The update
So much to catch up on!
You've probably noticed that I've had much less time lately for blogging, and I apologize for that; summer vacation has officially started, and I'm racing to get Wolf 2 -- tentatively titled On the Prowl, now at 59K words with approx. 30 to go -- finished by the end of July.
Home-wise, Abby had her surgery, and she's just fine -- the path report on the mole excision came back negative and the margins are clear. (Giant whew -- I'm attributing it to all the wonderful thoughts you guys sent our way. Thank you so very much!) The tarantula I found two weeks ago in my tennis shoe is now named Hairy Terry and lives in a terrarium in my living room, right next to the fish. My house is being consumed by my children and my rabbit, and I despair of ever having an organized corner. BUT I did post on Cozy Chicks today (wow! two posts in one day!) about a rather opinionated person I met this afternoon at the library. And we're trying to put in a vegetable garden and lay about a billion very heavy pavers in the muddy part of the back yard. Because I don't have enough to do.
Oh -- and I have -- perhaps erroneously -- introduced my children to Monty Python, the result being that my son has many, many questions about blancmange and why it makes noises when it eats people. If you have good answers, please e-mail at your earliest convenience.
On the book front, a good bit of news: the first book of the Tales of an Urban Werewolf series, Howling at the Moon, is scheduled for release Jan. 29, which I discovered when I found it on Amazon the other day. (Which is also how I discovered that there are now large-print versions available of the Gray Whale Inn mysteries. Who knew?) According to my editor, the next two books are scheduled for release Summer and Fall 2008 respectively (gulp), and I need to write another GWI mystery in there, too. So far, my self-cloning efforts have not yet been successful. Again, all tips welcome.
I've missed you guys in all the rush. What are you up to? How are your summers? How's your writing? Inquiring minds want to know!
P.S. A reader e-mailed me recently asking me to post on my book outlining technique; I'll get to that very soon! If there's anything you want to know, just ask!
posted by Karen MacInerney @ 8:20 PM
16 comments
16 Comments:
Whew! Thank heavens about Abby. Good of amazon to get your schedule in order for you, huh? :D
Dani
Oh, that's GREAT about Abby! Did they have any idea why it would have come back?
I have a mole I need to get checked (it's new, but it doesn't look odd, so I am really not worried).
Oh, and the gray whale bead is almost worked out. The past couple weeks have been a nightmare because I worked BEA for Sisters in Crime, and left the next day for the big 5-day conference for the bead industry. GAH. But while I was there I got some new really cool ideas and tools.
This week we go on vacation. WHEEEEE! It's soooo necessary.
On the writing front, I'm almost finished my rough of the cozy I've been working on and have some ideas on a romantic suspense...which will be a challenge. (Have I mentioned that I skip reading sex scenes when I read, and therefore am going to have a lot of trouble trying to write them?)
I'm glad to hear Abby is okay!
You say you're still slacking, evidently? How, exactly, are you still slacking? Posting to your blog? Because other than that I can find no evidence to support your claim. Speaking of Monty Python: "Explain the logic underlying that conclusion, please." :)
Seriously, I wish you luck with everything you're trying to get done. As if "summer vacation" wasn't enough! I'm looking forward to the Urban Werewolf books and especially to the third Gray Whale Inn mystery. I hope the vegetable garden turns out well for you, too. And laying the paving stones. And that you're able to defend the integrity of your house from the marauding children and rabbit.
And good luck explaining Monty Python to Ian. How DO you explain giant man-eating blancmanges whose ultimate objective is to win Wimbledon? "Well, they're not really big like that, and they don't actually eat people, and they don't play tennis... that's why it's funny." Seems kind of feeble, but it's all I can come up with!
John
Very glad to hear about Abby! It's always nice to get *good* news after any kind of scary surgery.
As to the question of why blancmanges make noise when they eat people, it's very simple really. The noise made is their way of saying "Yum-yum!"
Hope this helps. :)
It's great to hear from you, Karen. How terrific that Abby's mole is benign! What a great start to your summer vacation. :)
As of today our vacation also starts with DH off school. I am looking forward to some writing time and we need to organize the house. MIL is pushing us hard to move south with BIL but we're taking our time trying to find work, etc. Otherwise - too much pressure and we want to enjoy the summer!
Good to hear all is well with your daughter. I posted a reply to your encounter with that very interesting gentleman over at Cozychicks. I shared my writer's group recent run in with a "novelist". LOL.
So, if I read correctly (and given I've been outside planting for the past 90 mins and I'm so not a gardener) you have 3 werewolf books coming out in 2008? yikes.
Yes, you're GWI series is in large print, the first one I had to order at my local Waldenbooks and that's the copy I received. Dead & Berried was regular print.
I've been submitting to agents and I was (ready for this?) rejected by an agent twice, two days in a row. LOL. First 10 pages. She said I had too much filler. Would read again if I rewrote. Okay. I read through. Yikes, she was right. I've been editing everything else. Duh. Rewrote, re-submitted, rejected!!! She said I did a better job and gave some more feedback, rewrite and resubmit.
Okay, I bought a new book of a mystery series (hardcover) the author spent 4 pages telling me that the main character was at that place to get a pass. 4 pages!!! Also described a chair. A chair!!
??????? So confused. I tell a little about the sister (not 4 pages worth) and it's filler. You know.... There are days... But, I'm not bitter or too frustrated. Made changes, continue submitting and began working on a new book (new series). Keep moving forward.
Yesteday I spent the day in NYC, visited my parents, hit the B&N bought books and hit Loehmann's, bought clothes.
Gosh, it's been such a long time since I've "talked" to you. I'm just going on and on.
Oh,well. I better get going, grocery shopping awaits.
TTYL,
Debra
Very good news about Abby. I am really looking forward to the werewolf series. As for me, the summer is whizzing by. There's always something going on around here. And now we're gearing up for Texas Book Festival in the Fall -- already!
Enjoyed reading Dead and Berried for the first time this weekend. Nice job!
I had an ugly mole removed in April... to the tune of $700 dollars, out of pocket. My best to Abby, and my hopes that your family has better insurance than I do.
Dani,
What would I do without Amazon? That's where I find out everything about myself. :)
Laura,
I'm sure the mole's fine, but keep us posted. And I can't wait to see the final product on the bead -- how exciting!
Great news on the cozy... and welcome to the reluctant sex-scene writers club. ;)
John,
You sound like you've seen that a time or two before?
The new fave skit is the cheese shop. :)
P.S. will attempt that explanatation and let you know how it goes
Becky,
Yum, yum. Excellent. :)
Christa,
How's that writing time working out for you? Hopefully better for you than for me (am sitting on a cut-off railroad tie surrounded by fire ants right now)...
Happy summer (ha!)
Debra,
Thanks for the reply on the chicks... I'll be heading over there shortly. (I'm so behind it's not even funny.)
And don't be too quick to 'fix' everything someone suggests to you; and there are some books out there that sold more on the basis of the hook than the writing, so it can drive you crazy if you let it.
If the comment rings true, deal with it. If not... let it go. :)
And yes, 3 ww books in 2008, which is why any spare moment I have goes to the word processor right now... that will change in a month or two, hopefully, but bear with me. (Also got to get that third GWI in there.)
On the writing front? Keep writing and keep submitting... and I'll cross all my fingers and toes for you!
Hugs,
K
Cobbalicious,
Love the name... and thanks so much! Made my day. :)
K
Helen,
They've got you doing the Texas Book Festival, too? You're a busy, busy lady!
How's the writing?
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