Why, why, why do I live here?!?/Zara II synopsis EXCERPT

In California, yes, they have the occasional earthquake and the omni-present threat of dropping off into the ocean at any given moment. But in Illinois, winter comes every year -- and every year, it sucks to one degree or another. Ice storm tonight. Ugh. That means I'll either be stuck at home, feeling guilty about missing work, stuck at work tomorrow, unable to get home, or someplace in between, feeling just generally anxious about the whole ordeal. Do you think the Cohens' have room in their house for me? : ) I mean, they gave Ryan the whole pool house. Surely, they have a guest bedroom to spare in their MANSION. (Apologies to those who are missing and/or don't care about The O.C. references.)

This weekend, I worked on the synopsis for Zara II. I'm having fun with it, as much fun as one can have with the dreaded synopsis, by writing it in first person. It's sort of like flavoring that nasty-tasting cough medicine. Whatever will get it done. Or down. : ) So, those of my first readers who read this blog, be prepared, I may be asking you to read through the synopsis soon.

I'm starting to get reports that more and more people are asking about the sequel. I'm starting to feel a little panicky. I need to get the second one finalized. I think the second book is much harder than the first. In the first, you're setting up the rules and you have to make sure everything follows said rules. In the second, you don't get to set up the rules, you have to follow them and you're trying to weave in all these different elements that you raised in the first story, not really sure where they were going. Now you have to decide if and when they emerge in the second story. Writing a series is difficult, even though I love having the luxury of spending all that time with the characters. Like I can't even imagine a day in which Caelan is not hanging around in the back of my head. I don't know if I could write one book and be done with characters, especially if I really enjoy being around them. It's like going to all the work of cultivating a relationship and then cutting off contact with the person after you get married to him or her.

Plus, I have that whole "I want this to be good" voice in my head right now. I hate that voice. The voice seems to imply simultaneously that your previous stuff wasn't really all that great, but that it's still a level of quality you must achieve. And this new stuff isn't quite making it. I wonder sometimes if this problem is amplified because it's a series and therefore the voice has something related to compare it to.

Seriously, is it any wonder that writers are alchoholic, chain smoking, drug addicts?!? Not all of us. Just some of us. We make ourselves crazy.

Because I'm a writer (though not an alcoholic, smoker or addict...however, I can plow through a box of chocolates in about 7 seconds flat), and therefore desperate for encouragement and praise, here is a bit of the opening from the synopsis...Just for fun. It doesn't ruin anything. I promise. Unless you haven't read The Silver Spoon.

IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE SILVER SPOON AND YOU WANT TO REMAIN UNSPOILED, STOP READING NOW!!!!!!
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Zara II Synopsis--EXCERPT
I'm not one for burying my head in the sand. Honestly. It causes all kinds of disastrous complications, not the least of which involves getting sand out of places you never thought it could go. And I haven't forgotten what happened all those months ago. Nearly getting killed--more than once--nearly getting others killed, discovering that my heritage quite possibly includes the words "extra" and "terrestrial," the Observer bid for world domination, blah, blah, blah. I remember it very clearly. It's just that I've been busy. I read somewhere that it's impossible for the human (or somewhat human body) to maintain a constant state of fear. Eventually, you just...adjust to what amounts to a new level of normal. Plus, unlike some alien/human hybrids I could name, I don't have millions of dollars laying around. I have to work to put food on the table, get Scott through college and keep the bank at bay. To do that, I have to pull the diner up from nothing but ashes. So, sue me--I've been a little distracted lately. Besides, everything's been quiet. Not so much as a peep from an Observer, other than the ones I know and love/hate/feel ambivalent toward.

Yes. I should have known better. You know what they say about ignorance. Let's just say I've been very blissful as late.
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END SPOILER SYNOPSIS EXCERPT

Yep, I know there are punctuation issues and a whole bunch of other stuff wrong with that first little snippet, but that's why it's called a draft. I couldn't resist putting it out there. Don't hate me : )