An Eventful Vacation

For the last ten days I've been on vacation from my night job (I say night, because I work shift-work and am on duty from 7p-7a). It was a real working vacation because I had much ado about writing to get accomplished in this wonderful end of the summer stretch.

So the week started out awesome. I managed to get my steampunk tweaked, the synopsis written and the packet off to the agent who requested it at RWA nationals. During this time, I experienced a phenomenon that is somewhat uncommon in my neck of the woods - yes, I'm speaking of the Great Northeast Earthquake of 2011.

As it happened, I was sitting in front of my computer, writing, when one of the ladies in the writing chatroom I'm always in, typed in EARTHQUAKE. Now, she lives in the DC area, I'm in NJ. About that time, it dawned on me that the swaying I felt at my desk wasn't from construction vehicles passing by on my street, or even the fact my inner ear was acting up and I was a bit dizzy. Simultaneously, the shaking increased and seemed to envelope my house so I actually saw it moving over my head. Needless to say I grabbed my dog and ran. Now, before you get all crazy and say, "Never run outside during an earthquake" let me reassure you that I live in a very rural area. I was in more danger inside my house with a possible roof collapse, then outside in my backyard where there is nothing. I can jump a crack in the ground or move out of the way of a tree, but I failed to see the safety in becoming the Wicked Witch of the East and letting the house fall on me.

By this time I'm shaking and needing information. I turned on the television and watched the news. Yes, it was confirmed. An earthquake. In my area. That big! Unheard of. We get small ones once or twice a year. 3 something on the scale, just enough to feel the ground tremble as it would during a thunderstorm or when they're blasting from doing road construction. Nothing major. This...well, this shook me a bit. I think it was more the WTF moment then anything else.

So, as I'm watching coverage I get my first glimpse of Hurricane Irene. What? Are you kidding me? No, Sheppard Smith was not kidding me. He was in earnest. And her she comes up the coast. But at this point she's a few days away so I am still hopeful she'll spin out.

Yeah, right.

I start working diligently on the contemporary romance I've promised Sourcebooks (from another pitch at RWA nationals). I'm almost to the finish line and am listening intently to the morning forecasts as Irene takes a stroll up the eastern seaboard.

Now, folks, I grew up in Florida. I know me some hurricanes, and I know me some preparedness. I had everything done and ready to go on Friday. It was just a matter of hurry up and wait as she took her own sweet time getting here. (I think she might have been sight-seeing, but I'm not sure.)

So, yesterday I finished the contemporary and started working on other things. (I have a m/m due to an editor in Nov.) So, I'm working and the storm is getting closer, but I kept working.

Then it hits me. (The idea for my blog today, not the storm, though as I write this, she's still shaking her tail feathers at NJ.) I'll write about my very eventful vacation. When I sum it up, it looks like this.

2 books, 1 synopsis, 1 earthquake, 1 hurricane. I sound like the weather/writing equivalent of a George Thorogood tune.

-Kate