Friday. Wow.

So far, I'm really sucking with the whole blogging on a regular basis thing. I think it's because I'm busy during the day and then when I'm done, the last thing I want to do is sit at the computer again. So maybe I'll need to try writing entries in the morning.

Anyway, all is well at the Klemstein household this week. I gobbled up Janet Evanovich's Twelve Sharp (Becky, I got Greg to buy it for me as payment for sitting at his open house!) and Laurell K. Hamilton's Danse Macabre. Hee. Here's a funny story that reminds me of. When I was a kid, I always read far more than I spoke to people, so my vocabulary often outpaced by pronunciation. Macabre is another of those words (like lingerie and facade) that I butchered mercilessly. Think "ma-ka-bree." Yeah. I still have trouble with the word "grotesque." I keep wanting to say "gro-steek" instead, which is wrong in all kinds of ways!

Not much on the book front. I've been working and reworking the mystery project, based on some feedback I got, and honestly, I'm so sick of it right now, I could almost ditch it completely without any regrets. Almost. It's that damn almost that keeps driving me back to the keyboard. I love two of the characters in the story. And I can't let go of them even though I can't seem to wrestle the rest of the story in place. So...blame them if I'm crabby! : )

Hope you have a great weekend!

Mondays don't suck anymore!

Fought off a migraine on Saturday night. I was watching the last twenty minutes of Runaway Jury and starting seeing spots. *shudder* I don't think there's anything worse. My stomach tightens up with dread just from anticipating the pain.

My former boss taught me a trick for heading off most of the pain, chugging lots of caffeine as soon as you see the spots. I did it this time, and again, it worked. Of course, I've been off caffeine for like two or three years so two big glasses of Pepsi is a LOT of caffeine for me. I also took some of that Excedrin Migraine, which also has caffeine. So, the spots went away pretty quickly and the pain was less than it would have been, but man, I got NO sleep that night. : )

Head was still hurting on Sunday, but it was manageable.

Saturday was AuthorFest and that was a lot of fun, as usual. Saw some authors I know from years past (J.A. Konrath, Luisa Buehler, and Denise Fleischer--also the organizer) and met some new ones (Elysa Hendricks, among others!)

I also got some good news on Saturday. An author I asked to read Bitter Pill has recommended it to her publisher! So now I've just got to wait to hear back from the publisher. I'm excited and hoping for good news. : ) I'll keep you posted...

Still here!

It's taking me awhile to get the hang of this working from home. I'm slowly finding a schedule that works for me, but I haven't quite figured out where blogging fits in, obviously! If I do it as a break from working, I'm afraid I'll get too distracted. When I'm done working for the day, the last thing I want to do is sit in front of the computer. So, that's one more thing to be figured out.

Things I have learned this week:

-My grand plans of exercising every day now that I set my own schedule have gone out the window. Yeah, that's another part of the schedule to work out.

-I still work better in terms of my writing if I get up in the morning and do that first. I have been really enjoying the ability to keep going when I'm on a roll instead of having to stop when I need to leave for work.

-The chair at my desk upstairs (my freelance area) is really freaking uncomfortable.

-If/when I have kids, Keanu Reeves would be a great labor coach. I'm using Speed as an example in the class I'm going to be teaching at Writers Institute in July, and in watching the movie again, I loved how calm he was when the bus was running out of gas or jumping over the 50 ft. gap in the freeway or partially blowing up. What's a baby compared to that!?! So, Keanu, be on the look out for my email reserving your services for a future date, okay? : )

That's enough for now. I've been on the computer here for HOURS and my eyes are starting to bug out. Or maybe that's from thinking about Keanu. Not sure. : )

Tomorrow--sorry for the short notice--please join me and a whole bunch of other fantastic authors at the second annual AuthorFest at the Schaumburg Library at 10:00 a.m. Come listen to panels, buy books and ask questions! Would love to see you there. : )

RT Photos, Take Two

I still can't get this to work. Ed, help please?!? : )

Weirdness

Status: Still working at 9:47 p.m. (though I did take an hour break to watch The Closer...love that Brenda. "Thank yewwww.")

Song on the iPod: "The Call" by The Backstreet Boys (yes, I should be ashamed, but it's so catchy!)

So I'm getting used to this whole working at home thing. I know, I know, it's been a couple weeks already. But last week I was in Wisconsin on vacation and the week before that my sister was here with me, keeping me entertained and on my toes.

To be honest, I was worried that I'd be tempted by television and books and the millions of things I could be doing instead of working or tracking down work. But what's weird is I've probably watched less television and spent fewer hours on the internet that I would have if I'd been at work. Don't get me wrong, I spend time procrastinating. But so far it's in the form working on backstory for the mystery project (Yes, the damn thing is still stuck, but I think I've figured out at least one of the major problems in it) or assembling four bookcases and putting together our little library here. So, at least it's productive, if not exactly in the right way.

Today I finished the handouts for my Writers Institute conference in July. Stacy G. is, I hope, going to proof them for me. I tend to leave out little words, like "an" and "the," and I don't always catch them right away when I'm the one writing instead of editing. And as the deadline is upon me, I've asked her to take a look at them.

I also figured out that the "party shuffle" feature on iTunes is pretty helpful for providing background music while working. Next I plan to see if I can figure out how to get the pictures off my digital camera. Yeah, I know it's been almost a year that I've had the thing. : )

Have to run...more work to do yet tonight. : ) I may, however, try to load my belated RT pictures on here first. We'll see if it works...

Greetings from the Northwoods

I am such cliche today. I actually left the cabin where my family is staying to come into town and visit the local internet cafe. MUST HAVE INTERNET ACCESS!

Anyway, we're all having a great time, hanging out, watching movies, sleeping in and killing off the millions of mosquitos that seem to see us an open buffet.

More later!!! : )

Guest blogger!

In my effort to keep filling this space with new and fascinating content, I've asked someone from the exotic and young Generation Y to write an entry for me. : ) See below...


Hey everyone its me again!!!
Depending on if you are an avid reader of my sister's blog you may remember my blog from last year. In case you are not (which I can't imagine), I appologize for my spelling, grammar, and basically anything else English related... I'm the math one in the family. So I'm staying up at Stacey's for a week. I'm about halfway through right now and it has been pretty great. Now that my sister is starting her own business she is busier but is at home more and it's fun (for me... who knows it could be annoying to be stuck with me all day... NAW!). We have a lot of inside jokes now which include dancing in the car and making up our own motions to songs (don't ask). This Sunday we are going up to vacation with my parents, my brother, and Greg. It should be sweet. I'm excited for the fishing although I don't quite think that is what Stacey is looking forward to.... you'll have to ask her lol.
On a personal note... for all of you that know me that is... I'm looking forward to my senior year. YEAH 07 BABY! I'm going to be legal in about four months. (my sister is dancing around the living room while cleaning FYI... does insanity run in the family?) Before yall ask NO I don't know what I will be doing for the rest of my life or where I'm going to study for it. I made yearbook editor for my senior year. I have my own office and computer and everything. Yeah it's cool. Yes well I really don't know what else to tell you all that could possibly be interesting to you and as my sister just pointed out... I am not writing a novel for you to read (unlike someone in my family... it's good go buy it!!!!) love ya bratface! So I will let you all go with this inspiring message...
I don't know that just sounded really good.... I'm 17 I'm not inspiring I'm a pain in the butt!!!
Bye Bye!!!!!!!!

It's aliiiiive!

Sorry, I know it's been forever. The last week, though, has been one for the record books. : ) Last Wednesday was my last day at my day job. The same job I've held for the last seven (almost) years. So it's been a bit of an emotional roller coaster. No matter what else was happening at work, I loved so many of the people I worked with. I was fortunate enough to work with some awesome writers, designers and just all around good people.

Now I'm trying to get used to working at home. The hardest thing so far has been the scheduling thing. Balancing my fiction writing with my freelance efforts. But I'm sure it will get better as I get used to it. Plus, my sister is visiting this week, so I'm trying not to work the whole time as that wouldn't be much fun for either of us!

I've got my laptop all connected to the internet, my music successfully transferred from my work pc to home, and I'm working hard on fixing my plot problems in the mystery manuscript. I'm trying to remember that this is like starting a new job. It will take me some time to learn the new ways that work the best and then I'll better be able to balance everything.

Fun book stuff...
I just discovered a great trilogy of sci-fi books. They're intended for young adults, but I thoroughly enjoyed them.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
Specials by Scott Westerfeld