A new day. A beautiful one at that...

As usual I sat out on the porch this morning watching little man as he waited for the bus.  The fog was low and heavy across the street where the countryside dips into a valley.  There are a few pluses to living on a hill, and the view is one of them.  Being a lightening magnet is not one of the positives, though. LOL.  The tree cut up in the front yard is proof there is a negative side to the new house.  Oh well.  Still wouldn't trade it for another.

This weekend went by quickly, which can be good and bad.  We were able to get some cleaning done so I won't have as much to do this week.  I have two service appointments for the house this week and a doctor appointment in the city.  So it's looking to be a busy week.  But the good about it being Monday?  The guys are out of the house and it's quiet.  My plans today are to try to root around in the last remaining unpacked boxes and find my rolling pin.  I found a yummy recipe for sugar cookies and want to start experimenting with icing decorations.  Little man has a fall party Friday and I'll make Halloween cake pops.  I bought a plastic black witch's cauldron and spiderweb material.  Hopefully my fingers will work so I can mold spooky characters and I'll put them on sticks.  I plan to lay foam in the bottom of the cauldron with the spiderweb on top to look like smoke.  If I can get it to work I'll upload pictures before I take it to the school.

Off to work on critiques and getting my partial request ready to mail.  Just a few tweaks and it's ready to go.  And yes...I am getting a little nervous.  The 3-4 month wait will be unbearable but I have plenty of projects to keep me busy.  Have a wonderful and productive Monday, my friends!

Happy Monday!

And what a weekend it was.  I don't think we did a whole lot of anything.  Except get the house dirty.  *sigh*  So I spent today catching up the laundry, cleaning little man's room, cleaning up after the cowboy, and made the man/child bring me his dirty clothes and dishes.  I try not to venture into his cave very often if I can help it.  But I also finished the revisions on my partial and sent it out to the crit partners.  I've already heard back from two of them and it looks like I can get it submitted by Wednesday.  Which means I might be able to finish the second request and get it sent to the crit partners by next Monday.  Man...that would be HUGE if I could get them both sent out and off my to-do list.  I've got two short stories that need attention.  Like yesterday.

I found the secret to getting more writing time.  Keep the family stuffed with good food.  The boys are extremely happy with me because I've been cooking more lately.  Last night I made homemade sausage/bacon pizza.  My man/child is usually the picky one, but he ate three huge pieces.  They are so big it's like a deep dish.  Tonight?  I made parmesan crusted chicken with a vodka cream sauce spaghetti.  Tomorrow I'll have to do a thick and hearty soup with vegetables and pasta.  Maybe even some homemade bread.  It'll be perfect for the cold front we've got coming in as I type and it'll also be an easy fix.

Okay...as promised. Here is my recipe for chocolate pecan pie.  I've found similiar recipes but I think the reason we like it is because I add Kahlua. Yummo.  Add/delete ingredients to your taste...but enjoy.


Aunt Susie’s Chocolate Pecan Pie

Deep dish pie shell or handmade
¾ cup white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
½   cup real butter
4 eggs
2 tbsp bourbon (I tried Kahlua)
1 tsp. vanilla extract (Madagascar pref.)
¼   tsp. salt
½   cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a small pan over medium heat, constantly stirring until sugar dissolves. Set aside and let it cool.  Combine eggs, liquor, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl and mix well.  Pour sugar mixture slowly into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.  Pour chocolate chips and chopped pecans into bottom of the pie crust.  Pour pie mixture on top and bake for at least 50 minutes or lightly brown.  If you want it to be pretty for company, before baking you can top the pie with pecan halves in circles or designs.
 
I found very similar pecan pie recipes online but I think the bourbon or Kahlua makes a richer pie for holidays.

Finally Friday!!

Woohoo!!  Are you proud of me?!  I've blogged twice in one week.  I actually tried to blog on Wednesday and had an emergency call from little man.  They took school pictures and I'd forgotten to put the order form and check in his backpack.  So I made a mad dash to brush my hair and change out of my pink flannel jammies.  He probably would've appreciated it more if I'd taken the tiara out of my hair.  Just kidding.  I did brush my teeth though.

Fall?  You say it's fall in Oklahoma?  Really?!  *sigh*  It's still hitting the mid to high 80's here during the day.  And because of the severe drought, I doubt the trees will come back to life to turn spectacular colors to signal that my favorite time of year has arrived.  Oh well.  Little man and I decorated pumpkins last week and I pulled out the fall scents for my warmers.  At least the house is telling me it's time.  I believe we're supposed to get a cold front next week that will drop the temps by 30 degrees.  Which also means my body will rebel a day or two in advance.  But it'll be well worth it.  I'm so ready for jeans and sweaters.  Of course I'll still have my flip-flops on.  Ha.

Another favorite for this time of year are the fall recipes coming out of the drawer.  Monday I'll post a recipe my aunt gave me years ago for her chocolate pecan pie.  But for now...I'm off to work on my chapter and critiques for my girlies.  Hope you guys are having an awesome Friday!!  Be productive and get that word count!!

XOXO

Good Monday morning!

As requested...I'm sharing a picture of our new fur baby, Lilly.  My heart still hurts when I remember Gracie and Joe Boxer, but Lilly is doing an awesome job of keeping us occupied.  She is soooo smart, sometimes a little too much.  ;)

I hope all is well with you!  Life is as usual chaotic in our household.  But I have to admit, I am loving the quiet time while the boys are in school and the husband at work.  Makes for a peaceful working atmosphere.  I've had my coffee this morning but listening to the soft hum of the dryer is making me sleepy.  LOL.  I've got chicken breasts in the slow cooker so that dinner will be ready when the guys descend on me once again.  Easy, peasy recipe...I added frozen chicken breasts to cans of cream of chicken, 2 cans of cream of cheddar cheese, and a can of fire roasted diced tomotoes with green chilis.  I set it on low and will let it slow cook for 6 hours. I'll serve the chicken shredded with some of the sauce on flour tortillas and with rice I've doctored up with a tablespoon of butter, the juice of one lime, a tablespoon of chopped cilantro, and a teaspoon of garlic-pepper seasoning. If you question any of those ingredients, either leave them out or start with a smaller amount and taste as you add. I know my husband isn't fond of cilantro and usually just eats his chicken with the tortillas.

So with the house semi-clean and dinner in the slow cooker, I'm motivated to open my Word files and get to work.  What are you guys working on?  I'm almost finished with the revisions on a partial I had requested by Harlequin Superromance. A  LONG time ago.  I'm thinking I won't put requested material on the envelope since it has been so long that it was requested.  I've learned from experience that requested material doesn't necessarily speed up the response.

Good day to you all!! Hope it's the wonderful start to a productive week.

TGIF!

Got coffee?   I'm on my second cup as I watch the sky wake up before the sun rises over the trees and I'm ready to catch up with you guys!!

Yes, my friends, I am alive and around to terrorize you with my boring journey.   Hope all is well in your corner of the world.   My journey has been chaotic as usual including the loss of two of my precious dogs to the heat.   My heart is still broken but we started the healing process with a new puppy.   She's a gorgeous Blue Heeler we named Lilly.   So far she has been easy going and great to train.   Still...she's a rambunctious fur ball that keeps me walking crooked during the day as I do my chores.   She thinks I need to be directed and nips at my heels.   I've tripped a few times.   *sigh*   But she is spoiled rotten and not allowed to go outside by herself because I refuse to lose another pet in this Gawd-awful Oklahoma weather.

My friends along the East coast...please be safe and keep your eyes on the weather.   Hurricane Irene looks to be in full PMS mode.

Let's see.   What have I been up to...  *deep breath*

We finally found a beautiful house back out in the country where my rowdy bunch belongs and have most of our stuff moved.   The house was completely renovated and even has all new flooring and heating/AC.   We're not completely unpacked and I'm slowly working on getting organized.   I had to take a side trip to the hospital for a couple of days because my RA apparently felt like it was being ignored.   Rude heifer.   But all is well and I was released after promising to be a good girl and not overdo it again.   And I have tried.   Really.   I do not like the consequences and being stuck with needles repeatedly.   My hands are still swollen and the meds don't seem to be working as well.   I went back to my original Rheumatologist and he was pretty upset at the lack of care the other docs seemed to think was best for me.   I have my follow up visit next week and I believe he'll add Humira to my daily meds.   I'm starting to feel really old with all of the medicine bottles in my cabinet.   Grrrr.   But it's worth it if the doc can find the right combination and get this disease into remission. 

The boys are back in school.   YAY!!   I'm loving the quiet time during the week and I've tried to get the house situated where I can get on a writing schedule.   I have a nice little office area off of the living room but found that the kitchen table is more comfortable until I can get a comfy office chair.   I guess I could take a kitchen chair to my desk to use...but that would be too easy.   LOL.   This weekend I have two beta reads to critique and my goal is to finish a requested partial and get it sent to crit partners.   My goal is to have it revised and mailed by next Friday.   I still have the two novellas promised to e-pubs and a single title I've had to put on the back burner until I can get this requested material out the door.   So I have plenty of work to keep me busy.

Hope you guys have a great weekend!!   Maybe I can post again before another 6 months goes by...

Elaina Lee ~ Cover artist and author extraordinaire!!

Hey, guys!! I want to introduce you to a good friend of mine and her extraordinary talents!! And one lucky person that posts a comment will win a copy of her book, Written in Blood!!

Welcome, Elaina!!!

First of all, I have to tell you I absolutely love your book cover art! I was already a fan of your book, Written in Blood, but you are a very talented graphic artist. And since you designed my header for the cupcake business…I know from experience that you are also a REALLY patient person and easy to work with. Well thank you, Chelle! But I have to admit I didn't design the cover for Written in Blood, though it is gorgeous and I couldn't be happier!

Tell us a bit about yourself first… I'm a mother of a toddler and a teenager and the wife of a soldier. We live in the deep south, brought here by fate, so we haven't argued! Just found our place here and have been counting our awesome blessings ever since!

WOW! I want to thank you and your husband for your sacrifice in serving our country. The family needs to be remembered because you have to survive without him while he's stationed away from home!

So….which came first ~ art or writing? Writing! The art was just by accident. I didn't want a bad cover (isn't that awful?) so I decided, if I wanted to make sure I didn't get one, I'd better learn how to make them. I had no idea I'd do well at it.

What was your first step in getting started? In which area? Writing or the art? Well, for writing I just wrote. My first step in getting published was joining a crit group, then entering contests (to get over my fear of submissions), then gathering the guts to sub! For art, it was finding a good program.)

What genre do you enjoy reading the most? What genre do you enjoy writing? I found I really enjoy reading action novels that have just enough romance to make you go 'awww'. And I love writing all genre's, but romantic suspense, while the most grueling, is definitely the funnest to write.

Where do you find your inspiration? I find a lot of inspiration on learning channels. The plots really get going when they talk about mysterious happenings in history or recent times. I wonder 'hmmm, how would that work in a book?'.

Do you have a favorite writing tip to share? Don't second guess yourself. Just keep writing and don't worry about how the words are appearing on paper, just that they're there. That's what editing's for, but first you have to have a story to edit!

How did you find out you’d sold your first book? An email. She said "Wow, what an awesome story! I'm going to send this to Jill with a request to send you a contract." I was screaming I was so excited. I'd worked so hard on Written in Blood and I couldn't believe the rest of the world was going to be able to read them too!

Who was the first person you told and how did you celebrate? I called my mom first, but she didn't answer! So my crit partner, Cate Chase, ended up being the first person I told.

Where can we find your book? You can find it on Amazon, Bookstrand, All Romance and of course my publishers site, Noble Romance.

Where can we find you hanging out? Oh gosh, Facebook and my blog.

What is your favorite show on television? I have to pick just one? Well I guess the one I'm currently watching then, Leverage. That is a fun show!

More importantly… Boxers or briefs? *Very Big Grin* Boxers *wink*

Website info - Elaina Lee and Blog

The first week...

of the rest of my life is complete. I was moaning that I didn't hit my goals when I came across my horoscope this morning. It is also accompanied by a daily slam. I guess it's meant to be more "in your face". But mine had me laughing out loud.

Your pathetic juggling act has caused a few minor setbacks. You can't do it all, even if you're under the ridiculous impression you're some sort of invincible multi-tasking superhero or something. Get back to basics and focus on one thing at a time.

I'm still smiling. So this first week of the new year has come and gone and I've accomplished zilch. Nada. Absolutely nothing. That I can remember anyways. My cowboy has to work today because Monday's forecast is calling for snow and his foreman is worried the guys won't be able to drive to work. My guy would because he thinks his four-wheel drive one ton diesel can go anywhere. *sigh* And who am I to argue since last year we were able to get out and around when most were stranded at home. But today I plan to finish texturing the wall and window upstairs and the staircase hall so we can paint tomorrow. Then the walls will officially be done. I'm hoping my hands will cooperate and hold the stupid tool. They're pretty swollen and tender today but life goes on and I've got things to do. Having RA is a bump in the road and I'll go miles around it before I let it push me to the side of the road. I'll just have to use my Dragon software if I can't write Monday.

Speaking of Monday...it's the kick off day for the The Ruby Slippered Sisterhood Writing Festival. They will be offering moderated writing sprints, tips, and resources. Even if you're not struggling with your manuscript they'll offer some great advice and a bragging room where you can share your journey. I love that this inspiring group of writers have opened their doors to the writing community to offer fellowship and motivation.

Okay guys, I'm off to work on my shopping cart for the cupcake website before I get down and dirty with the manual labor. Next Friday I'll be giving away a dozen cake truffles at my buddy Diane Estrella's blog. She's generously hosting an entire week of give-aways. Go by and show her some love if you have time.

Hope you're having a blessed and productive weekend!!