Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde have taken over my office

There are two very different uses for my office at home. There is the writing side (really just a small corner I’ve carved out for myself) and the small business side. My husband and I own a commercial lawn and landscaping company and I get the horrible soul-sucking important job of keeping the books. You know: invoicing customers, creating job bids, billing, etc… And while I know it’s a really, really important part of the business – It. Is. Not. Fun.

At all.

Just to show how I feel about these two vastly different jobs I do – here is my writing desk:

And here is my business desk:

Yeah, I know. You see my writing side is warm and pleasant. Inviting, really. I’ve got my scene notes on the wall, Coke Zero in my favorite “Medieval Times” cup with a straw (can’t write without this), and my favorite lip gloss. (And for those of you who really know me – I may have cleaned my area just a little for this picture. But I had a point to make!)

On the other side, it’s chaos. Granted, it is controlled chaos - I do know where everything is and what’s due and when. Promise. But there’s no love over there. It is a necessity that I do that job. No one cares about your business like you do.

And then I realized a part of writing is like that. The not so fun parts you really don’t want to do but are essential in order to get that shiny fabulous finished product.

So I’m embracing my two sided office. And I may even clean that other side up. Tomorrow.  

2011...What a year!

We're having a New Year's Eve party at our house and getting ready for tonight's festivities has got me thinking about the year that was 2011.

It was a great year. A great year in my writing life. A great year in my family life. I'm a little sad to see this year go.

Thinking back over the year - this was a big year for change.

In my writing life:

I didn't start writing THE RULES FOR DISAPPEARING until Feburary of this year. In fact, on New Year's Eve last year, this story was just a few stray thoughts that had started to grow in my mind.

I didn't start this blog until August.

I didn't have a twitter account or a Facebook page until November.

In my family life:

My two older boys are growing and muturing and fast becoming young men. Well, there are moments (okay, a lot of moments) when they aren't so mature - they are boys after all - but you get what I'm saying!

My baby moved from diapers to big boy pants - and any of you with young kids knows what a Hallelujah moment that is! He also started K3 in August and was one of the only kids that didn't cry on the first day of school. (Is it really sad that part of me wished he did!)

2011 was so awesome that I’ve got really high hopes for 2012. I’ll be starting revisions soon which is scary and exciting at the same time. I’ll get to meet my agent, my editor and several of the Lucky 13 authors in NYC in January. I’ve started the sequel to Rules and 2012 will be the year to see what that book will ultimately become. And maybe even a few other ideas are growing.

So goodbye 2011 – I really loved ya! And hello 2012 – you’re looking pretty nice yourself.

And one last thought…After today – I can say my book comes out next year!! How cool is that!

Have a very SAFE and very WONDERFUL  New Year!

Things I Learned in New York

First, let me say, my trip to New York City was incredible! We covered more ground (on foot by the way) than I thought was humanly possible and ate the most incredible food – my favorite stop was probably the little bakery in Little Italy. Oh, cannoli!

Yes. These were all mine. Don't judge me.

 

So this is what I learned on my trip to New York:

1.      I am not wired for marathon shopping. There were nine of us in our group – 4 of them being 13 year old girls. And they like to shop. For many hours. In a row. I knew I was out of my league when we walked into a store and I immediately looked for a chair.

2.      The world is a small place. Besides the nine of us – two other families that go to our school stayed at our hotel (I knew they would be there but it was still strange running into them). We met a very eccentric woman in the elevator that lives two miles from my house and I ran into a family whose son is friends with my oldest walking through Times Square. On our last day, I bumped into a woman in Dylan’s Candy Bar whose daughters I have photographed numerous times. That’s insane to me.

3.      I love Broadway shows. We saw Wicked, Mama Mia and the Rockettes. We might have embarrassed the girls by singing and dancing in our seats during Mama Mia but we didn’t care.

4.      Fifteen seconds on TV is really exciting. We got up early and made our way to GMA where Sam Champion actually interviewed the girls on air. I think I was a giddy about it as they were.

5.      Can’t wait to go back in January for the SCBWI Winter conference!

Outside GMA. The girls stayed up until 2am making that sign. I know - it's awesome.

Really bad iPhone pic outside of Mama Mia.

It’s always good coming home, though. And as much as I loved hanging with all those girls – I really missed my boys.

And actions speak louder than words. I guess this is my youngest son's way of telling me he wasn't going to be left behind next time.

Baby Boy with his favorite pillow and favorite blanket in my empty suitcase.

The main difference between traveling with girls vs. boys – the amount of time it takes everyone to get ready to leave the room.  

Braiding hair before a night on the town. You would think mulit-tasking like this would speed things up.
It doesn't.

Watch out NYC...here I come!

This year is the SCBWI 13th Annual Winter's Conference in NYC! And since I joined the Lucky 13s blog and will be debuting in 2013 - I took that as a sign to attend. But what's equally exciting is that I will (finally) meet - in person - my fab agent, Sarah Davies and my awesome editor Emily Meehan while I'm there! Woo hoo!

But I'll also be in the Big Apple this weekend! A group of friends are taking their daughters to celebrate turning 13! Yes, another sign - I must go too! "But wait," you say, "you don't have a 13 yr old daughter. Or any daughter for that matter. All you talk about are those boys!"

I know - and that's the beauty of it. I'm going as the "Favorite Aunt!" I get all the fun of watching these girls experience New York, shopping with them, attending some shows (Wicked, Mama Mia and the Rockettes!) with them  - with none of the responsibility! The trips my hubby and sons plan consist of camping out in some remote wilderness place where war has to be waged against all the bugs and wildlife in order to get a decent night's sleep. But this is a trip with shopping - and other females. I can't resist.

If any of you have ever been - I'd love any recommendations: things to do, places to eat, anything that's a must for New York...

Thriller Time

I love Halloween – the costumes, the candy, carved pumpkins, spooky decorations. Oh, and did I mention the candy? But today is really exciting. This year my oldest son is in middle school and will be able to participate in the Thriller dance. Yes, the entire middle school does a zombie dance to Michael Jackson’s Thriller at a special Halloween pep rally. So last night we shredded one of my husband’s white undershirts and got the face paint and fake blood ready to take to school.

Michael Jackson in the music video Thriller

The best part is: when I was the same age, I was learning the same dance. I was 11 when the video was released and my friends and I spent HOURS mastering every step. Watching him do the same thing is awesome. I hope I just don’t embarrass him if I bust a move in the back of the Gym. I may not can help myself.   

The 80s are calling...they want their hair back.

I almost hate to admit this…but I had my 20^th high school year reunion last weekend. Yes, 20 years. And honestly, I don’t know where all the time went because in my mind’s eye – I’m still 26.

But this is what I learned at my reunion (and I don’t do Facebook or anything like that nor do I live in the town where I graduated so most people were a surprise to me!):

1.      It really feels like you just left. Or for me anyway. There were a few girls I’d gone to school with from kindergarten to Senior year but haven’t seen them since. And I swear we picked up right where we left off.

2.     The guys have a lot less hair now – and some of them on purpose. Many a shaved head last Saturday night.

3.     My hubby is a super good sport! He listened to hours of “Remember when…” without any complaint. He really deserves a prize.

4.     High school nick-names stick. Quite a few guys probably wish that was not the case!! (You know who you are!)

5.     No matter how cute you want to look – 4 inch heels are a bad idea. Very bad.

And now for a really bad 80s pics:

Yes, that is a giant bow across my chest. My mother made me take this pic right before my date picked me up for prom my junior year. I look thrilled, right. And what's even worse is my hair looks the exact same! Maybe time for a new do.

Time Management

Summer was busy - all three kids at home with various activities: basketball camp, VBS, golf lessons… And yet, it was super productive for me in terms of writing. I finished the revisions on my manuscript, got my query just right and started the hunt to find an agent. When the offers started coming in, it was the week before school started. My house was full of kids (it seems they all have friends over when the really big things happen!) so I sat in my car to take calls from prospective agents. It was the only place where I could actually hear the other person on the phone.

And now everyone is back in school. Even my youngest goes to preschool every morning, staying until 2 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. And my house is quiet. Really quiet. For many hours in a row.

I have tons of time to write. Uninterrupted time. And I’ve got several new stories percolating around – each one trying to flesh themself out. But what am I doing? Not writing. I’m cleaning out the 3 year olds closet and pulling out fall decorations to spruce up my mantle and organizing my pantry and… anything other than writing.

It’s too quiet. I need the noise. I need the time constraints – like only being able to write while the 3 year old naps and the older boys are away at some activity.

Don’t get me wrong, I am getting some writing done. But inevitably, when I sit down at the computer, I notice the clock and realize 3 year old has to be picked up in thirty minutes…