October 31st Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

BOO! Did I scare you? Happy Halloween y’all!

Bri, Dani & Emily

I had one of those heartbreaking moments as a mom this morning. At 6:00 am, I was rushing my youngest child (15) over to a friend’s house so three of the four Ninja Turtles could get dressed together, and she says to me, “It doesn’t feel like Halloween. Actually, none of the holidays feel the same anymore.” That made me so sad. Unfortunately, I know exactly how she feels. The one hopeful part is, when she becomes a mom, she’ll be able to recapture just a little bit of the holiday magic again. I guess I’ll have to wait until I’m a grandma to get my third swing at the feeling – NOT that I’m rushing that time to come!!

Em, Bri, Dani, Zach & Sarah
(Em, Zach & Sarah are triplets)

So tomorrow I’m supposed to be at the Peddler’s Village Apple Festival, but now it looks like it is going to rain all day, which means Saturday’s festivities will be cancelled. Although that’s a bummer, it kinda makes my life a little easier. You see, one of my best friends, Fran, works for a big firm, and one of their clients is holding a swanky fund raiser Saturday evening. The firm got tickets, and one of the partners could not make the event, so Fran offered the extra tickets to Paulie and me. The tickets are $500 a pop, so needless to say, my husband and I would not be going if we weren’t given the tickets.

Apple Picking with the girls last Friday
before Lys went back to school.

The event is being held at Princeton University, and the evening begins with author Gary Shteyngart either reading from one of his bestselling novels or just talking (I’m not sure which). After that we are ferried over to another building for appetizers, dinner and dessert, all while an auction – silent and live – are taking place. I looked over the items up for bid, and the few which did appeal to me, were well out of my budget, so I will not be bidding on anything.

Goofballs, but I love them!

Yup, I’m going as a total freeloader for the evening. I do not feel too terrible about it though, because the event is completely sold out, so they should raise a considerable amount of cash for the library. It will be interesting watching my Jersey redneck hubby hobnobbing with the Princeton socialites. LOL. He’ll do just fine while he’s there, but then I’ll have to hear all about it on my way home. I’m shocked he did not put up more resistance when I told him “we’re going” (for once I put my foot down and didn’t give him a choice).

Dani was posing for a pic
in the tree and got stuck
Big Sis lent a hand.

Because I will not be at a book signing all day Saturday in Pennsylvania, I now do not have to stress over leaving early, rushing home and trying to get ready and out the door by 5:00 pm. I can take my time with my make-up, play around until I’m happy with my hair, and reacquaint myself with wearing real shoes (heels – UGH). I will also have plenty of time to make sure every single piece of pet hair is off of both mine and my husband’s outfits. It drives me loopy how much walks out the door with us on our clothes, no matter how careful we try to be.

Last weekend's book signing

Today is going to be a bit of a scramble. I have to coordinate with my sister-in-law when we are going to meet up at my mom’s for pictures, and then at her mom’s. I have to pick up Dani’s boyfriend from football practice, and then get the two of them over to his mother’s house so they can take his eight year old sister trick-or-treating. Plus we have a few traditional stops along the way.

But then, after roughly 6:00, I am in the clear. I don’t have to dress up this year. I don’t have to drive kids anywhere. I do not have to walk the streets while they trick-or-treat, and I won’t even have to answer my door to trick-or-treaters. (In the sixteen years we’ve lived here, we haven’t had any – our road is too busy and there are no sidewalks by our house.) I will be spending a quiet evening at home, all toasty warm, watching the season premiere of Grim. YEAH! I can’t wait.

I hope you have a spooktacular day, and happy writing!

Your Next Challenge (compliments of my friend Loretta):

You're a ghost house hunting with a real estate agent to find the right place to haunt.

You have ten minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count, and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

Author's Day Has Arrived

Princeton Author's Day - From 1 - 4 Today. I hope you can come!!

March 12th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

For the first time since my daughter started going to college in Vermont, I’m a wee bit concerned. Okay, I’m a mom; I’m a whole lot concerned. Snow started up there early this morning and it’s not supposed to stop until six tomorrow night. Between four this afternoon and seven tonight, they are supposed to get a foot of snow. Yeah, do the math, that’s four inches an hour. When all is said and done, they may end up with around two feet of snow. Holy Moses!

I can’t remember, but I’m hoping she doesn’t have a late class on Wednesdays. They have already cancelled classes once this year because of the weather, so hopefully they will do the same today, and possibly tomorrow. True she only has a few hundred yards to get to just about anywhere on campus from her dorm, but in a blizzard, a few hundred yards might as well be a few hundred miles. I hope she calls today to let me know how she’s doing.

So, last night’s speaking engagement went well…I guess. It was a little strange speaking to a group when my mom, my mother-in-law and three other ladies who have known me since I was a teenager were in the audience. I talked for about twenty minutes or so and answered questions about writing and publishing, and how I was still learning all the ins and outs of this insane profession.

Based on listening to what the ladies were saying, I was able to determine a good many of them also enjoyed reading mystery novels as well as romance novels; so I was able to give my friend, Linda Rawlins’ books a plug too. I was happy to see them all right down the titles of her three books right along with my books. I know I have said it before, but if you like mysteries, you really should read The Bench, Fatal Breach, and the newest in the series Sacred Gold. I’m not saying this because Linda and I are friends, I’m saying this because they are truly amazing.

You’ll be happy to hear, just because you won’t have to hear me complaining anymore, my taxes are finally finished. All that remains to be done is for my husband to sign our state return so I could mail it in. I did find it annoying that because my return required a Schedule C, I was not able to file it electronically unless I paid an e-service to file it. Hmm, a buck and a quarter for postage or fifteen bucks to send it electronically. I’m thinking that’s a no-brainer. I’m also thinking that since it was my business’ fault I couldn’t file for free, then postage to mail my taxes is a justified business expense. (Not that I think the IRS would disallow or even bother taking the time to look at $1.25 charge.)

With my taxes finished, I can now get back into my routine. Today I plan on finishing up the edits on Corporate Blues. Then, as one final set of eyes before it goes to print, I am going to send the file over to my mom to review. She has caught typos missed by my editors in the past, so this time I’m giving it to her BEFORE it goes to print. Hopefully the edits won’t take all day and I can also finish the dreaded blurb for the back of the book and get it and the ISBN# over to Matt so he can finish the cover. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I will be able to get everything finished and have printed copies in hand buy April 12^th so I can have my new book with me at the PPL Author’s Day. If I finish, then tomorrow and Friday I am going to completely devote to the other book I'm editing so I can give the author another installment this weekend for him to work on. (I ended in a preposition, shoot me.) :)

Alright, if I don’t get going, I’ll never get finished. I hope y’all have a fantastic day, and happy writing!

Your Last Challenge was:

When will it ever end…

When will it ever end? I’m sure I’m not the only one asking this question this winter. We have now had six months of winter weather, and with the latest band of storms coming through, it doesn’t look like we’re quite finished yet. Oh sure, Mother Nature has teased us with a few mild days, but then she immediately slaps us back down with frigid temperatures and frozen precipitation.

This never-ending winter is starting to affect everyone. Have you noticed how short tempered folks are lately?

Yeah, that was really short. I just couldn’t think of anything more to write. See, this winter is affecting me too. When will it ever end?? LOL

Your Next Challenge is:

Scratch that, reverse it…

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.