Carey Burns

Back in Black

2012-02-22T19:36:00.000-06:00

Turns out my "booboo finger" is actually broken and the nail is turning a lovely blackish hue. I always have loved black...

Even with a busted finger I've been trying to keep busy with reading and writing and submitting. Black Corners of a Blood Red Room by Patrick Rutigliano is well worth the buy and I'll be working on a proper review to post on Amazon soon. When I'm done with Autumn by David Moody I think I'll skip genres to true crime. To much horror makes Carey go something-something... On the writing front, I sent a flash zombie piece to Pill Hill and it will appear in Daily Frights 2013. Now I need to submit just 9 more stories to different places to meet my 2012 goal. Oh yeah!

Lately I've been having more and more Halloween dreams and think my brain is telling me to start making goodies. The ideas are there, I just can't make anything out of clay or paper pulp until this finger stops hurting. Ah well. At least the ideas are there.

Smashing!

2012-02-13T16:31:00.000-06:00

There is nothing like slamming a door on your own finger to make you appreciate the complex mind-hand connection. It is like I'm learning to type all over again and it isn't pretty.

So it turned out I submitted three stories to different publishers. That means I'm only 9 away from my yearly goal. Fancy! I was going to write the ending to a couple stories tonight, but that was before the whole slamming of the finger, so that will wait until sometime in the future. If you could see the typos I'm making here you would cringe. Seriously!

Slimming isn't going so well today, but I'm trying. Somehow I'm pretty sure I may have gained a little weight over the weekend...just a hunch.

Okay, gonna quit the blog now because it is taking longer to fix the typos than it is to type the blog. Bah!

Salvaged Zombies!

2012-02-06T21:10:00.000-06:00

It looks like Rapid Decomposition (an e-anthology by Twisted Library Press) is coming to completion! My two stories "Outbreak" and "Zombie 101" will appear in it and I'm dancing a jig that they will see the light of day. Happy times!

I've been going through all of my stories I've written and realized that my organizational skills aren't what you call "good." That said, I have tomorrow off and part of the day I'll be culling extraneous copies of anything I've saved. With any luck, I'll get it all done in a day...I hope!

Tomorrow I will also be submitting a couple short stories. They too became homeless when the anthologies were killed. Here's hoping they find homes again!

It Lives!!! (mostly)

2012-02-01T13:20:00.000-06:00

Well, I did not die over the weekend, though it sure felt like it on Friday... I'm now convinced I've been having gallbladder attacks and decided to take steps to ensure that they are fewer. (aka cutting out that damned FAT from my diet) Seems like everytime I had an attack was after eating something with fat in it (grilled cheese...fries...ice cream...pasta w/ olive oil and parm...) so I'm trying to cut as much fat from food as I can. It actually coincides well with jumping back into The Slimming project.

Last night I spent two hours working on a very old story that might just see print in the future. It was neat to re-read it and try to weave in the editor's suggestions. I think it totally works and am excited for him to read it. Hopefully I will complete it tonight and send it his way.

Another project has been weaseling its way into my head and I fear all other projects will be pushed aside until this little boy's story can be told. It breaks my heart and I just need to get it out. Funny how stories are like parasites feeding off a writer's soul until they take what they want and leave. Or die. Now THAT's a lovely thought...

What Gall...

2012-01-27T15:40:00.000-06:00

For the last few weeks I've had a pain in my abdomen that at first I thought was my GERD acting up. Well, this morning around 3am it woke me up, demanded my attention, and hasn't left me since. This isn't GERD. This is something else. I fear it might be...gallstones! I know WAY too many people who have had gallbladder issues and they keep saying that's what I've got. So, do I wait until Monday to call my doctor and try to get an appointment or do I go to the ER? Decisions, decisions... My gut (haha) is telling me to go to the ER. We'll see what tonight brings.

In happier news, I'm perhaps nearly finished with "Forced Migration." I can't quite tell because the caterpillars still don't know why they're headed where they're headed but they have (thankfully) arrived there. They keep saying it is something big but in all honesty, everything is big to a caterpillar.

A Pain in the Neck

2012-01-25T16:28:00.001-06:00

I had an epidural injection yesterday and am really feeling the pain today. I'm hoping it eases up on me but I'm taking tomorrow off just to rest. Good times!

So I had sent out a query on Saturday and got a reply today...in the negative. She was very kind and I'll keep plugging away and sending out queries and working on the novel until someone decides to snatch it up. I think I may have to change it from a narrative to a third person. Might have to re-do the first chapter too. Good thing I gave myself a year!

In other news, I'm going through all of my stories that got reverted back to me and trying to find fits in the current market. I've been scanning Duotrope and lurking on small press pages but nothing is grabbing me just yet. Something has to be out there.

Been working on a tale called "Forced Migration" that is just turning very weird. I've got points of view of humans, wooly bear caterpillars, and birds so far. Not sure what else will crop up, but it has me intrigued at least...

Arizona Dreaming...

2012-01-18T17:29:00.000-06:00

Days like today (everyday, really) I miss Arizona. The grit beneath my feet...the mountains on the horizon...the veil of smog hanging over the Valley...I miss it all. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to be back close to my family and old friends. I just wish I could sprout Snowbird wings and fly away to see my friends and soak up a little warmth back in Tempe. Just for a while. I finished the final revisions of my novel No Small Sacrifice today and my character lived in Arizona for a while so she made me miss it, I think. Way to go, Molly!

Anywho, now I need to buck up and write an epic query letter. Wish me luck.

I'm finally getting reviews posted for Benjamin Rogers' Faith and the Undead and Tony Schaab's The G.O.R.E. Score: A Review Guide to All Things Zombie. With any luck I'll finish reading Patrick Rutigliano's Black Corners of a Blood-Red Room either tonight or tomorrow and get a review up over the weekend.

Oh, and someone has an author page on Goodreads...

January Has Flown By...

2012-01-13T13:00:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year! The hubby and I decided to quit TV for the year (maybe longer?) and besides the incredible savings each month, we're getting so much done. I'm nearly done with my amazing sticker album and I've picked up the dusty old novel and am revising it one last time before firing off a few query letters. I've only got 20 chapters left to read so I should be done tonight. But, a story is never really done...

I've been reading a lot of books lately and decided a good way to flex my writing muscles is to post reviews on Amazon. I'm the WORST review writer, but I'm working on that. Eventually I'll put the reviews up on the old blog and spruce up my Goodreads page which, sadly, has been neglected for so long it didn't recognize me anymore.

Oh, we've also had the time to clean out our dryer vent. So should you. Seriously. It is amazing how much lint builds up in those suckers and that is a big fire hazard. Be safe!

Free Fiction Friday

2011-12-30T15:48:00.001-06:00

Why not? This is the story I submitted to Cafe Doom's 7th Annual Short Story Contest.

"Penny Farmer and the Bad Day" Copyright 2011 by Carey Burns
Penny stared at the centipede scuttling up the boy’s back to his shoulder. He reached up to brush it aside and exploded into a collapsing mass of the writhing insects. As she stomped her shoe onto one of the quicker bugs, she grunted. “He’s doing it again!”

“Well, just don’t sit there,” Mr. Byron chirped, “get them.”

For the next half hour the classroom was a riot of shoes clomping down on the centipedes that once were Christopher Leeds. Once a month, Christopher would have a ‘Bad Day’ such as today then return the next day looking fresh and pink and act as if nothing had happened. He’d pretend that his schoolmates hadn’t spent their afternoon smashing the life out of him.

When the last bug was dead, Mr. Byron pulled a small broom and dustpan out of his cabinet and held them out to Penny. “You know the rules; first one to squish is the one who sweeps.”

Her dark eyes grew darker as she snatched them from his bony hands. She wanted to tell him it wasn’t fair and that he was cruel for making the students do his dirty work but she didn’t. Instead, she mumbled, “Christopher Leeds shouldn’t even be allowed in school. He’s disgusting.”

Mr. Byron’s cheeks flushed crimson and the veins in his forehead throbbed. “You all have a right to a decent education, Miss Farmer. Christopher cannot help his disability. Now, mind you sweep them all up and put them in the bag. Mrs. Leeds will collect him after school.”

“Yes, sir.” She flicked the limp insects into the dustpan and wished Christopher would just stay dead. Penny dumped the bugs into the paper bag next to the door and wondered what would happen if one centipede went missing. She handed Mr. Byron’s broom and dustpan to him before taking her seat.

“Thank you, Miss Farmer.” He strolled to the cabinet and tucked them back inside. “Alright, your assignment for tomorrow is to read chapter six in your texts. There will be a quiz.”

The bell rang and the students gathered their things and filed through the door, none of them brave enough to sneak a peek inside the bag.

Penny watched Mr. Byron talk with one of the boys at his desk and crept toward the door. In one quick motion she reached in and snatched up a dead centipede and hurried through the door into the crowded hallway. She ran all the way home, locked her bedroom door and opened her sweaty hand.

“You’re disgusting, Christopher Leeds. I hope you die!” She opened her jewelry box and tucked the bug into one of the empty pink velour compartments. Penny closed the lid and shoved the box under her bed. Mr. Byron never said what would happen if they didn’t collect all of Christopher and Penny imagined him unable to reform into a human.

After a good night’s sleep she woke and checked on the centipede. She scooted under the bed, reaching blindly ahead of her until her fingertips grazed the wooden box. She clutched it to her chest and squirmed backward into the early morning light. After a quick prayer she opened the lid and saw the dried-up bug: it hadn't disappeared. Maybe her theory was right. Giddy, she dressed and hurried to school, anxious to see Christopher’s empty desk in front of her own for the first time in years.

As she settled in without any sign of Christopher, she smiled. No more buggy Christopher Leeds. It had worked.

Mr. Byron cleared his throat and rose to his feet. “Welcome back, Christopher.”

Penny’s smile evaporated as Christopher Leeds slipped into his chair. She stared at the back of his head, angry tears welling up in her eyes until she noticed his left ear was missing.

Penny thought back to the shriveled-up centipede in her jewelry box and her smile returned. The next time Christopher Leeds had another 'Bad Day' she'd make sure she was the first to squish, and the next time, and every time after that. Little by little she'd hide away his bugs until there was nothing left of him. Christopher Leeds would finally stay dead.

That's What I Call a Sticky Situation...

2011-12-21T11:44:00.000-06:00

I'm counting down the hours until my holiday break begins because I have a cool idea for a project. You see, ever since I was a little girl I've collected stickers. Puffy, scratch-n-sniff, irridescent, laser...they all are like jewels to me and I tend to hoard them. I still have my old sticker albums and flip through the 20+ year old pages, careful not to break the binding or lose any stickers. Well, after covering a plastic shoe box with nearly every Hello Kitty sticker I own, it dawned on me: I need a new sticker album. So, once I receive my 7Gypsies Binderie Punch I will break out my chip board and create a fabulous scrapbook/sticker album. I haven't been this excited since I purchased my first sticker album with my very own money! You can bet I'll be posting pictures...

Dear Food Diary...Shut Up

2011-12-10T13:38:00.000-06:00

Yes, I took up the Slimming Baton again (no, there isn't really a baton, but I should make one) and have written down everything I've been eating. Today as I ask the eternal question of "Do I want my anniversary meal to be a salad or spaghetti with garlic bread?" I really wish the Food Diary would mind its own business. At least for today. By the way, I think I'll be getting the pasta...maybe dessert too.

I have not picked up a pen other than to write out my to-do lists and Christmas cards and I'm okay with that. Having failed at NaNo yet again, my brain is too fried to get back at the novel. Mind you, I missed my goal by 13,000 so I did write quite a lot in November. Next year's writing goals are set to paper and it looks like I'll be busy. I can do it though, and if I don't, at least I tried. Stay tuned to find out what those lofty goals are...

Too? To? Two? TWO!!!!

2011-11-22T17:08:00.000-06:00

I checked the Cafe Doom website before work to see if they posted the winners and found out that my story won 2nd place--I'm stunned and pleased to say the least. Next up is to query a few editors to see if they would be interested in publishing it. All I can say is thank goodness I saw a centipede squiggling around on a coworker's back because if I hadn't, this story never would have written itself.

NaNo is going a lot better. I broke 32000 words and would really like to finish either Sunday or Monday. Wish me luck...

Where'd I Go?

2011-11-18T18:55:00.000-06:00

I've been purposefully avoiding the blog until Cafe Doom's Seventh Annual Short Story Contest was over. I hate trying to keep secrets and not blabbing the title of my story was VERY painful. But, the contest is over and now I can say that my story "Penny Farmer and the Bad Day" received some votes and quite a few honorable mentions. Right now I'm tied for 9th place and waiting to see which top 10 story makes it into One Buck Horror and which is Ed's pick. If you're a writer with a penchant for the dark side, you really need to check them out, join the forum, and participate in next year's contest. The contest is judged by fellow writers (anonymously) and some people take the time to give brief critiques of the stories. Even if my story isn't a big winner, I've gotten some great feedback and know what to do before I try sending it out to other publishers.

NaNoWriMo is flying by and I'm over 21,000 words. I'm behind and really need to step up my game! The novel is shaping up quite nicely and I think I've created some characters that people will remember. Onward and upward!

Good News and Bad News...

2011-10-28T10:20:00.000-05:00

First, the good news! Zombidays: Festivities of the Flesheaters is available NOW so run and buy it. With a hot dog eating contest and zombies, you can't really lose, can you? My short story is called "Time to Eat."

On to the sad news. Twisted Library Press has announced that due to the economy, all anthologies except for a few are cancelled and all rights revert to the authors. TLP will still be producing novels, but for an undetermined time, no anthologies. You can read more about it here. I'm sad that these stories no longer have a home, but I support Doc and when he opens a call for submissions in the future, you can bet I'll be right there with a story in hand.

Short Stories that are now released to me that I will be finding homes for include:

"All Fun and Games" released from Made You Flinch--Again!
"Dracula Meets the Packrats" released from Groanology 2: Monsters, Madness, and Mayhem
"Zombie 101" released from Rapid Decomposition
"Outbreak" released from Rapid Decomposition
"Dracula Meets the Clutter Crew" released from Groanology: Amusing Monster Mash-Ups Unleashed
"Everyone Plays a Part: A Child's Guide to Surviving the Undead Wars" released from The Moron's Guide to Surviving the Inevitable Zombocalypse
"The Witches in the Walls" released from Tales from the Cauldron
"The Snipe Hunt" released from The Ladies of Horror
"Winds of the Enemy Ancestors" released from Vampology
"Minimized Exposure" released from Night of the Giving Dead
"Sleeping Beauty" released from Zombie Feary Tales
"Night of a Thousand Screams" released from Zombology III

Back to some good news! "Picking Up the Pieces" is still slated to see print in No More Heroes.

What can people do to help in this sad situation? Buy a book. Buy two books. Buy a bunch of books. I would hate to see this small press die, not because it made me a bit of money but because the publisher and the authors are like a big family to me.

Stop Waiting

2011-10-19T16:45:00.000-05:00

I've decided to stop waiting on a reader. I'm going to dust off my novel, crack open the notebook and revise it to the brink of collapse and then I'm going to do the scariest thing in the world. I'm going to take my list of 5 dream agents and I'm going to submit my story to them. It won't be pretty and I'm sure there may be vomit involved in the whole ordeal somewhere, but I have to do it.

If you're a waiter like me (no, not a 'Did you save room for dessert?' kind of waiter) I encourage you to stop waiting too. Things happen when you wait. Sometimes they're bad things and you kick yourself and ask "Why did I wait so long?"

Why the change? I looked at my list of goals for 2011 and noticed that the big three are nowhere near being done because I'm waiting on one person. Not good, considering 2012 is mere months away. Also, someone very dear to me is celebrating 8 years since having surgery to remove cancer. Life is short. Eat that dessert the abovementioned waiter asked about. But stop waiting around.

Snakes on a Wreath!

2011-10-03T21:02:00.000-05:00

Ah, that cool air of fall has me spazzing out and flitting from one project to another like some kind of crazed bee getting ready for winter. We're already 3 days into October and I've already been mourning the loss of Halloween. Silly, I know, but the season just goes by too quickly. Way too quickly.

But, I've been busy making and plotting and today was incredibly productive. See for yourself here:

I got off my duff and revised a story called "Old Friends" and submitted it to Evil Jester's Attic Toys anthology. Cross your fingers for me that they like it. Tomorrow I get back to a story I'm submitting to a contest and then I can seek out places to submit "Hair Baby" to since they've released all stories from Weird Tales.

All these things need to be completed before November 1st when NaNo springs forth and rocks my world for 30 days and nights. I forsee many sleepless nights. Or late nights at least. Again, cross those fingers.

Farewell to J's grandma--got to know you and love you via the interwebs and I know you are now at peace.

My Have-Done List

2011-09-20T16:29:00.000-05:00

Time flies when you're a busy bee. Just finished a submission for Evil Jester Press *fingers crossed* and have begun a short for Cafe Doom's 7th Annual Short Story Contest. Last year's was so fun I have to give it a whirl this time but without talking vultures. I'm still working on the outline for my vampire novel--NaNoWriMo, here I come!

The slimming is stalled at the moment, what with the food I've been cramming into my mouth every waking minute of the day... Still, I only gained 1.5 pounds so there's that. My head is back in the fight now so I just need to get back to work. (sitting next to a magazine with caramel apples on the cover isn't quite helping)

After reviewing my goals for this year I'm falling short, but I've made big strides. I have yet to send my novel out to an agent, but I've submitted 7 stories so I'm 3 short from achieving that goal, and I should (in theory) finish a novel this year. I'm pretty pleased. I've even had some of my poetry published and that was nowhere on the list. And hey, I still have a few months to be a rock star...

Summing Up August

2011-08-27T07:55:00.000-05:00

This month flew by and due to reasons beyond my control the blog was left behind. Sorry! But, my home computer will actually let me post now so here we go! Baconology is available for purchase here . I got a very nice rejection for a short story that made a short list, so there's lemonade in them thar lemons! Right now my insides are all a-twist while I wait and wait on the submission I sent to my Dream Magazine Gig. Their response time is 6-8 weeks...it has been 7 and I'm a wreck. I'd love to see "Hair Baby" be my breakthrough piece...ack, hope I didn't just jinx it...

I'm maintaining an 18 pound weight loss and am still in the fight. I should have taken 'before' pics. Ah well.

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to volunteer my time helping to relocate an abandoned/neglected cemetery. It totally re-ignited my love of archaeology and cemented the fact that I WILL sign up for field school next summer. Life is too short not to follow your dreams. Also, I intend on volunteering a couple days next week as well. *fingers crossed*

September 1st is nearly here which means the Halloween decorations will be going up soon. I've made a few more paper mache items and will be spraypainting a wreath so that I can adorn it with all sorts of ghoulish items. Fun times!

Sanding Is a Lot Like Editing

2011-08-07T13:15:00.000-05:00

While sanding a Halloween project it occurred to me that, like editing a story, you need finesse when sanding paper mache (or any medium, really). If you don't sand enough, the imperfections show through and no amount of paint can hide them. If you get too aggressive, you can gouge out a pretty vital chunk of your project and will be left with a gaping hole. Pretty deep, huh?

Anywho...my tale "Once Upon an Autopsy" didn't make the cut for an anthology I submitted to but it did make the shortlist so there must have been something good about it. I'll put it in the revision pile and keep working on it until it sparkles. Now that I don't have to work 10 hour days, I will be tackling a lot of projects after work and I'm really excited. There's a certain vampire who has an epic tale to be told and he's getting anxious.

Halloween Goodies!

2011-07-27T18:32:00.001-05:00

Yes, I do realize it is July, I just can't WAIT for Halloween to get here! There's so many cute decorating ideas bouncing around in my head and I've already completed two projects.

The first is Spooky Sheldon and he's the only paper mache treat I've ever done. He turned out mighty fine if I do say so myself!

The second is a mini Halloween House and by golly, I'm addicted to these little slices of creepiness!

Random Babbling

2011-07-20T16:42:00.000-05:00

My brain is a little stalled out right now so I decided to put the current writing project on hold for a few days. There's only so much outlining a girl can do. That and a flash piece I wrote has really distracted me. The lead character is a gorilla named CeeCee. She's had it rough.

The slimming is going okay. I've maintained the current weight loss of 15 pounds which is great because I haven't been so good lately. (let's not discuss the chocolate sauce I made and drank the other night, okay?) I plan on being super good this weekend and will hit the gym again hard. Sounds awesome...

Halloween is around the corner and of course I'm already plotting and creating. I made my first paper mache jack o'lantern and love him. Gotta get him painted and show him off to friends. Gonna make a few more Halloween houses and some haunted bird houses then I can get serious about decorating my house because decorations go up September 1st. I'll require a hot glue gun, a metal rod, and various funkins. Is should be epic...

A Post Before the Crash Takes Over

2011-07-05T19:43:00.000-05:00

Before the knock-off Benadryl kicks in, I wanted to post a quick update. Fingers crossed that it makes sense...

First, my zombie tale "Being Neighborly" has been accepted into Through the Eyes of the Undead 2. That one was a nail biter because I was in the first book and really, really wanted to be in the second one too.

Me, the girl that rarely wins anything, won a steampunk pocket watch from the lovely Tonia Brown just by commenting on her amazing web serial "Railroad!" You should check it out--it is really addicting!

What else...hmm... Oh, I just wrote a very brief tale called "Hair Baby" and I'm working up the courage to send it out to a big name magazine. It'll be fun!

I'll leave you on a final note about bringing tension and building up a climax in your writing: write these scenes when you really, really have to pee. Seriously! Channel the anxiety, fear, and drama right onto the written page. Your readers will feel the tension building and never know how you did it. ;)

A Quick Update

2011-06-29T17:08:00.000-05:00

Summer is so hectic. Between working 10 hour days, cleaning the house, and working out I barely have time to write or even read let alone update the blog. Sorry blog.

Anyway, the zombie anthology Chivalry is Dead is available for purchase and not only are the stories great, there's an introduction written by yours truly. I've finished reading the anthology Horrorology and it is yet another fine book I'm proud to be published in. I'm reading Alienology right now and am pretty impressed so far.

I've got another poem coming out in Putrid Poetry & Sickening Sketches and from what I've seen, the book will be pretty amazing. Despite a HUGE moment of self-doubt, I've finished my vampire tale and submitted it to the editor. Fingers crossed that he likes it and that it is good enough for the book. I've also finished a tale called "Once Upon an Autopsy" and will be submitting that either tonight or tomorrow.

Oh, and somehow I've managed to lose 14.5 pounds. Whew. Busy summer. Thank goodness there's a long weekend coming up.

Story Anxiety

2011-06-17T15:19:00.000-05:00

We've all had it. When we wonder "Is it good enough?" and make numerous attempts to click the dreaded SEND button to zip the story to the editor. This time for me is different. I just can't even tell if my story is good, bad, wonderful or terrible. I fear I'll be letting this one sit so long it comes close to the deadline but I just can't hit that button yet.

To keep my mind off it I started a story about moles. Not the adorable blind critters that dig up yards--the splotches of melanin some of us have an overabundance of. So far I think it'll be a flash piece but it might just surprise me and be a full blown story. Either way I don't think I'll be looking at my moles the same way again.

Vampires...Now With More Bacon!

2011-06-07T19:59:00.001-05:00

I've been invited to participate in an anthology and at first I freaked out because that's a lot of pressure to write something amazing, unique, and compelling. After many false starts, I think I've finally hit my groove and the words seem to be coming at me rather than from me. Hard to describe but it is like the vampire is telling me what happened and I'm just trying to keep up. Writing is weird this way.

Oh, do you like bacon? How about bacon with a side of horror? This is the first peek at the amazing cover for the forthcoming Baconology which my story "BLT Summer" is in. Just when I think the covers at Library of the Living Dead couldn't get any cooler, they go and do this.

Aliens!

2011-06-03T13:05:00.000-05:00

I've been tardy in announcing the release of Alienology: Tales from the Void! This is the first alien story I've ever written and I'm rather proud of my tale "Space Freaks."

The vampire story I've been working on is on hold for a moment while a zombie story takes over my brain. They'll do that, you know. Zombies just loooove brains. With any luck I can finish it up this weekend and get back on the vampire bandwagon because my deadline is just getting closer.

Will It Blend?

2011-05-31T20:51:00.000-05:00

There are times when I have about ten different ideas that all seem perfect and all would fit nicely in an upcoming anthology. They pop in and out of my thoughts at inopportune moments and I can never really pin them down the way they deserve so that I feel like I'm being run through a blender--the kind on TV that blends other blenders--and it is exhausting.

Days like today when I get zero words put to paper it frustrates me. Really bad. It isn't that I'm blocked. I just can't stop long enough to get it all out.

So, instead I'm Facebooking and blogging and bumming around the forum--anything but actual writing so I can slow the heck down. I'm sure I will be awake until 2:00am and finally start writing around 3:00am. I hate days like these. The deadlines loom closer on days like these.

Doe a Deer

2011-05-22T17:08:00.000-05:00

I think I've finally chosen a fitting ending for my deer tale and now I have to choose a title so I can get on to writing my next scary story about vampires. Yes, vampires. Don't roll your eyes just yet because these are heartless, cruel, selfish vamps (well, one is) and things get very bloody and very horrible. I hope I can finish it before my deadline!

As we've discovered that cake can't mend a wounded knee, it turns out that cheesy curly fries are equally useless for strained back and leg muscles. Live and learn, I suppose. I spent the day painting yesterday and I ache like you wouldn't believe and I get to do it all over again tomorrow and the day after that. And maybe again on Thursday or Friday. What a week off!

Also, the anthology No More Heroes will be out soon-ish so you can pick it up and read my tale called "Picking Up the Pieces." My hooping and hollering will tell you when it is available for purchase.

Out of the Blue

2011-05-19T09:27:00.000-05:00

While I've been patiently waiting for Alienology to be published, another book I'm in is now live on Amazon and CreateSpace: Horrorology. My story "The Dark Ride" is in this one and I can't wait to read the other stories. As if that weren't enough, the table of contents for Baconology (which features my story "BLT Summer") has been posted. Things are moving right along and it looks like I'll have a slew of books to read over the summer.

Cake Can't Fix a Bum Knee

2011-05-10T18:23:00.001-05:00

Well, I survived the 5K and we had lots of fun despite my knee being angry with me the whole week leading up to the walk. I can't wait until next year to do it all again, sans the knee injury. Man, does it suck to get old! I shouldn't have tried to self-medicate with cake. Nope, shouldn't have done it. It was delicious though. Since I'm still limping today, I must conclude that cake is not the proper medical care.

In the world of wording, I'm at the end of my deer tale and torn between two endings. I think I shall just write both and see what happens from there. Perhaps I'll pester a couple readers to see what they think...

I've got some cool news that I'm not sure I can share yet, but it involves an upcoming anthology, me, and a story. Oooh...mysterious! I'll post more when I can. Until then, join me in awaiting the very near release of Alienology: Tales from the Void.

Oh Deer!

2011-04-27T19:13:00.000-05:00

I had a story idea twitching in my brain while in the shower the other day so I asked the hubby to take notes for me as I dictated them (I'm a dictator!). That was 1500 words ago and the story seems to be writing itself. One of the main characters is a talking deer named Joel and he makes me laugh. With any luck I'll finish the tale by the weekend so I can get it typed up and revised. I'll have to do some hunting for a potential home for Joel. Wish me luck!

The slimming is going very well. I'm down 5.5 pounds and I feel really, really good. This weekend will be tough because of a birthday party on Saturday, but I will do my best to resist cake. But we all know how much I love cake...wish me luck here too!!

Slimming, Stories, and Tofurky

2011-04-22T16:00:00.000-05:00

In accordance with my slimming plan, I started the Fat Smash Diet (as seen on reality TV, "Celebrity Fit Club") and after the 9 day detox, I lost 4 pounds and felt better than I had in a long, long time. Day 10 was a bit of a fail because it was birthday treat day at work and I was the only April Baby...I only had a small spoonful of a couple "bad" things like cake. But then a friend gave me 1/2 a loaf of raspberry rozek. This is a Slovak pastry that I LOVE and only have once a year so yeah, that rozek is no more. It has ceased to be. But, I'm back on the eating well train and am about to hit the gym. Gotta keep moving forward!

In writerly news, my tale "All Fun and Games" will appear in the forthcoming anthology Made You Flinch--Again! and (as of right now) holds the first spot in the table of contents. This gets me all sorts of excited and squealy. I've also seen the cover for the upcoming Groanology: Amusing Monster Mash-ups Unleashed and it is amazing! Lee Hartnup (Goatboy) is such a talented artist. Have a look for yourself.

Finally, I'm looking forward to Easter so I can see my family, share some laughs and eat me some Tofurky. There's something about that adorable ball of fake meat and rice stuffing that just makes me smile. I'm thinking of making bunny ears for it...could be adorable.

What Makes a Person a "Writer"

2011-04-15T15:45:00.002-05:00

Not long ago a friend made the comment that I wasn't really a writer because I only had short stories published. I was surprised and a little hurt and immediately thought "Well, YOU have never had anything published so THERE!" But then I calmed down and breathed through the threatening tears and just smiled.

So then I saw on a forum another writer that basically didn't consider herself a writer for this very reason. It made me wonder "What Makes a Person a Writer" and it has been bothering me since.

To me, if you put pen to paper in any attempt at poetry or fiction or nonfiction, you're a writer. You could be an unpublished writer or a published writer, a short story writer or a novel writer. Heck, you could even be a good writer or a bad writer. You're still a writer no matter what format.

Don't get me started on the word "author." Seriously.

Still Trimming Down

2011-03-28T17:12:00.000-05:00

I've been working my way up to walking in the Susan G. Komen race in May and this week I'm hitting my 3 miles, 4 nights a week goal. Wish me luck that I don't die on the treadmill, okay? In other fitnessey news, we roller skated yesterday for 2 1/2 hours and didn't fall or die, so I think we'll be doing that more often. I don't recall sweating o much after skating when I was little. Of course I was a wee little peanut back then...

Spent the weekend trimming down possessions and trying to make my office somewhat organized. I'm almost done and can't wait to have everything in storage bins on shelves. I'll be able to actually breathe easy in there.

Writing-wise I've hit a slump with a submission and missed the deadline. I'm bummed, but I really like the story and might just keep going with it and see where it takes me. Tonight I'm going to be reading through the upcoming anthology called Chivalry is Dead from May December Publications and write up the foreward. Feeling super nervous about it but more excited than anything.

So there's you're update.

Keeping Track of My Babies

2011-03-14T16:08:00.000-05:00

Time sure flies when you're busy writing. You forget simple things like when you submitted a story and (sometimes) who you even sent it out to.

A while back I created a simple Excel spreadsheet to track all of my stories with crazy details like when I subbed, if I got a reply email, if it was accepted/rejected/held and when, what the payment per word was, how much they paid me. You get the idea.

Today I spent a few hours updating that spreadsheet and adding a few more columns and just looking at all the lovely colors (yellow means accepted and hot pink means awaiting a decision). I'm pleased to say that out of 46 tales I've gotten the courage to submit, 20 of those were accepted and 4 are still awaiting a decision.

So I've added a few more pink lines recently. Yesterday I submitted "Death From Above" and "Being Neighborly" to two anthologies. I'm doubly nervous because the second one is for a follow-up anthology where the editor really liked my story. No pressure to meet expectations there. Nope. Not at all.

Focusing Energies

2011-02-17T16:31:00.004-06:00

There's something kind of cool about reading the corrections an editor sends you, especially when they're mostly punctuation corrections. It marks the final stretch before you actually get to see your story in print along with other authors. It makes me giddy and motivated to work on more and more projects to get that same feeling.

Right now I've got my newest story all typed and ready for its last read-through and I'm wondering which of my other dozen or so ideas to pounce on first and its hard to focus my drive and spirit into just one thing. I don't know how other authors can juggle several projects at once and manage to finish any of them. Someday I'll learn how to juggle. Just not anytime soon.

The Internet--It's a Trap!

2011-02-14T16:51:00.003-06:00

Ack, I intended to get right into typing up a short story today but needed to finish a Valentine for the hubby. Then I needed to check my email which led to visiting the forum which led to Facebook which led to Amazon then over to Author Central then back to the forum and then a quick trip to another blogger's entry about stolen art ideas then back to Facebook and now here. Whew, how many calories could that have burned??? With only thirty minutes left of my free time, I won't get much real work done so I'm blogging to advise you not to fall into the same trap I did today. Work first, party later.

Now to type like a woman posessed...or do some online shopping...

Squeezing Lemons, Making Some Lemonade

2011-02-11T17:18:00.004-06:00

Well, "Being Neighborly" was not accepted but that is okay. I think it is a good story and I have plans to work it over with an even finer toothed comb and submit it elsewhere. It's what you have to do when you get a rejection. If I gave up on every story that I'd ever had rejected, I wouldn't have learned how to better myself and my craft. I'd be stagnant and that's just not my style--I like being fresh and new. After having a story rejected for a popular zombie author's anthology, I took his critiques to heart and totally re-worked it from being a diary written by a teen girl and turned it into the tale "Knock Once for Yes" which was snatched up by the editor of Through the Eyes of the Undead. You can't just give up on a story.

In other news, I finished a tale which I hope finds a home in Made You Flinch--Again! It is based on something a childhood friend used to do that would freak me out. I just hope it freaks out the editors and (if accepted) the readers.

Right. Now to type that little feller up and revise, revise, revise!

The Weather Condition That Shall Not Be Named

2011-02-03T15:22:00.003-06:00

If you're anything like me, you're sick to death of people bitching about the snow and the blizzard so that is all the mention It will get here.

Well, I should update on that pesky writer's block. I've actually been a pretty busy girl lately and started a creepy little tale about sixth grade love. If I can make it 3,000 words long I know just the place to submit it to...

Valentine's Day is drawing near and I decided to create my own Valentines to give out to a few loved ones. I hope they turn out half as nice as I imagine them. (more often than not, they look like a five year old hacked at a sheet of paper and squirted glue all over it) Wish me luck!

Yesterday I sent off my final revisions for my story "Space Freaks" which will appear in Tales From the Void. Looks like 2011 is starting off in a good way.

A Drive-by Update of Sorts

2011-01-24T17:18:00.003-06:00

I've received my copy of The Scroll of Anubis and it is lovely!! I have yet to read it because I'm reading The Zombist and don't read as quickly as I used to. A shame, really. I could knock out a book a day. Now I'm lucky if I read a couple books a month.

The slimming program has been going rather well and I've been walking quite a lot and doing a ridiculous amount of squats. Financially, I've been lean as well and have already been reaping the benefits. I'm going to challenge myself to make no online purchases (except for the hubby's b-day present) for the next three months. I think I can do it rather easily.

Still no writing, and I think that while I have been trying to not let a certain stressful incident a few months ago get to me, it has. I gotta shake this. Must get back to what makes me happy.

They Tempted Me With Chocolates Fair

2011-01-04T20:31:00.002-06:00

I knew it. As soon as I returned to work I was gifted a bag of Dove Dark Chocolates. I was gracious and said thank you and while I have put them in the candy dish at home, I have not eaten any of them. That was yesterday. Today, I was gifted a lovely box of assorted Russell Stover Chocolates. Again, I graciously said thank you and shared them with several of the ladies I work with. I did snarf the Roman Nougat because those are my absolute favorite RS flavor...but then I signed up for the gym afterwards. (that counts, right?)

I've kinda hit a writing slump. It is weird because I like to play out my stories in my head in their entirety as I write and once I envision it all, I tend to lose interest. This has plagued me for years and has gotten worse lately but I'll battle through it. Just like all those other times.

Half-hearted congratulations to Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer for their recent nuptuals. I'm forever heartbroken that he is off the market, but think it is grand that he and she found love in this crazy world. Excuse me while I go cuddle up on the couch weep.

So Long, Fatty 2010...Welcome Slimmer 2011!!!

2010-12-29T12:08:00.003-06:00

Ah, 2010 is drawing to a chilly close. It was a good year, all in all, I think. I worked like mad to find homes for several stories, I laughed a lot, and I found out that I'm a pretty tough cookie.

What will 2011 bring? Well, for one I hope it brings even more laughter with people that I love. I'm making 2011 The Year of Slimming. That would be not only a slimmer waistline but a slimmer life in general. I'm challenging myself big time and cutting out the extras that I love way too much. We're talking sparkly things, spur of the moment "wants," sodas, sweets, rich and fattening foods, my beloved wine... (say it isn't so!!!!) I think that by slimming I'll have more time, money, smiles and better health. If I fail, I'm not going to beat myself up over it.

Writing-wise, I'll keep honing my skill and send out at least 10 short stories, send out my novel to at least 5 agents, and write two novels. Hmm...10-5-2...maybe I'll play those numbers in a lottery and see what happens. Wish me luck!

Are You My Mummy?

2010-12-09T17:11:00.002-06:00

I'm over the moon that The Scroll of Anubis, featuring my story "Amun's Curse" is available for purchase! I have to be patient for my contributor's copy, but I really can't wait to read all of the stories in this book. I love mummies.

Horrorology might be out soon and I just sent back revisions to the new editor of Baconology. My story is still in this meaty anthology and it looks like things are moving along.

I've been working on getting a solid goal list for 2011 in terms of writing and I'm shooting for the stars next year. And why not? Life is too short to worry and be afraid to try new things.

Excuse Me While I Nerd Out a Bit...

2010-11-26T14:14:00.003-06:00

Well, I've spoken with my beta reader and she is so much awesomeness that I can't get over how lucky I am that she agreed to read my book. I should have the manuscript with her remarks and lots of info on a cool forensic technique maybe in the next week or so. So exciting! (especially about this mystery technique...I can't wait to find out more and try to incorporate it in Molly's story) I love forensics!!!

Ahem, sorry about that. So other writing endeavors are looking good as well: I received the edits for my story for Horrorology and The Scroll of Anubis might be available soon. *fingers crossed*

Now to get back to crafting a respectable query letter. Hope you have a good Thanksgiving.

Best Laid Plans...Blah Blah Blah

2010-11-21T13:35:00.003-06:00

Well, I didn't see my beta reader so...I'm still waiting to get their final comments.

This weekend I've been making ornaments and various polymer clay sculptures. Here is one such sculpture:

The goal is to make more little snowmen and other goodies to sell them along with my jewelry. We'll see how it goes. Even if they don't sell, they were a nice distraction. I needed a little break from the pressure of writing.

So, when December rolls around I'll get back in the writing habit again and perhaps (fingers crossed) The Scroll of Anubis will be out.

Wrapping Up November

2010-11-17T16:55:00.002-06:00

November is nearly in the can and if I could turn back time I think I would spend this month a little more productively. Ah well, live and learn.

Anywho, my story for Cafe Doom's contest wasn't as much of a bust as I feared it would be. I actually got a 3rd place and a 2nd place vote and a few honorable mentions. It warms the heart and makes you want to keep plugging along. Who knows? After some revisions I might even send it out someday...

NaNo is sooo not going well for me. I think I chose too depressing of a novel idea and it makes me dread writing it. Not good. Not good at all. I'll finish it though, in bits and chunks over the next few months I think. At least I've started.

Tomorrow I ask one of my beta readers if they're finished with my novel. They've had it a while and I really want to get back into that project. *fingers crossed that they're done*

November Is For Crazies

2010-11-07T08:57:00.004-06:00

Read 50 stories and pick my favorite three? Okay! Try to write 50,000 words by the end of the month? Sure! Get jewelry ready and a display set up for a craft show December 1? Why not? I really don't know what I was thinking, but here I am. Come December, I should be brain dead, but I think it'll be worth it.

Excuse me though because now I have to get back to writing again and also try to get the plastic skull away from the cat. She is such a nibby nose!

Like Jumping Off a Cliff into a Pit of Spiders, Sharks in the Bermuda Triangle

2010-10-25T19:56:00.002-05:00

Well, I've almost hit the 'send' button for my Cafe Doom submission five times but I keep chickening out. I'm used to having an editor or two read my stories and that's terrifying, but this will be out for other writers to judge. That scares the crap out of me. I need to just hit that button and let it be out of my hands but...

Maybe later I'll have a wee nip of courage (aka Jose Cuervo) and 'accidentally' hit that button. Maybe. We'll see.

A Rainy, Spooky Day

2010-10-23T09:53:00.003-05:00

So I'm home alone on a rainy, dark day listening to my iTunes while writing but I keep hearing voices coming from the living room. I turn the music down, and all is quiet. I turn it back up and a few second later I hear voices again. It isn't the cats meowing at each other, but nobody is here. It's almost like when you're drying your hair and you hear a phone ring, but when you turn off the dryer, it isn't ringing. Are these voices just "chatter" or am I hearing something from beyond? Now I've done it, I've spooked myself. Let's change the subject, that may help.

I'm nearly finished with my story "Death From Above" and I'm thinking of submitting it to Cafe Doom's big contest. I'm just hoping that my dark comedy is dark enough for the judges. Only one way to find out...

Yeah, still hearing them. This might just make its way into a story I thought of last night. Or not.

Irons in Fires and Vultures

2010-10-20T16:34:00.003-05:00

It is NaNoWriMo time again...this year I'm going to bust my butt to finish in time and I have 2 different book ideas to work with so it should be interesting. 30 days...50,000 words. Yipe.

This means, of course, that I have to knock out several short story ideas and make a boatload of jewelry all before November 1st. I may need to clone myself.

I'm nearly done with "Death From Above," which is a lovely tale of 3 friends (who happen to be vultures) and their quest to finally eat human flesh. Yes, it is a feel-good kind of story. Once I have it complete and error-free, I shall screw up the courage to submit it to a contest. Scary!

In other scary news, I have a doctor appointment tomorrow for a full physical. It is scary because I've been having recurring dreams that the tumors I had removed returned and weren't benign. I'm sure it is just nerves, but it is scary nonetheless.

And now in happy news, we have just over 10 days until Halloween!

Hell, Vampires and Ghosts

2010-10-05T16:38:00.002-05:00

I just got back from Hell, Michigan and boy is my skin burnt! Yeah...I know I'm not very funny. It was a fabulous trip: hit several haunted houses, met Creepy Clyde and attended the Ghoultide Gathering. Sooo much Halloween I could burst with orange and black innards flying out of me like confetti.

I've learned that "Dracula Meets the Packrats" will appear in the forthcoming Groanology 2: Monsters, Madness, and Mayhem from Library of Horror. I can't wait for Drac's stories to see the light of day.

The Library of Horror has another anthology that I'm subbing for, this one has ghosts in it. If anything on this planet (besides serial killers, sharks, the Bermuda Triangle or spiders) can terrify me, ghosts do it. I'm not sure why, but even hearing "true" haunting tales at night can keep me awake for hours and make me not want to go to the basement alone. True story.

This Bites

2010-09-29T16:24:00.002-05:00

So I ate lunch outside today and got bitten by several weird-looking bugs. I don't know what they were and can't seem to find a picture resembling them, so I'm just going to refer to them as The Little Bastards. Anywho, I was able to swat them away so they didn't feast on me too badly, but I started to wonder...what would happen if you weren't able to move to swat them away or squish them? Now I feel like The Little Bastards are crawling all over me. Yuck. There's a story here, but after writing about bedbugs, I'm a little hesitant to write about these things. I can only be freaked out so much before it stops being funny.

In other news, I'm nearly done with a silly tale of three vultures that hatch a scheme to kill people. Just hope I can find a market for it...

Howdy, stranger...

2010-09-20T21:08:00.002-05:00

Sheesh, it has been a long time. Let's see, I was delighted to learn that my flash fiction piece "Zombie 101" was accepted along with "Outbreak" into Rapid Decomposition-Living Dead Flash Stories, which will be a PDF compilation of zombie flash fiction. Very spiffy!

I just submitted a silly tale called "Dracula Meets the Packrats" and this is a continuation of "Dracula Meets the Clutter Crew" which will appear in Groanology: Amusing Monster Mash-ups. I hate that post-submission queasiness but I think if I work my butt off writing something else, it'll take my mind off of the nerves.

It's Halloween in my house for sure: the living room is decked out in orange and black and I'm busy making more scary houses. I've even made a sweet little Swarovski crystal spider and am plotting a way to make a bracelet out of it. Pictures to follow...

The Ghoultide Gathering is just around the corner and I can't wait to see some incredible Halloween art and get my hands on some gorgeous cookies. Woohoo!

September on the Horizon

2010-08-28T18:14:00.002-05:00

Well, September is nearly here and that means my official 3 month long Halloween insanity will begin soon! I've already booked a room near Hell, Michigan so that I can attend the Ghoultide Gathering, created a Halloween House, and traced my friend's arms for a very creeptastic porch decoration...

Writing has been a bust lately. I think I've let events in another aspect of my life stifle my creativity and that just stinks. Gotta stand up, shake off the negative, and let the weird out again. I invite you to do the same.

Just Eat a Cupcake

2010-08-11T18:56:00.003-05:00

While perhaps not the BEST strategy for dealing with stress in life, it certainly is a delicious strategy. So much has been going on lately but nothing I want to blog about, so mind your business. (just kidding!)

The Zombist is available for purchase so if you've got a hankering for cowboys and Indians and zombies, (who DOESN'T?) check it out! My little tale is the 2nd one, right behind Eric S. Brown. If you know zombies, you know who he is.

Now that work is back to normal hours, I've had time to finish books I've started and am so happy! Empire by David Dunwoody is incredible and left me wanting more...I'm lucky, there is a sequel on the horizon. Yay! I'm also nearly finished with The Apocalypse and Satan's Glory Hole and the darn book is like some itch-inducing drug and I can't seem to put it down, no matter how dirty it makes me feel...

Not much full-on writing going on but I've written a poem for a bad poetry contest. I think it's bad. I hope it is bad enough.

Writing Is Tough But Trying To Get Your Name Out Is Tougher

2010-08-02T10:03:00.002-05:00

Well, I sent what I believe is the third email to Author Central (Amazon) to get a writer's page. My stories do appear in real books so I should be able to set up a page. You would think so anyway...

Anywho, I still keep struggling with what background I want for my (eventual) web page and I think I had a breakthrough last night. With any luck, I'll get the artwork done this Friday. Or if I'm ambitious, perhaps tomorrow before my follow-up doctor appointment.

The Writer's Block has me in its grip right now and I'm feeling a little morose. I do have ideas for stories, but no writing to show for it. Not a fan of The Block.

Number Three!

2010-07-30T16:11:00.003-05:00

I'm giddy to announce that The Zombist is now available through Createspace and will be on Amazon very soon. I wrote a story called "Goldfield Goes To Hell" for this zombie western anthology and it looks like this will be a very big book. 450 pages big. I can't wait to get my copy to see what the other writers came up with!

Here's another thing that made me giddy today. Gotta get into the Halloween spirit somehow!!

Crafty Crafty

2010-07-29T15:21:00.002-05:00

A nice, plump envelope filled with semiprecious stones was waiting for me on the porch last night so I had to make up a bunch of bracelets right away. My favorite is a big chunky strand of rough faceted seagreen jade. I liked it so much that I decided not to sell it. It kinda reminds me of Wilma Flintstone's necklace but honeydew melon colored. Pretty! And, I've got goodies coming to me so that I can make a little something wickedly adorable for Halloween. Here's hoping it turns out as well as I imagine it.

I should be getting "The G.O.R.E. Score, Volume I" by Tony Schaab too. Yes, another book. I can't help it. I will be putting the brakes on book-buying soon so I can sink my funds into other things like...oh...I don't know...flooring. We've been putting it off and putting it off but it needs to get done. Ah, the joys of homeownership.

I Smell Halloween

2010-07-28T15:21:00.002-05:00

I don't know what it is or was in the air, but it had a hint of Halloween to it. Now, I've been feeling the Halloween itch for a few weeks now...doing double-takes at every splash of orange I see in the stores, daydreaming about how our front porch will look this year, craving caramel apples... There's nothing to cure the itch but to scratch it (metaphorically) and by jove, I've done it. I'm going to make a shadowbox shaped like a house and dress it all up in black and orange and scary things that go boo in the night. My supplies are on their way and I cannot wait to create something spooky all on my own. And I'm not stopping there. I've got oodles of scary stories to write to get me into the holiday spirit. I mean, we only have 94 days left, people! I gotta get busy!

Read Read Read!

2010-07-27T10:32:00.003-05:00

So I knocked over the "To Read" pile of books on the coffee table and decided that I will give more time and energy to reading all the lovely books and writing up reviews for Amazon. Good times. Here's what's in store for me this week:

Empire by David Dunwoody (loving this book so far)
The Blooming by Tonia Brown
The Apocalypse and Satan's Glory Hole by Tim Long and Jonathan Moon

Hopefully...I'll finish all of these and then get to Bigfoot War by Eric S. Brown.

Hello Monday

2010-07-26T10:33:00.004-05:00

The Library of Horror has yet another anthology that I've got a story idea for. Behold, Made You Flinch: Horror Stories to Unnerve, Disturb, and Freak You Out. I worry about the word limit though. My idea might make better flash than a 4-7K story, but who knows.

Because I haven't been writing after work everyday since June, the battery on my Mini is totally dead and to get a replacement won't be cheap. So, I'll have to work with it plugged in all the time until I have the extra cash to get a new (perhaps even better) battery.

I've been battling with work stress and my GERD for about a week now and early this morning I had the joy of gagging on stomach acid in my sleep. Nothing like fearing choking in your sleep to keep you awake the rest of the night. So...after dinner tonight I'm going to relax and then perhaps go to sleep early. Here's hoping for an acid-free night.

Keeping My Cool

2010-07-20T16:23:00.004-05:00

I'm trying to keep myself thinking positive and being happy so that work stress doesn't eat a hole in my stomach. So, without further ado....

My story "Tipping the Odds" will appear in the serial killer anthology called The Snuff Syndicate that will be released by Library of Horror. I'm very honored to be included in this book and it looks like it will be something special. :)

While working on an idea for the second Groanology, I had a vision of something grand and unique to the zombie world and am working like mad to finish it. I don't want to divulge too much yet until I've run it by a few people to see if it is even a possibility. Cross your fingers...

Rumor has it that our AC might be fixed tomorrow. I won't place any bets on it, but one can hope.

I love 7gypsies!!!

2010-07-15T08:38:00.003-05:00

Not just because I want to win the prize, I love 7gypsies because they make my jewelry and art special.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5lXygFkanc&feature=player_embedded

Another Hottie

2010-07-15T08:16:00.002-05:00

Well, with the AC still dead at our house this heat wave is just no fun for anyone. The cats seem wilted and grumpy...kinda like me. Ah well, it'll be over soon.

I sent off my contract for Groanology and am almost done with my rewrites. Progress is a good thing!

Tomorrow I have a cervical (neck) epidural and I'm even more nervous than I was about the EMG. I keep telling myself that it will make me feel better but it is pretty scary. At least I get a day at the salon Saturday and I'm going to make sad puppy dog eyes to get a treat from Cold Stone...

Hot Today...Chili Tomorrow?

2010-07-14T07:34:00.002-05:00

However that saying goes...whatever. We're supposed to have a heat index of up to 101 degrees (who loves Illinois???) today and our AC bought the farm--crapped out--said the big farewell--died. There's two things I'm not looking forward to: the cost of repair or replacement and trying to sleep in that hot bedroom. I'm hoping the cats will be wise enough to just lay around in front of the fan all day, but that Elfie is kind of a dink sometimes so she'll probably think today is THE DAY to run sprints around the house and harass Zoey. *shakes head*

I'm working on rewrites for the No More Heroes anthology and hope to have them done either today or tomorrow. I'm really anxious to see how my little tale gets interwoven with all the other authors' stories to create an entire universe. That's just so magical to me.

A Fear Bigger Than Spiders

2010-07-13T08:07:00.003-05:00

I've often wondered what happens when a writer gets too old to write or they are afflicted by Alzheimer's. Do they just stop writing? Do they repeat story ideas? My hope is that by using the brain so much and being creative that it remains healthy but...can over-using it cause damage? I think I have a story here.

My Shocking Morning

2010-07-09T15:16:00.002-05:00

I won't lie, it hurt. I've got bruises and my arms feel tender where the various purple dots and X's are drawn on me and the needle portion of the test was NOT a piece of cake. While the doctor and assistant looked at the wavy line on the computer and the needle was just hanging out in the back of my hand, I felt a bit woozy and asked to lie down. I must have been pure white cuz they obliged and lifted my legs up to get the old blood rushing to my head again. Oh, then there was the needle in the spine...that was rather hurty too.

When it was over I was kinda sad that I didn't get a prize for not crying but I almost passed out so I guess that negates any prize. I did get breakfast and a double chocolate fudge brownie and two homemade caramels and later that night I got a caramel cashew sundae from Culver's so that was my reward.

In the end, I'm glad I had the test done and am hopeful I won't have to have neck surgery.

A Nervous Kind of Day

2010-07-07T11:25:00.002-05:00

I submitted "Being Neighborly" so now I wait to hear back from the publisher. I'm a little more than nervous about sending my writing to a different publisher but I've got high hopes that he likes it enough to include it in the anthology.

Tomorrow is the big EMG day. I'm not sure whether I'll have a needle jabbed into my neck, spine, or hand, but in any case I'm VERY nervous about it. At least I get some ice cream afterwards. That should keep me going. I hope...

Countdown to the Big Shock

2010-07-06T10:57:00.002-05:00

Well, 2 more days until my EMG and I'm just a wee bit apprehensive. I don't like having needles jabbed into my skin unless it is worthwhile, like getting a tattoo. Anywho, at least I get a 2 day work week out of the deal.

I'm working on my final edits before I send my story "Being Neighborly" off to the publisher. I think after so many submissions, I'm getting used to the sick worry feeling. Either that or the Tramadol is easing more than just my pain...

I went on a fantastic canoe trip yesterday and there is one part of the river where these huge ancient trees expose their twisted and gnarled network of roots and you can almost imagine some horrific monster lurking inside, watching you as you float by...I got lots of ideas from this trip. Hopefully I can make them into something that is readable and enjoyable as well...cross your fingers!

Speaking of a full day in the sun...I highly endorse Neutrogena Spectrum Advanced SPF 100+ sunblock. I was out from 9:00am to about 2:30pm and did not burn at all. The sunblock isn't greasy and absorbs very well and smells nice. I've still got slight hives from being out in the sun, but at least I didn't burn to a crisp and the hives aren't as bad as they normally are. Hooray for pale people being able to enjoy the sun!!!!

Dracula Comes Clean!

2010-07-01T09:59:00.002-05:00

I just got the fantastic news that my story "Dracula Meets the Clutter Crew" will appear in the upcoming anthology from Library of Horror Press, Groanology: Amusing Monster Mash-Ups Unleashed. It is a thrill to be included in this anthology because what I think is funny usually gets rolled eyes or requests for me to shut my yap.

All in all, today is shaping up to be a good day and an even better extended weekend. Hooray for time to relax, time to spend with friends and family, time to laugh, and (with any hope) time to welcome a new soul into the world. *fingers crossed for a speedy, safe, and relatively painless delivery for L and B*

The "I Hate Flutes" Post

2010-06-30T10:35:00.002-05:00

Twice a year (sometimes more) I get a week of flute noise from morning until afternoon. This year, I cannot bear to listen to it and the fweet fweet fweeting sends shivers down my spine as I cringe at the incessant fluting. But today, I won. I shut the doors. *cue the maniacal laughter*

In brighter news, I finished my submission for the "Hell Hath No Fury" anthology May December Publications is putting out. I'm letting it sit before I give it one final read through and then I'll send it along. Wish me luck...

I haven't heard anything from the reader of my novel and I'm worrying, because that's what I do. It is going to be a long, long summer.

Keeping Promises

2010-06-29T08:38:00.002-05:00

Well, I didn't finish my zombie tale by the weekend, but I'm nearly done with it. It took a VERY hard turn and the main character did some pretty horrible things that I didn't think she'd do, but hey, she's a zombie so what did I really expect? Still, it gave me the creeps.

Can You Spare a Click?

2010-06-24T19:33:00.002-05:00

Howdy friends. If you've ever visited the Library of the Living Dead, please consider voting it as the best zombie site around. Sure, there are others, but none like our beloved Library. Please? Pretty please?

http://zombie.top-site-list.com/vote51.html

A Post to Get My Butt in Gear

2010-06-23T10:35:00.002-05:00

I really need to write something but there's too many reasons why I don't. So, in an attempt to hold myself accountable, I need to finish my short story "Being Neighborly" so that I can revise it over the weekend and then send it out to a publisher soon. There. It's out in the universe so now I have to do it. *slaps self upside the head*

I survived a near fatal spider incident this morning and that too has given me a crazy story idea. I just hope it doesn't creep into my dreams...

Great News on a Rainy Monday

2010-06-21T08:13:00.002-05:00

I'm pleased to report that my story "Picking Up the Pieces" will be in the upcoming anthology No More Heroes put out by the Library of Science Fiction and Fantasy Press. This book is special on so many levels, but I think the most cool points come from the fact that the characters in the NMH's universe are based on members of the Library of the Living Dead Forum. I can't wait to read this book!

My Summer Reading List

2010-06-17T11:51:00.004-05:00

I've got a huge stack of books and keep buying more. As soon as I finish them I'll be posting reviews on Amazon. Good times!!

Faith and the Undead by Benjamin Rogers (and I'm in the fan club too!)
Dead the Ugly Beginning by T.W. Brown
Bigfoot War by Eric S. Brown
The Blooming by Tonia Brown
(there's an awful lot of authors out there that have the same last name...what's the deal with that?)
Empire by Dave Dunwoody

I still have to finish World War Z by Max Brooks (I love this book, by the way, and it has taken me longer to finish it than I care to admit...there's just so much to do that it gets pushed to the side)

Hopefully soon I'll have my contributor's copy of Through the Eyes of the Undead to add to the pile. And then there's about 10 other books about forensic anthropology, osteology, and history that are collecting dust.

My Own Glimmer of Hope

2010-06-15T09:36:00.002-05:00

I hate to jinx it, but I took the first 2 steroid pills this morning and I kinda sorta almost feel a difference in regards to the pain. It still hurts, don't get me wrong, but not as intensely. I'm actually able to hold a pen and write for a little while. Maybe there is hope.

I haven't written anything for such a long time, I feel almost like I want to explode to get all the words and ideas and monsters out of my head. With any luck, by the end of the week I can get a short story finished. Cross your fingers...

Glimmers of Hope

2010-06-11T15:12:00.003-05:00

I am overwhelmed by the sheer number of people that have already placed orders for my "Glimmer of Hope" bracelets. Six bracelets so far are confirmed orders and another girl may be ordering a bunch more for her family--her mother-in-law died from ovarian cancer recently. I'm so glad that I can do something so simple that I love and have a positive impact on the world while I'm doing it. Here is what the bracelets look like. This one is for our Race for the Cure team and I have this in teal for Ovarian Cancer. They are $15 and $10 go straight to the charity. The remaining $5 helps to pay for the beads and supplies to make them.

Sleepless Nights and Waiting

2010-06-10T08:39:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was the MRI day and then I had physical therapy too so today I'm feeling pretty sore. There was no sleep last night because of the pain so I'm fighting off the sleep monster today. *yawns* I should have my results today and ya'll know how horrible I am at waiting for things...the day can't end soon enough for me.

I had two stories slated to be in an anthology but it is being killed so they're homeless for the moment. I'm not too broken up about it and there's hope that they might rear their ugly heads on a podcast. *crosses fingers that it happens*

Five days until they close the "No More Heroes" anthology and 20 until they close "Groanology" so I'm waiting for that too....oh how I hate the waiting!

My Last Nerve

2010-06-04T07:25:00.004-05:00

Well, I get to have an MRI on my neck to see which nerve is pinched and what is pinching it. I'll be glad to know what's the cause of all of my pain and with some luck, maybe it can be fixed without surgery. *crosses fingers*

In surreal news, a friend of mine bought Letters From the Dead and is mailing it to me so I can autograph it. It amazes me that anyone would want my autograph, but I'm flattered beyond belief.

And finally in sparkly news, I just got my first two orders for my "Glimmer of Hope" bracelets for our Race for the Cure team and for Ovarian Cancer. They are $15 and $10 of it go straight to the charity. I'll post pictures of the bracelets soon.

Another One Out!

2010-06-01T08:09:00.002-05:00

Saturday morning I learned that Through the Eyes of the Undead (featuring my FAVORITE story I think I've ever written, "Knock Once for Yes") is available for purchase at Amazon and Createspace. This most excellent news bolstered me through a pain filled, sleepless weekend. I should be getting my contributor copy and royalty check pretty soon. Exciting!

Quick Update

2010-05-28T09:18:00.002-05:00

"Letters From the Dead" is now available on Amazon here. My letter is #51 and I couldn't be prouder to be included in this anthology. I ordered a copy for myself and am anxiously awaiting my contributor's copy.

It has been a rather bad week for me, writing-wise. My shoulder/neck/arm trouble seems to have gotten worse and the physical therapy is painful and just saps my strength. I'm hoping a weekend of rest will give me that much needed spark again. Here's hoping...

This Is Life, There Are No Plans

2010-05-20T15:15:00.002-05:00

I'm a compulsive list maker. Going on a trip? I make a list of items to pack...things I might want to do... Feeling hungry? I make a list of menu options and then ingredients I'd need to shop for. House a little messy? I make a list of cleaning duties for each room. And just now? That was a list, wasn't it?

So Tuesday I made a list of all the things I needed to do this week but when I got home, I got some pretty devastating news about a loved one's passing. It knocked me on my butt. I just kinda sat for a while, dazed. Nothing on the list got done.

This is actually the first thing I've even written so those short stories I wanted to submit this weekend sit untouched and lonely and my house is filthy and I have no food in the house but you know what? None of it matters because life is full of things that'll derail all of our plans.

Best Letter Ever Received!

2010-05-15T11:19:00.004-05:00

Haha, that's right "Letters From the Dead" is live on https://www.createspace.com/3443967 !!! I'm still gonna buy a copy, even though I get a contributor's copy...I can't wait! Oh, and it should be available on Amazon sometime next week too. *runs of squealing with delight*

My Submission for Needle's Flash Fiction Challenge

2010-05-14T07:54:00.004-05:00

"Gone Fishing" Copyright 2010 by Carey Burns
Prissy jumped down from Veronica's lap and skittered to the front of the fishing boat, her paws on the side rail as she barked at the kids fishing on the shoreline.

"Von, will you keep that ratty dog quiet? She's scaring away the fish." Sam reeled in his slack line, wishing he would have left her and that damn dog of hers at home instead of letting her weasel her way into his fishing trip with Bailey. Baily Evers was the only reason Von had any interest in fishing and she flirted with him mercilessly in the truck and for the first hour on the lake until Sam told her to shut her silly mouth. Since then Veronica sat sulking with Prissy whimpering in her arms.

Bailey chuckled. "Maybe we can hang ol' Pris over the edge and see if there really are barracuda in this lake." He tilted back his Dodgers' cap and wiped the sweat from his brow, squinting as he stared off across the lake. "Should we try over in the shade? I'm burnin' up."

Sam nodded and Bailey hoisted the anchor. They drifted for a moment as Sam pulled the starter cord of the old Johnson motor three times before it churned to life and he steered the prop toward the other side of the lake. Maybe they'd at least catch a few blue gill in the shade.

Veronica turned around and aimed her huge round sunglasses at Sam. "How much longer are we gonna be out here? Momma said to be home for supper." The Chihuahua hopped back up on her lap and panted at him, its round black marble eyes matching Von's.

"We'll go when we go. Sit back and enjoy the day, would ya? You wanted to come, remember?" Sam wanted to punt that stupid dog across the lake but his momma would have a fit after what they spent to buy the little turd at the mall. For that kind of money, they could have at least gotten a real dog.

She huffed and shifted on the metal bench seat, rocking the boat from side to side. Sam coasted into a shady spot and cut the motor and Bailey dropped the anchor with a deep ka-sploosh. The shade was a relief and the two men cast out into the murky water.

Within minutes Bailey had a bite and set the hook with a jerk of the rod. He reeled in the line, careful not to lose his catch and whistled as he hefted a good size crappie out of the water. The fish flipped helplessly as he seized hold of it. "Damn thing ate my hook. Gimme your pliers."

"Just cut the line and toss 'er back in." Sam shifted to his left butt cheek and pulled out the pliers reluctantly.

"Nah, I only got so many hooks." He snatched up the pliers and shoved the tips into the fish's gasping mouth. With a quick twist, he freed the hook and slipped the fish back into the water.

Another ten minutes passed without even a nibble and Sam contemplated packing it in for the day. He opened his mouth to speak when a speedboat zipped through the no wake zone sending huge waves right in their direction. "Hold on." He grabbed both sides of the boat and steeled himself for the wakes.

Von squealed, releasing her grip on Prissy and reaching for the sides. As the first wave crashed into the side, she tilted with the boat and poor Prissy slid straight off her lap and over the side. "Sam! Sam, save Prissy!"

Bailey laughed, riding out the proceeding waves. "Dogs can swim, silly, she'll be fine."

Prissy held her tiny head up out of the water and frantically kicked her stubby legs, struggling to get back to the safety of the boat but waves swept her farther away. With a tiny whimper, she went under.

"Shit." Sam kicked off his shoes and jumped into the chest-deep water and swam toward Prissy. He took a breath and went under, searching for the tan colored dog in the shadowy gloom. A flurry of movement caught his eye and as he drew closer he saw Prissy's right hind leg in the mouth of a two foot alligator gar. The beast shook the dog, its mouthful of needle-sharp teeth tearing into her flesh.

Without thinking, he lunged forward and punched the fish with all his strength. Dazed, it relaxed its grip on Prissy and Sam pulled her into his arms.

They broke through the surface and Sam held Prissy up until he reached shallow water. He cradled her in his arms and covered her tiny snout with his mouth. Von screamed and wailed as he took a breath and blew into her nose then pressed on her ribcage. Sam gave Prissy mouth to snout for almost a full minute before she finally coughed up water and shivered in his arms.

"Bring the boat over and give me your shirt, Bailey. I think she's in shock." Sam walked out into deeper water holding the fragile animal above his head.

He passed Prissy into Bailey's hands and struggled to get back into the boat without capsizing it. Exhausted, he pulled himself aboard and collapsed on his seat.

"Oh Sam, you saved her! You saved my Prissy!" Tears streamed down Von's cheeks as she wrapped her sweater around the dog's trembling body.

Sam started up the motor and steered them back toward the dock. "You owe me, Von, and that dog owes me too. And the next time you even think about crashing my fishing trip, you best believe that dog is gonna be bait."

Printing Up My "Baby"

2010-05-12T14:11:00.003-05:00

I went over my novel one last time and tonight I shall print it up so I can put in the hands of an "expert" in criminal justice and forensics. Even if she doesn't like it, I hope the forensic content will be accurate and she won't find any glaring errors. Or even any glancing errors. *worries* This has to be the year I really try to sell the hell out of that novel.

In other news, watching a double feature "Day of the Dead" and "Dawn of the Dead" has rekindled a zombie story I started that kinda fizzled out. Good times! That and I got to scare the bazeezus out of the hubby last night during the movie. It is fun to be evil sometimes!

Got Ya Covered

2010-05-06T07:38:00.005-05:00

It looks like Letters From the Dead might go live sometime next week--I'm so excited! This'll be the first thing I've written published in an actual book! The front and back covers are amazing...here's what they look like:

I love the blood...

In other news, The Scroll of Anubis is closer to print as well and here's the color cover:

Despite being in pain and groggy from my bum wing, I'm so excited about this!!!

Wounded Chicken Wing

2010-05-03T08:35:00.002-05:00

I woke Saturday morning to a horrible pain burning from my shoulder to my elbow and then down to my wrist. My first reaction was I hurt myself somehow and found a few strange bruises but they weren't tender so then I realized: my tendinitis must be back. Why? I don't know. For how long? Beats me. All I know is I'm in agony and I have no pain pills. I'm lucky that way I guess. Typing hurts. Writing hurts. Sleeping hurts. Resting my arm on my desk hurts. Time to phone the doctor. Not The Doctor. Unless it is David Tennant.

I'm Still Walking!

2010-04-30T08:37:00.003-05:00

Well, I've been hitting the gym more to get ready for the Race for the Cure next weekend. (and look, there's still time to donate over at Careybean is Walking) http://peoria.info-komen.org/site/TR?pg=fund&fr_id=1460&pxfid=130330
Next year, I hope to do the Race for the Cure and the Walk to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer.

2010-04-28T09:41:00.003-05:00

I woke up feeling a little blah today with a sore throat and a headache but this made me smile!

The Scroll of Anubis
A Mummy Anthology
by T. Patrick Rooney & Kody Boye

Table of Contents
The Lockwood Collection, By Mary Rajotte
Amunet, By Rhiannon Frater
The Companion of Jacob Bleek, By Jeffery Scott Sims
The Rise of Terefini, By John McCuaig
Let Justice Be Done, By Alva J. Roberts
White Cloud's Return, By Janett L. Grady
Family Under Wraps, By David Bernstein
Styx and Stones, By Malachy Coney
Kiss of Death, By Jessy Marie Roberts
The Jaws of the Jackal, By Patrick Rutigliano
Caves of Gold, By Jim Bernheimer
The Baron and the Cat, By Megan R. Engelhardt
The Legacy of Seshat, By Jameson T. Caine
The Dry Man, By Amanda C. Davis
Amun’s Curse, By Carey Burns
Beneath The Floorboards, By Robert Essig
The Book of Osiris, By Charles Kyffhausen
Balam, By Megan Bamford
Mistress of the Scarab, By Miles Boothe
Egypt, PA, By Wayne Goodchild
The Lurker In The Depths, By Michael C. Lea
The Desecrators, By Paul A. Freeman
Pharaoh’s Best Friend, By Adam Blomquist
The Eternal Resurrection, By, M.S. Gardner
Calixite’s Curse, By Deborah Walker
Abu Timsaah, By Zachary Thomas Tyler
The Pyramids of Rock Lake, By Derek J. Goodman

The Curse of Djer, By T. Patrick Rooney

I'm a Weeener!

2010-04-22T08:38:00.004-05:00

My title was chosen by May December Publications for their upcoming anthology....Chivalry is Dead! In addition to that coolness, I get an autographed copy of Zomblog by TW Brown! But wait, there's more...I have the distinct honor of writing the forward for this book. Woohoo!

I've been churning out more haiku horror stories and working on another zombie story for an anthology. Keeping busy makes me forget about the slush. For a while anyway.

Me Make Funny Ha-Ha

2010-04-20T07:52:00.003-05:00

Well, so far the few people that have read "Dracula Meets the Clutter Crew" have given it a thumbs-up. I witnessed one such reader and he laughed at all the right spots, so I consider that a win! It is in the hands (or inbox) of the editor now.

I'm still working away at my Haiku Horror Stories and have a favorite already. Not sure how many of these suckers would constitute a book, but I'll keep writing them and eventually, I'll stop. Here's a freebie:

When you meet John Doe
Try not to look at his hands
Its better that way

If you do see them
You'll see the thick, heavy scars
All pink and tender

And you'll catch a glimpse
Of the stub of a pinkie
With smoothed-over ends

You'll stare at his hands
And wonder how it happened
And get lost in thought

While you are staring
You'll remember a murder
A year or so back

When a girl was killed
And her face burned with acid
To hide who she was

And then something clicks
As you look look into his eyes
You'll smile out of fear

But he won't smile back
See, he knows what you're thinking
He's seen it before

So don't turn your back
Now that you know his secret
Or you will be next

I've Been Trapped Inside a Handmade Box For Weeks..

2010-04-19T09:32:00.006-05:00

I thought I had pushed the queasy slush pile anticipation demons back, but they reared their ugly heads last night so I made 5 little boxes like these:

I made a couple Halloween-themed and they turned out spooktacular! As I get better making them I'm gonna trick out a few with emery boards on the sides so I can really keep matches in them and they'll be useful.

If You Poke Me in the Ribs, I Will Punch You in the Face

2010-04-15T09:44:00.002-05:00

LOL Don't say you haven't been warned! My sides and abs and ribs are hurting so much from my badass workout that laughing hurts. Not good when you're writing a comedic short story and you work with hilarious people. Maybe I should take a sick day?

Bye Bye Rat's Nest

2010-04-13T08:34:00.003-05:00

I finally have an appointment to get my hair chopped for Locks of Love and I couldn't be happier. My hair likes to snarl and tangle so it can take almost five minutes just to comb through it so it'll be awesome not to deal with that anymore. At the hubby's request, I will be dying my hair black again but I think that'll be in May. I just hope I don't look like I'm trying to cling on to the last strands of my youth by getting it colored...we'll see.

Still Wanna Throw Up, Just Not As Violently

2010-04-09T15:35:00.003-05:00

I got the awesome news that my story "Time to Eat" was accepted for the Library of the Living Dead Press anthology "Zombidays: Festivities of the Flesheaters"! I've still got 6 stories out there in various slush piles so the queasiness is still there and now that I've spent a week obsessing, I think that's a good thing. If I send out something and don't have some emotional reaction, that means I don't care anymore. Then what's the point of writing?

Gonna Blow Chunks...

2010-04-08T10:10:00.003-05:00

I get so nervous when I submit a story or when I'm waiting to hear if it is accepted or rejected that my stomach feels all wonky and miserable. Well, I'm feeling that way doubly today. I submitted a story called "Picking Up the Pieces" for the Library of Science Fiction &Fantasy anthology "No More Heroes" and I'm waiting to see if "Time to Eat" will get picked up for "Zombidays."

*must do something to distract myself*

Boobies!

2010-04-05T09:27:00.004-05:00

Bet that got your attention... I will be walking in the Peoria, IL Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on May 8th. I've never done a 5K before, but there's a first time for everything and it is for a good cause and I know way too many wonderful women AND men affected by breast cancer. I don't see myself running, but I will walk briskly and with purpose. (wearing SPF 100 and protective clothing for sure) If you are so inclined, you can make a donation online at my personal fundraising page http://peoria.info-komen.org/goto/Careybean

There Will Be Cupcakes

2010-04-02T10:41:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow is the big day--36 years old and I'm still a big goof. :D Even if I have to make them myself, there will be cupcakes. Oh yes, there will be cupcakes!

I lamentably didn't get any writing done last night so my goal of submitting a story tomorrow might not come to fruition. With a little luck and a little determination, I might be able to knock it out tonight though. Wish me luck!

Why I'm So Tired Today

2010-04-01T08:31:00.003-05:00

Okay, so when I snore the hubby sleeps on the couch rather than wake me up, which is nice, but if he's not in the bed with me I have horrible nightmares. (side note: the other thing that'll guarantee I have nightmares is eating Hormel vegetarian chili from a box) Anywho, last night/this morning was no exception and I dreamed I was not only chased down by a pack of vicious wolves, I was slowly eaten alive. Bones crunched and everything. There must be a story in there somewhere.

Right. So I'm almost done with my super villain tale and I'm more than pleased with it. If only I could channel that feeling into a couple other projects I've got going.