Kittehs in Books

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The manuscript I just sent off, Not-So-Perfect-Princess, has a kitten in it. One a lot like my Yoda. I love putting pets in stories, but I don't think they'll be any animals in the new Hood Hamlet book. With my heroine's job and hobbies, I don't see her having a pet. Do you like to read books with animals in them?

I'm hoping to hear from my editor about the revisions in the next day or so. In the meanwhile, I'm researching my new project. What I really need is a break, but I spent most of yesterday volunteering at school and today I'll be running around until lunchtime then trying to get ready for the classes I teach tomorrow afternoon. I'm also trying to put together a newsletter for a Norwegian Elkhound group, but having trouble with one of the files they sent me. Fingers crossed I can figure that out since it's the group's treasurer report!

Needless to say I was up early so I could get some writing/research done! What's your day like today?

Another winner!

I emailed my revisions last night. Huge sigh of relief. Now the waiting begins. I hope my editor like the manuscript!

I came across this on a loop I belong to. The title is SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A NOVEL. It's really funny, especially since people have said similar things to me when they find out I'm a writer.



It really put a smile on my face!

It's time to announce the weekly winner. Sorry for the delay, but I had to be somewhere early this morning and just got home. No time to blog! Here are your random numbers:

15

Timestamp: 2010-11-29 21:47:56 UTC

The winner is Dru! She posted a comment on A Tale of Two Covers. Dru, please send me your email address via the contact button above. I mentioned under my contest link above, but I'll mention it again. I'm going to send all the gift cards out at once next week when the contest is over. It's just easier on me that way!

This is the final week of the Amazon gift certificate giveaway. There won't be another contest for a while so be sure to enter. Each comment on the blog gets you an entry. For more info, click on the contest link above.

Missing Black Friday

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One of favorite things to do each year is go Black Friday shopping. After dinner on Thanksgiving evening, I plan out where I want to go and what I want to buy. I lay out my clothes, my plan and advertisements ahead of time. And then I set the alarm. Hubby even packs me food!

Yes, I'm a Black Friday shopper. It may sound crazy, but I love shopping the day after Thanksgiving. It puts me in the mood for Christmas and I can usually finish up or put a big dent in my Christmas shopping list.

Black Friday is the one day of the year I think it's normal to wake up at four o'clock in the morning to stand in line in the freezing cold with all the other bargain-hunting shoppers.

But not this year.

I decided to stay home and revise my manuscript instead. I spent the entire day and evening writing. I didn't even head to the stores later in the day to see if anything was left as I did last year when I was on deadline for Christmas Magic on the Mountain.

It wasn't easy. Those flyers from yesterday's paper kept calling to me. But I resisted. My bank account thanks me, but I missed hitting the stores and scoring a with a perfect present on super sale.

Two years in a row now I've missed the early morning be there when the doors open. Last year though I headed out a little later and still managed to get what I wanted. Let's hope I'm not under deadline again next November and can be in line with all the other crazy shoppers!

Did you go shopping yesterday? If so, did you find any bargains?

A Tale of Two Covers

If you've noticed, there are some similarities with my two Hood Hamlet Christmas Magic book covers. If you want to hear what mountain rescuer heroes Jake Porter and Sean Hughes think about that, go here to read today's blog at LASR. If you want to know the question you'll need to answer about the blog to enter the $20 Amazon gift card giveaway, go here first. There's a link to get to the blog there.

Are you Black Friday shopping this?  I usually am in line before the stores open, but not this year. I'm working on my revisions this year, but I may check out a few of the online sales when I take breaks.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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I have so much to be grateful for on this Thanksgiving Day. I'm looking forward to a relaxing day with family, football and turkey.

My blog post today at LASR is on the book soundtrack for Christmas Magic on the Mountain. The opening scene of that book takes place on Thanksgiving day! For those who want to get their daily entry into the $20 Amazon gift card giveaway at LASR, go here to find out the question you need to answer.

I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Thinking

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In my revision letter, my editor wrote something that made me scratch my head. I couldn't figure out what she was talking about because I knew I didn't want my heroine to declare her love that early. When I emailed my editor about it, she gave me the page number where my heroine said she loved the hero.

The problem? I was sure I'd deleted that line before sending in my final version of the story. I even talked it over with a friend why I wanted to wait. I guess like the LOLcat above I forgot to start thinking again! Glad I could catch it in revisions.

Has something like that every happened to you?

Today's blog at LASR has short excepts about my Christmas Magic on the Mountain hero, Sean Hughes, from my other two Hood Hamlet stories, Rescued by the Magic of Christmas and Snow-Kissed Reunion. The question you'll need to answer to enter the giveaway there is here.

Letter to Santa

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Last night, my seven year old made her Christmas list. We try and send them to the North Pole right after Thanksgiving. She ended up with almost 60 items so Santa would have lots of choices. She also wrote a letter to Santa. Here it is:

Dear Santa,

How is your life? My life is good. How are the elves? Have you went thru the good girl's and good boys? do you have a magic snoe ball? I beleve in it. Can you tell me if the elves to it by hand or do you have mashins?

from Rose

Have you written your letter to Santa yet? What's on your list?

Remember to visit Long and Short Reviews and read my blog on researching Christmas Magic on the Mountain. Each day, you can email the answer to the question here about my blog to enter the $20 Amazon gift card. A comment on the blog there will give you an extra entry!

Two contests this week!

There are two contests this week. Both are being run separately, one here at my blog and one at Long and Short Reviews (LASR) where I'm in the Author Spotlight. Each day I'll be blogging about Christmas Magic on the Mountain there, so I hope you'll stop by! I'll post a link each day so you can get there easily!

Same weekly prize here on this blog, but I'm giving away a $20 Amazon.com gift certificate at LASR. Go here for all the info on how to enter the contest there.

There's also a review of Christmas Magic on the Mountain at LASR reviews. Go here to read it!

Now for this week's Amazon gift certificate winner. Here are your random numbers:

17

Timestamp: 2010-11-22 14:43:59 UTC

The winner is Jane who commented on my post So True! She wins an Amazon.com gift certificate. Jane, please send me your email via the contact link on the menu bar above. Thanks!

A new weekly giveaway starts today. Each comment on the blog equals one entry. See Contest link above for more info.

Hope you have a great Monday!

Snow!

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This has been a swim meet weekend, and the meet was a bit of a drive away. Both mornings we left home at 6 am. Today on our way home, we had rain the entire drive. Until we got off the freeway at our exit.

The rain had turned to snow! It's really falling hard and sticking. Hubby pulled out the bucket with all the ski gear and clothing. The kidlets are outside having a blast as is Chaos!

Hard to believe they were swimming this morning! They say this will be a really bad winter. Yesterday, when hubby went to buy chains for the new minivan, he got a quote on studded tires. If this keeps up, we're going to need them.

I'm so excited! I just love snow!

How's the weather where you are? Oh, and today is the last day to enter this week's contest. Just post a comment. Check back tomorrow to see if you won!

So true!

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Yes, this LOLcat pretty much sums it up. I've said it before, but I'll say it again. It's a good thing cats don't have opposable thumbs or we'd really be in trouble.

My days of relaxing are over as I try to sort through revisions. I sent off some notes in reply to the revision letter last night and received a reply back from my editor this morning. Sometimes the time difference between here in the PNW and London is an advantage! Now to get revising. The more work I can get done this week, the more I'll be able to enjoy the holiday next week!

Are you getting ready or thinking about Thanksgiving yet?

A new spin on my day

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Revisions for the manuscript I sent off on Sunday arrived in my inbox. The proposal I've been researching goes on hold while I dive back into the Sleeping Beauty book!

I'm printing out the Not-So-Perfect Princess manuscript and the revision letter now. What are you up to?

Ever felt like this?

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I sure have! Happy Wednesday!

A link, a lolcat and a song

I'm taking a little bit of a break after working so hard to get Not-So-Perfect Princess written so blogs will be brief or nonexistent the next few days. I thought I'd leave you with a couple of things in the meantime.

1) A link: A very nice review of my book Wedding Date with the Best Man is here on The Good, the Bad and the Unread. I don't send out review copies (due to lack of time and my general avoidance of PR) so it's always a special treat when I can read a review of one of my books. I'd never heard of this site before, but it came across my google alerts. It's a good one!

2) A LOLcat: What can I say? I have to have a daily LOLcat dose to make it through my day. This one fits my kitties to a T. And I have to admit, lately Chaos has been living up to her name. Yesterday she tore into a garbage bag and made a mess! Not a good dog!


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3) A Song: I love this! This clip is from last week's Glee and features Darren Criss, who is a great new addition to the show. The arrangement of Katy Perry's Teenage Dream and background vocals are done by these guys. Remember the Beelzebubs from that Sing Off! show? I sure do!

Weekly Winner!

The manuscript is off. Of course, this would be the one night I can't sleep. I blame it on the iced tea I had. It had caffeine in it. I really should have known better.

Here's the winner of the Amazon gift certificate.

Here are your random numbers:

4

Timestamp: 2010-11-15 12:46:59 UTC

The winner is Kelley who commented on my post Daylight Savings Time. Kelly, please use the contact link above to send me your email address so I can send you your prize.

A new contest starts today! To enter just post a comment. For more details see the contest tab above.

I really hope I can fall asleep soon. I'm soooo tired!

Final day!

Today's my final crunch day. I'll be emailing the manuscript to my editor at Mills & Boon tonight.

First up though is a soccer game. I missed two yesterday and I'll miss another this afternoon, but I wanted to catch at least one which is why we went to Mass last night. I've been at most of the games so my son doesn't mind, but I do! I love to watch him and the team play. Even if it means standing in the rain. Again!

I came across this article on cats drinking in The Washington Post. Thought if there were any other cat lovers out there, they might enjoy the read.

Don't forget today is the final day to enter the weekly giveaway for an Amazon contest. Check the contest tab above for more info.

Have a great Sunday!

Happy Saturday!

Here's something that brought a smile to my face. Enjoy!



It's going to be a busy day for me as I finish up the current manuscript. My parents took my two daughters for the weekend. Hubby is taking care of soccer tourney duty with my son. It's just me and the cats and writing! My kind of weekend!

Hope you have a Happy Saturday!

A New Title

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I feel like this kitten, who looks like he's being swallowed by a giant cup of hot chocolate. But what a way to go! Only a couple of more days left of this manuscript. I have the word count. Just need to get through the rough draft of the last couple of chapters then do a polish pass.

My working title was While the Princess was Sleeping. Editorial thought that was too long so it's now titled Not-So-Perfect-Princess.

Okay better get to it!

Hope you have a great day!

Four days to go!

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If you're noticing a theme with the LOLcat pics the last two days, just remember I'm on deadline! But it's not all panic and freak out time. Last night was so fun.

My youngest made her First Reconciliation. She was the first kid to do it, too. After wards she showed up at the class I teach in church skipping and jumping around. Her eyes just sparkled. She kept saying, "I'm so happy!" It was very sweet.

We went out to our fave Mexican restaurant to celebrate. A very happy time and nice break after a long day of teaching that set me up for a few hours of writing before bedtime.

Better get writing now. So are you happy today? Or a little stressed like me?

Waiting

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Call me paranoid, but with the deadline looming, I keep waiting for something to happen. Something to throw a wrench into my writing plans for the next five days. And I wouldn't be surprised to find out one of the cats was plotting something just like this LOLcat pic above.

One already tried. Spirit swiped at my right hand the other day. Maybe she didn't like the fact I was rubbing her and another cat at the same time. Or maybe she wasn't jealous and just didn't want me to pet her. Who knows what goes on inside the mind of a cat?

Her claw managed to get under a fingernail on my right hand. Ouch. I never realized how hard it was to get dried blood out from under a fingernail. The bandage made typing a challenge. But at least it's healing now.

Hmmm, I wonder if that's why I finally made my NaNoWriMo word count goal yesterday. Today is a typical crazy Wednesday. I teach three different sessions at church. Plus, it's a special day for my youngest. She makes her First Reconciliation today. She's very nervous about going to confession. If you could say a prayer or send good thoughts her way, it would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Better get writing. I'd love to hit my word count goal two days in a row!

Daylight Savings Time

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It's been a couple days now since we switched our clocks back. I long for the days when I lived in Arizona. I hated the heat in the summertime, but we never had to mess with the time.

I don't know about you, but I hate this spring forward, fall back. It's just not worth that one our of sleep once a year. Okay, I know there are supposed to be more benefits, but still...

I'm having no trouble waking up in the morning which is good especially while on deadline. But neither is my seven year old which is bad. She's been up at least an hour early the past two mornings. And it doesn't matter what time she goes to bed. At least it hasn't the last two nights.

Not really a kid, unless you count fur-covered ones, but Chaos adjusted fine the first morning. It's been hard come feeding time ever since then. The cats...well, their cats and pretty much do and eat when they want to.

What do you think? Are you for the time changes or would you rather we not touch our clocks ever again?

A week to go!

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My Sleeping Beauty manuscript is due in one week.  That means buckling down even more and getting it done.  Fortunately, my two older kidlets are feeling better. Hubby is the sole sicky right now.

The final chapter of Snow-Kissed Reunion is now up.  If you like reading a story all at once, all eight chapters are here for your reading pleasure!

Now for the weekly giveaway.  Here are your random numbers:

1 

Timestamp: 2010-11-08 13:59:56 UTC

This week's winner is Dru. She commented on my post, Happy Halloween!  She was also the first person to comment on November 1. Early bird gets the Amazon gift cart!  Dru, please send me your email address via the contact link above.

All the entries have been deleted.  A new contest starts now so comment away!  I'll announce a new winner next Monday. 

Good news!

I'm so happy. Christmas Magic on the Mountain is a Romantic Times Top Pick for November! The book received a 4 1/2 star review, too!

Here's what the review says:

CHRISTMAS MAGIC ON THE MOUNTAIN (4 1/2) by Melissa McClone: When Sean Hughes picks up hitchhiker Zoe Flynn to give her a ride up the mountain for a day of skiing and ends up inviting her to a family Thanksgiving dinner, he never dreams he¹ll be passing her off as his girlfriend for a few weeks. Former wild child Zoe has been exiled by her politically powerful family after one too many tabloid headlines. When Sean is hospitalized after a fall from the mountain, Zoe is conscripted to be his nurse and she hopes it will prove to her own family that she's grown up. On the other hand, her close confinement with sexy Sean is liable to produce a few new headlines - especially when he finds out who she really is. An inept free-spirit hooks up with a down-to-earth rescue ranger in this sweetly romantic and sexy holiday romance that readers will find the perfect fit for their Christmas stocking reading.


Reviewed By: Pat Cooper

 Don't forget today is the last day to enter this week's drawing for an amazon gift card. Just post a comment to get an entry in the giveaway. The winner will be announced tomorrow!

Guest blogging at Pink Heart Society

I'm the guest blogger for the Pink Heart Society's Wildcard Weekend. You can check out my blog about my newest release, Christmas Magic on the Mountain here.

Don't forget, every comment gets you one entry in my giveaway. Winner will be announced on Monday. More details under the contest tab!

I'll leave you with this picture.


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I am definitely my fur babies "staff." It's kind of pathetic really. But as I look at the three lying on my bed right now with me, I don't mind so much!

Have a great weekend!

Words

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It's all about words right now with NaNoWriMo and my first deadline this month breathing down my neck like a hungry tiger. So I'll leave you with something I'm sure you have read before, but is funny enough to read again!


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Have a great Friday!

Firework

This weekend I found the second song in the book soundtrack for the Sleeping Beauty story I'm writing right now. The song Firework by Katy Perry fits my heroine, Princess Julianna perfectly.



Now to get my princess to ignite! She's much more subdued than that. Well, at least until she meets Prince Alejandro.

Have a great Thursday!

That time of the year...

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I'm on day three of the NaNoWriMo challenge. Writers write 50K in one month. Just for reference, my books are approx. 50K words. It's something I sign up for every year, but usually I'll be on deadline the whole month of November and just never really get going past the first few days.

Surprise, surprise, I'm on deadline again. I actually have two deadlines this month. My Sleeping Beauty story is due November 15th. A new Mount Hood proposal is due November 30th. Between the two, I think I can do 50K words. So far I'm on track. I've set an ambitious goal of 3000 words a day, mainly due to the first deadline. I'm a bit behind with that story do to all the things that have been going on (sicknesses, injuries, etc.) at home.

Oh, my attempt to reach 50K won't be in the true spirit of NaNoWriMo with the first project since I already had a rough draft (mind you, a very short one.) But the proposal will be all new words. I'm still mulling over who the hero should be on that one.

I'm in that part of the manuscripts that gets a little murky. Or muddled. If the two are so into each other, I wonder why I can't just end the story now. (see above LOLcat.) That means I must really focus on the conflict. Unfortunately that can kill all the romance. It's a dance, one I have to do each story. It's one I'd rather sit out, actually.

Are you doing NaNoWriMo? My user name is melmcclone if you're looking for buddies.

Okay, today is my crazy day. I'd better get writing. I won't have much time later.

RIP Joe Puryear

Back in this blog post from 2009, I mentioned two alpinists whose blogs I read. One of these climbers Joe Puryear was killed last week in the Himalayas.

Joe was a very close friend of Mark Westman, who came to my rescue when I was writing Rescued by the Magic of Christmas. If you've been a long-time reader of my blog, you might remember me meeting Mark at the Portland Ice Festival in 2007 where I asked him if he'd mind answering a few questions for a book. A few questions turned into a lot, and I will be forever grateful to Mark for sharing his views and insights with me. He is interviewed in the following NBC clip about Joe:



Joe's family and friends are trying to raise money to bring him home. If you're interested in donating to the effort or just want to read more about the expedition he was on, go here. There's a touching entry titled Final Post written by Joe's wife, Michelle, I suggest you read.

I didn't know Joe, but I wish I had. I'd thank him for sharing his adventures and giving us a peek into what being one of America's top climbers is all about. His blog, trip reports and photography really inspired me, both as a climber and romance writer. I still dream about Alpine climbing, and you know I'm always on the lookout for potential hero occupations/models.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all who knew and loved Joe.

New Contest!

To celebrate the release of Christmas Magic on the Mountain, I'm starting a new contest today. Each week there will be a new winner picked from those who leave comments on this blog. The prize is a $7.50 amazon gift card. For more info see the contest tab on the menu bar above.

As for the photos of Yoda, the photo session yesterday did not go well. He freaked out with hubby and daughter's attempts to put him in the pumpkin bucket. Yoda had good reason, too. He's way too big. I'll try to get a pic of him next to it today. I just don't want to scare him. He may be bigger than our other cats now, but he's still acts like a tiny little kitten.

Happy All Saints Day!