I am having a brain cramp. Too much writing. Too much reading.

I have read (actually quickly browsed and skipped through) about 4 books in 3 days. I couldn't really get into any of them. I don't know what it was that turned me off on all of them exactly. Maybe I just need to take some time off from reading. (And no, I don't normally try to read that many books in such a short time! They were just that bad!)

One of the books (it will remain unnamed) had the worst main character I have come across in a long time. It was written in first person style and the character sounded like a drone. Everything was ho hum. Even in parts that were supposed to be exciting had nothing there. The main character got his toes stepped on in a big way and he just acted like an Eeyore. It was infuriating actually. Maybe that was the point of the book and I just didn't get it.

Another one of the books was so sappy I was embarrassed. Maybe I am just too cynical.

On the other hand, I will tell you about a book that I read earlier in the week that I really enjoyed. It is called Enchanted Inc. by Shanna Swendson. It was a light, fun way to spend an afternoon. I liked it well enough that I will definitely read the sequels.

Have a great day!

My guilty pleasures

During the Holiday season there are some things that I look forward to almost as much as Christmas morning. My girls also join with me in these little pleasures. My husband and son on the other hand just laugh at us, but leave us alone when it is the "time".

The things we love are.......

The kitschy Holiday movies.

It is almost embarrassing to admit to this, but we love them. The acting is usually pretty bad, the story lines are silly, but we try to catch as many as possible. Some of our all time favorites are Holiday In Handcuffs, The Christmas Card, The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, The Holiday Switch, Santa Baby and Silver Bells.

I could keep going on and on, naming movie after movie. I would have to blush if I continued though because you would think that we did nothing else. Just keep in mind that all of this wonderfulness starts around Thanksgiving so we have plenty of time to get our movie fix. Our ritual is always the same. We make our popcorn, sit in front of the TV with the DVR ready to go and we are whisked away into another world.

We are always sad when it ends, but we look forward to the next year with anticipation.

Something I learned

I know that we should never judge people. I have been taught this principle my whole life. I have always tried to follow this but last week I really paid attention to the teaching in a different way. I learned that we should never look at anyone and think they have it all with nothing to worry about.

(No, it was not Tiger Woods that brought this on!)

Some people that are close to me are going through a struggle of epic proportions and when it happened I was shocked. I had always looked at them with admiration, awe and yes, if I am being totally honest, a twinge of jealousy. They always seemed so blessed. Everything turned to gold that they touched. They went on awesome vacations. They completely enjoyed each other in every way. Their kids are cute, funny and full of personality.

That is what I thought. Little did I know that they were struggling so deeply.

Shame on me.
Shame on me for judging them.
Shame on me for making assumptions.

I am not saying that we should walk around with a pessimistic eye towards everyone. What I am saying is that we should always show genuine love and concern no matter their circumstances in life. We should always reach out even when things appear to be going peachy. You just never know. The old saying about "death and taxes" should probably add heartache. No one is immune to it. They may pretend it hasn't touched them, but it is there.

The naughty list

Yesterday I had a very funny episode with my youngest daughter. She is four. The evening started out with her getting very upset about not being able to find her princess socks. She went up to her room and emptied her sock drawer onto the floor all the while crying and screaming "I hate you dumb bumb poo poo head!" at her sister who is eleven. The four year old kept blaming her oldest sister of taking the princess socks. To make matters worse her sister was having a hard time containing her laughter.

Then I came up with a brilliant plan. This is how it went:

Me: I think maybe we should call Santa Clause and let you talk to him

4 year old daughter: (Suddenly quiet and a little white in the face) Ok.

Me: (calling one of my awsome brothers who moonlights as Santa in a flash) I have someone who really needs to talk to you about the way she has been acting.

4 year old daughter then proceeds to listen, nod and occasionally reply to "Santa" about having a hard night, but trying to be nicer to her sister.

4 year old daughter: (agrees to be nice, hangs up the phone and without missing a beat, looks at her older sister, who is innocent by the way, and says....) You're on the naughty list poo poo head!

I could not hold back my laughter after that!

Back!!!

Hi there! I am back! We are healthy and happy! We didn't ever end up with the real flu, just a nasty bug that made its way through a few of us.

I just wanted to tell you about something that I love.

Warm, homemade tapioca pudding. It is so good on a cold winter day.

MMMMM!! I made some today and I am loving it!

Out of commission

We have the flu at our house.

I will be back after it is gone.

I hope it goes away soon.

Still Going Strong!

I am still running! I am up to a very slow, but consistent 2 miles. When I read that it makes me sad considering at one time I ran 6 miles every morning like it was a walk in the park. But I am still proud of myself! My son asked me last night about this very thing and wondered how far I was going every day. When I told him where I was at and where I planned to be he said "Good job Mom, that is really cool." He is almost 15 so I take that as a HUGE compliment!

Books. All I can say is that I love books! I love the library so much that I get excited to go ahead of time. I have even snuck over after school so the older kids could baby sit and I could be by myself.

What do you love?

I am still here

I haven't disappeared from off the face of the earth, but I am sore from running and tired from staying up too late from reading and writing. All good things, but I have not stayed on top of posting.

Last night my kids got into some boxes of photos (I am not a scrapbooker) and I laughed at the old pictures. My husband and I looked like kids playing house when we were first married and it looked like I was just the babysitter in the photos of me holding my first child on my lap. My kids thought it was hilarious.

It is amazing how much we change. Yesterday my youngest told me I was almost a grandma. No one is pregnant or even close to marriage age at all in our family, she was just letting me know that I am old compared to her. When I look at pictures of myself in the last few months I kind of have to agree with her. Compared to the old pictures I am almost a grandma! (Not really, but yikes, when did the wrinkles sneak up on me!)

I am just lucky that my husband is aging right along with me! I will have to do something about my tummy though. Shortly after telling me I was old, my youngest also let me know that my tummy was fat. She is a real confidence booster to have around. Before you burn her with your thoughts, keep in mind that she is only 4. She just says what everyone else thinks.

Six months from now though, watch out. I may have more wrinkles then, but my shape will be smokin'!

By the way....

I did it! I got my 2 miles in. This time it was a combo of walking and running again, but I upped the speed this time during the run. Every few minutes I alternated between 4, 5 and 6 on the treadmill speeds. Not impressive I know, but it feels good!!!

I finished.....

the novel I was reading. I wish I could say right now that I finished the novel I was writing, but if you have read any of my earlier posts you would know that I have a problem with reading. As in I read too much. Anyway, THE HOURGLASS DOOR by Lisa Mangum, was good! Very interesting story idea and it does leave you hanging a bit at the end which I love/hate! I love cliff endings when I have book 2 in hand. I hate them when I don't, and it looks like I will have to wait until summer to read on.

My husband would think this book was just ok.

There are a few ways that I classify books, one is whether I would like it, the other is where my husband and I would like it. (please keep in mind this isn't the only way I classify books though, it is just an "in general" fun way).

To explain a little better, my husband hates romance. He hated TWILIGHT and read all but the last 20 pages when he threw the book across the room (that is the truth). He said he didn't want to read any more about how some guy smelled or how he looked or how this girl was hot and bothered. He liked the MORTAL INSTRUMENTS SERIES quite a bit. Yes, there was some romance, but it was a LOT of action and danger and suspense.

So, with that all clear as mud, my husband would say that this was better than TWILIGHT but he still wouldn't like it.

I see things a little differently than he does. I do like romance, not the gross quivering thighs kind, but the cleaner, leaves more to the imagination kind. I like being reminded of what it felt like to fall "in love" for the first time. Sappy, I know, but there it is.

I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for the next one to come! The author filled it with love, mystery and a great story line. I say good job to Lisa Mangum!

I love to read books that are the first published novel for the author. I then love to read the books that follow to see how or if the author develops in any way in their writing. I am amazed at how some authors are able to nail it with their first book, and I also cringe sometimes when I read (my own words included) and try think what I would do to improve them.

Anyway, those are my thoughts and I'm sticking to them.

Honest

I will be honest. Today I did not run. But!!!!! (Isn't there always a "but" when an excuse is about to follow?) Here is my excuse, though lame it may be. I go to the gym with my son. It is our time together and he stayed up far too late to get up this morning before school to workout, and I stayed up far too late making sure he was doing ok with his homework and helping my husband pack (he is going on a business trip).

There you have it. Lame excuse number one! The second excuse is that I could have run after the kids left for school, but I had a much more important commitment to keep. I will try to make it happen later, I just don't think it will.

To all of this I quote Anne with an E, "Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it". I am going to follow her motto and start fresh tomorrow!

The novel is coming along. Yesterday and today it is coming along mostly in my head because I just picked up another book. It is called THE HOURGLASS DOOR by Lisa Mangum. So far I like it and I will let you know what I think after I finish it.

And one more thing....

I also need to set a date for the completion of my novel.

April 15th will be the magic day. I am married to an accountant so it just seems fitting that we would finish with a major accomplishment on the same day.

Weird reason I know, but there it is!

(Did you notice! I gave away a little more info about who I am!)

Other goals....

Besides trying to finish my novel I have decided that it is high time for me to set some other goals as well. Long ago (6 1/2 years to be exact) I ran a full marathon. Yup, you read that right, 26.2 miles. After that I maintained running 6 miles a day for a few years. Then came a baby, some illnesses, some more health problems, a move and so on and so on. I have tried to get back to my former glory days with a little "umph" of effort here and there, but it has never quite worked out.

Well, enough!!!! Enough excuses, enough weight gain, and enough wimping out!

I have signed myself up for a 5K in January. That is my first goal.

My next goal is much loftier than that......Another full marathon in the fall. I haven't decided which one yet, but I am going to do it! I am also going to report to you, my faithful readers, (there are only a few, and you may be relatives, but you know who you are!) of my progress.

So, drum roll please........

Today I ran 1 mile and walked 1 mile. Yippee!!! My whole body can feel it too! I know what you are thinking. That 2 miles, half of it walking, is not very much mileage considering where I once was and where I want to be, but to that I say "You must start somewhere!". Maybe one of these times I will share with you my first attempt at trying to run way back when. It wasn't pretty, but I stuck with it and look where I ended up! (You are supposed to answer: The finish line of a marathon!).

I have another goal, but I am not so sure I am ready to fess up to what it is just yet. It is something that I have always wondered if I could do, but have never really thought it would be possible. Hmmm, I will have to think about that one for a while.

Anyway, what are your goals? Do you have anything that you aspire to? Maybe we can encourage each other!

p.s. I think I have convinced one of my sisters to do this with me. She thinks I am crazy, and she's probably right, but think how much fun will it be to cross that line together!

I really shouldn't do this, but......

I am going to post another snippet from the book. The scene is fairly self explanatory.

As they rounded the corner Meg slowed a bit to take in her surroundings. She gazed up at the roof lines of the old buildings. Walking along the road she loved the feel of bumpy cobble stones beneath her feet and took a deep breath trying to memorize the smell of the air which held warm bread, coffee and history.

Her eye caught something reflected in one of the windows. She glanced in the direction but as she did whatever is was moved out of sight very quickly.

“Did you see that?” she whispered to Anna.

“What are you talking about?”

“Never mind, it was nothing.” She said to Anna with a nonchalant look on her face.

“I must be spooking myself around all of the old buildings with their ghosts and all.” She giggled to herself.

They made their way back to the hotel in time for dinner. Meg tried very hard to hide her excitement for the day to be over.

“Tomorrow is Stonehenge” she whispered with a crooked smile.

“Did you say something?” Anna looked at Meg

“No, just mumbling.”



The air was warm and moist and smelled of moss and grass. Meg followed the group as they made their way towards the massive stones. The area was unusually crowded because of the Summer Soltice, but it was an opportune time to visit, as the fences surrounding Stonehenge come down and you are allowed to walk amongst and even touch the stones themselves.

“This is Stonehenge.” Meg thought as she stood near the towering stone in front of her. She reached out to touch the moss that covered the stone and felt a tingling sensation up and down her back. Her arms were covered in goosebumps and the hair at the base of her neck felt prickly.

She noticed something out of the corner of her eye again and when she looked, it had moved out of her line of sight before she could really see anything. Meg started to feel like she was either seeing things, or someone was following her. She laughed at the thought.

Turning to find Anna and the other two in her group Meg saw Ashley pointing towards her and talking to her friends.

“Here we are in a world of history and they only want to point out the errors of my outfit.” Meg said as Anna walked up to her.

“Actually my paranoid friend, she isn’t pointing at you.”

“Spare my feelings Anna, I know when I'm the target. And I am not paranoid!”

“You need glasses then, because they aren’t looking at you, just in your direction. And it's your own fault that I think you are paranoid, because you’re always looking over your shoulder and jumping around like someone is going to grab you.”

Meg had to laugh at Anna’s comments. It was true. As long as she could remember she had often thought someone or something was watching her. She would try and get her friend to see the things she saw out of the corner of her eye, but it was always too late. There was never anything to see by the time Anna looked.

Meg looked at Ashley and her friends and realized that Anna was right. Ashley had been pointing to the ground near her feet.

When Meg glanced around the ground she didn’t notice anything. She looked up again at Ashley’s group who still seemed fascinated by something. Meg looked around once more when she noticed something glowing in the sunlight. As she looked closely it looked like a piece of amber coming through the dirt. Meg quickly glanced back at Ashley and her group and saw that they had turned their attention to a group of boys. “Typical” she snorted. Crouching down, Meg brushed aside the dirt and picked up the small piece of rock. Turning it over in her hands she saw that it was smooth and nearly perfectly shaped.

Thinking she should put the stone back where she found it, Meg reached out to put it back. Something inside her made her stop. She glanced at the stone again then slipped it into her coat pocket. ‘What am I doing?” she thought. “Everyone knows that you should never remove things from any sort of monument.” Even with that guilty thought in her head, Meg felt a sense of belonging. She would carry with her a piece of Stonehenge and would be able to touch it any time she wanted. With a grin on her face she walked toward Anna.

“What has gotten into you? You look like you just heard the greatest secret in the world.” Anna whispered to Meg.

“Oh, nothing. I just love it here.” Meg replied with an innocent look on her face. “I think it is because of all the stories my dad used to tell me as a kid. It just reminds me of him!”

“Well you can reminisce later, I have something to show you!” Anna squealed as she tugged on Meg’s arm to follow her. “You are going to love this!”

Swimming....

Sometimes there are so many ideas swirling around in my head that I can't keep up! So what do I do? Well, not write, if that was what you were thinking. No, I don't put it to good use at all. That would be too noble.

Instead, I pick up a book and start reading. My husband has decided that a book is now just a natural appendage on my arm. He rarely ever sees me without one. I tend to lose myself daily in the words of other people.

Every time I try to stop reading I hear about another book that I "must read".....*sigh*

Focus.

That is what I need. FOCUS!!! A novel thought! (pun intended if you caught it!)

The rest of this week I will work on focusing my thoughts and ideas and getting them into written form.

Maybe at the end of the week I will give you a sneak peek!

It is harder than you think...

I have learned through my little experiment at writing that it is much harder to do than you would think. Well at least harder than "I" thought it would be. You are probably smart enough to already have an inkling that sitting down to write a novel is exhausting, challenging and can keep you up at night.

The hardest thing for me is incorporating the dialogue along with the description of what is happening around the characters at the same time.

I hope I am explaining myself so you can understand.

It is also hard to figure out just how much detail to put in or what is not important enough to be mentioned. I had started writing every little detail, but I found that and I could describe someone eating their dinner for 3 pages. Which would really not be very interesting.

Anyway, the jury is still out on whether or not I should keep sharing what I have written with you.

I am just not sure.....

Some Advice...

Sorry for the long wait for another post. My life had been temporarily turned upside down. I was moving, then I wasn't, then I was, then I wasn't, then I was and finally I am not. After that roller coaster I needed to take a little time to regroup.

Then something else happened. After talking to one of my dear friends, I think I won't put any more of the novel online (maybe). I have definitely written more, but I haven't done anything because I have been going back and forth as to what to do. She says not to do it. That I should try to send it in instead. I am not totally in agreement with her. The chances of getting anything published are so slim, and my intention with this was to get some experience, some feedback and hopefully some support.....I am not sure what to do.

More tomorrow!

Chapter One

Meg could not believe her luck. In most cases she would consider herself very unlucky, but right now she was on a flight to England with a group from school. Had things not transpired as they did she would still be at home trying to find a summer job that would most likely entail wearing a ridiculous outfit, or buttons, or smelling like a deep fryer.

“A job can wait. At least for a few weeks anyway.” she thought as she looked out the window.

Meg winced at the thought and her mood changed. She knew she would have to find some way to make up the money.

All she had in her life was her mom and her brother. They had been on their own for 5 years since her dad had been killed in an accident. He didn’t leave them in the best of circumstances and without an education beyond high school her mother relied on a housekeeping job to keep them afloat. When Meg was old enough she began babysitting and then moved on to other jobs to help make ends meet. Somehow they always seemed to get by.

“Why won’t she sell the ring?” Meg thought. It seemed so stupid.

“And why am I even thinking about that dumb thing?”

The only thing her father had left behind was an ugly, gawdy ring that no normal man would be caught dead with. Her mother had had it appraised after Meg’s dad died and it would fetch a nice sum if, and that is a big if, they could find someone who wanted to buy it. It wouldn’t be enough to get them out of their current situation, but they could put it away for a rainy day.

Meg thought of the bald tires on her mom’s car, the broken window that had been taped in the bathroom and the dishwasher that sat useless in the kitchen.

She remembered her last conversation about it with her mom.

“This is the only thing I have left of him Meg. He gave it to me and asked me to keep it safe, always.” Her mother looked into Meg’s face as a tear rolled down her cheek. “I am not selling it. Ever. Please don’t ask me again.”

Her train of thought was interrupted by a ding on the intercom system and a message from the captain.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, please return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts. We are coming upon some turbulance. For your safety remain seated until further instructions. Estimated time of arrival is 4 hours and 23 minutes.”

“I totally CANNOT wait to get there!” Meg heard the voice coming from a few rows behind her. It was Ashley Paxton. Meg rolled her eyes and waited for the rest.

“All of the guys will be so hot with their cute accents! I wonder if I will be there long enough to pick one up.”

“An accent?” asked Ashley’s best friend Tara.

Meg started to laugh to herself.

“No, I am so sure!” Ashley rolled her eyes “A boy!”

Meg’s mood improved greatly while she listened to the ridiculous banter between the two girls. She was grinning and thinking about Ashley.

They had been friends once. That is until Ashley’s mother remarried and it was into some money. Things changed after that.

With earbuds and an ipod, Meg tuned the girls out.



“Excuse me, you need to raise your seat and put your tray up please.” The flight attendant tapped on Meg’s shoulder.

Meg looked up and saw very red lips, very blonde hair, and very thick eyelashes.

“Huh?” she pulled the earbuds out. She glanced around and realized they were getting ready to land. “Oh.”

Her chin seemed unusually cold and when she touched it she felt the slobber.

“Nice.” Meg’s felt her face flush with emberassment.

“S’okay. No one really saw.”

Meg turned to Anna who was sitting next to her.

“Oh, nice of you to say so now! You could have told me I was slobbering before everyone was looking at me!” said Meg, not really mad. “And it’s nice to finally have someone to talk to now that we are landing!” Meg smiled and jabbed at Anna’s shoulder.

Anna and Meg have been friends for the last two years. Anna moved from Pleasanton, California and was blessed with everything associated with a California girl. Blonde hair, blue eyes, long legs, athletic ability, instant popularity and none of the arrogance to go along with it. Anna navigates through life with a lot more ease than Meg, but somehow, the two of them became fast friends.

Meg looked at Anna and wondered what it would feel like to be so beautiful. Anna never really seemed to notice the attention that always came her way.

Meg reached up and felt her own nose. It wasn’t a bad nose, it could be worse, but it definitely did not have the cute little upturn like Anna’s. Meg had what she considered skinny lips. Her chin was ok, her cheekbones were average and her thick brown hair was always a mess. It wasn’t a mess on purpose though. When you are born with hair that in its natural state looks like you have been electrocuted, it poses a daily challenge. The only thing that Meg really liked about her looks were her eyes. People have often commented on how blue her eyes are.

Check Back Later

I really hate to do this, but I won't be able to post anything for about 2 weeks. Something has come up and is needing all of my attention. So, I will not be able to sit and really write until this has been taken care of. So, mark your calendars and come back in two weeks for the real start!

Note from The Novelist-Change in direction

I have decided that what I have posted so far will be the prologue. I have been working on how to bring you back to the story before this accident happened and it isn't working very well. So I will start from the beginning (for now). Maybe when I have more experience I will be able to go back and forth in time, and like I said, the story will be reworked as I go along. Just be patient with me.

Also, I will be posting much more often. You won't have to wait so long to read what is coming next. I have just been a little busy. Actually a lot busy!

Prologue Page 2 revised

Meg could feel the man gently rub her back as if to let her know that he would protect her. She seemed to relax with his touch and tried to concentrate long enough to figure out what was happening around her.

The ambulance arrived and as the EMT’s rushed towards Meg,
the man caring for her leaned down near her face and whispered in her ear.

“You must heal.”

That was it. Nothing more. He seemed to vanish into thin air.

“Strange” Meg thought to herself. She tried hard to concentrate on staying awake.

A flashlight was shined in her eyes and made her sick.

“She is running a fever, but the rest of her vitals are stable....”

The light dimmed and Meg drifted off.



“A female approximately 16 years of age with no identification was found injured in the public restrooms at a rest stop along Interstate 84 this morning. Sheriff deputies are asking for your help in the case. They are considering her a possible kidnapping or runaway. If you have any information please contact the Multnomah county Sheriffs office. No word yet on what her injuries are.”

Meg opened her eyes as she heard the tv in the background. “Ow” she moaned as she raised her hand to touch the area above her ear. She felt the bandages. Her hand traced the contours of her face and she felt her broken nose, swollen eyebrow and lip and the gash across her check. When she glanced down her arms were full of scrapes and bruises. Her back ached and with each breath her ribs protested.

“Welcome back!” came an over enthusiatic exclamation from the short, round, red headed nurse.

Meg hadn’t noticed her in the room and glanced her direction. She attempted a weak smile, but felt too groggy to respond.

“Your food tray is right here. Let me help you sit up so you can eat.” said the nurse as she wheeled the tray towards Meg.

“You really should get something in your stomach. It’s a little bland though, we don’t want to shock your system too fast.”

Meg followed along without protest. After the food was in front of her and the nurse left the room, Meg lay her head back on her pillow and closed her eyes.

“What is happening?” she thought. She could feel a surge of panic rise in her chest when she realized that she had absolutely no idea.

Prologue page 1

With dried blood matted in the hair over her ear and across her brow, Meg rested her cheek against the cool porcelain of the dirty public restroom toilet. The coolness brought little relief to the fire that was burning through her. She had never thrown up so much in her life and felt sure that if she continued her stomach would soon be floating in the toilet bowl.

The thought of where she was sitting and what her face was touching made it worse.

Her head spun like a merry go round that never stopped and she couldn’t remember how she ended up in this condition. Memories would come back to her in brief glimpses, but she couldn’t piece it all together or make sense of it.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Loud thundering noises pounded and echoed through the metal door and walls of the bathroom.

Bang! Bang! Bang! With each sound her head split and stomach heaved.

Meg heard someone calling, but couldn’t process what they were saying. She had neither the will nor the strength to make a response. Suddenly a thunderous crash burst towards her and the bright light streamed in to find her hunched over the toilet.

“Oh! There is someone in there.” A female said with a Hispanic accent.

“Miss! Miss! Are you all right!” The husky male voice was frantic and filled with concern.

Meg could hear voices all around her full of confusion, concern and questions. “Make it stop” was all she could think. The noise hurt so much. Someone had called out for 911.

“I don’t want to hurt you, I‘m going to wrap my jacket around your shoulders.” the husky voice spoke softly to her. She could hear the panic in his voice as he gave instructions to those around him. As she felt the warmth coming from his jacket she realized that she had little clothing on.

“We don’t want to scare her, back away and give us room.” the man continued. He seemed to take on a fatherly concern for Meg, wanting to comfort and sooth her until help arrived.

Getting Started

I've wondered what it is like to write a novel. It seems an impossible dream to write one let alone get it published. So, I will expose myself to critique of the best kind.....the readers. This is going to be an experimental journey. I have very little experience, but I hope to grow into a respectable writer with the practice. Here's how it will happen....

Twice a week and sometimes more a page or two of the novel will be posted. Suggestions will be taken, changes to previous posts will be made, but a novel will be created.

Hopefully you will be entertained!