I recently read a blog post from an agent about the stages agents go through. She broke it down in a way that made a light bulb click in my mind. I’ve queried about fifteen agents within the past six months. I have gotten a fair number of requests out of the queries and the response I have gotten has been positive, but no offers of representation, yet - must keep that positive note there. The resounding comment I have gotten from agents is they just don’t think they could sell what I’m querying in this ‘full market’. In some ways I could pass this off as a nice form of rejection, but since I had a conversation with a NY editor recently who basically told me the same thing I tend to believe what they are saying. Also after reading the blog post it is very clear to me, that I have been targeting mid to late career agents, so in some little way her post actually makes me feel a little better about the ‘passes’. Why? I’m not completely sure. Maybe it has to do with the fact I have gotten so many that say the same thing, good/great voice, competent author, etc. A couple had writing compliments but just didn’t ‘love’ or ‘fall in love with’ the plot for my query project. I’m branching out… I have found a beta reader, who’s general reading opinion I value, so I am taking a step to see what might make the plot stronger, of course, there is always the next project J

The question in my mind has become, what do I do now? Or what do I do next? I think for now I choose to stew on this, I still have some queries/request out. I have a beta reader for a general opinion and I have a wip that I could work on, but for now I started something completely and totally different, something I have wanted to so for a very long time, so I plan to focus on it for the next month and see what happens next.

The little one took pictures at pre-school on Tuesday. The amazing thing is she actually let them take her picture, course they aren’t exactly ‘happy’ pictures, but I plan to buy them since they are the first semi-professional (school pics!) pictures that have been made of her since she was six months olds. At least you can see her face in these, the ones in between consist of tears, hands covering the face, tears, or a blur – as she exits the backdrop. Mostly I want proof when she older of WHY there are no pictures of her at certain ages! The oldest took school pictures Wednesday. She got up an hour early to straighten each gorgeous curl out of her hair and otherwise made herself ready for the said picture event. Those I’m sure will be just as beautiful as the others.

Picture day for the little one started with her three-year-old self-trying to skip school because she just knew those picture-taking people were going to be there. I got up early and took her to school earlier than normal – because leaving her after those picture taking people where there would have been nearly impossible. Picture day for the oldest started with excitement, oldest has always been a picture-taking princess. Little one, not so much, ever.

Picture taking attitudes are only the tip of the differences between my two girls. They are night and day, light and dark, and so on and so forth. One is a blue-eyed blonde, one a brown-eyed brunette. One has a few freckles, one has an olive completion. One sleeps, one does not. One eats, one does not (okay, just really picky!). One is agreeable, one is not. And on and on. My pregnancies could not have been more different. One was easy, one was hell. Births, ditto, both c-sections, but night and day difference in recovery, etc.

We have been blessed by both girls, but each day is an adventure. Friends of the oldest say our house/family is better than cable, and considering our lack of TV viewing most days I’d have to agree.

I bought this at the HeartLA Readers Luncheon. I’m only about ½ through with it, but man, I plan to go back and pick up her two earlier books. I do not normally read this type of non-fiction book but I enjoy hearing Hollis Gillespie speak and just knew I would enjoy the book. I was right, it’s different and fun. You should give it a try!

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/102-1460424-0111317?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Trailer-Trashed-Dubious-Efforts-Mobility&x=1&y=16

I have a love hate relationship with ebooks and it’s only because I don’t own a fancy smacy ebook reader. And I work on a computer all day most days and my eyes can only take so much, but I picked this up yesterday. But I love Shannon’s writing! I highly recommend this awesome read. It’s a Western, it’s fun, the characters are intriguing and multi-layered and the opening will draw you right in! I highly recommend you pick up a copy today. More details at Shannon Stacey's website.

http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/shop/product.da/becoming-miss-becky

I recently read this book. It is not something I would normally read, but I have such admiration for Larissa I just had to read it. Besides, she kept teasing readers with excerpts and something about the characters just totally drew me in. I bought thinking I was buying it just a means to support another writer. I mean I picked it up and put in my TBR mountain, but something about it kept drawing me back to it. I finally gave in and opened it thinking I would read a couple of pages. Well a couple of pages turned into a reading binge where I spent every spare second for the next two days devouring it. Another book you should run out and buy! More details at Larissa Ione's website.

http://www.amazon.com/Pleasure-Unbound-Demonica-Book-1/dp/044640103X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222274292&sr=1-1

Recently I cleared some of my books and tried to do some organizing. I can’t say I did a great job, just made it somewhat easier for me to find what I want to read. I have lots of books in my TBR but I know myself and have figured out I get behind if I don’t buy books I want when they come out. Some I devour as soon as they reach my hands, others I put to the side to read later and honestly there is no difference in the way I feel about the books it’s just a timing and life thing I guess. As you can tell from the books I mentioned I’ve not only added to my collection lately I’ve read some really good books, over a variety of topics. I’m sure I’ll post a few more recommends in the coming weeks since I have so many new books thanks to the readers luncheon and other recent events!

Ever feel like you are banging your head against a brick wall? If so, welcome to my world <g>.

I used to hate the saying two steps forward, one step back, oh yeah I still hate it. But I feel like I’m living in an alternate universe and that’s the game I’m currently playing. Not even Mother May I or Simon Says. Right now I really feel like a good old fashion game of Red Rover… but I guess that’s un-PC these days, too bad, it would fit my current state of mind… off to see if I can break the cycle.

Ever have that feeling – of I’m really glad it’s over? Well that’s where I am right now. I truly enjoyed the HeartLA Readers Luncheon, but am really glad it’s over. The event was Saturday. It was very nice, went very smooth and was an overall success.

Due to extenuating circumstances I wasn’t able to attend the first annual event, last year. I had participated in planning of the event, but bailed out near the end for very good reasons. And quite honestly I had not planned to be very involved this year for other reasons. But I’m a sucker when it comes to helping out and well I can become militant in organizing and motivating and moving things along and apparently that doesn’t offend everyone. So… I paid my dues to my local RWA chapter and did what was asked.

I keep asking “What day is it?” Of course that has something to do with all the stuff I need to finish before the Readers Luncheon on Saturday. Oh yeah must call B&N again! See stuff like that keeps jumping into my head.

I put my wip on the back burner getting ready for other events. Now it’s itching for my attention and while I am ready to dig back in I’m feeling a little off kilter. Not sure which writing direction needs my attention the most. At this point I’m not one hundred percent certain what I plan to do with my wip. I think I’m content to let it stew for a bit longer.

I made my list last week and managed to get all but one item done. I’m still working on it as it’s something that won’t leave me alone. Maybe it has to do with my first ever tarot reading. The reading was part of the Friday night event for Heather Graham’s Writers for New Orleans conference. It was very interesting and if I take it to heart, very encouraging writing wise.

The HeartLA Readers Luncheon is fast approaching. I’m happy to say that we seem to be right on schedule, things are falling into place nicely. Of course it would be even nicer if everyone had power back (sorry Jeri) permanently!

K, not really. Not here anyway. We are getting some rain, thanks to Ike, but much more worried about friends in the Houston area this time.

I printed and mailed! Yay me, lol. I still have a proposal to go over, tight up, and then I can print and mail that. Maybe Monday.

Today, I will force myself out of my hurricane funk and clean this house (oh boy, can you hear the joy in my voice?). I might even do some laundry, woooo whhooooo!

Tomorrow will be a little more fun. Everyone lost a week or more around here, but that does not change the fact we have the HeartLA Readers Luncheon a week from today. Thus, tomorrow will be filled with raffle basket assembly, make door prize baskets and all sorts of other fun stuff. Course, it might not sound like loads of fun, but when you toss in a few crazy writer friends it has to be just a little wild and crazy!

Getting to the Post Office is my main goal for today. I’d even like to make it before the tropical storm force winds hit. Schools are being let out at noon. Ike is one HUGE storm. I guess with Gustav so fresh in everyone’s mind even the thought of a little high winds has people more frantic than normal. Sigh. Well hopefully the street I work on won’t flood and I and I won’t get soaked. I’d really like to leave early, mail my bundle of stuff and get home before the rain even starts! Wish me luck J

I’m making a list and I plan to check it twice. I need focus. I need direction. I’ve been in a blah, funk for the past week, but it’s not just me. It seems everyone I know feels the same way. It’s like a hurricane induced hangover without ever having the buzz of a good drink. I mean life, as we know it certainly has not returned to normal. Places are re-opening each day, but then some are closed again within hours – because they have no supplies. Power is still off in parts of the city, and don’t even get me started on streetlights and the inability of people to stop... But I heard a report yesterday they plan to have most power restored in one week, which is better than original estimates.

It seems there are few things I can control right now. But I’m listing those things and will start marking them off. Well some of them will require toner – side note: next time we have a hurricane heading this way I plan to put toner on my emergency preparedness list! Of course there are those not so fun things that I could mark off as soon as I have the energy to do them (like laundry, lol).

I really don’t like the term, but it is the phase our whole area seems to be in. The stores and restaurants are starting to re-open, but most are not fully supplied yet. Trying to find fresh produce is hopeless at this point. I even broke down and gave into the little one yesterday only to find out even McDonald’s is in ‘recovery mode’ and uh, they didn’t have burgers right now. Which was fine with little one, they had nuggets, lol but the oldest wasn’t exactly happy.

Professionally, the recovery mode started with a slew of re-inspections (must verify houses with open loans are still standing before the lender will actually close the loans). And then you have the ‘hurricane forms’ (as we dubbed them in our office) which some lenders are already starting to order, but hey at least we’ll have a little work, since not many people are not concerned with refinancing or buying houses right now.

It seems I’m even in recovery mode writing wise, or at least something close to it, lol. I have one manuscript to reprint and send due to a lost in the mail issue. I have a few things to polish and submit. Oh and the printer needs to be refreshed as in it would like toner, but um, well office suppliers are not high on the list of places to reopen I’ve tried two with no luck, but my hunt will continue.

It’s been a week. During the ‘clean-up’ phase of the aftermath of Gustav a pretty large limb fell on me. I’m fine, a little black and blue, and a few scratches, but in reality I was very lucky!

Then Monday morning I decide it’s time to get my rear back in the writing gear, after my week of hurricane issues. So I get up the nerve send out an email for information, get a very quick response, still a little unclear I picked up the phone and called New York. Call it after hurricane induced ‘guts’, lol. I had a lovely phone call with a very nice editor and got clarification I needed and a little direction as to what to do next (re-submit the lost in the mail manuscript for starters) and send out something else, so I was very happy I made the call, got the information I needed and can move forward. I also have two more requests from agents, so that’s in my plans for this week too.

Next I go to my office after a week off and wham, bam, don’t make it in the parking lot before I am hit broad side, in the passenger side of my van. It’s driveable and I’m okay other than a horrible headache from the whole ordeal. We called the police and I have his insurance information, but with all the current hurricane claims I don’t know when I will actually be able to get someone on the phone about the van and the door is leaking!

So I have a plan and plenty to do this week :)

So Gustav paid us a visit Monday, September 1, 2008. It was an experience everyone in this area will remember for a long time. Records indicate this is the strongest hurricane to hit the Greater Baton Rouge area ever. The damage is devastating.

A tornado touched down in our yard and we lost six oak trees each between 75-80 feet high. However, we were VERY LUCKY and VERY BLESSED. One of our oaks was twisted off by the tornado and a perfect V split down one side and the rear of my mother’s trailer that is located at the back of our property. Our neighbor’s huge live oak up-rooted and landed on one of our tractor implements – not our house. Unfortunately one and a half of our oaks landed on our other neighbors roof, doing both exterior and interior (two rooms) damage, however they were not harmed and we have all let out a sigh of relief. Several homes in our immediate vicinity were completely destroyed, but again, no one was injured. We have a generator, so we were lucky, but gas was very hard to find until Wednesday (and of course it cost a small fortune). We, like our neighbors have started clean up, though for us it will be a long process. We did manage to clear enough in the past three days so we could get my mom’s car out today, which was our fist goal.

We got power a couple of hours ago and are enjoying it completely. I just found out we have cable and internet too. I was so stressed, tired, hot and unsettled I couldn’t read a thing. I finally pulled out a book I’d recently finished and re-read it, because it was all I could manage to concentrate on. The three year old was about to go stir crazy after so many ‘stay home’ days! The eleven year old was stir crazy ‘cause cell service and landline phones have been out for most of the time.

All is much better at our house tonight, I just pray it gets that way for our friends and neighbors and the entire community before long.

I’m including a few pictures below. Glad to be back to civilizationJ

View from under my carport

Backyard looking towards neighbors house.

Same direction, just more towards my mom's place.

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From street, you can see the blue tarp on neighbor's house and my mom's trailer still can't be seen (behind truck).

From the street view - tree that fell next door into our driveway.

After some cutting (okay, lots of cutting :) you can see how close it was to my mom's house.