Love and donuts

My three year old told me this morning, "You don't love me, Mommy."

I asked why.

She said because I didn't have any donuts for her to eat for breakfast. Then she announced how she didn't like daddy because he had eaten all the donuts. I didn't tell her that daddy prefers bagels to donuts, and that I was probably the one who ate the last donut hole while she was at her Nana and Papa's. That might not be such a good idea when she is going on and on about how I hurt her heart. With her tears and long-drawn out sobs, she might actually have a future in acting.

I know all she needs right now is to go back to bed. We were out really late last night at a friend's house (great food and company and about 20 kids running all over the place), but she woke up at the same time she always does. Unfortunately that means only one thing for the rest of us... It's going to be a really long day.

Fathers

Yesterday I found out that the father of one of my closest friends (who is also the godmother of my oldest child) died. She lost her mother to breast cancer when we were in college together. I called her at her dad's house, and it was difficult to know the right words to say. We talked. About her dad. About her family. About so many different things.

After I hung up, I reread the obituary my friend had emailed me. Her father had a friend write it when he was still alive and suffering a horrible illness that could not be diagnosed. The words of his obituary captured the essence of who he'd been. I remembered the dinners he'd treated us to the many times he'd visited Palo Alto and San Francisco. I remembered the many adventures and travels he'd taken over the years. And I remembered how much he loved his children, Leigh and Rob. I used the name Armstrong for my heroine Christina in my book IF THE RING FITS... because of my friend and her father. Many hugs and prayers to Mr. Armstrong's family and friends who will miss him so much.

Yesterday was also my father's birthday. Tonight we're all getting together to celebrate his turning 76. The kidlets can't wait to go to Nana and Papa's house and are so excited. They've even packed suitcases on the chance Nana asks them to stay the night. Me? I just want to give my dad a great, big hug and not let go for a really long time.

Design on a Lime

Tonight is the book release party for my friend Anne Ryan's floral arranging book Design on A Lime. Anne does flowers for weddings, special events, you name it while staying home with her kids. A big congrats to her and her hubby on the arrival of their newest child, too!

Anne does incredible arrangements. Check out www.designonalime.com and www.anneryan.com if you're in a flower mood.

Cooling off

The temperatures are finally bearable. Thank goodness.

I've been busy coming up with my own reality television show that I'll be using for my next book. It's an idea approved by my editor, not the continuity that just sold. Anyway, if you've read this blog, you probably know which reality show is my favorite and will be inspiring the game I must make up.

So if you love The Amazing Race and have any challenge ideas or places you'd like to see that haven't already been on Seasons 1-9, please let me know. I'd love some brainstorming help on this. I'm thinking a 10 - 12 race legs, one for each chapter. I already have three countries I want to use, but I need more. A lot more. I already have a name for the show and it does need to be different from TAR so I'm trying to come up with different rules and stuff. Anyway, I've been spending lots of time reading about all the seasons of TAR and it's been so much fun. Definitely bringing back lots of memories (and contestants) from years past!

Another Scorcher

Yesterday, the kidlets and I spent the day trying to escape another day of 100 degree plus temperatures. We visited friends (who have a/c), went shopping, cooled off at the speech therapy office, picked up our harvest share at the CSA farm we belong to and ate dinner at Izzy's (always a kid favorite.) We were gone from noon until 7:30 pm. Of course, it was still hot when we got home.

Today is cooler. Thank goodness. I was either going to have to spend the night at a friend's house or stay in a hotel. Yes, I'm a total wimp when it comes to heat. I lived in Arizona for three years (three summers too long!) and I'd rather be cold than hot any day.

With all this driving around in my air conditioned mini-van, I'm even further behind on the new proposal, but the kids are going out today so I may get some work done finally!

At least I won't have a lot of email to bog me down since many of the writers on the email loops I belong to will be gone! I can finally catch up on all my email and clear out my inbox!!!

Hot! Hot! Hot!

The temps in the NW have surpassed 100 degrees. Unfortunately we decided to wait to put in air conditioning. Luckily we spent this weekend in Seattle at an Irish Dancing Feis so I'm hoping we missed the worst of it. Too bad the house was over 90 degrees when we got home last night. My poor furbabies (aka cats) are miserable. Spirit just pants. It's so sad. We keep trying to cool her off, but that just seems to upset her more. I'm praying today will be cooler.

In Seattle, we visited IKEA for the first time. That place is totally overwhelming with warehouse after warehouse of covered parking. Not the kind of place you run into to grab an item. We went there for a Gubbo chair for my son's room. Unfortunately, it's been discontinued. Now I'll need to find something else that looks "space-like" for his Star Wars room.

I had great plans to work on the new proposal this weekend, but the kids wanted to spend their non-dancing time in the pool and it was more fun to be with them. Of course that now means a week of late nights to catch up. Oh well... Nothing new!

My friend Debbie highly recommended Jodi Picoult books to me when she was here last weekend. I've been reading a couple non-fiction books right now that are pretty heavy (lots of footnotes) and could use a good fiction one.

Many of my writer friends are heading to Atlanta this week for the Romance Writers of America's national conference. Both my agent and my editor will be there, too. But I'll be here. With the kids. The cats. And no a/c. The not-so-glamorous life of a mom/writer!

Where did the time go?

I had a blast on my one night getaway. Met a bunch of NYT bestselling authors, both mainstream and romance. I was definitely the small fish that night at the BBQ on Bainbridge Island, but everyone was so nice and made me feel very welcome.

I got home a week ago and it seems like I've been going ever since! Kids wanting to have fun each and every day. That about covers what I've been doing. Oh, and my best friend, Debbie, who I attended college with and backpacked through Europe with, came up last weekend. We shopped and talked and had a great girls' weekend.

I had some good news on the writing front!

One of my story ideas got the nod of approval so I'm writing the proposal right now. I absolutely love this idea and am going to have so much fun with it!

I received copies of PLAIN JANE'S PRINCE CHARMING in hardcover. The book is going to be released in the UK as a Mills & Boon hardcover in September and will come out in November as a Silhouette Romance.

And the biggest news of all... Last year, I joined a email loop for Silhouette Romance authors who were invited to submit to the new Harlequin Romance line. A couple of weeks ago one of the authors, Shirley Jump, got an idea for us to put a continuity together. So we did. Six of us. In a week. With no arguments, disagreements or problems. Divas R Not Us! Anyway, we thought it was a great idea and submitted to Mills & Boon. We found out this week they want to buy it. We're looking at a 2008 release right now and are so excited about it!!!!!

Mommy Time Off

In a couple of hours, I get to hop in my hubby's car and head north. Alone. I get the next day all to myself. I'm so excited. I'm staying at a B&B right on the waters of the Puget Sound and attending a BBQ at a writer friend's house.

I really need a break from everyday life! Even if it's only 30 hours.

Update:
- my author pages (proofs/galleys) arrived for MARRIAGE FOR BABY on Monday and I started reading through them yesterday

- saw THE DEVIL WORE PRADA with my friend, Patricia, on Friday night. I enjoyed it. Pure chick flick. Loved Nigel. Hated how unsupportive her friends were, however. "Gee Andi, you've really changed and I hate this new you who has to work all the time and dress nice and give us all these expensive gifts. But can I have the $1000 purse?" With friends like that, including her whiney boyfriend, she'd be better off with the clackers at Runway and that writer dude, Christian. I never read the book so I'm not sure how the adaption was.

- submitted more ideas to my editor. She didn't like the original one I'd sent her.

- been doing the Sonoma Diet and losing weight. I am now back to my weight on the November 1, deadline date. Now to lose a few more pounds and I'll be a very happy camper.

That's about it for now!

Fireworks and fun

Happy 4th of July! I hope wherever you in the world that you have sunny skies and a great day. We are heading to my sister's farm for a day of tubing on the creek, bbq and shooting off fireworks tonight.

Also I'm glad to know that I'm not the only night owl around here. Thank you to Tori and denlover for letting me know in the comment section that they stay up late, too. Maybe some night when we've finished all our work we can have a midnight chat!

Be safe especially around fireworks! I still remember the book Follow My Leader by James B. Garfield that I read when I was a kid. Jimmy went blind from a firecracker incident and got a seeing eye dog named Leader.

Take care and have lots of fun and watermelon, too!

July already

Where did June go? I just checked my blog and realized I have not been posting. I get traffic reports and want to thank those people who haven't given up on me and still read this thing. I will try to do better!

It's been busy around here. Still haven't heard from my editor about my idea, but I've been working on other ideas. I've got the kidlets enrolled in swimming lessons so that takes up my mornings. We spent July 1st at a Canada Day party and had a blast. I played street hockey for the first time and a game I have no idea how to spell. I teamed with our parish priest and we won. The other team didn't score a point. Of course I think we may have had a bit of help from above!

It's after 1 o'clock in the morning and I really should be in bed. Of course, I started googling a few things and the next thing I know, well, it's after 1! The Internet just sucks time away. Still it's a great research tool. I just have to try to go to bed before midnight. But the house is finally quiet. The phone doesn't ring. And I can actually get some work done. Though I pay the price in the morning. My 3 year old's naptime sure is looking good!

How late do you usually stay up? And do you take naps?

Nighty night.