'm working on the last chapter, but I still have edits to do. Give me a few days and I will post the new release date.

Writing
I'm hoping that after this weekend, I will be able to get myself back on target with my writing. I want to finish and release Surviving Ivy. I've got several outlines I need to complete and several stories I want to write and release this summer.

I bought a disc bound notebook and a hole punch a few weeks ago, put it on a shelf in my office, and completely forgot about it. I've watched several YouTube videos about the disc bound systems. I retrieved the notebook and started putting together an author's notebook. I've got a section for brain dumps/notes, a current project section (Surviving Ivy stuff is here), other projects (all the notes and partial outlines I need to work on), a file cabinet section for other ideas, and a calendar. I can pick up the notebook and go with it. With the hole punch, I can add stuff, move things around, etc. If I get brave enough and there is enough interest, I might do a video walk through.

Running on Caffeine--Cover Reveal, Comfort Food and More

We are having an odd cool front this weekend. The temperatures this morning are in the 50s, but tomorrow we will be back in the 70s and 80s. That's Texas weather for you. LOL


Swimming
Swim lessons are progressing. I managed to kick off the wall and swim a few feet underwater. It's kind of funny that I was able to do that because I haven't mastered the "deadman float" (face down floating). I have been using fins and a kickboard to do laps in the pool and learning to keep my face in the water and blow bubbles. Just a few weeks ago, I couldn't even do that.  I know my baby steps probably sound silly to most people, especially those who know how to swim, but I'm proud of myself. I'm getting more comfortable in the water and figuring out how to coordinate my body in this new environment. Also, the exercise is great for me!


Writing
I'm working to finish Surviving Ivy this week. This is definitely the longest of any of the Bryant Station Curves books. I'm tentatively setting the new release date as May 23.

I have the book cover and am thinking about having a cover reveal on May 10. If you're interested in hosting a book cover reveal on your blog, website, etc. send me an email.


Comfort food
We all have foods that we turn to make us feel better when we are down. More often than not, the comfort foods we pick are things our parents made for us. Chicken and dumplings is one such dish for me, and when the weather starts getting colder, it's one of the first dishes I think about cooking.

Over the years, I've cooked a lot of different foods. Two of my current comfort foods are dirty rice made with ground beef  and chicken casserole.

The chicken casserole is one of my favorites. Many years ago, a friend gave me the recipe. I don't know where she got it from, and different versions can be found on the Internet. It is definitely a comfort food for me, and leftovers are even better the next day.

Here's the version I make.

You will need:
2 large cans of premium white meat chicken
1 regular size bad of Doritos (nacho flavor) crushed
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small can of diced green chili
1 can of evaporated milk or about 1 cup of regular milk (I've used both with no difference.)
1 small sour cream
about 2 cups of shredded cheese (your choice or mixed)
salt, pepper, and garlic to taste

Mix all ingredients, except for about 1 cup of shredded cheese, in a large bowl. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9 inch greased baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Back in a 350F oven for about 20-30 minutes. I usually leave it in there until the cheese on top starts to crisp.

Add a salad and there's the meal.

It's quick and easy. And the best part is that most of the ingredients are things that I already have in my pantry and refrigerator.

Like I said before, I don't know where my friend got the original recipe. When she gave it to me, she recited it from memory. And there are a lot of different versions on the Internet.

I hope you enjoy.