Good News, but Bye Bye Vacation

Well, this is my last day of winter vacation. Goodbye to 9 days and nights off in which I got to completely veg out in my office or in front of the television watching the Winter Olympics and writing on my many stories. With two must-have-them-done-asap books in my lap, I've been pushing as much as I can to finish them during this breif respite from my real life. Though my desktop computer has almost given up the ghost completely, I trudge on with my trusty laptop. The desktop still works for short periods of time, but with the high-powered fan going on and off constantly, I have no idea when it will finally blow the mother board. So, I've shuffled all the really super important files to flash drives in preparation. It's soooo nice to have that warning. I've not been that lucky in the past.

Since I haven't spoke to you friends since last Sunday, I'll let you in on a little news I got last Monday. I got a letter from the editor at HQN/Silhouette who I subbed my partial to afer RWA Nationals this past summer. She requested to see the full of the book. I consider this a big step forward in my career. And while it is far from "the call" and I still have several more hurdles to jump, it is the furthest I've ever gotten while subbing to them. It's a small win for me. To that end, I'm being very careful about the book and going over it with a fine-toothed comb from beginning to end, making lots of notes about where I can cut, shuffle, add and otherwise tighten. I feel this is my one shot to land what might end up being a lucrative contract. HQN/Silhouette tend to think in terms of series and sequels - much like I do. I've had several of their authors tell me, if you get contracted by them, they generally want their authors to produce up to four books a year for them. No sweat. I can do that. Hell, I'm doing that now, though the books, I'm putting out are a lot longer.

In other writing news, I'm still working hard on the book for Loose-ID. I'll probably finish that one in the coming weeks. Yay!!! And will get it out the door to the editor for her read through. I'll also be finishing the sequel to High Octane, titled, Water Mark and the sequel to my LSB release, titled Intimate Weapons. In the periphery I'm trying to finish my sequel to my vampire novel, The Host: Shadows. The Host: Bloodlust has a secondary m/m romance, the first one I've written and didn't really intend to go there with this book, but the characters just kind of pushed me into it. But I'm so protective and motherly to the one character, I just have to see him get a happy ending. So, I'll let him. Well, kind of. He's going to have to walk through fire for it. Literally.

There is also a freebie I have up at the Samhellion. It's the third in my Jersey Devil babies story. This one a Valentine themed. It's also pretty damn funny. Cute. It's titled Devilish Hearts by MK Mancos. If you go there, you might have to scroll down to find it on the blog page since it came out on the 25th and there have been other blogs since then.

If it looks like I only wrote on my vacation, that pretty much sums it up. However, I did go on a hike with the hubby and dog through the woods by our house. Over hill and dale and across a bridge that was only two old metal railroad tracks and some wood that had rotted and fallen into the river years ago. Though it was only about 4-6 feet down to the river from the bridge, I completely froze and stood staring down at the rushing water under my feet. (I have a horrible fear of heights) In this case, I just kept thinking, I'm going to slip and fall in. And while I probably wouldn't have hurt myself in the process, the water had to be absolutely freezing.
See, I'm very unsteady on my feet and will topple over just walking across the floor. So, standing there on the bridge, the only thing I could think was that my little feet were going to go one way and I was going to go the other and we'd both end up in the frigid water. - Luckily, I made it across with a shuffle step both coming and going and am happy to report there was no slippage. I really don't think I would have been half as worried had it been 90 degrees and the height of summer. Then I'd probably have been more than happy to fall in.

Then came the snowstorm that wouldn't end. It snowed here from Wednesday to Sat morning. My hubby didn't get to work until Sat. They closed his store both Thurs. and Fri. Which was good, because going in would have been so treacherous, even with the 4 x 4. And I just kept looking out of the window and singing, "I'm so glad I'm off." Because when you work in healthcare, you are required to report to work no matter the weather conditions. There are still patients to see and people who need care. It doesn't stop. But what a relief I didn't have to drive in that mess to go in. I should probably add here, that being off for a snowstorm of that size was the first time I didn't have to report to work during that kind of horrible condition in the 17 years I've worked there. There have been smaller ones I've been off for, but not a major blizzard. Just saying. I couldn't have timed this vacation better.

And so, bye bye vacation. I've had a grand time enjoying you and all you had to offer me. My next long stretch will only be 6 nights off, but that's coming week after next. Yummy. I'm going to be able to finish both books and get them out the door. (Victory dances commences.)

Have a great week,

-Kate